BACKGROUNDCleft lip (CL) and cleft palate (CP) are two of the most frequent congenital malformations. Many epidemiologic studies on this deformity have been conducted worldwide, often producing inconsistent results. This study assessed epidemiology and some genetic aspects of cleft lip and palate in a Chinese sample from the Smile Train Program and to compare with other methodologically sound surveys.

METHODSThe general information, family history, classification of cleft and associated malformations of 8000 CL and CP surgery patients were analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 8000 cases, 7812 had complete data. The distribution of cleft types is 17.04% with CP, 23.39% with CL and 59.58% with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Unilateral clefts were more common than bilateral, with unilateral to bilateral ratios being 10.4:1 for CL, and 3.42:1 for CLP. The overall male:female ratio was 2.01:1. Left sided defects were more common than right sided regardless of sex, 1.90:1 for CL and 1.96:1 for CLP. CLP and CL were more common in males than in females with sex ratios (SR) of 2.88:1 and 1.85:1 respectively, whereas CP was more common in females with SR of 0.76:1. Associated malformations (2.89%), involved 29 CP cases, 41 CL and 156 CLP. The frequency of associated malformations in CLP (3.35%) was higher than CL (2.24%) and CP (2.22%) (P < 0.05). Patients with CP or CLP were born less often in the winter than in the summer (P < 0.05). A history of family members having clefts occurred in 6.84% of patients. The proportion of CLP cases (7.56%) was significantly higher than that of CL cases (5.64%) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe different types of clefts appeared in the highest proportion in CLP and lowest proportion in CP. Males are more common with CL and CLP and less common with CP. These characteristics are the same as those of other Chinese surveys but different from some European reports.

China ; epidemiology ; Cleft Lip ; epidemiology ; genetics ; surgery ; Cleft Palate ; epidemiology ; genetics ; surgery ; Female ; Functional Laterality ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Factors ; Time Factors

To investigate the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) of the bcr and abl gene and chronic myelogeous leukemia (CML), the 9 sequence-tagged sites (STS) in bcr and abl gene were screened by DNA pooling and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC), and the results were varified by sequencing. The results showed that the polymorphism sites were detected in 4 out of the 9 STS fragments and there were 3 bases different from the reference sequence found in 3 fragments. In conclusion, the novel SNP in U07000 fragment shows significantly different frequencies between CML and controled people.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; Genes, abl ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Tagged Sites

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the antiviral activity and safety of entecavir in patients with chronic HBV infection as a preliminarily step in selecting 0.1 mg or 0.5 mg as a better dosage for a further large scale clinical trial.

METHODSThis was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled and dose-ranging trial of entecavir usage in 212 patients with chronic HBV infection. The patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: 0.1 mg entecavir (69), 0.5 mg entecavir (72) and, placebo (71) groups and treated for 28 days. The patients were then followed for 56 days without treatment.

RESULTSThe proportion of subjects who achieved the primary endpoint at day 28, with their HBV DNA level decreased >2 log or undetectable, was significantly greater in the entecavir 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg dose groups compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01 for both comparisons). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 was greater for entecavir 0.1mg and 0.5 mg groups compared with the placebo group (both P < 0.01). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 for entecavir 0.5 mg group was greater than that of the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). During the 56-day post-dosing follow-up phase, the entecavir 0.5 mg group was associated with greater and more sustained suppression of viral replication than the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). There were no clinically meaningful differences in the incidence of any adverse events between the entecavir dosing and the placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONEntecavir at both 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg doses demonstrated superior antiviral activity compared with a placebo. Since the entecavir 0.5 mg dose appears to have greater antiviral activity than the 0.1 mg dose and with a comparable safety and tolerability profile, the 0.5 mg entecavir dose could be used in further trials.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Guanine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Prognosis ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are one kind of adult stem cells that can self-renew and give rise to one or more mesenchymal tissues, existing in bone marrow and other tissues. Not similar to CD34 recognizing hematopoietic stem cells, no such marker can be used yet to identify MSC. To isolate and identify MSC from bone marrow, anti-SH2 and SH3 monoclonal antibodies as markers to identify MSC were used. Two monoclonal antibodies were purified from ascites of SH2 and SH3 hybridomas-inoculated mice, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used to identify plastic-adherent cultured MSC. And SH2 and SH3 antigen positive cells were isolated from bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) by immunobeads covered with secondary antibodies. And anti-SH2 and CD105 McAbs were used to label MSC at the same time to clarify whether they recognize the same antigen. The results showed that about 80% of MSC were antigens SH3 and SH2 positive. The SH2 and SH3 positive-selected cells were MSC while MSC accounted for less than 1% of negative-selected cells. When cells were labeled by SH2 McAb, they could not be labeled by CD105 simutaneously. In conclusion, antigens SH2 and SH3 are specific markers to identify and isolate MSC. Anti-SH2 McAb can replace anti-CD105 McAb to identify the specific marker on MSC.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunomagnetic Separation ; methods ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Mice ; src Homology Domains ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of polyethylene oxide (PEO) on microcirculation of normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.

METHODSSixteen male Wistar rats were anesthetized and equally and randomly divided into PEO group (administered with 10 ppm PEO solution) and control group (administered with equal volume of normal saline). The PEO solution or saline was separately injected through the caudal vein at a constant rate of 5 ml/h for 20 minutes. Using short axis view at right mid thigh region, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed before and after the administration of solution. Electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and central venous pressure were also monitored.

RESULTSIn the PEO group, after the administration of PEO, microcirculation capillary volume increased from (20.78±2.63) dB to (22.40±1.94) dB (P=0.023), red blood cell velocity from (0.27±0.08) s-1 to (0.35±0.13) s-1(P=0.010), and capillary blood flow from (5.65±1.81) dB/s to (7.91±3.28) dB/s (P=0.013). In the control group, there were no significant changes in microcirculation capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow (all Pþ0.05) after the injection of normal saline. The changes of heart rates, blood pressures and central venous pressure were not significant after the administration of either PEO or saline (all Pþ0.05).

CONCLUSIONPEO can remarkably increase capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow in normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.

Animals ; Hindlimb ; blood supply ; Male ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Skeletal ; blood supply ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of mortality in patients with severe chest trauma (SCT).

METHODSThe clinical data of 777 SCT [abbreviated injury scale (AIS) ≥3] patients who were treated in the Chongqing Emergency Medical Center from January 2006 to April 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to explore 15 possible mortality-related risk factors.

RESULTSSeven factors were found to be correlated with the mortality of SCT: age, hemorrhagic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), pulmonary infection, abdominal organ injury, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, and thorax AIS score. Among them five factors were the independent factors that might increase the mortality of SCT: hemorrhagic shock (B=1.710, OR=1.291, P=0.001), MODS (B=3.453, OR=1.028, P<0.001), pulmonary infection (B=2.396, OR=10.941, P<0.001), abdominal organ injury (B=1.542, OR=1.210, P=0.005), and thorax AIS score ≥4 (B=0.487, OR=1.622, P<0.001). Two factors showed protective effects: age ≤60 years (B=-0.035, OR=0.962, P=0.01) and GCS score ≥12 (B=-0.635, OR=0.320, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSAge, disease severity, and complications (hemorrhagic shock, MODS, and pulmonary infection) are independent risk factors of the mortality of SCT. Effective treatment programs targeting these risk factors may improve the outcomes of SCT patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thoracic Injuries ; mortality ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of high-dose microbubbles induced by high mechanical index myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) on vascular permeability and its recovery time in rats.

METHODSThirty male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 MCE groups (groups A-D) and a control group. In the MCE groups, Evans blue was injected at 10 s before MCE (A), immediately after the end of MCE (B), and at 5 min (C) and 20 min after the end of MCE (D). In the control group, the microbubbles and Evans blue were injected at the end of a 5-min ultrasound exposure. All the rats were sacrificed 5 min after Evans blue injection, and the content of Evans blue in the myocardium and the percentage of Evans blue leakage area were determined.

RESULTSThe percentage of Evans blue leakage area in groups A, B and C were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), while the percentage was similar between group D and the control group (P>0.05). Evans blue contents in groups A and B were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), but groups C and D showed comparable contents with the control group E (P>0.05). No significant changes of the heart rates and premature beat number were observed during and after MCE in these groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONHigh mechanical index MCE and a high contrast dose may induce increased microvascular leakage in rats, and the vascular permeability can recover in 20 min after MCE.

Animals ; Capillary Permeability ; drug effects ; Contrast Media ; pharmacology ; Coronary Vessels ; physiopathology ; Echocardiography ; Male ; Microbubbles ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar