Objective To investigate the bacteria identification and clinical features of brucellosis in Qingdao City.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data,including general situation,clinical symptom,bacterial culture and laboratory findings,etc of 34 patients with brucellosis in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from April 2010 to November 2014.Results Among the 34 patients,24 were male and 10 were female,aged from 12 to 71.The main clinical manifestations included fever,diaphoresis and arthralgia,and merged multiple organ symptoms.After cultured for 3 to 5 days,16 blood samples were positive,6 tissue samples were positive,with 2 positive in both samples.Thirty-four cases were identified Brucella species.Besides liver parameters abnormality and anemia,elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were the most common laboratory findings.Patients got better prognosis after antibiotic combination therapy.Conclusions With increasing numbers of brucellosis cases in non-endemic areas,we should pay attention to bacteriological culture and other confirmation tests.On the other hand,techniques such as morphology and growth characteristics of Brucella should be mastered to prevent laboratory infection.

Objective To discuss the clinical value of Protein induced by Vitamin K Antagonist-Ⅱ (PIVKA-Ⅱ) and alpha-Fetoproteins (AFP) in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and monitoring the treatment effects.Methods Patients were recruited by the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University,from August 2013 to March 2014.Serum levels of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP were measured by both chemiluminescence assay (CLIA) and electrochemiluminescence assay (ECLA) in patients with HCC (n =148),intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (n =37),gastric cancer and colorectal cancer (n =44),cirrhosis (n =63),chronic hepatitis B (n =38) and healthy subjects (n =57).To analyze the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC-AUC) and to compare the sensitivity and specificity of single PIVKA-Ⅱ or AFP assay,and the combined detection.To analyze the correlation of PIVKA-Ⅱ and both tumor size and TNM staging,so do AFP,respectively.To compare the serum level changes of the two indicators in HCC patients before and after treatment.Results The serum levels of both PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP in HCC group were higher than that in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma,gastric cancer and colorectal cancer,cirrhosis,chronic hepatitis B and healthy subjects groups (PIVKA-Ⅱ:U =866.50,424.00,958.00,292.00 and 448.00 ; AFP:U=713.00,440.50,1 182.00,614.00 and 399.00,P ＜0.001).The ROC-AUCs of the single PIVKA-Ⅱ or AFP assay and the combined detection in HCC group were not statistically different (P ＞ 0.05).The sensitivity of PIVKA-Ⅱ (87.16％) was higher than that of AFP (68.92％,x2 =4.73,P ＜ 0.05) in diagnosing HCC ; the sensitivity of the combined detection of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP(93.24％) was higher than that of PIVKA-Ⅱ itself (87.16％,adjusted x2 =64.70,P ＜ 0.01) ;while the specificities among them did not show statistical significance (P ＞ 0.05).Tested by Spearman rank correlation,the serum levels of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP were both positively related to tumor size (r =0.716,0.475 respectively,P ＜ 0.001).The serum levels of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP in HCC patients increased gradually correlated with tumor size (H =72.70,37.02 respectively,P ＜ 0.001) and the positive rates of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP were gradually improved (x2 =26.74,21.62 respectively,P ＜ 0.01),too.Based on the International TNM Staging System,the serum levels of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP (H =46.63,21.38 respectively,P ＜0.001) and the positive rates of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP (PIVKA-Ⅱ:x2 =20.40,P ＜0.01 ;AFP:x2 =8.33,P ＜0.05) in HCC patients from Ⅰ-Ⅳ stages were increased as TNM stages elevated.The serum levels of PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP in HCC patients were both dropped sharply compared with preoperative levels (Z =-4.59,-4.22 respectively,P ＜ 0.001) and also both dropped in each of the Ⅰ-Ⅳ TNM stages (PIVKA-Ⅱ:Z =-2.85、-2.98、-2.70 respectively,P ＜ 0.05 ; AFP:Z =-2.48、-3.82、-2.50 respectively,P ＜ 0.05) compared with serum levels before treatment.Conclusion PIVKA-Ⅱ and AFP both have high clinical application values in diagnosing HCC and monitoring treatment effects.The sensitivity of PIVKA-Ⅱ in diagnosing HCC is significantly higher than AFP,and the sensitivity can be elevated by the combined detection in diagnosing HCC without reducing the specificity.