Objective To discover the main factors influencing the hospitalization expenses incurred by cases of community acquired pneumonia(CAP). Methods The hospitalization expenses incurred by 362 cases of CAP treated by the Department of Respiratory Medicine of the authors hospital from 1999 to 2000 as well as the composition of the expenses, the expenses for testing pathogens and the use of antibiotics were analyzed retrospectively. And the influencing factors of the hospitalization expenses were studied by means of stepwise regression. Results The average CAP hospitalization expenses were 9 253 yuan, with the expenses for medicine accounting for 51.4%. Among the antibiotics used, ? lactam was most frequently used. Next came quinolone and macrolides. The expenses for testing CAP pathogens were high while the positive rate was low. The major factors influencing CAP hospitalization expenses were respectively length of stay, time of intravenous drip of antibiotics during hospitalization, incidence or no incidence of heavy pneumonia, and the number of basal disease entities(P

ObjectiveTo study the cloning and sequencing of mature fragment of human bone morphogenetic protein-4 gene. Methods The template DNA was obtained from the human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS. By using RT- PCR method, the cDNA coding for the mature fragment of BMP-4 was amplified, cloned into the vector pUC19, and sequenced by Sanger Dideoxy-mediated Chain Termination method. Results The mature fragment of BMP4 cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR and determined by sequencing. Through the computer search on Genebank, the analysis showed that the homology of nucleotides and amino acids between cDNA of rhBMP4 mature fragment of this study and the published sequence was 99％. Sequence analysis showed that there were two differences, one was at base 1154 (201): G→C, which had no influence on the corresponding amino acids (Val). Another was at basel222 (269):C→T, the mutation at the base 1222 had the change of Ala to Val. Conclusion The mature fragment of BMP4 gene has been cloned. The results will be of great significance in treatment of skeletal injuries and diseases.

AIM: To observe the effects of some component of Chinese herbs for external use on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and investigate the mechanism of promoting tissue repair. METHODS: The method of MTT was used to examine the effects of Rg1, Rh1, perlolyrine, cinnamyl aldehyde, muscone, astragalus polysaccharin (APS), velver antler polypeptide (VAP) and soluble extract of boswellia carterii birdw (BCB) on proliferation of HUVEC. RESULTS: APS did not promote proliferation of HUVEC at 9.75 mg/L-2.5 g/L; Rh1 promoted proliferation of HUVEC at 1.94 mg/L-0.5 g/L (P

Objective To improve the understanding and diagnosis of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (PLAM) by the comprehensive review of domestic literatures in the past ten years.Methods Three new cases with PLAM were reported and integraed with other 45 cases reported domestically in the past ten years for analysis of their clinical features.Results The newly reported three cases of PLAM were all women at child-bearing age, with initial symptom of dyspnea after activity. Two of them complicated with extra-pulmonary PLAM. All the three cases were free of chylous effusion. Forty-seven of 48 cases with PLAM were pathologically diagnozed, with ages of onset of 5~69 (mean?s of 34?10) years. Their clinical manifestations were mainly respiratory, including dyspnoea (95.8%), haemoptysis (52.1%), pneumothorax (45.8%), chylous effusion (33.3%),cough (31.3%) and chest pain (12.5%). Abnormal manifestations in abdomen, including renal mass, retroperitoneal mass and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, were detected in 16 cases. Thirty-nine cases had their high-resolution CT (HRCT) examined and appearance of multiple cysts distributed throughout the bilateral lung fields could be discerned in 38 of them. Obstructive ventilation disturbance could be observed in 23 of 30 cases with the data or conclusions on pulmonary function tests, and mixed ventilation disturbance in seven cases. Respiratory failure was complicated in 17 of 28 cases with the data of arterial blood gas analyses.Conclusions HRCT had confirmative value for diagnosis of PLAM. In practice, HRCT, as well as other routine abdominal and pelvic imaging examinations, should be performed in time for child-bearing-age women with progressive dyspnoea, haemoptysis, or spontaneous pneumothorax, to detect if they complicate with PLAM.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of forced expiratory volume in six seconds(FEV6) as an alternative for forced vital capacity(FVC)and the fixed eat-off points for FEV1/FEV6 in the diagnostic screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods From August 2007 to December 2008,a total of 1210 spirometric examinations in were analyzed,FEV6 was measured on volume-time curves.The correlation between FEV1/FVC and FEV1/FEV6 was evaluated by the Kendall correlation test.Considering FEV1/FVC

