Objective To reveal and forecast the incidence trend of Brucellosis, in order to provide acientific basis for future intervention and policy-making. Methods Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze and statistically describe the distribution of the disease in different times, different locations and different (7.0783/10 million to 13.1257/10 million) and Qingxu ( 1.4811/10 million to 8.5241/10 million) were higher,followed by Yangqu county(0 to 5.8232/10 million), Xiaodian(0.8108/l0 million to 2.4229/10 million) and Jinyuan district ( 0.5329/ 10 million to 1.5896/10 million), and the remaining counties(districts) in the annual There were 223 cases of Brucellosis patients from 2006 to 2009 in Taiyuan. Vocational high risk population was farmers, with a total of 140 cases, accounting for 62.78% of the total number of incidence, followed by students and workers, respectively, 13, 14 cases, accounting for 5.83% and 6.28%, other occupational groups, 56 cases,77.58%;28 cases aged above 60 years, accounting for 12.56%;22 cases aged younger than 19 years, accounting identical in the four years, most cases occurred in spring and summer and showing a clear seasonal high.Conclusions The incidence trend of Brucellosis is on the rise from 2006 to 2009. High risk population is farmer,and the number of younger patients is on the rise, we propose strengthen protection for high risk groups.

OBJECTIVETo study the incidence, clinical features and related factors of propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hepatic injury in patients with hyperthyroidism.

METHODSA prospective study were carried out in 70 patients of hyperthyroidism with normal liver function. Every patient was treated with PTU 300 mg/d until the thyroid functions recovered to normal, following by decease and maintenance PTU dose in period of six months. Liver function, including serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL) and direct bilirubin (DBIL), thyroid function (serum thyroxine, triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and free triiodothyronine and thyrotropin) and blood routine items were measured before therapy and once a month for six months after PTU therapy was begun.

RESULTSSixty-four cases of 70 patients completed the therapy for 6 months. Hepatic injury developed in 33 patients (51.6%). Asymptomatic, transient hepatic injury was shown in 22 patients (34.4%). Slight symptomatic hepatic injury occured in 6 cases (9.4%) and overt hepatic injury in 5 patients (7.8%) after PTU administration. However, all the patients who developed overt hepatic injury did not stop PTU. Hepatic function returned normal one month after stopping PTU. No one finally suffered from viral hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis in patients of symptomatic and overt hepatic injury.

CONCLUSIONSPTU-induced symptomatic hepatic injury is not rare and usually develops within the first few months of PTU administration. Its clinical course is relatively benign. However, it may be difficult to predict its development, so all patients should be monitored for liver function test during the administration in early stage.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antithyroid Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; drug therapy ; Liver ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Liver Diseases ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Propylthiouracil ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVEChemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand stromal-derived factor 1 alpha (SDF-1alpha) have been paid increasing attention for their involvement in megakaryocytic hematopoiesis. It has been revealed in recent years that they can induce mature and immature megakaryocytes (MKs) to migrate through bone marrow endothelial cells (BMEC) by increasing the affinity of MKs for BMEC. Thus MKs maturity and eventual release of platelet from MKs ensues. While maturity disturbance of MKs and impaired production of platelets have been regarded as the main pathogenesis of ITP, the mechanism of which still remains unclear. Therefore, a clear understanding of the levels of CXCR4 and SDF-1alpha within bone marrow in children with ITP will help us to elucidate further the mechanism of ITP as well as to provide direct theoretical evidence for predicting treatment effect and evaluating prognosis.

METHODSBone marrow were aspirated from 28 children with AITP and 12 normal children. Percoll density gradient and immunomagnetic beads method were used to purify megakaryocytes from the bone marrow. The immune cytochemistry was used to detect CXCR4 on megakaryocytes. The levels of SDF-1alpha were detected by ELISA. SPSS10.0 statistical software was used to deal with the experimental data.

RESULTSBefore the treatment in children with AITP, both the CXCR4 expression on megakaryocytes and the SDF-1alpha level in bone marrow plasma were markedly decreased compared with the normal controls (P < 0.05). As to the cases who were sensitive to the high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (HDIVIgG), the CXCR4 and SDF-1alpha levels were much higher in children after the treatment than those before the treatment (P < 0.05). In 6 cases insensitive to HDIVIgG, before the treatment the CXCR4 level was much lower than the children sensitive to HDIVIgG (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe low levels of CXCR4/SDF-1alpha system in bone marrow may be one of the factors which contribute to the maturity disturbance of megakaryocytes and disturbance of platelets production in AITP, while decreased CXCR4/SDF-1alpha system may be caused by the effect of autoantibody against platelet. The mechanism of HDIVIgG in the treatment of AITP may involve in the increasing expression of CXCR4/SDF-1alpha system. The level of CXCR4 on megakaryocytes may play a certain role in predicting the treatment effect of immunoglobulin.

Adolescent ; Bone Marrow ; metabolism ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; Chemokines, CXC ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Infant ; Ligands ; Megakaryocytes ; metabolism ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; blood ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between the incidence of abnormal thyroid function of newborns and maternal hyperthyroidism with antithyroid drug therapy.

METHODThe clinical data of 35 neonates born to mothers with hyperthyroidism from 1983 to 2003 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. According to the maternal thyroid function and the antithyroid drugs taken during pregnancy, subjects were divided into different groups.

RESULTSThe proportion of abnormal thyroid function in newborn was 48.6% (17/35). The prevalences of primary hypothyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroxinemia, and central hypothyroidism were 29.4%, 29.4%, 35.3%, and 5.9%, respectively. The incidence of abnormal thyroid function of neonates whose mothers did not take the antithyroid drugs (ATDs) until the third trimester of pregnancy was significantly higher than those without and with ATDs during the first or second trimester (P < 0.01). The incidence of abnormal thyroid function significantly increased in premature neonates, neonates whose mothers with modest or heavy pregnant hypertension, or neonates whose core serum thyroid-stimulating hormone or serum anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies levels were abnormal.

CONCLUSIONThe risk of abnormal thyroid function of infants whose hyperthyroid mothers did not take ATDs until the third trimester of pregnancy may be increased. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of hyperthyroidism in pregnant women are essential for the prevention of neonatal thyroid functional abnormality.

Adult ; Antithyroid Agents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; complications ; drug therapy ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; congenital ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical validity of anti-thyroperoxidase antibody (anti-TPOAb) and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TgAb).

METHODSerum levels of anti-TPOAb and anti-TgAb were assayed using chemiluminescence immunoassay in 434 subjects, including 51 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 58 with Graves' disease, 68 with nodular goiter, 56 with thyroid adenoma and carcinoma, 56 with subacute thyroiditis, 65 with euthyroid non-thyroid endocrine disease, 35 with euthyroid non-thyroid autoimmune diseases, and 45 euthyroid controls.

RESULTSThe highest level and most positive results of serum anti-TgAb and anti-TPOAb were observed in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (median 373 and 6 974 U/ml, positive rate 84.3% and 86.3%), followed by patients with Graves' disease (median 84 and 1 369 U/ml, positive rate 44.8% and 72.4%). Serum anti-TgAb and anti-TPOAb were also more common in patients with subacute thyroiditis and other autoimmune diseases than in the controls.

CONCLUSIONThe assay of serum anti-TPOAb and anti-TgAb by chemiluminescence immunoassy are useful in the differential diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease.

Adenoma ; blood ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Female ; Graves Disease ; blood ; Hashimoto Disease ; blood ; Humans ; Iodide Peroxidase ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thyroglobulin ; immunology ; Thyroid Gland ; immunology ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; blood ; Thyroiditis, Subacute ; blood

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the transfect results of recombinant adenovirus vector carrying tyrosinase gene (Ad-tyr) in vitro by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after the Ad-tyr was transfected into HepG2 cell.

METHODSThe Ad-tyr which carried the full-length cDNA of tyrosinase gene was transfected into HepG2 cell. The transfected cells were scan by MRI sequences of T1 weighted image (T1WI) , T2 weighted image (T2WI) , and short time inversion recovery (STIR) to observe the MRI signals of expressed melanin. Masson-Fontana staining was performed to search for melanin granules in transfected cells. Real-time PCR method was used to search for cDNA of tyrosinase gene.

RESULTSAd-tyr was transfected into HepG2 cells and synthesized a large amount of melanin inside. The synthesized melanin of 1 x 10(6) cells which had been transfected by Ad-tyr with the 50, 150, and 300 multiplicity of infection separately were all sufficient to be detected by MRI and showed high signals in MRI T1WI, T2WI, and STIR sequences. The signal intensities of MRI were positively correlated to the amounts of transfected Ad-tyr. The melanin granules were found in HepG2 cells in Masson-Fontana staining. The cDNA amount of tyrosinase gene in transfected HepG2 cells, which was detected by real-time PCR, was remarkably higher than that in nontransfected cells.

CONCLUSIONThe synthesized melanin of HepG2 cells, which controlled by expression of exogenous gene, can be detected by MRI, indicating that the adenovirus vector can efficiently carry the tyrosinase gene into HepG2 cells.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Melanins ; analysis ; genetics ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo improve the diagnosis and treatment of severe cerebral fat embolism (SCFE).

METHODSThe data of nine patients with SCFE were retrospectively analyzed. The manifestations of the central nerve system, respiratory system and hemorrhage were recorded, at the same time, accessory examination including arterial oxygen, fat macroglobules in venous blood and image examination was adapted. The patients were treated with exopexy, pharmocotherapy and oxygentherapy.

RESULTSTwo of the nine patients died of severe complications, the other seven recovered without severe sequela.

CONCLUSIONSGurd standard should be improved for early diagnosis of SCFE. If svere complications can be prevented, patients who receive early treatment will have favourable prognosis.

Accidental Falls ; Accidents, Traffic ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Cause of Death ; China ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Embolism, Fat ; diagnosis ; mortality ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Embolism ; diagnosis ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Trauma ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Sampling Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Survival Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of KI polyomavirus (KIPyV) and WU polyomavirus (WUPyV) with acute respiratory infection in children in Tianjin, China.

METHODSA total of 3 730 nasopharyngeal secretions were collected from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infection in Tianjin Children's Hospital from January 2011 to December 2013. Viral nucleic acid was extracted, and virus infection (KIPyV and WUPyV) was determined by PCR. Some KIPyV-positive and WUPyV-positive PCR products were subjected to sequencing. Sequencing results were aligned with the known gene sequences of KIPyV and WUPyV to construct a phylogenetic tree. Amplified VP1 fragments of KIPyV were inserted into the cloning vector (PUCm-T) transformed into E. coli competent cells. Positive clones were identified by PCR and sequencing. The nucleotide sequences were submitted to GenBank. In addition, another seven common respiratory viruses in all samples were detected by direct immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTSIn the 3 730 specimens, the KIPyV-positive rate was 12.14% (453/3 730) and the WUPyV-positive rate was 1.69% (63/3 730). The mean infection rate of KIPyV was significantly higher in June and July, while the mean infection rate of WUPyV peaked in February and March. Most of the KIPyV-positive or WUPyV-positive children were <3 years. The co-infections with KIPyV, WUPyV, and other respiratory viruses were observed in the children. The co-infection rate was 2.31% (86/3 730) and there were nine cases of co-infections with WUPyV and KIPyV. Thirty-five KIPyV-positive and twelve WUPyV-positive PCR products were sequenced and the alignment analysis showed that they had high homology with the known sequences (94%-100% vs 95%-100%). The VP1 gene sequences obtained from two KIPyV strains in this study were recorded in GenBank with the accession numbers of KY465925 and KY465926.

CONCLUSIONSFor some children with acute respiratory infection in Tianjin, China, the acute respiratory infection may be associated with KIPyV and WUPyV infections. KIPyV infection is common in summer, and WUPyV infection in spring. The epidemic strains in Tianjin have a high homology with those in other regions.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Polyomavirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polyomavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of anticoagulation protein defect in the pathogenesis of unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

METHODSFifty-seven patients with a history of unexplained abortion were enrolled as the investigation group for tests of protein C, protein S, antithrombin III (AT-III), as well as activated protein C resistance (APC-R). The control group consisted of fifty healthy women with a history of normal pregnancy and delivery. Blood samples were obtained for, measuring serum activity of protein C, protein S, AT-III, and APC-R. Patients with positive APC-R were tested for factor V (FV) Leiden gene mutation by PCR-RFLP method.

RESULTSOf the 57 patients, 12 (21.1%), 1 (1.8%), and 5 (8.8%) cases were found with protein S, protein C, and AT-III deficiency respectively, and 13 (22.8%) cases with positive results of APC-R. Of the control group, no protein C or AT-III deficiency was ever found, whereas 2 (4.0%) volunteers were presented with protein S deficiency and 3 (6.0%) with positive results of APC-R. No FV Leiden gene mutation was identified in all the patients with positive APC-R results. Late spontaneous abortion cases had higher incidence of anticoagulation protein defect than the early cases.

CONCLUSIONAnticoagulation protein defect may play a role in the pathogenesis of fetal loss, especially for those occurring in late stage of pregnancy.

Abortion, Habitual ; blood ; etiology ; Activated Protein C Resistance ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Adult ; Antithrombin III ; metabolism ; Antithrombin III Deficiency ; blood ; complications ; Factor V ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Point Mutation ; Protein C ; metabolism ; Protein C Deficiency ; blood ; complications ; Protein S ; metabolism ; Protein S Deficiency ; blood ; complications

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of pre-acupuncture and immediate acupuncture on kidney function and oxygen free radical metabolism in rats with simulated weightlessness.

METHODSTwenty male clean-grade Wister rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a model group, a pre-acupuncture group and an immediate acupuncture group, 5 rats in each one. The rats in the normal control group did not receive any treatment but free activities for 4 weeks. The rats in the rest groups received 4-week tail suspension to establish the model of simulated weightlessness. One week before the tail suspension, the rats in the pre-acupuncture group were treated with electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 30 min per treatment, once a day for 7 days. The rats in the immediate acupuncture group received tail suspension and acupuncture at the same time; during the tail suspension, the electroacupuncture was applied at "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 30 min per treatment, once every other day for 14 days. The colorimetric method was used to measure the content of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum as well as activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in renal tissue in each group.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the content of BUN in the model group was increased significantly (P<0.01), the activity of SOD and GSH-PX in nephridial tissue was significantly reduced (both P<0.01), and the content of MDA was increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the content of BUN in the pre-acupuncture group and immediate acupuncture group was significantly reduced (P<0.01, P<0.05), the activity of GSH-PX in the pre-acupuncture group was obviously increased (P<0.05) and the content of MDA in the immediate acupuncture group was increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the immediate acupuncture group, the content of MDA in the pre-acupuncture group was lower (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe pre-acupuncture and immediate acupuncture both have the capacity to improve the kidney function and anti-oxygen free radical injury in rats with simulated weightlessness, however, the capacity to increase the protection ability of the kidney and eliminate free radical in the pre-acupuncture group is superior to that in the immediate acupuncture group, which is likely to be related with improving antioxidant ability of kidney.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Space Flight ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Weightlessness ; adverse effects