[Application of Serum Aminoterminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide and Interleukin-6 Levels in Early Diagnosis and Severity Assessment of Preterm Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome].

Objective To evaluate the value of serum aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and interleukin(IL)-6 levels in diagnosis and severity assessment of the preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome(RDS).Methods Totally 150 preterm infants with RDS who were hospitalized in our center from August 2016 to March 2018 were enrolled in this study as the RDS group. These infants were further divided into grades 1,2,3,and 4 according to chest radiography. In addition,158 preterm infants without RDS hospitalized in our center during the same period were included as the controls (control group). Serum NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels were measured by ELISA on days 1,3,and 7 after birth,and their pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was monitored as well.Results Serum NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels in RDS group were significantly higher than those in control group on day 1 (t=-91.04,P=0.000;t=-11.03,P=0.000),day 3 (t=-89.10,P=0.000;t=-9.909,P=0.000),and day 7 (t=-87.91,P=0.000;t=-8.548,P=0.000). There were significant differences in NT-proBNP levels among grades 1,2,3,and 4 on day 1 (F=50.89,P=0.000),day 3 (F=49.16,P=0.000),and day 7 (F=45.45,P=0.000),showing an increasing trend. Serum IL-6 levels showed no significant difference among grades 1,2,3,and 4 on day 1 (F=0.89,P=0.448),day 3 (F=0.76,P=0.518),and day 7 (F=0.85,P=0.469). The PAP of the RDS group on days 1,3,and 7 was (49.3±3.7),(40.1±5.4),and (39.0±2.6)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa),which were significantly higher than those of the control group (35.0±2.7)mmHg (t=-90.01,P=0.000),(30.0±3.1)mmHg (t=-81.90,P=0.000),(26.0±3.0)mmHg (t=-88.89,P=0.000). Thus,there was a positive correlation between NT-proBNP and IL-6 levels (r=0.876,P=0.000) and a positive correlation between NT-proBNP and PAP (r=0.916,P=0.000) in preterm infants with RDS.Conclusion Monitoring serum NT-proBN contributes to early diagnosis and disease severity assessment in preterm infants with RDS.

[Value of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide as a predictive marker of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in predicting symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (sPDA) in preterm infants. METHODS: Preterm infants born at a gestational age (GA) of ≤ 32 weeks and diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by echocardiography within 48 hours after birth between June 2014 and April 2015 were selected as subjects. Their clinical manifestations were observed, and serum NT-proBNP levels were measured and echocardiography was performed at 3 and 5 days after birth. The infants were divided into sPDA group and asymptomatic PDA (asPDA) group based on their clinical manifestations and the results of echocardiography. The correlations between serum NT-proBNP level and echocardiographic indices were analyzed. Serum NT-proBNP levels were compared between the two groups. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to determine the sensitivity and specificity of serum NT-proBNP in the prediction of sPDA. RESULTS: A total of 69 preterm infants were enrolled in this study, with 13 infants in the sPDA group and 56 infants in the asPDA group. Serum NT-proBNP level was positively correlated with the diameter of the arterial duct (r=0.856; P<0.05)and the ratio of left atrial diameter to aortic root diameter (LA/AO) (r=0.713; P<0.05). At 3 and 5 days after birth, the serum NT-proBNP levels in the sPDA group were significantly higher than those in the asPDA group (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the prediction of sPDA by NT-proBNP levels at 3 days after birth was 0.949 (95% CI: 0.892-1.000; P<0.001), with a cut-off value of 27 035 pg/mL (sensitivity: 92.3%; specificity: 94.6%); the AUC for the prediction of sPDA by NT-proBNP levels at 5 days after birth was 0.924 (95% CI: 0.848-1.000; P<0.001), with a cut-off value of 6 411 pg/mL (sensitivity: 92.3%; specificity: 92.9%). CONCLUSIONS: NT-proBNP may be a quantitative index for shunt volume. The measurement of serum NT-proBNP levels on 3 and 5 days after birth may be useful to predict sPDA in preterm infants.

[Terpenoids and sterols from Ricinus communis and their activities against diabetes].

Seven terpenoids and three sterols were isolated from the methanol extracts of the aerial parts of Ricinus communis by chromatography methods and their structures were identified by spectra analysis as ficusic acid( 1), phytol(2), callyspinol(3) , lupeol(4), 30-norlupan-3beta-ol-20-one(5) , lup-20(29)-en-3beta,15alpha-diol(6) , acetylaleuritolic acid( 7), stigmast4-en-3-one(8) , stig-mast-4-en-6beta-ol-3-one(9) , and stigmast4-en-3,6-dione(10). Compounds 1-3 and 5-10 were obtained from this species for the first time and 5 and 6 showed significant inhibitive activity and good selectivity against 11beta-HSD of mouse and human in vitro. [Key words] Ricinus communis; terpenoids; sterols; 11beta-HSD

Use of a collagen membrane loaded with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 with collagen-binding domain for vertical guided bone regeneration.

BACKGROUND: Vertical bone regeneration of severe atrophic alveolar ridges remains a challenging procedure in implant dentistry. METHODS: The aim of this study, accordingly, is to use a rabbit vertical guided bone regeneration model to evaluate whether using a collagen membrane (CM) loaded with small doses of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 with collagen-binding domain (rhBMP-2/CBD) would enhance two-way vertical bone regeneration. In each of eight rabbits, four titanium cylinders were screwed in perforated slits made into the external cortical bones of the calvaria. The following four treatment modalities were randomly allocated: 1) cylinders filled with mineralized bone matrix and covered with CM/rhBMP-2/CBD; 2) cylinders filled with mineralized bone matrix and covered with CM/rhBMP-2; 3) cylinders filled with mineralized bone matrix and covered with CM alone; or 4) cylinders filled with mineralized bone matrix without a membrane cover. RESULTS: After 6 weeks, the new bones were examined by histologic analysis. Slender new bone trabeculae were observed in the superficial layer of the titanium cylinders covered with CM/rhBMP-2/CBD, and higher degrees of bone were observed in this group compared with the other three groups. The average area fraction of newly formed bone was significantly more in the CM/rhBMP-2/CBD group compared with the CM/rhBMP-2, CM, or the no membrane control groups (all P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that CMs loaded with small doses of rhBMP-2/CBD induce new bone formation not only from the surface of the native bone, but also from the superficial structures. The augmented new bone, therefore, is improved in both quantity and quality.