Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; diagnosis ; Myxoma ; etiology

Objective To explore the relationship between the diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) in type 2 diabetic patients to reveal the relationship between macroangiopathy and microangiopathy in diabetic patients further. Methods One hundred and tweenty-three diabetic cases in patient chosen from 2008 to 2009 were divided into diabetic retinopathy group(DR) and non-diabetic retinopathy group(NDR) by fundus examination. The patients were asked about their disease history including durations, smoking and so on. Meanwhile the carotid artery IMT, systolic pressure (SBP), diastolic pressure (DBP), serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin(HbAlc), body mass index(BMI) were measured of all the cases. The incidence of increased carotid artery IMT was cmpared with χ2 test, as well as the average IMT between the two groups, the influencing factors artery IMT was 50.98%(26/51) in DR group, and 33.33%(24/72) in NDR group, having a statistically significant showed the diabetic retinopathy risk factors were smoking(χ2=6.20, P<0.05), duration(t=-4.13, P<0.01). carotid artery IMT(t=-2.21, P<0.05), SBP(t=-2.37, P<0.05), and HDL-cholesterol(t=4.49, all P<0.01). 12.77, all P<0.01), carotid artery 1MT and smoking(χ2=6.05,4.15, all P<0.05). Conclusions Type 2 diabetic patients complicated with DR have a prominent increase in IMT thickening proportion and average IMT, which reveals the relationship between the DR and the IMT.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of huperzine A on cerebral cholinergic system in elderly patients during recovery from general anesthesia.

METHODSThirty elderly patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were randomized in a double-blind manner into group I (n=15) to receive huperzine A (0.3 mg/2 ml) and group II (n=15) with normal saline (2 ml) given intravenously. Huperzine A or normal saline was administered 30 min before completion of the operation, and acetylcholine (Ach) concentration in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of the patients was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD) and the activity of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChE) evaluated with automatic biochemistry analyzer before general anesthesia induction (T1) and 5 h after operation completion (T2).

RESULTSIn both the groups, Ach concentration in the CSF were lower at T2 than that at T1 (P<0.01), and at T2, CSF Ach concentration was significantly higher in group I than in group II (P<0.01); in group I, the activity of CSF ChE at T2 was lower than that at T1 (P<0.01), and also lower than at T2 in group II (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONHuperzine A can inhibit cholinesterase to increase Ach, which has a positive effect on cerebral cholinergic system in elderly patients during recovery from general anesthesia.

Acetylcholine ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Aged ; Alkaloids ; Anesthesia Recovery Period ; Anesthesia, General ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Cholinesterases ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Double-Blind Method ; Electrochemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Sesquiterpenes ; therapeutic use

PCR method was used to introduce the code sequence of Factor Xa cleavage site to the 5′ end of cecropin CMIV mutant gene X, then the gene was cloned into the expression vector pGEX-KG, and was highly expressed in E. coli BL21 by IPTG induction. The fusion protein was purified by affinity-chromatography and was cleaved by Factor Xa. Cecropin X with antibacterial activity was obtained after purified by ion-exchange chromatography.

The prokaryotic expression plasmid pET-30a(+)/sBLyS was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21 (lambda DE3). The recombinant protein was found to be highly expressed by the plight of soluble part and inclusion body. For the sake of enhancing the proportion of the soluble part, inducement at 16 degrees C for 12 h was ascertained. The expressing product was then purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography gel. PI of the recombinant human sBLyS(rhsBLyS) is about 7.1-7.3 and it assembles into a homotrimer. The effect of rhsBLyS on B lymphocytes by MTT method told us the B lymphocytes' proliferating capacity dose depended on concentration and also stimulating time of the rhsBLys. With rhsBLyS(2 micrograms/mL) stimulating 3 days, B lymphocytes can proliferate the most.
B-Cell Activating Factor ; B-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Humans ; Isoelectric Point ; Lymphocyte Activation ; drug effects ; Membrane Proteins ; biosynthesis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Temperature ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical application characteristics of sural neurocutaneous island flaps.

METHODSSural neurocutaneous island flaps were used to repair the skin defect accompanied bone and tendon exposure in the lower leg, around the ankle and foot in 21 cases, including 4 cases to repair the foreside of the foot back . Direct flap was used in 5 cases and reverse flap in 16 cases. Meanwhile the coverage and formation of sural nerve were surveyed together with the starting point of peroneal perforator.

RESULTSAll the 21 sural flaps were survived, including sural nerve (18 cases) anastomose 12 cases, single trunk 4 cases, double trunk 2 cases. The anastomose site of medial sural cutaneous nerve and the communicating branch of lateral sural cutaneous nerve was at the point of 11 - 14 cm above the ankle in 12 cases. The lower was the anastomose site, the shorter was the sural nerve. The site is 4 - 7 cm above the ankle in 15 out of 18 sural nerve perforator branch cases, and the other 3 cases is 10, 11, 11.5 cm above the ankle respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSural neurocutaneous island flaps are easy to separate. Major arteries are not injured. It is the ideal flap to repair the skin defect accompanied by bone and tendon exposure in lower leg, around ankle and foot. The nerve must be anastomosed when repairing the heel.

Adult ; Aged ; Arteries ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin Transplantation ; Sural Nerve ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; innervation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the distribution characteristics of the types of M protein gene (emm) in group A streptococcus (GAS) isolated from children in Beijing in the year 2011.

METHODSDuring May to July in 2011, a total of 3315 patients who were diagnosed scarlet fever or pharyngeal infection by doctors in pediatric outpatient and emergency units of 36 hospitals, were selected as subjects. Their throat swab samples were collected and isolated the strains of GAS. Gene emm was then amplified and sequenced by PCR method, and the differences in types of gene emm between different populations and diseases were compared.

RESULTSA total of 633 strains of GAS were isolated from the 3315 throat swab samples, 610 strains out of which were gene emm positive and were recruited in the study. Out of the 610 recruited strains, 448 (73.4%) were isolated from scarlet fever patients, the other 162 (26.6%) were isolated from pharyngeal infection patients; 397 (65.1%) were from urban, the other 213 (34.9%) were from suburb; 240 (39.4%) were from patients aging between 1 - 5 years old, the other 369(60.6%) were from patients aging 6 - 18 years old. A total of 8 types of gene emm (scarlet fever: 6 types, pharyngeal infection: 4 types) and 21 subtypes of gene emn (scarlet fever: 16 subtypes, pharyngeal infection: 10 subtypes) were identified. Three new subtypes were found in the study, naming emm1.63, emm12.62 and st5144.20. Among them, emm1.63 was found both in scarlet fever and pharyngeal infection patients, while emm12.62 and st5144. 20 were only found in pharyngeal infection patients. Among all the types of gene-emm, emm12 accounted for the highest percentage as 80.5% (491/610) and then followed by emm1 (18.0% (110/610)). Among all the subtypes, the dominant subtype was emm12.00, accounting for 69.0% (421/610), following by emm1.00 (16.9% (103/610)) and emm12.19 (6.1% (37/610)). All the above types and subtypes of gene emm were the most prevalent strains in scarlet fever patients and pharyngeal infection patients. Significant differences in the distribution of prevalent strains were observed among various aging patients and regions. The constituent ratios of emm1, emm1.00 and emm12.19 were higher in patients from suburb (emm1: 22.1% (47/213), emm1.00: 19.2% (40/213), emm12.19: 8.0% (17/213)) than those in urban areas (emm1: 15.9% (63/397), emm1.00: 15.6% (62/397), emm12.19: 5.0% (20/397)). The difference showed statistical significance (P < 0.05). The constituent ratio of emm1.00 was higher among patients aging 6-18 years old (19.2% (71/369)) than those aging 1 - 5 years old (13.3% (32/240)). The difference also showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 8.45, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAmong the types of gene emm in GAS isolated from children in Beijing in year 2011, the most prevalent two were emm12 and emm1, and the most prevalent emm subtypes were emm12.00, emm1.00 and emm12.19. A significant difference in their distribution between various aging patients and isolated places can be obviously found.

Adolescent ; Antigens, Bacterial ; classification ; genetics ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; classification ; genetics ; Carrier Proteins ; classification ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Genes, Bacterial ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Streptococcus pyogenes ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of huperzine A on the cognitive function of rats recovering from general anesthesia and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODSSixty rats (20 to 23 weeks old) were subjected to spatial reference memory version of navigation task, in which the rats were expected to locate the escape platform in water. Two sessions of training were given daily for 5 days, and on the 5th day, the escape latencies of the rats were recorded. The rats were then divided randomly into 5 groups (n=12), and in 4 of the groups, the rats received an intraperitoneal injection of diprivan (Dip) at 2 mg/kg and after recovery of righting reflex, huperzine A was given at 0.05 mg/kg (group L), 0.1 mg/kg (group M), 0.2 mg/kg (group H), and in group C, no subsequent huperzine A was given; in group E, the rats received normal saline injection only. One hour after righting reflex recovery, the escape latencies of all the rats were recorded again, and the level of AChE expression in the forebrain cortex was measured quantitatively.

RESULTSThe escape latencies after righting reflex recovery was significantly longer than that on day 5 (P<0.05), and the rats in group H had the shortest escape latency among the groups (P<0.05). The average gray scale of AChE in the forebrain of rats in group H was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONHuperzine A can inhibit cholinesterase in the brain to improve the cognitive function of rats recovering from general anesthesia.

Alkaloids ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Propofol ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sesquiterpenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between apolipoprotein e4 allele and emergence agitation (EA) in patients undergoing general anesthesia.

METHODSA nested cohort study was conducted in elderly patients (over 60 years old) scheduled for major abdominal surgery requiring general anesthesia. A structured interview was conducted in PACU to determine EA, defined using the Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS). Blood samples were obtained for measurement of the apolipoprotein genotypes.

RESULTSOf the 196 patients studied, 22.4% developed EA. Thirty-eight patients (19.4%) had the apolipoprotein e4 allele. The presence of the e4 allele and low level of education were both associated with an increased risk of EA (36.9% vs15.8%, P=0.005; 30% vs 14.3%, P=0.01). After adjustment for covariates, the patients with the copy of e4 allele were shown to have a greater likeliness of an increased risk of EA (odds ratio: 4.32; 95% CI: 1.75-10.05) than those without the e4 allele.

CONCLUSIONApolipoprotein e4 carrier status is associated with an increased risk for EA.

Abdomen ; surgery ; Aged ; Alleles ; Anesthesia Recovery Period ; Anesthesia, General ; adverse effects ; methods ; Apolipoprotein E4 ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psychomotor Agitation ; etiology ; genetics ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical symptoms and potential mutation in FGFR3 gene for a family featuring hereditary dwarfism in order to attain diagnosis and provide prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSFive patients and two unaffected relatives from the family, in addition with 100 healthy controls, were recruited. Genome DNA was extracted. Exons 10 and 13 of the FGFR3 gene were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were sequenced in both directions.

RESULTSAll patients had similar features including short stature, short limbs, lumbar hyperlordosis but normal craniofacial features. A heterozygous mutation G1620T (N540K) was identified in the cDNA from all patients but not in the unaffected relatives and 100 control subjects. A heterozygous G380R mutation was excluded.

CONCLUSIONThe hereditary dwarfism featured by this family has been caused by hypochondroplasia (HCH) due to a N540K mutation in the FGFR3 gene.

Base Sequence ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Dwarfism ; genetics ; Exons ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 ; genetics