Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and its predictive value in late-onset sepsis in the newborn.Method To collect the data of neonates aged 7 days and older,who were diagonsed to have infections.They were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit of our Hospital from January 2014 to January 2015.The group of sepsis and nonseptic group were assigned according to the diagnostic criteria of sepsis,and a control group was selected without infection.Blood cultures were collected in patients on the first day when infection was identified and the serum suPAR and CRP were measured on the first day,fourth day and tenth day respectively.The controls were tested with suPAR and CRP when infection was excluded.The levels of blood suPAR and CRP in the three groups were compared and the receiver-operating characteristic curve was performed according to serum suPAR level of neonates with sepsis on the first day.Result A total of 65 infants with infections (40 were septic and 25 were non-septic) were enrolled in this study and 20 patients were selected as control group.There were significant differences in serum suPAR and CRP levels between the patients with and without infection (P ＜ 0.001).The level of suPAR in the survivors of the sepsis group was significantly decreased as time went by,and the difference was statistically significant on the 10th day compared with the 1 st day [9.3 (8.2,13.1) ng/ml vs.18.9 (14.8,24.7) ng/ml,P ＜ 0.05].The level of CRP increased first initially and then decreased with time,while the highest level was on the 4th day and the difference was statistically significant compared with the 10th day [19.0 （ 6.8,56.4) mg/L vs.6.4 (2.5,12.0) mg/L,P ＜ 0.05].The levels of serum suPAR and CRP in non-sepsis group were not significantly different (P ＞ 0.05).There were no deaths in the sepsis group and the non-septic group,but the levels of suPAR between survivals and deaths in the infection groups were statistically significant [15.4(10.6,21.6) ng/ml vs.22.6 (15.4,31.9) ng/ml,Z =-2.063,P =0.039].The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of serum suPAR was 0.955 (95％ CI 0.906 ～ 1.000,P ＜0.001),and the sensitivity was 90％ and the specificity was 100％ when the suPAR level was 10.9 ng/ml.Conclusion Early elevated serum suPAR levels were prominently related to the severity of neonatal late-onset sepsis.The level of first day suPAR has a high sensitivity and specificity in the prognosis of sepsis and can be helpful to predict the prognosis.

Objective:To observe the effect of acupoint massage plus acupoint sticking therapy for the stress reaction during postoperative anesthesia recovery period in patients undergoing nasal endoscopic surgery.Methods:A total of 120 patients undergoing nasal endoscopic surgery were included,and all patients were under trachea intubation and general anesthesia.The patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group,with 60 patients in each group.Patients in the control group received conventional anesthesia resuscitation,while patients in the observation group received acupoint massage plus acupoint sticking therapy on the basis of conventional anesthesia resuscitation.Changes in the heart rate (HR),systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were observed at three time points including the end of the surgery (TO),the removal of the tracheal tube (T1) and 10 min after the removal of the tracheal tube (T2).The awakening and tube removal time,choking cough and restlessness,and adverse reactions (dizziness,nausea and vomiting) in 24 h post-surgery period were compared.Results:At T1 and T2,the comparisons of HR,SBP and DBP between the two groups showed statistical significance (all P＜0.05).Intra-group comparisons showed that the HR,SBP and DBP of the control group at T1 and T2 were significant different from those at TO (all P＜0.05).There were significant differences in the awakening time and tube removal time between the two groups (both P＜0.05).The incidences of choking cough and restlessness were 8.3％ and 3.3％ respectively in the observation group,versus 53.3％ and 30.0％ in the control group,and the between-group comparisons showed statistical significance (both P＜0.05).The incidences of dizziness,nausea and vomiting in 24 h post-surgery period were 3.3％,5.0％ and 0.0％ respectively in the observation group,versus 43.3％,33.3％ and 25.0％ in the control group,and the between-group comparisons showed statistical significance (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:Acupoint massage plus acupoint sticking therapy can effectively regulate the stress reaction during postoperative anesthesia recovery period in patients undergoing nasal endoscopic surgery,and maintain a stable internal environment.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaques stability and the clinical symptoms of carotid atherosclerosis by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Methods Fifty patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques were examed with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography,the contrast agent visualization of the carotid atherosclerotic plques were analyzed and compared with their clinical symptoms. Results Twenty-three patients who suffered from obvious clinical symptom were entirely visualized. Twenty-weven patients had not apparent clinical symptom,of these patients,15 were sparse visualized,there was no visualization in other 12 patients. Conclusions Conlrast enhanced ultrasonography can real-time observe microcirculation in carotid atherosclerotic piques,and assess the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.

This study is to investigate the effects of indirubin on ATP-induced immune responses of macrophages. For this, neutral red dye uptake method was used to test phagocytosis, MTT assay was used for measuring cell death, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was tested with fluorescent probe DHE. The data showed that extracellular ATP attenuated phagocytosis, induced cell death and increased ROS production, and these effects were restored by pre-treating with indirubin. This result suggested that indirubin blockade the effects of ATP on macrophages, because extracellular ATP-induced effects are dependent on P2 receptors, in particular P2X7 receptors. Furthermore, the effects of indirubin on the activation of P2 receptors were tested, in particular P2X7 receptors. The data showed that indirubin significantly decreased ATP-induced, P2 receptors mediated intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) rise and inhibited P2X7 receptor-based ethidium bromide (EB) dye uptake. These results suggested the inhibitory effects of indirubin on the activation of P2X7 receptors, which may underlying the effects on ATP induced ROS production, phagocytosis attenuation and cell death of macrophages.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of treatment of renal anemia by combination of Bushen Jianpi Recipe (BJR, a Chinese experience recipe for supplementing Shen and supporting Pi) and low dosage erythropoietin (EPO), and the influence of treatment on change of serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) so as to explore the possible mechanism of integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM) in treating renal anemia.

METHODSPatients with renal anemia were randomly divided into two groups, the ICWM group and the control group, symptomatic and supporting treatment such as dialysis, supplementing of ferrous, foliac acid and vitamin B12, was given to both groups. Additionally, to the ICWM group, 50 IU/kg of EPO subcutaneous injection for twice every week, and oral intake of BJR, one dose per day taken in two parts, were given, and to the control group, EPO alone, 50 IU/kg by subcutaneous injecting, 3 times per week, was given. The therapeutic course for two groups was 3 months. Blood levels of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), TNF-alpha were measured before treatment and the therapeutic effect was observed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the levels of Hb and Hct increased significantly in both groups (P < 0.01), comparison between the two groups in Hb and Hct after being treated for 3 months showed significant difference (P < 0.05). The serum level of TNF-alpha was markedly higher than normal range in both groups before treatment, it significantly lowered after treatment in the ICWM group (P < 0.05), but unchanged in the control group.

CONCLUSIONCombination of BJR and EPO could significantly inhibit the production of TNF-alpha, this may be an important factor for ICWM in effectively improving sensitivity to EPO.

Adult ; Anemia ; blood ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Erythropoiesis ; drug effects ; Erythropoietin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

This study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque stability and the clinical symptoms in patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques by using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Fifty patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques were enrolled and examined with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. The correlation of contrast agent enhancement of the carotid atherosclerotic plaques and the clinical symptoms was analyzed. The results showed that among the 50 patients, plaques were enhanced in the 23 patients with obvious clinical symptoms. In 27 patients without apparent clinical symptoms, plaques were enhanced sparsely in 15 patients and not enhanced in 12 patients. It was suggested that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography could be used for the examination of the microcirculation in carotid atherosclerotic plaques on real-time basis and serve as a new noninvasive approach for the assessment of stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
Carotid Artery Diseases/*ultrasonography ; Contrast Media ; Image Enhancement/*methods ; Phospholipids/*diagnostic use ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sulfur Hexafluoride/*diagnostic use

To investigate the role of signaling pathway in the effect of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) in endothelial cells stimulated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE).Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and divided into 3 groups:CSE-stimulated group,CSE-stimulated with 4-PBA group,and negative control group.HUVECs were cultured and stimulated with CSE at concentrations of 5％,10％ and 20％,respectively,mRNA of CXCL-8 and GRP78 was detected by real-time PCR.ELISA was performed to test the expression of CXCL-8 protein,and neutrophils migration was detected by Transwell board test.The NF-κB,ERK,p38MAPK and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) were detected by flow cytometry.The mRNA of CXCL-8 and GRP78 increased in CSE-stimulated HUVECs (P＜0.05).Furthermore,it was concentration-dependent.4-PBA significantly reduced the expression of CXCL-8 protein (P＜0.05) and neutrophil migration (P＜0.05).The TGF-β,rather than the NF-κB,ERK and P38MAPK pathway might be involved in ER stress stimulated by CSE.CSE induced neutrophils migration by increasing the expression of CXCL-8 in endothelial cells.ER stress might play a role in the effect of neutrophils migration stimulated with CSE,and TGF-β pathway may contribute to the ER stress in HUVECs.

Objective To investigate the relationship of folates,vitamin B_(12) with tan phosphorylation and the possible mechanism in Alzhcimer's disease (AD).Method Tau protein phosphorylation was examined in hippocampns of rats of two months old and forty months old treated or untreated by folates and vitamin B_(12) using Western blot and immunohistochemistry with phosphorylation dependent and independent tau antibodies.Results We found that tau phosphorylation in aged rat brain showed a significant higher level than that in the two-month olds.Folates combined with vitamin.B_(12) could decrease tau phosphorylation by 27% at the site of Ser396/404 of hippoeampus in aged rats.Conclusion It suggests folates and vitamin B_(12) may play an important role in preventing the neurodegenerative change via effeeting tau phosphorylation in AD brain.

A novel chitinolytic and chitosanolytic bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. CJ-5, has been isolated and characterized. It secretes both chitinase and chitosanase into surrounding medium in response to chitin or chitosan induction. To characterize the enzymes, both chitinase and chitosanase were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow. SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated molecular masses of chitinase and chitosanase were 230 kDa and 45 kDa respectively. The optimum hydrolysis conditions for chitinase were about pH 7.0 and 36 degrees C, and these for chitosanase were pH 6.5 and 56 degrees C, respectively. Both enzymes were quite stable up to 45 degrees C for one hour at pH 5~8. These results show that CJ-5 may have potential for industrial application particularly in recycling of chitin wastes.
Chitinases ; metabolism ; Enzyme Stability ; Fermentation ; Glycoside Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Sphingomonas ; enzymology

A novel method was developed for the rapid determination of multi-indicators in corni fructus by means of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) based least squares support vector machine was investigated to increase the levels of quality control. The calibration models of moisture, extractum, morroniside and loganin were established using the PSO-LS-SVM algorithm. The performance of PSO-LS-SVM models was compared with partial least squares regression (PLSR) and back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN). The calibration and validation results of PSO-LS-SVM were superior to both PLS and BP-ANN. For PSO-LS-SVM models, the correlation coefficients (r) of calibrations were all above 0.942. The optimal prediction results were also achieved by PSO-LS-SVM models with the RMSEP (root mean square error of prediction) and RSEP (relative standard errors of prediction) less than 1.176 and 15.5% respectively. The results suggest that PSO-LS-SVM algorithm has a good model performance and high prediction accuracy. NIR has a potential value for rapid determination of multi-indicators in Corni Fructus.
Algorithms ; Calibration ; Cornus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Models, Theoretical ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Quality Control ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; Support Vector Machine