Objective To assess the clinical significance of three different noninvasive airway inflammatory indices in induced sputum and exhaled breath condensate ( EBC ) from persistent asthmatic patients.Methods Moderate and severe asthmatic patients were prescribed inhaled corticosteroids combined with long-acting β2 agonists for a month.The symptom scores and percentage of predicted value of forced expiratory volume in one second ( FEV1 ) ( FEV1% pred) were measured while the concentrations of H2O2,NO3-/NO2-,and cysteinyl-leukotriene E4(LTE4) in induced sputum and EBC were detected before and after therapy.Results A total of twenty-five subjects with moderate and severe asthma were enrolled.By combined therapy for one month the asthma aymptoms relieved and FEV1% pred improved significantly (P<0.01).The concentrations of H2O2,NO3-/NO2- arid LTE4in induced sputum and EBC declined significantly(P<0.01) although the concentrations were still higher than those at normal baseline.More marked reduction of H2O2 and NO3-/NO2- compared to LTE4was observed.It was revealed that the concentrations of H2O2 and NO3-/NO2- but not of LTE4in EBC were negatively correlated with FEV1% pred (P <0.01) and positively with symptom scores.Such correlations were also found in H2O2 in induced sputum with FEV1 % pred and symptom scores as well as NO3-/NO2- in induced sputum with FEV1 % pred.The improvement of FEV1 % pred after treatment was positively correlated with the reduction of H2O2 and NO3-/NO2- both in induced sputum and EBC.Correlation analysis also demonstrated three inflammatory indices were equivalent in induced sputum and EBC( correlation coefficient of H2O2,NO3-/NO2- and LTE4,0.759,0.826 and 0.653,respectively.P < 0.01 ).Conclusions (1) Combined therapy with inhaled corticosteroid plus long-acting β2 agonist significantly improves the clinical symptoms and lung function of patients with moderate and severe asthma companied with marked suppression of airway inflammation.(2) Both of EBC and induced sputum sampling are valuable noninvasive procedures for detecting asthma airway inflammation,however,EBC technique is superior in safety and reproducibility.(3) H2O2 and NO3-/NO2- seem to be more sensitive indices in diagnosis and monitoring asthma compared to LTE4.

The effects of exopolysaccharides from Aphanothece halophytica(.EAH) on immunological function were studied by immunological techniques. The results showed that EAH could not only enhance the mitogenic response of mice's thymus cells, murine bone marrow cells proliferation,murine mixed lymphocyte reaction and the activity of NK cells in mice,but promote the interleukinl(IL-1)production and increase the activity of 1L-2 as well. The study suggests that EAH can improve the immunological function of mice.

Objective To explore the expression and clinical significance of Twist. E-cadherin and N-cadherin in gallbladder carcinoma. Methods From 2000 to 2008, in Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, the expression of Twist, E-cadherin and N-cadherin protein were detected in 79 surgically removed gallbladder carcinoma tissue specimens in paraffin blocks and 20 normal gallbladder tissue specimens by tissue microarray technique and immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with normal gallbladder tissues, the expression of Twist and N-cadherin was up-regulated in gallbladder carcinoma tissues and the positive percentage was 68.3％ and 49.4％ respectively, while which both were 1/20 in normal gallbladder tissues. The percentage of high E-cadherin expression in gallbladder carcinoma tissues was only 27.8 ％, which was significantly lower than that in normal gallbladder tissues (20/20;X2 ＝29.31, P＜0. 05). The expression of Twist was correlated with T classification, lymph node metastasis, distant organ metastasis, hepatoduodenal ligament invasion, lymphatic invasion and UICC stage of gallbladder carcinoma (P＜0.05). The expression of E-cadherin was correlated with T classification, distant organ metastasis, hepatoduodenal ligament invasion, differentiation degree and UICC stage of gallbladder carcinoma (P＜0.05). The expression of N-cadherin was only correlated with lymphatic invasion of gallbladder carcinoma (P ＜0.05 ). There was significant negative correlation between Twist and E-cadherin expression (P＜0. 01). All the 79 gallbladder carcinoma patients were followed up after the surgery, the mean follow-up time was 30.6±14.3months. The 3-year survival rates of patients with low or high Twist expressions were 66％ and 7％ respectively,there was significant difference between the two groups(P＜0. 01). The 3-year survival rates of patients with low or high E-cadherin expressions were 25 ％ and 86 ％ respectively, the difference of two groups was significant(P＜0.01). The 3-year survival rates of patients with low or high Ncadherin expressions were 39％ and 41％ respectively, there was no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05). The multivariate analysis indicated that the Twist expression was one of independent prognostic factors of gallbladder carcinoma. Conclusion The abnormal expression of Twist and E-cadherin was correlated with the development and progression of gallbladder carcinoma,and Twist expression was one of the independent prognostic factors of gallbladder carcinoma.

Objective To assess the effect of three different liver vascular exclusions on prognosis of patients undergoing hemihepatectomy.Methods Clinical data of 216 patients undergoing hemihepatectomy were analyzed retrospectively.Ninety-eight out of 216 patients received Pringle maneuver during hepatectomy in group A,71 patients of selective liver inflow and outflow vascular exclusions in group B,47 patients using liver hanging maneuver combining with selective liver inflow and outflow vascular exclusions were in group C.Results There was no difference in operation time between the three groups ( t =0.72,0.83,and 0.67,P ＞ 0.05 ).The intraoperative blood loss and transfusion in group B and C were less than that in group A (t =3.72,3.83 and 4.11,4.07,P ＜0.05).Serum albumin level on day 1 and day 3 in group B and C were higher than that in group A (t =3.65,3.77,and 3.90,3.74,P ＜0.05 ).Serum total bilirubin level on day 3 and 5 in group B and C were lower than that in group A ( t =4.13,5.01,and 4.09,3.99,P ＜0.05).Serum alanine aminotransferase on day 1,3 and 5 in group B and C were lower than that in group A ( t =5.36,6.14,and 5.70,7.01,and 4.94,3.98,P ＜ 0.05 ).Postoperative complication rate in group A was higher than that in group B and C ( x2 =13.71 and 23.56,P ＜ 0.05 ).The 3-year survival rate of patients with malignant tumor in the three groups were not significantly different (t =2.38,P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusions Intraoperative blood loss and transfusion and postoperative complication rate can be reduced,and liver injury can be diminished in hemihepatectomy using selective liver inflow and outflow vascular exclusion alone and or in combination with a liver hanging maneuver.

Objective To study the epidemiology of mycoplasma pneumonia (MP) infection in children and its relationship to meteorological conditions in Guilin. Methods Total of 1 342 hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections from Janu-ary 2011 to December 2012 were recruited, and the serum levels of mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody Ig (MP-Ig) were measured. Meanwhile, monthly meteorological conditions were collected. The relationships between the MP-Ig detection rates and meteoro-logical conditions were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. Results The total detection rate of MP-Ig was 23.2%with positive rates as 5.51%, 28.99%, 37.31%and 44.97%for 0-1, 1-3, 3-6 and>6 year-old groups respectively (P<0.01). The positive rate of female was higher than that of male with signiifcant difference (30.08%vs 19.05%, P<0.01). The positive rate of spring, summer, autumn and winter were 18.89%, 17.39%, 23.83%and 33.05%individually (P<0.01). Negative correlation was found be-tween detection rate of MP-Ig and monthly mean air temperature (P=0.001). Conclusion MP is one of the commonest pathogens of respiratory tract infection in children and mostly seen in elder female children with a higher incidence in winter. The main me-teorological factor is the low temperature that affects MP prevalence.

Objective     To share the clinical experience of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic basal segmentectomy by single-direction method. Methods     The clinical data of 352 patients who underwent VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy in West China Hospital between April 2015 and April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, including 96 males and 256 females with a median age of 50 (range, 26-81) years. All basal segmentectomies were performed under thoracoscopy, through the interlobar fissure or inferior pulmonary ligament approach, and following the strategy of single-direction and the method of "stem-branch". Results    All patients underwent basal segmentectomy successfully (49 patients of uniportal procedure, 3 patients of biportal procedure and 300 patients of triportal procedure) without addition of incisions or conversion to thoracotomy and lobectomy. The median operation time was 118 (range, 45-340) min, median intraoperative blood loss was 20 (range, 5-500) mL, median drainage time was 2 (range, 1-22) d and median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (range, 2-24) d. The postoperative complications included pneumonia in 6 patients, prolonged drainage (air leakage duration>5 d or drainage duration>7 d) in 18 patients, cerebral infarction in 1 patient and other complications in 2 patients. All patients were treated well and discharged without main complaints. No perioperative death happened. Conclusion    VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy is feasible and safe. It can be performed in a simple manner following the strategy of single-direction.

Micro-invasive thoracic surgery, especially represented by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), has be-come the mainstream of lung cancer resection. Traditional multi-portal VATS techniques, including four-port, three-port, and two-port VATS, have been widely used to perform nearly all kinds of lung cancer resections. However, how to make lung cancer resection less invasive is always the subject that all thoracic surgeons never stop pursuing. Compared with multi-portal VATS, uniportal VATS causes less postoperative pain and paresthesia because only one small incision is made and one intercoastal space is involved. In recent years, good clinical results have been obtained from uniportal VATS in lung cancer resections. In this paper, we’d like to present a brief summary about the progresses made in the application of uniportal VATS in lung cancer resection. Uniportal VATS is a sublimation of micro-invasive lung cancer resection.

Objective To explore the telomere length (TL) in buccal cells and its possible implications for long-lived families of Zhuang nationality in Bama area of Guangxi.Methods Relative TL in buccal cells from Bama long-lived families (BLF,n=1250) was determined by real time PCR and compared between Bama non-long-lived families (BNLF,n=556) and Pingguo longlived families (PLF,n=630).All participants were Zhuang ethnic.Results The TL in buccal cells was negatively correlated with age (R=-0.215,P=0.000) and was independent of sex in all subjects (n=2436).There were no significant differences in TL between males and females in different of ages in BLF (all P＞0.05).Similar tendency was observed in most but not all age groups in the two other families.The TL was significantly longer in BLF aged over 65 years (the first offspring of the longlived individual) than in BNLF aged over 65 years (1.969 vs.1.622,P=0.004) and the TL of BLF aged over 90 years was comparable to that of BNLF aged over 65 years (1.662 vs.1.622,P=0.955),which indicating that the offspring of long-lived individuals inherited longer TL from their parental generation.Conclusions Telomere length is shorten with aging in long-lived families in Bama area.The TL of BLF has a tendency of inheritance,which may be one of the mechanisms of longevity in Bama area.

Objective To evaluate the effects of selective hepatic vascular occlusion SHVO) on the prognosis of patients undergoing hepatic resection for huge liver cancer.Methods The clinical data of 49 patients who received huge liver cancer resection at the Zhejiang People's Hospital from January 2005 to January 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.Based on the type of hepatic vascular occlusion,all patients were divided into Pringle's maneuver group (24 patients) and SHVO group (25 patients).The intraoperative condition,postoperative recovery of hepatic and renal function,incidence of complications,survival rate and recurrence rate of liver cancer of the 2 groups were compared.All data were analyzed by using the t test or Fisher exact probability.The survival curve was drawn by using the Kaplan-Meier method and the survival of the 2 groups was compared by using the Log-rank test.Results Hepatectomy was successfully performed on all the patients.Time for blood occlusion were (32 ±19) minutes in the Pringle's maneuver group and (34 ± 22)minutes in the SHVO group,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (t =2.45,P ＞ 0.05).The volume of blood loss of the Pringle's maneuver group was (736 ± 543) ml,which was significantly greater than (273 ± 298) ml of the SHVO group (t =6.87,P ＜0.05).The incidences of hepatic vein rupture were 21％ (5/24) in the Pringle's maneuver group and 24％ (6/25)in the SHVO group,with no significant difference (x2=1.45,P＞0.05).The course of 3 patients was complicated by hepatic vein rupture and hemorrhage and 1 by air embolism in the Pringle's maneuver group,while no hemorrhage or air embolism happened in the SHVO group.Four patients in the Pringle's maneuver group and 3 in the SHVO group were found with vascular invasion,while the resection margins were negative.There was no significant difference in the hepatic function in the 2 groups before operation.The levels of alanine aminotransferase in the SHVO group at postoperative day 1 and 3 were significantly lower than those in the Pringle's maneuver group (t=7.12,6.35,P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine between the 2 groups (P ＞ 0.05).Acute hepatic dysfunction was found in 4 patients in the Pringle's maneuver group,but no patients with acute hepatic dysfunction was found in the SHVO group.The 1-and 3-year tumor-free survival rates were 58％ and 21％ in the Pringle's maneuver group,which were significantly lower than 72％ and 30％ in the SHVO group (x2 =5.32,6.07,P ＜ 0.05).The 5-year tumor-free survival rates were 21％ in the Pringle's maneuver group and 20％ in the SHVO group,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (x2 =1.78,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion SHVO is safe,feasible and effective to prevent hemorrhage and postoperative acute hepatic dysfunction,and it is also helpful in reducing early-stage tumor recurrence and improving the tumor-free survival rate in patients with huge liver cancer.