BACKGROUND:Lung invasive fungal infection is the main reason for the failure in renal transplant recipients. Caspofungin has specific anti-fungi mechanism, and can effectively prevent the candida fungus that is resistant to Fluconazol and Itraconazole. Caspofungin exerts good tolerance, without dose-or time-dependent toxicity.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Caspofungin in treatment of pulmonary invasive fungal infection fol owing kidney transplantation.
METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed in renal transplant patients who were diagnosed pulmonary invasive fungal infection in Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sanmenxia Central Hospital between January 2013 and December 2013. The patients were then treated with Caspofungin as antifungal therapy. The initial dose was 70 mg per day and then changed to 50 mg per day, via intravenous drip. After drug intervention, liver function was evaluated twice per week. The severity of liver functional impairment or emergency of new impairment indicated the adjustment of Caspofungin dose or withdrawal. The treatment was given for 10-14 days. The curative effect and adverse reaction of patients were observed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Total 12 patients were treated, and the percentage of fungi microbiology evidence was 66.7%. Among these evidenced patients, candida fungus was the dominant, accounting for 75.0%, accompanying bacterial infection was found in 58.3%, accompanying cytomegalovirus infection was found in 25.0%. The effective treatment rate was up to 91.67%(11/12), the mortality was 8.33%(1/12), and the incidence of adverse reactions was 25%. Caspofungin effectively prevented pulmonary invasive fungal infection fol owing kidney transplantation, as empirical antifungal therapy, with low incidence of adverse reactions. Therefore Caspofungin is the preferred drug against pulmonary invasive fungal infection in renal transplant recipients.

Aim To investigate the anti-angiogenic effect of 12a, the mastoparan-like peptide from wasp ( Vespa magnifica ) venom. Methods The tube for-mation and proliferation of human umbilical vein endo-thelial cells ( HUVEC ) and chicken chorioallantoic membrane ( CAM) model were used to observe the an-ti-angiogenic effect of 12a in vitro and in vivo, respec-tively. Results In the CAM model, 0. 1 μg or 1 μg of 12 a could markedly inhibit angiogenesis induced by 0. 2 μg rh-bFGF with heavy loss of color, decreasing density and obscure frame of the vessels. The inhibi-tion rates of angiogenesis were 60 . 2 % for 0 . 1 μg and 90. 3 % for 1 μg, respectively. Accordingly, in HU-VEC culture experiment, the proliferation and angio-genesis of HUVEC treated by 1 mg·L-1 and 10 mg· L-1 of 12 a were decreased by 55. 4 %, 39. 3 % and 51. 6 %, 26. 7 %, respectively. Conclusion 12a has a significant anti-angiogenic effect in a concentra-tion-dependent manner.

ObjectiveTo investigate the change of the platelet function in children with primary immune thrombocy-topenia (ITP) before and after treatment.MethodsThe platelet indices, immature platelet fraction (IPF%), immature platelet counts (IPC), granule membrane glycoproteins of platelet (CD62p, PAC-1, CD42b) were tested by automatic blood cell analyzer and lfow cytometry (FCM) in 18 children with ITP before treatment and after complete response and in 17 children undergoing elective surgery (control gourp).ResultsCompared with control group, MPV, PDW, P-LCR and IPF% were signiifcantly higher and PLT, PCT, IPC were signiifcantly lower in children with ITP. The expressions of three platelet membrane glycoproteins (PAC-1, CD62p, CD42b) were signiifcantly lower in children with ITP. After treatment, children with ITP achieved completely response. Compared with before treatment, MPV, PDW, P-LCR and IPF% were signiifcantly lower, and PLT, PCT, IPC, and the expressions of three platelet membrane glycoproteins (PAC-1, CD62p and CD42b) were significantly higher. ConclusionsThe platelet function is depressed and in status of low activity in children with ITP. The relative platelet indices provide new references for the diagnosis and the judgment of therapeutic effect in ITP patients.

Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a kind of abnormal proliferation of malignant tumor diseases originated in lymphocytes,which is the most common malignant tumor in children.Although stratified treatment has significantly improved the efficacy of ALL in children,but 15％-20％ of the patients still have ultimately relapsed due to the minimal residual disease(MRD).MRD refers to the leukemia patients after induction chemotherapy complete remission (or bone marrow transplant),in vivo residual morphology which could not be detected in trace amounts of leukemia cells.The detection methods of MRD mainly include flow cytometry,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immune repertoire sequencing.MRD level detection is of great important to judge the prognosis,and to guide the risk grouping and individual treatment,and so on.Now,the progress in the clinical application of MRD in children with ALL in recent years was reviewed.

Aim To investigate the gene sequences and pro-angiogenic activities of thymosin-β4 from skin of Nanorana yunnanensis. Methods Two cDNA se-quences of thymosin-β4 from Nanorana yunnanensis designated as pTβ4-1 and pTβ4-2 were obtained by PCR. The tube formation and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVEC ) and chick-en chorioallantoic membrane ( CAM) model were used to observe the pro-angiogenic effects of synthetic pep-tides according to the reduced amino acid sequences of pTβ4-1 and pTβ4-2 in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Results The cDNA sequences of Tβ4-1 and pTβ4-2 were composed of 662 bp and 673 bp, respectively, and their deduced amino acid sequences contained 44 residues which shared highly similarity with those from human , mouse , chicken , claw frog , zebra fish , turbot and Amolops loloensis. Furthermore, the mature amino acid sequences of pTβ4-1 and pTβ4-2 had highly con-served structural regions when compared with other thy-mosin-β4 previously reported. Synthetic peptides could significantly promote proliferation and tube formation of HUVEC and angiogenesis of CAM. Conclusion There are two thymosin-β4 peptides in skins of Nanorana yunnanensis which have pro-angiogenic ac-tivities.

Sleep disorder is a common complication of dialysis patients, seriously affecting the life quality and prognosis of the patients. How to improve the quality of sleep of dialysis patients, their quality of life and survival rate, is still a major clinical problem. At present, the pathogenesis of dialysis patients with sleep disorders is not clear. Western medicine treatment is sedative hypnotic drugs, with obvious adverse reactions, and long-term use will reduce the efficacy and easy to produce dependencies. The effects of TCM on improving sleep disorders and life quality of dialysis patients is worth expectation. This article introduced the experience in using classic prescriptions and dialectical treatment for dialysis sleep disorder, with significant clinical efficacy.

Objective To study the protective effects of anisodamine (ADM) on ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) in rats. Methods After anesthesia was induced and tracheostomy was performed, 36 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups: control group (group A, VT=8ml/kg); injury group (group B), in which the animals received mechanical ventilation with large tidal volume (VT=40ml/kg); and ADM protective group (group C), in which the animals received the same amount of tidal volume and same respiratory rate with mechanical ventilation as in group B, but were pre-treated with ADM (15mg/kg?iV) at 24h, 12h, 0h time points before ventilation. Arterial blood gases were measured every one hour, and neutrophils in bronchoalveolor lavage fluid (BALF) were counted. Wet to dry (W/D) weight ratio of left lung was determined, and the content of TNF-? and IL-1? in BALF and blood, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in the pulmonary tissue and blood were measured respectively. The histopathological changes in pulmonary tissues in the three groups were compared. Results The oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) of the animals in group B was significantly lower than that in group A and C, and the BALF neutrophil count was remarkably increased in group B. W/D value of group B was significantly higher than that of group A and C. The levels of TNF-?, IL-1? in BALF were remarkably increased in group B , but decreased in group C . MDA levels in pulmonary tissue and blood in group C were lower than that of group B, but SOD level in group C was significantly higher than that of group B. Histopathologic findings demonstrated there were more neutrophil infiltration and destructive change in the alveolar wall in group B than in other groups. Conclusion ADM appears to have obvious protective effects on VILI through anti-inflammation and antioxidation.

Understanding inter-species transmission of influenza viruses is an important research topic. Scientists try to identify and evaluate the functional factors determining the host range of influenza viruses by generating the recombinant viruses through reverse genetics in laboratories, which reveals the viruses' molecular mechanisms of infection and transmission in different species. Therefore, the reverse genetic method is a very important tool for further understanding the biology of influenza viruses and will provide the insight for the prevention and treatment of infections and transmission. However, these recombinant influenza viruses generated in laboratories will become the potential threat to the public health and the environment. In this paper, we discussed the biological safety issues of recombinant influenza viruses and suggested we should set up protocols for risk management on research activities related to recombinant highly pathogenic influenza viruses.
Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; genetics ; Laboratories ; Microbiology ; Orthomyxoviridae ; genetics ; Public Health ; Reassortant Viruses ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; Safety

Objective To explore the plasma levels and clinical significance of osteoprotegerin(OPG)and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand(RANKL)in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods In 110 patients with CHF and 80 normal controls,the plasma levels of OPG and RANKL were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay method.Results The plasma level of OPG in patients with CHF[(135.91±41.83)ng/L]was significantly higher than that in normal controls[(90.13±29.09)ng/L](P＜0.05).The plasma level of RANKL in patients with CHF[(90.82±32.14)ng/L]was significantly higher than that in normal controls[(59.78±20.11)ng/L](P＜0.05).The plasma levels of OPG and RANKL increased with the augment of NYHA functional ranking(P＜0.05).The plasma levels of OPG and RANKL had negative relationship with left ventricular ejection fraction(r=-0.33 and-0.36,P＜0.05).Conclusions The plasma levels of OPG and RANKL in patients with CHF are elevated and related with heart function.OPG and RANKL may participate in the occurrence and development of CHF.

[Objective]To evaluate the clinical outcome of anterior correction of thoracolumbar scoliosis utilizing Kaneda anterior scoliosis system(KASS).[Method]There were 43 cases of thoracolumbar scoliosis treated by anterior disc excision,interbody fusion and correction with KASS,male 17 cases,female 26 cases,idiopathic scoliosis 35 cases,and congenital scoliosis 8 cases.[Result]All cases had satisfactory correction results and the corrections were well maintained at average 22 months follow-up.The Cobbs angle of preoperation and postoperation were 66?(43?～98?)and 18?(0?～32?),the corrective rate was 91.7%.No case had death or neurological paralysic symptom.[Conclusion]Anterior correction of thoracolumbar scoliosis utilizing KASS can achieve satisfactory results with less fusion levels and can maintain the correction.It is a valuable surgical procedure for the correction of thoracolumbar scoliosis.