OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical status and natural course of premature thelarche (PT) in infants under 2 years of age and to analyze the predictive factors for regression of thelarche.

METHODSThe clinical and laboratory data of 863 infants under 2 years of age, who visited the department of endocrinology in our hospital due to PT between October 2009 and September 2010, were analyzed. A a longitudinal follow-up study was performed.

RESULTSOf the infants under 2 years of age with isolated PT, 89.3% showed a regression before the age of 3 years (mean 17±5.6 months), 10.7% had recurrent or persistent thelarche, with no regression after the age of 3 years, and some even developed into central precocious puberty. The independent predictive factors for regression of thelarche were Tanner stage at the first visit and whether baseline estradiol level had increased.

CONCLUSIONSPT in infants under 2 years of age is not rare in the clinical setting, and it usually runs a self-limited course, subsiding before the age of 3 years. However, regular follow-ups should be performed for infants aged over 2 years with persistent thelarche.

Breast ; growth & development ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Puberty, Precocious ; physiopathology

An expression plasmid carrying anthrax protective antigen (PA) gene was constructed, which has an OmpA signal sequence attached to the 5' end of PA gene. The plasmid was transformed into E. coli and induced to express recombinant PA (rPA) . The recombinant protein, about 10% of the total bacterial protein in volume, was secreted to the periplasmic space of the cell. After a purification procedure including ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and gel filtration, about 15 mg of 95 % pure rPA was obtained from 1-liter culture. The bioactivity of rPA was proved by in vitro cytotoxicity assay. The polyclonal antiserum from rabbits immunized with rPA could inhibit the action of anthrax lethal toxin in vitro, which suggests that antibodies against rPA can provide high passive protection against anthrax. The results reported here may be helpful to develop a safe and efficacious recombinant PA vaccine against anthrax.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Anthrax Vaccines ; immunology ; Antigens, Bacterial ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; toxicity ; Bacterial Toxins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; toxicity ; Base Sequence ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of combination of glycine and methylprednisolone (MP) on Kupffer cells in liver of rats suffered from hemorrhagic shock.

METHODSFifty Wistar rats were bled to establish the shock model and subsequently resuscitated with shed blood and normal saline. Just prior to resuscitation, the rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups: sham group, shock group, shock + glycine group, shock + MP group and shock + glycine + MP group. The intracellular calcium concentration and the level of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) in the culture medium of Kupffer cells were determined after stimulation with different concentrations (1, 10, 100 and 1000 ng/ml) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

RESULTSConcentration of intracellular calcium and production of TNF-alpha by isolated Kupffer cells stimulated by LPS were elevated significantly in the rats with hemorrhagic shock, which were totally prevented by glycine + MP compared with other groups (P < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONSThe combination of glycine and MP prevents the increase of intracellular calcium of Kupffer cell, suppress Kupffer cell activation, decrease the production of TNF-alpha of Kupffer cell and block systemic inflammatory responses more effectively than single administer of glycine or MP.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Glycine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Kupffer Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiology ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

AIMTo observe the effects of hypercapnia on nuclear factor-kappaB and TNF-alpha in acute lung injury models.

METHODSSix of the twenty-two healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly allocated to control group (Group C), the other sixteen rabbits were injected with oleic acid (0.1 ml/kg) intravenously, then were randomized to normocapnic group (Group N, n = 8) versus hypercapnic group (Group H, n = 8). TNF-alpha of serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB in the lung were analyzed after three hours' mechanical ventilation.

RESULTSTNF-alpha of serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in Group N and H was significantly higher than that in Group C (P < 0.01), and that of Group N was higher than that of Group H (P < 0.05). The expression of nuclear factor-kappaB in Group H was less than that in Group N by both immunohistochemistry and Western-blot analysis. Peak airway pressure in Group H was significantly lower than that in Group N and the dynamic lung compliance was significantly higher than that in Group N (P < 0.05). PaO2 in Group H was significantly higher than that in Group N (P < 0.05). Histologic damage in Group N was significantly severer than that in Group H.

CONCLUSIONHypercapnia is protective in this in vivo model of ALl. The mechanisms might be associated with the prohibition of nuclear factor-kappaB and then the decreased expression of TNF-alpha by hypercapnia.

Acute Lung Injury ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Hypercapnia ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; blood ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo establish the specific 16S-23S rRNA gene spacer regions pattern in different bacteria using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), DNA cloning and sequences analysis.

METHODSA pair of primers were selected from highly conserved sequences adjacent to the 16S-23S rRNA spacer region. Bacterial DNA of sixty-one strains of standard bacteria and corresponding clinical isolates representative of 20 genera and 27 species was amplified by PCR, and further studied by RFLP, DNA cloning and sequences analysis. Meanwhile, all specimens were examined by bacterial culturing and PCR-RFLP analysis.

RESULTSThe 27 different standard strains showed one, two, three or more than three bands. The sensitivity of PCR reached 2.5 colony-forming unit (CFU), and there was no cross reaction to the human, fungal or viral genomic DNAs. Fifteen species could be distinguished immediately by PCR, while another 10 species were further identified by Hinf I or Alu I digestion. Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) and Enterococcus durans (Ed) could not be differentiated from each other by Alu I or Hinf I digestion. The spacer sequences of the Kp and Ed were 908 bp and 909 bp, respectively, and they differed only at the site of the 779th nucleotide. The former was G, and the latter was A. The 760 - 790 bp sequence of Kp was as follows: CGACTGCACCGCCTCCTAC / GGCCGCGTATTC. The 760 - 790 bp sequence of Ed was as follows: CGACTGCAC CGCCTCCTAC / AGCCGCGTATTC. Only one enzyme XmaIII, could discriminate the two. The cleaving site of XmaIII is C downward arrow GGCCG. Kp DNA was cleaved into 778 bp and 130 bp fragments, while E. durans was not. Of 42 specimens with suspected septicemia, 15 were positive (35.7%) on blood culture, and 27 on PCR (64.29%). The positive rate of PCR was significantly higher than that of blood culture (P < 0.01). Of the six CSF specimens, one was positive for Staphylococcus epidermidis (Se) on culture as well as by PCR, while two specimens which were negative on cultures were positive by PCR and were diagnosed as Se according to its DNA pattern. One specimen was culture-positive for Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) but was negative by PCR. The other two specimens were negative by both PCR and culture. Fifteen blood samples from healthy children were negative by both blood culture and PCR.

CONCLUSIONSThe method of detecting bacterial 16S-23S rRNA spacer regions using PCR-RFLP techniques was specific, sensitive, rapid and accurate in detecting pathogens in clinical bacterial infections.

Bacterial Infections ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; DNA, Bacterial ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal, 23S ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of clinical haemorrhage in an inherited coagulation factor VII (FVII) deficiency and tissue factor abnormality pedigree.

METHODSAll exons, exon-intron boundaries and the 3', 5' untranslated sequences of FVII and tissue factor (TF) genes were amplified by PCR and sequenced directly. Any mutation identified by direct sequencing was confirmed by reverse sequencing. FVII cDNA of the proband was synthesized with random primers and amplified by nest PCR.

RESULTS55C-->T heterozygous mutation located in promoter of FVII gene was identified in the proband. The heterozygous mutation was derived from his mother. Tracing the other pedigree members found that his sister had the same heterozygous mutation and the others had wild-type FVII genes. A 9363 C-->T (Arg131Trp) heterozygous polymorphism in TF gene, which was 2.63% frequency of T allele polymorphism, was found in all of the pedigree members.

CONCLUSIONIt was the first report that the -55C-->T heterozygous mutation in FVII gene and the Arg131Trp heterozygous polymorphism in TF gene explained the clinical symptom of the proband.

Adult ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Factor VII ; genetics ; Factor VII Deficiency ; genetics ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Thromboplastin ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact on sexual function, local recurrence and survival after total mesorectal excision (TME) with autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) of rectal cancer.

METHODSOne hundred and five patients after TME with PANP were followed by means of questionnaire on postoperative genital function [TME + PANP(+) group], and the results of 110 patients after TME without PANP [TME + PANP(-) group] were compared with, also their local recurrence and 5-year survival were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSTME + PANP(+) group was compared to TME + PANP(-) group: the erection dysfunction, 33.3% vs 63.2%; the ejaculation dysfunction, 43.8% vs 70.0% (P < 0.01), there were significant differences between two groups, but no difference in local recurrent rate and 5-year survival rate (7.6% vs 5.5%; 63.4% vs 59.7%, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe TME with PANP of rectal surgery ensure the radical cure of rectal cancer, at the same time reasonably save the postoperative sexual function and obtain satisfactory postoperative survival.

