The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and hemoglobin levels with disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to explore their clinical significance in predicting SLE. The present study included 212 patients with SLE and 201 healthy controls. All the clinical characteristics were collected from their medical records. The results revealed that the NLR was elevated and the hemoglobin level was markedly decreased in the patients with SLE compared with the healthy controls. NLR was positively correlated with the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), whereas it was not correlated with C3 or C4. The hemoglobin level was negatively correlated with SLEDAI-2K, ESR and CRP and positively correlated with C3 and C4. In addition, NLR [EXP(B)=1.986; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.432-2.753; P=0.001] and hemoglobin [EXP(B)=0.947; 95% CI, 0.929-0.965; P=0.001] were independent predictive factors of SLE. The optimal NLR cut-off value for predicting SLE was 2.075, with 71.14% sensitivity and 69.57% specificity, whereas the optimal hemoglobin cut-off value was 131.5 mg/l, with 75.79% sensitivity and 77.98% specificity. In addition, high NLR together with low hemoglobin levels and high NLR or low hemoglobin levels had increased positive predictive values (86.05 and 66.95, respectively). High NLR with low hemoglobin levels and high NLR or low hemoglobin levels also had higher sensitivity (64.91 and 92.40, respectively) and specificity (64.91 and 18.95, respectively), compared with high NLR alone or low hemoglobin alone. In conclusion, NLR and hemoglobin may reflect SLE disease activity and may be used as markers for predicting the outcome of SLE.

We investigated the association between serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and stroke recurrence events in a cohort of patients with acute ischemic stroke (IS). We prospectively studied 286 patients with acute IS who were admitted within 24 h after the onset of symptoms. Serum levels of hs-CRP, and National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) were measured at admission. The primary endpoint was stroke recurrence 1 year after stroke onset. We used logistic regression models to assess the relationship between hs-CRP levels and the risk of recurrent stroke. In multivariable models, hs-CRP levels were associated with an increased risk of an NIHSS greater than 6 [odds ratio=1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.05-1.48; P=0.021]. Among the participants, stroke recurrence was found in 48 (16.8%) cases. In multivariate analyses, the third and fourth quartiles of hs-CRP were significantly associated with stroke recurrence during the observation period compared with the first quartile group (P<0.01). In addition, the hs-CRP level in the highest quartile was associated with a higher risk of stroke recurrence (odds ratio=2.75; 95% CI=1.62-3.92; P=0.006). Hs-CRP (area under the curve=0.71; 95% CI=0.64-0.79) improved the ability of the NIHSS score to diagnose stroke recurrence (area under the curve of the combined model 0.78; 95% CI=0.73-0.84; P<0.01). Serum levels of hs-CRP at admission predicted the future stroke recurrence in patients with IS.

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In this study, a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method coupled with gas chromatography with electron capture detection was established to determine dimethachlon residues in paddy soil, rice husk, rice straw, brown rice and cooked rice. The limits of quantification of dimethachlon were 0.01 mg/kg for paddy soil, brown rice and cooked rice and 0.02 mg/kg for rice straw and rice husk. The mean recoveries were in the range 78.59-104.7% with relative standard deviation values of <10% for dimethachlon in the five matrices. For field experiments, the final residues of dimethachlon in paddy soil were < 0.05 mg/kg and were < 1.21 mg/kg in rice straw from six sites. The final residues of dimethachlon in the brown rice at 21, 28 and 35 days after spraying from six sites were 0.08-7.58 mg/kg, and 0.16-30.1 mg/kg in rice husk. Our six test sites covered the main rice-producing areas of China. The routine rice cooking process of a Chinese family could apparently increase the removal of dimethachlon in rice compared with brown rice, and the reduction ratios were > 96%.