Objective To explore the risk factors of benign essential blepharospasm( BEB) and each factor' s intensity.Methods Totally 100 patients with BEB including Meige and cranial-cervical without other neurological abnormalities were recuited from the outpatient clinic of Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from April 2009 to March 2010 as case group.At the same time, 100 outpatients diagnosed with idiopathic hemifacial spasm ( HFS) and 40 healthy controls without extrapyramidal diseases or other neurological diseases were recuited from the same outpatient clinic.All the cases and controls were investigated by questionnaires about general conditions, social behavioral factors, environmental factors, phychiatrical factors, genetic factors, previous diseases.The data was analysed by Logistic regression model with the statistical software SPSS 11.0.Results Multivariate analysis indicated that eye disease (OR = 5.818, 95% CI 2.510-13.486), anxiety (OR=3.433, 95% CI 1.548-7.610) and depression (OR =2.894, 95% CI 1.091-7.681) were positively related with BEB, whereas coffee drinking (OR = 0.251, 95% CI 0.080-0.784) had a negative relationship with BEB ( all P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions The risk factors of BEB are eye diseases, anxiety and depression.Coffee drinking is protective for BEB.The results suggest that local injury and phychiatrical factors may be more important than genetic factor in the aetiology of BEB.

Objective To investigate the molecular mechanism of calreticulin ( CRT) transcription induced by HBV and its viral proteins. Methods The human hepatocellular cell line, HepG2, was trans-fected with pHBV1. 3 and eukaryotic expression plasmids of HBV viral proteins, respectively. The expres-sion of CRT was measured after transfection. A reporter plasmid of CRT promoter was constructed to analyze the induction of CRT promoter by pHBV1. 3 and HBV viral proteins. Furthermore, two truncated and one C/EBPα site deficient mutants were constructed to evaluate the regulatory effects of HBx on CRT promoter. Fi-nally, HepG2 cells were transfected with HBx expression plasmids and the cellular localization of C/EBPαwas analyzed. Results In this study, pHBV1. 3 could significantly up-regulate the expression of CRT at mRNA and protein levels as well as enhancing the activity of CRT promoter. Among the seven HBV viral proteins, HBx could enhance the activity of CRT promoter and the expression of CRT at mRNA and protein levels. HBx could not induce the transcription of CRT when the C/EBPα binding site was deleted from the CRT promoter. The expression of HBx could promote the nuclear translocation of C/EBPα. Conclusion HBV and its viral protein HBx could up-regulate the CRT expression at transcriptional level. The transcrip-tional factor C/EBPα played a critical role in HBx-induced transcriptional activation of CRT.

To investigate the prognostic effects of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy without antibiotics in treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

Objective To elucidate the influences of epitope competition on the frequency and average intensity of specific T cell response.Methods C57BL/6 mice were immunized with either single epitope DNA vaccines (pSV-gag92 or pSV-env203) or fusion gene DNA vaccine (pSV-gag/env).Gag92and Env203 epitope-specific CD8 T cell responses were analyzed by intracellular cytokine staining assay.Results Gag92-specific IFN-γ+CD8 T cells that were induced by pSV-gag92 accounted for 0.415 00％ ±0.045 88％ of the total CD8 T cells,which was much more than that induced by pSV-gag/env of 0.058 67％ + 0.019 64％.Moreover,the mean fluorescence intensity of Gag92-specific TNF-α-IFN-γ+CD8 T cells (296.70+14.08) elicited by pSV-gag/env was significantly lower than that of Env203-specific TNF-α-IFN-γ+CD8 T cells (818.00+49.34).Conclusion Epitope competition could significantly decrease both the frequency and the average intensity of specific T cell response to subdominant epitopes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (CQCQD), a compound of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, acting on the pancreatic acinar cell calcium overload in rats with acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: A total of 30 SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group and CQCQD group (n=10, respectively). AP was induced in rats by caerulein (5x50 mug/kg) intraperitoneal injection within 4 h. The pancreatic tissue SERCA1 and SERCA2 mRNA expressions were detected by fluorescent quantization polymerase chain reaction method; intracellular calcium fluorescence intensity (FI) of pancreatic acinar cells and the pancreatic pathological score were measured by laser scanning confocal microscopy and light microscopy respectively. RESULTS: There were no SERCA1 mRNA expressions in pancreatic acinar cells of rats in the normal control group and the untreated group. The expression of pancreatic SERCA2 mRNA in the untreated group was down-regulated compared with that in the normal control group (expression ratio=0.536; P=0.001); the expression of pancreatic SERCA2 mRNA in the CQCQD group was up-regulated compared with that in the untreated group (expression ratio=2.00; P=0.012). The pancreatic pathological score in the CQCQD group was lower than that in the untreated group and the FI of Ca(2+) was also lower. CONCLUSION: CQCQD can up-regulate the expression of pancreatic SERCA2 mRNA, release the calcium overload, and hence reduce the pathological changes in pancreatic tissue.

Objective: To determine the possible relations between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a biomarker of chronic stress and childhood overweight and obesity. Methods: Children from grade 1 to 3 from 2 primary schools in Bengbu were invited to participate in the study; and those who suffer from mental disorders, endocrine diseases and those who took hormone drugs were excluded. Parental questionnaire was implemented to collect information on physical activity, screen time, sleep duration, sugar-beverage consumption, as well as socio-economic status. Height and weight were examined. Eligible hair samples from 1 263 children (598 boys and 665 girls) were obtained, and the cortisol content was determined. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis was recruited to examine the association between HCC quartiles and overweight and obesity among boys and girls, respectively. Results: HCC in P₅₀ (P₂₅-P₇₅) among girls and boys was separately 11.86 (10.57-13.15) and 11.71 (10.54-13.09) µg/kg (Z=-0.886, P=0.376); HCC in P₅₀ (P₂₅-P₇₅) among non-overweight, overweight and obesity boys was separately 11.62 (10.45-12.82), 12.24 (10.88-13.55) and 12.30 (10.99-13.53) µg/kg (χ²=8.24, P=0.016); HCC in P₅₀ (P₂₅-P₇₅) among non-overweight, overweight and obesity girls was separately 11.35 (10.06-12.62), 12.07 (11.04-13.21) and 12.59 (11.12-13.63) µg/kg (χ²=36.16, P<0.001). After age, physical activity, screen time, sleep duration, sugared beverages and socio-economic status adjusted, compared with HCC in Q1 level, girls whose HCC in Q2, Q3 Q4 level had higher rates in overweight, with OR (95%CI) at 1.10 (1.04-3.32), 2.59 (1.51-4.45) and 3.16 (1.79-5.57), respectively. Girls with HCC in Q3 and Q4 level had higher rates in obesity, with OR (95%CI) at 2.22 (1.16-4.26) and 5.62 (3.04-10.41). Among boys, highest quartiles in HCC was risk factor for overweight, OR (95%CI) was 2.14 (1.18-3.90). Conclusion Hair cortisol had a significant relation with overweight and obesity in 6-9 years old childhood especially among girls.

Objectives To explore the association between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2239669 in makorin ring-finger protein 3 (MKRN3) gene and the susceptibility to central precocious puberty (CPP). Methods A case-control study including 246 children with CPP and 269 healthy children was performed.The genotype and MKRN3 expression levels of patients were analyzed by PCR-HRM and RT-PCR,respectively. Results SNP rs2239669 genotype (TT,TC,CC) and allele frequencies (T and C) were different between cases and controls,with higher CC genotype in CPP patients. Under recessive model (CC/TT+TC),CC genotype was higher in CPP group and associated with higher risk of CPP (95%CI:1.062-2.143,P=0.021). MKRN3 expression levels were different among patients with different genotypes,of which TT genotype had the highest level followed by TC and CC (0.376±0.094, 0.330±0.068, 0.250±0.072, P=0.041). Conclusions MKRN3 SNP rs2239669 was associated with increased risk of CPP, and patients with TT genotype had higher MKRN3 levels.

Kaposiform lymphangiomatosis(KLA)is an aggressive subtype of generalized lymphatic anomaly. It is difficult to diagnose because of the lack of specificity of early symptoms. Moreover, there is still a lack of effective treatment, so the prognosis of this disease is generally poor, with a 5-year survival rate of 51% and an overall survival rate of only 34%. This article reviews the progress of the genetic studies related to the development of KLA and summarizes potential drug targets. A review of the literature found that the mutations potentially associated with KLA pathogenesis included NRAS gene mutations and CBL gene mutations. The signaling pathways involved were the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and the RAS-MAPK-ERK pathway. Therefore, the key molecules PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAS/MEK in the above signaling pathway may be used as targets for KLA-targeted therapy and develop specific treatments.

Kaposiform lymphangiomatosis(KLA)is an aggressive subtype of generalized lymphatic anomaly. It is difficult to diagnose because of the lack of specificity of early symptoms. Moreover, there is still a lack of effective treatment, so the prognosis of this disease is generally poor, with a 5-year survival rate of 51% and an overall survival rate of only 34%. This article reviews the progress of the genetic studies related to the development of KLA and summarizes potential drug targets. A review of the literature found that the mutations potentially associated with KLA pathogenesis included NRAS gene mutations and CBL gene mutations. The signaling pathways involved were the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and the RAS-MAPK-ERK pathway. Therefore, the key molecules PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAS/MEK in the above signaling pathway may be used as targets for KLA-targeted therapy and develop specific treatments.

OBJECTIVETo review the influencing factors of the early complication after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

METHODSRetrospective analysis of clinical data of 509 cases received CEA in Xuan Wu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Liaocheng People's Hospital and Dalian Central Hospital from January 2001 to December 2011. There are 422 male patients and 72 female patients among the 494 patients, 15 patients underwent CEA by stages. The patients were between 35-84 years old,and the mean age was (64 ± 9) years. The complications within 30 days after CEA were analyzed, and find the risk factors for the major adverse events. Chi-square analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between the each variable of the basic characteristics of population, clinical features and intraoperative data and early adverse events after CEA. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between a variety of factors and the postoperative complications within 30 days.

RESULTSTechnical complete rate of 98.6%, 7 cases of near-total occlusion patients could not been recanalized. Major complications in 30 days after CEA occurred in 20 cases (3.9%), including 6 cases of deaths (1.2%), 9 cases of cerebral infarction (1.8%) and 5 cases of cerebral hemorrhage (1.0%). Secondary complications occurred in 120 cases (23.6%). Univariate analysis showed modified Rankin scale (mRS) ≥ 3 on the incidence of early postoperative complication had significantly difference (χ² =20.517, P < 0.01), multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking (OR=2.667, 95% CI: 1.048-6.791, P=0.040) and mRS ≥ 3 (OR=8.690, 95% CI: 3.279-23.031, P=0.000) were the significant predictors of 30 days of the end event.

CONCLUSIONThe complications after CEA are uncommon, the security is proved. Smoking and mRS ≥ 3 can increase the risk of CEA.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; complications ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome