It is generally considered that various regulatory activities between genes are contained in the gene expression datasets. Therefore, the underlying gene regulatory relationship and the biologically useful information can be found by modeling the gene regulatory network from the gene expression data. In our study, two unsupervised matrix factorization methods, independent component analysis (ICA) and nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF), were proposed to identify significant genes and model the regulatory network using the microarray gene expression data of Alzheimer's disease (AD). By bio-molecular analyzing of the pathways, the differences between ICA and NMF have been explored and the fact, which the inflammatory reaction is one of the main pathological mechanisms of AD, is also emphasized. It was demonstrated that our study gave a novel and valuable method for the research of early detection and pathological mechanism, biomarkers' findings of AD.
Algorithms ; Alzheimer Disease ; genetics ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Humans

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum (1-3)-β-D-glucan detection for invasive fungal infection (IFI) in neonates. Methods Eighty-seven neonates who were suspected to be IFI cases in neonatal intensive care unit from May 2008 to January 2010 were enrolled into this study. All subjects had infection symptoms, while did no react to the antibiotics treatment. The diagnosis of IFI was made according to Invasive pulmonary fungal infection diagnostic criteria of children set by Subspecialty Group of Respiratory Diseases, the Society of Pediatrics, Chinese Medical Association and Invasive fungal infection diagnostic criteria for critical patients set by the Society of Critical Care Medicine, Chinese Medical Association. Circulating (1-3)-β-D-glucan levels were determined with GKT-5M set kinetic fungus detection kit. Levels of (1-3)-Β-D-glucan in IFI group and that in the control group were compared; optimal cut-off value was established with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve; and the sensitivity and specificity at the cut-off value of 20.0 pg/ml and optimal cut-off value were calculated and compared. Results Among the 87 suspected cases, 59 cases were not diagnosed as IFI and 28 cases were diagnosed as IFI finally. Five patients were confirmed to be IFI; seven cases were clinically diagnosed and 16 cases were still suspected IFI. Among the five confirmed cases, four cases were blood culture positive for Candida parapsilosis, one case Candida albicans positive and two cases both cerebrospinal fluid culture and blood culture positive for Candida albicans. The median levels of (1-3)-β-D-glucan of patients diagnosed as IFI (n=28) was 131.6 pg/ml(18.6-9999.0 pg/ml), which was higher than that of the patients without IFI (8.5 pg/ml, 5.0-34.6 pg/ml)(Z=-5.064, P<0.05). Area under ROC curve was 0.806 (95% CI: 0.725-0.886, P<0.05). The sensitivity (96.43% vs 69.49%) and specificity (72.22% vs 84.21%) for (1-3)-β-D-glucan were different as 20.0 pg/ml and 53.7 pg/ml were used as the cut-off values for diagnosing IFI. Conclusions (1-3)-β-D-glucan level could be used to diagnose IFI of neonates, but further studies are needed to evaluate false-positive rates and its cut-off value in IFI diagnosis.

Objective To develop a method for determining verbascoside in Mitonghua Granules by HPLC. Method Verbascoside was determined by HPLC method,Agilent ZORBAX-Extend C18 column (4.6 mm?150 mm,5?m) with Acetonitrile-1 %Acetic acid(13∶87) as the mobile phase was used for elution.The flow rate was at 1.0 mL/min and the detective wavelength was at 334 nm. The column temperature was at 30 ℃. Results There was a good linearity relationship at the range of 0.062 8～1.256 0 ?g for verbascoside (r=0.999 83) .The average recovery was 99.61 %,and RSD was 1.55 %(n=6). Conclusion The method is simple,reproducible and accurate with a good repeatability,and can be used for the quality control of Mitonghua Capsules.

Objective To compare the efficacy of uniform multi-drug therapy (UMDT) versus routine multi-drug therapy (RMDT) for the treatment of multi-bacillary (MB) leprosy patients based on bacterial index changes and frequencies of leprosy reaction.Methods This study recruited newly diagnosed leprosy patients after taking informed consent in three districts of Guizhou province as well as in one district of Yunnan province from November 2003 to June 2005.The patients received 6-month UMDT or 2-year RMDT.Clinical follow up and bacterial reexamination were carried out once a year.Changes of bacterial index (BI) and frequencies of leprosy reaction were compared between the patients receiving RMDT and UMDT.Results A total of 166 patients received UMDT and 170 received RMDT in this study.Among the UMDT-treated patients,114 were skin smear positive,and 83 had been followed up for 42 months; of the RMDT-treated patients,149 underwent all the bacterial examinations during a 48-month follow up.The mean bacterial index decreased from 2.84 before treatment to 0.33 at the end of the 42-month follow up in the 83 patients,and from 2.55 to 0.26 at the end of the 48-month follow up in the 149 patients,with no significant difference in the changes of bacterial index between the two groups (t =0.77,P ＞ 0.05).Bacterial index became negative in 73.5％ (61/83) of the UMDT-treated patients and in 77.2％ (115/149) of the RMDT-treated patients (x2 =0.40,P＞ 0.05)at the end of follow up.During the follow up peroid,the incidence of type Ⅰ leprosy reaction was 14.6％ (13/89) in the UMDT group,significantly higher than that in the RMDT group (3.4％ (5/149),x2 =10.08,P＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions There is no significant difference in mean bacterial index changes and bacterial clearance rate during the follow up peroid between UMDT- and RMDT-treated patients.The incidence of type Ⅰ leprosy reaction is higher in the UMDT group than in the RMDT group,and further investigation is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon.

Objective To assess the efficacy of 6-month uniform multidrug therapy in various types of leprosy. Methods A field trial was conducted among 166 patients with different types of leprosy. All patients were treated with uniform multidrug therapy for 6 months, then followed up for 2 years. Clinical and bacterio-logical improvements were evaluated. Results Among the 166 patients, 31 dropped out due to various reasons,and 135 completed the 6-month treatment and 2-year follow-up. Among the 135 patients, 45 (33.3%) were skin smear negative, and the other smear-positive 90 had an average bacterial index (BI) of 2.91±1.45 (range: 0.1-6.0) before treatment. At the end of the 2-year follow-up, the 45 skin smear-negative patients showed 93.3% improvement in skin lesions and 80.0% improvement in nerve impairments, and the smear-posi-tive 90 patients showed 95.6% improvements in skin lesions and 77.8% improvement in nerve impairments.Skin smear turned negative in 49 (54.4%) out of the smear-positive 90 patients with the average BI declining to 0.66±0.99. The annual decrease in BI reached 0.9 during the first 2.5 years after the beginning of treat-ment. Twenty-five patients developed leprosy reaction during the follow-up, including 13 cases of type Ⅰ leprosy reaction and 12 cases of type Ⅱ leprosy reaction. Relapse was noted in 1 patient with muhibacillary leprosy 13 months after the termination of treatment. Conclusions The short-term efficacy of uniform multidrug therapy is similar to that of 2-year treatment with routine multidrug therapy. However, further studies are required to survey the incidence of leprosy reaction and relapse in patients treated with uniform multidrug therapy.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of neonatal congenital cystic lung lesions. Methods Between January 2008 and June 2014,total 28 cases diagnosed congenital cystic lung lesions in neonatal center of Guangzhou Women and Children's Hospital were collected.The clinical data were analyzed including manifestations,lesion characteristics,imaging,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis,and the related literature were reviewed.Results There were 20 male and 8 female,16 cases of lobar emphysema,7 cases of pulmonary seques-tration,4 cases of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and 1 case of bronchogenic cyst.Main symptoms were dyspnea(78.57%),cyanosis (39.29%),wheezing cough (17.86%),feeding difficulties (14.29%),fever (10.71%),asymptomatic(21.43%).Two cases combined with congenital heart disease,4 cases combined with other malformations(such as diaphragmatic hernia,laryngeal stridor,funnel chest,polycystic kidney).There were lesions in chest CT image,4 cases underwent lobectomy,other cases underwent conservative treatment.Seventeen cases got better and discharge,3 cases dead.Conclusion The most common type of congenital cystic lung lesions in neonate is lobar emphysema.Main manifestations are dyspnea,cyanosis.If we suspect congenital cyst-ic lung lesions,we should do chest CT or MRI scan soon ,also do echocardiography and ultrasound to exclude other malformations.The treatment effect is satisfactory,and the outcome need long time to follow up.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and outcome of group B streptococcus (GBS) induced neonatal meningitis and to provide the guide for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.Methods A retrospective chart review was performed.A total of 19 cases of neonatal purulent meningitis caused by GBS and 22 cases of neonatal purulent meningitis caused by Escherichia coli were identified in the NICU of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from Nov 1,2011 to Apr 31,2014.The clinical features,treatments and clinical turnover were analysed.Results GBS meningitis accounted for 24.7％ (19/77) of total bacterial positive cultures of blood or cerebral spinal fluid.The average time of progression to early-onset GBS meningitis of 6 early-onset cases mainly complaining of anhelation and groan,was (11.80 ± 11.34)h,and 83.3％ present within 24 hours;the main initial clinical symptoms of 13 late-onset cases[mean age (17.85 ± 7.77) d] were fever.Peripheral blood C-reactive protein concentration of GBS meningitis was significantly higher than that of Escherichia coli meningitis [(154.43 ± 88.64) mg/L vs.(67.52 ± 64.23) mg/L,P =0.001].Compared with Escherichia coli meningitis,the average length of stay in hospital and the recovery time of abnormal cerebral spinal fluid in neonates with GBS infection were both extended by more than 10 days.Conclusion The clinical manifestations of neonatal purulent meningitis caused by GBS are usually non-specific.It is associated with longer hospitalization and recovery time of abnormal cerebral spinal fluid.Antepartum prophylaxis,early diagnosis and therapy are vital for reducing the incidence of complications and mortality of neonatal GBS purulent meningitis.

Clinical training together emphasized the combination of theory and practice. It not only improved students'clinical thinking and skills and enhanced their communication skills and medical treatment writing skills but also demanded the teachers to have higher sense of responsibility and teaching skills.

Objective To investigate the diagnosis value of the tissue strain imaging in myocardial dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Sixty-two patients and sixty controls underwent conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Peak strain and strain rate value during systolic and diastolic phases as well as E/A, left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS), left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) were measured in both SLE and the control groups. Results ①E/A,LVFS and LVEF did not differ between SLE patients and controls( P ＞0.05). The systolic peak strain and strain rate of SLE patients were lower than those of controls but without significant differences( P ＞0.05). ②The diastolic peak strain and strain rate of SLE patients were significantly lower than those of controls (P ＜0.01). ③ The diastolic peak strain and strain rate of antiheart antibody (AHA) positive patients were significantly lower than those of negative ones( P ＜0.05). Conclusions Strain and strain rate combining with AHA can sensitively detect myocardial dysfunction of SLE.

Objective To observe the effect of two kinds of Kinesio taping methods on shoulder pain in hemiplegic patients with stroke during spasm period. Methods From October,2015 to September,2017,75 stroke hemiplegic patients with shoulder pain during spasm period were randomly divided into group A(n=25),group B(n=25)and control group(n=25).Three groups were given conventional treatment,and group A and group B received two kinds of Kinesio taping methods,respectively.Be-fore and four weeks after treatment,the shoulder pain was assessed with Visual Analogue Scale(VAS),the motor function of upper limb was assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA),and their activities of daily living was assessed with modified Barthel Index(MBI). Results After treatment, the score of VAS significantly decreased in all groups (P<0.001), and was lower in groups A and B than in the control group(P<0.05),especially in group A(P<0.01);the scores of FMA and MBI signifi-cantly increased(P<0.001),and was higher in groups A and B than in the control group(P<0.05),especially in group A(P<0.05). Conclusion Kinesio taping combined with rehabilitation training for the treatment of stroke patients following hemiple-gia during spasm period can relieve the shoulder pain and improve the motor function of upper limb and activi-ties of daily living.The curative effect varies with different taping methods.