Safety of levocetirizine treatment in young atopic children: An 18-month study

There are more than 40 H(1)-antihistamines available worldwide. Most of these medications have never been optimally studied in prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trials in children. The aim was to perform a long-term study of levocetirizine safety in young atopic children. In the randomized, double-masked Early Prevention of Asthma in Atopic Children Study, 510 atopic children who were age 12-24 months at entry received either levocetirizine 0.125 mg/kg or placebo twice daily for 18 months. Safety was assessed by: reporting of adverse events, numbers of children discontinuing the study because of adverse events, height and body mass measurements, assessment of developmental milestones, and hematology and biochemistry tests. The population evaluated for safety consisted of 255 children given levocetirizine and 255 children given placebo. The treatment groups were similar demographically, and with regard to number of children with: one or more adverse events (levocetirizine, 96.9%; placebo, 95.7%); serious adverse events (levocetirizine, 12.2%; placebo, 14.5%); medication-attributed adverse events (levocetirizine, 5.1%; placebo, 6.3%); and adverse events that led to permanent discontinuation of study medication (levocetirizine, 2.0%; placebo, 1.2%). The most frequent adverse events related to: upper respiratory tract infections, transient gastroenteritis symptoms, or exacerbations of allergic diseases. There were no significant differences between the treatment groups in height, mass, attainment of developmental milestones, and hematology and biochemistry tests. The long-term safety of levocetirizine has been confirmed in young atopic children.     

A population-based study of repeat hospital admissions due to interpersonal violence for children aged 0–9 years

To assess the magnitude and nature of interpersonal violence resulting in hospitalisation of children and to identify subgroups at risk of repeat hospital admissions, a population-based, retrospective study of all violence hospitalisations in Western Australia for children aged 9 years or less was undertaken, using the 1990–2004 linked data retrieved from the Western Australian Mortality Database and the Hospital Morbidity Data System.
Of the 747 patients aged <10 years incurring 834 hospitalisations for the consequences of violence during the study period, 570 (76%) were less than 4 years of age. A total of 43 deaths from violence were recorded and 74 (9%) patients were admitted for more than one episode of violence. Victims aged 0–4 years from rural (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35, 5.43) and remote parts (HR = 2.79; 95% CI 1.25, 6.25) of the state were at increased risk of a subsequent admission for violence compared with those residing within the metropolitan area. Indigenous children aged 5–9 years were significantly more likely (HR = 3.57; 95% CI 1.14, 11.13) to incur a second hospitalisation for violence than their non-Indigenous counterparts. The identification of young victim subgroups at high risk of repeat hospitalisations is important for developing intervention strategies to reduce the burden of interpersonal violence. Young children aged 0–4 years living in rural and remote locations and Indigenous children aged 5–9 years should be specifically targeted for attention.     

The effect of bacterial melanin on electrical activity of neurons of the substantia nigra under conditions of GABA generation

The changes in spike activity of single neurons of the compact part of the substantia nigra, evoked by nucleus caudatus stimulation under conditions of long-term registration of the single and multiple, isolated and combined actions of GABA, GABA-amide, glutamine, and ethanolamine-O-sulfate (EOS) were studied in albino rats. Inhibition of poststimulus activity under GABA action was recorded and the inhibitory effect of GABA-amide was revealed. Primary excitatory and subsequent inhibitory effects of glutamine in combination with EOS were shown. The subsequent administration of bacterial melanin, synthesized by a mutant culture of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT-M) evoked a clear-cut and prolonged excitatory reaction during all the combined actions of GABA, GABA-amide, glutamine, and EOS. Preliminary administration of BT-M abolished the inhibitory poststimulus effects of GABA, GABA-amide, and EOS, as well as glutamine-induced excitation.     

过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γC161T基因多态性与糖皮质激素性骨质疏松症的关系

目的 探讨中国人过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ(PPARγ)基因外显子6 C161T多态性与糖皮质激素性骨质疏松症(GIO)的相关关系。方法 应用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性(PCR-RELP)方法测定208例正常健康人（Ⅰ组）、168例非GIO患者（Ⅱ组）和104例GIO患者（Ⅲ组）PPARγ基因外显子6 C161T的基因型。应用双能X线骨密度仪(DEXA)测定股骨、腰椎等部位的骨密度。 结果 外显子6 C161T有CC、CT、TT 3种基因型。GIO组CC基因型频率显著低于正常对照组；CT和TT基因型频率显著高于正常对照组。非GIO组、应用激素组（GIO组＋非GIO组）与正常对照组比较，各基因型频率差异均无统计学意义。正常对照组C161T的CC基因型组各部位的骨密度有高于CT和TT基因型组的趋势，但差异无统计学意义。非GIO组和GIO组C161T的CC基因型组腰椎的骨密度明显高于CT和TT基因型组 (P ＜ 0.05)，分别为非GIO组CC型（1.04±0.17） g/cm2，CT+TT型（1.02±0.07） g/cm2；GIO组CC型（0.94±0.12） g/cm2，CT+TT型（0.83±0.08） g/cm2。经年龄、体重指数等因素校正后，差异仍有统计学意义(P ＜ 0.05）。 结论 PPARγ基因C161T基因型在正常人和应用激素患者之间无明显差异，它可能与肾小球肾炎的发病无关。C161T基因型在GIO组和正常对照组之间差异有统计学意义，它可能与糖皮质激素性骨质疏松症的发病有关。PPARγ基因C161T多态性与应用糖皮质激素患者腰椎的骨密度有关。等位基因C可能是骨量的保护因子，它可能与应用糖皮质激素后骨量的丢失有关。     

Bipolar disorder in children and adolescents: obstacles to early diagnosis and future directions

Aim: This article reviews research centred around juvenile bipolar disorder with particular reference to diagnostic difficulties. Putative deficits are scrutinized with respect to trait likelihood and the roles of neuropsychology and neuroimaging in enhancing our understanding of juvenile bipolar disorder are discussed. Methods: Search terms including childhood, adolescent, youth and juvenile combined with the terms ‘bipolar disorder’, mania, depression and hypomania were used to identify relevant studies in MEDLINE and PsychLit. Results: Over recent years research into this relatively new disorder has increased phenomenally. Key issues within the field include diagnostic specificity, the heritability of the disorder, the impact of comorbidity and the implications of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings. Conclusion: Despite concerning controversies in literature the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents as compared with adults, promising future research directions include better neurological characterization of the disorder through the application of findings from clinical populations, neuropsychological and neuroimaging research.     

铁调节蛋白2基因多态性与阿尔茨海默病及血管性痴呆的相关分析

Objective To evaluate the association of 2616c/T polymorphism in iron regulatory protein 2(IRP2)gene with Alzheimer disease(AD)and Vascular dementia(VD).Methods In this study,281 patients with AD,60 with VD,and 285 normal aged were recruited.The 2616C/T polymorphism in IRP2 gene was analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.And the cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE).Results (1)No significant difieFences were demonstrated in IRP2 genotype or allele frequencies between AD patients and controls(χ2=2.46,P=0.292;χ2=2.17,P=0.141 respectively).However,when AD patients were stratified by disease severity.the frequency of T allele carriers in the moderate to severe AD patients was 78.0%,significantly higher than that in controls(69.8%;χ2=4.106,P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the age-,sex-and ApoE-adiusted OR of modcrate to severe AD patient with T allele was 1.62(95% CI=1.03-2.54).The frequency of T allele carriers or T allele in VD patients was higher than that of controls,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).(2)The frequency of tit genotype or T allele in the moderate to severe AD patients was significantly higher than that in mild AD patients(25.8%vs.12.5%,χ2=5.477,P＜0.05;51.9%vs.40.3%,χ2=5.803,P＜0.05 respectively).(3)MMSE scores of the AD patients with TT genotype was significantly lower than ones with CC or CT genotype(P=0.028;P=0.014 respectively).Conclusion The 2616C/T polymorphism in the IRP2 gene is possibly associated with moderate to severe AD.but not associated with VD.And the TT genotype may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment of patients with AD in Chinese Han.     

Family Stress and Functioning in Children: the Moderating Effects of Children''s Beliefs About Their Control Over Parental Conflict

While factors such as gender and SES have been studied as moderators of stress for children, their perceptions of control have received little attention. In the current study, children's domain-specific perceptions of their control during marital conflict were investigated as potential moderators of the impact of family stress on children's behavior problems, and perceptions of competence. Ninety-four children aged 6-12 years and mothers from families ranging in level of parental conflict from nondiscordant to discordant to physically violent were interviewed. Multiple regression analyses revealed that higher levels of conflict control beliefs acted as compensatory moderators of stress, being associated with lower levels of problem behaviors across stress levels. However, higher conflict control beliefs acted as vulnerability moderators with regard to children's perceptions of competence.     

1336例病残儿医学鉴定结果分析

目的探讨泰安市病残儿的病因及优生对策。方法对泰安市连续四年经医学鉴定确诊的1336例病残儿进行分析。结果病残儿重出现最高的为神经系统疾病，为613例，占病残儿总数的45．88％，其次为五官疾病222例，第三为心血管畸形146例。造成以上病残的原因有遗传因素、环境因素及产时因素。结论必须大力开展优生优育咨询，加强孕期保健，提高产科质量，做好婴幼儿监护。     

简易印模术对单个前牙烤瓷冠颈缘外观效果的作用观察

目的:观察和探讨两种印模技术对单个前牙烤瓷冠颈缘外观的改善效果。方法:40位患者用简易印模技术制取印模,制作93件镍铬合金烤瓷瓷冠,设为实验组,另35位患者以常规印模技术制取印模,制作71件镍铬合金烤瓷瓷冠,设为对照组。观察两组戴冠当时与两年后的颈缘适合性、颜色、牙龈形态与健康情况。结果:试验组有98%的合金瓷冠具有优良的边缘适合性,仅2件(2%)出现颈缘黑线,与对照组相比有显著差异(P<0.05)。结论:简易印模技术能更好的保证工作区模型的准确度,从而有效地改善了镍铬合金烤瓷冠颈缘的美观与龈组织的健康。     

硒抑制镍诱导的人肺成纤维细胞的DNA损伤

目的　探讨三氧化二镍(Ni2O3)对人肺成纤维细胞(human lung fibroblasts,HLF)的DNA损伤作用以及Na2SeO3的保护作用。方法　应用单细胞凝胶电泳(single cell gel electrophoresis,SCGE)检测DNA损伤。结果　Ni2O3 处理HLF细胞4 h,SCGE检测出DNA损伤程度高于对照组,差异有显著性(P<0.01)。而Ni2O3 Na2SeO3 处理组DNA损伤程度低于Ni2O3 组,差异有显著性(P<0.01)。结论　硒可抑制镍诱导的人肺成纤维细胞的DNA损伤。