Objective To observe the dynamic changes of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-10,and expressions of Notch-1,NF-κB mRNA and their protein levels in the brain tissue of septic mice and intervention effects of intrathecal injection of lentiviral vector of miR-34a gene for regulating Notch-1/NF-κB signaling pathway.Methods A total of 54 mice of clean grade were divided randomly (random number) into four groups,namely sham group (n =9),in which sham-operated laparotomy was performed;CLP group (n=15),in which the cecum ligation operation (CLP) was performed;NC group (n =15),in which intrathecal injection of lentivirus 5 μL (concentration 5 × 108 TU/mL),one time per day,for 3 days,then CLP was performed on the seventh day;intervention group (n =15),in wihch intrathecal injection of miR-34a lentivirus 5 μL (concentration 5 × 108 TU/mL),one time per day,for 3 days,then CLP was performed on the seventh day.The mice of four groups were sacrificed 24 h after modeling or operation.The changes of behavior of mice was observed and the neurological scores were assessed 24 h after CLP.The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and IL-10 in the brain were measured by ELISA method.The mRNA expression and protein levels of Notch-1 and NF-κB in the brain tissue were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot method,respectively.Pathological changes of brain tissue were observed under light microscope.Results The neurological scores,the cerebral TNF-α,IL-6 levels,the mRNA expression and protein level of NF-κB (P＜0.01),and IL-1β levels (P ＜0.05) in CLP group 24 h after modeling were higher than those in sham group.The cerebral IL-10 level and the mRNA expression and protein level of Notch-1 (P ＜ 0.01) in CLP group 24 h after modeling were lower than those in sham group.The neurological scores,the cerebral TNF-α and IL-1β levels,and the protein level of NF-κB (P ＜0.01),and IL-6 (P ＜ 0.05) in NC group 24 h after modeling were higher than those in sham group.The cerebral IL-10 level,the mRNA expression and protein level of Notch1 in NC group 24 h after modeling were lower than those in sham group.There were no significant difference in neurological socres,IL-1β and IL-6 levels between intervention group and CLP group (P ＞ 0.05).The IL-10 level (P ＜ 0.05) and the mRNA expression (P ＜ 0.05) and protein level (P ＜ 0.01) of Notch-1 in intervention group 24 h after modeling were lower than those in CLP group.There were no significant difference in biomarkers between NC group and CLP group (P ＞ 0.05).The degree of cerebral damage found under light microscope was also ameliorated in intervention group compared with CLP group 24 h after modeling.Conclusions The effects of miR-34a via regulating Notch-1/NF-κB signaling pathway on brain function exerts cerebral protective effects in septic mice.

Objective To investigate gene polymorphisms of drug targets and mutations associated with drug resistance in Pneumocystis jiroveci (P.jiroveci) isolates.Methods Among 148 samples isolated from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infected patients with pneumonia in Guangdong,mitochondrid larg subunit rRNA (mtLSUrRNA) gene was amplified from 51 samples.Dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS),dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and Cytochrome b (CYB) genes of P.jiroveci were detected by gene sequencing,and compared with the reference sequences in GenBank to evaluate gene polymorphisms.Results P.jirovecii DHPS,DHFR and CYB genes were all successfully amplified from 51 samples.For DHPS gene,48 (94.1％) were wild-type and 3 (5.9％) had gene mutation associated with drug resistance.For DHFR gene,30 were wild-type,and 21 had a synonymous mutation at position 312,and 1 nonsynonymous mutation at position 188.There were no mutations associated with drug resistance.For CYB gene,polymorphisms of were detected at 5 sites,4 of which were synonymous mutations,1 was non-synonymous mutation.No mutation associated with drug resistance was found.Based on the gene polymorphism of CYB6,the strains can be classified into 6 genotypes,and 2 were first detected,including 25 CYB1,13 CYB2,2 CYB5,4 CYB8,as well as newly detected 4 CYB10 and 3 CYB11 strains.Conclusions The mutations associated with drug resistance in P.jiroveci isolates in Guangdong remain uncommon.CYB gene shows gene polymorphisms and can be selected as one of targeted genes for multilocus sequence typing.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphism rs501120 and progress of unstable coronary atherosclerotic plaque in diabetes mellitus complicated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODSNine hundred and two patients with diabetes complicated with acute coronary syndrome were enrolled. The genotype of rs501120 was determined with TaqMan-MGB probes. Two hundred and five cases of TT genotype, 205 age-and sex-frequency-matched cases of TC genotype and 205 age- and sex-frequency-matched cases of CC genotype were chosen and followed up for 3 years. Clinical data and re-occurrences of ACS were recorded.

RESULTSPatients with TT genotype had a significantly higher incidence of recurrence of ACS than those with CC genotype (TT vs. CC: OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1-2.7, P= 0.02). And the significance has remained even after adjusting for conventional risk factors by logistic regression (OR 1.6, 95% CI1.05-3.6, P= 0.03). Patients with TT genotype had a significantly higher incidence of myocardial infarction than those with CC genotype(TT vs. CC: OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.2, P= 0.007).

CONCLUSIONOur results has suggested an association between the rs501120 polymorphism and progress of unstable coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; genetics ; Aged ; Coronary Artery Disease ; genetics ; Diabetes Complications ; genetics ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; genetics

Objective This research aimed to explore the mental status of public hospital medical personnel and social support for them, social support they perceive, and their coping styles. This study was designed to investigate on the relationship between their anxiety and social support, perceived social support and their coping styles. Methods A questionnaire was adopted to collect data, including participants’ background, measurement of anxiety, as well as social support, perceived social support and their coping styles. Results(1)The anxiety level of medical personnel was significantly higher than that of domestic norm 37.23±12.59(t=14.370, P<0.001);(2)Anxiety levels appeared to be significantly different in occupation, educational background and working years;(3)Results shown in the three scales were different among participants with different levels of anxiety in perspectives of every dimension in the scales； (4) With the help of Spearman correlation analysis, it showed that anxiety levels of medical personnel was negatively correlated with objective support (r=-0.098, P=0.051), subjective support (r=-0.189, P<0.001) ,utilization of social support (r=-0.164, P=0.001), friend support (r=-0.356, P<0.001),family support (r=-0.330, P<0.001),other support (r=-0.238, P<0.001) and positive response (r=-0.282, P<0.001), and positively correlated with negative response (r=0.385, P<0.001). Conclusions Mental health of medical personnel should be noticed and enhanced, and social support for public hospital medical personnel should be strengthened. Thus, the performance of the medical team can be developed in order to support further public medical service construction.

OBJECTIVETo probe into an effective method for treatment of endometriosis (EMs) and the mechanism.

METHODSRat EMs model was established and they were randomly divided into a model group, an acup-moxibustion group, a TCM group, an acupuncture and medicine group, with a control group set. The acup-moxibustion group were treated with electroacupuncture at "Xuehai (SP 10)", "Sanyinjiao (SP 6)" and moxibustion at "Guanyuan (CV 4)"; the TCM group were treated with stomach perfusion of modified Mojie Tablet in normal saline; the acupuncture and medicine group were treated with the above two methods; both the control group and the model group were bound and treated with stomach perfusion of saline. After treatment of 35 days, the greatest diameter of the ectopic tissue was measured in the rats, pathological observation of the ectopic tissue was made and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression in the ectopic tissue was determined.

RESULTSThe greatest diameter of ectopic tissue and MMP-2 expression in the ectopic tissue in the acupuncture and medicine group were significantly lower than those in the model group, the acup-moxibustion group and the TCM group (P < 0.05); and the ectopic endometrium trended to atrophy, and with necrosis of some epithelial cells.

CONCLUSIONCombination of acupuncture with medicine has a better therapeutic effect on endometriosis and down-regulates the abnormal increase of MMP-2 level to inhibit the invasion of ectopic tissue to extracellular matrix, so as to reduce the ectopic tissue, hence cure of endometriosis.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Endometriosis ; enzymology ; pathology ; therapy ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; analysis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVERespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly all children under two years of age. It is poorly understood why a few children who were infected with RSV develop bronchiolitis that require hospital admission while most have a relatively minor illness. Several recent studies have obtained some indications for the involvement of genetic heterogeneity in RSV bronchiolitis, implying that the clinical outcome of RSV infection perhaps is determined by genetic factors. Regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted RANTES plays a key role in the pathophysiology of RSV bronchiolitis. The purpose of this study was to explore the genetic association between the RANTES gene promoter -28C/G polymorphism and RSV bronchiolitis in Chinese Han ethnic group population.

METHODSThe study recruited 238 hospitalized patients (186 male and 52 female) under 12 months of age, with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis due to RSV, the sex, age, hospital stay, SaO2 at the time of admission, personal and family history of atopy were recorded. The 288 healthy control subjects (206 male and 82 female), who had no evidence of personal or familial history of atopy and no history of wheezing, were chosen at the same time. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the polymorphism at position -28C/G of the RANTES promoter. The total IgE concentrations in serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The absolute peripheral blood eosinophil counts were measured by using an automated hematology analyzer.

RESULTSThe distribution of RANTES -28C/G gene polymorphism was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Compared to control subjects, significant difference was demonstrated for genotypes and allele frequencies of the RANTES -28C/G polymorphism in patients with RSV bronchiolitis (G = 10.22, P < 0.01; chi2 = 9.708, P < 0.01). Compared with the wild type CC, the -28G allele carriers demonstrated a 2.09-fold increased risk of RSV bronchiolitis (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.32 - 3.30, P < 0.01). Interestingly, both the percentage of personal history of atopy and the percentage of family history of atopy for the -28G allele carriers were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that for those CC homozygotes carriers in RSV bronchiolitis. Compared with the wild type CC, the -28G allele carriers demonstrated a 1.85-fold increased risk of the personal history of atopy (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.01 - 3.38, P = 0.045) and a 1.91-fold increased risk of the family history of atopy (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.03 - 3.54, P = 0.037), and the absolute peripheral blood eosinophil counts for the -28G allele carriers were significantly higher (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe RANTES gene promoter -28C/G polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to RSV bronchiolitis, and the -28G allele is an important predisposing factor for the personal history of atopy and the family history of atopy in RSV bronchiolitis.

Alleles ; Bronchiolitis ; genetics ; virology ; Case-Control Studies ; Chemokine CCL5 ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; complications ; genetics

OBJECTIVERespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly all children under two years of age. It is not understood why some develop serious bronchiolitis. Whether there is a genetic component is not known. The nature of the association between RSV bronchiolitis and subsequent wheezing remains unknown. interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a potent neutrophil chemokine and activator, which plays a role in virus-induced wheezing diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the genetic association between the IL-8 gene promoter -251A/T polymorphism and RSV bronchiolitis and post-bronchiolitis wheezing in children.

METHODSTotally 320 children who were hospitalized for bronchiolitis together with positive immunofluorescence for RSV were recruited in this study from Jan. 2002 to Jan. 2004. A group of 272 healthy children were enrolled as controls. The age of these children ranged from 1 to 12 months. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the polymorphism at position-251 of the IL-8 promoter in RSV bronchiolitis and control groups. The total IL-8 and IgE concentrations in serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with RSV bronchiolitis were followed up in order to analyze the occurrence of wheezing post-bronchiolitis.

RESULTS(1) Both A allele and T allele were detected at -251 of the IL-8 promoter; the prevalence of the A allele in RSV bronchiolitis group was 45.6%, as compared with 37.7% in normal group. The prevalence of IL-8-251A allele was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). (2) For genotypes T/T, A/T, A/A in RSV bronchiolitis, level of serum IL-8 were (17 +/- 6) ng/L, (21 +/- 7) ng/L, (24 +/- 9) ng/L, respectively, the difference was significant among the three genotypes (P < 0.01). (3) The prevalence of the A allele in the group who wheezed after the episode of RSV bronchiolitis was 54.6%, as compared with 35.8% in the group who had bronchiolitis but did not go on to wheeze. The prevalence of IL-8-251A allele was significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPolymorphism of IL-8 promoter-251A/T was associated with susceptibility to RSV bronchiolitis in children. The association of IL-8-251A with severe RSV bronchiolitis is most marked in the children who go on to wheeze.

Adolescent ; Alleles ; Bronchiolitis ; complications ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Mapping ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-8 ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Respiratory Sounds ; etiology ; genetics ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; complications ; virology

This study was aimed to investigate the proliferation activities and phenotype changes of DC, CIK and DC-CIK, and their cytotoxicity against hepatocarcinoma cells in co-culture of DC with CIK. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were isolated from healthy adult donors. After incubation of PBMNC for 2 hours, DCs were induced from adherent cells by some cytokines and CIKs were generated from non-adherent cells. Mature DCs were harvested after incubation for 9 days, and then were co-cultured with CIK at ratio of 1:5 for 3 days. The cytotoxicity activity against SMMC-7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line was detected by MTT assay. The results showed that CIK cells were able to lyse SMMC-7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cells at low ratios of effector to target. This effect was significantly enhanced by co-culture with DCs. It is concluded that CIK cells have high lytic activity against 7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, which can be enhanced by co-culture with DC. DC-CIK cells are highly effective immune cells.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; pathology ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated ; cytology ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Yellow Fever ; epidemiology ; Yellow fever virus ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of urticaria in children versus adults, and to provide reference for the etiological analysis, disease evaluation, and treatment of urticaria in children.

METHODSThe clinical data of 2 411 patients with urticaria who visited the Department of Dermatology at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2013 to May 2017 were collected to study their socio-demographic characteristics. The clinical characteristics of urticaria were compared between the 68 children and 672 adults of the 740 patients with complete follow-up data.

RESULTSAmong the 411 pediatric patients, 314 (76.4%) had acute urticaria; among the 2 000 adult patients, 896 (44.8%) had chronic spontaneous urticaria. The causes of acute urticaria in children included infection (41%, 16/39). The accompanying symptoms of acute urticaria in children mainly included abdominal pain and diarrhea (44%, 17/39), while those in adults mainly included chest distress and shortness of breath (32%, 11/34). Compared with the adult patients, the pediatric patients had significantly lower chronic urticaria activity scores before and after treatment (P<0.05), a significantly higher rate of response to second-generation antihistamines (82.1% vs 62.2%; P<0.05), and a significantly higher proportion of individuals with a personal and family history of urticaria (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAcute urticaria is more commonly seen than chronic urticaria in children with urticaria, and the main accompanying symptoms are abdominal pain and diarrhea, which are different from adults with urticaria. Chronic urticaria has a better treatment outcome in children than in adults. The most frequently seen cause of acute urticaria is infection in children. Atopic children may be susceptible to urticaria.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Urticaria ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Young Adult