Objective To explore the role of procalcitonin (PCT) in diagnosis and antibiotics therapy of community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods A total of 296 patients with CAP and 221 patients with other diseases were included. PCT levels between CAP patients and non-CAP patients, aged and non-aged CAP patients were analyzed. SPSS19.0 was used to make ROC, and the maximum Youden index to determine the optimal cutoff value, the corresponding sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE). Results PCT levels in CAP patients were significantly higher than those in non-CAP (P<0.05). The diagnostic value of PCT in CAP was as follows: the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.67, the optimal cutoff value 0.055 ng/mL and the SEN and SPE were 0.55 and 0.77 respectively. For aged CAP patients, the values were 0.63, 0.055 ng/mL, 0.53 and 0.73 respectively and for non-aged CAP patients, the values were 0.73, 0.085 ng/mL, 0.53 and 0.90 respectively. The days of treatment in PCT-guided antibiotics therapy group were greatly less than those in clinical and radiology-guided antibiotics therapy (P<0.05), while there was no difference on relapse (P>0.05). Conclusion PCT has a high value in diagnosis and antibiotics therapy of CAP.

Sox gene family is composed of a class of SRY gene,encoding a series of transcription factors.In the ontogeny,sox genes involved in a variety of development,such as sex determination and differentiation,neural development,cartilage formation.In recent years,researchers found that the abnormal expression of sox gene was related with the development of breast cancer,such as,the overexpression of Sox2 and Sox4 was related with breast cancer; Sox7 and Sox17 in breast cancer could act as tumor suppressor gene,the downregulation of which could activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; DNA Damage ; Female ; Humans ; Micronucleus Tests ; Nursing Staff, Hospital ; Occupational Exposure

ObjectiveTo study the expression of Twist in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast and its relationship with cell proliferation and angiogenesis.MethodsThe expression of Twist and Ki-67 was detected in 60 cases with invasive ductal carcinoma of breast by immunohistochemistry.Ki-67 index and microvascular density(MVD) were calculated.ResultsThe positive expression rate of Twist was 56.7％ (34/60) in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast.Ki-67 index and MVD in the patients with positive expression of Twist was higher than those in the patients with negative expression of Twist[(57.05 ± 16.37)％ vs.(25.32 ± 16.16)％,(34.30 ± 12.25)％ vs.(23.04 ± 10.45)％,P＜ 0.05 ].ConclusionsThe overexpression of Twist is found in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast.To stimulate cell proliferation and angiogenesis may be one of the pathways of Twist to contribute to the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer.

Study found that in some human tumors such as breast cancer,SOX7 gene is highly likely to be a tumor suppressor gene.The tumor suppressor role of SOX7 may be accomplished by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediated the transcription process,and the abnormal Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is likely to play its role through the regulation of its downstream target gene Cyclin D1,etc,so that the ahnormal cell proliferation activity is unable to carry on,and thus plays the function of tumor suppressor.This review will summarize the research progress of the role of SOX7 geue and its closely related β-catenin,Cyclin D1 gene in breast cancer.

Objective:To explore the application of speckle tracking imaging (STI) stratification strain technique in the assessment of circumferential myocardial function and the myocardial protection of ATP-postconditioning (ATP-PostC) in a rabbit model of acute myocardial infarction.Methods:A total of 40 rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups: pure ischemia reperfusion group (IR group)and ATP-PostC group. STI images were recorded before and 45 min after occlusion of coronary artery, post low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography, 60 and 120 min after reperfusion, respectively. The following parameters were obtained: left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF), heart rate (HR), endocardial circumferential systolic strain (CSsys-endo), mid-myocardial circumferential systolic strain (CSsys-mid) and epicardial circumferential systolic strain (CSsys-epi) at left ventricular short-axis level. At different time points after occlusion and reperfusion, 5 experimental rabbits were killed in each group for pathological examination.Results:①Forty-five min after coronary artery occlusion in both groups, the values of LVEF and HR were decreased( P<0.05), and the absolute values of CSsys-endo, CSsys-mid and CSsys-epi were significantly reduced( P<0.01). After LDDSE, the absolute values of CSsys-endo, CSsys-mid and CSsys-epi were increased, which were different from those after blockade( P<0.05). ②After reperfusion, the circumferential strains were not significantly different from those after blockade in IR group ( P>0.05). After blockade, the absolute values of circumferential strains were increased significantly in the ATP-PostC group compared with IR group( P<0.05). In the ATP-PostC group, the absolute values of CSsys-endo at different time points after reperfusion increased significantly compared with that after blockade ( P<0.05). The absolute values of CSsys-endo and CSsys-mid 120 min after reperfusion continued to increase significantly compared with those 60 min after reperfusion( P<0.05). ③Pathological examination: After 60 min of blockade, there was no significant difference in myocardial infarction area between the IR group and the ATP-PostC group( P>0.05). The percentage of infarct areas at each time point of reperfusion in the ATP-PostC group was decreased compared with that after blockade( P<0.05). Compared with the IR group, the percentage of infarct area in the ATP-PostC group was smaller after 120 minutes of reperfusion and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The applications of STI stratification strain technique and LDDSE can assess left ventricular circumferential strains at each of myocardial layers before and after reperfusion in rabbit myocardial ischemia ATP-PostC model, identify and evaluate the function of viable myocardium, and exhibit the significant protective effects of ATP-PostC on myocardial reperfusion injury.

Objective To investigate whether increasing the concentration of serum potassium facilitates the cardioversion to sinus rhythm during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a rat ventricular fibrillation (VF) model. Methods Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with sustained VF by electrical induction were randomized into two groups by random number table. Five minutes after onset of electrical induction, 2.5% potassium chloride solution at a dose of 0.8 mL/kg (KCl group, n = 9) or equivalent normal saline (NS group, n = 9) was given respectively via femoral vein followed by traditional CPR. The changes of electrocardiogram (ECG) and the effect of defibrillation were compared between the two groups. Results During the CPR, the number of animals with spontaneous cardioversion (2 vs. 1, P = 1.000) and successful defibrillation (7 vs. 3, P = 0.026) were both increasing in KCl group compare with those in the NS group, which required fewer defibrillation (1.60±0.79 vs. 2.70±0.58, P = 0.064), lower calculative defibrillation energy (J: 4.00±3.00 vs. 8.30±2.89, P = 0.068), more animals restore spontaneous circulation (ROSC, 9 vs. 4, P = 0.029) and shorter ROSC time (s: 265.10±134.58 vs. 421.30±162.06, P = 0.096). At the beginning of CPR, animals in two groups all presented the fine amplitude (amplitude < 0.5 mV). At CPR 3 minutes the KCl group presented significantly larger amplitude compared with NS group (mV: 0.92±0.16 vs. 0.67±0.23, P = 0.030); The amplitude decreased in the animals which did not attain cardioversion to sinus rhythm over time. The animal number of fine amplitude at CPR 7 minutes were 0 and 5, respectively, in the KCl group and the NS group. Conclusion Increasing serum potassium concentration facilitates the VF amplitude enlargement, promotes the spontaneous conversion, increases the successful rate of defibrillation and reduces the energy for defibrillation in a rat VF model.

Objective To evaluate the left ventricular flow field characteristics in patients with obstructive and non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using vector flow mapping (VFM),then assess the left ventricular hemodynamics.Methods 40 patients with HCM were randomly selected as case group,among which 20 patients with left ventricular outflow tract(LVOT) obstruction (group Ⅰ) and 20 patients without LVOT obstruction(group Ⅱ),40 healthy adult volunteers served as control group.The conventional parameters:left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),interventricular septal thickness and radial and pressure gradient of left ventricular outflow tract and VFM parameters:left ventricular peak systolic velocity (Vs),systolic flow (Fs),total negative systolic flow (SQ-) and vortex parameters were measured and compared.The correlation between LVOT pressure gradient and VFM parameters were assessed.Results There was no significant difference of LVEF in three groups.Compared with control group,interventricular septal thickness in group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ was much higher(P ＜0.05).Radius in group Ⅰ was much lower than that of group Ⅱ and pressure gradient of LVOT in group Ⅰ was significantly higher compared with group Ⅱ (P ＜0.05).Comparison of VFM parameters:①Compared with control group,SQ-of basal segments in case groups were lower (P ＜0.05),while SQ-of mid and apical segments were higher(P ＜ 0.05),Vs and Fs of all segments increased (P ＜0.05),and number of vortex,vortex diameter and vorticity of obstruction and non-obstruction groups were higher(P ＜0.05).②Compared with group Ⅱ,SQ-of basal segments decreased and SQ-of mid and apical segments increased in group Ⅰ,Vs and Fs of all segments were higher.The number of vortex,vortex diameter were higher in group Ⅰ (P ＜ 0.05).③ Correlation analysis:Fs in apex,the number of vortex relatively correlated with press gradient of LVOT(r =0.60,0.65,respectively).Conclusions VFM can effectively evaluate the flow field characteristics of left ventricle in patients with obstructive and non-obstructive HCM,and Fs in apex,number of vortex were correlated with the degree of obstruction,then further assess the left ventricular hemodynamics quantitively.

