Objective Serum uric acid (SUA) levels have been identified to be associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which is often closely linked to obesity. However, few studies have examined the relationship between SUA levels and NAFLD in normal body mass index (BMI) people in whom NAFLD is noted not uncommon. We conducted this study to assess the association of SUA with NAFLD in Chinese normal-BMI people. Methods A total of 2 193 normal-BMI people (1 106 men and 1087 women) who participated in a health check-up were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. NAFLD was defined as a hepatic steatosis examined by liver ultrasonography in the absence of a second cause. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between SUA and NAFLD. Results Compared with people without NAFLD, those with NAFLD had significantly higher level of serum uric acid [males,(339.0±47.6)μmol/L vs.(309.3±53.5)μmol/L, t=3.296, P<0.01;female,(273.6±41.6)μmol/L vs. (243.9 ± 47.6)μmol/L, t=3.178, P<0.01]. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the quartile 3 and 4 of SUA in both sexes had a higher (P<0.05) odds ratio for the presence of NAFLD than the lowest quartile [males,odds ratio:2.508(1.255-3.374)and 3.383(2.058-5.490);females,odds ratio:2.186(1.090-4.384) and 2.420(1.214-4.821),respectively],after adjusting for age, body mass index, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, the liver-function test, metabolic components, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and smoking status.Conclusions Increased SUA level, even within the normal range, are independently associated with the presence of NAFLD among normal-BMI people.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Xuezhikang (XZK) on cardiac function and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSSixty-eight CHF patients were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group (30 cases) treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, beta-receptor inhibitor, digoxin and diuretic, and the treated group (38 cases) with the above treatment plus XZK for six months. The changes of cardiac function and serum CRP level were measured by echocardiography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively before and after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, the NYHA cardiac function grade, the left ventricular dimension end diastole (LVDd), and the left ventricular dimension end systole (LVDs) decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the ejection fraction (EF) and E/A ratio increased significantly in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05) , however, the decrement or increment was more significant in the treated group than that in the control group respectively (P < 0.05); the serum CRP level decreased significantly in the treated group after treatment and showed a level obviously lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), which changed insignificantly after treatment.

CONCLUSIONXuezhikang could improve cardiac function and decrease serum CRP level at the same time.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Digoxin ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heart Failure ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and cardiac function/structure in patients with chronic heart failure.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients with decompensated chronic heart failure were included. The patients were divided into cTnI normal group (cTnIn; n = 80) and cTnI elevated group (cTnIe; n = 40). Systolic dimension of the left atrium (LAd), the maximal width of the left ventricle (LVd), the thickness of the interventricular septum (IVS) and posterior wall (LVPW) during diastole, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), E and A wave velocities ratio (E/A) were determined. Bivariate correlation analysis was applied to show the correlation of serum cTnI level with above indices. Partial correlation analysis was performed followed by multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTSLAd and LVd dimensions were significantly higher (P < 0.05), IVS, LVPW, LVEF and E/A ratio were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in cTnIe group than in cTnIn group. Moreover, serum cTnI was positively correlated with LAd, LVd, and inversely correlated with IVS, LVPW, LVEF and E/A ratio (P < 0.05). The correlation persistent after adjusting with sex, history of heart failure, NYHA functional class and treatment. In multivariate modeling, cTnI was positively associated with LAd, LVd and the history of heart failure, and negatively related with the treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONSerum cTnI correlated with cardiac structure and function. Intensively serum cTnI monitoring and suitable therapy strategy may be helpful to attenuate the cardiac remodeling in patients with chronic heart failure.

Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Heart Failure ; blood ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; chemistry ; Troponin I ; blood ; Ventricular Remodeling

Bone marrow cells from 2 patients with panmyelosis leukemia were observed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM),scanning electron microscopy (SEM),myeloperoxidase (MPO) and platelet peroxidase (PPO).A lot of immature cells were found in the granulocytic, monocytic,erythrocytic and megakaryocytic series.Their major morphologic characteristics were as follows. In the erythrocytic series, petaloid-like and ball-like structure appeared and their perinuclear cisters were wider. In the myelomonocytic series, nuclear-cytoplasmic organelle asynchrony could be seen makedly and the nucleus appeared fully mature, but the cytoplasm contained only a few organelles, and in some cells the organells were often locally distributed. In the megakaryocytic series, many micromegakaryocytes were seen. In this paper, the ultrastructura] changes of four kinds of cells and their relationship with erythro-leukemia are also discussed.

G protein-coupled receptor 119 (GPR119) has been a promising target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It can not only directly promote insulin secretion, but also indirectly increase insulin secretion by stimulating the release of glucose-dependent GIP/CLP-1 without causing hypoglycemia. The remarkable advantages of small molecule GPR119 agonists make it one of the research hotspots for the development of type 2 diabetes drugs. This article reviews the anti-diabetic small molecules based on the GPR119 target in the past five years.

Objective To compare the ROSCO disk diffusion method with broth microdilution method (CLSI, M27-A) for antimicrobial susceptibility test of Candida species isolated from patients with lung cancer. Methods Danish ROSCO company disk diffusion testing method and bio Merieux ATB FUNGUR2 were applied to test 5-flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B antimicrobial susceptibility for 78 Candida species strains isolated from patients with lung cancer. Results Through evaluating the susceptibility to 5-flucytosine, amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole by disk diffusion method, the Kappa value was 0.89. The sensitive strains detected by one method did not show resistance in another method. The sensitive rates of 78 strains of Candida species to 5-flucytosine, amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole were 88.20 %, 89.17 %, 56.34 % and 52.12 %. The susceptibility of C.albicans, C.tropicalis, C.glabrata and C.krusei to four kinds of antifungal agents was 90.95 %, 85.71 %, 67.50 % and 41.67 %respectively. Conclusions Results of disk diffusion method coincide well with broth microdilution method. It can be chosen as a clinical routine method for antimicrobial susceptibility test.

BACKGROUND:Animal experimental studies have confirmed that cell transplantation,neurotrophic factor infusion or transplantation as well as other methods can alter the local environment of injured spinal cord and promote its partial function recovery. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation for the treatment of the sequel of myelitis,and to explore whether it would promote the recovery of the spinal cord function. DESIGN:A non-randomized self-control study. SETTING:Ward of Second Department of Surgery of Taian Disabled Soldiers Hospital of Shandong Province. PARTICIPANTS:Thirty-two patients with obsolete myelitis,who come from all over China and suffered from disease for 0.5 to 7 years,admitted to our hospital between June 2004 and July 2007 were recruited in this study.The involved patients,including 21 males and 11 females,were aged 5-48 years.Their neurological functions were not obviously improved after various conventional treatments and limb function exercise.Meanwhile,various sensorimotors and autonomic nerve functional impairments were left.Among the patients,18 suffered from acute viral myelitis,8 from acute purulent myelitis and 6 from tuberculous myelitis.After onset,they were all given large doses of radiosonde, dexamethasone,anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory drugs and various neurotrophic drugs.Twenty-six patients presented complete injury and six patients incomplete injury.Informed consent of treatment was obtained from each patient.The therapeutic protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the hospital.Embryonic olfactory bulbs were harvested from aborted embryo,which was donated voluntarily by the patients or their relatives. METHODS:Cells were isolated from embryonic olfactory bulbs,cultured and purified for 7 to 14 days,and finally they were digested into single-cell suspension.Under the surgical miscroscope,the cells were transplanted onto the regions which were above or below the spinal cord injury site.Two weeks to 2 months postoperatively,neurological function of spinal cord was assessed by using the American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)Scoring Standard formulated in 2000,and was compared to pre-operation function. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:①Sensory function change.②Motor function change. RESULTS:Half a year to 2 years after olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation,the sensory and motor functions of 32 patients were all obviously improved(motor function:55.72?10.50 vs.51.53?13.41;light touch:69.53?11.68 vs. 63.06?15.98;pain sense:69.50?12.20 vs.64.03?15.0,all P

In this paper, we proposed a new scan mode and image reconstruction method, which combines the data from both the linear accelerator and the cone-beam CT to reconstruct the volume with a limited rotation angle and low sampling rate. The classical filtered backprojection method and the iterative method are utilized to reconstruct the volume. The reconstruction results of the two methods are compared with each other with a relavant anlysis given here.
Algorithms ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Radiosurgery ; instrumentation ; Reproducibility of Results ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Brain ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Myotonic Dystrophy ; diagnosis ; pathology ; White Matter ; pathology

Objective To investigate the change of the basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) leve in human detrusor muscle(DM)in bladder outlet obstruction(BOO)due to benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)and its implication.Methods Fifty-four patients with BPH were divided into two groups:the obstructive DM stability and instability groups;and 15 men with bladder tumor who underwent operation in the same period were enrolled in the control group.The bFGF mRNA level in DM was measured by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and the bFGF protein level was measured by immunohistochemical staining method.Results The bFGF-mRNA expression level of bladder smooth muscle cells was significantly lower in the control group than that in the obstructive DM stability and instability groups(all P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between the obstructive DM stability and instability groups(P＞0.05). Conclusions The expression level of bFGF mRNA in bladder DM is elevated in BOO due to BPH,but there is little or no correlation between the increased expression of bFGF mRNA and detrusor muscle instability.