Adult ; Aged ; Autonomic Nervous System ; injuries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mesentery ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Rectal Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of microRNA(miR)-21 and miR-125 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its relationship with clinicopathological features.

METHODSQuantitative real-time PCR was applied to examine the expression of miR-21 and miR-125 in 100 primary CRC specimens which were diagnosed and operated in West China Hospital between 2006 and 2007, in comparison with the corresponding normal mucosa specimens. The relationship between the expression of miRNAs and clinicopathological features was analyzed.

RESULTSThe expression of miR-21 in CRC was up-regulated by 2.3 times compared to normal mucosa (P =0.025), while the expression of miR-125 was down-regulated by 3.3 times in comparison with normal mucosa (P =0.005). Furthermore, the expression of miR-21 was related to TNM stage (P =0.028) and local invasion (P =0.023). On the other hand, no significant relationship was found between the expression of miR-125 and clinicopathological features (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe over-expression of miR-21 may play a role in the development and progression of CRC, while miR-125 may not be related to the pathogenesis of CRC.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; RNA ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo study the best style of operation in the treatment of tumor invades adjacent structures (T(4)) cancer of the cardia and stomach fundus.

METHODSTwo hundred and one patients with T(4) cancer of the cardia and stomach fundus underwent operation. Of them, 31 were treated by laparotomy, and 170 by combined resection of the involved organs. The 3- and 5-year survival rates and the postoperative complication rate and mortality rate were analyzed in the patients who had under gone combined resection of the involved organs.

RESULTSThe median survival of the patients undergoing combined resection of the involved organs (29.3 months) was significantly longer than that of those receiving laparotomy (4.9 months). The 3- and 5-year survival rates of 170 patients who had under gone combined resection of the involved organs were 46.2% and 22.8%, respectively. The 3- and 5-year survival rates of patients undergoing total gastrectomy and proximal gastrectomy were 54.9% and 29.2% and 32.2% and 12.5%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2) = 7.589, P < 0.01;chi(2) = 5.792, P < 0.05).The postoperative mortality rate and complication rate were 4.1% and 24.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe patients without liver metastasis, widespread nodal involvement, peritoneal dissemination and local focus allowed by an en bloc combined resection in T(4) cancer of cardia and stomach fundus should undergo gastrectomy with a combined resection of the involved organs. Total gastrectomy should be performed to improve the curative effect.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardia ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Gastric Fundus ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the occupational health of the workers simultaneously exposed to acrylonitrile, epoxyethane, epoxypropane, and styrene.

METHODSA questionnaire survey was conducted in 70 front-line workers simultaneously exposed to acrylonitrile, epoxyethane, epoxypropane, and styrene (exposure group) and 50 managers (control group) in a polyether manufacturer; in addition, air monitoring at workplace and occupational health examination were also performed. The obtained data were analyzed.

RESULTSThe female workers in exposure group and the spouses of male workers in exposure group had significantly higher spontaneous abortion rates than their counterparts in control group (P < 0.01). The exposure group had a significantly higher abnormal rate of blood urea nitrogen than the control group (P < 0.01). The workers with different polyether-exposed working years had significantly higher mean levels of DNA damage than the control group (P < 0.01); the workers with not less than 5 and less than 20 polyether-exposed working years and those with not less than 20 polyether-exposed working years had significantly higher mean micronucleus rates than the control group (P < 0.01); there were no significant differences in overall chromosome aberration rate and mean level of DNA damage between each two groups of workers with different polyether-exposed working years (P > 0.05); the workers with not less than 5 and less than 20 polyether-exposed working years and workers with not less than 20 polyether-exposed working years had significantly higher mean micronucleus rates than those with less than 5 polyether-exposed working years (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSimultaneous exposure to acrylonitrile, epoxyethane, epoxypropane, and styrene causes occupational hazards among the workers in polyether manufacturer.

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; DNA Damage ; Ethers ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Workplace