Biomedical subjects

Mei Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Mei Wang.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Silicone rubber: an alternative for repair of articular cartilage defects.

Silicone-rubber implants were used to fill full-thickness articular cartilage in the trochlea area of the knee joint in rabbits, for the purpose of studying the long-term influence of silicone-rubber implant on surrounding articular cartilage. Forty eight weeks after surgery, the silicone rubbers were still fitted tightly into the defects; surrounding cartilage showed mild degeneration, better than the control group. Our results showed silicone-rubber implantation for repairing local articular cartilage defects can effectively delay the pathogenetic progression of osteoarthritis.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Epidemiologic survey of 196 patients with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.

This study examined the cross-sectional medical and social characteristics of children diagnosed with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS). A detailed questionnaire was mailed to all families with a child with CCHS who are affiliated with a family network or support group. The questionnaire response rate was >75% (n=196). Mean age was 10.22 years +/- 6.6 years (SD) (range, 0.4-38 years), with a 1:1 sex ratio. Multisystem involvement was almost universal among the cohort, with Hirschsprung's disease (HD) present in 16.3%; 61.7% of the children had a tracheotomy, but 14.3% were never tracheotomized, with 77 subjects (39.3%) not having a tracheostomy tube at time of survey. Respiratory support approaches varied but clearly reflected the trend towards earlier and more widespread transition to noninvasive ventilatory modalities. Significant developmental problems were noted, but attendance in regular classes occurred in the majority. Significant deficiencies in routine periodic evaluation and management were reported. In addition, the presence of CCHS was associated with a significant financial and psychosocial burden to the families. In conclusion, a comprehensive survey of 196 CCHS children and their families revealed a cross-sectional picture of substantial medical and psychosocial complexities associated with this disorder, and pointed out substantial inadequacies in routine preventive care that appear to impose stress on the families. The emerging trend of earlier transition to noninvasive ventilatory support warrants future studies. Implementation of recommended guidelines for diagnosis and multidisciplinary follow-up of CCHS should ultimately ameliorate the long-term outcome of this lifelong condition.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Protein-to-creatinine ratio in spot urine samples as a predictor of quantitation of proteinuria.

BACKGROUND: Normal individuals usually excrete very small amounts of protein in the urine. Persistently increased protein excretion is usually a marker of kidney damage. Quantifying protein in urine is commonly used in the diagnosis of kidney diseases, detection of treatment effects and evaluation of prognosis. We evaluated the use of the total protein-to-creatinine ratio (P/C) in spot urine specimens as a predictor of urine protein excretion in 24-h collections. METHODS: The correlation between P/C in first morning and random urine specimens and urinary protein excretion in 24-h collections were analyzed. The cutoff value of P/C in first morning urine specimens for screening urinary protein excretion of 1 and 3 g in 24-h collections was determined by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. RESULTS: For patients with Ccr 10 ml/min, the correlation was highly significant. Similar results were obtained for random urine specimens. By ROC curve analysis, the P/C of 0.94 and 2.84 g/gcr in first morning urine specimens represent the best threshold to detect urine protein excretion of 1 and 3 g in 24-h collections, respectively. There is a good correlation between P/C in first morning urine specimens and random urine specimens from inpatients and outpatients. But the P/C in random specimens is significantly higher than that in first morning specimens in outpatients. CONCLUSION: The P/C in spot urine samples could be used as an alternative to urine protein excretion in 24-h collections in patients with Ccr>10 ml/min. The P/C in first morning urine samples is better than that in random specimens, especially for outpatients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Intracarotid verapamil decreases both proximal and distal human cerebrovascular resistance.

