Objective To analyze genetic and clinical features of 14 children with ?-thalassemia intermedia in Guangxi area.Methods ?-thalassemia genes,?-thalassemia genes,single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) at position-158 of()~G?-globin gene,AT repeats polymorphisms of DNase I-hypersensitive site 2 of the ?-globin gene cluster locus control region(?-LCR-HS2) were detected by PCR techniques.Clinical data were analyzed.Results Genotype:1.Seven cases were homozygous or compound heterozygous for nt-28(A→G).Among them,2 cases′ genotypes were nt-28/nt-28,1 case was ?~E/ nt-28,2 cases were ?~0/nt-28,1 case(?~0/nt-28) co-inherited()~G?158(T) and 1 case(?~0/nt-28) co-inherited simultaneously()~G?-158(T) and——SEA ?-thalassemia-1 genes.2.Three cases with ?~0/?~0 presented()~G?-158(T),and other 3 cases co-inherited——SEA ?-thalassemia-1 genes.3.One patient with ?~0/?~0 co-inherited()~G?-158(T) and——SEA ?-thalassemia-1 genes.4.Six cases carrying()~G?-158(T) had(AT)_9 N_(12)(AT)_(10) sequences in ?-LCR-HS2.Phenotype:The values of Hb,MCV,HbF of 14 patients were(75.9?9.7) g/L,(68.9?5.9) fL,66.9%?16.3%,respectively.Except for 2 cases with genotypes of nt-28/nt-28 and 1 case with ?~E/nt-28 who had never been transfused,the others had more severe symptoms and required irregularly transfusion.Conclusions In the 14 children with ?-thalassemia intermedia from Guangxi area,nt-28(A→G),()~G?-158(T) and——SEA ?-thalassemia-1 gene are main alleviating gene factors.Incidence of(AT)_9 N_(12)(AT)_(10) sequence in ?-LCR-HS2 in these patients is high.Patients who are homozygous for nt-28 or compound heterozygous for ?~E have milder phenotypes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sub-acute oral effect of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles on the oxidation/antioxidation biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines in blood, liver, intestine, and colon in rats. METHODS: Twenty four 4-week-old clean-grade Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly devided into 4 groups by body weight (n=6, control, low, middle, and high), in which the rats were orally exposed to TiO₂ nanoparticles at doses of 0, 2, 10 and 50 mg/kg body weight/day for 28 consecutive days separately. Food intake, body weight and abnormal behaviors during the experiment were recorded. The rats were euthanized on the 29th day. The blood was collected via abdominal aortic method and centrifuged to collect the serum. Tissues from liver, intestine and colon were collected and homogenated. Then enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and microwell plate methods were used to detect oxidation/antioxidation biomarkers including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total mercapto (T-SH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), malomdialdehvde (MDA) and inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the serum, liver, intestine and colon in the rats. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, no significant differences in body weight, food intake and organ coefficients were observed in all the three groups after TiO₂ gavage. No significant changes in GSH, GSH-Px, T-SH, and IL-6 were observed. Compared with the control group, significant increase of SOD activity in serum in high dose group, signi-ficant increase of GSSG concentration in intestine in middle and high dose group and significant increase of MDA concentration in liver in low and high dose group were observed. Compared with the control group, a significant increase of TNF-α in liver in middle and high dose group was observed. CONCLUSION TiO₂ nanoparticle can increase antioxidant enzymes activities in blood, increase oxidative biomarkers in liver and intestine, increase inflammatory cytokines in liver in rats after a 28-day sub-acute orally administration. Among blood, liver, intestine, and colon, liver is most sensitive to the toxicity induced by TiO₂ nanoparticles, followed by intestine, blood, and colon in sequence.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Biomarkers ; Cytokines ; Nanoparticles ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Titanium

Objective To investigate the change of oxidation system and antioxidation system in mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis(MsPGN) induced by anti-Thy1.1 antibody,and further to study the intervention of rosmarinic acid(RAD).Methods Anti-THy1.1 serum was produced,and then intravenously injected into rats for establishing an experimental model of MsPGN.The experiment was designed for control with or without RAD,glomerulonephritis with or without RAD,respectively.The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde(MDA) in tissue homogenate were detected by spectrophotomerty.Results The activity of SOD significantly decreased,while the content of MDA increased in MsPGN.RAD could inhibit oxidation in the mesangial cells.Conclusion Lipid peroxidation participates in MsPGN and RAD can control the changes of the mesangial cells and show the activity of antioxidation.

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine dysfunction after traumatic brain injury (TBI) has received increased attention due to its impact on the recovery of neural function. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence and risk factors of adrenocortical insufficiency (AI) after TBI to reveal independent predictors and build a prediction model of AI after TBI. METHODS: Enrolled patients were grouped into the AI and non-AI groups. Fourteen preset impact factors were recorded. Patients were regrouped according to each impact factor as a categorical variable. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to screen the related independent risk factors of AI after TBI and develop the predictive model. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients were recruited, of whom 34 (31.5%) patients had AI. Nine factors (age, Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score on admission, mean arterial pressure [MAP], urinary volume, serum sodium level, cerebral hernia, frontal lobe contusion, diffuse axonal injury [DAI], and skull base fracture) were probably related to AI after TBI. Three factors (urinary volume [X4], serum sodium level [X5], and DAI [X8]) were independent variables, based on which a prediction model was developed (logit P= -3.552+2.583X4+2.235X5+2.269X8). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of AI after TBI is high. Factors such as age, GCS score, MAP, urinary volume, serum sodium level, cerebral hernia, frontal lobe contusion, DAI, and skull base fracture are probably related to AI after TBI. Urinary volume, serum sodium level, and DAI are the independent predictors of AI after TBI.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Gastritis ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinmailong Injection (XI) in treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with qi-yang deficiency and blood stasis resistance syndrome (QY-DBSRS).

METHODSTotally 238 CHF patients with QYDBSRS were assigned to the treatment group (118 cases) and the control group (120 cases) by randomized, double-blind, placebo parallel controlled method. Patients in the treatment group received routine therapy and XI (100 mg/2 mL, by dripping at 5 mg/kg, twice per day for 5 consecutive days), while those in the control group received routine therapy and XI mimetic agent (100 mg/2 mL, by dripping at 5 mg/kg, twice per day for 5 consecutive days). The heart function classification of New York Heart Association (NYHA), 6-min walking distance, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), scores for Chinese medical symptoms were observed before and after treatment, and safety assessed.

RESULTSTotally 235 patients actually entered full analysis set (FAS), including 120 cases in the control group and 115 cases in the treatment group. The total effective rate of heart function, 6-min walking distance and increased post-pre-treatment distance in the experimental group were superior to those of the control group with statistical difference (all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, increased value of post-pre-treatment LVEF, the total effective rate of Chinese medical syndrome efficacy, scores for Chinese medical symptoms and decreased post-pre-treatment value of Chinese medical syndrome scores were obviously improved (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSXI could improve the heart function of CHF patients, improve Chinese medical symptoms, elevate exercise tolerance, and improve LVEF. It had no obvious toxic and side effects.

Chronic Disease ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Injections ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Qi ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency

0.05)between the two groups.Conclu- sion The long-term outcomes of e-CHB is not markedly different compared with that of e+CHB.

Adult ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Talus

OBJECTIVETo decrease the incidence of inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle injury through location of mandibular canal by 3-dimensional (3-D) CT.

METHODS30 female cases with prominent mandibular angle underwent 3-D CT before operation. The 3-D images were used to measure the distances between upper points of lower teeth to the inferior border of the canal. Then the osteotomy was designed according to the canal position to avoid the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle injury. The canal protection was observed intraoperatively and postoperatively.

RESULTSThe mandibular canal was protected very well in all 30 cases without any injury to the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle.

CONCLUSIONSThe 3-D CT can accurately locate the mandibular canal to guide the design of the mandibular angle osteotomy for patients with prominent mandibular angle.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Mandible ; diagnostic imaging ; innervation ; surgery ; Mandibular Nerve ; diagnostic imaging ; Neural Tube ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic factors in treating primary liver cancer (PLC) patients by Pi-strengthening and qi-regulating method (PSQRM), thus providing evidence and optimizing Pi-strengthening and qi-regulating program.

METHODSClinical data of 151 PLC patients treated by PSQRM at Oncology Department, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2007 to March 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The univariate analysis was determined to analyze possible prognostic factors. Selected key factors were introduced into the COX proportional hazard model, and multivariate analysis was carried out.

RESULTSThe 1-year survival rate was 21.85%, the median survival time was 6.80 months, and the mean survival time was 8.98 months. The univariate analysis showed that Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome types, clinical symptoms at the initial diagnosis, ascites, tumor types, ratios of foci, portal vein tumor thrombus, intrahepatic metastasis, a-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, total bilirubin classification, albumin classification, Child-Pugh classification, and domestic staging of liver cancer were significant prognostic factors (P < 0.05). The statistic data of multivariate analysis indicated that CM syndrome types, ascites, tumor types, portal vein tumor thrombus, AFP levels, Child-Pugh classification, and domestic staging of liver cancer were independent factors influencing prognosis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prognosis of PLC treated with PSQRM is determined by multiple factors including CM syndrome types, ascites, tumor types, portal vein tumor thrombus, AFP levels, Child-Pugh classification, and domestic staging of liver cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome