Objective To describe the clinical characteristics of a patient with Gitelman syndrome,and to identify the associated SLC12A3 gene mutations.Methods A suspected case of teenager-onset Gitelman syndrome was observed in our hospital.It was further confirmed by clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination.In addition,direct sequencing for the exons of SLC12A3 gene and CLCNKB gene region was conducted to identify the probable disease-associated mutations.Results The case showed characteristics of hypokalemia,hypomagnesemia,and low level of urinary calcium and onset by age of 18.By excluding the possibilities of long-term use of thiazide diuretics,laxatives,chronic vomiting and diarrhea,he was finally diagnosed as a case of Gitelman syndrome.Furthermore,by Sanger direct sequencing,2 coding variations were identified in SLC12A3 gene region,including T304M and L488P.L488P was a new heterozygous mutation.Conclusion Detection of SLC12A3 gene mutation could facilitate the diagnosis of Gitelman syndrome and improve prognosis.

Chemistry Techniques, Analytical ; methods ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Flow Injection Analysis ; Mass Spectrometry ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; analysis

The cupping spot is considered as one kind of skin change due to cupping treatment. With literature regarding cupping spot, the influencing factors and value of cupping spot in clinical diagnosis and treatment were analyzed, which could make a further exploration on the action mechanism of cupping treatment. The literature showed that the formation of cupping spot was related with cupping temperature, pressure, cup-retaining time, cupping area, individual difference and health condition, etc; cupping spot had the ability to assist diagnosis, prevent disease, cure disease and evaluate clinical efficacy. Previous studies on cupping spot have already made some progress, and played a positive significance on finding cupping rule and studying its mechanism. However, the research for this area is still in the primary stage, which needed deeper study to reveal scientific connotations of cupping spot.
Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Skin ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply

Objective Using case-crossover design to explore the association between ambient air pollution and the hospital emergency room visits for respiratory diseases (International Classification of Diseases, tenth vision ICD-10: J00-J99) in Beijing, China. Methods Data regarding the daily hospital emergency room visits' of the respiratory diseases (ICD-10: J00-J99)were obtained in 2004.01.01-2005.12.31, from the Peking University Third Hospital and data on relevant air pollution and meteorological factors from the local municipal environmental monitoring center and meteorology bureau of Beijing, respectively. Time-stratified case-crossover technique was used to evaluate their relationships. Results from the bi-directional control sampling approach were compared with unidirectional approach. Results Using a unidirectional control sampling approach,the results obtained from a conditional logistic regression model (multi-pollutant model) after adjusting for meteorological variables, showed that the ORs of the hospital emergency room visits for the respiratory diseases associated with each 10 μg/m3 increment of PM10, SO2, NO2 were 1.010(95%CI: 1.005-1.014), 1.010(95%CI: 1.001-1.018) ,0.996(95%CI:0.983-1.009) respectively.In the bi-directional control sampling approach, the ORs were 1.002(95%CI:0.998-1.005)、 1.011 (95%CI:1.003-1.018)、 1.012(95%CI: 1.001-1.022). Conclusion Results from this study provided evidence that higher levels of ambient air pollutants increased the risk of hospital emergency room visits for respiratory diseases.

Objective To observe the influence of coal burning fluorosis on learning and memory ability in rats and reveal its possible mechanisms. Methods Healthy 48 SD rats were divided into control, low-fluoride and high-fluoride group. All rats in fluoride exposed groups were fed with the eom polluted by drying processes with burning coal containing high level of fluoride obtained from the endemic fluorosis area to produce the animal model of fluorosis. The experiment period were 3,6 mouths, respectively. The ability of leaning and memory was measured by Morris test and cholinesterase activity detected by photometric method at 3 or 6 month after experiment, respectively. Results Fluoride contents signifieantlly influenced the escape latency, the numbers of crossing the platforms and the time of staying the platforms(the value of F was 29.29,6.47,6.50, respectively, P<0.01).In addition, the numbers of crossing the platforms and the time of staying the platforms were influenced by the exposed time(the value of F was 16.11,45.59, P<0.01). Furthermore, the fluoride contents and the exposed time had an interaction between the numbers of crossing the platforms and the time of staying the platforms (the value of F was 4.67,5.68, P<0.05 or<0.01). Three months after the experiment, the mean values of escape latency [(14.71± 4.85)s] of rats in highly fluoride exposed group were significantly prolonged as compared with controls [(9.28±4.22)s]; 6 month after the experiment, the mean values of escape latency[(12.42±8.03)s, (17.48± 8.05)s] of rats in both groups exposed to fluoride were significantly prolonged as compared to controls [(7.04± 3.29)s, P<0.05]. The decreased numbers of crossing the platforms[(1.62±0.87)number] and the declined time of staying the platforms[(16.70±5.02)s] were found in the rats exposed to high fluoride as compared to controls [(3.53±1.67 )number, (23.33±5.35)s, P<0.05]. The fluoride contents obviously influenced the activities of acetylcholinesterase and butylcolinesterase (the value of F was 12.83,13.27, P<0.01). On the other hand, the times of breeding also influnced the activities of butylcolinesterase (the value of F was 16.26, P<0.01). In 3 months of the experiment, the activities of butylcolinesterase [(0.55±0.12)kU/g] in low fluoride exposed group were significantly decreased in comparison with controls[(0.73±0.10)kU/g, P<0.05]. The activities of acetylcholinesterase[(0.62±0.42)kU/g] and butylcolioesterase[(0.58±0.10)kU/g] in high fluoride group were significantly decreased as compared to eontrois[(1.41±0.52), (0.73±0.10)kU/g, P<0.05]. The correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between the cholinesterase and the escape latency(r=-0.68, P< 0.01), and a positive correlation between the cholinesterase and the time of staying the platforms(r=0.57, P< 0.01). Conclusions The ability of learning and memory in rats with coal buring fluorosis was decreased, which might be connected to the decreased activity of cholinesterase in a dose-effect correlation.

In early 2011, the serious outbreak of porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection suddenly recurred in Henan and neighboring Provinces. To investigate the etiology of massive infection with PRV, 16 800 serum samples, 905 porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) back-feeding tissues, and 56 PR gene deleted live vaccines were colleted from January 2011 to May 2013 to detect PRV field infection using a PRV gE antibody test kit. The gE and TK genes of 11 new epidemic PRV strains were sequenced by PCR, and their molecular characteristics were analyzed. Moreover, virus titer determination, protective test against PRV, and vaccine potency testing were performed. The results showed that the detection rate of PRV field infection-positive pig farms was 68.06%, and the overall positive rate of PRV field infection in serum was 38.47%; the positive rates in breeding sows, breeding boars, reserve pigs, and commercial pigs were 40.12%, 30.88%, 54.67%, and 26.52%, respectively. The new epidemic strains were in the same evolutionary branch and belonged to the virulent strain group. Compared with the classical PRV strain, the virulence of new epidemic strains changed a little. The length of gE gene was 1 787 bp, and the length of TK gene was 963 bp. The nucleotide homologies of gE and TK genes to Chinese reference strains were 98.2%-99.8% and 98.90%-99.6%, respectively, and the amino acid homologies were 97.1%-99.8% and 97.5%-99.4%, respectively. Commercial vaccine had a 100% protective effect against the new epidemic strains. The positive rate of PRV field infection was 0% in vaccine and 40.44% in back-feeding tissues. The results confirmed that PRV field infection rates were rising sharply among pigs in Henan and neighboring Provinces after 2011. The main virulence genes of new epidemic PRV strains did not change significantly over the years. PR gene deleted live vaccines had no PRV field infection and could completely resist the attack of new strains. The virus carriage of breeding boars and reserve pigs and the serious PRV field infection in PEDV back-feeding tissues were the main causative factors for massive infection with PRV and epidemic outbreak in Henan and neighboring Provinces from 2011 to 2013.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animal Feed ; analysis ; virology ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemics ; Female ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Pseudorabies ; epidemiology ; virology ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Sus scrofa ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo improve the mini-modified semi solid rappaport vassiliadis most probable number (mini-MSRV MPN) method for Salmonella detection.

METHODSBased on the mini-MSRV MPN method,Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) was modified as one step enrichment medium and Modified Semi Solid Rappaport Vassiliadis (MSRV) medium was ameliorated as modified MSRV for Salmonella detection under standard Salmonella addition recovery. A total of 154 raw chicken samples, 48 swabs of pheasantry and 48 poultry dung samples were collected to compare the detection results of Salmonella by using improved mini-MSRV MPN, mini-MSRV MPN and regular most probable number (MPN) method.

RESULTSSalmonella recovery was < 2.7 MPN/g when the standard Salmonella addition was at the concentration of 0.9 CFU/g when the mini-MSRV MPN method was employed. If the standard Salmonella addition were at 9.0 and 90.0 CFU/g, the recoveries of bacteria were 10.1 and 94.0 MPN/g, and the average recovery rate was 112% and 104%, respectively. Salmonella detection rate of modified mini-MSRV MPN, mini-MSRV MPN and regular MPN method was 18.4% (46/250), 5.2% (13/250) and 6.0% (15/250), respectively. The detection rate was higher for modified mini-MSRV MPN method than of the other two methods (χ(2) values were 19.68 and 17.82, respectively, all P values < 0.05). The detection quantity of Salmonella (medians were 21.0, < 2.7 and < 3.0 MPN/g, respectively). The quantity detected by modified mini-MSRV MPN method was higher than that of the other two methods (both Z values were 5.71, both P values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONModified mini-MSRV MPN method is an accurate method for foodborne Salmonella detection.

Animals ; Chickens ; microbiology ; Culture Media ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Food Inspection ; methods ; Salmonella ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Tongfu Decoction (TFD) on the gastric emptying of normal rats, thus exploring whether it could promote gastric emptying rapidly.

METHODSThirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e., the normal control group, the domperidone group, and the TFD group, 10 in each group. They were respectively administered with normal saline, the domperidone suspension, and TFD by gastrogavage. Thirty min later the gastric emptying of mice was detected by single photon emission computed tomography technology (SPECT) labeled with 99m Tc-DTPA, and the gastric half-emptying time and the gastric emptying rate were calculated.

RESULTSThe gastric half-emptying time was (19.0 +/-1.7) min in the normal control group, (12.9 +/- 3.4) min in the domperidone group, and (12.7 +/- 4.1) min in the TFD group. Compared with the normal control group, the gastric half-emptying time was significantly shortened in the domperidone group and the TFD group (P <0.05). The gastric emptying rate at 15 min was 41.1% +/- 5. 8% in the normal control group, 52.9% +/- 10.9% in the domperidone group, and 56.0% +/- 10.3% in the TFD group, while at 30 min it was 65.6% +/- 2.8%, 72.9% +/- 2.6%, and 72.4% +/- 4.9%, respectively. Compared with the normal control group, the gastric emptying rate at 15 min and 30 min both significantly increased in the domperidone group and the TFD group (P <0.05). There was no statistical difference in the gastric half-emptying time or the gastric emptying rate between the two groups (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONTFD showed similar effects as domperidone in rapidly promoting gastric emptying, and could shorten the gastric half-emptying time in normal rats.

Animals ; Domperidone ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gastric Emptying ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To investigate the RHD gene profiles of RhD-negative individuals in population of Fujian Province, it was to design fourteen pairs of specific primers to amplify RHD exon 1, 3 approximately 7, 9, 10, hybrid Rh box, RHD 1227A allele, RHC allele, RHc allele, RHE allele and RHe allele. Rh genotypes were detected by PCR-SSP in 104 RhD-negative donors, some samples with or without RHD genes were analysed by the absorption-elution test, and two RhD-negative samples with eight RHD exons detected were analysed by DNA sequencing. The results showed that 61.54% RhD-negative individuals lacked all the eight RHD exons detected (RHD-/RHD-), 25.97% carried the RHD 1227A allele (62.96% of which were the heterozygote of RHD+/RHD-, and 37.04% were the homozygote of RHD+/RHD+), 8.65% carried the RHD-CE (2 approximately 9)-D allele (RHD+/RHD-), and 1.92% carried the RHD 710delC allele (RHD+/RHD-). Though the most cases of RHD gene deletion were found in dce haplotype, six cases of RHD gene deletion were found in dCe (their RH genotypes were dce/dCe) and two in dcE haplotype (their RH genotypes were dce/dcE). And it was not accurate to predict the Rh phenotype by detecting a single RHD exon, however, and more accurate when eight RHD exons and RHD 1227A allele were detected (chi2=24.43, p<0.005). It is concluded that RHD genes in population of Fujian Province are polymorphic and the RHD genotyping is not reliable enough to replace the RhD serotyping in China.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Blood Donors ; China ; Erythrocytes ; immunology ; Exons ; genetics ; Gene Deletion ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Rh-Hr Blood-Group System ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVE: To understand and analyze the morphological characteristics of hyoid bone and its gender difference in order to find out its forensic significance. METHODS: The hyoid bones of 68 adult corpses were dissected from redundant soft tissues after heating. The connection status of body of hyoid, greater cornu and lesser cornu, the morphological characteristics of hyoid bone and the degree of ossification were observed by visual inspection. The height of hyoid bone and the arched height of hyoid bone were measured and compared the differences between male and female in order to deduce the analytic equation for gender estimation by hyoid bone. RESULTS: Five connection conditions of hyoid bone were identified by the morphological characteristics, including complete ossification in both sides, no ossification in both sides, partial ossification in both sides, complete ossification in one side (partial ossification in the other side), and complete ossification in one side (no ossification in the other side). The values of the arched height of hyoid bone (x1) and the height of hyoid bone (x2) in male were both higher than that in female (P < 0.01). The analytic equation for gender estimation (y) was y = 0.438 x1 + 1.042x2-12.979. The discriminant value was -0.272 5 and the resolution was 88.2%. CONCLUSION According to the gender characteristics of hyoid bone, the data of hyoid bone can provide helps for forensic practices.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging/physiology* ; Body Size ; Cadaver ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone/physiology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteogenesis ; Sex Characteristics ; Young Adult