Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are inflammatory myopathies and slowly advanced of unknown etiology that affect the skeletal muscles.With the advancement of the constant research on the disease and use of new technology,people have a penetrating realization about the pathogenesis. The disease is thought to be associated with autoimmune as well as nonimmune mechanism. By now, there is no overall summary on the newest advancement of the pathogenesis.We summarized the progress on the pathogenesis of the disease in order to make it more clear to physicians.

Objective To explore the puberty and height development in childern with congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency(21-OHD) with the simple virilizing(SV) form.Methods Patients of SV 21-OHD,diagnosed and treated in Tianjin Children's Hospital from Jan.1970 to Jan.2008,were treated with cortisone acetate or hydrocortisone after diagnosed,and blood investigations were performed as part of monitoring,and dosages were adjusted accordingly to obtain normal growth velocity and slow bone age(BA) development.Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist(Gn-RHa) was given after the appearance of central precocious puberty(CPP).Forty-one patients(18 females,23 males) had achieved final height before Dec.31st 2008,and their puberty and height development were analyzed in this longitudinal study by contrast the ages and statures of obtaining final height(FH),chronological age(CA) and BA of G2/B2 stage,duration from G2/B2 stage to obtain FH and stature development of different gender during this period and the influences of compliancy on the ages and statures of obtaining FH were contrasted.Results With regarding to the age of testicular volume ≥4 mL,78.26% boys were before 9 years old.As far as the age of breast development was concerned,38.89% girls were before 8 year old and 66.67% menarche occurred before 10 year old.The differences between the duration and stature development of the period from the state of G2/B2 to skeletal maturation of different gender were significant (Pa

Objective To analyze rate of and reasons for not undertaking insulin pump therapy in children with type 1 diabetes(T1DM) and explore potential countermeasures.Methods Two hundred and seventy-eight persons of T1DM,diagnosed in Tianjin Children′s Hospital from Jan.2000 to Dec.2008,were assigned to fill in a questionnaire on T1DM and insulin pump therapy.Reasons for different compliances were analyzed and strategies were explored.Results Eighty-five point twenty-five percent of the children(237 persons) undertook the therapy and 14.75%(41 persons) refused.In the group of younger than 3 years,58.33%(21 persons)accepted the therapy,while in the group of older than 3 years,89.26%(216 persons) undertook it,consequently there was statistically significant difference(?2=23.83,P

Objective To explore the effect of endotoxemia on triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4),and the level and activity of iodothyronine deiodinase type 1 and type 3 mRNA.Methods Sixteen mice were randomly divided into control group and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group,with 8 mice in each group.The mouse model of endotoxemia was replicated in the LPS group.In the both groups,blood samples from femoral week were collected to assay T3 and T4 levels,and the livers were sampled to inspect D1 and D3 mRNA levels and activities.Serum T3 and T4 levels were assayed with radioimmunoassay,D1 and D3 mRNA levels in liver were detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction,the activity of D1 and D3 in liver were measured by using ion-exchange chromatography combined with immunoassay.The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 13.0 software.Results Statistical differences of T3,D1 and D3 mRNA levels and activities between the 2 groups were found (all P ＜0.01),while,there was no statistic difference in the statuses of T4 (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions It is possible that euthyroid sick syndromes happens in endotoxemia episodes,and the changes of D1 and D3 mRNA levels and activities are the possible influencing factors.

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of T-614 in treating rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Methods Two hundred and eighty patients with active RA were randomly allocated to 3 groups:T-614 50 mg each day,25 mg each day or placebo.Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed at baseline,2,4,6,12, 18 and 24 weeks.Results The ACR response rate was significantly higher in the T-614 treatment group com- pared with the placebo group during the first 6 weeks.After 24 weeks,25 mg/d,50 mg/d dosage group and the placebo group showed 39.1%,61.3% and 24.2% in ACR20,23.9%,31.2% and 7.4% in ACR50 respectively.A time-response in ACR response after 24 weeks was observed,with clear superiority of the 25 mg/d and 50 mg/d dosage groups compared to the placebo,and 50 mg/d dosage group compared to 25 mg/d dosage group(P

Objective To explore the influence of accompany behavior on psychological health of neurosis patients'families.Methods 93 neurosis patients'families were divided into two groups according to whether they will accompany patients in hospital or not.The patients'families were investigated with SCL-90 when the patients were admitted and after 4 weeks admission,the psychological status were:compared between groups.Results The factor scores for sensitiveness of interpersonal relationship,hostility,phobophobia in both groups showed no difference compared with noFnl,while others were higher.when the patients were admitted At the same time,there Was no significant difference between groups.However,after 4 weeks admission,the factor scores of the subjects were no difference in experiment group compared with those when patients were admitted, whereas those in control group were lower and show significantly different.There were also difference between two groups after 4 weeks admission.Conclusions The psychological health of neurosis patients'family is abnormal,which is also aggravated by accompanying behavior,therefore we should guide the family to care for patients in right way.

OBJECTIVETo explore the association between parental genetic polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C/T and occurrence of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in offspring in Shandong Province.

METHODSMTHFR genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Parents of 89 NSCL/P patients treated at Qilu Hospital from August, 2006 to August, 2008 and those of 64 healthy children were recruited in this case-control study.

RESULTSFrequencies of T and C alleles in mothers of patients and healthy children were 65.73% and 46.09%, and 34.27% and 53.91%, respectively (Chi-square=13.663, P<0.01). Offspring whose mothers had T alleles were 2.243 times more likely to develop NSCL/P (95%CI: 1.408-3.572). Frequencies of T and C alleles in fathers of patients and healthy children were 62.92% and 55.47%, and 37.08% and 44.53%, respectively (Chi-square=2.222, P>0.05). The chance for parents of the patient and control groups to bear an affected fetus carrying homozygous mutations were 43% and 29%, respectively (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn Shandong Province, maternal genotype for the MTHFR 677C/T polymorphism has a significant impact on the occurrence of NSCL/P in their offspring, whilst paternal genotype for this polymorphism may not be a risk factor for NSCL/P in their offspring.

Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Cleft Lip ; genetics ; Cleft Palate ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo observe the difference of androgen and inflammatory cytokines level in atherosclerosis and analyse their relations.

METHODBoth carotid arteries and arteries of lower extremity were subjected to ultrasonic examination by Doppler's method. Those with much atheromatous plaque formation were ranged into case group, and those with normal result formed control group. Total, free testosterone and estradiol were assayed by radioimmunoassay. C reactive protein (CRP) was assayed by nepheloturbidity. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-18 (IL-18), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were assayed by ELISA. The mean difference between two groups and the correlation between free testosterone and cytokines were analysed.

RESULTSFree testosterone was (6.337+/-3.371) pg/L in case group and (11.375+/-4.733) pg/L in control group, P<0.01. No differences were found in total testosterone and estradiol. CRP was (27.294+/-10.238) mg/L in case group and (12.843+/-6.318) mg/L in control group, P<0.01. IL-6 was (41.700+/-31.385) pg/L in case group and (25.396+/-20.772) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. IL-8 was (89.249+/-58.357) pg/L in case group and (67.873+/-31.227) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. sICAM-1 was (470.491+/-134.078) pg/L in case group and (368.487+/-97.183) pg/L in control group, P<0.01. sVCAM-1 was (537.808+/-213.172) pg/L in case group and (457.275+/-157.273) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. There were no differences in TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-18. Correlation analysis showed that FT (free testosterone) had negative correlation with CRP, IL-6 and sICAM-1. Among them FT had well correlation with CRP, correlation index was -0.678.

CONCLUSIONFree testosterone was in negative correlation with atherosclerosis in old-age male. Free testosterone may have the role of anti-atherosclerosis, and this effect was not achieved by its transformation to estradiol. Low free testosterone level was followed by increased level of inflammatory cytokines. Low free testosterones coexist with inflammation and they both affect the process of atherosclerosis in old-age male.

Aged ; Androgens ; blood ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytokines ; blood ; Estradiol ; blood ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; Male ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 12 secreting form (ADAM12-S) as a maternal serum marker in second trimester screening for trisomy 21 (Down syndrome, DS), and to develop an appropriate prenatal DS screening protocol.

METHODSSerum samples were collected from 53 pregnant women carrying a trisomy 21 fetus and 621 pregnant women with matched gestational age and weight carrying a healthy fetus. ADAM12-S concentrations were determined with a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA). Curve fitting by weighted regression and other statistical methods were conducted, and the model was optimized for prenatal trisomy 21 screening program in second trimester. ADAM12-S alone or in combination with other two- or three-combination test was selected as a serum marker for prenatal second-trimester screening of trisomy 21 by calculation of detection rate (DR) and false positive rate (FPR).

RESULTSBy comparison, the median multiple of the median (MoM) value of ADAM12-S in DS pregnancy group was higher than that of the control group (P< 0.01). When FPR = 5%, the DR of ADAM12-S was 28.3%, and the positive and negative likelihood ratios were 5.66 and 0.75, respectively. The DR of three-combination test of ADAM12-S, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and free beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) has increased to 52.80% from 39.62% of the conventional two-combination test (AFP and free β-HCG). For women with a risk between 1/300 and 1/1000 by two-combination test for DS, the DR has increased from 39.62% to 47.12%, but FPR only increased by 0.8% after adding ADAM12-S as a maternal serum marker.

CONCLUSIONConsidering the increased DR of pregnancies with a risk between 1/300 and 1/1000 in second trimester, ADAM12-S may provide a feasible maternal serum maker when combined with AFP and free β-HCG. The cost-effectiveness ratio is reasonable.

ADAM Proteins ; blood ; ADAM12 Protein ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Disintegrins ; blood ; Down Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods

Mutation in any of five key amino acid residues (at positions 26, 27, 30, 31 and 34) within the M2 protein of influenza A viruses leads to resistance against the amantodine class of anti-influenza drugs. In this study, a pyrosequencing method was described to rapidly detect established five molecular markers of resistance to M2 blockers, amantadine. The residues L26, V27, A30, S31 and G34 in the M2 protein were targeted for pyrosequencing, and 94 avian influenza viruses were used to perform the amantadine resistance analysis. Our results showed that most of avian influenza viruses were amantadine resistant, Mutations V27I and S31N were founded in these isolates.
Amantadine ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Chickens ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; genetics ; Influenza A virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; Influenza in Birds ; drug therapy ; virology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction