Objective To investigate the relationship between interleukin (IL)-34 and bone erosions in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients.Methods Forty PsA patients,20 psoriasis (Ps) patients and 20 healthy volunteers were recruited into this study.The levels of IL-34 and osteoclast related cytokines [including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL),osteoclast precursors (OPG)] were detected in the serum samples of all subjects.The correlations among IL-34,the number of osteoclast precursors (OCP),disease activity and imaging scores were analyzed.All data were analyzed by graphpad prism 6.Differences between groups was analyzed with One-way analysis of variance,q tests,and Spearman's correlation was used to explore the relation between disease activity/radiographic scores and laboratory results and followed by linear regressions.Results The serum level of IL-34 in patients with PsA [(328±476) pg/ml] was higher than that in Ps [(33±52) pg/ml,q =3.92,P＜0.01] and healthy controls [(32±32) pg/ml,q =3.93,P＜0.01],the erosive PsA group were higher than the non-erosive PsA group [(449±527) pg/ml and (47±24) pg/ml,q=4.04,P＜0.01].The levels of TNF-α,RANKL and OCP in patients with PsA [(125±79) pg/ml,(488± 475) pg/ml and (17.7±4.8) 5 sigh views] were higher than those in PS [(40±22) pg/ml,(26±3) pg/ml and (5.2± 0.8),q=7.32,6.14 and 2.94,P＜0.01] and healthy controls [(41±19) pg/ml,(65±8) pg/ml and (6.2±1.8),q=6.67,5.62 and 2.71,P＜0.01],whereas the OPG/RANKL ratio in PsA patients (0.5±0.4) was significantly lower than Ps patients (4.3±2.7,q=-3.30,P＜0.01) and healthy controls (1.8±0.6,q=-1.72,P＜0.01).IL-34,TNF-α and RANKL levels were all positively correlated with OCP (r=0.10,P＜0.05;r=0.12,P＜0.05;r=0.13,P＜0.(5,respectively).Conclusion The level of IL-34 is not only high in patients with PsA but also positively correlates with the number of OCP.In PsA,IL-34 is probably related to the OCP and osteoclast differentiation,and further participates in the process of bone destruction.Therefore,IL-34 is promising to become a new target or alternative choice for the treatment of PsA.

Time to positivity(TTP) is a new parameter in blood culture field.The article shows us the concepts of TTP,differential time to positivity (DTTP),and introduces their relation with bloodstream infection (BSI),catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI).Besides,it stresses TTP' s clinical application,including determining the severity of disease;identifying the isolates whether pollution or not; identification of isolate strains ; detection of the drug resistance of isolates ; evaluating the effect of antibiotic ; helping to adjust the therapeutic drug; diagnosing or excluding CRBSI by means of DTTP;deciding whether the catheter is the source of infection in patients with candidemia; understanding the epidemiological distribution of strain.At the same time,the article also describes the shortcomings and domestic current status.

Aristolochic Acids ; adverse effects ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrosis ; chemically induced

AIM:To investigate the activity of NF-?B in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with Graves disease (GD) and the significance in immunopathogenesis of GD.METHODS:Peripheral blood was collected from 22 untreated GD,20 treated GD with tapazole more than 1 year,and 25 healthy volunteers. PBMCs were isolated from the blood by histopaque-1077 density-gradient centrifugation. The activity of NF-?B in PBMCs was analyzed using gel electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The contents of IL-1?,IL-6 and TNF-? were tested by radioimmunoassay.RESULTS:The activity of NF-?B in PBMCs of untreated GD group was increased remarkably,compared with that in the treated group and control (P

Objective To investigate the effect of stromal cell-derived factor-1α( SDF-1α) and interleukin ( IL-1β) on inducing vascular endothelial cells to express lymphatic phenotype .Methods The CRL-1730 cell line was cultured and treated with SDF-1αor IL-1β.The expression of endothelial cell markers and lymphatic endothelial cell markers were investigated with Real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry .Results In CRL-1730 cell line, endothelial cell markers such as voln willebrand factor ( vWF ) , VE-cadherin , vascular endothelial growth factor receptor(VEGFR)2, were dose dependently down-regulated after SDF-1αstimulation, while lymphatic phenotypes such as Prox-1, podoplanin and lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1(LYVE-1), were dose-dependently up-regulated after SDF-1αstimulation.The changes of vWF, VEGFR2 and podoplanin, Prox-1, LYVE-1 expression after IL-1βstimulation was similar to that after SDF-1αwhile expression of VE-cadherin changed slightly .Conclusion SDF-1αand IL-1βare able to induce vascular endothelial cell expressing lymphatic phenotype .

Sulfur fumigation (SF) is a universal phenomenon in primary processing of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in modern times. In the process, fumigation, sulfur or both of them act on the TCMs. Some active components of TCMs change quantitatively or qualitatively during the processing. At the same time, the sulfur dioxide and heavy metal would remain and cause a serious influence on quality and future development of TCM. This article reviews the chemical compositions change after SF to study the change law and their influence on quality. This article provide references for SF in TCMs' processing for a better and safer quality.
Drug Contamination ; Fumigation ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Quality Control ; Sulfur ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective To evaluate clinical significance of direct antiglobulin testing(DAT)in anemia in patients with severe chronic hepatitis B(CHB).Methods Red blood cell(RBC)-related parameters detection and DAT were performed among 30 healthy persons,30 CHB patients,and 50 severe CHB patients,clinical factors related to posi-tive DAT were analyzed.Results RBC count,hemoglobin (Hb)concentration,and hematocrit(HCT)level in severe CHB patients were all lower than CHB patients and healthy group(P <0.05),RBC distribution width(RDW)in severe CHB patients were all higher than CHB patients and healthy group(P<0.05);the positive rate of DAT in patients with se-vere CHB,CHB,and healthy group were 62.82%,13.33% and 0 respectively.RBC count,Hb concentration,and HCT level in severe CHB patients with positive DAT were all lower than severe CHB patients with negative DAT (all P <0.05),while RDW was higher than the latter (P=0.001);after RBC was separated through capillary,positive intensity of DAT of aged RBCs was higher than young RBCs in severe CHB patients (P <0.001);among severe CHB patients, DAT-positive and-negative patients differed in gender,age,alanine aminotransferase,total bilirubin,complement C3, C-reactive protein,and complication of diabetes(all P≤0.05).Conclusion Anemia in severe CHB patients may be re-lated to immune hemolysis of aged RBCs induced by antibody adsorption.

OBJECTIVEThe exercise rehabilitation in patient with chronic heart failure (CHF) is standard clinical practice, but it is rare using CardioPulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) guide to prescribe exercise rehabilitation in China.

METHODSWe performed symptom limited maximal CPET in 10 patients with CHF, randomly divided into two groups: 5 patients as control without exercise and 5 exercise patients used Δ50%W intensity to exercise 30 min/d, 5 d/w, x12 w. Before and after 12 w rehabilitation, we evaluated functions.

RESULTSThere were no significant difference between two groups patients (P > 0.05). The exercise duration was increased from 8 min to 23 min after rehabilitation (P < 0.001); distance 6 minutes walking was increased from 394 m to 470 m (P < 0.05); score of Minnesota quality of life was decreased from 25 to 3 in exercise group (P < 0.01). However, there were nosignificant changes in control group (P>0.05) and their changes were smaller than those in exercise group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe CPET guiding exercise rehabilitation is safe and effective for patients with CHF.

Objective To understand the clone correlation of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB)in the environment of intensive care units(ICUs)in Guangzhou City,identify genotypes,and provide basis for prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection(HAI).Methods 39 strains of CRAB isolated from en-vironment of ICUs in 7 hospitals in Guangzhou City were collected,susceptibility to 10 kinds of antimicrobial agents was detected by Kirby-Bauer method,OXA gene of strains was detected by polymerase chain reaction(PCR),clone polymorphism analysis was performed with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE)and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).Results Among 39 strains of CRAB,resistance rate to levofloxacin was the lowest(56.4%),resistance rates to other 9 antimicrobial agents were all>90%. PCR results showed that 39 strains(100%)of CRAB all car-ried OXA-51 gene,37(94.9%)carried OXA-23 gene,but OXA-24 and OXA-58 genes were not found. PFGE showed that 38 CRAB strains were divided into 5 clones,group A was the main epidemic clone,MLST analysis showed that the main clone of CRAB was ST195.Conclusion Transmission of CRAB clone carrying OXA-23 gene exists in the ICU environment of Guangzhou City,cleaning and disinfection of ICU environment should be intensi-fied,so as to reduce HAI caused by CRAB.

Objective To develop a quantitative scoring system for the House -Tree -Person (H -T -P)test.Methods By literature review and expert consultation,preliminary evaluation items were defined.After pilot test,the scoring system for assessing depression were defined.A total of 21 6 cases of patients with depressive mood disorder from the Tong De hosptial of the Zhejiang Province were tested.The reliability and validity of a scoring system of house -tree -person test for depression were analyzed.Results The scoring system of depression evaluation including 23 items and 5 factors,could explain 77.50% of the cumulative total variance.The split -half reliability of the system was 0.87 and 0.88,and the internal consistency reliability of the system was 0.81 .The Kappa coefficient of each item was 0.71 -0.89 (P <0.01 ). The standard validity of the scale was 0.65,and the criterion validity of each factor was 0.34 -0.60 (P <0.01 ).The critical point of positive demarcation was 4,and the critical point of positive demarcation of each factor was 1 .The Kappa value of the consistency test was 0.85 with the PHI Depression Inventory.Conclusion This study demonstrates H -T -P scoring system has acceptable validity and internal consistency.