Higher D-dimer and activated partial thromboplastin time are poor prognostic factors in patients with peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis.

Introduction: Coagulation system dysfunction is associated with adverse outcomes of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and bacterial infection. We investigated the association between coagulation system and treatment failure of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (PDRP).

Methods: We collected records of patients aged ≥18 years with PDRP.

Hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for treatment failure in patients with peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis.

Objective: Disorders of triglycerides (TG) are common in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD). Hypertriglyceridemia has been demonstrated in various infections. The association between triglycerides and the outcomes of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (PDRP) was investigated in this study.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms responsible for pseudo-albinism and hypermelanosis in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and reveal two genes related to malpigmentation.

Paralichthys olivaceus is the kind of cold-water benthic marine fish. In the early stages of development, the symmetrical juveniles transform into an asymmetrical body shape through metamorphosis for adapting benthic life. After that, one side of the fish body is attached to the ground, and the eyes turn to the opposite side which is called ocular side.

[Heterogeneous Oxidation of Secondary Organic Tracers of Isoprene and Toluene by Ozone].

For this paper, chamber experiments were carried out to investigate the oxidation of secondary organic tracers of toluene and isoprene by ozone under different conditions (relative humidity, mixing state, etc.) using a relative rate constants approach. The uncertainty of the tracer-based method due to the ozone oxidation of secondary organic tracers was also addressed.

Elevated baseline serum IgA may predict earlier proteinuria remission in IgA nephropathy patients.

The goals of this work were to investigate the correlations of elevated serum IgA with renal pathology and outcome of proteinuria in IgA nephropathy patients. Retrospective cohort analysis enrolled 90 IgA nephropathy patients (proteinuria ≥0.5 g/24 hr, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 ml/min/1.

A novel method of organotypic spinal cord slice culture in rats.

This study was undertaken to establish a method for the culture of organotypic spinal cord slices. A long-term organotypic spinal cord slice culture was conducted from postnatal rats. Lumbar spinal cord was isolated, and meninges were removed from the spinal cord.

Alarm Value of Somatosensory Evoked Potential in Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgery.

Background: Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring is performed to examine postoperative clinical findings when a monitoring event was noted intraoperatively and to ascertain the alarm threshold for intraoperative neural damage.

Methods: The tibial SSEP of both lower limbs was recorded intraoperatively in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Change of SSEP amplitude as opposed to the baseline was categorized into 4 levels: decrease <40%, decrease of 40%-50%, decrease of 50%-60%, and decrease >60%.

Association between glycemic control and birthweight with glycated albumin in Chinese women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Aims/introduction: To assess glycated albumin (GA) as a potential glycemic index in managing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Materials And Methods: Eligible pregnant women were divided into the GDM group with abnormal result on a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and the control (normal) group. GA measurements, Pearson's correlation analysis, multiple logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were obtained at the follow-up examination of participants in the two groups.

Pregnancy-related Acute Kidney Injury and a Review of the Literature in China.

Objective: To determine the incidence, causes and prognosis of pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (PR-AKI) in Chinese women.

Methods: From July 2004 to February 2013, 18,589 women of Han ethnicity who attended the Obstetrics and Nephrology Department of our tertiary hospital were investigated, and individuals meeting the PR-AKI criteria were included in the analysis. The WanFang, Chinese Science Journal, Chinese Knowledge, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases were searched, and literature describing PR-AKI diagnoses with Chinese women as study subjects and a sample size of ≥5 were included.

A Rare Complication of Spine Surgery: Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Objective: Since little has been reported about Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after spine surgery, we sought to determine some of the clinical features and the management of the condition.

Methods: A total of 4 cases of GBS after spine surgery were included. The medical charts of the patients were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical details.

Relationship between MCP-1 promoter -2518 A/G gene polymorphism (rs1024611) and systemic lupus erythematosus/lupus nephritis.

Results from the published studies on the association between monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) promoter -2518 A/G (rs1024611) gene polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)/lupus nephritis (LN) are still conflicting. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between MCP-1 A/G gene polymorphism and SLE/LN and to explore whether MCP-1 A allele, AA genotype or GG genotype could become a predictive marker for SLE/LN risk. Association studies were identified from the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and CBM-disc (China Biological Medicine Database) as of 1 January 2014, and eligible investigations were synthesized using meta-analysis method.

A case of a naturally conceived pregnancy associated with multiple ovarian cysts in a patient with severe untreated primary hypothyroidism.

There are few reports of multiple ovarian cysts secondary to hypothyroidism, and multiple ovarian cysts associated with pregnancy most commonly occur in association with assisted reproductive technologies. Herein, we report a case of a naturally conceived pregnancy occurring 2 years after stopping treatment for primary hypothyroidism. The patient developed multiple ovarian cysts in the first trimester, and laboratory studies and ultrasonography were consistent with hypothyroidism.

Frequency of established cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most serious complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study investigated the frequency of established CVD and its associated risk factors in Chinese patients with SLE. A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis was conducted of 1,072 consecutive patients with SLE from a single center.

Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy: a 6-year single center clinical experience.

Background: The acute abdomen remains a challenge for all obstetricians and physicians who take part in the care of women in pregnancy. To add substantially to our understanding of acute pancreatitis (AP) in pregnancy, in particular affirming the increased risks for mother and fetus associated with AP, we explored features of clinical manifestation and the strategy of management of this disease during pregnancy, and its effects on maternal and fetal outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of all pregnant patients diagnosed with AP admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University between 2005 and 2010 was performed.

[Study on apoptosis of placental syncytiotrophoblast in patients with severe preeclampsia].

Objective: to investigate apoptosis of placental syncytiotrophoblast in patients with early-onset and late-onset severe preeclampsia.

Methods: from November 2008 to May 2009, 15 cases with early-onset severe preeclampsia and 15 cases with late-onset severe preeclampsia matched with 10 women with normal pregnancies as control at Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University were enrolled in this study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure syncytiotrophoblast microparticles (STBM) levels in peripheral venous plasma.

[Effects of nuclear factor-kappaB decoy oligodeoxynucleotide on the function of human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells induced by umbilical sera in preeclampsia].

Objective: To study the effects of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) on the preeclamptic umbilical serum induced expression of precollagen I, III mRNA and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in cultured human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMC).

Methods: Primary cultured HUASMC of normal pregnancy were divided into four groups: group A (HUASMC were incubated with umbilical serum of normal pregnancy); group B (HUASMC were incubated with umbilical serum of preeclampsia); group C (HUASMC were transfected with NF-kappaB cis decoy ODN 48 h before incubation with umbilical serum of preeclampsia); group D (HUASMC were transfected with NF-kappaB scramble ODN 24 h before incubation with umbilical serum of preeclampsia). NF-kappaB cis decoy ODN and NF-kappaB scramble ODN were transfected with cationic lipofectamine to the latter two groups, respectively.