Objective To assess the clinical significance of SAA, IP-10 and PCT in the diagnosis of AECOPD. Methods Sixty AECOPD patients, 52 with sCOPD, and 28 healthy subjects were assigned to three groups. Clinical data and serum specimen were obtained from another 19 AECOPD patients at stable stage as AECOPD-sCOPD group. Serum levels of SAA, IP10 and PCT were quantitatively measured by ELISA. Levels of multiple serum markers were statistically compared among different groups. Results The concentration of SAA significantly differed between the AECOPD and sCOPD groups (P < 0.05), so did the concentration of IP-10 (P < 0.05); no statistical significance was found in terms of serum PCT concentration between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions As compared with the sCOPD group, levels of serum SAA and IP-10 in the AECOPD group were significantly elevated, which is helpful in the diagnosis of AECOPD with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 54.9%for SAA, and 96.1%and 75.0%for IP-10. However, PCT level failed to identify AECOPD from sCOPD.

Objective To explore the serum expression of DKK1 protein, a Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its relationship with osseous metastasis. Methods Serum DKK1 protein levels were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in NSCLC patients, including 33 NSCLC patients with osseous metastasis and 41 NSCLC patients without respectively, and 32 healthy volunteers were served as the control group. Furthermore, the differential expression of the serum DKK1 protein level between the patients and the volunteers was compared by using the variance analysis and the independent sample t test. The correlation between DKK1 expression and bone metastasis was detected by Pearson correlation analysis. Results Serum DKK1 protein level of NSCLC patients was (79.6±8.3) ng/ml, which was significantly higher than that in healthy volunteers [(21.5±6.4) ng/ml, t=13.17, P=0.001]. The serum DKK1 level in osseous metastasis group was (110.3±11.4) ng/ml, which was significantly higher than that in non-skeletal metastasis group [(60.7±10.5) ng/ml, t=14.128, P=0.003]. The positive association was observed between the DKK1 level in the peripheral blood and osseous metastasis in NSCLC patients (r=0.855, P<0.001). Conclusion The serum expression level of DKK1 protein in NSCLC patients is closely related to the osseous metastasis, which may be a predicting biomarker for the osseous metastasis.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Methods 12 patients with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage hospitalized in Guangzhou NO.1 Hospital were included in the research, whose clinical characteristics were analyzed. Results 7 cases of the 12 diffuse alveolar hemorrhage cases were male and 5 cases were female. 8 cases were caused by ANCA associated vasculitis , 1 cases by connective tissue disease, 1 cases by poisoning, and 2 cases of unknown etiology (medication could be considered). The clinical manifestations were fever (91.67%), hemoptysis (100%), anemia (100%), and dyspnea (3.33%). Conclusion Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is a life-threatening clinical syndrome. It can be caused by many causes. It should be considered if there is the presence of hemoptysis, dyspnea, anemia, etc. Timely examination and early intervention can effectively improve the prognosis of the disease.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumors with a high mortality rate attributed to its widespread metastasis.A number of cellular signal transduction pathways involved in multiple genes play an important role in regulating this complex metastatic cascade of pancreatic cancer.NF-kappa B is one of the crucial signaling pathways.Studies has indicated that NF-kappa B could modulate a series of biological events relevant to tumor progress by controlling multiple targeted genes expression,such as cell proliferation,anti-apoptosis,angiogenesis,epithelial-mesenchymal transition,inflammation,stress response,etc.Furthermore,it can also up-regulate Hedgehog and MMPs signaling pathways.To help us better understand the potential mechanism and identify more sensitive tumor markers and selective targets,this review will underline the significant roles of NF-kappa B signaling pathway in regulatory network of pancreatic cancer metastasis.

Objective To observe the effect of rhTRAIL on survivin gene expression of human lung adeno-carcinoma A549 xenografted tumor in nude mice,and investigate the possible inhibitory mechanism of rhTRAIL on the implanted-tumor growth.Methods The solid tumor model was formed in nude mice with human lung adeno-carcinoma cell line.A549.24 mice were randomly divided into the four groups,rhTRAIL single treated group (1 μg/mL),rhTRAIL combined with cisplatin (DDP) treated group,cisplatin treated (1.5mg/kg) and 0.9％ sodium chloride injection(NS) control group.The rhTRAIL and DDP were injected once every other day by intraperitoneal injection to mice in the treated groups,lasting eight times,the same volume of saline solution was injected to the control group.After these,mice were killed and dissected completely.The expression level of survivin mRNA and protein in the tumor tissues was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry,respectively.And the expression of survivin gene in serum of each group was tested by ELISA.Results The expression levels of survivin mRNA in implanted-tumor tissues in rhTRAIL,rhTRAIL combined with DDP,DDP and NS group were (48.7 ± 2.5) ％,(53.1 ± 4.6) ％,(99.1 ± 5.3) ％ and (95.6 ± 3.7) ％,respectively.While the protein expressions of survivin gene in those groups were (0.319 ± 0.025),(0.483 ± 0.058),(0.635 ± 0.041) and (0.619 ± 0.017),respectively.Moreover,the serum levels of survivin were (71.9 ± 7.05),(80.26 ± 10.80),(112.75 ± 15.41) and (105.03 ± 20.37),respectively.The data showed that the expression levels of rhTRAIL and rhTRAIL combined with DDP group were lower than that of DDP-treated group or the NS control group (P ＜ 0.0 5).Compared with the rhTRAIL combined with DDP group,the survivin gene expression level of rhTRAIL-single treated group decreased a little lower,but the difference was not significant (P ＞ 0.05).Conversely,the survivin gene level was increased to some degree compared with the NS control group,and uniformly there was no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion rhTRAIL can downregulate the expression level of survivin gene of human lung adeno-carcinoma A549 xenografted tumor in nude mice.It may be one of the possible inhibitory mechanisms of rhTRAIL on the implanted-tumor growth that rhTRAIL can downregulate survivin gene expression and promote tumor cell apoptosis.

Objective To explore the possible role of CD28 +/CD152 +:B7 eostimulators in immune pathophysiology of severe pneumonia.Methods 22 severe pneumonia peripheral blood sample were used to analyze the expression of CD3+ T cell CD28+,CD152+,CD14++ on mononuelear cell CD86+,and HLA - DR + by FACS expression.The relationship between CD28+,CTLA4,CD86+ and the HLA-DR +,and the relationship between APACHE Ⅱ Grading,CD28+,CD152+,CD86+ and HLA-DR + were analyzed.Results Compared with the control group,the expression of CD3 + T cell,CD86+ and HLA - DR + were remarkably reduced while the expression of CD28+ and CD152+ were markedly increased in patients with severe pneumonia who were hospitalized in 24 h(P＜0.05).However,T cells with positive CD8+ CD3+ and CD4+ CD3+ had no significant change between two groups(P＞0.05).For patients with severe pneumonia who survived,the APACHE Ⅱ scores were significantly reduced while the expression of CD28+,CD152+,CD86+,HLA-DR + and CD3+ + cells were significantly increased after 10 days from admission(P＜0.05).By contrast,T cells with positive CD8+ CD3+ and CD4+CD3+ had no significant change between two groups(P＞0.05).There were no relation between costimulators CD28+ and HLA - DR + (r=-0.12,P=0.54)and APACHE Ⅱ scores(r=-0.30,P=0.19) in control group.CD86+ and HLA - DR + showed positive correlation(r=0.65,P=0.00).CD86+ and APACHE Ⅱ scores had no correlation(r=-0.38,P=0.09).Conclusion The costimulators expressed abnormally in circumference blood of patients with severe pneumonia,CD86+ decreased,but CD28+,CD152+ increased.T cell of circumference blood was at the condition of "anergy".The increase of CD28+,CD86+,CD86+ and HLA - DR + during convalescence stages in patient with severe pneumonia showed that spocific immunity was advantageous for restoration in these patients.The relationship among CD86+,CTLA4 and HLA - DR + indicated that CD28+/CD152+:B7 play an role in the occurrence and development of severe pneumonia.

Objective To investigate the distribution of blaOXA-51-like genes and the clonal relation-ship among Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from three teaching hospitals in Guangzhou , China. Methods Fifty-two Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST).eBURST algorithm was performed to define clonal complexes (CCs).blaOXA-51-like genes were am-plified by using polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) and sequenced .Results MLST grouped the A.bauman-nii isolates into 5 existing sequence types (STs) and 7 new STs.STn4 carried allele G1 with a T→C muta-tion at the 3rd nucleotide site (nt3) on the gpi111 locus.STn5 carried allele A1, possessing A→C muta-tions at nt156 and nt159 on the gltA1 locus.ST195 and ST208 accounted for 69.2%of all isolates.Clonal relationship analysis showed that ST 195 and ST208 belonged to CC92.Fifty-one A.baumannii isolates car-ried OXA-66 and the rest one carried OXA-199.Conclusion A.baumannii strains that belonged to CC92 and carried OXA-66 were the predominant genotype circulating in Guangzhou , China.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the long-term outcomes of carotid endarterectomy versus carotid artery stenting for carotid stenosis.MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases were retrieved.The randomized controlled trials of comparing CEA with CAS in patients with carotid artery stenosis were enrolled.The data such as the research basic characteristics and the long-term outcomes including stroke or death combined endpoints, any stroke or any death were extracted.The Stata software was used to conduct statistical analysis.ResultsA total of 7 randomized controlled trials and 8 210 patients were included.The median follow-up time was 2-7.4 years.The overall quality of the included studies was high and the risk of bias was low.The meta-analysis showed that the risks of the combined endpoint of stroke or death (hazard risk [HR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.39), any stroke (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.15-1.51) and ipsilateral stroke (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02-1.55) in the CAS group were significantly higher than those in the CEA group;the risks of death (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.95-1.18), disabling stroke (HR 1.23, 95% CI 0.95-1.60), non-ipsilateral stroke (HR 1.12,95% CI 0.81-1.55) and restenosis (HR 1.18,95% CI 0.91-1.52) were not significantly different between between the CAS group and the CEA group.Conclusions CAS and CEA are associated with similar risks of long-term death, disabling stroke, non-ipsilateral stroke and restenosis.The risks of long-term combined endpoint of stroke or death, any stroke and ipsilateral stroke significantly higher with CAS.These results suggest that CEA remains the treatment of choice for carotid stenosis.

Objective To study the therapeutic effect and safety of pleurodesis with medical thoracoscopy by powdery talc on treatment of malignant pleural effusion.Methods Retrospective analysis were done in 74 cases of malignant pleural effusion accepted simple powdery talc pleurodesis under medical thoracoscopy.Results The doses of powdery talc were from 1g to 5g,average 2.18g in the course of the treatment.After operation,45 (60.8％) cases which were complete remission(CR) were full pleural adhesion and complete lung recruitment,14cases (18.9％),which were partial remission(PR),were less pleural adhesion and most lung recruitment,and 10cases(13.6％) were stable diseases(SD),while 5cases(6.7％),which were progressive diseases(PD),were without pleural reaction.The total effective rate,including CR,PR and SD,was 93.3 ％ (69/74).The complications of simple powdery talcage under medical thoracoscopy were included in:95.9％ (71/74) with chest pain,64.8％ (48/74) with fever,28.4％ (21/74) with shortness of breath,12.2 ％ (9/74) with mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema,5.4％ (4/74) with nausea and vomiting,4.1％ (3/74) with abdominal distension,while the complications of acute pulmonary edema,massive hemorrhage,pulmonary embolism and wound infection were not observed.Conclusion Treatment of malignant pleural effusion by simple powdery talcage under medical thoracoscopy has definite clinic therapeutic effect,which is safe,cost-effective,less trauma and worthy of clinical application.

ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of all-tram-retinoicacid (ATRA) on HCC cell growth and probe the potential molecular mechanism.MethodsHCC cell lines,HepG2 and SMMC-7721 were treated by ATRA and cell growth was analyzed by using MTT assay.The expression levels of miR-18a were evaluated in HepG2 and SMMC-7721,compared with the normal livers pool by using RealTime PCR analysis.Cell growth analysis by using MTT assay was performed on HepG2 and SMMC-7721 after transfection with anti-miR-18a.Rescued assay was designed to probe the mechanism of ATRA on cell growth by using ATRA with or without miR-18a mimic.ResultsHepG2 cell growth was suppressed about 74％ (P＜0.05,36 h),72％ (P＜0.01,48 h),and 67％ (P＜0.05,72 h) and SMMC-7721 cell growth was inhibited about 68％ (P＜0.05,48 h),and 64％ (P＜0.05,72 h) after treatment with ATRA,compared with the cells treated with Ethanol.MiR-18a expression was up-regulated in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cell lines about 4.7- and 3.8-fold (P＜0.05),respectively.Endogenous miR-18a levels were down-regulated by ATRA about 67％ and 56％ (P＜0.05).The inhibitory effect of ATRA on HCC cell growth was reversed about 1.2-fold (P＜0.05,48 h) by overexpression of miR-18a in HepG2 cells and cell growth of SMMC-7721 was enhanced about 1.25- and 1.2-fold (P＜0.05,24 and 48 h) with ectopic expression of miR-18a.ConclusionHCC cells growth is suppressed by ATRA through miR-18a mediated network.