Objective To observe the inhibitory effect of endothelin receptor antagonist on increased vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) level of retina in diabetic rats. Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group,diabetic group(diabetes without treatment) and treated group(diabetes treated with endothelin receptor antagonist).The rats were killed after 24 weeks.Levels of VEGF in retina of rats were detected by ELISA. Results Levels of VEGF were significantly lower in treated group than diabetic group(P

OBJECTIVERecently studies showed infections of Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp), Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) played roles in the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to study relationship between infection of Cp, Hp and CMV, systemic inflammation and coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODSFourty-five patients with at least one coronary artery stenosis > 50% and 33 control subjects with negative coronary angiography were recruited for this case-control study from May 2000 to October 2001. Antibodies against Cp, Hp and CMV were measured and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels determined for each case. CRP level > 0.8 mg/dl was defined at elevated CRP level.

RESULTSThe prevalence of Cp IgG, Hp IgG or Hp IgA antibody was associated with CAD (P = 0.017, P < 0.001, P = 0.009). After adjustment for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, the association was still seen. Mean CRP value was significantly higher in patients with CAD, compared to those without CAD (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed statistical significance (P = 0.03). Elevated levels of CRP were found to be an important parameter for CAD (P = 0.032). The prevalence of Cp IgG antibody, Hp IgG and CMV IgG antibody all showed no association with elevated levels of CRP (P = 0.391, P = 0.253, P = 0.724). The ratio of elevated levels of serum basic CRP in the group with IgG antibodies to 3 pathogens was 32.1% while in the group with IgG antibodies to

CONCLUSIONSTwo chronic infections, Cp and Hp, might increase the risk of CAD. There was no association of CMV infection with CAD. C-reactive protein was an independent parameter of CAD, but the increased systemic inflammation in CAD did not seem to be related to aforesaid infection.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Chlamydophila Infections ; complications ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; Coronary Disease ; etiology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; complications ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Inflammation ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged

Biomedical Research ; trends ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo explore effective approaches of treating elderly patients with distal tibiofibular fractures.

METHODSFrom August 2008 to October 2012,175 elderly patients with distal tibiofibular fractures were treated with locking compression plate (LCP) through anterior tibial. There were 112 males and 63 females with an average of 71.3 (ranged 60 to 83) years old. Of them,89 cases were treated by anterior tibial tension reduced incision with LCP,including 62 males and 27 females with a mean age of (71.8 +/- 6.4) years old. Eighty-six patients were treated by distal tibial incision with LCP,including 58 males and 28 females with a mean age of (70.3 +/- 6.7) years old. Swelling time, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, healing time, complications and AOFAS scores were compared between two groups after operation.

RESULTSSwelling time in anterior tension reduced incision with LCP and distal tibial incision with LCP was (5.6 +/- 1.3) and (9.7 +/- 2.1) days, healing time was (4.2 +/- 1.4) and (5.4 +/- 1.9) months,and complications were found 3 in tension reduced incision and 10 in distak tibial incision respectively;and all data shown statistically significant differences between two groups (P < 0.05). At 12 months after operation,AOFAS score was 89.0 +/- 9.7, 87.9 +/- 9.4; and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTension reduced incision through anterior tibial combined with locking compression plate fixation in treating elderly patients with distal tibiofibular fractures can provide good clinical effects with quick fracture healing and low complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Fibula ; injuries ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Tibia ; injuries ; surgery ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To evaluate the clinical diagnostic value of nucleic acid amplification (TB- RNA),bacteriophage-based assay,3D culture and smear on the detection of Mycobacteria tuberculosis.Methods 291 clinical sample including 110 sputum,54 thoracic fluid,37 throat swab,31 bronchial fluid,13 cerebrospinal fluid,12 urine,8 lymph fluid and 20 others (pericardial effusion,feces, blood and abdominal fluid) and gynecological specimen (including 6 leucorrhoea and menstrual blood) were analyzed by these four methods.Results Among the 291 clinical samples,the positive rate of mycobacteria tuberculosis for TB-RNA,bacteriophage-based assay,3D culture and smear were 37.1%,28.9%,27.5% and 10.3%.The sensitivity and specificity of the TB-RNA,bacteriophage-based assay,3D culture and smear were 54.3% & 100%,41.7% & 88.9%,31.7% & 93.5% and 14.6% & 98.9%,respectively.Conclusions TB-RNA is an effective clinical diagnostic method for Mycobacteria tuberculosis.Although the sensitivity of smear is poorer than others,it is a universal testing method in clinical laboratory due to low cost.The positive rate of mycobacteria tuberculosis for 3D culture is lower than that of bacteriophage-based assay and TB-RNA.Although the time to result for 3D culture might last for few weeks,the isolates can be used for drug resistance screening and bacterial identification.

OBJECTIVETo determine the serum levels of CD62p (alpha-granular membrane protein) and CD63 (lysosome intact membrane protein) in patients with head injury and to observe its relation to injury severity.

METHODSFifty-three patients with head injury were divided into 3 groups; Group A patients with mild head injury; Group B with moderate head injury; and Group C with severe head injury. The serum levels of CD62p, CD63 were measured on 12 h, d 1, 3, 5 and 7 after injury.

RESULTThe serum levels of CD62p and CD63 in Group B and Group C were higher than those in Group A and control (P<0.05). The serum level of CD62p in Group C was higher than that in Group B (P<0.05). The serum levels of CD62p in Group C on d 1, 3, 5 after injury were higher than those on 12 h (P<0.05). The serum level of CD63 in Group B on d 3 after injury were higher than that on 12 h (P<0.05). The serum levels of CD63 in Group C on d 1, 3, 5 after injury were higher than those on 12 h (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe serum levels of CD62p and CD63 in patients with head injury may be helpful for identifying the severity of injury, and CD62p seems to be more sensitive.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; Brain Injuries ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; P-Selectin ; blood ; Platelet Activation ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; Tetraspanin 30 ; Trauma Severity Indices

Objective To solve the danger and difficulty in transferring seriously injured victims. Methods The operating principle, construction design, electronic control system and software program flowchart of a robot transfer arm for victim-transfer were introduced.Results and Conclusion The victim didn not have to change their body posture during transfer. The procedure is very simple.A push at only one key is enough,without secondary injury.

This study was undertaken to investigate the correlation of the enhancement degree on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with the histopathology of carotid plaques and the serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA).Carotid CEUS was performed preoperatively in 115 patients who would undergo CEA,and the enhancement degree of the carotid plaques was evaluated by both the visual semiquantitative analysis and the quantitative time-intensity curve analysis.Serum hs-CRP levels were detected using the particle-enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay also before the operation.Additionally,the carotid plaque samples were subjected to histopathological examination postoperatively.The density of neovessels and the number of macrophages in the plaques were assessed by immunohistochemistry.The results showed that among the 115 patients,grade 0 plaque contrast enhancement was noted in 35 patients,grade 1 in 48 patients and grade 2 in 32 patients.The degree of plaque enhancement,the density ofneovessels,the number of macrophages,and the hs-CRP levels were highest in the grade 2 patients.Correlation analysis showed that the enhancement degree of the carotid plaques was closely related to the immunohistochemical parameters of the plaques and the serum hs-CRP levels.It was suggested that the carotid plaque enhancement on CEUS can be used to evaluate the vulnerability of carotid plaques.

Adolescent ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

OBJECTIVETo explore the variations of gene C in hepatitis B viruses between hepatitis B patients and healthy carriers, and provide experimental evidences for analysis of virus gene mutations acting on the virus material science and response of the body to the virus.

METHODSThe virus DNA load in hepatitis B patients and healthy blood donors was investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gene sequence analysis was taken to detect gene polymorphism, and all the success samples were compaired with standard strain by DNAstar.

RESULTS(1)G Compared with standard strain, C region in all samples had mutations, there were 31 mutations in at least 2 samples (3 mutations in gene PreC and 28 mutations in gene C), including 9 missense mutations, 1 chain termination mutation and 21 synonymous mutation. Mutations nt 1827 c-->a and nt 2221 c-->t existed in all the samples, and most samples had 6 synonymous mutations. Four hepatitis B patients had mutation nt1896 g-->a, and another 4 patients had 2 mutations, namely, S87G and I97F (or 197L) in HBcAg CTL recognition episome. (2) The success ratio of amplification and sequencing of HBV DNA was closely associated with its copy numbers. In the present study, copy numbers of HBV DNA which were successfully amplified and sequenced were almost more than 40 193/ml.

CONCLUSIONSHBV genome were easily affected by nucleotide mutations, 2 residues had mutations in gene of C region, which is firstly reported, suggesting these mutations may be geographical restricted. Mutations in gene of C region may either change the structure and function of HBeAg and HBcAg, which may further induce the escape of immune clearance for HBV or influence the detection of HBsAg or HBeAg, which may creat new problems for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B.

Female ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Polymorphism, Genetic