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.

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of a computerized cognitive assessment system designed for screening mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and compare the screening accuracy among constructed different machine learning classification models. Methods:A group of random stratified samples of over 55 years old residents in the communities, nursing homes and memory-clinics from Shanghai and Henan were selected to assess their cognitive status using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) by well-trained investigators. The reliability and validity were assessed by intrinsic consistency analysis and factor analysis, respectively. Taking the results of MoCA as standards, four machine learning classification algorithms, i.e., naïve Bayesian classification model, random forest classifier, Logistic regression classifier, and K-nearest neighbor classifier, were compared in accuracy and area under curve (AUC). Results:A total of 359 participants were included, the median age of whom was 63 years old. And 82.80% of them were secondary school graduates or below. According to the results of MoCA, 147 of them might be MCI. The Cronbach's α and KMO of this system were 0.84 and 0.78, respectively; Bartlett's sphericity test was significant (P<0.05); thirteen common factors could explain 75.10% of the system. The best classification model was naïve Bayesian classification model, and its accuracy and AUC were 88.05% and 0.941, respectively. Conclusion:The new designed computerized cognitive assessment system has been proved to be reliable and valid. The naïve Bayesian classification model has good classification accuracy.

Objective:To investigate the correlation of plasma D-dimer levels with the response to first-line chemotherapy and the prognosis of patients with serous ovarian cancer (SOC). Methods:The preoperative plasmic D-dimer levels of 143 patients with prima-ry SOC were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were admitted to Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital between January 2008 and May 2010. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of plasmic D-dimer levels. Group A consisted of 100 patients with a normal plasmic D-dimer level of≤0.3 mg/L. Group B included 43 patients with an increased plasmic D-dimer level of>0.3 mg/L. The correlations of the different plasmic D-dimer levels with clinicopathological features, therapeutic effects, and surviv-al outcomes were further analyzed. Results:The plasmic D-dimer levels were positively correlated with the staging of the Federation of International Gynecology and Obstetrics, residual tumor size, presence of malignant ascites, preoperative serum CA125 level, and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Group B exhibited a significantly lower (P<0.001) complete response (CR) rate of 34.88%(15/43) than group A, which yielded a CR rate of 73.00%(73/100). The progression-free survival and overall survival rates of group B were significantly lower than those of group A (25.58%vs. 50.00%and 32.56%vs. 65.00%;P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the plasmic D-di-mer level is an independent prognostic factor associated with unfavorable prognosis. Conclusion:Increased preoperative plasmic D-di-mer levels may be a potential biomarker of weak responses to first-line chemotherapy and poor clinical outcomes in patients with SOC.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate biological characteristics of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells, and to explore the possibility of hepatocyte-like cells differentiation.METHODS: The umbilical cord was provided by healthy term birth woman in Tianjin Third Central Hospital. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from human umbilical cord by enzyme digestion method. Cells were passaged at 80%-90% confluent. The ninth passage of cells at a density of 5×10~(10)/L were seeded in 12-well culture plate and incubated with DMEM containing hepatocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor-4 and oncostatin for 28 days. Cell growth activity was detected by MTT method; cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry; surface immunological marker in MSC was detected by immunocytochemical stain and flow cytometry; specific surface phenotype of hepatocyte was detected by immunocytochemical staining. Function characteristic of hepatocyte was determined by staining for glycogen.RESULTS: MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cord and presented with fibroblastic morphology. 80% of cells were at G_0/G_1 phase with good growth activity and stably passaged over 20 times. These cells were positive for CD29, CD105, and Vimentin, but negative for CD34 and CD31. MSCs were induced to hepatocyte-1 ike cells that were positive for alpha fetoprotein, CK18, CK19 at 1 week and albumin at 3 weeks. At 4 weeks, induced cells were positive for glycogen staining.CONCLUSION: MSCs isolated from human umbilical cord can be cultured in a long periods time in vitro and are able to differentiate into functional hepatocyte-like cells.

Objective To establish the long-term culture system for fetal skin fibroblast by performing long time in vitro cultivation of the cells,and study the potential of its differentiation to hepatocytes.Methods Fibroblast was isolated from human fetus skin tissue.Surface phenotypes of cells were detected by ICC and FCM,and biological characteristics were analyzed by the karyotype analysis and soft agar colony formation observation.ALB、CK18、CK19 were detected by ICC,glycogen stain by PAS,AFP and ALB mRNA by RT-PCR after P3～30cells were induced differentiation by cytokines of HGF,FGF4 and OSM.Results CD29,CD49f,HLA- Ⅰ and CD 105 were highly expressed while CD90 hardly in skin fibroblast.The rate of induced differentiation of fibroblast into hepatocyte-like cells was approximately 5％.The cells could be cultured in vitro for almost 50 passages with normal karyotype and no oncogenic and immortalized characteristics.Conclsion The skin fibroblast possesses the characteristic of mesenchymal stem cell and can be induced into hepatocyte-like cell in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) 8344 A>G (m.8344A>G) mutation is the common mutation associated with mitochondrial myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) syndrome. Herein we report a rare case with mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes/MERRF/Leigh (MELAS/MERRF/Leigh) overlap syndrome caused by m.8344A>G mutation. METHODS: The clinical and imaging data of the patient were collected and an open muscle biopsy was carried out. We further employed molecular genetic analyses to detect mtDNA mutation in the proband and his mother. And then a clinical and neuroimaging follow-up was performed. RESULTS: This patient was a 25-year-old male, who developed exercise intolerance since the age of 6. At age 10, he suffered from acute episodes of hemianopia, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed occipital stroke-like lesions and cranial magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) revealed a lactate peak corresponding to the lesion. After that the patient presented slowly progressive psychomotor decline. He had myoclonic seizures and cerebellar ataxia since the age of 12. At age 21, he was admitted to our hospital because of confusion and cranial MRI revealed symmetrical lesions in bilateral posterior putamen, thalami and midbrain. Then repeated MRI showed progression of original lesions and new frontal multiple stroke-like lesions. Symptomatic and rehabilitation treatment relieved his condition. Follow-up cranial MRI at age 24 showed the lesions in basal ganglia and thalami diminished, and the midbrain lesions even completely vanished. Muscle pathology indicated the presence of numerous scattered ragged-red fibers (RRF), suggestive of a mitochondrial disorder. Polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) detected the m.8344A>G mutation of the MT-TK gene encoding mitochondrial transfer RNA for lysine in the patient's blood. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of the whole mitochondrial genome identified that the proportion of m.8344A>G was 90%, and no other mtDNA mutation was detected. Sanger sequencing further identified this mutation both in the proband and his mother's blood, although the mutation load was much lower in his mother's blood with approximately 10% heteroplasmy. CONCLUSION The present study is the first to describe a patient with m.8344A>G mutation in association with the MELAS/MERRF/Leigh overlap syndrome, which expands the phenotypic spectrum of the m.8344A>G mutation.
Acidosis, Lactic ; Adult ; Child ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; Mutation ; Stroke ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo investigate the difference of blood pressure variability among patients with lacunar infarction,nonlacunar infarction and normotension.MethodsBlood pressure was measured serially at 1-hour intervals during the first 24 hours after infarction with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in 31 patients(17 cases with nonlacunar infarction and 14 cases with lacunar infarction).The blood pressure variability index were compared.ResultsBoth 24 h and day systolic blood pressure variability were significantly higher in lacunar infarction patients compared with nonlacunar infarction ones.ConclusionFluctuation of systolic blood pressure may disturb small arteries rather than large or middle arteries.

Objective To quantitatively analyze total hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (HBV tDNA),covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and HBsAg in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB),HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),and to analyze the characteristics.Methods HBV tDNA and HBV cccDNA in the serum and liver biopsy samples were measured in 21 CHB,23 LC and 25 HCC patients by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. HBsAg titer was measured by chemiluminescence. Normally distributed variables among multiple groups were analyzed by ANOVA and t-test.Correlation between two variables was tested using Pearson correlation analysis.Skewed distribution was tested using Rank sum test.Results In CHB,LC and HCC patients,the serum HBV tDNA levels were (5.38±2.08),(4.96± 1.65) and (4.18 ± 0.91) lg copy/mL,respectively; the intrahepatic HBV tDNA levels in three groups were (7.18±1.91),(6.51±1.87) and (5.87± 1.47) lg copy/ug,respectively; the intrahepatic HBV cccDNA levels were (3.53±2.03),(2.63±2.13) and (0.58± 1.40) lg copy/μg,respectively; the serum HBsAg levels were (3.30±0.65),(3.12±0.52) and (2.60± 1.03) lg IU/mL,respectively.In CHB patients,the serum HBV tDNA,intrahepatic HBV tDNA,HBV cccDNA and HBsAg levels were all significantly higher than those of HCC patients (t=2.446,P=0.013; t=2.562,P=0.014;t=5.799,P＜0.01 ; t=2.709,P=0.003,respectively).However,only intrahepatic HBV cccDNA and HBsAg levels were statistically different between LC and HCC patients (t=-3.894,P＜0.01;t=-2.237,P=0.023,respectively).HBV cccDNA was all negative in the serum of 69 patients.The serum HBsAg level was positively correlated with serum HBV tDNA (r=0.290,P=0.016),intrahepatic HBV tDNA (r=0.372,P =0.002) and intrahepatic HBV cccDNA (r=0.378,P=0.001).Conclusions The levels of HBV tDNA,HBV cccDNA and HBsAg decrease gradually with the disease progression.The serum HBsAg level is positively correlated with serum HBV tDNA,intrahepatic HBV tDNA and intrahepatic HBV cccDNA.

Objective To investigated the effect of TangNaiKang (TNK) on VEGF protein expression of GK rats Thoracic aorta. Methods 51 male GK rats were divided into five groups randomly: model group, pioglitazone group, and TNK treatment group (low, immediate and high dose). Another 10 male Wistar rats were served as normal control group. GK rats were fed with high-grease forage, while normal control group was fed with a standard diet. Fasting blood glucose, general HE staining and VEGF protein expression were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results The fasting glucose had a significant decline in TNK treatment groups. HE staining showing TNK can ameliorate intima thickness, reduce hyperplasia of shallow vascular smooth muscle cell, and improve wavy and plexiform arrangement of elastic lamina. Immunohistochemistry also showed that TNK decreased VEGF protein expression of great vessels. Conclusion TangNaiKang can prevent and cure diabetic vascular complication of GK rats.

Nanoporous ZnO was used as a carrier to prepare drug solid dispersion, the mechanism of which to improve the drug dissolution was also studied. Nanoporous ZnO, obtained through chemical deposition method, was used as a carrier to prepare indomethacin and cilostazol solid dispersions by melt-quenching method, separately. The results of scanning electron microscope, surface area analyzer, fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimeter and X-ray diffraction showed that drugs were implanted into nanopores of ZnO by physical adsorption effect and highly dispersed into nanopores of ZnO in amorphous form, moreover, these nanopores strongly inhibited amorphous recrystallization in the condition of 45 degrees C and 75% RH. In addition, the results of the dissolution tested in vitro exhibited that the accumulated dissolutions of indomethacin and cilostazol solid dispersions achieved about 90% within 5 min and approximately 80% within 30 min. It was indicated in this study that the mechanism of drug dissolution improvement was associated with the effects of nanoporous ZnO carrier on increasing drug dispersion, controlling drug in nanopores as amorphous form and inhibiting amorphous recrystallization.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Drug Carriers ; Indomethacin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nanostructures ; Phosphodiesterase 3 Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Solubility ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Tetrazoles ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; X-Ray Diffraction ; Zinc Oxide ; chemistry