Respiratory diseases are common in the elderly and often the main causes of death among this population. In addition, it is expected that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory tract infections, lung cancer, and pulmonary tuberculosis will be listed in the top ten diseases in 2020. Therefore, screening, diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases should be strengthened among the elderly; meanwhile, studies on geriatric respiratory medicine should be further enhanced.
Aged ; Geriatrics ; Humans ; Pulmonary Medicine ; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Objective To investigate the immunity effects of quorum sensing in the pulmonary infection in rats due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Method(1)300 healthy,clean Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups randomly:two different Pseudomonas aeruginosa(the wide-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and its double mutant PAO-JP2,in which the quorum sensing systems were defective,embedded in minute seaweed algiante beads which was made by an ejection set with an acuminate hole were inoculated to Sprague-Dawley rats to establish animal model of chronic pulmonary infection.The control group were dealed with the same methods using the sterile brine instead.(2)The levels of antibody IgG,IgM,IgG1,IgG2a to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in sera and cytokines including interferon-?(IFN-?),Interleukin-4(IL-4)in lung homogenate was measured at 3,7,14,28 days after infection.Results(1)The mortality in the PAO1-JP2-infected group(11.0%)was significantly lower than that of the PAO1-infected group(29.7%)and the control group(4.21%).(2) Compared with the PAO-JP2 group,during the early stages of infection(3 days after infection),the IFN-?level in lung homogenates was significantly higher;during the middle stages of infection(7 days after infection),the levels of IFN-?and IL-4 of PAO1-infected rats were significantly higher;In the later stages of infection(14 to 28 days after infection),levles of IFN-?,IgG2a were lower,while levels of IL-4,IgG,IgG1 were higher persistantly in PAO1-infected rats.Conclusions Quorum sensing system play an important role in pathogenesis and immunity effects of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection via modulating the expression of virulence factors and interfering with the immune system of hosts.

The culture medium and cultural conditions of solid-state fermentation of Streptomyces Menmyco-93-63 were tested in this study. The suitable medium which contains rice, sorghum, millet bran, and rice hull with the proportion of 2:2:3:3 was developed for the spore production of Streptomyces Men-myco-93-63 using single substrate screening, mixture substrate screening and orthogonal experiments, and the sporulation was up to 2.52?109 CFU/g. And then, initial charge, initial ratio of water to solid, inoculating quantity, and culture temperature impact to sporulation of Streptomyces Men-myco-93-63 were tested. The favorite cultural conditions are developed as the following: the initial charge is 15 g in 500 mL Erlenmeyer flask; initial ratio of water to solid is 1.7:1.0 (V/W, rice hull excluding), inoculating quantity is 7 mL, culture temperature is 28℃.

OBJECTIVETo construct a noninvasive model to predict histological liver cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODS275 patients with chronic hepatitis B were divided into a training group (206 cases) and a validation group (69 cases). The constituent ratios of patients in the fibrosis stages S0-S3, fibrosis stage S4 (early cirrhosis) and active cirrhosis stage were calculated according to the liver biopsy results. 30 noninvasive variables, including age-platelet index (API), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), spleen-platelet ratio index (SRPI) and age-spleen-platelet ratio index (ASPRI), were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. Variables that were significantly different between patients with and without cirrhosis were used to construct a noninvasive prediction model, and the model was then tested in the validation group.

RESULTS(1) Of the 275 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 193 (70.2%) were in the fibrosis stages S0-S3, 42 (15.3%) in fibrosis stage S4, 40 (14.5%) in active cirrhosis stage. (2) There were 23 variables that are significantly different between patients with and without cirrhosis by univariate analysis. The 23 variables were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression, and 4 independent factors, including international normalized ratio (INR), gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), ASPRI, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were used to construct a noninvasive prediction model. (3) By receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) analysis, to discriminate patients in stages S0-S3 from patients in stage S4 and patients in active cirrhosis stage, the area under ROC (AUROC), cut-off value, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the model were 0.871, 0.458, 84.4%, 75.7%, and 79.7% respectively. To discriminate patients in active cirrhosis stage from patients in other stages, the AUROC, cut-off value, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 0.753, 0.526, 81.8%, 62.9%, and 67.4% respectively. There was no significant difference in AUROC between the training group and the validation group (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONINR, GGT, ASPRI and HBeAg are associated with early cirrhosis and active cirrhosis. Our model can be used to predict early cirrhosis and active cirrhosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Biological ; Platelet Count ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood

This paper introduces a random measurement analysis of, lung function measurement values with two different apparatus. in 41 patients. It shows that the differences are not statistically significant (P>0.05) between two apparatus measurement values except DLCO, FEF25, FEF75 in the group of normal ventilation, FVC in the group of abnormal ventilation. The two groups are both correlated closely (r> 0.9) except MMF(r=0.7725, RV r=0.808) in the normal group of ventilation, and FEF75 (r=0.58) in the abnormal group of ventilation (p<0.001). The two apparatus with different measuring theories have a good correlation.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Function Tests ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVEThis study was aimed to analyze the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms of transforming growth factor-β1 G-800A and C-509T, interleukin-4 receptor V75I and susceptibility of CHL in adults.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was applied to analyze the expressed alleles of the selected SNP loca. The relationship between genomic polymorphisms of TGF-β1 and IL-4R and susceptibility of CHL were coupled with clinical data.

RESULTSTGF-β1G-800A and TGF-β1C-509T had obvious linkage equilibrium (D' = 0.879, r(2) = 0.83, P = 0.020). GT haplotype distribution frequencies in mixed cellularity Hodgkin lymphoma cases and control group were of 53.1% and 34.2%, respectively, with statistically significant (OR = 2.35, P = 0.000); distribution frequencies of mutant gene T/T in disease and control groups were of 38.8% and 15.3%, respectively, also with statistically significant (OR = 3.654, P = 0.000); frequencies of nodular sclerosis CHL patients with IL-4R V75I mutant gene A/A in disease and control groups were of 19.2% and 41.75%, respectively, also with statistically significant (OR = 3.156, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONSingle nucleotide polymorphisms of TGF-β1 G-800A, C-509T and IL-4R V75I has a significant correlation with Chinese susceptibility to classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Hodgkin Disease ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Interleukin-4 ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of a novel metastasis-inducing protein human anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) in breast cancer and its clinical and prognostic significance.

METHODSAGR2 expression was assessed in 160 cases of breast cancer and 20 cases of benign breast diseases by immunohistochemistry using tissue chip technology. In addition the expression of ERa, PR and c-erbB-2 in breast cancer was also evaluated. Follow-up information of 5-year duration was available in 127 patients with breast cancer. Kaplan-Meier analysis and COX regression model were used to analyze the correlation between AGR2 expression and the follow-up clinical data.

RESULTSThe expression of AGR2 was significantly higher in breast cancers than that in benign diseases (68.3% vs. 25.0% , P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between AGR2 expression and the histological grade of breast cancer (P <0.05) , whereas positive correlations was found between the expression of AGR2 and ERalpha (P <0.05), and between the expression of AGR2 and PR (P <0.01). In the subgroup of ERalpha-positive breast cancer, Logistic regression model demonstrated AGR2 and TNM stage were important factors affecting lymph node metastasis (both P < 0.01). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that a positive expression of AGR2 was associated with poor overall survival and relapse-free survival (both P <0.01). Moreover, COX regression model confirmed the expression of AGR2 as an independent prognostic factor among patients with ERa-positive breast cancer (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe abnormal expression of AGR2 may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer. The metastasis-inducing capability of AGR2 may be partly regulated through the ER pathway. Therefore, AGR2 may be a useful molecular marker for prognostication for patient with hormone-responsive breast cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; analysis ; BRCA2 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; genetics ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo review our experience of anterior thoracoscopic decompression and reconstruction in the treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures, tuberculosis and herniated disks, and to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of such procedures.

METHODSTwelve patients who underwent thoracoscopic decompression and reconstruction of the spine since June 2003 have been reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTSThere were 8 male and 4 female patients, with a median age of 48.4 years (range 32 to 74 years) with thoracolumbar vertebral fractures (8 patients), tuberculosis (3 patients) and herniated disks (1 patient). The average time for the thoracoscopy was 210 minutes (range 180 to 260 minutes). Blood loss averaged 600 ml (range 300 to 800 ml), and the median length of hospital stay was 12 days (range 7 to 18 days). One patient had to give up internal fixation because of severe osteoporosis. All patients were followed up at least 3 months. No severe postoperative complications occurred. No shift of the bone graft and internal fixator. Recovery of neural function was almost the same as open procedures.

CONCLUSIONThoracoscopic anterior procedures can be used safely and effectively in the treatment of thoracolumbar spine diseases. This minimally invasive approach might decrease procedure-related trauma, operative time, blood loss, and length of hospitalization and may also alleviate postthoracotomy pain.

Adult ; Aged ; Diskectomy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery ; Thoracoscopy ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the route and scope of the facial nerve in the temporal region for clinical applications.

METHODSTemporal region dissection was performed on 12 cadavers (24 sides) under light microscope.

RESULTSThere are two branches of the facial nerve in the temporal region from the superior margin of the parotid: the temporal branch and the zygomatic branch. Each of them has two to five branches, which run in the deep layer of the superficial temporal fascia. The temporal branch crosses the zygomatic arch to the temporal region, innervating the frontal muscle, the orbicularis oculi muscle, the corrugator supercilii muscle, and the muscle surrounding the ear, etc. The zygomatic branch goes to the lateral canthus, innervating the orbicularis oculi muscle, the upper and lower eyelid and zygomatic muscles. There are communicating branches among the temporal branches, the zygomatic branches and the supraorbital and lacrimal nerves of the ophthalmic nerve.

CONCLUSIONThe temporal branches and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve run between the deep zone of the superficial temporal fascia and the superficial layer of the profound temporal fascia, where dissection should be avoided during rhytidectomy in order not to damage the facial nerve branches.

Cadaver ; Dissection ; Eyelids ; innervation ; Facial Muscles ; innervation ; Facial Nerve ; anatomy & histology ; Fascia ; innervation ; Humans ; Parotid Gland ; anatomy & histology ; Rhytidoplasty ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; innervation ; Temporal Bone ; Zygoma

Cardiac Catheterization ; Heart Arrest ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Embolism ; complications ; therapy ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; methods