Objective To investigate the serum copeptin level in patients with acute pancreatitis and explore its clinical significance. Methods Sixty-three patients with acute pancreatitis were enrolled , 35 of which were diagnosed as mild acute pancreatitis (MAP), and the other 28 patients were diagnosed as severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Serum copeptin levels of all patients were determined on admission , on the second day and the third day after admission, respectively. Thirty healthy subjects were enrolled as the control group. Results Serum copeptin level was obviously higher in patients with SAP than the healthy individuals (P < 0.05), and was also significantly higher in the SAP patients than in the MAP patients (P < 0.05). Moreover, the serum copeptin level in SAP patients was highly associated with mortality and local complication (P < 0.01). Conclusion Serum copeptin level was increased at the early stage of acute pancreatitis and was associated with disease severity, which made it a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker for acute pancreatitis.

Objective To investigate the efficacies of preoperative location with titanium clip and methylene blue staining in laparoscopic colectomy.Methods The clinical data of 31 patients with colorectal polyps which could not be resected under endoscope were admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from August 2006 to September 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.According to the methods of preoperative location of colorectal polyps,all patients were divided into the titanium clip group (18 patients) and the methylene blue group (13 patients).Titanium clip group:enteroscopic and pathological examination were firstly performed,and then 1 or 2 titanium clips were placed at the superior and inferior part of the polyps.After enteroscopic examination,abdominal X ray examination was performed to detect the position of polyps according to the positions of the titanium clips.Methylene blue group:after colonoscopy,methylene blue of 1 mL was injected into the adjacent mucosa of the polyps,and 4 positions around the polyps were selected for the injection of methylene blue.If the 2 locating methods were failed,intraoperative enteroscopy was performed.Laparoscopic resection for intestine or mesenterium was performed according to the treatment principle of colorectal neoplasms,and the location efficacy of the 2 methods and the treatment of the 2 groups were analyzed.The measurement data and the count data were analyzed using the t test and chi-square test,respectively.Results The success rates of the titanium clip group and the methylene blue group were 15/18 and 8/13,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (x2=0.284,P ＞0.05).The polyps in 8 patients which were failed to be localized by titanium clip or methylene blue were localized by intraoperative enteroscopy,while the operation time was prolonged to (44 ± 13)minutes.No positioning errors were detected in all the 31 patients.Laparoscopic right colectomy was performed on 4 patients,laparoscopic left colectomy on 11 patients,laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy on 9 patients,laparoscopic anterior resection of rectum on 7 patients.No morbidity or mortality was detected in the 2 groups.The length of specimen,distance between the proximal margin and the superior margin of the tumor,distance between the distal margin and the inferior margin of the tumor (patients with colonic polyps),distance between the distal margin and the inferior margin of the tumor (patients with high rectal polyps),and the number of lymph node resected were (20 ± 7) cm,(11 ± 4) cm,(8.6 ± 3.1) cm,4.2 ± 1.1,8 ± 5 in the titanium clip group,and (20 ± 5) cm,(9 ± 3) cm,(9.1 ± 2.8) cm,4.6 ± 0.5,7 ± 6 in the methylene blue group,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (t =0.053,0.918,0.213,1.486,0.267,P ＞0.05).Fifteen patients had cancerization of the polyps,including 8 patients with TNM Ⅰ stage,6 with TNM Ⅱ] stage and 1 with TNM Ⅲ stage.Conclusions For patients with colorectal polyps located at the intestine above the descending colon,titanium clip locating is easy,safe and effective,and it could be the first choice for locating the colorectal polyps.Endoscopic methvlene blue staining is simple but high technique demanding.Intraoperative enteroscopy is precise for locating the polyps at the intestine below the descending colon.

Objective To evaluate the preoperative nutritional status of patients with gastric carcinoma by using the European Nutritional Risk Screening 2002(NRS 2002)and its prediction for postoperative nutrition-related complications.Methods We prospectively evaluated the nutritional risk of 314 gastric cancer patients admitted in one center from 2004 to 2007 with NRS 2002 with China's normal body mass index(BMI),in terms of postoperative complications,mortality and hospital stay.Results NRS 2002 scoring system was applicable in 93.1% cases.Preoperatively 125 patients were of score≥3,accounting for 39.8% of this group.The postoperative complication rate(26.2%)was higher than 13.8% in those with normal preoperative nutritional scores(NRS 2002 score＜3)(P＜0.05);The odds ratio to develop a complication was 0.642 in patients with preoperative nutritional risk score(P＜0.05),and 1.596 in patients with clinicopathological stage of gastric cancer(P＜0.01).The correlation between length of hospital stay and nutritional risk was also assessed by Pearson correlation analysis.The Pearson coefficient was 0.177(P=0.002).Conclusion Preoperative nutrition score(NRS 2002)≥3 predicts higher postoperative complications and longer hospital stay.Preoperative nutritional support is necessary in patients with preoperative nutrition score(NRS 2002)≥3.

The derivatization towards the hydroxyl groups of steroid environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals,such as estrone(E1),17β-estradiol(E2),estriol(E3) and 17α-ethynylestradoil( EE2),with A,O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide ( BSTFA ) as derivatization reagent followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was studied. The effects of the amount of BSTFA,derivatization temperature and time on the derivatization of target compounds,as well as the stability of steroid derivatives,calibration curves,instrumental quantification limits were investigated. The cleavage mechanism of steroid derivatives characteristic fragment ions was also interpreted. The results showed that better derivatization results were obtained when the amount of BSTFA was 25 μL for 100 μL steroids standard mix solution at 0.01 g/L;it is unnecessary to heating in the derivatization,better results were obtained when the steroids were derivatized with BSTFA at room temperature (20℃) for 10 min. The derivatives of target compounds were stable because their relative response factors(RRFs) had no observable change when deposited at -20℃ for 48 h. Under the optimal conditions,good linear correlation was obtained and the instrumental quantification limit was 0. 3μg/L for E1 and E2,while it was 5μg/L for EE2 and E3.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of nutritional risk screening 2002(NRS2002)and malnutritional universal screening tools(MUST)in the preoperative nutrition risk evaluation of patients with gastric cancer.Methods The preoperative nutritional risk of 3 14 patients who had been admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2004 to December 2007 was assessed by subjective global assessment(SGA),NRS 2002 and M UST,and the influence of nutritional risk on the incidence of postoperative complications and hospital stay was investigated.All data were analyzed by Wilcoxon test,Kappa test and Logistics regression analysis.Results Compared with SGA,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predicting value and negative predicting value were 86.7%,74.2%,86.9% and 73.8% for NRS2002,and were 73.1%,70.6%,74.8% and 68.7% for MUST.Compared with MUST,NRS2002 had a higher consistency with SGA(K_(NRS2002)=0.601,K_(MUST)=0.436).Logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with higher MUST or NRS2002 score had higher incidence of postoperative complications and longer hospital stay.In the aspect of hospital stay,the relative risk of MUST was 2.517,which was lower than 3.426 of NRS2002.The relative risk of MUST was 0.529,which was lower than 0.642 of NRS2002 in the aspect of incidence of postoperative complications.Conclusions NRS2002 and MUST are suitable for preoperative nutritional risk screening of patients with gastric cancer,and the score of NRS2002 or MUST is associated with the incidence of postoperative complications and length of hospital stay.However,NRS2002 is more accurate than MUST in the reflection of nutritional risk of patients with gastric cancer.

Objective To investigate the effect of fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans on the expression of endocellular interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in cytokineinduced natural killer (NK) cells.Methods NK cells were cultured with Aspergillusfumigatus or Candida albicans by non-contact or direct-contact methods with a ratio of NK cells to fungus of 10 ∶ 1.The expressions of IFN-γ and IL-4 in NK cells were evaluated by flow cytometry after co-cultured for 6 h.Analysis of variance or SNK-q test was used to compare the expressions of IFN-γ and IL-4 among different groups.Results The IFN-γexpression rates in NK cells with direct contacting to Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae,or to different morphotypes of Candida albicans were (20.12 ± 0.53) ％,(20.69 ± 0.34) ％ and (20.8 ±0.37)％ respectively,while IFN-γexpression in NK cells with indirect contacting to fumigatus hyphae,or to different morphotypes of Candida albicans were (21.40 ± 0.53) ％,(20.57 ± 1.09) ％ and (20.20 ±0.51) ％ respectively,and all were significantly higher than that in the blank group [(15.11 ± 2.60) ％,all P ＞ 0.05].The IFN-γ expression rates in the Aspergillus fumigatus spores direct and indirect contacting groups were (14.33 ± 0.98) ％ and (14.97 ± 1.53) ％,which were not of significant difference compared with the blank group (P ＞ 0.05).The IL-4 expression rates in NK cells with direct contacting to different morphotypes of Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans were (1.25 ± 0.06) ％,(1.21 ± 0.03) ％,(1.22 ± 0.46) ％ and (1.26 ± 0.11) ％,while those in indirect contacting groups were (1.21 ± 0.06) ％,(1.25 ±0.04)％,(1.27 ±0.03)％ and (1.26 ±0.1)％,which were not of significant difference compared with the blank group [(1.23 ± 0.05) ％,all P ＞ 0.05].Conclusion Fungus stimuli can reduce the secretion of IFN-γ in NK cells,but have not significant influence on the secretion of IL-4.

Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Humans ; Industry ; Volatile Organic Compounds ; analysis

Objective: To establish a solvent desorption gas chromatographic method for determination of Sevoflurane, Isoflurane and Enflurane in the air of the Workplace. Methods: Sevoflurane, Isoflurane and Enflurane were collected with activated carbon tube and desorbed with dichloromethane, separated with DB-1 capillary columns, and then detected with flame ionization detector. Results: The linearity ranges were 1.9-304.8 μg/ml for Sevoflurane, 2.1-300.4 μg/ml for Isoflurane and 1.7-305.2 μg/ml for Enflurane, The correlation coefficient was both >0.999. Their limits of detection were 0.6 μg/ml, 0.6 μg/ml and 0.5 μg/ml, and Their limits of quatification were 1.9 μg/ml, 2.1 μg/ml and 1.7 μg/ml, and their minimum detectable concentrations were 0.1、0.2 and 0.1 mg/m³ per 4.5 L of air. Their relative standard deviations (RSD) were 2.5%-3.0%, 2.3%-3.1% and 2.2%-3.0%. The average desorption efficiencies were 101.1%-103.3%, 100.7%-102.7% and 101.0%-102.9%. The sampling efficiency was both 100%. The breakthrough volume of 100 mg actived carbon was 3.7 mg, 3.4 mg and 3.4 mg. Sevoflurane, Isoflurane and Enflurane in activated carbon tube could be kept at least 10 days at room temperature without significant losses. Conclusion The method shows lower detection limit, high accuracy and precision. It is feasible for determination of Sevoflurane, Isoflurane and Enflurane in the air of workplace.

Objective:To establish a method for determining mercury in blood with direct mercury analyzer.Methods:After the whole blood sample was extracted by solvent and removed by nitric acid, it was then measured by direct mercury analyzer.Results:After optimizing the conditions of the instrument, the linear range was 0.3-60.0 μg/L and the curve correlation coefficient was higher than 0.999. The lower limit of quantitations was 0.3 μg/L and the minimum quantitative concentration was 3.0 μg/L. The recovery and relative standard deviations ( RSD) was 95.2%-97.6% and 1.4%-3.3%. Conclusion:The method is stable, reliable, easy to operate and has high sensitive. It can be used to determine mercury in blood.

Objective To establish the method of atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) after alkali fusion for determination of tin dioxide in workplace air.Methods Tin dioxide in workplace air was collected with microporous membrane,directly digested by alkali fusion with solid sodium hydroxide heated by electric furnace,and determined by AFS.Results The linear range of tin dioxide (as Sn) determined by AFS was 1.5～ 100 μg/L (excluding zero),and the correlation coefficient was 0.9993.The detection limit of this method was 0.5 μg/L,the lower limit of quantification was 1.5 μg/L,and the minimum detectable concentration was 0.05 mg/m3 (the volume of the air sample was 75 L).The relative standard deviation was 1.94％～3.55％,and the average recovery of standard addition was 95.0％～96.0％.Conclusion The method of AFS after alkali fusion for determination of tin dioxide in workplace air is proved to be simple,rapid,sensitive,and accurate,with complete digestion.