Objective To investigate the association between malnutrition parameters and serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level in male patients aged ≥ 80 years with normal ejection fraction.Methods A total of 197 elderly male patients aged 80 95 years (average 85.4±9.7) were enrolled.Each patient received echocardiograms following admission,and ejection fraction was calculated.Serum concentrations of NT-proBNP were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.Multiple Logistic regression analyses and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the association between malnutrition parameters and serum level of NT-proBNP.Results Serum NT-proBNP level was higher in patients with malnutrition than in the controls [(711.9±1063.3) ng/L vs.(1375.2-±1891.7) ng/L,P=0.006].Pearson correlation analysis showed that the malnutrition parameters such as body mass index (BMI),blood hemoglobin,albumin and pre-albumin were negatively correlated with serum NT proBNP level (all P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI and serum pre albumin level were independently associated with serum NT-proBNP level elevation (P=0.028 and 0.006,respectively).ROC curve analysis showed that the malnutrition parameters could predict the serum NT-proBNP level elevation.The area under the ROC curves for BMI,levels of blood hemoglobin,albumin and prealbumin in predicting serum NT proBNP level elevation was 0.7 (P=0.002),0.7 (P=0.004),0.6 (P=0.036),0.6 P=0.002),the sensitivity was 75.5％,51.0％,38.8％,89.8％,and the specificity was 54.4％,70.2 ％,84.2％ and 31.6 ％,respectively.Conclusions The malnutrition parameters including BMI,blood hemoglobin,albumin and pre-albumin can predict serum NT-proBNP level elevation.BMI and serum pre-albumin level are independently associated with serum NT-proBNP level elevation in male patients aged ≥ 80 years with normal ejection fraction.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are widely used industrial chemicals. Several BFRs were found to be at detectable level in the wildlife as well as in human, however, up to now there were few related papers which could be found for the adverse effects of BFRs on the wildlife, especially, on human. The recent research works on the biological effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) or derivates, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are reviewed in the present paper.

Objective To develop a Gd-based MR probe containing arginine-glyeine-aspartic acid (RGD)motif to reveal integrin avβ3 receptor-expressed tumor.Methods Commercially available HYNICRGD conjugate with co-ligand EDDA was labeled with GdCl3,and the mixture was isolated and purified by solid phase extract(SPE)to get the entire probe Gd-EDDA-HYNIC-RGD.Human HCC cell line BEL-7402 was cultured and the cells harvested and suspended then subcutaneously inoculated into athymic nude mice for tumor growth.In vitro cell binding assay to integrin avβ3 receptor and cell viability experiments were conducted.Then in vivo,imaging of the three arms of xenografts were performed by MR scan with a dedicated animal coil at baseline and time points of 0.30,60,90 mninutes and 24 hour post-intravenous injection(P.i.) via the tail vein.Three arms of nude mice then were sacrificed for histological examination to confirm the imaging results.Results Gd-EDDA-HYNIC-RGD was successfully isolated by SPE and validity was verifled on signal enhancement througll in vitro and in vivo experiments.The T1 relaxation rate of the probe is 3.31 mmol/s:It is well tolerated to living cells when the concentration of the probe is below 0.1 μmol/ml;both BEL-7402 Hunlan Hepatocellular Carcinoma cell Iine and the tumor expressed avβ3receptor;The RGD-iigand was observed specificly binding with avβ3 receptor in vitro;The nude mice model bearing HHCC was well estabhshed.The signal intensity(SI)at the tumor site were 2247.6±39.0 at baseline and 2820.9±35.2 at 90 min p.i.respectively,the SI at 90min increased less than 25%of baseline,which is statistically different(t=-38.031,P＜0.05);while the SI at muscle site were 1824.2±32.8 and 1845.8±27.2 respectively,which is not statistically different(t=-1.424,P＞0.05);The signal to time curve for probe-administrated group is straightforward over time in the span of 0 to 90 minute p.i.while the control arms do not show such tendency.Conclusion Gd-EDDA-HYNIC-RGD has the potential to used as an MR probe detecting integrin avβ3 receptor-expressed tumor.This work may offer possibility of early detection and differentiation of specific tumors.

0.05).There was remarkable low signal intensity on T2-weighed imaging and no evident artifacts for molecular probe when the concentration of Fe2+ was 20 mg/L.The least number of labeled cells detected by MR in vitro was 6?106 when the concentration of Fe2+ was 20 mg/L.Conclusion:Molecular probe,SPIO-OCT,can effectively label breast cells which express SSTR.The reasonable Fe2+ concentration of labeled cells and imaging was 20 mg/L.There is a correlation between MR signal intensity in vitro and the number of labeled cells.

Objective To investigate the relationship of placental vascular anastomosis and physical development and morbidity of the disease in twin neonates.Methods Fourteen pairs of twin neonates deliveried from Sep.2005 to Aug.2009 were enrolled in Newborn Intensive Care Unit,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University.These twins were divided into 2 groups according the conditions of placental vascular anastomosis:significant placental vascular anastomosis group(group A) and no significant vascula anastomosis group(group B).Birth weight,head circumference,length,the morbidity of disease were all investigated in 2 groups.Clinic follow-up included neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA) and children′s development center of China(CDCC).The correlation of neonates placental vascular anastomosis between twin neonates were compared.Results There were statistically significant differences between group A and group B in birth weight,head circumference and body length(t=6.070,5.237,5.784,Pa

Objective To explore the double blood vessels bridge application and efficacy in multiple localized narrow of the anterior descending coronary artery.Methods The clinical data of 106 patients with multiple localized narrow of the anterior descending coronary artery were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into two groups according to the operation methods.Fifty-six patients (improvement group) were conducted double blood vessels bridge on the anterior descending coronary artery,50 patients (control group) were conducted a single blood vessel bridge on the anterior descending coronary artery.Results The age,sex,body mass index,left ventricular ejection fraction,extracorporeal circulation time,endotracheal intubation time,length of hospital stay between two groups had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).One case in improvement group occurred angina pectoris,left ventricular size was (51 ± 6) mm,left ventricular ejection fraction was (60.8 ± 8.0)％.Nine cases in control group occurred angina pectoris,left ventricular size was(43 ± 6) mm,left ventricular ejection fraction was(55.1 ± 10.0)％.There was significant difference between two groups(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Double blood vessels bridge is safe and effective in multiple localized narrow of the anterior descending coronary artery.

Objective To summarize the clinical experiences in liver transplantation from donation after cardiac death donors. Methods The clinical data of 20 recipients who underwent liver transplantation from donation after cardiac death of 20 donors at the Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Area from July 2006 to May 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was applied to donors with brain and cardiac death to avoid warm ischemia.Donors in type Ⅲ according to the Maastricht classification did not receive ECMO.Liver grafts were obtained 5 minutes after the stop of heartbeat of the donors.Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed on recipients.Seventeen recipients received end-to-end bile duct anastomosis and 3 received cholangioenterostomy.All the recipients were followed up regularly.The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method.Results Of the 20 donors,2 ( 10％ ) were in the type of Maastricht Ⅲ and 18 (90％) were donation after brain and cardiac death donors.Liver transplantation was successfully performed on all recipients,and the mean operation time,duration of anhepatic phase,mean volume of blood loss and duration of postoperative intensive care unit stay were (6.2 ± 2.7 ) hours,( 54 ± 13 ) minutes,( 2305 ± 1311 ) ml and (44 ±35) hours,respectively.There was no mortality during operation,and no recovering delay and non-function of the transplanted liver occurred.One recipient died of sepsis and 1 died of pulmonary infection at 1 month after operation,the other 18 recipients all survived.The longest survival time was 58 months.Conclusions Donation after cardiac death is the main source of liver grafts in China currently,and donation after brain and cardiac death is the main type.Establishment of rational flow-sheets of the donation after cardiac death and liver transplantation,rational application of ECMO for protecting the liver grafts are helpful for the work of organ donation after brain and cardiac death.

Objective To evaluate the significance of MRI before surgery to remove polyaeryl-amide hydrogel (PAMHG) which has been used for augmentation mammaplasty. MethodsTwenty female patients with 40 breasts, having been injected PAMHG as augmentation mammaplasty, under-went bilateral breast axial T1WI, T2WI-fat saturation (FS) and sagittal T2WI-FS by 4-channal phased-assay breast coil at 3.0T (Philips) before removal surgery, in which 8 patients underwent axial multiphase contrast-enhanced MRI with THRIVE after Gd-DTPA (2.0 ml/s, 0.1 mmol/kg) adminis- tration. The results of MRI were compared with that of operation and pathology. ResultsPAMHG showed iso-intensity compared with breast gland on T1WI and hyperintensity on T2WI-FS. Low signal septa were noted within PAMHG in 40 breasts (20 patients), 90% (36/40) PAMHG without capsule, 10 % (4/40) with smooth capsule which showing homogenous low signal on T1WI and T2WI-FS. Subcutaneous lump of PAMHG was 70 % (28/40), lump of that in breast gland was 20% (8/40). Diffuse gel along spatium intermusculare of pectoralis major was 100 % (40/40), that along spatium intermusculare of intercostal muscle was 10 % (4/40). All PAMHG in breast of the 8 patients showed no enhancement, an irregular enhanced mass was found in gland of 1 patient. All distributions of PAMHG and appearances of its complications on T2WI-FS were consistent with the results of operation. ConclusionsT2WI-FS can accurately display the distribution of PAMHG and its complication before removal surgery. MRI plane scan combined with muhiphase contrast-enhanced MRI can differentiate PAMHG from the lesions in the gland and find the breast carcinoma, so that it can guide clinicians before surgery to remove PAMHG used for augmentation mammaplasty.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of herbal ion application and penetration therapy applied in the dog days, or in both of the dog days and coldest days for the treatment of recurrent respiratory tract infection (RRTI) in children. Methods This intervention was designed as a multi-center, randomized, single-blind, repeated-measurement design. A total of 240 RRTI children were randomly divided into Sanfu group (N=120, herbal ion application and penetration therapy applied in the dog days) and Fujiu group (N=120, herbal ion application and penetration therapy applied in both of the dog days and coldest days). Each group was treated for one year and then was followed up for one year. Before and after the treatment, we observed the frequency of respiratory tract infection, the period of onset, signs and symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and detected the salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) at different time points. Results (1) The therapeutic effect of Fujiu group was better than that of Sanfu group, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). (2) The frequency of respiratory tract infection was reduced, the period of onset was shortened, and TCM signs and symptoms were improved in both groups, and the effect of Fujiu group was superior to that of Sanfu group (P<0.05). (3) Salivary sIgA showed a continuous upward trend in Fujiu group while a mild downward trend in Sanfu group at different time points (P<0.05). Conclusion Herbal ion application and penetration therapy applied in both of the dog days and coldest days shows better effect for the treatment of children RRTI than that applied only in the dog days.