Objectives:To develop a preparative method of continuous acid-urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (CAU-PAGE) to purify the defensin components from human and rabbit neutrophils (HNP-1～3 and RNP-1～5).Methods:Neutrophils were isolated from human peripheral blood or rabbit artificial aseptic ascites.The components of defensin were extracted by 5% acetic acid directly followed by elution of CAU-PAGE,and purified HNP-1～3 or RNP-1～5 were harvested.Polyacrylamide gel filtration was used as the method for comparison.Results:For each elution circa 1.50 mg of purified HNP or 2.50 mg of RNP were obtained from 5×108 of neutrophils,and their natural biological activity was preserved.Conclusions：CAU-PAGE is a relatively simple,rapid,economical method for purifying cationic peptides as the components of defensin.

A brief description of performance appraisal as used in the healthcare sector, and an analysis of problems existing in performance appraisal for posts in community heahhcare organizations in the country. The paper proposes a job-analysis based performance appraisal for such posts, featuring the appraisal model of "performance + skills + attitude+ work intensity". On the basis of work analysis, a job description should be worked out for such healthcare workers as doctors, nurses and prevention workers in community healthcare organizations, aided by a targeted job-based performance appraisal system. These efforts can effectively enhance the job performance in such organizations, catering to the healthcare needs of community residents.

BACKGROUND:Traditionally, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was used to evaluate exercise response of patients with asthma; however, patients obviously had panting after exercise, so FEV1 was affected commonly. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a new technique for measuring respiratory impedance that do not require maximal inspiration and forced expiration.OBJECTIVE: To study airway resistance with IOS before and after exercise in healthy and asthmatic patients and investigate the significance of exercise excitation and IOS assessment.DESIGN: Synchronically non-randomized case contrast study.SETTING: Department of Respiratory Medicine, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 14 male patients with bronchial asthma who were regarded as the asthmatic group were selected from Department of Respiratory Medicine of Shanghai East Hospital from January to October 2006. They were in a clinical stationary phase. Another 14 male healthy subjects were selected as the control group and ages of all subjects ranged from 29 to 50 years. All subjects provided the confirmed consent.METHODS: IOS was used to measure basic value of respiratory resistance, and then subjects underwent exercise challenge. Nose of subjects was clipped breathing through mouth. Within 3-4 minutes, heart rate was increased to 90% and maintained for 6 minutes during challenge. Respiratory resistance was repeatedly measured at 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after exercise, including airway hyperresponse (AHR), total respiratory resistance, central resistance, peripheral resistance and resonance frequency at 5, 20 and 35 Hz of pulse frequency, elasrtic resistance and inertia resistance (X5 and X35) at 5 and 10 Hz of pulse frequency. In addition, difference of AHR at 5 and 35 Hz was calculated, and change ratios of both Rcentral and Rperipheral were calculated as (highest value after exercise-baseline value)/baseline value × 100%.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Basic value of respiratory resistance by using IOS and exercise challenge test.RESULTS: All 14 patients with bronchial asthma and 14 healthy subjects were involved in the final analysis. Peripheral resistance (Rperiphera) was significantly higher than central resistance (Rcentral) in asthmatic patients (P ＜ 0.01). The maximal increase of respiratory impedance occurred from 5 minutes to 10 minutes after exercise in asthmatics. Resonance frequency (Fres) of asthmatics before and after exercise was significantly increased than that of controls (P ＜ 0.01).Change ratios of Fres from asthmatics were higher than that from control group (P ＜ 0.01). After challenge, R5, R5-R20,Zrespir and X5 from asthmatics changed significantly than that from controls (P ＜ 0.01). The increment change value of After exercise Zrespir increased significantly, because obstruction of small bronchi during expiration and impedance increased abruptly. Air trapping was expressed in VT-Zrespir graph in 57.1% patients. There was no difference in the VT-Zrespir graph of controls before and after exercise.CONCLUSION: The main site of airflow obstruction was in small airways in asthmatics after exercise challenge. The general acceptance of IOS method was good among the asthmatic patients. The airway response of exercise challenge may be assessed more accurately with IOS that do not require a maximal inspiration and forced expiration.

BACKGROUNDIn most instances, advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is treated with primary chemotherapy. Many chemotherapy regimens can palliate cancer-related symptoms. Quality of life and modestly improved survival are very important especially for elderly patients. This clinical trial is to compare the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GO) versus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GP) in treatment of advanced NSCLC in elderly patients.

METHODSA total of 42 patients with advanced NSCLC diagnosed pathologically were randomly divided into GO group (gemcitabine 1000mg/m² on days 1, 8; oxaliplatin 65mg/m² on days 1, 8) and GP group (gemcitabine 1000mg/m² on days 1, 8; cisplatin 30mg/m² on days 1-3), 28 days as a cycle. All patients received two cycles of chemotherapy at least.

RESULTSIn GO group, the response rate was 55.0%. Whereas in GP group, the response rate was 40.9%. The difference in response rate was not statistically significant between the two groups (P > 0.05). The median survival duration was 11.2 months in GO group and 11.8 months in GP group. The 1-year survival rate was 45% in GO group and 50% in GP group (P > 0.05). The main toxicities were well tolerated. Leukopenia and nausea/vomiting at grade III+IV, and alopecia and impaired renal function at grade I+II occurred more frequently in GP group than those in GO group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBoth of the two regimens are feasible, well-tolerated and effective in treatment of advanced NSCLC in elderly patients. GO regimen may be safer than GP regimen.