Objective To investigate the clinical value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and red blood cell distribution width in discriminating disease activity of rheumatoid athritis.Methods Eighty-nine rheumatoid arthritis out-patients of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from Jan.2012 to Mar.2013 were recruited into this study.The disease activity index,such as swollen joint count and tender joint count were made by rheumatologists,and laboratory parameters（blood cell analysis,erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein) were measured as well.The enrolled patients were divided into the active RA group and remission RA group based on the DAS28 definition.Differences of NLR,PLR and RDW among groups were analyzed by t test and relations between variables were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis.The t test,non-parametric test and Spearman analysis were used for statistical analysis.Results The levels of NLR (3.2±2.0,2.4±0.9,respectively) and PLR (167±70,133±43,respectively) in active RA group were higher than that of the RA remission group (t=2.28 and 2.50,P=0.02 and 0.01).The level of RDW [(13.9±2.5)％,(13.9±2.4)％,respectively] was not significantly different between the active RA group and the RA remission group (t=0.14,P=0.89).However,compared with healthy controls,the level of RDW [(13.9±2.5)％,(13.2±0.2)％,respectively] was significantly increased in RA patients (t=2.74,P=0.006 9).NLR and PLR were positively correlated with DAS28 (r=0.23,P=0.03;r=0.26,P=0.04,respectively),ESR (r=0.28,P=0.03;r=0.43,P＜0.01,respectively) and CRP (r=0.33,P=0.006;r=0.41,P＜0.01,respectively).However,there was no association between RDW and DAS28 (r=0.01,P=0.93),ESR (r=0.20,P=0.15) and CRP (r=0.05,P=0.71).Areas under curve of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) for assessing disease activity of rheumatoid athritis by NLR and PLR were 0.802 and 0.753 respectively.The cut-off values for discriminating active/remission RA were 2.86 and 143.05,with the sensitivity as 0.66 and 0.63,specificity as 0.72 and 0.65.Conclusion NLR and PLR are significantly associated with the disease activity of RA and can be useful to understand the activity state of the illness.

0.05).The methyla tion rates were higher in tumor tissue than those in normal and adjacent mueosa(P

To study the effect of Gegen Qinlian decoction and its major effective components on five hepatic microsomal CYP450 isozymes in rats. The in vitro hepatic microsomal incubation technique was used to co-culture Gegen Qinlian decoction and its major effective components together with each probe substrate. HPLC-MS/MS was used to establish the analytical method for metabolites of the five isoform probe substrates of CYP450 isozymes, detect the linearity among micoromal protein concentration, incubation time and metabolite formation amount. And HPLC-MS/MS was applied to determine the formation rate (V) of corresponding metabolites (acetaminophen, 4-OH-chlorzoxazone, dextrophan, 6-OH-chlorzoxazone and 6β-hydroxytestosterone) specific probe substrates of the five isoform probe substrates of CYP450 isozymes (phenacetin, polbutamide, dextromethorphan, chlorzoxazone, testosterone), in order to determine the activity of each isozyme. The result showed good linearity among acetaminophen, 4-OH-tolbutamide, dextrophan, 6-OH-chlorzoxazone and 6β-hydroxytestosterone, satisfactory precision, stability and average recovery, suggesting the method was feasible. The optimized in vitro microsomal incubation conditions conformed to the requirements in the guideline of drug-drug interaction. Gegen Qinlian decoction showed different degrees of inhibitor effect on 5 CYP450 isoforms (CYP1A2, CYP2C11, CYP2D2, CYP2E1, CYP3A1/2). Its major effective component berberine could inhibit each CYP450 isoform at high concentrations (except for CYP1A2, CYP3A1/2).
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Isoenzymes ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Liver ; enzymology ; Rats ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

Objective To evaluate the inter-observer variability of static breast sonogram final assessment among observers with different breast imaging experience, using the first edition of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System(BI-RADS) for ultrasound. Methods Thirty patients with 30 breast lesions were included who underwent beast lesions resection operation. A pathological diagnosis was available for all 30 lesions:16 (53%) malignant and 14 (47%) benign. Twelve radiologists independently reviewed two sonograms of each lesion, and assigned a final BI-RADS assessment category. Inter-observer variability was measured using kappa statistic. Positive predictive value(PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for final assessment were also calculated. Results As for the experienced observers,kappa values of categories 3,4 and 5 were 0.72,0.28 and 0.60,NPV of category 3 was 93% ,PPV of category 5 was 97% ,all of which decreased as the breast imaging experience reduced. PPVs of categories 4a,4b and 4c were 56 % ,88% and 69%, respectively. Conclusions Using BI-RADS final assessment, radiologists with sufficient breast imaging experience can provide accurate and consistent assessment for breast ultrasonography,but the agreement of diagnosis decreased as the breast imaging experience reduced. The clinical feasibility of 4a,4b and 4c subcategories is uncertain.

Objective To measure total hemoglobin concentration (THC) of breast lesion using US-guided diffused optical tomography(DOT) and to investigate the THC optimal threshold value in different size breast lesions.Methods DOT was performed on 500 breast lesions and surgical pathology was as the gold standard.The optimal diagnostic threshold and the efficacy were figured out.Results There were 265 benign and 235 malignant lesions.In malignant lesions,THC of ≥2 cm lesion group was higher than that of ＜2 cm lesion group(P =0.000).In benign lesions,there was no statistical difference between ≥2 cm group and ＜2 cm group (P =0.13).As for ＜2 cm breast lesions,when a THC threshold value of 146.9 μmol/L and 102.2 μmol/L were used,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy were 74.2％,70.0％,71.7％,62.9％,79.9％ and 86.7％,44.4％,61.6％,51.6％,83％,respectively.As for ≥2 cm breast lesions,when a THC threshold value of 210.4 μmol/L were used,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy were 74.0％,86.7％,79.1％,89.2％,69.2％.Conclusions THC of breast cancer increased with the increasing size of lesions.The different diagnostic threshold value should be used according to different size lesions so as to enhance sensitivity,specificity and accuracy.

The type of basic media and the contents of plant growth substances were investigated by orthogonal design experiment,and also the effects of different culture conditions on the growth of suspension cells and the accumulation of total flavonoids in Eucommia ulmoides were studied.The results showed that B5 medium supplemented with 0.5mg/L NAA,0.6mg/L 6-BA and 30g/L sucrose,at initial pH 5.0～5.5,20g(FW)/L inoculation quantity and 110 r/min of rotation speed was a preferable culture conditions for E.ulmoides suspension cells growth and flavonoids synthesis.The results of metabolic kinetics analysis for E.ulmoides cell suspension culture showed that the logistic and Luedeking-Piret equations can be used for describing the kinetics of cell growth,sucrose consumption and flavonoids production during the process.The maximum specific growth rate(?m),the actual growth yield based on sucrose(YG) and maintenance coefficient(m) were 0.417/d,0.619g/g and 0.0206g/(g?d-1) respectively.All these outcomes could give a basis for establishing the suspension cell culture of E.ulmoides and production of the natural active components in large-scale.

OBJECTIVE: To study the objectivity and reliability of needle electromyography and nerve conduction for detection of musculus extensor digitorum brevis strength, which may provide a basis for establishing a quantitative detection of muscle strength in forensic clinical study. METHODS: Forty-four healthy people were enrolled as the subjects, and during toe dorsiflexion, the following items including needle electromyography indexes, motor unit potential (MUP) amplitude, MUP count, recruitment reaction type, and nerve conduction detection indexes, compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude, CMAP latent period and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), were simultaneously detected under the cooperation and disguise condition. RESULTS: Under the cooperation condition, regardless of the same operator or different operators, there were good test-retest reliabilities in MUP amplitude, CMAP amplitude, CMAP latent period and MNCV, while there were normal test-retest reliabilities in MUP count and recruitment reaction type and the repeatability of the same operator was slightly better than the repeatability between different operators. Under the disguise condition, test-retest reliabilities of MUP amplitude, CMAP amplitude, CMAP latent period and MNCV were relatively high, while test-retest reliabilities of MUP count and recruitment reaction type were relatively low. CONCLUSION There are good test-retest reliabilities in MUP amplitude, CMAP amplitude, CMAP latent period and MNCV, which can be conducive to comparison between different operators and results at various times; MUP count and recruitment reaction type, which can be easily affected by subjectivity of operators and examinees, can be used to differentiate whether an examinee disguises or not. The indexes used to objectively judge muscle strength remain to be further investigated.
Electrodes, Implanted ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Muscle Strength/physiology* ; Muscle, Skeletal/innervation* ; Neural Conduction/physiology* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Toes

Objective To ascertain the level and dynamic changes of environmental health hazards in the rural areas of Pukou, Nanjing, to objectively evaluate the situation of rural environmental sanitation, providing basis and support for formulating policies and measures by the higher authorities. Methods According to the requirements of the rural environmental sanitation monitoring program of Jiangsu Province in 2017, 5 streets, 20 administrative villages were selected as monitoring points and 100 families used as monitoring objects.The monitoring data were obtained through interviews, access data, field records and laboratory tests. Results Centralized water supply was realized by 20 monitoring points.The rate of collection and centralized disposal of domestic waste was 95.00%.The sewage disposal sites were mainly discharged into sewage treatment plants and harmless sanitary toilets, accounting for 41.00% and 42.00% respectively.The coverage rate of sanitary toilets was 95.54%.Those who did the work of killing rats, flies and mosquitoes accounted for 40.00% and those who did the work of killing cockroaches 25.00%.And 98.00% of the families used fuel for gas, 98.00% of the families never burned straw in the fields, 88.00% of the families did not use the film, and the membrane recycling rate was 91.67%.It was found that 100% of the households drank boiled water, and 90.00% of the respondents developed the habit of washing hands before and after meals.The detection rate of Ascaris eggs was 20.00% in 20 soil samples, and the contents of Pb, CD and Cr were all within the normal range. Conclusion Although some achievements have been made in the rural environmental sanitation in Pukou, the management of pollution of rural sewage, waste and feces should be further strengthened, and the dangerous factors that affect the health of rural residents should be decreased and four pests removal activities actively carried out.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Manshuailing Oral Liquid (MSL) on left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with heart disease.

METHODSNinety patients with LVDD were randomly divided into the conventional treated group (Group A, treated by conventional treatment with western drugs of cardiotonic, diuretic, coronary dilator, etc.) and the Chinese drug treated group (Group B, treated by conventional treatment plus MSL 2 times a day, 100 ml each time), 45 in each group. After 4 months treatment, the total heart failure coefficient (HFC) and cardiac functions were re-determined.

RESULTSAfter treatment, in both groups, the HFC lowered significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the left ventricular peak velocity of early diastolic rapid filling (Emas) quickened, the left atrial systolic peak velocity (Amas) slowed down and Emas/Amas (E/A) enhanced, the isovolumetric relaxation time shortened. However, comparison between the two groups showed significant difference (P < 0.05) in either item, Group B was superior to Group A (P < 0.05). In the 62 patients with mixed heart failure, i.e. both systolic and diastolic dysfunction of left ventricle, Group B was superior to Group A in increasing ejection fraction, cardiac output and thickening rate of left ventricular posterior wall (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMSL could improve the heart function of patients with LVDD, and alleviate their clinical symptoms.

Aged ; Cardiac Output, Low ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Yang Deficiency ; drug therapy

DNA microarrays have been acknowledged to represent a promising approach for the detection of viral pathogens. However, the probes designed for current arrays could cover only part of the given viral variants, that could result in false-negative or ambiguous data. If all the variants are to be covered, the requirement for more probes would render much higher spot density and thus higher cost of the arrays. Here we have developed a new strategy for oligonucleotide probe design. Using type I human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) tat gene as an example, we designed the array probes and validated the optimized parameters in silico. Results show that the oligo number is significantly reduced comparing with the existing methods, while specificity and hybridization efficiency remain intact. The adoption of this method in reducing the oligo numbers could increase the detection capacity for DNA microarrays, and would significantly lower the manufacturing cost for making array chips.