PLA2R1 and HLA-DQA1 gene variations in idiopathic membranous nephropathy in South China

INTRODUCTION@#Associations of variations in PLA2R1 and HLA-DQA1 genes with susceptibility to idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) have been well documented. Association with spontaneous remission, however, is poorly defined in the Chinese Han population.@*METHODS@#A Chinese cohort of 117 IMN patients and 138 healthy controls were recruited between July 2009 and November 2019. Case-control studies for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within HLA-DQA1 (rs2187668) and PLA2R1 (rs35771982, rs4664308, rs3749117, rs3749119) genes were performed. The contributions of these polymorphisms to predict susceptibility, titre of autoantibodies against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R1), glomerular PLA2R1 expression, and spontaneous remission were analysed.@*RESULTS@#We found that variations in PLA2R1 (SNPs rs35771982, rs4664308, rs3749117) were strongly associated with IMN susceptibility, while SNP (rs2187668) within HLA-DQA1 did not increase the risk of IMN. All SNPs in PLA2R1 and HLA-DQA1 were not statistically associated with anti-PLA2R1 titre, glomerular PLA2R1 expression and spontaneous remission after Bonferroni correction (@*CONCLUSION@#This study confirms that variations in PLA2R1 (SNPs rs35771982, rs4664308, rs3749117) are risk factors for IMN. We found excellent association of serum albumin level, anti-PLA2R1 titre and glomerular PLA2R1 positivity with non-spontaneous remission in IMN.

Results of thin-layer cytology and biopsy and the risk factors for residual and/or recurrence after loop elec-trosurgical excision procedure for cervical intraepithelial neoplastic lesions / 医学研究生学报

Objective The loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) is a major option for the treatment of cervical in-traepithelial neoplastic (CIN) lesions,but reports are rarely seen on the consistency of the result of post-LEEP pathology with that of preoperative biopsy as well as on the postoperative pathological upgrading of related factors. This study analyzes the consistency of the result of preoperative biopsy with that of post-LEEP pathology for CIN lesions and the risk factors for residual and/or recurrence after LEEP. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1 089 patients with CIN lesions treated by LEEP in our hospital from May 2014 to A-pril 2017. All the patients underwent liquid-based thin-layer cytology (TCT) and vaginoscopic biopsy preoperatively,followed by analysis of the results of TCT,the consistency of the result of preoperative bi-opsy with that of post-LEEP pathology,and the risk factors for residu- al and/or recurrence after LEEP. Results Preoperative biopsy showed 447 cases of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL),among which TCT revealed 85 cases negative for intraepithelial lesion and malignancy (NILM),with a false negative rate of LSIL of 19.0%. Of the 645 cases of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) revealed by preoperative biopsy,TCT manifes-ted 95 cases of NILM,with a false negative rate of HSIL of 14.7%,which was significantly lower than that of LSIL (P<0.05). Preop-erative biopsy showed 447 cases of LSIL,among which post-LEEP pathology manifested 316 cases of LSIL (70.69%) and 51 cases of HSIL (11.4%). Of the 635 cases of HSIL revealed by preoperative biopsy,post-LEEP pathology exhibited 4 cases (0.63%) of inva-sive cervical cancer (ICC). Multivariate analysis showed the risk factors for pathological upgrading after LEEP were sexual partners >2 (OR=0.139,95% CI: 0.034-0.561) and LSIL in TCT (OR=0.111,95% CI: 0.040-0.310) (P<0.05) and those for postopera-tive recurrence included positive incision margin (OR=2.970,95% CI: 1.010-8.733) and persistent human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (OR=5.446,95% CI: 3.109-9.540). Preoperative HPV16 infection was correlated with lesion residual and/or recurrence after LEEP (P<0.05). Conclusion LEEP can significantly improve the diagnosis rate of HSIL in low-grade CIN patients with high risk factors. The risk factors for lesion residual and/or recurrence after LEEP include HPV16 infection,lesion involvement of the inci-sion margin,and persistent HPV infection.

Reconstruction of a digital three-dimensional model of fetal heart / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the methods for constructing the digital three-dimensional model of fetal heart.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Original two-dimensional CT image data sets were collected from 4 abortion fetuses with fetal malformations but not heart malformation or chromosomal abnormalities. The three-dimensional fetal heart model was reconstructed using Mimics14.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the reconstructed three-dimensional fetal heart, the left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, right ventricle, the ascending aorta, the main pulmonary and their branches, the superior cava and inferior vena cava were marked with different colors, and these structures could be displayed individually or with other structures. This model also allowed three-dimensional arbitrary scaling, shifting or rotation at any angle, and the diameter of the each vessel could be measured with the software.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The fetal heart model can be successfully reconstructed from the CT datasets using three-dimensional reconstruction software to facilitate clinical and anatomical teaching.</p>

Effects of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on patients with arrhythmia complicated by sleep apnea syndrome / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical efficacy of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in treatment of patients with arrhythmia complicated by sleep apnea syndrome (SAS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty-five arrhythmia patients with polysomnography diagnosed SAS were randomly divided into NPPV group (69 cases) and control group (66 cases), the NPPV group was treated with standard medications and NPPV, and the control group was treated with standard medications. SAS related parameters were compared between the groups after 3 months therapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) score, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and arousal index were significantly lower (8.25 ± 5.41 vs.4.08 ± 3.43, 39.95 ± 7.32 vs. 4.71 ± 1.80 and 39.69 ± 4.40 vs. 15.20 ± 2.05, P < 0.01) while not rapid eye movement (NREM) III and rapid eye movement stage of sleep time and lowest pulse oxygen saturation (LSaO2) were significantly higher in NPPV group than in control group [(4.53 ± 2.10)% vs. (16.78 ± 2.59)%,(8.37 ± 1.380)% vs. (15.25 ± 1.41)%, (77.15 ± 6.72)% vs. (93.35 ± 2.03)%, P < 0.01] after 3 months therapy. (2) Incidence of Sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia, sinus arrest, atrial premature beats, ventricular premature beats, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, II-III degree atrioventricular block, ST-T segment changes were reduced from 57.4%, 44.4%, 7.4%, 20.4%, 13.0%, 36.5%, 12.0%, 8.3%, 37.0%, 53.7% to 4.6%, 1.9%,0.0%, 3.7%, 2.8%, 7.0%, 0.9%, 0.0%, 1.9%, 4.6% (all P < 0.05) and the total number of arrhythmias happened at night were significantly lower (all P < 0.05) while the heart rate variability (HRV) were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in NPPV group than in control group; AHI was positively while LSaO2 was negatively correlated with the total night arrhythmia number (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation is an effective therapy strategy for treating patients with arrhythmia complicated by sleep apnea syndrome.</p>

Risk factors on the recurrence of ischemic stroke and the establishment of a Cox' s regression model / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To investigate the risk factors and establish the Cox' s regression model on the recurrence of ischemic stroke. Methods We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with ischemic stroke admitted to the Neurology Department of the Hebei United University Affiliated Hospital between January 1,2008 and December 31,2009. Cases had been followed since the onset of ischemic stroke. The follow-up program was finished in June 30, 2010. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to describe the recurrence rate. Monovariant and multivariate Cox' s proportional hazard regression model were used to analyze the risk factors associated to the episodes of recurrence.And then, a recurrence model was set up. Results During the period of follow-up program, 79 cases were relapsed,with the recurrence rates as 12.75% in one year and 18.87% in two years. Monovariant and multivariate Cox' s proportional hazard regression model showed that the independent risk factors that were associated with the recurrence appeared to be age (X1)(RR=1.025,95% CI: 1.003-1.048),history of hypertension (X2) (RR= 1.976, 95% CI: 1.014-3.851), history of family strokes (X3) (RR=2.647,95%CI: 1.175-5.961), total cholesterol amount (X4) (RR= 1.485,95%CI: 1.214-1.817), ESRS total scores (X5) (RR= 1.327,95%CI: 1.057-1.666) and progression of the disease (X6) (RR= 1.889,95%CI: 1.123-3.178). Personal prognosis index (PI) of the recurrence model was as follows: PI=0.025X1 + 0.681X2+ 0.973X3 + 0.395X4+ 0.283X5 + 0.636X6. The smaller the personal prognosis index was, the lower the recurrence risk appeared, while the bigger the personal prognosis index was, the higher the recurrence risk appeared. Conclusion Age, history of hypertension, total cholesterol amount, total scores of ESRS, together with the disease progression were the independent risk factors associated with the recurrence episodes of ischemic stroke. Both recurrence model and the personal prognosis index equation were successful constructed.

Intravenous injection of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells affecting the level of nerve growth factors in rats with traumatic brain injury / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of transplantation of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (CB-MSCs) on the levels of NGF and BDNF in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and explore its possible mechanism of cerebral protection. Methods Ninety healthy male SD rats were equally randomized into sham-operated group, injury control group and treatment group.TBI models in the injury control group and treatment group were induced by the improved device of Feeney weight-dropping; the rats in the treatment group were injected Brdu-labeled 3×106 CB-MSCs solved in 1ml PBS by rat-tail vein, while the rats in the sham-operated group and the injury control group were injected the equal volume of PBS solution. No immunosuppressive agents were used in all the rats.HE staining, immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization were employed, respectively, to detect the morphological changes, Brdu positive cells, expressions of BDNF and NGF on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th d of injection. Results Only a very small number of nerve cells were BDNF and/or NGF positive in the sham-operated group. Substantial BDNF and/or NGF positive cells in the injury control group were noted in the surrounding brain damaged area following traumatic brain injury, which peaked at their levels on about 14 d of injection (the A value of NGF=8.35±1.07, that of BDNF=9.01±1.74), following by a gradual decline; however, significant difference was still noted as compared with that in the sham-operated group (P＜0.05). BDNF and/or NGF-positive cells significantly increased in the treatment group, especially in the surrounding brain injured areas; their levels peaked on the 14th d of injection,following by a gradual decline on the 21st and 28th d, but they were still higher than those in the injury control group and sham-operated group at each time points (P＜0.05). Conclusion Transplantation of CB-MSCs can increase the secretion of BDNF and NGF in rats with TBI, improve the local micro-damage environment and promote the repair of neurons.