Objective To investigate association between postural changes of blood pressure and carotid atherosclerosis in the elderly.Methods Standardized questionnaires,physical examination and biochemical blood tests were performed to acquire clinical characteristics of the participants.Presences of carotid plaques were identified by carotid ultrasound examination.Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and orthostatic hypertension (OHT) were defined according to the international consensus.Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the associations of carotid plaques with OH and OHT.Results 377 old people were finally included,of which 101 had OH and 33 had OHT.After full adjustment for possible confounders,old people with carotid plaques had significantly increased risk for OH as compared with those without carotid plaques (OR=2.27,95％ CI:1.32-3.90,P=0.003).Participants with bilateral carotid plaques were associated with significantly increased risk for OH (OR=3.45,95％CI:1.74 6.84,P=0.001),while the association between unilateral carotid plaques and OH was not significant (OR=1.71,95％ CI:0.88-3.32,P=0.112).No significant association was identified between carotid plaques (bilateral or unilateral) and OHT.Conclusions Presence of carotid plaques,particularly bilateral plaques,may be an independent risk factor for OH.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic impact of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for fungal pathogens in fluid samples,and to evaluate the feasibility of fast PCR diagnostic method for the invasive fungal infection.Methods The sterility body fluid samples from 60 cases hospitalized immunocompromised patients with clinical underlying diseases and suspect of invasive infections with fungi between January 2008 and December 2011 were processed for microscopy and cultures.Applying fungal ITS4 and ITS86 universal primers to amplify pathogenic fungi genes from the sterility body fluid with method of rapid PCR.The results were compared between the standard and PCR methods.Results Humoral direct clinical specimens by PCR amplification of DNA fragments with the scan results were similar.Positive rate of PCR test with clinical body fluid samples and the traditional fungal cultivation was similar.There was no significant statistical difference [38.3％ (23/60) vs 33.3％ (20/60),P ＞ 0.05].Conclusions PCR test is feasibility with clinical fungal diagnosis from directly humoral specimens.To amplify the clinical sterility body fluid samples with ITS fungal universal primers and PCR method might provide an accurate and rapid approach to detect the pathogenic fungi.Its methods on early diagnosis and prognosis of invasive fungal infections are of guiding significance.

Objective To explore the correlation between Th1,Th2,Th17,and Treg cells differentiation and related cytokines in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Seventy-one patients with active RA were enrolled in this study.They were divided into low,moderate and high disease activity groups according to disease activity score (DAS28).The frequencies of Th1,Th2,Th17,and Treg cells in the peripheral blood of RA patients group (n=71) and healthy conlrol group (n=18) were determined by flow cytometry.T test was used for statistical analysis.Results Significant difference could be detected between the proportions of Th1 [ (6.2±4.5)％],Th17 [ (1.1±0.9)％] and Treg [(1.8±1.2)％] cells in the peripheral blood of RA patients and the control group (P＜0.05),and there was correlation between proportions of these three kinds of cell and the DAS28.Conclusion Th1 and Th 17 cells may promote the development of RA disease,but Th2 and Treg cells could prevent further development of RA disease.

Objective To investigate the mRNA expression of IKB kinase (IKK-α) and interferon-α (IFN-α) in the peripheral blood leukocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to explore the role of IKK-α in the production of IFN-α in SLE patients. Methods SYBR green dye I based real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of IKK-α and IFN-α in the peripheral blood leucocytes of SLE patients and healthy controls. Serum levels of IFN-α were measured with ELISA method. Results IKK-α mRNA expression levels in SLE patients were significantly higher than those of normal controls (P<0.05). IKK-α mRNA expression levels in SLE patients with active disease were significantly higher than patients with stable disease (P<0.01). IFN-α mRNA expression level in SLE patients was significantly lower than that of the normal controls (P<0.01). IFN-α mRNA expression levels in SLE patients with active disease were significantly higher than patients with stable disease (P<0.01). Serum levels of IFN-α in SLE patients with active disease was significantly higher than that of the normal controls and patients with stable disease (P<0.05). The anti-dsDNA antibody correlated positively, and complement C3 correlated negatively with serum concentration of IFN-α. IKK-α mRNA expression levels in SLE patients correlated positively with serum concentration of IFN-α. Conclusion IKK-α correlates positively with serum concentration of IFN-α. The IFN-α level is significantly correlated with disease activity, This suggests that IKK-α may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.

Objective To explore the relationship between ERG4 gene overexpression and azole resistance in clinical Candida albicans strains. Methods The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS)M27-A2 broth microdilution method was conducted to evaluate antifungal susceptibility of 34 clinical Candida albicans isolates in vitro. Total RNA was extracted from these Candida albicans strains and transcribed into cDNA. Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR was performed to determine the mRNA expression of ERG4 gene. Statistical analysis was carried out by a two-sample t-test. Results The expression level of ERG4 mRNA was significantly higher in fluconazole-resistant than in -sensitive Candida albicans strains (4.20 ± 2.56 vs. 1.72 ± 1.33, t = 3.99, P < 0.05), higher in itraconazole-resistant than in -sensitive Candida albicans strains (3.60 ± 2.47 vs. 1.66 ± 1.61, t = 3.71, P < 0.05), and higher in voriconazole-resistant than in -sensitive Candida albicans strains (3.99 ± 2.72 vs. 2.07 ± 1.58, t = 2.91, P <0.05). Further more, increased ERG4 mRNA expression was also observed in isolates cross-resistant to all the three azole antifungal agents compared with those susceptible to all of them (4.49 ± 2.73 vs. 1.69 ± 1.82, t = 3.81, P < 0.05). Conclusions The overexpression of ERG4 gene may be associated with cross resistance to fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole in clinical Candida albicans strains, but its exact role is expected to be investigated through downregulation of the ERG4 gene.

AIM: To study the effects of paroxetine on the psychological stress induced by c-fos gene expression in the rat hypothalamus paraventricular nucleus(PVN) and to explore the molecular mechanism of effects of paroxetine on the stress related anxiety disorders. METHODS: The rat psychological stress model was made by restraint stress. The cortisol was analyzed by radioimmnoassay, and expression of c-fos positive cells was detected by S-P immunohistochemical assay in the rat PVN. RESULTS: The level of cortisol and the expression of c-fos positive cells increased more significantly in the other groups than that in the control group, but decreased in the paroxetine group. The paroxetine reduced the level of cortisol and inhibited the expression of c-fos positive cells in the PVN after psychological stress. CONCLUSION: The paroxetine can regulate the nerve centre by alleviating the expression of the c-fos in the hypothalamus paraventricular nucleus(PVN)and the activation of HPA pathway.

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanisms of antianxiety drugs on the rats with restraint stress. METHODS: The rat stress model was made by restraint stress. The behaviors of rats were tested in open field conditions, and the expression of c fos positive cells was detected by S P immunohistochemical assay in hypothalamus. RESULTS: The crossing scores, the rearing scores and the expression of c fos positive cells increased more significantly in the other groups than that in the control group, but decreased in the paroxetine group. The paroxetine inhibited the behaviors and the expression of c fos positive cells in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of rats after immobilization stress. CONCLUSION: The effects of paroxetine on the anxiety disorders in rats may be related to the downregulation of the expression of the c fos in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN).

Objective To investigate the expression of PD-1 on CD4 +and CD8 + T cells in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B(CHB)treated with telbivudine.Methods Fifty-six HBeAg-positive CHB patients admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University during January 201 3 and June 201 4 were enrolled in this study.The expression of PD-1 on CD4 +and CD8 + T cells was detected with flow cytometry at baseline,24,48 and 72 wks after telbivudine treatment.The relationship of PD-1 expression with alanine aminotransferase (ALT)level,HBeAg seroconversion and HBV DNA loads was analyzed.t test and completely random variance analysis were used to analyze the data.Results The PD-1 expression on CD4 + and CD8 + T cells at baseline was higher in patients with low ALT levels compared to those with high ALT levels(t =1 2.20 and 9.69,both P <0.01 ),while higher levels of PD-1 expression was also observed in patients with high HBV DNA load (≥5 lgIU /mL)compared to those with low HBV DNA load (t =4.39 and 4.85,both P <0.01 ).PD-1 levels on CD4 + and CD8 + T cells presented a declining trend after telbivudine treatment(F =6.98 and 8.97,both P <0.01 ),PD-1 expression in patients with HBeAg seroconversion showed lower levels compared with baseline values (t =1 8.45 and 1 8.01 ,both P <0.01 ). Conclusion In HBeAg-positive CHB patients,the expression of PD-1 on CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes shows a decreasing trend during the treatment with telbivudine,indicating that antiviral therapy may alleviate the immunosuppression in these patients.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of regulatory T cells (Treg ) and the surface expression of programmed death (PD)‐1 and the level of transforming growth factor (TGF )‐βduring antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) .Methods Eighty‐six CHC patients referred to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2012 to October 2013 were included ,and all of them were administered with pegylated interferon α‐2a and ribavirin .Thirty healthy controls were enrolled .The percentage of Treg cells ,PD‐1 expression and TGF‐β level were analyzed by flow cytometry at baseline and at time of achieving rapid virological response (RVR ) , early viral virological (EVR ) , end‐of‐treatment virological response (ETVR ) and sustained virological response (SVR) ,or not achieving SVR .Comparison between two groups was analyzed by t test .Results Among 86 CHC patients ,the proportions of RVR ,EVR ,ETVR ,and SVR at week 24 of follow‐up were 29 cases ,67 cases ,79 cases and 67 cases ,respectively .Percentage of Treg cells in CHC patients was much higher than that in healthy controls (10 .31 ± 5 .61 vs 2 .18 ± 0 .65 ,t = 2 .28 , P< 0 .05) .During antiviral therapy ,percentages of Treg cells declined ,not only in CHC patients with HCV genotype 1b (at baseline , RVR ,EVR ,and ETVR :14 .44 ± 3 .78 ,11 .01 ± 1 .79 ,8 .24 ± 2 .98 ,and 5 .36 ± 1 .47 ,respectively ) ,but also in those infected with HCV genotype 2a (at baseline ,RVR ,EVR ,and ETVR :12 .34 ± 2 .82 ,8 .99 ± 1 .68 ,7 .53 ± 2 .96 ,and 4 .79 ± 1 .23 ,respectively ) .Expressions of PD‐1 and TGF‐β also decreased .At baseline ,the expressions of PD‐1 in patients with SVR and without SVR were 29 .11 ± 14 .65 and 37 .73 ± 11 .65 ,respectively (t = 2 .15 , P = 0 .04) ,and the levels of TGF‐β were 41 .20 ± 18 .96 and 56 .75 ± 14 .42 ,respectively (t= 2 .66 ,P< 0 .01) .At week 24 ,the expressions of PD‐1 in patients with SVR and without SVR were 10 .36 ± 4 .81 and 36 .46 ± 10 .52 ,respectively (t= 13 .95 ,P< 0 .01) ,and the levels of TGF‐β were 10 .06 ± 4 .64 and 45 .23 ± 17 .85 , respectively ( t = 11 .85 , P < 0 .01 ) . Conclusions Percentages of Treg cells and expressions of PD‐1 and TGF‐β decrease during antiviral treatment in CHC patients .Thus ,it could be of assist to predict the treatment response by monitoring these parameters .

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Guizhi-Fuling decoction and Danggui-Shaoyao decoction combined with metformin in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Methods A total of 120 patients with fueling the polycystic ovarian syndrome were enrolled and divided into two group by random number table method, the treatment group (60 patients) and the control group (60 patients). Patients in the control group were treated with metformin, and those in the treatment group with Guizhi-Fuling decoction and Danggui-Shaoyao decoction plus metformin for 6 menstrual cycle. The vagina or rectum two-dimensional ultrasound was detected by follicle numbers (FN) and ovarian volume (OV). The height, weight, BMI calculation were recorded and evaluated before and after treatment. Results After treatment and follow-up, the OV (2.4 ± 1.5 cm3 vs. 4.7 ± 2.6 cm3, t=5.935; 1.6 ± 0.8 cm3 vs. 2.9 ± 1.3 cm3, t=-6.597), FN (8 ± 2 vs. 10 ± 2, t=-5.477; 6 ± 1 vs. 8 ± 2, t=-6.928) and BMI (20.5 ± 2.6 kg/m2 vs. 23.8 ± 2.7 kg/m2, t=-6.866; 20.1 ± 1.3 kg/m2 vs. 22.6 ± 1.7 kg/m2, t=-9.074) of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.01). Conclusions The Guizhi-Fuling decoction and Danggui-Shaoyao decoction combined with metformin can reduce the weight, ovarian volume, follicle numbers of PCOS patients.