MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs discovered in recent years that post-transcriptionally regulate the gene expression. They are implicated in various biological processes including development,oncogenesis,viral and immunological diseases. Many miRNAs are highly expressed in the cardiovascular system and play an important role in cardiovascular health and diseases. In this paper,we briefly review the recent understanding of miRNAs and their role in cardiovascular pathophysiology.

Objective To observe the incidence,clinical types,and prognosis of pulmonary involvement in children with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),and to probe the relationship between the relative factors.Methods The clinical data of 61 children with SLE,who treated in Children's Hospital of Shanghai from Jan.2006 to Dec.2011 were analyzed retrospectively.The lung manifestations of the patients were classified according to their clinical symptoms and signs,and lung imaging examination (chest X-ray and CT).Other data of the SLE patients with lung injury or without lung injury were collected,including the course of the disease,activity index [SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) scoring 0-4 was divided into no activity,5-9 was divided into low activity,10-14 was divided into moderate activity,and more than 15 as severe activity],blood sedimentation,the values of serum complement and the positive rate of dsDNA in autoantibody,and a comparison was made and statistical analysis was performed.Results Pulmonary injury occurred in 17 cases with an incidence rate of 27.9％ (17/61 cases),and the average course of the disease was (8.76 ± 6.96) months.The clinical manifestations of 17 cases included fever,cough,dyspnea,hypoxemia,chest pain,lower breath sound,and lung rale,which were not non-specificity.According to imageological examination,in 17 cases there were 2 cases with pulmonary hypertension (the incidence rate was 11.8％),4 cases with acute lupus pneumonitis (the incidence rate was 23.5％),6 cases with interstitial pneumonia (the incidence rate was 35.3％),7 cases with lesion of pleura (the incidence rate was 41.2％),10 cases with pulmonary infection (the incidence rate was 58.8％).There were no statistical differences between patients with and without lung injury(infectious and non-infectious)in the course,the values of serumn complement,the positive rate of dsDNA and activity index.Lung lesions of the 17 patients recovered quickly after early diagnosis and active treatment.Conclusions Pulmonary manifestation in children with SLE is not uncommon,and it can happen at any stage of the disease,not just on the stage of lupus activity,but it usually indicates disease was not controlled.Pulmonary manifestation of SLE in children involve many parts of lung,including pulmonary parenchyma,interstitial,blood vessels,pleura,etc.Early diagnosis and active treatment can improve the short-term prognosis of lung injury with lupus,and long-term outcome remains to be observed.

To evaluate the protective effect of anti-digoxin antiserum on hypoxic injury myocardium and its mechanism.Methods It was observed that different concentration anti-digoxin antiserum effect on endogenous digitalis-like factor and cell membrane ATPase activity in hypoxic myocardium model.Results The level of endogenous digitalis-like factor was remarkably higher,cell membrane ATPase activity were remarkably lower in hypoxic group than those of normal group;anti-digoxin antiserum can resume membrane ATPase activity.Conclusion Rise of endogenous digitalis-like factor was basic of molecular biology of myocardial damage during myocardial hypoxia.Anti-digoxin antiserum has lightened myocardial injury and has protective effect on hypoxic myocardium by against effect of endogenous digitalis-like factor.

Objective To assess the CT manifestation an d its diagnostic value for renal milk of calcium (RMC). Methods Conventional CT examination was made for 14 patients of RMC and the imag es obtained were analyzed. Results CT clearly displayed the whole view of milky calcium cyst and its "half-moon sign". In 4 cases,th e half-moon high density formed by milk of calcium always located in the lowest part of the lesion with change of the body's position. All the lesions are unil ateral and their average diameter is 2.4 cm. Out of 14 patients, 13 are renal cy st type and 1 hydronephrosis type. Conclusions CT can di splay characteristic changes of RMC more clearly and distinguish it with other d iseases more reliably. CT can definitely discriminate types of RMC and provide more reliable pathologic and anatomic data.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is one of the crucial signal molecules, which can regulate many biological functions inside and outside cells. It plays an important role in regulating numerous physiological and pathological processes after being combined with S1P receptors (S1PRs). S1P/S1PRs signaling pathways have become a hot spot in the current research on endothelial inflammation and atherosclerosis. This review described the current development of the role of S 1P and its receptors in atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVETo find out the reasons of extensor weakness after total knee arthroplasty for severe flexion deformity knees, and the rehabilitation method.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to January 2004, 30 knees (20 cases) with severe flexion deformity were performed total knee arthroplasty with PS prosthesis, and the follow up were at least 6 months (6 to 40 months, average 18 months). All cases in this group were classified with the extensor force grade and were given certain exercises according to the grade. The HSS scores, extensor force, residual flexion deformity, satisfaction scores and rang of motion were recorded pre-operation and 3 days, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months and then every year when follow up.

RESULTSAt the end point of the 6 months follow up, all items increased significantly, the average HSS score was 75.9 degrees, the average extensor force was 4.1, 8 knees among the group remained an average flexion deformity with 7.4 degrees, all patients were satisfied with the operation, and the average range of motion was 87.7 degrees.

CONCLUSIONSQuadriceps atrophy for disuse and the relative extensor mechanism excess are the main cause of extensor deficit, correct strength evaluation and individual exercise project are critical principle for successful rehabilitation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joint Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Knee Joint ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Weakness ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; Postoperative Complications ; rehabilitation

Objective To investigate the correlation between the CD40 gene( - 1 C/T)single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) and acute coronary syndromes(ACS), and the expression of CD40 on platelets. Method A total of 562 patients with ACS canfirmed by coronary angiography were divided into 3 groups according to the clinical characteristics, namely ACS patients( n = 210), stable angina(SA) patients( n = 189) and control group( n = 163).ACS was defined as ischemic chest pain at rest resulting in admission to hospital and > 50% stenosis in a major coronary artery with or without a rise in troponin Ⅰ. SA was defined as stable effort-related angina without change in angina pattern in 3 months. Patients with infection, tumor, or liver or kidney disease were excluded The gene polymorphism was measured by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFIP) and identiffed by sequencing. The expression of CD40 on platelets was detected by flow cytometry. The frequency, distribution of genotypes was compared using cross-tabulation and standard X~2 test. Result The CC genotype(31% ) and C allele of frequency(57.9%)of CD40 gene in ACS patients were significantly higher than those in SA(15.9%, 43.1% ) and control groups( 16.1%, 42.6% ). No significant difference of the genotypes or allele frequencies was found between SA and control group(X~2 = 0.053, P = 0.974;X~2 = 0.017, P = 0.897). 1he expression of CD40 on platelets in patients with C alleles carries was significandy higher than that of T allele carries in each group( P <0.0001). Conclusions CD40- 1C/T polymorphism was associated with ACS in Chinese Han nationallity.

Objective To explore the relationship between the expression of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily C member 6 (TRPC6) and podocyte injury in children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) and its clinical significance. Methods The renal tissue of 18 children with PNS was obtained. The pathological changes of kidney were observed by routine section staining and light microscopy. The structural changes of podocyte were observed by electron microscope. The mRNA and protein expressions of TRPC6 in tissues were determined by qPCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Further the correlation of TRPC6 mRNA with serum levels of albumin (Alb), creatinine (Cr), triacylglycerol (TG), cholesterol (Tch), complement C3 and 24 h urinary protein quantitation and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were analyzed respectively. Results The expression of TRPC6 protein in renal tissue of children with PNS was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically different (P<0.05). The relative expression of TRPC6 mRNA in renal tissue of children with PNS was positively related to the expression of TRPC6 protein (r=0.508, P<0.05), but there was no correlation of expression of TRPC6 mRNA with serum levels of Alb, Cr, TG, Tch, C3, eGFR and 24h urinary protein quantitation (P>0.05). Conclusion The pathological types of PNS were mainly podocyte lesions, and the expression of TRPC6 protein was increased in podocytes. TRPC6 detection may be helpful in the diagnosis of podocyte lesions.

We propose an algorithm for segmentation of the overlapped leukocyte in the microscopic cell image. The histogram of the saturation channel in the cell image is smoothed to obtain the meaningful global valley point by the fingerprint smoothing method, and then the nucleus can be segmented. A circular region, containing the entire regions of the leukocyte, is marked off according to the equivalent sectional radius of the nucleus. Then, the edge of the overlapped leukocyte is represented by polar coordinates. The overlapped region by the change of the polar angle of the edge pixels is determined, and the closed edge of the leukocyte integrating the gradient information of the overlapped region is reconstructed. Finally, the leukocyte is exactly extracted. The experimental results show that our method has good performance in terms of recall ratio, precision ratio and pixel error ratio.
Algorithms ; Cell Adhesion ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; instrumentation ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Leukocytes ; cytology ; Microscopy

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the concentrations of lactoferrin and lysozyme in saliva and dental caries in primary dentition among Chinese children.

METHODSForty children with high dmft score (dmft > or = 5) and 40 caries-free children (dmft = 0) were sampled and assigned into two groups. Total salivary proteins was measured by means of bicinchoninic acid. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was performed to analyze the images of target straps. Lactoferrin and lysozyme were detected using Western blotting method.

RESULTSThe total salivary protein in high dmft group [(852.02 +/- 206.14) mg/L] was lower than that of caries-free group [(1032.44 +/- 221.99) mg/L, P < 0.001]. The ratio of 77,000 protein in high dmft group [(12.50 +/- 7.73) IA/microg] was significantly higher than that of the caries-free children [(8.71 +/- 4.28) IA/microg, P = 0.009], while there was no significant difference for 14,500 protein between them (P = 0.137). The ratio of lactoferrin was higher in high dmft group [(229.04 +/- 197.14) IA/microg] than that in caries-free children [(144.07 +/- 99.91) IA/microg, P = 0.018], while no significant difference for lysozyme between the two groups (P = 0.091).

CONCLUSIONSSaliva protein is closely related to caries in primary dentition. Lactoferrin may be one of the important components.

Case-Control Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Dental Caries ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lactoferrin ; metabolism ; Male ; Muramidase ; metabolism ; Prevalence ; Saliva ; chemistry ; Salivary Proteins and Peptides ; Tooth, Deciduous