Objective To evaluate the effects of 0.3 kb human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promotor on the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in human hepatoma cells. Methods By constructing the primer with special enzyme site, human AFP promoter was selectively amplified from human gene bank and eukaryon-expressed pAF-EGFP and pAF-DTA with AFP promotor and EGFP and with AFP promotor and DTA, respectively. pAF-EGFP was transfected into HepG2, SMMC-7721, and NIH3T3. The fluorescence was detected in order to evaluate the transfection rate. Results The expression of EGFP in HepG2 cells transfected with pAF-EGFP was significantly higher than that in SMMC-7721 and NIH3T3 cells (P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of simvastatin on patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) following carotid atherosclerotic plaque.Methods96 cases of TIA patients with carotid atherosclerosis plaque were randomly divided into simvastatin (statins) group and control group, 48 cases in each group. The statins group took simvastatin except routine therapy for 6 months, while the control group took Xuezhikang. The ultrasonic examination of carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerosis area were carried out before and after treatment for both groups. The incident rates of cerebral vascular diseases within 6 months were compared between two groups.ResultsThe ultrasonic examination showed significantly thinning of carotid IMT and reducing of plaque area in statins group (P<0.05), while there wasn't significant difference in control group(P>0.05). The cerebral vascular incident rates in statins group were lower than in control group(P<0.05).ConclusionSimvastatin may be more effective for antiatherosclerotic function with bigger dosage and decrease ischemic cerebral vascular incidence.

Objective To enhance the understanding of hemophagocytic syndrome(HPS)by analyzing the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and therapy. Methods The clinical data of 12 patients with HPS were retrospectively collected in the People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province from 2000 to 2007. The relevant literature were reviewed. Results Twelve patients were diagnosed as secondary hemophagocytic syndrome most secondary to virus and bacteria infection. Some patients condition was associated with systemic lupus erythematosus or histiocytic necrotizing lympheadenitis. All of the 12 patients had high fever, abnormal liver function and showed a decrease in the number of blood cells in a short time. After antivirus and antibiotic treatment, 11 patients'condition were improved and 1 patient died. Conclusion Hemophagocytic syndrome is not a common clinical condition but with poor prognosis. When patient presents with fever without apparent reasons and pancytopenia, bone marrow examination should be done and sometimes repeated bone marrow examinations are needed. The diagnosis of secondary haemophagocytic syndrome needs multidisciplineary cooperation. Aggressive diagnostic procedures are needed to clarify the diagnosis and prompt treatments are warranted to improve prognosis.

OBJECTIVE:To study the effect of paroxetine combined with low dose of olanzapine on sleep process and architec-ture of depression patients with insomnia. METHODS:84 depression patients with insomnia were randomly divided into control group and observation group. Control group was given 20 mg Paroxetine tablet,once every morning;observation group was addi-tionally given 2.5 mg Olanzapine tablet,once before going to bed. Sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)],depres-sion scores [Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)],sleep process [sleep latency (SL),awakening times (AT),the actual total sleep time (TST),sleep efficiency (SE),rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency (RL)] and sleep architecture [sleep stage 1 (S1),2(S2),3(S3)and the proportion of REM to sleep] in 2 groups before and 3,6 months after treatment and the incidence of adverse reactions(ADR)were observed. RESULTS:After treatment,PSQI and HAMD scores in 2 groups were significantly lower than before,and gradually decreased by time,and observation group was lower than control group;TST in observation group was significantly higher than before and control group,S1 in observation group was significantly lower than before,SE,S3 and REM in 2 groups were significantly higher than before,and observation group was higher than control group,SL,AT,RL and S2 were significantly lower than before,and observation group was lower than control group,the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no obvious ADR in 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS:Paroxetine combined with low dose of olanzapine can sig-nificantly relieve depression,optimize sleep process and sleep architecture,then impove sleep quality.

Objective To investigated the neuroprotective effect of PTEN inhibitor BPV on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats and its mechanism. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to induce a reperfusion model of middle cerebral artery occlusion for 1 h. During the reperfusion, the BPV solution (0. 2 mg/kg daily) or the equal volume of saline was injected intraperitonealy immediately. The neurological deficit scores were conducted at day 1, 3,5, and 7 after ischemia-reperfusion. At day 4, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining was used to assess cerebral infarction volume. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) in cortical ischemic border zones. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression level of PTEN mRNA. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of PI3K, Akt, and p-GSK-3β. At day 7, Bielschowsky silver staining was used to detect the axonal distribution in the ischemic border zone of the striatum. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP). Results At day 4 after ischemia-reperfusion, the infarct volume (32. 27% ± 1. 71% vs. 45. 49% ± 2. 12% ; P < 0. 001), TNF-α concentration in the cortical ischemic border zones (134. 17 ± 10. 38 pg/ml vs. 264. 17 ± 24. 84 pg/ml; P < ), and PTEN mRNA level (1. 19 ± 0. 08 vs. 2. 50 ± 0. 06; P < 0. 001) in the rats of the BPV group were al significantly lower than those of the normal saline group. The IL-10 concentration (186. 83 ± 10. 83 pg/ml vs. 147. 83 ± 11. 62 pg/ml; P < 0. 001), and the expression levels of PI3K (0. 43 ± 0. 08 vs. 0. 26 ± 0. 06; P = 0. 004), Akt (0. 52 ± 0. 05 vs. 0. 40 ± 0. 04;P = 0. 001), and p-GSK-3β (0. 75 ± 0. 08 vs. 0. 38 ± 0. 06; P < 0. 001) were al significantly higher than those of the normal saline group. At day 7 after ischemia-reperfusion, the neurological deficit score (4. 83 ± 0. 41 vs. 6. 33 ± 0. 52; P < 0. 001) in the rats of the BPV group was significantly lower than that of the normal saline group. The axon densities in the ischemic border zones (35. 51% ± 2. 45% vs. 25. 31% ± 2. 79% ; P < 0. 001) and the expression level of MBP (32. 56% ± 3. 46% vs. 27. 81% ± 4. 18% ; P = 0. 037) were significantly higher than those of the normal saline group. Conclusions BPV has neuroprotective effect for cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Its mechanism may be associated with the up-regulation of PTEN downstream proteins PI3K, Akt and p-GSK-3β expression to regulate inflammatory mediators and reduce the inflammatory response.

Objective To re-evaluate the diagnoses of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and analyze the incidence and reason of misdiagnosis.Methods Patients who were previously diagnosed as AS and nr-axSpA before referrals to Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) were re-evaluated by three rheumatologists of PUMCH according to the modified New York criteria for AS and Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) axial SpA classification criteria for nr-axSpA.Results Totally 87 prior AS patients and 53 prior nr-axSpA patients were enrolled in this study.After re-evaluation,57 patients were still diagnosed as AS and 16 patients were still diagnosed as nr-axSpA.The misdiagnosis incidences were 34.48％ and 69.81％,respectively.The misdiagnosis incidence of nr-axSpA was higher than that of AS (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions The misdiagnosis of AS were mainly due to the misjudgment of sacroiliac joints by CT.The misdiagnosis of nr-axSpA were mainly due to the misjudgment of sacroiliac joints by magnetic resonance imaging.Moreover,the misuse of ASAS axial SpA classification criteria contributed to the misdiagnosis also.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of HBV infection and the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with inflammatory arthritis receiving tumour hecrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors.Methods The liver function,serology of HBV and viral loads (HBV DNA) were tested before using TNFα inhibitors,at 3 months and 6 months.Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection (HBV DNA ＞ 1 × 103copies/ml) were eliminated.Results A total of 162 patients were investigated including 156 patients who finished the study.Eleven (7.05％) patients were HBsAg-positive.Two patients with HBV DNA ＞ 1 × 103copies/ml were eliminated before starting anti-TNFα therapy.Among HBsAgpositive patients,HBV reactivation was documented in only one of the 11 patients.This patient with rheumatoid arthritis developed elevation of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) and HBV DNA copies three months after infliximab therapy.Therefore lamivudine was given for three months,which translated into the fall of ALT and HBV DNA copies back to normal level.After follow-up for six months,the virology and serology remained stable.In contrast,none of the other 155 patients had demonstrated evidence of HBV infection or HBV reactivation.Conclusion The kinetics of HBV viral loads should be carefully monitored in patients with inflammatory arthritis and HBsAg-positive during anti-TNFα therapy.HBV reactivation should be treated with antiviral medicine through out the period of anti-TNFα therapy.

Objective To investigate the application of secondary prevention medication for patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in Changzhou city,analyze the reasons for decreased medication compliance,and evaluate the current secondary prevention medication.Methods We investigated 300 consecutive hospitalized patients with acute non-cardiogenic and ischemic stroke high risk.High risk of recurrent stroke was defined as ESSEN Stroke Risk Score (ESRS) ≥3.Different ESRS scales consisting of different parameters were analyzed.All of the patients received standard secondary prevention of ischemic stroke at discharge.After three months and a year follow up,antiplatelet therapy,therapy of risk factors (hypertension and diabetes mellitus),lipid lowering therapy,and medication compliance were investigated.Results Except for age (x2 =126.54,P =0.000) and previous cerebral ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) (x2 =21.27,P =0.000),there were no significant differences in other risk factors (hypertension,diabetes,previous myocardial infarction,heart diseases,smoke) in patients with different ESRS scale scores (all P＞ 0.05).Antiplatelet therapy utilization was 98.3％ (295/300),antihypertensive and antidiabetic drug use rates were 95.0％(255/268) and 100％(72/72),statin use rate reached to 99％ (297/300) at discharge.After three months follow up,medication compliance in hypertension and diabetes mellitus therapy was the best [88.1％(222/252)and 86.2％ (56/65)],followed by aspirin [82.0％ (228/278)],and clopidogrel [6.1％ (17/278)].The medication compliance in lipid lowering therapy was the worst [60.1％ (167/278)].After a year follow-up versus the previous three-month follow-up,the medication compliance in hypertension and diabetes mellitus therapy was increased,but had no significant difference [89.9 ％ (220/245) vs.88.1％ (222/252),93.4％(57/61)vs.86.2％(56/65),P＞0.05],and the medication compliances inantiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel,and lipid lowering therapy were increased significantly [93.2％ (245/263)vs.82.0％ (228/278),30.8(81/263) vs.6.1％ (17/278),88.9％ (234/263) vs.60.1％ (167/278),all P＜0.01].The increment of use rate was higher in clopidogrel therapy than in aspirin therapy.Conclusions The secondary prevention medication achieves certain efficacies in patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in changzhou city.Long term follow-up and good communication between doctor and patient can effectively improve the medication compliance in secondary prevention,and can increase the use rate of antiplatelet therapy in patients with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the effect of plasma fibrinogen (Fib) level on stroke recurrence within one year of first-ever ischemic stroke.Methods The patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke were enrolled prospectively and were followed up for at least one year.They were divided into either a recurrent group or a non-recurrent group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors for stroke recurrence within one year of first-ever ischemic stroke.According to the plasma Fib levels of the early onset,the patients were divided into a high Fib group and a normal Fib group.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the recurrence between the two groups.Results A total of 121 patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke were enrolled,111 completed one year follow up,and 30 of them (27.027％) had recurrent stroke.Multivariatelogistic regression analysis showed that the increased plasma Fib level (odds ratio [OR] 13.238,95％ confidence interval [CI] 1.152-152.077; P=0.038),older at the first onset (OR 1.321,95％ CI1.064-1.641;P=0.012),high body mass index(OR 1.351,95％ CI 1.001-1.823; P=0.049),and poor compliance of antiplatelet drugs (OR 36.819,95％ CI 1.890-717.143; P=0.017) and antihypertensive drugs (OR 50.765,95％ CI 3.198-805.878; P =0.005) were the dependent the risk factors for stroke recurrence within one year of first-ever ischemic stroke.Kaplan-Meier survival function curves showed that the recurrence rate of stroke in the high Fib group was significantly higher than that in the normalFib group (Log-rank test,P =0.000).Conclusions The increased high plasma Fib level,advanced age,obesity,as well as poor compliance of antiplatelet drugs and antihypertensive drugs were the independent risk factors for stroke recurrence within one year of first-ever ischemic stroke.