Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; pathology

At present, TCM treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is based on the combination of disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation. Therefore, the establishment of IBS-D of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome combined with animal model as a combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine innovation theory has become increasingly concerned about, and gradually become a new direction for the development of TCM experimental animal model. This article reviewed the research progress in IBS-D liver and spleen deficiency syndrome in recent years, discussed the establishment of IBS-D liver stagnation and spleen deficiency animal model and research ideas for the treatment of IBS-D, and provided references for mechanism research of TCM treatment for IBS-D and research and development of new medicine.

Fifty-six patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy(GO)were treated with antithyroid drug and oral prednisone for three months,TSH receptor antibody(TRAb)level was reduced,GO activity and severity of some patients were ameliorated but still positively associated with TRAb.It suggests that TRAb not only triggers off GO but also plays a possible role in the maintenance of the autoimmune process in GO.

OBJECTIVETo investigate changes in serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and their significance in children with left-to-right shunt congenital heart disease (CHD) associated with heart failure (HF).

METHODSTwenty healthy children (control group), 20 children with HF, without basic heart disease (HF group), 20 children with left-to-right shunt CHD, without HF (CHD group), and 30 children with left-to-right shunt CHD associated with HF (CHD+HF group) were included in the study. These groups were compared in terms of serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels. According to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification, the CHD+HF group was further divided into NYHA-II, NYHA-III and NYHA-IV subgroups and the subgroups were compared in terms of serum IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels. The correlation of serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels with serum cTnI level in the CHD+HF group was analyzed.

RESULTSThe CHD group showed decreased serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels compared with the control group (P<0.01). The CHD+HF group showed a significantly decreased serum IGF-1 level compared with the control group (P<0.01) and CHD group (P<0.05). The HF group had significantly increased serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels compared with other groups (P<0.01). The NYHA-II subgroup had the highest serum IGF-1 level and the NYHA-IV subgroup had the lowest serum IGF-1 level (P<0.01). In the CHD+HF group, serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were negatively correlated with serum cTnI level (r=-0.692, P<0.05; r=-0.530, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSerum IGF-1 level can be used as an objective condition evaluation indicator for CHD, and low serum IGF-1 level is a risk factor for HF. This also provides a clinical basis for treatment of HF using exogenous IGF-1.

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; blood ; Heart Failure ; blood ; Humans ; Infant ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; analysis ; Male ; Troponin I ; blood

OBJECTIVE: To obtain regression formula for estimation of stature in Han population in Sichuan Province from length of the upper extremity long bones by digital radiography. METHODS: The statures of 365 healthy adults and digital radiographs of their right upper extremity long bones were measured. All statistical dispositions were done in SPSS including description and regression analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven simple regression and 3 multiple regression formulae with statistic significance in estimation of the stature from the sum of the length of the upper extremity long bones were established. Regression coefficient was higher in ulna than in radius, in male than in female, and was more accurate in multiple regression formulae than in simple regression formulae. CONCLUSION Digital radiograph measurement of the length of the upper extremity long bones seems to be a simple and practical method to estimate human stature in forensic practice.
Adult ; Aged ; Anthropometry ; Asian People ; Body Height ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Humans ; Humerus/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Radius/diagnostic imaging* ; Regression Analysis ; Sex Characteristics ; Ulna/diagnostic imaging* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Relative parameters of upper limb bones, tibia and fibula were measured with computed radiography and used to establish the mathematical models for stature estimation of teenagers (from 14 to 18 years old) of Han population in Sichuan Province. METHODS: The upper limb bones, tibia and fibula of 194 subjects were taken computerized radiography on normal position and were measured the lengths between relative landmarks. The body height of each subject was recorded. Linear regression equations for stature estimation between body height and the lengths of upper limb bones, tibia and fibula were established. RESULTS: Forty-two single linear regression equations and 4 multiple regression equations were obtained. The coefficients of correlation(r) were 0.689-0.917 and the standard errors of estimate(SE) were between 3.075 and 5.485 cm. All of the equations were statistically tested and diagnosed with good applicability. CONCLUSION These equations could be used to estimate the body height of Sichuan Han population aged from 14 to 18. The lengths of the upper limb bones, tibia and fibula measured on the CR films could be useful to stature estimation of the adolescence and the forensic personal identification.
Adolescent ; Arm Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Asian People ; Body Height ; China/ethnology* ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Humans ; Leg Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Models, Theoretical ; Reference Values ; Regression Analysis ; Sex Characteristics ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of losartan on cardiac mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA in rats after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODAMI was induced in male SD rats by ligation of the left coronary artery. The survived rats were randomly divided into AMI group, losartan group, and sham-operated group. The cardiac functions of the rats were assessed by echocardiogram and hemodynamics, and the contents of angiotensin II (Ang II) and aldosterone (Ald) in the myocardial tissues were determined by radioimmunoassay. The collagen density in the myocardial tissues were calculated by Masson's trichrome staining and the expression of MR mRNA were determined by real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR.

RESULTSBoth the contents of AngII and Ald in the myocardial tissues increased significantly in AMI group compared with those in the sham-operated group (P<0.01). The expression of MR mRNA and collagen density in the myocardial tissues also increased significantly than that in sham-operated group (P<0.01). After four weeks of losartan treatment, the contents of AngII and Ald in the myocardial tissues decreased significantly (P<0.05) and the expression of MR mRNA was also considerably lowered (P<0.01) in comparison with those in the AMI group. Treatment with losartan also resulted in significant decrease of the collagen density in the myocardial tissues.

CONCLUSIONSLosartan may reduce reactive fibrosis not only by attenuating the Ald signaling pathway but also by decreasing the expression of MR.

Aldosterone ; metabolism ; Angiotensin II ; metabolism ; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Fibrosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Mineralocorticoid ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDHyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy)-mediated dysfunction of endothelial NO system is an important mechanism for atherosclerotic pathogenesis. Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) is the key enzyme for degrading asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), which is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS). This study was designed to investigate whether the dysfunction of endothelial NO system originates from HHcy-mediated aberrant methylation modification in promotor region of DDAH2 gene.

METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured to the third generation and treated with homocysteine (Hcy) at different concentrations (0, 10, 30, 100, and 300 micromol/L) for 72 hours. The methylation pattern in promoter region CpG island of DDAH2 gene was analyzed by nested methylation-specific PCR (nMSP). The mRNA expression of eNOS gene and DDAH2 gene was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The activity of DDAH2 and eNOS in cells, and the concentrations of ADMA and NO in culture medium were assayed respectively.

RESULTSMild increased concentration of Hcy (10 and 30 micromol/L) induced hypomethylation, while high concentration of Hcy (100 and 300 micromol/L) induced hypermethylation in the promoter CpG island of DDAH2 gene. The mRNA expression of DDAH2 increased in mild enhanced concentration of Hcy, and decreased in high concentration of Hcy correspondingly. The inhibition of DDAH2 activity, the increase of ADMA concentration, the reduction of eNOS activity and the decrease of NO production were all consistently relevant to the alteration of Hcy concentration.

CONCLUSIONThe increased concentration of Hcy induced aberrant methylation pattern in promotor region of DDAH2 gene and the successive alterations in DDAH/ADMA/NOS/NO pathway, which showed highly relevant and dose-effect relationship. The results suggested that the dysfunction of endothelial NO system induced by HHcy could be partially originated from Hcy-mediated aberrant methylation in DDAH2 gene.

Amidohydrolases ; genetics ; Arginine ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA Methylation ; drug effects ; Homocysteine ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; analysis ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; physiology ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical values of basic vital signs in early identification of critical hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD).

METHODSThe clinical data of 358 children with severe HFMD [212 cases in stage 2 (central nervous system involvement) and 146 cases in stage 3 (earlier stage of cardiopulmonary failure, critical type)] were reviewed. The diagnostic values of peak temperature and duration of fever, as well as the heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in different age groups, for critical HFMD (stage 3) were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTSHFMD might progress to critical type in case of HR≥148.5 beats/minutes, RR≥36.5 times/minutes, SBP≥95 mm Hg, and DBP≥59 mm Hg among children aged 0-1 year. HR≥142.5 times/minutes, RR≥31.5 times/mintes, SBP≥103 mm Hg, and DBP≥60.5 mm Hg in children aged 1-2 years had a certain diagnostic value for critical HFMD. HFMD might progress to critical type in case of HR≥139.5 times/minutes, RR≥29.5 times/minutes, and SBP≥103 mm Hg among children≥3 years of age. The sensitivity and specificity of every indicator were higher than 0.517 and 0.769, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for peak temperature was 0.507 (P=0.816, compared with AUC=0.5). When the duration of fever was ≥5.5 days, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.589 and 0.571, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSHR, RR, and BP are good indicators to identify critical HFMD (stage 3) early. The optimal cut-off points conform to the age characteristics of children. DBP in children≥3 years of age, peak temperature, and duration of fever have a low value in early identification of critical HFMD.

Blood Pressure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; ROC Curve ; Respiration

This study was purposed to investigate the expression of B7-H1 gene in leukemia cells and its clinical significance. The expression of B7-H1 mRNA was detected by SYBR Green I real-time quantitative PCR in a panel of 9 leukemia cell lines, 4 leukemia cell lines induced with IFN-γ, the bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) from 59 initial leukemia patients and 10 dendritic cells (DC) derived from BMMNC of initial leukemia patients, 2 solid tumour cell lines and BMMNC from 10 normal persons. The correlation between the clinical features of 59 acute leukemia patients and the expression level of B7-H1 mRNA in leukemia cells was analyzed. The results showed that the lower level of B7-H1 mRNA expression was found in leukemia cell lines and primary acute leukemia cells, but the expression level of B7-H1 mRNA was up-regulated significantly in the leukemia cell lines induced by IFN-γ and DC derived from BMMNC of leukemia patients. The expression level of B7-H1 mRNA in non complete remission (CR) patients after therapy was significantly higher than that in CR patients. It is concluded that the expression level of B7-H1 mRNA in leukemia cells is lower, but is up-regulated when affected by some factors. A correlation exists between the expression level of B7-H1 gene in leukemia cells and response of patients to therapy.
B7-H1 Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cells ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction