AIM:To investigate whether early endothelial progenitor cells (early-EPCs) expressβ2-adrenergic receptor (β2 AR) in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) patients and the effect of β2 AR expression on the migration of early-EPCs.METHODS:Venous blood samples (20 mL) were obtained from antecubital vein of COPD pa-tients or healthy controls .Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by standard Ficoll gradient centrifugation , and purified by CD34 positive selection cocktail .The mRNA expression of β2 AR in the early-EPCs was detected by RT-PCR. The protein levels of β2 AR were assessed by Western blotting and flow cytometry .Chemotaxis was studied by Transwell as-say.Cultured early-EPCs were treated with ICI118551, norpinephrine (NE) or monoclonal antibody of β2AR (mAb-β2 AR) for 24 h.The number of migratory cells was counted under a light microscope .RESULTS:The level of β2 AR ex-pression in the COPD patients was higher than that in the controls .The number of migratory early-EPCs to stromal cell-de-rived factor 1αwas significantly improved by ICI 118551 compared with other COPD groups .When early-EPCs from the COPD patients or the controls were treated with different concentrations of mAb-β2 AR for 24 h, the number of migratory early-EPCs from the COPD patients and the controls treated with NE at concentration of 100 nmol/L was significantly re-duced.However, a marked decrease in the number of migratory early-EPCs from the COPD patients treated with NE was observed compared with control group .Before treated with ICI118551 or NE for 24 h, the early-EPCs were co-incubated with mAb-β2 AR for 40 min, and the number of migratory early-EPCs was not significantly different between COPD group and control group .Genetic down-regulation of β2 AR promoted the migration of early-EPCs in COPD group .CONCLU-SION:The level of β2 AR expression in the COPD patients is increased compared with the controls .The down-regulation ofβ2 AR improves the migration of early-EPCs.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of levofloxacin 750 mg for 5 days versus 500 mg for 7‐14 days intravenous (IV ) infusion in the treatment of community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP ) . Methods This study was a multi‐center , randomized , open‐label , non‐inferiority , controlled clinical trial .The CAP patients were randomized to receive levofloxacin 750 mg IV daily for 5 days or levofloxacin 500 mg IV daily for 7‐14 days .The clinical symptoms , laboratory tests , imaging results and microbiology data were collected and compared between the two treatment groups in terms of efficacy and safety .Results A total of 241 patients were enrolled in this clinical trial from 10 study centers .Among these patients ,223 were eligible for full analysis set (FAS) analysis ,including 111 in 750 mg group and 112 in 500 mg group .Of the 223 patients in FAS ,211 were eligible for per‐protocol set (PPS) analysis ,including 107 in 750 mg group and 104 in 500 mg group .Two hundred and forty‐one patients were included in safety set (SS) ,including 121 patients in 750 mg group and 120 in 500 mg group .The median treatment duration was 5 .0 days in 750 mg and 9 .0 days in 500 mg group .The median total dose was 3 750 mg in 750 mg group and 4 500 mg in 500 mg group .The overall efficacy rate was 86 .2% in 750 mg group and 84 .7% in 500 mg group in terms of FAS at visit 4 ,which suggested that the efficacy of 750 mg group was non‐inferior to 500 mg group .Of the 111 FAS patients in 750 mg group ,40 were bacteriological evaluable ,and 41 strains of pathogens were isolated .Forty‐nine of the 112 FAS patients in 500 mg group were bacteriological evaluable ,and 51 bacterial strains were obtained .The bacterial eradication rate was 100% in both groups .The clinical treatment efficacy rate for atypical pathogens was 100% in both groups .In 750 mg group ,the most common clinical adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were injection site adverse reactions including injection site pruritus ,pain and hyperemia .The other common ADRs were insomnia ,nausea ,skin rash .The most common drug‐related laboratory abnormalities were neutrophil percentage decreased , decreased white blood cell (WBC ) count , alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevation .Most of the ADRs were mild in severity and well‐tolerated .The safety profile of the two treatments was comparable in terms of the drug‐related treatment discontinuation and the incidence of ADRs .Conclusions The short‐course regimen of levofloxacin 750 mg IV for 5 days is at least as effective and well tolerated as the long‐course regimen of 500 mg IV for 7‐14 days in treatment of CAP .

With the advantages of displaying visceral organs intuitively,showing the operative procedure vividly,making and spreading videos conveniently in clinical teaching,electrobronchoscopy image system was adopted in clinical teaching of respiratory medicine to assist the traditional teaching method,to make up for the deficiencies of tradition method and to improve the learning effectiveness of respiratory medicine for medical students at internship.

Objective To investigate the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases ( ESBLs) producing clinical isolates of gram negative bacilli and their antibiotic resistance in Shantou and to provide suggestions on empirical treatment against the bacteria.Methods A total of 1 445 strains of gram negative bacilli (895 strains of Escherichia coli and 550 strains of Klebsiella pneumonia) were collected and examined for the production of ESBLs and antibacterial susceptibility test by Vitek-2.Results There were 69.4% of escherichia coli and 33.6% of klebsiella pneumonia producing ESBLs.The resistance rate of the ESBLs-producing strains to penicillins,cephalosporins and monocyclic beta-lactam antibiotics were very high.The ESBLs-producing strains were multidrug resistant and the resistance rates were higher than that of the non-ESBLs-producing strains.Both ESBLs-producing and non-ESBLs-producing strains were susceptible to Imipenem.Conclusion The incidence of ESBLs-producing strains was high in gram negative bacilli in Shantou.The resistance rates of the ESBLs-producing strains were higher than that of the non-ESBLs-producing strains and they expressed multiple drug resistance phenotypes.Imipenem was the best drug in the treatment of infections caused by ESBLs-producing strains.

Some measures about improving the teaching quality in respiratory department training are described in this report,including identifying the aim and importance of major training,raising students'enthusiasm,enhancing the basic major procedure training,performing various teaching,concentrating on the students'response and altering teaching methods continuously

Objective To study pre-thrombosis state in patients with cor pulmonale and analyze the value of treatment with low molecular heparin (LMH). Method 46 patients with cor pulmonale were divided into LMH group and routine one. Von Willebrand factor (vWF), prethrombin F 1+2 fragment (F 1+2 ), Fibrinogen (Fg), granule membrane protein (GMP-140) and D-dimer fragment (DD) were detected separately.Result The concentrations of WF,F 1+2 ,Fg,GMP-140 and DD in the patients with cor pulmonale were significantly higher than control. In LMH group, these variables and PaCO 2 decreased and PaO 2 increased markedly after treatment. In routine group, these blood-gas index slightly improved, but no decrease were observed in coagulation variables. Conclusion Early detection and diagnosis of pre-thrombosis state in patients with cor polmanate and timely treatment with LMH can be beneficial to these patients during acute state.

AIM:To observe the expression of chemokine fractalkine,and its receptor,CX3CR1,in kidneys of lupus-prone BXSB mice,and their changes after treatment with prednisone. The role of fractalkine and CX3CR1 in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis was also discussed. METHODS:Twelve 12-week-old male BXSB mice were randomly divided into two groups,the prednisone treatment group (BXSB-prednisone group,n=6) and the experimental control group (BXSB group,n=6). Six male C57BL/6J mice at the same weeks of age served as a normal control group (C57BL/6J group). Both the C57BL/6J and the BXSB group of mice received a daily intragastric administration of 0.5 mL normal saline. The BXSB-prednisone group of mice was given a daily intragastric administration of prednisone (0.18 mg/20 g BW) dissolved in 0.5 mL normal saline. All treatments lasted for 10 weeks. The mRNA and protein expressions of fractalkine and CX3CR1 in kidneys of mice were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting analysis respectively. The changes of laboratory index and the kidney histopathology of mice were also investigated. RESULTS:The mRNA and protein expressions of fractalkine and CX3CR1 in kidneys of BXSB mice were significantly higher than those in C57BL/6J mice. The expressions of fractalkine and CX3CR1 in BXSB-prednisone group of mice were much lower than those in BXSB group of mice,accompanied by the lower serum IgG,IgM and anti-dsDNA antibody levels as well as blood urea nitrogen,serum creatinine and urine protein. The glomerular immune complex deposition and the kidney histopathology were also significantly improved in BXSB-prednisone group of mice. CONCLUSION:These results indicate that fractalkine and CX3CR1 participate in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis in BXSB mice,and the effect of glucocorticoids treatment may be attributed,in part,to its ability to inhibit the expression of fractalkine in kidney.

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of anti-macrophage migration factor monoclonal antibody (anti-MIF MAb) on oleic-acid-induced acute lung injury (ALI) rats and its influence on the expression level of MIF and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1). METHODS: The rats were subjected to injection of oleic acid (oleic acid group) or saline solution (control group). One hours before administration of oleic acid, the rats were intraperitoneally injected with anti-MIF antibody (5 mg/kg) as the treatment group. After injecting oleic acid or saline for 4 hours, the PaO_2, lung permeability index (LPI), the number of macrophage and the level of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured. The expression level of MIF mRNA and ICAM-1 mRNA in the lung were detected by in situ hybridization, and the degree of macrophage infiltration and the expression of MIF were evaluated by double staining immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: The PaO_2 of the oleic acid group was far lower than those of the control and treatment group (P

AIM: To investigate the role of CD134 (OX40) and NF-?B in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS: Renal in situ CD134 and NF-?B expression were examined in 40 biopsy specimens from LN patients by immunohistochemistry and microwave-based immunohistochemistry, respectively. The relationship between expression of CD134 and NF-?B was analyzed. RESULTS: The expression of glomerular and tubular CD134 and NF-?B in LN were higher than that in normal control, especially in class Ⅳ LN, where there was intense staining of endothelial cell, distal tubules, and interstitial mononuclear cell. The CD134 expression of glomerular and tubular was closely related to NF-?B expression, respectively ( r=0.5542,P

AIM: To investigate the role of infiltration of macrophages and expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 in the pathogenesis of oleic-acid-induced acute lung injury rats. METHODS: The rats were subjected to injection of oleic acid (oleic acid group) or saline solution (control). After injecting oleic acid or saline for 4 hours, the PaO 2 of the left heart, lung permeability index(LPI), the number of macrophage and the levels of soluble intercellular molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured. The levels of expression of ICAM-1 mRNA were evaluated by in situ hybridization and the degree of macrophage infiltration and the expression of ICAM-1 were evaluated by double staining immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: The PaO 2 of the oleic acid group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P