Objective To detect the change of interleukin-18 (IL-18) level in the serum of patients with acute leukemia (AL) in children, and explore the clinical significance of IL-18. Methods The level of IL-18 was measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) in 45 patients with AL in children. Results The leverof IL-18 in pre-treatment AL group was 719.35±358.21pg/mL and significantly higher than that of normal-control group [(311.80±146.64)pg/mL P <0.01]. Mter treatment, the level of IL-18 was 401.14±180.78 pg/mL in post-treatment complete remission group, which was significantly lower than that of pre-treatment group(P <0.01). The level of IL-18 in non-remission group was higher than those of normal control and CR group (P<0.01);while pre-treatment group the difference was not significant (P >0.05). According to the clinical sub-group with risk factors in pre-treatment AL, the level of IL-18 in high risk(HR) and middle risk(MR) group was significantly higher than low risk(LR) group (P<0.05). The level of IL-18 in T-ALL group was significantly higher than that in B-ALL group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-18 in pre-treatment AL were markedly correlated to the count of blast cells in bone marrow (r=0.411, P=0.005). Conclusion The level of IL-18 in the patients of childhood AL was in a high expression, and related to the clinical treating effect and the count of blast cells in bone marrow, which would be taken as an index of treating effect. The level of IL-18 was closely related to the clinical risk factors in pre-treatment AL.

Objective: To study the effect of notoginsenoside in various doses on local ischemic neurotic dysfunction and the ultrastructure. Methods: 35 Wistar rats were divided at random. The reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was made according to the assessment of the literature. The changes of SEP contents of cerebral cortex NO and SOD, and the changes of the ultrastrcture were recorded by evoked potential electrograph before and after MCAO. Results: notoginsenoside 200mg?kg -1 and 400mg?kg -1 could remarkably alter MCAO, shorten the latent period, improve the dysfuntion induced by MCAO, lower the concentration of NO and enhance the activity of SOD. The differential value in MCAO group was statistically remarkable ( P

Genetic factors play an important role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This article mainly introduced some genes, which have been reported in recent years, predisposing to different aspects of AD. The occurrence and progress of the late onset Al-zheimer's disease (LOAD) can be better understood through further study of the susceptibility loci, especially by using the pathway analysis, and the important hub genes can be found so as to provide targets for clinical prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Due to the dispersion of genetic variant information, it needs detailed literature, online search and some bioinformatics methods to analyze the causative genes and signaling pathways related to LOAD. 3 databases were took as recourses, and they were analyzed with multi-means and multi-ways of analy-sis and data mining methods, in order to provide theoretical basis for further study and clinical treatment of AD genetics.

Objective To study the histopathological features of hepatic portal area in autopsy specimens of elderly men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods One hundred and three autopsy cases with T2DM (diabetic group) and contemporary 48 non-diabetic cases matched by gender and age (control group) were selected in the study.The histopathological changes of hepatic portal area were observed by histochemical and immunohistochemical methods.Results (1) In diabetic group, endothelial denudation, eosinophilie deposits, eccentric intimal thickening and luminal stenosis were found in hepatic interlobular artery (arteriole, the lumen diameter < 100 μm).The medial smooth muscle cells proliferated and migrated into intima, and fibroplasia occurred in adventitia.62.1% (64/103) of the patients with T2DM had microangiopathy and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ2= 27.14, P< 0.01 ).(2) Hyaline collagen fiber tissues deposited around interlobular artery, interlobular vein and interlobular bile ducts, resulting in enlargement of the portal area and the secondary atrophy and disappearance of portal triad.65.0% (67/103) of the patients with T2DM had this pathological changes in the portal area and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups(χ2= 23.27,P<0.01).(3) Terminal portal area was notable.Conclusions Mieroangiopathy can be observed in the hepatic portal areas of elderly men with T2DM, which may induce the fibrotic tissue hyperplasia, the atrophy of the portal triad and the sclerosing portal area.

Objective: To investigate the expression of midkine (MK) gene in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the clinical significance of MK thereof. Methods: The real-time PCR was used to assay MK gene expression in bone marrow of 15 normal children and 124 childhood ALL patients, including 73 patients in progression and 51 patients in complete remission. Three stratifications of progressing patients were established by prognostic factors such as white blood cell count, age, immunopherotype and response to the 7-day prednisolone prephase. Results: The significant statistic difference in MK gene expression was found between the progression group, the complete remission group and the normal group (P< 0.01). The MK gene expression was over-expressed in B-ALL than that in normal group. Furthermore, there was statistic difference between B-ALL and T-ALL (P< 0.01). But there was no difference in MK mRNA expression between the normal control and T-ALL. The assay in risk stratifications showed that the levels of MK gene were higher in standard risk group and mid-risk group than that in high risk group (P< 0.01 and P< 0.05, respectively). There was no significant difference between standard risk group and mid -risk group (P = 0.32). No correlations were found between MK level and age, gender or lactate dehydrogenase level in serum. The expression of MK was significantly lower in the group with higher white blood cells(WBC≥ 25×10~9/L) than that with lower WBC (WBC<25×l0~9/L) in peripheral blood (P< 0.05). Conclusion: The high level of MK was a favorable prognostic factor in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) in treatment of patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.Methods Sixty two patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis admitted in Ningbo Second Hospital during January 2010 and December 2013 were enrolled in the study.Patients were randomly assigned in two groups: 50 patients in control group received comprehensive medical treatment only, and 12 patients in combination group received APBSCT on the basis of medical treatment.The levels of serum total bilirubin (TBil), albumin (Alb), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and prothrombin time (PT) in two groups were mearsured at the 4th,12th,24th week.Overall survival (OS),progression-free survival (PFS) and complications were compared between two groups after 3 years follow-up.SPSS17.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results After APBSCT treatment, the level of Alb and PT at week 4,12 and 24 in combination group improved significantly(tAlb=-4.437,-5.210 and-6.915,tPT=12.083,11.251 and 10.640,all P<0.01),there were also significant differences between combination group and control group (tAlb=4.985, 5.565 and 6.260,tPT =-3.013、-3.727 and-3.983,all P<0.01).The 3-year OS and 3-year PFS of patients in combination group were higher than those of control group [(90.9±8.7)%vs.(60.7±7.4)%, (75.8±12.5)% vs.(47.9±7.3)%](χ2=6.887 and 5.565,P<0.05).Besides,APBSCT had more advantages than control group in reducing ascitic fluid and hepatic encephalopathy(χ2=7.992 and 4.681,P<0.05 or <0.01).Conclusion APBSCT combined with medical treatment can improve liver function and 3-year survival rate with mild adverse reaction in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Objective To observe the incidence rate of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in elderly male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the features of pathological changes of liver. Methods The 89 cases with T2DM (T2DM group) and contemporary non-diabetic cases (control group, n=48) from 858 autopsy samples matched for gender and age were selected in the study. The histopathological changes of liver were observed by microscopy,histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Results The incidence rates of NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) were 49.4% (44/89) and 14.6% (13/89) in T2DM group, 22.9 %(11/48) and 4.2% (2/48) in control group, respectively. The incidence rates of NAFLD and NASH were significantly higher in T2DM group than in control group(P＜0.01, P＜0.05). All of the NASH patients from T2DM group and one patient from control group were complicated with different stages of liver fibrosis. One patient from T2DM group was diagnosed as cirrhosis, no cirrhosis patient was found in control group. Conclusions Compared with control group, the incidence rate of NAFLD is higher and the damage of liver is more severe in T2DM group. The ratio of the progress from NAFLD to liver cirrhosis is low.

Objective To clarify the role of the known genes and new discovered genes, which were important to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in order to provide targets for clinical prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Methods In order to predict AD susceptible genes, the website databases (OMIM, AlzGene) and a variety of pathogenic gene prediction tools such as Endeavour, Gene Prospector, GLAD4U and ProphNet were used to make biological analysis. Results Disease-causing genes were directly obtained from the OMIM and Alzgene databases, and related genes were collected by 4 kinds of tools (select gene whose frequency was 3 or more). The data were shared and a list of 25 genes was gotten. These genes were CALHM1、 ABCA7、 A2M、 CLU、 SORL1、 HFE、 CD2AP、 APP、 ACE、 PICALM、 APOE、 NOS3、 MS4A6A、 PLD3、 CR1、 ADAM10、 MS4A4E、 BLMH、 PSEN1、 CD33、 PSEN2、 MPO、 APBB2、 BIN1 and PLAU. Conclusion CALHM1, ABCA7, A2M and CLU, etc., have a certain correlation with AD, which provide theoretical basis for further research of AD genics and clinical treatment.

Objective To study the influencing factors and clinical significance of ultrasonic quantitative analysis of the hip-flexion coronal section in the normal infants.Methods Totally 100 normal infants were enrolled.Angle α,angle β and FHC on different positions(mild-flexion and flexion of the hip) were mearured.And angle β on different points(the labrum central and the acetabular tips) were measured.The variation of the measurement index between different positions were analyzed.Results ①There was no significant difference in angle α between the neutral position and hip-flexion position (P ＞0.05).② FHC decreased in the hip-flexion position,and there was significant difference compared with the neutral position (P ＜0.05).③βc were greater than βt in the two positions (P ＜0.05);βc and βt were all greater in hip-flexion position than those in neutral position,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.05).Conclusions The results obtained from angle α is stable under the coronal flexion view of the normal infants,and does not vary with changing position.The change of the angle β and FHC with the hip flexion could be used to evaluate the stability of the hip.Measured angle β on the labrum tip has good repeatability.So this point should be selected to measure the angle β.

Objective To explore the potential influence of gender on screening value of aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR) for primary aldosteronism (PA).Methods The biochemical parameters were collected of 451 PA patients and 300 essential hypertension (EH) patients who were diagnosed in the General Hospital of PLA from 1992 to 2014. Each group was then divided into two groups by gender. The clinical characteristics were compared and then the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was conducted to evaluate the best cut-off value.Results The plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), serum sodium and ARR were much higher, but the plasma rennin activity (PRA), serum potassium and BMI were much lower in PA patients than in EH patients (P<0.01), and no significant difference existed between the two groups in age, duration of hypertension and blood pressure. The PRA was obviously lower in males than in females either in PA or in EH patients, but no signicantcant difference existed between males and females in PAC (P>0.05). The best cut-off value of ARR in male PA patients was 19.11, the relevant area under the curve (AUC) was 0.968, the sensitivity and specicantcity was 92.44% and 93.08%, and the Youden index (YI) was 0.86. The best cut-off value of ARR in female PA patients was 27.26, with AUC 0.956, sensitivity 92.07%, specicantcity 90.00% and YI 0.82, respectively. If the cut-off value was set at 27.26 in males, the specicantcity would rise a little, but the sensitivity and YI would sharply decrease. Similarly, the sensitivity would increase a little but the specicantcity and YI would fall substantially if the cut-off value in females was set at 19.11. The best cut-off value of ARR in men was smaller than the ocantcial value recommended by guidelines.Conclusion Gender is an important factor should be considered while ARR is used in PA screening, and the cut-off value of ARR in screening female PA patients should be setting higher.