Humans ; Proteomics ; methods ; Silicosis ; metabolism ; Specimen Handling ; methods

Objective To discuss the value of Visfatin in severity evaluation in patients with severe pneumonia via observation on the variations of the plasma level of Visfatin. Method Seventy subjects including 40 patients with severe pneumonia ( group A) and 30 patients with non-severe pneumonia (group B) admitted to the ICU of emergency department and general wards from June 2009 to June 2010, were enrolled in this prospective study, and another 30 healthy individuals from physical examinees were included as subjects in control group (group C). Patients with severe diseases of heart, brain and kidney, cancers, autoimmune disease, or under special treatment in latest one month were excluded. For the subjects of all three groups, the plasma levels of Visfatin, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were measured by using ELISA, while the level of CRP was assayed by using immunoturbidimetry, and the routine blood test was performed as well. The blood gas analysis and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ ( APACHE Ⅱ) were carried out in patients with pneumonia. Comparisons between groups were made by t-tests, ANOVA or nonparametric test. Correlation analysis was carried out by Pearson correlation coefficient or Spearman rank correlation test. Results The plasma level of Visfatin in patients with severe pneumonia (group A) was significantly higher than that in patients with non-severe pneumonia (group B) and in the control subjects (group C) (P < 0. 01) , and the level of Visfatin in pneumonia ( group B) and in control group (group C) , and that in group B was significantly higher than that in the controls (group C) (P <0. 01). In group A, the plasma level of Visfatin was positively correlated with CRP, TNF-α, APACHE Ⅱ and PMN% (rha =0. 653, r = 0.554, r = 0.558, r= 0.484, P <0. 05), while negatively correlated with PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 ( rha = -0.422, r= -0.543, P <0. 05). Conclusions Visfatin may be involved in the systemic inflammation response in severe pneumonia as a pro-inflammatory cytokine which is valuable in assessing the severity of pneumonia.

Objective To determine the level of adiponectin (APN) in serum and induced sputum of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease both during acute exacerbation (AECOPD) and silent stage, and investigate APN' s role as a marker of inflammation in the pathogenesis of COPD. Method From October 2008 to October 2009,30 male AECOPD patients in the emergency department, 30 male silent COPD patients in the department of respiratory diseases and 30 healthy nonsmoking male volunteers were included. All subjects' serum and induced sputum were collected, and they were all of normal weight(BMI range of 18.5～ 24.9 kg/m2). Patients were excluded if they suffered from severe bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis or autoimmune disease. The number of cells in induced sputum was counted and the cell type was classified. The concentrations of APN, IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α in both serum and sputum were measured by using ELISA, and their pulmonary function was tested. The different groups were compared among them by using the t -tests, ANOVA analysis or nonparametric analysis, the relation between variables was assessed by using the Pearson or Spearman correlation test. Results The concentrations of APN in both serum and induced sputum of AECOPD patients were significantly higher than those in the silent COPD patients and the control subjects ( P ＜ 0.01 ). The concentrations of APN in the silent COPD patients were significantly higher than those in the control subjects ( P ＜ 0. 01 ). There were significant relationships between the concentrations of APN in serum and induced sputum and the levels of IL-8 and TNF-α in AECOPD patients ( r = 0.739, 0. 734,0.852 and 0. 857, respectively, P ＜ 0. 05) and in silent COPD patients ( r = 0.751,0.659, 0.707 and 0.867, respectively, P ＜0.05). There was significant relation betweenship between APN and neutrophil in induced sputum of AECOPD patients (r = 0.439, P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions APN was involved in the process of systemic and airway inflammation of COPD, and it was related with IL-8 and TNF-α. APN can be used as a new inflammation marker for COPD.

