The accurate and timely detection of biochemical coagulation indicators is pivotal in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Despite their reliability, traditional laboratories often lag in terms of rapid diagnosis. Point-of-care testing (POCT) has emerged as a promising alternative, which is awaiting rigorous validation. We assessed 226 samples from patients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University using a Beckman Coulter AU5821 and a PUSHKANG POCT Biochemistry Analyzer MS100. Furthermore, 350 samples were evaluated with a Stago coagulation analyzer STAR MAX and a PUSHKANG POCT Coagulation Analyzer MC100. Metrics included thirteen biochemical indexes, such as albumin, and five coagulation indices, such as prothrombin time. Comparisons were drawn against the PUSHKANG POCT analyzer. Bland-Altman plots (MS100: 0.8206‒0.9995; MC100: 0.8318‒0.9911) evinced significant consistency between methodologies. Spearman correlation pinpointed a potent linear association between conventional devices and the PUSHKANG POCT analyzer, further underscored by a robust correlation coefficient (MS100: 0.713‒0.949; MC100: 0.593‒0.950). The PUSHKANG POCT was validated as a dependable tool for serum and whole blood biochemical and coagulation diagnostics. This emphasizes its prospective clinical efficacy, offering clinicians a swift diagnostic tool and heralding a new era of enhanced patient care outcomes.
Humans ; Point-of-Care Testing ; Critical Care ; Blood Coagulation Tests/methods* ; Male ; Blood Coagulation ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Prothrombin Time ; Aged ; Adult ; Point-of-Care Systems

Objective To investigate the correlation between atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and the severity of hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) and the value of AIP combined with Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) score in the early prediction of severe HTG-AP (sHTG-AP). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 170 patients with HTG-AP who were hospitalized in The General Hospital of Central Theater Command from January 2017 to December 2021, and according to related guidelines, they were divided into the sHTG-AP group with 28 patients and non-sHTG-AP group with 142 patients. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all patients within 24 hours after admission, and the two groups were compared in terms of sex, age, laboratory test results, AIP, BISAP score, and modified CT severity index (MCTSI) score. The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to investigate the correlation between each factor and the severity of HTG-AP, and the binary logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the independent risk factors for sHTG-AP. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to assess the predictive efficacy of each indicator. Results There were significant differences between the two groups in the medical history of diabetes, lymphocyte count, albumin, Ca 2+ , triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, AIP, BISAP score, MCTSI score, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs (all P < 0.05). The sHTG-AP group had a longer length of hospital stay, higher hospital costs, and a higher AIP value. AIP (odds ratio [ OR ]=1.244, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.062-1.458, P =0.007), BISAP score ( OR =5.525, 95% CI : 1.646-18.543, P =0.006), and MCTSI score ( OR =2.029, 95% CI : 1.245-3.305, P =0.004) were risk factors for sHTG-AP. AIP, BISAP score, and MCTSI score were positively correlated with the severity of HTG-AP ( r =0.291, 0.631, and 0.649, all P < 0.001), and AIP was positively correlated with BISAP score and MCTSI score ( r =0.190 and 0.215, both P < 0.05). AIP had an optimal cut-off value of 1.095 in predicting sHTG-AP, and AIP, BISAP score, and AIP combined with BISAP score had an area under the ROC curve of 0.759, 0.887, 0.925, respectively, a sensitivity of 0.821, 0.857, and 0.786, respectively, and a specificity of 0.627, 0.817, and 0.937, respectively (all P < 0.001). Conclusion AIP is a risk factor for sHTG-AP and is correlated with disease severity, and AIP combined with BISAP score has a relatively high value in the early prediction of sHTG-AP.

Objective To investigate correlation between demyelination and caspase-12 expression alteration after compressed spinal cord injury (CSCI) so as to discuss mechanism of demyelinating lesion after CSCI.Methods Seventy-five adult SD rats were randomly divided into five groups,ie,normal group,control group,compression 1 d,3 d and 7 d groups,with 15 rats per group.Models of spinal cord compression were established with a self-made device.Ultrastructure of the demyelinated nerve fibers was observed by electronic microscope and oligodendrocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining and double labeling immunofluorescence.Immunoblotting was used to defect caspase-12 that was related to cell apoptosis.Results Demyelination of nerve fiber occurred after CSCI and was aggravated with time.Apoptosis of oligodendrocytes was found after CSCI,and showed significant difference between compression 7 d group and normal group (P ＜ 0.05).Caspase-12 was also upregulated with extension of compression time.Conclusion Caspase-12 mediating oligodendrocyte apoptosis is one of the mechanisms of nerve fiber demyelination after CSCI.

Objective To investigate the role of demyelination and the alteration of chondrotin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG,NG2) expression after compression injury of the spinal cord (CSCI).Methods Seventy-five adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a sham-operation group,a CSCI 1 day group,a CSCI 3 day group,and a CSCI 7 day group.There were 15 rats in each group.The injuries in the CSCI groups were inflicted using a technique devised in our laboratory.Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) neurological function assessment was used to assess the rats' motor function,osmic acid staining and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM)were used to observe any pathological changes of myelinated nerve fibers in the white matter at 1,3 and 7 days after CSCI.The amount of myelinated nerve fibers in the posterior funiculus of the spinal cord and the ratio of myelin sheath thickness to axon diameter (the G-ratio) were calculated.Any alteration in NG2 expression was observed by Western blotting.Results The average neurological function assessment scores in the CSCI groups were (1.23 ±0.45),(0.65 ± 0.35) and (0.00 ± 0.00) respectively.Compared with the normal group (21.00 ± 0.00) and the sham operation group (21.00 ± 0.00),the differences were all statistically significant.The rats' motor function deteriorated gradually with time after the CSCI.Osmic acid staining showed that the white matter was intact in the normal and sham groups.After being compressed the myelinated nerve fibers became swollen,degenerated and broke down.The amount of myelinated nerve fibers in the normal group,the sham operation group and the three CSCI groups was (2771 ± 108),(2675 ± 199),(2403 ± 161),(1708 ± 70) and (8 10 ± 95) respectively.The amount of myelinated nerve fibers decreased in the CSCI groups and reached a minimum on the 7th day.The difference was statistically significant.The TEM quantity analysis showed that the G-ratios in the normal,sham operation,and CSCI 1 day,3 day and7 day groups were (18.10±0.4),(17.70±1.0),(6.69 ±0.8),(5.73 ±0.4) and (4.95 ±0.5) respectively.Compared with the normal and sham operation groups,the G-ratios in the 3 CSCI groups were lower and reached their minimum on the 7th day after injury.The difference was statistically significant.TEM observation showed that the axons and myelin sheaths were intact in the normal and sham groups.After CSCI the axons became swollen and cell organelles in the axoplasm degenerated and decreased.The layers of myelin sheath shrank,folded and even wrinkled,which had an onion-like appearance.The oligodendrocytes exhibited chromatin condensation.Macrophages showed infiltration.Western blotting showed that the expression of NG2 in the CSCI groups reached a maximum on the 1st day after injury and then decreased with time.The expression of NG2 in the CSCI groups was higher than in the normal and sham groups,and the difference was statistically significant.Conclusion Demyelination occurs after CSCI-the amount of myelinated nerve fibers decreases and neurological deficits increase with time.The expression of NG2 was associated with changes in the myelin sheaths after CSCI and contributed to recovery of the myelin sheath through proliferation and differentiation to oligodendrocytes and perhaps other kinds of cells.