Objective To explore the impact of Toxoplasma gondii infection on pregnancy outcomes in early pregnancy wom-en. Methods Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG antibodies in the peripheral blood of 2 993 early pregnant women were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). According to the test results,the infected ones were divided into an acute in-fection group,a previous infection group,and an active infection group,and 200 pregnant women without Toxoplasma infection were randomly chosen as a control group,and the pregnancy outcomes of the four groups were followed up and the results were compared. Results There were 286 women infected with Toxoplasma gondii,with the infection rate of 9.56%(286/2 993),in which 43 cases were diagnosed as acute infection,156 were previous cases,and the other 87 were active infection ones. The inci-dences of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the above 3 groups and the control group were 13.95%(6/43),1.92%(3/156),5.75%(5/87)and 1.50%(3/200),respectively. The incidences of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the acute infection group and active in-fection group were both higher than that in the control group,the differences were statistically significant(both P<0.05),while there was no significant difference between the previous infection group and control group(P>0.05). Conclusion Acute and ac-tive Toxoplasma gondii infections are closely associated with the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in early pregnant wom-en;therefore,Toxoplasma gondii IgM antibody should be included in the routine inspection items of the pre-pregnancy physical examination for child-bearing age women.

Objective To discuss the test efficiency of three methods for detecting Toxoplasma IgG antibody. Methods To-tally 304 specimens were detected parallelly for Toxoplasma IgG antibody by using the gold marked method,indirect hemagglutina-tion test(IHA),and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the sensitivity,specificity and Youden index of these methods were compared. Results The detection sensitivities of gold marked method,IHA,and ELISA for Toxoplasma IgG anti-body were 85.5%,89.8%and 91.9%respectively(χ2=4.12,P>0.05);the specificities were 92.4%,96.6%and 97.5%respec-tively(χ2=4.06,P>0.05). The detection efficiency and Youden index of ELISA were 94.1%and 0.89 respectively,being high-er than those of IHA and gold marked method. Conclusion The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA method for Toxoplasma IgG antibody are higher,and in addition,it can be automated. Therefore,it is suitable for large-scale Toxoplasma IgG antibody screening.

Background:For patients with liver cirrhosis and acute decompensation(AD),it is of great clinical importance to predict short-term mortality at admission. It has been reported that CLIF-C OF,MELD and MELD-Na score can accurately predict the short-term mortality,but all these scoring systems are complicated and have limits in their application. Aims:To define a simple and objective scoring system -- simplified MELD score for short-term mortality prediction in HBV-related cirrhotic patients with AD. Methods:A total of 890 consecutive HBV-related cirrhotic patients with AD hospitalized during Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2010 at Shanghai Ren Ji Hospital were enrolled retrospectively. Clinical data and patients’outcome were collected,and simplified MELD score was calculated by using total bilirubin,international normalized ratio and creatinine values at admission. Patients were classified into different prognostic groups according to their 28-day mortalities and simplified MELD score. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the 1-year accumulate survival rate,and ROC curve was used to evaluate the performance of different scoring systems in predicting 28-day mortality. Results:Simplified MELD score at admission could classify HBV-related cirrhotic patients with AD into low,moderate and high 28-day mortality groups and different long-term prognostic groups;the score of low,moderate and high 28-day mortality group was 0-2,3 and 4-6,respectively,and the corresponding mortality was 5. 5% ,19. 8% and 48. 6% ,respectively. Simplified MELD score had the same good performance as compared with the CLIF-C OF,MELD and MELD-Na scores in predicting 28-day mortality,the area under ROC curve was 0. 828,0. 831,0. 828 and 0. 830,respectively. Conclusions:Simplified MELD score can accurately classify HBV-related cirrhotic patients with AD into low,moderate and high 28-day mortality groups at admission. It is convenient for using in clinical practice.

Objective:To evaluate the potential mutagenicity of Echinacea Herb P.E via salmonella typhimurium Ames test. Methods:To test the Echinacea Herb P.E diffusion through Ames test. In the plate incorporation test of Salmonella Typhimurium,the average number of spontaneous revertants of TA97,TA98,TAl00,and TA102 at four concentrations was calculated after incubation at 37 ℃ for 48 hours. Results:Whether added S 9 or not,the number of induced revertants when compared to that of spontaneous revertants did not increase statistically significant. The result of Ames test was negative. Conclusion:Echinacea Herb P.E will not cause the increase of the back mutation in murine typhoid salmonella which shows that Echinacea Herb P.E will not cause gene mutation.

