ObjectiveTo investigate the association between nucleotide polymorphisms ofGRIN3A gene and clinical characteristic of Kawasaki disease (KD) in children in Han population in central Chinese.MethodsA case-control study was performed. A total of 191 children with KD were recruited and 217 healthy children were served as controls. The distribution of SNP was determined by PCR-RFLP. Arterial lesions were detected by echocardiographic.ResultsThe distribution of three genotypes (CC, CG, GG) in SNP (rs7849782) was statistically difference between KD and control groups (P=0.034), and C allele was associated with KD susceptibility (OR=1.46, 95%CI: 1.10-1.92,P=0.007). In children with KD, the polymorphism of SNP loci was signiifcantly associated with oral mucosa lesions and coronary artery lesion (P<0.05), but not associated with conjuncti-val hyperemia, hand-foot edema, rash, and lymphadenopathy (P>0.05). The polymorphism of SNP loci was also associated with the levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (P<0.05).ConclusionThe ploymorphism of SNP loci ofGRIN3A gene (rs7849782) was associated with the susceptibility of KD. The C allele was the risk factors. The poly-morphism of SNP was associated with oral mucosa lesions and coronary artery lesion, and may affect the levels of ESR and CRP.

Polydatin is a monocrystaline compound isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. (Polygonaceae) with biological properties, such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative and nephroprotective effects. Increasing number of studies have demonstrated the protective effect of polydatin on renal ischemia reperfusion injury. However, the possible mechanisms of this protection are not fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of polydatin on ischemia-reperfusion induced expression of toll-like receptor4 (TLR4) in rat renal tubular epithelia cells (NRK-52E), and analyze the mechanism of polydatin on TLR4 signal pathway. The cultured NRK-52E cells were incubated in three gas incubators for a period of 6 h at hypoxia and 24h at reoxygenation to simulate the ischemia-reperfusion injury in vitro. TLR4 mRNA level was analyzed by real-time-PCR, and the protein expression of TLR4 and NF-κB by Western blotting, while TNF-α and IL-1β proteins expressions were detected by ELISA. Polydatin downregulated I/R induced mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4, and decreased the protein expression of NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-1β. The TLR4 blocker partially antagonized the effect of I/R on NF-κB signaling, and such inhibitory effect was markedly enhanced by polydatin. In the present study, polydatin protects NRK-52E cells from I/R injury possibly by relieving the inflammatory response through regulation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism

A strain with 2 g/L yield of poly-?-lysine was firstly screened from soil on an agar plate containing methylene blue and then further selected by a flask experiment. The strain was preliminarily identified as Streptomyces albulus. The experiment about medium optimization showed that glucose was the best carbon sources and yeast extract and (NH_4)_2SO_4 were the best compound nitrogen sources. The yield of ?-PL reached 3.9 g/L with optimal medium.

BACKGROUND: Orphanin, which was found in recent years, is an important bioactive polypeptide. Its extensive distribution in the central nervous system and peripheral tissue suggests a function of adjusting global behaviors.OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation of plasm orphanin level and monoamine neurotransmitters in patients with postpartum depression by determining the levels of orphanin and monoamine neurotransmitters such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine(DA) in patients.DESIGN: Case-control experiment taking diagnosis as evidence.SETTING: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changzheng Hospital and Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five healthy women and seventeen women patients with postpartum depression after delivery who came in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changzheng Hospital and Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA for further consultation during February 2002 to October 2004 were enrolled in this study, and served as control group and postpartum depression group, respectively. All the enrolled women, aged 21 to 43 years, with fair education levels, and voluntarily participated in this study. Women patients of 15 to 25 days after delivery suffered from the incipient postpartum depression with total scores of Edingburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) above 13. Informed consents were obtained from all the subjects.METHODS: The levels of orphanin and monoamine neurotransmitters in venous blood from 25 healthy women and 17 women patients with postpartum depression were determined. ① Sample collecting: Blood was taken from women in the postpartum depression group 2 weeks after onset, while from control group 35 days after delivery. ② Assay method:The level of orphanin was determined with radioimmunoassay (RIA). The reagent kit was provided by phoenix company (USA) and the procedure was strictly performed according to the instructions on the reagent kit. The levels of 5-HT and DA were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography or electrochemical detection method.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Changes in the levels of orphanin as well as 5-HT and DA in postpartum depression group and control group. ② Correlation of the total scores of EPDS and the levels of orphanin in postpartum depression group.RESULTS: Twenty-five healthy women and seventeen women patients with postpartum depression after delivery all participated in the result analysis. ① The level of orphanin in the postpartum depression group[(27.39±6.04) ng/L] was significantly higher than that in the control group [(10.37±3.65) ng/L](P ＜ 0.01),the levels of 5-HT in the postpartum depression group [(0.93±0.21) μmol/L] was remarkably lower than that in the control group[(1.43±0.36) μmol/L](P ＜0.05) ,and the levels of DA in postpartum depression group[(2.15±0.41) μmol/L] was obviously lower than that in the control group [(3.64±0.72) μmol/L]( P ＜ 0.01). ②The level of orphanin was negatively correlated with those of 5-HT and DA in postpartum depression group(r = -0.601 , -0.593,P ＜ 0.05). ③ The total scores of EPDS were significantly positively correlated with the level of orphanin (r = 0.512, P ＜ 0.05), and negatively correlated with the levels of 5-HT and DA (r = -0.571,-0.526, P＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: The level of orphanin in patients with postpartum depression is increased and is negatively correlated with the levels of 5-HT and DA, but positively correlated with the total scores of EPDS.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of ethanol extracts from Sedum sarmentosum (ESB) on STAT-3 signaling and its probable molecular mechanism in inducing apoptosis.

METHODMTT assay was used to detect the impact of ESB on HepG2 cell proliferation. FITC-Annexin V-FITC /PI double-labeling were used to investigate the impact on hepatoma carcinoma cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis was used to test the expression levels of cell apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3, Caspase-9, PARP, P-STAT-3 (Tyr705) , STAT-3, Bcl-2, Mcl-1.

RESULTESB could notably inhibit proliferation of HepG2 cells, and induce HepG2 cell apoptosis, with the dose-dependent inhibitory effect. In addition, ESB could inhibit STAT-3 signaling, down-regulate Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 expressions, and induce degradation/activation of apoptosis-related proteins Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 and PARP degradation in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONESB inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by inhibiting STAT-3 signaling and Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 expressions.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Flow Cytometry ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Sedum ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Time Factors

Objective To analyze the etiologic factors and clinical manifestation of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in preterm infants.Methods One hundred and seventy-two preterm infants from June 2005 to August 2006 were accrued to investigate their gestational age,birth weight,birth history,and clinical symptoms.Cranial chromatic ultrasound was used to scan the preterm infants and diagnose IVH.Results 1.The incidence of IVH was associated with gestational age (?2=6.40 P=0.011);2.The incidence of IVH was also associated with birth weight(?2=26.49 P=0);3.IVH usually occurred within 72 h with mild clinical manifestations and was diagnosed within 5 days after birth;4.IVH occurred more frequently and more severe in infants with severe asphyxia than those with mild asphyxia.Conclusions Early gestational age,low birth weight, and severe asphyxia are risk factors for IVH.The clinical symptoms of IVH are usually mild in most patients.Cranial chromatic ultrasound is a reliable,sensitive and convenient method of detection for IVH in preterm infants.

Objective To study the distribution of K15 alleles of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in Xinjiang,and to investigate the relationship between clinical profiles of KS and alleles of HHV-8 K15.Methods HHV-8 DNA was extracted with phenol-chloroform-isoamyl alcohol from 27 formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of KS.The HHV-8 K15 gene was amplified by nested- PCR,and sequenced for the identification of K15 allele.Results HHV-8 DNA could be detected in 22 (81.48%) out of 27 KS patients in Xinjiang.HHV-8 DNA was detected in all 4 patients with AIDS-related KS.Twenty viral strains were identified as P type,including all 4 from the AIDS-related KS patients;two strains were identified as M type,which were all from the classical KS patients.Conclusions In KS,most of HHV-8 K15 alleles are P type,and some are M type.The 4 patients with AIDS-related KS all carried P type of K15 allele.

Objective To investigate the recognition status and attitudes of general practice medical professional for rural-oriented clinical medical (general practice direction) students, and provide effective basis for teaching reform. Methods Using cluster sampling method, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 305 rural-oriented medical students in Hubei Medical University who belonged to four different grades. The questionnaire effective recovery was 98.07%, SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze data, pro-portion (%) were used for statistical descriptive, chi-square test and nonparametric test were used for statis-tical inference. Results 16% (49) students believed that it was not necessary for local medical colleges and universities to set up general practice professional, The rates of students who understood this professional training objectives, employment channel, the future work and professional developments were 82.3% (251 students ), 64.5% (197 students ), 69.2% (211 students) and 66.9% (204 students ), respectively. 27.5%(84) of the students still didn't understand this professional curriculum, and lower cognitive learning public health curriculum. Only 31.1%(105) of students were satisfied with the current general medicine education.52.5% (160) students thought that the professional curriculum system had problems, mainly for the course content overlap and course setting time being not reasonable. Different grades of students had different de-gree of satisfaction in the professional knowledge, the general practice of professional learning attitude, teaching arrangement . Conclusion We should strengthen rural-oriented medical students' ! professional education thought and their cognition of general medicine as soon as possible and integrate and optimize the curriculum system, adjust the teaching content and set up reasonable curriculum opening time.

Objective To analyze the local control rate and the desimetric patterns of local recurrence in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)patients having been treated with standardized conventional radiotherapy and to evaluate the delineation of rational target volume.Methods From Jan.2000 to Dec.2000,476 patients with untreated NPC were treated by standardized conventional radiotherapy alone at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.The radiation ports were designed on a X-ray simulator.The nasopharyngeal lesion demonstrated by CT scan and the subclinical spread regions adjacent to the nasopharynx were defined as the target volume.Kaplan- Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative local recurrence rate.For patients with locad recurrence,the primary and recurrent local tumor volumes(V_(nx),V_(recur))were delineated with three-dimensional treatment planning system(3DTPS),and the dataset of radiation ports and delivered prescription dose to the 3DTPS were transferred according to the first treatment.The dose of radiation received by V_(recur)was calculated and analyzed with dose- volume histogram(DVH).Local recurrence was classified as:1.“in-port”with 95% or mere of the recurrence volume((recur)_V_(95))was within the 95% isedase;2.“marginal”with 20% to95% of _(recur)V_(95)within the 95% isedese; 3.“outside”with only less than 20% of _(recur)_V_(95)within the 95% isodose curve.Results With the median follow- up of 42.5 months(range 8～54 months),52 patients developed local recurrence.The 1-,2-,3 and 4-year cumulative local failure rate was 0.6%,3.9%,8.7% and 11.5%,respectively.Among the 42 local recurrent patients who could be analyzed by 3DTPS,52% were in-port,40% were marginal and 7% were outside.For most of the marginal recurrence and all the outside recurrence patients,the main reason of recurrence were related to the unreasonable design of the radiation port and inaccuracy in the interpretation image findings.Conclusions The outcome of better local control rate and the dosimetric pattern of local recurrence show that the target volume is reasonable for NPC in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.Enhancing the capability of correct interpretation of images,accurate design of the radiation pouts and making most useful molecular or functional imaging techniques to escalate the local radiation dose are promising ways to improve the local control further and better.

OBJECTIVETo compare the lipid levels, dyslipidemia prevalence and the influencing factors between Korean and Han nationalities in Yanbian state.

METHODSA population-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Totally 3011 subjects, ranging from 30 to 70 years old, were included. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference, serum lipids were measured.

RESULTSThe HDL-C concentration of male and female Korean (1.04 +/- 0.45 mmol/L and 1.07 +/- 0.43 mmol/L, respectively) was significantly lower than those of Han (1.16 +/- 0.52 mmol/L and 1.19 +/- 0.56 mmol/L, F = 14.423 and 20.827; P < 0.001). The TG concentration of male Korean (2.10 +/- 2.08 mmol/L) was significantly higher than that of Han male (1.72 +/- 1.73 mmol/L, F = 13.543; P < 0.001) and the prevalence of high triglyceride among male Korean (23.3%) was also significantly higher than that of male Han (15.0%, chi2 = 12,720; P < 0.001). However, the prevalence of high total cholesterol among male Korean (2.3%) was significantly lower than that of Han male (5.2%, chi2 = 6.639; P < 0.01). The prevalence of high TC and TG among female Korean (6.7%) was significantly higher than those of female Han (4.1%, chi2 = 6.394; P<0.05). The crude rate of dyslipidemia of Korean was 31.5%, while that of Han was 24.4%, and the age-adjusted prevalence was 28.7% and 23.0%, respectively, which showed significant ethnic differences in male. The crude rate of dyslipidemia of Korean was 28.9%, while that of Han was 21.7%, and the age-adjusted prevalence was 21.5% and 20.5%, respectively, which also showed significant ethnic differences in female. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was positively correlated with sex, age, WHR, WHtR, and nationality.

CONCLUSIONThere were significant differences in the lipid profiles and the prevalence of dyslipidemia between Korean and Han nationalities. Sex, age,WHR, WHtR, and nationality in this state should be risk factors of the dyslipidemia.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Weights and Measures ; Causality ; China ; epidemiology ; Dyslipidemias ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Female ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors