Mechanism of MBL inhibiting the LPS-induced DC maturation / 中国实验血液学杂志

The study was aimed to investigate the mechanism of mannan-binding lectin (MBL) on bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human peripheral blood monocyte-derived dendritic cell (DC) maturation. The monocytes were prepared from the peripheral blood of healthy adult volunteers. The immature dendritic cells (imDC) were induced by 5-day-culture in medium supplemented with rhGM-CSF and rhIL-4. FACS was used to investigate the interaction of MBL with imDC and the impact of MBL on LPS binding to imDC. ELISA and Western blot was used to analyze the interaction of MBL with soluble TLR4 ectodomain protein (sTLR4); Western blot was used to detect LPS-induced NF-κB translocation in imDC. The results showed that MBL could directly bind to imDC in the presence of calcium. sTLR4 protein or LPS could competitively inhibit the binding of MBL to imDC. ELISA and Western blot showed that MBL could evidently bind to sTLR4 protein in a concentration-dependent manner. FACS showed that MBL could competitively inhibit the binding of LPS to imDC by binding to imDC directly. Western blot showed that MBL decreased LPS-induced NF-κB translocation in imDC. It is concluded that MBL may competitively inhibit the binding of LPS to imDC by binding to TLR4 expressed on imDC, resulted in inhibition of LPS-induced DC maturation, suggesting that MBL can regulate DC maturation through ligand-binding. This study provides the good foundation to clarify the mechanism of MBL inhibiting the LPS-induced DC maturation.

Clinical value of dual-source CT in evaluating coronary artery disease / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical value of dual-source CT (DSCT) in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-five patients with suspected coronary heart disease underwent both DSCT coronary angiography (DSCTCA) and selective coronary angiography (CAG) examination, and the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the DSCTCA was evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and accuracy of DSCT in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease were 97.7%, 72.6%, 93.5%, 88.9% and 92.7% by the number of patients, respectively; by calculating the coronary arteries, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, accuracy were 94.9%, 95.8%, 92.5%, 97.1%, 95.5%, respectively. According to the lesion segment, these values were 88.2%, 96.9%, 90.5%, 96.1%, 94.7%, respectively. DSCTCA showed no significant difference from CAG for a diagnostic purpose, nor did their vessel sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and accuracy in different coronaries differ significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DSCT has a diagnostic accuracy of coronary heart disease close to that CAG and can on some occasion serve as an alternative to CAG in the screening of coronary artery disease.</p>

Clinical outcome of adjuvant chemotherapy plus intensity modulated radiotherapy after breust-con-serving surgery / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of adjuvant chemotherapy plus in-tensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) after breast-conserving surgery for stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ breast cancer.Methods After breast-conserving surgery, 108 patients received six cycles of chemotherapy followed by IM-RT. The irradiation dose of the whole breast was 50 Gy given by 25 fractions, followed by 10 Gy boost to the tumor bed given by 5 fractions with electron beams. Patients with positive estrone receptor or progesterone re-ceptor were given endocrine treatment, mostly with tamoxifen. Results The follow-up rate was 100% by December 2007. The number of patients followed-up at 1-, 2- and 3-year was 108,88 and 58. The 1-, 2- and 3-year over survival rates were 100% ,100% and 98%. Three patients had local recurrence. Different degree of dermatitis occurred with good long-term cosmetic results. No severe side effects occurred such as radiation-induced pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis and heart injury. Conclusions Breast cancer patients treated by adjuvant chemotherapy plus IMRT after breast-conserving surgery have high survival rate and low side-effect rate. The survival quality and local control can be improved.