Objective To explore the interaction between serum melatonin and the status of disease and probe the effect factor of serum melatonin change in asthmatic children.Methods Serum melatonin was measured in asthmatic children with 15 cases of mild persistent asthma,15 cases of moderate persistent asthma,15 cases of severe persistent asthma,15 cases of stable asthma and 15 cases of normal subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results The levels of serum melatonin in the 5 groups of mild persistent asthma,moderate presistent asthma,Severe Persistent asthma,Stable asthma,control subject were(22.76?5.16)ng/L,(16.79?3.35)ng/L,(11.54?1.45)ng/L,(22.06?3.36)ng/L,(28.72?4.32)ng/L,respectively.There were significant differences between any of them(Pa

Biopsy ; methods ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagoscopy ; Esophagus ; pathology ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; pathology ; Precancerous Conditions ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To assess the income status of primary care providers and to explore the determinants of income in a county of Dali. Methods In August 2016, the questionnaire was employed to collect the data of income status of 191 rural health workers and 217 village doctors in the county. Results Through the study, we found that the income of rural health workers in the county was 34, 000 (26, 000, 46,000) yuan with a satisfaction rate of 62.3% (95% CI 55.4%～69.2%) and no change (74.7%) was seen in the income among majorities after implementing the Zero Mark-up Policy for essential medicines. For the village doctors, the income was 20,000 (15,000, 24,000) yuan with a satisfaction rate of 40.6% (95% CI 34.0%～47.1%) and a fall of the income was found in more than half of the doctors after the implement of the policy. Conclusion Health care workers in towns are quite satisfied with their income whereas those in health stations of villages are not content, compared with the average income at the national level. We should increase government's investments on grass-root healthcare team, improve the incentive pay plans and promote the integrated management of health facilities in towns and villages.

Objective To explore the effect of IL-28B variation on the response of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to therapy.Methods A total of 220 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) were prospectively treated with pegilated interferon (peg-IFN) in combination with ribavirin (RBV) for 48 weeks.After completing the therapy,the patients were followed-up for 24 weeks and the therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated.The rs8099917 was identified from each cohort.The IL28B genotype was compared in hepatitis C patients to assess the effect of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)on different treatment response.Result The proportion of the rs8099917 1T,TG,and GG genotypes was 71.4％,25.0％,and 3.6％ in sustained viral response (SVR) group; 15.8％,60.5％,23.7％ in null response (NR) group; 38.1％,52.3％,9.6％ in relapse (RP) group.There was a statistically significant difference in the genotype among SVR,NR and RP groups (P ＜0.001,Chi-square test).NR vs.SVR (TG vs.TT:OR =7.67,95％ CI:2.91-20.56,P＜0.001).RP va.SVR (TG vs.11:OR=3.10,95％ CI:1.14-6.36,P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions The genotypes of IL-28 B ( rs8099917 ) is closely related to the effectiveness of peg-IFN-α/RBV therapy,and it is an important predictive factor before treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) on the proliferation of prostatic smooth muscle cells (PSMCs) in vitro.

METHODSThe ERalpha shRNA expression frame was subcloned to the pGSadeno adenovirus vector by homologous recombination technology to construct the pGSaaeno-ERalpha vector. After the mouse PSMCs were transfected in vitro by pGSaaeno-ERalpha, the mRNA and protein expression levels of ERalpha were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. The expression of IGF1 in the ERa-reduced cells was determined by Western blot 6 hours after treatment with 17beta-estradiol (E2) at 10(-8) mol/L. The post-transfection activity of estrogen or exogenous IGF1 in the proliferation of PSMCs was evaluated by MTT chlormetric analysis.

RESULTSAfter treatment with E2, the proliferation of PSMCs and the expression of the IGF1 gene were significantly increased in the normal control group (P <0.05), but not obviously changed in the ERalpha-siRNA group (P> 0.05). And exogenous IGF1 failed to induce the proliferation of the ERalpha-reduced PSMCs.

CONCLUSIONE2 induces the expression of IGF1 via ERalpha, and IGFl, with the interaction of ERalpha, promotes the proliferation of PSMCs.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Prostate ; cytology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

BACKGROUND: Visual-spatial neglect (VSN) is a neuropsychological syndrome, and right-hemisphere stroke is the most common cause. The pathogenetic mechanism of VSN remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) changes in patients with or without VSN after right-hemisphere stroke. METHODS: Eleven patients with VSN with right-hemisphere stroke (VSN group) and 11 patients with non-VSN with right-hemisphere stroke (non-VSN group) were recruited along with one control group of 11 age- and gender-matched healthy participants. The visual-spatial function was evaluated using behavioral tests, and ERP examinations were performed. RESULTS: The response times in the VSN and non-VSN groups were both prolonged compared with those of normal controls (P < 0.001). In response to either valid or invalid cues in the left side, the accuracy in the VSN group was lower than that in the non-VSN group (P < 0.001), and the accuracy in the non-VSN group was lower than that in controls (P < 0.05). The P1 latency in the VSN group was significantly longer than that in the control group (F[2, 30] = 5.494, P = 0.009), and the N1 amplitude in the VSN group was significantly lower than that in the control group (F[2, 30] = 4.343, P = 0.022). When responding to right targets, the left-hemisphere P300 amplitude in the VSN group was significantly lower than that in the control group (F[2, 30] = 4.255, P = 0.025). With either left or right stimuli, the bilateral-hemisphere P300 latencies in the VSN and non-VSN groups were both significantly prolonged (all P < 0.05), while the P300 latency did not differ significantly between the VSN and non-VSN groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Visual-spatial attention function is impaired after right-hemisphere stroke, and clinicians should be aware of the subclinical VSN. Our findings provide neuroelectrophysiological evidence for the lateralization of VSN.
Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; Perceptual Disorders ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Reaction Time ; genetics ; physiology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Stroke ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; genetics

Objective To investigate the efficacy of the 96-week antiviral therapy with adefovir dipivoxil in patients with chronic hepatitis B.Methods 80 patients with chronic hepatitis B received the antiviral therapy of adefovir dipivoxil(ADV,10mg/d).At the 12th week,19 cases without early viral response(EVR,HBV DNA drop<2log10copies/ml)switched to the therapy of other nucleoside analogues.Aminotransferase(ALT)normalization,HBV DNA negative,HBeAg loss and HBeAg seroconvertion were accessed at the 96th week.Results At week 96,ALT normalization and HBV DNA negative in 61 patients with ADV therapy were 85.25%(52/61)and 95.08%(58/61);and HBeAg loss and HBeAg seroconvertion were 52.52%(17/33)and 42.42%(14/33)respectively.While for the other 19 patients switching to other nucleoside analogues.ALT normalization and HBV DNA negative came to 57.89%(11/19)and 68.42%(13/19).Both HBeAg lOtis and HBeAg seroconvertion were 58.33%(7/12).Conclusion Long term ADV antiviral therapy is effective to inhibit HBV DNA replications and benefits patients with chronic hepatits B.Switching to another nucleoside analogue is an optimal alternative if there is no EVR at week 12 in ADV therapy.

Objective Human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) types 1,2 and 3 are major viral pathogens responsible for upper and lower respiratory tract infections.In this study,a real-time RT-PCR was developed using multiplex primers-probe (HPIV-1,2,3) for the simultaneous detection of both HPIV1,HPIV2 and HPIV3 genomes.Methods Optimal primers and probes were designed using specialized software.The conditions for multiplex real-time RT-PCR had been optimized.The synthesis of RNA standards of HPIV1,2,3 were used a T7 RNA polymerase.Check the specificity sensitivities and stability of one step RT-PCR assay.Results Obtained in a 10-fold dilution series assay demonstrate a high sensitivity of the assay with a lowest detection limit of 10 copies for HPIV1,100 copies for HPIV2 and 100 copies for HPIV3.Conclusion The assays demonstrates an improved sensitivity and scope of detecting HPIV1,2,3 viruses relative to routine antigen detection assays while the quantitative utility may facilitate investigation of the pre-diagnosis and respiratory virus pathogenesis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the polymorphic (AT)n repeats in 3ountranslated region of exon 4 of CTLA4 gene [CTLA4(AT)n] and Graveso disease (GD) in Zhuang nationality population of Guangxi province.

METHODSThe studied groups comprised 48 patients with GD and 44 normal controls. Amplification of target DNA was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified products were run by 8% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and then followed by 0.1% silver staining. Some of amplified products were sequenced directly.

RESULTSNineteen alleles of CTLA4 gene microsatellite polymorphism were found in Guangxi Zhuang nationality individuals. The 106 bp long allele was apparently increased in patients with GD of Zhuang nationality but not in healthy controls (P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCTLA4 gene microsatellite polymorphism is strongly associated with Graveso disease in Zhuang nationality population of Guangxi province. CTLA4(AT)n 106 bp may be the susceptible gene in GD patients of Zhuang nationality in Guangxi; 19 alleles of CTLA4 gene microsatellite polymorphism were found in Guangxi Zhuang nationality individuals.

Adult ; Antigens, CD ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; China ; Dinucleotide Repeats ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Graves Disease ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo assess the diagnostic value of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for detection of common chromosome aneuploidy in amniotic fluid (AF) cells in order to obtain an accurate, rapid, cost-effective and high-throughput method in routine prenatal clinical practice.

METHODSThe MLPA test was performed on 500 AF samples by using kit P095 and the results were obtained by using analysis software RH-MLPA-v511. The results were compared with that from fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and traditional karyotyping (TK). The technical critical issues were analyzed in routine diagnostic application.

RESULTSThe absolute specificity and sensitivity of the MLPA test to detect the aneuploidy were 100%. For the 500 AF samples, the success rate of the MLPA tests was 97%. Among them 92% were finished within three working days and 5% required more days for repeating. The test failure rate was 3%. The results confirmed that for the 38 detectable aneuploid samples, the probe reliability weighted mean ratio values were more than 4SD compared to normal diploids and the 2 suspected trisomy samples were more than 2SD. In this study, authors analyzed hybridization efficiencies of 8 probes for chromosome 21, and the presence of a trisomy was considered if at least 4 of the 8 probes gave probe ratio of >1.3.

CONCLUSIONThedata suggested that MLPA is a rapid, simple and reliable method for large scale testing for aneuploidy of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, or Y in AF. The MLPA technology is complementary to AF culture and valuable for prenatal diagnosis.

Amniotic Fluid ; cytology ; Aneuploidy ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Female ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trisomy ; diagnosis ; genetics