Objective To understand the state of self-congruence in nurses and discuss their rela-tion with psychological health. Methods Self coasisteney and congruence scale (SCCS) and state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI)were used to test 216 nurses. Results The degree of self-congruence of nurses was relatively low,difference existed in self-congruence among nurses in different departments (P<0.05). Self-congruence was significantly related with state-trait anxiety(P<0.01). Conclusions Selective psy-chological intervention needs be given to some nurses to maintain their psychological health.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genetic mechanism of maternal nonsyndromic inherited sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL), to identify the incidence of the 7445(G) mutation in such pedigrees and sporadic patients with SNHL, and to provide the theoretical evidence for the diagnosis of this disease.

METHODSBlood samples were obtained from 2 pedigrees and 14 sporadic patients with SNHL. DNA was extracted from the isolated leukocytes. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments were amplified by PCR. The 1555(G), 3243(G) and 7445(G) mutation was detected by Alw 26 I, Apa I and Xba I restriction endonuclease digestion respectively. The sequence of 12S rRNA, tRNA(Leu(UUR)) and tRNA(Ser(UCN)) was examined.

RESULTSRestriction endonuclease digestion analysis showed that 12 individuals from 2 pedigrees carried homoplasmic 7445(G) mutation, which was of maternal inheritance. Six individuals from 2 pedigrees and 14 sporadic patients did not have 7445(G) mutation. All individuals did not have 1555(G) and 3243(G) mutation. The sequence analysis further showed that none of them carried homoplasmic 1555(G) and 3243(G) mutation, 12 individuals had (nt)7445 A--> G substitution in tRNA(Ser(UCN)) gene.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of 7445(G) mutation in such pedigrees is higher than that in sporadic patients. Screening for mtDNA 7445(G) mutation combined with 1555(G) examination is of much value to clinical use.

DNA Mutational Analysis ; methods ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Point Mutation ; RNA, Transfer, Ser ; genetics

It has been demonstrated that the activated protein C (APC) plays an important role in the inhibition of inflammation. The activation of protein C can be significantly enhanced by the endothelial cell protein C receptor (EPCR). Previous studies proposed that the APC regulates the inflammatory response in endothelial cells by suppressing the expression of adhesion molecules and the secretion of chemokines and cytokines. However, the precise mechanism of the inhibitory effect of APC on inflammation is still poorly understood. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of recombinant human APC (rhAPC) and whether its inhibitory effect is conducted through the EPCR-dependent mechanism on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). By exposing HUVECs to: (1) TNF-alpha; (2) rhAPC plus TNF-alpha; (3) anti EPCR antibody that prevents rhAPC interaction with EPCR; (4) TNF-alpha plus anti EPCR antibody; (5) rhAPC plus TNF-alpha in the presence of anti EPCR antibody, we found that APC was able to significantly inhibit the TNF-alpha-induced secretion of cytokines such as IL-1beta and IL-8, as well as the expression of adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selction in HUVECs. These results reveal a novel pathway by which APC protects endothelial cells from inflammatory mediators through an EPCR-dependent mechanism.
Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Endothelial Protein C Receptor ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inflammation ; metabolism ; Protein C ; pharmacology ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVE: To analyze deafness gene mutations by genechip. METHOD: The peripheral blood samples were obtained and DNA templates were extracted by extraction kits. The deafness gene mutations were distinguished by genechip. RESULT: Among 42 patients with non-syndromic hearing loss, GJB2 235delC was found in 11 cases (7 cases were homozygosis, 4 cases were heterozygosis); 4 cases were shown to carry the PDS IVS7-2A>G mutation. CONCLUSION The incidence of GJB2 gene and PDS IVS7-2A>G mutations among the deaf- mute children in Guiyang city is 38.10%. Molecular genetic screening for these mutations and genetic counseling are effective methods to prevent the occurrence of hereditary hearing loss.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; Deafness ; genetics ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Infant ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Sulfate Transporters ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective: To investigate the efficiency and safety of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFR) combined with chemotherapy using paclitaxel for the treatment of esophageal cancer (EC) patients with post-operative tracheoesophageal groove lymph node (TGLN) metastasis. Methods: A total of fifty-three post-operative EC patients with TGLN metastasis were randomly divided into HFR group (n=25), receiving a radiation of 60 Gy/20 fractions, and conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFR) group (n=28), receiving a radiation of 60 Gy/30 fractions combined with chemotherapy using paclitaxel with a dosage of 50 mg once per week through tossing a coin. the adverse events and the prognosis between two groups were compared. Results: The incidence of radiation esophagitis and pneumonitis (grade 3-4) between the HFR group and CFR group showed no statistically significant difference (44.0%, 25.0%, P>0.05; 16.0%, 7.1%, P>0.05). No statistical difference was noticed in the efficiency between the HFR group and the CFR group (P>0.05). The efficiency in patients with lymph node metastasis at diameters ≤2 cm was significantly higher than that with lymph node metastasis at diameters >2 cm (P<0.05). The median overall survival (OS) of the HFR group showed a significant increase compared with that of the CRF group [24.2 months (95%CI 16.2-32.1 months) vs. 11.8 months (95%CI 9.2-14.4 months)] (χ²=5.063, P<0.05). Both univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that TGLN diameter (P<0.05) and fractioned types (P<0.05) were factors that affected the prognosis. Conclusions: The combination of HFR and chemotherapy contributed to the improvement of prognosis in EC patients with TGLN metastasis and there was no obvious increase in the adverse events. Trial registration Chinese clinical trial registry, ChiCTR1800016848