Objective To investigate the effieacy and safety of intravenous itraconazole for the treatment of invasive fungal infection(IFI)in patients with hematological disease or undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT).MethodsSix hundred and sixty-six patients with above mentioned conditions and diagnosed as IFI from January.2007 to July,2007 were enrolled.Intravenous itraconazole was administered at a dose of200 nag every 12 hours for 2 days and followed by 200 mg every 24 hours.Patients were then switched to oral itraconazole according to the clinical situation Responses were determined on the basis of clinical and microbiological criteria.Results The probability of defervescence Was 69.8%and the total response rates among related to itraconazole were the proven.probable and possible IFI patients were 73.7%.68.1%and 68.2%(P=0.380).Adverse effects were found in 58 patients (8.7%).which were mainly mild to medium reversible dysfunction of liver and gastrointestinal tract, Conclusion Itraconazole is an effective and safe antifungal agent for patients with hematological disease or undergoing HSCT and is suitable for empirical antifungal therapy.

Objective To analyze the correlative factors of peptic ulcer recurrence in the elderly. Methods From January to December 2009,169 elderly patients (≥ 60 years old)with peptic ulcer delected by edoscopy were enrolled,whose treatment and usage of medication were analyzed.Data of treatment and recurrence in 3-year follow-up were recorded.Mann-Whitney rank sum test and Logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze the correlated factors.Results The potential risk factors associated with recurrence of peptic ulcer in the elderly were screened and analyzed by single factor analysis,and ulcer size, ulcer location, concomitant usage of drugs, smoking and condition of Helicobacterpylori (H .pylori )infection at the end of follow-up were found to be correlated with recurrence of peptic ulcer in the elderly.After adjusting age and gender,the potential risk factors were analyzed by a Logistic stepwise regression model.Smoking (OR = 1 .788,P = 0.001 ),combined medication (OR=6.202,P =0.015 ),ulcer size (OR =2.697,P =0.032 )and condition of H .pylori infection at the end of follow-up (OR=43.784,P =0.007)were found to be correlated with recurrence of peptic ulcer in the elderly.Conclusion Smoking,combined medication,ulcer size and condition of H .pylori infection at the end of follow-up have an impact on peptic ulcer recurrence in the elderly.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1/immunoglobulin A (EBNA1/IgA), BamH1 Z transactivator/IgA (Zta/IgA), capsid antigen/IgA (VCA/IgA), and Epstein-Barr virus deoxyribonucleic acid (EBV-DNA) in detecting different stages of na-sopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The relationship between the EBV markers and stages of NPC was also analyzed. Methods:Blood sam-ples of 152 untreated patients with NPC and 675 healthy subjects were collected.ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of EBNA1/IgA, Zta/IgA, and VCA/IgA. Fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) was used to detect the plasma levels of EBV-DNA. ROC and correla-tion analyses were employed to assess the detection assays for NPC diagnosis. The positive rates of EBV markers in NPC patients in dif-ferent stages were analyzed statistically. Results: The positive rates of EBNA1/IgA, Zta/IgA, VCA/IgA, and EBV-DNA in NPC patients were higher than those in the healthy individuals. The expression of EBNA1/IgA was relatively high in early NPC. The sensitivity of EB-NA1/IgA was 77.8%. In advanced NPC, the level of EBV-DNA was high, and the sensitivity of EBV-DNA was 88.8%. The specificity of EBV-DNA and EBNA1/IgA could reach more than 96%. The combination of EBV-DNA and EBNA1/IgA showed the best diagnostic value, with a sensitivity of 92.1%(early stage 82.5%, advanced stage 98.9%) and a specificity of 96.9%. The positive rates of EBV-DNA were positively associated with the NPC clinic stage and N stage. The positives rates of Zta/IgA were positively associated with the NPC N stage. Conclusion:The best single index for NPC screening in an asymptomatic population is EBNA1/IgA. EBV–DNA is an ideal index for auxiliary diagnostics of advanced NPC. The combination of EBV-DNA and EBNA1/IgA shows the best diagnostic value. EBV-DNA is an important index in the stage and illness monitoring of NPC. Zta/IgA can indirectly reflect the character of lymph node metastasis, and it may be useful in assessment of NPC surveillance.

Objective To evaluate CT findings and dynamic changes of post-traumatic intrapulmonary hematoma.Methods CT data of 43 patients with traumatic intrapulmonary hematomas were analyzed retrospectively.Results A total of 52 lesions were found in 43 patients with intrapulmonary hematomas.The majority of hematomas were located in the peripheral lung fields close to the pleura,single or multiple in number.CT showed nodular,mass,fusiform,ribbon and irregular shadows with uniform and high density in lung.There are two types of evolution: (1) The hematomas gradually reduced in size and finally disappeared;(2)The hematomas evolved into gas-liquid cyst cavity or gas cyst cavity, and then was absorbed gradually.Conclusion CT examination is helpful in the early diagnosis of post-traumatic intrapulmonary hematomas, and can monitor the morphology changes over time.

Child, Preschool ; Dwarfism ; congenital ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Osteochondrodysplasias ; congenital

Objective To compare the effect of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on myocardial injure and inflammatory factors in patients with unstable angina pectoris(UAP)undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods Ninety six UAP pa-tients undergoing PCI were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups,patients were given atorvastatin(20 mg/d)or rosuv-astatin(20 mg/d)besides conventional treatment for 1 week before PCI.Datas were collected before medication,PCI and Twenty-four hours after PCI,including CK-MB,cTnI,hs-CRP,TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-10.Results Twenty-four hours after surgery,the PCI, CK-MB,cTnI,hs-CRP,TNF-α,IL-6 of rosuvastatin group were lower than those of atorvastatin group(P <0.05),but IL-10 of ro-suvastatin group was higher than that of atorvastatin group(P <0.05).Conclusion Rosuvastatin (20 mg/d)is better than atorvas-tatin (20 mg/d)in the efficacy of UAP patients undergoing PCI,which can reduce the level of myocardial injure and inflammatory factors effectively.

Organic solvent tolerant microorganism(OSTM) is a novel extremophile and it hasn't been systematically studied until 1980s.Relying on certain mechanisms,the OSTM is able to effectively de-fend and decrease the toxicity from organic solvents,which enable the OSTM to be potentially applied in the industrial fields such as whole-cell catalysis and environmental treatment,etc.The comprehen-sively understanding of the mechanisms involved in organic solvent tolerance of OSTM could be com-bined with genetic engineering in order to modify and optimize the various specifications of OSTM,and further broaden its application in other industrial areas.Latest studies on the tolerant mechanisms of OSTM,in this paper,will be reviewed from four aspects such as vesicle exocytosis and changes of phos-pholipid composition in membrane,etc.Besides,the application of OSTM in whole-cell catalysis and other fields will be introduced.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the significance of a serum 1,3-beta-D-glucan (BG) assay for early diagnosis of invasive fungal infection (IFI) and determine its cutoff value in Chinese post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients.

METHODSSerum BG levels were measured twice weekly by Glucatell kit (G-Test) in 36 post-HSCT patients with suspected IFI. The sensitivities and specificities of the assay for clinical proven IFI and non-IFI patients were calculated retrospectively according to different G-Test positive criteria and determined its cutoff.

RESULTSThe sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 81.0%, 81.8%, 89.5% and 69.2% (P=0.002) respectively, as the cutoff value was set at more than 80 ng/L once or 60 ng/L consecutively twice.

CONCLUSIONThe cutoff value of G test in Chinese post HSCT patients basically is the same as specified in the instruction of the kit, and it is a quick and reliable method for early diagnosis of IFI.

Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Mycoses ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Postoperative Complications ; blood ; diagnosis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; beta-Glucans ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of the cardiac hemodynamics after acute high altitude exposure in healthy young males and the relationship with acute mountain sickness(AMS).

METHODSLeft ventricular function and oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO2), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) were measured in 218 healthy young males before and after high altitude exposure within 24 h respectively. According to the lake louise score criteria, the subjects were divided into two groups: acute mountain sickness group (AMS group) and non acute mountain sickness group (non-AMS group).

RESULTSHR, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), stroke volume (SV), stroke index (SI) cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI) were significantly increased upon acute high altitude exposure (P < 0.05). Whereas SaO2 and end-systolic volume (ESV) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). In addition, HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and MAP in AMS group were significantly higher than those in non-AMS group (P < 0.05). But stroke index (SI) and end-diastolic volume (EDV) in AMS group were significantly lower than those in non-AMS group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCardiac function in healthy young males upon acute high altitude exposure was enhanced. EDV, HR and SI might become the indexes of predicting the acute mountain sickness in the future.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

Steroidal saponins have a wide range of pharmacological effects and biological activities, such as anti-tumor, antifungal, hypoglycemic, immune regulation, insecticides, etc. In the last ten years, some new structures of steroidal saponins compounds were found from natural plants, they have some new and different activities. In order to accelerate the research on the drug innovation of steroidal saponins, we summarized the new progress of the research on such compounds.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Antifungal Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Steroids ; pharmacology