OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of somatostatin(SST)on expression of NO,TNF? and 5-lipoxygenase(5-LO)in primary cultured rat Kupffer cells induced by LPS.METHODS Kupffer cells isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured in the presence of LPS added alone or with SST for 12,24 and 48 h,and the production of TNF? was assessed in culture supernatants by ELISA and that of nitric oxide(NO)by nitrate reductase method.5-LO mRNA expression was assessed by semiquantitative RT-PCR.RESULTS Vehicle-stimulated Kupffer cells produced a basal amount of NO,TNF? and expressed 5-LO mRNA.Kupffer cells stimulated by LPS secreted significantly increased amounts of NO and TNF?(P0.05).CONCLUSIONS SST modulates NO,TNF? production and 5-LO mRNA expression by LPS-stlimulated Kupffer cells.

Objective To investigate epidemiological and clinical features of human ehrlichiosis.Methods The epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, therapeutic and prognostic data of 21 clinically diagnosed cases of human ehrlichiosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results The epidemic regions where the ticks' activity was high located at the boundary between Hubei and Henan Provinces. All cases were farmers. The median age was 50 years ranged from 19 to 69 years. The male female ratio evident history of tick bite 1 week before the onset. The common symptoms included fever, diarrhea,cough, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and expectoration. The complications included hemorrhage, toxic encephalopathy, acute renal insufficiency, secondary infection and respiratory failure. The common abnormalities of routine lab data were thrombocytopenia, hypoeosinophilia,elevated lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and aminotransferases, leucopenia and proteinuria.Nine cases were tested with peripheral blood smear and intracytoplasmic inclusions in neutrophils were found in one case. Seventeen cases were tested with serological assay and antibodies against Ehrlichia were positive in five cases. After doxycycline, symptomatic and supportive treatments, 14 cases were recovered and seven died. The average age of the deaths was 56 years. Conclusions Human ehrlichiosis is an acute tick-borne zoonosis and multiorgan could be involved. The older cases prone to develop complications and the prognosis is poor.

Objective To evaluate left intra-ventricular diastolic blood flow patterns and fluid dynamics in pre diabetics using vector flow mapping(VFM),and to explore the value of left intra-ventricular hydromechanics characteristics assessment of intracardiac flow by VFM with more sensitive indexes.Methods Forty four patients with type 2 diabetes,twenty-eight pre-diabetes patients and thirty-three normal volunteers underwent VFM to determine the left ventricular(LV) diastolic blood flow patterns and fluid dynamics.The two-dimensional color Doppler flow images data were acquired in standerd apical fourchamber view during 3 complete cardiac cycles.These images were analyzed using a dedicated off-line workstation.At different level (mitral annulus,papillary muscl and apex level),the diastole blood flow parameters of LV including flow velocity and volume,velocity gradients (△V),pressure gradients (△P),diastole flow volume,vortex intensity ( Ⅵ),vortex area ( VA),vortex radius (VA) were derived.Thedifferences of the above parameters were compared among the three groups.The correlationship between diastolic function parameters and LV hydromechanics indexes were analyzed.Results ① Compared to normal group and pre-diabetics group,the LV diastolic function parameters E/A and e/a in diabetics group were lower( P ＜0.01),with no differences for E/e( P ＞0.05).There were no significant diffrences of these indices between diabetics group and pre-diabetics group( P ＞0.05).②)Compared to normal group,the intraventricular peak flow velocity at basal level,△V and △P in diabetics group and pre-diabetics group were lower( P ＜0.01),but there were no significant differences of these indices between diabetics group and prediabetics group( P ＞ 0.05).③Compared to normal group,the diastolic positive volume at basal level in diabetics group and pre-diabetics group was lower ( P ＜0.01 ),but there was no significant differences of these indices between diabetics group and pre-diabetics group ( P ＞ 0.05).④ Compared to the normal group,the Ⅵ in diabetics and pre-diabetics group was decreased,but there were no significant differences ofthese indices between diabetics group and pre-diabetics group( P ＞0.05).The VA and VR in diabetics and pre-diabetics group were increased,but there were no significant differences of these indices between diabetics group and pre-diabetics group ( P ＞ 0.05).⑤ There were no correlationship between diastolic function parameters and LV hydromechanics indexes.Conclusions There is the same LV diastolic blood flow patterns and fluid dynamics existed in pre-diabetics as diabetics.VFM could be used as a new methods to demonstrate the early left intra-ventricular fluid dynamics damages in pre-diabetics patients.

