Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; therapeutic use ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To investigate the incidence and pregnancy outcomes of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) in pregnant women in Beijing.Methods A retrospective multicenter study of 18 534 cases delivered in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital,Beijing Friendship Hospital,Daxing MCH Hospital and Tongzhou MCH Hospital from January 2011 to December 2011,was conducted.Results Among 18 534 cases,PROM occurred in 4 504 cases (24.30％),including 3 910 cases of in term PROM (21.10％) and 594 cases of preterm PROM (3.20％).The incidence of premature delivery was 6.17％ (1 144/18 534),and among 1 144 cases of premature delivery 547 cases were PROM (47.81％);the incidence of PROM was 22.75％ (3 957/17 390) in term delivery.The overall cesarean section (CS) rate was 48.50％ (8 989/18 534) and that in pregnant women with PROM was 35.55％ (1 601/4 504),but the CS rate in pregnant women without PROM was 52.66％ (7 388/14 030).The rate of postpartum hemorrhage was 13.12％ (210/1 601)in CS cases and 4.17％ (121/2 903) in vaginal delivery cases (x2 =121.361,P=0.000).The mean hospital stay for PROM was (5.3±2.9) d in CS cases and (4.3±2.3) d in vaginal delivery cases (t =-12.136,P =0.000).Conclusions Without severe maternal or fetal complications,the incidence of PROM is relatively high in Beijing region and PROM may not increase the maternal or fetal complications.Vaginal delivery is the main mode of delivery for PROM.Cesarean section may not cause less neonatal complications,but may lead to more postpartum hemorrhage and longer hospital stay.

Objective To investigate the significances of karyotyping analysis on umbilical cord vein blood lymphocytes in the diagnosis of abnormal karyotypes in middle to late period of pregnant fetus.Methods A volume (0.5 ～ 1 ml) of umbilical cord vein blood was extracted from pregnant women in third trimester pregnancy with prenatal detection indications,and collected in sterilized anticoagulant tube.Lymphocytes were cultured and collected for karyotyping analysis after fixed and dropped on slides.Data were analyzed statistically.Results Lymphocytes were cultured successfully in 1 211 cases out of total 1 213 cases collected.Totally 142 abnormal karyotypes were found,which includes 81 cases (detection rate 6.68 ％) of non-heteromorphic abnormal chromosomes and 61 cases (detection rate 5.03％) of heteromorphic chromosomes.Among these abnormal karyotypes,50 cases (accounting for 35.21％ in total abnormal cases) of aneuploidy include 4 cases of chimerical karyotype.Structural abnormalities were found in 31 cases (accounting for 21.83％ in total abnormal cases) samples including 11 cases of translocations,17 cases of inversion and 3 cases of deletion.Conclusions Based on our findings,karyotyping analysis on umbilical cord vein blood lymphocytes could be an effective method for detect abnormal karyotypes in middle to late period of pregnant fetus and played an important role in prenatal diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the clinical features and causes of misdiagnosis of complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE) in the elderly. Methods The clinical data of elderly patients with CPSE admitted in our department between January and December, 2008 with previous misdiagnosis were reviewed. The diagnosis of CPSE was established according to the diagnostic criteria of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). All the patients underwent video-EEG examination, head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and routine biochemical examination, and were followed up for at least 3 months. Results Seven female CPSE patients were involved in this analysis including 2 with frontal lobe epilepsy and 5 with temporal lobe epilepsy. The conditions were misdiagnosed as a variety of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, cerebral infarction, coronary heart disease, encephalitis, hysterism, and schizophrenia, and the duration of the misdiagnoses ranged from 2 days to 40 years. Video-EEG showed slow background, continuous interictal discharges or high-voltage slow waves in the temporal or frontal lobe, or ictal discharges of complex partial seizures. After treatment with antiepileptic medications, 3 patients were free of epileptic episodes within 3 months, 3 still remained in complex partial status, and 1 had repeated CPSE. Conclusions Complex symptoms, atypical EEG, co-morbidity and social factors all contribute to misdiagnosis of CPSE in the elderly. Suspected patients should undergo video-EEG examination for a definite diagnosis as early as possible.

Animals ; Desmin ; analysis ; genetics ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Kidney Glomerulus ; chemistry ; Nephrosis ; metabolism ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Nestin ; Podocytes ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Vimentin ; analysis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of mexican tea herb and pilular adina herb (abbreviated to MP) on concrescence of gastric mucosa in experimental gastric ulcer rats by observing the changes of epidermal growth factor (EGF), nitrogen monoxidum (NO) and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

METHODSThe rat ulcer model was established by 100% glacial acetic injection into the subserosa. The ulcer index (UI) was measured by sliding caliper. The levels of NO and EGF in tissue and serum were measured by the nitrate reductase method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The expression of EGFR in the mucosa around the ulcer was detected by the immunohistochemical assay and microimage analysis system.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the model group, UI of MP groups (10, 15 and 20 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)) and ranitidine group was lower (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the levels of NO and EGF in the tissue and serum were higher (P<0.05), the thickness of regenerated mucous membrane increased, and the width loss of lamina muscularis mucosa decreased (all P<0.05). (2) The expression of EGFR is weakly positive in gastric mucosa cells in the normal group, mainly in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane. In the model group, the expression of EGFR was mainly in epithelial cells in cervical part and basilar part of gastric gland around the ulcer margin, and the number of cells with EGFR weakly positive expression was more than that in the normal group. Compared with that in the normal and model groups, the number of cells with EGFR positive in MP groups and ranitidine group increased (all P<0.05), with weakly positive expression.

CONCLUSIONMP can protect gastric mucosa, cure gastric ulcer, restrain the secretion of gastric acid, and boost multiplication, differentiation, migration and repair of the endothelial cell by promoting the secretion of NO and EGF, and increasing the expression of EGFR of gastric mucosa epithelial cells.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; analysis ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; chemistry ; drug effects ; pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; analysis ; Regeneration ; Stomach Ulcer ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Tea

Objective To study the clinical features and genetic mechanism of myoclonic-astafic epilepsy (MAE) in infancy. Methods This study was conducted among 10 infants with MAE (including 7 male and 3 female patients) diagnosed between 2006 and 2008 according to the criteria of International League Against Epilepsy (2001). The clinical data including onset age, seizure type, physical signs, EEG, brain maguetic resonance imaging (MRI), effects of anti-epileptic drugs and prognosis were analyzed. The mutations of voltage-gated sodium channel subunit type 1 gene (SCN1A gene) were screened by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography and direct sequencing. Results The 10 MAE cases included 8 sporadic cases and 2 with a family history of febrile seizure and epilepsy. The onset age ranged from 5 months to 39 months, and all the MAE patients had multiple generalized seizure types, including myoclonic-atonic, myoclonic, atonic, tonic-clonic and absence seizures. Two patients had myoclonic status epilepticus, and 7 showed mental retardation. All the patients showed normal findings in MRI. SCN1A gene was screened in 8 of the MAE patients, and no mutation was found. Valproate, clonazepam and levetiracetam were effective in these MAE cases. Conclusion MAE is a rare epilepsy syndrome, whose genetic mechanism is still unclear. Valproate, clonazepam and levetiracetam are effective for MAE, which is associated with poor prognosis.

BACKGROUNDDNA hypomethylation of long interspersed nuclear elements-1 (LINEs-1) occurs during carcinogenesis, whereas information addressing LINE-1 methylation in Wilms tumor (WT) is limited. The main purpose of our study was to quantify LINE-1 methylation levels and evaluate their relationship with relative telomere length (TL) in WT.

METHODSWe investigated LINE-1 methylation and relative TL using bisulfite-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR, respectively, in 20 WT tissues, 10 normal kidney tissues and a WT cell line. Significant changes were analyzed by t-tests.

RESULTSLINE-1 methylation levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) and relative TLs were significantly shorter (P < 0.05) in WT compared with normal kidney. There was a significant positive relationship between LINE-1 methylation and relative TL in WT (r = 0.671, P = 0.001). LINE-1 Methylation levels were significantly associated with global DNA methylation (r = 0.332, P < 0.01). In addition, relative TL was shortened and LINE-1 methylation was decreased in a WT cell line treated with the hypomethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine compared with untreated WT cell line.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that LINE-1 hypomethylation is common and may be linked to telomere shortening in WT.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Methylation ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements ; genetics ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Telomere ; genetics ; Wilms Tumor ; genetics

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of proto-oncogene c-src on the viability of rat spermatogonial stem cells from 9 day-old rat in vitro. MTT method was used to observe the viability of the spermatogonial stem cells treated with antisense c-src oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) in vitro; RT-PCR was utilized to observe the expression of c-src mRNA and Western blot was used to observe the protein expressions of pp60c-src and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3). Compared with that in control group, the viability of spermatogonial stem cells decreased by 8.1% (P<0.05) and the expression of c-src mRNA decreased significantly after treatment with 10 μmol/L antisense c-src ODNs for 12 h. Compared with that in the control group, the protein expressions of pp60c-src and p-STAT3 decreased by 33.8% and 45.3% (both P<0.01), respectively, in the spermatogonial stem cells after being transfected with antisense c-src ODNs. The results suggest that proto-oncogene c-src regulates the viability of rat spermatogonial stem cells through p-STAT3.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Genes, src ; Male ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src) ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; metabolism ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Transfection

BACKGROUNDHuman epididymis secretory protein 4 (HE4) has been proved to be a promising novel biomarker for the detection of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Compared with CA125, HE4 assay demonstrated an improved ability to discriminate between pelvic mass with malignant and benign disease. Though it is well known that HE4 is overexpressed in ovarian cancer, however, the role of HE4 in the carcinogenesis and progression of ovarian cancer remains unkown.

METHODSIn this study, we explored the role of HE4 in the carcinogenesis and progression of ovarian cancer. We screened nine ovarian cancer cell lines for HE4 expression, and using RNA interference (RNAi), we silenced HE4 gene expression in CaoV3 and SKOV3.ip1 ovarian cancer cell lines. We assessed the effect of HE4 gene silencing on the transformed phenotype by examining the cell cycle, apoptosis, proliferation and transwell migration/invasion in vitro.

RESULTSHE4 gene silencing induces G0/G1 arrest and blocks the progression from the G1 to S phase in CaoV3 and SKOV3.ip1 cells. HE4 knockdown also inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in SKOV3.ip1 cells in vitro.

CONCLUSIONHE4 may be involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and promote ovarian cancer migration and invasion.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Disease Progression ; Epididymal Secretory Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Female ; Gene Silencing ; physiology ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; RNA Interference