Objective: Our purpose was to understand the effect of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) in pathogenesis and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods: Serum TGF-β was measured with enzyme-linked immunosersorbent assay(ELISA). Results: The serum level of TGF-β in diabetic patients with no DN was not different from that in normal persons(12.7±5.0 pg/ml, 12.6±4.4 pg/ml, P >0.05). Serum TGF-β level in DN patients with urinary albumin clearance (20 to 200 μg/min，not include 200) was significantly higher than that in diabetic patients with no DN (65.3±13.0 pg/ml, 12.7±5.0 pg/ml, P<0.01). Serum level of TGF-β in DN patients with urinary albumin clearance (≥200 μg/min) was significantly higher than that in the patients with trace urinary albumin （136.4±21.4 pg/ml, 65.3±13.0 pg/ml, P<0.01）, and serum level of TGF-β was positively correlated with urinary albumin clearance. Conclusion: The serum level of TGF-β has increased in early stage of DN. With the development of DN, the serum level of TGF-β significantly increased. The alteration of serum level of TGF-β was positively correlated with urinary albumin clearance. So TGF-β play a very important role in pathogenesis and development of diabetic nephropathy. We can regard serum level of TGF-β as a diagnostic target of DN in early stage.

AlM:To study and investigate the change situation of trace elements and body comprehensive immune state of patients with viral keratitis.METHODS:Sixty-two patients with viral keratitis in our hospital from December 2011 to February 2014 were selected as observation group, 62 healthy persons with health education at the same time were the control group, then the serum and tear Zn, Cu, cellular immunity and erythrocyte immunity of two groups were compared, and the detection results of observation group with different types and severity degree were compared.RESULTS:The serum and tear Zn of observation group was all lower than that in control group, serum and tear Cu was higher than that in control group, cellular immunity and erythrocyte immunity indexes were all worse than that in control group, the detection results of observation group with mild, moderate and severe infection had significant differences (P<0. 05), while the detection results of observation group with herpes simplex keratitis and herpes zoster keratitis had no significant differences (P>0. 05).CONCLUSlON: The change of trace elements and body comprehensive immune state of patients with viral keratitis are obvious, and the severity degree for the detection levels of keratitis are greater.

Objective To detect mutations in the OSMR gene in 2 Chinese families with familial primary cutaneous amyloidosis (FPCA),and to analyze their relationship with clinical manifestations.Methods Clinical data were collected from 2 families with FPCA,and genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples.PCR was performed to amplify 18 exons and their flanking sequences of the OSMR gene followed by DNA sequencing in 2 probands and their family members.One hundred healthy individuals served as controls.Results In the first family,a heterozygous mutation (c.2081C ＞ T) in exon 15 of the OSMR gene,which leads to a codon change at amino acid position 694 (p.P694L),was identified in the proband,as well as in the other 4 patients.In the second family,a heterozygous mutation (c.1538G ＞A) in exon 11 of the OSMR gene,which causes a codon change at amino acid position 513 (p.G513D),was identified in the other proband and her mother,suggesting the cosegregation of the gene mutation with the disease.None of the above mutations were detected in the healthy family members or controls.Conclusion The heterozygous mutations p.P694L and p.G513D in the OSMR gene may be associated with primary cutaneous amyloidosis.

Objective To explore the extent of axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes.Methods In this series,95 patients underwent complete axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) following positive sentinel lymph nodes identified and 97 patients underwent partial axillary lymph node dissection (PALND) at the absence of positive sentinel lymph nodes.The influence of different extent of axillary lymph node dissection was evaluated.Results The positive rate of level(Ⅰ + Ⅱ) non-sentinel lymph nodes (NSLN) and level Ⅲ lymph nodes was 68.4％ and 29.5％,respectively,in CALND group.In PALND situation,57.9％ CALND cases would have changed pathologic stage from pN1 to pN2 or pN3.But with level Ⅲ lymph node dissection followed PALND,only 2.1％ cases had changed pathologic stage from pN2 to pN3.Multivariate logistic regression showed that the number of positive SLNs (OR =2.157) and positive rate of SLNs (OR =10.374) were risk factors for having positive level Ⅲ lymph nodes.CALND needed longer operation time and larger postoperative drainage volume.Conclusions In cases of breast cancer with ≥ 3 positive sentinel lymph nodes,complete axillary lymph node dissection should be considered.

Objective To explore the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in blood plasma and its relation with the behavior ofchildren with autism. Methods High performance liquid chromatography was used to measure the level of free PUFAs of blood plasma in30 autistic children and 20 healthy children. Conner's Parent Rating Scale (parents) and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) RatingScale were used to evaluate the behavior of the children, and the relationship between the PUFAs level and abnormal behavior in the childrenwas also analyzed. Results The level of α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexenoic acid (DHA) and total n-3 PUFAs were lower in autisticchildren than in healthy children (P<0.05), especially lower in DHA (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in n-3 PUFAs betweentwo groups (P>0.05); There were negatively correlations between the level of DHA and total n-3 PUFAs in blood plasma and impulsion-hyperactivity,hyperactivity index, learning, anxiety, stereotypic behavior, self-injurious behavior, compulsions, ritualistic behavior and samenessbehavior. Conclusion The level of n-3 PUFAs in blood plasma of autistic children was lower than the healthy children and the level ofPUFAs were correlated with the behavior of autistic children.

Objective To explore the relationship between gastric juice pH and hospital-acquired pneumonia ( HAP) , the gastric bacterial colonization and etiology of HAP in neurologic intensive care unit patients by monitoring gastric juice pH value.Methods From October 2014 to May 2015, consecutive seventy-two tube feeding patients admitted in the Department of Neurology Intensive Care Unit in Xijing Hospital were enrolled in this research.The type and concentration of pathogens from gastric contents were collected, while samples from upper respiratory tract and pharynx were detected dynamically at the same time.Results (1)The group with new onset HAP was higher in gastric juice pH (6.4(5.4,6.4) vs 5.4 (2.5, 6.4), Z=-2.37, P=0.01); (2) The isolation rate of colonized bacteria in gastric cavity was associated with the pH of gastric juice , achieving 60.8% ( 42/69 ) in HAP group; ( 3 ) When the gastric juice pH was >4, the isolation rate of Gram-negative bacilli in gastric cavity obviously increased (63.6%(28/44) vs 35.7%(10/28),χ2 =5.323, P=0.021); (4)The same pathogens were found in stomach-pharynx-upper respiratory tract in 7 cases ( 17.5%) of the total 40 HAP patients.Conclusion Increased gastric juice pH was associated with gastric colonization , especially Gram-negative bacilli , and may lead to a higher incidence of new onset HAP in patients on enteral feeding.

To establish a molecular identification method for Bletillae Rhizoma, this paper extracted genome DNA from Bletillae Rhizoma and its adulterants. The sequences of rDNA ITS2 were sequenced after amplifying. Then multiple alignments of ITS2 were constructed phylogenetic tree with Neighbor Joining by MEGA 5. 1 and found out SNPs loci. The result showed that rDNA ITS2 region could identify Bletillae Rhizoma and its adulterants. There existed the SNPs loci, which could identify Bletilla striata and B. ochracea. Furthermore, we designed specific primers against the SNPs loci of B. striata and B. ochracea, then screened primers and optimized the PCR amplification conditions. Finally, the DNA of B. striata and B. ochracea were specifically amplified by BJ59-412F, BJ59-412R and HHBJ-225R. The length of amplification products were respectively about 350 bp and 520 bp that were effectively identified of B. striata and B. ochracea. While, the adulterants of Bletillae Rhizoma were no-reaction occurring. To sum up, the amplification conditions of the primers can identify B. striata, B. ochracea and their adulterants successfully at the same time. This method was easy, time-saving, and reliable, which can be used as a rapid method for molecular identification of Bletillae Rhizoma.
Base Sequence ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; DNA, Intergenic ; genetics ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Orchidaceae ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Rhizome ; classification ; genetics

Objective To determine the effect of iron deficiency on hemoglobin A2(HbA2) expression in patients with β-thalassemia.Methods The participants were recruited from the out-patient clinics of the Pediatrics Department and Obstetrics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College and from some β-thalassemia major families.Blood samples from the participants were used for blood smear tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis and to analyze serum ferritin (SF),3 alpha-globin gene deletions,and 17 beta-globin point mutations.Results Of the 408 individuals,304 were assigned to group A (normal controls),26 to group B (iron deficiency),56 to group C (β-thalassemia),and 22 to group D (β-thalassemia combined with iron deficiency). The results for the comparison of the mean HbA2 values among pairs of groups were as follows: group A vs group B,q=5.074 7,P<0.05; group A vs group C,q=37.650 8,P<0.05; group A vs group D,q=16.043 0,P<0.05;group C vs group D,q=7.682 9,P<0.05; Group B vs group D,q=15.806 6,P<0.05. There were no significant correlation between SF and HbA2 in all 4 groups.Conclusions Iron deficiency decreased the HbA2 level in both controls and individuals with β-thalassemia. HbA2 levels decreased significantly in individuals with both β-thalassemia and iron deficiency as compared with β-thalassemia group alone. However,they remained significantly higher than both the control and iron-deficient groups. Therefore,the elevation of HbA2 could be used to diagnose β-thalassemia reliably even in the presence of iron deficiency.

Objective To explore the characteristics of calf muscle movement of the normal volunteer in vivo by velocity encoded phase contrast MRI (VE-PC MRI ).MethodsTwenty four healthy subjects were divided into the young group (30-40 years) and the elderly group (60—78 years).All subjects were positioned on the scanner table and did ankles flexion-extension voluntary movement,the moving images of tibialis anterior muscles (TA),medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus muscle (SOL)on the left were scanned with VE-PC MRI.The calf muscles contraction velocity were analyzed by software.The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of calf muscles contraction velocity in vivo between the young group and the elderly group. Results During cyclic ankle flexion-extension,dorsiflexion phase (1—10 phases)in the two groups,TA showed concentric contraction,plantar flexion phase (11—20 phases),MG and SOL did concentric contraction. At 3-6 phases during dorsiflexion,velocity of TA (M value:-37.66,-53.00, -60.66, -56.00 mm/s) in the young group is higher than in the elderly group (M-value:- 30.33, - 42.49, - 53.00, - 48.67 mm/s),at 13—15 phases during plantar flexion,velocity of MG (M-value:- 47.66, - 60.00, - 66.33 mm/s) in the young group showed higher velocity than in the elderly group (M-value:-25.17,-37.99,-50.98 mm/s),at 12—14 phases during plantarflexion,SOL showed higher velocity in the young group (M-value:-27.21, -40.10, -49.13 mm/s) than in the elderly group (M-value:- 20.66,- 29.61,- 37.16 mm/s) ( all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions During active ankle cyclic flexion-extension movement,velocity of TA,MG and SOL in the elderly group are decreased as compared to the young group. VE-PC MRI can reflect biomechanical characteristics of calf muscle in vivo,and provide a new kind of measurement for lower extremities.

Objective To assess the effects of rehabilitation training on lower extremity muscle function in stroke patients using velocity-encoded phase-contrast MRI ( VE-PC MRI). Methods Twenty-nine stroke patients at the convalescence stage were divided into a treatment group (14 cases) and a control group (13 cases).The subjects performed calf muscles stretches supine in a scanner bed with voluntary ankle flexion-extension movements.Imaging data were collected from the tibialis anterior muscle (TA),the medial head of the gastrocnemius (MG) and the soleus muscle (SOL) of the affected side.The treatment group also underwent rehabilitation including treadmill training,while the control group received only walking training without the treadmill.Barthel index (BI) and Berg balance scale (BBS) scores were measured after rehabilitation. Results Compared with baseline,the contraction velocity of the TA (phases 2 to 7),the MG (phases 12 to 18 ) and the SOL (phases 13 to 16) on the affected side increased significantly in the treatment group.In the control group,the contraction velocity of the calf muscles on the affected side improved,but fewer phases were significant-for the TA phase 4,for the MG phases 13 to 15 and for the SOL phase 15.In both groups,BBS and BI scores improved significantly compared with baseline.The average improvement in the treatment group was significantly greater than that in the control group. Conclusions Rehabilitation including treadmill training can improve calf muscle contraction function on stroke patients' affected side,and also their ADL performance and balance.VE-PC MR1 can provide quantitative in vivo measurements of the contraction function of stroke patients' calf muscles.