OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of serum level of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and white blood cell count (WBC) as predictors in postoperative early infectious complications with fever after posterior lumbar internal fixation (PLIF).

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted from January 2012 to January 2014. Fifty-two patients with fever in the early stage(within 10 days) after the PLIF were collected in the study. They were divided into infection group and non-infection group (group A and group B) according to the results of postoperative blood culture. There were 26 patients in group A and 32 patients in group B. The values of PCT, CRP, ESR, and WBC count were compared and analyzed between two groups.

RESULTSThe values of PCT, CRP, and ESR in group A were higher than those of group B. Meanwhile, CRP and ESR in group B were still higher than the normal range. Among the 26 patients with infections (group A), PCT was superior to CRP and ESR, had a good ability in discriminating different kinds of postoperative infections. The area under the ROC curve of serum PCT levels was the largest (CI 95% was 0.81 to 0.98) in the indexs; and ROC curve of WBC count was no statistically significant. When the cut off points of each predictors were evaluated, the higher sensitive was CRP and reached at 90.27% and the higher specific was ESR and reached at 88.50%.

CONCLUSIONFor the patients with fever at the early stage after the PLIF should be paid attention and reasonable choosing predictors are helpful to identify postoperative infection in the early stage. The CRP and ESR may be influenced by the surgery, and the PCT level is helpful to differentiate infection type.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Female ; Fever ; blood ; diagnosis ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Infection ; blood ; diagnosis ; Leukocyte Count ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; blood ; diagnosis ; Protein Precursors ; blood

In order to investigate the mechanism, the correlation between the odor change in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process and 5-HMF were studied. Required samples were retrieved from Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process. Statistical quality control (SQC) was used to analyze the response values acquired by the electronic nose. At the same time, the content of 5-HMF was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the above two. Experimental results showed that SQC model established by response values of all samples could show the change law of odor in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process and changes of 5-HMF content was dropped after the first increase. Correlation analysis showed that the odor change in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process and 5-HMF were significantly correlated (P < 0.05). Sugar degradation reaction and the Maillard reaction may be one of the mechanisms of the odor change in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Crataegus ; chemistry ; Furaldehyde ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Hot Temperature ; Odorants ; analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Background: Current knowledge indicates that oxidative damage and the following inflammation is pivotal pathway for myocardial cell death. In recent decades, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been identified as a novel endogenous vasodilator and neuromodulator due to its antioxidation capacity. However, whether H2S pretreatment in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes is a protection effect against oxidative stress remains elusive. Methods: Primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes were isolated and cultured, subsequently, pretreated with the H2S donor, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS). Cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production are evaluated. The levels of superoxide dismutase (Sod2) and Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), a deacetylation enzyme, were detected by Western blotting. The statistics was performed using independent?sample t?test. Results: NaHS (100 μmol/L) had no toxicity to primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, NaHS pretreatment significantly improved neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes survival after H2O2?induced cell death, indicated by the decrease in LDH release (40.00 ± 2.65%vs. 65.33 ± 4.33%, P < 0.01) and ROS production (1.90 ± 0.33 vs. 4.56 ± 0.56, P < 0.05), and that the salubrious effect was accompanied by the upregulation of Sod2 expression. In addition, the study showed that NaHS pretreatment improved mitochondrial DNA number in neonatal mouse cardiomyocyte. Furthermore, the result demonstrated NaHS increased the expression of Sirt1 in neonatal mouse cardiomyocyte. Ex 527, an inhibitor of Sirt1, could attenuate these effects of NaHS?induced Sod2 expression and mtDNAnumber increase, furthermore, abrogate the cytoprotective effects of NaHS for neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. Conclusion: Sirt1 mediated H2S?induced cytoprotection effects in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes.

OBJECTIVETo compare the sensitivity of different hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines (HepG2, QGY7701, HepG2.2.15) and the normal liver cell line L02 to 5-aza-dC, an DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, and to explore the relationship between global DNA methylation level and the sensitivity to 5-aza-dC.

METHODSHepG2, QGY7701, HepG2.2.15 and L02 cells were treated with 5-aza-dC at different concentration, cell proliferation was measured by MTT method, cell apoptosis was detected by measuring caspase 3 activity and cellular DNA fragmentation ELISA.

RESULTSCompared to HepG2 and QGY7701 cells, HepG2.2.15 were less sensitive to the treatment of 5-aza-dC; the normal liver cell line L02 was less sensitive to 5-aza-dC than the HCC cell lines.

CONCLUSIONSThe sensitivity to 5-aza-dC of HCC cell lines and normal liver cells is not correlated with the global DNA methylation level.

Azacitidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; DNA Methylation ; drug effects ; DNA Modification Methylases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; CA-125 Antigen ; metabolism ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; metabolism ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Lymph Node Excision ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

To develop a reverse dot blot assay for rapid detection of HBV genotypes.Specific oligonucleotides probes were desighed and immobilized on nylon membranes.The DNA sample to be tested was PCR-amplified with DIG labeling primers and then hybridized with the immobilized probes.This procedure for detecting HBV genotypes was simple,rapid and specificity.30 specimens in Chongqing area were collected and detected by this method,and results were evaluated using direct sequencing.Results showed that: This new method was applicable to precise detection HBV genotypes for specimen with copies up to 103,and the HBV genotyping results showed that genotype B was the predominant genotype in Chongqing area.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety profile of cilnidipine tablets in patients with essential hypertension.Methods A total of 80 patients with essential hypertension were enrolled in this study.The blood pressure and heart rate were recorded in the morning (at the same time everyday) before the treatment.A 3-day average of home blood pressure and heart rate served as the baseline.The blood pressure and heart rate were measured after 2,4,8 weeks treatment and then were compared.Results On the baseline and at 2-week,4-week and 8-week treatment,the clinic systolic blood pressure of the patients were (171.94 ±21.02),(148.19 ± 11.28),(127.20 ±7.28) and (126.98 ±7.52) mmHg;The clinic diastolic blood pressure were (97.91 ± 15.27),(86.44 ± 9.76),(77.85 ± 6.87) and (76.10 ±6.61) mmHg.The clinic heart rates were (76.31 ±9.72),(72.26±7.28),(70.01 ±6.22)and (69.91 ±6.11) beats · min-1 The home systolic blood pressure were (170.13 ± 18.98),(148.37 ± 10.57),(127.52 ± 7.30),(127 ± 7.44) mmHg.The home diastolic pressure were (97.20 ±12.59),(86.65 ±9.26),(77.95 ±6.63),(77.58 ±6.42)mmHg.The home heart rates were (76.05 ± 9.17),(72.15 ± 7.05),(69.98 ±6.15),(69.88 ±6.04) beats · min-1.The effective rate of cilnidipine in the treatment of essential hypertension was 88.89％ (64/72 cases).Statistically significant differences were found in all the parameters above at different time points (P＜0.05).Adverse drug reactions were dizziness (2 cases),hypotension (1 case),facial flushing (1 case),hot flashes (1 case)and heart palpitations (1 case),and the incidence of adverse drug reactions was 7.50％ (6/80 cases).Conclusion Cilnidipine could reduce blood pressure and heart rate effectively in patients with hypertension.

Bronchoalveolar lavage is an important animal experimental technique in the study of respiratory system and its pathological changes. It can acquire a variety of biochemical factors, inflammatory mediators and immune cells from the respiratory tract and lungs, and provides an important evaluation index and reference for animal experiment. Bronchoalveolar lavage is an effective and reliable method for the diagnosis of respiratory diseases. It has been gradually standardized and widely used in clinical practice at present, however, there is no set of standard for bronchoalveolar lavage in rats and mice. The results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid are affected by many factors, such as the lavage fluid, suction pressure, the amount of lavage and recovery, and the retention time of lavage fluid in the lungs. Successful and efficient acquisition of lavage specimens is the key to the study and evaluation of respiratory diseases. This paper summarizes the current lavage methods commonly used by domestic and foreign researchers, and provides a reference for further research in the this field.

OBJECTIVETo access the efficacy of posterior short-segment fixation for single level thoracolumbar burst fractures without spinal injury using CYL-pedicle screw.

METHODSFrom September 2007 to December 2009, 74 cases who underwent posterior short-segment fixation for single level thoracolumbar burst fractures (Denis burst fracture type A, B, C) without spinal injury were analyzed retrospectively. There were 53 male and 21 female, mean age was (39 ± 15) years. Neither of them treated with direct decompression, grafting or fusion. Changes in the anterior vertebral height ratio, vertebral wedge angle, Cobb angle, regional angle were measured preoperatively, postoperatively, before implant removal, and at final follow-up to find the statistic difference. Pain status and work status were evaluated using Denis criterion. The incidence of incision infection, screw breakage, iatrogenic spinal injury were recorded as well.

RESULTSThe time of follow-up was (20 ± 11) months, no significant change was noted in anterior vertebral height ratio and vertebral wedge angle (P > 0.05). A significant loss was noted in Cobb angle and regional angle, which were 9.8° ± 5.1° and 9.1° ± 4.8° respectively (t = 2.48 and 3.41, P < 0.05). Comparing with the patients with Cobb angle > 20°, the patients with Cobb angle ≤ 20° had better pain scale rate (χ(2) = 4.16, P = 0.04) and work scale rate (χ(2) = 24.34, P < 0.01). There were incision infection in 1 case, screw breakage in 1, screw loose in 1, and no iatrogenic spinal injury.

CONCLUSIONSCYL-pedicle screw could be successfully used in posterior short-segment fixation for single level thoracolumbar burst fractures without spinal injury based on radiographic and clinic outcomes.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo improve the diagnostic accuracy of primary salivary gland-type lung cancer on CT.

METHODSThe CT findings of 13 pathologically proven primary salivary gland-type lung cancers (mucoepidermoid carcinoma, n = 8, adenoid cystic carcinoma, n = 5) were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThree mucoepidermoid carcinomas were located in the main bronchus, 4 in segmental bronchus, and 1 in peripheral lung. Intrabronchial nodule or mass with smooth or lobulated margin and punctuate or strip calcification (n = 2) was the main CT feature. The tumor showed moderate to significant enhancement after the administration of contrast medium. Three adenoid cystic carcinomas involved trachea, and 2 involved the main and lobular bronchi. The main CT features were diffuse or circumferential irregular thickness of the wall, distorted lumen, and nodule protruding into the lumen, and the longitudinal extent of the tumor was greater than its transverse axis.

CONCLUSIONThe CT findings of primary salivary gland-type lung cancer are rather specific and may provide helpful information for the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Young Adult