Soluble ST2 ( sST2 ) is protein of interleukin-1 ( IL-1 ) receptor family present in the blood which have been identified has the ability to capture IL-33, thereby inhibiting IL-33/ST2 signaling, the mechanical properties overload of myocardial cells was significantly increased .Thus, when at the onset of heart failure or chronic heart failure deteriorated , or at scarring resulted by myocardial infarction , soluble ST2 can be detected in the blood .The purpose of this review is to discuss the role of soluble ST 2 ( sST2) as a new cardiovascular marker.

[Objective] To investigate the relationship of thyroid hormones with excess-heat syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome. [Methods] Serum levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in 30 healthy volunteers (Group A) , 27 cases of excess-heat syndrome (Group B) and 35 cases of deficiency-heat syndrome (Group C) were detected by radioimmunoassay. [Results] Serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were higher and reverse T3 (rT3) lower in Group C than those in Group A (P 0.05). [Conclusion] Serum thyroid hormones level in deficiency-heat syndrome is different from that of excess-heat syndrome may be related to the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid function.

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-halitosis effect of sugar-free chewing gum through their influence on odor induced by cysteine.

METHODSTen volunteers were randomly divided into the treatment group and the untreated group; each group consisted of five volunteers. All volunteers consented to participate in a test in which breath odor was induced by cysteine. After the test, the treatment group chewed sugar-free chewing gum for 1 min, whereas the untreated group did not undergo any treatment. The effectiveness was determined by the percent reduction of H2S, CH3SH, and (CH3)2S response after the volunteers chewed gum for 1, 10, and 20 min.

RESULTSAt 1, 10, and 20 min, H2S of the treatment group was reduced by 82.68%, 92.27%, 97.47%, respectively, CH3SH was reduced by 65.49%, 73.79%, and 82.89%, respectively, and (CH3)2S was reduced by 60.45%, 73.82%, and 59.72%, respectively. The differences between the two groups at different times were significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONChewing gum can effectively inhibit cysteine-induced odor.

Objective To investigate the application of non-invasive ventilation in children with airway obstructive diseases,especially those who had obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS).Methods A case follow-up study was conducted between October 2005 and October 2013 in children who had airway obstruction that led to OSAS or chronic respiratory failure and had been given non-invasive ventilation therapy.Children received non-invasive ventilation support,and pressure titration was performed manually in the sleep center while the mode was chosen according to their disease condition.Pulse rate,oxygen saturation or polysomnography were monitored during the treatment.Some patients went on receiving ventilation support when discharged home depending on their disease status.Patients were followed up every 3,6,or 12 months.Results Thirty-seven patients received non-invasive ventilation treatment till October 2013.Thirty-two cases were boys,and 5 cases were girls.The age ranged from 1 year old and 2 months to 12 years old and 6 months.The underlying diseases included OSAS with adenotonsillar hypertrophy,OSAS with mucopolysaccharidosis,mental retardation,cerebral palsy,morbid obesity,and bronchiolitis obliterans.All the OSAS patients had their snoring and apneas relieved,and respiratory distress and daytime symptoms were improved.Regarding the sleep study parameter,the apnea hypopnea index (P ＜ 0.001),obstructive apnea index (P =0.001),oxygen desaturation index(P =0.001),minimum oxygen saturation (P ＜ 0.001) were improved.Till the end of the study,18children (49％)were still receiving non-invasive ventilation,9 children (24％)stopped ventilation after discharge home,4 children (11％)ceased treatment as their symptoms disappeared and polysomnography data was normal,4 children (11％) lost follow-up 3 months after treatment,and 2 children (5％) died of underlying disease.Conclusions Some children with airway obstruction need non-invasive ventilation support.Non-invasive ventilation therapy can be successfully performed in pediatric population.

Objective To investigate the influence of hypoxia on leptin expression in serum,CSF and brain tissue of C57BL/6J mice.Methods C57BL/6J mice were divided into 3 groups:the normal control,24-hour hypoxia group and 48-hour hypoxia group.The latter two groups exposed to hypoxia in the man-made auto pressure and hypoxia control cabin(XQ-I).Radioimmunoassay was used to detect the leptin level.Results The leptin level in the serum,CSF and brain tissue of mice exposed to hypoxia were higher than that of normal control,but no difference was found between 24-hour hypoxia group and 48-hour hypoxia group.Conclusion Hypoxia probably induces the increasing of leptin expression in fat tissue,as well as in the central nervous system.

Objective To investigate the effects of Compound Zhe Bei granule (CZBG) combined with doxorubicin on the expression of GST and Topo - Ⅱ in K562/A02 cell line multidrug resistance tumor xenografts in mice. Methods Tumor xenografts model was established by injecting the multidrug resistance cell line K562/A02 in the axillary flank of BALB/c - nu - nu mice. Drug - comgbination of CZBG intragastric administration and doxorubicin intraperitoneal injection ( i. p. ) was given to the BALB/c - nu nude mice. The tumor xenografts were made into slice after the dissection, and the expression of GST and Topo - Ⅱ in K562/A02 tumor xenografts in mice was investigated by immunohistochemical technique. The integral optical density (IOD) of GST and Topo- lⅡ in K562/A02 tumor xenografts was measured by Image ProPlus 6.0. Results Compared with the single treatment of doxorubicin i. p group,the combination of the doxorubicin and CZBG with dosage classified by three types( high, middle, low) can decrease IOD of GSH and Topo - Ⅱ in K562/A02 tumor xenografts with statistical significance( P

Objective To investigate the correlation among mammographic features, and estrogen /progesterone receptor(ER,PR) of the breast cancer.Methods The mammographic features of 60 cases of breast cancer confirmed by surgery and histology were analyzed retrospectively. The specimens of mastectomy of the breast cancer were stained with immunohistochemistry,the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were measured .The relationship between the immunohistochemical pathologic results and mammographic features were analyzed. Results Among the 60 cases of breast cancers, X-ray types mass of breast cancer were correlated with the expression of PR (P

AIM: To demonstrate the effects of telmisartan on the proliferation and apoptosis of U937 cells.METHODS: The proliferation ability of the U937 cells was assessed by CCK-8 assay and colony formation test with methylcellulose.The CD11b expression rate of the U937 cells was identified by flow cytometry.The apoptotic rate was analyzed by flow cytometry with Annexin V-PI double staining and Hoechst 33342 staining.The protein levels of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: The results of CCK-8 assay confirmed that the viability of U937 cells was inhibited by telmisartan.The colony formation capacity of U937 cells was also significantly inhibited by telmisartan.The differentiation of U937 cells was induced by telmisartan with the expression of CD11b.The results of flow cytometry analysis with Annexin V-PI double staining and Hoechst 33342 staining identified that the apoptosis of U937 cells was induced by telmisartan in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners with the up-regulation of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 proteins.CONCLUSION: Telmisartan inhibits the proliferation and induces the differentiation of U937 cells.Telmisartan also induces the apoptosis of U937 cells through the caspase pathway.

Objective Although graded nursing has been implemented in nursing homes since 2001 in China, it is not popu-lar.This research aimed to investigate factors of graded nursing implementation in nursing homes by subject analysis in order to provide a reference for the construction of graded nursing system in nursing homes . Methods We performed an analysis of data retrievals for grading nursing system in nursing homes from 2005 to 2015 based on five large databases: CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, and PubMed.Subject analysis was applied in the conclusion of retrieved literature . Results There were 993 related documents by pre-liminary selection and 21 documents were concluded for subject analysis .By document acquisition , code design , subject code search , integrated subject search and subject definition , five factors including policy , professional quality , institutional management , resource supply and individual were summarized . Conclusion These five factors give a correct and overall view of the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of graded nursing in nursing homes in China , which will contribute to its improvement .

Objective To explore the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on cognitive ability in patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) after ischemic stroke.Methods Forty five ischemic stroke survivors with MCI but not meeting the criterion for diagnosis as dementia were recruited, and were randomly assigned into an rTMS group (32 patients) and a control group (30 patients) according to a random number table.Both groups received the routine drug therapy of medicine and cognitive function training, and the rTMS group was additionally given rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 5 Hz and 80％ motor threshold.The treatments lasted for 4 weeks.The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and auditory event related potential (ERP) were tested for both group before and after the treatment.Results After the treatment, two groups showed significant improvements in the average score of MoCA compared to that before the treatment, and that of the rTMS group was significantly higher than that of the control group.For both groups, the P300 latency shortened and the amplitude increased after the treatment.Moreover, the latency and amplitude of the rTMS group increased to 355.67 ± 16.43 ms and 8.69 ± 1.65 μV, respectively, after the treatment, significantly shortened and lengthened than that of the control group [(372.76 ± 23.35 ms and 7.03 ± 3.04 μV), respectively].Conclusions rTMS can significantly improve the cognitive ability of ischemic stroke survivors in a relatively safe way.