BACKGROUND Fistulas are common complications of Crohn’s disease(CD).Gastrocolic fistulas(GFs)are rare,occult and potentially life-threatening complications.Few cases of GFs have been reported.Oral agent contrast-enha...BACKGROUND Fistulas are common complications of Crohn’s disease(CD).Gastrocolic fistulas(GFs)are rare,occult and potentially life-threatening complications.Few cases of GFs have been reported.Oral agent contrast-enhanced ultrasound(OA-CEUS)is a novel technique of ultrasound(US)for gut.Contrast agent made by Chinese yam is taken orally to dilate the lumen of the upper gastrointestinal tract.Thus,the impediment of gas inside gastrointestinal tract is removed and a good acoustic window is provided for gastroin-testinal tract scanning.This paper describes a case of GF secondary to CD detected by OA-CEUS when it was missed by endoscopy and computed tomography(CT).To our knowledge,this is the first report of GF secondary to CD detected by OA-CEUS up to date.CASE SUMMARY A 29-year-old woman with a 6-year history of CD was admitted to our hospital for abdominal pain and diarrhea for 5 months without obvious predisposing causes.Initial gastroscopy failed to show any evidence of lesions.Colonoscopy revealed multiple erosions,mucosal nodularity,linear ulcers and a cobblestone appearance.A CT scan of her abdomen showed a complex multilocular structure adherent to the greater curvature of the stomach in her left lower abdomen,with fluid,gas and significant surrounding inflammation.CT also demonstrated an abdominal abscess,which was later treated with US-guided drainage.Colonoscopy,gastroscopy and CT missed the presence of a GF.OA-CEUS was performed.A contrast agent made from Chinese yam was taken orally to dilate the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract.A good acoustic window was provided for gastrointestinal tract scanning and the impediment of gas inside the gastrointestinal tract was removed.With the aid of the“window”,a canal with hypoechoic wall was identified connecting the greater curvature of stomach to the splenic colon flexure in free sections.We also observed the hyperechoic gas flowing dynamically inside the canal.Thus,a GF was suspected.US is the first imaging modality taking GF into account.At the same time,OA-CEUS identified the site of the fistula and its two orifices.Gastroscopy was performed again,revealing a small ulcer approximately 5 mm in diameter,which was considered as an orifice.On the basis of OA-CEUS and other examinations,the patient was diagnosed with a GF secondary to CD.Then,laparoscopic exploration,partial stomach resection,transverse colostomy and abdominal abscess drainage were performed.The patient recovered uneventfully.CONCLUSION GFs are rare,occult and potentially life-threatening complications in CD.US is one of the first-line modalities to evaluate CD and its complications.OA-CEUS,a novel technique of US for gut,may be helpful in reducing the possibility of a missed diagnosis of GF.展开更多
Parkinson’s disease(PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease for which the characteristic motor symptoms emerge after an extensive loss of dopamine containing neurons.The cell bodies of these neurons are pre...Parkinson’s disease(PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease for which the characteristic motor symptoms emerge after an extensive loss of dopamine containing neurons.The cell bodies of these neurons are present in the substantia nigra,with the nerve terminals being in the striatum.Both innate and adaptive immune responses may contribute to dopaminergic neurodegeneration and disease progression is potentially linked to these.Studies in the last twenty years have indicated an important role for neuroinflammation in PD through degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway.Characteristic of neuroinflammation is the activation of brain glial cells,principally microglia and astrocytes that release various soluble factors.Many of these factors are proinflammatory and neurotoxic and harmful to nigral dopaminergic neurons.Recent studies have identified several different agents with immunomodulatory properties that protected dopaminergic neurons from degeneration and death in animal models of PD.All of the agents were effective in reducing the motor deficit and alleviating dopaminergic neurotoxicity and,when measured,preventing the decrease of dopamine upon being administered therapeutically after 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine,6-hydroxydopamine,rotenone-lesioning or delivery of adeno-associated virus-α-synuclein to the ventral midbrain of animals.Some of these agents were shown to exert an anti-inflammatory action,decrease oxidative stress,and reduce lipid peroxidation products.Activation of microglia and astrocytes was also decreased,as well as infiltration of T cells into the substantia nigra.Pretreatment with fingolimod,tanshinoine I,dimethyl fumarate,thalidomide,or cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide as a preventive strategy ameliorated motor deficits and nigral dopaminergic neurotoxicity in brain-lesioned animals.Immunomodulatory agents could be used to treat patients with early clinical signs of the disease or potentially even prior to disease onset in those identified as having pre-disposing risk,including genetic factors.展开更多
The most common age-related neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer's disease(AD) characterized by aggregated amyloid-β(Aβ) peptides in extracellular plaques and aggregated hyperphosphorylated tau protein in intr...The most common age-related neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer's disease(AD) characterized by aggregated amyloid-β(Aβ) peptides in extracellular plaques and aggregated hyperphosphorylated tau protein in intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles,together with loss of cholinergic neurons,synaptic alterations,and chronic inflammation within the brain.These lead to progressive impairment of cognitive function.There is evidence of innate immune activation in AD with microgliosis.Classically-activated microglia(M1 state) secrete inflammatory and neurotoxic mediators,and peripheral immune cells are recruited to inflammation sites in the brain.The few drugs approved by the US FDA for the treatment of AD improve symptoms but do not change the course of disease progression and may cause some undesirable effects.Translation of active and passive immunotherapy targeting Aβ in AD animal model trials had limited success in clinical trials.Treatment with immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory agents early in the disease process,while not preventive,is able to inhibit the inflammatory consequences of both Aβ and tau aggregation.The studies described in this review have identified several agents with immunomodulatory properties that alleviated AD pathology and cognitive impairment in animal models of AD.The majority of the animal studies reviewed had used transgenic models of early-onset AD.More effort needs to be given to creat models of late-onset AD.The effects of a combinational therapy involving two or more of the tested pharmaceutical agents,or one of these agents given in conjunction with one of the cell-based therapies,in an aged animal model of AD would warrant investigation.展开更多
In the past,there has been considerable focus on a host of drugs and chemicals that may produce colonic toxicity.Now,a variety of new biological monoclonal antibody agents,usually administered by infusion,have appeare...In the past,there has been considerable focus on a host of drugs and chemicals that may produce colonic toxicity.Now,a variety of new biological monoclonal antibody agents,usually administered by infusion,have appeared in the clinical realm over the last decade or so to treat different chronic inflammatory or malignant disorders.For some of these agents,adverse effects have been documented,including apparently new forms of immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease.In some,only limited symptoms have been recorded,but in others,severe colitis with serious complications,such as bowel perforation has been recorded.In others,adverse effects may have a direct vascular or ischemic basis,while other intestinal effects may be related to a superimposed infection.Some new onset cases of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease may also be attributed to the same agents used to treat these diseases,or be responsible for disease exacerbation.Dramatic and well documented side effects have been observed with ipilimumab,a humanized monoclonal antibody developed to reduce and overcome cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4,a key negative feedback regulator of the T-cell anti-tumor response.This agent has frequently been used in the treatment of different malignancies,notably,malignant melanoma.Side effects with this agent occur in up to 40% and these are believed to be largely immune-mediated.One of these is a form of enterocolitis that may be severe,and occa-sionally,fatal.Other agents include rituximab(an antiCD20 monoclonal antibody),bevacizumab(a monoclonal antibody against the vascular endothelial growth factor) and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents,including infliximab,adalimumab and etanercept.展开更多
The reference test methods are carried out parallelly, by means of chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy and polarized optical microscop...The reference test methods are carried out parallelly, by means of chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy and polarized optical microscope to study the formation of C4A3S in the presence and absence of nucleating agent. The results show that nucleating agent with high calcium and low heat consumption as tricalcium silicate (C3S) promotes the formation of C4A3S and increases desulfurization degree obviously. During calcining raw meals doped with C3S, the grain sizes of C4A3S are larger compared with that without C3S. And at the same calcining level, the mass loss and the heat consumption belonged to CaCO3 decomposition is reduced.展开更多
With the rapid advance of academic activities in the field of phar-macology,antiinflammatory and immunopharmacology has become abranch of pharmacology in our country.Under professor Zhou Jin-huang’s charge and concer...With the rapid advance of academic activities in the field of phar-macology,antiinflammatory and immunopharmacology has become abranch of pharmacology in our country.Under professor Zhou Jin-huang’s charge and concerns,the first national conference of anti-inflammatory and immunopharmacology was held at Huang Shan in1982.In following years,the frist training class for antiinflamma-tory and immunopharmacological studies was conducted in Hefei.展开更多
Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as stress and frustration have a negative impact on memory function and Alzheimer's patients experience more negative emotions th...Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as stress and frustration have a negative impact on memory function and Alzheimer's patients experience more negative emotions than healthy adults. Non-pharmacological treatment such as immersion in virtual environments could help Alzheimer patients by reducing their negative emotions, but it has restrictions and requirements. In this work, we present three virtual reality relaxing systems in which the patients are immersed in relaxing environments. We propose to use intelligent agents in order to adapt the relaxing environment to each participant and optimize its relaxation effect. The intelligent agents track the emotions of patients using electroencephalography as input in order to adapt</span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environments. We designed each system with different levels of intelligence in order to analyze the impact of the adaptation on the patients. Experiments were performed for each system on participants with subjective cognitive decline. Results show that these relaxing systems can reduce negative emotions and improve participants’ memory performance. The positive effects on affective state and memory persisted for a longer period of time and were generally more effective for the systems with more intelligence. We believe that the combination of </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">relaxing environment, virtual reality, intelligent agents for adapting</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environment, and brain assessment is a promising method for helping Alzheimer’s patients.展开更多