Cardiomyopathies ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Child ; Humans

AIM: To analyze the characteristics of neurological ophthalmology manifestation of patients with neurosyphilis. · METHODS: Retrospective and nonrandomized case analysis were used. Totally 22 cases of 39 eyes were included. They were 17 males and 5 females, aged from 34 to 65 years old. The average age were 49. 6 years old. ·RESULTS: The optic nerve atrophy presented in 11 cases of 22 eyes. One eye of them accompanied by left eye oculomotor nerve palsy;5 eyes in 3 cases expressed as optic neuritis acute phase;neuroretinitis appeared in 4 cases of 6 eyes; 1 case of 2 eyes expressed as chorioretinitis accompanied by optic disc edema; central retinal artery occlusion were found in 1 case of 1 eye. Argyll-Robertson pupil was as only manifestation in 2 cases of 3 eyes. In all cases, Argyll-Robertson pupil signs can be seen in 19 eyes. Treponema pallidum particle agglutination test ( TPPA) were positive in all 22 cases. Syphilis rapid plasma reactin test ( RPR ) were positive in 19 of 21 cases. All patients underwent lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid were detected for RPR, cerebrospinal fluid protein, white blood cell count. Cerebrospinal fluid RPR were positive in 13 cases. Cerebrospinal fluid protein were greater than 450mg/L in 18 cases. Cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count were greater than 5/mm3 in 13 cases. · CONCLUSION: Neurosyphilis involving neuro -ophthalmology often occurs in middle-aged men and subacute onset. Both eyes can suffered from optic nerve disease simultaneously or sequencely. A few can be expressed as other cranial nerve palsy, which may lead to misdiagnosis. Considering medical history, clinical manifestations, ophthalmic examination, serum and cerebrospinal fluid laboratory tests can improve the diagnostic rate.

Background The characteristics of eye movement waveforms in congenital nystagmus eyes is so complicated that the time-series waveform can hardly demonstrate the oscillational kinetic property of the eye movement of nystagmus,which is not convenient for the clinical diagnosis and evaluation.The eye movement system is a nonlinear feedback control system,and phase portrait analysis is a useful method in describing the characteristics of movement in a nonlinear system.Objective This study was to establish the phase portrait analysis method of the eye movement waveforms in congenital nystagmus eyes and provide a new technique for the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of congenital nystagmus.Methods A prospective series-case observational study was performed.This study complied with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by Ethic Commission of Tianjin Eye Hospital.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient before examination.Twenty-five patients with congenital nystagmus were enrolled and received examination of video-oculography (VOG) in Tianjin Eye Hospital from April 2012 to February 2013,including 12 patients with congenital motor nystagmus (CMN) and 13 patients with latent nystagmus (LN).The VOG data were format-converted and processed by a Matlab routine.VOG-based phase portraits of eye movement cycles were drawn and related parameters were measured from the phase portraits for further analysis and comparison.Main measurement indexes were cycle position shift (CPS),slow phase peak velocity (SPV),standardized slow-phase peak (SSPV),fast phase peak velocity (FPV) and standardized fast-phase peak velocity (SFPV).Two principal types of waveforms,increasing-velocity type and decreasing-velocity type were compared.Results The phase portraits of the waveforms of congenital nystagmus were cycles of reciprocating trajectories.The slow phases were in dense ribbon region,and the fast phases were in sparse annular region,and all the trajectories travelled in clockwise.The CPS,SPV and FPV of increasing-velocity type were (4.646 ± 1.565),(223.821 ± 114.049),(767.481 ±263.560) ° per second,respectively.The CPS,SPV and FPV of decreasing-velocity type were (9.373 ±4.189),(357.531 ± 154.300) and (1 148.706 ±541.362) ° per second,respectively.The SPVs and FPVs of both increasing-velocity type and decreasing-velocity type showed strong correlation with CPS,respectively (the increasing-velocity type:rSPV-CPS =0.685,P=0.000;rFPV-CPS =0.680,P=0.000;the decreasing-velocity type rSPV-CPS =0.783,P =0.000;rFPV-CPS =0.803,P =0.000).FPVs were significantly larger than SPVs in both types of waveforms (t =6.558,P =0.000;t =5.068,P =0.000).The SSPV of increasing-velocity type was (48.062 ± 15.365) ° per second,which was slightly larger than (41.099± 17.027) ° per second of decreasing-velocity type,with no significant difference between them (t=1.070,P=0.296).The SFPV of increasing-velocity type was (171.186±47.825)° per second,which was larger than (125.317-±38.266)° per second of decreasing-velocity type,showing a significant difference between them (t =2.658,P =0.014).Conclusions Phase portraits can visualize the cyclically dynamic features of congenital nystagmus in a direct way.It facilitates the measurement of eye movement amplitude,speed and other parameters.The phase portrait analysis method provides a novel useful tool in the clinical diagnosis and treatment efficacy evaluation of congenital nystagmus.