BACKGROUND: The authors determined the segmental effects of intracarotid verapamil in human subjects by using a novel method of measuring proximal and distal cerebrovascular resistance. Their hypothesis was that intracarotid verapamil, a calcium channel-blocking drug that augments cerebral blood flow and reverses arterial spasm, would decrease both the proximal-conductance and the distal-arteriolar resistance. METHODS: Coaxial catheters were transfemorally floated into internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries during cerebral angiography. Pressures were recorded in the femoral, internal carotid, and middle cerebral arteries. Hemispheric cerebral blood flow was measured by the intracarotid Xe injection technique. Cerebrovascular resistance was measured for the proximal and distal arteries. Cerebral blood flow and hemodynamic data were recorded during intracarotid infusion of saline and verapamil (1 mg/min) for 5 min. Transcranial Doppler blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery was also recorded. RESULTS: Intracarotid verapamil increased in 133Xe cerebral blood flow from 43 +/- 11 to 59 +/- 11 ml.100 g(-1).min(-1) (P = 0.001; n = 9). The cerebrovascular resistance measured for the proximal and distal arteries decreased from 0.17 +/- 0.95 to 0.12 +/- 0.75 and from 1.63 +/- 0.78 to 1.03 +/- 0.33 mmHg.ml(-1).100 g(-1).min(-1) (P < 0.01), respectively. The calculated proximal-conductive and distal-arteriolar (pial plus parenchymal) resistances showed a similar decrease. Transcranial Doppler measurements (n = 5) underestimated the effects of intracarotid verapamil that were consistent with an increase in middle cerebral artery diameter. CONCLUSIONS: Intracarotid verapamil decreases both the proximal-conductance and the distal-arteriolar resistance. Furthermore, it is feasible to investigate segmental effects of drugs in human subjects by measuring changes in pressure gradients within the cerebral arteries and simultaneous Xe cerebral blood flow measurements.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Inflammation, residual kidney function, and cardiac hypertrophy are interrelated and combine adversely to enhance mortality and cardiovascular death risk of peritoneal dialysis patients.

C-reactive protein (CRP), the prototype marker of inflammation, and cardiac hypertrophy are important prognostic indicators in dialysis patients. Residual renal function (RRF) has also been shown to influence survival of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study examined the relations between inflammation, RRF, and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and determined whether inflammation, RRF, and LVH combine adversely to predict the outcomes of PD patients. A prospective observational study was performed in 231 chronic PD patients. Left ventricular mass index (LVMi), residual glomerular filtration rate (GFR), CRP, hemoglobin, serum albumin, and BP were determined at study baseline and related to outcomes. On univariate analysis, age (P = 0.002), dialysis duration (P = 0.004), coronary artery disease (P < 0.001), pulse pressure (P < 0.001), hemoglobin (P < 0.001), serum albumin (P = 0.032), log-CRP (P < 0.001), and GFR (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with log-LVMi. Log-CRP was positively correlated with pulse pressure (R = 0.218, P = 0.001) and negatively correlated with GFR (R = -0.272, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that log-CRP (P = 0.008) and RRF (P = 0.003) remained associated with log-LVMi independent of hemoglobin, serum albumin, arterial pulse pressure, and coronary artery disease. After follow-up for 30 +/- 14 mo, 34.2% patients had died. CRP, RRF, and LVMi each were significantly predictive of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant increase in all-cause (P < 0.0001) and cardiovascular mortality (P < 0.0001) as the number of risk factors, namely CRP >/=50th percentile, no RRF, and LVMi>/= 50th percentile increased with the 2-yr all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death reaching as high as 61% and 46%, respectively, for patients who had all three risk factors. Compared with patients with none of the three risk factors, those with all three risk factors had an adjusted hazards ratio of 6.94 (P < 0.001) and 5.43 (P = 0.001) for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, respectively. In conclusion, inflammation, RRF, and LVH are interrelated and combine adversely to increase mortality and cardiovascular death risk of PD patients.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Tissue Doppler imaging for predicting outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Tissue Doppler imaging is being increasingly used for assessing global ventricular function in systole and diastole, and for quantifying regional wall motion abnormalities both in systolic heart failure with mechanical dyssynchrony and ischemic heart disease. Its use as a predictive tool is recent and the authors review publications relating to this aspect. RECENT FINDINGS: Peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity is a powerful predictor of outcome in a variety of cardiovascular conditions and adds incremental value to clinical parameters and standard mitral Doppler inflow velocities. Tissue Doppler imaging can also predict the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in asymptomatic individuals carrying the genetic mutation even before the onset of overt left ventricular hypertrophy. In addition, the standard deviation of the time to peak systolic velocity is a good marker of mechanical asynchrony and can predict reverse remodeling. It may also be useful in identifying individuals with ischemic heart disease and regional wall motion abnormalities who have an adverse outcome. SUMMARY: Tissue Doppler imaging is a powerful new echocardiographic tool that is now becoming the standard for assessing ventricular function in a variety of situations and diseases.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial↗

PubMed2004

Retinal discoloration test.

There are considerable variations in the size and the origin of internal carotid arteries (ICAs) of New Zealand white rabbits. A simple test that could correctly identify the ICA could facilitate intracarotid delivery of drugs and embolic material for research in these animals. Five conventional methods for identifying the ICA proved inferior to a novel retinal discoloration test (RDT). A positive RDT implies a change in color of the retinal reflex after injection of 0.2 mL of indigo-carmine blue (ICB). We conclude that RDT is a useful test for correctly identifying and isolating the ICA in this animal species.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Validation of a multisegment foot and ankle kinematic model for pediatric gait.

This paper reports the development, accuracy, reliability, and validation protocol of a four-segment pediatric foot and ankle model. The four rigid body segments include: 1) tibia and fibula; 2) hindfoot--talus, navicular, and calcaneus; 3) forefoot--cuboid, cuneiforms, and metatarsals; and 4) hallux. A series of Euler rotations compute relative angles between segments. Validation protocol incorporates linear and angular testing for accuracy and reliability. Linear static system resolution is greatest in the Y orientation at 0.10 +/- 0.14 mm and 0.05 level of significance and 99.96% accuracy. Dynamic linear resolution and accuracy are 0.43 +/- 0.39 mm and 99.8%, respectively. Angular dynamic resolution computes to 0.52 +/- 3.36 degrees at 99.6% accuracy. These calculations are comparable to the Milwaukee adult foot and ankle model.

Ankle↗

PubMed2004

Electrocerebral silence by intracarotid anesthetics does not affect early hyperemia after transient cerebral ischemia in rabbits.

UNLABELLED: Evidence suggests that early postischemic hyperemia is mediated by both neurological and vascular mechanisms. We hypothesized that if neuronal activity were primarily responsible for reperfusion hyperemia, then electrocerebral silence induced by intracarotid anesthetics (propofol and pentothal) would attenuate the hyperemic response. New Zealand white rabbits were subjected to 10 min of cerebral ischemia using bilateral carotid occlusion and systemic hypotension. Subsequently, carotid occlusion was released, and the mean arterial blood pressure was increased to baseline values. In the control group, intracarotid saline was periodically injected during reperfusion. In the treatment groups, intracarotid propofol or thiopental was administered to maintain electrocerebral silence for 10 min. Physiological data were measured at baseline, during ischemia, and at reperfusion. Satisfactory data were available for 16 of 19 rabbits. Mean arterial blood pressure, end-tidal CO(2), and cerebral blood flows decreased significantly in both groups during carotid occlusion. During early reperfusion, a similar percent increase in cerebral blood flow from baseline values was observed in all 3 groups (192% +/- 76%, 218% +/- 84%, and 185% +/- 101% for saline, propofol, and pentothal, respectively). These results suggest that suppression of neuronal activity during reperfusion does not affect early hyperemia after transient cerebral ischemia. IMPLICATIONS: Intracarotid injection of anesthetic drugs in doses that are sufficient to produce electrocerebral silence do not obtund early cerebral hyperemia after transient cerebral ischemia. This suggests that vascular, not neuronal mechanisms, are primarily responsible for early postischemic cerebral hyperperfusion.

Anesthetics, Intravenous↗

PubMed2004

Treatment of hematologic malignancies with alternate hemibody irradiation combined with high-dose chemotherapy: a single-center experience.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of the treatment of hematologic malignancies with alternate hemibody irradiation (AHBI) combined with high-dose chemotherapy. Seventeen patients with hematologic malignancies were treated with AHBI combined with high-dose chemotherapy. Following high-dose chemotherapy, upper hemibody irradiation (UHBI) and lower hemibody irradiation (LHBI) were given sequentially in a dose of 6 to 9 Gy. UHBI was given 14 days (range, 12-22 days) after high-dose chemotherapy, and LHBI was performed 23 days (range, 7-34 days) after UHBI. Meanwhile, we treated a control group of 14 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). Hematopoietic reconstitution was observed in all of the patients. The median follow-up period was 927 days (range, 428-1446 days). The 3-year probabilities of disease-free survival (DFS) were 52.38% +/- 13.47% for the patients in complete remission who underwent AHBI. No patient died of AHBI-related toxicity. The 3-year DFS rates for the 2 groups of patients with ALL were not significantly different (47.73% +/- 17.55% in the AHBI group and 53.88% +/- 14.08% in the AHSCT group; P > .05). AHBI combined with high-dose chemotherapy is a feasible approach for patients with hematologic malignancies and has the advantages of a desirable effectiveness, low costs, simple operation, and acceptable side effects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

[Expression of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in stomach cancer and their correlation with Helicobacter pylori infection].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The carcinogenesis of gastric carcinoma is related to many factors. Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is one of the factors causing gastric carcinoma, but the exact molecular mechanism is not clear. Mismatch repair genes are important in keeping the accuracy of DNA replication. They are associated with carcinogenesis of alimentary canal. In order to investigate the role of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in stomach cancer and the possible mechanism of carcinogenesis caused by HP infection, we tested cancer tissue, surrounding mucosa and chronic superficial gastritic mucosa with and without HP infection. METHODS: HP infection was determined with quick-ureolytase method. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to exam the expression of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in tumor tissue and their surrounding mucosa and gastric mucosa. Chi-square was used for statistic analysis. RESULTS: The positive rate (67.1%) of hMSH2 expression in cancer tissue was significantly higher than those of surrounding mucosa (35.5%) and gastritic mucosa (42.1%) (P< 0.05); the positive rate (81.1%) of hMSH2 expression in poor differentiation group was significantly higher than those in well middle differentiation group (54.5%) and mucoid carcinoma group (54.5%) (P< 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the latter two groups. There was no significant difference among the positive rates of hMLH1 expression in cancer tissue (81.6%), in surrounding mucosa (90.8%), and in gastritic mucosa (89.5%) (P>0.05). The positive rate (47.1%) of hMLH1 expression in mucoid carcinoma group was significantly higher than those in well middle differentiation group (81.8%) and poor differentiation group (97.3%) (P< 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the latter two groups (P>0.05). In cancer tissue, the positive rate (56.8%) of hMSH2 expression in HP infection group was significantly lower than that without HP infection group (81.3%) (P< 0.05); the positive rates of hMLH1 expression was 77.2% in HP infection group and 87.5% in without HP infection group, but there was no significant difference between two groups (P >0.05). In surrounding mucosa, the positive rate of hMSH2 expression was 29.5% in HP infection group and 43.8% in without HP infection group, as well as those of hMLH1 were 86.4% and 96.9%, there were no significant differences between the groups. In gastritic mucosa, the positive rate of hMSH2 expression was 38.5% in HP infection group and 50.5% in HP-negative group, as well as those of hMLH1 were 88.5% and 91.7%; there was no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: The expression of hMSH2 is associated with carcinogenesis of stomach cancer, and its high expression may be a potential marker of stomach cancer; HP infection inducing low expression of hMSH2 and hMLH1 may be one of molecular mechanisms by which HP infection leads to stomach cancer.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2004

[Second allogeneic transplant for leukemia relapsed after first allogeneic transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of second allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for treatment of leukemia relapsed after first allo-HSCT. METHODS: Nine patients with relapsed acute leukemia (5 AML, 4 ALL) and one with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) who showed cytogenetic relapse after first allo-HSCT received second allo-HSCT. The median relapse time from the first allo-HSCT was 141 days. Conditioning regimens for second allo-HSCT were combination chemotherapy based on moderate-dose Ara-C (n = 5), Bu (n = 3), conventional-dose Ara-C (n = 1) and Flud/Mel (n = 1). Prophylaxis for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) were CsA alone (n = 2), CsA/MTX (n = 1), FK506 (n = 1), and no prophylaxis in 6. The median number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells transfused was 6.1 x 10(8)/kg. RESULTS: Eight cases were evaluable. All of them were engrafted and 7 developed aGVHD (grade I 4, grade II 3). The median time for absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > 0.5 x 10(9)/L and platelets > 20 x 10(9)/L were 11 and 12 days, respectively. Five cases developed localized chronic GVHD. Of all the 10 cases received second allo-HSCT, 8 died from interstitial pneumonia (n = 2), multiple-organ failure (n = 1), sepsis (n = 1), fungous pneumonia (n = 1), and leukemia relapse (n = 3), and 2 survived without leukemia for +986 and +1913 days, respectively. The leukemia free survival, transplantation related mortality and relapse rate at 2 year were 20%, 50% and 30%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Second allo-HSCT is a therapeutic alternative for selected patients with relapsed leukemia after first allo-HSCT.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[Preliminary study on alternative half body irradiation in the treatment of hematological malignancies].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the curative effect of alternative half body irradiation (AHBI) in the treatment of hematological malignancies. METHODS: Seventeen patients with hematological malignancies in complete remission received a high-dose chemotherapy, followed by a two-step AHBI on day 14 (12 approximately 22), upper (UHBI) and lower half body irradiation (LHBI) were sequentially given with each a single dose of 6 approximately 9 Gy at an interval of 23 (7 approximately 34) days. Fourteen received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) during the same period were chosen as control. RESULTS: Hematopoiesis recovery was observed in all the AHBI patients. The 3-year disease free survival (DFS) rate and the AHBI-related mortality were (52.38 +/- 13.47)% and 0, respectively. The longest survival time was 1446 days with a median follow-up period of 927 (428 approximately 1446) days. The 3-year DFS for the 11 acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patients was (47.73 +/- 17.55)%. By contrast, the 3-year DFS and the AHSCT-related mortality for the 14 ALL patients in the control AHSCT group were (53.88 +/- 14.08)% and 14%, respectively. There was no significant difference in 3-year DFS between AHBI and AHSCT ALL patients. CONCLUSIONS: AHBI provides a feasible approach for hematological malignancy patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

[The incidence and prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 81 hemodialysis units in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To study the situation of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infection in the hemodialysis units in Beijing. METHODS: Eighty-one hemodialysis units were investigated on the incidence and preventive measures for SARS from March to July 2003 by a standardized investigation form. RESULTS: (1) Seven hemodialysis patients were diagnosed as SARS clinically and account for 0.24% of total 2885 hemodialysis patients in these units in Beijing. Among the 7 SARS patients, 3 recovered from SARS and 4 died. No case was infected within the hemodialysis units. No SARS case or suspected case was found in the health care workers in hemodialysis units. (2) Additional disinfected measures were carried out in all the hemodialysis units. 98.8% (80/81) of them did not reuse the dialyzer. (3) 98.8% (80/81) of the hemodialysis units developed education about preventing SARS among hemodialysis patients. Before dialysis treatment patients must take temperature, change specific clothes and shoes in over 90% of the hemodialysis units. (4) All health care workers in the hemodialysis units wore hats and gauze masks and 93.7% (74/79) of them wore gloves. Eye shield was worn in 22.8% (18/79) of the dialysis units centers. CONCLUSIONS: No ARS case was infected within the hemodialysis units in Beijing. Intensified disinfection of surroundings, self-protection for health care workers and education for patients in personal hygiene habit may be helpful to prevention of SARS in hemodialysis units.

China↗

PubMed2004

[Comparison of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for 140 patients with de novo acute leukemia in first complete remission].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of patients with de novo acute leukemia (AL, no AML-M(3)) in CR(1) undergone autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) or HLA-identical sibling allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT). METHODS: Forty-six AL patients received allo-HSCT and 94 received auto-HSCT in CR(1). The conditioning regimens mainly consisted of TBICy, BuCy and MAC. Cyclosporine plus methotrexate, or cyclosporine alone, or FK506 alone was used for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Among auto-HSCT group, 39 patients received purged autologous bone marrow and 38 received immunotherapy and/or maintenance chemotherapy after transplant. RESULTS: Myeloid reconstitution was achieved in all patients. After a median of 700 (range, 18 approximately 5563) days follow-up, the probabilities of leukemia-free survival (LFS) at 5 year were not significantly different in these two groups: (51.5 +/- 5.4)% for auto-HSCT group and (52.8 +/- 7.6)% for allo-HSCT group (P > 0.05). There was a lower cumulative relapse incidence (RI) [(26.3 +/- 6.9)% vs. (52.0 +/- 5.5)%, P > 0.05] but a significantly higher cumulative transplant-related mortality (TRM) [(37.6 +/- 7.8% vs. (14.4 +/- 4.1)%, P < 0.05] in the allo-HSCT group than in auto-HSCT group. Among auto-HSCT group, the patients received purged autografts and/or post-transplant therapy had significantly better LFS and lower RI (P < 0.05) than those received unpurged autografts or no post-transplant treatments [5-y LFS: (62.8 +/- 6.8)% and (38.4 +/- 8.4)%; RI: (37.7 +/- 6.8)% and (74.2 +/- 8.7)%, respectively]. CONCLUSION: The long-term LFS of auto-HSCT was comparable to that of allo-HSCT in the management of patients with AL in CR(1), because autograft purging and post-transplant treatment can significantly decrease relapse of auto-HSCT patients and auto-HSCT has lower therapy-related toxicities.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2004

[Assessment of total body water of patients on hemodialysis with urea kinetic model].

OBJECTIVE: To propose a method to evaluate the total body water (TBW) of patients on hemodialysis with urea kinetic model (UKM), and compare it with body surface bio-impedance spectrum (BIS) analysis. METHODS: We enrolled 24 adult patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) without hyper-catabolism in our dialysis center. All of them had been on hemodialysis for more than 3 months. TBW was measured with BIS analysis immediately before and after dialysis session, and one hour after hemodialysis session. Spent dialysate was collected; blood samples were taken before and one hour after hemodialysis session, TBW before hemodialysis session were calculated by UKM. RESULTS: Patients were 6 men and 18 women, the average age was (51.2+/-13.5) years and the average time on dialysis was (33.2+/-36.7) months. Causes of ESRD included chronic glomerulonephritis (8 patients), diabetic nephropathy (1 patients), hypertensive renal damage (1 patients), interstitial nephritis(two patients), chronic pyelonephritis (two patients). The average ultrafiltration volume was (2.7+/-1.0) L (0.5-4.4 L) . Plasma urea concentrations were (23.06+/-5.76) mmol/L and (8.15+/-2.06) mmol/L before and one hour after hemodialysis session, respectively. There was no significant difference between TBW measured immediately after and one hour after hemodialysis session with BIS analysis [(29.9+/-8.8) L and (29.8+/-8.6) L, respectively; average difference was (0.1+/-0.9)L, P=0.70]. These two measurements correlated very well (Pearson r=0.99, P<0.05). There was no significant difference between UKM and BIS analysis [(31.4+/-7.3) L and (31.3+/-8.6) L, respectively; average difference was (0.2+/-4.5) L, P=0.87]. Results of these two methods correlated very well (Pearson r=0.86, r(2)=0.73,P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: TBW measured with UKM in patients on hemodialysis provides theoretic basis for fluid status evaluation and dry body weight assessment.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[Study on optimizing the extraction process of total free organic acids in Pinellia ternate Breit].

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the extraction process of total free organic acids in Pinellia ternate Breit. METHOD: The optimum extraction was investigated by total free organic acids determined by direct potential titration. The concentration of ethanol, amount of ethanol, extraction time and extraction times were the four factors in the experiment. RESULTS: The optimum extraction process was adding 10 times amount of 75% ethanol, refluxing for 2 times, 1 h each time. CONCLUSION: This extraction process shows higher yield of total free organic acids in Pinellia ternate Breit and is available for industrial production.

Acids↗

PubMed2004

[T-bet gene expression in acute graft versus host disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of T-bet [a T helper 1 (Th1) lymphocyte transcription factor] gene expression in predicting acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and evaluate the correlation between T-bet gene and aGVHD. METHODS: Twenty patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo. HSCT) entered this study. The expression of T-bet gene was examined with reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in bone marrow samples collected from patients on the day before conditioning, and day 0, day 14, day 28, and day 42 after HSCT. RESULTS: The expression level of T-bet in patients developed aGVHD was increased compared with that before conditioning (P = 0.043). The incidence of aGVHD was 91.7% in patients whose T-bet expression level was increased on day 14 after transplant while was 12.5% in those whose T-bet gene expression level was not increased on that day (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with increased expression levels of T-bet after allo-HSCT may have an increased possibility to develop aGVHD. T-bet expression level may serve as an advisable guide to the clinician in predicting aGVHD and monitoring treatment.

Adolescent↗