Objective To explore the applicability of pubertal development scale in estimating sexual maturation among urban Chinese adolescents.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2562 students of 4th to 12th grade in Shanghai,selected by stratified cluster sampling method.Self-reported pubertal maturation level was obtained by Pubertal Development Scale (PDS).Meanwhile,visual depiction of Tanner stages of breast,genital and pubic hair development were rated by a trained rater of the same gender,Results In 2562 students,the correlation between self-reported PDS and assessment from the raters were substantial,both in boys and girls (Pearson' s correlation coefficients:0.822 and 0.814,respectively).The overall agreement of pubertal development stages based on PDS and the rater' s assessment were 35.24％ and 51.42％ for boys and girls,respectively,with Kendall' s correlation coefficients as 0.713 and 0.685,respectively.Adolescents who were older,had relatively higher level of pubertal stages or adolescents from the richer families,tended to underestimate their actual level of pubertal maturation while those male subjects and overweight or obese subjects were even more likely to be so.Conclusion Using the self-reported PDS,we could conveniently obtain the necessary information regarding sexual maturation among the urban adolescents.It seemed especially useful in the related epidemiological survey when physical examination was precluded by cost,privacy and other concerns.

Objective To discuss the methods of selecting different shapes occluder and to evaluate the feasibility,safety and efficacy of them in transcatheter closures of congenital ventricular septal defect (VSD) in children.Methods Transcatheter closures were performed in 226 children with congenital VSD,age ranging from 2 to 14 years(mean 5.62 years) under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and fluoroscopy.There were 14 patients with intracristal VSD,209 patients with perimembranous VSD and 3 patients with muscular VSD.Left ventriculography and transthoracic echocardiography were performed repeatedly after the procedure to assess the effect of occlusion.The echocardiography and electrocardiography were scheduled before discharge,1,6 and 12 months for the follow-up.Results The occluders were deployed successfully in 211 patients.The successful rate was 93.4%.Thin waist shape occluders,were deployed in 7 patients;equal side shape occluders,were deployed in 191 patients;eccentric shape occluders were deployed in 12 patients,and muscular defect occluders were deployed in 1 patient.There were no complications encountered during or after closure.Conclusions It is very important in transcatheter closure of congenital in children to select different shape occluder according to pathologic characteristics.In general,equal side shape occluder is suita-ble for a large number of defect and it is easy for deployment.In some conditions,the other shape occluder may be necessary.

A typical chronic myeloid leukaemia (aCML), which shows both myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic features, is a type of myeloproliferative/myelodysplastic disease as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) classification of the myeloid neoplasms. Because of the presence of neutrophilic leukocytosis, aCML may resemble chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). However, in contrast with CML, aCML does not have the Philadelphia chromosome or the bcr/abl fusion gene. With the continuous karotype analysis of aCML, several changes in the karyotype of aCML have been detected. However, few are recurring and no specific cytogenetic changes have been associated with aCML. Nonspecific cytogenetic abnormalities can be observed in 56%~82% of aCML cases. Although the most frequent abnormalities include trisomy 8 and del (20q), abnormalities involving other chromosomes such as 12, 13, 14, 17, and 19 have also been described. In this report we describe a case of aCML with trisomy 13.
Adult ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic, Atypical, BCR-ABL Negative ; genetics ; Trisomy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of tazarotene against active psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODSA randomized, controlled trial was conducted in 43 patients with active psoriasis vulgaris, who were divided into tazarotene and control groups. Promyelocytic leukemia (PML) mRNA in active psoriatic lesions before and 14 days after tazarotene treatment was detected by in situ hybridization.

RESULTSPML mRNA expression was detected not only in the basal layer (86.96%), but also in the suprabasal layers of the epidermis in the manner of focal expression (78.26%). After tazarotene treatment, virtually no PML mRNA expression could be detected in the psoriatic lesions (8.69% in the basal layer and 4.35% in the suprabasal layers). PML mRNA expression in the control group underwent no obvious changes during the observation.

CONCLUSIONSTazarotene may inhibit abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes through down-regulating PML gene expression in active psoriatic epidermis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; genetics ; Epidermis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Keratolytic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Nicotinic Acids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the fetal immune tolerance induction could replace the HLA typing for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

METHODSImmune tolerance of SD rats was induced by injecting host Wistar rats peripheral blood mononuclear cells into yolk sac of the embryo, afterward the mature male offsprings were used as donor. The host female recipients received lethal dose irradiation and bone marrow transplantation(BMT). The Wistar rats transplanted with bone marrow from donor and unrelated SD rats as well as the rats which received radiation alone were used as control. The survival, histopathologically GVHD, the mental status, food and water intake, coat characteristics, activities were observed. Forty days after BMT, autologous and allogenous skin transplantation between donor and recipient rats was performed to observe the engraftment of solid organ.

RESULTSThe survival of the rats received bone marrow grafts from the immune tolerant donor was significantly longer than that of control groups (30 day survival rates were 86.7%, 6.7%, 0%, and 0% respectively), and there was no histopathologically GVHD observed, while in the sham group, the manifestations of GVHD was clearly visible. The skin engraftment rate between the host and the immune tolerant donor was significantly higher than that among non-related rats (84.6% and 0% respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe induction of immune tolerance in embryo can overcome the HLA barrier and provide a good donor for hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation.

Animals ; Embryo, Mammalian ; immunology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Immunosuppression ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Transplantation Chimera

OBJECTIVETo identify the localization of hair follicles stem cell (HFSC) in different stages of hair and explore the differentiating capacity of HFSC into epidermis in vitro.

METHODSHFSC were detected by K19 immunostaining in normal human skin. Then, the isolated HFSC through enzyme digestion were seeded on dermal equivalent (DE) and cultured between the air-liquid interfaces for 14 days. Skin-equivalents was harvested and used for evaluation.

RESULTSHFSC mainly located in outer root sheet in hair follicle and human anagen hair follicles containing two distinct reservoirs for K19-positive cells located in the bulge and bulb of the follicle. These two reservoirs fused in line of outer root sheets during the catagen-telogen transition phase and individualized again in the newly forming anagen hair follicle. Based on DE, growing HFSC built a multilayered and confined epidermis.

CONCLUSIONHFSC located in outer root sheets can promote hair cycle and differentiate into epidermis in vitro.

Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Epidermis ; cytology ; Hair Follicle ; cytology ; Humans ; Stem Cells ; cytology

Gegen Qinlian Decoction is a classical prescription with the function of relieving exterior and interior syndromes.The formula contains complex chemical components and is prepared into several dosage forms regulating the function of the gut.The review discusses the chemical components,common dosage forms,clinical application and effect on the intestinal barrier of Gegen Qinlian Decoction,so as to provide a basis for its further development and utilization.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of tazarotene induced gene-2 (TIG2) in psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODSTIG2 protein and mRNA expressions in normal tissues, psoriatic lesions and uninvolved skin tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, respectively.

RESULTSTIG2 protein and mRNA were expressed in all the layers of normal and uninvolved epidermis. TIG2 expression was detected in the upper layers of the stratum spinosum of the marginal region of the psoriatic lesions, but not in the central area of the lesions. TIG2 expression was significantly lower in the basal layers of the central area of the paoriasis than that in the normal skin and uninvolved tissues (P < 0.01), and also lower in the marginal regions of the lesions (P < 0.01).The suprabasal layers of the marginal region in the lesion showed significantly lower TIG2 expression than the central area of the lesion (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTIG2 may maintain the normal differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes and implicate in the pathogenesis and development of psoriasis vulgaris.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Chemokines ; Chemotactic Factors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Keratinocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo report a case of critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) with Parkinson disease and discuss the development, clinical features and early diagnosis of this condition.

METHODSThe clinical data of a patient with CIP and Parkinson's disease and the relevant literature were reviewed.

RESULTSThis case showed no typical disease course of sepsis, and the condition exacerbated rapidly. The patient presented initially with abnormal homeostasis, followed by rapid onset of respiratory muscle weakness to require mechanical ventilation, but no limb weaknesses were detected. Intravenous antibiotics and aggressive treatment of sepsis did not produce any positive responses to wean from mechanical ventilation. Examinations of creatine kinase and cerebrospinal fluid showed no abnormalities. Electromyography and nerve conduction studies demonstrated declined nerve conduction velocity and decreased sensory and motor muscle action potentials, suggesting the possibility of CIP.

CONCLUSIONIn patients with Parkinson disease, the occurrence of sepsis with prolonged mechanical ventilation and limb weakness indicates the necessity of neurophysiological examination, muscle biopsies and laboratory tests, which may help detect CIP in the early phase. Proper interventions of sepsis may reduce the likeliness of CIP. Elimination of the risk factors and aggressive management of sepsis can be effective measures for preventing CIP.

Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Parkinson Disease ; complications ; Polyneuropathies ; complications ; diagnosis ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; complications ; Sepsis ; complications

Objective To assess the prevalence rates of intra-and extraeranial large-artery stenosis in the rural community population and its related risk to the development of stroke.Methods The study subjects included 1337 residents in the rural community of Beijing.Transcranial Doppler Was carried our to examine the relation between intra-and extracranial large-artery stenosis and subsequent cerebrovascular events, with a meall follow-up period of 16.7 months.Results The incidence densities of cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage in persons without cerebral large-artery stenosis were 410.6 and 351.9/100-thousand person-years,respectively.In the group wlth large-artery stenosis,the incidence density of cerebral infarction was 3303.7/100-thousand person-years.Data from The Fisher's Exact test showed a significant difference in the two groups (P=0.004).Cerebral large-artery stenosis(OR=6.593,95%CI:1.712-25.390)and smoking (OR=8.437,95% CI:2.327-30.598)appeared to be independent risk factors to cerebral infarction.Conclusion Cerebral large-artery stenosis and smoking were independent risk factors to cerebral infarction.