Objective To analyze the natural changes of maternal thyroid function among women with subclinical thyroid dysfunction and euthyroid women during pregnancy.Methods A total of 4 042 singleton pregnant women received routine antenatal care in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University between April and November 2012 were enrolled.Thyroid-stimulatinghormones (TSH),freetriiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) of 7 136 samples from 4 042 singleton pregnant women were tested at 8-12+6,13-19+6,20-27+6,and 28-40 weeks of gestation and were used to establish the normal gestationalspecific reference values of thyroid function.Among 3 895 women having thyroid function tested at 8-19+6 weeks of gestation with negative thyroid antibodies,there were 93 cases of subclinical hyperthyroidism,91 cases of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH),three cases of hyperthyroidism and 3 708 cases euthyroid.There were 1 118 women [1 607 euthyroid cases,17 cases of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and 34 cases of subclinical hyperthyroidism] had thyroid function retested at 20-27+6 and 28-40 weeks of gestation,and without medicinal intervention.Analysis of variance and LSD test were used to analyze the changes of maternal thyroid function.Results (1) The reference ranges of TSH at 8-12+6,13-19+6,20 27+6 and 28-40 weeks of gestation [median (Pz5-P97.5)] were 1.32 (0.03-4.17),1.83 (0.19-4.94),2.27 (0.70-5.42) and 2.34 (0.63-5.52) mU/L respectively.(2) Without medicinal intervention,thyroid function became normal in 80％ (45/56) SCH women at 20-27+6 weeks,but 20％ (9/45) of them developed SCH again at 28-40 weeks.The thyroid function became normal in 75％ (70/93) women with subclinical hyperthyroidism at 20-27+6 weeks,but in 15％ (14/93) of them,thyroid function remained abnormal at 28-40 weeks.9.40％ (30/319) and 6.25％ (21/336) euthyroid women with TSH ≥ 3 mU/L at 8-19+6 weeks of gestation developed SCH at 20-27+6 weeks and 28-40 weeks,while 0.42％ (5/1 202) and 0.86％ (10/1 163) euthyroid women with TSH ＜3 mU/L had SCH.1.66％ (20/1 202) and 1.98％ (23/1 163) euthyroid women with TSH＜3 mU/L at 8-19+6 weeks of gestation developed subclinical hyperthyroidism at 20-27+6 weeks and 28-40 weeks of gestation.(3) In comparison between 8-19+6 weeks and 20-27+6 weeks of gestation,TSH levels increased by (0.47±0.03) mU/L in euthyroid women,and more significantly in subclinical hyperthyroidism women [(0.82±0.06) mU/L],but decreased by (1.67±0.25) mU/L in SCH women (LSD test,all P＜0.05).The FT3 levels decreased by (0.47±0.02) pmol/L in euthyroid women,and more significantly in subclinical hyperthyroidism and SCH groups [(1.02± 0.18) and (0.72±0.08) pmol/L,LSD test,all P＜0.05].FT4 decreased by (2.31 ±0.04) pmol/L in euthyroid women,and more significanly in subclinical hyperthyroidism women [(4.63± 0.62) pmol/L] (LSD test,P＜0.05),but the decrement in SCH group [(1.78±0.28) pmol/L] was similar to euthyroid women (LSD test,P＞0.05).There were no significant differences in changes of TSH,FT3 and FT4 at 20-27+6 weeks and 28-40 weeks among euthyroid women,SCH and subclinical hyperthyroidism groups (F=1.01,1.14 and 2.04,all P＞0.05).Conclusions Women with subclinical thyroid dysfunction with negative thyroid antibodies experience significantly different natural changes when compared with euthyroid women,especially before 28 weeks of gestation.

The key point of study on CO2 removal by microalgae cultured in a photobioreactor is to improve CO2 removal capability. In this paper, a model of air-lift photobioreactor was developed by combination of conditions including the velocity of flow, the degree of mixing, the gas-liquid mass transfer and the rate of photosynthesis, and two corresponding simplified methods, such as time discretization and lumped parameters were put forward. Using a method of lumped parameters, the model for simulation of time course of DO, pH in the column air-lift photobioreactor and prediction of CO2, O2 concentrations in the outlet gas under different CO2 concentration in the aeration gas was thoroughly discussed. Experimental data were also used to verify the model which could potentially be applied to rational design of the photobioreactor, high-density culture of microalgae and efficient removal of CO2.
Bioreactors ; Carbon Dioxide ; isolation & purification ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Models, Theoretical ; Photosynthesis

Aim To investigate the effects of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharides (GalN/LPS)-induced acute apoptotic liver injury and its mechanism.Methods All mice were randomly divided into four groups.Mice in GalN/LPS group were co-injected with GalN (600 mg·kg~(-1),ip) and LPS (20 μg·kg~(-1), ip). Mice in PDTC+GalN/LPS group were injected with two doses of PDTC,one (100 mg·kg~(-1), ip) at 24 h before LPS and the other at 2 h before LPS (20 μg·kg~(-1), ip).Mice in control groups were treated with PDTC (100 mg·kg~(-1), ip) or saline. Ten mice in each group were observed for animal survival within 72 h after LPS treatment. Six mice in each group were sacrificed 1.5 h after LPS for collecting blood and isolating livers. The expression of hepatic TNF-α mRNA was determined by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Hepatic nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) binding activity was measured with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).Twelve mice in each group were sacrificed 8 h after LPS treatment. Serum was collected for measurement of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatocellular apoptosis and histological examination.Results Co-injection of GalN and LPS markedly increased serum ALT activity. Histopathological examination of liver sections revealed that GalN/LPS induced hepatic congestion, necrosis and massive macrophages infiltration, and increased the number of TUNEL-positive cells in mouse liver.GalN/LPS treatments, led to 90% mortality within 72 h with severe congestion and necrosis in the liver of all the dead mice. PDTC pretreatment significantly inhibited GalN/LPS-induced hepatic NF-κB activation and TNF-α expression. In contrast, PDTC aggravated GalN/LPS-triggered hepatocellular apoptosis, increased serum ALT activity, exacerbated hepatic hemorrhage and necrosis, and accelerated death.Conclusion PDTC aggravates GalN/LPS-induced acute apoptotic liver injury via inhibiting NF-κB-mediated anti-apoptotic effects.

Objective To evaluate the effects of the range and the frequency of the compression load on the accuracy for discerning target stiffness differences in ultrasound elastography.Methods Quantitative ultrasound elastography was achieved by integrating two compression force sensors,a laptop computer and a clinical ultrasound elastographic system.The force sensors and the ultrasound probe were assembled in a 3D printed mounting bracket for continuous monitoring of compression loads during ultrasound elastography. Both the force measurements and the elastographic maps were acquired and displayed on the laptop computer in real time.Four targets of the same diameter(10.4 mm),the same depth (3 cm) and different stiffness levels (8,14,45 and 80 kPa) were examined by a HITACHI preirus,L74M linear-array transducer.Each target was evaluated 45 times with two different method(i.e.,freehand elastography and quantitative elastography),yielding 1 80 evaluations.The data were divided into the following three groups:group Ⅰ(80 kPa vs 45,14 and 8 kPa),group Ⅱ(80,45kPa vs 14,8 kPa)and group Ⅲ(80,45 and 14 kPa vs 8 kPa).Area under ROC curves(AUC)were calculated for different stiffness levels.Results In group Ⅲ, quantitative elastography yielded an greater AUC level than that of freehand elastography(P =0.0379).In group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ,two methods yielded the similar AUC levels (P = 1 .000).However,quantitative elastography was able to discern 8 kPa and 14 kPa targets (P <0.001),while freehand elastography was hard to differentiate them(P =0.258).Conclusions In comparison with freehand elastography,quantitative ultrasound elastography is able to improve the accuracy for discerning different target stiffnesses.

Objective To study etiology screening role of transrectal ultrasonography in male obstructive azoospermia infertility.Methods The clinical data of 328 cases who suspected of being obstructed sperm disease were retrospectively analyzed.TRUS detection was conducted,at the same time,the sperm amount,sperm and semen pH,pure berries quantitative,neutral sugar alpha glycosidase enzymes quantitative,elastic hard protease were tested.Results In 328 cases with male obstructed no sperm,by TRUS detection results,216 cases (65.8％) could find the causes,ejaculatory duct expansion,seminal vesicle gland lesions,prostate midline cyst were the top three causes respectively;112 patients(34.2％) had no obvious abnormal ultrasonic testing.Sperm was not seen in semen of obstructive azoospermia patients and semen pH ＜ 7,pure berries sugar quantitative and quantitative value neutral alpha glycosidase enzymes were very low,hard elastic protease was low.Conclusion The main causes of obstructive azoospermia were ejaculatory duct expansion,seminal vesicle gland lesions,prostate midline cyst,sperm TRUS detection used for diagnosis of high sensitivity,and easy to operate,noninvasive,and combined with seminal plasma biochemical examination,the diagnostic effect is much better.

Objective To study the mRNA expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin oligodendregha glyeoprotein (MOG) in hippocampus of rats following global brain ischemia.Method The four- vessel occlusion animal model in the Sprague-Dawley rats was used in this study.The mRNA expression levels of MBP and MOG in the hippocampus of rats were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) at day 2,4,7,14 and 28 days after global brain ischemia.There were eight rats at each time-point and sham operated group.Results The mRNA expression of both MBP and MOG in hippocampus of rats decreased at 2 days after global brain ischemia.The gene expression of myelin gene decreased significantly at 7 days and it reached to the lowest level at 28 days.Compared with sham operated group,the gene expression of MBP and MOG in hippocampus of rats decreased significantly at 7,14 and 28 days after global brain ischemia (P

Objective To investigated the serum level of carcinoma antigen 125 (CA-125) and its clinical significance in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome.Methods We reviewed medical records and laboratory tests of patients with BCS first diagnosed in our hospital between August 2011 and April 2013.235 patients were included as experiment group,while 120 healthy adult volunteers were randomly selected as control group.The serum level of CA-125 were detected by electrochemilumescence immunization assay in this single-center retrospective control study.Results The average serum level of CA-125 in experiment group is higher than that of control group [(147.9 ±246.6) kU/L vs (16.0 ±7.2) kU/L,P ＜0.001].In experiment group,the relative coefficient for serum CA-125 with ascites,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,albumin and Rotterdam BCS scores was 0.79,0.45,0.29,-0.393 and 0.71,respec tively,P ＜0.001.As of October 2013,we found that the 68 BCS patients with serum CA-125 level 5-fold higher than the upper limit of normal (＞ 175 kU/L) presented much lower survival rates and asymptomatic survival rates than the rest 167 BCS patients after intervention therapy:(95.6％ and 79.8％) vs (98.8％ and 92.0％),P ＜ 0.05.Conclusions The serum level of CA-125 in BCS patients have positive correlation with ascites volume,liver injury degree and Rotterdam BCS scores.Serum CA-125 evaluation appears to be a valuable examination option in BCS as CA-125 levels negatively correlate with worse prognosis,thus could be applied as an efficient tool for prognostication.

Objective:To establish a GC method for the determination of phenol and L-menthol in glycerin Zhiyang lotions. Meth-ods:A Zebron ZB-WAX(0. 32 mm × 30. 0 m,0. 50 μm) capillary column was used with an FID detector. The column temperature was 60℃, maintained for 1 min, and then raised to 160℃ at the rate of 8℃·min-1 , and maintained 10 minutes. The inlet tempera-ture was 180℃, the detector temperature was 300℃, and the carrier gas was nitrogen. Results:The linear range of phenol and L-men-thol was 0. 5-10. 0 mg·ml-1(r=0. 999 9) and 0. 25-5. 0 mg·ml-1(r=0. 999 9), respectively. The average recovery of phenol and L-menthol was 99. 01%(RSD=0. 90%,n=9)and 99. 70%(RSD=0. 98%,n=9), respectively. Conclusion: The method is sim-ple, accurate and reliable, and can be used to determine the concentration of phenol and L-menthol in glycerin Zhiyang lotions.

The present is aimed at identifying the activation of TRAFs in n asopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in vitro. The differential expression of TRAF2\,TRAF3 was not detected in RN A and protein level, whereas the expression of TRAF1 in HNE2-LMP1 cell lines wa s much more abundant than that in HNE2 cell lines, suggesting that TRAF1 may be an inducible molecule; More importantly, TRAF1, TRAF2 or TRAF3 were activated in the HNE2-LMP1 cells, whereas TRAF1, TRAF2 or TRAF3 were not activated in HNE2 cells as detected by the immunoprecipitation-Western blotting assay. These data provide an experimental basis for our study beginning from the signal transduca tion pathway for the eluccidation of the mechanism of LMP1 carcinogenesis in NP C.

Objective: To explore the clinical and genetic characteristics of infantile nephrotic syndrome caused by COQ2 variants. Methods: The clinical and genetic data of a patient with nephrotic syndrome caused by COQ2 variants diagnosed at pediatric department of Peking University First Hospital from February 2018 to March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Related literature retrieved from PubMed, CNKI and Wanfang databases were searched to date (up to July 2018) with "COQ2 gene" or "primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency" and "nephrotic syndrome" or "nephropathy" as key words. Results: A 14-month-old male, presented to local hospital at 11 months of age with edema and severe proteinuria, without hematuria, hypertension or renal dysfunction. He did not have infection or seizure in the course of the disease. He had no response to a more than four-week full-dose prednisone treatment. He had normal birth, mild motor development retardation and moderate language retardation. He was born to non-consanguineous healthy parents. He had two unaffected older sisters and one older sister died of "nephropathy" at one year of age. Genetic testing identified compound heterozygous variants in COQ2 gene: c.518G>A and c.973A>G, both could be predicted by in silico tools to be deleterious in protein function. These variants are not single nucleotide polymorphism and rare in normal populations. Both variants have previously been reported as pathogenic. These missense mutations were inherited from parents in autosomal recessive manner tested by Sanger sequencing. The patient was supplemented with high-dose of coenzyme Q10, at 30 mg/(kg·day) and glucocorticoid was withdrawn. Within three weeks of high dose coenzyme Q10 treatment, the edema disappeared. After seven weeks of high dose coenzyme Q10 treatment, the patient had decreased proteinuria and improved serum albumin levels. The urine protein to creatinine ratio decreased from 22.87 mg/mg to 1.98 mg/mg; Serum albumin increased from 14.2 g/L to 39.9 g/L, with normal kidney function and improved motor development. Primary CoQ10 deficiency is reported to be a rare autosomal recessive mitochondrial disorder with heterogeneous renal, neurologic, and muscular manifestations. To date, COQ2 variants have been reported in 14 children with glomerular involvement. Their age at onset ranged from neonatal period to 10-year-old (8 patients within the first year of life). Steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) is the most common phenotype. Some of these children also had progressing encephalopathy and myopathy, and seizures. Patients with COQ2 variants might show clinical improvement with early high-dose oral CoQ10 supplementation. Literature review revealed two Chinese articles, mainly about adults with neurologic symptoms. SRNS was previously not reported in Chinese pediatric patients. Conclusions It is necessary to carry out genetic testing for infant with SRNS. The coexistence of some degree of encephalomyopathy, such as development retardation, should raise suspicion of a mitochondrial defect caused by COQ2 variants. Timely diagnostic genetic testing and early high dose of coenzyme Q10 supplement could significantly improve their prognosis.