Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics, risk factors and prevention measures of nosocomial infection in senile patients with hematologic disorders. Methods The clinical data of 581 senile patients with hematologic disorders from July 2005 to June 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Results The nosoeomial infection rate was 30.5%(177/581). The 581cases developed nosocomial infection for 254 times [43.7% (254/581)]. Lower respiratory tract infection was the most frequent infection site, followed by intestinal infection and upper respiratory infection. The species were predominated by Gram-negative bacillus (67.1%) . The risk factors of nosocomial infection were non-remission of malignant diseases,chronic underlying diseases, long time hospitaliation, community infection, granulocytopenia, invasive manipulation and application of adrenocortical hormone and antibiotic. Conclusions The nosoeomial infection rate is high in senile patients with hematologic disorders and it can be decreased by taking prevention measures according to the risk factors.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of age and gender on the femoral morphology to guide prosthesis selection in operation and design.
Methods:A total of 500 females and males were collected from the departments of orthopedics and medical radiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. All patients underwent anteroposterior position scan of the left or right hip joint using Philips Digital Diagnost DR system. The shooting range included the hip joint and at least 2/3 of the proximal femur. The images were measured with Onis 2.3 software. We measured 13 parametersfromthepatients,includingtheexternalparamtersofthefemur,radius-lengthparameters of femoral medullary cavity, and morphological parameters of the femoral medullary cavity. Results:Compared with Westeners, the offset was smaller, while the neck shaft angle was signiifcantly larger in Chinese population (P<0.05). Most parameters of the proximal femoral medul ary cavity diameter were significantly smal er in Chinese population than those in Westerners (P<0.05). The canal lfare index in Chinese population was signiifcantly larger than that in the Westerners (P<0.01). According to the Noble classification, in Chinese population, the proportion of champagne lfute type was signiifcantly larger, while the proportion of standard type was significantly smaller than that in Westerners. There was significant difference in the proximal femur between Chinese population and Westerners. The largest difference of the proximal morphology was presented between males and females in the 31-50 years old people (P<0.05), while the smallest was in the over 70 years old population (P>0.05). The main differences between 31 and 70 years old were the diameter of femoral head, the offset of isthmus, the medullary cavity diameter and extracortical width at isthmus level and the medullary cavity diameter at the level of the lesser trochanter (P<0.05). The modullary transverse diameter at 20 mm below the lesser trochanter and isthmus and extracortical width of isthmus in the male and female group was positively correlated with age (P<0.01), while the parameters of the proximal femoral canal morphology in the female group were negatively correlated with age. The female canal parameters had a stronger correlation. Conclusion:Chinese proximal femoral parameters are signiifcantly different from Westerners. When people, especially females, get older, the medullary cavity diameter of the isthmus and proximal femur becomes wider and the morphology of the femur becomes straight. The difference in the femoral morphology between the male and female decline with the age. There is almost no difference for the over 70 years old. For the 31-70 years old, The male femoral cavity diameter is larger and the position of isthmus is lower than in the females.

AIM: To investigate the effect of silymarin on homocysteine-induced cell viability and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: Cell viability was analyzed by using MTT and LDH assay. Apoptotic cells were detected by using DNA fragmentation and flow cytometric analysis. The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the potential of mitochondrial membrane were determined by flow cytometric assay. The activity of caspase-3, -6 and -9 were measured with microplate spectrofluorometer. Protein levels were examined by Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment of cultured HUVECs with HCY for 48 h induced a significant decrease in cell viability, and the percentage of apoptosis increased to 76.8%. The level of intracellular ROS and activity of caspase-3, -6 and -9 enhanced, and the red/green ratios of mitochondrial membrane decreased. However, simultaneous treatment with silymarin exhibited cytoprotective effects, reduced formation of the DNA ladder, prevented the levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins and the accumulation of ROS as well as caspase-3, -6 and -9 activation, reconverted the potential of mitochondrial membrane, and the percentage of apoptosis/necrosis was significantly decreased to 12.7% in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that silymarin has the protective capacity to antagonize HCY-induced apoptosis in HUVECs. The antiapoptotic action of silymarin may be partially dependent on an anti-oxidative stress effects, inhibition of caspases activity, and maintenance of mitochondria function.

AIM:To investigate the effects of grasp seed procyanidins(GSP) on homocysteine-induced proliferation and migration in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC) and related molecular mechanisms.METHODS: Cell count and -TdR assay were used for detecting cell proliferation and DNA synthesis,ELISA assay was used for detecting inflammatory response,DCFH-DA assay for examining the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),Western blotting for detecting protein expression.RESULTS: Homocysteine(0.1-1 mmol/L) increased VSMC proliferation and migration,and the levels of ROS were in a dose-dependent manner.The results of Western blotting showed that homocysteine significantly increased the expression of MCP-1,IL-6 and TNF-?.However,Compared with control group,in GSP(5-20 g/L) group,the increased VSMC proliferation,migration and the production of ROS and the expression of MCP-1,IL-6 and TNF-? mediated by homocysteine were markedly suppressed.EMSA showed that in GSP treatment group,the NF-?B activation was also almost completely inhibited.CONCLUSION: GSP inhibits homocysteine-induced VSMC proliferation,migration and inflammatory response through interfering with ROS dependent on NF-?B signal pathway.

OBJECTIVETo observe the preventive effects of multi-glycoside of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW) on glomerular lesions in experimental diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODThe DN model of rats was established with streptozotocin (STZ) and intervened with GTW. In the same time, normal, benazepril, and vehicle control groups were set up. After 8 weeks of oral treatment with GTW (50 mg x kg(-1) BW), benazepril (6 mg x kg(-1) BW), and vehicle (physiological saline), the changes of body weight, urine albumin (UA1b), blood glucose (BG), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and glomerular morphology were examined. In addition, the level of protein expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen type I in glomeruli was determined by immunofluorescence.

RESULTBoth GTW and benazepril reduced UA1b. GTW ameliorated glomerular injury, such as mesangial cell proliferation, alpha-SMA and collagen type I over-expression, in DN model. Compared with benazepril, beneficial effects of GTW on glomerulusclerosis were more significant (total cell number: GTW group 54.44 +/- 2.41, benazepril group microg/67.83 +/- 4.41, P < 0.05; alpha-SMA score: GTW group 1.98 +/- 0.52, benazepril group 2.27 +/- 0.46, P < 0.05; collagen type I score: GTW group 2.11 +/- 0.37, benazepril group 2.88 +/- 0.58, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPreventive effects of GTW on glomerular lesion in DN model are related to decreasing UA1b and ameliorating glomerulusclerosis.

Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glycosides ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Kidney Glomerulus ; drug effects ; injuries ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

Interferon beta (IFN-beta) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) are effective anticancer agents. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is one of the current most promising gene delivery vectors. Previously, we constructed tumor-targeting AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta and AAV-hTERT-TRAIL by inserting IFN-beta or TRAIL gene into AAV controlled by hTERT promoter. The studies showed that either single IFN-beta or TRAIL gene therapy exhibited a certain extent anticancer effect. Here, we report their inhibitory effects on A549 lung cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo by combined AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta and AAV-hTERT-TRAIL. Expression of secreted IFN-beta in lung cancer A549 cells infected by AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The growth-suppressing effect of AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta in combination with AAV-hTERT-TRAIL on several cancer cell lines was assessed by MTT assay. Apoptosis of A549 cancer cells infected by AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta alone, AAV-hTERT-TRAIL alone, and their combination was evaluated by apoptotic cell staining and flow cytometry (FCM), respectively. The antitumor effect of the combination of AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta with AAV-hTERT-TRAIL in vivo was further evaluated through A549 lung cancer xenograft in nude mice. The results showed that the combinational treatment was superior to any alone and presented intensified tumor cytotoxic and apoptotic effect on A549 cancer cells. Most importantly, the combination of AAV-hTERT-IFN-beta with AAV-hTERT-TRAIL exhibited significant antitumor effect and eliminated all tumor masses in nude mice, which lay a foundation for exploring the molecular mechanisms of combined IFN-beta and TRAIL anti-tumor activity.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dependovirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Interferon-beta ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand ; genetics ; pharmacology

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic infection of brucellosis, in order to provide reference for prevention and treatment of brucellosis.Methods:Retrospective analysis was used to collect the clinical data of patients with brucellosis asymptomatic infection and confirmed cases admitted to the 940th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese PLA from 2017 to 2021, and the demography characteristics, clinical manifestations and laboratory test results were analyzed.Results:The results showed that a total of 18 cases of asymptomatic infection and 85 confirmed cases of brucellosis were included, and there was no statistically significant difference in age, gender, occupation and ethnicity distribution between the two groups ( F = 7.09, χ 2 = 0.74, 4.02, 0.55, P = 0.295, 0.785, 0.327, 1.000). The 18 cases of asymptomatic infection of brucellosis were found through screening in key populations, and no clinical symptoms or abnormal imaging signs were observed. The clinical symptoms of 85 confirmed cases were mainly muscle and joint pain, fever, sweating, fatigue, and low back pain; and the imaging manifestations were mainly arthritis, splenomegaly, and spondylitis. The median percentage of eosinophils (0.70%, 1.40%), percentage of basophils (3.05%, 0.40%), C-reactive protein (1.62, 4.62 mg/L), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (1.00, 11.00 mm/h), and antibody titer of serum agglutination test (1 ∶ 100, 1 ∶ 200) showed statistically significant differences between asymptomatic infection and confirmed cases of brucellosis ( Z = - 2.97, - 5.11, - 3.49, - 3.21, - 3.50, P = 0.003, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.007). Conclusions:There is a difference in the composition of granulocytes between asymptomatic infection and confirmed cases of brucellosis, and the level of inflammatory response indicators is lower than that of confirmed cases. Regular seroepidemiological surveys among key populations can help screen for asymptomatic infection of brucellosis.

The paper described the hemodynamics of blood flow based on fluid mechanics and its corresponding formulas, and revealed the limitation of blood flow velocity measurement for non-laminar flow when using the conventional pulse wave Doppler. The paper demonstrated the calculation of turbulence for blood flow based on velocity directions and quantified the turbulence according to the presented formulas. Two methods were introduced and the simulated results were analyzed. An example using real data based on ultrasound vector flow imaging for calculating the turbulence of blood flow was presented in the end.
Blood Flow Velocity ; Ultrasonography

Echocardiogram is vital for the diagnosis of cardiac disease. The heart has complex hemodynamics requiring an advanced ultrasound imaging mode. Cardiac ultrasound vector flow imaging is capable of measuring the actual magnitude and direction of the blood flow velocity, obtaining the quantitative parameters of hemodynamics, and then providing more information for clinical research and diagnosis. This study mainly reviewed several different vector flow imaging techniques for cardiac flow and presented the implementation difficulties, and proposed a diverging wave based high frame rate cardiac ultrasound vector flow imaging. The study discussed the limitation of current ultrasound technology used in the cardiac flow measurement, analyzed and demonstrated the specific reasons for these implementation difficulties and the potential future development.
Blood Flow Velocity ; Heart/physiology* ; Hemodynamics ; Ultrasonography