Purpose To investigate the genetic changes of ALK gene in sporadic neuroblastoma in China, and to explore its role in neuroblastoma. Methods Total 56 cases of NB with overexpressed ALK protein were studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization ( FISH) , using interphase Vysis LSI ALK dual-color and break apart rearrangement probes. Literature under the subject was searched through PubMed. Results Of the 56 cases, ALK gain was found in 9 (16%) cases, ALK amplification was found in 1 (1. 8%) case only. No alterations of ALK were detected in the remaining 46 cases. Conclusion As a major predisposition gene as well as a poten-tial therapeutic target for neuroblastoma, the frequency of aberrant copy numbers of ALK gene in Chinese NB patients is closely similar with previously published results.

【Objective】 To identify the main factor or factors w hich contribute to recurrent early spontaneous abortion for clinical diagnosis a nd treatment. 【Methods】 69 cases received the screening examination including inherent, endocrine, anatomical, infective, immunological and contamination hist ory poison metabolic factors, then analyses all factors. 【Results】 Analysing the single factor effecting th e recurrent early spontaneous abortion in the above 7 factors, we found the immun ological factor was 86.2%. Furthermore the immunological factor had significant difference in the various aged groups. 【Conclusion】 Immunological factor is a main factor in recurrent early spontaneous abortion. The immunological factor b ecomes significantly important as the times of spontaneous abortion increasing.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical and pathological features of Hirschprung disease (HD), intestinal neuro-nal dysplasia (IND) and hypoganglionosis (IH) in children.MethodsThe clinical data and pathologic slices from 238 children with intestinal dysganglionosis were retrospectively analyzed. The age, sex, involved intestinal length of children and prognosis were compared.ResultsIn 238 patients, 138 (58.0%) were diagnosed by rectal mucosal biopsies. There were 122 HD patients whose median age at diagnosis was 9 months and the ratio of male to female was 4.3:1, without involvement of whole colon. There were 45 IND patients whose median age at diagnosis was 14 months and the ratio of male to female was 1.05:1, and the whole colon of 33.3% patients was involved. There were two male IH patients whose ages at diagnosis were 12 years and 18 years respectively, and their whole colon was involved. There were 59 patients with HD complicated by IND whose median age at diagnosis was 13 months and the ratio of male to female was 5.56:1 and the whole colon of 16.9% patients was involved. There were 10 male patients with HD complicated by IH whose median age at diagnosis was 11.5 months and the whole colon of 80.0% patients was involved. The ages at diagnosis, the sex ratio, the rates of whole colon involved, and the cure rates among 5 groups were signiifcantly different (allP<0.01).ConclusionsThe rectal mucosal biopsy was the main method in diagnosis of intestinal dysganglionsis in children. Patients with HD had higher incidence and mild condition and favorable prognosis. Patients with IH or patients with HD complicated by IH had lower incidence rates and severe condition and poor prognosis, followed by patients with IND or patients with HD complicated by IND.

Three cyclotides were isolated from the whole plant of Viola yedoensis in this study. The two, vary peptide E and cycloviolacin Y5, were previously reported, and a novel cycloviolacin VY1 was characterized according to the interpretation of MS/MS fragmentation of peptides which were produced from the reduced and alkylated parent peptide with the digestion of Endo Lys-C, trypsin and chymotrypsin, separately. The stability of remarkable resistance to proteolytic degradation by trypsin and chymotrypsin, and that of thermal denaturation was confirmed again. Besides, the IC50 value of cycloviolacin VYI against influenza A H1N1 virus was (2.27 +/- 0.20) microg x mL(-1). It is the first cyclotide reported with anti-influenza A H1N1 virus activity in vitro assay.

OBJECTIVEThe exact mechanisms of defect closure in patients with perimembranous ventricular septal defect (PMVSD) remain unknown. We hypothesized that the expression of urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) may mediate extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in aneurysms.

METHODSeven normal heart tricuspid septal leaflet and 33 aneurysms were collected in Shanghai Renji Hospital and Shanghai Children's Medical Center from January 2008 to June 2010. Immunohistochemical expression of uPA and PAI-1 in 4 normal heart valvular tissues and 15 aneurysms was detected with immunohistochemical methods. The expression of uPA and PAI-1 mRNA in 3 normal heart valvular tissues and 7 aneurysms was studied by real time fluorescent PCR; the protein expression of uPA and PAI-1 in 4 normal heart valvular tissues and 11 aneurysms was tested with Western blotting.

RESULTThe surface of the aneurysms were completely covered by endothelial cells. Two types of granulation tissue, myxoid and fibrous, were associated with the aneurismal formation. uPA were recognized predominantly in valvar interstitial cells (VICs) which located mainly in regions adjacent to the endothelium and smooth muscle cells of blood vessels. PAI-1 was found in both VICs which located mainly in granulation tissue and endothelial cells. Nine aneurysms expressed a higher uPA activity than 4 normal valvular tissues ((74.6±11.8)% vs. (49.5±7.4)%; t = 3.87, P = 0.003) and six aneurysms expressed a low uPA activity ((10.3±3.1)% vs. (49.5±7.4)%; t=11.78, P=0.000) and a high PAI-1 activity ((55.2±1.7)% vs. (50.8±3.8)%; t=2.55, P=0.034) using immunohistochemical methods. uPA / PAI-1 ratio of protein expression tested by Western blot was 0.88±0.22 in four normal heart vavular tissues; five aneurysms expressed high uPA activity and low PAI-1 activity and uPA/PAI-1 ratio was 4.26±2.04; while the other 6 cases expressed low uPA activity and high PAI-1 activity and uPA/PAI-1 ratio was 0.30±0.07; the difference among the three groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The rate of uPA/PAI-1 in relative copy of mRNA expression among normal heart valvular tissue, high uPA expressed aneurysms and low uPA expressed aneurysms are also significantly different (2.14±0.17 vs. 0.45±0.04; 2.14±0.17 vs. 4.38±1.41, P<0.05) respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of uPA and PAI-1 in VICs suggests that interactions among these molecules contribute to the aneurysm formation and development. This provides a potential mechanism for defect closure in patients with PMVSD.

Aneurysm ; pathology ; Blotting, Western ; China ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Extracellular Matrix ; metabolism ; Granulation Tissue ; pathology ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics and histopathological morphology features of bone marrow biopsies between refractory cytopenia of children (RCC) and acquired aplastic anemia (AAA) to facilitate the diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment of RCC and AAA.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed clinical data and histopathological morphology of bone marrow biopsies in RCC or AAA patients referred to our hospital from January 2011 to December 2012.

RESULTSThere were totally 130 patients studied. The final diagnoses of them were RCC in 78 cases (60.0%) and AAA in 52 cases (40.0%). The median WBC count, absolute neutrophil count, blood platelet count, hemoglobin level, and reticulocyte count were all higher in RCC children than AAA (P<0.01). All of RCC patients showed hypocellular biopsy specimens, and 84.6% (66/78) of them had cellularity of bone marrow biopsy specimens ranging from 20% to 60%. Patchy pattern distribution was seen in 98.7% (77/78) of RCC cases, and micromegakaryocyte was found in 61.5% (48/78) of RCC cases. All of AAA patients showed severe hypocellular biopsy specimens, and 88.5% (46/52) of them had cellularity of bone marrow biopsy specimens under 5%. Megakaryocyte was not found in 98.1% (51/52) of AAA cases. The response rates of immunosuppressive therapy using CsA ± rabbit anti- thymocyte globulin ± androgen ± traditional Chinese medicine for patients with RCC and AAA were 59.5% and 26.9% at 3 months (P=0.011), and 75.0% and 38.1% at 6 months, respectively (P=0.007).

CONCLUSIONRCC patients showed milder cytopenia and bone marrow hyperplasia than AAA. Patchy distribution of hematopoietic cells, erythroid islands with a marked left shift and micromegakaryocytes were decisive histomorphological patterns used to separate RCC from SAA. Immunosuppressive therapy using CsA ± rabbit anti- thymocyte globulin ± androgen ± traditional chinese medicine was an effective therapy in patients with RCC and AAA, and the outcome of immunosuppressive therapy for RCC patients was superior to that of AAA patients.

Adolescent ; Anemia, Aplastic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) is recognised as an attractive anti-diabetic drug target, and several DPP4 inhibitors are already on the market. As members of the same gene family, dipeptidyl peptidase 8 (DPP8) and dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9) share high sequence and structural homology as well as functional activity with DPP4. However, the inhibition of their activities was reported to cause severe toxicities. Thus, the development of DPP4 inhibitors that do not have DPP8 and DPP9 inhibitory activity is critical for safe anti-diabetic therapy. To achieve this goal, we established a selective evaluation method for DPP4 inhibitors based on recombinant human DPP8 and DPP9 proteins expressed by Rosetta cells. In this method, we used purified recombinant 120 kDa DPP8 or DPP9 protein from the Rosetta expression system. The optimum concentrations of the recombinant DPP8 and DPP9 proteins were 30 ng/mL and 20 ng/mL, respectively, and the corresponding concentrations of their substrates were both 0.2 mmol/L. This method was highly reproducible and reliable for the evaluation of the DPP8 and DPP9 selectivity for DPP4 inhibitor candidates, which would provide valuable guidance in the development of safe DPP4 inhibitors.

Aged ; Blood Pressure ; COVID-19 ; Epidemics ; Humans ; Hypertension/prevention & control* ; Internet ; Male ; Middle Aged ; SARS-CoV-2