Because inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of dry eye disease and Sjogren's syndrome, topical anti-inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids and cyclosporine A have been used to treat inflammation...Because inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of dry eye disease and Sjogren's syndrome, topical anti-inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids and cyclosporine A have been used to treat inflammation of the ocular surface and lacrimal gland. Systemic biological agents that target specific immune molecules or cells such as tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interferone-α, interleukin(IL)-1, IL-6, or B cells have been used in an attempt to treat Sjogren's syndrome. However, the efficacy of systemic biological agents, other than B-cell targeting agents, has not yet been confirmed in Sjogren's syndrome. Several studies have recently evaluated the efficacy of topical administration of biological agents targeting cytokines in the treatment of dry eye disease. Topical blockade of IL-1 by using IL-1 receptor antagonist could ameliorate clinical signs and inflammation of experimental dry eye. Using a mouse model of desiccating stress-induced dry eye, we have demonstrated that topical application of a TNF-α blocking agent, infliximab, could improve tear production and ocular surface irregularity, decrease inflammatory cytokines and Th-1 CD4+ cells on the ocular surface, and increase gobletcell density in the conjunctiva. Although controversy still remains, the use of topical biological agents targeting inflammatory cytokines may be a promising therapy for human dry eye disease.展开更多
Behcet’s disease (BD) is a large vessel vasculitis with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Some of these manifestation may be life threatening and rapid suppression of the inflammation with effective immunosupp...Behcet’s disease (BD) is a large vessel vasculitis with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Some of these manifestation may be life threatening and rapid suppression of the inflammation with effective immunosuppressive agent is crucial. There are traditional drugs with different response rates and all have efficacy on different manifestations of the disease. The most frightening manifestations of the disease are ocular, neurologic, intestinal and vascular types of involvement. Besides benign and easily treated manifestations there are also refractory cases with complicated involvement. The novel biologic agents have been used for these resistant patients and favorable response rates have been reported. In this review, we have shared our experience with biologic agents in BD and also reviewed the literature for the efficacy and safety for these novel agents for refractory patients.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China,No.81101061.
文摘BACKGROUND Fistulas are common complications of Crohn’s disease(CD).Gastrocolic fistulas(GFs)are rare,occult and potentially life-threatening complications.Few cases of GFs have been reported.Oral agent contrast-enhanced ultrasound(OA-CEUS)is a novel technique of ultrasound(US)for gut.Contrast agent made by Chinese yam is taken orally to dilate the lumen of the upper gastrointestinal tract.Thus,the impediment of gas inside gastrointestinal tract is removed and a good acoustic window is provided for gastroin-testinal tract scanning.This paper describes a case of GF secondary to CD detected by OA-CEUS when it was missed by endoscopy and computed tomography(CT).To our knowledge,this is the first report of GF secondary to CD detected by OA-CEUS up to date.CASE SUMMARY A 29-year-old woman with a 6-year history of CD was admitted to our hospital for abdominal pain and diarrhea for 5 months without obvious predisposing causes.Initial gastroscopy failed to show any evidence of lesions.Colonoscopy revealed multiple erosions,mucosal nodularity,linear ulcers and a cobblestone appearance.A CT scan of her abdomen showed a complex multilocular structure adherent to the greater curvature of the stomach in her left lower abdomen,with fluid,gas and significant surrounding inflammation.CT also demonstrated an abdominal abscess,which was later treated with US-guided drainage.Colonoscopy,gastroscopy and CT missed the presence of a GF.OA-CEUS was performed.A contrast agent made from Chinese yam was taken orally to dilate the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract.A good acoustic window was provided for gastrointestinal tract scanning and the impediment of gas inside the gastrointestinal tract was removed.With the aid of the“window”,a canal with hypoechoic wall was identified connecting the greater curvature of stomach to the splenic colon flexure in free sections.We also observed the hyperechoic gas flowing dynamically inside the canal.Thus,a GF was suspected.US is the first imaging modality taking GF into account.At the same time,OA-CEUS identified the site of the fistula and its two orifices.Gastroscopy was performed again,revealing a small ulcer approximately 5 mm in diameter,which was considered as an orifice.On the basis of OA-CEUS and other examinations,the patient was diagnosed with a GF secondary to CD.Then,laparoscopic exploration,partial stomach resection,transverse colostomy and abdominal abscess drainage were performed.The patient recovered uneventfully.CONCLUSION GFs are rare,occult and potentially life-threatening complications in CD.US is one of the first-line modalities to evaluate CD and its complications.OA-CEUS,a novel technique of US for gut,may be helpful in reducing the possibility of a missed diagnosis of GF.
文摘Parkinson’s disease(PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease for which the characteristic motor symptoms emerge after an extensive loss of dopamine containing neurons.The cell bodies of these neurons are present in the substantia nigra,with the nerve terminals being in the striatum.Both innate and adaptive immune responses may contribute to dopaminergic neurodegeneration and disease progression is potentially linked to these.Studies in the last twenty years have indicated an important role for neuroinflammation in PD through degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway.Characteristic of neuroinflammation is the activation of brain glial cells,principally microglia and astrocytes that release various soluble factors.Many of these factors are proinflammatory and neurotoxic and harmful to nigral dopaminergic neurons.Recent studies have identified several different agents with immunomodulatory properties that protected dopaminergic neurons from degeneration and death in animal models of PD.All of the agents were effective in reducing the motor deficit and alleviating dopaminergic neurotoxicity and,when measured,preventing the decrease of dopamine upon being administered therapeutically after 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine,6-hydroxydopamine,rotenone-lesioning or delivery of adeno-associated virus-α-synuclein to the ventral midbrain of animals.Some of these agents were shown to exert an anti-inflammatory action,decrease oxidative stress,and reduce lipid peroxidation products.Activation of microglia and astrocytes was also decreased,as well as infiltration of T cells into the substantia nigra.Pretreatment with fingolimod,tanshinoine I,dimethyl fumarate,thalidomide,or cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide as a preventive strategy ameliorated motor deficits and nigral dopaminergic neurotoxicity in brain-lesioned animals.Immunomodulatory agents could be used to treat patients with early clinical signs of the disease or potentially even prior to disease onset in those identified as having pre-disposing risk,including genetic factors.
文摘The most common age-related neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer's disease(AD) characterized by aggregated amyloid-β(Aβ) peptides in extracellular plaques and aggregated hyperphosphorylated tau protein in intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles,together with loss of cholinergic neurons,synaptic alterations,and chronic inflammation within the brain.These lead to progressive impairment of cognitive function.There is evidence of innate immune activation in AD with microgliosis.Classically-activated microglia(M1 state) secrete inflammatory and neurotoxic mediators,and peripheral immune cells are recruited to inflammation sites in the brain.The few drugs approved by the US FDA for the treatment of AD improve symptoms but do not change the course of disease progression and may cause some undesirable effects.Translation of active and passive immunotherapy targeting Aβ in AD animal model trials had limited success in clinical trials.Treatment with immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory agents early in the disease process,while not preventive,is able to inhibit the inflammatory consequences of both Aβ and tau aggregation.The studies described in this review have identified several agents with immunomodulatory properties that alleviated AD pathology and cognitive impairment in animal models of AD.The majority of the animal studies reviewed had used transgenic models of early-onset AD.More effort needs to be given to creat models of late-onset AD.The effects of a combinational therapy involving two or more of the tested pharmaceutical agents,or one of these agents given in conjunction with one of the cell-based therapies,in an aged animal model of AD would warrant investigation.
文摘In the past,there has been considerable focus on a host of drugs and chemicals that may produce colonic toxicity.Now,a variety of new biological monoclonal antibody agents,usually administered by infusion,have appeared in the clinical realm over the last decade or so to treat different chronic inflammatory or malignant disorders.For some of these agents,adverse effects have been documented,including apparently new forms of immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease.In some,only limited symptoms have been recorded,but in others,severe colitis with serious complications,such as bowel perforation has been recorded.In others,adverse effects may have a direct vascular or ischemic basis,while other intestinal effects may be related to a superimposed infection.Some new onset cases of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease may also be attributed to the same agents used to treat these diseases,or be responsible for disease exacerbation.Dramatic and well documented side effects have been observed with ipilimumab,a humanized monoclonal antibody developed to reduce and overcome cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4,a key negative feedback regulator of the T-cell anti-tumor response.This agent has frequently been used in the treatment of different malignancies,notably,malignant melanoma.Side effects with this agent occur in up to 40% and these are believed to be largely immune-mediated.One of these is a form of enterocolitis that may be severe,and occa-sionally,fatal.Other agents include rituximab(an antiCD20 monoclonal antibody),bevacizumab(a monoclonal antibody against the vascular endothelial growth factor) and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents,including infliximab,adalimumab and etanercept.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50972116)
文摘The reference test methods are carried out parallelly, by means of chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy and polarized optical microscope to study the formation of C4A3S in the presence and absence of nucleating agent. The results show that nucleating agent with high calcium and low heat consumption as tricalcium silicate (C3S) promotes the formation of C4A3S and increases desulfurization degree obviously. During calcining raw meals doped with C3S, the grain sizes of C4A3S are larger compared with that without C3S. And at the same calcining level, the mass loss and the heat consumption belonged to CaCO3 decomposition is reduced.
文摘With the rapid advance of academic activities in the field of phar-macology,antiinflammatory and immunopharmacology has become abranch of pharmacology in our country.Under professor Zhou Jin-huang’s charge and concerns,the first national conference of anti-inflammatory and immunopharmacology was held at Huang Shan in1982.In following years,the frist training class for antiinflamma-tory and immunopharmacological studies was conducted in Hefei.
文摘Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as stress and frustration have a negative impact on memory function and Alzheimer's patients experience more negative emotions than healthy adults. Non-pharmacological treatment such as immersion in virtual environments could help Alzheimer patients by reducing their negative emotions, but it has restrictions and requirements. In this work, we present three virtual reality relaxing systems in which the patients are immersed in relaxing environments. We propose to use intelligent agents in order to adapt the relaxing environment to each participant and optimize its relaxation effect. The intelligent agents track the emotions of patients using electroencephalography as input in order to adapt</span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environments. We designed each system with different levels of intelligence in order to analyze the impact of the adaptation on the patients. Experiments were performed for each system on participants with subjective cognitive decline. Results show that these relaxing systems can reduce negative emotions and improve participants’ memory performance. The positive effects on affective state and memory persisted for a longer period of time and were generally more effective for the systems with more intelligence. We believe that the combination of </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">relaxing environment, virtual reality, intelligent agents for adapting</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the environment, and brain assessment is a promising method for helping Alzheimer’s patients.
基金Supported by The Chonnam Natinal University Hospital Biomedical Research Institute(CRI 11076-21 and 13906-22)Forest Science and Technology Projects,No.S121313L050100provided by Korea Forest Service
文摘Because inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of dry eye disease and Sjogren's syndrome, topical anti-inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids and cyclosporine A have been used to treat inflammation of the ocular surface and lacrimal gland. Systemic biological agents that target specific immune molecules or cells such as tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, interferone-α, interleukin(IL)-1, IL-6, or B cells have been used in an attempt to treat Sjogren's syndrome. However, the efficacy of systemic biological agents, other than B-cell targeting agents, has not yet been confirmed in Sjogren's syndrome. Several studies have recently evaluated the efficacy of topical administration of biological agents targeting cytokines in the treatment of dry eye disease. Topical blockade of IL-1 by using IL-1 receptor antagonist could ameliorate clinical signs and inflammation of experimental dry eye. Using a mouse model of desiccating stress-induced dry eye, we have demonstrated that topical application of a TNF-α blocking agent, infliximab, could improve tear production and ocular surface irregularity, decrease inflammatory cytokines and Th-1 CD4+ cells on the ocular surface, and increase gobletcell density in the conjunctiva. Although controversy still remains, the use of topical biological agents targeting inflammatory cytokines may be a promising therapy for human dry eye disease.
文摘Behcet’s disease (BD) is a large vessel vasculitis with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Some of these manifestation may be life threatening and rapid suppression of the inflammation with effective immunosuppressive agent is crucial. There are traditional drugs with different response rates and all have efficacy on different manifestations of the disease. The most frightening manifestations of the disease are ocular, neurologic, intestinal and vascular types of involvement. Besides benign and easily treated manifestations there are also refractory cases with complicated involvement. The novel biologic agents have been used for these resistant patients and favorable response rates have been reported. In this review, we have shared our experience with biologic agents in BD and also reviewed the literature for the efficacy and safety for these novel agents for refractory patients.