Objective To explore the expression of 11-β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11-β HSD2) gene in placenta of pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) complicated by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and the relationship between different expression of 11-β HSD2 in placenta and newborn's birth weight or placental weight. Methods Thirteen cases of term pregnancy mothers with PIH complicated by IUGR were served as PIH complicated by IUGR group, 22 cases of term pregnancy mothers complicated by PHI with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infant as PIH with AGA group and 36 cases of normal controls as control group. The mRNA expression level of 11-β HSD2 gene in placenta was evaluated by RT-PCR. The level of cord serum cortisol was detected by the method of chemiluminescence. Results The 11-β HSD2 gene mRNA was expressed in placenta. The mRNA expression level of 11-β HSD2 gene in PIH complicated by IUGR group's placenta was significantly lower (0.26±0.09) than that in PIH with AGA group (0.64±0.19) and control group (0.66±0.20). The level of cord serum cortisol in PIH complicated by IUGR group was significantly higher [(71.60±20.20)μg/L] than that in PIH with AGA group [(51.00±13.80)μg/L] and control group [(49.10±14.40)μg/L]. The newborn's birth weight and placental weight in PIH complicated by IUGR group was significantly lower than those in PIH with AGA group and control group. The mRNA expression level of 11-β HSD2 gene in placenta was positively correlated with the birth weight of their newborns and placental weight. Conclusion The lower mRNA expression level of 11-β HSD2 gene in placenta may contribute to the higher cortisol level in fetal of PIH complicated by IUGR and has a negative role on the fetal development.

Background: Copeptin is secreted in equimolar amounts as arginine vasopressin, main hormone regulating body fluid homeostasis. A recent study reported a copeptin-based classification of osmoregulatory defects in syndromes of inappropriate antidiuresis that may aid in prediction of therapeutic success. We investigated usefulness of copeptin for differentiating etiologies of hyponatremia and predicting efficacy and safety of hypertonic saline treatment in hyponatremic patients. Methods: We performed a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 100 inpatients with symptomatic hyponatremia (corrected serum sodium [sNa] ≤ 125 mmol/L) treated with hypertonic saline. Copeptin levels were measured at baseline and 24 hours after treatment initiation, and patients were classified as being below or above median of copeptin at baseline or at 24 hours, respectively. Correlations between target, under correction, and overcorrection rates of sNa within 24 hours/24–48 hours and copeptin levels at baseline/24 hours were analyzed. Results: Mean sNa and median copeptin levels were 117.9 and 16.9 pmol/L, respectively. Ratio of copeptin-to-urine sodium allowed for an improved differentiation among some (insufficient effective circulatory volume), but not all hyponatremia etiologic subgroups. Patients with below-median copeptin levels at baseline achieved a higher target correction rate in 6/24 hours (odds ratio [OR], 2.97; p = 0.02/OR, 6.21; p = 0.006). Patients with below-median copeptin levels 24 hours after treatment showed a higher overcorrection rate in next 24 hours (OR, 18.00, p = 0.02). Conclusion There is a limited diagnostic utility of copeptin for differential diagnosis of hyponatremia. However, copeptin might be useful for predicting responses to hypertonic saline treatment in hyponatremic patients.

Objective: To investigate the antigenic epitope prediction method of hemagglutinin (HA) protein of influenza A (H1N1) virus. Methods: BALB/c mice were conventionally immunized with influenza H1N1 vaccine. The splenocytes from the immunized mouse were fused with SP2/0 mouse myeloma cell line, and then the antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were obtained by screening hybridoma supernatants. ELISA blocking test was used to detect the blocking result of each monoclonal antibody, which was labeled by horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The light and heavy chain variable region genes of each antibody were cloned, the amino acid sites of the antibody-binding HA antigen epitope were predicted by computer simulation. Results: Three hybridoma cell lines of stable secreting anti-H1N1 influenza virus HA protein were obtained.Three mAbs were divided into two categories by ELISA blocking tests, which were divided into two categories according to preliminary results of computer simulation. Conclusions ELISA blocking test and computer simulation prediction can prove each other in predication of the antigenic epitopes of HA protein of H1N1 influenza virus.