OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic value of baseline serum luteinizing hormone (LH) level for central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls.

METHODSA total of 279 girls with precocious puberty were subjected to assessment of growth and development, bone age determination, baseline LH test, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test, gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test, and other related examinations. Of the 279 patients, 175 were diagnosed with CPP and 104 with premature thelarche (PT). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of baseline LH and FSH levels and their peak levels for CPP, and the correlation between the baseline LH level and the peak LH level was analyzed.

RESULTSThe CPP group had significantly higher bone age, baseline LH and FSH levels, peak LH and FSH levels, and ratio of peak LH level to peak FSH level than the PT group (P<0.01). The ROC curve proved that baseline LH level and peak LH level had good diagnostic values for CPP. Among the three bone age subgroups in the CPP group (7.0-9.0 years, 9.0-11.0 years, and >11.0 years), baseline LH level showed the best diagnostic value in the >11.0 years subgroup, with the largest area under the ROC curve. At a baseline LH level of 0.45 IU/L, the Youden index reached the peak value, and the sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 80% respectively, for the diagnosis of CPP. At a peak LH level of 9.935 IU/L, the Youden index reached the peak value, and the sensitivity and specificity were 74.8% and 100% respectively, for the diagnosis of CPP. The baseline LH level was positively correlated with the peak LH level (r=0.440, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSBaseline LH level can be used as an primary screening index for the diagnosis of CPP. It has a certain diagnostic value for CPP at different bone ages, and may be used as a monitoring index during the treatment and follow-uP.

Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton ; Child ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Puberty, Precocious ; blood ; diagnosis ; ROC Curve

Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics of 261 cases of hospitalized patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH).Methods Clinical data of 261 cases of hospitalized patients diagnosed with T1DM in the Department of Endocrinology at PUMCH from January 2007 to December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were divided into the T1DM antibodies positive group (n=180) and negative group (n=81) according to the results of immunohistochemistry, in which 123 newly diagnosed T1DM patients were divided into the adult onset group (>18 years, n=58) and non-adult onset group (≤18 years, n=65) according to the onset age of T1DM, respectively. The clinical characteristics from different groups were compared.Results In 261 patients, the average age was 26.6±15.4 years, the average disease duration was 49 (1-480) months, the positive rate of antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody was 58.8% (153/260). The level of 2-hour postprandial C peptide and the positive rate of T1DM antibodies in the non-adult onset group were higher than those in the adult onset group (0.98 vs. 0.52 ng/ml, P=0.002 and 80.4% vs. 62.5%, P=0.048). The age of onset in the T1DM antibodies positive group was smaller than that in the T1DM antibodies negative group (19.7±11.4 vs. 24.7±15.6 years, P=0.04), while the incidence of ketosis in the T1DM antibodies positive group was higher than that in the T1DM antibodies negative group (48.3% vs. 34.2%, P=0.035). With the progress of the disease, the fasting C peptide level of the T1DM antibodies positive group decreased more rapidly. Compared with the single time hospitalized patients, multiple hospitalized patients had a lower incidence of diabetic retinopathy (8.2% vs. 22.4%, P=0.032), a lower hemoglobin A1level (8.04%±2.10% vs. 9.56%±2.64%, P<0.001) and fasting blood glucose level (8.7±3.1 vs. 10.9±4.2 mmol/L, P<0.001).Conclusions Compared with the non-adult onset T1DM patients, the islet function of adult onset patients was even worse. In the T1DM antibodies positive patients, the islet β cell function decreased more rapidly, so the antibodies could not only clarify the diagnosis of T1DM and also predict prognosis of the islet β cell function. In the management of T1DM patients, regular hospital revisits contributed to get better glycemic control and reduced the occurrence of diabetic complications.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of Shugan Yiyang Capsules in the treatment of asthenospermia and its action mechanisms.

METHODSWe randomly assigned 135 asthenospermia patients to groups A (n = 47), B (n = 45), and C (n = 43) to be treated with Shugan Yiyang Capsules, oral levocarnitine, or combination of the two. We observed sperm quality and the level of α-glucosidase in the seminal plasma before and after medication.

RESULTSThe total effectiveness rate was 70.21% in group A (markedly effective in 16 cases and effective in 17), 68.89% in group B (markedly effective in 15 cases and effective in 16), and 83.72% in group C (markedly effective in 16 cases and effective in 20), significantly higher in C than in A and B (P < 0.05). Both sperm quality and the level of α-glucosidase in the seminal plasma were improved in the three groups of patients, most obviously in group C.

CONCLUSIONShugan Yiyang Capsules can be used for the treatment of asthenospermia, and its effect can be enhanced in combination with oral levocarnitine.

Asthenozoospermia ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Biomedical Research ; Capsules ; Carnitine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; enzymology ; Spermatozoa ; alpha-Glucosidases ; analysis

The purpose of this paper is to achieve a measurement of temperature prediction for artificial heart without sensor, for which the research briefly describes the application of back propagation neural network as well as the optimized, by genetic algorithm, BP network. Owing to the limit of environment after the artificial heart implanted, detectable parameters out of body are taken advantage of to predict the working temperature of the pump. Lastly, contrast is made to demonstrate the prediction result between BP neural network and genetically optimized BP network, by which indicates that the probability is 1.84% with the margin of error more than 1%.
Heart, Artificial ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic significance of Her-2 expression in node-positive and node-negative breast cancer in Chinese women.

METHODSThe Her-2 expression in breast cancers from 981 patients was detected by immunohistochemistry with anti-Her-2 (CB11) monoclonal antibody. The survival curves were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model was applied to determine whether this factor is an independent predictor of survival in multivariate analysis.

RESULTSNineteen point seven percent of the patients showed positive Her-2 expression in their tumors. Patients with Her-2-positive tumors tended to be younger. The high level Her-2 expression was significantly associated with negative estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status in their tumors (P < 0.05). Among 387 patients with node-positive disease, the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate were significantly lower in patients with Her-2-positive tumors than in patients with Her-2-negative tumors (DFS: 48.8% vs. 66.9%, P = 0.009; OS: 55.2% vs. 76.4%, P = 0.001), and Her-2 expression was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for OS, but not for DFS in patients with node-positive disease. Among 591 patients with node-negative disease, Her-2 expression was not significantly associated with DFS and OS (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHer-2 expression is an important prognostic factor in patients with node-positive disease, but not for patients with node-negative disease in Chinese women.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence, clinical features and prognostic implications of ischemic hepatitis in hepatitis B related liver cirrhotic patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

METHODSBy retrospective review of the medical records of all 264 inpatients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage of hepatitis B related liver cirrhosis from January 1st 2007 to November 30th 2008, 11 patients with ischemic hepatitis (IH) were identified. The clinical features and prognostic implications were compared between the IH patients and 30 patients without ischemic hepatitis (control group).

RESULTSThe incidence of ischemic hepatitis was 4.17% in hepatitis B related liver cirrhotic patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The patients in IH group were younger than those in control group, the average age was (43.1+/-5.7) in IH group and (52.3+/-11.1) in control group (P=0.013). The serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were increased more than 20-fold above the upper limit of normal values, and returned to normal values within 10 days. Compared to the control group, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphates, gamma-glutamyltransferase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and white blood cells were increased, while serum cholinesterase was decreased in IH group (P<0.05). The fatality rate of ischemic hepatitis was much higher than that of control group (54.5% vs 16.7%, P=0.041). The main causes of death in IH group were infection, hepatorenal syndrome and hepatic encephalopathy. The patients in IH group lost 200 to 3600 milliliter blood, and hemorrhagic shock occurred in 63.6% (7/11) of IH patients. Therefore the bleeding volume was not correlated with the occurrence rate of ischemic hepatitis.

CONCLUSIONIschemic hepatitis may occur secondary to upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in hepatitis B related liver cirrhosis. The risk factors of ischemic hepatitis in cirrhositic patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage are young and with hemorrhagic shock, and poor liver function. It is important to use antibiotics in time to improve the prognosis of these patients.

Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; complications ; Hepatitis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Ischemia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ; Liver ; blood supply ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

This study was purposed to analyze the changes of T-cell clonality after induction of peripheral T lymphocytes by autogenous DC and cytokines in the preparation of adoptive immunotherapy for leukemias. The bone marrow and peripheral blood from 21 leukemia patients at remission stage after treatment and subjected to adoptive immunotherapy were collected. Their DCs and T-cells were stimulated with cytokines and then were mixed to activate T-cells. T-cell receptor beta variable region (TCRBV) families were amplified by RT-PCR, and genescan method and sequencing of the PCR products were used to observe the clonality changes of T-cells before and after the induction and cultivation of T-cells. The flow cytometry was used to identify CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD3(+)CD56(+) and CD4(+)CD25str(+)FOXP3(+) cells to disclose the ratio change of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), helper T-cells, regulatory T-cells and NK T-cells before and after induction and cultivation of T-cells. The results showed that in the 21 patients, most of the 24 TCRBV families presented as oligoclonal distribution on genescan, several families were not expressed, and only a few families remained polyclonal. TCRBV24 was found to be oligoclonal in all of the 21 patients. DNA sequence analysis of TCRBV24 revealed a common motif of VAG in CDR3 in 3 cases and a common motif of GGG in CDR3 in 2 cases. In patient 5, both TCRBV 24 and TCRBV8 contained the same motif of GGG in CDR3. The identical motif in these patients may suggest that these T-cells recognize the same antigen. The peripheral lymphocytes demonstrated recovery of clonal profile on genescan from oligoclonal profile and absence of several families before the induction and cultivation to typical polyclonal profile in all TCRBV families after the induction by DC and cytokines for 13 days. After the induction and cultivation, the number of lymphocytes increased to 3.38 +/- 1.20 times. CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD3(+)CD56(+) and CD4(+)CD25str(+)FOX P3(+) cells were 71.1 +/- 11.8%, 26.7 +/- 11.4%, 35.7 +/- 12.9%, 3.1 +/- 1.6% and 0.12 +/- 0.1% respectively before the induction and cultivation, and changed to 95.4 +/- 3.2% (p < 0.01), 27.0 +/- 13.1% (p > 0.01), 55.5 +/- 13.8% (p < 0.01), 9.8 +/- 6.1% (p < 0.01) and 0.22 +/- 0.18% (p < 0.01) respectively after the induction and cultivation. It is concluded that the major action of this induction and cultivation method on T-lymphocytes in vitro is the promotion of CTL and NK T-cell proliferation. In leukemic patients at the remission stage, the TCRBV profile is characterized by the oligoclonal proliferation of T-lymphocytes. Several proliferated clones may have the same motif in CDR3, suggesting the recognition of the same antigen by these lymphocyte clones. Cytokine induction and co-culture with autogenous DCs can stimulate the T-lymphocytes to recover their immunocompetence as manifested by the polyclonal profile and the proliferation of CTL and NK-T cells.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Leukemia ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; cytology ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; chemistry ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo provide basis of reference values for relevant parameters of Chinese Reference Man.

METHODSEighteen kinds of major organ or tissue samples, including muscle, rib, liver, and so on, were obtained from 4 areas (Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, and Sichuan provinces) with different dietary patterns in China in autopsy of 16 healthy adult men, who had just encountered sudden deaths. At the same time, whole blood samples were collected from 10 volunteers living in each of these areas. The concentrations of 56 elements in these samples were detected by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GF-AAS) techniques. Based on obtained concentrations and reference values of these organ or tissue weights for Chinese Reference Man, the relative elemental burdens in these organs or tissues as well whole body were also estimated.

RESULTSThe concentrations of 56 elements in 18 main organs or tissues were determined all together and their elemental organ or tissue and whole body burdens were estimated. Furthermore, the distributions of important elements for radiation protection in these organs or tissues were emphatically discussed.

CONCLUSIONBy summing with past related results, the total results obtained from the series of research may provide more reliable and better representative basis of these reference values for Chinese Reference Man than before.

Adult ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; Body Burden ; China ; Elements ; Humans ; Liver ; chemistry ; Lung ; chemistry ; Male ; Reference Values

OBJECTIVETo study the suppressive effect of LRRC4 gene on human glioma U251 cells and further investigate its biological functions.

METHODSH&E, DNA and AgNORs stainings were performed on LRRC4-transfected U251 cells, mock-transfected U251 cells and non-transfected U251 cells, respectively. Quantitative analysis including cell morphometry, DNA content, DNA ploidy, silver stained argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) were investigated by image analysis. Flow cytometry was employed to determine the difference of cell cycle distribution and MTT staining was used to elucidate the activity of the LRRC4-transfected U251 cells.

RESULTSThe morphological cell parameters such as area, perimeter and diameter, DNA content, chromosomal aneupoloidy, mean area of AgNORs particles and mean nucleus area of the LRRC4-transfected U251 cells were remarkably decreased compared to those of the mock-transfected and non-transfected U251 cells (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, significant accumulation of cells in G(0)/G(1) phase but decrease of cells in S and G(2)/M phase, was observed in transfected U251 cells compared to those of the mock-transfected and non-transfected U251 cells (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). MTT staining showed that proliferation activity of both the mock- and non-trasfected U251 cells was significantly higher than that of the U251 cells transfected with LRRC4 gene (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLRRC4 gene might be involved in tumor suppression by restraining DNA synthesis and the nucleoli organizer regions-associated proteins, keeping the cell cycles in phase G(0)/G(1) and reducing proliferation activity of the glioma cells. Morphometry combined with other techniques such as flow cytometry and MTT staining can well elucidate the biological function of novel genes.

Brain Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; physiology ; Glioblastoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured