Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue ; diagnosis ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo establish a retinal vein occlusion (RVO) animal model and observe the therapeutic effect of a Chinese herbal composition (Fufang Xueshuantong Capsule, , FXC)inischemicinischemic) in ischemic retinal disease.

METHODSFifteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent laser photothrombosis to induce RVO on their right eyes and were subsequently randomized to receive FXC (the intervention group, n=7) or placebo treatment (the control group, n=8). Fundus fluorescein angiography was performed after 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR was used to quantify the mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). The main outcomes were the mRNA copies of VEGF and SDF-1 and the counts of RVO signs.

RESULTSLaser photothrombosis procedure induced typical lesions of RVO, including hemorrhage, leakage, retinal detachment, capillary non-perfusion, filling defect of retinal vessels, and lateral circulation/dilation of small vessels. The retinal lesions were associated with an increased expression of VEGF (P<0.05). No significant change of SDF-1 expression was noticed. Compared with the control group, the intervention group had numerically fewer RVO lesions at week 2 (1.71±0.76 vs. 3.50±1.51, t=-2.82, P<0.05). The benefit of intervention remained at weeks 4 and 8.

CONCLUSIONSA rat model of laser photothrombosis-induced RVO was established and an increase in the VEGF expression was observed in the retinal lesion. The FXC had therapeutic benefit in improving retinal lesions in the rat model of RVO.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA Primers ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Gene Expression ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; metabolism ; therapy ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

Abstract: Objective　To explore the spatial epidemiological characteristics of severe cases hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Guangxi, China, from 2014 to 2018, and to provide a basis for identifying the high-risk regions as well as the prevention and control of severe cases of HFMD in Guangxi. Methods　Spatial-temporal scanning analysis, global and local spatial autocorrelation analysis were used to analyze the spatial clustering of HFMD. The trend surface analysis was used to evaluate the spatial distribution trend of HFMD. Results　From 2014 to 2018, the incidence and severe case fatality rates of HFMD were 3.89/100 000 and 4.23%, respectively. Monte Carlo scanning analysis showed that the first cluster region was Cenxi City, the second cluster was mainly concentrated in northwest of Guangxi, and the aggregation time was mainly concentrated in April to May and August to October. The global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that the severe HFMD was significant clustering distribution, and the Moran's I coefficients of the sever cases, severe morbidity and severe case fatality rate were 0.088, 0.118, 0.197, respectively (P<0.05). Local spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that hotspots of severe HFMD cases were concentrated in the southern Guangxi, mainly in Lingshan County. Anselin local Moran's I clustering and outlier analysis indicated that 5 high-high (H-H) clustering regions for fatality were Lingshan, Pubei, Zhongshan, Zhaoping and Pinggui County. There were 6 high-high (H-H) clustering regions for severe incidence rate, namely Lingshan, Qinnan, Lingyun, Youjiang, Bama Yao Autonomous and Pinggui County, and 1 high-low (H-L) clustering region, Cenxi County. The trend surface analysis showed that the overall number of severe cases of death decreased from east or west to the middle, and increased from north to middle, and then decreased to south. Conclusions　Severe HFMD cases in Guangxi have obvious spatial-temporal clustering, and the hop spots are mainly concentrated in southern Guangxi. The prevention and control of HFMD in areas with high incidence of severe cases should be strengthened to reduce the burden of HFMD cases.

The complete coding sequences of Eya gene family was amplified by standard PCR fromhuman tissues or cells cDNA library.The product of PCR was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3-FLAG,generating pcDNA3-FLAG-Eya1～4.Thenhuman embryo kidney 293T cells were transfected with the recombinant plasmids and the expression of Eya genes were identified by Western blot.Transcriptional assay using a reporter containing myogenin enhance factor indicated that expression of Eya cooperation with Six in 293T cells affected the Myogenin gene expression.The expression vectors of Eya genes were constructed and confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequence analysis.Transcriptional assay using a reporter containing myogenin enhance factor indicated that expression of Eya in coordination with Six in 293T cells stimulated the Myogenin gene expression.Eya proteins are transcriptional activator of Six and can improve the activity of myogenin promoter.

BACKGROUNDThe morbidity and mortality of prostate cancer have been increasing rapidly in recent China. There were few studies investigating prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values ranges in the healthy Chinese population. We performed this study to determine the distribution of serum PSA in a large healthy Chinese population.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to May 2008, 11 150 healthy Chinese men aged 30 - 79 years came to our hospital for routine health check-up. All subjects without a previous diagnosis of prostate cancer, a history of prostate surgery, or urogenital tract infection were proposed to undergo systematic serum PSA measurement and digital rectal examination (DRE). Men with normal DRE and PSA ≤ 4.0 ng/ml and those PSA > 4.0 ng/ml or abnormal DRE but without adverse findings on prostate biopsy were included (n = 9358). Age and serum PSA concentration were recorded and correlated through Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSThe 95th percentile serum PSA concentration was 1.89 ng/ml for men aged 30 to 39 years, 2.19 ng/ml for men aged 40 to 49 years, 2.88 ng/ml for men aged 50 to 59 years, 4.42 ng/ml for men aged 60 to 69 years, and 6.52 ng/ml for men aged 70 to 79 years. The serum PSA concentration correlated with age (P < 0.0001) with an annual increase of 0.97% for men in 40 years, 1.58% for men in 50 years, 3.04% for men in 60 years, and 3.99% for men in 70 years.

CONCLUSIONSThe serum PSA level correlates directly with age in Chinese men older than 40 years, not in Chinese men younger than 40 years old. Chinese men have lower PSA level compared with white men above 60 years of age, not in those under 60 years of age.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo describe a HPLC method for assessing betaine in Fufang Guilu granule.

METHODThe content of betainephenaxcyl bromide in Fufang Guilu granule was determined by HPLC. The analytical column was a shim-pack CLC-ODS (6.0 mm x 150 mm) filling a 5 microm stationary phase; The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water(35:65) with 0.1 mol x L(-1) NaClO4; The flow-rate was 1 mL x min (-1); The detector was set at 254 nm.

RESULTThe calibration curve was linear over the range of 0.09-0.585 microg (r = 0.9997). The average recovery of the method was 98.4%, RSD 2.5% (n = 5).

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that this method was reliable and accurate, and can be used for quality control of Fufang Guilu granule.

Betaine ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lycium ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results

Objective To study the clinical characteristics and genetic features of SPG4 gene in a family with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). Methods The four patients from one LinYi family were clinically diagnosed as having HSP according to Harding's criteria and their peripheral blood samples were collected. We typed the short tandem repeat (STR) loci closely connected with the known HSP cause gane locus at physical distance and genetic linkage analysis was performed on them. Their haplotypes were structured and then screening of gene mutations was performed. Results Non-elimination of linkage was found between D2S2351 and D2S2255 and cause gene, and the LOD scores in other locus were negative value and eliminated the linkage, which implied that the location was in the ADHSP locus of chromosome 2p22 (SPG4) and the candidate gene was spastin gene. Screening of gene mutations found that the mutation loci lied in heterozygous A and G at nucleotide 1168 in spostin gene. The symptoms of the patients manifested as stiffness, instability or weakness of the legs. Conclusions The patients in this family have typical clinical symptoms of HSP, mainly resulting from the novel mutation (spastin: c1168 A>G).

Objective To measure the serum growth differentiation factor (GDF15) levels in children with hemophagocytic lympohistiocytosis (HLH),and to explore its possible implications in the development of hyperferritinemia in HLH.Methods Twenty-eight children with newly-diagnosed HLH and 20 age-and-sex matched healthy children were enrolled in this study as research subjects and controls respectively.Serum GDF15 levels were measured by Quantikine ELISA assay (product of R&D Company,USA) according to manufacturer's instructions.Serum ferritin concentration and other biochemical parameters were determined by conventional methods.Comparison of serum GDF15 levels between HLH group and healthy control group were made by nonparametric Mann-Whitney test.Correlations between serum GDF15 concentration and hemobiochemical parameters (Hb,serum ferritin,fibrinogen,blood lipids,and liver and renal function tests) were made via Spearman correlation analysis.Results Serum GDF15 concentration was significantly higher in HLH group than that in healthy control group,with median concentrations and ranges of 1710 ng/L,190-2400 ng/L,and 260 ng/L,104-649 ng/L,respectively (P ＜ 0.001).Serum GDF15 concentration was correlated neither to Hb concentration at diagnosis nor to lowest Hb concentration before HLH-directed chemotherapy.Nevertheless it was positively correlated to serum level of total bilirubin at diagnosis and highest concentration of triglycerates during disease course (x2 =0.475,0.465 ; P =0.011,0.019,respectively),and negatively correlated to lowest levels of fibrinogen and albumin at diagnosis (x2 =-0.423,-0.399 ;P =0.031,0.039,respectively).Serum GDF15 level was not correlated to underlying etiology and mortality rate of children with HLH.Conclusions GDF15 has been documented as an upstream negative regulator of hepcidin,the central iron regulatory hormone produced primarily by hepatocytes,and is massively produced by activated macrophages in an autocrine fashion to suppress further activation of macrophages.This research finding that serum GDF15 level is significantly elevated in children with HLH suggests that GDF 15 is intimately implicated in the modulation of iron homeostasis and the development of hyperferritinemia in HLH.

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic feasibility of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from partially HLA-mismatched related donors for hematologic diseases.

METHODSThirty patients with hematologic diseases received allo-HSCT from 1 - 3 loci mismatched related donors conditioning regimen consisting of ATG (thymoglobulin, total dose of 10 mg/kg, intravenously on - 4 d to - 1 d), and only 5 (18%) of 28 recipients from HLA-identical sibling donors were treated with regimen containing ATG. Donors were given G-CSF prior to hematopoietic stem cell harvest and CsA, short-term MTX and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) were used for GVHD prophylaxis in both group.

RESULTSAll patients were successfully engrafted. There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and grade III to IV aGVHD between the mismatched and matched groups (34% vs 32%, and 13% vs 11%, respectively). 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in mismatched and matched groups were 57% vs 77% (P = 0.14) and 57% vs 69% (P = 0.28), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that advanced disease pre-transplant (P = 0.006) and CMV infection (P = 0.04) were risk factors for OS. OS for patients with stable disease in mismatched and matched groups were 87% vs 81% (P = 0.65) respectively, and for those with advanced disease were 21% vs 71% (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONSIt is feasible to perform allo-HSCT from 1 -3 loci HLA-mismatched related donors for patients with stable disease who lack HLA-identical sibling donors. Nevertheless, for patients with advanced disease optimized conditioning regimen and intensive supporting therapy should be administered to obtain better clinical outcomes.

Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; HLA Antigens ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Humans ; Siblings ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation Conditioning

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of genomic density polymorphism, quantitative expression and the adhesion activity of complement receptor type 1 (ECR1) on erythrocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Hind restriction enzyme digestion, the quantitative assay of ECR1 and the activity of erythrocytes immune adhesion test were applied.

RESULTSThe spot mutation rate (25.0%-30.3%) of ECR1 density gene in patients with chronic hepatitis was not significantly different from that of healthy individuals (28.0%). The amount of ECR1 in patients with chronic hepatitis, except for the diseases with normal liver function, was significantly lower than that of healthy individuals (t=9.87,P<0.000 1). The quantitative expression of ECR1 in decompensated cirrhosis was obviously lower than that of compensated cirrhosis (t=2.21,P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDefective expression of ECR1 in chronic hepatitis B may be acquired through central and/or peripheral mechanisms. It is very important to study the quantitative expression in the patients with chronic hepatitis.

Erythrocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Complement ; analysis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tissue Adhesions