Objective To investigate the serum levels of anti-BRAF antibody in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its clinical significance.Methods Blood samples from 129 patients with RA,71 patients with other rheumatic diseases and 68 healthy controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).The serum levels of anti-BRAF antibody in patients with RA were divided into high,medium and low groups,each group had 43 cases.The clinical symptoms,immunological findings and related imaging data of all cases were recorded.We investigated the relationship between the serum levels of anti-BRAF antibody and the clinical symptoms,immunological findings and related imaging changes of the RA group.Chi-square test,Mann-Whitney U test,Spearman's correlation test were used for statistical analysis.Results ① The serum levels of anti-BRAF antibody were significantly higher in RA group [A:1.093 (0.150-3.210)] than in other rheumatic diseases group [A:0.278 (0.093-0.455)] and healthy controls [A:0.202 (0.121-0.443)] (Z=-11.223,P=0.021 ; Z=-7.839,P=0.008 7).The serum levels of anti-BRAF antibody was not significantly different between patients with other rheumatic diseases group and healthy controls (Z=-0.905,P=0.445).② The difference in positive rate of rheumatoid factor (RF) in different groups of anti-BRAF antibody levels was statistically significant (λx2=10.14,P=0.006),namely the positive rate was significantlyhigher in the low-level group (88％) than in the high-level group (58％) (x2=10.03,P=0.002).Thepositive rate of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and anti-keratin antibody of the three groups was not significantly different (x2=0.721,P=0.697; x2=1.735,P=0.188).③ There was significant negative correlation between the levels of anti-BRAF antibody and the course of disease (r=-0.233,P=0.047),RF(r=-2.84,P=0.039),IgM (r=-0.234,P=0.038),and hemoglobin (r=-0.287,P=0.032).There was no significant correlation between the level of anti-BRAF antibody and the joint swelling index (r=-0.133,P=0.230),joint pain index (r=-0.173,P=0.100),other clinical and laboratory parameters.There was significantly negative correlation between the ESR and hemoglobin level.④ There was no significant difference of the level of anti-BRAF antibody between the normal group and patients with bone destruction in the RA group (Z=-0.642,P=0.521).⑤ There was no significant difference in the level of anti-BRAF antibody between the normal group and patients with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis group in the RA group (Z=-0.121,P=0.904).Conclusion The anti-BRAF antibody can be used for the diagnosis of RA as a new autoantibody,and it can also be used in the diagnosis of early or RF-negative RA.There is no correlation between the level of anti-BRAF antibody and bone destruction and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

The G protein-coupled receptor, GPR40, is a specific receptor for free fatty acids. Singnaling pathways are activated in islet ?-cells by fatty acids as binding to GPR40. Fatty acids regulate insulin secretion and cause ?-cell hyperplasia through GPR40. GPR40 also mediates responses to antidiabetic drugs like thiazolidinediones. GPR40 agonists and/or antagonists show potential effect in the development of new anti-diabetic drugs.

AlM:To determine the relations between the changes of vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ) concentration in plasma, aqueous humor and vitreous of patients with diabetic retinopathy ( DR ) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR) , as well as to find if the condition of metabolism control of patients with DR may affect the VEGF level.
METHODS: Double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of VEGF concentration in plasma of non-diabetic retinopathy ( NDR ) patients group, background diabetic retinopathy ( BDR ) patients group, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR) patients group. The levels of HbAlc in plasma of patients in above three groups were measured at the same time. The VEGF concentration in aqueous humor, vitreous of PDR patients group and normal group was also measured for further comprehensive analysis. Human VEGF immunoassay Quantikine with high sensibility and quality was imported from R&D Co. LTD. , USA.
RESULTS: There was an increasing tendency in the VEGF concentration in aqueous humor of PDR patients group. There was no statistically significant difference as it was compared with normal group (P>0. 05). The VEGF concentration in vitreous of PDR patients group was obviously increased, there was significant difference as it was compared with normal group (P<0. 01). lt showed an increasing tendency of VEGF concentration in turn in plasma, aqueous humor and vitreous of the 3 PDR patients selves. lt showed that there was significant difference among VEGF concentration in plasma, aqueous humor and vitreous of all the PDR patients (P<0. 01). ln normal group there was no significant difference among VEGF concentration in plasma, aqueous humor and vitreous ( P > 0. 05 ). ln normal group the VEGF concentration in plasma was the highest, but in PDR patients group the VEGF concentration in vitreous was the highest.
CONCLUSlON: The significantly increased VEGF concentration in eyes, especially in vitreous of PDR patients may play an important role in development and deterioration of DR. lt was clear that VEGF played its normal biological functions mainly in plasma in normal human. ln severe DR patients, abnormal high may come from ischemic and VEGF concentration in vitreous suggested that it hypoxic retina and there was a tendency to diffuse towards the front of eyes.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common in diabetic patients. This article reviews several aspects of asymptomatic bacteriuria in diabetes mellitus, including prevalence, mechanisms, coexisting risk factors, bacteriology, treatment and prognosis.

Objective To improve the phacoemulsification (PHACO) technical level and management level for hospitals and to support the health decisions of health administration departments , we establish an index system of PHACO quality control of Guangdong province. Methods We determined the critical value , screened indicators and calculated the weight value with a method of literature analysis , Dephi method , percentile method, correlation coefficient and so on. At last, we tested the content validity through literature research and expert opinions and tested construct validity of the indicator system using factor analysis. Results An index system of PHACO assessment of 5 first grade indicators , 11 second grade indicators and 20 third grade indicators was established. Reliability analysis showed that three rounds of positive coefficient were 80.00%, 90.00% and 92.59%. Experts' authority coefficient was ranged from 0.710 to 0.921. Coefficient of concordance were 0.400 , 0.395 and 0.278 (P < 0.01). The standardized Cronbach α was 0.837 and the construct validity was good. The corresponding rate between simulation results and expert assessment was 94.55%. Conclusions It is reasonable and practical to use Delphi method to construct the index system of PHACO assessment. Reliability and validity of the index system and empirical application indicate the feasibility of its practical application.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of the autophagy-associated gene Atg5 with the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

METHODSUsing real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, we detected the expression of Atg5 in 50 cases of prostate intraepithelial neoplasm (PIN), 69 cases of prostate cancer (PCa), and 30 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

RESULTSThe expression level of Atg5 mRNA was significantly higher in PIN (5.270 ± 0.230) and PCa (5.131 ± 0.252) than in the BPH tissue (1.723 ± 0.017) (P <0.01), and so was the positive rate of the Atg5 expression in the patients of the PIN group (94%) and PCa group (88.4%) than in those of the BPH group (6.7%) (P<0.01), but with no statistically significant differences between the PIN and PCa groups (P >0.05). No significant correlation was observed between the expression of Atg5 and the Gleason score of PCa (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe upregulated expression of Atg5 might play a role in the tumorigenesis of prostate cancer.

Aged ; Autophagy ; Autophagy-Related Protein 5 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Up-Regulation

It is critical to preventing gut-originaltel infection to attenuate bacterial and/or endotoxin translocation, maintain bacterial balance, improve gut mucosal barrier function and elevate local immunity. Probiotics beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance, by preventing gut mucosal barrier breakdown and bacterial translocation, by modulating immunity,and by promoting gut movements and absorption. The role and new progress of probiotics in enteral nutrition are reviewed .

Objective Effect of spirulina's complex preparation(SACP) on morphologies and protein expression of HSP70 in myocardium, skeletal muscle and liver tissue were investigated in the mice during 4-week prolonged exhaustive exercise . Methods Male mice were divided into 5 groups as follow: N(control), M(exercise with moderate intensity), MS(exercise with moderate intensity plus spirulina supplementation), F(exercise with increasing intensity) and FS(exercise with increasing intensity plus spirulina supplementation). Light microscope and electron microscope were used to observe the effect of SACP on morphologies in myocardium, skeletal muscle and liver tissue in mice in group F and group FS. HSP70 protein expression was detected by immunohistochemical method. Results Under the light microscope, edema, degeneration and necroses in myocardium, skeletal muscle and liver tissues were found in the mice of group F, and fragmentation of muscle fiber, cell swelling, mitochondrial swelling and nucleoplasm solution in myocardium, skeletal muscle were found under the electron microscope in the mice of group F. The aforementioned lesions of myocardium, skeletal muscle and liver tissue in the mice of group FS were obviously alleiated. HSP70 protein expression in myocardium, skeletal muscle cells and liver cells in swimming mice was significantly higher than that in control (P0.05). Conclusions SACP had protecting effect against the microtrauma in myocardium, skeletal muscle and liver tissues caused by prolonged exhaustive exercise, and the effect was probably related to the improvement of the protein expression of HSP70 affected by SACP supplementation.

Objective:To investigate the influence of pCD-Em10 on immune responses in mice infected with alveolar hydatid cyst of Echinococcus multilocularis(Em).Methods:BALB/c mice were intramuscularly vaccinated with pCD-Em10 and then challenged with Em protoscoleces at the 8 w after vaccination.The mice were killed in 18th week of infection to count the rate of reduced alveolar hydatid cyst weight;The spleens were gathered to separate splenocytes,and the subsets of CD4+and CD8+T cells were measured by FACsort.The splenocytes were cultured by stimulation with EmAg or ConA,their supernatants were gathered to measure level of IL-2,IFN-?,TNF-? and IL-4 by ELISA Kits.Apoptotic rate of splenocytes was measured by FACsort.BCG or PBS injection served as control.Results:In the group of PCD-Em10 immunization,the rate of reduced alveolar hydatid cyst weight was 71.17%,CD4+ subset increased obviously,and the levels of IFN-? and TNF-? increased remarkably,but that of IL-4 decreased.Apoptotic rate in the pCD-Em10 group was lower than that in the PBS control.Conclusion:pCD-Em10 may induce a protective immune response in mice infected with alveolar hydatid cyst of Echinococcus multilocularis.

Objective To understand the personality and self-rated health status and the relationship between them in medical students. Methods By multi-stage cluster random sampling, 878 medical students were selected to investigate the personality by Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (Short Scale For Chinese) and the health status by self-rated health measurement scale (SRHMS1.0). Results The score of L dimension among male and female medical students was significantly higher than that of nation- wide young population. The scores of E, N and P dimensions had no significant difference between them. The score of P dimension of male students was significantly higher than that of female students. The score of students' SRHMS was 339.28?41.19, which was higher than that of general population in China. The score of physical health subscale among male and female students was 144.90?11.41 and 142.73?11.36, respectively (t=2.829, P=0.005). The scores of SRHMS and its three subscales were significantly different in medical students with different personality traits except the score of physical health subscale in students with different grades of P dimension. The scores of E and L dimensions had significantly positive correlation with SRHMS, and the scores of N and P dimensions had significantly negative correlation with SRHMS. Conclusion The personality traits of medical students were remarkably influenced on their self-rated health. To encourage medical students to reform the wholesome personality will be helpful to their health.