Objective To investigate the level change and correlation of serum IL-18 and soluble Fas/Fas ligand(sFas/sFasL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to evaluate their roles in the pathogenesis of COPD. Methods The levels of serum IL-18 and sFas/sFasL in 36 patients with COPD of acute aggravation stage and 20 healthy control subjects were detected by ELISA. Results The levels of serum sFasL and IL-18 in patients with COPD were significantly lower than those in healthy control subjects, while there was not significant differene in serum sFas level between the two groups. Conclusion The serum sFasL and IL-18 level decreass in patients with COPD of acute aggravation stage indicated that cell apoptosis level and immune function reduced in the patients.

Both the lecture based learning mode and problem based learning mode have their advantages and disadvantages in imparting knowledge and cultivating students'ability.Therefore according to the characteristics of clinical education,two kinds of methods should be used together to complement each other in clinical education of surgery so that knowledge can be systematically imparted to students through lecture based learning,and the abilities such as self-study,oral expression,cooperate and innovation can be cultivated through problem based learning to improve the quality of education.

Objective To study the CT characteristics of rare renal malignant tumors.Methods 7 cases with rare renal malignant tumors confirmed by operation and pathology were reviewed and their CT manifestations were analyzed retrospectively.In clinical, all cases had abdomen pain,6 cases had macroscopic haematuria,and 1 case had asymptomatic by chance.Results Of 7 cases,3 ca-ses were sarcomatoid carcinoma,1 case was carcinosarcoma,1 case was malignant mesenchymal tumor,1 case was lymphoma,and 1 case was neuroendocrine carcinoma.The diameter was about 4.0-12.3 cm.1 case had uniform density,6 cases uneven,and the boundary was not clear.Conclusion The rare renal malignant tumors are misdiagnosed easily.Combined clinical data with imaging performance are helpful to make comprehensive analysis,and to improve accuracy rate for diagnosis,definite diagnosis still depends on pathological examination.

Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognition impairment and behavioral abnormalities.While the mechanisms involved in AD remain unclear,various hypotheses have been proposed regarding pathogenesis of AD,among which the oxidative stress hypothesis has attracted more and more attention.In the present article,the relationship between oxidative stress and AD is reviewed,including sources of neuronal oxygen radical generation,the link of oxidative stress to pathogenesis of AD,preclinical and clinical studies of AD,therapeutic effects of antioxidants and phosphodiesterase inhibitors on AD.

Objective To identify the Candida species isolated from recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis( RVVC) pa-tients, and provide etiologic datum of RVVC. Methods All Candida isolates, including those from vulvovaginal candidiasis ( VVC) and RVVC patients, were identified by using CHROMagar chromogenic medium and VITEK2 yeast identification kits. Results The proportions of nonalbicans species from nonpregnant RVVC relapse patients and pregnant VVC patients were both significantly higher than those from nonpregnant VVC patients ( P<0. 05 ) . Among pregnant patients, the percentage of C. albicans isolated from RVVC relapse was couer, but there was no significant difference of C. albicans species percentage between RVVC and VVC patients. Conclusion RVVC may be related to the recurrence of same Candia species and the reinfection of different Candia species. Pregnant women may be more inclinable to suffer from disorder caused by nonalbicans species.

Objective:To explore the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)on rats with chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)-induced depression and proteins related to endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS). Methods:Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group,a CUMS group,an escitalopram(ESC)group,and an EA group.Except for the control group,rats in other groups were exposed to CUMS.From the 1st day of modeling,the EA group was treated with EA at Baihui(GV20)and Yintang(GV29)every day,15 min each time;the ESC group was given intragastric intervention[ESC 10 mg/(kg·bw)every day],both for 28 d.Body mass measurement,open field test(OFT),and sucrose preference test(SPT)in each group were performed before(day 0)and after experiment(day 28)to record body mass growth,sugar preference index,and total distance and duration of central area in OFT.The protein expression levels of glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78),caspase-12,and C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP)in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were detected by stain-free total protein normalization method of Western blotting.Meanwhile,the TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay was performed to determine the percentage of cell death in the frontal cortex. Results:After EA at Baihui(GV20)and Yintang(GV29),the body mass growth,sugar preference index,and total distance and duration of central area in OFT were effectively improved(P<0.05 or P<0.01);compared with the CUMS group,the expression levels of GRP78 and CHOP in the hippocampus,and caspase-12 and CHOP in the prefrontal cortex of rats were significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the apoptosis rate of cells in the prefrontal cortex decreased significantly(P<0.05). Conclusion:EA at Baihui(GV20)and Yintang(GV29)can significantly mitigate behavioral deficits of rats with CUMS-induced depression.The mechanism may be related to adjusting the ERS and inhibiting cell apoptosis.

Spermicidal effect of Jieze No. 1 (JZ1) in combination with nonoxynol-9 (N-9) was examined in vitro. The minimum spermicidal concentration of JZ1 decoction, N-9 and their mixture solution in 20 s and 3 min were examined by improved spermicidal test of Sander-cramer in vitro. The percentages of progressively moving spermatozoa, moving spermatozoa and viable spermatozoa were also observed 20 s, 3 min and 30 min after the addition of the liquid medicine. Our results showed that sperms did not recover their activities in a revival test when the minimum spermicidal concentration of either JZ1 decoction, or N-9, or the mixed solution of the two agents, was used. N-9 (JZ1 in the mixed group) showed significant differences in the percentages of progressively moving spermatozoa, moving spermatozoa, and visible spermatozoa in 20 s, 3 min, and 30 min, when compared with N-9 alone (P < 0.01). We are led to conclude that JZ1 decoction can improve N-9 spermicidal action in vitro, and when used in combination with N-9, it has synergic effect.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*pharmacology ; Nonoxynol/*pharmacology ; Semen/drug effects ; Spermatocidal Agents/*pharmacology ; Spermatozoa/*drug effects

Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

Objective To explore the mechanisms of recovery from aphasia by using speech-activated single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT)brain imaging.Methods The SPECT brain imaging of 7 aphasic patients caused by various brain disorders were performed while they were at rest and performing oral reading,respec- tively,with an one-day interval.A semi-quantitative analysis of regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF)was conducted using region of interesting(ROI).The change of rCBF before and after reading was calculated and compared to ana- lyze the role of both hemispheres in the recovery from aphasia.Results It was found that the activation pattern of brain region was associated with the speech performance of the patients.The activated brain regions were mainly loca- ted at the left hemisphere in 5 patients whose reading capacity was relatively better,and mainly at the right hemi- sphere in the other 2 patients who had poor performance in reading.Conclusion After a focal lesion of the left hemisphere,the recovery of speech function might be mainly attributed to the repair of the damaged left hemisphere language network.When the left-hemispheric centers were permanently impaired,the brain would recruit some right- hemisphere regions for speech processing,but this strategy was less effective than the repair of the original speech-rel- evant network.

The clinical data of a child with anti-(α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid, AMPA2) receptor antibody encephalitis after herpes simplex encephalitis was retrospectively analyzed.The child was a 9-year-old female developing abnormal mental behavior after fever.The auxiliary examination of the first hospital displayed, cerebrospinal fluid: sugar qualitative (+ ), white blood cell count 32×10 6/L, albumin measurement (immune turbidity method) 317.00 mg/L, immunoglobulin IgG 45.80 mg/L.Herpes simplex virus (+ ). Skull magnetic resonance imaging showed: abnormal signal at the top of the frontal frontotemporal, considering intracranial infection.Video electroencephalogram: the background is diffuse slow wave, a small amount of multifocal spikes, sharp waves, spine slow wave release, left frontal, and temporal sacral protrusions.One partial seizure may be detected during the awake period.The diagnosis was " herpes simplex virus encephalitis" , and the body temperature of the child returned to normal after anti-infection and hormone therapy.However, there were still cognitive impairments, irritability, and no language communication.After 2 years, there was no abnormality in routine biochemical and viral cerebrospinal fluid examination.Serum and cerebrospinal fluid autoimmune encephalitis-related antibody spectrum: anti-NMDA, AMPA1/2, GABAB receptor antibody and anti-CASPR2, LGI1 antibodies were negative in serum.The anti-AMPA2 receptor antibody in the cerebrospinal fluid was weakly positive, and the final diagnosis was anti-AMPA2 receptor antibody encephalitis.After the application of hormones, the children′s cognition improved, mood was more stable than before, and language communication improved as well.Anti-AMPA2 receptor antibody encephalitis can be observed in children, and may be related to immune response after viral infection.For patients of viral encephalitis with poor treatment or disease relapse and progression, the possibility of autoimmune encephalitis should be considered.