Objective To investigate the change and clinical significance of serum procalcitonin (PCT) level in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).Methods One hundred and forty-five CAP patients were enrolled.Serum PCT level was measured by immunofluorescent antibody staining method.CURB-65 score and pneumonia severity index (PSI) score were used to evaluate the severity of the patients with CAP.Correlations between PCT and blood white blood cell (WBC) count,serum C-reactive protein (CRP),PSI score,CURB-65 score,hospitalization duration and mortality were analyzed with Pearson correlation analysis,Logistic regression analysis and so on.Results Serum PCT in patients with CAP showed positively correlated with CURB-65 score and PSI score (r =0.606,0.943,P＜ 0.01 ),and serum PCT was also positively correlated with age,serum CRP and hospitalization duration (r =0.753,0.233,0.281,P ＜0.01),but it wasn't correlated with blood WBC count (r =0.152,P ＞0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that each increment of 1 μ g/L for serum PCT would increase 2.828-fold for the risk of death in CAP patients.Conclusions Serum PCT predicts the sensitivity and specificity of CAP with a similar prognostic accuracy with CURB-65 score and PSI score.Serum PCT in patients with CAP correlates with hospitalization duration and mortality.Therefore,it is a promising prognostic marker to evaluate the severity and outcome of CAP.It may serve as a useful marker for clinicians to evaluate the severity and prognosis of CAP.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of PRGD composite nerve conduit in the treatment of human large-diameter,critical peripheral nerve defect in upper extremity.Methods From December,2011 to August,2014,19 patients with large-diameter,critical peripheral nerve defect in upper extremity were treated with PRGD composite nerve conduit.The patients were followeded-up periodically.The sensory and motor function recovery,high frequency ultrasound,and EMG were employed to assess the efficacy.Results The patients were followed up for an average time of 12-32 months(mean 21.75 ± 6.86 months),sensory and motor function recovered excellent in 7 patients,satisfactory in 7 patients,tolerable in 3 patients and no improvement in 2 patients were obtained according to the peripheral nerve function assessment standard built by British medical research council,the rate excellent and satisfactory results was 73.7％.Conclusion It is clinically promising to use PRGD composite nerve conduit to repair large-diameter,critical peripheral nerve defect in upper extremity,thus laying a foundation for its further application in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a new way to yield plenty of high purity olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) and its biocompatibility with appropriate scaffolds. METHODS: OECs were prepared from neonatal Wister rats and co-cultured with poly [LA-co-(Glc-alt-Lys)] (PLGL). Its contact angle, adherent rate, and activity rate were tested. RESULTS: The contact angle of poly (D, L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) (84.5 degree+/-1.5 degree) was significantly higher than that of PLGL (52.6 degree+/-0.8 degree), the adherent rate of PLGL (80%) was significantly higher than that of the PDLLA (57%), and the activity rate of PLGL (88%) was much higher than that of the PDLLA (76%). CONCLUSION PLGL possesses better hydrophilicity and biocompatibility than PDLLA, and it can provide a better cell growth circumstance which is helpful for the effective treatment of nerve injury.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cells, Cultured ; Lactic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Nerve Regeneration ; Olfactory Bulb ; cytology ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; physiopathology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry