Objective To analyze the clinical and immunological manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome(APS)in a cohort of 100 patients.Methods The clinical and serologic features of APS(Sapporo preliminary criteria)in 100 patients were analyzed retrospectively.Results The cohort consisted of 79 female patients and 21 male patients witb a mean age of 36?13 years at diagnosis.Primary APS was presented in 37% of patients;APS was secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)in 46%,lupus-like syndrome in 14%. Eighty percent of the patients had thrombosis,43(54%)patients had venous thrombosis,18(22%)had arterial thrombosis,15(19%)had both arterial and venous thrombosis.4(5%)had thrombosis of microcirculation. Forty-two(52%)patients presented thrombosis at a single site,26(32%)at two sites,12(15%)at three or more sites.Forty-five(56%)patients experienced one thrombotic episode,20(25%)patients had only one re- currence,and 15(19%)had more thrombosis.The most common manifestations of thrombosis were deep vein thrombosis(36%),pulmonary embolism(30%)and stroke(26%),with heart,kidney,gastrointestinal tract and other organs involvements.Thirty-four(51%)female patients had spontaneous fetal losses including intrauter- ine fetus death and recurrent spontaneous abortion.Seventy-one(71%)patients developed thromboeytopenia. The presence of antieardiolipin antibody(ACL)was detected in 84 patients(84%).Among 90 patients with APS,alone ACL was detected in 38 patients(42%),both ACL and lupus anticoagulant(LA)were detected in 36(40%),LA alone in 16(18%).Patients with APS associated with SLE or lupus-like syndrome had higher frequency of arthritis,leukopenia,antinuclear antibodies(ANA)and low complement levels.Female patients had a higher frequency of leukopenia,ANA and ACL.Male patients had a higher prevalence of deep venous thrombosis in the lower limbs and LA.Conclusion APS is an autoimmune disorder characterized by recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis,fetal loss,or thrombocytopenia with the presence of ACL and/or LA.In APS secondary to with SLE,the patient's sex can modify the disease expression and define specific subsets of APS.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Catgut ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phlebotomy ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; therapy

China ; Hazardous Substances ; classification ; Water Pollution ; prevention & control

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Urinary Tract Infections ; etiology ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux ; complications ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo verify the clinical efficacy on chronic fatigue syndrome of qi deficiency syndrome treated with acupuncture at selective time and explore the effect mechanism.

METHODSEighty patients were randomized into a selective-time-acupuncture group and an acupuncture group, 40 cases in each one. Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected in the two groups. In the selective-time-acupuncture group, acupuncture was used at 9:00am to 11:00am. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was used at any time except in the range from 9:00am to 11:00am. No any manipulation was applied after the arrival of needling sensation. The treatment was given once every day, 10 day treatment made one session and two sessions of treatment were required. The fatigue scale was adopted to evaluate the efficacy before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups. The ratios among CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood were detected before ad b a after treatment.

RESULTSIn the acupuncture group, the total score of fatigue and the score of physical fatigue were reduced after treatment as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). In the selective-time -acupuncture group, the total score of fatigue, the s core of physical fatigue and the score of mental fatigue after treatment were reduced obviously as compared with those hefore treatment (all P<0. 01). The improvements in the scores of the selective-time-acupuncture group were superior to the acupuncture group (all P<0. 05). The ratio of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells was increased obviously after treatment in the two groups (all P<0. 05) and the ratio of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was reduced obviously in the selective-time-acupuncture group (P<0. 05), which was better than that in the acupuncture group (all P<0.05). The total effective rate was 95.0% (38/40) in the selective-time-acupuncture group, which was better than 80.0% (32/40) in the acupuncture group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture therapy at selective time is effective in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome of qi deficiency syndrome, which is especially better at relieving mental fatigue. The effect of this therapy is achieved probably by improving the immune function via the regulation of the ratios among CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic ; immunology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; cytology ; immunology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the impact of advanced glycation end-products ( AGEs) on matrix metalloproteinase 2 ( MMP-2) expression in cultivated INS-1 cells. Method INS-1 cells were cultivated and MMP-2 expression was analyzed. Glycated serum was prepared for incubating with INS-1 cell. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by flow cytometry. The intracelluar MMP-2 expression was analyzed by RT-PCR, realtime PCR and Western blot. The MMP-2 cDNA was expressed in cultivated INS-1 cells. Result The level of ROS treated with AGEs was significantly higher than that in the control( P<0.05 ) , and the levels of MMP-2 and its protein expressions turned out as well( P<0. 05). Conclusion The results suggest that MMP-2 was expressed in INS-1 cells. Increased MMP-2 expression in ?cells may be induced by AGEs, suggesting that MMP-2 might play an important role in oxidative stress-mediated islet injury.

The abdominal visceral fat content in obese SD rats induced by high fat diet for 10 weeks was significantly higher than that in control group [(26±6 vs 13±3)g,P<0.01] ,along with increased CRP mRNA expression in abdominal visceral fat (0.901±0.085 vs O. 402±0.036, P<0.01). As compared with normal control group, in the high fat group the concentrations of CRP in portal vein [(743.8±95.8 vs 558.3 ±118.3) mg/L, P<0.01] and peripheral vein[(596.3±38.9 vs 485.8±30.2) mg/L,P<0. 05] were higher. The concentration of CRP in portal vein was significantly higher than that in peripheral vein in high fat diet group(P<0.01) ,but this was not evident in control group. These results suggest that the increased CRP expression in visceral adipose tissue may partially account for the elevation of serum CRP in obesity.

Objective To establish a method for determining the content of ceram ide in skin epidermis. Methods Epidermal lipids of mice were extracted by routin e method,separated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC),and shot by BIO-RAD Ge lDoc system. Epidermal ceramide content was determined by Software of Quantity O ne. Results A good linearity was obtained in the range of 0.416～2.08 ?g (r=0.9 95 3). The precision of the same plate was good,RSD=1.09 %;and the precision of different plates was also good,RSD= 2.10 %. The stability of control soluti on and sample solution was good within 2 h. The reproducibility was good,RSD= 3 .03 %,and the mean recovery rate was 99.58 %and RSD=1.46 %. The RSD of simpl e determination was 3.10 %. Conclusion This method can be used to determine the content of ceramide in skin epidermis.

Objective To observe the expression of SGK in decidua in patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion(URSA) and to investigate its role in the course of apoptosis.Methods The expression of SGK was detected by immunohistochemistry in decidua of URSA(abortion group,n =50) and normal first trimester pregnant women(control group,n =30).The apoptotic index was detected by TUNEL.Results Compared with the control group,the positive expression of SGK decreased significantly in the abortion group,and the difference was statistically significant(x2 =6.78,P ＜ 0.05).The average apoptotic index of the abortion group was (8.19 ± 3.58) ％,which was significantly higher than (2.87 ±1.07)％ of the control group(t =7.94,P＜0.05).Conclusion Intensive apoptosis,the decreasing positive expression rate of SGK in decidua cells may play critical roles in URSA.

Objective To investigate and analyze the health care seeking behavior,financial burden and relative factors of patients with rheumatic diseases in Fujian Province.Methods Patients diagnosed with rheumatic diseases were investigated in Fujian Provincial Hospital from December 2013 to February 2014,including demographic data,health care seeking behavior and financial burden.Relevant factors were analyzed by Logistic regression.Results ① In this study,474 patients were enrolled.The ratio of male to female was 1∶2.38.② At the onset of symptoms,51.9％(246 cases) of patients visited a doctor as soon as possible,and 36.1％(171 cases) of them went to hospital within a month after disease onset.③ 74.1％(351 cases) of patients could adhere to medication regimen prescribed by doctors,and the most common reason for stopping medication was symptoms relieved (33.3％,41 cases).④ 63.1％(299 cases) of patients learned about the knowledge of rheumatic diseases from hospitals and doctors.⑤ 34.2％(162 cases) of patients spent 1 000-5 000 yuan every month on treatment.⑥ Insurance type could affect the time of first visit to hospital (P=0.004),while income and cost of therapy might impact patients' compliance (P=0.013,P=0.004).Conclusion Most patients will go to hospital as soon as possible and adhere to treatment.Economic situation is the main factor influencing health care seeking behavior of patients with rheumatic diseases.