Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Endophthalmitis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Meningoencephalitis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Suppuration

BACKGROUNDAdrenocorticotrophin (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenomas account for approximately 7% - 14% of all pituitary adenomas, but its pathogenesis is still enigmatic. This study aimed to explore mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas.

METHODSWe used fiber-optic beadarray to examine gene expression in three ACTH-secreting adenomas compared with three normal pituitaries. Four differentially expressed genes from the three ACTH-secreting adenomas and three normal pituitaries were chosen randomly for validation by reverse transcriptase-real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We then analyzed the differentially expressed gene profile with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway.

RESULTSFiber-optic beadarray analysis showed that the expression of 28 genes and 8 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were significantly increased and the expression of 412 genes and 31 ESTs were significantly decreased. Bioinformatic and pathway analysis showed that the genes HIGD1B, EPS8, HPGD, DAPK2, and IGFBP3 and the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway and extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction pathway may play important roles in tumorigenesis and progression of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas.

CONCLUSIONSOur data suggest that numerous aberrantly expressed genes and several pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas. Fiber-optic beadarray combined with pathway analysis of differential gene expression appears to be a valid method of investigating tumour pathogenesis.

ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma ; etiology ; genetics ; Adenoma ; etiology ; genetics ; Adult ; Disease Progression ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; physiology ; Female ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; physiology

Objective To observe he effects of new Tangshenkang on α-SMA and E-cadherin of human renal tubular epithelial cell HK-2 in high concentrations of glucose; To explore the mechanism of new Tangshenkang on the prevention and treatment of diabetic renal fibrosis. Methods The HK-2 cells were cultured and divided into control group, high glucose group, animal serum control group, new Tangshenkang low-, medium-, and high-dosage group. After medicine intervention, cell proliferation was tested by MTT assay, and contents of α-SMA and E-cadherin were observed by ELISA assay. Results Compared with control group, α-SMA of HK-2 cultured with high glucose was much notable, but the content of E-cadherin significantly decreased, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The content of α-SMA of HK-2 cultured with new Tangshenkang decreased, and the content of E-cadherin increased; cell proliferation was markedly inhibited in culture medium supernatant of HK-2 cells cultured with high glucose plus new Tangshenkang compared with only high glucose, with statistical significance. Conclusion New Tangshenkang can inhibit cell proliferation and epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation of HK-2 cell induced by high glucose, and prevent the development of diabetic renal fibrosis to a certain extent.

Selection and affinities of Cd binding peptides were assayed by phage random dodecapeptide library and affinity chromatography. Two Cd binding peptides were obtained, it was found that the affinities of Cu~ 2+ ,Co~ 2+ ,Zn~ 2+ ,Ni~ 2+ for Cd binding peptides were higher than that of Cd~ 2+ and Cr~ 2+ after detection of the amplified Cd binding peptides displayed phages to different heavy metal-charged resins; the detoxification of E.coli to Ni~ 2+ and Cd~ 2+ was enhanced when infected by Cd binding peptide displayed phages as compared with those of the control. The interaction of Cd binding peptide displayed phages with heavy metals charged resins was also observed under microscope. The work would be of great value and consequences for the study of interaction between heavy metals and proteins(peptides), as well as thedetoxification and bioremediation of heavy metals.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationships between erythrocyte membrane n-6:n-3 PUFAs ratio and blood lipids and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).

METHODSThe observational study consisted of a population-based cross-sectional study of 456 Chinese and a subsequent 1-year follow-up study of 171 subjects with the fasting plasma total cholesterol of 5.13-8.00 mmol/L.

RESULTSIn the cross-sectional analysis, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) had a significant and negative association with the erythrocyte membrane n-6:n-3 PUFAs ratio (P for trend=0.019) after adjusting for sex, age and total PUFA percentage. In the follow-up study, 171 subjects were categorized into quartiles by the changes of n-6:n-3 ratio in erythrocyte membrane (Δ=month 12-month 0). In the top quartile whose ratios of n-6:n-3 increased by an average of 1.25 during the follow-up, the LDL-c-lowering extent was 3.3 times of that in the lowest quartile whose ratios of n-6:n-3 decreased by an average of 1.13 (-1.07 mmol/L v.s. -0.32 mmol/L). The hsCRP decreased by 0.11 mg/dL in the lowest quartile while increasing by 0.10 mg/dL in the top quartile (P for difference=0.052).

CONCLUSIONOur results suggested that the balance between n-6 and n-3 fatty acids may optimize the cardiovascular benefits from dietary PUFAs.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Erythrocyte Membrane ; metabolism ; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 ; blood ; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the morphological, ultramicrostructural and pathological changes of tissues from a patient with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

METHODSOne autopsy case of diagnosed SARS was investigated. Lung puncture was performed immediately after the patient died, and the autopsy was done after 12 h. The specimens from lymph nodes, spleen, small intestine, colon and bone marrow were studied by immunohistochemical technique. The antibodies used included CD20, CD45RO (UCHL-1), CD4, CD8, CD68 and CD34.

RESULTSThe principal lesions of the SARS case consisted of acute lobular intrastitial pneumonia, hyaloid membranes of pulmonic alveoli and hyperplasia and shedding of alveolar epithelium of. Virus-like inclusions occasionally contained cytoplasm of the alveolar epithelium, which were positive by histochemical staining. The adjacent blood-vessels were changed by hyperplasia and enlargement. The structures of lymph nodes and spleen were damaged with lymph follicles depletion and splenic nodules atrophy. The specific changes included reduction of lymphocytes and hyperplasia of histiocytes, depletion of the follicles of small intestine and colon wall, decreased hyperplasia of the bone marrow and increased number of the megakaryocyte. Meanwhile, in the immunohistochemical study, CD(20)(+) B cells were fully expressed in lymph nodes and spleen, and the CD45RO (UCHL-1)(+) T cells were scatteredly expressed. The number of CD4(+) help T cell was markedly decreased, while the number of CD8+ poisonal T cells increased, and the ratio of the former and latter was no more than 0.5. Under the electronic microscopy observation, virus-like particles with 80 - 160 nm diameter and halo or garland envelope were found in mononuclear macrophage and cytoplasm of alveolar epithelium.

CONCLUSIONThe specific lesions of SARS consist of lobular intrastitial pneumonia with the formation of hyaline membranes of lung, haemorrhage, necrosis, inflammation of blood vessels and the damages of extralung lymphohemopioetic system. The damages were very similar to the pathological features of tissues infected by human immunodeficiency virus, in which numbers of T cells decreased and CD(4)(+) T cell/CD(8)(+) T cell ratio was no more than 0.5. According to the virus-like particles found in lung of the SARS case, it is considered that these virus-like particles may be a new kind of coronavirus which caused the "atypical pneumonia".

Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo understand the epidemiological characteristics of essential hypertension in the northern and western areas of China.

METHODSA community-based sampling survey.

RESULTSRates of awareness, treatment and control were 78.6%, 59.7% and 5.9%, respectively. About half of the diagnosed and treated patients took antihypertensive medicine irregularly before the survey was carried out.

CONCLUSIONIt is necessary to carry out education, prevention and control on hypertension and to establish a series of standards for the management and treatment on cases of hypertension.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; China ; epidemiology ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Social Class

BACKGROUNDGlioblastoma is the most common and lethal cancer of the central nervous system. Global genomic hypomethylation and some CpG island hypermethylation are common hallmarks of these malignancies, but the effects of these methylation abnormalities on glioblastomas are still largely unclear. Methylation of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter is currently an only confirmed molecular predictor of better outcome in temozolomide treatment. To better understand the relationship between CpG island methylation status and patient outcome, this study launched DNA methylation profiles for thirty-three primary glioblastomas (pGBMs) and nine secondary glioblastomas (sGBMs) with the expectation to identify valuable prognostic and therapeutic targets.

METHODSWe evaluated the methylation status of testis derived transcript (TES) gene promoter by microarray analysis of glioblastomas and the prognostic value for TES methylation in the clinical outcome of pGBM patients. Significance analysis of microarrays was used for genes significantly differently methylated between 33 pGBM and nine sGBM. Survival curves were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between curves were assessed using the log-rank test. Then, we treated glioblastoma cell lines (U87 and U251) with 5-aza-2-deoxycytidines (5-aza-dC) and detected cell biological behaviors.

RESULTSMicroarray data analysis identified TES promoter was hypermethylated in pGBMs compared with sGBMs (P < 0.05). Survival curves from the Kaplan-Meier method analysis revealed that the patients with TES hypermethylation had a short overall survival (P < 0.05). This abnormality is also confirmed in glioblastoma cell lines (U87 and U251). Treating these cells with 5-aza-dC released TES protein expression resulted in significant inhibition of cell growth (P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONSHypermethylation of TES gene promoter highly correlated with worse outcome in pGBM patients. TES might represent a valuable prognostic marker for glioblastoma.

Azacitidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Brain Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Glioblastoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; LIM Domain Proteins ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo estimate the effect of influenza-like illness (ILI) on outpatient visits and assess its impact on public health.

METHODSWe analyzed the data of weekly number of ILI and outpatient visits in Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Emergency at two influenza surveillance hospitals during a period of 137 weeks in Guangzhou. Spectral analysis and time-series analysis were performed to evaluate the variation of outpatient visits over time. The predictive model was fitted with weekly outpatient visits as the dependent variable and weekly number of ILI as the independent variable. The optimal model was established according to the coefficient of determination, Akaike-information criterion and residual analysis. The validity of the model was assessed prospectively using the 31-week data that were not used for the model establishment.

RESULTSThe outpatient visits increased significantly over time and showed significant seasonality (P<0.001). A significant correlation was found between the weekly number of ILI and outpatient visits (r=0.568, P<0.001). The residuals of the fitted autoregression model were white-noise series and the coefficient of determination was 75% for the data used to establish the model and 56% for the subsequent 31-week data.

CONCLUSIONSThe autoregression model can be used to estimate the effect of weekly number of outpatient visits based on the weekly number of ILI and thus assess the effects of influenza on public health.

Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; Logistic Models ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; statistics & numerical data ; Outpatients ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo study the significance and safety of flexible bronchoscopy and balloon dilatation in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases in children.

METHODSA total of 438 children (236 males and 202 females) with respiratory diseases who were aged from 17 days to 15 years, were examined and/or treated by bronchoscopy (including bronchoscopic intervention) under local anesthesia.

RESULTSOf the 438 children, 311 were diagnosed with pulmonary infection, 68 with atelectasis, 36 with recurrent cough and asthma, 6 with hemoptysis of unknown origin, 6 with bronchial foreign body, 5 with congenital bronchopulmonary dysplasia, 2 with bronchiectasis, 1 with ciliary dyskinesia syndrome, 1 with lung tumor, and 2 with congenital immunodeficiency disease. After bronchoscopic examination, local flushing or bronchoalveolar lavage, and foreign body extraction, marked response was seen in 379 cases and response was seen in 46 cases. High-pressure balloon dilatation under bronchoscopy was performed in 5 cases with inflammatory stricture and achieved satisfying clinical effect. No severe complications were found in bronchoscopy.

CONCLUSIONSBronchoscopy and balloon dilatation under local anesthesia is safe and effective for the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases in children.

Adolescent ; Anesthesia, Local ; Bronchoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dilatation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy