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ABSTRACT: Blue light has been widely used for the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia since the 1950s. Neonatal phototherapy can decrease plasma unconjugated bilirubin level, thus preventing bilirubin encephalopathy, and greatly reduces the exchange transfusion rate. Generally, it is accepted that the side effects of neonatal phototherapy are not serious and seem to be well controlled, however recent research has provided new evidence. The short-term side effects of phototherapy include interference with maternal-infant interaction, imbalance of thermal environment and water loss, electrolyte disturbance, bronze baby syndrome and circadian rhythm disorder. In addition, phototherapy may be associated with some long-term side effects such as melanocytic nevi and skin cancer, allergic diseases, patent ductus arteriosus and retinal damage. Therefore, it is necessary to develop evidence-based guidelines, new light devices and alternative agents, as well as individualized treatments, to minimize the side effects of phototherapy.
Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of contemporary pediatrics 05/2012; 14(5):396-400.
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ABSTRACT: Akt has been demonstrated as a survival kinase in brain after hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Previous studies have shown that glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP-2) signaling pathway could be regulated by Akt for axonal-dendritic polarity. CRMP-2 is associated also with microtubule-mediated trafficking. However, whether Akt could regulate GSK-3β/CRMP-2 pathway and the possible effects of this regulation is unclear in developing brain after HI. In this study, we detected the expression of total and phosphorylated Akt, GSK-3β, and CRMP-2, as well as the axonal injury marker amyloid precursor protein (APP) by utilizing an HI model in postnatal 10-day rats. Axonal loss was determined by Bielschowsky silver impregnation, and histological injury was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. We found that the phosphorylation of Akt was accompanied by phosphorylation of GSK-3β and dephosphorylation of CRMP-2 after HI. Furthermore, Akt inhibition significantly decreased the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and dephosphorylation of CRMP-2. Moreover, the down-regulation of dephosphorylated CRMP-2 was associated with increased axonal injury (increased APP expression and axonal loss). Our findings suggest that the Akt/GSK-3β/CRMP-2 pathway mediates axonal injury in neonatal rat brain after HI.
Neuroscience 04/2012; 216:123-32. · 3.38 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To analyse the bacterial pathogens and drug sensitivities for neonatal community-acquired pneumonia.
Seven hundred sixty sputum samples from newborns with community-acquired pneumonia were cultured to determine microbial organisms present and their drug sensitivities.
Of the 760 specimens, 425 grew pathogens for a 55.9% positive rate. Among the 425 positive cultures, 278 grew gram-negative organisms (65.4%), 142 grew gram-positive organisms (33.3%), while 5 grew fungus (1.3%). The most common gram-negative organisms were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Hemophilus influenzae, while the most common gram-positive organisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. To the gram-negative organisms, the most sensitive drugs were meropenem, imipenem and amikacin, while to the gram-positive ones were vancomycin, teicoplanin and quinupristin/dalfopristin.
The most common causative bacteria were gram-negative organisms, which were highly sensitive to Meropenem, Imipenem and Amikacin, yet often treatable with more focused antibiotic coverage, which depended on the bacterium identified.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 11/2010; 46(11):668-72. · 1.28 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Thalidomide, a derivative of glutamic acid, is used for immunomodulatory therapy in various diseases through inhibition of tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) release. However, the effects of thalidomide in central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as stroke or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) are unknown. In this study, we aimed to test whether thalidomide protects against hypoxic-ischemic neuronal damage and the possible signaling pathway involved in neuroprotection. Primary cultured cortical neurons of rats were treated with oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) for 3h to mimic hypoxic-ischemic injury in vivo. Neuronal apoptosis was measured with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. The expression of total caspase-3 (C3), cleaved caspase-3 (CC3), Akt, phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) and Bcl-2 protein were detected by Western blots. We found that OGD treatment increased the expression of CC3 and induced neuronal apoptosis. Both neuronal apoptosis and CC3 expression peaked at 24h after OGD. Furthermore, we found that thalidomide protected neurons against apoptosis by decreasing CC3 and increasing Bcl-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, we found that thalidomide induced p-Akt expression, which could be inhibited by PI3K specific inhibitor, LY294002. In addition, inhibition of PI3K increased CC3 but decreased Bcl-2 expression. In summary, thalidomide has anti-apoptotic effects on cortical neurons after OGD by modulating CC3 and Bcl-2 expression through activation of PI3K/Akt pathway.
Brain research 10/2010; 1357:157-65. · 2.46 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as stroke and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in angiogenesis and vasogenic edema during stroke and hypoxia. However, the role of VEGF in BBB permeability after hypoxia has not been fully elucidated. We therefore investigated VEGF effects in an in vitro BBB model using rbcec4 endothelial cell line with the stimulation of VEGF or hypoxia. In this study, BBB permeability was studied using (14)C-sucrose detection. The expression of BBB tight junction protein ZO-1, and the expression and phosphorylation of vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), VEGF and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) were determined using fluorescent immunocytochemistry and western blot analyses. We found that hypoxia upregulated VEGF expression, and VEGF increased BBB permeability. Hypoxia also increased VASP phosphorylation, which was mediated, in part, through VEGFR2. We also found that VASP at tight junctions was co-localized with ZO-1 in cell-cell contacts. Our findings show that VASP phosphorylation is affected by hypoxia and VEGFR2 inhibition suggesting a role for VASP in BBB permeability.
International journal of developmental neuroscience: the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience 10/2010; 28(6):423-8. · 2.03 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) have been widely used in neonatal clinics. However, the complications such as infection after PICC treatment are also confronting neonatologists especially in developing countries. This study was undertaken to investigate whether PICCs is a safe treatment for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.
Fifty-nine VLBW and ELBW infants receiving PICCs and 89 VLBW and ELBW infants receiving peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) were included in this study. The incidence of sepsis and mortality were compared retrospectively between the two groups.
There was no difference in the total sepsis incidence and mortality between the PICCs and PIVCs groups (P=0.11 and P=0.61 respectively). However, the candidal sepsis incidence was higher in the PICCs group than in the PIVCs group [6/59 (10.2%) vs 2/89 (2.2%); P=0.044 (Exat Sig. 1-sided), OR=4.93, 95% CI 0.96-25.3].
Placement and indwelling of PICCs are a potential risk factor for candidal sepsis among VLBW and ELBW infants.
World Journal of Pediatrics 05/2010; 6(2):154-7. · 1.22 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is widely used to provide a long-term access for the administration of total parenteral nutrition and medications. Catheter-related infections (CRI) are common complications of PICC. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the role of low-dose heparin added to the total nutrient admixture (CTNA) in the prevention of CRI.
Eighty-three neonates who underwent PICC received TNA with (heparin group, n=43) or without heparin (0.5 U/mL) (control group, n=40). The incidence of CRI was compared between the two groups.
The incidences of catheter obstruction (5% vs 20%) and the catheter-tip colonization (2% vs 18%) in the heparin group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). None of the neonates in the heparin group had clinical evidence of catheter-related bloodstream infection, but 5 cases in the control group (p<0.05).
The administration of low-dose heparin in TNA may decrease the incidences of catheter obstruction and CRI.
Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of contemporary pediatrics 12/2009; 11(12):983-5.
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ABSTRACT: Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) regulates the transcription of many genes involved in key aspects of cancer biology. The aim of our study was to explore the effects of HIF-1alpha on the biological characteristics of the uterine cervix cancer (UCC) cell line SiHa, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and migration under normoxia and hypoxia.
Full-length HIF-1alpha (fL HIF-1alpha) and dominant-negative HIF-1alpha (dn HIF-1alpha) were transfected into UCC SiHa cells. The expression of HIF-1alpha and its targets such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), and human growth and transformation-dependent protein (HGTD-P) was detected by immunocytochemistry, Western blot, and semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration were surveyed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling staining, and scratching test.
The expression of HIF-1alpha increased in fL HIF-1alpha but not in dn HIF-1alpha SiHa cells. Consistently, the expression of HIF-1alpha target genes such as VEGF, CXCR4, and HGTD-P increased in fL HIF-1alpha-transfected SiHa cells but decreased in dn HIF-1alpha-transfected SiHa cells. The UCC cells transfected with fL HIF-1alpha had increased cellular proliferation and migration. However, the inhibition of HIF-1alpha through dn HIF-1alpha attenuated cell proliferation and migration under both normoxia and hypoxia.
Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha affects the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of UCC SiHa cells in part by regulating the expression of its target genes such as VEGF, HGTD-P, and CXCR4. Targeting HIF-1alpha may be a promising strategy for molecular therapy for UCC.
International Journal of Gynecological Cancer 08/2009; 19(5):898-904. · 1.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is a rate-limiting enzyme which dictates the activity of human telomerase and thus decides the life span of cells. The aim of this study was to explore the expression of hTERT in bone marrow from children with beta-thalassemia major and the relationship between the expression of hTERT and hemoglobin levels.
Multiple allele specific polymerase chain reaction (MASPCR) was used for targeted DNA amplification and gene mutation analysis of beta-thalassemia. hTERT mRNA expression in bone marrow was examined using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis in 29 children with beta-thalassemia major, in 10 children with agranulocytosis and in K562 cell line. The hemoglobin levels in peripheral blood were measured. The relationship between hTERT expression and hemoglobin levels was evaluated by the Spearman test in the beta-thalassemia major group.
hTERT mRNA expression significantly increased in bone marrow from children with beta-thalassemia major compared with that from children with agranulocytosis (0.2928+/- 0.0838 vs 0.0993+/- 0.0336; P<0.01), but was significantly lower than that in K562 cell line (0.8291+/- 0.0908) (P<0.01). A significantly inverse correlation was found between hTERT mRNA expression and hemoglobin levels (r=-0.841, P<0.01).
A low hemoglobin concentration might contribute to the up-regulation of marrow hTERT expression in children with beta-thalassemia major.
Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of contemporary pediatrics 06/2009; 11(6):449-52.
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ABSTRACT: Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a key transciptional regulator of cellular and systemic oxygen homeostasis. Previous studies have shown that the regulation of HIF-1alpha is involved in the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway in some cells. However, whether this pathway plays a role in modulating HIF-1alpha in cultured cortical neurons during hypoxia-ischemia (HI) remains unclear. We therefore investigated the relationship between phosphoinositid 3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway and HIF-1alpha expression in cultured neurons using an oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model. In this study, cortical neurons cultured in vitro were subjected to OGD for 3h followed by reperfusion. The expressions of HIF-1alpha, VEGF, total Akt and phosphorelated-Akt (p-Akt) were detected by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry. We found that HIF-1alpha and VEGF were increased at 4h and peaked at 8h after OGD. Meanwhile, p-Akt increased and peaked at 4h after reperfusion, preceding HIF-1alpha expression. Pretreatment with wortmannin, a PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, significantly inhibited p-Akt expression and further attenuated both transcription and translation of HIF-1alpha and VEGF. Collectively, our findings suggested that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway might be involved in HIF-1alpha regulation after OGD in cultured cortical neurons.
Neuroscience Letters 05/2009; 461(1):1-6. · 2.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To investigate the Nogo-A expression and its regeneration inhibition role in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OLPs) after oxygen & glucose deprivation (OGD).
The OLPs were separated by the improved procedure of separation and purification through agitation and then cultured in chemically defined medium. The OGD model of OLPs was set up by using Na2S2O4 and Earle's fluid in the medium in vitro. Immunofluorescence assay was applied to identify the OLPs with its specific antibodies such as A2B5, O4 and O1. Western blot and immunofluorescence assay were used to analyze the expression of Nogo-A in OLPs at 10 min, 30 min and 60 min after OGD. The livability rate of cells in each group was detected by MTT.
The expression of Nogo-A was increased significantly compared with control at 10 min, 30 min and 60 min after OGD (P < 0.05). MTT result showed that the livability rate of OLPs with OGD was significantly lower than that of control (P < 0.05).
The expression of Nogo-A is increased while the OLPs livability is dropping down after OGD, which suggests that Nogo-A may play a role in OLPs damage and in the pathogenesis of restraining OLPs' regeneration.
Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition 11/2007; 38(6):938-41.
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ABSTRACT: This study examined the NgR expression in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OLPs) and its changes after oxygen & glucose deprivation (OGD) in order to explore the role of NgR expression in the regeneration of OLPs after OGD in neonatal rats.
The OLPs from 2-day-old neonatal rats were separated by improved separation and purification through agitation and then cultured in chemically defined medium. OLPs OGD model was prepared using the medium consisting of Na2S2O4 and Earle's fluid in vitro. Immunofluorescence assay was applied to identify the OLPs with its specific antibodies such as A2B5, O4 and O1. Western blot was used to detect the NgR expression in OLPs 10 and 30 minutes after OGD. The livability rate of cells was detected by MTT.
NgR expression was found in both the cell body and the prominence of purified OLPs. NgR expression in OLPs increased significantly 10 and 30 minutes after OGD compared with that in OLPs without OGD (controls, P < 0.05). MTT showed that the livability rate of OLPs at 30 minutes following OGD was significantly lower than that of controls (65.97+/-3.69% vs 97.17+/-6.88%, P < 0.05).
NgR is expressed in both the cell body and the prominence of OLPs. NgR expression increases while cell livability decreases following OGD, suggesting that NgR may play a role in the inhibition of regeneration of OLPs.
Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi = Chinese journal of contemporary pediatrics 10/2007; 9(5):445-8.
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Academic Journal of Guangzhou Medical University. 01/1999; 27(2):82-86.
