Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) quantitative detection in patients with heart failure.Methods Quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) improvement method was applied to measuring serum level of NT-proBNP in patients with different degree of heart failure.Results The serum level of NT-proBNP was significantly elevated in patients with heart failure. With the increase of extent of heart failure, NT-proBNP increased in exponent. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) showed that area under curve (AUC) was 0.898. The sensitivity and specificity were 91.9% and 92.3% respectively for diagnosis of heart failure.Conclusion Quantitative detection of NT-proBNP is at present the best laboratory test for evaluating heart function of patients with heart failure.

A method of LC-QTOF/MS combining with chemical synthesis has been used to determine the structures of three novel bile acids from bear bile powder. Reference substances of tauroursodeoxycholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid were oxidized by pyridinium chlorochromate. The products were analyzed by LC-QTOF/MS. Total 4 products including 3 isomers were predicted and identified according to the PCC oxidation theory and LC-QTOF/MS results. Bear bile powder samples were dissolved by methanol and analyzed by LC-QTOF/MS. Three unknown peaks were found and identified as 2-[[(3beta, 5beta)-3-hydroxy-7, 24-dioxocholan-24-yl]amino]-ethanesulfonic acid, 2-[[(5beta)-3, 7, 24-trioxocholan-24-yl]amino]-ethanesulfonic acid and 2-[[(5beta, 7beta)-7-hydroxy-3, 24-dioxocholan-24-yl]amino]-ethanesulfonic acid, separately, by matching their results with that of oxidation products above.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of using leukocytes that were filtered out by LeukoReduction System ( LRS) to replace conventional human peripheral blood leukocytes in experimental researches and to comparatively analyze the differences between them in vitro biological functions and pheno-types of T cells. Methods Mononuclear cells were isolated from LRS-separated leukocytes and whole blood sample that collected from the same person by using Ficoll. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting ( FACS) was performed to analyze the phenotypes of T cells. CD3+T cells were sorted out by using magnetic beads. The T cells that were collected by using two different ways were incubated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies and IL-2 in vitro for 10 days. Several assays including cell counting, FACS and cytometric beads array ( CBA) were performed to comparatively analyze the differences in biological functions and phenotypes of T cells that were isolated by different methods. Results The phenotypes of T cells isolated from LRS filter and whole blood sample were highly similar at the initial stage. The sorting rate of CD3+T cells form LRS filter reached a high level and met the requirements for experimental researches. No statistically significant differ-ences in cell count, phenotype, expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokine secretion were observed between T cells isolated from LRS filter and whole blood sample. Conclusion This study suggested that the T cells isolated from LRS filter could be used as an alternative to whole blood T cells for fundamental resear-ches since they were similar in cell vitality, phenotype and biological functions. It provided a new way to solve the problem of blood shortage in clinic and scientific research.

Objective To investigate the prognostic factors for chronic heart failure and the prognostic ability of copeptin,big endothelin-1(Big ET-1)and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods To study 1 5 9 consecutive patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure.Serum concentration of copeptin,NT-proBNP,cTnI,CKMB and plasma Big ET-1 as well as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)and NYHA classⅠtoⅣ on admission were measured.Cardiac events were found by patients to discharge after 360~490 days,prospectively.Results During a median follow-up period of 385 days,the endpoint of recurrence for cardiac events was reached in 65 patients with 159 heart failure.Multivarlate canonical correlation analysis shows the older and the higher NYHA classification as well as the lower LVEF in patients with heart failure.There were higher concentration of copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP.On a Cox proportional hazards regression models analyses,age,copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP were found to be the inde-pendent predictors of cardiac events.Risk ratio (RR)were 1.215,1.236,4.031 and 13.052,respectively.Logistic regression models analyses,copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP were found independent predictors of death.Odd ratio (OR)were 4.003,2.477 and 1.235,respectively.Conclusion Measurement of copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP in patients with chronic heart failure can help to identify patients at higher risk for cardiac events and patients for prognosis.

Objective To explore the prevalence,awareness and risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in general adult population of Anhui province,China. Methods A total of 3800 residents (older than 18 years) from Anhui province were randomly selected using a stratified,multi-stage sampling.All the residents were interviewed and tested for urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (abnormal:≥30 mg/g) and reduced estimated GFR [abnormal:＜60 ml·min1·(1.73 m2)-1]. The associations of CKD with demographic characteristics, healthy charactefistcs (hypertension,diabetes and hyperuricemia) were examined. Results Eligible data of 3374 subjects were enrolled in the study.After the adjustment of age and gender component,the prevalence of albuminuria was 9.8％ (95％CI 8.8％-10.9％),and reduced eGFR was 2.1％ (95％ CI 1.7％-2.7％).Approximately 10.4％(95％CI 9.4％-11.5％)subjects had at least one indicator of kidney damage.The awareness rate of CKD was 6.5％.Female,age,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,and hyperuricemia were independently associated with CKD.While obesity,hyperlipdemia.smoking and alcohol drinking were not associated with the prevalence of CKD. Conclusions The prevalace of chronic kidney disease is 10.4％ and the awareness rate is 6.5％ in general adult population of Anhui province.Independent risk factors associated with CKD are female,age,hypersion,diabetes mellitus and hyeruricemia.

Prevalence of fungal infection increased rapidly in recent years. The organisms developed resistance to conventional antifungal agents such as azoles and polyenes, while the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) showed certain advantages in the fight against fungal infections. This paper reviewed the latest research progress of TCM against common pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans, Dermatophytes, Aspergillus, Malassezia, Fusarium oxysporum fungus, Sporothrix schenckii, Cryptococcus neoformnans, and fungal biofilm.
Animals ; Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fungi ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Mycoses ; drug therapy ; microbiology

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)parameters for cognitive dysfunction in first-episode stroke,thereby providing reference for the early clinical assessment of the risk of cognitive dysfunction in stroke and formulation of intervention programs.Methods A total of 122 patients with first-episode stroke were enrolled and divided into occurrence group(n=53)and non-occurrence group(n=69)according to whether they had cognitive dysfunction.Additionally,53 patients with non-cerebrovascular cognitive dysfunction were selected as control group.All patients underwent DCE-MRI examination after admission.The 3 groups and patients with different degrees of cognitive dysfunction were compared for DCE-MRI parameters,including interstitium-to-plasma rate constant(Kep),volume transfer constant(Ktrans),volume fraction of extravascular extracellular space(Ve),and volume fraction of plasma(Vp).The correlations of DCE-MRI parameters with the degree of cognitive dysfunction were analyzed,along with their diagnostic value for cognitive dysfunction and evaluation value for the risk of cognitive dysfunction after first-episode stroke.Results Both occurrence group and non-occurrence group had higher levels of Ktrans,Ve and Vp than control group,and these parameters were higher in occurrence group than non-occurrence group(P<0.05).Ktrans,Ve and Vp of patients with different degrees of cognitive dysfunction differed significantly(P<0.05),and they were increased significantly with the aggravation of cognitive dysfunction.Ktrans,Ve and Vp were all positively correlated with the degree of cognitive dysfunction (P<0.05). The AUC for the combined diagnosis using Ktrans, Ve and Vp was 0.921, significantly higher than single index (P<0.05). The risks of cognitive dysfunction in first-episode stroke patients with higher levels of Ktrans, Ve and Vp were 3.077, 1.944 and 2.313 times of the low-level, respectively. Conclusion DCE-MRI can be used to diagnose cognitive dysfunction in first-episode stroke, providing reference for early clinical prediction of cognitive dysfunction after stroke.

Objective To compare the short-term efficacy of AC TightRope plate and clavicular hook plate in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation.Methods A retrospective case control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 32 patients with acromioclavicular joint dislocation admitted to Yifu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from April 2016 to December 2017.There were 23 males and 9 females,aged 26-61 years [(43.5 ±9.5)years].According to Rockwood classification,there were 23 patients with type Ⅲ and 9 patients with type Ⅴ.The patients were divided into AC TightRope group and clavicular hook plate group according to different treatment methods.There were 17 patients in AC TightRope group,including 12 males and 5 females,aged (42.6 ± 10.3)years.There were 15 patients in clavicular hook plate group,including 11 males and 4 females,aged (44.5 ± 8.9)years.The incision length,operation time,intraoperative blood loss,hospitalization time,postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) of the affected shoulder,functional recovery of shoulder joint and complications were compared between the two groups.Results All patients were followed up for 6-26 months,with an average of 15 months.There was no significant difference between the two groups in hospitalization time (P ＞ 0.05).In the AC TightRope group and clavicular hook plate group,the operation time was (41.5 ±4.2)minutes and (60.1 ± 4.2) minutes,respectively (P ＜ 0.01);the incision length was (3.6 ± 0.3) cm and (10.1 ± 0.6) cm,respectively (P ＜ 0.01);the intraoperative blood loss was (45.3 ± 11.1) ml and (78.3 ± 16.0) ml,respectively (P ＜ 0.01);the postoperative VAS of the shoulder was (1.9 ± 0.5) points and (3.1 ± 0.7) points,respectively (P ＜ 0.05);the excellent and good rate of postoperative recovery of shoulder joint function was 100％ (17/17) and 67％ (10/15),respectively (P ＜0.01).There were no complications such as surgical incision infection,intraoperative neurovascular injury or condylar fracture during the perioperative period.No serious postoperative complications such as internal fixation loosening,loss of reduction or recurrence of dislocation were found in both groups.Conclusion For acromioclavicular joint dislocation,AC TightRope can obtain good clinical effect and has obvious advantages in operation time,incision length and blood loss,with lower incidence of shoulder pain and better functional recovery compared with clavicular hook plate.

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of volunteer blood donors with HIV infection in Suzhou city, in order to make countermeasures to recruit appropriate volunteer blood donors. Methods Infectious situation and population characteristics of volunteer blood donors with HIV infection were explored by a retrospective analysis method in Suzhou city between 2012 and 2013. Results Among 755 643 volunteer blood donors from 2002 to 2013, 51 donors were HIV infection, the positive rate was 6.75/100000, and the highest detection rate was found in 2013 (23.25/10万), following as 2012 for 9.71/100000, and the lowest was 1.66/100000. There was a statistically significant differ-ence among these years(χ2=37.96, P<0.01). 42 cases of 51 cases with HIV infection were men, the other 9 were women, sex ratio between male and female was nearly 5:1. The donors with 18 to 30 years old (60.79%) were predominant pop-ulation, unmarried people were as high as 62.75%, the staff were 56.86%, the donors with high school, technical sec-ondary school degrees and following degrees primarily accounted for 50.98%, and individual donors accounted for 70.59% of HIV infections. Conclusion There is an upward trend of HIV infection rate from voluntary blood donors in Suzhou in recent years. Blood collection organization should strengthen the health consultation of voluntary blood donors before the blood donation, especially among young adults, strict screening for HIV, which guarantee for clinical safety of blood transfusion.

Objective To observe the oral part of the facial artery and facial vein and to provide anatomical data for clinical applica-tion. Methods The origin, branches, course, diameter, position of oral part of facial artery and facial vein were observed on 32 fixed cada-ves (64 sides). Results The position relation between the facial artery and facial vein is non-constant. Measure the distance from inferior border of mandible to corner of the mouth, angulus mandibulae, mental protuberance midpoint. It is (5. 49 ± 0. 63) cm, (2. 50 ± 0. 89) cm and (6. 20 ± 1. 68) cm in the left side respectively, and (5. 69 ± 0. 72) cm, (2. 56 ± 1. 08) cm and (6. 85 ± 1. 86) cm in the right side re-spectively. The diameter of facial artery in inferior border of mandible is (0. 33 ± 0. 08) cm in the left side and (0. 38 ± 0. 07) cm in the right side;while the diameter of facial vein is (0. 40 ± 0. 12) cm in the left side and (0. 42 ± 0. 18) cm in the right side. The facial artery and facial vein are not concomitant and they are not asymmetry also. The position of superior labial artery arteries is constant, but the position of inferior labial artery arteries have more variations. Conclusion The branches, course, diameter and position of oral part of facial artery and facial vein have a number of variations. The superior labial artery arteries could be positioned more easily than inferior labial artery arter-ies. Being familiar with their distribution is of great importance for clinical application.