Objective To characterize the alteration in peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods Venous blood samples were obtained from 82 female patients with SLE aged (35 ± 10) years and 50 healthy female controls aged (35 ± 13) years.ACL 9000 automated coagulation analyzer was used to determine the level of Von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF Ag).Flow cytometry was performed to detect peripheral blood EPCs and circulating endothelial cells (CECs).Analysis of variance was performed to assess the differences in these parameters between patients with active and stable SLE and the controls,and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between these parameters.Results The number of CD34+ cells,CD133+ cells and CD34+CD133+cells per 200 000 peripheral blood mononuclear cells was 35.4 ± 16.7,86.5 ± 32.1 and 361.3 ± 176.4 in patients with active SLE,significantly higher than that in the patients with stable SLE (17.1 ± 10.9,28.7 ± 21.5,107.2 ±44.3,respectively,all P ＜ 0.01)) and the controls (13.8 ± 9.6,11.2 ± 5.5,92.3 ± 50.5,respectively,all P ＜0.01).The patients with active SLE exhibited an elevated level of vWF Ag (438.9％ ± 205.3％ vs.130.2％ ±51.5％,P ＜ 0.01),an increased number of EPCs (361.3 ± 176.4 vs.107.2 ± 44.3,P ＜ 0.01) but a similar number of CECs (127±51 vs.118 ± 39,P ＞ 0.05) per 200 000 peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared with the healthy controls.No significant differences were observed in these parameters between the patients with stable SLE and the controls (all P ＞ 0.05).The number of EPCs was positively correlated with the level of vWF Ag (r =0.67,P ＜ 0.01),but uncorrelated with the number of CECs (P ＞ 0.05) in patients with active SLE.Conclusions The quantity of EPCs in peripheral blood is closely correlated with the level of the vascular injury marker vWF Ag,hinting that the number of EPCs can serve as a useful marker of disease severity.

Objective To study the mechanism of effects of estrogen receptor (ER) on T and B lymphocytes in patients with SLE and synergistic effect of T and B lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of SLE.Methods Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of ER-α,interleukin 10 (IL-10) and B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)from 40 SLE patients and 40 normal human controls. The clinical and laboratory correlation with the levels of these parameters was analyzed. Results A significant increase was observed in the relative expression levels of ER-α, IL-10 and BLyS mRNA in SLE patients compared with the normal human controls (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ), in active SLE patients compared with inactive SLE patients (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ). Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of the 3 parameters were significantly correlated with the presence of renal damage, proteinuria, arthritis, etc. No statistical difference was observed in the mRNA expression levels of these parameters between female and male patients or between female and male normal controls. Conclusions IL-10 and BLyS appear to be correlated with the disease activity and severity of SLE, and ER-α may play an important role in the action mechanism of T and B lymphocytes in SLE.

Objective: To investigate the specific effects of resistant starch (RS) on zinc status in rats. Methods: (1)Zinc metabolism in normal rats: Three groups of Wistar rats were fed with basal diet (control), diet with 13% or 26% RS respectively, for 18 days. Urine, fecal and blood samples were collected for zinc measurement. Zinc apparent absorption was calculated.(2)Zinc status in rats fed with high sucrose (50%) diet: Three groups of Wistar rats were fed with basal diet, high sucrose digestible starch diet (S DS) or high sucrose resistant starch diet (S RS, containing 14% RS) respectively for 12 w. Samples of urine, blood, liver, pancreas and kidney were collected for measurement of zinc content. Results: (1)Zinc apparent absorption in normal rats was: control group 56.59%, 13%RS group 50.11%, and 26%RS group 54.40%. (2)High sucrose diet led to increased postprandial glucose and HbA 1C and depressed fast insulin level in S DS group rats, with decreased plasma and pancreas zinc level (compared with control group, P

Objective To compare the mRNA expressions of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 in peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis vulgaris versus healthy individuals,assess the relationship of these parameters with psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score,and to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of total glucosides of peony (TGP) for psoriasis vulgaris.Methods Fifty patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 40 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study.Of these patients,42 were treated with TGP of 600-900 mg twice a day for 8 weeks.Blood samples were obtained from all the healthy individuals,50 patients before treatment,42 patients after 4-week treatment,and 23 patients after 8-week treatment.Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of IL-17 and IL-23 in the blood samples.The severity of psoriasis was evaluated using PASI score before and after the treatment.Statistical analysis was done by t test,rank sum test,and Pearson correlation analysis using the SPSS16.0 software.Results The IL-17 and IL-23 mRNA expression levels (given in △Ct value) in the patients before treatment were significantly higher than those in the healthy controls (IL-17,-5.32 ± 0.80 vs.2.79 ± 0.76,t =47.71,P ＜ 0.05; IL-23,-5.43 ± 0.68 vs.-3.77 ± 0.86,t =10.38,P ＜ 0.05),and positively correlated with the PASI score (r =0.61,0.52 respectively,both P ＜ 0.05).A significant decrease was observed in the mRNA expression levels of IL-17 and IL-23 as well as PASI score in the 42 patients after 4-week treatment with TGP compared with those before treatment(IL-17,-2.24 ± 0.61 vs.-5.30 ± 0.78,t =20.40,P ＜ 0.05; IL-23,-1.97 ± 0.74 vs.-5.44 ± 0.68,t =21.69,P ＜ 0.05; PASI,5.8 ± 2.7 vs.9.4 ± 4.2,t =4.68,P ＜ 0.05),and in the 23 patients after 8-week treatment compared with those after 4-wek treatment(IL-17,-1.51 ± 0.78 vs.-2.21 ± 0.59,t =3.50,P ＜ 0.05; IL-23,-1.27 ± 0.81 vs.-1.89 ± 0.72,t =2.70,P＜ 0.05; PASI,3.8 ± 1.8 vs.7.3 ± 2.5,t =5.47,P＜ 0.05).Conclusions It seems that both IL-17 and IL-23 are involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris,and TGP treatment can reduce the mRNA expression levels of IL-17 and IL-23 as well as PASI score in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

Objective To study the assessment value of serum protein C activity ( PC∶A) test in the patient′s condition and prognosis in bronchial asthma.Methods 202 bronchial asthma patients were selected from the Tianjin medical university general hospital from 2010 to 2012 for this retrospective cohort study, 77 males and 125 females with a mean age of 41.2 ±11.4 years.the level of PC∶A were analysed by IL ACL TOP 700 coagulation analyzer.Receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC) was used to analyze the diagnosis performance of PC∶A, χ2 test was used to analyze the relevance between PC∶A and clinical pathological factors , Cox regression analysis model was used to evaluate the effect on prognosis , Kaplan-Meier curve to implement survival analysis.Results The elevels of PC∶A were:control group ( 102.2 ± 13.6)%, intermittent attack group (104.8 ±11.9)%, mild persistent group (136.3 ±15.8)%, moderate persistent group ( 129.0 ±13.5 )% and severe persistent ( 126.8 ±14.7 )% respectively , and there was significantly difference among the all groups ( F =7.15, P <0.01 ).Compared the control group and intermittent attack group with other groups , the PC∶A level was higher in mild persistent group ( q=16.83, q=15.54, P<0.05), moderate persistent group (q=19.94,q=12.15, P<0.05), and severe persistent group(q=11.37,q=10.66, P<0.05).The PC∶A level was lower in moderate and severe persistent group than mild persistent group ( q =3.82, q =4.30, P <0.05 ).After undergoing regular treatment for six months, the PC∶A level was higher in partly controlled group and uncontrolled group than complete controlled group (q=12.45, q=9.91,P<0.05).The optimum cut-off point of PC∶A (after undergoing regular treatment for six months ) for asthma condition with uncontrolled was 118.0%, the area under ROC curve was 0.892 ( 95% confidence interval:0.851-0.936 ).The χ2 test results showed that there was the relevance between the serum PC∶A level and the eosinocyte , total serum IgE , complicated allergic rhinitis and lung function ( FEV1%) ( P<0.01 ).The Cox analysis and survival analysis showed that the serum PC∶A level ( after undergoing regular treatment for six months ) was the independent assessment parameter for asthma acute attack in 7th-12th month, the cumulative probability of acute attack was increased obviously in the patients who with PC∶A level over the cut-off value.Conclusions The serum PC∶A level was increased obviously in asthma patients , and was related to patient′s condition, level of asthma control and severe attacks risk , which could be used as an effective indicator for assessment of disease progression and asthma control in asthma patients.

Acute Lung Injury ; metabolism ; Animals ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Group II Phospholipases A2 ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Taurine ; pharmacology

Objective To detect the expressions of osteopontin (OPN) and inerleukin-18 in patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP),and to analyze their relationship with clinical and laboratory indices.Methods Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to quantify the serum levels of osteopontin (OPN) and inerleukin (IL)-18 in 30 patients with BP and 30 health controls.Results The serum level of OPN was statistically higher in the patients than in the healthy controls ((8.29 ± 2.76) vs.(3.88 ± 1.41 ) ng/ml,P ＜ 0.01 ),and was positively correlated with the severity of BP (r =0.658,P ＜ 0.01 ) and with some laboratory indices in the patients.Increased serum IL-18 level was observed in patients complicated by cardiovascular diseases compared with those without cardiovascular diseases ((37.49 ± 6.43) vs.(31.10 ± 5.40) pg/ml,P ＜ 0.01).Moreover,the BP patients with diabetes,tumor,hepatic and renal impairment displayed an enhanced level of serum OPN and IL-18 than those without (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions OPN may be positively correlated with the severity of BP,while IL-18 may be involved in the development of complications of BP.

Objective To explore the clinical value of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of isolated calf muscle vein thrombosis (ICMVT). Methods Sonographic features of 175 patients with isolated calf muscular venous thrombosis were analyzed retrospectively and outcome of anticoagulant therapy in 1, 3, and 6 months was followed up. Diagnosis was established with high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound examination. Results One hundred and seventy-ifve patients presenting with 190 calf muscle vein thrombosis were included. One hundred and iffty-eight cases with 173 calf muscle vein thrombosis were diagnosed by high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound, 7 cases of misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis in 10 cases. The accuracy rate was 91.1%(173/190). Seven cases were misdiagnosed with 1 euroifbromatosis, 1 mixed hemangioma, 5 gastrocnemius hematoma. After diagnosis of ICMVT, all patients prescribed thrombolysis and anticoagulation therapy. High-frequency color Doppler ultrasound for 1, 3, 6 months after treatments revealed partial or complete recanalization without calf deep vein thrombosis. Typical sonographic features included:calf muscle venous lumen dilation, tortuous anechoic lumen or hypoechoic iflling, with tubular or branched shape in the longitudinal view and oval or round shape in the transversal view. Conclusion High-frequency color Doppler ultrasound is an accurate and reliable method in the diagnosis of the isolated calf muscular venous thrombosis.

Microbial fouling is important one of fouling in industrial circulating cooling water system. In suitable conditions, microorganisms that caused the forming of fouling could reproduce rapidly, which would increase evidently fouling resistance, flow resistance and corrosion rate, so much as block water cur- rent path to result in running failure of equipments. This paper introduces the concept of microbial fouling, and illuminates the status, function and characteristic of detection technology research for microbial fouling. The present known forming processes of microbial fouling and their important impact factors are summed up. The commonly used monitoring methods at home and abroad, their merits and defects, and also the latest research developments are analyzed especially in the paper. At last, the authors point out the development trends of detection technology for microbial fouling.

Objective Inflammation and calcification are common phenomenons in human atherosclerotic plaque.The objective of this study was to determine the gene expression of some proteins and anti-inflammatory factors as well as bone formation mediators in the fibrous cap and shoulder region of non-calcified and calcified carotid endarterectomy(CEA) plaques.Methods Twenty-two CEA plaques were classified as Va(non-calcified,n=11) and Vb(calcified,n=11) in accordance with the AHA consensus in 1995.Mean percent in carotid stenosis and calcification area was 76.4% and 0% in Va and 74.2% and 33.6% in Vb respectively as determined by quantitative histomorphometry.Using laser capture microdissection,the fibrous cap and shoulder regions were excised from 22 frozen sections/plaques.After total RNA extraction and reverse transcription,gene expression of proteins(IL-1,IL-8,and MCP-1),anti-inflammatory factor(IL-10) and bone formation protein(BMP-6 and Osteocalcin) were detected by Real-time PCR.Results mRNA expression of MCP-1,IL-8 and IL-1 in Va plaques were 1.8 fold higher than that in Vb plaques,mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and osteogenic related genes BMP-6 and Osteocalcin were 3.8,4.2,and 6.9 fold higher in Vb plaques compared to Va plaques.Conclusions Our findings indicate that fibrous cap inflammation and susceptibility to disruption is more likely to occur in non-calcified plaques.