BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to measure the concentration of adiponectin (APN) in serum and induced sputum in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD during acute exacerbation (AECOPD) and at stable stage and to determine the role of APN as a marker of inflammation in the pathogenesis of COPD. METHODS: All the patients in this prospective study were enrolled from October 2008 to October 2009, including 30 male AECOPD patients from the emergency department, 30 male stable COPD patients from the department of respiratory diseases, and 30 healthy non-smoking male controls from the department of medical examination. The serum and induced sputum were collected from each patient. All of the patients had normal weight (BMI range 18.5-24.9 kg/m2). Patients with severe bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis or autoimmune disease were excluded. Cell count and classification was performed for the induced sputum. The concentrations of APN, IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Pulmonary function was tested among the three groups. Comparisons between the groups were conducted by Student's t test, ANOVA analysis or nonparametric test. Correlation analysis was carried out by Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient test or Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient test. RESULTS: The concentrations of APN in the serum or induced sputum in AECOPD patients were significantly higher than those in stable COPD patients or healthy non-smoking controls (P<0.01). The concentration of APN in stable COPD patients was significantly higher than that in healthy non-smoking controls (P<0.01). For the AECOPD patients, APN was positively correlated with IL-8 and TNF-α in the serum and induced sputum (r=0.739, 0.734, 0.852, 0.857 respectively, P<0.05). For the stable COPD patients, APN was also positively correlated with IL-8 and TNF-α in the serum and induced sputum (r=0.751, 0.659, 0.707, 0.867 respectively, P<0.05). In addition, for the AECOPD patients, APN was positively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils in the induced sputum (r=0.439, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: APN is involved in the process of systematic and airway inflammation of COPD. This process is related to neutrophils in the airway, IL-8 and TNF-α. APN could be used as a new marker for inflammation of COPD.

Objective To evaluate the risk of plague occurrence via surveying and analyzing indoor rat density and flea index in natural villages having previous plague experience. Methods During August to September 2007, 30 natural villages experiencing previous plague were selected based on the surveillance data, and then all households were coded with numbers and 20 households in each village were randomly selected via computer. Cages and sticky papers were set in 600 selected households to capture rats and fleas. Rat density, flea prevalence, flea index and median were estimated. Results One hundred thirty-three Rattus flavipectus and 33 Suncus murinus were caught and averaged rat density was 2.8 rats per one hundred cage. nights (166/6000), the median was 5 rats each village. One hundred and one mice infected fleas, flea prevalence on rats was 60.8% (101/166), 296 Xenopsylla cheopis and 48 Leptopsylla segnis were collected. Rat flea index was 2.1 fleas per rat (344/166). A total of 315 dissociated flea was caught, average dissociated flea index was 0.026 fleas per sticky paper (315/11888). The median was 5.5 dissociated fleas per village. Of dissociated fleas, Ctenocephalides felis felis (205) and Xenopsylla cheopis (103) accounted for 97.8% (308/315). The proportion for species of the rat flea and the dissociated flea was different(Fisher test: P < 0.01). The rat flea was significantly associated with the rat density(r = 0.68, P < 0.01), but the dissociated flea was significantly associated with neither the rat density(r = -yield than fried wheat batter(χ2 = 5.59, P < 0.05). Conclusions In these villages having previous plague experience of Lianghe County, Rattusflavipectus was dominant species of indoor rats, Xenopsylla cheopis and Ctenocephalides felis felis were dominant species of rat flea and dissociated flea, respectively. Mengsong, Bangdu, and Tangjiatun village had potential risk of plague emergence.

AIM: To investigate hemodynamic alterations of retrobulbar vessels in proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR) patients with anterior segment neovascularization, before and 3mo after vitrectomy combined with panretinal photocoagulation and to explore the clinical significance.
●METHODS: Color Doppler flow imaging ( CDFl ) was used for measurement of blood flow velocities and resistive indexes ( Rl ) of the ophthalmic artery ( OA ) , short posterior ciliary arteries ( sPCA ) and central retinal artery ( CRA ) in 21 eyes of 21 PDR patients with anterior segment neovascularization. CDFl parameters were obtained before and 3mo after vitrectomy combined with panretinal photocoagulation ( PRP) .
● RESULTS: Peak systolic velocity ( PSV ) and end diastolic velocity ( EVD ) of CRA were significantly increased after surgeries, Rl were decreased significantly (P<0. 05). Parameters of sPCA and OA have no change after surgeries (P>0. 05).
●CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy combined with panretinal photocoagulation might increase the velocity of CRA, decrease Rl and improve ocular blood supply postoperatively. lt may delay or prevent the process of neovascular glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: As a cytokine highly expressed in internal organs, visfatin could be used as a biomarker of systemic inflammation response for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, but few studies have reported the use of visfatin in severe pneumonia. The present study was undertaken to determine the plasma levels of visfatin in patients with severe pneumonia. METHODS: A total of 70 patients, including 40 patients with severe pneumonia (group A) and 30 patients with non severe pneumonia (group B) who had been admitted to the ICU from June 2009 to June 2010, were enrolled in this prospective study. And another 30 healthy physical examinees served as healthy controls (group C). Patients were excluded if they suffered from severe diseases of the heart, brain and kidney, cancers, autoimmune diseases, or received special treatment in the latest month. The plasma levels of visfatin, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA, while the level of CRP was determined by immuneturbidimetry, and the routine blood test was performed. Blood gas analysis and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) were performed in patients with pneumonia. Comparisons between the groups were conducted by Student's t test, ANOVA or nonparametric test. Correlation analysis was carried out by Pearson's correlation test or Spearman's rank-order correlation test. RESULTS: The plasma level of visfatin in group A was significantly higher than that in groups B and C (P<0.001), and the level of visfatin in group B was significantly higher than that in group C (P<0.001). The plasma level of visfatin was positively correlated with CRP, TNF-α, APACHE II and PMN％ in patients with severe pneumonia (rho=0.653, r=0.554, r=0.558, r=0.484, respectively, P<0.05 for all), while it was negatively correlated with PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 (rho=?0.422, r=?0.543, respectively, P<0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Visfatin may be involved in the systematic inflammation response in patients with severe pneumonia as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and it is valuable in assessing the severity of pneumonia..

Hirudin (HV) is known as the most potent and specific inhibitor of thrombin. Although hirudin has many advantages , it has the bleeding side effect and this is the great shortage of hiudin for clinical application. In order to alleviate bleeding side effect of hirudin, fusion protein, named as FHV (fusion hirudin linked with FXa recognition peptide) was designed. The fusion protein gene ( fhv) was cloned into plasmid pPIC9K. FHV engineered Pichia pastoris containing high copies was chosen for fermentation and purification at 30 L fermentor scale, finally, FHV with purity of above 97% was obtained. To investigate the function of FHV in vivo, mouse tail thrombosis model was used. In the mice thrombus tail model induced by carrageenan, FHV decreased the length of tail thrombus significantly, similar to that of HV control, and had no obvious effects on the TT, PT and APTT. In conclusion, FHV is constructed and expressed in yeast. FHV fusion proteins is obtained by fermentation and purification. FHV has antithrombotic effects not influencing IT, PT and APTT after administration immediately in animal models. Therefore, FHV is a promising anticoagulant and antithrombotic drug.

ObjectiveTo detect BAG1 expressions in digestive tract cancer by tissue microarray and to evaluate its clinical significance.MethodsTissue microarray of digestive tract cancer and normal tissues were analyzed by DAKO Envision system immunohistochemical staining for apoptosis related gene BAG-1 expression.ResultsThe positive rate of BAG-1 expression among esophagus cancer,gastric cancer and rectal cancer were higher than that of normal tissues respectively(P<0.01).ConclusionThere is an overexpression of BAG-1 in digestive tract cancer,which suggest that apoptosis related gene BAG-1 may be related to these cancer.

Aminopyridines ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Benzamides ; therapeutic use ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Depsipeptides ; therapeutic use ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Histone Deacetylases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydroxamic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Indoles ; therapeutic use ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use

Objective To determine the effects of gutter oil on liver function,renal function and serum lipid metabolism in mice.Methods A total of 72 mice were averagely divided into 6 groups.Mice were gavaged with different dosages (5 μL/g,1 0 μL/g and 20 μL/g)of gutter oil or cooking oil every other day for continuing 8 weeks.The indexes of liver, kidney and serum lipid parameters were assayed.Results The moisture,acid value and peroxide value of the gutter oil exceeded the national standard.After continuing 8 weeks'intake of oils,alanine aminotransferase (ALT)of gutter oil group with a dosage of 5 μL/g,as well as aspartate aminotransferase (AST)of gutter oil group with a dosage of 1 0 μL/g significantly increased (P <0.05),compared with the cooking oil group.Serum creatinine (Scr)of the gutter oil groups with 3 dosages significantly increased compared with the control groups (P <0.05 ).Meanwhile,blood urea nitrogen (BUN)of gutter oil groups with a dosage of 5 μL/g and 1 0 μL/g were also significantly increased respectively(P <0.05). However,no significant differences were observed in triglyceride (TG)and total cholesterol (TC)among the groups. Conclusion Eight weeks'intake of gutter oil could cause the damage to liver and renal functions.

Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of the root of Wrightia pubescens.Methods Compounds were isolated by the combined use of colum chromatography,preparative HPLC and recrystallization,and their structures were identified by their physicochemical and spectroscopic data.Cytotoxic activities of the compounds were evaluated using MTT method in vitro.Re?sults Twelve compounds 1-12 were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble part from 75% ethanol extract of the root of W.pubescens, and identified as scopoletin(1),coumarin(2),cleomiscosin B(3),mollugin(4),4-hydroxybenzoic acid(5),vanillic acid(6), vanillin(7),4-hydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-2H-pyran-2-one(8),β-sitosterol(9),β-daucosterol(10),ursonic acid(11),and me?dioresinol(12). Compound 4 showed cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells in vitro with IC50of 8.0 mg/L. The IC50of compound 11 against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells was 14.7 and 18.2 mg/L,respectively.Conclusion Compounds 1-5,8 and 12 were isolated from the genus Wrightia for the first time. Compounds 6 and 10 were isolated from the title plant for the first time. Compounds 4 and 11 showed cytotoxic activities against tumor cells in vitro.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of Kirschner wires and tension-band fixation through posterolateral minimal incision for the treatment of displaced supracondylar humeral fractures in children.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to December 2010, there were 62 children (38 males and 24 females, ranging in age from 2 to 14 years, averaged 6.8 years) with Gartland type III supracondylar humeral fractures. All the injuries were caused by falling, and all the fractures were fresh injuries. The duration from injury to surgery ranged from 5 to 20 hours. All the children were treated with open reduction through a posterolateral minimal approach, Kirschnere wires and tension-band fixation were fixed with plaster at 90 degrees of elbow flexion, forearm supination, and palms facing upwards. The kirschner pins and wires were removed after fractures healing. The Flynn's criterion was used to evaluate therapeutic effects.

RESULTSThe operation time ranged from 30 to 50 min (averaged 45 min). All the patients achieved solid union. Sixty patients were followed up, and the mean follow-up time was 15 months (ranged from 6 to 24 months). At the 6th month after operation, 48 patients got an excellent result, 9 good, 3 bad (light cubitus varus with varus angle about 6 degree, without infection on function) according to Flynn's criteria. There were no complications such as procedure-related pin tract infection, iatrogenic nerve and vascular injuries and myositis ossificans.

CONCLUSIONThe Kirschner wires and tension-band fixation through posterolateral minimal incision approach can obtain clearer surgical field, simple in operation, and few wound complications. Therefore, this modified treatment is an effective and reliable method for pediatric displaced Gartland type III supracondylar humeral fractures.

Adolescent ; Bone Wires ; Casts, Surgical ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; surgery ; Male ; Supine Position