Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Neurosurgery ; methods

Biomarkers ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Critical Illness ; Early Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Peptides ; blood ; Severity of Illness Index ; Trefoil Factor-2

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Objective To identify the outcome of pregnancy and the alteration of renal function in women with nephrotic syndrome. Methods From 2003 to 2007, 59 pregnant women with nephrotic syndrome in our hospital were enrolled in the study. Their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed, including the time of kidney disease onset, 24-hour proteinuria, serum albumin, serum creatinine, blood uric acid, blood pressure, fetal survival, fetal mortality, rate of premature delivery, birth weight of the newborn, and proteinuria, renal function, blood pressure of the patients during their postpartum follow-up. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors influencing the outcome of the patients and the newborns. Results The average gestational week was (20.35±9.40) weeks when proteinuria was detected in these pregnant women. The 24-hour proteinuria ranged from 3.5 to 15 g/24 h (median 5.1 g/24 h). The serum albumin was between 10 and 28 g/L (median 22.5 g/L). The serum creatinine was between 32 and 825 μmol/L (median 84 μmol/L) and the serum uric acid ranged from 196 to 793 μmol/L (median 385.5 μmol/L). Pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome occurred in 75% of the patients, among whom 55.5% suffered from preeclampsia. Forty-three (72.9%) newborns survived , among whom 76.7% (33/43) were premature births and 62.8% (27/43) were low birth weight infants. 50% of the pregnant women still had nephrotic syndrome after delivery. 75% of 24 patients with pre-existing chronic glomerulonephritis had increased proteinuria during pregnancy. Among the 38 patients with renal insufficiency, 36.8% had poorer renal function after delivery. 23.7% of the patients progressed into end stage renal failure after delivery, 80% of whom had serum creatinine ≥ 265 μmol/L. 89% of the patients had persistent hypertension after childbirth. The Logistic regression analysis indicated hyperuricemia during pregnancy (P=0.018, OR=1.012) and the increase of serum creatinine (P=0.039, OR=1.005) were risk factors of renal failure in pregnant women after delivery. Hyperuricemia (P=0.012, OR=1.006)was the risk factor of fetal death. Conclusions Pregnancy with nephrotic syndrome leads to a low fetal survival. Hyperuricemia is the most important risk factor of the poor outcome of pregnant women and newborn.

Background Research demonstrated that alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid GluR2 (AMPA-GluR2) is associated with amblyopia.It has been shown that levodopa and cytidine diphosphate choline can improve visual function of amblyopic children,but the mechanism is unclear.Objective This study was to explore the possible effects of levodopa and cytidine diphosphate choline on amblyopia.Methods Monocular deprivation (MD) animal models were created in 60 2-week-old SD rats by monolateral eyelid suturing and observed for 31 days and reared in natural light together with 15 other matched normal healthy SD rats.The models were randomly divided into the MD group,levodopa group,cytidine diphosphate choline group and normal saline control group,with 15 rats for each group.40 mg/kg of levodopa,80 mg/kg of cytidine diphosphate choline,I ml normal saline were given to the rats,respectively,for 28 consecutive days.Expressions of the AMPA-CluR2 protein and AMPA-CluR2 mRNA in the rat visual cortex were detected by immunohistochemistry,Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.Use of the animals followed the Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results The expression values of the AMPA-GluR2 protein (AMPA-GluR2/β-actin) and AMPA-GluR2 mRNA (2-△△Ct) were significantly lower in the MD group than those of the normal control group (protein:0.32 ± 0.02 vs.0.64 ± 0.05,t =13.287,P＜0.05 ;mRNA:0.30±0.01 vs.0.84±0.03,t=38.184,P＜0.05).Those in the levodopa group were significantly increased in comparison with the normal saline solution group (protein:0.59 ±0.04 vs.0.33 ±0.03,t =11.628,P＜0.05 ; mRNA:0.71±0.06 vs.0.33 ±0.02,t =13.435,P＜0.05).The expression values of the AMPA-GluR2 protein and AMPA-GluR2 mRNA were significantly increased in the cytidine diphosphate choline group compared with the normal saline solution group (protein:0.52 ± 0.04 vs.0.33 ± 0.03,t =8.497,P ＜ 0.05 ; mRNA:0.48± 0.04 vs.0.33 ± 0.02,t =7.500,P＜0.05).Conclusions AMPA-GluR2 is associated with the plasticity of visual development.Levodopa and cytidine diphosphate choline may improve visual function by down-regulating the expression of AMPA-GluR2 in the visual cortex.

Objective To evaluate the functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the assessment of renal involvement and pathological changes in patients with lupus nephritis (LN).Methods Seventeen patients with LN and 10 healthy controls underwent coronal echo-planar diffusion-weighted (DW) MR imaging and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MR imaging of the kidneys with a single breath-hold time of 16 s.The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and R2* value of the kidneys were calculated with high b values (b=500 s/mm2).The correlation between the renal injury variables and the ADCs or R2* values was evaluated.Results The mean ADC value of kidneys in patients with LN was (2.43+0.24)×10-3 mm2/s,the mean R2* values of the renal cortex and medulla were (11.72+2.35)/s and (13.07+2.35)/s respectively,which were all significantly lower than those in volunteers (P=0.045,P=0.048and P=0.001,respectively).In the patients with LN,the mean ADC values were positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r=0.558,P＜0.05).There was a negative correlation between the ADC values of the right kidneys and pathological chronic indexes (r=-0.493,P＜0.05).Moreover,the R2*values of the renal medulla were negatively correlated with 24 hours proteinuria,serum creatinine,pathological active indexes.The patients were assigned to group A (class Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ,n=8) and group B class Ⅴ + Ⅲ and Ⅴ + Ⅳ,n=9).The tubulointerstitial lesions in group B were more severe than those in group A,while the mean ADC values and R2* values of the renal cortex in group B were lower as compared to group A.Conclusion DW MR imaging and BOLD MR imaging may be used to non-invasively monitor the disease activity and evaluate the efficacy in lupus nephritis.

Acute Disease ; Anemia, Refractory ; etiology ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Female ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Leukemia ; complications ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

Photosynthetic bacteria(PSB) showed great promise in biohydrogen production. Chromatium vinosum was able to utilize the fermentation waste of Klebsiella oxytoca for both photo-fermentative and dark-fermentative hydrogen production. The content of residual sugars and main organic acids decreased obviously after hydrogen production by C.vinosum. The maximal hydrogen production of C.vinosum was obtained at pH 6.5 adding extra 0.1%(W/W) NH_4Cl. Under photo-fermentative conditions, the content of butyric acid decreased by 54.38%, and the maximal hydrogen yield was 36.97 mL/mg cell. Under dark-fermentative conditions, the content of butyric acid decreased by 36.1% and the maximal hydrogen production was achieved as 37.50 mL/mg cell.

Objective:To investigate the effects of oxymatrine(OM)on the apoptosis of human hepatoma HepG2 cells and its possible mechanisms.Methods:HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of OM.The proliferation inhibition was measured by MTT assay and the apoptosis of HepG2 cells were examined by Hochest staining method.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate.The expression of caspase-3,Bcl-2,Bcl-x_L and Bax proteins was assayed by Western blotting assay.Results:OM inhibited HepG2 cells growth in a time-and dose-dependent manner.After treatment with OM for 24 hours,some cells appeared typical apoptotic characteristics and the apoptosis rate was increased. Treatment with OM also increased caspase-3 activity and Bax expression in HepG2 cells,and decreased the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L.Conclusion:OM can induce HepG2 cell apoptosis,which may be related to the down-regulation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway,suppression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x_L activity,and activation of caspase-3.

Child ; Female ; Humans ; Menisci, Tibial ; abnormalities ; surgery