Objective To investigate the clinical significance of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA)in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS).Methods The serum ACA- IgM and ACA-IgG in 175 cases of renal diseases and 50 healthy cases were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The positive rates of ACA were calculated and compared among different groups.Results The positive rates of ACA-IgM and ACA-IgG in control group were both 0 (0/50),while they were 85.2%(46/54)and 24.1%(13/54)respectively in patients with HERS. 25.0%(13/52)and 21.2%(11/52)respectively in patients with lupus nephritis and 13.0%(9/69) and 8.7%(6/69)respectively in patients with nephrotic syndrome.The poshive rate of ACA lgM in patients with HFRS was higher than that in control group,lupus nephritis group and nephritic syn- drome group(P

[Objective]To explore the relationship between peripheral arterial disease(PAD)and diabetic retinopathy(DR)in type 2 diabetes patients.[Methods]A total of 99 patients diagnosed with PAD were classified into grade 1-3 by their total scores of peripheral arterial stenosis assessed by color doppler ultrasound examinations,where the degree of stenosis 30% ~ 49% scored 0, 50%~99%scored 1,lumen occlusion(i.e. degree of stenosis 100%)scored 2,and therefore the total score 0-2 was categorized into Grade 1 ,3~4 into Grade 2 ,5~12 into Grade 3. The bilateral anterior tibial artery ,posterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery of these patients were analyzed. The presence of diabetic retinopathy(DR)was graded from retinal photographs using a standard protocol.[Results]Among 99 cases of type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease ,58.6%of them were male with average age of 67.3 ± 7.9 years old. Patients of Grade 1,Grade2,Grade 3 lesion accounted for 45.4%,30.3%,24.2%,respectively. Age, gender,smoking history,SBP,DBP,BMI,FBG,TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C,HbA1C among 3 groups were not statistically signifi-cant. The associations of DM duration and HbA1C value were significantly larger in DR than in PAD. The proportion of DR patients increased with the severity degree of PAD(p for trend=0.004). Degree of stenosis Grade 2 and Grade 3 could be predictive for DR.[Conclusions]DR is associated with the severity degree of PAD in type 2 diabetes patients as evaluated by duplex ultrasonography.Degree of stenosis Grade 2 and 3 could be used for screening or finding DR. Strategies for optimum treatment and early prevention are needed.

A lactoferrin-containing PEGylated liposome system (Lf-PLS) was developed and tested in vitro as a hepatoma-targeting drug delivery system. PEGylated liposomes (PLS) were successfully prepared using the thin film hydration method with peglipid post insertion. Lf was covalently conjugated onto the carboxyl terminal of DSPE-PEG2000-COOH on liposomes. Coumarin-6 was used to trace Lf-PLS with fluorescence. The cellular uptake of this system was carried out in asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) positive HepG2 cells via confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The Lf-PLS liposome was observed as spherical or oval vesicles with the particle size around 130 nm, zeta potential about -30 mV and encapsulation efficiency more than 80%. The confocal microscopy images and flow cytometry data demonstrated that Lf-PLS resulted in significantly higher cell association by ASGPR positive HepG2 cells compared to PLS. The association between Lf-PLS and cells were dependent on the concentration, time and temperature, which was inhibited by pre-incubation with excessive free Lf. The results suggest that Lf-PLS has a good targeting effect on HepG2 cells in vitro. The targeting mechanism may be related to the specific binding of Lf and ASGPR on HepG2 cells, which guides Lf-PLS to the cell surface to induce an active endocytosis process. All these results demonstrated that Lf-PLS might be a potential drug delivery system in targeting hepatocellular carcinoma, which deserves more research on its targeting ability, antitumor efficiency, and metabolism in vivo for treatment of hepatomacellular carcinoma.
Asialoglycoprotein Receptor ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Coumarins ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Endocytosis ; Hep G2 Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lactoferrin ; pharmacology ; Liposomes ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Particle Size ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Thiazoles

Aged ; Bronchoscopy ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; complications ; Tracheal Stenosis ; etiology ; therapy

Objective To assess the suitability of N95 masks for public health emergency personnel, and to compare the consistency between mask suitability test result and subjective evaluation of mask air tightness so as to guide scientific selection and use of protection masks for emergency personnel. Methods By ambient aerosol condensation nuclear counter method, qualitative suitability test was done among 235 public health emergency personnel from both municipal and district disease control centers.Questionnaires were conducted among them for investigation and comparison of their subjective evaluation of mask air tightness and mask suitability test results. Results Of the 235 subjects, 160 passed the suitability test with the pass rate being 68.1%. With various wearing actions for the test, the subjective evaluation for mask air tightness was compared with suitability test pass rate in terms of consistence, the kappa value range being from -0.09 to 0.43.The kappa value of the action 5 (loudly speaking) was above 0.4, while the kappa values of other 6 actions were all below 0.4.Both kappa value (0.09) and consistency rate (49.7%) were the lowest for action 8 (normal breathing) among all test actions. Conclusion The accuracy of the subjective evaluation for air tightness of the mask proves to be poor, unable to reflect the true protective effect and unable to substitute the suitability test.It is advised that the public health personnel should rely on the suitability test results to correctly choose and use suitable respiratory protective products.

The wild resources of Dendrobium officinale in Anhui province were studied by textural research, data collection, interview survey and regional survey, in order to investigate the resources distribution and ecological characters and provide the reference for Anhui Dendrobium industry. In this paper, a part of producing areas of wild D. officinale in Anhui province was selected to analyze the ecological characters. As a result, we find that the wild resources of D. officinale in Anhui distributed only sporadic and the conditions of growth environment were harsh. Our findings may provide some suggestions on wild resources protection and artificial cultivation in suitable environments because the wild resources of D. officinale in Anhui are decreasing rapidly and facing an endangered situation.
China ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; supply & distribution ; Ecological and Environmental Phenomena

OBJECTIVEAngiotensin II is an important pro inflammation factor in the cardiovascular system. This experiment is aimed to study the effects of angiotensin II on inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in human umbilical endothelial cells.

METHODSHuman umbilical endothelial cells were cultured in vitro and treated with angiotensin II alone or in combination with AT1, AT2 and NF-kappaB inhibitors respectively. The inducible nitric oxide synthase expressions at protein and mRNA levels were measured with Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the activity of NF-kappaB was analyzed with EMSA.

RESULTSAngiotensin II up-regulated inducible nitric oxide synthase expressions at the protein and mRNA levels at 5 h (P < 0.05), the activity of NF-kappaB was enhanced at 2 h (P < 0.05). These effects could be blocked by AT1 and NF-kappaB inhibitors but not by AT2 inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONAngiotensin II can upregulate the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase through NF-kappaB pathway in human umbilical endothelial cells. AT1, other than AT2, play a key role in this process.

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; pharmacology ; Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Blockers ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; chemistry ; drug effects ; Heart Failure ; metabolism ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; biosynthesis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Up-Regulation

Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; methods ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications

OBJECTIVELeft and right ventricular functions were assessed by cine MR imaging in comparison with echocardiography in healthy volunteers.

METHODSA total of 36 healthy volunteers were examined with breath-hold true FISP cine MR imaging sequence and amended localize methods for left and right ventricular functions. Echocardiography (echo) was also performed in these volunteers.

RESULTS(1) left ventricular global function parameters obtained by MR were as follows: EDV (101.3 +/- 19.2) ml, ESV (42.1 +/- 13.3) ml, SV (69.2 +/- 9.8) ml, EF (59.1 +/- 7.2)%; Right ventricular global function as follows: EDV (118.9 +/- 27.1) ml, ESV (57.6 +/- 16.1) ml, SV (61.2 +/- 12.7) ml, EF (51.9 +/- 4.5)%. (2) EDV measured by MR and echo was similar and ESV measured by MR was significantly higher and the rest parameters were lower than that by echo. There was a good correlation (r = 0.66 - 0.80, P < 0.05) on all parameters obtained by MR and echo.

CONCLUSIONThe present study suggests that cine MR imaging is well applicable to left and right ventricular function and RV volume measurements.

Adult ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Contraction ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Function, Right

Aorta ; pathology ; surgery ; Aortopulmonary Septal Defect ; therapy ; Balloon Occlusion ; methods ; Catheterization, Swan-Ganz ; methods ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome