Animals ; Decompression ; Decompression Sickness ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Male ; Rabbits

Objective To explore the associations between microsatellites in gonadal receptor genes and dysfunctional attitudes in adolescent with major depressive disorder(MDD).Methods Polymerase chain reaction(PCR),capillary electrophoresis and genetic scanning were performed in testing the length of microsatellites in first-onset adolescent depressive patients.Dysfunctional attitudes scale(DAS) was used in rating the dysfunctional cognition of adolescent depressive sample.These results were tested by correlative analysis and comparison analysis.Results 1.There existed significantly negative correlation between microsatellite′s length in estrogen receptor ?(ER?) gene and total score of DAS in female adolescent patients with first-onset depressive disorder.2.DAS′ total score of shorter alleles′ group was significantly higher than that of longer alleles′ group on female′ estrogen receptor ?(ER?) Gene.Conclusion The microsatellite′s length of ER? and ER? gene may have associations with dysfunctional attitudes of female adolescent with MDD.

The association between thyroglobulin gene polymorphism and autoimmune thyroid disease was investigated.A total of eight case-control studies were included.E33SNP was associated with increased susceptibility of autoimmune thyroid disease in recessive model (OR =1.54,95 ％ CI 1.21 ～ 1.97,P =0.024),while E12SNP was associated with increased susceptibility of autoimmune thyroid disease in allele model (OR =1.12,95％ CI 1.05 ～1.21,P =0.033).Thyroglobulin gene polymorphism seems to be associated with autoimmune thyroid disease.

Objective To study the pathological characteristics of skeletal muscle in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica(PMR).Methods Thirteen patients were diagnosed PMR according to the diagnostic criteria described by Bird in 1979.The onset of disease was between 49-78 years of age (median 60.3 years).All of them showed continuous symmetric myalgia with markedly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR).Five patients had mild fever and 8 patients had elevated C-reactive protein(CRP).Electromyogram(EMG)showed myogenic pattern in 2 patients.Only 1 patient showed anemia and 2 patients had mild elevated creatinine phosphokinase.None of them showed evidence of temporal arteritis.Biceps brachii muscle biopsies were performed in all patients before corticosteroid therapy.Results The typeⅡmuscle fiber atrophy was observed in all patients.Moth-eaten changes appeared in 8 cases,increased intramuscular lipid drops in 8 cases and ragged red fibers(RRF)in 3 cases of them.After steroid therapy,all patients showed improvement of myalgia and normal ESR as well as CRP.Conclusions The main symptoms of the patients are myalgia and abnormal ESR.Some patients have high level of CRP and abnormal EMG.Anemia and temporal arteritis are less frequent.The main myopathological changes were typeⅡmuscle fiber atrophy.Some patients have moth-eaten changes.More lipid drops and RRF indicate abnormal metabolism of skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVETo explore the recording method of the electrophysiological signals in corticospinal tract (CST) of adult rats by plugging microelectrodes and analyze the characteristics of these signals. These could provide some valuable and basic neural electrophysiological information for further research of recovering and refunctioning after spinal cord injury.

METHODSThe microelectrodes were plugged into the corticospinal tract at the T8 spinal section of Sprague-Dawley rats and the neuro-electrical signals were identified and recorded from CST by means of the Cerebus System. The characteristics of the recorded signals were described with the help of the Offline sorter and Neuroexplorer softwares, including the wavelength, amplitude, discharging frequency, the synchrony among the multi-discharging units from the same electrode and two different electrodes, analysis of interspike interval (ISI), etc.

RESULTSThe continuous and steady spontaneous electrophysiological signals were recorded from CST. Three or four types of discharging signals originated from different discharging units were collected with each electrode. The waveform of the signals appeared bidirectional. The wavelengths were 0.6 - 1.3 ms with wave amplitudes at a grade of hundred microvoltage and high signal-noise ratios. The LFB staining proved that the electrodes were accurately plugged into the corticospinal tract.

CONCLUSIONThe neuro-electrical signals at a grade of hundred microvoltage could be recorded stably from the corticospinal tract of rats by the Cerebus System with the microelectrodes, which provided valuable and basic neural electrophysiological information for further research on recovering and refunctioning after spinal cord injury (SCI) by analyzing the characteristics of electrophysiological signals.

Animals ; Electrodes, Implanted ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; physiology ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; physiology ; Male ; Microelectrodes ; Pyramidal Tracts ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; physiology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; physiopathology

This study was purposed to investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin (BrMChR) on leukemia K562 cells as well as the variation of caspase-3 activity and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) expression of K562 cells during the process of apoptosis. MTT assay was used to determine the inhibitory effect of BrMChR on proliferation of K562 cells. Cell apoptosis was assayed by AO/EB staining under fluorescent microscope and flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The expression level of p-Akt was measured by Western blot. The results showed that BrMChR had the inhibitory effect on proliferation of K562 cells and could induce apoptosis of these cells in dose-dependent manner, and these effects were significantly stronger than ChR. After treatment of K562 cells with 3 µmol/L ChR for 12 hours, the apoptosis rate was only 3.68%, but the apoptosis rate of K562 cells treated with 3 µmol/L BrMChR was 21.8%. In the same time, the caspase-3 activity significantly increased (p < 0.05), but the expression of p-Akt was down-regulated (p < 0.01). It is concluded that BrMChR can induce apoptosis of K562 cells and with effect stronger than chR. P-Akt may participate in the apoptosis process of K562 cells induced by BrMChR.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism

This study was purposed to investigate the serum levels of soluble intracellular adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1), interleukin 18 (IL-18) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and their clinical significance. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect sVCAM-1, IL-18 and VEGF in serums of 30 patients with AA and 25 normal controls. The results showed that the serum levels of sVCAM-1 and IL-18 in patients with AA [(839.08 +/- 173.97) ng/ml, (380.35 +/- 47.76) pg/ml] were significantly higher than those in normal controls [(538.16 +/- 91.21) ng/ml, (256.39 +/- 59.52) pg/ml] (p < 0.01; p < 0.01). The levels of sVCAM-1 and IL-18 in severe AA patients [(969.94 +/- 182.54) ng/ml, (388.96 +/- 46.06) pg/ml] were higher than those in chronic AA patients [(709.26 +/- 165.32) ng/ml, IL-18 (352.21 +/- 47.08) pg/ml] (p < 0.01; p < 0.05), but the level of VEGF in AA patients [(69.63 +/- 27.42) pg/ml] was lower than that in the normal controls [(125.62 +/- 32.15) pg/ml] (p < 0.01)]. The level of VEGF in severe AA patients [(51.30 +/- 29.86) pg/ml] was significantly lower than that in chronic AA patients [(80.02 +/- 25.14) pg/ml] (p < 0.01). The levels of sVCAM-1 and IL-18 in AA patients after treatment were lower than those before treatment (p < 0.01; p < 0.05), but the level of VEGF after treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment (p < 0.05). It is concluded that the high levels of sVCAM-1, IL-18 and low level of VEGF in serum may be involved in the pathogenesis and progress of AA.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Aplastic ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the roles of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and follicular regulatory T (Tfr) cells in the pathogenesis of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) in children.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were collected from 40 HSP children and 25 healthy controls. The percentages of Tfh and Tfr cells were measured by flow cytometry; the mRNA expression levels of Bcl-6, c-MAF, Blimp-1, and PD-1 in peripheral blood were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSCompared with the controls, the children with HSP had significantly increased percentage of Tfh cells and Tfh/Tfr ratio but a significantly reduced percentage of Tfr cells in the peripheral blood (P<0.05). Compared with the controls, the children with HSP had significantly increased mRNA expression of Bcl-6 and c-MAF but significantly reduced mRNA expression of Blimp-1 in CD4+ T cells (P<0.05), and had significantly increased mRNA expression of PD-1 but significantly reduced mRNA expression of Blimp-1 in CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAbnormal percentages of Tfh and Tfr cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of HSP in children, and over-expression of Bcl-6, c-MAF, and PD-1 mRNA and inhibited expression of Blimp-1 mRNA may be considered as important reasons for abnormal percentages of Tfh and Tfr cells.

Adolescent ; Child ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6 ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-maf ; genetics ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; etiology ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo measure the expression of lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 (CD58) in childhood B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and to explore the feasibility of CD58 as an indicator for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in childhood B-ALL.

METHODSEighty-seven children diagnosed with B-ALL between January 2014 and September 2014 were enrolled, and 20 hospitalized children who had no tumor or blood disease and had normal bone marrow cell morphology served as the control group. The expression features of CD58 in bone marrow samples from the two groups (at diagnosis, on day 15 of induction chemotherapy) were analyzed by four-color flow cytometry (FCM). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and FCM were used to detect MRD in B-ALL patients on day 33 of induction chemotherapy.

RESULTSThe mean fluorescence intensity of CD58 expression in the 87 B-ALL cases (91±33) was significantly higher than that in the 20 controls (14±6) (P<0.01); CD58 was over-expressed in 44 of the B-ALL cases. In the B-ALL children, the expression of CD58 on day 15 of induction chemotherapy (105±22) was not significantly different from that at diagnosis (107±26) (P>0.05). In the 44 B-ALL patients with CD58 over-expression, FCM showed 9 MRD(+) cases and 35 MRD(-) cases, while qRT-PCR showed 11 MRD(+) cases and 33 MRD(-) cases; 42 cases (95%) showed consistent results of the two tests, so there was no significant difference between the two methods in detecting MRD (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCD58 is over-expressed and stable in children with B-ALL, and it can be considered as an indicator for MRD detection in childhood B-ALL.

Adolescent ; CD58 Antigens ; analysis ; Cell Lineage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Infant ; Male ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo discuss the prognostic factors of recurrent ovarian epithelial carcinoma and to analyze the curative effect of post-relapse treatment.

METHODSThe clinical records of 293 patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively. There were 199 recurrent cases during the following up.

RESULTSAll the 199 patients received chemotherapy. And 173 patients only received chemotherapy. 16 patients received surgery and chemotherapy and the other 10 patients received radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 158 patients received platinum-based chemotherapy again and 41 patients received chemotherapy without platinum. The response rate of all the patients was 43.7% (87/199), the response rate of only chemotherapy was 39.9% (69/173), the response rate of surgery and chemotherapy was 75.0% (12/16), and the response rate of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was 60.0% (6/10). The patients were divided into four groups according to the progression free interval (PFI). The response rates in groups that PFI < or = 6 months, 7 - 12 months, 13 - 24 months and > 24 months were 5.1%, 47.2%, 82.1% and 96.0%, respectively. The median survival time in the 16 patients received second cyto-reductive surgery was 41 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that PFI was significantly correlated with prognosis of recurrent ovarian epithelial carcinoma (OR = 0.589, P = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONPFI is an individual prognostic factor for survival of recurrent ovarian epithelial carcinoma. PFI is significantly associated with the response rate of chemotherapy. Optimal secondary cytoreductive surgery may improve the overall survival of recurrent patients. The response rate of paclitaxel plus platinum chemotherapy in platinum-sensitive patients is higher than that of other platinum-based chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate