OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical features in children with different control levels of asthma and to explore the factors influencing asthma control.

METHODSA cross-sectional study was performed on 115 children diagnosed with asthma between October 2013 and February 2014. All the patients were classified into two groups: fully controlled group (n=65) and non-fully controlled group (n=55), according to the Children Bronchial Asthma Prevention and Treatment Guideline (2008 version) and the asthma control test results. The differences of clinical features between the two groups were compared. The quality of life was evaluated by an asthma-related quality of life questionnaire. The main factors influencing asthma control were analyzed by the logistic regression method.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in the frequencies of respiratory tract infection and acute asthma attacks within the 3 months, and unplanned hospital visits due to acute asthma attacks between the fully controlled and non-fully controlled groups (P<0.05). The scores of asthma-related quality of life in the fully controlled group were significantly lower than in the non-fully controlled group in children under 7 years old. In contrast, the scores of asthma-related quality of life in the fully controlled group were significantly higher than in the non-fully controlled group in children at the age of 7-16 years (P<0.05). The logistic regression analysis showed that the patients without experiencing regular hospital visits (OR=7.715) and with allergic rhinitis (OR=5.531) had increased risks for poor asthma control and that the patients with other allergic diseases (eg. eczema, food allergy) had decreased risks for poor asthma control (OR=0.299).

CONCLUSIONSThe appearance of some clinical features suggests that the asthmatic children may be in the status of poor asthma control and need an active intervention. A poor asthma control status can result in a decreased quality of life. To improve the asthma control level, the incidence of allergic rhinitis should be reduced and a regular hospital visit should be performed in the children.

Adolescent ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Quality of Life

Abstract: To analyze the clinical, therapeutic and laboratory characteristics of disseminated cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans invading the blood stream in patient with liver cirrhosis and splenectomy. A 30-year-old male underwent splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization due to "splenomegaly and hypersplenism" in March in 2016. The patient had intermittent fever after operation for many times, and successively accompanied with back pain, left lower limb abscess and right hip pain. The highest body temperature was 39 ℃. CT and MRI revealed the lung lesion and multiple bone destruction. During that period, the effect of antibiotics was not good. On April 19th, 2017, Gram's stain, India ink stain, API 32C, Vitek 2 Compact, ribosomal ITS and IGS sequence analysis were performed to identify the strain isolated from the pus and blood stream. The serum of the patient was detected for cryptococcal antigen. Antifungal susceptibility test was used to determine drug sensitivity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from fresh pus specimen showed a prominent, thick capsule after India ink stain. The colonies isolated from pus and blood stream were identified Cryptococcus neoformans using API 32C, Vitek 2 Compact, and sequence analysis of rDNA ITS and IGS. Cryptococcal capsule antigen was positive. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of 5-Flucytosine, amphotericin B, fluconazole, itriconazole, voriconazole against the isolate were <4 μg/mL, <0.5 μg/mL, 4 μg/mL, ≤0.25 μg/mL, 0.125 μg/mL respectively. The patient was initially treated with intravenous amphotericin B and flucytosine. After anti-Cryptococcus treatment for two months, the patient clinically improved, and the lesions were reduced on a follow-up CT scan. The patient made a full functional recovery after treatment for six months. Cryptococcosis has hidden onset, atypical clinical symptoms and lack of specificity. Blood stream is the main channel for Cryptococcus to spread and involve many organs of the whole body, including skin, bone and so on. Therefore, early use of blood culture to monitor blood flow dissemination, actively removing the primary focus and cutting off the infection route in time and carrying out effective anti-Cryptococcus treatment are conducive to the patient's early recovery.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of EphA2 and EphrinA1 and its relationship with angiogenesis in renal cell carcinoma and its relevance to clinicopathologic features.

METHODSThe expression of the EphA2 and EphrinA1 was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the tissues samples from 68 renal cell carcinomas and 24 normal kidneys, and quantitatively analyzed. The microvessel density (MVD) was determined by CD34 immunostaining of microvascular endothelial cells. Statistical analysis was performed using the software SPSS (version 13.0).

RESULTSThe expression of EphA2, EphrinA1 and MND in the cancerous tissues were significantly higher (P<0.01) than that in the normal ones. Significantly increased expression of EphA2, EphrinA1 and MVD (P<0.01) was detected in cancer tissues with higher grade differentiation, more advanced stage and more lymph node metastasis, respectively (P<0.05 for each group). Expression of the EphA2 and EphrinA1 protein was shown to be positively associated with the MVD assessed by Spearman's correlation and factor analysis (r=0.555, r=0.485, P<0.01). The MVD was also significantly correlated with the diameter of the tumor (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEphA2 and EphrinA1 are highly expressed in renal cell carcinoma, and positively correlated with histological differentiation, clinical stage and angiogenesis in the cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ephrin-A1 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Microvessels ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptor, EphA2 ; metabolism ; Tumor Burden ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVESince males are at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases than females, the aim of the study was to examine whether there is an association between BP and a polymorphic Hind III biallelic marker in nonrecombining region of Y chromosome in essential hypertension in Tangshan district in China.

METHODSIn the study, 225 patients with essential hypertension and 187 healthy people were enrolled into this study as control group. DNA was extracted from white blood cell. Segments of polymorphic Hind III restriction site of the Y chromosome were amplified from DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were restricted with 10 U of Hind III for a night at 37 degrees C. The digested products were subjected to electrophoresis in 3% agarose gels, and stained with ethidium bromide.

RESULTSWe amplified 178 controls (95.2%) and 216 essential hypertensive patients (96.0%) successfully. Hind III(-) genotype was found in 45.8% of the men in essential hypertension and in 32.0% of the men in the controlled group. The Hind III(-) genotype was significantly higher than that in the controls (chi2 = 7.782, P = 0.007). However, the Hind III(+) genotype was lower in SBP (133.16 mm Hg +/- 21.60 mm Hg vs. 143.58 mm Hg +/- 24.16 mm Hg, P < 0.001), DBP (82.82 mm Hg +/- 11.72 mm Hg vs. 86.82 mm Hg +/- 12.65 mm Hg, P = 0.001), pulse pressure (50.34 mm Hg +/- 14.31 mm Hg vs. 56.76 mm Hg +/- 14.20 mm Hg, P < 0.001) and mean arterial pressure (99.59 mm Hg +/- 14.19 mm Hg vs. 105.74 mm Hg +/- 15.31 mm Hg, P < 0.001) than the Hind III(-) genotype.

CONCLUSIONPolymorphic Hind III restriction site of the Y chromosome seemed to be associated with essential hypertension in Tangshan district in China.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific) ; metabolism

【Objective】 To study the mutation characteristics of Tyrosine hydroxyls（TH） gene in a pedigree with dopa-responsive dystonia（DRD）. 【Methods】 Extraction of genomic DNA from peripheral blood of a proband and his parents and two sisters using high- throughput sequencing （NGS） method were detected on 256 known pathogenicity genes associated with dystonia and dyskinesia.【Results】Mutations on tyrosine hydroxylase（TH）gene in the exon 14 and exon 9 were detected in the proband and his eldest sister in this pedigree. They had a complex heterozygosity of c.1481C > T（p.Thr494Met）and c.943G >A（p.Gly315Ser），and one heterozygous mutation was carried by parents respectively. The mutation was not detected in his second sister and 50 people with normal phenotype controls. 【Conclusion】 The mutations of TH gene c. 1481C > T（p.Thr494Met）and c. 943G > A（p.Gly315Ser）led to the gene abnormality in DRD family，and a new mutation of TH gene was found，which expanded the relationship between DRD genotype and clinical phenotype. It is vital that early accurate diagnosis and treatment of DRD is the key to improve prognosis.