Bronchopulmonary dysplasia remains the most common severe complication of preterm in-fants,affecting the quality of life in preterm children seriously. There is no specific or effective treatment availa-ble to date for BPD. Since the aetiopathogenesis of BPD is multifactorial,involving diverse molecular signaling pathways,a variety of biomarkers detected in biological fluids have been proposed for early identification of in-fants predisposed to BPD.

Abstract Objective:To investigate whether mRNA of prolactin(PRL) ,an important immunomodulatory hormone,is expressed in thyroidglands of patients with Graves'disease(GD) .Methods:The expression of PRL mRNA was examined by nonisotopic in situ hybridization in GDthyroid glands and the control ones( including multinodular goiters and samples of normal thyroid tissue adjacent to adenomas) as well as intra-thyroidal mononuclear cells isolated from GD thyroid glands and primary thyroid follicular cell(TFC) cultures derived from them.Results:PRL mRNA was expressed in GD thyroid glands, but not in the control ones. It was localized in infiltrating mononuclear cells and vascular endothelial cells adjacent to mononuclear cell infiltrates, but not in TFC .(9.8?.3)% (x ?s) of intrathyroidal mononuclear cells isolated from GD thy-roid were found containing PRL mRNA.It was absent in the primary TFC cultures. Conclusion:PRL mRNA is expressed in GD thyroid tissue. This indicates that PRL-like substance can be locally produced in GD thyroid tissue, which may play an important role in GD pathogenesis by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms.

Objective To study the effect of shortening the time of initial oral intake and fluid intake after general anesthesia in patients receiving oral and maxillofacial surgery on promotion of postoperative recovery. Methods A total of 116 patients were divided into the control group and the observation group with 58 cases in each group by random digit table from January 2014 to December 2015. Patients in the control group were allowed to take food orally 6 h after they regain analepsia from anesthesia;while those in the observation group were allowed to drink water after 2 h upon analepsia from anesthesia and take liquid food after 4 h. The mis-aspiration, the fasting glucose, blood pressure, heart rate and the rate of hunger, thirst, nausea, vomiting as well as blood pressure and heart rate were observed. Results The rates of hunger, thirst, nausea, vomiting in the observation group were 17.2%(10/58), 5.2%(3/58), 12.1%(7/58), 1.7%(1/58), which were significantly lower than those in the control group, which were 94.8%(55/58), 91.4%(53/58), 36.2%(21/58), 10.3%(6/58), and there were significant differences(χ2=7.484-54.772, all P<0.05). The fasting plasma glucose level in the observation group [(4.93 ± 0.85)mmol/L] was higher than that in the control group [(4.05 ± 0.51)mmol/L],and there was significant difference(t=-7.152, P<0.05). There were significant differences in blood pressure 3 h and 5 h after operation compared with those of the control group(P<0.05). Conclusions Shortening the time of taking food for patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery can relieve uncomfortable symptoms , prevent hypoglycemia and the hemodynamic disturbance after anesthesia and promote recovery,early postoperative feeding should be suggested on the premise that they are fully awake.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the pattern of infarct distribution on diffusion-weight imaging (DWI) and progressive movement deficits (PMD) in patients with infarct in the perforator territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Methods The patients with new infarction in the perforator territory of MCA were analyzed retrospectively. PMD was defined as an increase of at least 2 points on the motor item of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score persisting for at least 24 hours within 5 days of stroke onset. The demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical presentation, and distribution characteristics of the infarcts in the PMD and non-PMD groups were compared. Results A total of 64 patients were enrol ed in the study, including 38 females and 26 males, aged 67. 5 ± 10. 8 years. There were 28 patients in the PMD group and 36 in the non-PMD group. The proportion of the infarcts located in the posterior paraventricular region (67. 8% vs. 25. 0%; χ2 =11. 5, P<0. 05) of the PMD group and the mean baseline NIHSS score (6. 9 ± 1. 8 vs. 4. 3 ± 1. 2; t=2. 42, P<0. 05) were significantly higher than those of the non-PMD group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the posterior paraventricular type infarcts had significantly independently correlation with PMD (odds ratio 6. 31, 95% confidence interval 2. 20-18. 0; P<0. 001). Conclusions The posterior paraventricular type infarcts on DWI can be used as a neuroimaging marker for predicting PMD in patients with infarction in the perforator artery territory of MCA.

BACKGRUND:The high prevalence of hepatitis B virus(HBV) is related with the sexual characteristics in drug abusers.How about the relationship between prevalence of HBV/hepatitis C virus(HCV) co infection and the sexual characteristics in drug abusers? OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship between sexual characteristics and HBV/HCV co infection in drug abusers. DESIGN:A cross sectional survey taking the drug abuser as the subjects. SETTING:A department of clinical laboratory of a municipal hospital,an epidemiological department of the college of public health of a university,a professional drug abuser treatment center. PARTICIPANTS:Totally 452 male and 320 female drug abusers were randomly selected from the Changsha Xinkaipu Drug Abusers Treatment Center and Zhuzhou Baimalong Female Drug Abusers Treatment Center as the subjects from 1st to 31st January 2001. INTERVENTIONS:A self designed questionnaire was used to investigate the sexual characteristics of drug abusers.HBV surface antigen and HCV antibody were detected in the serums of the participants with ELISA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The relationship between HBV/HCV co infection and the sexual behavior, numbers of sexual partners,and the usage of condom in drug abusers. RESULTS:The total prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection in drug abusers was 21.24% ; the prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection in male drug abusers was 29.6% ),which was significantly higher than that in females(9.4% )(χ 2=46.016,P< 0.01).There was no significant difference in the prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection between male and female drug abuser whether they had or had not sexual behaviors(χ 2=3.775,P >0.05).The prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection was in an ascending tendency with the increase of sexual partner(χ 2=9.846,P< 0.05).The using frequency of condom was significantly higher in females than in males(U=14.80,P< 0.01). CONCLUSION:There is no correlation between sexual experience and prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection;male drug abusers have higher prevalence of co infection than females;the number of sexual partners is correlated with the prevalence of HBV/HCV co infection,the more sexual partners,the higher prevalence is.The protective effect of condom is greater in female drug abusers than in males.

Objective To observe the clinical features and to identify γ-secretase gene mutations in a Chinese family with follicular occlusion triad (FOT).Methods Clinical evaluation was carried out in a family with FOT through field investigation.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the family members and 100 unrelated healthy controls.DNA was extracted from the blood samples,and PCR was performed to amplify all the coding regions of PSEN1,PSENEN and NCSTN genes followed by DNA sequencing and comparative analysis.Results There were 14 members over 3 generations in this family,of whom,6 (4 males and 2 females) were affected by FOT.FOT was inherited in an autosomal dominant manner in this family.Clinical manifestations varied greatly among the 4 surviving affected members.DNA sequencing revealed a novel missense mutation,c.647A ＞ C (p.Q216P),in the exon 6 of NCSTN gene in the proband,which was cosegregated perfectly with affected,but not with unaffected,members in the family.The mutation was not found in any of the unrelated controls and had not been registered in the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) database in NCBI.Conclusions There is a novel heterozygous missense mutation,c.647A＞C in the exon 6 of NCSTN gene,which may be the molecular basis of pathogenesis of FOT in this family.

[Objective] This study was designed to determine Th1, Th2 cell numbers and investigate T-bet mRNA, GATA-3 mRNA expression of spleen MNC in a mufine asthmatic model which intended to understand effect of airway T-bet plasmid gene transfer on Th differentiation. [ Methods] A mouse asthmatic model was established by sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). Thirty-two C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (8 mice in each group): the normal control group (group A ), the asthmatic model group (group B), the pcDNA3 plasmid group (group C), the pcDNA3-T-bet group (group D). All animals were sensitized and challenged with OVA, except group A normal saline was applied. The group C was intranasally administered 50 μg pcDNA3 plasmid at 24 h before intranasal challenges, and the 50 μg pcDNA3-T-bet plasmid for the mice of group D. We investigated Th1 and Th2 cell numbers by FACS and T-bet, GATA-3mRNA expression of spleen mononuclear cells (MNC) by semi-quantitative PCR in the four groups. [Result] Th1 percent in spleen MNC of pcDNA3-T-bet treated mice was significantly increased ([2.29±1.551% vs. [1.93±1.141%, P<0.05), while Th2 percent was significantly decreased ([0.93±0.64]% vs. [1.63±0.59]%), compared with that of the asthmatic control group mice by FACS. Spleen MNC was detected a high level of T-bet mRNA expression (0.53±0.027 vs. 0.28±0.035, P<0.05) and a low level of GATA-3 mRNA expression (0.24±0.022 vs. 0.58±0.038, P<0.05) after pcDNA3-T-bet treatment by RT-PCR. There was no significant change between the pcDNA3 plasmid group and the asthmatic model group. [Conclusion] The intranasal transfer of pcDNA3-T-bet plasmid was effective in modulating the imbalance of Th1/Th2 in mice asthma model, which provides a novel therapeutic strategy for transferring transcriptional factor in allergic asthma.

AIM: To investigate the regulatory function of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on T helper 17 cells (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood of severe asthmatic children . METHODS:MSCs were isolated , cultured and identified in vitro.MSCs digested with mitomycin were cocultured with T lymphocytes (TLC) at different ratios (1∶1, 1∶2, 1∶10 and 1∶20) from severe asthmatic children for 72 h.The prolifera-tion of TLC was measured by CCK-8 method.In the coculture system of the 1∶2 ratio and the single TLC system , the super-natant levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) were measured by ELISA.The mRNA expression of retinoic acid-related orphan nuclear receptor C (RORC) and forkhead box protein 3 (Foxp3) in TLC was de-tected by qRT-PCR.RESULTS:After cocultured with MSCs , the proliferation of TLC decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05).It also showed decreases in IL-17 (3 799 ±441 vs 4 890 ±373, P<0.05) and RORC mRNA level (1.21 ±0.14 vs 3.85 ±0.48, P<0.05), while an increase in TGF-βlevel (209 ±32 vs 117 ±26, P<0.05) was observed.No influence on the mRNA expression of Foxp3 was found (P>0.05).CONCLUSION: MSCs suppresses Th17 polarization of naive peripheral blood CD 4 +T cells and matures Th17 cells secreting IL-17, which may ef-fectively revise Th17/Treg imbalance of asthma .

Objective To explore whether the mitochondrial toxicity markers of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)are of significance in monitoring mitochondrial toxicity during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).Methods Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA),mitochondrial thymidine kinase (TK2 )and p53-inducible ribonucleotide reductase small subunit 2 (p53R2 )were selected as mitochondrial toxicity markers.The expression changes of theses markers of PBMC in 22 AIDS patients were detected by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR)at baseline,48 weeks and 96 weeks after initiation of the treatment. All the patients received stavudine/zidovudine and lamivudine as the mainstay of the HAART regimen. Independent-samples t test was used.Results The relative expression level of mtDNA in patients before HAART was 3.27 ± 0.94,and decreased to 2.16±0.85 at week 48 and 1 .66±0.66 at week 96, respectively.The differences were both significant compared with the level prior to the treatment (t =-3.90,P <0.01 and t =-6.29,P <0.01 ,respectively).The relative expression level of TK2 before HAART was 0.37 ±0.13,and increased to 1 .01 ±0.25 at week 48 and 2.13 ±0.61 at week 96 of the treatment.After pairwise comparisons of the three pairs of data (pre-HAART vs week 48 of the treatment,pre-HAART vs week 96 of the treatment and week 48 vs week 96 of the treatment),the differences were all significant (t = 10.77,8.00 and 3.56,respectively;all P < 0.01 ).The relative expression level of p53R2 was 0.86±0.39 before HAART,but gradually increased to 2.36 ±1 .14 and 7.73±0.65 ,respectively,at week 48 and week 96 of the treatment.The differences in p53R2 levels among three groups after pairwise comparison were all significant (t=3.27,12.26 and 13.25,respectively;all P < 0.01 ).Conclusions The expression levels of mtDNA,TK2 and p53R2 in PBMC could change significantly during HAART in AIDS patients,which might be used as indexes for monitoring mitochondrial toxicity.

OBJECTIVE To explore a more effective method of detecting sleep respiratory events in children. METHODS Thirty-eight children were tested with HypnoPTT and 31 with polysomnography (control). The test parameters and operative methods were compared. RESULTS In addition to the parameters comm.on to both HypnoPTT and polysomnography, inspiratory flow limitation and spontaneous microarousal can be measured using HypnoPTT and fewer electrodes were needed. CONCLUSION HypnoPTT is a convenient method characterized by less sleep disturbance and credible results, rendering it is especially suitable for pediatric cases. Pulse transit time is a useful parameter for diagnosing the sleep respiratory disease.