Objective Preparation of specific antibody of neuron protein 14 3 3 and application for the diagnosis of prion diseases. Methods The rabbits were immunized with prokaryotic expressed GST 14 3 3 fusion protein and the collected antiserum was evaluated by ELISA and Western blot assays. Results ELISA revealed that the reactive titer of the prepared antibody against purified 14 3 3 protein was up to 1:4 096 000; Western blot assays confirmed that both prokaryotic expressed,and the natively presenting 14 3 3 proteins in the brain extracts were recognized by the prepared antibody. Two cases of clinically diagnosed Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (CJD)with typical EEG changes showed the positive 14 3 3 protein in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Four patients with dementia and narcoma but without typical EEG change were 14 3 3 negative in CSF,three of them being even further tested by brain biopsies without typical histological change of CJD and presentation of protease resistant PrP Sc protein. 35 samples CFS collected from patients without dementia were 14 3 3 negative in CSF. All the results were the same as that of standard 14 3 3 polyclonal antibody.Conclusion Using purified prokaryotic expressed GST 14 3 3 fusion protein as antigen,the specific antibody was elicited in the immunized animals. The prepared antibody can be used in identification of 14 3 3 protein in CSF for the diagnosis of CJD.

0.05),Conclusion The possibihty of thymoma should be considered among those late-onset SLE patients.The glucocorticoid-based immunosuppressive therapy is effective for thymoma-associated SLE.To treat SLE is not an indication for thymectomy.

ObjectiveTo study the correlation between preoperative serum angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) levels and lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer(EGC).MethodsPreoperative serum Ang-2 and CEA levels in 62 patients with EGG and 30 normal controls were measured by ELISA technique respectively.The metastasis of lymph node in these cases were determined by HE staining.The relation between preoperative serum Ang-2 levels and lymph node metastasis in EGC and pathologic characterization was investigated.ResultsCompared with normal controls,preoperative serum Ang-2 levels in EGC group were significantly elevated [( 282.5 ± 110.6 ) μg/L vs ( 187.4 ± 32.7 ) μg/L,P ＜ 0.01].Preoperative serum Ang-2 levels in node-positive gastric cancer group was significantly higher than that in the node-negative gastric cancer group [(34 7.2 ± 79.5 ) μg/L vs (265.6 ± 90.2) μg/L,P ＜ 0.01],while CEA levels changed a little.Preoperative serum Ang-2 levels in the EGC group presented marked correlation with the differentiated degree of the tumor tissue,tumor size,depth of tumor invasion but it had no correlation with the histological type.Preoperative serum Ang-2 levels were an independent high-risk factor of lymph node metastasis in EGC according to multivariate logistic regression analysis.ConclusionsPreoperative serum Ang-2 levels may be a good clinical predictor for lymph node metastasis of EGC,which is useful for the treatment direction.

Objective To study the differential diagnostic value of soluble epithelial cadherin (sE-cad) in malignant and benign ascites. Methods The concentrations of sE-cad and carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) in abdominal cavity synovia patients with benign diseases (31 cases), benign ascites(82 cases) and malignant ascites(119 cases) were ineasured by ELISA technique. Results The concentrations of sE-cad and CEA in malignant ascites patients were significantly higher than those in benign ascites patients and abdominal cavity synovia patients (P < 0.01). The sensitivity, negative predictive value and totally accurate rate of sE-cad was 89.9%, 86.8% and 92.5% respectively,which was significantly higher than those of CEA(68.1%, 65.8% and 76.6%)(P < 0.05). sE-cad in malignant ascites showed a certain tissue specificity. Conclusion sE-cad is an useful tumor marker in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant ascites.

Objective To study the difference and clinical significance of serum Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) level in gastric cancer, precancerous disease and the changes in post operation follow-up patients.MethodsSerum Ang-2 and CEA levels were detected with ELISA method in 158 gastric cancer patients, 31 chronic astrophic gastritis patients, 38 gastric adenomatous polyp patients, 28 chronic gastritis patients with benign gastric ulcer and 30 healthy controls.The changes of serum Ang2 levels in 131 patients with radical gastrectomy were measured in 2-year post-operational followed-up and the prognosis was also evaluated.The correlation between serum Ang-2 level and the pathologic character of gastric cancer was analyzed.ResultsThe serum Ang-2 and CEA levels of gastric cancer group were (331.8± 64.3) μg/L and (42.6 ± 37.3) μg/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of healthy control group [(187.4±32.7) μg/L and (4.2±3.1) μg/L]and benign gastric ulcer group [(197.3±35.4) μg/L and (4.5±3.2) μg/L](all P ＜0.01).The serum Ang-2 level in chronic astrophic gastritis group was also markedly increased (P＜0.05), however there was no significant change in CEA level.There was no obvious change of Ang-2 and CEA level in gastric adenomatous polyp group (P＞0.05).Pre-operation serum Ang-2 levels of the relapse group and the metastasis group were significantly higher than that of no relapse group (P＜0.05).Post-operation serum Ang-2 level of no relapse group decreased to normal range in 1 month and without obvious increase in 2 years follow-up.The serum Ang-2 level of the relapse group also decreased to normal range in 1 month post-operation, while which was significantly higher than that of no relapse group and normal control group from 6 months to 2 years after operation (P＜0.01).Serum Ang-2 level of the metastasis group was markedly higher than that of no relapse group and normal control group during 2 years after operation (P＜0.01).The 2-year survival rate of no relapse group was significant higher than that of relapse group and metastasis group.The change of serum Ang-2 level was correlated with in the gastric cancer differentiation degree, TNM pathologic classification, lymphatic metastasis, distant metastasis, the depth of invasion and the tumor size (P＜0.01), however not correlated with histopathology type and the location of tumor.ConclusionSerum Ang-2 level may be a new and valuable gastric cancer marker, which will help to monitor tumor relapse, migration and prognosis assessment.

Objective To study the effect of comprehensive Chinese medicine therapy,including Chinese herbal medicine fumigation,massage,and quadriceps exercise,on adipokines of visfatin and chemerin content in joint fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA),and to explore its possible therapeutic mechanism for KOA.Methods A total of 60 cases of KOA patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,30 cases in each group.The treatment group was treated with comprehensive Chinese medicine therapy,and the control group was treated with Chinese medicine fumigation alone.After treatment for 2 weeks,the clinical efficacy of both groups was evaluated,and the changes in the scores of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC)were observed.Moreover,the contents of visfatin and chemerin in jointfluid were examined.Results (1) The total effective rate of the treatment group was 96.7％ and that of the control group was 83.3％,the difference being significant (P ＜ 0.01).(2) After treatment,WOMAC scores of both groups were obviously decreased(P ＜ 0.01 compared with those before treatment),and the decrease in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P ＜ 0.01).(3) The contents of visfatin and chemerint in joint synovial fluid of both groups were decreased (P ＜ 0.01 compared with those before treatment),and the decrease in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The comprehensive Chinese medicine therapy of Chinese herbal medicine fumigation,massage and quadriceps exercise is effective for the treatment of KOA,and can decrease the contents of visfatin and chemerin in joint fluid of KOA patients,which may be one of its therapeutic mechanisms.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of astaxanthin on renal fibrosis and apoptosis induced by partial unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in rats.

METHODSNinety-six male adult SD rats were randomized into 6 equal groups, namely the blank control group, sham-operated group, UUO group, and astaxanthin group at high, medium, and low doses. Left ureteral ligation was performed in UUO and astaxanthin groups, and two days before the operation, the rats in astaxanthin groups were lavaged with 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg astaxanthin daily for 14 days, while the same volume of saline was given to rats in UUO group and sham-operated group. Renal pathological in the rats was observed with HE staining, and the expression levels of TGF-β1, SGK1, and CTGF in the left kidney were detected immunohistochemically; the expression level of Bcl-2 and Bax were detected using Bcl-2 and Bax detection kits.

RESULTSCompared to UUO group, high- and medium-dose astaxanthin groups showed obviously ameliorated renal pathologies and reduced expressions of TGF-β1, SGK1, and CTGF in the left kidney with lessened renal cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONAstaxanthin can reduce UUO-induced renal fibrosis and renal cell apoptosis, demonstrating the renoprotective effect of astaxanthin against renal fibrosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Fibrosis ; Immediate-Early Proteins ; metabolism ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Kidney Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Ureteral Obstruction ; metabolism ; pathology ; Xanthophylls ; pharmacology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Objective To report our first clinical experience with a novel modified culotte technique for the treatment of true coronary bifurcation lesions. Methods The novel modified culotte technique (the mono-ring culotte) stenting was done in which the side branch (SB) stent was deployed firstly followed by ex vivo wiring of a most proximal cell of SB stent with the hard end of main branch (MB) wire. Secondly, the MB stent was deployed through the most proximal cell of SB stent. The procedure was ended with kissing balloon dilation. From June 2014 to March 2015, 15 patients with true coronary bifurcation lesion were treated with mono-ring culotte stenting in our center. Results The procedures were successful in all cases without procedural complication and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events. The procedural time was (34. 3 ± 9. 6) min, fluoroscopic time was (18. 1 ± 3. 8) min, and contrast volume was (112. 0 ± 24. 5) ml, respectively. Post-procedurally, the residual stenosis of the main and the side branch were (10. 0 ± 2. 5)% and (10. 2 ± 5. 3)% , respectively. Conclusions The mono-ring culotte stenting is safe and feasible for treatment of true coronary bifurcation lesions, and may be superior to the conventional culotte stenting.

According to the requirement of the national assessment for achieving the infection control criteria, 42 villages (among them,25 villages belonged to the first stratum, and 17 villages belonged to the second stratum) in 14 counties from 5 provinces, including Hunnan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui and Yunnan, were selected as sampling villages for the assessment.The results from the field assessment showed that 154 out of 9 067 people were found infected with Sckistosoma japonicum, with an average infection rate of 1.7% ranged from 0.31 % to 4.10% , and only Yongping Village from Weishan County and Tenglong Village from Eryuan County were not found any case. A total of 46 out of 3 323 head of cattle were infected with S. japonicum, with an average infection rate of 1.38% ranged from 0.26% to 3.79% , and no any infected individual detected in Nanling County. No outbreak occurred in those sampling villages. Therefore, it is indicated that the five sampling provinces have reached the national criteria on infection control of schistosomiasis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors relevant to sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

METHODSThe internationally accepted standardized clinical research methods, unified design, and unified program were adopted to conduct the prospective clinical multi-center study. The sudden deafness patients between 18 to 65 years old, with the course of this disorder less than two weeks, and without any medical treatments were collected, and then, divided into four types according to the hearing curve: type A, acute sensorineural hearing loss in low tone frequencies; type B, acute sensorineural hearing loss in high tone frequencies; type C, acute sensorineural hearing loss in all frequencies; and type D, total deafness. The factors, in terms of age, gender, type of initial audiogram, time delay before the first visit, and severity of hearing loss, were included in the analyses.

RESULTSA total of 1 024 cases with single side sudden deafness were collected in the study from 33 hospitals in China from August 2007 to October 2011, inclusive of for 492 males (48.05%) and 532 females (51.95%). The average age was (41.2 ± 12.8) years old. There were 553 cases (54.00%) in left ear, and 471 cases (46.00%) in right ear. The curative effects of different types were shown as follows: the type in low tone frequencies had the highest rate of 90.73%, the type in all frequencies was 82.59%; the type of total deafness was 70.29%; and the type in high tone frequencies had the lowest rate of 65.96%. It had significant difference of the effective rate between different types (χ(2) = 231.58, P = 0.000). Age, time delay before first visit, and severity of initial hearing loss were significantly correlated with hearing improvement.

CONCLUSIONSInitial audiogram of SSNHL might predict hearing recovery. The young in age and a short time delay before starting treatment are positive prognostic factors for hearing recovery in SSNHL. The initial severity of hearing loss is negative prognostic factor of hearing recovery.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; diagnosis ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies