Objective To investigate the correlation between asymmetric dimethylarginine (AD-MA) and endothelial dysfunction in patients with uremia.Methods Uremic patients who did not receive hemodialysis were defined as A group (n =40) ; uremic patients who had received hemodialysis were divided into B group (n =45) ;healthy people were defined as C group (n =20) ;and chronic kidney disease (stage 2 ～ 4) patients were defined as D group (n =20).The diameter of intima-media thickness,and endothelium-dependent or independent dilation (EDD or EID) of radial artery in right forearm were detected with diasonography.The levels of ADMA were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.Results Compared to C group,the levels of ADMA in A,B and D groups were significantly increased [C:(0.78 ±0.19) μmol/L,A:(1.51 ±0.16) μ mol/L,B:(1.13 ±0.14) μmol/L,D:(0.92 ±0.11) μmol/L; P ＜0.05].Compared to A group,the levels of ADMA were significantly decreased in B group (P ＜0.05).EDD and EID were decreased significantly in A,B and D groups compared to C group [EDD:C:(13.52±1.73)％ vs A:(7.32 ±0.54)％,B:(9.02 ±0.86)％,D:(10.13 ±1.25)％,P ＜0.05;EID:C:(14.45±1.85)％ vsA:(10.37 ±1.51)％,B:(9.54±1.39)％,D:(11.17±1.56)％,P ＜0.05].EDD in B group was significantly lower than A group (P ＜0.05).In group A,a negative correlation was found between EDD and the level of ADMA (r =-0.81,P =0.020).Conclusions ADMA level was significantly increased in uremic patients.A close correlation existed between ADMA and endothelial dysfunction of radial artery.

OBJECTIVETo observe the antiviral efficacy of Ganneng Dripping Pill (GDP) in treating patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSEighty-four patients of chronic hepatitis B with positive HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg were randomly assigned to 2 groups, the treated group (56 patients) treated with GDP and the control group (28 patients) treated with lamivudine. The therapeutic course for both groups was 6 months. The negative conversion rate of HBeAg and HBV-DNA, changes of liver function, symptoms and physical signs in patients were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSIn the treated group, the negative conversion rate of HBV-DNA and HBeAg was 54.0% (27/50) and 30.0% (15/50) respectively, and the ALT normalizing rate was 80.0% (40/50), while those were 67.86% (19/28), 21.8% (6/28) and 75.0% (21/28) respectively in the control group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (all P > 0.05). However, the AST normalizing rate was 97.96% (48/49) in the treated group, higher than that in the control group (48.0%, 12/25, P < 0.01); and the clinical symptoms, especially the poor appetite, lassitude, gastric distention and yellow urine, were improved more significantly in the treated group than those in the control group (P <0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONGDP has a favorable short-term effect on chronic hepatitis B, it could effectively inhibit HBV replication and improve the liver function, symptoms and signs in patients.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; biosynthesis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

Combining the speed of two-dimensional detection with the precision of three-dimensional detection, an automatic algorithm based on high resolution CT images is proposed to identify nodules in this paper. Nodule candidates are extracted by a two-dimensional convergence index (CI) filter, then a three-dimensional Hessian matrix detection filter is introduced to reduce false positive lung nodules, Experiments show that the algorithm is effective with a sensitivity of 90% and the false positive lung nodules per slice is 0.33.
Algorithms ; False Positive Reactions ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Background Pathologic myopia is one of the common blinding eye diseases.Recent research suggests that immune response participates in the pathogenesis of pathologic myopia,and inflammation is an important factor that influent immune status.Objective Present study was to observe the change of high sensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) in serum in the patients with pathologic myopia and explore the role of inflammation in the development of pathologic myopia. Methods Serum hs-CRP was measured from 30 patients with pathologic myopia,30 patients with simple myopia and 30 normal controls with Nephelometric Turbidity in the OLYMPUS AU5400 automatic biochemical analyzer.Written informed consent was obmined from each subject before medical examination.Results The mean age was(30+10) years in pathologic myopia group,and(32+8)years in simple myopia group and(32+9)years in normal control group.The range of preoperative spherical equivalent refraction was (-6.00--22.00) D in pathologic myopia group,(-1.00--6.00) D in simple myopia group and(-1.00-+1.00) D in normal control group.The level of hs-CRP in serum was(3.68±1.15)mmol/L in the patients with pathologic myopia and was significantly higher than that of simple myopia group(1.99±0.68 mmol/L)and normal controls (2.11±O.66 mmol/L)(q=10.69,P＜0.01;q=9.91,P＜0.01),respectively.No significant correlation was found between hs-CRP level and myopic degrees in pathologic myopia group(R2=0.037,P＞0.05). Conclusion Hs-CRP may play rule in the inflammatory reaction during the pathogenesis of pathologic myopia.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Thrombasthenia ; classification ; diagnosis

Objective To explore the protection of valsartan combined with simvastatin on kidney in early diabetic nephropathy rats. Methods Diabetic nephropathy rats model were induced by streptozocin (STZ) ,the experimental rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control (group C), diabetic nephropathy (group D) ,diabetes treated with valsartan (group X) ,diabetes treated with simvastatin (group Z) ,and diabetes treated with combined valsartan and simvastatin ( group L). Blood glucose (BG), HbA1c, blood cholesterol ( TC), trigalloylglycerol ( TG ), blood ureanitrogen ( BUN ), serum creatinine (SCr) , urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) were measured, and the podocyte ultrastructure was observed by transmission electronic microscopy. Results The levels of BG, HbA1c,TC,TG and UAER in group D increased significantly compared togroup C(BG:[20.3 ±3.2]mmol/L vs [6.1 -±0. 4]mmol/L;HbA1c:[7.18 ±0.47]% vs [3.37 ±0. 15]% ;TC: [2. 69 ±0. 35] mmol/L vs [1.28 ±0. 24] mmol/L;TG: [3.09 ±0. 37] mmol/L vs [1.18 ±0. 25]mmol/L) (P ＜ 0. 05 ). Creatinine clearance rates (Ccr) in group D ( [0. 89 ± 0. 19] ml/min ) decreased significantly compared to group C( [1.27 ±0. 33] ml/min) ,as well as group X,Z and L( Ps ＜ 0. 05 ). UAER in group D was significantly higher than that in group C ( [19. 87 ±3. 85] μg/24 h vs [3. 67 ± 1.01] μg/24 h) (P ＜ 0. 05 ), as well as group X, Z and L ( P ＜ 0. 05 ), and the improvement in group L was particularly significant ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). The projections of podocyte in group D severely syncretized, there were slightly improvement in group X, Z and L compared to group D, and the improvement in group L was remarkable. Conclusion The treatment with valsartan, simvastatin and their combination will effectively protect the kidney in early diabetic nephropathy rats,and the effect of using the combination therapy is much better.

In order to study the contraindications of the compatibility of Flos Genkwa-Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae, in this study, the solubilizing and poisoning essence were explored. In this experiment, chromatographic assay, field emission scanning electron microscopy, MTT cytotoxicity evaluation, and other methods were used to study the main chemical components, morphology and toxicity of the ethyl acetate part of Flos Genkwa and its co-decoction with glycyrrhizic acid, in order to clarify Flos Genkwa-Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae incompatibility provides a new idea for the research on incompatibility of Flos Genkwa-Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae. The results showed that after co-decoction of the ethyl acetate part of Flos Genkwa with glycyrrhizic acid, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) detected the dissolution of the toxic component yuanhuacine of 54.8%, while yuanhuacine chromatographic peak was not detected in the Flos Genkwa ethyl acetate part of the single decoction. The increase of co-decoction dissolution rate was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and it was found that glycyrrhizic acid uniformly dispersed the fat-soluble components of Flos Genkwa into nano-scale particles, which improved the solubility and stability in the solution. Furthermore, the results of cytotoxicity evaluation showed that the survival rate of cells decreased after co-decoction, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining also gave the same results. In summary, the co-decoction of the ethyl acetate part of Flos Genkwa with glycyrrhizic acid promotes the dissolution of the toxic component yuanhuacine, and makes the part form uniformly distributed nanoparticles, which is conducive to the absorption of the ingredient and increases the toxicity.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the expression of EIIIA+ fibronectin in incised wound of rat's skin and injury time. METHODS: The wounding model was established by cutting the dorsal skin of 48 adult SD rats. The rats were sacrificed at the pre-set injury time as immediately, 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 8 h. The skin samples were taken at the margin of wound. The expression of the EIIIA? fibronectin was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting and the relationship be- tween its expression and injury time was observed. Results The expression of EIIIA+ fibronectin was not observed immediately. The basal cell of skin began to show positive expression 0.5 h after injury. With the extension of injury time, positive staining became stronger. The value of relative optical density was gradually increased with prolonged injury time by the Western blotting analysis. CONCLUSION The expression of EIIIA+ fibronectin could be used for estimation of injury time in the early stage of skin injury.
Animals ; Fibronectins/metabolism* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proteins/metabolism* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin/metabolism* ; Staining and Labeling ; Time Factors

