Cloning and functional analysis of flavanone 3-hydroxylase gene in Rhododendron hybridum Hort / 生物工程学报

Flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of phycocyanidins. In this experiment, the petals of red Rhododendron hybridum Hort. at different developmental stages were used as experimental materials. The R. hybridum flavanone 3-hydroxylase (RhF3H) gene was cloned using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques, and bioinformatics analyses were performed. Petal RhF3H gene expression at different developmental stages were analyzed by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A pET-28a-RhF3H prokaryotic expression vector was constructed for the preparation and purification of RhF3H protein. A pCAMBIA1302-RhF3H overexpression vector was constructed for genetic transformation in Arabidopsis thaliana by Agrobacterium-mediated method. The results showed that the R. hybridum Hort. RhF3H gene is 1 245 bp long, with an open reading frame of 1 092 bp, encoding 363 amino acids. It contains a Fe2+ binding motif and a 2-ketoglutarate binding motif of the dioxygenase superfamily. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the R. hybridum RhF3H protein is most closely related to the Vaccinium corymbosum F3H protein. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression level of the red R. hybridum RhF3H gene tended to increase and then decrease in the petals at different developmental stages, with the highest expression at middle opening stage. The results of the prokaryotic expression showed that the size of the induced protein of the constructed prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a-RhF3H was about 40 kDa, which was similar to the theoretical value. Transgenic RhF3H Arabidopsis thaliana plants were successfully obtained, and PCR identification and β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining demonstrated that the RhF3H gene was integrated into the genome of A. thaliana plants. qRT-PCR, total flavonoid and anthocyanin contentanalysis showed that RhF3H was significantly higher expressed in the transgenic A. thaliana relative to that of the wild type, and its total flavonoid and anthocyanin content were significantly increased. This study provides a theoretical basis for investigating the function of RhF3H gene, as well as for studying the molecular mechanism of flower color in R. simsiib Planch.

Analysis of chest imaging features of novel coronavirus pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia and viral pneumonia / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To investigate and summarize the chest CT imaging features of patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), bacterial pneumonia and other viral pneumonia.Methods:Chest CT data of 102 patients with pulmonary infection due to different etiologies were retrospectively analyzed, including 36 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Hainan Provincial People's Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University from December 2019 to March 2020, 16 patients with other viral pneumonia admitted to Hainan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2018 to February 2020, and 50 patients with bacterial pneumonia admitted to Haikou Affiliated Hospital of Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine from April 2018 to May 2020. Two senior radiologists and two senior intensive care physicians were participated to evaluated the extent of lesions involvement and imaging features of the first chest CT after the onset of the disease.Results:Bilateral pulmonary lesions were more common in patients with COVID-19 and other viral pneumonia, and the incidence was significantly higher than that of bacterial pneumonia (91.6%, 75.0% vs. 26.0%, P < 0.05). Compared with other viral pneumonia and COVID-19, bacterial pneumonia was mainly characterized by single-lung and multi-lobed lesion (62.0% vs. 18.8%, 5.6%, P < 0.05), accompanied by pleural effusion and lymph node enlargement. The proportion of ground-glass opacity in the lung tissues of patients with COVID-19 was 97.2%, that of patients with other viral pneumonia was 56.2%, and that of patients with bacterial pneumonia was only 2.0% ( P < 0.05). The incidence rate of lung tissue consolidation (25.0%, 12.5%), air bronchial sign (13.9%, 6.2%) and pleural effusion (16.7%, 37.5%) in patients with COVID-19 and other viral pneumonia were significantly lower than those in patients with bacterial pneumonia (62.0%, 32.0%, 60.0%, all P < 0.05), paving stone sign (22.2%, 37.5%), fine mesh sign (38.9%, 31.2%), halo sign(11.1%, 25.0%), ground-glass opacity with interlobular septal thickening (30.6%, 37.5%), bilateral patchy pattern/rope shadow (80.6%, 50.0%) etc. were significantly higher than those of bacterial pneumonia (2.0%, 4.0%, 2.0%, 0%, 22.0%, all P < 0.05). The incidence of local patchy shadow in patients with COVID-19 was only 8.3%, significantly lower than that in patients with other viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia (8.3% vs. 68.8%, 50.0%, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of peripheral vascular shadow thickening in patients with COVID-19, other viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia (27.8%, 12.5%, 30.0%, P > 0.05). Conclusions:The probability of ground-glass opacity, paving stone and grid shadow in chest CT of patients with COVID-19 was significantly higher than those of bacterial pneumonia, and it was more common in the lower lungs and lateral dorsal segment. In other patients with viral pneumonia, ground-glass opacity was distributed in both upper and lower lungs. Bacterial pneumonia is usually characterized by single lung consolidation, distributed in lobules or large lobes and accompanied by pleural effusion.

Cloning and functional analysis of the phenylalaninammo-nialyase gene from Rhododendron fortunei / 生物工程学报

Phenylalaninammo-nialyase (PAL) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of methyl benzoate - a plant aroma compound. In order to understand the function of this enzyme in the formation of fragrance in the scented Rhododendron species-Rhododendron fortunei, we cloned a gene encoding this enzyme and subsequently examined the gene expression patterns and the profile of enzyme activity during development in various tissues. The full length of RhPAL gene was cloned by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques. The expression levels of RhPAL gene were measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and the amount of phenylalanine and cinnamic acid were assayed with LC-MS. The results showed that the ORF sequence of RhPAL gene amplified from the cDNA templates of flower buds had 2 145 bp, encoding 715 amino acids, and shared 90% homology to the PAL amino acid sequences from other species. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of RhPAL in petals during flowering kept in rising even until the flowers wilted. The expression of RhPAL in pistil was much higher than that in stamen, while the expression in the younger leaves was higher than in old leaves. However, the expression level was relatively lower in petal and stamen compared to that in leaves. We also measured the PAL activity by Enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay in the petals of flowers at different flowering stages. The results showed that PAL activity reached the highest at the bud stage and then decreased gradually to the lowest when the flowers wilted, which followed a similar trend in the emission of the flower fragrance. The phenylalanine and cinnamic acid contents measured by LC-MS were highly correlated to the expression level of RhPAL in various tissues and at different flowering stages, implying that RhPAL plays an important role in the formation of the flower fragrance. This work may facilitate the breeding and improvement of new fragrant Rhododendron cultivars.

Clinical analysis of nine cases with critical corona virus disease 2019 in Hainan Province / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical features of critical cases of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods:The clinical data of nine patients who were diagnosed with critical COVID-19 in Hainan General Hospital from January 21 to February 6, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were eight males and one female enrolled. The patients aged 28 to 77 years old, with an age of (52.9±18.0) years. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was performed with multi-sites synchronize specimens including pharyngeal swab, blood, excrement and urine. The deadline of follow-up was March 4, 2020. The serum levels of leukocyte, C reactive protein, procalcitonin and lactic acid between the improved group (five cases) and the deteriorated group (four cases) were compared. The t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups. Results:Among nine patients, five cases were cured and discharged, three cases died and one case remained in critical condition. All multi-sites specimens of patients in improved group turned negative in 2 to 4 weeks of illness onset, while those of cases in deteriorated group showed sustained viral nucleic acid positive (up to 48th day of illness onset). The white blood cell counts ((13.52±8.24)×10 9/L vs (10.49±4.46)×10 9/L), C reactive protein ((139.71±87.46) mg/L vs (78.60±55.40) mg/L) and procalcitonin ((4.03±2.32) μg/L vs (0.58±0.28) μg/L), lactic acid ((4.14±3.70) mmol/L vs (2.33±0.53) mmol/L) in deteriorated group were all significantly higher than those in improved group ( t=2.908, 5.009, 4.391 and 2.942, respectively, all P<0.01). A rapid rise of serum interleukin-6 level up to 8 500 ng/L was observed in one patient three days prior to death. Conclusion:Among the patients with critical COVID-19, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines of the death cases are higher than those of improved and discharged cases.

Role and mechanism of action of intrahepatic intrinsic antigen-presenting cells in regulating anti-hepatitis B virus immune response / 临床肝胆病杂志

The liver has a unique immune microenvironment, and the intrinsic antigen-presenting cells in the liver interact with each other and form a network to accurately regulate the homeostasis between liver immune tolerance and immune response. During hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, on the one hand, the intrahepatic intrinsic antigen-presenting cells induce immune tolerance to help the virus escape immune clearance and thus result in persistent infection; on the other hand, the maturation and activation of the intrahepatic intrinsic antigen-presenting cells can also mediate effective anti-HBV immune response to achieve virus clearance. This article elaborates on the research advances in the role and mechanism of action of intrahepatic intrinsic antigen-presenting cells in regulating immune response against HBV infection.

