Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects and safety of amitrine bismesylate in patients with mild vascular dementia.Methods An open multicenter self-controlled trial was carried out with 128 mild vascular dementia patients clinically diagnosed.Patients were treated with amitrine bismesylate in a dose of 2 tablets per day for 12 weeks.The neuro-psychologieal scale of MMSE,ADAS-cog,CDR, ADL were used to evaluate patients′cognitive condition before therapy and 6,12 weeks after treatment.The adverse effects,such as nausea and vertigo and so on,were monitored at the same time to evaluate the safety of this drug.Results After 3 months of treatment,the MMSE score(16.98 before therapy and 17.97 after treatment,P

Objective To explore the inputs and outputs of areas with different anti-HAY prevalence rates on universal childhood vaccination,and to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of the immunization strategy.Methods Since hepatitis A vaccination was scheduled at 12 and 18 months of age for all the healthy children,a single cohort including 1 000 000 individuals was formed in 2009,using the Chinese inactivated vaccine.Decision analysis was used to build Markov-decision tree model.The universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination was compared with nonvaccination group to evaluate the number of symptomatic infection,hospitalization,death,qualityadjusted life years (QALYs) lost,and the incremental cost-utility from the health system and the societal perspectives.Outcomes of the vaccination for the next 70 years were also predicted.The process of analysis was run separately in five regions defined by the anti-HAV prevalence rates (around 50％,50％-69％,70％-79％,80％-89％ and ＞90％ ).Sensitivity analysis was performed to test the stability or reliability of the results,and to identify sensitive variables.Results The study projected that,in the lowest,lower,and intermediate infection regions,the cost and output indicators of universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination were all lower than non-vaccinated group.Universal vaccination could gain QALYs and save both costs from the health systen or the society.In the regions with higher infection rate,the output indicators of universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination were lower than in those non-vaccinated groups,except for the number of death due to hepatitis A,which had a 20 cases of increase.The model also predicted that in the highest infected region,universal vaccination would increase 4 560 814 and 5 840 430 RMB Yuan in the total costs from both the health system and the societies,respectively,when compared to the non-vaccination groups.Universal vaccination would also decrease the numbers of symptomatic infection,hospitalization,and QALYs lost,but would increase 51 deaths due to hepatitis A,and 1507,1929 more RMB Yuan for each QALY gained from the health system and societal respectively,in the regions with highest infection rate.Sensitivity analyses discovered that the infection rate among those susceptible population and the proportion of those who initially under protection but subsequently lost their immunity every year,were the two main sensitive variables in the model.Conclusion Our research discovered that the universal vaccination strategy should be based on the protective period of the vaccine and the anti-HAV prevalence in different endemic areas.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; genetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Point Mutation ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose(18 FDG) positron emission tomography and computer tomography (PET/CT) in the qualitative diagnosis and localization of Cushing's disease.

METHODSTotally 12 patients underwent transsphenoidal adenomectomy and were histopathologically proven to be with Cushing's disease. 18FDG PET/CT whole-body and brain scannings were performed preoperatively; meanwhile, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 99mTc-octreotide examination were done in all 12 cases, and inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) were done in 6 patients.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of 18FDG in diagnosing Cushing's disease was 91.6% (11/12), but MRI was 66.7%(8/12). For the 6 patients who performed IPSS, 5 of them was diagnosed to be with Cushing's disease, and only 50% (3/6) were localized correctly in the pituitary gland.

CONCLUSIONS18FDG PET/CT whole-body scan can exclude ectopic adrenocorticotropin-secreting tumors and localize the pituitary lesions with higher accuracy than MRI. Therefore, it is useful for suspected Cushing's disease, especially for patients their MRI and IPSS have negative or paradoxical results.

Adult ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; methods ; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion ; diagnostic imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of combined detection of T cell receptor rear-rangement excision circles ( TRECs) and CD31+ regulatory T ( Treg) cells for accessing the recent thymic output in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods Four groups involving 135 subjects were set up in this study as follows: mild chronic hepatitis B ( Mild CHB, n=35 ) , moderate chronic hepatitis B ( Moderate CHB, n=35 ) , severe chronic hepatitis B ( Severe CHB, n=35 ) and healthy control ( HCs, n=30 ) groups. CD4+CD25+Treg cells in these subjects were sorted out using magnetic cell separation. The ratio of peripheral CD31+Treg cells to Treg cells in each group was analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR was performed to detect TRECs in CD4+CD25+Treg cells. The percentages of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+T cell sub-sets were also measured. Results The ratios of CD31+Treg/Treg cells and the numbers of TRECs in pe-ripheral blood of the Moderate CHB and Severe CHB groups were significantly lower than those of the Mild CHB and HCs groups (P<0. 05), while no statistical difference was found between the mild CHB and HC groups (P>0. 05). No significant difference in the percentages of CD3+, CD4+ or CD8+ T cell subsets was observed between the four groups (P>0. 05). CD31+ Treg/Treg cell ratio had a positive correlation with the number of TRECs (r=0. 551, P=0. 014). Conclusions Both CD31+Treg/Treg cell ratio and the number of TRECs were reduced in the peripheral blood of patients with moderate or severe CHB. CD31+Treg/Treg cell ratio and the number of TRECs were positively correlated and could be used as new indices to evaluate recent thymus output.

Coix ; Epimedium ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; Plant Leaves

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in myocardial tissue in patients with coronary heart disease, and explore the relevance between the expression of PTEN and the occurrence and development of coronary heart disease. METHODS: A total of 16 death cases with pathological diagnosis of coronary heart disease were collected as experimental group, and 19 cases without myocardial lesions were selected as control group. The expression of PTEN protein and its mRNA were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR respectively. The correlation between the expression of PTEN and the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease was analyzed. RESULTS: The expression of PTEN protein in myocardium in cases with coronary heart disease was significantly lower compared with the control group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference of the expression of PTEN mRNA between experimental and control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION PTEN may be involved in the occurrence and development of coronary heart disease.
Coronary Artery Disease/pathology* ; Humans ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism*

Samples of chicken, duck, quail, and pigeon were collected from Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hebei in 2009-2011, and sixteen H9N2 subtype isolates of avian influenza virus (AIV) were identified. The eight full-length genes of 16 AIV isolates were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Genome sequence analysis showed that the amino acid motif of cleavage sites in the HA gene was P-S-R/K-S-S-R, which was consistent with the characterization of the LPAIV, and the Leucine (L) at the amino acid position 226 in the HA genes of all isolates indicated the potential of binding with SAalpha, 2-6 receptor. All isolates had a S to N substitution at residue 31 in the M2 gene, which is related to the resistance phenotype of adamantanes. The key molecular features of 16 AIV isolates from different hosts were same. Genome phylogenetic analysis revealed that all 16 H9N2 subtype AIVs originated from F98-like virus as backbone and formed two new genotypes through reassortment with HA gene of Y280-like virus and PB2 and M genes of G1-like virus. Our findings suggest that more attention should be paid to the surveillance of H9N2 influenza virus and its direction of reassortment.
Genome, Viral ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; Neuraminidase ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo study the gene expression of Notch1 and Jagged1 in children with acute leukemia (AL) and their possible roles in the pathogenesis of AL.

METHODSMononuclear cells from bone marrow or peripheral blood of 47 children with AL and 20 controls (normal children or children with nonmalignant hematologic disease) were collected from February 2009 to July 2011. A two-step method to semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the gene expression of Notch1 and Jagged1. Of the 47 children with AL, there were 26 cases of B-ALL, 6 cases of T-ALL and 15 cases of AML.

RESULTSThe positive expression rate of Notch1 in the ALL and AML groups was higher than in the control group (P<0.05). The expression level of Notch1 in T-ALL children was higher than in B-ALL children (P<0.01). The positive expression rate of Jagged1 in the ALL and AML groups was not significantly different from the control group, however, the expression level of Jagged1 in the ALL and AML groups was higher than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere are significant differences in the gene expression of Notch1 between children with different types of ALL, and a higher expression of Notch1 relates to T-ALL. The activation of Notch1 signal is common in children with AL. The abnormal gene expression of Notch1 in children with AML shows the role of Notch1 in AML. The gene expression of Jagged1 in children with ALL or AML is abnormal, and this needs to be confirmed by further research.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Infant ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Jagged-1 Protein ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Receptor, Notch1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serrate-Jagged Proteins ; Signal Transduction

Because HERG potassium channel has important effects on both proarrhythmia and antiarrhythmia, we use immunofluorescence and Western blotting methods to detect the expression of HERG channel of HERG-HEK cells in different concentrations of matrine, oxymatrine and resveratrol. The findings showed that both matrine (1 micromol x L(-1) ) and oxymatrine ( 1micromol x L (-1) ) increased HERG channel expression ( n = 5, P < 0. 05 ) , while matrine (100 micromol x L(-1) ) decreased HERG channel expression ( n = 5, P < 0. 05), resveratrol didn't affect HERG channel expression. In conclusion, different concentrations of matrine and oxymatrine affect HERG channel expression, while there is no relationship between resveratrol and HERG channel expression. It provides a theoretical support for the safety and mechanism of anti-arrhythmic drugs.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; ERG1 Potassium Channel ; Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; Sophora ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology