OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the resuscitation promoting role of resuscitation promoting factor and the initial bacteria amount of dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

METHODSMycobacterium tuberculosis (dormant bacteria) was cultured for 100 days, then diluted into 1 mg/ml concentration with 7H9, and further diluted into 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.0625, and 0.03125 mg/ml. Twelve new tubes added with 5 ml 7H9 and divided into two groups: the first group was added with the resuscitation-promoting factor protein, and the second group as control was added with 7H9. In each group the above diluted solutions were added. The tubes were located at 37 degrees C for culture. Optical density (OD) was detected on day 15, 25, 30, and 35. From each tube 1 microl culture solution was plated on 7H11 medium for colony counting.

RESULTSOD detection showed that bacteria proliferation in each group had positive linear correlation (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), indicating that the resuscitation-promoting factor played a similiar role in solutions with different dilution concentrations. 7H11 results and the OD results show that these two detection methods in each group had linear correlation (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), indicating that these two methods showed consistent test results.

CONCLUSIONThe resuscitation-promoting factor has no effect on the resuscitation of dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its initial bacteria amount.

Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; physiology ; Resuscitation

OBJECTIVETo establish a rapid, inexpensive, and simple drug susceptibility test (DST) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) and evaluate its feasibility.

METHODWe used nitrate reductase combined with mycobacteriophage assay (PhaB-NRA) to test 49 clinical M. tb isolates of, and the results were compared with those of PhaB-NRA and traditional absolute concentration method.

RESULTSThe sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of PhaB-NRA for rifampicin were 89.1%, 91.67%, and 89.8%; on the contrary, those of isonicotinyl hydrazide were 86.21%, 90.0%, and 87.8%, respectively. The coincidence between PhaB-NRA and traditional assay were 0.746 for rifampicin and 0.750 for isonicotinyl hydrazide.

CONCLUSIONSPhaB-NRA is an inexpensive, rapid, and simple DST method. It is a promising rapid screening technique for DST of M. tb.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Biological Assay ; methods ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; methods ; Mycobacteriophages ; physiology ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; drug effects ; Nitrate Reductase ; metabolism ; Rifampin ; pharmacology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Lung Abscess ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography ; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal ; etiology ; surgery

AIMTo study the effects of hydrocortisone sodium succinate on sodium current in human atrial myocytes and in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

METHODSSingle cardiac myocytes were isolated by enzyme. The effects of hydrocortisone sodium succinate on sodium current (INa) were assessed by applying whole-cell patch clamp techniques.

RESULTSHydrocortisone sodium succinate (1, 3, 10 micromol x L(-1)) was shown to inhibit INa of both human atrial myocytes and guinea pig ventricular myocytes in concentration dependent manner and the IC50 were 6.97 and 8.74 micromol x L(-1), respectively. The inhibition effects acted quickly (1-3 min) and the maximal activating voltage of INa was not changed in both human and guinea pig cardiac myocytes.

CONCLUSIONHydrocortisone sodium succinate can exhibit inhibitory effects on INa in both human and guinea pig cardiac myocytes, and its inhibitory effects act rapidly, which are not consistent with genomic effects, so there may be nongenomic effects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Cell Separation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Atria ; pathology ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; pathology ; Heart Ventricles ; cytology ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Sodium Channels ; drug effects

Nine proteins encoded by Mycobacterium tuberculosis RD1 region are important protective antigens that become absent in long passaging of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They only exist in pathogenic Mycobacteria and are absent in Bacille Calmette-Guerin and environmental Mycobacteria. With good immunogenicities, they may play an important role in the diagnosis and prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This article reviews recent studies on using RD1-encoded proteins as antigens in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis and tuberculous pleurisy.
Antigens, Bacterial ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; physiology ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis

Objective To study the effect of Itk down regulation on Jurkat cell proliferation and inflammatory cytokines production, and provide useful data for Itk as an attractive target for potential drugs.Methods Three shRNAs against different region of Itk were constructed and cotransfected with pEGFP-C1-hItk. The shRNA, which can knock down Itk, was selected and packed into lentivirus. After Jurkat cells were transfected with shRNA lentivirus, the change of Itk protein expression, cell proliferation and cytokines production was observed. Results Itk mRNA was reduced about 55% in Jurkat cells transfected with ItkshRNA1, compared with that in control cells shRNAnon (P ＜ 0. 05 ). Knocking down Itk expression had a profound inhibitory effect on Jurkat cell proliferation. In addition, there was a substantial decrease in level of cytokines, such as IL-2, IL-5, IL-10 and IFN-γ, produced by cell transfected with Itk-shRNA1.Conclusion Knocking down Itk expression can inhibit Jurkat cell proliferation and inflammatory cytokines production.

Objective To explore the effect of self-management on the psychological distress and coping style in postoperative gastric cancer patients.Methods Totals of 87 gastric cancer patients were randomly divided into control group(n =43 ) and intervention group ( n =44 ).The control group received the routine care and the intervention group received self - management.Distress Management and Cancer Coping Modes Questionnaire were used to investigate the psychological distress and coping style of patients in the second day after operation and the day before discharge,respectively.Results There was no difference in the general information,distress and coping style between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05 ).After the intervention,psychological distress scores of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group [ ( 3.27 ± 1.85 ) vs (4.03 ±1.83)],and the difference was statically significant (t =-2.117,P ＜0.05).In the dimension of coping style,confrontation scores in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group [ ( 19.86 ± 3.97 )vs ( 17.48 ± 3.33 ) ],and the difference was statistically significant ( t =4.301,P ＜ 0.01 ).Avoidance and suppression,resignation and fantasy scores in intervention group were lower than those in the control group [ ( 10.16 ±3.277) vs ( 11.40 ±2.642),(8.15 ±2.542) vs (8.75 ±2.564),(6.71 ±2.494) vs (8.36 ±2.386),respeetively],and the difference was statistically significant (t =-2.334,-1.069,-3.621,respectively ;P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Self-management can alleviate postoperative distress and improve the coping style of gastric cancer patients afer operation.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the influence of the number of lymph node metastasis on survival and prophylactic postoperative radiotherapy after radical resection of thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

METHODSFour hundred and ninety-five patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer who had undergone radical resection were randomly divided into surgery group alone (S, 275) and surgery plus radiotherapy group (S + R, 220). The patients were classified into three groups: Group A: 234 patients (47.2%) without lymph node involvement; Group B: 146 patients (29.5%) with 1 to 2 involved lymph nodes and Group C: 115 patients (23.2%) with >or= 3 involved lymph nodes.

RESULTS1. The 5-year survival rate in Groups A, B and C for the same T stage (T3) was 52.6%, 28.8% and 10.9%, respectively (P = 0.0000); the 5-year survival rate in group C was 0% in S group and 19.3% in S + R group (P = 0.0336); 2. In the positive lymph node group, the metastatic rate of intra-thoracic and supraclavicular lymph node was 35.9% and 21.2% in S group and 19.7% and 4.4% in S+R group (P = 0.014 and P = 0.000). In the negative lymph node group, the metastatic rates of intra-thoracic lymph node was 27.8% in S group and 10.3% in S + R group (P = 0.003). The metastatic rate of intra-abdominal lymph node in Groups A, B and C was 3.9%, 9.4% and 17.5%, respectively (P = 0.0000). The occurrence of hematogenous metastasis was most frequent in group C (27.8%) with >or= 3 positive lymph nodes.

CONCLUSION1. The number of metastatic lymph node is one of the important factors which affects the survival of thoracic esophageal carcinoma. 2. Chemotherapy might be given to the patients with three or more lymph nodes involved who have the possibility of developing hematogenous metastasis. Postoperative radiotherapy can reduce the occurrence of intra-thoracic and supraclavicular lymph node metastasis and improve the survival of patients with three or more lymph nodes involvement.

Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the technique and clinical results of minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) for the treatment of the distal fractures of tibia by an appropriate plate.

METHODSFrom Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2007, 56 patients with the distal tibia fractures were treated with MIPPO through two approaches and three types of plate involving clover plate in 35 cases, anterior L-shape anatomic plate in 12 cases, medial LCP in 9 cases. There were 38 males and 18 females with an average age of 41 years old ranging from 17 to 72 years. According to AO fracture classification for the distal tibial fractures, there were 28 cases of type A, 11 of type B, 17 type C.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 12 to 24 months (averaged 16 months). All of the fractures showed bone union. The time required for the bony union ranged from 3 to 11 months (averaged 4 months). The patients were evaluated on functional recovery according to Mazur Grating System for the Ankle. The results were excellent in 51 cases, good in 5.

CONCLUSIONChoosing effective reasonable approach and plate for the treatment of the distal tibial fractures can obtain satisfactory function, high rate of bone union and less complications.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Tibial Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo examine the utility of the Ligasure vessel-sealing system in D(2) lymphadenectomy of gastric cancer, and compare with conventional hand tie method.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-four consecutive patients undergone D(2) lymphadenectomy of gastric cancer from Jan. to Oct. 2005 were enrolled in this study. Operations of 62 patients were performed with Ligasure, whereas the other 62 patients with hand tie method. Operative duration, volume of intraoperative hemorrhage and postoperative course were analyzed.

RESULTSThere was significant difference in operative duration (187.3 min vs 210.5 min, P< 0.05) and no significant differences in volume of intraoperative hemorrhage, postoperative course, or duration of postoperative drainage between Ligasure group and conventional method group. No significant difference was observed in the frequency of postoperative complications between the two groups.

CONCLUSIOND(2) lymphadenectomy of gastric cancer using Ligasure instead of conventional hand tie method appears to be technically feasible and easy.

Female ; Hemostasis, Surgical ; methods ; Humans ; Ligation ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery