Objective Hypercellularity in proliferan've glomerulonephritis can result from either increased proliferation or the failure of cells to undergo apoptosis in response to stimuli. Increasing evidence supports that alterations in the control of cell survival are important in the pathogenesis of proliferative glomerulonephritis. Methods Apoptotic cells in the glomeruli have been analyzed by the in situ end labeling (ISEL) of TdT from patients diagnosed with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN, n = 12), type IV lupus nephritis (LN, n = 15) and acute postinfectious glomerulonephritis (APGN, n = 13) in the present study. In addition, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive proliferating glomerular cells were observed by immunochemical 4 layer PAP method in these patients. Results The ratio of proliferating and apoptotic cells was the highest one in patients with MPGN (3.91) as compared to APGN (1.28) and LN(1 .02). The extends of increasing apoptotic cells in the glomeruli were different among patients with MPGN,, APGN and LN, although all of them showed extremely glomerular hypercellularity. The number of apoptotic glomemlar cells was significantly higher in patients with APGN (1.16?0.35) than those with MPGN (0.12?0.16) as well as LN patients (0.35 ? 0.20). Conclusion Apoptosis is essential in the resolution of glomerular cellularity together with the remodeling processes. Intense proliferations without increment in apoptosis are the characterisitics of MPGN and LN associated with their renal histological changes and prognosis.

Objective To compare the efficacy and predictability of sphere-cylinder-combined LASIK and two-zone cross-cylinder LASIK for the correction of moderate and high astigmatism.Design Prospective,comparative case series.Participants 40 eyes of 35 patients with mixed astigmatism undergoing LASIK.Methods All patients were treated with Visx Star IV LASIK system.20 eyes of 19 cases were used for sphere-cylinder combined LASIK mode and 20 eyes of 16 cases for two-zone-cross-cylinder LASIK mode.All sub- jects were followed more than 6 months.Main Outcome Measures Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA),best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA),spherical diopter,residual astigmatism and corneal thickness.Results For the patients who received two-zone-cross-cylinder LASIK mode,the UCVA at 6 months after surgery was 0.5 or above,and 13 eyes (65.0%) were 1.0 or above. For the patients who received sphere-cylinder-combined LASIK mode,the UCVA at 6 months after surgery was 0.5 or above,and 11 eyes (55.0%) was 1.0 or above (P=0.683).The residual astigmatism for the patients received sphere-cylinder-combined LASIK mode was (1.15?1.00)D,while for the patients received cross-cylinder LASIK mode was (1.13?0.62)D(P=0.045).The remotion depth of cornea for sphere-cylinder-combined LASIK mode and cross-cylinder LASIK mode was (36.73?13.12)?m and (15.60?6.85)?m,respectively (P= 0.031).Condusion The UCVA,residual astigmatism and corneal thickness after surgery in two-zone-cross-cylinder LASIK mode were better than that in sphere-cylinder-combined LASIK mode for the correction of moderate and high astigmatism.

Objective To investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) gene (E375A, C406R, Q576R) and childhood asthma in Harbin. Methods Ninety-one (91) children with asthma were included, and 42 healthy children were enrolled as control. The genotype polymorphisms of IL-4R were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results There was no significant difference in the distributions of the genotypes at both 1 124 A/C polymorphic sites (i.e. E375A polymorphism) and 1 902 A/G polymorphic site (i.e. Q576R polymorphism) in IL-4R between asthmatic group and control group (P > 0.05). There was significant difference in the distributions of the genotypes (CC, CR, RR) on 1 216 T/C polymorphic site (i.e. C406R polymorphism) in IL-4R between the two groups (P < 0.05). The R allele frequency was 22.94% in asthmatic group and 6.58% in control group, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05), but the allele frequencies at this site did not satisfy Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.05). Conclusions Our data suggest that the E375A and Q576R polymorphisms in IL-4R is not associated with the development of asthma in children in Harbin. Further study is needed on the relationship between C406R polymorphism and asthma.

OBJECTIVETo explore genetic relationships of the 39 materials in six species of Curcuma.

METHODThe peroxidase isozyme (POD) and esterase isozyme (EST) were studied using vertical slab polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) technique, and the zymograms were analyzed using the software of NTSYSpc2. 1.

RESULTThe interspecific zymogramatic differences were obvious. Each species possessed its own specific zymogram distinguishing form the others. In the analysis of EST isozyme, C. phaeocaulis, C. wenyujin, C. kwangsiensis and C. chuanhuangjiang had their own specific zymogram. In the analysis of POD isozyme, just C. phaeocaulis and C. kwangsiensis had their specific zymogram.

CONCLUSIONThe genetic relationships are not associated with the geographical distributions and the genetic relationship between C. longa and C. sichuanensis are very close.

Cluster Analysis ; Curcuma ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Esterases ; analysis ; genetics ; Isoenzymes ; analysis ; genetics ; Peroxidase ; analysis ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Species Specificity

Objective To analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children. Methods Fifty-three inpatients, 5 boys and 48 girls with SLE, who aged from 7 to 14 years with a median age at 12 years, were enrolled into this study. A retrospective study was carried out to assess the clinical and laboratory features of these pediatric patients. Results The ratio of male to female patients was 1:9.6. Skin eruption was the most common initial manifestation (41.51%), followed by fever (20.75%) and arthralgia (20.75%). Systemic involvement was common, and 84.90% of these patients had hematological abnormalities, 60.38% renal involvement, 18.87% nervous involvement. The most common manifestation of hematological, renal and nervous involvement was anemia, proteinuria and seizures, respectively. Among the immunologic parameters tested, anti-nuclear antibody showed the highest positivity rate of 90.57%, followed by anti-dsDNA with a positivity rate of 67.92%. There was no significant difference between the male and female patients in the age of onset, SLEDAI score at admission and discharge, duration of hospitalization or the dose of corticosteroid used initially and at the discharge. Conclusion The manifestations of pediatric SLE are various, and multisystem involvement is common in these patients. Early diagnosis and active treatment might benefit the prognosis of pediatric SLE.

BACKGROUND: Surface modification is used to modify the biomaterials for the regulation of cell culture using different approaches, such as chemical graft and mechanical treatment. However, those conventional methodologies often require precise fabrication in a high resolution involving either high cost or laborious steps to remove chemical residues that are toxic to the cells. METHODS: A novel and simple method was proposed and evaluated to rapidly generate surface ceases on the gelatin methacrylate (gelMA) surface using the heating-hydration process. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured on the gelMA surface. The surface binding was characterized using the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) antibodies and cell adhesion pattern captured by scanning electron microscopy. The effect of the heating-hydration parameters on the creasing formation was investigated. The morphology of HUVECs cultured on such micropatterned gelMA was characterized and compared. RESULTS: It is found that the hydration solution, gelMA mixture, and hydration rate are the major factors that influence the cracking sizes in the range from 20 to 120 lm which resulted in capillary-like patterns on the gelMA surface. Low concentration of gelMA, high water concentration of cooling agent, and slow hydration rate result in the long creases, and heating of at least 60 min is required for complete dehydration. Strong fluorescence was around the creases with RGDstaining. Consequently, micropatterned gelMA demonstrated good biocompatibility with endothelial cells with more than 95% cell viability and continuous cell proliferation throughout 2 weeks as well as a good trace of neovascular formation. In comparison, normal gelMA surface did not exhibit RGD-fluorescent signals, and the cultured HUVECs on it were rounded with no spreading for network formation. CONCLUSION The heating-hydration approach can successfully and easily produce the micropatterned gelMA that allows rapid and effective vascularization to potentially improve the functionalities of the tissue-engineered construct.

BACKGROUND: Surface modification is used to modify the biomaterials for the regulation of cell culture using different approaches, such as chemical graft and mechanical treatment. However, those conventional methodologies often require precise fabrication in a high resolution involving either high cost or laborious steps to remove chemical residues that are toxic to the cells. METHODS: A novel and simple method was proposed and evaluated to rapidly generate surface ceases on the gelatin methacrylate (gelMA) surface using the heating-hydration process. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured on the gelMA surface. The surface binding was characterized using the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) antibodies and cell adhesion pattern captured by scanning electron microscopy. The effect of the heating-hydration parameters on the creasing formation was investigated. The morphology of HUVECs cultured on such micropatterned gelMA was characterized and compared. RESULTS: It is found that the hydration solution, gelMA mixture, and hydration rate are the major factors that influence the cracking sizes in the range from 20 to 120 lm which resulted in capillary-like patterns on the gelMA surface. Low concentration of gelMA, high water concentration of cooling agent, and slow hydration rate result in the long creases, and heating of at least 60 min is required for complete dehydration. Strong fluorescence was around the creases with RGDstaining. Consequently, micropatterned gelMA demonstrated good biocompatibility with endothelial cells with more than 95% cell viability and continuous cell proliferation throughout 2 weeks as well as a good trace of neovascular formation. In comparison, normal gelMA surface did not exhibit RGD-fluorescent signals, and the cultured HUVECs on it were rounded with no spreading for network formation. CONCLUSION The heating-hydration approach can successfully and easily produce the micropatterned gelMA that allows rapid and effective vascularization to potentially improve the functionalities of the tissue-engineered construct.

OBJECTIVETo screen for genetic mutations in 35 patients with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to screen for the presence of mitochondrial DNA mutations.

RESULTSThe total detection rate of top 3 common LHON mutations were 20.0%, which included 6 cases of ND4 11778 G to A, 1 case of ND1 3460 G to A. No ND6 14484 T to C mutation was detected. A ND4 G11719A synonymous mutation was found in all patients. In addition, 21 other mutations were discovered among 23 patients, among which 13 had a single mutation, 8 had a second mutations, and 2 had a third mutation. Among the 21 mutations, ND4 11778 G to A had a frequency of 28.6%(6/21). ND1 3552 T to A, ND6 14470 T to C, ND4 11794 T to C, ND1 3497 C to T and 3644 T to C respectively had a frequency of 19.0% (4/21), 19.0%(4/21), 14.3%(3/21), 9.5%(2/21) and 9.5%(2/21). Among the 3 patients who harbored a ND4 11794 T to C mutation, 2 were heteroplasmic and one was homoplasmic in nature.

CONCLUSIONThe ND4 11778 G to A mutation is common in the Top "3" primary mutations of patients with LHON. Candidate LHON mutation ND1 3552 T to A or ND1 3644 T to C resulted in LHON pathogenesis as single or synergistic effect. The visual impairment at onset of the disease with candidate mutation were better than the eyes with the ND4 11778 G to A mutation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Optic Atrophy, Hereditary, Leber ; genetics