Objective To investigate the morphology and quantity of melanin and blood vessels in chloasma lesions by using reflectance confocal microscopy(RCM)and dermoscopy, and to explore the relationship of melanin and blood vessels with lesion color. Methods RCM was used to evaluate the quantity and distribution of melanin in lesions of 135 patients with chloasma, and to observe the morphology of melanin and dendritic melanocytes in 54 of the 135 patients, and dermoscopy was performed to assess the quantity and morphology of blood vessels in lesions of the 54 patients. Statistical analysis was carried out by Spearman correlation analysis to assess the relationship of melanin and blood vessels with lesion color. Results Increased quantity of melanin was observed in both the epidermal layer and dermo?epidermal junction in all the 135 patients, and in only the superficial dermis in 36(27%)patients. No patients showed increased quantity of melanin in only the dermis without epidermal involvement. Among the 54 patients, there was a positive correlation between the quantity score and morphology score of melanin(r=0.73, P<0.001), between the quantity score and morphology score of blood vessels(r=0.87, P<0.001), as well as between the total melanin score and total blood vessel score(r=0.554, P<0.001). Lesion color was positively correlated with the quantity and morphology of melanin(r = 0.51, 0.39, respectively, both P < 0.05)and blood vessels(r = 0.46, 0.44, respectively, both P<0.05). Conclusions RCM and dermoscopy can be used to evaluate melanin and blood vessels in chloasma lesions. There is a positive correlation between the quantity and morphology of melanin and between those of blood vessels in chloasma lesions, and lesion color is positively correlated with the quantity and morphology of melanin and blood vessels.

Objective To explore clinical characteristics in boys and girls with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and provide refe-rences for clinician′s correct diagnosis and cognition.Methods The clinical characteristics and laboratory examination of 88 children with SLE were comparatively analyzed from Dec.1993 to Sep.2007 by a retrospective cohort study.There was a ratio of 1.04.9 between boys and girls with SLE,and the peak incidence was among adolescent girls(10-15 years old),accounting for 60.2% of all children with SLE.There was no difference in onset age between the 2 groups.Disease activity was evaluated using SLE disease activity index(SLEDAI).Clinical characteristics and laboratory examination were studied by Spearman rank correlation analysis.Results There were significant differences in the constituent ratio of onset symptom and clinical symptom between boys and girls with SLE.Initial manifestation in boys with SLE was mainly skin lesion while in girls with SLE was fever.There were no significant difference for the incidence of each organ lesion between boys and girls with SLE,but higher rate of anemia and hepatic disfunction in girls with SLE was found.There were up trends of splenomegaly,abnormal electroence phalogram,butterfly erythema occurred in girls with SLE,while gastrointestinal symptoms,serositis,eyes damage occured in boys with SLE.Nephrotic syndrome was the main type of renal damage in both groups(boys:40.0%,girls:45.7%).There were significant differences in the constituent ratio of detection rate in laboratory examination,but no significant difference of positive rate was found in any kind of item between boys and girls with SLE.There was some relationship between C3 and muti-organ lesion,double stranded DNA(dsDNA) and renal lesion through correlation analysis for girls with SLE.Conclusions There are some differences of initial manifestation between boys and girls with SLE,the clinical features and laboratory examination show no gender difference.C3 may be a indicator of the disease severity for girls with SLE.

Interferons are potent cytokines with antiviral activity that have been founded earliest. Different types of interferons have similar bioactivity, Such as anti-viruses activity, anti-tumor activity and immune modulation. They are induced by virus infection and trigger the host defense by different mechanisms. Firstly, IFNs directly induce the expression of effector proteins with antiviral activity, thus establishing a first line of defense. Secondly, they help to shape adaptive immunity, leading to long-lasting protection. Due to the key position of IFNs in antiviral defense, viruses have evolved effective countermeasures in order to successfully invade the host. By expressing so-called IFN antagonists, viruses interfere with either IFN induction, IFN signaling, or the action of IFN effector proteins.

Objective: To investigate whether atorvastatin can prevent renal injury in mice independent of the lipid-lowering effects. Methods: CD36-/- SR-A-/- ApoE-/- mice were randomly assigned to a high fat diet (high fat group) and high fat diet plus atorvastatin (atorvastatin) group; male C57BL mice with a chow diet served as controls. Terminal blood samples were taken for plasma cholesterol assay 14 weeks later. Renal sections were used for histological and immunohistochemistry assessments. The lipid accumulation in the kidney was evaluated by Oil Red O (ORO) staining. The mRNA expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), collagen I and IV, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were analyzed by real-time PCR. Results: Blood total cholesterol levels (LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol) were not nd high fat group. Meanwhile, ORO staining showed that atorvastatin significantly different between atorvastatin group a decreased lipid accumulation in the kidney; Masson and H-E staining demonstrated that atorvastatin therapy attenuated massive structural changes, including mesangial proliferation, interstitial matrix deposition, accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, tubular-interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration, and renal deformations with glomerulosclerosis/tubulointerstitial fibrosis in the high fat group. Moreover, atorvastatin therapy not only decreased TGF-β expression at mRNA and protein levels, but also decreased the expression of factors related to fibrosis. Conclusion: Atorvastatin can protect the kidney independent of the lipid-lowering effects and SR-A, CD36 receptor pathways, and it might be related to decrease of TGF-beta expression.

Coloring Agents ; Frozen Sections ; methods ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; Staining and Labeling ; methods

Objective To explore the effects of alcoholic extracts of traditional Chinese medicines on the post-translational processing and trafficking of tyrosinase.Methods Human YUGEN8 amelanotic melanoma cells were grown in vitro;the cells were incubated with one of the seven traditional Chinese medicines,including Rhizoma Chuanxiong and psoralen.Protein analysis with Western blot,enzymolysis with endoglycosidase H (Endo H),and subcellular localization with laser confocal microscopy were per- formed.The expression,maturity and export from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of tyrosinase in the treated cells were compared with those in the untreated controls.Results Compared with controls,an approximate- ly 80-kDa,Endo H-resistant tyrosinase doublet,which represented mature glycoform of tyrosinase,was in- creased in melanocytes treated with Semen Cuscutae,and in those treated with Semen Persicae.Within those cells,tyrosinase was distributed outside ER resident protein calnexin.Conclusion Both Semen Cus- cutae and Semen Persicae could induce tyrosinase maturation,stability and export from ER to distal site.

Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a quite common disease,and it is a functional enteropathy that characterized by abdomen discomfort or pain,diarrhea,constipation or the mix of both.At present the clinical diagnosis refers to the Roman Ⅱ standard,but it is easy to create leaks examines.In 2006,the new Roman Ⅲ standard let clinician have a more objective basis regarding diagnosis of children with IBS.Its treatment is a complex therapy based on the symptom and serious degree of the symptom.The author will introduce children with IBS with emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment progress.

Objective:To investigate the status of shift nurses′ circadian rhythm, sleep quality and job burnout in 3A-level hospitals, and analyze the influence of circadian rhythm and sleep quality on job burnout, so as to provide theoretical basis for reducing the level of job burnout of shift nurses.Methods:A total of 491 shift nurses were investigated with General Information Questionnaire, Circadian Type Questionnaire(CTI-11), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey(MBI-GS).Results:The Flexibility or Rigidity score of shift nurses was 10.64±4.14, the Languid or Vigorous score was 17.67±4.80, the PSQI score was 7.47±3.66, the MBI-GS score was 51.14±15.11. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that flexibility or rigidity, languid or vigorous, sleep quality were the influencing factors of emotional exhaustion( t value was 7.415, - 5.281, 7.153, P<0.01); flexibility or rigidity, languid or vigorous, sleep quality were the influencing factors of depersonalization ( t value was 4.828, - 4.079, 4.959, P<0.01); flexibility or rigidity was the influencing factors of professional efficacy( t value was - 3.887, P<0.01). Conclusions:The job burnout of shift nurses in Tianjin 3A-level hospitals were serious. The circadian rhythm and sleep quality are the important factors that affect the job burnout of shift nurses. According to the type of circadian rhythm and sleep quality of nurses, nursing managers can take personalized measures to reduce their level of job burnout.

Actins ; metabolism ; Angiomyoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Forearm ; Hemangioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dysgerminoma ; etiology ; genetics ; Female ; Gonadal Dysgenesis ; genetics ; Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY ; genetics ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; genetics