1.The regional cerebral blood flow of naive schizophrenia before and after drug treatment by 99mTc-ECD brain SPECT imaging.
Huafang LI ; Niufan GU ; Yan XIU ; Kaida JIANG ; Shaoliang CHEN
Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 2001;27(2):99-102
Objective To investigate the effect of risperidone on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and the relationship between efficacy and rCBF ratio. Methods Twenty four naive schizophrenic patients (diagnosed according to the ICD 10) completed 8 weeks treatment with risperidone. Ten patients were male and 14 were female. Twenty six healthy controls were enrolled as control group. The treatment dose of risperidone was 3~6 mg/d. After 8 weeks treatment, brain imaging was conducted again. Results Before treatment with risperidone, compared to the control group, the baseline rCBF ratios of left and right inferior posterior temporal of patients were higher and the cognitive activated rCBF ratios of left mid-lateral frontal was lower. After treatment, the baseline state rCBF ratios of right lateral temporal, left and right superior posterior temporal were significantly decreased. The cognitive activated rCBF ratios of left and right inferior medial frontal, left inferior lateral frontal, left superior fronto temporal and left superior lateral fronal significantly increased. The efficacy was correlated with changes of the baseline rCBF ratio in some RIOs. Conclusions Risperidone could change the blood perfusion in some ROIs. It suggested that the perfusion in these ROIs could be useful for predicting treatment efficacy.
2.Protective effect of intestinal trefoil factor on methotrexate-induced injury in intestinal mucosa
Huafang SU ; Ruanmin ZOU ; Kang YU ; Songfu JIANG
Chinese Journal of Digestion 2011;31(3):164-168
Objective To investigate the potential mechanism of intestinal trefoil factor(ITF)against methotrexate (MTX)- induced injury in intestinal mucosa. Methods Cultured IEC-6 cells were divided into groups as follows: blank group, MTX treated group, ITF treated group and experimental group treated with gradient concentrations of ITF plus MTX. Expression of E-cadherin mRNA was determined by Real-Time polymerase chain reaciton (RT- PCR). The activity of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 and MMP-9 was measured by gelatin zymogramphy. Caspases-3 activity was measured by colorimetric assay. Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8)assay. Migration of IEC-6 in vitro was observed using modified Boyden chamber assay. Results The expression of E-cadherin mRNA in experimental group (treated with 0.1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of ITF) was significantly down-regulated (0. 538±0. 109 or 0. 528±0. 132, respectively) in comparison with MTX treated group (0. 763±0. 139) with significant difference (P=0. 021 or P=0. 025, respectively). There was no significant difference in activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 among groups (P>0. 05). When compared with MTX treated group (0. 090 ±0. 011 ), the activity of Caspase3 in experimental group (treated with 0. 1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of ITF) was significantly decreased (0. 077±0. 009, P=0. 032 or 0. 044±0. 009,P=0. 005, respectively). There was no statistical difference in cell proliferation between experimental group (treated with 1 μg/ml, 0.01 mg/ml, 0. 1 mg/ml or 1.0 mg/ml of ITF) and MTX treated group (P=0. 132,0. 150,0. 114 or 0. 367, respectivley). More migratory cells attached to the bottom surface of the membrane in experiment group (treated with 0. 1 mg/ml or 1 mg/ml of ITF) in comparison with MTX treated group (P <0. 001 ). Moreover, more migratory cells were found in experimental group treated with 1.0 mg/ml of ITF than those in group treated with 0. 1 mg/ml of ITF (P<0. 001). Conclusions Without cell proliferation, the protective effect of ITF is related to its functions of promoting cell migration and inhibiting cell apoptosis, which may down-regulate expression of E-cadherin mRNA.
3.Rhinovirus and asthma in children
International Journal of Pediatrics 2018;45(9):678-681
Rhinovirus(RV) infection can lead to asymptomatic,mild symptoms from the upper respiratory tract to severe symptoms from the lower respiratory tract.RV is dentified as an important contributor to wheezing illness in preschool children.Wheezing is a symptom of airway obstruction,and preschool children wheezing with RV is associated with the development of asthma at school age.There is a debate whether there is difference in response to RV infection or if wheezing with RV only reveals a preexisting impairment that promotes asthma mainly in predisposed children.The development of molecular diagnostics to detect respiratory viruses has provided new insights into the role of RV infections.The review aims to discuss the relationship between RV infection and asthma.
4. Comparison of different styles of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as first-line treatment treated with severe aplastic anemia in children and adolescents
Shiwei YANG ; Rongjun MA ; Juanjuan ZHAO ; Huafang ZHONG ; Xiaoli YUAN ; Li JIANG ; Jing YANG ; Pingchong LEI ; Yin ZHANG ; Yuewen FU ; Dingming WAN ; Zunmin ZHU
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2018;39(3):184-189
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from different donors as first-line treatment for children and adolescents with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) .
Methods:
The clinical data of 79 children and adolescents with SAA diagnosed from January 2013 to December 2016 in Henan Province were retrospectively analyzed. There were 50 males and 29 females, with a median age of 14(4-18) years. 40 cases received matched sibling transplantation (MSD-HSCT), 17 with unrelated donor transplantation (UD-HSCT), and 22 with haploidentical transplantation (haplo-HSCT).
Results:
The comparison of MSD-HSCT, UD-HSCT, haplo-HSCT groups was conducted and the median times of neutrophils engraftment were statistically significant [12(9-25) d, 14(10-22) d, 16(11-26) d, respectively (
5.Early onset epileptic encephalopathy caused by mitochondrial arginyl-tRNA synthetase gene deficiency: report of two cases and literature review
Huafang JIANG ; Jie DENG ; Fang FANG ; Hua LI ; Xiaohui WANG ; Lifang DAI
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2020;58(11):893-899
Objective:To summarize the clinical features of two early onset epileptic encephalopathy (EOEE) patients with arginyl-tRNA synthetase (RARS2) gene variations and to review related literature.Methods:The clinical data and genetic features of two pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 6 (PCH6) patients with RARS2 variation diagnosed by the Department of Neurology, Beijing Children′s Hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. A literature search with "RARS2" "pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 6" and "early onset epileptic encephalopathy" as key words was conducted at China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform and PubMed (up to May 2020), literature about RARS2 gene variation patients and their complete clinical data were chosen and reviewed.Results:The onset age of the two cases (1 male, 1 female) were 2 months and 29 days respectively and the early onset symptom of them was epileptic encephalopathy. The main symptoms included seizures, development delay, microcephaly and lactic acidosis. In addition to these symptoms, the female also had dyspnea, hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis after birth. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the two patients were normal at first. Follow up at four-month (case 1) and eight-month (case 2) MRI showed atrophy of cerebral and cerebellar, but the pons was not affected. All four heterozygous variations in RARS2 gene revealed by whole-exome sequencing (p.Arg560His and p.Arg6His from case 1, p.Arg254Trp and p.Phe5Ser from case 2) were novel. No eligible reports were found in Chinese journals, while 17 reports were found in English literature. Excluded cases with incomplete data together with these two cases, a total of 34 patients from 20 families were found. All patients had developmental delay while 94% (32/34) patients showed the initial symptoms within 3 months, 93% (28/30) patients were diagnosed as epilepsy, 89% (25/28) patients had progressively microcephaly and 52% (16/31) cases did not show the pons atrophy on brain MRI. Twenty of 28 cases (71%) were refractory epilepsy. There were 31 types of gene variations and most of them were missense variations (21/31, 68%).Conclusions:The majority of PCH6 cases caused by RARS2 gene variation show the initial symptoms within 3 months, characterized by EOEE, most of them are refractory epilepsy, accompanied by developmental delay, microcephaly and increased lactic acid. Brain MRI indicates progressive cerebral or pontocerebellar atrophy.
6. Analysis of respiratory viruses in children with acute respiratory tract infection in Weifang
Huafang JIANG ; Jinliang LI ; Li LI ; Yuanyuan WANG ; Wenning HAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology 2018;32(3):272-276
Objective:
To explore the viral pathogens in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection in Weifang.
Methods:
Nasopharyngeal secretion (NPS) samples were collected from hospitalized patients with acute respiratory tract infection from July 2016 to June 2017. The NPS samples were detected for 16 respiratory virus types/subtypes including influenza A virus (FluA), influenza B virus (FluB), seasonal influenza A HlNl virus (sH1N1), parainfluenza virus types 1, 2 and 3 (PIV-1, 2, 3), respiratory syncytial virus A (RSVA), respiratory syncytial virus B (RSVB), human rhinovirus (HRV), adenovirus (ADV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), four coronavirus sybtypes (Cov-NL63, 229E, OC43, HKUl) and human bocavirus (BoV) by multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays based on automatic capillary electrophoresis.
Results:
A total of 769 children with respiratory tract infection were enrolled, and the overall positive rate for the 16 common respiratory tract viruses was 33.68% (259/769). The positive rates were as follows: RSV (9.23%), PIV (7.93%), Flu (6.89%), HRV (4.68%), ADV (3.38%), HMPV (1.69%), CoV (0.91%), BoV (0.65%). The positive rate of viral detection showed significant differences among different age groups (
7.Beneficial Effects of Celastrol on Immune Balance by Modulating Gut Microbiota in Experimental Ulcerative Colitis Mice
Li MINGYUE ; Guo WEINA ; Dong YALAN ; Wang WENZHU ; Tian CHUNXIA ; Zhang ZILI ; Yu TING ; Zhou HAIFENG ; Gui YANG ; Xue KAMING ; Li JUNYI ; Jiang FENG ; Sarapultsev ALEXEY ; Wang HUAFANG ; Zhang GE ; Luo SHANSHAN ; Fan HENG ; Hu DESHENG
Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics 2022;20(2):288-303
Ulcerative colitis(UC)is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease caused by many factors including colonic inflammation and microbiota dysbiosis.Previous studies have indicated that celastrol(CSR)has strong anti-inflammatory and immune-inhibitory effects.Here,we investigated the effects of CSR on colonic inflammation and mucosal immunity in an experimental colitis model,and addressed the mechanism by which CSR exerts the protective effects.We characterized the ther-apeutic effects and the potential mechanism of CSR on treating UC using histological staining,intestinal permeability assay,cytokine assay,flow cytometry,fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),16S rRNA sequencing,untargeted metabolomics,and cell differentiation.CSR administra-tion significantly ameliorated the dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced colitis in mice,which was evidenced by the recovered body weight and colon length as well as the decreased disease activity index(DAI)score and intestinal permeability.Meanwhile,CSR down-regulated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and up-regulated the amount of anti-inflammatory mediators at both mRNA and protein levels,and improved the balances of Treg/Thl and Treg/Th1 7 to maintain the colonic immune homeostasis.Notably,all the therapeutic effects were exerted in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.Furthermore,CSR treatment increased the gut microbiota diversity and changed the compositions of the gut microbiota and metabolites,which is probably associated with the gut microbiota-mediated protective effects.In conclusion,this study provides the strong evidence that CSR may be a promising therapeutic drug for UC.
8.Clinical characteristics of children with MT-TK gene m.8344A>G variation
Mingzhao WANG ; Huafang JIANG ; Tianyu SONG ; Chaolong XU ; Hua LI ; Minhan SONG ; Fang FANG
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2024;62(11):1056-1063
Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of children carrying the m.8344A>G variant of MT-TK gene.Methods:A case series study was conducted to retrospectively collect data of 22 children with mitochondrial disease caused by MT-TK gene m.8344A>G variation who were treated at the Department of Neurology of Beijing Children′s Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2012 to January 2024. Their clinical data, laboratory tests, muscle pathology, genetic testing, and the follow-up results were analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis was used for correlation analysis.Results:Among the 22 children, there were 13 boys and 9 girls. The age of onset was 5.00 (2.75, 9.00) years. Fifteen children had myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF), 3 had Leigh syndrome (LS), and 4 had LS-MERRF overlap syndrome (LS-MERRF). Myoclonus presented and worsened progressively in all 15 MERRF children, with 10 as the initial symptom and 5 developing progressively during the disease course. Myoclonus was predominantly focal, worsening with fine motor tasks or stress. Electroencephalogram monitoring in the 15 MERRF children revealed myoclonic seizures in 10 children, with 6 classified as myoclonic epilepsy, and 4 as subcortical myoclonus. Two children had generalized myoclonic seizures, and 1 each had absence seizures and generalized seizures. Twelve children had cerebellar ataxia, 10 children exhibited exercise intolerance, and 8 children had muscle weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed periventricular white matter involvement in 1 child and bilateral hippocampal involvement in 1 child, likely due to frequent seizures. All 3 children with LS exhibited developmental regressions, accompanied with 2 symptoms include cerebellar ataxia, muscle weakness, and dysphagia. The clinical manifestations of 4 LS-MERRF overlap children presented with combined features of MERRF and LS. Cranial MRI in the 7 LS and LS-MERRF children showed brainstem involvement (all affecting the midbrain) in 6 children and basal ganglia involvement in 4 children. Among the 22 children, 12 had m.8344A>G variant levels >90%, 3 had >80%-90%, 4 had >70%-80%, and 3 had >60%-70%. Higher variant level correlated with the LS phenotype and earlier onset age ( r=0.47, -0.50; P=0.018 and 0.029, respectively). Sanger sequencing in 19 mothers revealed m.8344A>G variations in 18, with 4 showing exercise intolerance. Follow-up of 13 children on antimyoclonic treatment showed>75% reduction in seizures with levetiracetam monotherapy in 2 children, with combination therapy required in others. Most achieved >50% seizures reduction within 2 years, but the effectiveness declined with disease progression. Conclusions:The m.8344A>G variant is rare, with MERRF being the most common phenotype, while LS and LS-MERRF are less common. Children with higher ratio of the m.8344A>G variant are more likely to present LS phenotype. Myoclonus, primarily focal, is a key feature, with levetiracetam as the first-line treatment and benzodiazepines recommended for refractory cases.
9.Diagnostic value of a combined serology-based model for minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients with compensated cirrhosis
Shanghao LIU ; Hongmei ZU ; Yan HUANG ; Xiaoqing GUO ; Huiling XIANG ; Tong DANG ; Xiaoyan LI ; Zhaolan YAN ; Yajing LI ; Fei LIU ; Jia SUN ; Ruixin SONG ; Junqing YAN ; Qing YE ; Jing WANG ; Xianmei MENG ; Haiying WANG ; Zhenyu JIANG ; Lei HUANG ; Fanping MENG ; Guo ZHANG ; Wenjuan WANG ; Shaoqi YANG ; Shengjuan HU ; Jigang RUAN ; Chuang LEI ; Qinghai WANG ; Hongling TIAN ; Qi ZHENG ; Yiling LI ; Ningning WANG ; Huipeng CUI ; Yanmeng WANG ; Zhangshu QU ; Min YUAN ; Yijun LIU ; Ying CHEN ; Yuxiang XIA ; Yayuan LIU ; Ying LIU ; Suxuan QU ; Hong TAO ; Ruichun SHI ; Xiaoting YANG ; Dan JIN ; Dan SU ; Yongfeng YANG ; Wei YE ; Na LIU ; Rongyu TANG ; Quan ZHANG ; Qin LIU ; Gaoliang ZOU ; Ziyue LI ; Caiyan ZHAO ; Qian ZHAO ; Qingge ZHANG ; Huafang GAO ; Tao MENG ; Jie LI ; Weihua WU ; Jian WANG ; Chuanlong YANG ; Hui LYU ; Chuan LIU ; Fusheng WANG ; Junliang FU ; Xiaolong QI
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2023;46(1):52-61
Objective:To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of serological indicators and evaluate the diagnostic value of a new established combined serological model on identifying the minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with compensated cirrhosis.Methods:This prospective multicenter study enrolled 263 compensated cirrhotic patients from 23 hospitals in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China between October 2021 and August 2022. Clinical data and laboratory test results were collected, and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was calculated. Ammonia level was corrected to the upper limit of normal (AMM-ULN) by the baseline blood ammonia measurements/upper limit of the normal reference value. MHE was diagnosed by combined abnormal number connection test-A and abnormal digit symbol test as suggested by Guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis. The patients were randomly divided (7∶3) into training set ( n=185) and validation set ( n=78) based on caret package of R language. Logistic regression was used to establish a combined model of MHE diagnosis. The diagnostic performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve. The internal verification was carried out by the Bootstrap method ( n=200). AUC comparisons were achieved using the Delong test. Results:In the training set, prevalence of MHE was 37.8% (70/185). There were statistically significant differences in AMM-ULN, albumin, platelet, alkaline phosphatase, international normalized ratio, MELD score and education between non-MHE group and MHE group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that AMM-ULN [odds ratio ( OR)=1.78, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.05-3.14, P=0.038] and MELD score ( OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.20, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for MHE, and the AUC for predicting MHE were 0.663, 0.625, respectively. Compared with the use of blood AMM-ULN and MELD score alone, the AUC of the combined model of AMM-ULN, MELD score and education exhibited better predictive performance in determining the presence of MHE was 0.755, the specificity and sensitivity was 85.2% and 55.7%, respectively. Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve showed that the model had good calibration ( P=0.733). The AUC for internal validation of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.752. In the validation set, the AUC of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.794, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed good calibration ( P=0.841). Conclusion:Use of the combined model including AMM-ULN, MELD score and education could improve the predictive efficiency of MHE among patients with compensated cirrhosis.