To investigate the relationship of the variation of virulence and the external capsid proteins of the pandemic duck hepatitis A virus type 1(DHAV-1) isolates,the virulence,cross neutralization assays and the complete sequence of the virion protein 1(VP1) gene of nine virulent DHAV-1 strains,which were isolated from infected ducklings with clinical symptoms in Shandong province of China in 2007-2008,were tested.The fifth generation duck embryo allantoic liquids of the 9 isolates were tested on 12-day-old duck embryos and on 7-day-old ducklings for the median embryonal lethal doses(ELD50s) and the median lethal doses(LD50s),respectively.The results showed that the ELD5s of embryonic duck eggs of the 9 DHAV-1 isolates were between 1.9 × 106/mL to 1.44 × 107/mL,while the LD50s were 2.39 × 105/mL to 6.15 × 106/mL.Cross-neutralization tests revealed that the 9 DHAV-1 isolates were completely neutralized by the standard serum and the hyperimmune sera against the 9 DHAV-1 isolates,respectively.Compared with other virulent,moderate virulent,attenuated vaccine and mild strains,the VP1 genes of the 9 strains shared 89.8％-99.7％ similarity at the nucleotide level and 92.4％-99.6％ at amino acid level with other DHAV-1 strains.There were three hypervariable regions at the C-terminus(as 158-160,180-193 and 205-219) and other variable points in VPI protein,but which didn't cause virulence of DHAV-1 change.

Objective To assess the effects of fluid resuscitation in elderly patients with septic shock by right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI). Method Thirty elderly patients with septic shock with-in 6 hours after onset, admired to intensive care unit of Zhejiang Hospital from January 2007 to October 2008, were randomly divided into control group (n = 15) and experimental group (n = 15). Homodynamic profile of the right ventricular was monitored by using modified Swan-Ganz catheter. Fluid resuscitation was given to the patients of control group monitored by right atria pressure (RAP). The expected efficacy of treatment was the RAP elevated to 8 ～ 12 mmHg. The goal of fluid resuscitation in patients of experimental group was 100～ 200 mL/m~2 RVEDVI corrected by right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF). RAP, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP), RVEF, RVEDVI, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) and mixed venous oxygen sat-uration (SvO_2) were recorded before and after the treatment for 6 hours in both groups. The concentration of lactate and the lactate clearance rate of patients in both groups after fluid resuscitation were detected. The relationship between lactate clearance rate and ARVEDVI was evaluated by using correlation analysis. Results The percentage of patients reaching goal of resuscitation in experimental group (86.7%) was higher than that in control group (80%), however, there was no significant difference statistically. In goals-achieving group, RVEDVI, △RVEDVI, RVEF(%), RAP and lactate clearance rate(%) of the patients in experimental group were signifi-cantly higher than those in control group [(119.92 ± 15.65) mL/m~2, (38.54 ± 6.63) mL/m~2, (36.08 ± 3.40), (14.46±1.13) mmHg,(58.31 ± 13.36) vs. (99.92±11.71) mL/m~2,(21.00±11.01) mL/m~2,(32.42± 2.47),(13.08±1.08) mmHg,(43.99±16.26); P <0.05]. However, there was no significant difference in PAOP, APACHE Ⅱ and SvO_2 between two groups (P >0.05). The lactate clearance rate in goals-achieving pa-tients with septic shock has a significant correlation with RVEDVI and △RVEDVI (P < 0.01). Conclusions Fluid resuscitation guided by RVEDVI in elderly patients with septic shock is safe and more effective than that guided by RAP.

BACKGROUND:Estrogen signaling pathway for interaction between aromatase and estrogen-related receptor may exist in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s, which is used for regulating biological activity of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s. OBJECTIVE:To observe the expression of aromatase and estrogen-related receptors in adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s during osteogenic differentiation. METHODS:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s were respectively cultured in low-glucose DMEM medium (control group) and osteogenic induction medium (induction group). Cel proliferation and calcium deposition were determined by MTT assay and alizarin red staining, respectively. The expression of aromatase, estrogen receptorα, estrogen receptorβ, and estrogen-related receptorαduring osteogenic differentiation were determined by real-time PCR and western blot analysis. Estradiol levels in supernatants and lysates were detected by ELISA method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the induction group, the proliferation ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s was the strongest at 72 hours of culture;while there were a great amount of calcium nodules formed at 21 days of culture. Results from PCR and western blot assay showed that the expression of aromatase and estrogen receptorαwas improved in the induction group, but the expression of estrogen-related receptorαwas inhibited. There was no difference in the expression of estrogen receptorβbetween the two groups. ELISA results indicated that the level of estradiol in the supernatant of induction group was the highest. These findings indicate that aromatase, estrogen receptorα, estrogen receptorβand estrogen-related receptorαare al involved in osteogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s. Moreover, estradiol can be synthesized and secreted in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s, and most likely, promote the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s by related receptor pathway.

Objective To explore the significance of the plasma procalcitonin (PCT) level for directing antibiotic therapy in elderly patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Methods The 50 elderly patients with VAP were randomly separated into the regular therapy group and the PCT-directed therapy group. The regular therapy group was given regular antibiotic therapy, while the antibiotic therapy was decided according to the plasma level of PCT in the PCT-directed therapy group. The used time and utilization rate of antibiotics, as well as inflammatory indicators including white blood cells, neutrophils, C-reactive protein (CRP) and clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) were compared between the two groups. Results After treatment, there were no significant differences in white blood cells, neutrophils and CRP between the PCT-directed therapy group and regular therapy group [(8.9 ± 3.5 ) × 109/L vs. (9.4 ± 3.7) × 109/L, 0.62 ± 0.04 vs.0.60±0.04, (18.7±8.5) mg/Lvs. (21.6±6.0) mg/L, t=0.47, 1.84 and 1.37, allP＞0.05],but the CPIS was markedly lower in PCT-directed therapy group than in regular therapy group [(4.0± 1.4) scores vs. (4.7± 1.0) scores, t= 2. 18, P＜0.05]. The neutrophils, CRP and CPIS were significantly lower after treatment than before in the both groups. The concentration of PCT was decreased after treatment than before [(0.5 ± 0.9) mg/L vs. (1.7 ± 0.7) mg/L]. Meanwhile, the time using antibiotics was longer in regular treatment group than in PCT-directed therapy group [(8.72±1.32) d vs. (5.17±0.72) d, t=11.96, P＜0.01], the utilization rate of antibiotics was higher (95.2 % vs. 55.2 %, χ2 = 12.41, P＜0.01) in regular treatment group. Conclusions Using PCT levels for directing treatment in elderly patients with VAP can achieve better curative effect and reduce the use of antibiotics.

This study examined the ability of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (β-PGG) to induce the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the PC12 cells and its regulation in the PC12 cells. One week before treatment with the drug, nerve growth factor (NGF) was added to the cultures at a final concentration of 50 ng/mL to induce neuronal differentiation. After drug treatment, HO-1 gene transcription was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression of HO-1 and NF-E2-related factor2 (Nrf2) and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt were detected by Western blotting. The viability of the PC12 cells treated with different medicines was examined by MTT assay. The oxidative stress in the PC12 cells was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by DCFH-DA. The results showed that β-PGG up-regulated HO-1 expression and this increased expression provided neuroprotection against MPP(+)-induced oxidative injury. Moreover, β-PGG induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation, which was found to be upstream of β-PGG-induced HO-1 expression, and the activation of ERK and Akt, a pathway that is involved in β-PGG-induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation, HO-1 expression and neuroprotection. In conclusion, β-PGG up-regulates HO-1 expression by stimulating Nrf2 nuclear translocation in an ERK- and Akt-dependent manner, and HO-1 expression by β-PGG may provide the PC12 cells with an acquired antioxidant defense capacity to survive the oxidative stress.

0.05).Conclusions Fluid therapy guided by functional hemodynamic index SVV in elderly patients with severe sepsis under MV is safe and more effective than that guided by CVP.SVV is valuable in prodicting the response to fluid treatment in elderly patients with severe sepsis.