ExperimentalStudyonDetectionofDeadandLive Mycobacterium Tuberculosis by FlowCytometry / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

@#：【Objective】To provide basic experimental basis for quantitative detection and analysis of antibiotic susceptibilityandheteroresistancein Mycobacterium tuberculosis byflowcytometry，weinvestigatedtheperformanceof propidiumiodide（PI）and6-carboxyfluoresceindiacetae（6-cFDA）inidentifyingdeadorlivingMycobacterium tubercu⁃ losis.【Methods】PIand6-cFDAwereusedtostain10strainsofpureculturedliving Mycobacterium tuberculosis suspen⁃ sion with turbidity of 1 McClell and the corresponding suspension with turbidity of 1 McClell heated at 85℃ for 30 minutes，respectively.Themeanfluorescenceintensity（MFI）wasmeasuredbyflowcytometry.TheMFIboundaryvalue fordistinguishingdeadandlivingMycobacterium tuberculosisweredeterminedaccordingtoreceiveroperatingcharacteristic （ROC）curves.Thesameexperimentswerecarriedoutwithother10strainsofliving Mycobacterium tuberculosis suspen⁃sionand10dead Mycobacterium tuberculosis suspension，andtheMFIthresholdwasusedtodeterminetheviabilityof bacteria.【Results】（1）IntheexperimentofdeterminingMFIboundaryvalue，theMFIof10strainsofdeadbacteria suspensionstainedwithPIwasnon-normaldistribution，themedianvaluewas2459，andtheMFIof10strainsofliving bacteriasuspensionstainedwithPIwasnormaldistribution，themeanvaluewas426±180.TheMFIboundaryvalueof deadbacteriastainedwithPIwas1329.TheMFIof10strainsofdeadbacteriaand10strainsoflivingbacteriasuspen⁃ sionstainedwith6-cFDAwasnormaldistribution，andthemeanvaluewas49±4and7144±4511，respectively.The MFIthresholdof6-cFDAstainingforlivingbacteriawas1021.（2）TheMFIthresholdsforidentifyingdeadbacteriaby PIstainingandtheMFIthresholdsforidentifyinglivingbacteriaby6-cFDAstainingwereusedtodetect10otherliving bacterialsuspensionsand10deadbacterialsuspensions.Theaccuracy，sensitivity，specificity，Yondeindex，positive predictivevalueandnegativepredictivevaluewere95%and100%，1.00and1.00，0.90and1.00，0.90and1.00，0.91 and1.00，1.00and1.00，respectively.【Conclusions】PIstainingcandetectdeadMycobacterium tuberculosisand6-cFDA stainingcandetectliving Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Identificationof Mycobacterium tuberculosis activitybasedonPIand 6-cFDAstainingwillhavebroadapplicationprospects.

Simultaneous determination of seven constituents in Supplemented Ermiao Granules by HPLC and establishment of fingerprints / 中成药

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of phellodendrine chloride,berberine hydrochloride,jatrorrhizine hydrochloride,(R,S)-goitrine,astilbin,hesperidin and atractylenolide Ⅲ in Supplemented Ermiao Granules (Phellodendri chinensis Cortex,Atractylodis Rhizoma,Smilacis glabrae Rhizoma,etc.) and to establish fingerprints.METHODS The analysis of 70％ methanol extract of this drug was performed on a 35 ℃ thermostatic Amethyst C18-H column (4.6 mm ×250 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of 0.05 mol/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate-acetonitrile flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelengths were set at 237,291 nm.RESULTS Seven constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges (r =1),whose average recoveries were 95.77％-110.36％ with the RS-Ds of 0.06％-2.94％.There were twenty common peaks in the fingerprints of fourteen batches of samples with the similarities of more than 0.990,five of which (5-hydroxymethylfurfural,phellodendrine,astilbin,hesperidin and berberine hydrochloride) were identified.CONCLUSION This stable,reliable and reproducible method can be used for the quality control of Supplemented Ermiao Granules.

Structure-activity relationship of gastrodin and parishins on learning and memory deficits induced by scopolamine / 药学学报

Gastrodin, parishin and parishin C were purified from a water extract of GE (rhizome of Gastrodia elata, an herb medicine for treatment of neuronal disorders). In order to compare the pharmacological effects of gastrodin, parishin and parishin C on improving cognition deficits, we tested them in an animal model of cognition disorders induced by scopolamine and in a study of in vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) recordings. In the Morris water maze task, parishin C (15 and 50 mg·kg-1, P -1, P -1. In vivo LTP recordings showed that parishin C at 5, 10 and 20 mg·kg-1, parishin at 10, 30 and 100 mg·kg-1 reversed the suppression of LTP by scopolamine in rats in a dose-dependent manner. However, gastrodin at 100 mg·kg-1 showed only a modest effect. In summary, the action of parishin C in the improvement of dementia induced by scopolamine was more potent than parishin and gastrodin.

Effects of penetration enhancers on in vitro transdermal permeation of components from total flavones in Scutellariae Radix Gel-unguentum / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the effects of common peneration enhancers on the transdermal permeation of total flavones and six flavonoid components from Scutellariae Radix Gel-unguentum (SRGU), thus to provide the experimental evidence for the selection of optimal penetration enhancers. Methods: In vitro diffusion cell method was used to evaluate the changes of the transdermal pemeation parameters by azone (AZ), menthol (MT), and propylene glycol (PG), separately or in combination. Results: When applied individually, AZ and MT showed the best enhancing effect on the transdermal permeability and cumulative permeation of flavonoids and their aglycons, respectively. PG, in contrast, produced poor enhancement. When applied in combination, the permeation enhancing effects were generally more remarkable than those of single enhancer. In particular, 3% AZ + 5% PG could achieve the most effective enhancement effect on the transdermal permeation of flavonoids. Conclusion: Penetration enhancers could significantly affect the transdermal permeation of total flavones and flavonoid components from SRGU in vitro, and 3% AZ + 5% PG may serve as the most effective enhancer.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Qingwen Baidu Decoction (清瘟败毒饮) in sepsis rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the pharmacological anti-inflammatory mechanism of Chinese formula Qingwen Baidu Decoction (清瘟败毒饮, QBD) from the view of holistic biology.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rats were randomly divided into a normal conrol group, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, the low- and high-dose QBD groups, and a dexamethasone (DXM) group. NR8383 cells were treated with culture fluid containing 6% serum from rats of each group respectively. Inflammatory mediators were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting hybridization, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gene array and antibody array.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It is showed that the levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-4 and IL-12 were enhanced in the low-dose QBD group; levels of IL-1α, IL-12 and IL-18 were augmented in the high-dose QBD group, compared with the LPS group after ELISA detection. Western blot showed that IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression of the control group were lower than other groups. IL-1β level of the low-dose and high-dose QBD groups detected by RT-PCR was higher in early stage but lower after 24 h than that of the control group (P<0.01). Expression of 84 main inflammatory cytokines and receptors was detected by rat inflammatory cytokines and receptors PCR array. Up-regulation genes were 22 in both the LPS group and the low-dose QBD group, among which 16 up-regulating genes were the same. In these 16 genes, the up-regulating amplitude of 9 genes in the low-dose QBD group was less than that in the LPS group, 4 were similar to and 3 were more. Twenty-nine main cytokines were inspected by rat cytokine antibody array. Intergroup gray value differences were found in 7 expressed cytokines. The levels of these 7 cytokines in the low-dose QBD group were all lower than those in the the LPS group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>QBD has anti-inflammatory effect on sepsis by changing the level of inflammatory mediators.</p>

Clinical isolates of Mycobacterium abscessus in Guangzhou area most possibly from the environmental infection showed variable susceptibility / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) can cause a variety of human infections, involving the lung, skin and soft tissues, and is generally believed to be acquired from environmental sources. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular diversity and antibiotic susceptibility of M. abscessus isolates as the basis for strategies to improve control and management of infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy M. abscessus isolates from patients attending the Guangzhou Thoracic Hospital were identified from 2003 to 2005 by biochemical tests, gas chromatography, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction analysis (PRA) of heat shock protein gene hsp65, and sequencing of the quinolone resistance determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA. Susceptibilities to six antibiotics were determined by micro-broth dilution. Isolates were genotyped using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Most isolates (63/70; 90%) were susceptible to amikacin but rates of susceptibility to other antibiotics varied from moderate, clarithromycin (60%) and imipenem (43%), to low for ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin (3%), and 87% of isolates had intermediate susceptibility to cefoxitin. RAPD analysis showed that the 70 clinical isolates displayed 69 unique RAPD patterns.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The high genetic diversity of isolates suggests that they are not transmitted from person to person but, presumably, are acquired independently from environmental sources. M. abscessus isolates displayed variable levels of susceptibility to all antibiotics tested, other than amikacin, indicating a need for routine susceptibility testing to guide treatment.</p>

Finite element analysis of multi-piece post-crown restoration using different types of adhesives / 国际口腔科学杂志·英文版

The multi-piece post-crown technique is more effective in restoring residual root than other restoration techniques. Various types of adhesives have different material properties that affect restoration. Therefore, the choice of adhesive is particularly important for patients. However, the effect of different kinds of adhesives was not too precise by experimental methods when concerning about individual differences of teeth. One tooth root can only be restored with one type of adhesive in experiment. After the mechanical test, this tooth root cannot be restored with other adhesives. With the help of medical imaging technology, reverse engineering and finite element analysis, a molar model can be reconstructed precisely and restored using different types of adhesives. The same occlusal and chewing loads were exerted on the same restored residual root models with different types of adhesives separately. Results of von Mises stress analysis showed that the adhesives with low Young's modulus can protect the root canal effectively. However, a root canal concentration is apparently produced around the root canal orifice when chewing. Adhesives with large Young's modulus can buffer the stress concentration of the root canal orifice. However, the root canal tissue may be destroyed because the adhesive is too hard to buffer the load.

Effects of non-bioartificial liver support system on Gc-globulin in patients with liver failure / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of artificial liver support system(plasma exchange combined with continuous veno - venous hemodiafiltration, PE + CVVHDF) on Gc globulin in patients with liver failure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>81 patients with liver failure were divided into 4 groups according to the treatment protocols and indicators such as liver function and clinical symptoms. Totally 29 effective cases and 14 ineffective cases in the ALSS group versus 15 effective cases and 23 ineffective cases in the medical group were included. Finally the changes of Gc globulin were observed in four subgroups before and after treatment. The correlation between Gc globulin and IL-10, IL-4, IL-18, TNFa, endotoxin, NO, sVCAM-1and sICAM-1were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The effectiveness rate was 67.44% in ALSS group and 34.21% in the medical treatment (P less than 0.01). Gc globulin, one of liver cell protection proteins was notably increased following the artificial liver treatment as compared with the increase in the medical treatment (P less than 0.01). The time-response curve of Gc globulin level had a significant upward trend in the effective group as compared to no significant rise in the ineffective group. Moreover, the Gc globulin was negatively correlated with IL-4, IL-18, TNFa, SVCAM-1, SICAM-1 and NO. In contrast, no correlation existed between Gc globulin and IL-10. The treatment with artificial liver can improve the outcome of the patients with liver failure. The level of Gc globulin was correlated with the curative effect and thus may be used as a potential indicator for curative effect forcast in the patients with liver failure.</p>

Anesthetic management of patients with mental retardation during autologous transplantation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells outside the operating room / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the anesthetic effect and safety of differential airway management in patients with mental retardation (MR) during autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cell transplantation (APBMCT) outside the operating room.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this prospective study, 30 uncooperative patients with MR receiving total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol for APBMCT were randomized into 3 groups with monitored anesthesia care (MAC group), inserted classic laryngeal mask airway under general anesthesia (LMA group), or endotracheal tube placement (ETT group). The blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), SpO(2) and pH, PaCO(2), and HCO(3)(-) were monitored at 5 min and 1 h after anesthesia, before completion of the operation and at 1 h after the operation. The total operative time, dosage of propofol, awake time and body movement during the procedure were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with LMA and ETT groups, the MAC groups showed a significantly increased total dosage of propofol (66.07±5.41, 35.83±5.80, and 34.61±3.68 g·kg(-1)·min(-1), respectively, P<0.05 ), body movements (9.90±3.07, 2.5 1±1.50, and 0.82±0.93, P<0.05) and awake time (16.82±7.60, 4.31±1.32, and 3.73±1.33 min, P<0.05). The pH, PaCO(2), or HCO(3)(-) showed no marked changes at 5 min after anesthesia and at 1 h after the operation in the 3 groups (P>0.05). At 1 h after anesthesia, the pH in MAC group decreased markedly compared with that in LMA and ETT groups (P<0.05), and maintained a low level till the completion of the operation; the PaCO(2) was significantly elevated in MAC group and remained so till the end of the surgery (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Endotracheal tube placement is safer than laryngeal mask airway placement and monitored anesthesia care in patients with MR during APBMCT, and allows rapid onset of sedation with minimal cardiovascular responses, body movement and recovery, therefore is more suitable in the setting outside the operating room.</p>

Therapeutic effect of pelvic methotrexate injection via the posterior fornix for treatment of tubal pregnancy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of pelvic methotrexate (MTX) injection via the posterior fornix for treatment of tubal pregnancy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-six patients with tubal pregnancy (mean age 21-40 years) were randomized into 3 groups for treatment with pelvic MTX injection via the posterior fornix+mifepristone+traditional Chinese medicine (experiment group), intramuscular MTX injection+mifepristone+traditional Chinese medicine (control group I), or mifepristone+traditional Chinese medicine (control group II). On days 4 and 7 of the treatment, blood β-HCG of the patients in different groups was detected, and in cases with continuous reduction of blood β-HCG or a reduction by over 15%, β-HCG was checked every week. One week after the treatment, the size of the mass was measured by B-mode ultrasound. The clearance time of β-HCG and the hospital stay of the patients were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-nine patients in the experimental group were treated successfully, with a cure rate of 90.6%, which was significantly higher than those in the two control groups (P<0.05). The clearance time of β-HCG and hospital stay were also much shorter in the experimental group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Pelvic MTX injection via the posterior fornix is a convenient procedure associated with minimal complications and serves as a good alternative for treatment of tubal pregnancy.</p>

The effect of stress distribution and displacement by two kinds of different distract directions on mandibular body / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a three-dimensional finite element model of mandibular distraction osteogenesis (DO) in order to study the influence of distraction orientations to mandibular DO.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By using the two finite element models, Von Mises stress and the displacement under different loads were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The maximum stress in the distract equipment paralleled to the mandibular corpus was two times of that when the distract equipment paralleled to the sagittal axis. Von Mises stress concentration mainly occurred in the loading position and the condylar ante inferior. This phenomenon may lead to partial bone resorption, consequently lead to screw loose and affect the stability of distraction device. When the displacement increased in the model, the maximum stress and displacement showed linear relation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The counterforce produced by the device makes lateral displacement in tail. The reaction force could be reduced to a minimum degree when the traction device parallel to the sagittal axis. This study provides theoretical basis for the position of distract equipment and distraction orientations in clinical application.</p>

Construction and immunogenicity evaluation of chimerical DNA vaccine of human papillomavirus type 11 / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct chimerical DNA vaccine plasmid of human papillomavirus type 11 (HPV11) L1-E7, and to evaluate its immunogenicity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Molecular cloning techniques were used to construct recombinant plasmid pcDNA3 L1-E7 as a DNA vaccine. BALB/c mice were vaccinated with DNA recombinants through muscle injection.IL-2 and gamma-INF secreted by immunized spleens lymphocyte and HPV 11 L1 or E7 specific antibodies were assayed by ELISA method. Spleens lymphocyte proliferation was measured by MTT assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The chimerical DNA plasmid of pcDNA3 L1-E7 was constructed correctly. Specific anti-HPV11 E7 and L1 antibodies, specific lymphocyte proliferation and secretions of IL-2 and gamma-INF were detected in vaccinated mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Specific immune response, including cellular immunity and humoral immunity, could been detected in mice vaccinated with chimerical DNA vaccine of pcDNA3 L1-E7.</p>

Changes of phospho-JNK expression during the skin burned wound healing / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of expression of phosphorylation c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (p-JNK) during the skin burned wound healing in patients and discuss the molecular mechanism of burned wound healing.@*METHODS@#The staining intensity and distribution of p-JNK were detected by immunohistochemistry and routine histology in burned skin samples of 12 patients and normal skin samples of 12 control subjects.@*RESULTS@#In normal skin, the positive signals of p-JNK were mostly localized in basal layer cells of the epidermis, with a positive rate of (8.8+/-1.3)%. In the burned group, the positive signals of p-JNK were mainly localized in the epidermal cells and some inflammatory cells, with a significantly higher positive rate of (31.2+/-3.3)% than the normal group(P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#The changes of p-JNK expression after skin burned might correlate with wound healing.

Trend of bone development of adolescent at 14 years old / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To describe characteristic of hand-wrist bone development in adolescents of 14 years old in China, and to estimate trend of bone development of them.@*METHODS@#A total of 109 adolescents of 14 years was selected as subjects (males: 53, females: 56). X-rays examination of their left hand-wrist bone were performed and analyzed. The development characteristics of each position in accordance with Gu's mapping of skeletal age were compared with Gu's results and ours.@*RESULTS@#Compared with Gu's, osteoepiphysis of distal radius, the first metacarpal bone, the fourth proximal phalanx were more advanced in boys, osteoepiphysis of distal radius, the second-fifth metacarpal bones, the first-fifth proximal phalanxs, and the second-fifth middle phalanxs were more advanced in girls.@*CONCLUSION@#The results suggested that a forward trend of 14 years old adolescents bone development currently exists in our country, especially in girls. As an important age of criminal responsibility, this forward trend of development of bones among adolescents currently should be kept in mind when estimating bone age of criminals.

Clinical Value of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the clinical value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP) in chronic kidney disease(CKD) and the relationship between hsCRP and the different stages of CKD in children.Methods This study population consisted of patients who was diagnosised as CKD in Beijing Children′s Hospital from Mar.2007 to Feb.2008.The total number of subjects was 62 patients with 35 male and 27 female,the mean age was(8.7?4.0)years old,the course was from 3 months to 10 years.The healthy control group contains 30 healthy children with 16 male and 14 female,the mean age was(7.8?3.2) years old.The serum levels of hsCRP,creatine and ?2-microglobulin(?2-MG) were determined.The glomerular filtration rate(GFR) was caculated.The relationship between serum levels of hsCRP and ?2-MG,blood pressure as well as the renal function in these patients with CKD,stratified according to GFR were evaluated.The relationship between hsCRP and the blood pressure was evaluated.The statistical analysis for the data was done with SPSS 12.0 software.Use the t-test,order and examination and correlation analysis,P

Effects of Ginkgo-Dipyidamolum on Nerve Conduction Velocity of Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy / 中国康复理论与实践

@#ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Ginkgo-Dipyidamolum on nerve symptom, sign and the nerve conduction velocity of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).Methods60 patients with DPN were divided randomly into observation group and control group with 30 patients in each group. Routine therapy was conducted in control group. On the basis of routine therapy as control group, Ginkgo-Dipyidamolum was used by intravenous infusions in observation group for 4 weeks. The symptoms and physical sign of patients, and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) were observed.ResultsAfter treatment, clinical symptoms, signs and NCV in observation group improved and were significantly different from that before treatment ( P<0.01), also significantly different from control group ( P<0.01).ConclusionGinkgo-Dipyidamolum can improve the nerve symptoms and signs of patients with DPN, and enhance NCV.

Analysis on the current situation of Mycobacteria other than tuberculosis during 1994-2003 in the old city area of Guangzhou / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the current situation and trend of Mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT) in the old city area of Guangzhou and to provide information for diagnosis, treatment and policy on tuberculosis (TB) control in the city.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Relevant data regarding Mycobacteria culture, species identification and drug-resistance from out-patients under suspicion of having pulmonary tuberculosis seen at our TB and Pulmonary Tumor Control Institute, was analyzed retrospectively during 1994-2003.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total number of 12,634 strains of Mycobacteria were isolated and 794 strains were identified as MOTT which accounted for 6.28% of the isolated strains during the ten years. The annual isolation rates of MOTT were between 3.51% and 10.06%. When compared with 1994, the rates of isolation on MOTT had increased 73.15% in 2003, i.e. from 5.81% in 1994 to 10.06% in 2003. 512 strains were not susceptible at least to rifampin and isoniazid out of 613 MOTT strains tested for drug susceptibility to isoniazid, rifampin, streptomycin sulfate and ethambutol. The average rate of multi-drugs resistance of these strains was 83.5%, and the annual rates were between 71.4% and 93.9%. Based on the results of species identification on 136 strains of MOTT in 2003, most of them belonged to pathogenic/opportunistic species of Mycobacteria. All together, 30 strains of M. abscessus, 26 of M. intracellulare, 17 of M. smegmatis, 14 of M. scrofulaceum, 11 of M. avium, 5 of M. kansasii and M. chelonae and M. fortuitum respectively, 4 of M. nonchromogenicum, 2 of M. triviale and 1 of M. aurum were identified. People at 45 years of age or older, with 55-65 the most, were more susceptible to MOTT than other age groups. Sex ratio was 3.36 to 1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Based on information from the Third National Tuberculosis Epidemiology Survey in 1990 and the Fourth one in 2000, the current situation and trend of MOTT were nearly the same in the old city area of Guangzhou during 1994-2003. However, the rising tendency of rate of isolation, mainly consisted of opportunistic pathogens and the surprisingly high rate of multi-drugs resistance to MOTT all call for special attention. Studies regarding the epidemiology of MOTT should be posed and implemented in the National TB Control Program.</p>

Significance of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and procalcitonin in diagnosis of neonatal septicemia / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Neonatal septicemia is a critical disease in neonatal period. Its incidence among live births is between 1 per thousand and 8 per thousand. Mortality of neonatal septicemia may be as high as 50% for infants who are not treated. The early signs of septicemia in the newborn are generally nonspecific. Blood culture and the other clinical diagnostic measures are not sufficiently sensitive. The present study aimed at evaluating potential use of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosis of septicemia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The experimental group consisted of 50 newborns with septicemia who were treated in Hebei Provincial Children's Hospital from April 1, 2002 to December 30, 2002. Thirty of the 50 cases had positive blood culture. The control group included 35 healthy newborns. Fasting blood samples were taken for bacterial cultures and sICAM-1, CRP, PCT determination. PCT and CRP contents were determined immediately after the specimens were collected. Analyses of sICAM-1 were done after inclusion of the last patient. Serum was separated from each specimen and stored at -20 degrees C within 2 hours. The analyses of sICAM-1 were performed by ELISA technique. CRP was analyzed by immunoturbidimetry assay (ITA). Immunochromatographic test was performed for detection of PCT from 200 ul serum. SPSS 10.0 was used to process the data. P values < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple comparison, chi-square test, paired-samples T test, linear correlation, Spearman correlation analysis, ROC curve were used for statistical analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, Youden's index for sICAM-1, PCT, CRP and WBC count were calculated. These values were compared with each other.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The content of sICAM-1 in control group varied widely from 79 to 1252 ng/ml. Comparison of the data indicated that there was significant difference among the three groups in the content of sICAM-1, CRP and PCT (P < 0.05), but not in WBC count. These markers are considered positive if sICAM-1 >or= 300 ng/ml, CRP >or= 8 mg/l, PCT >or= 2 ng/ml. Their sensitivity was higher than WBC (P < 0.05). Among these indices, PCT has the highest specificity (94.3%), positive predictive (95.6%), negative predictive (82.5%), accuracy (89.4%), and Youden's index (80.3%). (2) No significant difference was found in sICAM-1 between pre- and post-treatment (P > 0.05); however, there was significant difference in CRP and PCT. (3) sICAM-1 was in direct proportion to CRP (r = 0.339,P < 0.01). PCT is correlated with sICAM-1, CRP (the spearman correlation coefficient 0.569, 0.482, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Different individual is in different immune status; The level of sICAM-1 is related with neonatal septicemia. sICAM-1 concentration may be used as a diagnostic tool with high sensitivity (85%) and moderate specificity (54.3%) in neonates suspected of infection. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP (>or= 8 mg/l) were accordingly 87.5% and 54.3%. WBC count had low sensitivity for diagnosis (30.0%); Among these indices, PCT had the highest specificity (94.3%), positive predictive (95.6%), negative predictive (82.5%) Values, accuracy (89.4%), Youden's index (80.3%); No correlation was found between sICAM-1 concentration and their ages in day accordingly. CRP, PCT may be used to estimate the effect of therapy. The correlation of the infectious indices indicates that the body may mobilize many organs at the same time to resist the invasion of organism.</p>

Stool DNA methylation analysis in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the possibility of methylation analysis of secreted frizzled-related protein gene 2 (SFRP2),hyperplastic polyposis protein gene (HPP1) and O~6-methylguanine-DNA methyhransferase gene (MGMT) in feces for screening colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods Total DNA was isolated from fecal samples of 52 patients with colorectal cancer and 35 patients with benign colorectal diseases and 24 normal volunteers,and the methylation status of SFRP2,HPP1 and MGMT was analyzed with methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction.Results SFRP2,HPP1 and MGMT were methylated in 94.2%,71.2%,48.1% of CRCs,respectively.At least one of the three genes was methylated in 96.2% of CRCs and 81.8% of precancerous lesions,respectively.In contrast,of the 24 normal controls,only one had methylated SFRP2.These results indicated 93.7% sensitivity,77.1% specificity,84.3% positive predicative value and 90.2% negative predictive value of the test for detecting CRC and precancerous lesions.Conclusions Methylation analysis of SFRP2,HPP1 and MGMT gene in stool is a high sensitive screening tool for CRC and precancerous lesions.Analysis of fecal DNA methylation is expected to serve as a new detection way for CRC or a new screening tool for individuals at risk of developing colorectal neoplasm.