Objective: To explore the body image and its related factors. Methods: We used A Self Rating Scale of Body Image (SRSBI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) in a consecutive sample of female seeking for fitness. Results:The weight-reducing women's scores of SRSBI, were higher than controls'. (2) The weight-reducing women's SRSBI is obviously positive correlated with their income, personality of neuroticism and psychoticism; obviously negative related with social support, not related with BMI. Conclusions: The weight-reducing women, either with simple obesity or otherwise, all have many body image problems, which are correlated with the types of personality and social support.

BACKGROUND: Due to the trouble of body image and self-esteem, more and more women hope to reduce their body mass.OBJECTIVE: To assay the characters and correlation between body image and self-esteem in women who reduce weight positively.DESIGN: Transect investigation.SETTING: Department of Dermatology of Xiangya Hospital and Xiangya Second Hospital of Central South University. PARTICIPANTS: Totally 100 patients for weight loss was collected in Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion of Xiangya Hospital Affiliated to Central South University from November 2002 to September 2003 and they were included in experimental group. Severe physical disorders or other chronic physical disorders were excluded, such as cardiac vascular disease and diabetes and various metal disturbances were excluded too. In addition,the patients did not taken psychoactive drugs recently. Those were in over-body-mass group if body mass index(BMI) ≥ 24 and those were in normal body mass group if BMI＜24. In the control, there were 100 healthy women participating in the study in volunteer at the same time. The exclusive standards for them were same as the experimental group and they did not taken psychoactive drugs recently and had done nothing for weight loss in 5 years.METHODS: After instructed, the receptors filled up the following questionnaire: a self-rating scale of body image(SRSBI) and the self-esteem scale (SES). SRSBI is the subjective assessment on the beauty and strength of the body individually. SES is the assessment on holistic perception of self-value and self-acceptance.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Results of SRSBI and SES in weight loss women.RESULTS: According to intention, general results of SRSBI: The score in experimental group(15.14±9.99) was higher than that in the control (7.89±6.18) (t= 6.15, P＜0.001) . The score was(15.65±10.36) in normal body mass group and was(13.81 ±10.03) in over-body-mass group. By the comparison between both, no difference presented(t=0.91, P ＞0.05) . Results of SES: the score in experimental group (27.01±4.19)was lower than that in the control(28.23±3.65) (t= 2.16, P＜0.05).The score was(27.31±4.50) in normal body mass group and was (26.86±3.82) in over-body-mass group. By the comparison between both,no difference presented (t=0.54, P＞0.05) . It was indicated in linear correlation analysis on SRSBI and SES in experimental group that the correlation coefficient between SRSBI and SES was-0. 088(P＞0.05).CONCLUSION: The people who seek for weight loss actively present inferior subjective perception of body image and low level of self-esteem, and there is no correlation between both of them and neither of them is relevant t.o obesity.

Objective To investigate the association betw een systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)and polymorphismof Fc gamma receptor ty peⅢin Han patients fromHunan province.Methods Genotypes of Fc?RⅢa-158V/F were determined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)analysis in 65patients with SLE and 60normal controls.Results①It was found that the frequency of homozygous Fc?RⅢa-158F /F genotype was significantly h igher in patients with SLE than that i n controls(OR=2.23,? 2 =4.69,P=0.03).②The frequencies of both homozygous Fc?RⅢa-158F /F genotype and Fc?RⅢa-158F allele were significantly high er in patients with lupus nephritis c ompared with those in controls(OR=2.67,? 2 =5.36,P=0.02;OR=2.00,? 2 =4.91,P=0.03).Conclusions These results suggest that an abnorm al distribution of Fc?RⅢa-158V/F polymorphism is associated with SLE in the Hans of Hunan province,and the presence of Fc?RⅢa-158F allele is a risk factor for lupus nephritis.These findings support t he hypothesis of a genetic mechanism in the pathogenesis of SLE.[

Objective To examine the cellular distribution and the role of a-catenin in epidermal tumors. Methods Expression of a-catenin was investigate d by immunohistochemical staining in 20 patients with Bowen′s disease (BD), 20 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 20 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and 40 normal cont rols. Results Expression of a-catenin was strongest on the cell membranes of b asal cells, but nearly negative in the cytoplasm and the nuclei of epidermal cel ls in normal controls. Expression of a-catenin was significantly lower on the cell membranes in SCC and BCC cells than that in normal epidermal cells (P

blood of patients.

Objective To explore mutation diagnosis and discuss the pathogenic and clinical characteristics of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).Methods DNA sequencing combined with denaturing highperformance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) method was used to diagnose patients and parents.Results A new nonsense mutations c.503C ＞ G(p.S168 *) was identified.Conclusions NF1 is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disease.Most of them are caused by new mutations.Genetic diagnosis of sporadic cases is very important for treatment and the future generations.

Objective To study the telomerase activity,the keratinocyte apoptosis in condyloma ac-cuminatum(CA)and the correlation between them.Methods CA specimens from30patients were stud-ied,and compared with normal tissue and tumor cell lines.Telomerase activity was detected with telomeric repeat amplification polymerase chain reaction(TRAP)-ELISA.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(TdT)-mediated biotin dUTP nick end-labeling(TUNEL)was used to evaluate apoptotic cells.Results Increased telomerase activity was detected in27(90%)patients with CA,with A 450 ranging between0.50and2.76(mean1.3022).Apoptotic keratinocytes were found in24out of30CA cases(80%).A statistically signifi-cant inverse correlation was found between telomerase activity and apoptotic index(r =-0.52,P=0.004).Conclusion Keratinocyte telomerase is activated in condyloma acuminata,which is correlated with the downregulation of apoptosis,thus they might be involved in the pathogenesis of CA.

Objective To investigate the effects of glucocorticoids o n the expression of Th1/Th2 cytokines at mRNA and protein levels in peripheral b lood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SL E). Methods Th1 cytokine (IFN-IL-10) in PBMCs fro m 48 patients with SLE were detected before and after treatment with glucocortic oids by RT-PCR for mRNA expression and ELISA for protein production. The systemi c lupus erythematosus activity measure (SLAM) scores of patients were compared b efore and after treatment. Results After treatment, the expression and product ion of IFN- versus 1.4094 pg/mL; P

OBJECTIVETo detect SCN4A gene mutation in a pedigree with paramyotonia congenita in order to facilitate genetic counseling and assisted reproduction.

METHODSClinical data of the family was collected. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Potential mutation of the SCN4A gene was screened using PCR-Sanger sequencing. Potential mutation was detected in 3 affected relatives, 4 unaffected relatives and 100 unrelated healthy controls. Bioinformatics software was used to predict the effect of mutation on the protein function and conservation of the sequence at the mutation site across various species.

RESULTSA novel missense mutation c.4427T>C (p.Met1476Thr) was detected in the exon 24 of the SCN4A gene in the proband and other 3 affected relatives, but not in 4 unaffected relatives and 100 unrelated controls. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the codon is highly conserved across various species, and that the mutation has caused damage to the structure and function of SCN4A protein.

CONCLUSIONThe c.4427 T>C (p.Met1476Thr) mutation of the SCN4A gene may contribute to the paramyotonia congenita. Detection of SCN4A gene mutation is an effective method for the diagnosis of paramyotonic congenita.

Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; China ; Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation, Missense ; Myotonic Disorders ; genetics ; NAV1.4 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Point Mutation ; Sequence Alignment

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the (CGG)n repeats of FMR1 gene among patients with unexplained mental retardation. METHODS: For 201 patients with unexplained mental retardation, the (CGG)n repeats of the FMR1 gene were analyzed by PCR and FragilEase RESULTS: For the 201 patients with unexplained mental retardation, 15 were identified with full mutations of the FMR1 gene. The prevalence of fragile X syndrome (FXS) in patients with unexplained mental retardation was determined as 7.5% (15/201). Prenatal diagnosis was provided for 6 pregnant women with pre- or full mutations. Analysis revealed that women with mental retardation and full FMR1 mutations exhibited a skewed XCI pattern with primary expression of the X chromosome carrying the mutant allele. CONCLUSION FXS has a high incidence among patients with unexplained mental retardation. Analysis of FMR1 gene (CGG)n repeats in patients with unexplained mental retardation can facilitate genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for their families. FMR1 gene (CGG)n repeats screening should be recommended for patients with unexplained mental retardation.
Female ; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein/genetics* ; Fragile X Syndrome/genetics* ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Mutation ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis