[Clinical manifestations and gene analysis of 2 Chinese children with cystic fibrosis].

Objective: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is rare in Chinese mainland. We present two cases of CF patients diagnosed by gene analysis. Their clinical manifestations and genetic mutation features are analyzed in this article.

Effects of genistein on neuronal apoptosis, and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in the hippocampus of ovariectomized rats.

Genistein is one of several isoflavones that has a structure similar to 17β-estradiol, has a strong antioxidant effect, and a high affinity to estrogen receptors. At 15 weeks after ovariectomy, the expression of Bcl-2 in the hippocampus of rats decreased and Bax expression increased, with an obvious upregulation of apoptosis. However, intraperitoneal injection of genistein or 17β-estradiol for 15 consecutive weeks from the second day after operation upregulated Bcl-2 protein expression, downregulated Bax protein expression, and attenuated hippocampal neuron apoptosis.

VPS35 regulates developing mouse hippocampal neuronal morphogenesis by promoting retrograde trafficking of BACE1.

VPS35, a major component of the retromer, plays an important role in the selective endosome-to-Golgi retrieval of membrane proteins. Dysfunction of retromer is a risk factor for neurodegenerative disorders, but its function in developing mouse brain remains poorly understood. Here we provide evidence for VPS35 promoting dendritic growth and maturation, and axonal protein transport in developing mouse hippocampal neurons.

Antibody-mediated inhibition of integrin α5β1 blocks neurotoxic prion peptide PrP106-126-induced activation of BV2 microglia.

Microglial activation is a characteristic feature of the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The identification of cell surface molecules that mediate the prion protein (PrP) synthetic peptide interaction with microglia is of great significance as it represents potential target molecules to modulate the events leading to the pathophysiology of prion diseases. Here, we carried out in vitro experiments to investigate the involvement of α5β1 integrin in neurotoxic prion peptide PrP(106-126)-induced activation of BV2 microglia.

Surgical treatment for vascular anomalies and tracheoesophageal compression.

Background: Vascular rings are uncommon anomalies in which preferred strategies for diagnosis and management may vary among institutions. In this study, we reported our approach and a review of our 5-year experience.

Methods: From May 2006 to April 2011, 45 children (31 boys) with vascular rings underwent surgical repair at Beijing Children's Hospital.

Error-prone PCR mutagenesis reveals functional domains of a bacterial transcriptional activator, TraJ.

TraJ is the essential activator of P(Y), the promoter of the F and F-like plasmid tra operon that encodes the majority of the proteins for bacterial conjugation. By combining error-prone PCR mutagenesis with a two-plasmid screen, we isolated 55 missense mutations in traJ, each affecting the ability of TraJ to activate P(Y). These mutations define two distinct functional clusters (amino acids [aa] 21 to 117 and aa 150 to 219).

Abatacept for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Background & Aims: The efficacy of abatacept, a selective costimulation modulator, in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is unknown.

Methods: Four placebo-controlled trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of abatacept as induction (IP) and maintenance (MP) therapy in adults with active, moderate-to-severe CD (CD-IP; CD-MP) and UC (UC-IP1; UC-MP). In CD-IP and UC-IP1, 451 patients with CD and 490 patients with UC were randomized to abatacept 30, 10, or 3 mg/kg (according to body weight) or placebo, and dosed at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 8.

Differential regulation of myosin X movements by its cargos, DCC and neogenin.

Myosin X (Myo X), also known as MYO10, is an unconventional actin-based motor protein that plays an important role in filopodium formation. Its intra-filopodia movement, an event tightly associated with the function of Myo X, has been extensively studied. However, how the motor activity of Myo X and the direction of its movements are regulated remains largely unknown.

[Nutrient balance between N, P, and K in flue-cured tobacco production under different preceding crops planting].

A field experiment was conducted to study the nutrient balance between N, P, and K in flue-cured tobacco production in Shilin County of Yunnan Province under the effects of different preceding crops including rape, wheat, barley, and green manure planting. Overall, there existed significant differences in the soil nitrogen availability, tobacco plant dry matter accumulation, plant uptake of N, P and K, residual amounts of soil N, P, and K, apparent soil N loss, and apparent soil P- and K surplus during tobacco growth period under different preceding crops planting. Under preceding crop green mature planting, the soil mineral N content before tobacco plant transplanting, the soil N net mineralization rate during tobacco growth period, and the tobacco plant dry matter accumulation and N- and K uptake at maturation were all the highest, followed by under preceding rape planting, and under preceding barley or wheat planting.

Effects of acupuncture therapy on abdominal fat and hepatic fat content in obese children: a magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) together with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) to study the influence of acupuncture therapy on abdominal fat and hepatic fat content in obese children.

Design: The design was a longitudinal, clinical intervention study of acupuncture therapy.

Subjects: SUBJECTS were 10 healthy, obese children (age: 11.

Application of MPVR and TL-VR with 64-row MDCT in neonates with congenital EA and distal TEF.

Aim: To assess the application of multiple planar volume reconstruction (MPVR) and three-dimensional (3D) transparency lung volume rendering (TL-VR) with 64-row multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) in neonates with congenital esophageal atresia (EA) and distal tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF).

Methods: Twenty neonates (17 boys, 3 girls) with EA and distal TEF at a mean age of 4.6 d (range 1-16 d) were enrolled in this study.

From ontology selection and semantic web to an integrated information system for food-borne diseases and food safety.

Several factors have hindered effective use of information and resources related to food safety due to inconsistency among semantically heterogeneous data resources, lack of knowledge on profiling of food-borne pathogens, and knowledge gaps among research communities, government risk assessors/managers, and end-users of the information. This paper discusses technical aspects in the establishment of a comprehensive food safety information system consisting of the following steps: (a) computational collection and compiling publicly available information, including published pathogen genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data; (b) development of ontology libraries on food-borne pathogens and design automatic algorithms with formal inference and fuzzy and probabilistic reasoning to address the consistency and accuracy of distributed information resources (e.g.

Tracheoesophageal fistula after primary repair of type C esophageal atresia in the neonatal period: recurrent or missed second congenital fistula.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate whether a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) found after the primary repair of type C esophageal atresia (EA) is a recannulation of the original fistula, a missed proximal fistula, or other rare foregut malformation.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2009, 143 different types of patients with EA were admitted in our hospital. Seven patients (2 from our series, 5 referred to us by other hospitals with the history of primary repair of type C EA) had late presenting TEF.

[Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias in 7 children].

Objective: Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) have been increasing in children in recent years. The type and prognosis of IIPs in children in China has not been clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the type and prognosis of IIPs in children.

MSCT manifestations with pathologic correlation of abdominal gastrointestinal tract and mesenteric tumor and tumor-like lesions in children: a single center experience.

To study the multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) manifestations of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and mesenteric tumor and tumor-like lesions in children and correlation with pathologic findings. 22 patients (17 male, 5 female; age ranged from 3 days to 11 years; with mean of 4.2 years) were screened out by ultrasonography (US) at first, then were performed with abdominal non-enhanced CT (NECT) and contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) scans.

Assessment of cystic renal masses in children: comparison of multislice computed tomography and ultrasound imaging using the Bosniak classification system.

To retrospectively compare contrast-enhanced multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and ultrasound (US) imaging for the assessment of cystic renal masses in children using the Bosniak classification system. Twenty-two consecutive patients (age 1 month to 5.2 years, mean 2.

CT characteristics of primary retroperitoneal neoplasms in children.

Primary retroperitoneal neoplasms are uncommon in children. Retroperitoneal neoplasms are either mesodermal, neurogenic, germ cell ectodermal or lymphatic in origin. In general, primary retroperitoneal neoplasms in children have different spectrum and prevalence compared to those in adults.

N-cadherin-dependent neuron-neuron interaction is required for the maintenance of activity-induced dendrite growth.

Formation of neural circuits depends on stable contacts between neuronal processes, mediated by interaction of cell adhesion molecules, including N-cadherin. In the present study, we found that activity-dependent dendrite arborization specifically requires N-cadherin-mediated extracellular neuron-neuron interaction, because the enhancement did not occur for neurons cultured in isolation or plated on an astrocyte monolayer and was abolished by a recombinant soluble N-cadherin ectodomain. Furthermore, depolarization elevated the level of membrane-associated cadherin/catenin complexes and surface N-cadherin.

[Imaging and quantitative measurement of brain extracellular space using MRI Gd-DTPA tracer method].

Objective: To observe the diffusion of Gd-DTPA in brain extracellular space (ECS) by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and investigate the feasibility of ECS measurement by using MRI tracer method in vivo.

Methods: 2 microL Gd-DTPA was introduced into ECS by caudate nucleus according to stereotaxic atlas in 8 Sprague Dawley(SD) rats (male, 280-320 g). The MRI scans were performed at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h and 12 h respectively after administration.

[Effects of sowing date on morphologic characteristics, yield and quality of Radix isatidis].

Objective: To study the effects of sowing date on morphologic characteristics, yield and quality of Radix Isatidis, in order to provide a basis for selection of the suitable sowing date.

Method: The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design arranged in split plot, the phonological period of Isatis indigotica was investigated and the morphological indexes, yield and quality at harvest were measured and determined by correlation and variance analysis.

Result: The different sowing dates showed a great effect on phonological period of I.

Use of automatic tube current modulation with a standardized noise index in young children undergoing chest computed tomography scans with 64-slice multidetector computed tomography.

Background: The automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) technique is available on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanners, and its dose reduction benefits in clinical applications have been documented primarily in adult patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of ATCM to reduce radiation dose while maintaining consistent image quality for young children undergoing 64-slice MDCT chest scans.

Material And Methods: Chest scans (120 kV, small-scan field of view, 5-mm image slice thickness) were performed for 50 consecutive young children (0.

Comparison of different diagnostic methods for differentiating biliary atresia from idiopathic neonatal hepatitis.

Aim: To retrospectively analyze different methods in differentiating biliary atresia from idiopathic neonatal hepatitis.

Methods: Sixty-nine infants with cholestatic jaundice and final diagnosis of idiopathic neonatal hepatitis (INH) and biliary atresia (BA) were studied retroprospectively from January 2004 to December 2006. A thorough history and physical examination were undertaken.

Decreased transketolase activity contributes to impaired hippocampal neurogenesis induced by thiamine deficiency.

Thiamine deficiency (TD) impairs hippocampal neurogenesis. However, the mechanisms involved are not identified. In this work, TD mouse model was generated using a thiamine-depleted diet at two time points, TD9 and TD14 for 9 and 14 days of TD respectively.