Objective Hypercellularity in proliferan've glomerulonephritis can result from either increased proliferation or the failure of cells to undergo apoptosis in response to stimuli. Increasing evidence supports that alterations in the control of cell survival are important in the pathogenesis of proliferative glomerulonephritis. Methods Apoptotic cells in the glomeruli have been analyzed by the in situ end labeling (ISEL) of TdT from patients diagnosed with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN, n = 12), type IV lupus nephritis (LN, n = 15) and acute postinfectious glomerulonephritis (APGN, n = 13) in the present study. In addition, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive proliferating glomerular cells were observed by immunochemical 4 layer PAP method in these patients. Results The ratio of proliferating and apoptotic cells was the highest one in patients with MPGN (3.91) as compared to APGN (1.28) and LN(1 .02). The extends of increasing apoptotic cells in the glomeruli were different among patients with MPGN,, APGN and LN, although all of them showed extremely glomerular hypercellularity. The number of apoptotic glomemlar cells was significantly higher in patients with APGN (1.16?0.35) than those with MPGN (0.12?0.16) as well as LN patients (0.35 ? 0.20). Conclusion Apoptosis is essential in the resolution of glomerular cellularity together with the remodeling processes. Intense proliferations without increment in apoptosis are the characterisitics of MPGN and LN associated with their renal histological changes and prognosis.

Objective To analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children. Methods Fifty-three inpatients, 5 boys and 48 girls with SLE, who aged from 7 to 14 years with a median age at 12 years, were enrolled into this study. A retrospective study was carried out to assess the clinical and laboratory features of these pediatric patients. Results The ratio of male to female patients was 1:9.6. Skin eruption was the most common initial manifestation (41.51%), followed by fever (20.75%) and arthralgia (20.75%). Systemic involvement was common, and 84.90% of these patients had hematological abnormalities, 60.38% renal involvement, 18.87% nervous involvement. The most common manifestation of hematological, renal and nervous involvement was anemia, proteinuria and seizures, respectively. Among the immunologic parameters tested, anti-nuclear antibody showed the highest positivity rate of 90.57%, followed by anti-dsDNA with a positivity rate of 67.92%. There was no significant difference between the male and female patients in the age of onset, SLEDAI score at admission and discharge, duration of hospitalization or the dose of corticosteroid used initially and at the discharge. Conclusion The manifestations of pediatric SLE are various, and multisystem involvement is common in these patients. Early diagnosis and active treatment might benefit the prognosis of pediatric SLE.

OBJECTIVETo explore genetic relationships of the 39 materials in six species of Curcuma.

METHODThe peroxidase isozyme (POD) and esterase isozyme (EST) were studied using vertical slab polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) technique, and the zymograms were analyzed using the software of NTSYSpc2. 1.

RESULTThe interspecific zymogramatic differences were obvious. Each species possessed its own specific zymogram distinguishing form the others. In the analysis of EST isozyme, C. phaeocaulis, C. wenyujin, C. kwangsiensis and C. chuanhuangjiang had their own specific zymogram. In the analysis of POD isozyme, just C. phaeocaulis and C. kwangsiensis had their specific zymogram.

CONCLUSIONThe genetic relationships are not associated with the geographical distributions and the genetic relationship between C. longa and C. sichuanensis are very close.

Cluster Analysis ; Curcuma ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Esterases ; analysis ; genetics ; Isoenzymes ; analysis ; genetics ; Peroxidase ; analysis ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Species Specificity

Objective To study the clinical and laboratory features of the mild and severe hand-foot-mouth diseases (HFMD) in Shenzhen in 2008.Methods 145 cases were observed in East-Lake Hospital and Shenzhen Children's Hospital. Of the 145 cases,124 mild eases and 21 severe cases were involved. All the clinical data and Laboratory findings were collected and summarized. After collection of the acute and convalescent consecutive stools and peripheral bloods from the patients with HFMD,EV71 genes were amplified from these samples by RT-PCR. Enterovirus 71 were cultured and isolated using Veto cell line and R&D cell line. Results The WBC counts and blood glucose levels of the severe cases were significantly elevated,but the ages of the severe ones significantly decreased compared with those of the mild cases( P < 0.05). EV71 genes could be detected by RT-PCR with 35% positive rate in mild cases and 67% in severe eases.The EV71 gene detection rate of the severe cases was significantly increased in contrast to that of the mild ones. The EV71 were isolated and cultured from the stools of 9 patients,one specimens from the dead's stool. Two severe cases died of neurngenic pulmonary edema and brain-stem encephalitis. Conclusions EV71 mainly contributes to HFMD and is responsible for death of some severe cases. High fever,less rash,elevated white blood cell counts and blood glucose concentrations as well as age less than 4 years old should be used for prediction of severe cases.