BACKGROUND: It has been proved that interleukin-18 (IL-18) involves in the development of acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and is positively correlated with the time of brain stroke onset, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), as well as neurological deficit and low-density value of brain CT.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic changes of serum IL-18 in the course of ACI.DESIGN: Verification analysis with patients as subjects and healthy volunteers as controls.SETTING: Department of neurology of a municipal hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 46 inpatients (29 males and 17 females) with ACI were randomly selected from the Department of Neurology of People's Hospital, Maoming City, between December 2002 and January 2004.Meanwhile, 40 healthy controls (27 males and 13 females) were recruited from those who came to the hospital for routine physical examination. All the participants signed informed consent.METHODS: Fasting peripheral vein blood of 2 mL was collected from the patients on the 1st, 7rh, 14th and 21st days of ACI onset, and from healthy controls on the day of routine examination. The blood samples were centrifuged at 3 000 r/minute for 15 minutes at 4 ℃, and then the supernatant was collected for detecting IL-18 level by ELISA.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The serum IL-18 level of patients on the 1st, 7th 14th and 21st days of ACI onset and that of healthy controls on the day of routine examination.RFSULTS: Totally 46 patients and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in this study and all data were statistically analyzed. The level of serum IL-18 was significantly higher in the patients with ACI than in normal controls on the 1st and 7th days of onset [(178±41) ng/L, (104±34) ng/L, (65±14) ng/L, P ＜ 0.01],but was similar on the 14th and 21st days [(88±36) ng/L, (72±33) ng/L,(65±14) ng/L, P＞ 0.05]. The level of serum IL-18 in ACI patients was significantly higher on the 1st day than on the 7th, 14th and 21 st days of the onset (P ＜ 0.05-0.01); moreover, it was also significantly higher on the 7th day than on the 21st day of the onset (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: The level of IL-18 increases obviously on the 1st day of ACI onset, and gradually decreases with the extended course of disease and time of treatment.

Objective To study the current status of antimicrobial resistance of clinical Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in China by analyzing the surveillance results in 2008.Methods N. gonorrhoeae strains were collected from 951 eligible patients at national monitoring sites for resistance of N. gonorrheae,including 156 patients from Jiangsu province,71 from Zhejiang province,102 from Fujian province,207 from Guangdong province,77 from Guangxi province,43 from Hainan province,80 from Sichuan province,44 from Chongqing,45 from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,72 from Shaanxi province,and 54 from Tianjin.The production of β-lactamase was detected by paper acidometric testing,and minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs)were determined by agar dilution method for spectinomycin,ciprofloxacin,cefiriaxone,tetracycline,respectively.Results Among the 951 N. gonorrhoeae isolates,2(0.21%)were resistant to spectinomycin,451(47.42%)showed reduced sensitivity to ceflriaxone,928(97.58%)were resistant to ciprofloxacin.Penicillinase-producing N.gonorrhoeae (PPNG) and plasmid mediated tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae (TRNG) accounted for 34.91%(332/951)and 51.21%(487/951) of these isolates respectively.Kendall rank correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the positivity rate of TRNG and PPNG(r=0.20,P<0.01),but a negative correlation between the susceptibility to cefiriaxone in N.gonorrhoeae and positivity rate of PPNG(r=-0.09,P<0.01).No correlation was observed between the susceptibility to cefiriaxone and susceptibility to ciprofloxacin or the positivity rate of TRNG,or between the susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and positivity rate of PPNG or TRNG.Chi-square analysis showed a marked increase in the percentage of N.gonorrhoeae isolates with reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone in Guangxi province,Hainan province,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Shaanxi province,the percentage of N.gonorrhoeae isolates with resisitance to spectinomycin in Shaanxi province,prevelance of TRNG in Guangdong province,and prevelance of PPNG in Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces compared with the average level (all P<0.05).Conclusions Thero is a significant diffefence in antimicrobial susceptibility of N.gonorrhoeae from difierent areas of China.A significant elevation is observed in the percentage of N.gonorrhoeae with reduced susceptibihty to cefifiaxone and resistance to spectinomycin in Shaanxi province.to which close attention should be paid.

Objective Ti explire the influence if cignitive behaviiral interventiin in effi-cacy if pisitive airway pressure in patients with ibstructive sleep apnea syndrime (OSAHS). Methods 70 patients diagnised as miderate and severe OSAHS were randimly divided ti cintril griup and interventiin griup,35 cases in each griup.Bith griups were treated with AUTO-CPAP,the cintril griup was cinducted with cinventiinal nursing,the interventiin griup was cinducted with cignitive behaviir nursing interventiin in the basis if the cintril griup.Results The cimfirt degree and satisfactiry degree in the interventiin griup were significantly higher than the cintril griup(P <0.05).After treatment,the minimum SaO2 and average SaO2 during the night in the interventiin griup were significantly higher than the cintril griup(P <0.05).The AHI level in the interventiin griup was significantly liwer than that in the cintril griup (P <0.01).Conclusion Cignitive behaviiral interventiin can effectively imprive the cimfirt degree and satisfactiry degree in OSAHS patients,reduce the emitiins if fear and imprive the clinical ef-ficacy.

Objective Ti explire the influence if cignitive behaviiral interventiin in effi-cacy if pisitive airway pressure in patients with ibstructive sleep apnea syndrime (OSAHS). Methods 70 patients diagnised as miderate and severe OSAHS were randimly divided ti cintril griup and interventiin griup,35 cases in each griup.Bith griups were treated with AUTO-CPAP,the cintril griup was cinducted with cinventiinal nursing,the interventiin griup was cinducted with cignitive behaviir nursing interventiin in the basis if the cintril griup.Results The cimfirt degree and satisfactiry degree in the interventiin griup were significantly higher than the cintril griup(P <0.05).After treatment,the minimum SaO2 and average SaO2 during the night in the interventiin griup were significantly higher than the cintril griup(P <0.05).The AHI level in the interventiin griup was significantly liwer than that in the cintril griup (P <0.01).Conclusion Cignitive behaviiral interventiin can effectively imprive the cimfirt degree and satisfactiry degree in OSAHS patients,reduce the emitiins if fear and imprive the clinical ef-ficacy.

BACKGROUNDSlp2 gene is one of the differential expression genes in lung cancer tissues and normal controls, the aim of this study is to observe the effects of antisense Slp2 gene on growth and proliferation in lung cancer cell lines.

METHODSTotal RNAs were extracted from 4 lung cancer cell lines (A549, GLC-82, NCI-H446, NCI-H460), Slp2 gene expressions were detected at mRNA level by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); antisense Slp2 gene plasmid was constructed and transfected into GLC-82, NCI-H446 and NCI-H460 cells with lipofectinmin. The expressions of Slp2 gene were analyzed by RT-PCR in these cells before and after transfection; Flow cytometry, MTT assay and soft agar culture were used to investigate the effects of antisense Slp2 gene transfection on DNA content changes in cell cycle, proliferation and colony formation ability of these cells.

RESULTSSlp2 gene was positive expressed in A549, GLC-82, NCI-H446 and NCI-H460 cell lines. The proliferation of GLC-82, NCI-H446 and NCI-H460 cells were inhibited by antisense Slp2 gene conspicuously. The flow cytometry experiments showed accumulation of transfected cells in G2-phase, for one time concomitant appearance of apoptotic cells of sub-G1 (hypodiploid) DNA content was observed in transfected NCI-H446 cell. Dramatic inhibition of colony formation in soft agar was observed in those transfected lung cancer cell lines.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that Slp2 gene might be a key gene in lung cancer cell growth and proliferation.

Objective To compare the differences of optic disc parameters and the thickness of circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (CP-RNFL) in acute uveitis Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome with different degrees of optic disc edema. Methods This is a retrospective study including 40 eyes of 23 VKH patients. The eyes were divided into 2 groups according to the results of fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA). The discs with hyperfluorescence but no leakage were in mild optic disc edema group (group A, 13 patients and 25 eyes), and the discs with hyperfluorescence and leakage were in severe optic disc edema group (group B, 10 patients and 15 eyes). The patients were significantly older in group B than in group A (t=-2.17, P<0.05). The differences of gender, diseased time (t=-1.67) and corrected visual acuity (t=-0.76) between 2 groups were not significant (P>0.05). Eighty eyes of 46 normal healthy subjects, matching group A and group B with age and gender, were divided into group C (26 subjects and 50 eyes) and group D (20 subjects and 30 eyes) respectively.All subjects underwent three dimensional optical coherence tomography examinations. The parameters included average thickness of entire circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (CP-RNFL), thickness of nasal, superior, temporal and inferior quadrant of CP-RNFL, disc area, disc cup area, rim area, cup/disc (C/D) area ratio, C/D horizontal diameter ratio and C/D vertical diameter ratio. Results The disc area, disc cup area and rim area were bigger, the thickness of mean CP-RNFL and the nasal and temporal quadrants of CP-RNFL were thicker in group A than those in group C (P<0.05). The disc area and rim area were bigger, the thickness of mean CP-RNFL and the nasal, superior, temporal and inferior quadrant of CP-RNFL were thicker, C/D area ratio and C/D diameter ratio were smaller in group B than those in group D (P<0.05). The disc area was bigger, disc cup area, C/D area ratio and C/D diameter ratio were smaller, the thickness of mean CP-RNFL and the nasal , superior and inferior quadrants of CP-RNFL were thicker in group B than those in group A (P<0.05). Conclusions Acute VKH uveitis with mild optic disc edema has thicker CP-RNFL in the nasal and temporal quadrants; with severe optic disc edema has thicker CP-RNFL in all 4 quadrants. Acute VKH uveitis also has smaller C/D area ratio and C/D diameter ratio.

Objective To compare the differences of optic disc morphology and optic nerve head parameters between Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and optic neuritis (ON) with optic disc edema. Methods This is a retrospective study including 21 first-onset VKH patients (35 eyes) as VKH group and 22 first-onset ON patients with optic disc edema (27 eyes) as ON group. The differences of age (t=-1.11) and gender (χ2=0.20) between two groups were not significant (P>0.05). Sixty-two eyes of 43 age and gender-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this study as control group. All subjects underwent three dimensional optical coherence tomography (3D-OCT) examinations. The difference of optic disc morphology between two groups was observed. The parameters included average thickness of entire circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (CP-RNFL), thickness of nasal, superior, temporal and inferior quadrant of CP-RNFL, disc area, disc cup area, rim area, cup/disc (C/D) area ratio, C/D horizontal diameter ratio and C/D vertical diameter ratio. The disc retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) angle was observed too. Results Among 35 eyes in VKH group, 31 eyes (88.57%) had retinal detachment next to the disc, 3 eyes (8.57%) had serrated inner limiting membranes of the disc. Twenty eyes (64.52%) had highly reflective points, lines, or membrane-like structures in the retinal detachment areas. No such signs appeared in ON patients. Compared with ON group, the optic cup area, C/D area ratio, C/D horizontal diameter ratio and C/D vertical diameter ratio were bigger, the thickness of mean CP-RNFL and the superior, inferior quadrants of CP-RNFL were thinner, disc RPE angles was smaller in VKH group (P<0.05). Compared with control group, the disc area, optic cup area, rim area were bigger, C/D vertical diameter ratio was smaller, the mean CP-RNFL and 4 quadrants CP-RNFL were thicker, disc RPE angles was smaller in VKH group (P<0.05); the disc area, optic cup area, C/D area ratio, C/D horizontal diameter ratio and C/D vertical diameter ratio were smaller, the mean CP-RNFL and 4 quadrants CP-RNFL were thicker, disc RPE angles was bigger in VKH group (P<0.05). Conclusions VKH patients have smaller disc RPE angles and more chance to develop retinal detachment next to disc than ON patients. The C/D area ratio, C/D horizontal diameter ratio and C/D vertical diameter ratio are bigger, the mean CP-RNFL and the superior, inferior quadrants of CP-RNFL are thinner in VKH eyes.