objective To study the relationships between TNF-β gene type in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). Methods Eighty-six IDC patients were chosen as IDC group and 95 cases unrelated healthy people as control group in the First Hospital of Jilin University in 2008. The levels of TNF-β protein were detected with Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA ). TNF-β polymorphism were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms(PSR-RFLP). Results The levels of TNF-β protein in IDC patients[(1.876±1.013) μ/L] were significantly higher than controls[(1.018±0.645)μg/L], the difference being statistically significant (t=2.674,P<0.01). The frequency of TNFβ*2 genotypes in IDC patients[63.4%(109/172] was significantly higher than controls[47.9%(91/190)], the difference being statistically significant(OR=1.88, X2=6.78, P<0.05). Conclusions The TNFβ*2 allele might related to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), can also be considered as one of susceptible genes of IDC

Aim To investigate the effects of atorvas-tatin ( ATV) on activation and injury of microvascular endothelial cells induced by oxidized low density lipo-protein ( ox-LDL) . Methods Cultured human micro-vascular endothelial cells were pre-incubated with ATV for 24 h prior to exposure of endothelial cells to ox-LDL. After exposure of endothelial cells to ox-LDL, the cell viability was measured by MTT method, LDH in supernatants was determined by enzyme activity as-say kit, ICAM-1 in supernatants was assayed by using ELISA method, phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 was de-tected by western blot analysis, transcriptional activity of NF-κB signal pathway was measured by employing dual-luciferase reporter assay system. Results Hu-man microvascular endothelial cells were activated and injured by ox-LDL. Inhibition of the cell viability, re-lease of LDH, expression of ICAM-1, phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 , and up-regulated transcriptional activity of NF-κB induced by ox-LDL were attenuated by ATV. Conclusion ATV can significantly inhibit the activa-tion and injury of human microvascular endothelial cells induced by ox-LDL, and that may be related to inhibition of phosphorylation and transcriptional activity of NF-κB.

A novel fibrinogenolytic protease,named atrase A,has been purified from the venom of Naja atra by sequential chromatography.Atrase A is a single chain glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 64.6 kD,an isoelectric point of pH 9.6 and a neutral sugar content of 4.16%.Atrase A specifically and slowly degraded α-chain of fibrinogen.This fibrinogenolytic activity Was inhibited by chelating agents(EDTA,EGTA and 1,10-phenanthroline)and DTY,and partially inhibited by PMSF,but not by soybean trypsin inhibitor,indicating it is a metalloproteinase.Atrase A showed edema-inducing activity and bactericidal activity against Staphylococcusa aureus.Atrase A did not show cytotoxicity on A549 and K562 cells in MTT assay,but detached adherent A549 cells from the substrate.Atrase A did not show significant inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by ADP or collagen,and did not exhibit proteolytic activities towards fibrin,azocasein and BAEE.It also did not show hemorrhage activity when injected subcutaneously into mice.

Objective To explore the causes of accidental instability of SYSMEX XS-800i blood cell analyzer for WBC testing and their countermeasures.Methods Totally 10 pieces of specimen with high deviation were analyzed retrospectively, and the changes of DIFF-Y values of WBC were observed. Sysmex detergent was used to clean the pipelines including 4DL, 4DS and EPK pipes. Fluid path electromagnetic valve was checked and then repaired or replaced. Results It's proved that the results at the first time were not reliable, and there was significant differences between the results at the first and second times for DIFF-Y value, with P<0.01. The failures were eliminated after the above countermeasures were carried out.Conclusion WBC testing pipelines and electromagnetic valve of fluid path have to be cleaned periodically to eliminate the influence on DIFF-Y value of WBC and false increase of WBC counting.

Objective Many studies have proved that the ABCD 2 score can be used to predict early stroke risk after transient ischemic attack ( TIA) , but few reports are seen on its predictive value for early stroke risk after TIA in different types of circulation . This article aimed to evaluate the ABCD 2 score in predicting early stroke risk following anterior or posterior circulation TIA . Methods Patients with definitely diagnosed TIA consecutively included in Nanjing Stroke Registration System from September 2011 to December 2012 were classified into anterior and posterior circulation TIAs .Various risk factors were collected and a 90-day follow-up was conduc-ted.The ABCD2 score was obtained from each patient and its predictive value assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results A total of 204 patients were analyzed in the study , including 59 (28.9%) females, 143 with anterior and 61 with posterior circulation TIA, aged 63.7 ±11.2 years.There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence rate of stroke within 90 days between the anterior and posterior circulation TIAs (11.2% vs 9.8%, P=0.776).The mean ABCD2 score was re-markably higher in the anterior than in the posterior circulation TIA (3.7 ±1.5 vs 2.5 ±1.3, P<0.001).The area under the curve (AUC) in predicting stroke risk was 0.711 for the former (95%CI:0.575-0.847, P=0.006) and 0.555 for the latter (0.298-0.820, P=0.637). Conclusion The ABCD2 score can predict early stroke risk in anterior but not in posterior circulation TIA .

Aim To investigate the change of molecu-lar expression related to coagulation and fibrinolysis in human microvascular endothelial cells ( HMEC ) in-duced by activated complement alternative pathway and effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate ( PDTC ) and res-veratrol on intervention. Methods Normal human se-rum was activated by cobra venom factor ( CVF) . After exposure of HMEC to activated complement for various times, supernatant was removed and assayed for ex-pressions of P-selectin, VWF, t-PA, PAI-1, TF, TM, and NO by using reagent kits. The expressions of the above molecules in HMEC pretreated with PDTC and resveratrol were also investigated. Results P-selectin and VWF were rapidly released by endothelial cells and the expression reached the peak at the time point of 15 min. The expressions of t-PA, PAI-1, and TF were continuously upregulated, whereas NO and TM were decreased. PDTC and resveratrol inhibited the upregulation of P-selectin, VWF, t-PA, PAI-1 and TF, and intervened the downregulation of NO. Res-veratrol further downregulated the expression of TM. Conclusion Activated complement alternative path-way can influence the expression of molecules related to coagulation and fibrinolysis in HMEC, and PDTC and resveratrol can affect this change.

OBJECTIVE To study the epidemiology of drug-resistant and antiseptic-resistant genes of(productive)(enzyme) in meticillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus(MRCNS).METHODS mecA Gene of the(drug-)resistant ?-lactam,aac(6′)/aph(2″) and aph(3′)-Ⅲ genes of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme(AME) and(ermA/B/C) genes of erythromycin methyltransferase were detected by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) in 40 MRCNS strains.RESULTS From them there were 39 strains with mecA gene,32 strains with aac(6′)/aph(2″) gene,15 strains with aph(3′) -Ⅲ gene,30 strains with ermA/B/C gene,2 strains with tetM and 6 strains with qacA/B gene.There were 26 strains(65.0%) simultaneously with mecA,aac(6′)/aph(2″)and(or) aph(3′)-Ⅲ and ermA/B/C genes in MRCNS.CONCLUSIONS The drug-resistant rate is higher in MRCNS.There are more than half tested strains simultaneously with 3 to 4 drug-resistant genes.

OBJECTIVE To find out the prevalent distribution and multidrug resistance trend of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus(MRS) and to prevent fulminant prevalence of MRS and opt for effective therapeutic means.METHODS The bacterium was(identified) by the way of API Staph and the TH-16S′s coding tube.The(antimicrobial) susceptibility testing was adoped by ATB-STAPH5 and MRS was examined by dilution and K-B.All statistical analyses were performed using SPLM 3.0 software.RESULTS The isolation rate of meticillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA) and meticillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus(MRCNS) was 38.09%,20.00%and 87.65%,89.00%,(respectively) in 2 years.Along with the age of patients,the infection from MRS was(increasing).The isolation rate of MRSA was 28-26%,but that of MRCNS was more than 80% from S.epidermidis,S.haemolyticus,S.hominis,and S.saprophyticus subsp saprophyticus.All parts of our body can be(infected) by MRS.The more than 30% MRSA were multidrug resistant and the approximately 11.87-13.75% MRCNS were also multidrug(resistant).(CONCLUSIONS) The isolation rate of MRSA from national surveillance(network) is not(different) with that of MRCNS.

Objective To develop an image analyzing procedure for automatic localization of facial features on infrared images.Methods An unsupervised local and global features extraction method was adopted for the localization of facial features of frontal view face image.First,a threshold was used to segment the image into foreground and background,and the nose was localized by considering the symmetry of the face.Second,Harris operator was adopted to detect interest points in a rectangular area covering all the facial features,and then local maximum of the interest points were detected.And finally,K-means clustering method was used to cluster the points and obtain the facial features localization.Results The experimental result of 100 images demonstrated that the procedure could automatically localize eyes,nose,mouth,and distinguish the feature areas.Conclusion The proposed infrared image analyzing procedure based on Harris operator and K-means clustering can be used to locate facial features on infrared image more rapidly and reliablely.

Aim To investigate the effect of cobra venom metalloproteinase atrase A on human endothelial cell.Methods The effects of atrase A on the growth of HMEC were measured by MTT,SRB and morphological observation methods,respectively.After exposure to atrase A,IL-8,ICAM-1,MCP-1 and E-selectin released by HMEC were detected.Caspase-8 and caspase-3/7 were detected by fluorescent luminescence method.After intravenous injected atrase A to rats,the concentrations of ICAM-1,IL-8 and TNF-? in serum were measured.Results The results showed that atrase A(400,40 mg?L-1) significantly inhibited the growth of HMEC in low cell density.The microscopic examination revealed that atrase A detached the adherent HMEC.After exposure to atrase A,IL-8,ICAM-1 and MCP-1 released by HMEC were increased.Atrase A induced HMEC to express caspase-3/7 and caspase-8.After the administration of atrase A to rats,the concentrations of ICAM-1,IL-8 and TNF-? in serum were increased.There was no difference between the low-dose group and control group in our experiments.Conclusion Cobra venom metalloproteinase atrase A inhibits the growth of HMEC,and induces HMEC releasing inflammation mediators and apoptosis.