The main fields and trends of research on anti-inflammation and immunopharmacology were reviewed as: signal transduction pathways as target for therapy, cytokine regulating network, new types of immunotherapy, new mechanisms of anti-inflammation drugs, the mechanisms and inductive methods of immune tolerance and the development of natural immune system.

Objective To compare the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced helical CT (CECT) for various small focal nodular lesions (≤2 cm) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods Eighty-one small hepatic space-occupying lesions in 72 patients with liver cirrhosis were detected with CEUS and CECT, respectively. The diagnostic performance was calculated by histological results obtained from biopsy or surgery, which was considered as the gold standard, Results Fifty-three of the 81 small nodules were hepatocellular carcinoma, 26 were regenerative nodules and 2 were hemangioma. On CEUS, 51 (96.2%,51/53) HCC were hypervascular during arterial phase. On CECT, 41 (77.4%, 41/53) HCC were hypervascular (P < 0.01).Nodules which appeared by contrast enhancement during the arterial phase and contrast wash-out during the portal/late phase on CEUS or CECT were considered as HCC. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 86.8% (46/53) ,82.1% (23/28) ,and 85.2 % (69/81) in CEUS, and 73.6% (39/53), 92.9 % (26/28), and 80.2 % (65/81) in CECT, respectively. Overall, there was no significant difference between CEUS and CECT in the diagnostic confidence for small hepatic nodules (P >0.05).Conclusions CEUS is superior to CECT in the detection of arterial vascularization for small hepatocellular carcinoma with a diameter ≤2 cm. The ability of CEUS in the characterization of focal nodular lesions in cirrhotic livers is similar to that of CECT.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in aged patients, and to explore the measures of its diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: The clinical data of 100 aged patients (55-85 years old) with SAP admitted from January 2003 to December 2005 were reviewed and compared with those of 221 non-aged SAP patients (11-54 years old) admitted at the same period. RESULTS: Totally 112 times of onset occurred in 100 aged patients, and the main causes for senile SAP were biliary diseases and hyperlipemia. Both acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and Ranson scores of the aged patients with SAP were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05); while there was no significant difference in Balthazar score between the two groups(P>0.05). The incidences of low serum calcium, low albumin and high aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.05), liver, kidney or brain impairment as well as the mortality were higher in the senile SAP group than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biliary disease and hyperlipemia are the main causes of senile SAP, which lacks characteristic clinical symptoms and is often associated with multiple complications such as infection and lung, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney, and brain impairment. Individualized differential treatment with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine based on stage classification is an effective approach.

Objective To investigate the effecacy of open reduction internal fixation in cases with rib fracture. Methods The pain scores,respiratory related clinical indicators change of 81 rib fractuure cases underwent open reduction internal fixation surgery were ob-served. A comparison was made between the surgical group and the non-surgical group of 37 cases on pain scores trend and hospital stay. Re-sults All operations were successfully completed and postoperative recovery was good. Postoperative pain scores and respiratory rate was sig-nificantly lower(P=0. 000),Oxygen saturation was significantly higher(P=0. 002),the proportion of expectoration difficult,dyspnea and ac-tivities inconvenience were significantly lower(P<0. 05). Pain scores of surgical group significantly decreased after surgery peak hours that was the fourth day hospitalized,but the overall decline of pain scores in non-surgical group was slow. The hospital stay between the surgical group and the non-surgical group was not significantly different(P=0. 084). Conclusion The efficacy of open reduction internal fixation is significant to rib fracture with exact surgery indications,and appropriate timing of surgery is the fourth day after admission.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of fetal echocardiography in prenatal diagnosis of partial and intermediate atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD). MethodsUltrasound images of11casesof partialandintermediateAVSDconfirmedbyautopsy orpostnatal echocardiography were retrospectively analyzed and the characteristics were summarized. Results Fetal echocardiography of seven cases of partial AVSD and four cases of intermediate AVSD at fourchamber view showed ostium primum atrial septal defect and the mitral and tricuspid valves attaching at the same level on the interventricular septum. Atrio-ventricular valves took on a straight, bar-liked appearance when closed and constituted a “T” shape with interventricular septum. One partial AVSD case showed left ventricle-right atrium canal. All intermediate AVSD cases showed upper ventricular septal defect. There were four cases associated with mitral reflux, one associated with mitral and tricuspid reflux and one with bilateral radius absence. Conclusions “T” shape image is of great clinical value in prenatal diagnosis of fetal partial and intermediate AVSD. The coronary sinus may lead to false positive diagnosis.

Objective To study the effects of the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa-B ( NF-κB) , on the hepatic heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression as well as on the changes of hepatic function and ultrastructure in a rodent model of hemonhageic shock. Method Hemorrhagic shock was produced by inducing bilateral femoral fractures in male Wistar rats. Intraperitoneal injection of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC)was used to inhibit NF-κB activation 1 hour before induction of shock. A total of 66 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (Control, n = 6), trauma shock (TS, n = 30), and NF-κB inhibition followed by trauma shock (NF-κB inhibition, n =30). Measurements of hepatic NF-KB and HSP70, hepatic function bio-markers, TNF-α and IL-6 were obtained 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8 hours after trauma. Histopathological changes in liver tissues were also noted. Hepatic expression of NF-κB was determined by using electrophoretic mobility shift assay, while HSP70 was assayed by western blot and analyzed with computer imaging. Results In rats with trauma shock, both hepatic NF-κB activity and HSP70 expression increased significantly compared to the control group, reaching peaks at 6 hour post injury. Serum alanine transferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TB) also rose significantly,reaching peaks at 8 hours post trauma. Light microscopy revealed hepatic congestion with infiltration of inflammatory cells into hepatic sinusoid in the TS group at 8 hours. Inhibiting the activity of NF-κB one hour before trauma significantly decreased expression of HSP70 at 6 hours post trauma [16.9±4.4 (NF-κB inhibition) vs. 23.0±1.7 (TS), P ＜ 0.05]. In addition,levels TNF-α and IL-6 in the liver tissue also decreased, and hepatic congestion as well as hepatic cell degeneration were ameliorated, showing minimal inflammatory infiltrates in the hepatic sinusoids. NF-κB inhibition also significantly lowered the levels of ALT and TB at 4 hours post trauma [ALT, 540.8 ±66.2 nmol/L (NF-KB inhibition) vs. 640.6±80.2 nmol/L (TS), P ＜ 0.05; TB,2.3±0.3 mol/L (NF-κB inhibition) vs. 4.7 ±1.1 mol/L (TS), P ＜ 0.05]. Conclusions NF-κB and HSP70 are involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic injury during hemorrhagic shock, and the degree of NF-κB activity and HSP70 expression may be consistent with the extent of hepatocellular damage. Inhibition of NF-κB helps ameliorate liver injury due to trauma shock.

Objective To investigate the association between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) gene polymorphism (-1562C ＞ T/R279Q) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Uygur nationality of Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. Methods A total of 352 patients with ACS including 213 patients with unstable angina pectoris and 139 patients with acute myocardial infarction evidenced by using coronary arteriography and 421 control subjects were recruited in this study. The MMP-9-1562C ＞ T and R279Q genotypes were detemined by using PCR-RFLP method. The relationship between the polymorphism in the MMP-9 gene and the severity of coronary arterial stenosis was analyzed. All polymorphisms were determined for confimation with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in both groups separately. Differences in distributions of genotypes and alleles between two groups were analyzed with x2 test. The association between the MMP-9 polymorphisms and the risk of ACS was estimated by odds ratio(Ors) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the comprehensive evaluation of the factors associated with ACS was determined by using multifactor logistic regression. P ＜ 0. 05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The genotype frequencies for CT + TT genotypes and T allele were 25.9 and14.5 percent in ACS subjects and 15.7 and 8.4 percent in control subjects, respectively. The genotype frequencies were different significantly between the two groups (x2 = 12.26,P ＜ 0.01;x2 = 14.15,P ＜ 0.01, respectively). No relationship between R279Q polymorphism and ACS was found in this study ( P ＞ 0.05). The multifactor logistic regression analysis showed that the T allele carrier (CT + TT) significantly increased the risk of ACS compared with the CC genotype ( OR = 1.791,95 % CI: 1. 088 - 2.951, P = 0.022) after adjustment for tradition risk factors. The frequencies for CT + TT and CC genotypes of the -1562C ＞ T polymorphism were not statistically different among ACS patients with one, two and three or more significantly diseased vessels ( x2 = 1.15, P = 0.56). Conclusions The findings suggest that the polymorphism in MMP-9 gene promoter (-1562C ＞ T) is associated with the susceptibility to the ACS. The T allele might be an independent risk factor for the ACS. But the -1562C ＞ T polymorphism may not be useful as a predictor of the severity of coronary arterial stenosis. The R279Q polymorphism of MMP-9 gene was not significantly associated with ACS in this studied population.

Objective To explore the relationship between Helicobacter pylori(Hp) infection and serum homocysteine(Hcy) level ,carotid intima-media thickness and plaque stability in carotid atherosclerosis cases .Methods 206 carotid atherosclerosis pa-tients were collected between March 2012 and January 2013 in our hospital .According to the results of 14C urea breath test ,all the subjects were divided into Hp infection group and non-Hp infection group .And according to the degree of carotid artery atheroscle-rosis ,patients with Hp infection were divided into carotid intima-media thickness thickening group ,stable plaque group and unstable plaque group .The serum Hcy level was detected by enzymatic cycling method ,and the relationship between Hp infection and serum Hcy level ,carotid intima-media thickness and plaque stability in carotid atherosclerosis cases were analyzed .Results Serum Hcy level and carotid carotid intima-media thickness of patients with carotid atherosclerosis in Hp infection group were higher than those in non-Hp infection group(P<0 .01) .The differences in constitution ratio of patients with different types of carotid atherosclerosis in Hp infection group and non-Hp infection group was statistically significant(χ2 =15 .939 ,P=0 .000 3) .In Hp infection group , there were statistically of serum Hcy levels among carotid intima-media thickness thickening group ,stable plaque group and unsta-ble plaque group(P<0 .01) .Linear correlation analysis showed that the serum Hcy level and carotid intima-media thickness were positively correlated in Hp infection group(r=0 .731 ,P<0 .01) .Conclusion Hp infection is likely to promote the development and progression of atherosclerosis through influencing Hcy metabolism and increasing carotid intima-media thickness and instability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque .

Aim To determine the possibilities and mechanisms of EGFR, a receptor protein tyrosine kinase associated with many important cellular processes re-sponsible for cardiovascular remodeling in renovascular hypertensive rats. Methods 2K1C hypertensive rats were used in the present study. Blood pressure was measured with the tail-cuff method. LVMI and his-topathological changes in the cardiovascular system were analysed. EGFR expressions of aorta and myocar-dium as well as phosphorylation levels of ERK in hy-pertensive rats were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results Sys-tolic blood pressure was markedly increased 2 weeks after 2K1C surgery. Cardiovascular remodeling induced by hypertension was confirmed by elevated LVMI, pro-liferation of collagen fibers in myocardial interstitium, histopathological changes in cardiovascular system and increased IMT of thoracic aorta 6 weeks after 2 K1 C surgery. Compared with sham rats, EGFR expression in the ventricular myocardium of 2 K1 C rats was signifi-cantly increased at 6 weeks ( P<0. 05 ) , and the EG-FR/GAPDH ratio was higher in 2 K1 C rats with higher systolic blood pressure ( P < 0. 05 ) . Phosphorylation level of ERK 1/2 was upregulated correspondingly in 2 K1 C rats ( P <0. 01 ) . Increased EGFR expression was also found in aortas of 2K1C rats, particularly in tunica intima and media. Conclusion EGFR and its down-stream kinases ERK 1/2 are involved in cardio-vascular remodeling in association with the severity of hypertension in renovascular hypertensive rats.

Objective To observe serum and callus leptin expression in rats model with fracture and traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods 72 male SD rats were randomized equally into 4 groups: control, SCI group, fracture group, and fracture/SCI group. Rats were sacrificed at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after fracture/SCI. Serum leptin was detected by radioimmunoassayat 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days, and callus formation was measured radiologically at 14, 21 and 28 days. Callus leptin was analyzed with immunohistochemistry. Results Serum leptin in the fracture group, SCI group and combined fracture/SCI group were all higher than in control group at the 1, 7, 14 and 21 day time-point (P < 0.05). Serum leptin in the combined fracture/SCI group was significantly higher than the fracture group at 7, 14 and 21 days (P < 0.05), and higher than SCI groups at 14 and 21 days after operation (P < 0.05). The percentage of leptin-positive cells in the fracture/SCI callus, and callus volume was significantly higher than the fracture-only group (P < 0.001). Conclusions Leptin expression increases in the recovery process after SCI, and the recovery of fracture becomes sooner.