Atherosclerosis results from the interaction of multiple factors including lipoprotein metabolism, inflammatory factors, monocyte/macrophage adhesion,platelet tactivation, gene abnormalities etc.This paper reviews the current status problems and prospects of biomarkers related to atherosclerosis such as lipoproteins and lipoprotein metabolism associated markers , inflammation markers , coagulationand genetic markers.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the feature of horizontal semicircular canal function at high and low-frequencies in Meniere's disease. METHOD: Thirty patients suffering from unilateral Meniere's disease were included in the research from 2013 June to 2014 June. Caloric test and video head impulse test were performed to evaluate the high low-frequency function of horizontal semicircular canal. RESULT: these patients were devided by the severity of unilateral weakness in caloric test. The gain value in video head impulse test, which reflects the high-frequency function of semicircular canal, were not different between the normal and mild abnormal group (P > 0.05), but were obviously different between the normal and mild-severe abnormal group, slight abnormal and mild-severe abnormal group (P < 0.05). Gain asymmetry, which reflects the high-frequency function of both side, has no difference between three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION A part of Meniere's disease may have normal high, low-frequency function of horizontal semicircular canal. As patient suffering slight injury of low-frequency function, the high-frequency function keeps normal. As the injury of low-frequency function become mildly to severely, the damage of high-frequency function appears, but the symmetry still keeps balance.
Caloric Tests ; Head Impulse Test ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; physiopathology ; Semicircular Canals ; physiopathology

Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) with bilateral positive Dix-Hallpike test.Methods This is a retrospective study based on the clinical data of BPPV patients diagnosed in the Dizziness Clinic of Changzheng Hospital from January 2012 to December 2012.Totally 490 patients with vertigo and nystagmus provoked by Dix-Hallpike maneuver were included in the present analysis.Results Among all the patients,55 (11.2％) of them presented with bilateral nystagmus by the provocative test.According to the type of nystagmus provoked by DixHallpike maneuver,the 55 patients can be divided into the following four categories.(1) Bilateral geotropic (n =16) and apogeotropic nystagmus (n =5):all these patients were diagnosed with horizontal canal BPPV and free of vertigo after head side-shaking exercise in supine position and Barbecue maneuver.(2) Bilateral predominant down-beating nystagmus (n =2):patients in this group were diagnosed with anterior canal BPPV,and got recovered after Kim maneuver.(3) Bilateral torsional up-beating geotropic nystagmus (n =20):after a lying-down test,6 of the patients manifested as vertical up-beating nystagmus and 14 patientsremained torsional up-beating nystagmus.The formerwere diagnosed with bilateral posterior canal BPPV,and were cured after bilateral PRM therapy,and the latter were diagnosed with horizontal canal BPPV,who were cured after Barbecue maneuver.(4) Torsional up-beating geotropic nystagmus on one side and down-beating nystagmus on the other side (n =12).The down-beating nystagrnus on the other side disappeared when the patients was firstly seated up with head down in 30 degrees for half an hour before second Dix-Hallpike maneuver.These patients were diagnosed with unilateral posterior canal BPPV and cured by PRM therapy.Conclusions It is common for vertigo patients with bilateral nystagmus induced by Dix-Hallpike test.The diagnoses should be made by the types of nystagmus provoked step by step before maneuver therapy.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4, AFP, and CA125 in gastric stromal tumors. Methods 41 patients with gastric stromal tumors and 11 patients with gastric leiomyoma were recruited in this study from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University during May 2014 to December 2017. The tissue was collected by surgery, and HE staining was done. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression of CD34, CD117, and DOG-1. Serum of all cases and 41 healthy volunteers in the same hospital were collected. The levels of CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4, AFP and CA125 were examined by electrochemiluminescence assay, and the differences in each group were compared by M-W test or K-W test. Then the relationship between those biomarkers and the clinical parameters of gastric stromal tumors was analyzed. Moreover, AUC (Area Under the curve), cut-off value, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value with drawing ROC curve (receiver operating characteristic curve) were also calculated. Results Spindle cells or epithelioid cells were observed in the tissue of gastric stromal tumors. The expression of CD34, CD117, DOG-1 were positive. The level of the serum CEA 1.53 (1.15, 2.22) ng/ml in patients with gastric stromal tumor patients was higher than that in healthy controls 1.06 (0.62, 1.48) ng/ml and that in patients with gastric leiomyoma 0.79 (0.39, 1.39) ng/ml (the U value was 446.5, and 113.0 respectively, P<0.05). The level of CA19-9 in gastric stromal tumors 9.30 (4.95, 12.70) U/ml was higher than that in healthy controls 6.62 (4.56, 8.82) U/ml (the U value was 615.5, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in AFP, CA125, and CA72-4 of three groups (the H value was 4.348, 1.073, and 3.897, P>0.05). Furthermore, the level of CEA was closely related to TNM stage (the U value was 129.0, P<0.05). The diagnostic value of CEA and CA19-9 was statistically not significant (P>0.05). However, the combination of two markers might increase diagnostic efficiency. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and AUC was 92.7％, 48.8％, 64.4％, 87.0％ and 0.752 respectively. Conclusion The combination of CEA and CA19-9 has better sensitivity and negative predictive value in auxiliary diagnosis of gastric stromal tumors.