Objective To explore the clinical significance of the blood lactic dehydrogenase(LDH), ?_2-microglobulin(?_2-MG),D-dimer measuring in the diagnosis and treatment of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Methods In 40 cases with NHL,LDH was measured by L-P continuous monitoring method,?_2-MG was measured by luminescent immunoassay,D-dimer was measured by immunoturbidimettic assay.Results The levels of the blood LDH,?_2-MG and D-dimer in patients with NHL were higher than those of in the controls(P 0.05).Con- clusion The levels of blood LDH,?_2-MG,D-dimer can be taken as an auxiliary clinical index to diagnose, classify the phase,evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and prognosis in the NHL patients,and have impor- tant clinical significance.

0.37).Meanwhile a good correlation (Y=0.99X-0.18,r=0.987) was obtained. Though Westergren method correlated preferably with MICROTEST 1 (Y=0.86X+1.27,r=0.906),there was a markedly different (t=3.174,P=0.001).At last different references values were collected, according to sex and age.Male,32.5 mm/1 h(60 years old);Female, 34.03 mm/1 h(50 years old).Conclusions MICROTEST 1 correlated preferably with Westergren method.The examination by MICROTEST 1 needs small quantity of sample and fewer time.Furthermore,it has good repeatability and stability.The factors such as temperature and Hct have little influence on the results.The result suggested that it is suitable to apply MICROTEST 1 to large- scale clinical laboratory or other labs.But the reference value of ESR was influenced by age,which should be considered in clinical usage.

Objective To perform a biomechanical study on and compare the stability of internal fixation with closed Kirschner wire in different spots from the epicondylus medialis to sulcus nervi ulnaris and epicondylus lateralis of humerus in the treatment of GartlandⅢsupracondylar fractures of humerus in children in order to provide basis for avoiding cubitus varus in clinic.Methods Twenty models of su- pracondylar fractures were made from ten humerus samples,then divided into two groups(group A and group B).They were fixed with closed Kirschner'wires.Ulnar Kirschner wire varied.In group A five spots were selected averagely from the epicondylus medialis to the sulcus nervi ulnaris.Kirschner wires entered from one of the five spots into another spot of humerus.In group B Kirschner wires entered defferent spots of humerus from the central spot of sulcus nervi ulnaris.Biomechanical tests were carried out,such as axial load,axial displacement,stress intensity,axial rigidity and anti-twisty ability.Forty-six children with Gart- landⅢsupracondylar fracture of humerus were treated and followed up for more than one year.Results In beth groups,with the angle of Kirschner wires and fracture side increasing,the strain and the vertical displacement decreased,the stress intensity and the axial rigidity increased,and the anti-twists ability was enhanced.There was statistic difference(P＜0.05).The follow-up of the 46 patients showed the elbow joint function recovered well with no cubitus varus malformation.Conclusion Internal fixation with closed Kirschner wires in sulcus nervi ulnaris from the epicondylus medialis and the epicondylns lateralis of humerus for GartlandⅢsupracondylar fracture of humerus in children has the advantages of enhancing bio- mechanical stability,effective prevention of secondary replacement of outlying black of the fracture and a- voidance of cubitus varus.It can be widely used clinically.

OBJECTIVEPrader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is an example of a human genetic disorder that involves imprinting genes on the proximal long arm of chromosome 15 and SNRPN gene as a candidate gene for this syndrome. The purpose of this study was to show the molecular genetic defects and genomic imprinting basis in Chinese PWS patients and to evaluate the clinical applications of a differential diagnostic test for PWS.

METHODSFluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and methylation-specific PCR (MSPCR) techniques were applied for 4 clinically suspected PWS patients. Using three probes, including SNRPN probe for identification of the critical locus in PWS region, D15Z1 and PML control probes for identification of the 15p arm and 15q arm, the authors detected the deletions 15q in PWS. MSPCR was based on sodium bisulfite treatment of DNA and PCR primers specific for the maternal and paternal allele.

RESULTSWhen hybridized with mixed probes, it was found in 2 patients that the central specific signal was absent, but both the flanking control signals were retained, indicating SNRPN gene deletion of chromosome 15q11-13. Bisulfite-modified DNA from all PWS children amplified with methylated allele-specific primer pair showed only maternal 131bp PCR product, indicating the maternal uniparental disomy (UPD15).

CONCLUSIONGenomic imprinting plays an important role in the molecular pathogenesis of PWS that caused by paternal microdeletions of 15q11-q13 or maternal UPD of chromosome 15. The basic defect seemed to be an absence of function of PWS genes that are normally expressed only from the paternal chromosome 15. MSPCR is a rapid and simple PCR-based assay compared with other cyto-molecular tests and its results were consistent with the clinical diagnosis of PWS, so it seems to be a reliable diagnostic method for PWS patients who show abnormal methylation at SNRPN. The genetic differential tests for PWS are important in determining familial recurrence risk.

Adolescent ; Autoantigens ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15 ; genetics ; Gene Deletion ; Genomic Imprinting ; genetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Prader-Willi Syndrome ; genetics ; Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear ; genetics ; snRNP Core Proteins

Cell Line ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; drug effects ; Humans ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; pharmacology ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of dexamethasone on intracellular expression of Th17 cytokine interleukin 17 and the mechanisms in asthmatic mice.

METHODSExperimental asthma was induced by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization in 20 in female Balb/c mice with (dexamethasone group, n=10) or without dexamethasone treatment (model group, n=10), with another 10 serving as the control group. The levels of IL-17 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of the mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the airway inflammation was evaluated by HE staining. The expressions of IL-17 and RORgammat mRNA were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the expression of RORgammat protein was measured by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSThe levels of RORgammat and IL-17 mRNA and protein in the asthmatic model group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.01), and the increased expressions of RORgammat and IL-17 mRNA and protein in the asthmatic mice were significantly reduced by dexamethasone treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONDexamethasone can inhibit the release of IL-17 probably by inhibiting RORgammat expression and blocking Th17 differentiation in asthmatic mice.

Animals ; Asthma ; chemically induced ; immunology ; metabolism ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Female ; Interleukin-17 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 ; metabolism ; Ovalbumin ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; immunology ; metabolism

China ; Cost of Illness ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Maternal Mortality ; Poverty Areas

Objective To investigate the prevalence, common clinical symptoms and complications, transmission routes and media of brucellosis among human in the city of Songyuan in Jilin province, and to provide practical basis for brucellosis intervention and related control measures. Methods Use self-designed questionnaire to collect information from outpatients in brucellosis clinic in Songyuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention from January to June 2009, and to analyze the related data from the survey: prevalence, time and geographical distribution, clinical symptom, transmission route and media. Results Of the total 620 cases investigated, there were 284 patients accounting for 45.8% (284/620), 75 suspected patients accounting for 12.1% (75/620), 13stealth patients accounting for 2.1% (13/620) and 248 negative people accounting for 40.0% (248/640). Main common symptoms of the patients were fever[66.5%( 189/284)], muscle and joint pain[38.7%( 110/284)],fatigue[27.5%(78/284)], hyperhidrosis[25.0%(71/284)]and low back pain[17.3%(49/284)]. The patients group had a significantly higher prevalence of mucocutaneous infection, contacting infected animal abortion flow,fur, soil, faeces and dust than the uninfected group(χ2 value were 27.12, 22.75, 8.90, 6.65, 6.39, 6.39, all P< 0.01 or < 0.05). Conclusions The positive rate of brucellosis in the brucellosis clinic of Songyuan city is high,and patients have typical symptoms. We should take comprehensive control measures to protect the high-risk group and reduce the local infectivety.

BACKGROUNDAirway remodeling is the specific pathological characteristics of asthma, which is related to the clinical symptoms, pulmonary function, and airway hyperreactivity. This study aimed at exploring the effects of dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) on the serum interleukin (IL)-13 and pulmonary functions in asthmatic children.

METHODSFifty-eight pediatric asthma patients allergic to dust mite participated in this study. Thirty-five children received SIT with a standardized dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract for one year (SIT group), and the other 23 children treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS group) according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) for one year. Serum levels of IL-13, IL-4 and interferon (IFN)-gamma were examined and the pulmonary functions were checked before and after the treatment.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the number of emergency visiting for asthma attack in SIT group was significantly less than that in ICS group. The serum levels of IL-4 and IL-13 were clearly reduced, IFN-gamma and the ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 were significantly increased, the pulmonary functions (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second percentage (FEV(1)%) and peak expiratory flow percentage (PEF%) were significantly improved in the SIT group. Meanwhile, IFN-gamma and the ratio of IFN-gamma/IL-4 were greatly increased, but serum levels of IL-4 and IL-13 had less changes, the pulmonary functions (FVC, FEV(1)% and PEF%) were poorly improved in ICS group. The basic pulmonary functions in both groups were at the same level, which had made more improvement in SIT group than in ICS group one year later.

CONCLUSIONSOne year of dermatophagoides pteronyssinus SIT can significantly reduce the frequencies of emergency visiting for asthma attack and improve the pulmonary functions of children with allergic asthma, and that is attributed to SIT, which can reduce the levels of IL-4 and IL-13 and regulate the imbalance of the Th1/Th2 cells in asthmatic children. All of these might be effective in preventing the asthmatic airway from remodeling.

Adolescent ; Animals ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; immunology ; Asthma ; blood ; immunology ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; methods ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-13 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Male

BACKGROUNDSurrogate markers may be used to assess the response to neoadjuvant treatment. The association between HER2 overexpression and favorable response to specific therapy in breast cancer is controversial, and the mechanism unclear. The purpose of the study was to evaluate HER2 and topoisomerase IIalpha (Topo IIalpha) as candidates for predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

METHODSBetween 1999 and 2006, seventy-six breast cancer patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were studied. Regimens including either CEF (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil) or CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) were given in more than three cycles to this group of patients. Protein expression of HER2 and Topo IIalpha were determined by immunohistochemistry. The primary endpoint was pathological and clinical response.

RESULTSOf 76 primary breast cancer samples, 27 (35.5%) showed overexpression of either HER2 (25%) or Topo IIalpha protein (10.5%), whereas in 7 tumors (9.2%) both proteins were found to be overexpressed. Ten patients (13.2%) had a clinical complete response and 21 (27.6%) had a clinical partial response. Five women (6.6%) had a pathological complete response, 5 (6.6%) had microscopic residual disease, and 46 (60.5%) had macroscopic residual disease. HER2 and Topo IIalpha overexpression was significantly associated with a favorable response (P < 0.001 and P = 0.005 respectively).

CONCLUSIONOur study suggests that HER2 and Topo IIalpha overexpression could be predictors of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in both the CEF and CMF arms.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; analysis ; genetics ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; chemistry ; drug therapy ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; analysis ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; genetics ; Retrospective Studies