The unspecific antibody response to N. meningitidis group A capsular polysaccharide often seen in bacteraemic diseases

When studying acute and convalescent phase sera of patients with bacteraemic diseases, an unexpected rise of antibody activity (measured as binding of radioactive antigen) towards the capsular polysaccharide of Neisseria meningitidis group A (MenA) was observed in 59 out of 292 patients whose infection was caused by other organisms (other groups of N. meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus). This non-specific reaction was not seen in non-bacteraemic diseases (Mycoplasma pneumonia, viral meningitis) or after immunization with H. influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide or Salmonella and cholera whole cell vaccines. The 'unspecific' anti-MenA antibodies were of all immunoglobulin classes A, G and M tested, and had lower avidity than did those in the specific response. They were clearly inhibitable by N-acetylmannosamine which inhibited the specific antibodies only marginally.     

六里屯垃圾卫生填埋场填埋气产生量预测及资源化研究

对北京市海淀区六里屯垃圾卫生填埋场的工程概况、历年垃圾填埋量、填埋气收集系统现状、填埋气资源化利用现状、六里屯场区能耗情况现状进行了调研,对填埋区的填埋气体进行了检测,并利用产气速率模型对六里屯垃圾卫生填埋场填埋气体的产生量进行了预测。对填埋气用于发电、制作汽车燃料、锅炉余热和焚烧浓缩渗沥液4种途径的可行性进行了分析,结果表明,发电+余热锅炉+蒸发浓缩渗沥液的综合利用途径是最优的资源化利用技术方案。     

Variation of growth in the production of the BCG vaccine and the association with the immune response. An observational study within a randomised trial

IntroductionBacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine has beneficial non-specific effects on overall survival. After BCG vaccination, positive PPD response and scar formation are associated with increased survival. During a trial randomising low-birth-weight neonates to BCG at birth or the usual delayed BCG, the manufacturer of the BCG vaccine experienced a period with relatively slow growth rate of the BCG. We investigated the association between growth rate of BCG when manufacturing the vaccine and its capability to induce immune responses in vivo and in vitro.Methods1633 neonates were randomised to BCG at birth and examined for scar at 12 months; a subgroup was tested for PPD response at 2 and 6 months. The BCG batches from the Slow growth period were compared with the precedent and subsequent Normal growth batches with regard to prevalence and size of BCG scar and PPD response. We also tested the effect of batches on in vitro cytokine responses.ResultsAt 12 months, the Slow growth batches were associated with higher BCG scar prevalence (98.2%) than the precedent batches (92.3%, p = 0.01) but the prevalence remained high after return to normal growth (98.8%, p = 0.52). The Slow growth batches were associated with larger scar size (5.0 mm) than precedent (4.4 mm, p < 0.01) and subsequent batches (4.8 mm, p = 0.03). Compared with Normal growth batches, the Slow growth batches were associated with a higher prevalence of positive PPD responses, and among PPD positive children, a larger PPD reaction (geometric mean ratio: 1.40 (1.20–1.63)) at 2 months. In response to secondary heterologous stimulation, monocytes primed with Slow growth batches induced higher IL-6 (p = 0.03) and TNF-α responses (p = 0.03) compared with Normal growth batches.ConclusionThe study indicates that variations in the production of BCG vaccine may influence important immunological effects of the vaccine.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov (NCT00625482).     

Pleurotus ferulae water extract enhances the maturation and function of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells through TLR4 signaling pathway

Dendritic cells (DCs) play important roles in the regulation of immune system, which link innate and adaptive immune responses. Mature DCs produced interleukin (IL)-12 promote optimal type 1 T helper (Th1) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The extracts of traditional herbal medicines have been shown to enhance immune responses through promoting the maturation and cytokine production of DCs. Here, we investigated the effects of Pleurotus ferulae water extract (PFWE) on the maturation and function of bone marrow–derived DCs (BM–DCs). Upon PFWE treatment, BM–DCs dose-dependently upregulated the expression of CD40, CD80, CD86 and MHC II and increased the production of IL-12, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α but not for IL-10, which is mediated by TLR4 signaling pathway, at least partially. The production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in BM–DCs was decreased by the treatment of PFWE. Moreover, PFWE treatment decreased the expression of active caspase-3 but increased the expression of CCR7. PFWE treated DCs enhanced the proliferation of allogenic CD8⁺ T cells and the capacity of antigen presenting to autologous CD8⁺ T cells. The combination of PFWE and CpG–ODN further enhanced the maturation and function of murine BM–DCs. The results showed that PFWE could enhance the maturation and function of DCs through TLR4 signaling pathway and has additive effect when combined with CpG–ODN, suggesting that PFWE alone or combined with CpG–ODN could be used to enhance the immune responses.     

职业健康安全管理体系在我国的应用

通过国内外文献资料的研究,探寻职业健康安全管理体系(OHSMS)引入我国后的发展轨迹及运用现状,并提出在新标准下企业的管理和生产行为将发生较大的变化。     

Sonchus asper extract inhibits LPS-induced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in RAW264.7 macrophages

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESSonchus asper is used extensively as an herbal anti-inflammatory for treatment of bronchitis, asthma, wounds, burns, and cough; however, further investigation is needed in order to understand the underlying mechanism. To determine its mechanism of action, we examined the effects of an ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of S. asper on nitric oxide (NO) production and prostaglandin-E2 levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.MATERIALS/METHODSAn in vitro culture of RAW264.7 macrophages was treated with LPS to induce inflammation.RESULTSTreatment with EAF resulted in significant suppression of oxidative stress in RAW264.7 macrophages as demonstrated by increased endogenous superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and intracellular glutathione levels, decreased generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, and restoration of the mitochondrial membrane potential. To confirm its anti-inflammatory effects, analysis of expression of inducible NO synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 was performed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. EAF treatment resulted in significantly reduced dose-dependent expression of all of these factors, and enhanced expression of the antioxidants MnSOD and heme oxygenase-1. In addition, HPLC fingerprint results suggest that rutin, caffeic acid, and quercetin may be the active ingredients in EAF.CONCLUSIONSTaken together, findings of this study imply that the anti-inflammatory effect of EAF on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells is mediated by suppression of oxidative stress.     

Activation of articulatory information in speech perception

Emerging neurophysiologic evidence indicates that motor systems are activated during the perception of speech, but whether this activity reflects basic processes underlying speech perception remains a matter of considerable debate. Our contribution to this debate is to report direct behavioral evidence that specific articulatory commands are activated automatically and involuntarily during speech perception. We used electropalatography to measure whether motor information activated from spoken distractors would yield specific distortions on the articulation of printed target syllables. Participants produced target syllables beginning with /k/ or /s/ while listening to the same syllables or to incongruent rhyming syllables beginning with /t/. Tongue–palate contact for target productions was measured during the articulatory closure of /k/ and during the frication of /s/. Results revealed “traces” of the incongruent distractors on target productions, with the incongruent /t/-initial distractors inducing greater alveolar contact in the articulation of /k/ and /s/ than the congruent distractors. Two further experiments established that (i) the nature of this interference effect is dependent specifically on the articulatory properties of the spoken distractors; and (ii) this interference effect is unique to spoken distractors and does not arise when distractors are presented in printed form. Results are discussed in terms of a broader emerging framework concerning the relationship between perception and action, whereby the perception of action entails activation of the motor system.     

盆炎净片提取工艺研究

目的 研究盆炎净片的最佳提取工艺.方法 以水提取干浸膏得率和芍药苷为测定指标,采用正交试验方法确定最佳提取工艺.结果 最佳提取工艺为12倍量水煎煮2次,每次3.0 h.加水倍数、提取时间对干浸膏得率和芍药苷含量的影响没有显著性差异,提取次数对干浸膏得率和芍药苷含量的影响有显著性差异(P＜0.05).结论 确定的制剂工艺...     

用肉荚云实代替进口塔拉工业化生产没食子酸的研究

目的 首次用国产肉荚云实作为工业化生产没食子酸的原料.方法 用与进口塔拉生产没食子酸的相同生产工艺的单耗与得率进行比较.结果 肉荚云实作为原料工业化生产没食子酸的单耗相当于或低于塔拉,其单宁酸含量、纯度及水解没食子酸的产率均优于进口塔拉.结论 国产肉荚云实可以代替进口塔拉作为工业化生产没食子酸的原料.     

无公害中药材生产关键技术研究

详细介绍了无公害中药材生产关键技术,包括生产基地选址、基地环境及监测技术,野生抚育等栽培管理技术,采收、产地加工技术,包装、贮运技术,病虫害预测技术,农业及物理防治技术,应用天敌昆虫、拮抗微生物的生物防治技术及植物源农药防治病虫害等综合防治技术,农药残留、重金属、真菌毒素检测技术及限量标准、有效成分含量测定及指纹图谱等质量控制技术。为我国无公害中药材生产和中药产业发展提供重要参考。