AIM:To investigate the effect of berberine on IL-1 or tumour necrosis factor (TNF) induced polymorphonuclear leucocyte(PMN)-endothelium adhesion and adhesion molecules.METHODS:Based on the model of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC), this study adopted Rose Bengal Stain, cell ELISA, immunocyto-chemical techniques to investigate the effect of berberine on PMN-endothelium adhesion and the expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs).RESULTS:Berberine inhibited IL-1, TNF-induced HUVEC adhesion for PMN when pretreated HUVEC and antagonised IL-1, TNF-induced upregulation of ICAM-1 on HUVEC. Meanwhile, TNF-stimulated PMN adhesion for HUVEC and CD18 upexpression on PMN was diminished in the presence of berberine.CONCLUSION: Inhibite PMN-endothelium adhesion by downregulating the CAMs expression to inhibite PMN migration across endothelium is one of the mechanisms of antiinflammation of berberine.

Objective To investigate the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) by recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) transducing the hNGF gene, and construct and produce the vector of hNGF recombinant AAV. Methods The resulting gene of hNGF was inserted into the KpnⅠ-BamHⅠ site of vector plasmid pSSHG-Neo to construct the vector of hNGF recombinant AAV. The recombinant AAV viral stock was packaged. Renal embryo 293 cell was co-transfected with the rAAV vector of plasmid pSSHG/hNGF, packaging plasmid pAAV/Ad and helper adenovirus pasmid pFG140 instead of adenovirus by calcium phosphate precipitation. Results The recombinant viral stock vector of plasmid pSSHG/hNGF was constructed successfully. The results of dot blot showed that we had obtained the rAAV stocks of high titre 1.46?10 12 PFU?mL -1. Conclusion We prepared the viral stock of rAAV-hNGF that can serve as the experimental study of gene therapy of SCI.

Objective To study the prokaryotic expression of fusion gene A?-HBcAg and analyze the immunoreactivity and immunogenicity of expression protein. Methods Recombinant plasmid pBV220/A?-HBcAg was transformed into E.coli DH5?, and expressed by temperature inducing. The bacteria were split by ultrasonic wave. The expression of the fusion protein was studied by SDS-PAGE and Coomassie brilliant blue staining. The immunoreactivity of the fusion protein was determined using ELISA. After immunized intraperitoneally with the fusion protein, 5 Balb/c mice's sera titers of anti- A? and anti-HBc were evaluated by ELISA. Results Fusion protein was in sediment of the split bacteria as inclusion bodies and its expression level was 5% of the total sediment protein. The fusion protein had both immunoreactivity of A? and HBcAg. The titers of anti-A? and anti-HBc were very low after 3 times of immunization. After immunization for 5 times, the titers reached 1∶800 and 1∶3 200 for anti-A? and anti-HBc, respectively. Conclusion Recombinant gene A?-HBcAg can be expressed in E.coli DH5? and the expression protein has certain immunoreactivity and immunogenicity. It indicates that further work should be done to enhance the expression level of fusion gene A?-HBcAg and improve the immunogenicity of the fusion protein.

Objective To prepare a hybridoma secreting stab le monoclonal antibodies against ?-amyloid peptide (A? 1-42) with high titer. Methods By genetic engineering technology, A ? gene was recombined with the MIR of HBcAg to get the A? and HBcAg fusi on protein. Spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with A? and HBcAg f usion protein were fused with mouse myeloma cells SP2/0. Results Two strains of hybridomas (1H 7 and 1F 3) secreting stable monoclonal antibodies raised against A? 1-42 were ob tained. The subtypes of A? 1-42 antibodies were IgG 3. C onclusion The A? 1-42 monoclonal antibodies obtained have high titers and specificity.