ObjectiveTo explore the role of Network Management System (NMS) in decreasing mortality and incidence of cerebral palsy in preterm infants.MethodsThe data of 356 preterm infants transported by NMS from January 2004 to December 2005 were analyzed.ResultsNo death cases occurred during the transportation of 356 preterm infants, the success rate was 100%. 292 cases (84.39%) were cured and 36 cases (10.4%) were effective. 7 case dead for compliance, the mortality was 19.6‰. 3 cases suffered from cerebral palsy , the incidence of cerebral palsy was 8.6‰.ConclusionNMS applied to preterm infants is a high-effective medical model, and plays an important role in improving the forward prognosis of preterm infants.

OBJECTIVETo compare 3 common sperm counting chambers by the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system and evaluate their precision in analyzing sperm density and motility.

METHODSWe used latex bead solution at (20 +/- 5) x 10(6)/ml as analogue semen samples and analyzed the samples with Makler, Leja and Microcell counting chambers, 30 times with each chamber. And the average (x +/- s) and the coefficient of variation of sperm density were calculated by the CASA system. Meanwhile 54 semen samples collected from the outpatients analyzed with the 3 sperm counting chambers by the CASA system for the rates of forward movement and motility of the sperm.

RESULTSThe averages of sperm density obtained with Makler, Leja and Microcell chambers were (25.90 +/- 3.97) x 10(6)/ml, (18.74 +/- 1.62) x 10(6)/ml and (20.35 +/- 2.55) x 10(6)/ml, the coefficients of variation were 15.31%, 8.64% and 12.54%, the rates of sperm forward movement were (46.54 +/- 17.09)%, (30.65 +/- 14.88)% and (30.49 +/- 13.21)%, and the rates of sperm motility were (59.75 +/- 16.12)%, (46.76 +/- 14.11)%, (43.11 +/- 14.02)% respectively. There were significant differences in average sperm density among the 3 groups (P < 0.05). The rates of sperm forward movement and motility obtained with the Makler chamber were significantly higher than those achieved with the Leja chamber and Microcell chamber (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences between the latter two (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rates of sperm density obtained with the 3 sperm counting chambers differed significantly. In the analysis of sperm motility, a higher rate can be achieved with the coverslip-pressed chamber than the capillary-drawn chamber.

Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Male ; Sperm Count ; instrumentation ; methods ; Sperm Motility

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features and to identify homeobox D13 (HOXD13) gene mutation of the affected individuals in a Chinese synpolydactyly (SPD) kindred.

METHODSClinical data and peripheral blood samples of SPD family members were obtained through field investigation. For every member of this pedigreeìthe fragment containing mutational hot spots of HOXD13 was amplified by PCR for mutation screening. To examine whether there is any other mutation within coding sequence of HOXD13, exon 1 and exon 2 of HOXD13 were also amplified by PCR. All the amplified fragments were electrophoresed on 2% agarose gels and then the mutant fragments were electrophoresed on 5% polyacrylamide gels to be separated. Purified PCR products of normal and selected mutant alleles were directly sequenced.

RESULTSComparing the HOXD13 coding sequence of the affected individuals with HOXD13 sequence in the GenBank and with that of the unaffected, an inserted segment coding 8 alanine residues within HOXD13 was found segregating with the disorder. This mutation is also termed polyalanine expansion. The 8-alanine expansion can be interpreted as a reduplication of normal alanines 5-12.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that synpolydactyly in this kindred may be caused by polyalanine expansion in HOXD13.

Base Sequence ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Syndactyly ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible risk factors of congenital malformations in cities of Guangxi.

METHODSA case-control study was carried out on 281 cases of congenital malformations and 730 controls. Analysis of simple factor and multiple factors unconditional logistic regression were done.

RESULTSThe analysis of simple factor and multiple factors showed that main risk factors of congenital malformations as multiple pregnancies (OR = 2.6), pregnancy complications (OR = 3.2), exposure to chemical substances before or during pregnancy (OR = 3.0), taking sedatives (OR = 10.2), hormone drug (OR = 9.4) or Chinese herbal medicines (OR = 2.5) during the early stage of pregnancy, mothers' blood type as AB (OR = 3.5) or A (OR = 2.2), mothers' emotion being nervous and melancholy (OR = 2.6), mothers' occupation being workers (OR = 3.8) or peasants (OR = 3.0), fathers' exposure to noise (OR = 5.7) or suffering from chronic diseases (OR = 2.8).

CONCLUSIONSSome risk factors were identified as having important effect on perinatal congenital malformations, including taking sedatives, hormone drug or Chinese herbal medicines during the early stage of pregnancy, mothers' emotion being nervous and melancholy, multiple pregnancies, pregnancy complications, exposure to chemical substances before or during pregnancies, mothers' blood type as AB or A, mothers' occupation being workers or peasants, fathers' exposure to noise or suffering from chronic diseases.

Case-Control Studies ; Congenital Abnormalities ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Risk Factors

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; diagnosis ; etiology ; genetics ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Statistical ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies

Objective To explore the expression characteristics of cytochrome P450(CYP)candidate genes(CYP6M3, CYP6Y1,CYP6P5,CYP4H14,CYP4G17,CYP12F16)in Anopheles sinensis.Methods The samples were collected from dif-ferent developmental stages(eggs,larvae,pupae and adult mosquitoes(females and males)),and different tissues(salivary glands,malpighian tubes,midguts,ovaries,and fat bodies)of An.sinensis and the female adult mosquitoes exposed by differ-ent insecticide doses(0,1.25,3.75,6.25,12.5μg/bottle)and time points(0,5,15,30,60 minutes),then the total RNA was extracted. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qPCR)assay was used to analyze the relative expressions of six CYP genes in An.sinensis at different developmental stages,tissues and different insecticide exposure doses and time.Results The expressions of CYP6M3 and CYP6Y1 in the male adult mosquitoes were the highest,the expression of CYP6M3 gene in the males was 35.1 times higher than that in the females,the expression of CYP6Y1 in the males was 61.4 times higher than that in the females;the expression level of CYP4H14 in the larvae was the lowest,the expression of CYP4H14 in the females was 22.5 times higher than that in the fourth instar larvae.The expressions of candidate CYP genes in different tissues of An.sinensis were significantly different,the expression of CYP6M3 in the malpighian tubule was 38.9 times higher than that in the ovary,the ex-pression of CYP6Y1 in the fatbody was 9.1 times higher than that in the ovary,the expression of CYP4G17 was 4.6 times higher than that in the ovary,and the expression of CYP12F16 was 4.4 times higher thanthat in the ovary.The exposure to different in-secticide doses and time showed some induction effects in the expressions of candidate CYP genes,which affected the expres-sions of candidate CYP genes in An.sinensis.Conclusion The expression of candidate CYP genes varies significantly in differ-ent developmental stages and various tissues of An.sinensis,and exposure to deltamethrin at various doses and time points af-fects CYP genes expression in An.sinensis.

OBJECTIVES: To study the value of functional echocardiographic parameters in predicting refractory septic shock in neonates. METHODS: A total of 72 neonates with septic shock were enrolled. According to the highest value of septic shock score, they were divided into two groups: refractory (n=30) and non-refractory (n=42). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical data, laboratory findings, and functional echocardiographic parameters. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the performance of functional echocardiographic parameters in predicting refractory septic shock. RESULTS: Compared with the non-refractory group, the refractory group had significantly lower cardiac output and cardiac index (CI) and a significantly higher mean arterial pressure (MAP)/CI ratio (P<0.05). CI had a cut-off value of 2.6 L/(min·m²), a sensitivity of 79%, a specificity of 83%, and an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.841 in predicting septic shock-related death (P<0.05), and MAP/CI ratio had a cut-off value of 11.4, a sensitivity of 83%, a specificity of 73%, and an AUC of 0.769 (P<0.05). CI had a cut-off value of 2.9 L/(min·m²), a sensitivity of 69%, a specificity of 69%, and an AUC of 0.717 in predicting all-cause death within 28 days (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS CI and MAP/CI ratio can be useful for early prediction of septic shock-related death in neonates.
Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Shock, Septic/diagnostic imaging* ; Echocardiography ; ROC Curve