Objective To investigate the diagnostic and predict vaIue of procalcitonin (PCT) in ICU patients with sepsis and the correlation between PCT concentration and positive results of bacterial culture.Methods A total of 278 patients with sepsis were admitted into emergency ICU,general ICU and respiratory ICU from October 2011 to September 2012.Of them,193 patients had definite microbial infection evidence.Serum PCT levels among groups of different pathogens were compared.The analysis of correlation between the PCT concentration of the first assay was got after admission and short-term prognosis was evaluated.The correlation between PCT level and positive results of bacterial culture was also evaluated.Results Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum PCT levels of bacterial infections in patients with sepsis were significantly higher than those of the non-bacterial infections in patients with sepsis (P =0.001).And there was a positive correlation between the PCT concentration of the first specimen after admission and 7-day in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis due to bacterial infections (r =0.277,P =0.004).The patients with PCT levels greater than 2 ng/ml had high vulnerability to bacterial infection Conclusions The PCT concentration of the first assay after admission was positively correlated to 7-day mortality in ICU patients with sepsis due to bacterial infections.The serum PCT concentration indicated the severity of host response to the bacterial infection.And etiological evidence directly showed pathogenic factors.Both of PCT and etiological evidence related to bacterial infection,reflected different aspects of bacterial infection.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic and predict value of procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients diagnosis of sepsis with immune system defect in the intensive care unit (ICU).Methods This is a retrospective analysis.We enrolled 278 patients diagnosis of sepsis in Emergency ICU,general ICU and Respiratory ICU in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from October 2011 to September 2012.Among them,122 patients have normal immune function and 156 patients have auto-immune system diseases or/and requiring corticosteroids or chemotherapy.According to the APACHE Ⅱ score,patients were divided into low-risk group,middle-risk group and high-risk group,and their PCT levels were compared.Logistic regression analysis of the multiple factors was used to screen independent risk factors for predicting 7 days' mortality.The predictive ability was also evaluated and compared between the first time of PCT concentration after admission and dynamic change of PCT within the first week with area under receiver operator's characteristic curve (ROC curve,AUC).Result The results of Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the patients' PCT concentration and APACHE Ⅱ score (r =0.979,P ＜ 0.05).And there was a positive correlation between the first PCT concentration after admission and 7 days' mortality in-hospital (r =0.826,P ＜ 0.05).Multiple factors logistic regression analysis indicated that both the first time PCT concentration after admission and APACHE Ⅱ score of patients were independent risk factors for predicting 7 days' mortality (PCT OR =1.77,95％ CI =1.28-3.83,P =0.0023).The warning value of 7 days' mortality for patients with normal immune function was PCT≥7.18 ng/ml and for those with abnormal immune function was PCT ≥ 3.52 ng/ml.Compared to dynamic monitoring of PCT,there was no significant difference in sensitivity but specificity is less than the dynamic monitoring of PCT.Conclusions The diagnostic and predict value of procalcitonin (PCT) levels were not affected by the immuno-suppressive therapy.The first time PCT concentration after admission was an independent risk factor for predict of 7 days' mortality in ICU patients with sepsis.The PCT warning value of the sepsis patients with abnormal immune function was much lower compared to those with normal immune function.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of nimodipine on neuron of the rats with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and the expressions of Bax and Bcl-2,and to clarify their mechanisms.Methods The focal cerebral-ischemia reperfusion model was induced by the middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)method. 30 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham operation,model,and nimodipine groups(n=10).The neurological deficit score was performed after 2 h ischemia following 2 h reperfusion.The infarction was observed by TUNEL staining and the expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by SP immunohistochemistry method. Results Compared with model group, the number of apoptotic cells of the rats in nimodipine group was significantly decreased(P<0.05),the expression of Bax was significantly decreased (P<0.05),and the Bcl-2 expression was increased significantly(P<0.05).The morphological examination showed that the neurons of the rats in model group had serious necrosis and edema while the number of dead cells in nimodipine treatment group was reduced and the edema was improved.Conclusion Nimodipine has a protective effect on brain tissue of the rats with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion inj ury, which is closely related to the down-regulation of Bax and up-regulation of Bcl-2 and inhibition of the apoptosis of neuron.

Objective To explore the similarities and differences in amplitude of low frequency fluctuation ( ALLF) between patients with first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia and offspring of schizophrenia patients.Methods ALFF values were estimated by measuring the Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent ( BOLD) signal using resting state function-al magnetic resonance imaging ( rs-fMRI) .The fMRI date were acquired from 23 patients with first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia (SZ), 25 offsprings of schizophrenia patients (OS) and 29 age -and gender -matched health controls ( HC) .The ALFF value of each subject was calculated by MATLAB-based DPARSF software.Results Compared with HC, the ALFF values of SZ and OS were significantly different in the left posterior part of the inferior temporal gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left hippocampus, right postcentral gyrus and bilateral precuneus.The ALFF values were not signif-icantly different between these two groups in the aforementioned regions.Compared with OS and HC, the ALFF values of SZ were significantly different in the left anterior part of the inferior temporal gyrus, left temporal pole and bilateral calcarine cortex.But there was no significant difference between OS and HC.Conclusions The brain function is abnormal in pa-tients with early schizophrenia and offspring of schizophrenia patients.The significant difference of ALFF in the left posterior part of the inferior temporal gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left hippocampus, right postcentral gyrus and bilateral pre-cuneus may suggest the heredodiathesis-related brain functional alterations.Significant difference of ALFF in the left ante-rior part of the inferior temporal gyrus and the left temporal pole bilateral calcarine cortex may suggest the disease-related brain alterations.

Phase angle (PA), derived by bioelectrical impedance analysis, has been used to evaluate nutritional status.It has a unique advantage in diagnosing early malnutrition related to diseases by the detection of human body cell membrane integrity and fluid composition change, and being associated with bad disease prognosis in part of clinical research.Because of its non-invasive, convenient, accurate and affordable technique, it has a wide prospect of clinical application.However, lack of uniform PA reference value somehow limited its application.We summarize the latest clinical research and application situation of PA, and explore the characteristics and the influence factors of PA in different disease group, in order to provide theoretical basis for the Chinese PA reference range.

The aim of this study is to investigate the therapeutic effect of RegIII-proinsulin-pBudCE4.1 plasmid on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus and its underlying mechanisms. The model of type 1 diabetes mellitus was established by intraperitoneal injections of STZ (40 mg kg(-1)) to Balb/c mice for five consecutive days. Then, ten type 1 diabetic mice were intramuscularly injected with 100 microg RegIII-proinsulin-pBudCE4.1 plasmid for 4 weeks (one time/week) and the blood glucose levels were monitored every week; whereas another ten diabetic mice served as negative control group were injected with pBudCE4.1 vector at the same dose. Normal control and model control mice were treated with normal saline at identical volume under the same way. Western blotting, MTT assay, ELISA, HE staining and Tunel assay were applied to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results showed that RegIII-proinsulin-pBudCE4.1 plasmid ameliorated the hyperglycemia symptoms in diabetic mouse remarkably. It induced an immunological tolerance state in type 1 diabetic mice by inhibiting the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and recovering Th1/Th2 balance evidenced by MTT and ELISA analysis. Furthermore, it elevated insulin concentration in the serum of type 1 diabetic mice and promoted the regeneration of beta cells supported by the results of HE staining and Tunel assay. In conclusion, RegIII-proinsulin-pBudCE4.1 plasmid possesses powerful anti-diabetic ability, which may be involved in the inducing of immunological tolerance and enhancing beta cells recovery.

Objective To increase the awareness of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and correct diagnosis rate of AIP by investigating radiologic characteristic of AIP and small pancreatic cancers.Methods The clinical data and radiologic imaging of 24 AIP patients who met the Asia diagnostic criteria of AIP in 2008 and 25 cases of pathologically condirmed small pancreatic cancer were retrospectively reviewed.All imaging findings were reviewed,especially on the shape,enhancement patterns of mass,pancreatic ducts,peripancreatic and extra-pancreatic manifestations. Chi-square test and Fisher test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe imaging signs,including location of masses,distal pancreatic atrophy,enhancing mass during portal phase,truncated duct sign of pancreatic duct,capsule-like rim and renal involvement,was significantly different between AIP and small pancreatic cancer ( x2 =9.010,10.506,15.488,8.688,6.292 and 4.966 respectively,P ＜0.05 ).But only two signs,distal pancreatic atrophy and enhancing mass during arterial and portal phase,were statistically different between local AIP and small pancreatic cancer (P ＜0.05).ConclusionsThe typical imaging features of diffuse AIP is distinct and helpful for the differential diagnosis of AIP from small pancreatic carcinoma,but there is limited value in the differential diagnosis between local AIP and small pancreatic cancer.

Objective To explore the value of abnormal imaging findings on susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in delayed graft function (DGF). Methods The conventional MRI and SWI images of 26 cases with DGF and 20 cases with normal renal function of transplanted kidneys were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with cysts and angiomyolipomas were excluded. Normal structures of transplanted kidney were identified. If lesions of abnormal signal intensity were found in the transplanted kidney, the location, border and signal intensity compared to renal cortex would be analyzed. The differences in signal intensity between the abnormal signal lesions and normal renal cortex in the same SWI layer of DGF were compared by using independent-sample t test. The differences in positive detection rate of discovering the abnormal signal lesions in DGF between conventional MRI and SWI were compared by using McNemar test. Results Of the 26 cases with DGF, one case was found to exhibit abnormally low signal lesions with fuzzy boundary located at junctional zone between cortex and medulla on both conventional MRI and SWI images. Ten cases were found to exhibit abnormally low signal lesions with fuzzy boundary located at junctional zone between cortex and medulla on SWI images only. Fifteen cases exhibited no abnormal signal lesions on both conventional MRI and SWI images. Twenty cases with normal renal function of transplanted kidney, no abnormal signal lesions were found on both conventional MRI and SWI images. The differences in signal intensity between the abnormally low signal lesions (130±20) and normal renal cortex (177±25) in the same SWI layer of 11 cases with DGF were statistically significant (t=-4.582,P<0.01). The differences in positive detection rate of discovering the abnormally low signal lesions in DGF between conventional MRI [3.8%(1/26)] and SWI [42.3% (11/26)] were statistically significant (χ2=8.100,P=0.002). Conclusions Abnormally low signal lesions with fuzzy boundary located at junctional zone between cortex and medulla on SWI images suggest the presence of DGF. Compared with conventional MRI, SWI appears to be superior in detecting the abnormally low signal lesions.

Objective To investigate risk factors of the prognosis of patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS).Methods From May 2012 to July 2014,17 cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were treated.Clinical data including history of epidemiology,clinical manifestations,complications,physical examination and laboratory test results on admission and the third day after admission were retrospectively analyzed and compared with the death group and recovery group by application of Spearman correlation analysis.Results Elderly male patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms,or abnormal liver function,or abnormal blood clotting function had higher risk of the poor prognosis.In SFTS patients,AST,ALT was significantly increased,AST 539 U/L (229.73,545.4) U/L (r =0.597,P =0.015) was a risk factor affecting prognosis.Elevated blood ammonia indicated serious liver dysfunction and neurological dysfunction which were manifested as irritability,delirium,and trembling limbs.In SFTS patients,platelets were significantly decreased accompanied with mouth ulcers / bleeding gums,gastrointestinal bleeding.PLT 24.88 × 10 9/L-1 (12.75,35.00) ×10 9/L-1 (r=0.557,P=0.005) or APTT 86.06 s (66.88,114.18) (r=0.798,P=0.001) or D-dimmer 9.79 mg / L (4.09,16.51) mg/L (r =0.597,P =0.015) are risk factors affecting poor prognosis.Conclusions On the third days after admission,AST,WBC,PLT,APTT,Ddimmer are risk factors for prognosis of patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome infected by a novel bunyavirus.

Objective To study the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)features in acute cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI)and evaluate its clinical value.Methods Eight patients with acute CSCI (within 72 hours after onset)were performed conventional MRI and fast DTI scans (112 seconds)and diffusion tensor tractography (DTT)at 3.0T Siemens Trio Tim system.Meanwhile,the fractional anisotropy (FA) values and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)values were calculated separately in the site of lesions,the upper and lower sections to the lesions.Then the data were analyzed by paired-samples t test analysis with SPSS 13.0 software.Results Cervical spinal cord injury occurred likely in the sites of C5-C6 (account for 4/8)and C4-C5 (account for 3/8).All MRI and DTI images were satisfied for clinical diagnosis.The FA value and ADC value of injury lesions were markedly lower than that of the normal cord.Accordingly,the injury lesions on FA map and ADC map presented low signals.There were no significant differences of FA values and ADC values between the upper and lower sections to the lesions.DTT could help in displaying the disruption of spinal fiber tract in lancination case and distortion fibers in closed cervical spinal cord injury.Conclusion Fast DTI sequence at 3.0 Tesla may obtain the qualified spinal cord images.By calculation of FA values and ADC values in CSCI patients,DTI may play an important role in detecting the changes of anisotropy and water diffusion caused by myelin sheath injury and cytotoxic edema and vasogenic edema respectively.