Effects of dendritic cell-based adoptive immunotherapy with over-expressed SOCS1 on Th17- and Treg-related cytokines in the BALF of COPD mice / 医学研究生学报

Objective　Dendritic cells (DCs), helper T cells 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) are closely related to the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to investigate the changes of Th17- and Treg-related cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of COPD mice after DC-based adoptive immunotherapy with over-expressed suppressor of cytokine signaling protein 1 (SOCS1) and provide some new ideas for the treatment of COPD.　Methods　A total of 48 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: healthy control, COPD model control, immature DC (imDC), DC-SOCS1 1×106, and DC-SOCS1 2×106. The healthy controls were exposed to air and fed normally, the COPD model controls injected with normal saline at 0.5 mL/ on the first day of modeling by fumigation, the mice of the imDC group injected via the tail vein with 1 ×106 imDCs, and those of the DC-SOCS1 groups injected with 1 ×106 or 2 ×106 DCs with over expressed SOCS1, all via the tail vein on the 1st and 7th day of modeling. Then the lung tissues were collected from the mice for preparation of paraffin sections and HE staining, and ELISA was employed for determination of the levels of Th17-related IL-17 and IL-23 and Treg-related IL-10 and TGF-β in the BALF of the model mice.　Results　Compared with the COPD model controls, the mice in the imDC, DC-SOCS1 1×106 and DC-SOCS1 2×106 groups showed significantly decreased levels of IL-17 on the 1st day ([78.87 ± 1.08] vs [46.46 ± 0.77], [34.09 ± 3.98] and [24.12 ± 0.57] pg/mL, P < 0.05) and 7th day after modeling ([78.87 ± 1.08] vs [55.69 ±0.35], [35.65 ± 0.54] and [27.00 ± 0.58] pg/mL, P < 0.05), and IL-23 on the 1st day ([200.62 ± 0.65] vs [150.19 ± 0.53], [121.09 ± 0. 53] and [70.21 ± 0.91] pg/mL, P < 0.05) and 7th day ([200.62 ± 0.65] vs [167.70 ± 1.73], [136.34 ± 0.90] and [99.35 ± 1.83] pg/mL, P < 0.05), but remarkably increased levels of IL-10 on the 1st day ([39.46 ± 3.88] vs [50.74 ± 1.77], [58.71 ± 3.84] and [70.12 ± 2.62] pg/mL, P < 0.05) and 7th day ([39.46 ± 3.88] vs [44.56 ± 2.63], [54.78 ± 1.43] and [63.00 ± 2.57] pg/mL, P < 0.05), TGF-β on the 1st day ([24.98 ± 0.43] vs [36.46 ± 0.98], [42.40 ± 0.62] and [50.55 ± 0.53] pg/mL, P < 0.05) and 7th day ([24.98 ± 0.43] vs [33.27 ± 0.92], [40.12 ± 0.83] and [44.98 ± 0.52] pg/mL, P < 0.05). The contents of IL-17 and IL-23 were markedly lower while those of IL-10 and TGF-β higher in the DC-SOCS1 1×106 than in the imDC group (P < 0.05), and the levels of the former two significantly higher and those of the latter two lower in the DC-SOCS1 2×106 than in the DC-SOCS1 1×106 group (P < 0.05).　Conclusion　Transfusion of DCs with over-expressed SOCS1 can inhibit the secretion of Th17-related cytokines in COPD, and the effect is better than that of imDCs alone and related to the concentration and time.

Correlation analysis between multi-slice CT perfusion imaging and microvessel density in ovarian tumors / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the correlation between the perfusion data and microvessel density (MVD) in ovarian tumors, and investigate the hemodynamic features of the tumors in terms of anatomy and functional CT imaging.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six patients with surgically confirmed benign ovarian tumors and 6 with malignant ovarian tumors underwent multi-slice CT perfusion imaging to acquire the perfusion parameters including perfusion, PEI, TTP, BV peak enhancement image(PEI), time to peak(TTP) and blood volume(BV). The tumors were stained and counted by Immunohistochemical staining of the microvessels in the tumor was performed to detect the MVD.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>s The time-density curves of the benign ovarian tumors increased slowly, reaching the peak at 40 s; the curves of the malignant tumors rose rapidly and continuously and reached the peak at 25 s. The differences in the perfusion data (PEI, TTP, BV) were statistically significant between the benign and malignant tumors (P<0.05). The MVD of the malignant tumors was significantly greater than that of the benign tumors (P<0.05). The mean BV of the malignant ovarian tumor was positively correlated to MVD (r=0.786, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Multi-slice spiral CT perfusion imaging can provide accurate enhancement data of the ovarian tumors and helps in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the ovarian tumors by presenting the changes of the hemodynamic features in the tumors.</p>

Atypical magnetic resonance imaging vs pathological findings of leiomyoma in the female reproductive system / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the atypical leiomyoma in the female reproductive system in comparison with the pathological features of the neoplasms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective analysis of the MRI findings and the pathological features was conducted in 24 cases of atypical leiomyoma involving the female reproductive system.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Atypical leiomyomas were displayed by MRI as solid tumor mass surrounded by cystic degeneration, pseudotumors, or solid mass with homogeneous signal intensity. Intrauterine lesions were found in 19 cases, involving the subserosal layer (n=11), intramural region (n=4), broad ligament (n=3), cervix (n=2), submucous layer (n=2), vagina (n=1), and the ovary (n=1). Except for two cases with submucous lesions shown as solid mass, all the cases had lesions appearing as solid cystic mass, whose solid part showed hypo or isointense signals on T1WI and moderate hyperintense signals on T2WI, with heterogeneous enhancement after contrast agent injection. Tumor cell and interstitial cell swelling, vascular hyalinosis, hyalinosis, myxoedema, cystic degeneration, and hemorrhage were found in the lesions.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Leiomyoma can occur at almost any site in the female reproductive system, and atypical leiomyoma usually are shown as solid cystic mixed mass in the pelvic cavity. Evaluation of the relationship between the solid mass and cystic portion and observation for the presence of low signal on T2WI may help in the diagnosis of atypical leiomyoma.</p>

Effects of EGb761 on hippocamal synaptic plasticity of vascular dementia rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the effects of ginkgo biloba extract 761 (EGb761) on synaptic plasticity in hippocampus of vascular dementia (VD) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The escape latency (EL) of Morris water maze (MWM) task was measured at different time points (4 W, 8 W and 16 W), and the population spikes (PS) of granule cell layer in the dentate gyrus were induced by single pulse stimulation to perfo rate path fibers before and after high frequency stimulation (HFS) in vivo.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MWM test showed that the escape latency (EL) of VD model group were highly longer than that of the sham-operated group, while the EL of EGb761-treated group was significantly shorter than that of model group, but still longer than that of the sham-operated group. The incidence rates of LTP induction in 1 m, 2 m and 4 m subgroups of model group were significantly lower than that of sham-operated group and EGb761-treated group at different time point. The relative amplitudes of PS after HFS in 1 m, 2 m and 4 m subgroups of model group were obviously reduced compared with that of the corresponding subgroups of sham-operated group and EGb761-treated group. There was no obvious significance in the peak latency of PS between different subgroups and different LTP-tested time point.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VD model rats had apparent and long-lasting dysfunction of learning and memory, EGb761 could accelerate the recovery of the pathological synaptic plasticity. This suggested that EGb761 played an important and improving role on learning and memory dysfunction of VD.</p>

A case control study on the risk factors of male infertility / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the risk factors of male infertility.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Case control study including 94 cases and control group with a ratio of 1 to 1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The risk factors of male infertility were long time heavy smoking habit (OR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.95 - 6.10), illegal sexual intercourse (OR = 7.29, 95% CI: 2.54 - 20.89), growing vegetable under plastic in higher temperature (OR = 6.73, 95% CI: 1.91 - 23.69), contact with benzene chemicals (OR = 20.53, 95% CI: 4.67 - 90.25) and having Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection (OR = 5.55, 95% CI: 2.28 - 13.53).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Male infertility was resulted from many factors repeatedly acting on men for long time. In order to prevent male infertility, issues as environmental pollution, occupational protection need to be improved while bad working condition and risky behavior should be changed.</p>