Characterization of Th1- and Th2-type immune response in human multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has become a lethal global threat. Insights into the immune regulation of MDR-TB are urgently needed for the development of new treatments; however, the T cell response to an MDR-TB infection in human remains unclear. In the present study, the proportion of Th1 and Th2 cell subsets and the level of related T cell subset cytokines in peripheral blood were investigated. We detected that an MDR-TB infection resulted in suppressed Th1 and Th2 cell activation, which was more remarkable in patients with MDR-TB than that in drug-sensitive tuberculosis (DS-TB) sufferers when compared to healthy controls (HCs). In addition, MDR-TB infection down-regulated the expression of IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-10, and up-regulated IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α expression. Our data suggest that the disturbance between protective and pathogenic effects induced by the immunosuppression of Th1- and Th2-type responses is a substantial characteristic of MDR-TB infections.

[Study on the operational method for the treatment of CRF with enteroclysis (chronic renal failure)].

The enteroclysis used for chronic renal failure (CRF) is very effective in the clinical therapy and is developed by professor Zhang Da-ning, a famous specialist in nephrosis in China. In order to find the most effective treatment, we observed 300 patients with CRF who received enteroclysis therapy in the past five years. We focused on the study of the operational method about conservative enteroclysis by multiple cross-transverse comparative method. The results show that proper temperature for enteroclysis (37-39 C), suitable depth for intubation (15-20 cm) as well as right prone position for patients enable the enteroclysis medicine exert the most effective action and ease the patient's suffering as possible as it can. This optimum operational method for conservative enteroclysis will provide scientific basis for improving regular enteroclysis technique and nursing quality.

Cytogenetic and survival adaptive responses in G1 phase human lymphocytes.

Human lymphocytes from six donors were treated with 5 cGy of X-rays followed by 200 or 400 cGy in the first G1 phase after PHA stimulation, and assayed for cytogenetic aberrations and cell survival. Four donors showed cytogenetic adaptive responses with 400 cGy, and one with both 200 cGy and 400 cGy. Both exchanges and deletions were reduced, indicating that the cytogenetic adaptive response acts by restitution of chromosome breaks. Good correlations were found between nonaberrant cells and survival, although the former were often higher than the later, especially with the 400 cGy dose. In four of six donors, 5 cGy alone had significant effects on cell survival; however, this was independent of the 5 cGy effect on high-dose-induced responses. Two donors had survival adaptive responses with 5 + 200 cGy, while none were found with the 5 + 400 cGy treatment. The comparisons between the cytogenetic and survival responses suggests that a survival adaptive response will only be seen with a sufficient increase in nonaberrant cells. To date, adaptive responses to ionizing radiation have been reported to occur in G0, G1 and late S/early G2 human lymphocytes.