Objective To explore the distribution and correlation of gross motor function and manual ability in 4～12 year old children with cerebral palsy of different types. Methods 143 children with cerebral palsy (CP) were recruited according to the inclusion and exclusion criterions. They were assessed with Chinese version of Gross Motor Function Classification System （GMFCS） and Manual Ability Classification System （MACS）. Results The classification of GMFCS and MACS was Ⅰ～Ⅱ in 33 (60.0%) children with spastic diplegia; Ⅲ～Ⅴ in 28 (75.7%) children with spastic quadriplegia; Ⅰ in 21 (55.3%) children with spastic hemiplegia, and GMFCS Ⅱ in 2 children, MACS Ⅱ in 14 children. There was moderate correlation between GMFCS and MACS （r=0.67，P<0.05）. Conclusion GMFCS and MACS can be used to determine the gross motor function and manual ability in CP children of different types.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the early expression differences of lung tissue proteins in rats exposed to silica using comparative proteomics method, to explore the effects of Chinese traditional medicine (Gymnadenia conopse alcohol extract, GcAE) on silicosis (50 mg/ml).

METHODSAdult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into silica-treated group and GcAE-treated group, four rats a group. The rats were exposed to silica by intratracheal (IT) instillation of 1 ml silica suspension for 24 h. After exposure, the rats in GcAE-treated group were intragastric administration with 0.8 ml GcAE (0.8 ml/100 g a day) and the rats in silica-treated group were intragastric administration with 2 ml sterilized saline a day for 14 days. Then all rats were sacrificed and lung tissues were collected. The total proteins were separated by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and the differentially expressed proteins were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Western blotting was used to validate the expression of certain candidate proteins in lung tissues.

RESULTSObvious pathological changes of lung could be observed in silica-treated group, such as the thicken of interalveolar septum, which was infiltrated with lymphocytes, macrophages and a few neutrophils with the proliferation of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. The accumulation of collagen, the destruction of alveolus structure and the more dotted fibrosis or granuloma could also be found. However, the pathological changes of lung in GcAE-treated group were lighter than those of silica-treated group. Thirty three differentially expressed proteins were identified, including cathepsin D precursor, peroxiredoxin-1 (Prx-1) and SEC14-like protein 3. Compared with silica-treated group, cathepsin D precursor and Prx-1 were significantly downregulated in GcAE-treated group, and SEC14-like protein 3 was significantly upregulated (P < 0.01). The results of western blot indicated that the expression level of Prx-1 in GcAE-treated group was 0.26 ± 0.02, which was significantly lower than that (0.35 ± 0.04) in silica-treated group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONGcAE may inhibit the progress of silicosis in the early period and cathepsin D precursor, SEC14-like protein 3 and Prx-1 may participate in this process.

Animals ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Orchidaceae ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Proteomics ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicosis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can improve the clinical outcomes of the male patients with 100% teratozoospermia.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 152 couples undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), including 75 cycles of IVF and 77 cycles of ICSI. We compared the rates of normal fertilization, high-quality embryos, transferrable embryos, implantation, clinical pregnancy, and abortion between the two groups.

RESULTSIn the 100% teratozoospermia patients the number of transferrable embryos was significantly lower in the IVF than in the ICSI group (78.91% vs 84.92%, P < 0.05), while the rates of normal fertilization and implantation were higher in the former than in the latter (60.26% vs 57.87% and 48.00% vs 39.55%, both P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the female age, Gn days, Gn dose, BMI, infertility duration, endometrial thickness, and basal serum FSH and E2.

CONCLUSIONICSI cannot improve the clinical outcomes of the male patients with 100% teratozoospermia.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; Azoospermia ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; statistics & numerical data

ObjectiveTo analysis the clinical characteristics and the high risk factors of children with cerebral palsy.MethodsClinical data of 100 children with cerebral palsy were retrospectively analyzed.Results51% of children were born with asphyxia, 42% were born prematurely, 39% were low birth body weight. 85.7% of children involved had mental retardation, 12% had hearing loss and 7% had visual impairment. 88% of children involved had abnormal cranial CT results and 46.1% had abnormal EEG. 50.0% of the children had abnormal brain stem auditory evoked potentials.ConclusionAsphyxia, prematurely birth and low birth body weight are high risk factors of cerebral palsy. Most of the children with cerebral palsy in this group are mental retarded.