In this study, the anti-HBV effects of tea polyphenols (TP) were examined. After cells were exposed to TP for 3, 6, 9 days, amounts of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV-DNA released into the supernatant of the cultured HepG2 2.2.15 cells were detected. TP, to some extent, inhibited the secretion of HBsAg and strongly suppressed the secretion of HBeAg in a dose-dependent (P<0.01) and time-dependent manner, with 50% maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value being 7.34 microg/mL on the 9th day, but the time-dependence was not significant (P=0.051). Expression of HBV-DNA in the supernatant of the cell culture also was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent fashion (P<0.01). The IC50 of TP in inhibiting HBV DNA was 2.54 microg/mL. It concluded that TP possessed potential anti-HBV effects and may be used as a treatment alternative for HBV infection.
Antiviral Agents/*pharmacology ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flavonoids/*pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/analysis ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/analysis ; Hepatitis B virus/*drug effects ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Phenols/*pharmacology ; Tea/*chemistry

Objective To investigate the risk factors for postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD)after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery in elderly female patients,and to establish a risk model for prognosis.Methods Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE) was used to evaluate the cognitive function of 280 elderly women who underwent gynecologic laparoscopic surgery from April 2014 to March 2016 in four tertiary-level hospitals in Hubei Province.Thirty-two cases were excluded due to withdrawal or loss of follow-up,and 248 cases with complete and valid data were collected for analysis.According to the degree of cognitive impairment on the 7th day after operation,subjects were grouped into a POCD group and a non-POCD group.Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors and establish a prognostic model for POCD.Results Of the 248 subjects enrolled,62 (25.0％) were diagnosed with POCD on the 7th day after operation.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA) grade(OR =4.578,95％CI:1.156 ～18.139,P =0.030),age (OR =1.465,95％ CI:1.230 ～ 1.745,P =0.000),and duration of anesthesia(OR =1.030,95 ％ CI:1.005 ～ 1.056,P =0.017) were independent risk factors for POCD,and intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine (OR =0.069,95 ％ CI:0.508 ～ 14.094,P =0.011),dexamethasone (OR =0.135,95 ％ CI:0.200 ～ 0.928,P =0.042),and maintenance of deep anesthesia(OR =0.761,95 ％ CI:0.630 to 0.919,P =0.005) were protective factors.A prognostic model was established based on the principle of logistic regression equation.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve determined Y=4.291 as the best risk value,and the expected sensitivity and specificity were 90.3％ and 97.8％,respectively.Additionally,another 50 independent cases were included to verify the predictive efficacy of the model.It showed that the overall correct rate was 86.0％,and the sensitivity and specificity were 81.8％ and 87.2％,respectively.Conclusions Increased ASA grade,advanced age,prolonged anesthesia time are independent risk factors for POCD,and intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine,dexamethasone,maintenance of deep anesthesia play a protective role.The prognosis model of POCD has certain clinical value.

Chronic hepatitis C has become a serious public health issue around the world.In recent years,with the development of pharmacotherapy for hepatitis C,it may be possible to cure hepatitis C.With reference to the epidemic status of hepatitis C and the advantages and side effects of conventional standard therapy (pegylated interferon plus ribavirin) and various oral direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs),this article summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of different combinations of DAAs in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with different genotypes and briefly introduces the World Health Organization recommendations on the treatment of hepatitis C.Hepatitis C is expected to be eliminated with the development of pharmacotherapy for chronic hepatitis C.

A total of 159 patients with Streptococcus milleri (S. milleri) infection were diagnosed in our hospital between January 2014 and January 2019. The demographic data, underlying diseases, infection sites, laboratory tests, and prognosis of patients were retrospectively analyzed; the clinical and microbiological data were compared among different age groups. Of the 159 patients there were 103 were males and 56 females; there were 19 patients aged<18 years [(8.1±5.3) years], 113 patients aged ≥18 and < 65 years [(45.5±13.1) years] and 27 patients aged ≥65 years[(74.7±8.6) years]. The incidence peaked in the 34-55 year age group (50 cases, 31.4%). Streptococcus anginosus was identified in 97 cases (61.0%), Streptococcus constellatus in 55 patients (34.6%) and Streptococcus intermedius in 7 cases (4.4%). The abdomen (44 cases, 27.7%) and the chest (19 cases, 11.9%) were the main involving sites. For patients younger than 18 years and those aged ≥18 and<65 years, suppurative appendicitis was the most common condition[12 cases(12/19) and 21 cases(18.6%), respectively]; while in patients aged ≥65 years, chest infection ranked the first (9 cases, 33.3%). All 159 patients were treated with anti-infection therapy alone or anti-infection and invasive procedures with a favorable prognosis, 2 patients died with a overall fatality rate of 1.3%.

Objective:To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of hypertensive retinopathy (HRP) in a non-diabetic population over 30 years old during routine health examinations.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study of a non-diabetic population over 30 years of age. The study was conducted during routine health examinations at the Tongren Hospital, Beijing, from January to December 2020. Fundus photographs were taken, and data including medical history, height, weight, and blood pressure were collected. Routine laboratory examinations were performed. The study population was divided into hypertension, transient hypertension, and non-hypertension groups. The prevalence of HRP was compared among the three groups. OR and 95% CI of HRP risk factors was estimated by binary logistic regression, adjusted for age and gender. Results:The prevalence of HRP was 4.3% in the non-diabetic population over 30 years old. Adjusted for age, gender, and systolic blood pressure, the prevalence of HRP in hypertension and transient hypertension groups, was both higher than in the non-hypertension group [ OR(95% CI) of 3.11(2.25-4.30) and 1.72(1.21-2.45), respectively]. The proportion of grade 1-2 HRP was higher (76.2%). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of grade 3 HRP among the three groups. Adjusted for age and gender, systolic blood pressure and creatinine clearance rate were independent risk factors for HRP in the hypertension group [ OR(95% CI): 1.22(1.01-1.48) and 1.66(1.12-2.46)] and transient hypertension group [ OR(95% CI): 1.48(1.10-2.06) and 1.95(1.03-3.46)]. SBP and DBP were independent risk factors for HRP in the non-hypertension group [ OR(95% CI): 1.68(1.07-2.63) and 1.61(1.06-2.44)]. Conclusions:There was a high prevalence of HRP among the non-diabetic population over the age of 30 and there was still relatively high risk of grade 3 HRP among the normotensive population.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a Beijing population during routine medical examinations. Methods This was a cross-sectional study during a routine health examination at the Tongren Hospital of Beijing,from March 2014 to February 2015. Fundus photography was conducted by experienced ophthalmologists.Medical history,height,weight,waist and hip circumference,and blood pressure were recorded.Routine laboratory examinations were performed. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of diabetic retinopathy for each risk factor,adjusted for age and gender. Results The prevalence of DR was 7.0% among diabetic individuals.The multivariate analysis showed that disease durations[OR(95% CI),2.1 (1.564-2.752),P<0.001],fasting plasma glucose[1.2(1.093-1.273),P<0.001],body mass index[1.8(1.010-3.100),P=0.046],and triglyceride[0.794(0.638-0.987),P=0.038]were independently associated with DR. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and DR significantly increased in populations aged>30 years. Conclusion Fundus photography (nonmydriatic) should be recommended as a routine screening method for people 30 years and elder to effectively prevent occurrence of visual impairment and blindness.

In this study,the anti-HBV effects of tea polyphenols (TP) were examined.After cells were exposed to TP for 3,6,9 days,amounts of HBsAg,HBeAg and HBV-DNA released into the supernatant of the cultured HepG2 2.2.15 cells were detected.TP,to some extent,inhibited the secre-tion of HBsAg and strongly suppressed the secretion of HBeAg in a dose-dependent (P<0.01) and time-dependent manner,with 50% maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value being 7.34 μg/mL on the 9th day,but the time-dependence was not significant (P=0.051).Expression of HBV-DNA in the supernatant of the cell culture also was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent fashion (P<0.01).The IC50 of TP in inhibiting HBV DNA was 2.54 μg/mL.It concluded that TP possessed potential anti-HBV effects and may be used as a treatment alternative for HBV infection.