Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of MMP-7 in peripher- al blood and esophageal cancer.Methods By using Real time RT-PCR, blood samples from 82 cases with postoperative esophageal cancer were detected.Results 37.8 %(32/82)patients were positive for MMP-7 mRNA expression.MMP-7 mRNA positivity significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis,stage,and hematogeneous metastasis.Recurrent disease was found in 28 of 82 cases. Of 28 patients experiencing re- lapse,15 patients were serially follow-up in every three months.The number positive of MMP-7 mRNA be- fore detection by imaging,at the same time of detection by imaging,and after detection by imaging was 5 cas- es,8 cases and 2 cases respectively.Conclusion Examination of MMP-7 mRNA in peripheral blood during follow-up is useful for early detection of occult recurrence.

OBJECTIVETo study the epidemiolgy of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children and its relations to climate factors in Hangzhou.

METHODSMonthly positive rate of RSV in pneumonia inpatients and climate factor including mean air temperature, mean relative humidity and rainy days per month were continuously observed for 3 years. Correlation analysis for RSV positive rate and these three climate factors were performed using partial correlation, and regression methods between the positive rate and significant factor was done.

RESULTS13 642 cases were detected and 25.8% showed positive of RSV. The positive rate of RSV in children < or =1 years old, 1-3 years old, > 3 years old were 33.1%, 19.7% and 5.1% respectively with significant difference (chi2 = 763.7, P = 0.000). Rate of RSV infection was increased from December and kept in high level until May or April next year, but were varied at different years. Partial correlations between positive rate and rainy days, mean relative humidity, and mean air temperature per month were 0.32 (P= 0.066), -0.27 (P = 0.117) and -0.83 (P = 0.000) respectively. The regression equation of RSV positive rate and mean air temperature was: RSV positive rate (%) = 52.933 - 1.914 x mean air temperature (degrees C).

CONCLUSIONRSV was one of the main factors causing of pneumonia in children while the highest infectious rate was in children < or =1 year old and infectious rate reduced along with the increase of age. Low air temperature was the main factor affecting the epidemiology of RSV. RSV was prevalent both in spring and winter in Hangzhou area.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Climate ; Female ; Humans ; Humidity ; Infant ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; epidemiology ; Seasons ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the viral pathogen of pneumonia in children.

METHODSA total of 13 642 cases of children pneumonia in 3 years were enrolled in this study. Antigens of viral pathogen in respiratory excretion, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), type 1, 2 and 3 parainfluenza virus, type A and B influenza virus, and adenovirus were detected by direct immunofluorescence method.

RESULTSViral pneumonia accounted for 34.3% of all cases, including 25.8% cases of RSV, 4.7% of parainfluenza virus, 2.4% of type A influenza virus, 0.2% of type B influenza virus and 1.3% of adenovirus. Coinfection was found in 20 cases, in which 17 cases (85%) were infected with RSV and another virus. Positive rates of RSV in children < or = 1 year, 1 to 3 years, and >3 years were 33.1%, 19.7% and 5.1% with a significant difference (chi(2)(trend)=763.4, P < 0.001). The positive rate of adenovirus in children < or =1 year (0.7%) was significantly lower than that in children aged 1 to 3 years and in children >3 years (2.3% and 2.5%) (all P<0.01). The positive rate of type A influenza virus in children aged 1 to 3 years was higher than that in children < or =1 year (chi(2)=18.2, P<0.01). Type 1 parainfluenza virus was found in 1.2% children aged 1 to 3 years with most prevalence (P<0.05). Infection rates of type 3 parainfluenza in children < or =1 year, 1 to 3 years, and >3 years were 4.7%, 3.2% and 1.4% respectively with a significant difference (chi(2)(trend)=52.4, P<0.01). Although there were some differences of infection rate of RSV in different years, it tended to increase from November to next April with a highest rate of 62.8%. Type 3 parainfluenza virus and Type A influenza virus were almost sporadic while type A influenza virus was epidemic in August 2003 with an infection rate of 15.7%.

CONCLUSIONThe highest infection rate of viral pathogen of pneumonia in children is RSV and the follows are parainfluenza, influenza and adenovirus in turn.

Adenoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Adenovirus Infections, Human ; virology ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Orthomyxoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections ; virology ; Paramyxoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; virology ; Pneumonia, Viral ; virology ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; virology ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for detecting common chromosome aneuploidies in interphase nuclei of amniotic fluid cells.

METHODSEighty two uncultured amniotic fluid samples and supernatants from 2 successfully and 5 unsuccessfully cultured amniotic fluid samples were analyzed with FISH. Results from standard cytogenetic analysis of 79 uncultured amniotic fluid samples and 2 successfully cultured amniotic fluid samples were compared with FISH results.

RESULTSAll of the 89 samples were succeeded analyzed with FISH. Positive findings included 3 cases with trisomy 21, 1 case with 47, XYY and 1 case with 69, XXX, which were consistent with results of karyotype analysis.

CONCLUSIONFISH is a rapid and accurate method for prenatal diagnosis, and can also provide a remedy to failed amniotic fluid cells culture.

Adult ; Amniotic Fluid ; cytology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Karyotyping ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the prevalence of anti-HEV among swine, sheep and chickens.

METHODSTotally 498 sera of swine, sheep and chickens collected from Xingjiang, Guangxi, Guangdong, Beijing and Hebei were detected for the anti-HEV by an enzyme linked immunoassay.

RESULTSThe anti-HEV positive rate of swine was 67.53%(104/154), in pigs between 4-5 months of age the rate was 100.00%(9/9) from Xingjiang. The rate in pigs under 3 months of age from Guangxi was 36.00%(9/25) and in pigs older than six months of age was 71.67% (86/120), respectively. The 108 sera of sheep collected from Xingjiang were all negative. The positive rate of chickens was only 1.27% (3/236). The anti-HEV prevalence rates of chickens from Luoding, Shenzhen, Liuzhou, Beijing and Hebei were 4.00%, 1.49%, 1.49%, 0, 0 respectively.

CONCLUSIONHEV infection does exist among swine and chickens. The anti-HEV prevalence of swine was the highest among domestic animals. The role of swine and chickens in transmission of HEV needs to be further studied.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; Chickens ; China ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis E ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Poultry Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Prevalence ; Sheep ; Sheep Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the expression and significance of P311 and ITGB4BP in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSTissue microarrays were prepared from 80 NSCLC specimens and examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe positive rates of P311 and ITGB4BP expression were 77.5% (62/80) and 82.5% (66/80), respectively. The double positive expression rate was 73.8% (59/80). The consistency rate was 87.5%, and there was a significant consistency between P311 and ITGB4BP expressions (Kappa = 0.611, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThere may be a new signaling pathway P311-ITGB4BP in NSCLC, and it may regulate the lung cancer cell migration.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; Eukaryotic Initiation Factors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Paraffin Embedding ; Signal Transduction ; Tissue Array Analysis

OBJECTIVEIntravenous anesthetics, such as propofol, are widely used in general anesthesia. Neurodegeneration and neurocognitive impairment after exposure to propofol in neonatal rats have raised concerns regarding the safety of pediatric anesthesia. We examined the effects of neonatal propofol exposure on brain cell viability, as well as expression of hippocampal survivin and Caspase-3 mRNA and protein.

METHODSOne hundred male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 7 d that were weighed 10-15 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 25 each group). Group A: the rats were injected with no drugs. Group B: the rats were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg propofol. Group C: the rats were first intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg propofol and another 50 mg/kg propofol was used when the dynamic response of rats appeared again. Group D: the rats were first intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg propofol and another 50 mg/kg propofol was used three times once the dynamic response of rats appeared. To study the effects of propofol exposure on respiratory and metabolic function, arterial blood was aspirated from the left ventricle of neonatal rats 2 h after discontinuation of propofol. pH, PaO(2), PaCO(2), HCO(3)(-), BE and SaO(2) were detected by blood gas analyzer. Moreover, to examine the effects of propofol exposure on short-term cellular viability, the ultrastructure of neurons was observed by transmission electron microscope and Fluoro-Jade B (FJB) staining was performed to examine neuronal degeneration in hippocampal CA1 region of neonatal rats. Survivin and Caspase-3 mRNA and protein expression in hippocampus were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting 2 h after discontinuation of propofol.

RESULTSThe time of anesthesia maintaince in newborn rats was the longest in Group D and the time of anesthesia maintaince in Group C was longer than that in Group B. Two hours after discontinuation of propofol, pH, PaO(2), PaCO(2), HCO(3)(-), BE and SaO(2) of arterial blood in rats were not significantly different among groups A, B, C and D (P > 0.05). The structure of hippocampal neurons was normal in Group A and Group B while 100 mg/kg propofol resulted in nuclear blebbing and 200 mg/kg propofol led to nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies. Cellular degeneration, as measured by Fluoro-Jade B staining, significantly increased in hippocampal CA1 region in the anesthesia groups compared with littermates in the no anesthesia group. FJB-positive stained degenerative neurons in groups B, C and D were (2.5 ± 1.3), (7.1 ± 2.3) and (9.4 ± 2.6), which were different from that in Group A (0.6 ± 0.3) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the number of FJB-positive neurons was the highest in Group D, that in Group C was more than that in Group B. At the same time point, apoptosis was measured by expression of Caspase-3 and Survivin mRNA and protein in hippocampus of rats. Caspase-3 mRNA in groups A, B and C was (0.78 ± 0.12), (0.84 ± 0.17) and (0.89 ± 0.19), while Caspase-3 protein in groups A, B and C was (0.22 ± 0.05), (0.26 ± 0.07) and (0.21 ± 0.06). Survivin mRNA in groups A, B and C was (0.56 ± 0.12), (0.58 ± 0.15) and (0.53 ± 0.16), while Survivin protein in these 3 groups was (0.24 ± 0.07), (0.21 ± 0.05) and (0.23 ± 0.06). Compared with that in Group A, Caspase-3 and Survivin mRNA and protein were not significantly different among Group B and Group C (P > 0.05). However, Caspase-3 mRNA and protein in Group D were (1.21 ± 0.14) and (0.42 ± 0.12), which were higher than that in the other 3 groups (P < 0.05). Survivin mRNA and protein in Group D were lower than that in the other 3 groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSA high dose of propofol exposure may destroy the structure of neurons, induce neurodegeneration, increase Caspase-3 activity and inhibit survivin expression in hippocampus of newborn rats in vivo.

Anesthetics, Intravenous ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism ; pathology ; Propofol ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chuanhuang No.1 Recipe (CHR) on renal function and micro-inflammation in phase 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

METHODSTotally 60 phase 3 CKD patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (treated by CHR) and the control group (treated by Losartan Potassium), 30 in each group. All patients received basic treatment. Patients in the treatment group took CHR decoction, 400 mL each time, one dose per day, while those in the control group took Losartan Potassium, 50-100 mg per day. All medication lasted for 24 weeks. Changes of serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum uric acid (UA), 24 h urinary protein excretion (24 h U-pro), urinary microalbumin (U-Alb), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and serum IL-6 were detected and compared before and after treatment. Efficacy was also compared.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, SCr and BUN significantly decreased in the treatment group (P<0.05, P<0.01); eGFR in- creased (P<0.05). Only UA obviously decreased in the control group (P<0.05), but with no obvious change in SCr, BUN, or eGFR. Compared with before treatment, 24 h U-pro decreased after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05), but with less decreased level when compared with the control group. U- Alb was also significantly decreased in the control group (P<0.01). There was statistical difference in 24 h U-pro and U-Alb between the two groups after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, hs-CRP obviously decreased after treatment in the two groups, but serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 obviously decreased only in the treatment group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was obviously higher in the treatment group than in the control group (70.00% vs. 43.33%, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONCHR could efficiently improve the renal function of phase 3 CKD patients and alleviate the micro-inflammation.

Adult ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Urea

OBJECTIVETo observe the dynamic change in expression of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) during onset and progression of liver fibrosis by using a rat model.

METHODSA cholestatic liver fibrosis model was established in Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 8-9 weeks, body weight 350 - 400 g) by bile duct ligation surgery. Rats receiving a sham operation and unoperated rats served as the negative and normal control groups, respectively. At baseline (pre-surgery) and post-surgery weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8, five rats from each group were sacrificed for whole liver resection. The protein and mRNA expressions of PAR2 and collagen I/III were detected by western blotting and RT-PCR, respectively. Between-group differences were assessed by analysis of variance testing.

RESULTSAt post-surgery week 2, the liver fibrosis group showed higher expression of PAR2 mRNA and protein than either control group. The expression levels of PAR2 continued to rise over time in the liver fibrosis group (peaking at week 8), and were significantly higher than those detected in the control groups (weeks 4-6: P less than 0.05; week 8, P less than 0.05). A similar trend was observed for the expression of collagen I/III.

CONCLUSIONDynamic expression of PAR2 observed in a cholestatic liver fibrosis rat model may indicate a role for this factor in the formation of liver fibrosis.

Animals ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, PAR-2 ; metabolism

An 8-year-old girl who had experienced intermittent cough and fever over a 3 year period, was admitted after experiencing a recurrence for one month. One year ago the patient experienced a recurrent oral mucosal ulcer. Physical examination showed vitiligo in the skin of the upper right back. Routine blood tests and immune function tests performed in other hospitals had shown normal results. Multiple lung CT scans showed pulmonary infection. The patient had recurrent fever and cough and persistent presence of some lesions after anti-infective therapy. The antitubercular therapy was ineffective. Routine blood tests after admission showed agranulocytosis. Gene detection was performed and she was diagnosed with dyskeratosis congenita caused by homozygous mutation in RTEL1. Patients with dyskeratosis congenita with RTEL1 gene mutation tend to develop pulmonary complications. Since RTEL1 gene sequence is highly variable with many mutation sites and patterns and can be inherited via autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance, this disease often has various clinical manifestations, which may lead to missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. For children with unexplained recurrent pulmonary infection, examinations of the oral cavity, skin, and nails and toes should be taken and routine blood tests should be performed to exclude dyskeratosis congenita. There are no specific therapies for dyskeratosis congenita at present, and when bone marrow failure and pulmonary failure occur, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and lung transplantation are the only therapies. Androgen and its derivatives are effective in some patients. Drugs targeting the telomere may be promising for patients with dyskeratosis congenita.
Child ; Dyskeratosis Congenita ; complications ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Mouth Diseases ; etiology ; Mouth Mucosa ; pathology ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; etiology ; Telomere ; drug effects ; Ulcer ; etiology