Objectives: To investigate the association between the dynamics of thyroid volume and the changes of physical growth in school-aged children as well as to compare the applicability of different thyroid volume indexes, so as to explore more reliable methods for the assessment of thyroid volume. Methods: In October 2012, a multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to select a primary school in Minhang district of Shanghai, Haimen city of Jiangsu province and Yuhuan city of Zhejiang province, respectively. In these areas, a total number of 784 students aged 8-10 years were enrolled in the cohort. Demographic data was collected, while height and weight were measured, with BMI and body surface area (BSA) were calculated. Thyroid volume was examined by B-ultrasonography. Height volume index (HVI), weight and height volume index (WHVI), BMI volume index (BMIV) and BSA volume index (BSAV) were all applied to correct the thyroid volume. All students were followed up, one year later. Results: A total of 769 students with complete data on thyroid volume and physical growth were enrolled, including 378 boys (49.16%) and 391 girls (50.84%). Thyroid volume showed an increase with age, while growth of thyroid volume reduced with the increase of age (P<0.001). The thyroid volume showed a correlation with the changes of physical growth. The growth of height appeared as the dominant influencing factor for thyroid volume growth in those aged 8 and 10 years (P<0.05), while the growth of weight, BMI and BSA were all influencing factors for thyroid volume on students aged 9 years (P<0.05). Conclusions: Thyroid volume in school-aged children was a factor not only associated with age but also with physical growth which had not been considered in the currently used criteria. The inclusion of items as iodine intake, age, physical growth into the thyroid volume indexes seemed to be more reliable, in practice. For the assessment of goiter, HVI for students aged 8 and 10 years and BMIV for students aged 9 years might serve as better indicators.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Goiter ; Humans ; Iodine ; Male ; Organ Size ; Thyroid Gland/growth & development*

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of protein kinase D3 (PKD3) in the regulation of matrix metalloproteinases 7 (MMP-7) expression in prostate cancer cells.

METHODSPC-3 cells were either stimulated with 100 nmol/L PMA to activate PKD3 kinase activity, or transiently transfected with PKD3 siRNA, and the relative expression level of MMP-7 mRNA were analyzed by real-time PCR using 2(-delta delta Ct) method. MMP-7 mRNA levels were also analyzed and quantified in HEK293 cells with over-expression of wild-type PKD3, PKD3 knockdown (using PKD3 siRNA), or over-expression of wild-type PKD3 followed by PKD3 knockdown.

RESULTSMMP-7 mRNA expression in PC3 cells was significantly decreased after PMA-induced PKD3 kinase activation. In contrast, PKD3 knockdown by siRNA transfection markedly increased MMP-7 mRNA level (P<0.01). MMP-7 mRNA level in HEK293 cells was significantly decreased by PKD3 over-expression, whereas obviously increased by PKD3 knockdown. Down-regulation of MMP-7 mRNA level in HEK293 induced by PKD3 over-expression was rescued by PKD3 knockdown.

CONCLUSIONPKD3 may contribute to the malignant progression of prostate cancer cells through negative regulation of MMP-7 expression.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVE： To study the chemical constituents of n-Butanol part from the roots of Camellia oleifera， and to provide reference for elucidating the pharmacodynamic substance basis of it’s anti-tumor effect. METHODS： The ethanol extracts were obtained by using 95％ ethanol as extraction solvent to extract the roots of C. oleifera， and the n-Butanol part was obatined after the extracts were extratced with ethyl acetate and water-saturated n-butanol solution in turn. The chemical constituents of n-butanol part were isolated and purified by D101 macroporous resin column， silica gel， atmospheric pressure reversed phase column chromatography， sephadex gel SephadexLH-20 column chromatogram and preparative HPLC. The structure of the compounds was identified by spectroscopic analysis of physicochemical constants， electrospray ionization mass spectrometry， 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. RESULTS： Eight compounds were isolated from the roots of C. oleifera and elucidated as quercetin 3′ -O-β-D-glucoside （compound 1）， apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucoside （compound 2）， （+）-lyoniresinol-3α-O-β-D-glucopyranoside （compound 3）， rubusoside （compound 4）， dulcoside B （compound 5）， 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenol 1-O-β-D-[6-O-（4-hydroxy-3，5-dimethoxylbenzoate）-glucopyranoside （compound 6）， 3，4，5-trimethoxyphenyl-6-O- syringoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside （compound 7）， gordonoside P （compound 8）.  CONCLUSIONS： Compounds 1-8 were isolated from this plant for the first time. This not only enriches the chemical constituents of this genus， but also provides a reference for elucidating the anti-tumor bioactive substances in this part.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of PKD3 in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression regulation in androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells and explore the mechanism.

METHODSLNCaP cells containing low level of PKD3 were transfected with pEGFP-C2 or pEGFP-PKD3 plasmid followed by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treatment, and PSA mRNA level was analyzed by RT-QPCR using 2(-delta delta Ct) method. Wild-type or kinase-dead PKD3 plasmids, human androgen receptor plasmid pSVAR0, pMMTV-luc of AR luciferase reporter and renilla luciferase reporter pRL-SV40 were cotransfected into HEK293 cells, and after treatment with DHT for 24 h, the cells were harvested and AR transcriptional activity were determined by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The subcellular localization of endogenous PKD3 and AR and their colocalization induced by DHT were observed by confocal microscopy.

RESULTSPSA mRNA level triggered by DHT was significantly increased by overexpression of pEGFP-PKD3 in LNCaP cells compared with that in pEGFP-C2 control cells (P<0.001). AR transcription in response to DHT treatment was also significantly up-regulated by wild type PKD3 expression (P<0.001), but partially down-regulated by kinase-dead PKD3 mutant (P<0.01). Endogenous PKD3 and AR in LNCaP cells not only translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, but also colocalized with each other after DHT stimulation.

CONCLUSIONElevated AR transcriptional activity and enhanced expression of PSA induced by PKD3 in response to DHT treatment suggest that PKD3 contributes to the proliferation and malignant growth of androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent ; metabolism ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

Objective: To understand the molecular characteristics of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) as well as the disease risk of influenza virus A H7N9 in Guizhou province. Methods: RNAs were extracted and sequenced from HA and NA genes of H7N9 virus strains obtained from 18 cases of human infection with H7N9 virus and 6 environmental swabs in Guizhou province during 2014-2017. Then the variation and the genetic evolution of the virus were analyzed by using a series of bioinformatics software package. Results: Homology analysis of HA and NA genes revealed that 2 strains detected during 2014-2015 shared 98.8%-99.2% and 99.2% similarities with vaccine strains A/Shanghai/2/2013 and A/Anhui/1/2013 recommended by WHO, respectively. Two strains detected in 2016 and 14 strains detected in 2017 shared 98.2%-99.3% and 97.6%-98.8% similarities with vaccine strain A/Hunan/02650/2016, respectively. Other 6 stains detected in 2017 shared 99.1%-99.4% and 98.9%-99.3% similarities with strain A/Guangdong/17SF003/2016, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all the strains were directly evolved in the Yangtze River Delta evolution branch, but they were derived from different small branch. PEVPKRKRTAR↓GLF was found in 6 of 24 strains cleavage site sequences of HA protein, indicating the characteristic of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Mutations A134V, G186V and Q226L at the receptor binding sites were found in the HA. All the strains had a stalk deletion of 5 amino acid residue "QISNT" in NA protein, and drug resistance mutation R294K occurred in strain A/Guizhou-Danzhai/18980/2017. In addition, potential glycosylation motifs mutations NCS42NCT were found in the NA of 9 of 24 strains. Conclusions: HA and NA genes of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus showed genetic divergence in Guizhou province during 2014-2017. The mutations of key sites might enhance the virulence of the virus, human beings are more susceptible to it. Hence, the risk of infection is increasing.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Birds ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/immunology* ; Hemagglutinins/genetics* ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype/isolation & purification* ; Influenza in Birds ; Influenza, Human/virology* ; Neuraminidase/genetics* ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral/genetics* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of delayed bleeding after intestinal polypectomy in children, and to provide a theoretical basis for clinical surgical intervention of intestinal polyps. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 2 456 children with intestinal polyps who underwent endoscopic high-frequency electrocoagulation loop resection in the Endoscopy Center of Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to December 2021. According to the presence or absence of delayed bleeding after surgery, they were divided into bleeding group with 79 children and non-bleeding group with 2 377 children. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for delayed bleeding. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to investigate the value of various indicators in predicting delayed bleeding. RESULTS: Of all 2 456 children, 79 (3.22%) experienced delayed bleeding, among whom 5 children with severe delayed bleeding underwent emergency colonoscopy for hemostasis and 74 received conservative treatment, and successful hemostasis was achieved for all children. There were significant differences between the bleeding and non-bleeding groups in age, body mass index, constipation rate, location of lesion, time of endoscopic procedure, resection method (P<0.05). Children with a diameter of polyps of 6-10 mm and >20 mm were more likely to develop delayed bleeding after resection (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that endoscopic operation time, polyp diameter, and resection method were significantly associated with delayed bleeding (P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that the endoscopic operation time, polyp diameter, and resection method had a good value in predicting delayed bleeding after intestinal polypectomy, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.706, 0.688, and 0.627, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic high-frequency electrocoagulation loop resection has a lower incidence of delayed bleeding in children with intestinal polyps, and the endoscopic operation time, polyp diameter, and resection method are closely associated with the occurrence of postoperative delayed bleeding.
Child ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Intestines ; Hemorrhage ; Intestinal Polyps/surgery* ; Risk Factors

Humans ; Breast ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue/surgery*

Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Placenta ; Lung/pathology* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of occupational lung diseases, to reduce the missed diagnoses and misdiagnoses of the diseases and to help standardize the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. Methods: A total of 4 813 lung biopsy specimens (including 1 935 consultation cases) collected at the Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China from January 1st, 2017 to December 31th, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 126 cases of occupational lung diseases were confirmed with clinical-radiological-pathological diagnosis. Special staining, PCR and scanning electron microscopy were also used to rule out the major differential diagnoses. Results: The 126 patients with occupational lung diseases included 102 males and 24 females. All of them had a history of exposure to occupational risk factor(s). Morphologically, 68.3% (86/126) of the cases mainly showed pulmonary fibrotic nodules, dust plaque formation or carbon end deposition in pulmonary parenchyma. 16.7% (21/126) of the cases mainly showed welding smoke particle deposition in the alveolar cavity and lung interstitium while 15.1% (19/126) of the cases showed granulomas with fibrous tissue hyperplasia, alveolar protein deposition or giant cell interstitial pneumonia. The qualitative and semi-quantitative analyses of residual dust components in the lung under scanning electron microscope were helpful for the diagnosis of welder's pneumoconiosis and hard metal lung disease. Conclusions: The morphological characteristics of lung biopsy tissue are important reference basis for the clinicopathological diagnosis and differential diagnosis of occupational lung diseases. Recognizing the characteristic morphology and proper use of auxiliary examination are the key to an accurate diagnosis of occupational lung diseases on biopsy specimens.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Pneumoconiosis/pathology* ; Lung/pathology* ; Dust ; Pneumonia, Viral/pathology* ; Biopsy

Objective: To investigate the economic burden of hepatitis C patients and related factors in Guangdong province. Methods: In this study, cluster sampling method was used to select cases, including acute hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis cases from eligible outpatients and inpatients in 1 or 2 large general hospitals in all the 21 cities in Guangdong province. Questionnaire survey was conducted for all the hepatitis C patients to analyze their economic burden, while multivariate linear regression model was used to identify the related influencing factors. Results: A total of 356 hepatitis C patients were enrolled in the study, with 176 outpatients (49.4%) and 180 inpatients (50.6%) respectively. The average age of the study subjects was (44.79±11.73) year-olds. The annual direct economic costs of patients with acute hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis were 10 703.22 (IQR: 7 396.75-16 891.91), 14 886.63 (IQR: 7 274.00-30 228.25) and 28 874.00 (IQR: 13 093.69-56 350.00) Yuan (RMB) respectively. The annual indirect costs appeared as 2 426.99 (IQR: 1 912.18-7 354.52), 3 235.99 (IQR: 1 323.81-6 619.07) and 5 442.35 (IQR: 3 235.99-10 296.33) Yuan (RMB) respectively. The annual intangible costs were 5 000.00 (IQR:2 000.00-10 000.00), 10 000.00 (IQR: 4 000.00-30 000.00) and 10 000.00 (IQR: 3 000.00-100 000.00) Yuan (RMB) respectively. The annual total costs were 22 306.17 (IQR: 14 581.24-50 569.17), 38 050.33 (IQR: 17 449.57-68 319.62) and 80 152.18 (IQR: 40 856.09-228 460.79) Yuan (RMB) respectively. Results from the multiple linear regression analysis showed that factors as: annual hospitalization days, annual number of outpatient visits, annual number of hospitalization, type of disease and the levels of the hospitals were related to the economic burden of patients with hepatitis C. Conclusion: Patients with HCV-related diseases presented serious economic problem which calls for close attention in Guangdong province.
Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Cities ; Cost of Illness ; Female ; Health Care Costs/statistics & numerical data* ; Hepatitis B/epidemiology* ; Hepatitis C/economics* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/epidemiology* ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires