As a new biomarker and a member of transforming growth factor super family,growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is increased in some pathological situations,and plays a positive role.Increasing evidence from animals and clinical trials has indicated that GDF-15 is a promising biomarker to be used for diagnosis,screening,risk stratification and prognosis evaluation in acute coronary syndrome,heart failure and pulmonary vascular diseases.However,there are still numerous challenges and problems need to be resolved in the future,such as appropriate cut-off value in diagnosis and risk stratification in different cardiovascular diseases,improvement in sensitivity and specificity,and combinational application with other biomarkers.

Objectives To investigate the expression of TGF-?receptors and signaling protein SMADs mRNA in psoriatic lesional and nonlesional skin,and to analyze their role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.Methods Expression of TGF-?receptorⅠ,TGF-?receptorⅡmRNA and different SMADs(SMAD2,3,4,6,7)mRNA was investigated by real time PCR method in lesional and nonlesional skin of13psoriatic patients and10normal controls.Results The mRNA expression of TGF-?receptors and all kinds of SMADs was significantly down-regulated in psoriatic lesional skin compared with normal skin con-trols(P0.05).Conclusions There is down-regulated TGF-?pathway in psoriatic lesional skin,which may further indicate that lack of TGF-?mediated growth inhibition might play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

A continuous noninvasive method for blood pressure (BP) estimation by pulse wave transit time (PWTT) is described. A constant linear relation is available between PWTT and BP, but characteristic parameter for the relation is different for different persons. According to hydrostatics, BP in some vessel changes with different body postures. In this paper, the difference, i.e. △BP, between two BP values with different body postures is gained. ECGs and surface pulse waves are also obtained, and then values of PWTT are calculated. Through the A BP and PWTT acquired above, parameter b of BP equation can be determined, and then parameter a is computerized through the measurements and one BP value. Thus a BP equation is got, which can be used to estimate BP values through continuous measurement of PWTT. Compared with the value from invasive BP measurement, the value from this method has an error rate less than 5%. The method is feasible for noninvasive continuous BP monitoring.

Androgen has broad biological effects. Androgen and its receptor exist widely in the cardio-cerebrovascular system and play an important protective effect in the multiple aspects of the occurrence and development of ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD). In addition to involving in regulating the risk factors for ICVD, such as atherosclerosis,dyslipidemia, hypertension, coagulation-fibrinolysis abnormalities, obesity, and diabetes, androgen also has neuroprotective effect. This article reviews the protective effect of androgen in ICVD.

Objective To investigate the safe model to prevent and treat complications caused by various artificial liver support system(ALSS).Methods The complications in 191 patients with severe hepatitis during the ALSS(Including plasma exchange、plasma exchange associated with continuous venovenous hemofiltration、plasma exchange associated with hemodiafiltration、plasma exchange associated with plasma absorption、molecular absorbents recycling system) treatment were observed and analyzed. Results During the treatment 287 episodes occurred and the rate of complications was 50.44%(287/569).The clinical manifestation included rash,numbness/tetany,hypotension,blood clotting in the channel,chest distress, disequilibrium syndrome,errhysis on dwell catheter,effusion on dwell catheter.75.61% of these complications was caused by plasma exchange.The rate of complications was the lowest during the treatment of plasma exchange associated with hemodiafiltration.All of these complications got better after prompt sypotomatic therapies were taken.Conclusions Although the rate of complications was high during the treatment of ALSS,all of the complications got better after prompt sypotomatic therapies were taken.This therapeusis must be performed by intensive care.It is more safe than others during the treatment of plasma exchange associated with hemodiafiltration.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of carvedilol treatment for resistant renal parenchymal hypertension.Methods In this multi-center,open label,self-controlled trial,the enrolled resistant renal parenchymal hypertension patients stopped the use of ?-blocker and ?-blocker and took carvedilol 12.5 mg/d as initial dose and tittered to maximal dose of 50mg/d for 8 weeks.Other treatment was unchanged during the period.Results Among 183 patients enrolled,176 patients were followed up for 8 weeks.The systolic/diastolic BP decreased from(164.0?20.8)/(98.7?12.5)mm Hg to(140.0?14.2)/(84.5?24.7)mm Hg(both P

Objective To investigate the preventive effect of thin foam dressings(Allevyn Thin)combined with ice compress on facial plastic postoperative swelling and to summarize the nursing key points.Methods Sixty patients after facial plastic surgeries in our department were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group with 30 cases in each group.In the control group,ice packs wrapped with sterile gauze were placed on the patients’ wound dressings postoperatively and fixed properly for 30 to 40 minutes with an interval of 30 minutes,6 to 10 times a day for 72 hours postoperatively.In the observation group,thin foam dressing was stick to the wounds,followed by ice compress as in the control group.The facial swelling degrees of both groups were compared on day 3 and day 7 postoperatively.Result The swelling degree in the observation group was significantly smaller than that of the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion Thin foam dressings combined with ice compress can effectively improve the postoperative early swelling of patients receiving facial plastic surgery and therefore it is worthy of clinical popularization and application.

Objective To investigate health equity status of urban dwellers with different social stratification and provide evidence for health promotion.Methods 1,007 urban dwellers were surveyed in Zhejiang province in a stratified sampling based on their income,occupation and education,with their health equity analyzed.Results The proportion of urban dwellers to participate in social health insurance reached 97.5％,a proportion of statistical significance (P＜0.05).The two-week prevalence rate and two-week attendance rate of urban dwellers of different social stratification has no significant difference,but the rate of sickness without attending was significantly negatively correlated to social stratification.The proportion of no visiting because of poverty was 23.1％ in the lower social class,3.2％ in middle and lower class,and 0％ in the middle and upper class,a difference being statistically significant (P＜0.001).The outpatient clinic of first choice and ranking of the hospital was positively correlated to social stratification.Conclusion There is health inequity for urban dwellers with different social stratification,for which the government should pay more attention to lower social class.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the causes, clinical manifestation and treatment principles of frontal sinus tract after the frontal approach craniotomy. METHOD: The clinic data of 13 patients with frontal skin sinus tract after the frontal approach craniotomy were retrospectively analyzed. All of them were described in the clinical record to have undergone frontal sinus mucosa pushing down or shaving and bone wax filling in the frontal sinus during the surgery, of whom 3 cases had history of frontal abscess incision drainage. All patients were performed endoscopic frontal sinus surgery and forehead skin sinus tract excision and suture. RESULT: All of the patients successfully recovered after one-stage operation, and the frontal skin sinus tract was healed. CONCLUSION The frontal approach craniotomy with postoperative frontal sinus tract was related with the improper use of bone wax tamponade and sealing of frontal sinus. The treatment principles were to remove bone wax, remove inflammatory granulation tissue around the sinus tract, and to open frontal sinus and promote frontal sinus drainage.
Craniotomy ; methods ; Drainage ; Endoscopy ; Forehead ; Frontal Sinus ; surgery ; Granulation Tissue ; surgery ; Humans ; Palmitates ; Retrospective Studies ; Waxes

OBJECTIVE: To Summarize and analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment of patients with spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and to explore the related factors of recurrence. METHOD: Retrospective- ly analyze the clinical data of 58 patients of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea from July 2002 to July 2012, combined with its clinical characteristics, and statistically analyze the related recurrence factors. RESULT: Fifty-eight cases were accepted the nasal endoscopic repairment of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrheak, follow-up 3 years, 20 cases (34.5%) recurred, 1 case recurred in half a year after operation. In the first year, there were 10 cases recurred. In the second year there were 9 cases recurred, and 1 case recurred in the third year. Through multiariable analysis it was found that higher BMI, empty sella and skull base bone defect were the independent risk factors influencing the recurrence of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The recurrence rate of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea is high, needing long-term follow-up. Higher BMI, empty sella, skull base bone defect are independent risk factors of recurrence of the disease, and the treatment should be individualized.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea ; pathology ; surgery ; Empty Sella Syndrome ; pathology ; Endoscopy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Nose ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Skull Base ; pathology