Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung Diseases ; Pulmonary Artery ; Thrombosis

Objective:To investigate the changes in plasma ET-1 and ANF in IDDM and its microvascular complication.Methods:The plasma levels of ET-1 and ANF were measured by radioimmunoassy in 31 patients with IDDM and 25 normal controls.Results:The plasma levels of ET-1 and ANF significantly increased in IDDM compared with the normal controls (P<0.01);and the levels were also markedly higher in diabetics with microangiopathy complications than in those withou the complications (P<0.01).The more kinds of microangiopathey complications,the higher level of the plasma ET-1 and ANF,which suggests that the elevation of plasma ET-1 and ANF may be concerned with the microangiopathy and ET-1 may reflect the degree of vascular endothelial cell damage.There were no significant correlation between plasma ET-1 or ANF and blood glucose,fructosamine and C-peptide,but the plasma levels of ET-1 and ANF both correlated with the duration of diabetes mellitus.And the plasma level of ET-1 positively correlated with ANF1 (P<0.01).Conclusion:The results of study suggest that ET-1 and ANF are both associated with the development,progress and severity of microvascular complications.

Objective To explore the association between urinary lactate/creatinine ratio and neonatal asphyxia,and to clarify the application value of urinary lactate/creatinine ratio in forecasting the hypoxie-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)in neonates.Methods Using case-control study design method,40 cases of neonatal asphyxia infants were selected as asphyctic group and 40 healthy infants were used as control group.The urinary lactate/creatinine ratio in the first day after birth, urinary N-Acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG)/creatinine and the score of Apgar of 80 infants were detected.The relationship between the urinary lactate/creatinine ratio,urinary NAG/creatinine ratio, as well as the score of Apgar and HIE were analyzed and compared in asphyctic group and control group.Results The Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min in asphyctic group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.01). The urinary lactate/creatinine ratio and urinary NAG/creatinine ratio in asphyctic group 1 d after birth were significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.01).There was significantly negative correlation between the urinary lactate/creatinine ratio and the 1-min and 5-min Apgar scores(r=-0.636,P<0.001;r=-0.883,P<0.01),but there was a significantly positive correlation between the urinary lactate/creatinine ratio and urinary NAG/creatinine ratio(r=0.433,P<0.01).Conclusion The urinary lactate/creatinine ratio may have decisive roles in prognosis evaluation of neonatal asphyxia,and so as the important foundation for the prediction of HIE.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the gene polymorphism cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14)-159C/T (rs2569190),and interleukin-8 (IL-8)-251A/ T (rs4073)and the susceptibility of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC),to clarify the influencing factors of susceptibility of NEC and to provide genetics theory basis for the research on the pathogenesis of NEC. Methods:Total 28 newborns with NEC and 41 newborns without NEC were selected.The amplification of peripheral blood DNA was conducted by PCR.The genotypic and allelic frequencies of CD14-159C/T and IL-8-251A/T of the patients were detected by Sanger DNA sequencing method. The relationship between them and the susceptibility of NEC was studied.Results:The distribution of genotypic frequencies of CD14-159C/T and IL-8-251A/T was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P >0.05).There were no significant differences of the allelic and genotypic frequencies of CD14-159C/T,or genotypic frequencies of IL-8-251A/T between two groups (P >0.05).While in NEC group,the T allelic frequency of IL-8-251A/T site was higher than that in control group (χ2 = 4.184, P = 0.041, OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.03 - 4.46 ). Conclusion:The polymorphism of CD14-159C/T is irrelevant to the pathogeny of NEC,but T allelic frequency of IL-8-251A/T site might be related to the susceptibility of NEC.So T allele in IL-8-251A/T may be one of the danger factors of NEC.

Objective To study the effects on berberine hydrochloride on the mitochondria membrane potential and free intracellular calcium of HaCaT cells, and elucidate the mechanism of action of berberine on keratinocytes. Methods Rhodamine-123 fluorescence (very sensitive to mitochondria membrane potential) and Fluo-3/AM fluorescence (suitabe to detect free intracellular calcium in single HaCaT cell) were measured by laser scanning confocal technique. Results Fluo-3/AM fluorescence intensity of HaCaT cells was persistently increased after treating with berberine at concentrations of 5 ? 10-5M, 2.5 ? 10-5M and 1.25 ? 10-5M, and significant differences were observed as compared with the PBS control. The intensity of rhodamine-123 fluorescence in HaCaT cells was decreased immediately when exposed to berberine, with significant difference from that of the PBS control. Conclusions It is suggested that berberine could increase free intracellular calcium and decrease mitochondria membrane potential of HaCaT cells, induce overload of intracellular calcium, influence energy metabolism, and then inhibit the proliferation of keratinocytes.

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution and dynamic change of coumarins in the leaf and root of Dendrobium thyrsiflorum at different developmental stages, and provide an experimental evidence for utilizing the medicinal plant.

METHODThe leaf and root materials were collected at vegetative and reproductive stage. By applying laser scanning confocal microscopy, relative quantity of coumarins of each sample was observed and analyzed.

RESULTCoumarins located in D. thyrsiflorum leaf except fibers in vascular bundles which were close to the upper or lower epidermis. Coumarins were found in D. thyrsiflorum root structure at different developmental stages and walls of cells within cortex were especial appropriate places for the components distribution. Relative quantity of coumarins was changed obviously when plant was growing. The components reached the highest level during profuse flowering period whereas there were less coumarins at vegetative period and little during initial fruit period.

CONCLUSIONIn order to utilize D. thyrsiflorum reasonably and thoroughly, coumarins should be extracted from the plant leaf and root.

Coumarins ; metabolism ; Dendrobium ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Plant Leaves ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; metabolism ; Time Factors

Background and purpose:Nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) is an albumin-bound form of paclitaxel that utilizes the natural properties of albumin to improve paclitaxel delivery to the tumor. It has recently been approved for treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within short time after adjuvant chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efifcacy and safety of albumin-bound paclitaxel in patients with aggressive and refractory metastatic breast cancer (MBC).Methods:A total of 58 patients with MBC were enrolled into this study from Jul. 2009 to Jan. 2014. All patients received albumin-bound paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. The adverse reactions were evaluated every cycle, and the short-term response was evaluated every two cycles. The patients were followed-up, and the survival was analyzed.Results:58 patients with refractory MBC were evaluable for response, 67.2% of patients received multiple line (≥3 lines) chemotherapy, 32.8% of patients with first and second line of chemotherapy were involved metastasis within one year after adjuvant chemotherapy, 84.5% of patients with visceral metastasis and 93.1% with prior taxane treatment. The objective response rate (ORR) was 13.8%, and disease control rate (DCR) was 60.3%, the median progression free survival (PFS) was 4.0 months, and the overall survival (OS) was 10.1 months. For 23 patients with triple negative breast cancer, ORR was 13.0% and DCR was 56.5%, the median PFS was 4.1 months, and OS was 6.6 months. The main toxicity was myelosuppression (grades 3 and 4 neutropenia, anemia and thombocytopenia were seen in 34.5%, 12.1% and 6.9% of patients, respectively), gastrointestinal reactions, sensory neuropathy, myodynia/arthragia, fatigue, alopecia and so on.Conclusion:The albumin-bound paclitaxel-based chemotherapy can be used in aggressive and refractory MBC. It also showed antitumor activity in taxanes-resistance patients and triple negative patients with good safety and tolerance.

Objectives To investigate the relationship between congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) and neonatal polycythemia, and clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of a case of CNS with neonatal polycythemia were retrospective analyzed, and the related literature were reviewed. Results A male infant had abdominal distention after his birth, followed by feeding intolerance and poor response. On the third day of birth, he was diagnosed of neonatal polycythemia according to the levels of hemoglobin (249 g/L) and hematocrit (0.714 L/L). And after a partial exchange transfusion, the symptoms were improved. On the sixth day of birth, the infant had edema, urinary protein +++, serum albumin at 12.7 g/L and blood cholesterol at 8.84 mmol/L, and was clinical diagnosed of CNS. Oral hormone therapy was ineffective and he died 32 days after birth. Conclusions CNS combined with neonatal erythrocytosis is rare in clinic. The co-existing of the two is more likely to induce thromboembolism and organ dysfunction, and the clinical prognosis is poor.

Objective:To detect the proportion of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of the ad-vanced breast cancer patients before and after chemotherapy with docetaxel and thiotepa,as well as the association between the proportion of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets with the response rate and prog-nosis.Methods:The proportions of lymphocyte subsets (CD3 +T cell,CD3 +/CD4 +T cell,CD3 +/CD8 +T cell,CD3 -/CD16 +56 +NK cell,CD3 +/CD16 +56 +T cell,CD19 +B cell,CD4 +/CD25 +T cell,CD8 +/CD28 -T cell,CD8 +/CD28 +T cell)in the peripheral blood of 86 patients were analyzed with flowcytometry before and after chemotherapy.The result was analyzed in combination with clinico-pathological data.Results:The proportion of regulatory T cells (Treg)after chemotherapy in the disease control patients decreased significantly compared with that of the progressive patients (P=0.034).The difference of the proportions of Treg before and after chemotherapy affected significantly the overall survi-val (OS).The OS of the patients with decreased proportion of Treg was significantly longer than that of the patients with increased proportion of Treg,which was 23.5 and 9.4 months respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion:The patients with decreased proportion of Treg after chemotherapy had higher response rate and better survival benefit.

We reported a case of full-term male neonate who was diagnosed with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome(WAS) characterized by eczema, persistent thrombocytopenia and gastrointestinal bleeding (hematochezia). Serial blood tests showed decreased platelet count without platelet volume reduction. Treatment with human immunoglobulin and platelet transfusion turned out to be ineffective. A heterozygous mutation (c.121c>T) in WA S gene was detected. Moreover, his mother also had heterozygous mutation at the corresponding loci and was confirmed as a carrier. WAS should be considered in neonates presenting with unexplained thrombocytopenia even without mean platelet volume reduction and obvious immune deficiency.