Objective To explore the profile of cognitive response to five facial expressions in 6-to 12-month-old infants. Method One hundred and fifty-five 6-to 12-month-old healthy infants were recruited to view five kinds of normative facial emotional expression pictures which presented on computer screen. The visual attention, self emotional and behavioral responses of each infant toward the facial expressions were recorded by a web camera and then were coded and analyzed from the videotaped observations. Results The visual preference to expressions was different in different groups. 6-to 8-month-old infants looked back ( such as 1.50 ± 0.73,1.39 ±0.81,1.67 ±0.87 ) more to all expressions than 9-to 12-month-old infants( 1.10 ± 0.53,1.04 ± 0.51,1.12 ±0. 61 ). 6-to 8-month-old infants exhibited no obvious difference(P＞ 0.05 ) while 9-to 12-month-old infants exhibited significant difference in self emotional responses (include positive and negative) to different expressions (P ＜0. 05 ). Infants appeared some positive behaviors including looking back at mother,finger-pointing and phonating to expressions during the observation. Conclusions Infants over 6-month-age could discriminate different facial expressions,recognize and comprehend happy expression earlier. 9-to 12-month-old infants began to understand the negative emotional significance of negative facial expressions gradually, but their comprehension to negative emotional expressions was rudimentary.

Objective To investigate the synergistic efficacy of different antibiotic combinations against KPC-2 carbapenemase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains in vitro and search for effective antibiotic combination.Methods During 2008 - 2009,a total of 24 strains of K.pneumoniae producing KPC-2 carbapenemase were collected from 8 hospitals in the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Zhejiang University,Ningbo LiHuiLi Hospital,Zhejiang People's Hospital,Hangzhou Third Hospital,the Second Hospital of Shaoxing,Hangzhou First Hospital,Fudan University Huashan Hospital,General Hospital of Nanjing Military Region.MLST technique was used for epidemiological analysis.The MIC of antibiotics,such as amikacin,minocycline,imipenem,amoxicillin/clavulanic-acid,ceftazidime,meropenem,gentamicin,cefoxitin,cefepime,rifampicin,polymyxinB,ciprofloxacin were determined by an agar dilution method,the MIC of tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactain were determined by Etest.The antibacterial activities of cefepime in combination with amoxicillin/clavulanic-acid,amikacin,or ciprofloxacin,amikacin with ciprofloxacin,imipenem with amikacin,ciprofloxacin,polymyxinB,or minocycline,polymyxin B with rifampicin,ceftazidime with amoxicillin/clavulanic-acid were assessed by chequerboard synergy agar dilution tests against all the isolates.Results MLST showed 5 STs among 24 strains of KPC-2 carbapenemase producing K.pneumoniae,and the most prevalent clone was ST11 (15 strains).All isolates were susceptible to polymyxin B and tigecycline,and the resistance rate of minocycline was 4.2％.The synergetic effects were observed in cefepime-amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,imipenem-amikacin,ceftazidime-amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combinations as 19 isolates,13 isolates,and 13 isolates,respectively.Conclusions KPC-2 carbapenemase producing K.pneumoniae is sensitive to polymyxin B,tigecycline and minocycline.The synergetic effect is predominant in cefepime-amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,imipenem-amikacin ceftazidime-amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combinations in vitro,their clinical efficacy are worthy of further observation.

Objective To explore the diagnostic merits of the average apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCav) for leukoencephalopathy in neonates and children.Methods One hundred and fifty-six neonates and children with central nervous system signs or symptoms were classified into 6 groups according to their ages(1 d-0.05).Contrast to the normal,the ADCav of leukoencephalopathy in neonates and children decreased.With increasing age,there showed a linear downtrend in each group.Conclusions The ADCav rises in neonates and children with leukoencephalopathy.The ADCav variation precedes changes in routine MRI.

The purpose of the present work was to study hippocampal cellular electrophysiology involved in cortical epileptic networks reorganized by acute tetanization (60 Hz, 2 s, 0.4-0.6 mA) of the right posterior dorsal hippocampus (ATPDH). Experiments were performed on 35 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. The ATPDH was used to establish epilepsy model. Four-channel recordings were done simultaneously, two channels for single unit recordings from bilateral hippocampi and other two channels for electrocorticogram (ECoG) or hippocampal electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings on the bilateral sides. The ATPDH bilaterally induced: (1) Epileptic ECoG activities that were originated from single unit afterdischarges of ipsilateral hippocampal neuron, followed by single unit afterdischarges of contralateral hippocampal neuron, finally produced seizure-like oscillations in the contralateral and ipsilateral ECoG. (2) 4-10 Hz rhythmic ECoG oscillations and 100-250 Hz hippocampal EEG oscillations, and asymmetric electrical activities of bilateral hippocampal neurons. (3) The hippocampal neuronal bursting that appeared its interspike interval (ISI) spot distribution in an irregular circular shape. The ipsilateral circular shape ISI distribution was more regular and occurred often, which was time-locked with the sinusoidal pattern of maximum peaks of hippocampal oscillatory trains. The results imply that the epileptic networks are reorganized bilaterally between ECoG and hippocarnpal EEG by the ATPDH. The hippocampal neuronal firing temporally encodes its information, in particular, the irregular circular shape ISI distribution during epileptic network reorganization.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in type 2 diabetes patients, by comparing the sexual function between type 2 diabetic women and non-diabetic women with Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

METHODS115 type 2 diabetic women and 107 age-matched non-diabetes women were enrolled with similar backgrounds. Their sexual functions were evaluated with FSFI. Metabolic parameters such as body mass index, blood lipid profile, hemoglobin A1C, plasma glucose were also collected.

RESULTSTotal score of FSFI of the type 2 diabetic women were significantly lower than that of the non-diabetic controls (18.27±8.96 vs. 23.02±5.78, P=0.000). Scores of the FSFI domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, pain) of the type 2 diabetic group were also lower than those of the control group. According to the FSD criterion (FSFI<25) available in China, the percentage of FSD in the type 2 diabetic group was significantly higher than that of the control group (79.2%vs. 55.0%, P<0.001). These trends seemed more prominent in pre-menopause subgroups. The logistic regression analysis indicated that age and diabetes were independent risk factors of FSD. Body Mass Index (BMI) also had influence in the diabetes group.

CONCLUSIONFindings from this study showed that there are more FDS in Chinese type 2 diabetic women than in their non-diabetic counterparts, especially in pre-menopause participants.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; etiology

This study examined the effect of cholic acid (CA) on cultured cardiac myocytes (CMs) from neonatal rats with an attempt to explore the possible mechanism of sudden fetal death in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Inverted microscopy was performed to detect the impact of CA on the beating rates of rat CMs. MTT method was used to study the effect of CA on the viability of CMs. CMs cultured in vitro were incubated with 10 μmol/L Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescence indicator fluo-3/AM. The fluorescence signals of free calcium induced by CA were measured under a laser scanning confocal microscope. The results showed that CA decreased the beating rates of the CMs in a dose-dependent manner. CA could suppress the activities of CMs in a time- and dose-dependent manner. CA increased the concentration of intracellular free calcium in a dose-dependent manner. Our study suggested that CA could inhibit the activity of CMs by causing calcium overload, thereby leading to the sudden fetal death in ICP.

Adult ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; etiology ; Drug Eruptions ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Phthalimides ; adverse effects

The purpose of the present work was to study the effect of acute tetanization of the right caudate putamen nucleus (ATRC) on single neuronal interspike intervals (ISIs) in both laterodorsal thalamic nuclei (LDi), and electroencephalogram (EEG) wave interpeak intervals (IPIs) in both hippocampi (HPCi). Experiments were performed on 21 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150~250 g. The seizures were induced by the ATRC (60 Hz, 2 s, 0.4~0.6 mA). Quadruple recordings were simultaneously carried out: two for single unit recordings from both LDi, and two for EEG recordings from both HPCi. The ATRC induced: (1) An interactive epileptic electrical network reconstructed in bilateral HPCi, which was driven by primary afterdischarges of single LD neuron. (2) A symmetric mirror-like ISI spot distribution of the LD neuronal firing before and after tetanus. (3) Gradually prolonged LD neuronal discharge intermittence was coherent with synchronous hippocampal EEG activities on the contralateral side. (4) Single LD neuronal spikes were phase- and time-locked to 20~25 Hz gamma oscillations in contralateral HPC. It suggests a particular temporal code patterning of single LD neuronal firing and its relationships to hippocampal EEG wave code in time series, the latter implies the LD neuronal encoding mechanisms of ATRC-induced epileptic electrical network in bilateral HPCi.
Action Potentials ; physiology ; Animals ; Caudate Nucleus ; physiology ; Electric Stimulation ; methods ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Hippocampus ; physiology ; Lateral Thalamic Nuclei ; physiology ; Male ; Nerve Net ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reaction Time ; physiology

AIMTo validate the abundance of Interleukin 8 receptor beta (IL-8Rbeta) mRNA in single human neutrophil.

METHODSHuman neutrophils were isolated and purified from volunteers, total RNA was extracted and a regular RT-PCR aiming at IL-8Rbeta mRNA was performed to ascertain its expression profile in human neutrophils and optimize the reaction conditions for the following single-cell RT-PCR procedures. Subsequently, single neutrophil or the cellular content was harvested to conduct reverse transcription and two-round PCR with the same primer pairs used before. Serial dilution of single neutrophil cDNA pool was carried out at the same time with the exact two-round PCR followed. The specificity of this single-cell RT-PCR procedure was verified by the BamHI restriction endonuclease digestion on the final cDNA products.

RESULTSRegular RT-PCR indicated IL-8Rbeta mRNA expression in human neutrophils. While single-cell RT-PCR was sensitive enough to detect trace IL-8Rbeta mRNA as predicted cDNA product could be amplified from a 10 000 times diluted intracellular specimen from single neutrophil, which indicated an abundant expression of this mRNA in human neutrophil. Moreover, BamHI digestion on the final cDNA product clarified the specificity of this single-cell RT-PCR procedure.

CONCLUSIONThis simplified semi-quantitative single-cell RT-PCR procedure specifically confirmed that IL-8Rbeta mRNA was highly expressed in human neutrophil, which also provided the possibility of comparing mRNA abundance at single cell level.

Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Neutrophils ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, Interleukin-8B ; analysis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Single-Cell Analysis ; methods

Humans ; Diverticulum, Colon/surgery* ; Cholecystectomy/adverse effects* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed