Study on the correlation between maternal serum uric acid and foetal birth weight in Naqu, Tibet.

In high-altitude regions, low birth weight is mainly caused by hypoxia. We aimed to determine whether maternal serum uric acid (SUC) level was associated with decreased foetal birth weight. The relevant data of individual pregnant women who delivered between 37 and 40 weeks in the People's Hospital of Naqu City, Tibet were retrospectively collected.

Interleukin-6 Downregulates the Expression of Vascular Endothelial-Cadherin and Increases Permeability in Renal Glomerular Endothelial Cells via the Trans-Signaling Pathway.

The pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is still unknown, but reportedly, interleukin 6 (IL-6) is involved in this process. However, its role in damaging glomerular endothelial cells is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, to clarify the mechanism of the pathogenesis of IgAN, we investigated the effect of IL-6 on the permeability of glomerular endothelial cells.

Streptococcal pneumonia-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome treated by T-antibody-negative plasma exchange in children: Two case reports.

Background: The occurrence of -associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (SP-HUS) is increasing. Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen activation is highly involved in the pathogenesis of SP-HUS, and T-antibody-negative plasma exchange (PE) may be effective in the treatment of severe cases of SP-HUS.

Case Summary: We retrospectively reviewed two pediatric patients with SP-HUS.

Huaier Extract Attenuates Acute Kidney Injury to Chronic Kidney Disease Transition by Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Apoptosis via miR-1271 Upregulation.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is strongly associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD) transition. Huaier extract (HE) protects against kidney injury; albeit, the underlying mechanism is unknown. We hypothesized that HE reduces kidney injury by inhibiting ERS.

Effects of Huaiqihuang Granules Adjuvant Therapy in Children with Primary Nephrotic Syndrome.

Objective: This study aims to observe the curative effect of Huaiqihuang Granules adjuvant therapy on primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS).

Methods: A total of 112 children with PNS were randomly divided into three groups, and changes in serum inflammatory cytokines, interleukin, lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulin were observed.

Results: Before treatment, IL-18, TNF-α, CD8+ increased, while IL-10, CD4+, NK cells, IgA, IgG and Foxp3+Treg cells decreased.

Preoperative and postoperative medical therapies for chronic rhinosinusitis: National surveys among Chinese otolaryngologists.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical practice patterns of preoperative and postoperative medical therapies immediately surrounding sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by Chinese otolaryngologists.

Methods: Two anonymous web-based surveys of preoperative and postoperative medical therapies were performed. These surveys assessed the frequency of prescription of oral corticosteroids, intranasal corticosteroid sprays, oral antibiotics, nasal saline irrigation, oral antihistamines, nasal antihistamines, anti-leukotriene agents, topical decongestants and oral mucolytics.

Screening of genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and differential expression of complement-related genes induced by PAX2 in renal tubules.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to screen and verify downstream genes involved in the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by paired box 2 (PAX2) in NRK-52E cells.

Methods: NRK-52E cells were transfected with lentivirus carrying PAX2 gene or no-load virus respectively. Total RNA was isolated 72 h after transfection from PAX2-overexpressing cells and control cells.

Association of AKT1 gene polymorphisms with sporadic Parkinson's disease in Chinese Han population.

Genetic variants of AKT1 have been shown to influence brain function of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, and in this paper our aim is to investigate the association between the three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2498799; rs2494732; rs1130214) and PD in Han Chinese. 413 Han Chinese PD patients and 450 healthy age and gender-matched controls were genotyped using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Both the patient and control groups show similar genotype frequencies at the three loci: rs2498799, rs2494732 and rs1130214.

[Influence of PAX2 gene silencing on renal interstitial fibrosis in rats].

Objective: To investigate the influence of silencing PAX2 gene in vivo on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of renal tubular cells in rats with renal interstitial fibrosis.

Methods: A total of 64 Wistar rats were anaesthetized, and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) was performed to establish a rat model of renal interstitial fibrosis. The 64 rats were randomly divided into negative control and PAX2 gene silencing groups (n=32 each).

Due-window assignment scheduling with variable job processing times.

We consider a common due-window assignment scheduling problem jobs with variable job processing times on a single machine, where the processing time of a job is a function of its position in a sequence (i.e., learning effect) or its starting time (i.

Applicability of various estimation formulas to assess renal function in Chinese children.

Background: This study was to evaluate the relative applicability of the most commonly used estimation formulas for renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of Chinese children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: One hundred CKD patients of less than 17 years old were divided into two groups by sex which was further categorized into five subgroups based on CKD staging according to the "reference" GFR (rGFR) determined by Tc-99m-DTPA renal dynamic imaging. Four GFR markers including serum cystatin C (CysC), β2-microglobulin, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were measured.

Therapeutic potential of EGCG on acute renal damage in a rat model of obstructive nephropathy.

As a major active component in green tea, (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCG) has many anti-oxidative activities. This study investigated whether intraperitoneal administration of EGCG was capable of suppressing oxidative stress in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and probed the potential mechanisms involved. In total, 150 adult male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=30 each): the control group (group N); the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) group (group C), where the unilateral ureter was ligated resulting in an obstructive nephropathy model; and the EGCG group (group T), following unilateral ureteral ligation, rats were intraperitoneally injected with EGCG at a dosage of 2.

[Effects of glutamine on extracellular signal regulated kinase and p38MAPK expression in the kidney in young rats with endotoxemia].

Objective: Glutamine has protective effects against renal injuries. This study was designed to explore the possible mechanism underlying the protections by examining the effects of glutamine on extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and p38MAPK expression in the kidney in rats with endotoxemia.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-one 18-day-old Wistar rats were randomly injected with LPS (4 mg/kg; n=55), LPS (4 mg/kg)+glutamine (1 mL/kg) (n=55), or normal saline (control group; n=11).

[A prospective multicenter clinical control trial on treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome with mycophenolate mofetil in children].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) plus prednisone on refractory nephrotic syndrome (RNS) in children.

Methods: One hundred and forty-two children with RNS from ten clinical trial centers were divided into two groups: MMF (n=87) and control (n=55). The MMF group patients were administered with oral MMF (30-40 mg/kg daily) for at least 6 months.

Effect of dexamethasone on nitric oxide synthase and Caspase-3 gene expressions in endotoxemia in neonate rat brain.

Objective: To investigate the gene and protein expressions of three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and gene expression of Caspase-3, and effect of dexamethasone on them in neonatal rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemic brain damage.

Methods: Expressions of the three isoforms of NOS and caspase-3 mRNA in the brain were investigated by RT-PCR in postnatal 7-day Wistar rats with acute endotoxemia by intraperitoneal administration of LPS. Regional distributions of NOSs were examined by immunohistochemical technique.

[Changes of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, tissue type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 expression in the lung tissue of neonatal rats after intraperitoneal injection with lipopolysaccharide].

Objective: To further explore the pathogenesis of neonatal acute lung injury and neonatal pulmonary hemorrhage by establishing the animal model of neonatal acute lung injury (ALI) and by investigating the changes of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in ALI.

Methods: Totally 88 neonatal rats which were divided into 8 groups randomly including one normal saline control group and 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 16 h and 24 h post injection groups. The changes of lung pathology in newborn rats were observed at different time after LPS was injected intraperitoneally.

Evidence of increased DNA content of murine thymocytes caused by cocaine.

C57BL mice were injected intraperitoneally daily with 10 to 50 mg/kg of cocaine for five days. Four hours after the last injection, the thymuses were removed, and the effects on DNA and protein content of the surviving cells were measured. A dose-dependent increase in DNA content per cell, determined by UV spectrophotometric analysis, and a dose-dependent increase in protein content per cell, as measured using the Bio-Rad reagent, were observed.