[A preliminary study on the role of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis]. / Tç»†èƒžæ´»åŒ–å ç–«çƒè›‹ç™½æŠ‘åˆ¶Våž‹ç»“æž„åŸŸåœ¨å¹¼å¹´ç‰¹å‘æ€§å ³èŠ‚ç‚Žä¸­ä½œç”¨çš„åˆæ­¥ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the expression of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) in peripheral blood of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and its role in the pathogenesis of JIA. METHODS: In this prospective study, peripheral blood was collected from 47 children with different subtypes of JIA and 10 healthy children. Flow cytometry was used to measure the expression levels of VISTA, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on CD14+ mononuclear cells, CD4+ T lymphocytes, and CD8+ T lymphocytes. RESULTS: The children with JIA had a significantly lower expression level of VISTA than the healthy children (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the expression of VISTA between the children with different subtypes of JIA, with the lowest expression level in those with systemic JIA (P<0.05). There was also a significant difference in the expression of VISTA between different immune cells, with a significantly higher expression level on the surface of monocytes (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that VISTA was negatively correlated with the expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α on CD4+ T cells (r=-0.436 and -0.382 respectively, P<0.05), CD8+ T cells (r=-0.348 and -0.487 respectively, P<0.05), and CD14+ mononuclear cells (r=-0.582 and -0.603 respectively, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The insufficient expression of VISTA may be associated with the pathogenesis of JIA, and enhancing the immunomodulatory effect of VISTA might be one option for the treatment of JIA in the future.

Prognosis of 591 fetuses with ultrasonic soft markers during mid-term pregnancy.

The present study aimed to examine the value of ultrasonic soft markers in prenatal screening by analyzing the clinical outcome of fetuses with ultrasonic soft markers during the second trimester of pregnancy. A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate the outcome of 591 fetuses with ultrasonic soft markers from January 2015 to August 2016 in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China. It was found that 591 fetuses showed ultrasonic soft markers in 4927 cases with the occurrence rate being 12.0%. Among them, 564 fetuses (95.4%) were delivered and the remaining 27 cases (4.6%) were aborted. Five hundred and sixty-seven cases had single ultrasonic soft marker, including echogenic intracardiac focus (n=343), mild renal pelvis dilatation (n=116), short long bones (n=72), single umbilical artery (n=31), mild lateral ventriculomegaly (n=21), choroid plexus cysts (n=19), and echogenic bowel (n=13), with the disappearing rates in pregnancy being 97.1% (333/343), 77.6% (90/116), 0% (0/72), 0% (0/31), 57.1% (12/21), 89.5% (17/19) and 61.5% (8/13) respectively. The rate of pregnancy termination due to single ultrasonic soft marker was 3.4% (19/567), and that was 33.3% (8/24) due to two ultrasonic soft markers with the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). The reasons of pregnancy termination included malformations (polycystic kidney, cleft lip and palate, congenital heart diseases, pcromphalus, hypospadias, hydrocephalus), chromosome abnormality, and stillbirth. It was concluded that single ultrasonic soft marker is usually transient manifestation in pregnancy. Without the other structural defects, single ultrasonic soft marker usually disappears spontaneously with favorable prognosis in a low-risk population. It is suggested that ultrasonic soft markers should be appropriately interpreted to avoid unnecessary invasive examination.

[Study of blood flow improvement of topical application of estrogen on low genitourinary tract and its safety].

OBJECTIVE: The study of blood flow improvement of local estrogen on the low genitourinary tract and its safety. METHODS: The color Doppler flow imaging technique was employed to observe the flow spectrum of genitourinary tract. During the period of February 2007 to December 2010, there were 78 cases of postmenopausal females on local estrogen. The Doppler parameters included vaginal wall, urethra resistance index (RI) and systolic/diastolic ratio and others. And the lower genital urinary tract symptoms, such as sexual satisfaction, vulvovaginitis, urinary frequency, nocturia and other improvements, as well as adverse drug reactions before treatment and after 1 month, 3 months were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The results before treatment and after 1 month, 3 months, vaginal wall artery RI were 0.9 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.2 and 0.7 ± 0.3; S/D 8.6 ± 3.7, 6.0 ± 2.9 and 6.4 ± 2.1; urethral artery RI 0.7 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.2 and 0.6 ± 0.2, S/D 6.6 ± 1.9, 3.5 ± 0.7 and 3.4 ± 0.5 respectively. When the pre- and post-treatment indices were compared, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). After using local estrogen in postmenopausal women, the resistance of lower genital urinary tract vasodilation decreased. Sexual satisfaction increased while the morbidities of vulvovaginitis, urinary frequency and nocturia decreased. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal females on topical estrogen may promote the blood circulation of lower genitourinary tract, red.

Curcumin protects intestinal mucosal barrier function of rat enteritis via activation of MKP-1 and attenuation of p38 and NF-κB activation.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal mucosa barrier (IMB) dysfunction results in many notorious diseases for which there are currently few effective treatments. We studied curcumin's protective effect on IMB and examined its mechanism by using methotrexate (MTX) induced rat enteritis model and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated cell death model. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Curcumin was intragastrically administrated from the first day, models were made for 7 days. Cells were treated with curcumin for 30 min before exposure to LPS. Rat intestinal mucosa was collected for evaluation of pathological changes. We detected the activities of D-lactate and diamine oxidase (DAO) according to previous research and measured the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) by colorimetric method. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) were determined by RT-PCR and IL-10 production was determined by ELISA. We found Curcumin decreased the levels of D-lactate, DAO, MPO, ICAM-1, IL-1ß and TNF-α, but increased the levels of IL-10 and SOD in rat models. We further confirmed mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) was activated but phospho-p38 was inhibited by curcumin by western blot assay. Finally, NF-κB translocation was monitored by immunofluorescent staining. We showed that curcumin repressed I-κB and interfered with the translocation of NF-κB into nucleus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The effect of curcumin is mediated by the MKP-1-dependent inactivation of p38 and inhibition of NF-κB-mediated transcription. Curcumin, with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities may be used as an effective reagent for protecting intestinal mucosa barrier and other related intestinal diseases.

[Changyanqing decoction produces anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the changes in intestinal mucosal permeation in rats with methotrexate-induced small intestinal damage and investigate the protective effects of Changyanqing decoction. METHODS: Rat enteritis model was established by methotrexate (MTX) and sodium chloride. The rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) group and Changyanqing decoction group, and Changyanqing decoction (100 mg/kg) or saline was administered daily in the corresponding groups by gastric irrigation for 6 days. The disease activity index (DAI), colonic mucosal damage index (CMDI) and histological score (HS) of the rats were observed and evaluated. The levels of mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of IL-10 was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and IkappaB expression was determined with Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the model group showed significantly increased DAI, CMDI and HS. The DAI, CMDI, and HS in rats treated with Changyanqing decoction were significantly decreased in comparison with those in the model group (P<0.01). The expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were significantly higher in MTX-treated group than in the control group. The expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA in the Changyanqing group and NAC group were significantly lower, but IL-10 significantly higher than those of the MTX group. In MTX group, obvious NF-kappaB activation was observed, whose expression was significantly stronger in the cell nuclei, and the IkappaB in the cytoplasm was markedly degraded. CONCLUSION: Changyanqing decoction offers protection on intestinal mucosa by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation to reduce TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA expressions and increase IL-10 expression.

[Endovascular interventional treatment for symptomatic stenosis of middle cerebral artery].

OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility, security and validity of percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) or percutaneous angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) for symptomatic stenosis of middle cerebral artery. METHODS: The results of treatment and follow-up of 39 cases with symptomatic stenosis of middle cerebral artery who had either recurrent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or resistant to medical therapy and were performed PTA or PTAS were studied retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 39 cases with stenosis of middle cerebral artery (23 in left, 13 in right, 3 in bilateral side and 5 cases combining with stenosis of carotid artery) PTA were successfully performed in 9 cases and PTAS in 30 (whose post-operative residual stenosis were less than 10%). After operation the patients were administrated with antiplatelet drugs. The clinic symptom and sign of ischemia were improved obviously after operation. During the procedure the contrast could be seen outside the vessel in 2 cases, the patients had no obvious symptom of hemorrhage and got well rapidly. But in another case her consciousness changed 1 h after PTAS and the limbs could not move in right side. Emergency CT scan showed cerebral hemorrhage in left basic node area. The patient suffered language barrier and incomplete hemiplegy in right side. No complication was occurred in the others. During 5 to 60 months follow-up, the symptom of weakness in right arm reoccurred but lighter than before in only one case. TCD rechecked in 26 cases and demonstrated the blood beam speed was faster than normal in two case. DSA rechecked in 14 cases showed restenosis in-stent in the 2 cases and they were treated by medicine. CONCLUSIONS: PTA and PTAS is a feasible, safe and effective therapeutic method for the patients with symptomatic stenosis of middle cerebral artery. Further study in large number of patients is needed for long-term outcome.

[Influence of patient setup error on planning risk volumes for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Determination of planning risk volumes (PRVs) for an organ at risk greatly affects dose optimization in designing the intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) regimen. Patient setup errors have been found to closely correlate to the definition of PRVs. This study was to investigate the safety margin for the organ at risk during IMRT planning for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. METHODS: Nineteen NPC patients (stage T1-2N0M0) who received IMRT for the first time were studied. Repeated computed tomography (CT) scans were performed for the patients once a week during the whole treatment course. A total of 85 CT scan reports were obtained. Differences between patient positioning of each time and first treatment setup were caluculated by comparing the anatomical landmarks (that is, optical nerve, pituitary, spine, and parotid) on each CT scan image using Osiris software. RESULTS: The displacement of optical nerve and pituitary in X, Y, and Z directions were, in absolute values, (0.86+/-0.53) mm, (0.84+/-0.68) mm, and (0.93+/-1.02)mm, respectively. The standard deviations (SDs) of systematic errors for the axial vector displacement were 0.83 mm, 1.08 mm, and 1.21 mm, while the SDs of random errors were 0.85 mm, 0.83 mm and 1.14 mm. The displacement of spine and parotid in X, Y, and Z directions were, in absolute values, (0.98+/-0.74) mm, (1.25+/-0.88) mm, and (1.43+/-1.02) mm, respectively. The SDs of systematic errors for axial vector displacement were 0.98 mm, 1.35 mm, and 1.87 mm, while the SDs of random errors were 1.02 mm, 1.46 mm, and 1.54 mm. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to determine the size of a safety margin of IMRT for organs at risk using repeated CT scans for NPC patients.

[Value of prostate specific antigen in early diagnosis of prostatic cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), free PSA (FPSA) and PSA density (PSAD) in early diagnosis of prostatic cancer. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), 28 with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) without canceration, and 32 with prostatic cancer, all diagnosed by prostatic biopsy, were enrolled in this study. Serum PSA and FPSA were measured and FPSA/PSA ratio and PSAD calculated for each patient, and the data analyzed to explore the association of these indices with prostatic cancer. RESULTS: Serum PSA level and PSAD were markedly different between the cancer patients and non-cancer patients (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). FPSA/PSA ratio also differed between them (P<0.05). The same results were also found between BPH and cancer patients. Significant difference was noted in serum PSA and PSAD between PIN and cancer patients (P<0.01), but not in FPSA/PSA ratio (P>0.05). No marked difference was observed in serum PSA, FPSA/PSA ratio and PSAD between BPH and PIN patients. CONCLUSION: Serum PSA provides a very important clue for early diagnosis of prostatic cancer, and more accurate diagnosis can be obtained by considering also FPSA/PSA ratio. PSAD may also assist in the early diagnosis of prostatic cancer.