Objective To investigate clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT ) in guiding treatment of infection in elderly patients with heart failure .Methods A total of 120 cases of elderly patients with heart failure and infection were divided into control group (50 cases) ,receiving conventional anti-infection treatment ,and observation group(70 cases) ,receiving adjusted anti-infection treat-ment based on serum PCT levels .Treatment efficiency ,cost of treatment ,hospitalization duration and other indicators were com -pared between the two groups .Results Effective rate of observation group was 78 .57% ,which was not significantly different with the 78 .00% of control group ( P > 0 .05) .Cost of treatment ,hospitalization duration ,application time of antibiotics ,antibacterial drug costs ,superinfection and mortality were significantly different between the two groups (P< 0 .05) .After treatment ,levels of e-rythrocyte sedimentation rate ,C-reaction protein ,white blood cells and neutrophil in the two groups were significantly improved (P< 0 .05) .After treatment ,C-reaction protein level of observation group was lower than control group (P < 0 .05) .Conclusion PCT based anti-infection treatment could help shorten the treatment time ,reducing treatment costs and improving outcomes ,and might be worthy of clinical application .

Objective:To investigate the relationship between telomerase activity and the biological behavior of prostate cancer.Methods:The telomerase activity in prostate cancer tissues was detected by TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol) ELISA which is based upon amplification of the initial telomerase product and detected by ELISA.Results:None of the 10 samples from normal prostates expressed telomerase activity.The thirteen of fifteen cases (86.0%) with prostate cancer presented telomerase activity.The activity of telomerase was associated with the pathological differentiation of prostate cancer.The two of twelve cases (17.0%) with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) expressed telomerase activity,and the activity of telomerase was lower than prostate cancer.Conclusion:The telomerase acitivity may be related to the biological behavior of prostate cancer and can evaluate the malignant potential of prostate cancer.The presence of telomerase acitivity in some cases of BPH may indicate the presence of a minority of malignant cells,as yet clinically undetected,within the population of BPH cells.

Background and purpose:miR-17-92 gene cluster overexpression has been observed in various cancers, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer and prostate cancer. In this study, we established the stable cell line overexpressingmiR-17-92 to explore the inlfuence ofmiR-17-92 on the migration, invasion abilities and cisplatin resistance of the prostate cancer DU145 cells.Methods:miR-17-92 overexpression vectors were constructed. DU145 cells were infected with the viral supernatants produced by Phoenix A packaging system. Real-time lfuorescent quanti-tative polymerase chain reaction (RTFQ-PCR) was conducted to detect the expression level of miR-17-92 in the cells. The migration and invasion abilities were measured by a real-time xCELLigence system. The scratch healing assay was carried out to investigate the migration abilities. The expression of integrin β1 was detected by Western blot, and the activities of matrix metalloprotein-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9) were measured by gelatin zymography experiment. The cell growth of the two cell lines after the treatment of cisplatin was detected by a real-time xCELLigence system. The mRNA expression ofERCC1 was measured by RTFQ-PCR. Western blot was conducted to investigate the protein expressions of ERCC1, ERK1/2 and pERK1/2.Results:DU145-miR-17-92 cells migrated faster than DU145-control cells during the 24 h continuous monitoring (P<0.01). The scratch healing assay indicated that DU145-miR-17-92 cells migrated from the edge towards the scratch center faster than DU145-control cells. DU145-miR-17-92 cells invaded through matrigel markedly faster than DU145-control cells (P<0.01). The protein expression level of integrin β1 and the MMP-9 activities in DU145-miR-17-92 cells were increased than those in DU145-control cells. After the treatment of cisplatin, DU145-miR-17-92 cells grew faster than DU145-control cells, presenting cisplatin resistance (P<0.01). The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in DU145-miR-17-92 cells was constantly at a high level regard-less of the treatment of cisplatin. Compared with DU145-control cells, the expression of drug resistance-related gene ERCC1 was dramatically increased in DU145-miR-17-92 cells after the treatment of cisplatin.Conclusion:miR-17-92 overexpression increases the migration and invasion abilities of the prostate cancer DU145 cells, which is associated with the upregulated expression of integrin β1 and the increased activity of MMP-9. Besides,miR-17-92 overexpression enhances the cisplatin resistance of DU145, which is correlated with the increased phosphorylation level of ERK and the upregulated expression of ERCC1 at both the mRNA and protein levels.

BACKGROUND:Under physiological conditions, nerve roots can move along with the movement of limbs and spine. However, the mechanisms of nerve root stretch injury under physiological conditions and the neurological dysfunction after injury are unclear.
OBJECTIVE:To review the reason of nerve root stretch injury, and to analyze the mechanism of nerve function from biomechanics, pathology and neurophysiology.
METHODS:A computer-based online search of PubMed database was undertaken by the first author to identify the articles related to the research of nerve root injury and nerve stretch injury between 1990 and 2012, with the key words of“nerve root, nerve, stretch injury”. A total of 391 articles were screened out. The articles on the anatomy and biomechanics research of nerve root were included, as wel as the pathology and neurophysiology research after nerve root stretch injury. Final y, 44 articles were included for review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Nerve root can be stretched along with limbs and spine movement. However, diseases or trauma may cause pathological nerve root stretch, and thus leading neurological dysfunction. The nerve root is often influenced stretch because of its anatomical and tissue structure. Mechanical injury mechanism of stretch composes of peripheral (peripheral nerve conduction stress) and central mechanism (displacement of spinal cord content). Pathological studies found that the local fibrosis is caused by the extracted serum protein that difficult to remove after injury, and this is because of the shortage of lymphatic system in nerve roots. Fibrosis can cause nerve root ischemia, affect the nerve function, and change the biomechanical properties of nerve root. Nerve root injury can cause primary and secondary injury of internal axons, and this is the main reason for neurological dysfunction after injury.

Objective To explore the protective effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on cultured rat cortical neurons against glutamate (Glu)-induced injury and its mechanism. Methods Cortical neurons were primarily cultured from 1-day-old newborn Sprague-Dawley rats and then cultured for 7 d. The cortical neurons were divided randomly into 3 groups: control group,Glu group and BDNF group after identified with neuron-specific enolase (NSE) immunostaining. The cells of BDNF were treated with 50 ng/ml BDNF on day 6 for 24 h followed by cultured with 50 ?mol/L Glu for 0.5 h. While,the cells of Glu group were cultured with 50 ?mol/L Glu for 0.5 h on day 7. The control cells received no such treatments. On day 8,cell viability were determined by the colorimetric MTT assay. The morphological features of the neuron cells were observed under AO/EB fluorescence microscopy. Expressions of p75NTR,JNK and ERK were observed using Western blot analysis. Results On day 8,the primary cortical neurons grew well. BDNF protected cortical neural cells from Glu injury. Cell viability of BDNF group was (1.14?0.06),significantly higher than that of Glu group (0.72?0.10,P

Objective: To study the effect of Shenxiong Xintong Pill(SXP) on cardiac hemodynamics. Methods: Parameters of cardiac hemodynamics were examined in anesthetic chest-opened dogs medicated with various doses of SXP. Results: After intraduodenal administration of SXP of 2.0g/kg, the coronary blood flow was raised, coronary resistance decreased, heart rate slowed and the left ventricular diastolic end pressure fallen in the dogs. No obvious changes were found in the contraction , works and ejection of left ventricle. Conclusion: The mechanism of SXP in relieving angina pectoris was probably related to the dilatation of coronary artery and increase of coronary flow with the increase supply of oxygen.

Objective: To investigate the level of arsenic exposure in rural drinking water and to assess the health risk caused by exposure to arsenic in Tongzhou District, Beijing Municipality in 2019, so as to provide insights into improving the quality of rural drinking water. Methods: Water samples were collected from self-provided wells in 196 villages of 7 townships in Tongzhou District from April to June, 2019, and the arsenic levels were measured in drinking water according to Standard examination methods for drinking water-Metal parameters (GB/T 5750.6-2006). The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of arsenic were evaluated in drinking water using the environmental risk assessment model recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Results: Totally 520 water samples were collected, and the median arsenic concentration was 0.001 2-0.050 0 mg/L. There were 67 water samples with arsenic levels exceeding the defined standard level (12.88%), and the proportions of arsenic levels exceeding the defined standard level were 57.69%, 17.24%, 12.20%, 6.52% and 1.31% in Songzhuang, Huoxian, Lucheng, Zhangjiawan and Yongdedian townships, and the arsenic levels did not exceed the defined standard level in Majuqiao or Taihu townships. The carcinogenic risk of arsenic was 3.135 7×10-4/a in drinking water, which exceeded the maximum acceptable risk, and the carcinogenic risk of arsenic all exceeded the maximum acceptable risk, with the highest value seen in Songzhuang Township (9.648 2×10-4/a). A high carcinogenic risk of arsenic was seen in men at ages of 60 to 80 years (3.012 8×10-4/a) and in women at ages of 80 years and older (2.949 0×10-4/a). The non-carcinogenic risk of arsenic was 0.696 8 in drinking water, indicating a low risk, and were 1.009 5 and 2.144 1 in Huoxian and Songzhuang townships, indicating a high risk. In addition, a high non-carcinogenic risk of arsenic was seen in men at ages of 60 to 80 years (0.669 5) and in women at ages of 80 years and older (0.655 3). Conclusion There was a high proportion of arsenic levels exceeding the defined standard level in rural drinking water in Tongzhou District, 2019, and there was a health risk, notably with the highest carcinogenic risk seen in residents at ages of 60 years and older. Effective interventions are needed to reduce arsenic levels in drinking water.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Yinhuang solution on the bladder mucosal before and/or after mucosal injury.Methods32 SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 8 rats in each group. Group A was used for the normal control group, group B for the model control group, group C for preventive group, group D for preventive and therapeutic group. Injured rats were created by hydrochloric acid applied on bladder mucosa. After the models were established or before and after the models were established, bladders were perused with Yinhuang solution. Severity of inflammatory infiltration were observed by HE staining, histological score and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expressed in the mucosa.ResultsEndoscopic pathological change showed that group B had a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration, significant expansion of capillary, epithelial cell necrosis. Group C had a small amount of expansion of capillary, inflammatory cell infiltration. Group D scattered in expansion of capillary, a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. Concerning the results of histological score and HSP70 expression, there was a significant difference between group A and groups B, C or D (P<0.01); there was a significant difference between group B and groups C or D (P<0.01); there was a significant difference between group C and group D (P<0.05).ConclusionYinhuang solution can evidently improve the repair capability of bladder mucosa after injury.

Objective To evaluate regional right ventricular longitudinal function in fetus using velocity vector imaging(VVI),and establish nomogram of right ventricle,Methods One hundreed and seventy healthy fetuses were divided into 5 groups according to the gestational age.Dynamic digital views of four chamber view were collected and analyzed offline.Velocity,strain and strain rate were calculated in systolic and diastolic period,respectively.Results Normal systolic and diastolic values for velocity,strain and strain rate were established.Tissue velocity gradually decreased from the base segment to the apical segment(P＜0.05),whereas strain and strain rate were stable(P＞0.05).Tissue velocity was gestationalage dependent(P＜0.05),whereas strain and strain rate were stable throughout gestation (P＞0.05).Conclusions Fetal myocardial velocity,strain and strain rate measurements are easy to obtain and reproducible.Increase in tissue velocity throughout gestation probably reflects the growth of the fetal heart,whereas intrinsic myocardial properties as measured by strain and strain rate do not change.

Objective To investigate the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and the attack of arrhythmia after thoracic surgery.Methods Information of 44 patients after thoracic surgery form September 2012 to February 2015 in General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University was collected, and divided in to the arrhythmia group and non-arrhythmia group.A retrospective analysis was carried on their ECG, thyroid hormone levels, and physical health, and the parameters were then compared between the two groups.The correlation of triiodothyronine (T3) level and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE Ⅱ) was analyzed.Results The arrhymia patients' serum T3 and free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels were below normal levels, while the serum T3 and FT3 levels of the non-arrhythmia patients were within normal range, and the differences between the two groups were significant (P＜0.05).No notable change of other thyroid hormones levels and correlation of T3, FT3 and APACHE Ⅱ score were found.Conclusions There is a significant difference between the arrhythmia and non-arrhythmia groups in serum T3 and FT3 levels.Perioperative thyroid hormone replacement therapy is worthy of consideration and trial in the clinical prevention and treatment of arrhythmia and prognostic improvement of patients.