Objective To investigate the expression of Apelin in placenta tissue from women with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy.Methods Thirty six women with hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy(HDCP)and 15 normal pregnant women were studied.The expression of Apelin-36 was analyzed semi-quantitatively using immunohisto-chemistry and image analysis in placenta tissue and the levels of Apelin mRNA expression were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR method.Results The levels of Apelin-36 and Apelin mRNA in placenta from normal pregnant women were 0.27?0.04 and 0.82 ?0.25,respectively.The levels of Apelin-36 and Apelin mRNA in placenta from HDCP women were 0.18 ?0.05 and 0.31?0.21;in gestational hypertensive women,the values were 0.24?0.02 and 0.59?0.16; in mild preeclampsia were 0.16?0.03 and 0.25?0.07,and in severe preeclampsia they were 0.14?0.02 and 0.17?0.09,respectively.The levels of Apelin-36 and Apelin mRNA in HDCP were lower than those in normal pregnant women(P

Cutaneous Fistula ; Digestive System Abnormalities ; therapy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Treatment Outcome

AlM: To study clinical reference value of retinal microvascular changes in patients with cerebral microbleeds ( CMBs) and discuss its clinical significance.
METHODS:From January 2012 to December 2013, 125 hospitalized patients were collected, including 81 cases were male, 44 cases were female, mean age 76. 3 ± 11. 2 years old. For all patients, functions of liver and kidney, blood - lipoids, blood sugar and blood biochemical examination were tested, and fundus photography and cerebral MR was done. According to the fundus camera eyes, retinal arteriolar equivalent ( RAE) , retinal venular equivalent ( RVE) , retinal vein diameter ratio ( AVR) and arteriovenous crossing sign ( AVN ) were identified, CMBs were classified with cerebral MRl. All the data were processed by SPSS statistical software.
RESULTS: The central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE), central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) and AVR values in the eyes were found no statistical difference (P<0. 05). Of CMBs classification, the grade 0 in 75 cases, 1 in 27 cases, 2 in 9 cases and 3 in 14 cases were included. The RVE, AVR and AVN and the different grades of CMBs had statistically significant correlation ( P<0. 01). The higher CMBs classification, the more obvious retinal microvascular changes were found. ln respectively to eliminate risk factors such as age, sex, blood glucose and blood pressure, AVR and AVN were still influencing factors for CMBs classification.
COCLUSlON: The results show that retinal microvascular changes, especially small retinal vein arteriovenous cross width, and arteriovenous crossing phenomenon, in which CMBs will happen more likely. After sex, age, hypertension and hyperglycemia in patients with traditional cardiovascular risk factors being ruled out, the retinal microvascular changes are still relatively factors of CMB's occurrence.

Placentation,which is critical for maternal-fetal exchange of nutrients and gases,is a complicated process comprising stepwise vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.Hypoxia caused by impairedtrophoblast invasion may cause various angiogenic abnormalities in human placenta.The Notchl signaling pathway plays an important role in the regulation of angiogenesis.The angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under normal/hypoxic conditions and the mRNA/protein level of Notchl/Dell4/Jaggedl were investigated in this study.The effects of DAPT/JAG-1 on the migration of HUVECs were also assessed by cell wound healing assay,so as to discover the possible role of notchl signaling pathway in the angiogenesis of human placenta.The results showed that angiogenic ability of HUVECs was seriously reduced under hypoxic conditions.The mRNA and protein levels of Notchl/Dell4/Jaggedl were decreased in the hypoxic group compared to the control one.In addition,the migration capability of HUVECs was significantly obstructed when treated with DAPT and under hopoxic condition,but promoted when treated with JAG-1.The above results demonstrate that hypoxia downregulates the angiogenesis in human placenta via Notch 1 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVEFluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed with specific probes to make the rapid prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.

METHODSFISH was performed respectively with locus-specific probe (LSI) 21 and centromeric probe (CEP) X/Y on the uncultured amniotic fluid samplesìand the cultured samples were analyzed by traditional cytogenetics to find the concordance rate between FISH and standard cytogenetics.

RESULTSAmniocentesis was performed in 23 pregnant women. Two samples were discarded because of contamination by maternal blood; one case of culture failed. A typical trisomy 21 found by FISH was in accordance with the result of traditional cytogenetics. A case with abnormal karyotype (X/XY) found by CEPX/Y probe was proved to be normal (46, XY) by cytogenetics. So the concordance rate was 95% (19/20).

CONCLUSIONFISH is a rapid and reliable method to detect Down syndrome in uncultured amniotic fluid.

Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Karyotyping ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results

Objective To evaluate the surgical approaches, surgical timing and materials for cranial defect repair in children. Methods From the year 2002 to 2006, 4 children with cranial defect received cranial reconstruction using absorbable poly-L-lactic acid (PLA) material and hydroxyapatite. Results The 3-year follow-up showed that the cranial defect was successfully repaired using the absorbable material in 3 patients and failure of repair occurred in 1 patient. Conclusion Cranial defect in children can be effectively repaired using absorbable materials and hydroxyapatite without obviously affecting the skull development. This approach provides an important option for cranial defect repair in children.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression levels of cdk5, p35 and p53 genes in arsenic trioxide (As2O3O)-induced neuron apoptosis and to explore the potential mechanism.

METHODSThe cultured primary rats' neurons were divided into 5 groups, which were exposed to 0, 1, 5, 10 micromol/L As2O3 and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 8 h, respectively. The cell viability and cell apoptosis were detected by MTT colouration methods and flow cytometry, respectively. The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to measured the expression levels of cdk5, p35 and p53 genes.

RESULTSThe cell viability inhibition rates were 16.77%, 19.72% and 27.81% in 1, 5, 10 micromol/L As203 groups, respectively. Compared to the untreated group and DMSO group, the cell apoptosis rates were significantly increased in 5 and 10 micromol/L As2O3 groups (P < 0.05). The expression levels of cdk5, p35 and p53 genes increased with the exposure doses of AsO3. However, there were no significant differences in p35 gene expression between different dose subgroups (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in cdk5 and p53 gene expression between different dose subgroups (P < 0.05). The expression levels of cdk5 gene in 5 and 10 micromol/L As2O3 groups were significantly higher than those in untreated group and DMSO group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of p53 gene in 1, 5 and 10 micromol/L As2O3 groups were significantly higher than that in untreated group (P < 0.05). The expression level of p53 gene in 10 mciromol/L As2O3 group was significantly higher than that in DMSO group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCdk5, p35 and p53 genes may involve in the process of As2O3-induced neural cell apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arsenicals ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxides ; toxicity ; Phosphotransferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), the central enzymes in folate metabolism that affects DNA methylation and synthesis, and the risk of Down syndrome in China.

METHODSGenomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral lymphocytes of 64 mothers of children with Down syndrome and 70 age matched control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to examine the polymorphisms of MTHFR 677C-->T, MTRR 66A-->G and the relationship between these genotypes and the risk of Down syndrome was analyzed.

RESULTSThe results show that the MTHFR 677C-->T polymorphism is more prevalent among mothers of children with Down syndrome than among control mothers, with an odds ratio of 3.78 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.78 approximately 8.47). In addition, the homozygous MTRR 66A-->G polymorphism was independently associated with a 5.2-fold increase in estimated risk (95% CI, 1.90 approximately 14.22). The combined presence of both polymorphisms was associated with a greater risk of Down syndrome than the presence of either alone, with an odds ratio of 6.0 (95% CI, 2.058 approximately 17.496). The two polymorphisms appear to act without a multiplicative interaction.

CONCLUSIONMTHFR and MTRR gene mutation alleles are related to Down syndrome, and CT, TT and GG gene mutation types increase the risk of Down syndrome.

Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; ethnology ; genetics ; Female ; Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase ; genetics ; Folic Acid ; metabolism ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors of human parvovirus B19 infection in pregnancy and to provide guidelines for its prevention and control strategy.

METHODSFour hundred and eighty-six cases of gravida serum were detected for parvovirus B19 DNA by nested-polymerase chain reaction assay. Factors associated with parvovirus B19 infection in pregnancy were investigated and analyzed, using multiple logistic regression and factor analysis.

RESULTSMultiple logistic regression analysis suggested that there were 16 agents associated with parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy, which were dominated by 6 potential factors listed as follows: countryside and bad hygienic habit, mental factor, occupational exposure to hospital and environmental condition, health and illness, bad behavior and health education and blood type.

CONCLUSIONThe prevention strategy of parvovirus B19 infection in pregnancy should include reasonable allocation of public health resources between city and countryside, and to promote health education and occupational health during pregnancy.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Parvoviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; Parvovirus B19, Human ; isolation & purification ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Assessment

Aneurysm, Dissecting/surgery* ; Aorta, Thoracic/surgery* ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic/surgery* ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; China ; Endovascular Procedures ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome