Objective To study the relationship between the genetic polymorphism of interleukine-6 (IL-6)-174 and the response to benazepril treatment in patients with hypertensive renal damage. Methods Two hundred and eighty-four patients with hypertension were enrolled in this study. The hypertensive renal damage was defined by the measurement of urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER). One hundred and sixty healthy subjects were enrolled simultaneously as control group. Blood samples were obtained from all the subjects, and plasma levels of IL-6 and the genotype of gene IL-6-174 were detected. The patients with hypertensive renal damage were treated with benazepril for 16 weeks. The responses were evaluated by the changes of UAER level to benazepril in different genotypes. Results Genotype CC was the most common of the gene IL-6-174 in patients with hypertension, followed by GG and GC successively, with the G/C allele frequency of 47%and 53%(P<0.05), while in patients with hypertensive renal damage, GG was the most common genotype of the gene IL-6-174, followed by GC and CC successively, with the G/C allele frequency of 68%and 32%(P<0.05). After benazepril treatment, the UAER was decreased most in patients with genotype CC, followed by GC and GG successively ( P<0.05). Conclusion The G allele frequency of the gene IL-6-174 is related with hypertensive renal damage in patients in Ningxia, with GG as the most common genotype. The patients with CC genotype have the best response to benazepril treatment, with most decreased UAER.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between imbalanced synthesis of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) alpha and beta subunits and the pathology of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

METHODSTotal hCG, free alphahCG and betahCG were measured in serum samples collected from 60 cases of PIH and 30 normal gravid women by radioimmunoassay. The ratio of total hCG/betahCG, betahCG/FalphahCG, (FalphahCG+betahCG)/betahCG were calculated. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in 13 placenta from each group.

RESULTSIn PIH group the levels of FalphahCG, total hCG and betahCG were significantly higher than those of normal group (FalphahCG: 528 +/-421 IU/L compared with 222 +/-129 IU/L; betahCG: 39396 +/-6412 IU/L compared with 24265 +/-5575 IU/L; total hCG: 66597 +/-9294 IU/L compared with 36078 +/-4767 IU/L, all P<0.001). The betahCG/FalphahCG ratio in PIH was lower than that of normal group (91.23 +/-53.38 Compared with 119.4 +/-80.1, P<0.05); (FalphahCG+betahCG)/betahCG ratio and total hCG/betahCG ratio in two groups were (1.022 +/-0.026 compared with 1.015 +/-0.011; 1.802 +/-0.339 compared with 1.807 +/-0.258, respectively P>0.05). The immunohistochemical intensity of betahCG and FalphahCG in syncytiotrophoblast was significantly increased in 13 PIH compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggested that the imbalanced synthesis of hCG alpha and beta subunits may cause hypertension.

Adult ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; biosynthesis ; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; etiology ; metabolism ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the free alpha subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (FalphahCG) as a marker for pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). METHODS: The study group consisted of 74 pregnant women with hypertension. PIH admitted at 21-43 weeks of gestation. The control group was 37 non-PIH women. Serum FalphahCG was measured by radioimmunoassay with monoclonal technology. Using Youden's index of the receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC), a threshold value was determined. RESULTS: FalphahCG levels in PIH women were significantly higher than in the control group women [(556+/-428)IU/L compared with (232+/-131)IU/L,P<0.001].Using 260 IU/L of FalphahCG as the threshold value yields a sensitivity of 81.1% and specificity of 75.7% with a Youden's index of 0.57 for predicting PIH. CONCLUSION: Serum FalphahCG may serve as a useful marker to predict PIH.

OBJECTIVETo compare the incidence of metabolic disorders (MS) in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) and essential hypertension (EH).

METHODSMS prevalence was observed in 200 EH patients (male 104) and 220 PA patients (male 117) hospitalized to our hospital from August 2005 to March 2007.

RESULTS(1) The prevalence of MS in PA group was significantly higher than that of EH group (47.3% vs. 31.5%, P = 0.009). (2) Blood pressure was significantly higher in PA group than that of EH [SBP: (150.67 +/- 15.45) mm Hg vs. (145.69 +/- 17.13) mm Hg, P = 0.042; DBP: (93.03 +/- 10.51) mm Hg vs. (85.83 +/- 14.44) mm Hg, P = 0.037]. (3) Incidences of abdominal obesity (86.8% vs. 78.5%, P = 0.024) and insulin resistance (insulin sensitivity index: 42.42 +/- 16.11 vs. 49.58 +/- 22.43, P = 0.008) were significantly higher in PA group than in EH group.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of MS in hospitalized PA patients was significantly higher than that of EH patients characterized by prevalent abdominal obesity, insulin resistant and severe hypertension.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Incidence ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged

Objective To study the correlation between the genetic polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)-308 with benazepril treatment response in the patients with hypertensive renal damage in Ningxia area.Methods Two hundred and eighty-four patients initially diagnosed as hypertension were enrolled and the hypertensive renal damage defined by the measurement of urinary albumin excretion rate(UAER).At the same time 160 individuals undergoing healthy physical examination were selected as the normal blood pressure control group.The plasma samples were obtained from all the subjects,and plasma level of TNF-α and TNF-α-308 gene polymorphism were detected.Then the patients with hypertensive renal damage were interfered with benazepril as one of the antihypertensive drugs,and the treatment response of different TNF-α-308 genotypes to benazepril was observed,and the comparative analysis was performed.Results Among the TNF-α-308 genotypes in the patients with simple hypertension,genotype GA was the most common,followed by GG and AA successively,with the G/A allele frequency of 53 ％/47 ％ (P＜0.05).In the patients with hypertensive renal damage,genotype GG was the most common,followed by GA and AA successively,with the G/A allele frequency of 70％/30％,the genotypes and allele frequency had no statistical difference(P＜0.05).Before and after benazepril treatment,the change range of UAER in the patients with genotype AA was maximal,followed by the genotype GA and GG,the difference among 3 groups was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion The TNF-α-308 gene is correlated with hypertensive renal damage and its response to benazepril treatment.

Objective To study the HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) transmission in Kunming city of Yunnan province in 2010.Methods Referring to the guidelines for HIV drug resistance threshold survey (HIVDR-TS) set by WHO,62 plasma samples of recently reported HIV-infected individuals who were older than 25 years of age,were collected from January to August 2010.Genotyping of pol genetic mutations associated with HIVDR with reverse transcriptional PCR was performed and the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance transmission was evaluated.Results Of the 62 plasma samples,54 were successfully sequenced and genotyped on pol sequence.Based on the pol sequences,HIV subtypes including CRF08_BC ( 53.2％ ),CRF07_BC ( 25.5％ ),CRF01_AE ( 19.1％ )and C (2.1％) were identified.According to the time of sampling,the first 47 sequenced samples were used for drug resistance prevalence analysis.A protease inhibitor (PI) relative mutation was found in one sample.Based on the WHO standard,the prevalence of transmitted HIV-1 drug resistance was ＜5％.Conclusion HIV-1 drug resistant strains transmission was still catalogued as low prevalence level in Kunming.To prevent the increase of HIVDR prevalence,normative treatment and scientific management to AIDS patients seemed to be quite important.

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics of an outbreak caused by norovirus infection in a school in Haidian district,Beijing.Methods Basic information of the school and data related to patients in the fields survey were collected and analyzed descriptively.Laboratory tests were performed to test the stool and anal swab specimens of both patients and cooks as well as the environmental specimens.Risk factors related to the incidence were analyzed through a case-control study.Results A total number of 119 patients were identified in the school.Clinical symptoms were mild,mainly involving vomiting (94.1％,112/119),abdominal pain (46.2％,55/119),but no need of hospitalization.The average age of the student patients was 6.38,with minimum and maximum between 5 and 11.Patients were found in 22 classes,but mainly in grade 1 and class 7 where 35 patients were found (30.17％).A total of 134 specimens of rectal swabs and stool were collected,with 7 positive for norovirus and 6 for sappovirus.Salmonella,Shigella,lapactic Escherichia coli and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were not found in on dinner sets,residual foods,bottled water or in drinking fountains.Index on water hygiene was unsatisfactory in classrooms or dormitories where more cases were found.Accommodation,north-facing-classrooms,abnormal water hygiene indexes were found related to the occurance of the disease (P＜0.05).Conclusions The outbreak was identified a gastroenteritis infection,caused by norovirus with symptoms as vomiting and abdominal pain.This event reached the reporting standards of public health emergencies-level Ⅳ.Discovery and isolation of the first case was not timely while transmission of the disease might be water-borne.Surveillance programs on symptoms,disinfection of vomit and stool in places like nurseries and schools should be strengthened to prevent the norovirus outbreak.

OBJECTIVETo understand the environmental risk factors on attempted suicide in patients with major depression, and to study the interaction between factors as single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) of TPH2 gene rs7305115 associated to attempted suicide in major depression.

METHODSPaired case-control study on 215 suicide attempters with major depression (92 male, 123 female) and molecular biological techniques were used to study the relation between TPH2 gene rs7305115 SNP,interrelated environmental factors and the rate of attempted suicide. Controls were paired with cases according to the same gender, similar age (no more than 3 years) and from the same district.

RESULTSThere were remarkably significant differences in gene types and gene frequency between case and control groups (P < 0.001). Data from multivariate conditional logistic regression model analysis showed that hopelessness, negative life-events and family history of suicide were relationship of attempted suicide in patients with major depression with OR values as 0.33 (95% CI: 0.22-0.99), 7.68 (95% CI: 5.79-13.74), 6.64 (95% CI: 2.48-11.04), 2.98 (95% CI: 1.17-5.04) respectively. There was no first level interaction between any of the two risk factors.

CONCLUSIONResults from the study supported the idea that hopelessness, negative life-events and family history of suicide were risk factors of attempted suicide in major deprbssion while TPH2 gene rs7305115 A/A might be the protective factor.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; genetics ; psychology ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors ; Suicide, Attempted ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of lamivudine, interferon alpha and oxymatrine treatment for surviving hepatic failure patients with hepatitis B.

METHODS200 hepatitis B patients, including 100 subacute or acute-on-chronic hepatic failure survivals (group A), and 100 chronic (group B, n=100) hepatic failure survivals, were enrolled in this study. Patients in group A received interferon alpha (n=35), lamivudine (n=33) , or combinational lamivudine and oxymatrine (n=32) therapy for six months; Patients in group B received lamivudine (n=49), or combinational lamivudine and oxymatrine (n=51) therapy for six months, respectively. After the treatment, all patients were followed-up for six months.

RESULTSAt the end of follow-up, all patients in group A survived, while in group B three patients (6.1%) receiving lamivudine, and four (7.8%, P>0.05) receiving combinational therapy died; more than 90% of all survivals had their HBV DNA loss. The HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion rate in patients of group A treated with interferon alpha (9/17, 52.9%) was higher than that in patients treated with combinational lamivudine and matrine (5/16, 31.3%, P<0.05), which was higher than that in the patients treated with lamivudine alone (1/17, 5.9%, P<0.01), and the Knodell histological activity index score in patients treated with lamivudine (7.2+/-0.8, P<0.05) was lower than that in patients treated with interferon alpha (8.2+/-1.3, P<0.05), and the best efficacy was found in receiving combinational therapy (6.9+/-0.7, P<0.01); Lamivudine or lamivudine in combination with matrine significantly inhibited the intrahepatic inflammatory activities, but had no effect on the existing fibrosis in group B patients.

CONCLUSIONLong term nucleotide analogues treatment may delay the progress of fibrosis in hepatitis B-induced hepatic failure survivals, and the administration of matrine in time may further enhance the anti-fibrotic effect of nucleotide analogues.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Alkaloids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Lamivudine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Liver Failure ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quinolizines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) on the permeability of blood-brain barrier, tight junction (TJ)-associated protein expression and localization in rats.

METHODS66 male SD rats, weighing (200 approximately 250) g, were sham or whole-body exposed to EMP at 200 kV/m for 200 pulses. The repetition rate was 1 Hz. The permeability of the blood-brain barrier in rats was assessed by albumin immunohistochemistry. The expression of typical tight junction protein ZO-1 and occludin in both cerebral cortex homogenate and cerebral cortex microvessel homogenate was analyzed by the Western blotting and the distribution of ZO-1 and occludin was examined by immunofluorescence microscopy.

RESULTSIn the sham exposure rats, no brain capillaries showed albumin leakage, at 0.5 h after 200 kV/m EMP exposure for 200 pulses; a few brain capillaries with extravasated serum albumin was found, with the time extended, the number of brain capillaries with extravasated serum albumin increased, and reached the peak at 3 h, then began to recover at 6 h. In addition, no change in the distribution of the occludin was found after EMP exposure. Total occludin expression had no significant change compared with the control. However, the expression level of ZO-1 significantly decreased at 1 h and 3 h after EMP exposure in both cerebral cortex homogenate and cerebral cortex microvessel homogenate. Furthermore, immunofluorescence studies also showed alterations in ZO-1 protein localization in cerebral cortex microvessel.

CONCLUSIONThe EMP exposure (200 kV/m, 200 pulses) could increase blood-brain barrier permeability in rat, and this change is associated with specific alterations in tight junction protein ZO-1.

Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; radiation effects ; Brain ; metabolism ; Capillary Permeability ; radiation effects ; Electromagnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Zonula Occludens-1 Protein