Objective To analyse the plasma glucose change in the patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to discuss its possible mechanism. Methods The clinical data of 61 cases with SARS in Tianjin were retrospectively analysed. Results Plasma glucose level increased in 26 cases with SARS, among them, 2 cases suffered from diabetes before SARS onset, 24 cases were diagnosed as the secondary diabetes whose blood glucose level recovered normal after SARS were cured, except 4 cases who were dead. All of the 61 cases were treated with glucocorticoids. If the patients were grouped by the dose of methylprednisolone they received, 9 out of 14 cases with large dose, 14 out of 26 cases with middle dose and 1 out of 21 cases with small dose were led to secondary diabetes. There was significant difference in the incidence of the secondary diabetes between the small dose group and middle/large dose groups (P

Objective To evaluate the effect and safety of nicorandil on Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon (CSFP) .Methods The CSFP patients(n=60) were randomly divided into the control group treated with placebo and the treatment group treated with nicorandil .The changes of the clinical symptoms ,the frequency and duration of pectoralgia ,the six-minute walk test ,and TIMI frame counts were observed before and after treatment .Results The treatment group had a better therapeutic effect than the con-trol group(P<0 .05) .There were significant differences in the frequency and duration of pectoralgia ,the six-minute walk test ,and TIMI frame counts in treatment group before and after treatment ,which were superior to those of control group (P<0 .05 ,P<0 .01) .The blood routine examinations and hepatorenal function were within the normal range before and after treatment .Conclusion Nicorandil has better therapeutic effect and safety on CSFP .

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in intervertebral disc degeneration and its association with the pathological grading of disc degeneration.

METHODSNormal and degenerative intervertebral disc tissues were collected were classified into 5 grades of increasing degenerative changes. HE staining, immunohistochemistry, TUNEL staining and RT-PCR were used to detect the expression of TGF-β1 in the disc tissues.

RESULTSImmunohistochemistry and RT-PCR showed positive expressions of TGF-β1 and Bcl-2 in normal disc tissues, where Bax was expressed at have a trace level. In the degenerative disc tissues, TGF-β1 expression increased with the pathological grades; the expression levels of TGF-β1 showed significant differences between degenerative and normal tissues and between grade IV and grade I disc tissues (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONTGF-β1 is an important factor participating in the disc degeneration and its expression level is closely related to the pathological grade of degenerative discs.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety, feasibility and the impact of different extents of lymph node dissection on the survival in the patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to December 2006, 122 patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent radical resection through cervical, thoracic, and abdominal incisions, and were randomly divided into two-field lymph node dissection group (Two-FD) and three-field lymph node dissection group (Three-FD). Life-table method was used to compare the difference of survival rates between the two groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the cumulative survival time and median survival time between the two groups. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox model to identify the prognostic factors affecting the survival (alpha = 0.05).

RESULTSThere was no significant difference between the two groups in age, sex, and disease stage. Postoperative complication rate and perioperative mortality rate were 14.5% and 1.6% in the two-FD group versus 15.0% and 1.7% in the three-FD group, statistically without a significant difference (P > 0.05). The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 78.2%, 39.6% and 14.5% in the two-FD group, and 83.7%, 42.4% and 18.1% in the three-FD group, respectively. The median survival time was 24.0 months in the two-FD group and 31.0 months in the three-FD group. Log-rank analysis showed that in the patients without preoperative weight loss, in T3N1M0 stage, only single regional lymph node metastasis but < 3 in total, the three field lymph node dissection achieved a better prognosis (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis using Cox model showed that T and N stages and lymph node dissection extent were still risk factors in patients with stage III locally advanced thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONCompared with the two field lymph node dissection, the three field lymph node dissection is safe and feasible, and can improve the survival for a part of stage III esophageal cancer patients without increase in operative mortality and complications.

Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Chylothorax ; etiology ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; adverse effects ; methods ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of two fluid resuscitations on the bacterial translocation and the inflammatory factors of small intestine in rats with hemorrhagic shock.

METHODSFifty SD healthy male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n equal to 10 per group): Group A (Sham group), Group B (Ringer's solution for 1 h), Group C (Ringer's solution for 24 h), Group D (hydroxyethyl starch for 1 h) and Group E ((hydroxyethyl starch for 24 h). A model of rats with hemorrhagic shock was established. The bacterial translocation in liver, content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and changes of myeloperoxidase enzyme (MPO) activities in small intestine were pathologically investigated after these two fluid resuscitations, respectively.

RESULTSThe bacterial translocation and the expression of TNF-alpha in the small intestine were detected at 1 h and 24 h after fluid resuscitation. There were significant increase in the number of translocated bacteria, TNF-alpha and MPO activities in Group C compared with Group B, significant decrease in Group E compared with Group D and in Group B compared with Group D. The number of translocated bacteria and TNF-alpha expression significantly decreased in Group E as compared with Group C.

CONCLUSIONSThe bacterial translocation and the expression of TNF-alpha in the small intestine exist 24 h after fluid resuscitation. 6% hydroxyethyl starch can improve the intestinal mucosa barrier function better than the Ringer's solution.

Animals ; Bacterial Translocation ; drug effects ; Fluid Therapy ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Intestine, Small ; metabolism ; Isotonic Solutions ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Male ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDIntratracheal instillation of blood induces self-repaired acute lung injury. However, the mechanism of repair has been unclear. Heme-oxygenase (HO)-1, which catalyzes heme breakdown, acts as an inducible defense against oxidative stress and plays an important role in inflammation. The objective of this study was to test the role of HO-1 in lung injury caused by intratracheal instillation of red cells.

METHODSForty healthy, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, saline group, erythrocyte group, erythrocyte+zinc-protoporphyrin (ZnPP, HO-1 inhibitor) group and saline+ZnPP group. At 2 days after intratracheal instillation of red cells, lung tissues and lavage samples were isolated for biochemical determinations and histological measurements.

RESULTSHistological analysis revealed that administration of ZnPP worsened the acute lung injury induced by instilled erythrocytes. HO-1 was over-expressed in the erythrocyte group and in the erythrocyte + ZnPP group. Compared with the erythrocyte + ZnPP group, the levels of total protein, lactate dehydrogenase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the lavage were lower (P < 0.01), while the level of interleukin-10 was higher in the erythrocyte group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONHO-1 protects against erythrocyte-induced inflammatory injury in lung.

Animals ; Erythrocytes ; physiology ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; analysis ; physiology ; Interleukin-10 ; analysis ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; prevention & control ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

Objective To observe the alteration of interleukin-17 and interferon-γ double positive cells(IL-17 +/IFN-γ cells)in mice with coxsackie virus B3(CVB3)induced acute viral myocarditis(VMC).Methods VMC was induced in male Balb/c mice by peritoneal injection of CVB3.Control mice received PBS injection.At 0,1,2,3,4 and 6 weeks after injection,pathological scores were determined on hematoxylin-eosin stained heart sections and flow cytometric analysis was performed to evaluate the percent of IL-17+/IFN-γ+ cells among CD4+ T cells.Results Compared to control mice,the pathological scores of VMC mice were higher on CVB3 infection week 1(1.8 ± 0.5),peaked on week 2(2.8 ± 0.5)and declined thereafter.However,the proportion of IL-17 +/IFN-γ+ cells remained steadily at a low level throughout the observation period and was similar between VMC and control mice.Conclusions Our data shows that IL-17 +/IFN-γ+ cells might not be involved in the inflammation process of CVB3 induced VMC mice model.

Objective To preliminarily understand the genotyping characteristics regarding the variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates so as to provide evidence for the development of tuberculosis control and prevention programs in Fujian province.Methods Fifteen VNTR locus sets were used to detect the clinical isolates from the fifth surveillance project on tuberculosis resistance,in Fujian province.BioNumerics version 4.5 were used to analyze the cluster from the results generated by genotyping.Results 313 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were divided into 9 clusters,including Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ,Ⅵ,Ⅶ,Ⅷ and Ⅸ,with the number of 220,9,48,2,1,3,10,10,10 isolates,respectively.Cluster Ⅰ was the major lineage,accounting for 70.3％ (220/313) of the total.Resistance rates of cluster Ⅰ isolates to isoniazid,streptomycin,ethambutol and multi-drug-resistaut were not statistically different from other clusters (P＞0.05).However,resistance rate to rifampicin (RFP) was significantly higher than that of other isolates of the clusters,33.2％ (73/220) vs.20.4％ (19/93) (P＜0.05).Conclusion The strains isolated from Fujian province showed significant polymorphism on genotyping.Cluster Ⅰ seemed to be the dominant,calling for the close monitoring program on cluster Ⅰ strains.Results from our initial studies demonstrated the existence of significant correlation between cluster Ⅰ strains and drug resistance to RFP.

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of apelin and its receptor (APJ) in the lung tissue of rats with pulmonary hypertension induced by monocrotaline and to explore its significance.

METHODSTwenty-five male SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n = 10) and monocrotaline group (n = 15). On the twenty-first day after the rats were intraperitoneally injected 60 mg/kg monocrotaline for monocrotaline group or equal volume vehicle for control group, the mean pulmonary artery pressure was measured by right heart catheterization. Histopathological study of lung tissue was done with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson's trichrome staining. The concentration of apelin in the plasma was measured by radioimmunoassay. The expressions of apelin/APJ proteins and genes in lung tissue were measured respectively by Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe mean pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary vascular remodeling index, content of apelin protein in lung tissue of monocrotaline group were higher than those in control group. APJ protein and gene expression in monocrotaline group were significantly lower than those in control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but apelin gene expression in the lung tissue between the two groups had no significant difference.

CONCLUSIONEndogenous apelin/APJ dysfunction may play an important role in the development of pulmonary hypertension induced by monocrotaline.

Animals ; Apelin ; Apelin Receptors ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Lung ; metabolism ; Male ; Monocrotaline ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism

We here report 3 cases successfully treated with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt using Viatorr stent. The 3 patients were had a diagnosis of liver cirrhosis with portal vein hypertension, and presented with black stool and hematemesis. After the treatment, the patients' portal vein pressures were decreased without black stool or hematemesis. Our success demonstrate the feasibility of using Viatorr stent in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.
Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; surgery ; Liver Cirrhosis ; surgery ; Portal Vein ; Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic ; Stents