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 estimate reliability of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in measuring liver stiffness of volunteers and patients with chronic liver disease and to assess inter-rater consistency.Methods MRE was performed on a 3.0 T scanner in all subjects,including 24 volunteers (control group) and 64 patients with liver disease (chronic liver disease group).Liver stiffness was measured blindly by two raters.The pathological fibrosis score was applied as a standard reference for liver fibrosis in 22 patients.The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate inter-rater reliability.The differences of liver stiffness between two groups were evaluated using non-parametric MannWhitney U test.Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between fibrosis stages and liver stiffness.Results The intraclass correlation coefficient of liver stiffness was perfect (ICC =0.99,P ＜ 0.01)between two raters.There was significant difference of mean stiffness between control group and patient group (U =90.5,P ＜0.01) with(2.35 ±0.34) kPa and(4.17 ± 0.47) kPa,respectively.The correlation between fibrosis stage (3,3,5,5 and 6 patients in fibrosis stage S0,S1,S2,S3 and S4) and stiffness (2.13,3.25,3.82,5.45 and 7.35 kPa) was very strong (r =0.96,P ＜0.01).Conclusion MRE is a reliable and promising tool to measure liver stiffness and to assess liver fibrosis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the apoptosis and proliferation effect of matrine on human medulloblastoma cell line D341 in vitro and the effect of the expression of the related caspase 3 and caspase 9 proteins.

METHODSThe D341 cells were cultivated successfully in vitro. Then the cells were divided into 5 groups according to the concentration of matrine (0.5 mg/mI group, 1.0 mg/ml group, 1.5 mg/ml group, 2.0 mg/ml group and the control group was 0 mg/ml). All the experiments were repeated three times. The cell morphologic and structure change was observed with the optical microscope and the transmission electron microscope. The proliferation of D341 cell was analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. The expression of Caspase3 and Caspase9 was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSWith the effect of matrine, the proliferation inhibition rate gradually increased with drug concentrations increasing, and there was a significant difference (P < 0.01). The inhibitory effect of matrine on cell proliferation was different with the different treatment time, there was a significant difference between the 24 h to 72 h groups (P < 0.01). The apoptotic rate increased with matrine concentrations increasing. There were significant differences between the group of 0.5 mg/mI or 1.0 mg/mI to the group of 1.5 mg/mI or 2.0 mg/mI (P < 0.05). The apoptotic rate increased with the prolonged treatment time. There were significant differences between the group of 24 h or 48 h to the group of 72 h ( P < 0.05). With the increase of matrine concentration, the expression of Caspase 3 and Caspase 9 increased (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMatrine induces the apoptosis, and inhibits the proliferation of human medulloblastoma D341 cells in vitro by up-regulation of the expression level of Caspase3, Caspase9.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cerebellar Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Medulloblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; Up-Regulation

160 s and core temperature was 36-37℃.Blood ga- ses,platelets,plasma free hemoglobin and coagulation factors were measured during ECMO support. The blood supply was monitored in the limbs cannulated with the femoral artery cannula.Results Two patients were successfully treated with ECMO without major complications.The circulatory and respiratory function of the patients was stable.The chest X-ray showed a no clouding of lungs and he- patic function was greatly improved in case 2 who underwent a successful heart transplantation follo- wing mechanical cardiocirculatory support as a bridge,Two patients received ECMO support for 5 and 3 days respectively.Both patients recovered well.No any severe acute rejection occurred and heart func- tion was NYHAⅠ.Conclusion When candidates suffered acute cardiogenic shock,ECMO can provide safe and effective mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to heart transplantation.

Objective: To learn the health literacy level and its influencing factors among junior high school students in Jiaxing, so as to provide basis for health promotion of adolescents. Methods: The junior high school students who had been studying and living in Jiaxing for more than six months were selected by multistage cluster random sampling method. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect general information and health literacy level (including basic knowledge and concept, healthy lifestyle and behaviors, and basic skills) of these selected students. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors for health literacy. Results : Of 1 773 questionnaires collected, 1 738 were valid, accounting for 98.03%. The level of health literacy in the junior high school students in Jiaxing was 22.84% ( 95%CI: 20.87%-24.82% ), The levels of basic knowledge and concept, healthy lifestyle and behaviors, and basic skills were 55.29% ( 95%CI: 52.95%-57.63% ), 21.75% ( 95%CI: 19.81%-23.69% ), 53.05% ( 95%CI: 50.70%-55.40%), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the second grade and above ( OR: 1.609-1.835, 95%CI: 1.195-2.459 ), mother's educational level of technical secondary school/senior high school and above ( OR: 1.965-1.976, 95%CI: 1.276-3.357 ), and self-rated academic achievement of medium and above ( OR: 1.881-2.441, 95%CI: 1.359-3.335 ) were the promoting factors for health literacy level of junior high school students; self rated health status as unhealthy ( OR=0.254, 95%CI: 0.089-0.721 ) was an obstructive factor. Conclusions The health literacy level of the junior high school students in Jiaxing was 22.84%. The level of healthy lifestyle and behaviors was the lowest in three aspects. Grade, mother's educational level, self-rated academic performance and self-rated health status may have impacts on health literacy level of junior high school students.

BACKGROUND:Wide variation between individuals leads to instability of drug concentration that stil troubles transplant recipients. Therefore, individual therapy has always been a hot topic folowing transplantation. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress in the genomics and gene polymorphism of the main categories of immunosuppressive drugs after kidney transplantation. METHODS:A computer-based search of Wanfang and PubMed databases was used to retrieve relevant articles published from January 2005 to August 2014. The keywords were “renal transplantation; immunosuppressant drugs; polymorphism; individual treatment” in Chinese and English, respectively. Finaly, 50 articles related to genomics and gene polymorphisms of immunosuppressive drugs after kidney transplantation were enroled in result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunosuppressant drugs have been widely used among renal transplant recipients to decrease post-renal transplantation rejection rate and greatly improve the survival rate of renal transplant recipients. Because of its certain side effects and wide variation between individuals, therapeutic drug monitoring should be employed routinely after transplantation to keep blood levels within the therapeutic range. This monitor system is effective to avoid post-renal transplantation rejections and drug side effects to a certain extent. Research on the relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and genetic factors which combined with therapeutic drug monitoring provides possibility to give specific doses that wil improve efficacy while decrease side effects of immunosuppressive drugs, thereby further improving the long-term graft survival rate.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate therapeutic efficacy of Xuebijing injection in the treatment of severe craniocerebral trau-ma. METHODS:67 patients with severe craniocerebral trauma selected from neurosurgery department of our hospital were Treat-ment method divided into treatment group(33 cases)and control group(34 cases). Observation group was given conventional treat-ment,i.g. oxygen inhalation,dehydration,nourish cranial nerve,anti-infection. Treatment group On the basis of the control group was given Xuebijing injection 50 ml/time,tid,ivgtt. PT,TT,PLT,FIB,CK,LA, D-D,blood gas index (PaCO2,PaO2, HCO3-)of 2 groups were observed after 7 days of treatment,and prognosis of 2 groups were evaluated after 6 months as well as therapettin efficacy. RESULTS:After treatment,PT,TT,PLT,FIB,CK,LA, D-D,PaCO2,PaO2 and HCO3- of 2 groups were all better than before,and the treatment group was better than the control group,with statistical significance (P<0.05). The rate of good prognosis in treatment group (78.79%) was significantly better than in control group (55.88%) after 6 months of treat-ment,with statistical significance(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Xuebijing injection in the treatment of severe craniocerebral trau-ma can improve coagulation function,blood gas levels and the inflammatory reaction,and is conducive to improve the patient's prognosis.

?AIM: To evaluate the effects on recovering of corneal wound and postoperative discomfort of different methods for primary pterygium.?METHODS: Forty-seven cases ( 60 eyes ) of primary pterygium were excised under microscope with limbal epithelial transplantation, with sharp dissection ( 24 cases, 30 eyes, Group A) and blunt dissection (23 cases, 30 eyes, Group B).All cases were followed up for 1d to 1mo.?RESULTS: The recovering of corneal wound was better in Group B on 1st day and 3rd day after surgery.Pain, photophobia and tears, foreign body sensation were more serious in group A on 1st day after surgery with a statistically significant difference (P=0.005,0.015,0.012). Pain, photophobia and tears, foreign body sensation were more serious in Group A on 3rd day after surgery with a statistically significant difference ( P=0.019,0.018, 0.015).There was no statistically significant difference on 1wk and 1mo after surgery (P>0.05).? CONCLUSION: Compared with sharp dissection, primary pterygium excised with blunt dissection can significantly improve recovering of corneal wound and postoperative discomfort.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of primary testicular yolk sac tumor (YST).

METHODSWe studied 8 cases of primary testicular YST by microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe 8 cases of primary testicular YST, including 2 consultation cases, were confirmed from 1998 to 2013, accounting for 10.7% (8/75) of all the testicular germ cell tumors diagnosed in our hospital. The patients ranged in age from 7 to 43 years, 23.9 years on average. The main clinical manifestation of the patients was painless unilateral testis swelling. Microscopically, reticular tissues, schiller-duvaI (S-D) bodies, and eosin-stain transparent bodies were seen in the tumors. One of the cases was confirmed to be simple YST, while the other 7 mixed YST. AFP was a characteristic immunophenotype marker of the tumors.

CONCLUSIONPrimary testicular YST is a rare malignancyr with poor prognosis. Its diagnosis depends on preoperative AFP test and postoperative pathology. Comprehensive treatment, including orchiectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, can prolong the survival of the patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Orchiectomy ; Rare Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Testicular Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

A new steroidal ester, beta-rosaterol palmitate (1) along with ten known compounds, uvaol(2), 3-epi-ursolic acid (3), 2alpha, 3beta, 24-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (4), 2alpha, 3alpha, 24-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (5), 2alpha, 3alpha, 24-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (6), 2alpha, 3alpha, 24-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (7), (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid (8), octacosyl alcohol (9), beta-sitosterol (10) and beta-daucosterol (11), has been isolated from the stems and leaves of Vitex trifolia. Their structures were elucidated using a combination of 1D and 2D NMR techniques (COSY, HMQC, and HMBC)and HR-ESI-MS analyses. Compounds 2-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Vitex ; chemistry