BACKGROUNDAcute renal failure following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Approximately half of all patients who develop acute kidney injury (AKI) subsequently develop acute renal failure (ARF). The purpose of the study was to compare early transient changes in renal function within the first post-operative week following CABG in patients that were either off-pump or on-pump.

METHODSEight hundred and forty-nine consecutive patients with isolated CABG in a single institution between January 1990 and August 2006 were retrospectively analyzed, including 518 off-pump and 331 on-pump patients. A multivariate Logistic regression model was constructed to identify risk factors for the development of AKI.

RESULTSSixty-one off-pump patients and 63 on-pump patients developed AKI. Risk factors for the development of post-operative AKI included an ejection fraction > or =50% or < or =30%, a pulse pressure > or =60 mmHg, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, emergent procedure, triple-vessel disease, body mass index, peri-operative and post-operative. intra-aortic balloon pumping, NYHA class III and IV, and cardiopulmonary bypass. An ejection fraction > or =50% and peri-operative and post-operative intra-aortic balloon pumping were protective (OR <1). Peak serum creatinine for post-operative AKI was noted 12 hours and 24 hours in the off-pump and on-pump patients, respectively. Serum creatinine kinetics revealed rapid recovery in the 24th to 48th hour (off-pump) and the 48th to 72nd hour (on-pump).

CONCLUSIONRenal protection strategies are indicated from general anesthesia induction until 48 and 72 hours post-operatively in off-pump and on-pump patients, respectively.

Acute Kidney Injury ; etiology ; Aged ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; adverse effects ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; adverse effects ; Creatinine ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

ObjectiveTo explore the prevalence and spectrum of β-thalassemia mutations in Fujian province,and to provide a reference for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling in this population.Methods Two thousand three hundred and one blood samples were randomly selected from 9 different areas of Fujian province from May 2008 to December 2010.PCR and reverse dot blot hybridization (RDB) were adopted for detection of the 17 common types of mutation,and the frequency of each genotype of β-thalassemia mutations was calculated.The β-globin gene of unknown positive samples were analyzed directly with DNA sequencing.Results Three hundred and fifty-nine cases were detected with β-thalassemia mutations of the 2301 copy blood samples submitted,and the detection rate was 15.60％ (359/2301).Of the mutated genes,12 different mutations were identified,namely IVS-2-654(C→T),CD41-42(-TCTT),CD17(A→T),-28(A→G),CD27-28(+C),CD26(G→A),CD71-72(+A),IVS-1-1(G→T),CD43(G→T),-29(A→G),initiation codon ATG→AGG and CD36(-C).Mutation frequencies were 46.54％ (175/376),33.24％ (125/376),9.31％ (35/376),5.05％ (19/376),2.13％(8/376),1.33％(5/376),0.80％(3/376),0.27％(1/376),0.27％(1/376),0.27％(1/376),0.53％(2/376),and 0.27％(1/376),respectively.The most common mutations were IVS-2-654 (C→T) and CD41-42 (-TCTT),which accounted for 79.78％(300/376) of total genetic mutations.In addition,a novel β-globin gene mutation CD36 (-C) allele was detected for the first time,the deletion of a nucleotide C at code 36 within exon 2 lead to a frameshift mutation that could result in a premature termination at code 60.Conclusions β-thalassemia mutations in Fujian province are complex with significant genetic heterogeneity.We present for the first time the detection of a new β-thalassemia mutation in the population:CD36(-C),which provides valuable information for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in Fujian province.