Objective To construct Z-score models for normal fetal heart size measurements derived from fetal echocardiography.Methods Fetal echocardiography were performed in 910 normal singleton fetuses from 14th to 40th gestational weeks.Fetal transverse heart diameter (HD),heart length (HL),heart circumference (HC) and heart area (HA) were derived from a standard four-chamber view during end diastole.Using fetal somatic sizes as independent variables and heart sizes as dependent variables,the regression analyses of the mean (M) and the standard deviation (SD) for each parameter were calculated separately.A group of fetal heart diseases were assessed using these models.Results Strong correlations were found between fetal heart sizes and somatic sizes.Linear-cubic regression equations were each fitted to the models of the means of the heart sizes,whereas linear-quadratic equations were fitted to the models of the SDs.HD (r =0.984-0.986) was a dependent variable that provided the highest correlation coefficient with all of the fetal sizes,followed by HL (r =0.981-0.984),HC (r =0.981-0.982) and HA (r =0.978-0.979).All fetuses with Ebstein' s anomaly and most with homozygous α thalassemia-1 demonstrated Z scores reflective of increased heart sizes.Conclusions The fetal heart sizes Z-scores models had been constructed.The calculation of Z-scores for heart sizes as a function of fetal somatic size is feasible and simple.They might be useful for quantitative assessment of some cardiac diseases and used as new predictive indicators for homozygous α-thalassemia-1 particularly.

Objective To investigate the prognostic value of CD 4+CD25+/high CD127 low/-and CD14+HLA-DRlow/-for evaluating the severity of acute pancreatitis .Methods The percentages of CD4+CD25+/highCD127low/-and CD14+HLA-DRlow/-and the CD64 index were measured by flow cytometry in pa-tients with acute pancreatitis ( including 43 cases of mild acute pancreatitis and 24 cases of severe acute pan-creatitis).Moreover, the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ( APACHEⅡ) score and CT severity index ( CTSI ) were detected for a correlation analysis .Results The percentages of CD4+CD25+/highCD127low/-and CD14+HLA-DRlow/-and the CD64 index in patients with severe and mild acute pancreatitis were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects .Patients with se-vere acute pancreatitis showed higher percentages of CD 14+HLA-DRlow/-than patients with mild acute pan-creatitis.With the disease progression, the CD64 index and the levels of CD4+CD25+/highCD127low/-, CD14+HLA-DRlow/-and CRP were significantly dropped after an initial increase in patients with mild acute pancrea -titis, while these indexes were continuously elevated in patients with severe acute pancreatitis .The percent-age of CD14+HLA-DRlow/-was positively correlated with CD64 index, CRP level, APACHEⅡ score and CTSI.Conclusion CD14+HLA-DRlow/-level was closely related to the severity of acute pancreatitis , which could be used as immune parameter for the estimation of the clinical severity of acute pancreatitis .

AIM:To study the effect of hsa-miR-218 on cervical cancer HeLa cell growth and the underlying molecular mechanism .METHODS:The lentivirus expression vector pmiR-218 targeting to hsa-miR-218 was constructed . pmiR-218 was transfected into HeLa cells .The number of viable HeLa cells was counted by the method of Trypan blue ex-clusion.The inhibitory rate of cell activity was detected by WST-8 assay.The expression of LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) at mRNA and protein levels was determined by real-time PCR and Western blot.The interaction between miR-218 and LASP1 was examined using a luciferase reporter assay .RESULTS:The lentivirus expression vector pmiR-218 tar-geting to hsa-miR-218 was constructed successfully and confirmed by DNA sequencing .Over-expression of miR-218 inhibi-ted the activity of HeLa cells with the inhibitory rates of 15%, 26%and 65%at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h, respectively .The difference between transfection group and blank control /negative control group was statistically significant .The luciferase activity was reduced when co-transfection with miR-218 mimics and LASP1-3’ UTR plasmid.The relative expression of miR-218 was increased after transfection with pmiR-218.Over-expression of miR-218 down-regulated the LASP1 expression at mRNA and protein levels by 25%and 75%respectively.Compared with blank control group and negative control group , the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:pmiR-218 effectively inhibits the growth of HeLa cells in a time-dependent manner.miR-218 targets to the 3’UTR of LASP1, thus down-regulating the expression of LASP1 in HeLa cells .

Objective To explore the change of serum zinc level of children with rotavirus(RV) enteritis and efficacy of zinc supplementation on children with rotaviral enteritis.Methods One thousand one hundred and eighty-three healthy children were enrolled in this study,who were divided into different groups,and the zinc levels of children in every different age group were detected.These levels were used as normal levels of children in Dongguan district.One hundred and forty-three diarrhea patients in this 2 years were enrolled.Confirmed dia-gnosis was depended on the RV test in patients′ stool.The children with diarrhea were randomly divided into zinc treatment group (n=72) and conventional therapy group (n=71).The serum zinc levels in RV enteritis was analyzed.The patients in conventional therapy group were received diarrhea conventional therapy inchuded smectite and fluid infusion and so on;in addition to diarrhea conventional therapy,zinc gluconate 20 mg/d (10 mg/d below 6 months of age) for successive 14 days were given the patientsin zinc treatment group.The different efficacy of the 2 groups and the changes of serum zinc in treatment group were analyzed.Results Compared with normal children,the ones suffering from RV enteritis had lower serum zinc level(P0.05).Conclusions The ones suffering from RV enteritis have lower serum zinc level.In addition to diarrhea conventional therapy,giving zinc treatment has better effect on enhancing curative effect of RV enteritis.On the other hand,the suggestion of zinc supplement made by WHO is also suitable for Chinese children.

AIMTo study the integration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA into sperm chromosomes in hepatitis B patients and the features of its integration.

METHODSSperm chromosomes of 14 subjects (5 healthy controls and 9 HB patients, including 1 acute hepatitis B, 2 chronic active hepatitis B, 4 chronic persistent hepatitis B, 2 HBsAg chronic carriers with no clinical symptoms) were prepared using interspecific in vitro fertilization between zona-free hamster oocytes and human spermatozoa. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to sperm chromosome spreads was carried out with biotin-labeled full length HBV DNA probe to detect the specific HBV DNA sequences in the sperm chromosomes.

RESULTSSpecific fluorescent signal spots for HBV DNA were seen in sperm chromosomes of one patient with chronic persistent hepatitis B. In 9 (9/42) sperm chromosome complements containing fluorescent signal spots, one presented 5 obvious FISH spots and the others 2 to 4 signals. The fluorescence intensity showed significant difference among the signal spots. The distribution of signal sites among chromosomes seems to be random.

CONCLUSIONHBV could integrate into human sperm chromosomes. Results suggest that the possibility of vertical transmission of HBV via the germ line to the next generation is present.

Adult ; Chromosomes, Human ; genetics ; virology ; Hepatitis B ; genetics ; transmission ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Male ; Spermatozoa ; virology ; Virus Integration

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of fetal heart diameter(HD)Z-score as predictors of homozygous α-thalassemia-1.Methods Two hundred and fourteen cases of Single mid-pregnancies(1 5-22 W)at risk of homozygous α-thalassemia-1 were enrolled.Fetal HD were first measured.Next,the Z-scores of HD were calculated separately based on previously constructed Z-score models.Finally,the accuracy of this variable was analyzed and compared with that from the cardiothoracic ratio(CTR)by ROC curves analysis.Results ①A total of 214 singleton pregnancies were recruited in which 57 cases were homozygous α-thalassemia-1 fetuses and the other 157 cases were unaffected.②The affected fetal HD and Z-score were significantly higher than those in the unaffected fetuses(P <0.01).③With the HD Z-score >2.76 as the best cutoff value,the sensitivity and specificity of predicting homozygous α-thalassemia-1 fetuses in 1 5-22 gestational week were 92.98% and 100%;If a best cut-off value of CTR >0.52 was used for prediction,the sensitivity was 87.72% and the specificity was 91.72%.Compared with CTR,the discriminative power of HD Z-score was better(Z value=2.286,P <0.01).Conclusions HD Z-score is a novel,effective and noninvasive predictor of homozygous α-thalassemia-1 in mid-pregnancy.Its prediction efficiency is higher than that of traditional CTR.It can improve the prenatal detection rate of homozygous α-thalassemia-1 fetus,reduce unnecessary invasive operation and save expenses.

Objective To research the effect of alkylation of glycerol phosphate synthase (AGPS) in isoproterenol (ISO) induced rat cardiac hypertrophy. Methods The pathological cardiac hypertrophy rat model was constructed by ISO intraperitoneal injection. Twelve healthy Sprague-Dawley rats (120～150 g) were divided into ISO group and control group randomly. In the ISO group, rats were injected with ISO (3 mg/kg) per day for two consecutive weeks. In the control group, rats were injected with normal saline (3 mg/kg) per day for two consecutive weeks. Changes of left ventricular diastolic diameter, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular short-axis shortening rate and left ventricular mass were detected by echocardiography. The cross-sectional area of myocardial cells in rats was measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The expression of hypertrophic factors [atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), myosin light chain-2V (MLC-2V), α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC)] and AGPS were detected by Western Blot and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results The results of echocardiography showed that the cardiac hypertrophy rat model was successfully constructed. The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the myocardial cross-sectional area in the ISO group was significantly larger than that of the control group. The Western Blot and qPCR results indicated that the relative expression of protein and mRNA of hypertrophic factor and AGPS in the ISO group were both up-regulated comparing with that of the control group, and the differences were statistical significance (all P<0.05). Conclusions The rat model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy with up-regulated AGPS expression was successfully constructed providing a theoretical basis for further study on the role of AGPS in pathogenesis of pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

BACKGROUNDActive suppression by CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes plays an important role in the down-regulation of T cell responses to foreign and self-antigens. This study was conducted to analyze whether the CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells exist and function normally in tuberculous pleural effusion.

METHODSThe percentages of CD4+CD25+ T cells in pleural effusion and peripheral blood from patients with tuberculous pleurisy and peripheral blood from healthy control subjects were determined by flow cytometry. The expression of forkhead transcription factor Foxp3 was also examined. CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD25(-) T cells from pleural effusion and blood were isolated, and were cultured to observe the effects of CD4+CD25+ T cells on proliferation response of CD4+CD25(-) T cells in vitro.

RESULTSThere were increased numbers of CD4+CD25+ T cells in tuberculous pleural effusion compared with peripheral blood from both patients with tuberculous pleurisy and normal subjects, and these cells demonstrated a constitutive high-level expression of Foxp3. Moreover, CD4+CD25+ T cells mediated potent inhibition of proliferation response of CD4+CD25(-) T cells.

CONCLUSIONThe increased CD4+CD25+ T cells in tuberculous pleural effusion express a high level of Foxp3 transcription factor, while potently suppressing the proliferation of CD4+CD25(-) T cells.

Adult ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; analysis ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion ; etiology ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; physiology ; Tuberculosis, Pleural ; etiology ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the solubility peak and dielectric requirement of the Buyang Huanwu docoction materials, and provide theoretical and experimental foundation for selecting extraction solvent for extracting traditional Chinese drugs (TCD).

METHOD11 types of solvents were employed as single or complex solvent systems, whose solubility parameter and dielectric constant were from 14.11 to 47.86, dielectric requirement from 1 to 80 respectively, to lixiviate Buyang Huanwu decoction (5 g per samples) in nearly saturate volume as V0 for materials at 25 degrees C. The apparent solubilities of extracts were determined and calculated out according to the section of determination of extract in the appendix of 'Chinese Pharmacopoeia'.

RESULTThe saturate solvent V0 for materials powder were 0.21, 0.31, 0.49, 0.36, 0.77, 0.93, 0.86, 0.92, 1.08, 1.00, 1.14 mL x g(-1), respectively. The apparent solubility of Buyang Huanwu docoction for each solvent system were 114.0, 101.3, 73.40, 109.4, 210.7, 295.0, 501.4, 437.0, 355.6, 423.1, 210.6 g x mL(-1), respectively, among which the max apparent solubility, illustrated as solubility peak, was carried out by methanol-water (68: 32) with 47.5 corresponding to the Buyang Huanwu docoction dielectric requirement.

CONCLUSIONThe apparent solubilities of (TCD) and their formula are controlled by dielectric constant of extraction solvent, and are in accordance with stable dielectric requirement.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Solvents ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo analyze the outcome of psychiatric prevention and therapy program in the community in Huicheng District,Huizhou city.MethodsThe variables of supervision rate,improvement rate,society participation rate,disturbance creating rate of violence,the mean recurrence frequency in one year and hospitalization rate,etc.were observed in psychiatric patients pre-and post initiation of the program as the model of socialization,complexity,accessibility.Results3 years after carrying out the program in Huicheng District of Huizhou city,the supervision rate,improvement rate,society participation rate of psychiatric patients have significantly increased,and the disturbance creating rate of violence,the mean recurrence frequency in one year and hospitalization rate have substantially decreased.ConclusionThe psychiatric prevention and therapy program in the community in Huicheng District,Huizhou city has been shown to be an effective way for psychiatric intervention.