Objective To investigate the changes of the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase- 2 (MMP-2) and peripheral blood leukocytes content and its relationship with the severity of cerebral infarction in acute cerebral in-farction(ACI)patients at different altitudes (high, middle and low). Methods One hundred thirty-nine cases and 150 healthy controls were included in the present study. Enzyme linked immunosorbent method was used to detect MMP-2 and WBC levels. Results MMP-2 levels increased as the altitude increased in controls. The MMP-2 in a descending or-der was 1.41±0.39 in Haixi (high altitude), 1.37±0.27 in Xining (middle altitude) and 1.28±0.21 in Sichuan (low altitude) (P<0.05). The serum levels of MMP-2 were significantly increased at 7 d at different altitudes (5.75±1.19, 5.23±1.12 and 4.15 ± 0.97 in low, middle and high altitudes, respectively). The WBC were significantly increased at different alti-tudes (12.93±2.11, 12.11±1.74 and 11.15±1.68 in low, middle and high altitudes, respectively) within 48 h in severe ACI group (P<0.05). MMP-2 levels in different altitudes were positively associated with the infarction size and the degree of neurological deficit, while were negatively correlated with the prognosis. The WBC in large infarction group were positive-ly correlated with the infarct size. Conclusions The levels of MMP-2 and WBC in different altitudes may be helpful in determining the ACI lesion size and the severity of the illness as well as estimating the prognosis.

Antiviral Agents ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Drug Combinations ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Recombinant Proteins ; Ribavirin

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of miR-181c on hypoxia-preconditioned ischemia in rats and its mechanism.Methods Thirty-nine male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of control group,sham-operated group,middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)group,hypoxia-preconditioned group,hypoxia-preconditioned and MCAO group.Infarct volume and behavioral deficits were quantified.Real-time PCR was applied to detect the expression levels of miR-181c and Western blotting was used to verify the target protein of mt-cox1.Results Under the treatment of hypoxia-preconditioned,the neurological impairment was alleviated and the infarct volume was reduced significantly from 22.50％ ±2.96％ to 16.40％ ±3.13 ％ (t =5.26,P ＜0.01).The expression of miR-181c was decreased significantly in hypoxia-preconditioned and MCAO group than that in MCAO group (1.89 ± 0.14 vs 3.05 ± 0.26,t =6.10,P ＜ 0.01),and the expression of mt-cox1 protein was also significantly decreased (0.54 ± 0.07 vs 0.93 ± 0.04,t =8.01,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Hypoxia-preconditioned may attenuate the ischemic injury in SD rats,which may be related to the down-regulation of the expression of miR-181c,therefore increasing the expression of its targeted protein mt-cox1.

Objective To compare the yield and speed of detection of Salmonella subsp, enterica serotypo Paratyphi A from the blood of patients with suspected paratyphoid fever A. Methods With the BacT/ALERT 3D system and paired aerobic and anaerobic bottles (AEB, ANB) that were each filled with 5 ml of blood, the blood culture of 13 500 suspected paratyphoid fever A patients were performed. Results A total of 4 060 isolates were detected. About 3 149 were detected from both AEB and ANB. Four hundred and sixty-one isolates were detected only from the AEB and 450 were only from the ANB. The detection rates of the AEB and ANB were all 26.7% (χ<'2>=0.023, P=0.880). The increased detection rate attributed to the additional blood volume in the AEB and ANB were 11.3% and 11.1%, respectively. The detection speed differed between the two medium formulations. The time to detection was (23.66±15.89) h and (25.48±16.92) h for3 149 isolates, respectively (t=7.007, P<0.01).The mean time to detection was 31.80±20. 97 for 461 isolates discovered with AEB and (33.45±20.72) h for 450 isolates discovered with ANB. Conclusion The blood volume is an important factor in determining the detection rate of blood culture. Although no statistical difference for positive rate was found between the AEB and ANB, more isolates was detected earlier in AEB.

Objective To analyze the relationship between the level of 25 (OH )D and mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (M HD) patients .Methods This study was a prospective cohort study .We enrolled 156 M HD patients of Sichuan people′s hospital dialysis center in July of 2010 .The patients were divided into three groups according to the level of 25(OH)D .The three groups were normal(25(OH)D>30 ng/mL) ,insufficient(15 ng/mL<25(OH)D≤30 ng/mL) and deficient(25(OH)D≤15 ng/mL) re‐spectively .All the patients were follow‐up 40 months ;the end point was all‐cause and cardiovascular death .Results After follow‐up 40 months ,there were 26 deaths (16 .7% ) and 13 cardiovascular deaths among the 156 cases .There were 15 deaths (30 .6% ) in in‐sufficient group ,among which there were nine cardiovascular deaths ;there were eight deaths (11 .6% ) in deficient group ,among which there were three cardiovascular deaths ;there were three deaths (7 .9% ) in normal group ,among which there was one cardio‐vascular death .There was statistically significance either between all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality of deficient and normal group or between deficient and insufficient group (P<0 .05) .The Kaplan‐Meier curve analysis showed 25(OH)D≤15 ng/mL was the independent risk factor of the all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality(P<0 .05) .Cox regression showed 25(OH)D≤15 ng/mL was the independent risk factor of the all‐cause mortality in crude analysis (RR=4 .43 ,95% CI:1 .28-15 .32 ,P<0 .05) and adjus‐ted analysis (RR=4 .92 ,95% CI 1 .23-19 .66 ,P<0 .05) .Cox regression showed 25(OH)D≤15 ng/mL was the risk factor of the cardiovascular mortality in crude analysis(RR=8 .12 ,95% CI:1 .04 -64 .15 ,P=0 .047) .Conclusion 25(OH)D≤15 ng/mL was the risk factor and predictor of the all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in M HD patients .

Objective To understand the elonal expansion and genetic diversity of Salmonella en-terica semtype Paratyphi A (SPA) and to construct a typing method to determine the epidemic clones of the isolates. Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed with 3980 SPA isolates by the cen-trolled Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique on Muller-Hinton agar plates. A total of 15 SPA with nalidixie acid resistance for mutations in gyrA, gyrB, gyrC and gyrE genes within the quinolone-resistant determina-tion region (QRDR) were examined. Subtyping of 121 isolates of SPA from seven counties in Yuxi were studied using pulsed-field gel eleetrophoresis (PFGE) analysis following digestion of chromosomal DNA with restriction endanucleases Spe Ⅰ and Xba Ⅰ. PFGE patterns were analyzed by duster analysis. Results The nalidixic acid-susceptible isolates predominated in 1999 but was replaced by nalidixic acid -resistant (NAR) isolates after 2000. Amplification by PCR and sequencing of the genes with subsets of 15 NAR strains re-vealed that the resistance mechanisms had resulted from single point mutations in the gyrA gene. Spe Ⅰ and Xba Ⅰ digestion of 121 isolates gave five and four different PFGE patterns with the predominance of the Spe Ⅰ 01 and Spe Ⅰ 02 (or the Xba Ⅰ 01) epidemic patterns, respectively. Spe Ⅰ 01 and Spe Ⅰ 02 consisted of 37.2% and 57.9% of isolates, respectively, or Xba Ⅰ 01 consisted of 95.0% of isolates. Conclusion The incidence of resistance to nalidixic acid of the isolates increased during the study period. PFGE patterns Spe Ⅰ 01 and Spe Ⅰ 02 (or Xba Ⅰ 01), the main clones of the epidemics, are highly prevalent in Yuxi. PFGE with Spe Ⅰ and Xba Ⅰ is a useful technique to differentiate SPA.

Objective To study the association of serum L-kynurenine changes with nutritional status and vascular stiffness in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods Twenty gender- and age-matched healthy volunteers (healthy group) and 40 MHD patients,including 20 cases with α-keto aicd(α-keto acid group)and 20 cases without α-keto aicd(non-α-keto acid group)were enrolled in the study.Serum L-kynurenine was measured by high performance liquid chromatography.C-reactive protein (CRP)and interleukin 6 (IL-6)were detected.Subjective global assessment(SGA)and malnutrition inflammation score(MIS)were applied to evaluate the nutritional status.Pulse wave velocity(PWV)was used to evaluate arterial stiffness for both groups of MHD patients. Results Serum L-kynurenine was significantly higher in MHD patients than that in healthy subjects[(3.20±1.12)μmol/L vs (1.74±0.27)μmol/L,P<0.01],while such difference was not found between α-keto aicd group and non-α-keto-aicd group [(3.20±0.88)μmol/L vs (3.29±1.34)μmol/L,P>0.05].IL-6 was significantly higher in MHD patients as compared to healthy subjects[(6.45±3.78)ng/L vs(1.38±1.59)ng/L,P<0.01],while such difference was found between α-keto aicd group and non-α-keto aicd group[(3.37±0.82)ng/L vs (9.62±2.48)ng/L,P<0.051.There was no difference of CRP concentration between two MHD groups.As compared to non-α-keto acid group,higher SGA score(26.00±1.75 vs 22.67±2.61,P=0.001),lower MIS score(5.82±2.27 vs 10.00±2.62,P=0.002),lower left side PWV[(21.11±8.21)m/s vs(24.57±5.45)m/s,P=0.244]and lower right side PWV[(19.27±3.22)m/s vs (24.19±5.41)m/s,P=0.015]were observed in α-keto aicd group.Pearson analysis showed positive correlation between serum L-kynurenine and IL-6(r=0.352,P=0.011)and negative correlation between L-kynurenine and pre-dialysis Scr(r=-0.412,P=0.019). Conclusions Inflammation is common in MHD patients.Tryptophan degeneration product L-kynurenine may indicate inflammation status.α-keto acid improves nutritional status,anemia and arterial stiffness maybe through the alleviation of inflammation in MHD patients.

Objective To investigate the CT and MRI features of supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNET)in adults,and to analyze the reasons of misdiagnosis.Methods The CT and MRI features of 1 5 patients with sPNET confirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospective.13 of 15 patients were underwent plain and contrast enhanced MRI,4 patients were also performed CT scan and the other 2 patients were underwent CT plain scan only.Results Nine of 1 5 lesions were located in the temporal and/or frontal lobe,with clear margin in 12 lesions,and mild to moderate peritumoral was noted in most cases.The solid portion of the lesions were hyperdense on CT,isointense or slightly hypointense on T1WI,and isointense or hyperintense on T2WI compared to the gray matter.Calcification (2/6),necrosis or cystic degeneration(1 3/1 5),hemorrhage (8/1 5)and flow void signal (1 1/1 3)were seen.Twelve lesions showed significantly heterogeneous enhancement and 7 lesions showed irregular ring-enhancement.The solid parts in 5 lesions showed hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted imaging. Preoperatively,the lesions were misdiagnosed as glioma in 10 cases,ependymoma in 2 cases,meningioma in 1 case and germ cell tumor in 1 case, respectively;and 1 case was not diagnosed definitely.Conclusion Supratentorial PNET in adults has characteristic CT and MRI features,and the main reasons accounting for misdiagnosis are its extraordinary low incidence and that radiologists do no master its imaging features.

We designed the specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting cytochrome b genes of mitochondrial DNA from bovine, goat and sheep. We used different fluorescents to label the probes. After optimization of reaction conditions, we set up a multiplex fluorescent real-time PCR method to detect bovine, goat and sheep derived materials, simultaneously. We finished the detection tests of 17 kinds of animal DNA and 200 DNA samples from different sources with the developed method and the National Standard GB/T 20190Y-2006 routine PCR method. The coincidence rate of these two methods was 100%. Without electrophoresis or restriction digestion, the developed method could reduce the test time to one third as routine PCR and identify three kinds of animal derived materials including bovine, goat and sheep in one reaction. The developed method was approximately 10 times more sensitive than routine PCR, and was applicable to identifications of bovine, goat and sheep derived materials in feed stuff, meat, milk, pelt and grease, etc. The study showed that the developed real-time PCR method is a rapid, sensitive and efficacious detection assay for bovine, goat and sheep derived materials in animal products.
Animal Feed ; analysis ; Animals ; Cattle ; Cytochromes b ; genetics ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; analysis ; genetics ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Genes, Mitochondrial ; Goats ; Meat ; analysis ; Mitochondria, Muscle ; enzymology ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sheep

Objective To analyze and evaluate the clinical characteristics of imported falciparum malaria cases and the antimalarial effect of artemisinin-based drugs, to promote rational and standardized drug use, and to improve the clinical cure rate of falciparum malaria. Methods A total of 116 imported cases of falciparum malaria admitted to the provincial malaria designated hospital in Wuhan were collected, and the clinical characteristics of the patients and use of artemisinin, and the therapeutic effects of the artemisinin-based drugs were retrospectively analyzed. Results The clinical manifestations of imported falciparum malaria were complicated and varied and had many complications, including mainly fever, anorexia, anemia, and jaundice, etc. The symptoms were alleviated or disappeared after treatment with artemisinin, without obvious adverse drug reactions. The median time of fever reduction was 2 days, the median time of Plasmodium becoming negative was 3 days, and the median time of clinical symptom relief was 3 days. 109 cases of common falciparum malaria were treated by oral artemisinin compound or artesunate injection combined with oral artemisinin compound, including 30 cases of oral artemisinin compound treatment for 1 to 4 days (1 case relapsed) and 79 cases of artesunate injection combined with oral artemisinin compound for 4 to 6 days (4 cases relapsed). Seven severe cases were cured after long-term and high-dose treatment with artesunate injection combined with oral multiple artemisinin compounds, and the total cure rate was 95.69% (111/116). Conclusion The present study demonstrates that the treatment of falciparum malaria by oral injection of artemisinin is safe and effective, and the cure rate is high. However, some patients have recurrence of the malaria parasite after stopping artemisinin drugs. It is necessary to ensure the use of artemisinin-based drugs in a ^“standardized, full-process, and adequate^” way to contain the risk of severe illness and drug resistance.