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) for small cell lung cancer ( SCLC ).Methods Serum levels of ProGRP and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were measured by both chemiluminescent immunoassay and electrochemiluminescent immunoassay in 46 patients with SCLC (26 patients with limited disease,20 patients with extensive disease ),51 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC),45 patients with benign pulmonary diseases and 56 healthy subjects.Patients were recruited by the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College,Qingdao University,from September 2010 to April 2011.The receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) was used to set the cutoff value of ProGRP and NSE and the areas under ROC ( ROC-AUC).The sensitivity and specificity of ProGRP and NSE were analyzed for diagnosing SCLC.Results Serum levels of ProGRP in healthy subjects,benign pulmonary diseases,NSCLC and SCLC groups were 22.9 ( 19.5 - 28.7 ),23.7 ( 20.0 - 27.8 ),28.9 (23.8-34.7) and 370.9( 129.4- 1951.6) ng/L respectively; the serum levels of NSE were 14.1 (12.5- 15.7),13.3(10.3- 15.3),16.8(11.7-22.1) and 39.9(16.1-93.9) μg/L,respectively.The Kruskal-Wallis H test showed significantly difference amoun groups of ProGRP and NSE (H =92.116 and 55.481,P ＜0.001 ).The serum levels of ProGRP in limited disease SCLC (LD-SCLC) group[ 156.2(65.4-547.5 ) ng/L]were also significantly higher than those in the healthy group,benign pulmonary diseases group and NSCLC group ( U =57,70 and 144,P ＜ 0.001 ).In extensive disease SCLC (ED-SCLC) group,the ProGRP and NSE results[ 1933.1 (325.9 -4512.1) ng/L and 61.0(35.4- 115.5 ) μg/L ]were higher than those in the LD-SCLC group ProGRP,NSE [ 24.3 ( 15.1 - 16.3 ) μg/L,U =119 and 153,P ＜ 0.05 ].Using healthy subjects group as control,the largest Youden index point of ROC was used to set the cut-off value of ProGRP and NSE (34.0 ng/L and 20.2 μg/L).The ROC-AUC of ProGRP (0.96 ) was statistically higher than that of NSE ( 0.86 ) in the SCLC group ( Z =2.57,P ＜0.05).The ROC-AUC results between combining detection of ProGRP and NSE (0.96 ) and ProGRP itself (0.96) were not significant difference ( Z =0.21,P ＞ 0.05 ).The sensitivity of ProGRP ( 89.1％ ) was statistically higher than that of NSE in the SCLC group (71.7％,x2 =4.90,P ＜0.05 ) ; the specificity of ProGRP (98.2％) compared with NSE did not have statistical significance (96.4％,x2 =0.00,P ＞0.05 ).The combining detection of ProGRP and NSE had no influence on the sensitivity and specificity compared with ProGRP itself (91.3％ vs 89.1％,94.6％ vs 98.2％,x2 were all 0.00,P ＞ 0.05 ).Using benign pulmonary diseases group as control,the largest Youden index point of ROC was used to set the cutoff value of ProGRP and NSE (49.5 ng/L and 23.1 μg/L).The ROC-AUC of ProGRP (0.95) was statistically higher than that of NSE (0.87) in the SCLC group (Z =1.99,P ＜0.05 ).The ROC-AUC of combining detection of ProGRP and NSE ( 0.95 ) and ProGRP itself ( 0.95 ) were not difference significantly ( Z =0.02,P ＞ 0.05 ).The sensitivity of ProGRP (84.8％ ) was statistically higher than that of NSE in the SCLC group (69.6％,x2 =4.00,P ＜0.05);the specificity of it (97.8％) was equal to that of NSE (97.8％,x2 =0.50,P ＞0.05 ).The combining detection of ProGRP and NSE had no obviously influence on the sensitivity and specificity compared with ProGRP itself ( 87.0％ vs 84.8％,95.6％ vs 97.8％,x2 were all 0.00,P ＞0.05 ).Using NSCLC group as control,the largest Youden index point of ROC was to set the cut-off value of ProGRP and NSE (49.1 ng/L and 23.0 μg/L).The ROC-AUC of ProGRP ( 0.90) was statistically higher than that of NSE (0.76) in the SCLC group (Z=2.90,P＜0.05).The ROC-AUC of combining detection of ProGRP and NSE (0.90 ) and ProGRP itself (0.90 ) were not difference significantly ( Z =0.00,P ＞ 0.05 ).The sensitivity of ProGRP ( 84.8％ ) was higher than that of NSE in the SCLC group ( 69.6％,x2 =4.00,P ＜ 0.05 ) ; the specificity of it ( 96.1％ ) was also higher than that of NSE (80.4％,x2 =6.13,P ＜ 0.05 ).The combining detection of ProGRP and NSE had no obviously influence on the sensitivity and specificity compared with ProGRP itself ( 87.0％ vs 84.8％,95.6％ vs 96.1％,x2 were all 0.00,P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusion ProGRP has a higher diagnostic value than NSE in SCLC.