Objective To investigate the regulation effect of promoter methylation of deathassociated protein kinase (DAPK) on mRNA and protein expression of DAPK in tissue of primary gastric cancer (GC). Methods The cancerous and noncancerous samples from 62 patients with GC were determined by RT-PCR for mRNA expression of DAPK. The DAPK promoter methylation was detected by methylation-specific PCR. The protein expression of DAPK in 34 patients with methylation was determined by Western blot. Results mRNA and protein expre.ssions of DAPK in cancerous tissues were reduced significantly compared to noncancerous tissues (0. 2863d±0. 2027 vs 0. 57364±0. 1968,0. 2616±0. 0913 vs 0. 65294±0. 1808, P＜0.01). Methylation frequency of DAPK in cancerous tissues was higher than that in noncancerous tissues (54.8% vs 17.7%, P＜0.01). Furthermore, DAPK mRNA expression was decreased in methylation group compared to unmethylation group (0.1399±0. 0835 vs 0. 46404±0. 1569, P＜0. 01). Moreover, a significant correlation was demonstrated between the TNM stage and DAPK promoter methylation (P = 0. 04). Conclusion Expression of DAPK is down-regulated in cancerous tissues at mRNA and protein levels. Low expression of DAPK is associated with hypermethylation of the promoter of DAPK gene.

Objectives To investigate the clinical profile and prognosis of hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). Methods A retrospective study was carried out to analyze the clinical features and laboratory findings in 28 children with HPS. Fisher's exact probability method and Logistic multivariate regression were used to explore the prognostic risk factors.. Results HPS was clinically characterized by prolonged fever (100%), hepatomegaly (64.29%),and other minor features including respiratory symptoms (53.57%), splenomegaly (50%), hydrops of multiple serous cavity (42.86%), lymphadenectasis (32.14%), jaundice (17.85%), skin rash (14.29%), central nervous system involvement (14.29%), and alimentary tract hemorrhage (10.71%). Labo-ratory data showed that 1iver dysfunction, pancytopenia, coagulation abnormalities, disseminated intravascular coagulation, hy-pertriglyceridemia, decreased number of natural killer cells and hyponatremia were prominent. The etiological analysis indicated that infection associated hemophagocytic syndrome was most common (60.71%), in which EB virus associated HPS was pre-dominant, accounting for 64.71%. Significant difference was observed in the difference of albumin,blood urea nitrogen and acti-vated partial thromboplastin time between death and survival cases (P<0.05). The Logistic regression multivariate analysis showed that hypoalbuminemia was an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions There are various underlying diseases and clinical manifestations for HPS. The lower level of serum albumin is an independent prognostic factor. A prompt diagnosis and treatment is very important for HPS prognosis due to the rapid progression and high mortality.

AIM: To study the relation of acute radiation-induced oral mucositis to fungal infection and evaluate the effect of fluconazole in the treatment of patients with fungal infection.　METHODS: Seventy-one patients (M 42, F 29; 52 a± s 41 a,11-76 a) with large area of oral mucosas irradiated were into this study. When most serious mucositis, the patients' oral mucosas were checked, 32 patients with fungal infection were treated with fluconazole (fluconazole 100 mg, po, qd×5 d or 150 mg,iv,gtt×3 d).　RESULTS: The rate of fungal infection was 45%, the most of patients were infected by candida albicans. Degrees of mucositis between the patients with fungal infection to the patients without fungal infection were significantly different (P<0.05). The patients with fungal infection were treated with fluconazole. Degree of mucositis between the pretreated patients and post-treated patients were significantly different (P<0.05).　CONCLUSION: The serious acute radiation-induced oral mucositis has significantly related with fungal infection. The patients with fungus infection treated with antifungal agents (fluconazole) can significantly relieve the reaction of acute radiation-induced oral mucositis.

Objective To study the effects of postnatal overfeeding and high-fat diet on blood pressure of rats,and to explore the pathophysiological mechanism underlying hypertension induced by continuous early postnatal overfeeding.Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal feeding group (10/litter) and overfeeding group (3/litter) on postnatal day 3 with a random number table.After weaning at postnatal week 3,the rats were randomly given standard chow or high-fat (HF) diet until week 16.Hence four groups were analyzed,namely normal feeding group,breastfed overfeeding group,post-weaning overfeeding group,and continuous overfeeding group.Body weight was continuously monitored in each week.Visceral fat pad (retroperitoneal and perigenital),systolic pressure,and heart rate were observed at week 3 and week 16.Thoracic aorta was sampled for measurement of vascular endothelial dilation function.Histological morphology was observed with HE staining,nitric oxide content of thoracic aorta was detected with nitrate reductase method.The mRNA expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in thoracic aorta was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.The protein expressions of eNOS and phosphorylated eNOS were determined by Western blot.Results At week 3,breastfed overfeeding rats displayed significantly larger body weight [(77.80 ± 0.57) g vs.(62.80 ±0.85) g,t =14.576,P ＜ 0.01] and visceral fat [retroperitoneal:(8.19 ± 0.49) mg/g vs.(4.92 ± 0.31) mg/g,t =5.629,P＜0.01;perigenital:(3.50 ±0.29) mg/g vs.(2.08 ±0.13) mg/g,t =4.552,P ＜0.01] compared with normal feedindg rats,and the protein expression of phosphorylated eNOS in aortic tissues was significantly reduced to week 16 (F =15.215,P ＜0.01);high-fat diet feeding after weaning further increased the body weight and fat mass in breastfed overfeeding rats.At week 16,continuous overfeeding rats showed hypertension [(149 ± 1.94) mmHg (1 mmHg =0.133 kPa),F =22.834,P ＜0.01],impaired vascular endothelial dilation function (F =7.648,P ＜ 0.05),and reduced protein expression of phosphorylated eNOS (F =15.215,P ＜ 0.01),while the post-weaning overfeeding group only had elevated blood pressure.Conclusions Overfeeding in breastfeeding period and high-fat diet after weaning leads to hypertension.The continuous decrease in phosphorylated eNOS in vascular tissues may be an important molecular process participating in the occurrence of vascular endothelial dysfunction in adults induced by postnatal overfeeding.

Objective To explore the impact of early repetitive painful procedures on subsequent pain behaviors and physiological indicators in full-term infants.Methods Sixty-two full-term neonates were enrolled (male 36 cases,female 26 cases) from the medical center of neonatal care at Nanjing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from March to May in 2009.The data of all painful procedures were performed on those neonates and their responses to them were collected by using digital video recording were collected.The Neonatal Facial Coding System C(NFCS) and Neonatal Infant Pain Scale(NIPS) were used prospectively to evaluate the pain response to painful procedures.Results The average experience of pain caused by operation on newborn at the hospital was 56.5 times (12-249 times),and the daily average was 5.9 times (4-26 times).After they were exposed to more than 10 repetitive pain procedures,the full-term neonates showed the declining pain response assessed by NFCS and NIPS during the subsequent painful procedures (NFCS:P10=0.012,P20=0.015,P30=0.041;NIPS:P10=0.006,P20=0.015,P30=0.049),and the temporarily enhanced pain response was observed in the preparation phase of the subsequent painful procedures (NFCS:P2＜0.001,P3＜0.001,P4=0.004,P5=0.009;NIPS:P2＜0.001,P3＜0.001,P4=0.045,P5 =0.031).Bnt there was no difference in preparation phase.There was no alternation in latency and crying time after repetitiing painful procedures,but the proportion of crying neonates in the preparation phase of the painful procedures was increased(P=0.032).Conclusions After exposed to repetitive pain,full-term neonates expressed hypoalgesia during subsequent painful procedures,but the temporary irritation was enhanced during the following phases exposed to stress.

Objective To evaluate the effects of repetitive noxious stimuli during the neonatal period on the pain sensitivity during adulthood in rats.Methods Twenty pathogen-free male neonatal SpragueDawley rats,weighing 6.2-6.8 g,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=10 each) using a random number table:control group (group C) and repetitive noxious stimuli group (group RNS).In RNS group,neonatal rats sequentially received needle pricks into the dorsal surface of 4 paws at 6 h intervals with a 28 G needle per day during the first postnatal week.In group C,the animals received non-painful tactile stimuli with cotton tip rub.At the age of 10 weeks,complete Freund' s adjuvant was injected into the plantar surface of the right hind paw to induce inflammatory pain.Before injection,and at 24 h and 7 days after injection (T0-2),the mechanical and thermal thresholds were measured,and alcohol preference test was performed for assessment of the behavior at T2.Results The mechanical threshold of the right paws was significantly lower at T1.2 than that of the left paws in the two groups.Compared to group C,the mechanical threshold of the left and right paws at T0-2 and thermal threshold of the right paws at T1 were significantly decreased,and alcohol intake was increased in group RNS.Conclusion Repetitive noxious stimuli during the neonatal period can lead to increase in the pain sensitivity during adulthood in rats.

Objective To explore the difference between T cells in the synovial fluid and peripheral blood in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Method Samples from 22 patients were studied. The differentiation and activation markers expressed on T cell surface were detected by immunofluorscence using flow cytometer. The specific proliferation of collagen Ⅱ and heat shock protein 70 was analyzed using standard 3H-TdR incorporation method. Restricted V beta usage of these T cell was analyzed by semi-quantitied RT-PCR. Results The majority of the T cell subsets in the synovial fluid were demonstrated to be CD4 and CD8 positive cells in which (40?10)% were CD4 positive and (36?16)% were CD8 T cells respectively. The ratio between CD4 and CD8 was much lower than that found in the PBL of RA patients. The percentage of CD3+/CD25+ T cells was (16?6)%. The specific proliferation of collagen Ⅱ and HSP70 to CD3+/CD25+ T cell was higher than that of CD3+/CD25+ negative T cells. The T cell receptor expressed on the T cells from both peripheral blood and synovial fluid were tested for ?? TCR (70?26)%. However, the T cells in the synovial fluid showed V?14,16 and 17 restriction. Conclusion The data here reported indicates that T cell subsets in the synovial fluid and peripheral blood circulation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different. The T cells in the synovial fluid demonstrates more activation and higher reactivation to collagen Ⅱ and HSP70. The TCR of T cells showes V?14,16 and 17 restriction.