Objective To investigate infectious complications and analyze their risk factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and provide clue for antibiotics treatment. Methods Patients with SLE admitted to our hospital between 2002 and 2007 were. reviewed, and the characteristics of their infections including the infection sites, pathogens and the drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria were investigated. The suspected risk factors of infections in patients with SLE were selectod and then analyzed by chi-square test and Logistic regression. Results The prevalence of infection in this group of patients was 24.4% (130/533). One patient died from respiratory tract infection. The common infection sites were respiratory tract (56.9%), urinary tract (23.8%) and skin (18.5%). Bacteria were the most common pathogens of infections in SLId pa-tients (53.3%), the majority of which were gram-negative bacteria. The second major pathogen was fungus (39.2%), and the third was the combination of bacteria and fungus. There were 7 patients with tuberculosis. The common strains causing infections in SLE patients were. Escheriehia coli, Klebsiella pneumonea, Pseu-domonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albican. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showod that the drug resistant rates increased rapidly. The gram-negative ones were sensitive to eefoperazone-sulbac-tam and carbopenems. The infection-related risk analysis suggested that the independent risk factors of infections in SLE patients included old age, hypopruteinemia, moderate anemia and high dose of eorticos-teruids treat-ment. Conclusion Those patients with infection-related risk factors should be monitored closely for infec-tions. Respiratory tract and urinary tract are the most common infectious sites in SLId patients, and gram-nega-tive bacteria are the major pathogens, so antibiotics such aa cefoperazone-sulbactam or carbopenems may be good choices before the result of antimicrobial susceptibility test information is available.

Literatures on arrhythmia induced by acute organophosphorous pesticide poisoning published in domestic journals from 1979 to 2010 were searched. Total 3468 cases of acute organophosphorous poisoning were collected and analyzed. The average abnormal ECC rate was (53 ±15)%(35. 4% -68. 4% ) in acute organophosphorous poisoning, the most common ECG abnormalities were ST-T segment changes (26. 5% ) and sinus tachycardia (16. 6% ). The rate and severity of ECG abnormalities were increased with the severity of organophosphorous poisoning(x2 = 33. 253,P < 0. 01). The most common causes of death in acute organophosphorous poisoning were ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (26.2%).

Objective To investigate the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on the secretion of interleukin (IL)-17 and interferon(IFN)-γ and the proportion of Th17,Tc17,Th1 ,Tc1 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods Thirty hospitalized SLE patients were recruited and twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls. PBMCs were separated from SLE patients and healthy controls and then was cultured in vitro by medium or PMA/Ionomycin or PMA/Ionomycin +dexamethasone for six hours. Four- color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay were used to analyze the percentage of Th17,Tc17,Th1,Tc1 cells in PBMCs. Concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γ in plasma and the supernatants of PBMCs which were cultured for 24 hours were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γwere elevated in SLE patients as compared to the controls(P ＜ 0.05). No significant differences were observed between patients and controls for the spontaneous production of IL-17 and IFN-γ or percentage of T subsets expressed by PBMCs. After the stimulation of PMA,compared with the controls,the level of IL-17 was significantly elevated in the supematants of PBMCs and the percentages of Th17 and Tc1 in SLE patients increased significantly(P ＜ 0. 05). However,there showed no significant differences between SLE patients and the controls for the percentages of Th1 and Tc17 cells. DEX could significantly decrease the production of IL-17(P ＜ 0. 01)and the percentages of Th17,Tc1 cells by the active PBMCs(P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusions There is abnormal expression of T subset cells and their cytokines in vivo of SLE patients. DEX can interfere with immunological pathological process in the cytokine network imbalance of SLE patients and shows powerful inhibition of IL - 17. Our results may provide some laboratory evidence for the clinical application of corticosteroids.

Objective To observe hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in 12 patients with rheumatic disease undergoing immunosuppressive therapy and to evaluate whether preemptive antiviral therapy is necessary for patients receiving disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).Methods From January 2008 to March 2012,a total of 12 HBV-infected patients with rheumatic diseases were consecutively enrolled into this long-term follow-up study.Liver function and serum levels of HBV DNA were tested during the follow-up.Results The medium duration of follow-up was 41 months (range 16-48).Four patients received steroid treatment,and among them two patients without pre-emptive antiviral therapy developed HBV reactivation.After administr-ation of LAM or ETV,HBV replication was controlled in both patients.Five patients were treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and the other three patients received tumor necrosis factor-alpha-blocking agents.None of these patients received pre-emptive antiviral therapy.HBV reactivation did not occur in any of them.Conclusion HBV reactivation does occur in HBV-infected patients with rheumatoid diseases after immunosuppressive therapy.Pre-emptive antiviral therapy should be administered in patients who are receiving steroid therapy for rheumatic diseases.In contrast,DMARDs and TNFBA are relatively safe for HBV-infected patients with rheumatic diseases.Close monitoring of HBV DNA and ALT levels is necessary to the mana-gement of HBV reactivation.

Objective To explore the role of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope(FFB) in the critical patients with severe respiratory diseases of PICU.Methods One hundred and eighty-nine cases of severe respiratory diseases had undergone FFB from Jul 2010 to Jan 2011.One hundred and fifty-seven (83.06％) cases were less than 3 years.FFB examinations were made through nose (226 times) and endotracheal intubation (25 times).Bronchoscopic lavage for bacterial culture was performed by injecting normal saline solution (NSS) via a syringe into the working channel of FFB.Results Of all 189 cases,bacteria were isolated from 80 cases (42.3％) for bacterial culture of bronchoscopic lavage fluid,which included G-bacilli in 51 cases,G + cocci in 21 cases,and fungi in 8 cases.Six cases with tracheobronchial foreign bodies and 31 cases with respiratory tract anatomical abnormalities were found through FFB.Forty cases of severe pneumonia complicated with respiratory failure underwent bronchoscopic lavage,which were effective in 35 cases,and ineffective in 5 cases.In 20 cases of severe pneumonia atelectasis,pulmonary reexpansion were found in 16 cases by bronchoscopic lavage,atomization inhalation,and systemic administration,4 cases improved.Tracheobronchial foreign bodies were removed in all 6 cases by FFB.During FFB,bradycardia was found in 1 cases.There was no FFBrelated death.Conclusion FFB is safe for severe patients with respiratory diseases in PICU.FFB play important role in diagnosis and treatment for children in PICU,including feasible intervention under bronchoscopy.

Objective To explore the behavior and initial sandtray characters of the children with oppositional defiant disorders (ODD) in order to provide psychological and behavioral intervention as early as possible.Methods The differences of the Conners parent symptom questionnaire (PSQ) and initial sandtrays between 24 children with ODD and 24 normal children were compared.Results PSQ indicated that children with ODD had higher scores of conduct proble((1.31 ± 0.53),(0.36 ± 0.31)),learning problem ((2.01 ± 0.66),(0.57 ±0.5)),hyperactivity-impulsion ((1.60 ± 0.77),(0.35 ± 0.41)),anxiety ((0.60 ± 0.50),(0.27 ± 0.25)) and hyperactivity index((1.12 ± 0.31),(0.78 ± 0.28)) than normal children.On the use of toys,the experimental group was significantly higher in armament and transports and lower in plants and stones(P＜0.05).On the theme of sandtrays,the ODD group was significantly higher in disorder,neglect,injury,threat and lower in integration and energy (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The results show that the children with ODD have more anxiety experience than normal children and this may be associated with oppositional conduct.Children with ODD use more aggressive toys and wounded themes,revealing their attack and conflict.Psychological intervention can be provided according to the characters of behavior scale and initial sandtray.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of continuous blood purification (CBP) in treatment of children with severe sepsis,and analyze the changes of severity of illness and inflammatory factors,which can provide the proof for treatment of children with severe sepsis.Methods Twenty cases with severe sepsis admitted to pediatric intensive care unit of Bayi Children's Hosptial Affiliated to General Hospital of Beijing Military Commond from Aug 2008 to May 2011 were treated with CBP.The mean arterial blood pressure,boost dosages,urine output,arterial blood gases,and oxygenation index were collected before CBP and 12,24,48 hours after CBP treatment.The levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Pediatric critical illness scores were assessed before and 48 h after CBP treatment.Results After the treatment of CBP,16 children were clinical improvement,2 died,2 abandoned the treatment.CBP was effective in the treatment by rising the mean arterial blood pressure (P ＜ 0.01),decreasing the dosages of dopamine and epinephrine (P ＜ 0.01),increasing urine output(P ＜ 0.01).The value of pH and base excess returned to normal basically.The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were(706.90 ± 275.95) ng/L,(989.67 ± 386.33) ng/L before the CBP.The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α decreased to (162.59 ± 63.47) ng/L,(439.08 ± 159.37) ng/L at 48 h after CBP treatment (P ＜0.01).The pediatric critical illness scores were 67.59 ± 25.02 and 87.05 ± 32.81 before CBP and at 48 h after CBP,which showed significant difference (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion The treatment of CBP can remove inflammatory factors in children with severe sepsis and improve the severity of illness.

To investigate the TGFβ1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of Huh7 hepatoma cells caused by interaction of hepatitis B spliced protein (HBSP) with transforming growth factor beta-1-induced transcript 1 protein (TGFβ31I1),coding region of HBSP was cloned into lentiviral expression vector.Huh7 hepatoma cells were infected by recombinant lentivirus packaged in 293T cells.Stable cell lines expressing HBSP or control cells were selected by puromycin.Cells were incubated with 5 ng/mL TGFβ1 for 24 h,and observed under contrast-phase microspcope.Then the whole cell lysates were collected for western blot analysis using specific antibodies against EMT markers including E-cadherin,N-cadherin,Claudin-1 and β-catenin.To evaluate the effects of HBSP-TGFβ1I1 interaction on EMT,TGFβ1-induced EMT marker transition,as well as cell invasion and migration were explored after knocking down of TGFβ1I1 by siRNA.Results showed that Huh7 cell lines expressing HBSP (Huh7-HBSP flag-HIV) and control cell lines (Huh7-flag-HIV) were successfully established.Huh7-HBSP flag-HIV cells lost their pebble-like shape and tight cell-cell adhesion and transformed into the mesenchymal-like cells in the presence of TGFβ1.Decreased expression level of epithelial marker of E-cadherin,Claudin-1,β-catenin,increased expression level of mesenchymal marker of N-cadherin,and enhanced migration and invasion abilities were observed in Huh7-HBSP-flag-HIV cells as compared to the control cells.Moreover,the changes of EMT markers and metastasis abilities of Huh7-HBSP-flag-HIV cells could be reversed when TGFβ111 was knocked down by siRNA.In conclusion,HBSP could promote hepatoma cell migration and invasion by triggering EMT via interaction with TGFβ111.Our findings highlight new insights for HBSP-induced HCC progression.

Objective The aim of the study was to observe the features of nail fold microcirculation in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and to compare these findings in SSc patients with patients with other connective tissue diseases.Methods Forty patients with SSc and thirty-seven patients with other connective tissue diseases were included in the study and all the patients reported symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon in the hands were also included.Nail fold capillaroscopy (NFC) was performed and the abnormality of nail fold microcirculation between the two groups were compared.The relations between nail fold capillaroscopic findings and clinicolaboratory parameters in SSc patients were analyzed.Statistical analysis were carried out by t-test and Chi-square.Results The loss of capillaries and dilated and giant capillaries and hemorrhage as well as neoangiogenesis were hallmarks of the scleroderma capillary findings,which could be detected by nail fold capillaroscopy.The abnormalities of nail fold microcirculation in SSc patients were more severe and more specific than those in other connective tissue disease patients.The total scores of nail fold capillaroscopy test were obviously higher in SSc patients with lung or esophagus involvement than those patients without these organ involvement,meanwhile,the total scores of nail fold capillaroscopic findiugs were elevated in SSc patients with anti-Scl70 antibody than those with negative group.Conclusion The nail fold capillaries of patients with SSc have specific abnormalities,and nail fold capill-aroscopy could distinguish between SSc and other connective tissue diseases,therefore it could be used as a promising tool for early detection of patients who may have the potential to develop scleroderma and it is also helpful in assessing disease severity.

Terahertz waves have unique properties and advantages, which makes it gain increasing attention and applications in the biomedical field. Burns is a common clinical trauma. Since the water-sensitive and non-destructive characteristics of terahertz, terahertz imaging techniques can be used to detect burns. So far, terahertz imaging technology in the assessment of burn injuries has been developed from ex vivo to in vivo, and high-resolution images can be obtained through the gauzes and plasters. In this paper, we mainly introduces the application of terahertz imaging technology and development in the assessment of burn injuries.
Bandages ; Burns ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Terahertz Imaging