Objective To explore the predictive value for coronary heart disease by epicardial adipose tissue(EAT) thickness and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT) measured with high-frequency ultrasound.Methods According to the results of coronary angiography, the cases were divided into the normal control group (29 patients),coronary artery disease group with single-vessel lesion (43 patients),coronary artery disease group with multi-vessels lesion (28 patients), respectively. EAT and IMT were measured by high-frequency ultrasound. Results The EAT in the three groups were (4.8 ± 1.3) mm, (7.6 ± 1.8) mm,(10.1±2.6) mm respectively, and the IMT were (0.8±0.1)mm,(1.0±0.2)mm,(1.1 ± 0.2)mmrespectively. In either coronary artery disease group with single-vessel lesion or multi-vessels lesion, the EAT and IMT were significantly higher than those in the normal control group ( P＜ 0.01 ). And the difference between groups of single-vessel lesion and multi-vessels lesion was also statistically significant (P＜ 0.01). The areas under receive operating characteristic(ROC) curve to predict coronary heart disease by EAT and IMT was 0.947 and 0.917, respectively, there was no significant difference between the two areas. For patient with coronary artery stenosis＞50%, the sensitivity and specificity of EAT＞6 mm were 90.1% and 86.2% ,respectively,the sensitivity and specificity of IMT＞0.85 mm were 87.3% and 82.8%,respectively. Conclusions EAT and IMT measured by high-frequency ultrasound can precisely predictcoronary heart disease. EAT can be a new predictor to diagnose coronary heart disease.

Objective To explore the correlation between epicardial adipose tissue(EAT) thickness and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with coronary artery disease.Methods According to the results of coronary angiography,84 cases of patients undergone coronary angiography were divided into the normal control group(28 patients),coronary artery disease group with single-vessel lesion (28 patients),coronary artery disease group with multi-vessels lesion(28 patients),respectively,then measured the EAT thickness and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT) by high-frequency ultrasound.A correlation analysis was carried out between the EAT and IMT and cardiovascular risk factors.Results In either coronary artery disease group with single-vessel lesion or multi-vessels lesion,the thicknesses of EAT and IMT were significantly higher than those in the normal control group(P ＜0.01),and the difference between group of single-vessel lesion and multi-vessels lesion was also statistically significant (P ＜0.01).A correlation analysis between the EAT and IMT and cardiovascular risk factors showed that there were significantly positive correlations between EAT and the IMT,age,weight,waist circumference,body mass index,low-density lipoprotein,Creactive protein (r = 0.124～0.790,P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01),and the significantly negative correlation between EAT and high-density lipoprotein (r = - 0.203,P ＜ 0.05).Correlation between EAT and the IMT was 0.678,0.713,0.737 in the normal control group,group with single-vessel lesion,group with multivessels lesion,respectively.Conclusions There were favorable correlation between EAT and carotid IMT in cardiovascular risk factors.The more severity of coronary heart disease,the more high correlations of EAT and IMT.EAT can be a valuable index in evaluating coronary artery disease.

Objective To observe expression level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C),VEGF-C receptor-2 and VEGF-C receptor-3 in patients with acute leukemia (AL) and to explore its clinical significance.Methods Enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the serum expression levels of VEGF-C,VEGFR-2,and VEGFR-3 of 51 patients diagnosed with acute leukemia,43 patients under medical treatment and 16 healthy blood donors.Results (1) Serum VEGF-C,VEGFR-2,and VEGFR-3 expression levels in AL patients were significantly higher than those in normal control group.(2) Serum VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 expression levels in complete remission (CR) group significantly declined after treatment.Serum VEGF-C and VEGFR-2 expression levels in non-complete remission (NR) group slightly declined after treatment but no significant difference was found (P＞0.05).(3) No significant difference was found in serum VEGFR-3 expression levels both in CR group and NR group after treatment (P＞0.05).(4) Serum VEGF-C,VEGFR-2,and VEGFR-3 expression levels in NR group were significantly higher than those in CR group before treatment (P＜0.08).Conclusions Observing serum expression level of VEGF-C,VEGFR-2,and VEGFR-3 of AL patients may be helpful in monitoring curative effects and prognosis of acute leukemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immuno-modulatory effect of short course administration of somatostatin (stilamin) continuously at early stage in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with SAP (22 men, 17 women; the middle age was 49 years)were randomly allocated into control group (20 patients treated with non-surgical integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine) and treatment group (19 patients treated with somatostatin administered intravenously at a dosage of 250 mug/h for consecutive 72 hours as well as the treatment for the control group). Laboratory parameters, including the expressions of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) in lymphocytes (tested by flow cytometry) and C reactive protein (CRP), and indexes of therapeutic effect, including the occurrence of organic dysfunction, local complication and mortality between the two groups were compared. Another group of 30 healthy volunteers (19 men, 11 women; the middle age was 47 years) were recruited for testing the normal levels of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8). RESULTS: (1) The levels of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(4)/CD(8) in lymphocytes before treatment in both groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy subjects (P<0.05), but there were no statistical differences between the two groups. At the 4th day, CD(3), CD(4) and CD(4)/CD(8) increased significantly in the treatment group (P<0.05) while no changes in the control group; the levels of CD(4) and CD(4)/CD(8) in the treatment group were also higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). (2) The CRP levels of the 2 groups showed no statistical difference before and 4 days after the treatment, but the CRP level in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group at the 7th day (P<0.05). WBC count, serum levels of amylase, lipase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, as well as the score of APACHE II in the treatment group recovered more quickly than those in the control group (P<0.05). (3) The occurrences of organic dysfunctions, local complications and mortality in both groups were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: The short course administration of somatostatin continuously at early stage can reduce the inflammatory response, up-regulate the cell immune function and improve the conditions of the patients with SAP, but its effect on mortality and morbidity needs further study.

To investigate the prognostic effects of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy without antibiotics in treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (CQCQD), a compound of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, acting on the pancreatic acinar cell calcium overload in rats with acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: A total of 30 SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group and CQCQD group (n=10, respectively). AP was induced in rats by caerulein (5x50 mug/kg) intraperitoneal injection within 4 h. The pancreatic tissue SERCA1 and SERCA2 mRNA expressions were detected by fluorescent quantization polymerase chain reaction method; intracellular calcium fluorescence intensity (FI) of pancreatic acinar cells and the pancreatic pathological score were measured by laser scanning confocal microscopy and light microscopy respectively. RESULTS: There were no SERCA1 mRNA expressions in pancreatic acinar cells of rats in the normal control group and the untreated group. The expression of pancreatic SERCA2 mRNA in the untreated group was down-regulated compared with that in the normal control group (expression ratio=0.536; P=0.001); the expression of pancreatic SERCA2 mRNA in the CQCQD group was up-regulated compared with that in the untreated group (expression ratio=2.00; P=0.012). The pancreatic pathological score in the CQCQD group was lower than that in the untreated group and the FI of Ca(2+) was also lower. CONCLUSION: CQCQD can up-regulate the expression of pancreatic SERCA2 mRNA, release the calcium overload, and hence reduce the pathological changes in pancreatic tissue.

Objective To assess the expression pattern of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) in human keratinocytes and to characterize its biological functions in the regulation of skin barrier.Methods Primary human keratinocytes and human N/TERT keratinocytes were used as the subject of this study.The expression and distribution of PAR2 in the keratinocytes were analyzed by using immunoflorescence staining and Western blot.Two different PAR2 agonists,trypsin and a PAR2-activating peptide (AP),as well as a PAR2-antagonistic peptide (H2N-FSLLRY-COOH) and a control peptide were used to induce the activation of PAR2 in the keratinocytes.Then,a fluorescence-based calcium mobilization assay was performed to evaluate the biological function of PAR2.Data were statistically analyzed by one-factor analysis of variance.Results Under normal culture conditions,PAR2 was weakly expressed in keratinocytes,and the expression was unaffected by culture medium composition or culture duration.Calcium mobilization was induced by trypsin of 50-250 nmol/L and the PAR2-activating peptide in a dose-and time-dependent pattern.The maximal activation of PAR2 was observed in keratinocytes treated with the PAR2 agonist HAN-SLIGKV-COOH of 75-250 μmol/L.The PAR2-antagonistic peptide (H2N-FSLLRY-COOH) obviously suppressed the increase in calcium mobilization induced by trypsin,while the control peptide PAR-RAP showed no inductive effect on the PAR2 activation based on the absence of calcium mobilization.The substrate-induced calcium release was complete within 250 seconds,and peaked at 50 seconds after the initial trypsin or PAR-AP stimulation.Moreover,the activation of PAR2 was accompanied by an increase in ERK phosphorylation and elicitation of MAPK signaling pathway in keratinocytes.Conclusions Human keratinocytes positively express PAR2,which can be activated by trypsin and PAR2-activating peptides,and the activation of PAR2 may influence the physiological function of keratinocytes by inducing intracellular calcium release.

Objective To analyze the results of syphilis serology test results among hospitalized patients ,and to investigate the prevalence of syphilis .Methods T he results of syphilis antibody test of 199498 patients of Haikou People′s Hospital from 2011 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed . All samples were screened by Treponema pallidum (TP) antibody using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) .Syphilis toluidine red unheated serum reagin test (TRUST ) was used to test nontreponemal antibody .The TP-ELISA positive samples were confirmed by Treponema pallidum particle agglutination test (TPPA) .Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis .Results A total of 7616 cases were positive of anti-TP ,with positive rate of 3 .82％ .From 2011 to 2016 ,the annual cases tested were 23188 ,32010 ,35079 ,35734 ,35406 and 38081 ,respectively .The annual positive rates of anti-TP w ere 4 .11％ (952/23188 ) ,3 .94％ (1261/32010 ) ,4 .55％ (1597/35079 ) ,3 .85％ (1376/35734 ) , 3 .47％ (1229/35406) ,and 3 .15％ (1201/38081) ,respectively ,and the difference was statistical significant (χ2 =108 .167 ,P<0 .05) .Anti-TP positive rate in male patients was 4 .85％ (4899 cases) , and 2 .76％ (2717 cases) in female ,and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 =593 .443 , P<0 .05) .The positive rate of TP antibody in the elderly over 80 years old was 6 .09％ ,and 5 .03％ in patients older than 60 years old .In all samples ,TRUST was positive in 3413 cases (1 .71％ ) .From 2011 to 2016 , the annual positive cases were 179 , 390 , 585 , 768 , 816 and 675 , respectively , with coresponding rates of 0 .77％ ,1 .22％ ,1 .67％ ,2 .15％ ,2 .3％ and 1 .77％ ,respectively .The difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 763 .779 , P< 0 .05) .TRUST was positive in 2022 (2 .01％ ) male patients and 1391 (1 .41％ ) female patients ,and the positive rates were significantly different (χ2 =102 .887 ,P<0 .05) .From 2011 to 2016 ,the annual TRUST positivities among patients -9 years old and -19 years old were not different (χ2 = 1 .198 and 11 .018 ,both P> 0 .05) ,while those among patients aged -29 ,-39 ,-49 ,-59 ,-69 ,-79 ,and ≥80 years old were statistically different (χ2 =20 .100 ,38 .387 ,89 .360 ,75 .874 ,87 .743 ,71 .035 and 30 .593 ,respectively ,all P<0 .05) .Conclusions From 2011 to 2016 ,the positive rates of syphilis is increased and then decreased .And it is significantly different among different genders and age groups .The positive rate in elderly is significantly higher .

The present study evaluated the application of three dimensional echocardigraphy (3DE) in the diagnosis of atrial septal defect (ASD) and the measurement of its size by 3DE and compared the size with surgical findings. Two-dimensional and real-time three dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) was performed in 26 patients with atrial septal defect, and the echocardiographic data were compared with the surgical findings. Significant correlation was found between defect diameter by RT3DE and that measured during surgery (r=0.77, P<0.001). The defect area changed significantly during cardiac cycle. Percentage change in defect size during cardiac cycle ranged from 6%-70%. Our study showed that the size and morphology of atrial septal defect obtained with RT3DE correlate well with surgical findings. Therefore, RT3DE is a feasible and accurate non-invasive imaging tool for assessment of atrial septal size and dynamic changes.
Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/*diagnosis ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/*pathology ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/surgery ; Young Adult

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency introduction of L-vitamin C in patients with melasma.Methods:From March to June 2019, 20 patients with melasma were admitted to the Department of Dermatology, the Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, including 19 females and 1 male, aged 30-60 years, with an average age of 43.5 years. All patients were treated with 22 percent of L-vitamin C once a week, a total of 8 times of treatment and followed up for 12 weeks. Each subject was assessed with standardized clinical photo, skin tests (VISIA skin image analyzer and CK multifunctional skin tester) and patient self-assessment. In addition, the adverse reactions were recorded.Results:Physician evaluation and patient self-evaluation showed that skin symptoms were improved obviously after treatment. 90% of the subjects thought that all of the skin moisture, pores, fine lines, glossiness, and color spots were improved after 12 weeks. The skin texture, ultraviolet stain and the brown spots which were detected with VISIA skin image analyzer were all improved after one week and one month. Difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Skin glossiness was significantly improved, skin moisture content increased and melanin decreased, which were detected with CK multifunctional skin tester. The differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). But there was no significant change in transdermal water loss and red pigment index ( P>0.05). Conclusions:22% L-vitamin C can be used to treat melasma and improve photoaging safely without affecting skin barrier function.