IL-8 is a cytokine which belongs to the chemotactic superfamily.It is one of the major mediators in the inflammatory response.In recent years,it was found that it had multiple functions,such as chemoattractant,potent angiogenic,and so on.The cytokine is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation,tumor progress and immune disease.In this review,the properties of IL-8 and highlight its roles on inflammation and tumor progress were surveied.

Objective To study the effects of acute hypervolemic hemodilution (AHH) with hydroxyethly starch 130/0.4 on function of blood clotting in patients undergoing spinal operation. Methods Thirty patients scheduled for spinal operation were randomly divided into AHH group and control group with 15 cases each. Patients in AHH group were performed AHH by transfusing hydroxyethly starch 130/0.4 (15 ml/kg) with 25 ml/min before skin incision, to achieve expansion of 20% to 30%. Patients in control group were transfused routinely. Blood samples were taken from internal jugular vein before anesthesia induction (T0), at 1 h after anesthesia induction (T1) and termination of operation (T2) for determination of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), platelet (Plt), prothrombin time(PT), partial thromboplastin time ( APTT), thrombin time( TT) and fibrinogen( FIB), at the same time heart rate( HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and central venous pressure (CVP) were observed and recorded. Results HR and MAP in both groups had no statistical difference within or between groups (P > 0.05). CVP at T1 and T2 in AHH group [(11.8 ± 1.0,(11.3 ± 1.0) cm H2O (1 cm H2O = 0.098 kPa)]were higher than that at T0 [(6.3 ±0.7) cm H2O]and that in control group ( P < 0.05). Hb and Hct at T1 and T2 in AHH group were lower than that at T0 and that in control group (P< 0.05). Plt and FIB at T1 and T2 in AHH group decreased significantly than that at T0(P<0.05), while there were no statistical difference between two groups(P> 0.05). PT, TT and APTT in both groups had no statistical difference within or between groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion AHH with hydroxyethly starch 130/0.4 has no significant effect on function of blood clotting in patients undergoing spinal operation.

Independent component analysis (ICA) aims at decomposing an observed random vector into statistically independent variables. Fast independent component analysis (FastICA) algorithm and its variants are catching more attention because of their simplicity and convergence speed. In this paper, a novel method referred to robust independent component analysis (RobustICA), based on normalized kurtosis and optimal step-size, is analyzed in detail. When applied to fetal electrocardiogram (FECG) extraction and compared with FastICA, it gave decent results and showed prosperous future usages.
Algorithms ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Fetal Heart ; physiology ; Fetal Monitoring ; Fetus ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Principal Component Analysis ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Objective To investigate the Clinical Value of Combined Determination of Serum cystatin C and Retinol-binding protein in diabetic nephropathy.Methods Immunoturbidimetry was employed to analyze Cystatin C(Cys C)and Retinol-binding protein;(RBP) from 94 cases of diabetic patients and 110 healthy control group .and we also detected thevalue of serum creatinine (Scr),urinary creatinine (Ucr),and calculated creatinine clearance rate (Ccr),compared the correlation of Cys C,RBP with Ccr,Scr.Results The contents of serum Cys C,RBP in the group of diabetic nephropathy were significant higher than that in healthy controllers(P<0.01),and Cys C,RBP were significantly negative correlation with Ccr.Conclusion The sensitivity and accuracy of the combined determination of serum Cys C,RBP in diabetic nephropathy are improved and might provide valuable proof for early diagnostic in diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: It is controversial whether bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can retain in cardiac injured position, or differentiate into cardiomyocytes or not. OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of recombinant human growth hormone and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) intravenous transplantation on myocardium and angiogenesis in rats with congestive cardiomyopathy. METHODS: BMSCs were collected from rats by density gradient centrifugation and adhesive-screening method. Models of cardiac failure were established using adriamycin induction in the model, cell transplantation, growth hormone and combination groups. Following model establishment, cell transplantation group received BrdU-labeled BMSCs (8×10~(13)/L) via vein. Growth hormone group underwent subcutaneous injection of human growth hormone 2 U/kg per day, for 14 consecutive days. Combination group received injection of human growth hormone and BMSC transplantation. At week 4, samples were collected. Immunohistochemical staining for BrdU+MHC and BrdU+Actin was used to determine homing of BMSCs to evaluate the differentiation of transplanted cells into cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelia cells. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was utilized to detect vascular density. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the cell transplantation group, positive rate of Brdu immunohistochemistry was increased in the combination group (P < 0.001). The number of cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelia cells was significantly increased following Brdu+MHC and Brdu+Actin staining (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, total vascular density, microvessel density and capillary density were significantly increased in the growth hormone, cell transplantation and combination groups (P < 0.001). No significant difference was determined among growth hormone, cell transplantation and combination groups (P > 0.05). Intravenous transplantation of BMSCs could repair cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells by homing into the heart. BMSCs could survive in damaged area and differentiate into cardiomyocytes or vascular endothelial cells and increase the vascular density significantly. Growth hormone could improve microenvironment and raise rates of differentiating into cardiomyocytes or vascular endothelial cells.

Objective To evaluate the effect of age on pharmacodynamics of eisatracurium target-controlled infusion(TCI). Methods Forty patients under N_2O-O_2-propofol-fentanyl anesthesia were divided into groups of Ⅰ and Ⅱ with 20 cases each. Under TOF stimulation monitoring, eisatracurium 0. 15 mg/kg was injected and tracheal intubation was performed when TOFr being zero. and the intubation conditions were evaluated. When T1 restored to 50% cisatracurium TCI started to keep TOFr less than 10%. The recovery times of neuromuscular blockade were recorded after stopping infusion. The amount of cisatracurium consumption was calculated. Results Intubation conditions the onset time and recovery index were not significantly different between two groups. The nonresponse period, duration of action, and recovery time were longer in group Ⅰ than those in group B. Cisatracurium consumption was more in group Ⅰ than that in group Ⅱ (P<0.05). Conclusion By TCI,cisatracurium dosage needed for keeping TOFr less than 10% is less,but the recovery process is still longer in the elderly than those in the younger.

Extramural vascular invasion(EMVI)was defined as the presence of tumor cells within an endotheliumlined vessel beyond the muscularis propria.High-resolution MRI had 100％sensitivity and 89％specificity in identification of large(caliber greater than 3 mm)EMVI with histopathology as reference.EMVI detected by both histopathology and MRI was significantly associated with local recurrence,distance metastasis and tumor-related death in rectal cancer,which was also identified as an independent prognostic factor for 3-year tumor-free survival and overall survival.EMVI could be used as one of the risk factors,which would allow stratification of patients with rectal cancer to receive neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(neoCRT).Moreover,EMVI detected by high-resolution MRI was identified as an independent predictor for response to neoCRT.Tumor regression grading scale defined by high-resolution MRI could be used to evaluate EMVI regression after neoCRT.

Objective To report the clinical results of the treatment for recurrent immunologic disorders of cornea and conjunctiva by conjunctival resection with amniotic membrane transplantation(AMT). Design A retrospective clinical case series. Participants Five patients 5 eyes with recurrent immunologic disorders of cornea and conjunctiva were enrolled into this study, including 2 eyes of phlytenular keratoconjunctivitis with corneal lesion, 1 eye of nodular episcleritis, 2 eyes of corneoscleral interstitial keratitis. Methods Patients were treated with partial conjunctiva resection and AMT. After operation, steroids and cyclosporin eye-drops were given for 2-3 weeks, and patients were followed up for 6-12 months. Main Outcome Measures Complications and recurrent situations were observed. Results The corneal disease kept quiescent, and the blood vessel subsidized. There were no recurrences during the follow up period in 4 cases. Recurrent signs were noted in one patient at 12 months after surgery. But no recurrence of corneal lesion was noted although the conjunctivitis was severe. Conclusion Local conjunctiva resection combined with AMT is a useful method for recurrent cases of immunologic disorders of cornea and conjunctiva. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2006,15:177-179)

Neuroendocrine cells comprise a minor subpopulation of the normal prostatic epithelium. When patients accept the androgen deprivation therapy, it will induce neuroendocrine differentiation of the prostate carcinoma cells. NE cells can provide endocrine/paracrine stimuli for proliferation of the surrounding carcinoma cells and inevitably make prostate cancer become androgen independent and no longer responsive to hormonal manipulation. In this paper, the mechanism of neuroendocrine differentiation and its relationship with androgen independent state were reviewed.

A mid-aged male patient manifested hyperglycemia, severe hypokalemia, weight loss, thin skin, round face and psychoneurotic symptoms without hypertension. CT showed a pancreatic tumor and a normal pituitary image. Preliminary assessment (blood and urinary cortisol, blood ACTH and dexamethasone suppression test) supported the diagnosis of ectopic ACTH syndrome. The differential diagnosis and treatment of this disease were discussed.