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Objective To explore the genetic polymorphism of the δ aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALAD) gene in children of the Han ethnic group. Methods The erythrocyte σ aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALAD) isozyme phenotypes were determined in a population of 229 pre school and primary school children aged 6～10 years. Results (1) There were 211 individuals with the ALAD 1 1 isozyme phenotype and 18 individuals with the ALAD 1 2 isozyme phenotype. (2) The phenotype of ALAD 2 2 was not detected. Conclusions A polymorphic enzyme exists in the ALAD gene of the Chinese population and the ALAD 2 allele frequency was lower than in Caucasians. Chinese children are genetically less susceptible to lead toxicity than Caucasian children. [

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Objective To study the effect of changes of T cell subsets and immunoglobulin on the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma in children. Methods Using ELISA, directed SPA, and simple immunodiffusion techniques, we measured T cell subsets and immunoglobulin levels in 30 asthmatic children and in 20 normal subjects. Results In the control group the values of CD 3 +, CD 4 + and CD 8 + were 72.38 ± 8.19% , 45.48 ± 4.27% and 31.29 ± 4.02% , respectively, and the CD 4 +/CD 8 + ratio was 1.28 ± 0.23 . Asthmatic children had decreased CD 3 + ( 67.15 ± 7.16% vs 72.38 ± 8.19% ) and CD 8 + T subsets ( 26.56 ± 2.18% vs. 31.29 ± 4.02% ) (P< 0.01 ), but an apparent increase in the CD 4/CD 8 ratio ( 1.51 ± 0.44 ) (P< 0.05 ) compared with the normal children. In the control group, the levels of IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE were 10.67 ± 2.53 g/L, 1.18 ± 0.69 g/L, 1.60 ± 0.54 g/L and 178±30 IU, respectively. IgE levels (386±154 IU) in the cases of asthma were significantly higher than those in the control subjects (P< 0.01 ). Both IgM ( 1.29 ± 0.41 g/L) and IgG ( 9.35 ± 2.26 g/L) levels were statistically lower than those of the normal children (P< 0.01 and < 0.05 , respectively). Conclusions In children with asthma changes in immunoglobulin levels may result from a dysfunction and (or) an inadequate number of T suppressor lymphocytes. [

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Objective To explore K 562 cell apoptosis induced by cord blood CD 3AK cells and CD 3AK cell cultural supernatants (CS). Methods Apoptosis was detected in K 562 cells and in K 562 cells cultured with either cord blood CD 3AK cells or CS using the TDT end labelling technique, cell morphology and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. Results The percentage of apoptotic cells in the control K 562 culture was 3.50 ± 0.97% . Apoptosis of K 562 cells cultured with CD 3AK cells rose to 27.38 ± 4.91% (P< 0.01 ). Culturing K 562 cells in CS also resulted in significantly increased apoptosis ( 33.09 ± 5.22% ) (P< 0.01 ). Conclusions Cord blood CD 3AK cells and CS could induce K 562 cell apoptosis. [

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Objective To study variations of inflammatory mediators in the serum of children aged 1～6 months with infantile hepatitis. Methods Using ELISA and carbonate reductase assays, we measured the levels of serum IFN α, IL 8, TNF α and NO in 56 children suffering from CMV antibody positive infantile hepatitis, 67 children suffering from HCV antibody positive infantile hepatitis and 58 normal children. Results In the normal control group, the levels of INF α, IL 8 and TNF α were226.74±73.82 ng/L, 13.24±5.36 ng/L, 217.14±76.30 ng/L, respectively, and NO concentrations were 25.98±8.70 μmol/L. In the CMV antibody postive group, IFN α Levels were 582.26 ± 131.72 ng/L , IL 8 levels were 75.28 ± 33.57 ng/L, TNF α levels were 429.46 ± 156.32 ng/L, and NO concentrations were 59.87 ± 16.42 μmol/L. These values were all significantly higher than those of the normal control group (P< 0.01 ). In the HCV antibody positive group, the concentrations of IFN α, IL 8, TNF α and NO were 558.32 ± 114.64 ng/L , 71.34 ± 27.64 ng/L, 374.35 ± 138.4 ng/L and 62.24 ± 21.38 μmol/L, respectively. These levels were also significantly increased compared to the controls (P< 0.01 ). There were no significant differences between the CMV antibody positive and the HCV antibody positive groups. TNF α and NO were positively correlated in both groups (r 1 = 0.62 , r 2 = 0.57 , P< 0.01 ). Conclusions Serum levels of IFN-α, IL 8, TNF α, and NO increase in the critical period of the infantile hepatitis syndrome with CMV and HCV antibody positive. [

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Objective To investigate changes in endothelin 1 (ET 1) levels in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods Serum and CSF ET 1 levels in 20 normal neonates and 52 HIE neonates were assayed using radioimmunoassay and the 52 HIE neonates were divided into mild, moderate, and severe groups. Results Serum ET 1 levels were 68.71±12.03 ng/L in the normal control group. In the aucte phase, serum ET 1 levels in infants with mild, moderate, and severe HIE were 98.38±12.82 ng/L, 107.11±18.56 ng/L, 119.56±14.69 ng/L, respectively; and in the remission stage they were 73.44±11.79 ng/L, 75.73±11.38 ng/L, 83.92±15.99 ng/L, respectively. Serum ET 1 levels were significantly increased in the acute phase compared to the remission stage and the controls (P<0.01). In the acute phase, CSF levels in infants with mild, moderated, and severe HIE were 43.79± 7.14 ng/L , 51.07±11.19 ng/L, 61.86±13.55 ng/L, respectively; and in the remission stage they were 30.79± 4.42 ng/L , 33.07±4.84 ng/L, 39.50±5.56 ng/L, respectively. In the acute phase, CSF ET 1 levels in infants with moderate and severe HIE were much higher than those in the controls (P<0.01 and P<0.05), although in the recovery phase, the ET 1 levels of the mild and moderate HIE groups decreased to normal. ET 1 levels in severe HIE infants remained at a high level. Serum and CSF ET 1 levels were significantly correlated with the severity of HIE and were negatively correlated with 1 minute Apgar score. Conclusions ET 1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIE.

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Objective To explore the normal value of inner canthal index in children and the diagnositic value of inner canthal index measurements in children with mental retardation. Methods Head circumference and width of the inner and external canthus were measured in 360 normal children aged 0～12, years and in 52 children with mental retadation aged from 6 months to 6 years. Two indices were studied: Index Ⅰ=the ratio of the inner canthus to the external canthus and Index Ⅱ=the ratio of the inner canthus to head circumference. Results In the normal children Index Ⅰ was 0.34 ± 0.03 and Index Ⅱ was 0.068 ± 0.008 . In children with Trisomy 21, Index Ⅰ was 0.51 ± 0.02 and Index Ⅱ was 0.091 ± 0.004 (P< 0.01 vs. control). In infants with cretinism, Index Ⅰ was 0.48 ± 0.04 (P< 0.01 vs. control) and Index Ⅱ was 0.096 ± 0.007 (P< 0.05 vs. control). Children with brain dysplasia had an Index Ⅰ of 0.51 ± 0.07 (P< 0.05 vs. control); and they had an index Ⅱ of 0.089 ± 0.008 . There was no significant difference vs control (P> 0.05 ). No significant differences in Index Ⅰ ( 0.38 ± 0.06 ) or Index Ⅱ ( 0.064 ± 0.004 ) were noted in infants with intracranial hemorrhage. (P> 0.05 ) Conclusions Index Ⅰ and Index Ⅱ can reflect the width of the inner canthus and they are not influenced by age. Index Ⅰ may have a more important value than Index Ⅱ in the clinical application.

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Objective To understand the relationship between tumor necrotic factor α (TNF α) and brain damage in an animal model of pertussis bacilli induced brain edema. Methods 99 rats were divided into 3 groups: 1)sham control group (C group, n=11); 2)normal saline group (NS group, n=44); and 3) pertussis bacilli group (PB group, n=44). TNF α mRNA expression was examined using RT PCR and the protein levels were assayed using ELISA in the rat brain tissues at various times. Results TNF α was significantly increased in the PB group at 240 min ( 768.4 ± 86.3 pg/g) compared to the C group ( 318.1± 31.1 pg/g), NS group at 30 min ( 324.2 ± 65.6 pg/g), NS group at 60 min ( 322.1± 73.4 pg/g), NS group at 120 min ( 316.8 ± 49.1 pg/g), and NS group at 240 min ( 329.9 ± 77.6 pg/g). The PB group at 240 minutes was also significantly increased compared to the PB group at 30 min ( 360.3 ± 66.6 pg/g), at 60 min ( 358.5 ± 49.1 pg/g), and at 120 min ( 356.0 ± 52.3 pg/g) (P< 0.01 ). Expression of TNF α mRNA began to increase in the PB group at 60 min and reached a peak at 240 min. Conclusions TNF α may play a role in producing injury in infectious brain edema.

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Objective To investigate the expression of HSP70 gene in the brain of neonatal rats following cerebral hypoxia ischemia (HI) and the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on the expression of HSP70 mRNA. Methods Rapid competitive reverse transcriptase PCR was used to semi quantitatively analyze the expression of HSP70 mRNA in the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere in a neonatal rat model of hypoxia ischemia. Groups were divided into those pre treated with DEX prior to hypoxia ischemia, those treated with DEX immediately following hypoxia ischemia, those pre treated with DEX prior to sham, and normal controls, respectively. Results Cerebral HI increased HSP70 mRNA expression. The peak time of overexpression was 12 h after HI(3.868±1.421), and maintained at a higher level during 12～48 h(3.186±0.803, 2.568±0.709). The intensity of HSP70 mRNA expression was greatly decreased or almost abolished completely by the pretreatment with DEX. At 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after this treatment, HSP 70 mRNA expression were 0.526±0.593, 0.492±0.450 and 0.434±0.428, respectively, while the treatment with DEX after the insults had no evident effect on the expression of HSP70 mRNA. AT 12 h, 24 h and 48 h, HSP 70 mRNA expression were 3.460± 1.309 , 3.020±0.565 and 2.242±0.504, respectively. Conclusions DEX prophylaxis could suppress the overexpression of HSP70 mRNA following cerebral HI. Inhibition of HSP70 mRNA expression by DEX prophylaxis could be related to the suppression of overexcitation of neurons.

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Objective To investigate the expression of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) in the brain of neonatal rats subjected to hypoxia ischemia and the influence of different doses of dexamethasone on the expression of MCP-1 protein and neuropathology. Methods Using a hypoxic ischemic neonatal rat model (n=25), animals received intraperitoneal injections of normal saline (control group), and 0.5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of dexamethasone immediately after the hypoxic injury. All animals were killed 24 hours after hypoxia. Immunocytochemistry with a polyclonal goat antirat MCP 1 antibody was used to determine the expression of MPC 1 protein. Total and percentage denatured (necrotic) neurons were determined using light microscopy. Results In the control group, the expression of MCP 1 protein and the total number of neurocytes and denatured (necrotic) neurons were 7.98 ± 1.37% , 158.07 ± 14.48 /6HP and 22.86 ± 3.13 /6HP, respectively, while in the high dose group, they were 0.97 ± 0.42% , 203.25 ± 10.27 /6HP and 17.75 ± 3.45 /6HP, respectively. And in the low dose group, they were 7.25± 2.45% , 155.11 ± 16.61 /6HP and 23.89 ± 4.18 /6HP, respectively. Compared to the control group, the expression of MCP 1 protein was significantly decreased (P< 0.01 ),the total number of neurons increased (P< 0.05 ), and denatured (necrotic) neurons decreased (P<0.01) in the high dose groups, but there were no major histopathological differences between the low dose group and the control group. Conclusions High dose dexamethasone treatment reduces the expression of MCP-1 protein in the brain of neonatal rats with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and might have a neuroprotective role in this disorder. [

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Objective To study the psychosocial state of epileptic children and their parents, and to give them psychological intervention. Methods We designed a “Psychosocial Inventory for Children with Epilepsy” and a “Questionnaire for Parents of Children with Epilepsy” and used these tools to assess psychosocial state of 105 epileptic children and their parents. Intervention consisted of courses about epilepsy and individual consultation for psychosocial disturbances. Results Worries about epilepsy and drug effects existed in 51.4% and 26.7% of the children with epilepsy, respectively; 46.7% , 23.8% , and 31.4% of the children were worst on their emotion, social function and health state, respectively; 26.7% weren't satisfied with the quality of life. About half of the parents were very anxious; they were worried about their children's epilepsy and long term medication; more than one third had little information about epilepsy and the psychosocial state of their children. After the consultation, the psychosocial state of epileptic children and their parents improved obviously; there were significant differences in the results of the above items before and after the consultation (P< 0.01 ). Conclusions Psychosocial disturbances exist in a majority of epileptic children and their parents. Psychosocial consultation is an effective method for eliminating or reducing psychological disturbances.

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