Chlorzoxazone ; blood ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; blood ; Humans

Catechols ; urine ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Electrochemistry ; methods ; Humans ; Hydroquinones ; urine

Capillary Electrochromatography ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Hexanones ; urine ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure

Humans ; Prune Belly Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo study the intervention of astragalus injection in the kidney injury of infants with congenital heart disease after cardiopulmonary bypass, thus providing a new method for protection of the kidney injury in them.

METHODSForty infants undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were randomly assigned to the test group and the control group, twenty in each group. Astragalus Injection (at the dose of 2 mL/kg) was added in the perfusion fluid before giving to infants in the test group before bypass, while the normal saline of the same volume was added in the perfusion fluid before giving to infants in the control group (P < 0.01). The concentrations of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-6 (IL-6), cystatin C (CysC), and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were detected with ELISA at the following time points, i.e., before bypass (T1), by the end of the surgery (T2), 2 h after surgery (T3), 6 h after surgery (T4), and 24 h after surgery (T5).

RESULTSThe serum CysC concentrations were not significantly higher after CPB (P > 0.05). The urinary NAG level increased significantly in the control group after surgery (P < 0.05), but no obvious increase of the urinary NAG level was found in the test group after surgery (P > 0.05). It was obviously lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). After CPB serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels increased significantly in the control group (P < 0.05), while they were lower in the test group than in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCPB may result in the renal tubular injury in infants with congenital heart disease. The application of Astragalus Injection before the CPB plays a role in protecting renal tubular functions.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; urine ; Astragalus Plant ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; blood ; drug therapy ; urine ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Kidney Function Tests ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Postoperative Period ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

We propose a new method for tumor classification from gene expression data, which mainly contains three steps. Firstly, the original DNA microarray gene expression data are modeled by independent component analysis (ICA). Secondly, the most discriminant eigenassays extracted by ICA are selected by the sequential floating forward selection technique. Finally, support vector machine is used to classify the modeling data. To show the validity of the proposed method, we applied it to classify three DNA microarray datasets involving various human normal and tumor tissue samples. The experimental results show that the method is efficient and feasible.
Artificial Intelligence ; Colonic Neoplasms ; classification ; genetics ; Computational Biology ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Databases, Genetic ; Discriminant Analysis ; Gene Expression Profiling ; statistics & numerical data ; Glioma ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia ; classification ; genetics ; Models, Statistical ; Neoplasms ; classification ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; statistics & numerical data ; Principal Component Analysis

OBJECTIVETo study serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and the correlation between BNP levels and the heart function.

METHODSForty-three children with KD and thirty healthy children were enrolled. Serum levels of BNP were measured using ELISA. KD children received an echocardiographic examination, including measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular shorten fraction (LVSF), cardiac index (CI) and left ventricular inflow velocity through the mitral annulus.

RESULTSMean serum level of BNP at the acute stage in children with KD was significantly higher than that at the recovery stage as well as the control group (p<0.01). The LVEF, LVSF and CI levels at the acute stage were significantly lower than those at the recovery stage in children with KD (p<0.05). The linear regression analysis showed that the BNP level was negatively correlated with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI (r=-0.63, -0.52, -0.53, p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe serum BNP levels increase significantly in KD children at the acute stage, and are negatively correlated with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI. Measurement of serum BNP level is useful for the early diagnosis of KD.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood

BACKGROUND:Kawasaki disease (KD) is a common cause of acquired heart disease in children. Recent studies have focused on the biochemical markers of the myocardium, their high sensitivity and specificity and significance in the diagnosis of KD. This study aimed to determine the serum level of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and its relation with the heart function of children with KD and to explore its clinical value in diagnosis of KD. METHODS:Forty-three KD children, aged from 5 months to 8 years (mean 2.3±0.6 years ), were admitted to Qingdao Children's Hospital from February 2007 to April 2009. Among them 27 were male, and 16 female. The 43 patients served as a KD group. Patients with myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease and other primary heart diseases were excluded. Thirty healthy children, aged from 3 months to 15 years (mean 2.5±0.8 years) or 17 males and 13 females served as a control group. There were no significant differences in age and gender between the two groups (P>0.05). In the KD group, ELISA was used to measure the levels of serum BNP in acute and convalescent stages;and in the control group, the levels of serum BNP were measured once randomly. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular shorten fraction (LVSF), cardiac index (CI) and left ventricular inflow velocity through the mitral annulus (including E-velocity and A-velocity) were measured by two-dimensional echocardiography in the acute and convalescent stages in the KD group. All data were expressed as mean±SD. The methods of analysis included Student's t test and the linear regression analysis test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS:The level of serum BNP in the acute stage (517.26±213.40) ng/ml was significantly higher than that in the convalescent stage (91.56±47.97) ng/ml in the control group (37.55±7.56) ng/ml (P<0.01). The levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI in the acute stage were significantly lower than those in the convalescent stage (P<0.05), but the E/A level was not significantly different between the acute and convalescent stages (P>0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that the BNP level was negatively correlated with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI(r=-0.63, -0.52, -0.53, P<0.05) , but not significantly correlated with the E/A level (r=-0.18, P>0.05). CONCLUSION:The levels of serum BNP are significantly increased in KD patients, and are negatively correlated with the levels of LVEF, LVSF, and CI. The detection of serum BNP level is of clinical significance in the diagnosis of KD.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in human split-thickness skin autograft and the role of alpha-MSH in hyperpigmented process of the grafted skin.

METHODSImmunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression and distribution of alpha-MSH in the split-thickness grafted skin and normal skin separately.

RESULTSThe expression of alpha-MSH in most of the split-thickness grafted skin was much stronger than the control skin. The positive ratio of alpha-MSH expression was 61.1% in the split-thickness grafted skin, 11.1% in the normal skin of the donor area and 16.7% in the normal skin around the recipient area. The expression of alpha-MSH in the split-thickness grafted skin was significant high, compared with the normal skins (P < 0.01). The expression of alpha-MSH in the normal skin of the donor area was no statistic remarkably differences compared to the normal skin around the recipient area.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that the expression of alpha-MSH may markedly increase in the split-thickness grafted skin and correlate with its pigmentation after the skin graft. Overexpression of alpha-MSH may play an important role in hyperpigmented process of the skin graft.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; metabolism ; Male ; Melanins ; metabolism ; Skin ; metabolism ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Young Adult ; alpha-MSH ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate operative technique, patient selection and perioperative management of single-lung transplantation for a patients with end-stage emphysema.

METHODSA 56-year-old patient with end-stage emphysema underwent left-lung transplantation on September 28, 2002. The surgical technique used was similar to that mentioned in the literature. The donor lung was perfused by LPD solution with a cold ischemic time of 260 minutes. Cardiopulmonary bypass was not performed.

RESULTSThe patient weaned from a ventilator at the 93th hour after operation. Immunosuppressants included cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroid. Acute rejection occurred on the ninth day after operation and was cured by bolus methylprednisolone given intravenously. Lung function was improved significantly and the patient was discharged from the hospital on the 47th day after operation.

CONCLUSIONSingle-lung transplantation for patients with end-stage emphysema is effective for long-term improvement of pulmonary function.

Adult ; Emphysema ; surgery ; Graft Rejection ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Lung Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged