Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants(TRAP)has been implicated in airway allergic diseases.Recent findings include epidemiologic and mechanistic studies that shed new light on the impact of TRAP on allergic rhinitis(AR)and the biology underlying this impact.These studies have found that oxidative stress induced by TRAP could affect the axis of epithelial cell-dendritic cell-T cell towards a T-helper 2 immune response,which is the major mechanism between TRAP and AR.Further,epigenetics and microRNA might be involved in this process.Our review will summarize the most recent findings in each of these areas.
Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; Air Pollution ; Humans ; Oxidative Stress ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; etiology ; Vehicle Emissions ; toxicity

Objective To assess the value of multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) in diagnosis of posterior nutcracker syndrome (NCS). Methods MSCTA of 15 patients clinically diagnosed as posterior NCS (patient group) and 50 subjects with normal renal vessels (control group) were retrospectively analyzed. The anatomy, course and relationship to the adjacent structure of left renal vein (LRV) and its branches were observed. The anteroposterior diameter (d1) and cross areas (s1) of the angle of control group and posterior abdominal artery (AA), the anteroposterior diameter (d2) and cross areas (s2) at the largest lumen near the renal hilar were measured and the ratio of s2/s1 and d2/ d1 were calculated.Results All LRVs posterior AA of patient group were compressed and narrowing with dilating apparently near the renal hilar. The difference of d2 was not significant (P＞0.05), but of other values were significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion MSCTA can show anatomy and three-dimentional trend clearly of LRV for posterior NCS, and evaluate the extent of narrow and dilating lumen accurately with cross areas measuring.

Objective To investigate the distribution of elderly metabolic syndrome(MS)and its components in the elderly population,and to analyze its correlation with the common chronic diseases in the elderly.Methods The general situation,history of diseases and health examination results were collected in 362 elderly with an average age of 79.2 years visiting Beijing Hospital.They were grouped into 3 groups of the young old age(65-74 years old),the middle old age(75-84 years old)and the older old age(85-98 years).The prevalence distribution of MS and its correlation with the common chronic diseases in the elderly were analyzed.Results MS prevalence in average was 28.4％ (103 cases)in the elderly population,with 18.6％ (67 cases) in the young old group,26.3％ (95 cases)in middle old group,and 33.7％ (122 cases)in older old group.The tendency was rising up with age increase,and the MS prevalence was higher in older old group than in other groups (x2 =8.57,P =0.03).Correlation was observed between genesis of MS and common geriatric chronic diseases.The prevalence differences in hypertension,prostatic hyperplasia,diabetes mellitus,and coronary heart disease were statistically significant higher in MS group than in non-MS group(P =0.02,0.01,0.02,0.03,respectively).Conclusions MS prevalence of elderly population is relatively high,and has significant correlation with other chronic diseases.We need to recognize the harm of MS,to conduct regular monitoring and management according to risk level,and practice patient educations to reduce MS negative effects on elderly life quality and health.

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of serum galactemannan(GM) for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in critically ill patients. Methods Study was conducted between February 2007 and July 2008. Included patients on admission ICU who suffer from suspected IPA. GM test and culture were collected 2 weekly. Chnical feature, mycological evidence and optical density index (ODI) were noted. Clinically invasive fungal infection(IFI) were defined proven, probable and possible. The patients were classified into neutropenia, non-neutropenia and treated with immunosuppressive agents, non-neutropenia and non-immunosuppressive agents. To compared of the sensitivity and specificity of GM in different patients. Results 94 patients were included, 4 patients were proven, 29 patients were probable, 34 patients were possible IFI, 27 patients were non-IPA. The positive rate of the GM was 31.9% (30/94). The sensitivity and specificity of GM in proven cases and probable cases are 66.7% and 92.6%. GM assay tended to become positive earlier than the culture 2-10(5.33±2.17)d. We found that differences in patient diagnosis and selection might account for the disparities seen for positive rate for the GM test. There was positive in three of the four patients with proven, the positive rate of GM was 65.5% for probable cases, for possible cases was 17.6%, for non-IPA cases was 7.4% (P=0.001). For patient with neutropenia , treated with immunosuppressive agents and without immunosuppressive agents, the positive rate of GM was 52.9%vs 41.7% vs 34. 6% (P=0.015) ;the sensitivity was 80.0% vs 70. 0% vs 53.8% (P=0.011), the ODI was 1.365 (0.582-6.736) vs 1. 123 (0. 623-6.868) vs 0.554 (0.522-0.823), P=0. 005, respectively. Conclusion These results show that GM test is useful for early diagnosis IPA in critically ill patients. Differences in patient selection and diagnosis might account for the disparities seen for positive rate and sensitivity for the GM test. It has been higher sensitivity and ODI in the patient treated by immunosuppressive agents.

Objective To study the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of CYP2E1 and the susceptibility of the acute leukemia in Gansu population. Methods The C609T polymorphism of CYP2E1 gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) and 1∶1 matched casecontrol method in 100 healthy persons (control group) and 100 patients with acute leukemia (AL group).Results The C2 allele genotype and C1C2/C2C2 genotype of CYP2E1 gene occurred more frequently in AL group (13.5 % and 22 %, respectively) than those in control group (10.5 % and 19 %, respectively), however,both differences showed no statistical significant. Further stratified analysis, the C1C2/C2C2 genotype of CYP2E1 gene occurred more frequently in AML group (27%) than that in control group (19 %), but difference had no statistical significant, too. The occurrence frequency of the C2 allele genotype and C1C2/C2C2 genotype of CYP2E1 gene showed no significant difference in ALL group and control group (x2=0.446, P =0.504>0.05). Conclusion Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2E1 don't correlated to susceptibility of acute leukemia(AML and ALL) in Gansu population.

