Objective To study the clinical values of positron emission tomography(PET)in pre-term and term newborn infants through observing neonatal brain by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose(18F-FDG)PET.Methods The brain by 18F-FDG PET in 11 term and 7 pre-term newborn infants after administration of 0.1 mCi /kg 18F-FDG were observed.There were 11 males and 7 females,who were normal by brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.Results The brain 18F-FDG PET image in pre-term and term newborn infants was relatively high in thalamus,and relatively low in cerebral cortex,whereas the total brain was different with adults.Especially in the area of cerebral cortex,the uptake of glucose was relatively higher,and the structure of brain 18F-FDG image was more clear in term infants than that in pre-term infants.Conclusion Neonatal brain picture by 18F-FDG PET is a new tool for predicting the brain function,and its clinical values need further investigating.

Objective To explore the changes of positron emission tomography(PET)in newborn infants with HIE through 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose(18F-FDG)and it's significance.Methods Eleven healthy newborn infants and 8 newborn infants with HIE were selected.Among the healthy newborns,7 cases were male and 4 cases were female,and the mean birth-weight was(3 350?620)g,the gestational age was(37.9?1.3)weeks.Among the HIE neonates,5 cases were male and 3 cases were female,and the mean birth weight was(3 180?390)g,the gestational age was(37.1?2.4)weeks.There were no significant differences of sex and gestational age between the 2 groups.The examination time was form 3 to 21 d,and the mean age was(8.7?3.9)d.PET of the children in 2 groups were observed after 0.1 mCi/kg 18F-FDG injected 30 min.Results The brain 18F-FDG PET image in newborn infants was relatively high in thalamus,and relatively low in cerebral cortex,whereas the total brain was different with that of the adults,and that was not as clear as that of adults.Especially in the area of cerebral cortex,the uptake of glucose was relatively higher.The structure of brain 18F-FDG image was significantly changed in newborn infants with HIE,especially increased in the areas of peripheral ventricle and hypophloeodal cerebral white matter,and there was a remarkably bilateral asymmetry.Conclusions Neonatal brain picture by 18F-FDG PET is a new tool for predicting the brain function,and its clinical values need further investigating.

Phage display technology has been developed as a powerful tool for selecting polypeptides or proteins with desired biological and physicochemical properties from huge random peptide libraries.Fragments of foreign peptides or proteins that are expressed as fused proteins displayed on the phage surface can keep their relatively independent spatial structure and biological activity,so that they can interact with their ligands to mimic selection of specific molecular epitopes,thus providing an efficient high-throughput screening system.Phage display has been used to allow rapid identification of peptide ligands for a variety of target molecules by an in vitro selection process called "panning".Phage display techniques can be widely exploited to construct tumor-associated antibody libraries,select polypeptides tumor-associated antigen,investigate antigen epitope and design vaccines and medicine,and are used especially as a tool for the diagnosis and treatment of tumor,gene therapy and tumor cell signal transduction research.Recent applications and advanced developments of phage display in cancer research are discussed in this article for the further reference to investigators.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of mercury (Hg) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with chronic mercury poisoning and elucidate the neurotoxic mechanism of mercury.

METHODSNine patients with chronic mercury poisoning (poisoning group) as well as eight patients without exposure to mercury were included in this study. Mercury concentrations of 24 hour urine (U-Hg) and CSF (CSF-Hg) were measured with cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry-alkali stannous chloride method. The concentration of blood (B-Hg) at the same day was measured with cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry-acidic stannous chloride method. In five patients of poisoning group, these concentrations before chelation therapy were compared with those after chelation therapy.

RESULTSThe levels of B-Hg, U-Hg, and CSF-Hg in poisoning group (250.00 +/- 48.54, 160.07 +/- 91.15, 20.22 +/- 10.21 nmol/L, respectively) were significantly higher than those in control group (81.04 +/- 63.01, 24.73 +/- 9.96 nmol/L, undetectable, respectively; P < 0.01). In nine patients of poisoning group, CSF-Hg concentrations were correlated with B-Hg (r = 0.675, P < 0.05), but not U-Hg. After chelation therapy with dimercaptopropane sulfonate in five patients of poisoning group, the levels of B-Hg, U-Hg, and CSF-Hg were decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The reduction of CSF-Hg was not related with B-Hg and U-Hg.

CONCLUSIONCSF-Hg concentration in chronic mercury poisoning patient is increased with the rise of B-Hg, but not U-Hg. When the levels of B-Hg and U-Hg drop to normal, the CSF-Hg level is still high enough to be detected. It indicates that mercury is combined with protein after entering brain and this complex is difficult to cross through blood-cerebral barrier. The complex may cause neuromuscular disorder and fremitus in chronic mercury poisoning.

Adult ; Antidotes ; therapeutic use ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mercury ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Mercury Poisoning ; cerebrospinal fluid ; drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; Unithiol ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVEThis research aimed to explore the application of ARIMA model of time series analysis in predicting influenza incidence and early warning in Jiangsu province and to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of influenza epidemic.

METHODSThe database was created based on the data collected from monitoring sites in Jiangsu province from October 2005 to February 2010. The ARIMA model was constructed based on the number of weekly influenza-like illness (ILI) cases. Then the achieved ARIMA model was used to predict the number of influenza-like illness cases of March and April in 2010.

RESULTSThe ARIMA model of the influenza-like illness cases was (1 + 0.785B(2))(1-B) ln X(t) = (1 + 0.622B(2))ε(t). Here B stands for back shift operator, t stands for time, X(t) stands for the number of weekly ILI cases and ε(t) stands for random error. The residual error with 16 lags was white noise and the Ljung-Box test statistic for the model was 5.087, giving a P-value of 0.995. The model fitted the data well. True values of influenza-like illness cases from March 2010 to April 2010 were within 95%CI of predicted values obtained from present model.

CONCLUSIONThe ARIMA model fits the trend of influenza-like illness in Jiangsu province.

Humans ; Influenza, Human ; prevention & control ; Models, Statistical ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to assess the clinical significance of intrahepatic hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) (+) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS200 CHB patients were prospectively studied using fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR), combined PCR with fluorescence probe hybridization technique, to determine serum HBV DNA. Serum HBeAg was measured quantitatively. Liver biopsies were performed and immunohistochemistry stained liver slides were examined in all the cases. Correlation analyses were performed.

RESULTSBased on the HBV DNA levels, the patients were divided into 5 groups: group A (<3 log10 copies/ml) n=20, group B (>or=3 log10 copies/ml-<5 log10 copies/ml) n=13, group C (>or=5 log10 copies/ml-<6 log10 copies/ml) n=24, group D (>or=6 log10 copies/ml-<8 log10 copies/ml) n=116, and group E (>or=8 log10 copies/ml) n=27, and 87.5% of the CHB patients were intrahepatic HBcAg (+). The rate of HBcAg (+) was 55.0% (11/20) in group A, 53.8% (7/13) in group B, 75.0% (19/24) in group C, 96.6% (112/116) in group D, and 100% (27/27) in group E. A strong correlation was found between the rate of HBcAg (+) and the level of serum HBV DNA (r=0.80). This type of association also appeared between serum HBV DNA levels and HBeAg (+) (r=0.47). Of 20 CHB patients who were serum HBV DNA negative, 25% (5) were HBeAg (+), and 55% (11) were HBcAg (+), whereas 15 patients were both HBV DNA (-) and HBeAg (-), and 46.7% (7) were HBcAg (+).

CONCLUSIONSIntrahepatic HBcAg (+) in CHB patients might be more reliable in reflecting HBV replication. Determination of HBcAg (+) may have clinical significance for evaluating the efficacy of antiviral therapy and for predicting the therapeutic responses to different antiviral agents.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; analysis ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Liver ; virology ; Male ; Virus Replication ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical features and SLC25A13 gene mutations of a child with citrin deficiency complicated with purpura, convulsive seizures and methioninemia.

METHODSThe patient was subjected to physical examination and routine laboratory tests. Blood amino acids and acylcarnitines, and urine organic acids and galactose were analyzed respectively with tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. SLC25A13 gene mutation screening was conducted by high resolution melt (HRM) analysis.

RESULTSThe petechiae on the patient's face and platelet count (27×10(9)/L, reference range 100×10(9)/L-300×10(9)/L) supported the diagnosis of immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Laboratory tests found that the patient have abnormal coagulation, cardiac enzyme, liver function and liver enzymes dysfunction. Tandem mass spectrometry also found methionine to be increased (286 μmol/L, reference ranges 8-35 μmol/L). The patient did not manifest any galactosemia, citrullinemia and tyrosinemia. Analysis of SLC25A13 gene mutation found that the patient has carried IVS16ins3kb, in addition with abnormal HRM result for exon 6. Direct sequencing of exon 6 revealed a novel mutation c.495delA. The same mutation was not detected in 100 unrelated healthy controls. Further analysis of her family has confirmed that the c.495delA mutation has derived from her farther, and that the IVS16ins3kb was derived from her mother.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical features and metabolic spectrum of citrin deficiency can be variable. The poor prognosis and severity of clinical symptoms of the patient may be attributed to the novel c.495delA mutation.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; genetics ; pathology ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; deficiency ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; methods ; Female ; Glycine N-Methyltransferase ; deficiency ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Organic Anion Transporters ; deficiency ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Purpura ; genetics ; pathology ; Seizures ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether phenotypic modulation of bladder smooth muscle occurs in diabetic rats.

METHODSThirty-two male SD rats were randomly assigned into diabetic group and control group. Diabetic rat models were established by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Nine weeks later, the bladder tissues of the rats were examined for structural changes using HE and Masson's trichrome staining , and the expressions of myocardin, α-SMA, and SMMHC in bladder smooth muscles were detected with RT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the diabetic rats showed obvious polydipsia and polyuria with significantly increased collagenous fibers and lowered expressions of myocardin, α-SMA, and SMMHC in the bladder tissue (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONs In rats at 9 weeks after diabetic model establishment, phenotypic transition of the bladder smooth muscles occurs to cause bladder contractile dysfunction, which may play an important role in the pathology of diabetic bladder dysfunction.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; physiopathology ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscle, Smooth ; physiopathology ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; metabolism ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Phenotype ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism ; Urinary Bladder ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo review clinical features of four male patients with glutaric academia type I and screen glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) gene mutations.

METHODSThe 4 patients underwent brain computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses. Blood acylcarnitine and urine organic acid were analyzed with tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. The 11 exons and flanking sequences of GCDH gene were amplified with PCR and subjected to direct DNA sequencing.

RESULTSAll patients have manifested macrocephaly, with head circumference measured 50 cm (14 months), 47 cm (9 months), 46 cm (5 months) and 51 cm (14 months), respectively. Imaging analyses also revealed dilation of Sylvian fissure and lateral ventricles, frontotemporal atrophy, subarachnoid space enlargement and cerebellar vermis abnormalities. All patients had elevated glutarylcarnitine (5.8 umol/L, 7.5 umol/L, 8.3 umol/L and 7.9 umol/L, respectively) and high urinary excretion of glutaric acid. Seven mutations were identified among the patients, among which c.146_149del4, IVS6-4_Ex7+4del8, c.508A>G (p.K170E), c.797T>C (p.M266T) and c.420del10 were first discovered.

CONCLUSIONMacrocephaly and neurological impairment are the most prominent features of glutaric academia type I. Blood tandem mass spectrometry and urine gas chromatographic mass spectrometry analysis can facilitate the diagnosis. The results can be confirmed by analysis of GCDH gene mutations.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Brain Diseases, Metabolic ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glutaryl-CoA Dehydrogenase ; deficiency ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Sequence Alignment

OBJECTIVETo investigate the gene mutation frequencies and patterns of β-thalassemia (β-thal) in the minority populations of Guizhou province.

METHODSThree thousand and five hundred couples in the reproductive age were screened by using automatic hemocyte analyzer and hemoglobin autoanalyzer-variant. The diagnostic criteria for β-thal were: the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was ≤ 82 fl, and the HbA(2) level was ≥ 3.5%. A total of 194 positive samples were detected and further identified by PCR-reverse dot blot (PCR-RDB) assay for 18 common β -thal mutations in Chinese population. Those subjects with positive phenotypes but without the 18 common β-thal mutations were subjected to DNA sequence analysis of the β-globin gene.

RESULTSOne hundred and eighty-nine samples with gene mutations were observed from the 3500 samples, with the incidence of β-thal being 5.4%. A total of 10 different β-thal mutations were identified from the 189 diagnosed samples. The five most common mutations were as the following: CD17 (43.9%), CD41-42 (38.6%), IVS-II-654(10.1%), -28 (2.6%) and CD71-72 (1.6%). In addition, a novel β-globin gene mutation (-CD53) allele was detected. One rare mutation of IntM was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe minority population in Guizhou province is of high risk of β-thal. It is recommended that more attention should be paid to detect the carriers of β-thal in the population in reproductive age by hematologic screening and common gene diagnosis in the area with high risk of β-thal.

Adult ; Base Sequence ; China ; ethnology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Young Adult ; beta-Globins ; genetics ; beta-Thalassemia ; genetics