Objective To investigate the clinical,laboratory,and neuroimaging characteristics of neuroacanthocytosis.Methods Eight patients with neuroacanthocytosis were retrospectively analysed.Acanthocytes were tested by peripheral blood smear,wet preparation with saline dilution,and scanning electron microscope.Results Two male and 6 female patients were included.The age at onset was between 10 and 35 years,with a mean age at onset of 22 years.Four patients firstly presented with oral-facial-lingual dystonia,3 patients firstly presented with involuntary movements of the distal limbs and experienced the oral facial dystonia during the course of disease,and 1 patient primary presented with a parkinsonian syndrome.Four patients had generalized tonic-clonic seizures were reported in 4 patients,and 4 patients had cognitive impairment.Hypotonia and hyporeflexia were reported in 6 patients.The peripheral blood smear revealed the presence of acanthocytes in 7 patients,in addition,wet preparation with saline dilution and scanning electron microscope revealed the presence of acanthocytes in the remaining one.All patients showed slightly elevated serum creatine kinase.Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed variable atrophy of the bilateral caudate nuclei and putamen,with or without a rim of increased T2-intensity in 6 patients,but the films of 2 patients were read as normal.Electromyography and nerve conduction velocity were examined in 4 patients.The results indicated axonal damage in 2 patients,and were normal in the other 2 patients.Acanthocytosis was confirmed by peripheral blood smear in 7 cases,by wet preparation with saline dilution in 8 cases and by scanning electron microscope in 2 cases.Conclusions Neuroacanthocytosis is a progress neurodegenerative disorder mainly affected the basal ganglia. The clinical characteristics include oral facial dystonia,limbs chorea,cognitive impairment,and seizures. Brain MRI showed variable atrophy of the bilateral caudate nuclei and putamen.The peripheral blood smear,wet preparation with saline dilution,and scanning electron microscope methods of peripheral blood examination are critical in the diagnosis of neuroacanthocytosis.

Objective To observe the formation of the biofilm in endotracheal tubes,the characteris-tics of etiology, drug resistance and relationship between the biofilm and ventilator-associated pneumonia ( VAP) . Methods A total of 60 cases of ventilated children patients whose mechanical ventilation time were≥48 h in the ICU from September 2010 to September 2012,according to the mechanical ventilation time,all cases were divided into 2 to 6 d group,7 to 14 d group and ≥15 d group. The incidence of VAP, biofilm structure under the electron microscope,etiology culture positive rate of the lower airway secretions and bio-film,etiological characteristics and drug resistance were prospectively studied. Results ( 1 ) A total of 19 cases occurred VAP in 60 cases of mechanical ventilation,the incidence of VAP was 31. 7%. (2) Observed by electron microscope,biofilm had formed in the endotracheal tube inner wall in early period of mechanical ventilation. With prolonged mechanical ventilation,biofilm structure had improved,as well as VAP incidence rate from 9. 1%(2 to 6 d group ) increased to 44. 4%(7 to 14 d group) and 88. 9%(≥15 d group). (3) A large number of pathogenic bacteria colonized in the biofilm. Gram-negative bacilli were dominate and drug resistance was high. (4) With prolonged mechanical ventilation,the cultured pathogens from the lower airway secretions and biofilm converged. Conclusion Biofilm could form in the endotracheal tube with mechanical ventilation patients,and is associated with the occurrence of VAP and refractory infections.

OBJECTIVETo establish a flow cytometric internal standard method for counting platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) and to study its clinical significance.

METHODSPMPs suspension (platelet poor plasma, PPP) was extracted by gradual centrifugation. According to the size of PMPs, 3 microm and 0.8 microm latex beads were used as internal standards for the quantitation. PMPs were counted by adjusting flow cytometric discrimination and voltage of forward scatter and side scatter.

RESULTSIn 30 healthy donors, the average concentration of resting PMPs was (1.2 x 10(5) +/- 5.7 x 10(4))/ml and that of activated PMPs was (1.6 x 10(6) +/- 9.1 x 10(5))/ml. Compared with healthy donors, PMPs mean value was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in 18 patients with coronary artery disease, 12 with acute cerebral infraction and 23 with chronic renal failure [the average PMPs concentration, (6.1 x 10(5) +/- 2.5 x 10(5))/ml, (6.8 x 10(5) +/- 3.4 x 10(5))/ml and (5.9 x 10(5) +/- 3.1 x 10(5))/ml respectively]. However, no significant difference in PMPs concentration was observed in 25 patients with acute leukemia and severe thrombocytopenia during the aplastic phase after chemotherapy [(1.3 x 10(5) +/- 6.1 x 10(4))/ml, (P > 0.05)].

CONCLUSIONSPMPs is a useful indicator in monitoring platelet activation, and plays an important role in thrombotic disease. By flow cytometric internal standard method, PMPs can be counted rapidly and accurately, which may be very helpful in interlaboratory comparative studies.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Platelets ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Cell Membrane ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Particle Size ; Platelet Activation ; Platelet Count ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; analysis ; Reference Standards

OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of mouse erythroid differentiation and denucleation factor (MEDDF), a novel factor cloned in our laboratory recently, in erythroid terminal differentiation.

METHODSMouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells were transfected with eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA-MEDDF. Then we investigated the changes on characteristics of cell growth by analyzing cells growth rate, mitotic index and colony-forming rate in semi-solid medium. The expressions of c-myc and beta-globin genes were analysed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSMEL cells transfected with pcDNA-MEDDF showed significant lower growth rate, mitotic index, and colony-forming rate in semi-solid medium (P<0.01). The percentage of benzidine-positive cells was 32.8% after transfection. The expression of beta-globin in cells transfected with pcDNA-MEDDF was 3.43 times higher than that of control (MEL transfected with blank vector, pcDNA3.1), and the expression of c-myc decreased by 66.3%.

CONCLUSIONSMEDDF can induce differentiation of MEL cell and suppress its malignancy.

Activins ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Friend murine leukemia virus ; Globins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Inhibin-beta Subunits ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To study the effect of menopause status and the time of taking tamoxifen (TAM) on endometrial lesions after breast cancer surgery. Methods A total of 330 patients with postoperative vaginal irregular bleeding after breast cancer surgery or endometrial lesions after B ultrasonic from August 2007 to August 2017 in Northern Jiangsu People 's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 180 cases of taking TAM treatment (medicine-taking group), and 150 cases of not taking TAM treatment (non medicine-taking group). The patients were also divided into the menopause group and the premenopausal group. According to the time of taking TAM, the patients were divided into < 2 years group, 2-5 years group and > 5 years group. Chi-square and Fisher test were used to compare the differences. Results The endometrial lesions incidence in the medicine-taking group was higher than that in the non medicine-taking group [84.44 ％ (152/180) vs. 56.00％(84/150);χ2=51.701, P=0.000]. The endometrial lesions rate in the menopause group was higher than that in the premenopause group [medicine-taking group: 69.70 ％ (46/66) vs. 92.98 ％ (106/114), χ2= 17.254, P= 0.000; non medicine-taking group: 46.15 ％ (35/65) vs. 63.53 ％(54/85), χ2 = 4.513, P= 0.034]. For the patients in the menopause group and the premenopause group, the incidence of endometrial lesions for those who took medicine for>5 years [96.00％(48/50), 85.19％(23/27)] was higher than that in the<2 years group and 2-5 years group [78.26％(18/23), 42.86％(6/14);95.12％(39/41), 72.00％(18/25) respectively], and there were statistical differences (χ2=7.619, P=0.022;χ2= 8.070, P= 0.018). The menopause was not correlated with staging, muscular lawyer infiltration and lymph metastasis postoperative (P> 0.05), but with the type of endometrial cancer (P= 0.013); the length of taking medicine was related with the type of endometrial cancer and the lymph metastasis (P=0.027). With the prolonged time of medicine-taking for postmenopause patients, the incidence of type Ⅱendometrial cancer and positive rate of lymph metastasis were also increased. Conclusions Taking TAM after surgery for breast cancer patients increases the risk of endometrial lesions. The longer the patients take the medicine, the greater risk of the lesions take, and the worse the pathological, histological type and prognosis of endometrial carcinoma are, which is more obvious for postmenopausal women who take TAM for more than 5 years.

Objective To compare the effects of losartan and irbesartan on blood pressure,blood uric acid,insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance in female hypertensive patients complicated with hyperuricemia.Methods From August 2015 to December 2017,100 females of hypertension complicated with hyperuricemia who hospitalized in the Third People's Hospital of Ningxia were enrolled in the study.All the patients were divided into two groups according to the random digital table,with 50 cases in each group.The observation group was treated with losartan,and the control group was treated with irbesartan for 8 weeks.The total effective rate and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Also the changes of blood pressure,serum uric acid,fasting glucose (FBG),fasting insulin (FINS),high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP),insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were compared between the two groups after treatment.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the total effective rate between the two groups [92.0％ (46/50) vs.90.0％ (45/50)] (P ＞ 0.05).Before treatment,there were no statistically significant differences in blood pressure,serum uric acid,FBG,FINS,hs-CRP,ISI and HOMA-IR between the two groups (all P ＞ 0.05).After treatment,the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the two groups were (133.09 ± 10.11) mmHg vs.(131.54 ± 11.01) mmHg and (82.76 ± 6.23) mmHg vs.(83.75 ± 6.88) mmHg,which were lower than those before treatment (observation group:t =19.742,10.606,control group:t =18.925,-9.956,all P ＜ 0.05).But there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (all P ＞ 0.05).After treatment,the serum uric acid in the observation group was lower than that in the control group [(387.21 ± 25.56) μmol/L vs.(429.67 ± 27.44) μmol/L] (t =8.006,P ＜ 0.05).The hs-CRP,FINS,HOMA-IR,ISI in the observation group were (4.92 ± 1.02) rmg/L,(15.92 ± 3.01) mU/L,(1.71 ± 0.24),(1.047 ± 0.095),which in the control group were (4.54 ± 1.00) mg/L,(17.23 ± 3.20) mU/L,(1.65 ± 0.27),(1.140 ± 0.083).After treatment,the hs-CRP,FINS,HOMA-IR in the two groups were decreased (all P ＜ 0.05),while ISI was increased (P ＜ 0.05).Furthermore,the improvement of FINS,ISI and HOMA-IR in the observation group was better than those in the control group (t =2.109,-5.213,3.191,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Both losartan and irbesartan can improve clinical symptoms,lower blood pressure and improve insulin resistance in female hypertension patients complicated with hyperuricemia,and losartan is more effective than irbesartan.

Objective To observe the formation of the biofilm in endotracheal tubes,the characteristics of etiology,drug resistance and effect on the biofilm and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) of inhaled N-acetylcysteine (NAC).Method We selected 117 tracheally intubated and undergoing mechanical ventilation for ≥48 h in our hospital ICU from September 2010 to August 2012.All the cases were randomly divided into control group (60 cases) and study group (57 cases).The patients in the study group were treated with different doses of aerosolized NAC according to different ages,starting the first administration within 12 hours of mechanical ventilation,once every 8 hours,until stopping mechanical ventilation.Comparison was performed on the two groups in biofilm structure under the scanning electron microscopy,biofilm culture positive rate,VAP incidence,the etiology and drug resistance of the lower airway secretions and biofilms.Result (1) Electron microscopy showed that biofilm had formed in the endotracheal tube inner wall in early period of mechanical ventilation.With prolonged mechanical ventilation,biofilm structure improved.At the same time of mechanical ventilation,the thickness of biofilm in the study group decreased as compared with the control group.(2) Biofilm culture positive rate and incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia decreased in the study group compared with in the control group (65％(37/57) vs.80％(48/60),P＜0.05;11％ (6/57)vs.32％(19/60),P＜0.01).(3) Alarge number of pathogenic bacteria colonized in the biofilm and gram-negative bacilli dominated.With prolonged mechanicalventilation,theculturedpathogensconvergedfromthelowerairwaysecretionsandbiofilm.Conclusion With prolonged mechanical ventilation,biofilm structure was improved.Inhalation of NAC can inhibit biofilm formation and reduce the incidence of VAP.

Objective: To investigate the pathogen spectrum distribution and drug resistance of febrile neutropenic patients with hematological diseases in Shanghai. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on the clinical isolates from the febrile neutropenic patients hospitalized in the departments of hematology in 12 general hospitals in Shanghai from January 2012 to December 2014. The drug susceptibility test was carried out by Kirby-Bauer method. WHONET 5.6 software was used to analyze pathogenic bacteria and drug susceptibility data. Results: A total of 1 260 clinical isolates were collected from the febrile neutropenic patients. Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 33.3% and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 66.7%. Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.5%) , Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (9.5%) , Escherichia coli (9.1%) , Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.7%) , Acinetobacter baumannii (6.6%) , Staphylococcus aureus (5.6%) and Enterococcus faecium (5.0%) were ranked in the first 7 of all pathogens. In the respiratory tract secretions specimens, non-fermented strains accounted for 56.2%. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia accounted for 15.2%. Enterobacteriaceae and coagulase-negative Staphylococci accounted for 42.3% (104/246) and 32.6% (85/246) respectively in blood samples. Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus bacteria accounted for 39.4% (76/193) and 28.5% (55/193) respectively in pus specimens. The detection rates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin resistant coagulase negative Staphylococci (MRCNS) were 54.3% and 82.5%, respectively. Staphylococcus bacterial strain was not found to be resistant to linezolid, vancomycin and teicoplanin. The detection rate of Enterococcus vancomycin-resistant strains was 8.9%. Enterococcus was not detected resistance to oxazolidinone strains. Enterobacteriaceae bacteria were highly sensitive to carbapenems. The resistance rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem and meropenem was 34.1% and 15.8%, respectively. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was more sensitive to minocycline hydrochloride, levofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole. The resistance rate of Acinetobacter baumannii only to cefoperazone-sulbactam was less than 10.0%. The antibiotic resistance rate of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumanii to most of common antibiotics was lower than that of the CHINET surveillance. Conclusions The pathogenic strain distribution in common infection sites of febrile neutropenic patients was characterized. Bacterial resistance surveillance was better than the CHINET nationwide large sample surveillance in China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of liver perfusion imaging of 256-slice CT in evaluating the compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. 
 METHODS: A total of 20 patients with liver cirrhosis, who were confirmed by liver biopsy, clinical symptoms and imaging, were selected from December 2012 to June 2014. According to the results of liver biopsy and the Child-Pugh classification, the patients were divided into a compensated cirrhosis group (n=8) and a decompensated cirrhosis group (n=12). Eleven cases without liver and spleen diseases were served as a control group. All subjects were under the 256-CT liver perfusion (256-CTP). The data of CTP [hepatic arterial perfusion (HAP), portal venous perfusion (PVP), total liver perfusion (TLP), hepatic perfusion index (HPI)] were obtained according to liver perfusion type, and the data of CTP [liver perfusion (LP), peak enhanced (PE), time to peak (TTP), blood volume (BV)] were obtained according to general perfusion type. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation of liver cirrhosis with perfusion parameters. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to predict liver cirrhosis, and the maximized Youden index was served as the optimal cutoff value, then the area under curve, sensitivity and specificity were calculated.
 RESULTS: The PVP, TLP and PE values in the control group, the compensated cirrhosis group and the decompensated cirrhosis group were (76.63±37.26), (38.78±16.13) and (36.14±
15.31) mL/(100 mL·min); (98.48±43.58), (55.63±14.47) and (54.41±20.81) mL/(100 mL·min); 
(55.62±18.25), (44.11±5.79) and (41.08±7.74) HU, respectively, showing a gradual downward trend and a significant difference among the 3 groups (all P <0.05). HPI values were (19.50±6.08)%, (31.81±16.48)% and (34.47±16.04)%; TTP values were (37.32±8.59), (47.06±14.61), (59.86±20.87) s, respectively, showing a gradual upward trend and significant difference among the 3 groups ( all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the HAP, LP and BV among the 3 groups (all P>0.05). PVP, TLP, PE and LP were negatively correlated with the process of liver cirrhosis (r=-0.592, -0.567, -0.409, -0.569, all P<0.05), but HPI and TTP were positively correlated with the process of liver cirrhosis (r=0.434 and 0.538, both P<0.05). 
 CONCLUSION 256-CTP could provide useful information for the assessment of liver cirrhosis by measuring a plurality of perfusion parameters. The hepatic microvascular changes in patients with liver cirrhosis could be quantitatively assessed by perfusion CT. TTP shows high efficiency in prediction of liver cirrhosis and decompensated liver cirrhosis.
Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnosis ; Perfusion Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed