Polysaccharides from Dendrobium huoshanense stems alleviates lung inflammation in cigarette smoke-induced mice.

The present work investigated the inhibitory activity of the polysaccharide from cultivated Dendrobium huoshanense (cDHP) on lung inflammation in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced mouse model. cDHP was mainly composed of mannose and glucose in a molar ratio of 1.89: 1.00, and had a backbone with linkages of 1,4-Manp, 1,4-Glcp, 1,4,6-Manp and 1-Glcp. Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry analysis showed that cDHP can increase alveolar number, thicken alveolar wall, inhibit pulmonary bulla formation and decrease inflammatory cell infiltration as compared to the model group. ELISA determination revealed that cDHP can inhibit CS-induced enhancement in TNF-α and IL-1ß secretion in serum and lung. These results suggested that cDHP can resist CS-induced lung inflammation. Further, the phosphorylation analysis of p65, IκB, p38 and JNK as well as the DNA binding activity analysis of NF-κB and AP-1 implied that the anti-inflammation function of cDHP is mediated via regulating NF-κB and MAPK signaling.

[Analysis of the risk factors for early death in acute severe traumatic cervical spinal cord injury].

OBJECTIVE: To survey the risk factors for early death of patients with acute severe traumatic cervical spinal cord injury. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data of consecutive patients with acute severe traumatic cervical spinal cord injury admitted from January 1st 1994 to October 1st 2012 were made. The patients died within 30 days or not were allocated for death group or survival group. The risk factors for early death were analyzed through univariate analysis and logistic analysis. RESULTS: Among 1093 patients with acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury, 352 patients with severe injury were included, and the early death rate was 14.49% (51/352). The leading causes of spinal cord injury were vehicle accidents (153 cases) and falls (117 cases). The main causes of early death were respiratory failure (16 cases), multiple organ failure (MOF, 14 cases) and gastrointestinal bleeding (11 cases). Combining the results of univariate and logistic analysis, it was found that high acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II(APACHEII) score [>15, odds ratio (OR)=11.595, P=0.000], high damage level (OR=3.519, P=0.032), hyponatremia (OR=6.316, P=0.000), neurogenic shock (OR=6.209, P=0.000), pulmonary infection (OR=14.627, P=0.000) and tracheostomy (OR=8.983, P=0.000) were risk factors for early death of patients with acute severe traumatic cervical spinal cord injury, however, the impact of gender, age, surgery, fracture and dislocation, high central fever, and administration of steroids on early death of patients with acute severe traumatic cervical spinal cord injury were uncertain. CONCLUSION: The factors reflecting disease severity and occurrence of related complications were more important in predicting the early death among patients with acute severe traumatic cervical spinal cord injury, while the influence of age, surgical manipulation etc. were minor factors.