BACKGROUNDAntiphospholipid syndrome (APS)-related immune factors are considered as an important cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory treatments are believed to effectively improve adverse pregnancy outcomes by affecting the abnormal autoimmune response of the maternal-fetal interface. The aim of this study was to observe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of anticoagulant regimens and anti-inflammatory plus anticoagulation regimens for APS-related RSA.

METHODSAPS-related RSA cases from September 2011 to September 2016 at Peking University Third Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were assigned to study group (anti-inflammation plus anticoagulation) and control group (simple anticoagulation). The incidence of repeat abortion, the incidence of placental dysfunction, the gestational weeks of pregnancy, and the mean weight of the fetus were observed.

RESULTSThe pregnancy and neonatal outcome indicators of the repeat pregnancy loss rate (11.11% vs. 22.70%), placental dysfunction-related diseases (6.35% vs. 15.60%), the mean birth weight of infants born after 24 weeks gestation (3152.41 ± 844.67 g vs. 2765.76 ± 816.40 g), full-term delivery weight (3456.28 ± 419.79 g vs. 3076.18 ± 518.79 g), the proportions of low birth weight infants (12.70% vs. 21.98%), and small for gestational age (6.35% vs. 14.18%) differed significantly between the study and control groups (all P< 0.05). The incidence of preterm delivery, term delivery, and stillbirth was not significantly different between the two groups, and there was no significant difference between the study and control groups in gestational age at birth (37.6 ± 3.3 weeks vs. 36.9 ± 3.2 weeks; P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe anti-inflammatory and anticoagulation regimen is more effective than the simple anticoagulation regimen in the treatment of APS recurrent abortion.

Objective To discuss the effect of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) Fisch polysaccharide on growth performance and immunologic function in mice in Ural City, Xinjiang and to provide important data supporting the application of Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide. Methods A total of 100 Kunming mice aged 3 weeks old were randomly divided into 5 groups with 20 mice in each group (10 were females and 10 were males). About 0.5 mL normal saline was given to the mice of control group every day and 0.5 mL G. uralensis Fisch polysaccharide was given to the mice of other groups at the concentration of 1, 20, 50 and 100 mg/mL, respectively. The growth performance (average body weight, average daily feed intake and feed efficiency), immune organ indexes (spleen index and thymus index) and immunologic function (serum IL-2, CD4

OBJECTIVETo analyze possible difference in bronchial asthma between ethnic and geographic groups and explore its correlates among Uygur and Han adults in Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-six clinically diagnosed asthmatic patients at Turpan Prefecture Hospital, Xinjiang, 86 of Uygur and 80 of Han ethnic, and 166 1:1 matched controls from ophthalmological outpatient department at the same hospital were recruited into the study. Interview with questionnaire was conducted and serum levels of eosinophilic cation protein (S-ECP), total IgE (T-IgE) and specific IgE (S-IgE) were measured for all of the participants to study related factors for asthma with univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses.

RESULTSBronchial infection (OR(U) = 5.111, 95%CI: 1.203 - 21.710; OR(H) = 2.498, 95%CI: 1.471 - 5.069), family history of asthma (OR(U) = 3.078, 95%CI: 1.812 - 5.188; OR(H) = 2.711, 95%CI: 1.010 - 6.176), personal allergy history (OR(U) = 2.083, 95%CI: 1.043 - 4.162; OR(H) = 3.998, 95%CI: 1.739 - 9.198), weather change (OR(U) = 2.218, 95%CI: 1.199 - 3.778; OR(H) = 1.733, 95%CI: 1.004 - 2.994) and positive S-IgE (OR(U) = 1.592, 95%CI: 1.018 - 2.491; OR(H) = 3.858, 95%CI: 2.246 - 8.507) correlated with asthma in patients of both Uygur and Han ethnic. Percentage of asthma attack induced by respiratory infection [59.30% (51/86)] and weather change [36.05% (31/86)] in Uygur patients was significantly higher than that in Han ethnic [42.50% (34/80) and 21.25% (17/80), respectively], but percentage of those with personal allergy history [48.75% (39/80)] and positive S-IgE [52.50% (42/80)] in Han ethnic was significantly higher than that in Uygur [32.56% (28/86) and 30.23% (26/86), respectively]. Levels of S-ECP and T-IgE in patients with moderate and severe asthma of both Uygur and Han ethnic [(S-ECP(U) = 7.95 +/- 3.98) microg/L, S-ECP(H) = (11.21 +/- 4.74) microg/L, T- IgE(U) = (72.23 +/- 45.92) kU/L, T-IgE(H) = (108.81 +/- 64.07) kU/L, respectively]were significantly higher than those in controls of the same ethnic [S- ECP(U) = (1.94 +/- 1.16) microg/L, S-ECP(H) = (2.07 +/- 1.63) microg/L, T-IgE(U) = (46.19 +/- 32.47) kU/L, T-IgE(H) = (50.97 +/- 38.51) kU/L; t values were 8.96, 10.52, 2.81, 4.97, P < 0.01], higher in Han ethnic than those in Uygur (t values were 3.01, 2.68, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBronchial infection, family asthma history, personal allergy history, weather change and positive S-IgE all were important correlates of asthma in Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang. Levels of S-ECP and T-IgE in patients with moderate and severe asthma increased during its attacks, higher in Han ethnic than those in Uygur. Genetic and environmental factors may be involved in occurrence and development of asthma.

Adult ; Asthma ; blood ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Causality ; China ; epidemiology ; Climate ; Environmental Exposure ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Pedigree ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective To observe the effects of human retinal pigment epithelium conditioned medium(HRPE-CM) on the biological characteristics of human retinal stem cells(HRSCs). Methods HRSCs were exposed to HRPE-CM and cultivated in three different cultures,including the control,epidermal growth factor(EGF) + basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) and HRPE-CM.Cell counting was performed to explore the effects of different culture media on the proliferation of HRSCs,and their properties as neural stem cells were further identified. Results Compared with control group,HRPE-CM significantly promoted the proliferation of HRSCs(P