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To investigate serum interleukin (IL)- 35 levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to describe the association between serum IL-35 levels and clinical parameters: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), global health on Visual Analog Scale, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints based on ESR (DAS28-ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPAs). The study included 129 patients with RA and 83 healthy controls. Serum IL-35 levels were detected by ELISA. ESR and CRP were measured by the Westergren method and the immune transmission turbidity method, respectively. RF and ACPA were measured using immunoturbidimetric assays and chemiluminescence analysis, respectively. The results showed that serum IL-35 levels were elevated in patients with RA. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the high serum IL-35 levels were correlated with low ESR and DAS28-ESR. These suggested that IL-35, an important anti-inflammatory cytokine, may participate in the regulation of the pathogenesis of RA, especially with disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interactions of inflammatory cells with pancreatic cancer cells play crucial roles in pancreatic cancer, however the dynamic changes of inflammatory cell populations in pancreatic cancerogensis and after chemotherapy have not been well eclucidated. The combinational use of aspirin and atrovastatin (Lipitor) have been widely prescribled for cardio-cerebral vascular diseases mainly by regulation of inflammations, and they have been also reported to have plausible anti-tumor effects, however their potential roles in pancreatic cancerogenesis and chemotherapeutic effects have been seldom investigated. We scanned the dynamic changes of pan-inflammatory cell populations in pancreatic cancerogensis and after chemotherapy and found the potential target cell populations. Then we tested the roles of aspirin and Lipitor to regulate these inflammatory cell populations and their effects on pancreatic cancerogenesis and chemotherapeutic effects. Methods: Cancerogen, dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA), was used to induce pancreatic cancerogenesis and subcatunous implantation of syngenic murine Panc02 pancreatic cancer cells was adopted as well. Gemcitabine was used for chemotherapy. The peripheral blood, pancreatic lesions and tumor samples were harvested and analyzed to search for the potential target cell populations. The roles of aspirin and Lipitor to regulate these cell populations and their potential effects on pancreatic cancerogenesis and chemotherapeutic efficacy were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Results: We found progressive accumulations of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and M2-polarzied tumor associated macrophages(M2) in pancreatic lesions accompanied with dynamic reducations of cytotoxic T cells(CTL) and helper T cells(Th) in the progression of pancreatic cancerogenesis. After gemcitabine treatment, the MDSC significantly reduced, however M2 soared up unexpectedly. Aspirin could significantly inhibit the MDSC and M2 to prevent pancreatic cancerogenesis and improve chemotherapeutic effects of gemcitabine, however Lipitor did not significantly affect MDSC, instead it could promote M2 to attenuate the postive effects of aspirin and gemcitabine. Conclusions: MDSC and M2 accumulate in progression of pancreatic cancerogenesis and gemcitabine can induce M2. Aspirin could prevent pancreatic cancerogenesis and improve efficacy of gemcitabine partially by inhibiting MDSC and M2, however when used in combination, Lipitor could weaken the efficacy of aspirin and gemcitabine partially by promoting M2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides the rapid growth of economy, unemployment becomes a severe socio-economic problem in China. The huge population base in China makes the unemployed population a tremendously huge number. However, health status of unemployed population was ignored and few studies were conducted to describe the depressive symptoms of unemployed individuals in China. This study aims to examine the relationship between Big five personality and depressive symptoms and the mediating role of self-efficacy in this relationship. This cross-sectional study was performed during the period of July to September 2011. Questionnaires consisting of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE), as well as demographic factors, were used to collect information of unemployed population. A total of 1,832 individuals (effective response rate: 73.28%) became our subjects. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy. Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 67.7% among Chinese unemployed individuals. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were all negatively associated with depressive symptoms whereas neuroticism was positively associated with depressive symptoms. The proportion of mediating effect of self-efficacy in the relationship between extraversion/agreeableness/conscientiousness/neuroticism and depressive symptoms was 25.42%, 10.91%, 32.21% and 36.44%, respectively. Self-efficacy is a mediator in the relationship between extraversion/agreeableness/conscientiousness/neuroticism and depressive symptoms. Conclusion Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between Big five personality and self-efficacy among Chinese unemployed individuals. Interventions that focus on both individuals' personality and self-efficacy may be most successful to reduce depressive symptoms of unemployed individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Ameliorates Learning and Memory Impairments by Attenuating Peroxidation in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice," by Mingyan Liu, Fujun Chen, Tao Lin, Lutian Yao, Miao He, Zheng Zhu, Zhimin Yao, Qiushi Tang, and colleagues is presented.