Objective To assess the value of wave intensity (WI) on the discrimination of hypertension with concentric hypertrophy and non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(NOHCM).Methods 36 patients with hypertension with concentric hypertrophy,30 patients with NOHCM and 36 healthy volunteers were randomly selected to perform routine ultrasound examination and carotid arterial WI test.The conventional parameters,inlcuding interventricular septal thickness in diastole (IVSTd),left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole(LVPWd),left ventricular diameter in diastole(LVIDd) and WI parameters,including the first peak (W1),the second peak (W2),negative area (NA),the interval between the R wave of the ECG and the peak of W1 (R-1st),the interval between the peaks of W1 and W2 (1st-2nd) were archived and compared among the different groups.Results ① There were statistical significances in IVSTd among the three groups(P ＜0.01).LVPWd of hypertension group was obviously higher than that of normal and NOHCM groups (P ＜0.01),but there were no statistical significances in NOHCM and normal groups(P ＞0.05).There were no statistical significances in LVIDd among different groups(P ＞ 0.05).②Compared with the normal group,W1 in NOHCM group increased significantly,whereas W2 and R-1st was much lower (P ＜0.01);W1 and NA in hypertension group was obviously higher(P ＜0.01).W2 and R-1st in NOHCM group were much smaller than those of hypertension group (P＜0.01).③W2 in 850 mmHg · m · s-3 was an optimal cutoff value to identify NOHCM and hypertension and to yield the sensitivity of 78.9％ and specificity of 72.4％.R-1st in 98.5 ms was a cutoff point to discriminate NOHCM and hypertension and to bring the sensitivity 65.8％ and specificity 72.4％.Conclusions WI analysis can effectively distinguish the difference of NOHCM and hypertension and provide a new viewpoint for the discrimination of hypertension with concentric hypertrophy and non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the expression of SOX7,β-catenin and cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer and hyperplastic disease of the breast,and explore their relationship with clinical pathology charactersis in invasive breast cancer in order to provide valuable biomarkers for the treatment and prognosis.Methods The expression of SOX7,β-catenin and cyclin D1 was neasured in 50 invasive breast cancer tissues and 30 hyperplastic disease of the breast by immunohistochemical SP method.The correlations of SOX7,β-catenin and cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer to clinicopathologic features were analyzed,such as age,size of tumor,axillary lymph node metastasis,histological grade,pTNM stage,ER,PR,Her-2 expression and the risk.Results Immunohistochemical results showed that the positive rates of SOX7 and cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer were 42％ (21/50)and 70％ (35/50),and the abnormal expression rates of β-catenin in invasive breast cancer was 70％ (35/50).The positive rates of SOX7 in invasive breast cancer was significantly lower than that in hyperplastic disease of the breast 70％ (21/30).The expression of SOX7 had difference between two groups (P =0.021 ＜0.05).The abnormal expression rates of β-catenin and the positive rates of cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer wcre significantly higher than that in hyperplastic disease of the breast 43.3％ (13/30) (P =0.033 ＜ 0.05) and 20％ (6/30) (P =0.000 ＜ 0.001).The expression of β-catenin and cyclin D1 had difference between two groups.In invasive breast cancer,SOX7 and β-catenin protein expression in 12 cases,while negative expression in 5 cases; SOX7 and cyclin D1 protein positive expression in H 1 cases,while negative expression in 5 cases; β-catenin and cyclin D1 protein positive expression iu 28 cases,while negative expression in 8 cases.Results of the analysis by Spearman showed that in invasive breast cancer the SOX7 protein expression was negatively correlated with the abnormal expression of β-catenin protein and the expression of cyclin D1 protein(r =-0.282,P =0.046 ＜ 0.05 ;r =-0.327,P =0.020 ＜ 0.05)while the abnormal expression of β-catenin protein was positively correlated with the expression of eyclin D1 protein(r =0.333,P =0.018 ＜ 0.05).In invasive breast cancer the expression of SOX7 protein was correlated with age,axillary lymph node metastasis,histological grade,pTNM stage,ER,PR,Her-2 expression and the risk(P ＜0.05),but with no correlation with size of tumor (P ＞ 0.05).However,the abnoral expression of β-catenin and the positive expression of cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer were correlated with size of tumor,axillary lymph node metastasis and pTNM stage(P ＜ 0.05),but with no correlation with age,histological grade,ER,PR,Her-2 and the risk(P ＞0.05).Conclusions SOX7.β-catenin and cyclin D1 are frequently abnormality-regulated in invasive breast cancer tissues,and the three protein may play a regulatory role through the same pathway in the development and progression of invasive breast cancer.SOX7,β-catenin and cyclin D1,s abnormal expression in invasive breast cancer correlate with the clinical pathology charactersis,and the three protein may be valuable marker for assessing the prognosis for invasive breast cancer.