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To identify and eliminate the inner filter effects (IFEs), prepositive and side cells containing absorbents are fixed beside the fluorescer contained cell. In this way, excitation and emission lights can be quenched by primary and secondary outer filter effects respectively, depending on absorbent concentration and cell length. Herein the quenching of emission fluorescence caused by IFEs can be equally reduced by outer filter effects (OFEs) and the interference of IFEs was eliminated. This approach was experimentally used for identifying the interaction mode and mechanism between BSA and nanoAg. Results showed that the quenching of BSA fluorescence and synchronous fluorescence mainly attributes to IFEs, instead of static/dynamic fluorescent quenching. In view of the above, the elimination of the interference of IFEs by the design of OFEs plays an important part in the precise application of fluorescence detector., (© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011)

In this study, we examined the protective effects of Danshen both on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in patients with hypercholesterolemia and on in-vitro EPCs of healthy volunteers. In the clinical study, we randomly divided 24 subjects with hypercholesterolemia into two groups (the control group and the Danshen-treated group). At the end of two weeks of treatment, the EPC cellular functions of both groups were tested. The results indicated that, compared to the control group, EPCs in the Danshen-treated group showed significantly better cellular functions, which was manifested in the cloning number, the proliferation capacity, the number of EPC adhesions, and cell migration. In the subsequent in-vitro experiments, EPCs were treated with vehicle, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL, 100 microg/ml), or Ox-LDL (100 microg/ml) plus different concentrations of Danshen (Danshensu 2, 10, or 50 microg/ml, respectively) for 24 h. The results showed that Danshen treatments can prevent the detrimental effects of Ox-LDL on EPC cellular functions measured by proliferation capacity (0.24+/-0.08, 0.37+/-0.11, 0.30+/-0.04 vs. 0.13+/-0.02, P<0.05, P<0.01, and P<0.01, respectively), and adhesion ability (63.00+/-11.60, 70.00+/-10.80, 85.50+/-11.41 vs. 40.50+/-6.85, all P<0.01). Compared to the group treated with Ox-LDL alone, Danshen treatment significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation end product malondialdehyde (MDA) [(4.34+/-0.54), (3.98+/-0.47), (3.46+/-0.31) vs. (5.57+/-0.64) nmol/ml, all P<0.01], increased the production of superoxide dismutase (SOD) [(29.74+/-0.71), (31.09+/-0.83), (30.41+/-0.65) vs. (14.76+/-3.99) U/ml, all P<0.01], and lowered the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) [(24.62+/-7.69), (27.04+/-3.14), (33.38+/-18.86) vs. (230.67+/-33.53) pg/ml, all P<0.01] and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) [(41.72+/-6.10), (17.02+/-6.82), (3.73+/-2.26) vs. (228.71+/-41.53) pg/ml, all P<0.01] in Ox-LDL treated EPCs. These results suggest that Danshen may exert a protective effect through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory features.

Genetic studies have elegantly characterized the innate immune response in Drosophila melanogaster. However, these studies have a limited ability to reveal the biochemical mechanisms underlying the innate immune response. To investigate the biochemical basis of how insects recognize invading microbes and how these recognition signals activate the innate immune response, it is necessary to use insects, from which larger amounts of hemolymph can be extracted. Using the larvae from two species of beetle, Tenebrio molitor and Holotrichia diomphalia, we elucidated the mechanisms underlying pathogenic microbe recognition. In addition, we studied the mechanism of host defense molecule amplification. In particular, we identified several pattern recognition proteins, serine proteases, serpins and antimicrobial peptides and examined how these molecules affect innate immunity.

Based on a review of the practices of echinococcosis control in China and of the historical experience from the international community in the field, this paper discussed the research achievements and challenges. The author indicated that it is a realistic time to launch a comprehensive control program in western China and there are urgent needs for scientific research integrating into the program.

The objective of study was to observe the efficacy and adverse events of modified CAG regimen in treating patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia. CAG regimen with prolongation of aclarubicin up to 7 days were used to treat 17 cases of relapsed acute myeloid. After 1 course of chemotherapy, the efficacy and adverse events were evaluated, patients who did not achieve remission were excluded from this regimen, patients who achieved remission were continuously given 1 course of CAG regimen. The results showed that out of 17 case 8 patients achieved complete remission (CR, 47.06%) and 5 patients achieved partial remission (PR, 29.14%). Most of these cases had slight adverse events which mainly were marrow suppression that could be tolerated, overall survival was 76.47%. In conclusion, treatment for relapsed acute myeloid leukemia with modified CAG regiment is safe and effective, and can provide conditions for allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but its long term efficacy needs to further study.

To investigate the clinical features and outcome of severe pneumonia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for malignant hematological disease, the clinical features of severe pneumonia, including symptoms, signs, blood-gas analysis and thoracic X-ray change were observed, the clinical therapeutical outcome is also evaluated. The results showed that after treatment with antibiotics or antibiotics + antiviral drugs or antibiotics + antiviral drugs + glucocorticosteroids, as well as mechanical ventilation, pulmonary changes in 17 patients with sever pneumonia completely disappeared, 1 case died. In conclusion, early diagnosis and proper treatment for complicated pneumonia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can decrease the mortality.

Objective: To submit a proposal for the classification of ultrasonographic image in patients with hepatic cystic echinococcosis, on the basis of characteristic and distribution of ultrasonic image of hydatid cysts in cases and systematic observation on dynamic changes of sonographic image under treatment with emulsion albendazole and in relation to clinical efficacy., Methods: The ultrasonic image of 645 cysts in 497 cases with liver cystic echinococcosis was classified. The distribution of different types of image in patients was analyzed. A comparative analysis of correspondence between the sonographic type and clinical efficacy was made in association with the rule of changes in ultrasonic features during chemotherapy., Results: The ultrasonographic image of hydatid cysts was divided into six types. The distribution of ultrasonic types in patients reflected the process of natural evolution of cysts in human bodies. The dynamic change of ultrasonic image during treatment was identical with the natural evolution process of hydatid cysts., Conclusion: The proposal for ultrasonographic classification submitted reflects a long evolutionary process from growth to death of hydatid cysts in human body. The dynamic change of hydatid cysts during chemotherapy indicated that the effect of drug has accelerated this process. Therefore this classification may be applied in diagnosis and to judge the chemotherapeutic efficacy of cystic echinococcosis.