Inflammation-based different association between anatomical severity of coronary artery disease and lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with cancer. The role of inflammation in the association of CAD with cancer remains unclear. The study investigated whether inflammation could impact the relationship between CAD and lung cancer. METHODS: The study involved 96 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients without receiving anti-cancer therapy and 288 matched non-cancer patients. All the patients underwent coronary angiography and were free from previous percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting. SYNTAX score (SXscore) were used to assess severity of CAD. High SXscore (SXhigh) grade was defined as SXscore > 16 (highest quartile). Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) served as an inflammatory biomarker. NLR-high grade referred to NLR > 2.221 (median). RESULTS: Among 384 study patients, 380 patients (98.96%) had NLR value (median: 2.221, interquartile range: 1.637-3.040). Compared to non-cancer patients, lung cancer patients had higher rate of SXhigh among total study patients (P = 0.014) and among patients with NLR-high (P = 0.006), but had not significantly higher rate of SXhigh among patients with NLR-low (P = 0.839). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SXhigh was associated with lung cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 1.834, 95% CI: 1.063-3.162, P = 0.029]. Subgroup analysis showed that SXhigh was associated with lung cancer among patients with NLR-high (OR = 2.801, 95% CI: 1.355-5.794, P = 0.005), however, the association between SXhigh and lung cancer was not significant among patients with NLR-low (OR = 0.897, 95% CI: 0.346-2.232, P = 0.823). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation could lead different association between anatomical severity of CAD and lung cancer. Severity of CAD was significantly associated with increased risk of lung cancer among patients with high inflammation rather than among patients with low inflammation.

Does the Relationship Between Bone Cement and the Intravertebral Cleft of Kummell Disease Affect the Efficacy of PKP?

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between distribution of bone cement and intravertebral cleft of patients with Kummell disease on the clinical effect of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). METHODS: According to the relationship between the distribution of bone cement and the cleft in the vertebrae, a total of 92 patients with Kummell disease who underwent PKP in our hospital were divided into 2 groups. Specifically, the bone cement of patients in group A was localized in the cleft of the vertebrae and did not infiltrate around the cleft, while that of group B patients not only filled the cleft of the vertebrae, but also distributed diffusely around the cleft of the vertebrae. The amount of bone cement injected, leakage rate, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and vertebral imaging changes before operation, and 2 days and 1 year after operation were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The amount of bone cement injected and the permeability of bone cement in group B were higher than those in group A (P < 0.05). The scores of VAS and ODI in both groups were significantly improved after operation, but the two scores in group B were better than those in group A one year after operation. The height of anterior vertebral body and Cobb's angle of kyphosis in the 2 groups were significantly improved after operation, but 1 year after operation, those in group B were better than those in group A. CONCLUSIONS: PKP was an effective method for treating Kummell disease. At the same time, the relationship between the distribution of bone cement and the cleft in the vertebral body was an important factor affecting the curative effect after PKP. The effect of the distribution pattern of bone cement filled with intravertebral cleft and diffusely distributed around the fissures was better than that of bone cement confined in the vertebral cleft.

Effect of Magnesium Hydroxide and Aluminum Hydroxide on the Thermal Stability, Latent Heat and Flammability Properties of Paraffin/HDPE Phase Change Blends.

In this study, paraffin was selected as the phase change material (PCM) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as the supporting material to prepare a flame-retardant PCM system. The system consisted of paraffin, HDPE, expanded graphite (EG), magnesium hydroxide (MH) and aluminum hydroxide (ATH). The thermal stability and flame retardancy were studied by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cone calorimeter test (CONE). The SEM proved that the addition of MH and ATH can produce an oxide film on the surface of the composite material and form a "physical barrier" with the char layer, generated by the expansion of EG, preventing the transfer of heat and oxygen. The TGA test showed that, compared with other flame-retardant systems, the materials with added MH and ATH have a higher thermal stability and carbonization ability, and the amount of char residue has increased from 17.6% to 32.9%, which reduces the fire risk of the material. The flame retardant effect is obvious. In addition, the addition of MH and ATH has no significant effect on the phase transition temperature and latent heat value of PCMs. The CONE data further confirmed that MH and ATH can work with EG to prevent heat release, reduce the total heat release rate (THR) value and effectively suppress the generation of smoke, CO and CO2. The peak heat release rate (PHRR) value also decreased, from 1570.2 kW/m2 to 655.9 kW/m2.

[Dynamic Changes of Fast Spin-echo T 2 Weighted Images Displayed Topical Reactions to Micro-invasive Catgut-embedment of Zusanli (ST 36) in Healthy Volunteer Subjects].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the duration of local reactions after subcutaneous micro-invasive catgut-embedding stimulation in Zusanli(ST 36) region in normal human body by using magnetic resonance (MR) T 2-mapping, so as to find a reasonable interval between every two catgut-embedding performance. METHODS: A total of 8 normal volunteers (3 women, and 5 men) were enrolled in the present study. Before and 8 h, and 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after the subcutaneous micro-invasive embedment of catgut (Gauge 2.0, 2 cm long) in the left Zusanli (ST 36) area, the local T 2-weighted images (T 2 WI) and fat-suppression T 2-weighted images (FS T 2 WI) were detected and recorded by using MR scan (GE Optima MR 360 1.5 T) and analyzed using FuncTool software. RESULTS: Compared with pre-catgut-embedment, the local signal strength of T 2 FS WI and T 2 relaxation time began to rise on the 8th hour after catgut-embedment, peaked on the 3rd day, began to descend on the 7th day, but being still higher than pre-embedment, and turned to the normal level on the 21st day to the 35th day. Results of statistical analysis displayed that compared with pre-catgut-embedment, T 2 relaxation time levels were significantly higher on the 8th h, day 3, 7 and 14 after the embedment (P<0.01), and were comparable to that of pre-embedment on day 21, 28 and 35 (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Catgut-embedment of Zusanli (ST 36) induces an apparent change of MRI signals from the 8th h to the 14th day in normal volunteer subjects, suggesting that an interval of 21 days may be reasonable for the micro-invasion catgut-embedment in clinical practice.

[Effects of ear point needle embedding therapy on memory disorder and expression of beta-amyloid protein in the rat of vascular dementia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of auricular acupuncture for improvement of learning and memory disorders in the rat of vascular dementia (VD). METHODS: The vascular dementia rat model was made by 4-vessel occlusion method. Four groups, a sham operation group, a normal control group, a model group and an auricular acupuncture group were set up. After acupuncture was given at auricular points, Brain and Kidney. Immunohistochemical analysis, behavioural observation and computer image analysis were made. RESULTS: Auricular acupuncture could decrease significantly the beta-amyloid protein (A beta) immunoreactivive neurons and increase its average optical density in the parietal cortex of the VD rats (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Auricular acupuncture can reduce or inhibit the over-production of Abeta in the brain, so as to improve the learning and memory capacity of the VD model rat.

[Effects of acupoint thread implantation and Chinese herb on PTH and TGF-beta1 in the rate of chronic renal failure].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the mechanisms of thread implantation at Zusanli(ST 36) and Chinese herbs in treatment of chronic renal failure(CRF). METHODS: CRF rat model was made by Platt subtotal nephrectomy. They were divided into 5 groups, sham operation group, model group, Chinese herbs group, thread implantation group and thread implantation plus Chinese herbs group. After treatment of 8 weeks, serum parathyroid hormone (PHT), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) expression in residual renal cells, malondialdehyde(MDA) content in the residual renal tissue, serum urea nitrogen(BUN) and creatinine(Scr), protein in urine and pathological changes were investigated. RESULTS: The above indexes after treatment by thread implantation at acupoint, Chinese herbs, and acupoint thread implantation plus Chinese herbs showed begin reversion, especially, the most obviously improvement in the acupoint thread implantation plus Chinese herbs treatment group. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of acupoint thread implantation and Chinese herbs in improvement of CRF is related with decrease of PTH, inhibition of TGF-beta1 expression, decrease of MDA content and resisting lesion of renal fibrosis.

[Monoclonal antibodies prepared and used for detection of acute virus necrobiotic disease virus in scallop Chlamys farreri by indirect ELISA].

For developing monoclonal antibodies against acute virus necrobiotic disease (AVND) virus, mice of Balb/c strain were immunized with AVND virions which were isolated from the infected scallop Chlamys farreri. The spleen cells from immunized mice were then fused with NS-1 myeloma cells and the hybridomas were screened by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Finally, 4 stable MAbs of IgG isotype were obtained. Moreover, the combined position of these 4 MAbs to this virus was examined by immunogold electron microscopy (IEM). The results demonstrate that all 4 MAbs recognized epitopes on the envelope of the virions. Subsequently, a MAb-based ELISA was developed and used for detection of the infection rate and densities of the scallops which were sampled during different seasons from mid-April to mid-October, 2003. The result exhibited that both of the infection rate and infection densities sharply rose in mid-July and reached to the spikes, which right corresponds with their mortality during this period.