Procalcionin ( PCT) is a soluble protein liberated into the circulation of patients in response to severe systemic in-fection, in particular by bacterial infection.It is used as the most accurate biomarker for the diagnosis of sepsis.This review briefly de-scribes the induction of PCT, the comparison of PCT and other markers of sepsis, the application of PCT measurement in confirmation or exclusion of diagnosis of sepsis, the assessment of severity and treatment effectiveness of systemic infection, the application of PCT in guiding individual and specific treatment of antibiotics, and the anormaly situation of elevated levels of PCT in patients who do not have sepsis.

Objective] To explore a new method of synthesis of resveratrol oligmer induced by photosensitizers, further analyze its free radical scavenging activity and analgesic activity. [Method] Resveratrol was dispersed in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution, mixed with pheophorbide, then illuminated by laser at 630nm. The oligmers in the filtrate were analyzed by HPLC-MS and isolated by preparative liquid chromatography. Free radical scavenging activity was determined by DPPH and ABTS method, and the analgesic effect was measured by hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test in mice. [Result] A new peak occurred and reached stable in reactive solution after 20 min illumination. It was identified as the dimer of resveratrol with conversion of 35%. Its concentrations on inhibition of 50% DPPH and ABTS radical were respectively 230 μg·mL-1 and 273 μg·mL-1. It reached maximum pain threshold at 180 min, and the inhibition rate of writhing number was 62.6% with better effects than resveratrol. [Conclusion] Reseratrol can be polymerized to the dimer after pheophorbide excited by red light, the resveratrol and its dimer both have the ability of eliminating free radicals and analgesic effects, but the dimer has the stronger activity.

Objective To analyze the predictive value of N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide precursor(NT-proBNP) on auricular thrombosis in patients of coronary heart disease (CHD) combined with atrial fibrillation (AF).Methods The clinical data of 124 patients of CHD combined with AF were analyzed retrospectively.All patients were divided into research group (60 cases,compliance with auricular thrombosis) and control group (64 cases,non-compliance with auricular thrombosis),according to the occurrence of auricular thrombosis.The values of NT-proBNP,fasting plasma glucose (FPG),postprandial plasma glucose(2 h PG),total cholesterol (TC),high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL),high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd) and left atrial diameter (LAD) were detected and compared between two groups.The relative factors to the occurrence of auricular thrombosis were confirmed by multivariate Logistic analysis.The best cutoff point of NT-proBNP was confirmed by the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).Results The values of NT-proBNP,ox-LDL,hs-CRP,LVEDd and LAD in research group were higher than those in control group [(4 312.6 ± 209.1) pmol/L vs.(3 421.6 ± 156.8) pmol/L,(4.0 ± 0.9) mmol/L vs.(3.4 ± 0.8) mmol/L,(7.4 ± 1.3)mg/L vs.(5.8 ± 1.0) mg/L,(74.3 ± 6.8) mm vs.(58.1 ± 5.5) mm,(39.6 ± 4.3) mm vs.(32.5 ± 3.8) mm],LVEF and HDL-C were lower than those in control group [(48.2 ± 3.1)％ vs.(57.3 ± 3.8)％,(0.72 ± 0.16)mmol/L vs.(1.08 ±0.27) mmol/L],and there were significant differences (P ＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the values of FPG,2 h PG and TC between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that NT-proBNP and LAD were independent factors to the occurrence of auricular thrombosis (P =0.009,0.028).There was significant difference in the occurrence of auricular thrombosis between patients with NT-proBNP ＞ 4 250 pmol/L and patients with NT-proBNP≤4 250 pmol/L (P =0.028).Conclusion NT-proBNP is an independent predictor for the occurrence of auricular thrombosis to patients of CHD combined with AF.

Hypoxia occurs in chronic and acute vascular diseases and tumor formation. The ability of tumor cells to maintain a balance between an adaptation to hypoxia and cell death is regulated by a family of transcription factors called hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Tumor hypoxia mediated by HIF-1 would facilitate the likelihood of resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, proliferation, metastasis and the invasive potential; all of which culminate in a decrease in patient survival. And HIF-1 alpha subunit decides the activity of HIF-1, which is regulated by oxygen. So understanding the role of HIF in signal pathway, drug resistance mechanism and its feature is crucial for developing novel anticancer therapies. In recent years, more attentions have focused on HIF-1 alpha inhibitors. It is expected that development of more potent and selective HIF inhibitors will provide an effective treatment of cancer and other HIF-related diseases. So we will focus on the biological characteristics and mechanism of HIF-1 to review currently studied HIF-1 inhibitors.
Cell Death ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Objective A headspace-gas chromatography method was established for determination of methanol in Huox-iang Zhengqi Tincture. Methods Headspace-gas chromatography was performed on a HP-INNOWAX capillary col-umn, with nitrogen as carrier gas and FID as detector. The injector temperature was at 150℃ and the detector tempera-ture was at 200℃ , and temperature programming and split stream sampling were used. Results A good linearity was obtained within the designed range, the average recovery was 98.89 % with the RSD of 1.36 %, which met the correla-tive criterion of China Pharmacopoeia. Conclusion This method is proved to be accurate, and it has a good reproducibil-ity and can be used to determinate the residual methanol in Huoxiang Zhengqi Tincture.

Objective To determine the effect of video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement in treatment of infected necrotizing pancreatitis.Methods The clinical data of patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis was retrospectively analyzed.Heart rate,mean arterial pressure,body temperature and indicators for inflammatory response including level of WBC,CRP and procalcitonin before and after VARD treatment were compared.Results After VARD treatment,the heart rate (preoperative vs.postoperative 8 h,108 ± 22/min vs.95 ± 17/min),mean arterial pressure (preoperative vs.postoperative 12 h,66 ± 18 mmHg vs.79 ± 19 mmHg) and body temperature(preoperative vs.postoperative 24 h,38.3 ± 1.7 ℃ vs.37.3 ± 1.3 ℃) improved significantly (all P ＜ 0.05).Level of WBC [preoperative vs.postoperative 48 h,(13.8 ±6.6) × 109/L vs.(10.1 ±5.2) × 109/L],CRP(preoperative vs.postoperative 48 h,145 ± 88 mg/L vs.95 ± 4 mg/L) and procalcitonin (preoperative vs.postoperative 48 h,1.4 ± 0.7 μg/L vs.0.9 ± 0.4 μg/L) also decreased significantly(all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions VARD therapy can significantly reduce systemic inflammation and improve the general condition of infected necrotizing pancreatitis patients.

Objective To explore the association between DNA methyltrsansferase 3a (DNMT3a) expression and interleukin-4 (IL-4),interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in mononuclear cells of colonic laminapropriamucosae in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.Methods From November 2009 to March 2010,sixty colonic mucosa biopsy specimens through colon scopy were collected,specimens of active UC or normal controls were 30 in each group.The expression of DNMT3a,IL-4,and IFN-γ was detected with immunohistochemical method (SABC) in mononuclear cells of colonic laminapropriamucosae,and their relation with different degrees of colonic inflammatory response was analyzed.Results The positive expression rate of DNMT3a,IL-4,IFN-γ in mononuclear cells of colonic laminapropriamucosae in active UC group was significant higher than that in control group and there were statistically significant differences (x2 =16.596,P=0.000;x2 =42.857,P=0.000;x2 =6.667,P=0.024;).The expression of them was higher in sever inflammatory response than that in mild inflammatory response,and its expression intensity increased as inflammatory activity became more severe.There was positive correlation between IL-4,IFN-γ and DNMT3 expression in UC group (r=0.46,P=0.01 ;r=0.559,P=0.001).Conclusions The expression of DNMT3a,IL-4 and IFN-γ is associated with the degree of colonic inflammatory response.DNA methylation maybe involved in Th1/Th2 immune balance regulation in UC pathogenesis.

According to the course character and training objective, we analyzed the necessity of the experiment teaching reform of microbiology examination . The modules of employable Skills (MES) was applied to the experiment teaching of microbiology examination tentatively. On the basis of the needs of microbiology laboratory jobs, the contents of experimental course were integrated and optimized to skills module , comprehensive training module and application module , which include fourteen study units such as basic techniques of identification of bacteria,the separation and identifi-cation of pathogenic bacteria, microbiology examination of clinical specimen etc. Intensive teaching and multiplex teaching methods were applied to each module according to the module's characteristic, teaching objectives and cognitive rules of students. This teaching reform has achieved initial results.

Objective To determine the effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) on risk stratification and prognosis of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).Methods Literatures in the Cochrane libraries of clinical comparative trials,PubMed,EMBASE,Cancer Lit and Chinese BioMedical Literature from 1966 to 2012 were retrieved using the Cochrane systematic evaluation method.The original data were extracted and crosschecked by 2 reviewers.The indicator for assessment including positive rates of COX-2 in GIST patients with different tumor diameters (＜5 cm versus ≥5 cm),mitosis of cancer cells (＜5/50 HPF versus ≥5/50 HPF) and National Institute of Health (NIH) risk stratifications (very low + low versus intermediate + high).The relationship between COX-2 expression and recurrence and metastasis of GIST was evaluated.All the data were analyzed using the RevMan 5.1 software with Meta analysis.The heterogeneity between studies was analyzed using the I2.The binary data were presented by odds ration (OR) and 95％ confidence interval (95 ％ CI).Results Seven articles with a total of 415 patients were included in the analysis.The COX-2 expression did not correlate with the tumor diameters,NIH risk stratifications and tumor metastasis and recurrence (OR =0.60,0.72,2.46,P ＞ 0.05),but with the mitosis of cancer cells (OR =0.46,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion COX-2 expression is partly correlated with risk stratification of GIST,but has no effect on the prognosis.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of tiopronin combined with lamivudine in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS:150 cases diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis with chronic hepatitis B were randomly divided into group A(drug combination group),group B(lamivudine group)and the group C (control group),with 50 cases in each group. 3 groups were given isoniazid+rifapentine+ethambutol+levofloxacin(2HTELfx/4HT) anti-TB treatment and liver protection treatment,etc. Group B was additionally given Lamivudine tablet orally,0.1 g,qd;group A was additionally given Tiopronin tablet 0.3 g,tid,on the basis of group B. The treatment course of 3 groups lasted for 6 months. Liver damage,serum fibrosis indexes of 3 groups were observed in 3 groups before and after treatment as well as hepatitis B virolo-gy indexes,clinical efficacy and the occurrence of ADR after treatment. RESULTS:After treatment,serum levels of ALT,AST and TBIL weresignificantly increased in group C,significantly decreased in group A,with statistical significance(P<0.05).There was no statistical significance in above indexes of group B before and after treatment(P>0.05). Serum levels of ALT,AST and TBIL after the treatment:group A0.05). Serum fibrosis indexes of group A and B decreased significantly compared to before treatment,with statistical significance (P<0.05);serum fibrosis indexes after the treatment:group A0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Tiopronin combined with lamivudine can significantly reduce liver function damage caused by an-ti-TB drugs. It is conducive to the smooth progress of tuberculosis chemotherapy with fewer adverse reactions.