Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Chemokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Prognosis ; Young Adult

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anthracosis ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; metabolism ; Cross Infection ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; blood ; Serum ; chemistry

To investigate the protective effect of hirudin on kidneys of diabetic rats and its molecular mechanism.

Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group (n=5) and model group (n=13). The model group was injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin(STZ) to establish a diabetic rat model. Eight weeks after STZ injection, successfully modeled diabetic rats were randomly divided into diabetic model group (n=6, with 1 rat dead due to hyperglycemia) and hirudin treatment group (n=5). The hirudin treatment group was administered 5 U hirudin while the control group and diabetic model group were injected subcutaneously with equal volume of phosphate buffered saline once daily for six weeks. During the experiment, the rats' body weight and random blood glucose levels were monitored every two weeks. After 6 weeks of treatment, renal function parameters were measured, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), fibronectin (FN), nephrin, collagen-Ⅳ (COL-Ⅳ), and proteins related to the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transduction and transcriptional activator 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway were assessed. Renal histopathological changes were also observed.

Compared with the control group, the diabetic model group showed significantly elevated random blood glucose and renal function parameters during the 6-week treatment (both P < 0.05), along with a significant decrease in body weight(P < 0.05) and renal pathological damage. Compared with the diabetic model group, the renal function parameters of hirudin treatment group were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), the renal pathological damage was ameliorated. Compared with the control group, the expression levels of FN, COL-Ⅳ, TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-6, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in the kidneys of diabetic model group were significantly increased (all P < 0.05), while the expression of nephrin was reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the diabetic group, the expression level of FN, COL-Ⅳ, TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-6, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in hirudin treatment group were significantly reduced (all P < 0.05), while the nephrin expression increased (P < 0.05).

Hirudin improved renal pathological changes in diabetic rats, and its mechanism may be related to the decrease of fibrosis-related factors and inhibition of the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Objective To investigate the effect of sedation on respiratory mechanic dynamics, intrapulmonary shunt fraction,oxygen metabolism in patients with mechanical ventilation.Method Sixty patients with mechanical ventilation were divided randomly into control group and sedation group.Propofal was administered to patients,whose ramsay scores were kept atⅢorⅣlevels,in sedation group while the equal amount of normal saline was given in control group.Mixed venous blood and arterial blood samples were taken for blood gas analysis in both groups before and at 2 hours after administration.Heart rate,blood pressure,breathing rate and airway resistance all were recorded at the same time.Results There were no significant differences in oxygenation index,blood pressure,blood lactic acid,total lung static compliance and intrapulmonary shunt fraction between two groups before and after administration.Heart rate,respiratory rate,oxygen uptake and airway resistance of patients in sedation group were lower than those in control group,and partial pressure of oxygen in mixed venous blood of patients in sedation group were higher than those in control group.These differences were statistically significant.Conclusions Sedation can decrease oxygen uptake and airway resistance of patients with mechanical ventilation.However,no alteration in the oxygenation index,total lung static compliance and intrapulmonic shunt ratio can be observed.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of speech therapy on mental health of patients with aphasia. MethodsCRRCAE and SCL-90 were used to assess the speech and mental state in 28 aphasia patients. All aphasia patients were treated by using speech therapy and the changes before and after treatment were compared. ResultsThe scores in listening comprehension, repetition, naming, reading,reading comprehension, writing and counting were distinctly higher at post-treatment than that at pre-treatment. All SCL-90 factor's levels at post-treatment were distinctly reduced than that at preat post-treatment(P<0.01).Conclusions Speech therapy can improve the language function,as well as mitigate the mental symptoms.

OBJECTIVETo observe improved effects of Jingjin acupuncture on fine activity of hemiplegic hand in recovery period of stroke.

METHODSFifty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 25 cases in each one. Regular western medicine treatment, rehabilitation training and regular acupuncture (in which Shuigou (GV 26), Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (PC 6), etc. were selected) were applied in both groups. Additionally, muscles in palm side of affected hand, dorsal metacarpophalangeal joints and proximal interphalangeal joints were treated with acupuncture in the observation group, once every other day and electroacupuncture was applied when arrival of qi was acquired. Baxie (EX-UE 9) in the affected hand were needled in the control group, and electroacupuncture was added when arrival of qi was acquired. Ten days of treatment was considered a treatment course, and after two courses Lindmark score, Brunnstrom movement function grade, joint range of hand and Barthel index (BI) were observed in two groups.

RESULTSCompared before the treatment, the Lindmark score in two groups were both improved after the treatment (both P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the motor coordination ability, sensory function and total score of Lindmark in observation group were obviously improved (differences before and after treatment: 8.24 +/- 3.07 vs 6.84 +/- 2.43, 3.52 +/- 2.33 vs 2.16 +/- 2.12, 11.76 +/- 3.55 vs 9.00 +/- 3.62, all P < 0.05). The Brunnstrom movement function grade was significantly improved in both groups after treatment (both P < 0.01), which was more obvious in the observation group (P < 0.05). The joint range of hemiplegic hand was improved in both groups after treatment (both P < 0.01), which was more obvious in the observation group [differences before and after treatment: (25.35 +/- 10.91) degrees vs (18.65 +/- 7.86) degrees, p < 0.05]. The score of BI was also significantly improved after treatment in two groups (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Jingjin acupuncture could effectively improve fine activity of hemiplegic hand in recovery period of stroke prove daily life ability.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Female ; Hand ; physiopathology ; Hemiplegia ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Movement ; Recovery of Function ; Stroke ; complications ; physiopathology

Objective To clarify the role of FLT3 signaling-dependent pulmonary conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) in the pathogenesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI),and as well as the modulation effects of cDCs in vivo on the inflammatory responses to acute lung injury.Methods Thirty C57BL/6 male mice were divided into normal control group,LPS group,FLT3L pretreatment group,lestaurtinib,(a high efficient and specific blocker in FLT3 signal pathway) pretreatment group and vehicle (DMSD) control group.FLT3L and lestaurtinib were administrated subcutaneously for 5 days.Murine model of ALI was subsequently established by intra-tracheal application of LPS and lung specimens were harvested 6 h or 24 h later.The accumulation and maturation of pulmonary cDCs were assessed by flow cytometry.IL-6 and TNF-α were quantified to evaluate lung inflammation.Lung injury was estimated by lung wet weight/body weight ratio (LWW/BW) and histopathological assessment.Lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was measured to evaluate neutrophil infiltration.Transcription factors Tbet/GATA-3 mRNA ratio was determined to estimate balance of Th1/Th2 response.IFN-γ and IL-4 were quantified to evaluate Th1-specific and Th2-specific cytokine production respectively.Results The accumulation and maturation of pulmonary cDCs peaked at 6h after LPS challenge.FLT3L pretreatment significantly stimulated the accumulation and maturation of pulmonary cDCs (P ＜ 0.05),leading to markedly deterioration of LWW/BW and lung histopathological changes.Meanwhile lung MPO activity and T-bet/GATA-3 mRNA ratio were elevated (P ＜ 0.05).Furthermore,the production of IL-6,TNF-α and IFN-γwas markedly increased by FLT3L pretreatment (P ＜ 0.05).In contrast,lestaurtinib pretreatment markedly inhibited the accumulation and maturation of pulmonary cDCs (P ＜ 0.05),leading to significant improvement of LWW/BW and lung histopathological changes.Meanwhile lung MPO activity and T-bet/ GATA-3 mRNA ratio were decreased (P ＜ 0.05).Furthermore lestaurtinib efficiently suppressed the production of IL-6,TNF-α and IFN-γ (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion This study thus demonstrated that FLT3 signaling-dependent pulmonary cDCs could control the initiation of acute lung inflammation response to LPS-induced ALI through the regulation of neutrophil infiltration and balance of Thl/Th2 response.

Chemical constituents of Swertia patens. The whole plant of air-dried Swertia patens was extracted with 90% EtOH. The water extract was suspended in H₂O and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH, successively. The compounds were isola- ted and purified by column chromatography from the EtOAc fraction, and identified based on spectral analyses (MS, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C- NMR). Eighteen compounds were isolated and elucidated as 3, 4-dihydro-1H,6H,8H-naptho [1,2-c:4,5-c', d'dipyrano-1, 8-dione (1), angelone (2), gentiogenal (3), erythricin (4), erythrocentaurin (5), gentianine (6), swertiakoside B (7), swertiamarin (8), 2'-O-actylswertiamarin (9), amarogentin (10), 1, 3, 5-trihydroxyxanthone (11), 1, 3-dihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (12), 1-hydroxy- 2, 3, 5-trimethoxyxanthone (13), gentiocrucine (14), 3-hydroxyphenylketone (15), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamate (16), n-hexacosyl ester 4-hydroxy-cis-cinnamate (17), and cholest-4-en-3-one (18). Compounds 1-7, 9-18 were obtained from S. patens for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Swertia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVESTo test the hypothesis that urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) is a nearly biomarker for acute kidney injury in patients with acute paraquat poisoning.

METHODSForty-four patients with paraquat intoxication and 40 age and gender-matched healthy control participants were recruited. The urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase was determined by spectrophotometric methods.

RESULTSThe urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities in the patients with paraquat poisoning were higher than the corresponding values in the control participants (P<0.01); The prevalence rate of mortality was significantly higher in subjects with N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities ≥25 U/g Cr than in those N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activities <25 Ulg Cr (34.4% vs 16.7%, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase could be used as an early biomarker for acute kidney injury and predictor of mortality inpatients with acute paraquat intoxication.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; urine ; Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paraquat ; poisoning ; Young Adult

To realize the accurate positioning and quantitative volume measurement of tumor in head and neck tumor CT images, we proposed a level set method based on augmented gradient. With the introduction of gradient information in the edge indicator function, our proposed level set model is adaptive to different intensity variation, and achieves accurate tumor segmentation. The segmentation result has been used to calculate tumor volume. In large volume tumor segmentation, the proposed level set method can reduce manual intervention and enhance the segmentation accuracy. Tumor volume calculation results are close to the gold standard. From the experiment results, the augmented gradient based level set method has achieved accurate head and neck tumor segmentation. It can provide useful information to computer aided diagnosis.
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tumor Burden