Osteoclasts are derived from pluripotent stem cells in bone marrow and spleen.They play a critical role in inflammation-induced bone loss and joint destruction because in the absence of them,bone de- struction does not occur even when inflammation exists.Synovioblasts in an inflamed joint can secrete numerous inflammatory factors,including tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-?)and interleukin-1(IL-1)which not only induce inflammatory reactions but also elevate osteoclast formation and function indirectly or directly through promoting RANKL expression.In this wdy the inflammatory reactions are associated with bone loss and destruction. In this article,we focus on the recent progress in study of TNF-?,IL-1 and osteoclast-target therapies in management of osteoclast-mediated inflammatory bone loss.TNF-?promotes differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells in the peripheral blood and spleen,which causes a marked increase in mature osteoclasts in a diseased joint.However, IL-I supports osteoblast survival and regulates the recombination of osteoclast cytoskeleton,which further stimulates bone resorption.Since osteoclast-target therapies may inhibit osteoclast formation and function,they are becoming more and more important for inflammation-induced bone loss and joint destruction.

Background The usual transbronchial coagulation techniques include microwave,argon plasma coagulation (APC),electrocautery and cryotherapy.However,there are serious clinical problems in the safety of each.By analyzing the experimental data and clinical observations,we observed the variable effects of different coagulation techniques via bronchofibroscopy,to look for an optimal interventional management of luminal bronchus diseases,and evaluate the safety and the equivalent point.Methods Four kinds of coagulation techniques under bronchoscopy were performed on the fresh bronchus of healthy sheep,and the pathologic changes in all groups were observed under the microscope.The different treatment parameters were as follows:microwave 60 W×1 second,3 seconds,5 seconds and 40 W×1 second,3 seconds,5 seconds; APC 40 W×1 second,3 seconds,5 seconds; electrocautery 40 W×1 second,3 seconds,5 seconds;cryotherapy 100 Ω×60 seconds,120 seconds.Results After treatment,ovine bronchial mucosa in all groups showed pathologic changes such as local necrosis and amotio of the mucosa lining epithelium,local submucosa coagulative necrosis or tissue defects,while inflammation in the surrounding tissue was not obvious.Under the same output power and action time,different methods had different outcomes.The damage by APC was the most superficial,microwave was the second,and electrocautery caused the worst damage.The study also found that effects of electrocautery at 40 W×3 seconds,microwave at 40 W×5 seconds or 60 W×3 seconds,APC at 40 W×5 seconds and cryotherapy at 100 Ω×120 seconds were the equivalent point conditions.The appearance included mucosa absence,partial submucosa absence,and collagen fiber coagulation in treatment areas.Conclusions Each coagulation technique has its own characteristic.It is very important to choose the appropriate power and action time of the suitable method according to the therapy requirement.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antimicrobial resistance and penicillin resistance-associated genes (TEM and pbp2B) of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) isolated from sputum specimens of Guangzhou children with respiratory tract infection.

METHODSE-test and Kirby-Bauer methods were applied to detect the antibiotic susceptibility of 44 strains of S. pneumoniae. PCR was used to detect resistance genes pbp2B and TEM, followed by DNA sequence analysis of pbp2B gene. The sequence results were compared to those of penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae R6.

RESULTSOf the 44 isolates of S. pneumoniae, only 5 (11.4%) were susceptible to penicillin. All strains were resistant to erythromycin but susceptible to ofloxacin and vancomycin. The resistance rate of the isolates to clindamycin and trimoxazole was more than 90%. The S. pneumoniae isolates showed a high susceptibility to amoxicillin, imipenem and ceftriaxone, with a resistance rate of 0, 2.6% and 3.9%, respectively. The sequence analysis showed that more than 99% nucleotide sequence of pbp2B gene of five penicillin-susceptible isolates was the same as penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae R6, without any amino acid replacement. Site mutation was found in the remaining 39 penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates with a nucleotide mutation rate ranging from 13.2% to 23.1% and amino acid replacement rate from 6.5% to 10.9%. The 39 penicillin-nonsusceptible isolates were classified into 4 types according to the mutation site between Ser391 and Thr492 of pbp2B: type I (n=30), type II (n=7), type III (n=1) and type IV (n=1). No TEM gene was detected in all the 44 S. pneumoniae isolates.

CONCLUSIONSThe S.pneumoniae isolates from Guangzhou children with respiratory tract infection are resistant to penicillin and erythromycin. Amoxicillin and the third generation cephalosporin may be recommended for treating S. pneumoniae infection. The mutation of pbp2B gene plays an important role in the development of S. pneumoniae resistance to penicillin.

Aminoacyltransferases ; genetics ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Penicillin Resistance ; genetics ; Penicillin-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; microbiology ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; drug effects ; genetics ; beta-Lactamases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of campylobacter jejuni (CJ) infection and the drug resistance of CJ in children with diarrhea in Guangzhou.

METHODSThe fecal samples of 3,351 children with diarrhea between July 2005 and June 2008 were collected for CJ culture. The species of CJ strains were identified by Lior methods. The drug susceptibility tests were performed by the Kirby-Bauer method.

RESULTSTwo hundred and sixty-seven CJ strains (8.0%) were isolated from 3,351 samples. The children at age of 1 month to 1 year were susceptible to CJ, accounting for 91.0%. A higher incidence of CJ infection (76.8%) was found in summer and autumn. The CJ strains were susceptible to imipenem, amikacin, cefoperazone/sulbactam, chloramphenicol, macrolides and lincomycins. Parts of CJ strains (20%-40%) were resistant to ampicillin, quinolones and ambramycin. All CJ strains were resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and cefditoren. Two hundred and one strains (75.3%) were CJ biotype I.

CONCLUSIONSCJ is an important pathogen of diarrhea in children from Guangzhou. CJ is resistant to some antibiotics used often in clinical practice, and so it is thus important to use antibiotics based on the results of drug susceptibility tests in children with CJ infection.

Campylobacter Infections ; microbiology ; Campylobacter jejuni ; classification ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Child, Preschool ; Diarrhea ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests

OBJECTIVETo screen for factor VIII inhibitor in patients with hemophilia A (HA) and explore the environmental risk factors for inhibitor development.

METHODSTotally 265 patients with HA were enrolled, including 107 consecutive inpatients and outpatients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from April 2003 to April 2007 and 158 patients newly recruited from other hospitals. FVIII: C activity was measured by one-stage coagulation assay. FVIII inhibitor was determined using Bethesda method.

RESULTSIn 265 HA patients, FVIII inhibitor was detected in 22 patients (8.3%). Nine of them (86.4%) were low responders (inhibitor titers < or = 5 000 BU/L), 3 (13.6%) were high responders (the titers > 5 000 BU/L). The frequency of FVIII inhibitor was 50% in the patients aged over 50 years, which was significantly higher than those in other age groups (P = 0. 000). Among 158 newly recruited patients with full clinical data, the frequency of FVIII inhibitor was 12.8% in patients who had received infusion of FVIII products for more than 12 doses on average each year, while it was 5.8% in whom the infusion doses were less than 12 (P = 0.156). The frequency of FVIII inhibitor was 28.5% in patients with a history of continuous infusion of FVIII products whereas it was only 1.6% in patients without such history (P = 0.000). In patients who exposed to multiple-branded or single-branded FVIII products, the frequencies of FVIII inhibitor were 9.3% and 3.9%, respectively (P = 0.229).

CONCLUSIONThe development of factor VIII inhibitor in patients with hemophilia A may be related to the age and the history of continuous infusion of FVIII products.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Environment ; Factor VIII ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Hemophilia A ; blood ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the different features of hyperplasia in castrated and uncastrated mice after testosterone (T) treatment.

METHODSForty-eight BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 in each: castrated (A), uncastrated (B) , castrated + low T (C), uncastrated + low T (D), castrated + high T (E), uncastrated + high T (F). Groups C and D were treated with testosterone solution at the dose of 12.5 mg/(kg d) and Groups E and F at 125 mg/(kg d) for 20 consecutive days, while Groups A and B received saline only. All the mice were sacrificed on the 21st day, their ventral and dorsal prostate glands weighed and their pathological features studied.

RESULTSAtrophic prostates were observed in Group A, but normal in Group B; prostatic hyperplasia was found in both Group C and D, but more obvious in the latter (P <0.05); and a slightly higher degree of hyperplasia was noted in Groups E and F than in C and D. There was an increase in serum T and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration and a decrease in serum estrogen (E2) concentration in the testosterone treated groups.

CONCLUSIONBoth castrated and uncastrated mice develop prostate hyperplasia after short-term testosterone treatment, although in different degrees and with different features, which may help further the studies on the association of castration and androgen with prostate diseases.

Animals ; Hyperplasia ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Orchiectomy ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Testosterone ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo clone UreB gene of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) isolated from children to pGEX-4T-1 expression plasmid, and do sequence analysis.

METHODSA pair of specific primer was designed according to H. pylori UreB gene in the GenBank. Using H. pylori strains isolated from children as a template, a UreB gene was obtained by PCR. After EcoR I and Not I digestion, the PCR production was linked with pGEX-4T-1 which was digested with the same enzymes. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL21 and identified by double enzyme digestion and sequence analysis. The sequence results were compared with the gene sequence in the GenBank.

RESULTSA UreB gene was successfully amplified from children's H. pylori strain GZCH1. It was 1710 bp in size. The objective band was identified by double enzyme digestion. DNA sequence showed that UreB was in the correct open reading frame. The sequence comparison analysis showed that DNA and amino acid sequence identities of UreB gene with other strains were 98%. The sequence of UreB of H. pylori strain GZCH1 was submitted to GenBank (accession number:FJ455126).

CONCLUSIONSUreB of H. pylori strain GZCH1 is successfully cloned to pGEX-4T-1, which provides a basis for research of oral H. pylori vaccine.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacterial Vaccines ; immunology ; Child ; Cloning, Molecular ; Helicobacter pylori ; enzymology ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Urease ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo compare the protective activity of liver injury induced by D-galactosamine (GalN) between Huangqin-Tang and their metabolites by human intestinal bacteria(HIB).

METHODThe liver injuries in conventional and pseudo-germfree mice were induced by GalN. After oral administration of Huangqin-Tang and their metabolites mixtures by HIB, the serum transaminase (ALT and AST) activities were detected.

RESULTIn conventional mice, large and medium doses (20 and 10 g.kg-1) of Huangqin-Tang decoction significantly reduced the increase of serum ALT activity after 18 h GalN treatment. In pseudo-germfree mice, metabolites significantly reduced the ALT levels. However, Huangqing-Tang didn't affect the ALT levels in this kind of mice. To all of the animals, AST levels remained the same after oral Huangqin-tang or their metabolites.

CONCLUSIONThe metabolism by intestinal bacteria plays a role in pharmacological effects of constituents of Chinese herbal medicine. The metabolites of the constituents by intestinal bacteria were the real active components in vivo.

Administration, Oral ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Galactosamine ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Liver Diseases ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protective Agents ; metabolism ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo study the etiology, clinical and pathologic characteristics of periductal mastitis with fistula and estimate the effect of anti-mycobacterial agents for periductal mastitis with fistula.

METHODSTotally 27 patients of periductal mastitis with fistula received anti-mycobacteria drugs therapy from December 2008 to September 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. All of the patients were female. The mean age at onset was 28 years (range 15 to 40 years old). The main clinical manifestation of the 27 patients was breast fistula, including 21 patients with single fistula and 6 patients with multiple fistula. Three patients manifested with pure fistula, 14 patients with both fistula and lump, 10 patients with fistula, lump and abscess. The samples including pus or tissues of all patients were underwent bacteria culture and all patients core needle biopsy. All patients were given primary anti-mycobacteria drugs therapy, parts of patients received surgery based on the evaluation of medical treatment.

RESULTSThe common bacteria culture of all patients failed to demonstrate any causative microorganism. Four cases were selected randomly to undergo PCR of mycobacteria, only one case was identified as Massiliense in bacteria culture of mycobacteria. Twenty-seven patients with periductal mastitis with fistula were treated with anti-mycobacterial agents (isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol or pyrazinamide of triple oral drugs) for 1 to 3 months, the fistula of all 27 patients were closed well. Sixteen patients were treated with the agents only and cured. Eleven patients received surgical treatment after treated with the medical agents. None of the patients were given mastectomy. All patients had no reccurence until now.

CONCLUSIONSThe periductal mastitis with fistula has a closely relationship with the infection of nontuberculosis mycobacteria. Those patients could be treated with triple anti-mycobacterial agents and could also avoided mastectomy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Ethambutol ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fistula ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; therapeutic use ; Mastitis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; isolation & purification ; Pyrazinamide ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Rifampin ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe usual transbronchial coagulation techniques include microwave, argon plasma coagulation (APC), electrocautery and cryotherapy. However, there are serious clinical problems in the safety of each. By analyzing the experimental data and clinical observations, we observed the variable effects of different coagulation techniques via bronchofibroscopy, to look for an optimal interventional management of luminal bronchus diseases, and evaluate the safety and the equivalent point.

METHODSFour kinds of coagulation techniques under bronchoscopy were performed on the fresh bronchus of healthy sheep, and the pathologic changes in all groups were observed under the microscope. The different treatment parameters were as follows: microwave 60 W×1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds and 40 W×1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds; APC 40 W×1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds; electrocautery 40 W×1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds; cryotherapy 100 Ω×60 seconds, 120 seconds.

RESULTSAfter treatment, ovine bronchial mucosa in all groups showed pathologic changes such as local necrosis and amotio of the mucosa lining epithelium, local submucosa coagulative necrosis or tissue defects, while inflammation in the surrounding tissue was not obvious. Under the same output power and action time, different methods had different outcomes. The damage by APC was the most superficial, microwave was the second, and electrocautery caused the worst damage. The study also found that effects of electrocautery at 40 W×3 seconds, microwave at 40 W×5 seconds or 60 W×3 seconds, APC at 40 W×5 seconds and cryotherapy at 100 Ω×120 seconds were the equivalent point conditions. The appearance included mucosa absence, partial submucosa absence, and collagen fiber coagulation in treatment areas.

CONCLUSIONSEach coagulation technique has its own characteristic. It is very important to choose the appropriate power and action time of the suitable method according to the therapy requirement.

Animals ; Argon Plasma Coagulation ; adverse effects ; Bronchial Diseases ; pathology ; therapy ; Bronchoscopy ; Cryotherapy ; adverse effects ; Electrocoagulation ; adverse effects ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Sheep