Objective To explore the feasibility of artificial silastic framework(SF)in repair of large area of tracheal wall defects.Methods Twenty healthy adult dogs with tracheal defects for 2.5 cm?6.0 cm-3.0 cm?6.0cm were randomly and equally divided into experimental group(repaired with SF combined with sternohyoid fasciae)and control group(repaired with T-silastie tubule combined with sternohyoid fascial flap).After the operation,the animals were sacrificed at the 4th,8th,16th,24th, and 48th weeks respectively for harvesting the tracheae that were used for tracbeoscopically observing in- flammatory reaction of the repaired defect area and light microscopically observing epithelium healing on the repaired defect area.Results In the experiment group,the repaired trachea was smooth,without proliferation of granulation;and at the 8th week,the repaired defect area was covered with epithelial cells,with good functional recovery of respiration,phonation and deglutition.In the control group,there was obvious proliferation of granulation on the tracheal surface near anterior and posterior ends of T-silas tic tubule.The animals were under asphyxia to die with extraction of T-silastic tubule.Conclusions SF has excellent tracheal skeletal function.In the meantime,SF combined with sternohyoid fasciae is a simple but effective method for repair of large area of tracheal wall defects.

Objective To study the association between clinical symptoms,psychosomatic factors and autonomic nervous function in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Methods Thirty-four patients with GERD diagnosed by reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) and endoscopy and 15 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study.All the subjects were divided into two groups,one with normal scores of Zung's self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Zung's depression scale (SDS) as GERD (-) and the other with abnormal scores of SAS and SDS as GERD (+).Reflux symptom score was recorded for both groups at the same time.Autonomic nervous function was assessed by their heart rate variability (HRV) on dynamic electrocardiogram (DCG).The time domain parameters analyzed included standard deviation (SD) of average R-R interval during 24 hours (SDNN),SD of average 5-minute sinus heart rate (SDANN),mean square root of the difference of adjoining two R-R interval (rMSSD),and proportion of the heart beats with difference of R-R interval more than 50 ms from the total heart beats (PNN 50),and the frequency domain parameters analyzed included low-frequency (LF),high-frequency (HF) and ratio of LF to HF.Results Average scores of SAS and SDS were significantly higher in patients with GERD than those in healthy controls (48?9 vs 38?6 and 48?11 vs 41?6,respectively,P

In this study, the psbA-trnH sequence as DNA barcode was used to evaluate the accuracy and stability for identification pteridophyte medicinal material Pyrrosiae Foliumas from adulterants. Genomic DNA from 106 samples were extracted successfully. The Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances and ML tree were calculated using software MEGA 6.0. The intra-specific genetic distances of 3 original plants were lower than inter-specific genetic distances of adulterants. The ML tree indicated that Pyrrosiae Folium can be distinguished from its adulterants obviously. Therefore, the psbA-trnH sequence as a barcode of the pteridophyte, can accurately and stably distinguish Pyrrosiae Folium from its adulterants.
Base Sequence ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Ferns ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Quality Control

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effects of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) expression controlled by five copies of the hypoxia-responsive elements after focal cerebral ischemia .Methods Three groups of rats re-ceived RV-5H-NT3, RV-5H-EGFP or saline injection .Three days after gene transfer , the rats underwent 90 min of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion ( tMCAO) , followed by 1-28 days of reperfusion .Immunohistostaining and western blotting were performed to detect ischemia/hypoxia-regulated expression of NT-3 controlled by HRE . The volume of brain infarction and the apoptosis were analysised by TTC and TUNEL staining .The neurological scoring was determined by neurological behavior tests .Results Three days after tMCAO , brain NT-3 expression was significantly increased in the RV-5HNT3-transduced animals compared with the RV-5H-EGFP or saline group (P<0.05), and brain infarct volume was smaller in the RV-5H-NT3-transduced group than the RV-5H-EGFP or saline group ( P<0.05 ) .The percentage of TUNEL-positive cells was reduced in RV-5 H-NT3-transduced brains compared with the RV-5 HEGFP or saline group 3 and 7 days after tMCAO ( P<0.05 ) .Furthermore , the neurolog-ical status of RV-5H-NT3-transduced rats was better than that of RV-5H-EGFP-or saline-transduced animals from 1 day to 4 weeks after tMCAO ( P<0.05 ) .Conclusions HRE may modulate NT-3 expression in the ischemic brain tissue and that the up-regulated NT-3 may effectively improve neurological status following tMCAO due to de-creased initial damage .

Objective To construct and identify the recombinant retroviral vector containing five copies of hypoxia responsive elements (5HRE)and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3 ).Methods Using PCR,enzyme digestion and DNA ligase,5HRE and human derived NT-3 were cloned into the retroviral vector plasmid (pLNCX)to construct the recombinant retroviral vector plasmid pLNCX-5HRE-SV40-NT3-IRES-EGFP.The retrovirus RV-5HRE-NT3 was packaged in the PT67 cells,and then it was purified and concentrated by high-speed centrifugation.After infected for 48 h with the concentrated retrovirus,the number of the EGFP positive cells in the NIH 3T3 cells was counted by fluorescence activated cells and sorted to calculate the retrovirus titer.Results The retroviral vector plasmid,pLNCX-5HRE-SV40-NT3-IRES-EGFP,was successfully constructed,and the retrovirus was packaged and defined as RV-5HRE-NT3.After purification and concentration,the retrovirus titer reached 9.1 × 10 6 cfu/mL. Conclusion The recombinant retroviral vector which carried out hypoxia-regulated expression of NT-3 was successfully constructed.It may provide basis for studies on hypoxia-regulated expression of the exogenous genes.