ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Nurr1 plays an essential role in the development, survival, and function maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons, and it is a potential target for Parkinson's disease (PD). Nurr1 mRNA can be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), but whether there is any association of altered Nurr1 expression in PBMC with the disease and DA drug treatments remains elusive. This study aimed to measure the Nurr1 mRNA level in PBMC and evaluate the effect of Nurr1 expression by DA agents in vivo and in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The mRNA levels of Nurr1 in PBMC of four subgroups of 362 PD patients and 193 healthy controls (HCs) using real-time polymerase chain reaction were measured. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed to evaluate the differences between PD and HC, as well as the subgroups of PD. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent association of Nurr1 expression with Hoehn and Yahr scale, age, and drug treatments. Besides, the Nurr1 expression in cultured PBMC was measured to determine whether DA agonist pramipexole affects its mRNA level.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relative Nurr1 mRNA levels in DA agonists treated subgroup were significant higher than those in recent-onset cases without any anti-PD treatments (de novo) (P < 0.001) and HC groups (P < 0.010), respectively. Furthermore, the increase in Nurr1 mRNA expression was seen in DA agonist and L-dopa group. Multivariate linear regression showed DA agonists, L-dopa, and DA agonists were independent predictors correlated with Nurr1 mRNA expression level in PBMC. In vitro, in the cultured PBMC treated with 10 μmol/L pramipexole, the Nurr1 mRNA levels were significantly increased by 99.61%, 71.75%, 73.16% in 2, 4, and 8 h, respectively (P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>DA agonists can induce Nurr1 expression in PBMC, and such effect may contribute to DA agonists-mediated neuroprotection on DA neurons.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Dopamine Agonists , Therapeutic Uses , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Metabolism , Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2 , Genetics , Parkinson Disease , Drug Therapy , Genetics , RNA, Messenger , GeneticsABSTRACT
Objective To investigate colonization of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)newborns on admission.Methods From April to November 2013,293 newborns who admitted to NICU of a hospital were screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)by nasal and throat swabs and for extended-spectrumβ-lactamases (ESBLs)bacteria and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)by anal swabs.Results Of 293 newborns,61 were detected MDROs (20.82%).The positive rate of MDROs screening in newborns aged 3 days,and appropriate isolation measures should be taken for positive screening patients to prevent the transmission of MDROs.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The efficacy of pulmonary surfactant (PS) replacement therapy for meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PS therapy in neonates with MAS by a meta-analysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of MAS with PS were searched electronically in medical debases including PubMed, Science Citation Index, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid, EBSCOhost, BIOSIS previews, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, Wanfang Database and VIP Chinese Sci-Tech Periodical Database. The Cochrane Handbook 5.0.2 was employed to evaluate methodological quality. RevMan 5.0.25 software was used for the meta-analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight RCTs including 512 MAS neonates (257 cases in the PS treatment group and 255 cases in the control group) were enrolled in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that PS treatment reduced oxygenation index (MD=-2.59; 95%CI: -4.33, -0.86; P=0.003), increased arterial oxygen/alveolar oxygen ratio (MD=0.05; 95%CI: 0.05, 0.06; P<0.00001), shortened hospitalization days (MD=-4.94; 95%CI: -7.44, -2.44; P=0.0001) and decreased mortality rate (OR=0.47; 95%CI: 0.24, 0.93; P=0.03) significantly. There were no statistical differences in the durations of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy, and the incidences of air leak, pulmonary hemorrhage and intracranial hemorrhage between the PS treatment and control groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Currently published evidence from RCTs suggests that PS replacement therapy is effective for MAS, however because of the limited quantity and quality of trials enrolled in the study, further evidence from RCTs is needed to prove the efficacy.</p>
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Meconium Aspiration Syndrome , Drug Therapy , Mortality , Pulmonary Surfactants , Therapeutic Uses , Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Uric acid (UA) is suspected to play a neuro-protective role in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to evaluate whether the serum UA level was associated with the disease progression of PD in a relatively large population of Chinese patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum UA levels were measured from 411 Chinese PD patients and 396 age-matched controls; following the uric acid colorimetric method, the serum creatinine (Scr) levels were also measured to reduce the bias caused by possible differences in renal excretion function. The disease progression was scored by Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) scales and disease durations; PD group was divided into 3 subgroups according to H&Y scales. Independent-samples t test was performed to analyze the differences between PD group and control group. Multiple analysis of covariance was performed to analyze the differences between PD subgroups. Spearman rank-correlation was performed to evaluate the associations between serum UA or Scr level and disease progression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PD patients were found to have significantly lower levels of serum UA than controls ((243.38 ± 78.91) vs. (282.97 ± 90.80) µmol/L, P < 0.01). As the disease progression, the serum UA levels were gradually reduced. There was a significantly inverse correlation of UA levels with H&Y scales (Rs = -0.429, P < 0.01) and disease duration (Rs = -0.284, P < 0.01) in PD patients of both females and males. No significant difference of the Scr level between PD patients and controls was found ((70.01 ± 14.70) vs. (69.84 ± 16.46) µmol/L), and the Scr level was not involved in disease progression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Lower serum UA levels may possess a higher risk of PD, which may be a potential useful biomarker to indicate the progression of PD.</p>