Clinical analysis of nine cases with critical corona virus disease 2019 in Hainan province / 中华传染病杂志

Objective To explore the clinical features of critical cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods The clinical data of nine patients who were diagnosed with critical COVID-19 in Hainan General Hospital from January 21, 2020 to February 6, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. RT-PCR testing for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was performed with multi-sites synchronize specimens including pharyngeal swab, blood, excrement, and urine. The serum levels of leucocyte, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and lactic acid between the improved group (five cases) and the deteriorated group (four cases) were compared. The t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups. Results There were eight males (88.9%) and 1 female enrolled. The patients aged 28-77 years old, with an age of (52.9±18.0) years. By March 4, 2020, all five cases in improved group were cured and discharged, three cases in deteriorated group died and 1case remained in critical condition. All multi-sites specimens of patients in improved group turned negative in 2-4 weeks of illness onset, while those of cases in deteriorated group showed sustained viral nucleic acid positive (up to 48th day of illness onset). The white blood cell counts ((13.52±8.24)×10 9 /L vs (10.49±4.46) ×10 9 /L), C-reactive protein ((139.71±87.46) mg/L vs (78.60±55.40) mg/L) and procalcitonin ((2.32±4.03) ng/mL vs (0.28±0.58) ng/mL) , lactic acid ((3.70±4.14) mmol/L vs (2.33±0.53) mmol/L) in deteriorated group were all significantly higher than those in improved group ( t =2.908, 5.009, 4.391 and 2.942, respectively, all P <0.01). A rapid rise of serum IL-6 level up to 8 500 pg/mL was observed in one patient three days prior to death. Conclusion Among the patients with critical COVID-19, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines of the death cases are higher than those of improved and discharged cases.

IL-17A involved in respiratory syncytial virus-associated pathogenesis by promoting IFN-γand inhib-iting viral clearance in mice / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective To identify the role of IL-17A during respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in-fection in a mouse model. Methods Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice and IL-17A knockout ( IL-17A-/-) mice at the age of 6 to 8 weeks were both randomly divided into two groups:control and RSV groups. Mice in the control groups were given the supernatant of Hep-2 cell culture, while those in the RSV groups were treated with RSV A2 through intranasal administration. Leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid ( BALF) samples were counted. Left lung tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin ( HE ) to evaluate his-topathological scores. Airway hyperresponsiveness ( AHR) was measured by whole-body plethysmography. The concentrations of IFN-γ were determined with ELISA. RSV titers were measured by plaque assay. To assess the effects of IL-17A on IFN-γproduction and its role in RSV infection, IL-17A-/- mice were treated with exogenous recombinant murine IFN-γ or IL-17A, while wild-type mice were given IFN-γ neutralizing antibody intervention. Results The counts of inflammatory cells and neutrophils in BALF, lung tissue his-topathological scores, AHR, IFN-γlevels and virus titers of the wild-type group were higher than those of the IL-17A-/-group after RSV infection. IFN-γlevels, inflammatory cell counts in BALF, AHR and lung tissue histopathological scores were significantly increased in RSV-infected IL-17A-/- mice after the intervention of recombinant murine IL-17A or IFN-γ. RSV titers were much higher in the recombinant murine IL-17A-trea-ted group, but not affected by the recombinant murine IFN-γ intervention. Inflammatory cell counts in BALF, AHR and lung tissue histopathological scores were significantly decreased in RSV-infected wild-type mice following IFN-γ neutralizing antibody treatment, but no significant changes were found in RSV titers. Conclusions IL-17A might be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases during RSV infection through promoting IFN-γ production and inhibiting viral clearance in mice.

Assessment of relationship between atrial synchrony and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging in patients with sick sinus syndrome / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

Objective To evaluate the relationship between atrial synchrony and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) in patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging. Methods Forty-four SSS patients who underwent echocardiographic examination at Department of Ultrasound, No. 2 Hospital of Yinzhou in Ningbo City of Zhejiang Province from January 2015 to August 2016 were enrolled, including 25 without PAF and 19 with PAF. Twenty-eight normal adults who underwent echocardiographic examination at this department at the same time were included as a normal control group. The structural and functional parameters of the left ventricle of all enrolled subjects were evaluated by echocardiographic examination. After two-dimensional speckle tracking images of the right atrium free wall, atrial septum, and left atrium free wall were obtained, the time interval from the initial point of P wave on electrocardiograph to the second negative wave of the diastolic phase in two-dimensional speckle tracking images were measured to calculate the electrical-mechanical time of the right atrium free wall (P-RA), the electrical-mechanical time of the atrial septum (P-IAS), and the electrical-mechanical time (P-LA) of the left atrium free wall. Subsequently, the parameters of atrial synchrony were calculated. Conventional echocardiographic parameters, P-RA, P-IAS, P-LA, and the parameters of atrial synchrony were compared among the three groups by one-way ANOVA, and further comparisons between any two groups were performed by the SNK-q test. The relationship between the parameters of electrical-mechanical time, parameters of atrial synchrony, and PAF were analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was then performed to evaluate the value of the parameters of electrical-mechanical time and parameters of atrial synchrony in predicting PAF. Results The left atrial size was significantly larger in the SSS without PAF group and SSS with PAF group than in the normal control group (q=4.18, 5.37, both P＜0.05), although there was no significant difference between the SSS without PAF group and SSS with PAF group. The P-RA and P-IAS were significantly larger in the SSS without PAF group and SSS with PAF group than in the normal control group (q=4.03, 4.10; q=4.16, 4.31, all P＜0.05), but there was no significant difference between the SSS without PAF group and SSS with PAF group. The P-LA, right atrial intra-atrial synchrony, left atrial intra-atrial synchrony, and inter-atrial synchrony showed a gradually rising trend from the normal control group to the SSS without PAF group and SSS with PAF group, and the difference between any two groups was statistically significant (q=5.18, 11.23, 4.43; q=5.25, 11.74, 4.63; q=7.38, 14.67, 4.73; q=8.01, 16.37, 6.39, all P＜0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that P-LA, right atrial intra-atrial synchrony, left atrial intra-atrial synchrony, and inter-atrial synchrony were significantly positively correlated with PAF in patients with SSS (r=0.61, 0.55, 0.75, 0.78, all P ＜ 0.01), and the correlation between inter-atrial synchrony and PAF was the highest. ROC analysis demonstrated the optimal threshold of P-LA for prediction of PAF was 94 ms [sensitivity: 68.42%; specificity: 76.00%; the area under the ROC curve (AUC): 0.764 (95% CI: 0.612-0.879)]; the optimal threshold of right atrial intra-atrial synchrony was 19 ms [sensitivity: 57.89%; specificity: 76.00%; AUC: 0.714 (95% CI: 0.558-0.840)];the optimal threshold of left atrial intra-atrial synchrony was 42 ms [sensitivity: 78.95%; specificity: 76.00%;AUC: 0.860 (95% CI : 0.722-0.946)]; and the optimal threshold of inter-atrial synchrony was 68 ms [sensitivity:84.21%; specificity: 84.00%; AUC: 0.859 (95% CI: 0.721-0.945)]. These results suggest that left atrial intra-atrial synchrony and inter-atrial synchronization are superior to right atrial intra-atrial synchrony in predicting PAF in patients with SSS. Conclusion Atrial electro-mechanical motion time parameters and synchrony parameters are closely related to PAF in patients with SSS, and left atrial intra-atrial synchrony and inter-atrial synchronization are the most effective parameters in predicting PAF in patients with SSS.

Clinical features of 30 children with protracted bacterial bronchitis by follow-up study / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the clinical features of protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB)and provide clinical data for its diagnosis and treatment.Methods The clinical data of children with PBB who were admitted to the Respiratory Department of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2012 to December 2015 were retrospectively collected,including the total information,clinical feature,auxiliary tests and treatment data.One year follow-ups were carried out to record cough relapse.Results In 30 patients with PBB,the ratio of boy and girl was 18:12,the median age were 14.5 (7-49.5) months,and the median duration of cough was 9.7 (5.7-17.1) weeks.All children had chronic wet cough,in which 22/30 (73.3％)had wheezing reported by their parents,and 14/30 cases (46.7％) had wheezing observed by doctors.Chest X ray showed increased and thickened of lung texture in 9/30 cases (30.0％);chest CT showed uneven inflation in 8/28 cases (28.6％),and 2 patients had suspected bronchiectasis.Sinusitis and allergic rhinitis were seen in 16/30 cases (53.3％) who underwent nasal endoscopy.Bronchoscopy showed a chronic bronchitis accompanied with superior secretions in all patients,in which 11/30 cases (36.7％)showed a purulent bronchitis,5/30 cases(16.7％) had tracheobronchial stenosis,and 3/30 cases (10.0％) had tracheomalacia.The major pathogens identified by bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF)were Streptococcus pneumoniae (12 cases),Haemophilus parainfluenzae (10 cases) and Moraxella catarrhalis (7 cases).All PBB patients had cough remission after (10.0 ± 2.5) days of intravenous antibiotics followed by oral antibiotics therapy.Two out of twenty-three cases (8.7％) had a recurrent PBB,and 1 patient developed into irreversible bronchiectasis by 1 year follow-up with the missing follow-up rate of 23.3 ％.Conclusions Children with PBB are typically younger (≤ 3 years) with prolonged wet cough and wheezing,and some cases are accompanied with sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.Bronchoscopy can detect chronic bronchitis with superior secretions,which is often be purulent with respiratory malformation in elderly children.An appropriate therapy with antibiotics is effective,but some patients may will experience recurrent PBB,which might even progress into bronchiectasis.

Effect of interferon-γ on airway inflammation following respiratory syncytial virus reinfection in mice / 中华儿科杂志

Objective@#To identify the role of interferon (IFN)-γ during respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) re-infection in mice.@*Method@#Female wild type C57BL/6 mice and IFN-γ knockout mice (IFN-γ-/- mice) at the age of 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into two groups: control group and RSV group, according to random number table.Each group was further divided into primary infection group and re-infection group.There were 8 groups.Mice were sacrificed on days 5, 7, 14 to collect samples.There were 5-8 mice in each group at each time point.And experiment was repeated twice. Leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were counted, left lung tissues were stained with HE and histopathological scoring (HPS) was performed.The concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-13 were determined with ELISA.T test or single factor analysis of variance was used to compare between groups.@*Result@#(1) Mice infected or reinfected with RSV showed pale hair, weight loss, decreased activity and anorexia.(2) IFN-γ levels significantly increased on days 5 and 7 following RSV primary infection and reinfection as compared to control groups in wild type mice ((192±44) vs.(36±8) and (531±161) vs.(23±4) pg/ml on day 5, (100±23) vs.(36±8) and (862±186) vs.(23±4) pg/ml on day 7, t=2.654, 2.513, 2.654, 3.968, all P<0.05). (3) Compared to the RSV-reinfected IFN-γ-/- mice, RSV-reinfected wild type mice had less body weight loss ((13.6±2.6)% vs.(22.7±2.9)% on day 5, (18.0±3.1)% vs.(26.5±1.8)% on day 7, t=2.314, 2.308, both P<0.05), lower lung tissue histopathological score ((1.50±0.09) vs.(2.07±0.11) on day 5, (1.53±0.11) vs.(2.08±0.09) on day 7, (1.10±0.06) vs.(1.59±0.08) on day 14, t=3.916, 3.890, 4.837, all P<0.01), less BALF inflammatory cells count ((11.6±2.0) vs.(44.2±10.6)×105/ml on day 5, (18.2±3.9) vs.(38.3±2.2)×105/ml on day 7, t=2.818, 4.786, both P<0.05), and lower levels of IL-5 and IL-13 ((24±3) vs.(148±23), (23±4) vs.(169±26) pg/ml on day 5, (30±8) vs.(233±44), (20±5) vs.(182±19) pg/ml on day 7, (91±6) vs.(129±19), (62±8) vs.(132±5) pg/ml on day 14, t=5.252, 5.445, 4.517, 7.326, 3.816, 7.577, all P<0.01).@*Conclusion@#IFN-γ can alleviate airway inflammation following RSV reinfection in mice.

Application of quality control circle in colonoscopy inspectors in disqualification rate of reducing the bowel preparation / 中国基层医药

Objective To investigate the application of quality control cycle activity in reducing thedisquali-fication rate of bowel preparation for colonoscopy outpatients.Methods Set up a group of quality control circle,and select the issues that reducing the disqualification rate of bowel preparation for colonoscopy outpatients as the activity theme.According to the activity steps of quality control circle,the activity was carried out.The causes of disqualifica-tion rate of bowel preparation were analyzed and the countermeasures to improve and implement were implemented. Also,the disqualification rates of bowel preparation before and after quality control circle were compared.Results The disqualification rate of bowel preparation was reduced from 39.09% to 14.03% after quality control circle activi-ty.The difference was statistically significant(χ2 =53.65,P <0.01).Target success rate was 104.42%,and the pro-gress rate was 64.11%.Conclusion The quality control circle activity can effectively reduce the disqualification rate of bowel preparation for colonoscopy outpatients,thereby improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment,and reduce the economic burden of patients.After clear improvement of focus,the leading causes of disqualification bowel prepa-ration are obtained through characteristic diagram (figure 2)analysis.Also,true causes are validated based on the three principles.The four true causes final defined include short contact time nurses and patients,large liquid dosage, none nursing intervention outside hospital,and chronic constipation without intervention.

Severe lower respiratory infections in children related to human Bocavirus 1 / 国际儿科学杂志

Human bocavirus 1 ( HBoV1 ) is closely related to lower respiratory infections in children. Respiratory symptoms elicited by HBoV1 include cough, tachypnea, wheezing and dyspnea, which are of mild degree and haven′t found to be distinguished. Few single infected patients with dyspnea needing mechanical ven-tilation were reported,however,the number of severe cases caused by HBoV1 is increasing in recent years. Here we reviewed the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis of HBoV1 in-duced severe lower respiratory infections.

Correlation of hyperhomocysteinemia and cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral infartion combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and drug treatment / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum homocysteine ( Hcy ) and cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral infarction combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after stroke, and observe the plasma Hcy levels and cognitive function improvement when treated with folic acid and vitamin B12 .Methods 87 acute cerebral infarction combined with COPD patients as the research object, then the general clinical data were recorded, hematology indexes ( Hcy, folic acid, vitamin B12 ) were determined, and their cognitive function with a simple mental state scale (MMSE) was assayed.According to the plasma Hcy levels, the subjects were divided into Hcy-normal group (n =21) and Hcy-increased group (n=66), then compare the cognitive function between the two groups.Hcy-increased subjects were randomly divided into intervention group (conventional treatment +folic acid 2.5 mg +VitB12 0.5 mg) and control group (conventional treatment).After six months follow-up, we retested plasma Hcy levels and MMSE assessment, comparison of plasma Hcy concentration change and cognitive function improvement between two groups.Results Compared with Hcy-normal group, plasma folic acid, VitB12 levels significantly decreased in Hcy-increased group (P<0.05).And Hcy concentration was negatively correlated with folic acid(r=-0.351,P =0.000)and VitB12(r=-0.242,P=0.015)levels.In addition, the MMSE, directional force and delayed recall score decreased in Hcy-increased group compared with the Hcy-normal group ( P<0.05 ).Hcy levels were significantly lower than the baseline level (P<0.05), MMSE and the sub-project of cognitive function score increased after treated with folic acid and VitB12 for six months, although there was no statistically significant difference.Conclusion Plasma Hcy level is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral infarction combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), patients treated with folic acid and VitB12 may help slow the recent cognitive dysfunction after stroke in the near future.

Correlation between liver stiffness measured by shear-wave elasticity imaging and pathological grades and stages of chronic hepatitis B / 中华传染病杂志

Objective To investigate the correlation between Young′s elastic modulus (EI) using shear wave elastography (SWE) and liver pathology .Methods Liver biopsy was performed on 231 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) under supersonic guidance ,and SWE with EI of liver was obtained concurrently .The correlation between measured liver stiffness and pathology was analyzed by using the liver pathology as golden standards .One‐way analysis of variance and Spearman rank correlation analysis were performed for the comparison between groups and correlation between two variables , respectively .Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to explore the predictive value of shear modulus for the liver inflammation grades and fibrosis stages .Results The EI medians of different liver inflammation grades were 6 .78 kPa (G1) ,7 .30 kPa (G2) ,9 .93 kPa (G3) and 14 .93 kPa (G4) , respectively ,which were statistically different (H=55 .19 ,P<0 .01) .And EI medians of various fibrosis stages were 6 .62 kPa (S0 -S1) ,7 .15 kPa (S2) ,9 .78 kPa (S3) and 14 .62 kPa (S4) ,respectively , which were also significantly different (H=62 .14 ,P<0 .01) .EI was positively correlated with both liver inflammation grades (r=0 .454 6 ,P<0 .01) and liver fibrosis stages (r=0 .505 6 ,P<0 .01) .The areas under the ROC for G≥2 ,G≥3 and G=4 were 0 .68 (95% CI:0 .61 -0 .75) ,0 .77 (95% CI:0 .70 -0 .84) and 0 .85 (95% CI:0 .77-0 .92) ,respectively .The areas under the ROC for S≥2 ,S≥3 and S=4 w ere 0 .73 (95% C I:0 .66 -0 .79 ) ,0 .78 (95% C I:0 .72 -0 .85 ) and 0 .83 (95% C I:0 .75 -0 .91 ) , respectively .Conclusion The EI measured by SWE is correlated with liver pathology of CHB patients , which may be used to dynamically monitor the progress of liver fibrosis .

The expression of Blimp1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of tuberculosis patients / 重庆医学

Objective To analyze Blimp1 expression difference in the latent and active of tuberculosis patients and the healthy , and assess possibility of as the new tuberculosis diagnostics molecules .Methods 60 patients with active TB (active tuberculosis group) ,50 participants with latent(latent tuberculosis group) ,and 50 healthy people(control group) were enrolled separately .Using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to determin Blimp 1 mRNA expression in the peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells .Results Blimp1 mRNA expression level of the active tuberculosis group was 15 .35 times than the control group ,and 2 .21 times than the latent tuberculosis group ,the difference was statistically significant (P<0 .05) .Conclusion Blimp1 gene proba-bly plays a role in the immune response to tuberculosis .it provides new ideas for the laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis and new clues for further exploring the pathogenesis mechanism of tuberculosis .

Effects of lung protective ventilation strategy on inflammatory mediators in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid in pulmonary and extrapulmonary acute respiratory distress syndrome / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective To observe the effects of lung protective ventilation strategy (LPVS) on inflammatory mediators in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in pulmonary and extrapulmonary acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Methods All of 62 extrapulmonary ARDS(ARDSexp) cases and 60 pulmonary ARDS (ARDSp) cases were divided into observation group and control group by table of random digit.ARDSexp and ARDSp observation group were received LPVS treatment [tidal volume 6-8 ml/kg,positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5-15 cm H2O (1 cm H2O =0.098 kPa)],and ARDSexp and ARDSp control group were received the routine ventilation strategy (tidal volume 10-12 ml/kg,PEEP 4-8 cm H2O).All groups were treated with the same conventional therapy of ARDS,same model and parameter of mechanical ventilation.The level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,interleukin (IL)-6,IL-8 in BALF were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay on the 1st,4th,7th day in each group.The oxygenation index was tested at 8 o'clock each morning.Results There were 4 ARDSexp cases and 6 ARDSp cases who were expelled,because of death within 7 days.ARDSexp observation group was in 28 cases,ARDSexp control group was in 30 cases,ARDSp observation group was in 28 cases,ARDSp control group was in 26 cases.The oxygenation index had no significant difference between ARDSexp and ARDSp observation group and corresponding ARDSexp and ARDSp control group on the 1st and 2nd day (P ＞ 0.05).But the oxygenation index in ARDSexp and ARDSp observation group were significantly higher than that in ARDSexp and ARDSp control group from 3rd to 7th day (P ＜ 0.05).The oxygenation index in ARDSexp observation group was significantly higher than that in ARDSp observation group except 1st day (P ＜0.05).The oxygenation index in ARDSexp and ARDSp observation group were significantly better with the time passing (P ＜ 0.05).The BALF levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 in ARDSexp and ARDSp observation group were significantly lower than those in corresponding ARDSexp and ARDSp control group on the 4th and 7th day (P＜ 0.05).The BALF levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 in ARDSexp observation group and ARDSexp control group were significantly lower than those in corresponding ARDSp observation group and ARDSp control group (P＜ 0.05).The BALF levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 in ARDSexp and ARDSp observation group were decreased significantly with the time passing (P ＜0.05).Conclusion It is more reasonable to decrease the BALF levels of inflammatory mediators,increase oxygenation index for ARDS patients to with LPVS treatment,then for ARDSexp patients obviously.

Application of 3％ hypertonic saline in patients with severe craniocerebral injury after operation / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective To study the application of 3％ hypertonic saline (HS) in patients with severe craniocerebral injury after operation.Methods Sixty-eight cases with severe craniocerebral injury after operation were divided by random digits table method into HS group and control group with 34 cases each.The patients in control group were treated with 125 ml 20％ mannitol every 6 hours or 8 hours.The patients in HS group were given conventional mannitol and added with 130 ml 3％ HS every 12 hours or 8 hours through fast intravenous drip altemated with mannitol.The levels of intracranial pressure (ICP),mean arterial pressure (MAP),central venous pressure (CVP) were recorded within 6 hours,12 hours,24 hours of the 1st day,24 hours of the 2nd day,24 hours of the 3rd day,24 hours of the 5th day.The Na+ level of blood serum and the plasma osmotic pressure were recorded and calculated within 12 hours,24 hours of the 1st day,24 hours of the 2nd day,24 hours of the 3rd day,24 hours of the 5th day.The Glasgow coma scale( CCS) score was accounted within 24 hours of the 1 st day,24 hours of the 3rd day,24 hours of the 5th day.Results Compared with control group,the level of ICP in HS group decreased at every time point (P ＜ 0.05).The tendency of ICP in two groups was not significant on the 1st and 2rid day (P ＞ 0.05 ),but the level of ICP within 24 hours of the 3rd and 5th day obviously increased compared with those of the 1st and 2nd day (P＜0.05).The levels of MAP and CVP in HS group were significantly higher than those in control group within 6 hours,12 hours and 24 hours of the 1 st day and 24 hours of the 2nd day [ ( 87.98 ± 5.03 ),(88.56 ± 5.36),(87.04 ±6.90),(90.03 ±5.19) mm Hg (1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa) vs.(77.98 ±5.09),(79.98 ±6.09),(80.98 ± 5.27),(81.98 ± 4.32) mm Hg and (9.23 ± 1.24),(9.67 ± 1.35),( 10.21 ± 1.38 ),( 10.56 ± 1.96)mm Hg vs.(7.15 ± 2.01 ),(8.32 ± 1.53),(8.67 ± 1.89),(9.22 ± 2.03) mm Hg] (P ＜ 0.05),but the values within 24 hours of the 3rd and 5th day between two groups had no significant differences (P＞ 0.05 ).The Na+ level of blood serum and the plasma osmotic pressure in HS group at every time point was obviously higher than that in control group (P＜ 0.05).The GCS scores within 24 hours of the 1st,3rd and 5th day in HS group were (4.21 ± 2.31 ),(5.44 ± 2.46 ),(7.23 ± 1.64 ) scores,respectively,while the scores in control group were (4.14 ± 2.10),(5.15 ± 2.31 ),(7.31 ± 2.12) scores,respectively ;the score within 24 hours of the 5th day in two groups was obviously higher than that of the 1st day respectively (P＜ 0.05 ),but the scores between two groups had no statistical significance (P＞ 0.05 ).Conclusions Adding 3％ HS is more effective to decrease ICP,improve the brain perfusion and reduce the adverse reactions.3％ HS can be used as the first-line therapy for patients with severe craniocerebral injury after operation.

Effect of alanyl-glutamine dipeptide on the short-term outcomes of critically ill patients: a retrospective study of 617 cases / 中华临床营养杂志

Objective To explore the effects of alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln) dipeptide supplemented parenteral nutrition (PN) on the short-term outcomes in critically ill adult patients.Methods In this retrospective study,we reviewed the clinical data of critically ill adult patients who were treated by standard PN from January 2006 to December 2011.The length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU-LOS),incidences of infections and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS),and mortality were compared between the group of Ala-Gln dipeptide supplemented PN (intervention group) and the group of PN without Ala-Gln dipeptide (control group).Results Finially,617 cases were enrolled in the study,including 312 cases in the control group and 305 cases in the intervention group.The ICU-LOS was significantly shorter in the intervention group than that in the control group [(17.2 ± 6.5) d vs.(16.1 ± 5.3) d,P =0.011).Compared with the control group,the incidences of infection (42.9％ vs.33.1％,P =0.011) and MODS (46.5％ vs.38.0％,P =0.030) and the mortality (34.9％vs.25.9％,P =0.014) in the intervention group patients were significantly lower.Conclusion Ala-Gln dipeptide supplemented PN can improve the short-term outcomes of critically ill adult patients.

Fluticasone increased Foxp3 in childhood asthma with upregulation of phosphorylated STAT5 / 临床儿科杂志

Objective To evaluate the effects of fluticasone propionate (FP)on Foxp3 expression in CD4+T cells, to explore the possible mechanisms of childhood asthma. Methods Thirty asthmatic children, 15 with inhaled FP and 15 without inhaled FP, and 16 healthy children were recruited. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)labeled for CD4 and intracellular Foxp3 were analyzed using flow eytometry. The levels of IL-2 and IL-6 in serum and supernatant before and after stimulation by Phytohemagglutination (PHA)were measured by ELISA. The expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5)in PBMC was detected by Western-blot.Results Compared with healthy control, the percentage of CD4+ Foxp3+ cells in PBMC in asthmatic children without inhaled FP was significantly decreased. After inhaled FP and in remission stage, the percentage of CD4+ Foxp3+ cells in asthmatic children was up regulated with a decreased serum IL-6 level and an increased phosphorylated STATS expression. Conclusions Decreased Foxp3 protein expression in peripheral CD4+ T regulatory cells (Treg)is characterized in childhood asthma. Inhaled glucoeorticoid therapy of childhood asthma might be attributed to its ability of increasing Foxp3 expression by upregulation of phosphorylated STAT5 to balance the T cell response.

Impacts of different nutrition support methods on short-term outcome in critically ill adult patients / 中华临床营养杂志

Objective To explore the impacts of different nutrition support methods on short-term outcome in critically ill adult patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 1503 critically ill adult patients who needed nutrition support in an mixed intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care university hospital from January 1994 to December 2009. The complication of nutrition support, length of stay (LOS) in ICU, morbidity of infection and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and mortality among different nutrition support methods were compared. Results The Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) scores of the enrolled patients were no less than 3. LOS in early enteral nutrition (EN) patients were significantly shorter than those in not-early EN patients (P ＜ 0. 001) and parenteral nutrition (PN) patients (both P ＜ 0. 001). Infection rate (P ＜ 0. 001),morbidity of MODS (P ＜ 0. 001) and mortality (P ＜ 0. 001) were significantly lower than those in not-early EN and PN patients. LOS of patients receiving PN rich in glutamine (Gln) was significantly shorter than that in conventional formula (P = 0. 0000). Morbidity of infection (P= 0. 0252) and MODS (P = 0. 0030), mortality (P =0. 0305) were significantly lower than that of conventional patients. LOS of patients receiving intensive insulin therapy (IIT) was significantly shorter than that of controlled group (P = 0. 0000). Morbidity of infection (P =0. 0001) and MODS (P = 0. 0237) and mortality (P =0. 0427) were significandy lower than those of controlled group. Conclusions Nutritional risk is prevalent among critically ill adult patients. Early EN, PN of rich in Gln,and receiving IIT can shorten LOS, decrease morbidity of infection and MODS, and improve prognosis among these patients.