Background and purpose: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a new minimally invasive method in the dignosis for mediastinal lymph nodes. This study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal lymph nodes. Methods: Twenty patients with mediastinal lymph nodes found by CT underwent the dignosis by EBUS-TBNA form April 1st 2009 to July 16th 2009. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA were evaluated. Results: Twenty patients with 37 lymph node groups were studied. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of EBUS-TBNA for diagnostic were 84.62%, 100%, 100%, 77.78% and 90.00%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy for cancer was 100%. The operation time was 11.9min per group in average with no serious complication. The median length of hospital stay was 1 (range from 1 to 17 days) day after operation. There were significant differences in the average operation time between the first three patients and the others (36.25 min vs. 7.76 min; z=3.247, P=0.001). Conclusion: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration proved to be a safe procedure with a high yield for the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph nodes.

Study the serum level of HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 in type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN), the infect of Pingshen decoction on those index. Selected 69 cases of 2 type DN and randomly divided into therapy group (36 cases) and control group (33 cases). The therapy group were treated with Pingshen decoction 1 dose/d, bid po. The control group were treated with NephritisShu tablet, 6 tablet, tid po. 8 weeks was a course. Before and after treatment, we examine the serum level of HGF, Cys C and TGF-beta1 by ELISA and immunonephelometry, and compare with 30 cases of healthy control group. The study demonstrates that before treatment, the serum level of HGF in both groups were significantly lower than healthy control group (P < 0.01), but Cys C, TGF-beta1 were significantly higher (P < 0.01). After treatment, the serum level of HGF of both groups were increased. The serum level of HGF of therapy group were significantly higher than of control group (P < 0.01), but the serum level of Cys C and TGF-beta1 were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.01). The serum level of HGF was correlated negatively with Cys C,TGF-beta1. In control group, the UAER, urine beta2-MG and quantity of 24-hour urine protein were significantly decreased after treatment (P < 0.01). The index of urine of therapy group were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.01). Results indicate that test of serum level of HGF and Cys C,TGF-beta1 of diabetic nephropathy have important clinical significance. Pingshen decoction can effectively intervene in the serum level of HGF and Cys C, TGF-beta1 and index of urine.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Cystatin C ; blood ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood

Forearm ; innervation ; Ganglion Cysts ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; innervation ; surgery ; Tendons ; surgery ; Ulnar Nerve ; surgery

The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia were systematically reviewed. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding acupuncture for supraventricular tachycardia were searched in domestic and overseas databases, and the evaluation tool of bias risk in Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 software was used to perform the evaluation of bias risk in literature, and RevMan 5.2 software was applied for statistics and Meta-analysis. Five RCTs involving 323 patients were included. The results showed that compared with the blank control group, the acupuncture reduced the heart rate by 18.8 times/min [95% CI (12.68, 24.92)]; the clinical effective rate in the acupuncture group was superior to that in the diltiazem group [OR= 3.11, 95% CI (1.50, 6.46)]; the difference of immediate effect between propafenone and acupuncture was not significant. No reports regarding adverse events was described in 5 RCTs. As was shown in the present evidence, acupuncture is safe and effective for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardia, but the level of evidence was low and the intensity of conclusion needed to be improved.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To campare the clinical efficacy of wrist-ankle acupuncture versus physical therapy in treating lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH).Method Fifty LIDH patients were randomized into a treatment group of 20 cases and a control group of 30 cases. The treatment group was intervened by wrist-ankle acupuncture, while the control group was by traction and interference electrotherapy. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and lumbar pain scoring system by Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) were compared before and after intervention.Result The SF-MPQ and JOA scores were significantly changed respectively after 5-day, 10-day, 15-day treatment as well as at the follow-up study in both groups (P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the two groups in comparing the SF-MPQ and JOA scores respectively after 5-day, 10-day, 15-day treatment as well as at the follow-up study (P>0.05).Conclusion Wrist-ankle acupuncture and physical therapy both are effective in treating LIDH, as they both can release the pain.

Methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH, E.C.3.1.8.1) coding gene mph from Pseudomonas sp. WBC-3, isolated and identified by our lab, was successfully expressed in E. coli AD494 (DE3)/ pET32a(+) system as soluble fusion form at high level. The recombinant MPH showed nearly 4～5 fold higher specific activity to parathion than the enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. WBC-3. In addition, the thermal stability of the recombinant enzyme was improved comparing with the wild type enzyme.

Objective To understand the distribution of inhaled allergens throughout Hainan province and explore effective preventive measures against allergen by examining the serum allergen of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), which will provide evidence for specific immunotherapy for treating CRS. Methods Three hundred and eighteen CRS patients underwent Phadiatop blood test by using the UniCAP 100 , a completely automatic autoanalyser. Allergen-specific IgE of 7 common allergens were tested and the concentration of total immunoglobulin E (TIgE) was collected and evaluated. Results The positive rates of the serum TIgE and inhaled allergens were 64.15% and 37.74% respectively. The incidences of the positive serum SIgE is 33.96%. Among the positive cases, 28.30% of the inhaled allergens were dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, 27.36% for tropical mites, 21.07% for dermatophagoides farinae, 13.52% for cockroach, 11. 64% for house dust, 7. 86% for cat dander and 0.63% for dog dander. The incidences of positive TIgE and SIgE were not significantly different between patients with nasal polyps and sinusitis only. Conclusions Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, tropical mites and dermatophagoides farinae are the main inhaled allergens for CRS patients in Hainan.

Objective To investigate the relationship between insulin resistance and erythrocyte in- sulin receptors in patients with gout associated with macroalbruminuria(MAU).Methods FBG,PBG,FINS, P2hINS,CH,TG,HDL,LDL-c,UA and erythrocyte insulin receptors were determined in 44 patients with MAU,62 patients with normal MAU(NMAU).Results In MAU,the levels of FINS,TG,LDL-c and HOMA-IR were(16?4)mU/L,(2.5?0.6)retool/L,(3.2?0.5)mmol/L and 3.6~1.2 respectively.While they were(13?3) mU/L,(2.3?0.8)mmol/L,(3.0?0.5)mmol/L and 3.0~0.4 in NMAU group.The levels of FINS,TG,LDL-c and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in the MAU patients than those in NMAU patients(P

Identification of genetic risk factors is the hotspot of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Through candidate gene approach and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), some genes were preliminary identified. To review AIS related genes,and construct the gene network map of AIS gene. We searched on NCBI PubMed and Web of Science database using search terms "adolescent idiopathic scoliosis" and "gene", to classify induction genes. We then constructed gene diagram using string-db. We found 35 AIS genes relating to connective tissue, nervous system active substances, melatonin synthesis and metabolism, puberty and growth, and genes whose function is unknown. Gene diagram shows that a network relationship between gene and other genes,in which IL6, ESR1, ESR2, VDR, TGFB1, IGF1 gene may as the key gene about AIS' genetic mechanism. Two sites of 3 GWAS results outside the network, it is suggesting new pathway that need to be explored. The study about AIS susceptibility gene is still preliminary, requiring in-depth research to identify the new networks.
Adolescent ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; genetics ; Matrilin Proteins ; genetics ; Scoliosis ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics

The developments of recombinant DNA technology and structural biology make it possible to modify enzyme in molecular level. Scientists show growing interests in the evolution or functional fusion of enzymes. Recent advances and applications of the molecular enzyme engineering are reviewed and discussed in this article.
Enzymes ; genetics ; Protein Engineering ; methods ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; Research Design