Objective:To investigate the role of anaphylatoxin C 5 a in patients with asthma .Methods:A prospective study was performed between September 2006 and February 2007.A total of 33 patients with acute exacerbation of asthma and 13 healthy subjects were recruited into the study .The patients with acute exacerbation of asthma were also studied when they returned to the remission state .Levels of lung function, levels of C5a in induced sputum and cell differential count in induced sputum were determined . Results:The level of C5 a in induced sputum was significantly higher in patients with acute exacerbation of asthma [0.85(0.68-2.13) μg/L] than that in patients with stable asthma [0.45(0.26-0.88)μg/L, Z=-2.193, P=0.013];Sputum C5a levels in stable asthma patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls [0.14(0.06-0.45) μg/L, Z=-2.141, P=0.015].The level of C5a in patients with severe exacerbation [2.21(1.27 -9.0) μg/L] was significantly higher than those in patients with mild exacerbation [0.34(0.17-0.63) μg/L] and moderate exacerbation [0.85(0.55-1.67) μg/L,χ2 =12.330, P=0.001].The level of C5a in induced sputum was positively correlated with the number of total cells count (r=0.797, P=0.004), neutrophils (r=0.504, P=0.032) and macrophages ( r =0.424, P=0.036 ) in acute exacerbation of asthma .Conclusion: C5a levels in induced sputum could be identified as an important prognostic biomarker , which involved in asthma ’ s pathogenesis .

OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility of endoscopic sinus surgery under local anesthesia.METHODS A total of 810 patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery from January 2000 to December 2007 with complete follow-up data were included in this study.Validity of anesthesia was evaluated using VAS(visual analogous scale).Operation time,bleeding quantity during operation,operation therapeutic efficacy,hospitalization cost and patient's evaluation to the operation were recorded.RESULTS The mean VAS score of local anesthesia was 3.18?0.46.Cases with no pain and mild pain accounted for 78.28%,with moderate pain 16.71%,and with severe pain 5.01%.The average bleeding quantity during operation,operation time,complication incidence,cure rate at 6 months after operation,hospitalization cost,patients' evaluation in local anesthesia were(43.25?27.46)ml,(41.14?9.479) min,1.78%,78%,4000～6000 yuan(RMB),9.28? 2.21 respectively.CONCLUSION For the endoscopic sinus surgery,most cases can be operated under local anesthesia if the indication were selected correctly and the sophisticated skills and advanced instrument were available.

Objective:To investigate the changes and clinical implications of serum procalcitonin in exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods:We have evaluated PCT measurement in 45 patients with an exacerbation of COPD(group A) and 25 patients with stable COPD(group B),quantitative sputum culture was performed,too.PPMs were only regarded as significant if they reached a growth of ≥10~7cfu/mL,indicating the presence of bacterial infection.Results:In patients with an exacerbation,15 patients,sputum yielded a high(≥10~7cfu/mL) bacterial load(group A_1),30 patients,sputum yielded a low(0.05).Using a cut-off point of 0.155?g/L for PCT,the sensitivities and specificities for bacterial infection in patients with an exacerbation of COPD were 93.3% and 60% respectively.Conclusion: Serum procalcitonin measurements in patients of an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease play a role in the diagnosis of bacterial infection.

Objecttive To observe the repaired effect of distinct source olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) on spinal cord injury (SCI) rats. Methods These OECs were dissociated from olfactory bulb and olfactory mucosa of SD rats and transplanted to the injuried region of spinal cord injury rats. The function of nerve, motor evoked potential of hind legs and the histopathlogical diversities of injuried spinal cord were observed. Results The OECs grafts into the SCI area could survive longer time. The BBB scale, incubation stage of EP and histopathologic manifestations showed that the group with transplanted OECs regained more improvement in hindlimb than the control group. Conclusion The OECs of two sources have the same ability to regain and improve the axonal function which can promote axons regeneration of SCI.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the resistant effect of houttuyfonate sodium (SH) combined with imipenem (IMP) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) biofilms.

METHODThe two-fold dilution method was used to examine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the tested drug. The crystal violet staining was applied to detect the effect of the combination of 1/2MIC, 1MIC, 2MIC of SH, single IMP, 1/2MIC of SH and IMP of various concentrations on the clearance rate of adherent bacteria, growth of biofilms and alginate production. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA)-propidium iodide (PI) doubling staining assay was employed to observe the bacterial viability and morphological changes after membrane dispersion of each drug group.

RESULTSodium houttuyfonate could enhance the effect of IMP against pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Particularly, the combination group with the concentration of 2MIC showed the highest effect, with P < 0.001 compared with the negative control group. The above results were proved by the bacterial viability and biofilm morphology under fluorescence microscope.

CONCLUSIONAfter being combined with imipenem, sodium houttuyfonate shows a higher effect against biofilms. It is expected that the combination of the two drugs could improve the clinical efficacy of associated infections.

Alkanes ; pharmacology ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Drug Synergism ; Imipenem ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Microbial Viability ; drug effects ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sulfites ; pharmacology

Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the impact of pair box 3 (PAX3) gene mutations on transcriptional ac‐tivity of target gene microphthalmia -associated transcription factor (MITF) and the role it plays in the pathogene‐sis of Waardenburg syndrome type I .Methods The 293T cells were transient transfected with wild type (WT ) PAX3 and mutant type (M T ) H80D ,H186fsX5 plasmids .We observed and analysed the regulation effects of WT/MT PAX3 on the transcriptional activities of MITF and the influence of the two mutants on WT PAX3 function u‐sing luciferase activity assays ,detect DNA binding capacity of WT/MT PAX3 to MITF gene promoter using a bioti‐nylated double - stranded oligonucleotide probe containing PAX3 binding motif ATTAAT to precipitate PAX3 , H80D and H186fsX5 respectively .Results H80D mutant was partially functional and was able to transactivate the MITF promoter in part ,but it was dramatically reduced as compared with WT PAX 3(P<0 .01) .H186fsX5 mu‐tant was loss -of -function and failed to transactivate the MITF promoter as compared with WT PAX 3 (P<0 .01) . None of them showed dominant -negative effect on WT PAX3(P>0 .05) .WT PAX3 and H80D mutant were able to bind specifically to the ATTAAT motif on the MITF promoter ,whereas H186fsX5 PAX3 lost the DNA -binding ability .Conclusion The mutations H80D and H186fsX5 made down-regulation of MITF transcription and decrease syn‐thesis of melanin ,which resulted in haploinsufficiency of PAX3 protein and caused mild phenotypes of WS1 .

Objective:To expose the vulnerability of HIV/AIDS infection among youth out of schools in a holistic view through understanding lifestyle,peer relations,awareness of HIV/AIDS,and HIV/AIDS prevention service of the youth.Methods:A cross-sectional survey based on the collective random sampling was conducted among 584 youth out of schools with or without a job in Anshan City,Liaoning Province in October 2005.Results:The awareness rate of HIV/AIDS among youth out of schools was 58.9%,and 65.6% of the subjects never accepted any health service related to HIV/AIDS prevention.42.6% of the respondents had sexual experience,and the rate of having sexual experience among males(62.3%)was higher than that of females(37.7%).And 30.5% of the youth seldom or never used a condom,51.2% of the youth having sex didn't use a condom in his/her last sex.28.2% of the youth having sex were ever involved in commercial sex relations.22 of the respondents(3.8%)had the experience of drug substance,the rate of having sex experience among youth who used the substance was higher than that of the youth who never used the substance.Smoking,alcohol abusing,visiting recreation places,high month consumption were the risk factors of pre-marital sex,and high awareness of HIV/AIDS was the protective factor of pre-marital sex.Conclusion:The youth out of schools were vulnerable in sexual behavior,substance use,peer influencing,social environment,and HIV/AIDS prevention service in terms of HIV/AIDS infection.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are hematopoietic malignancies characterized by peripheral cytopenia and dysplastic bone marrow that arise from mutations in the hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC). Recently, significant effects have been made to develop appropriate mouse models to study this complex disease. Three general approaches have been used to establish the MDS mouse, including treatment with mutagens or carcinogen, xenotransplantation of human MDS cells, and genetic engineering of mouse hematopoietic cells. In this review, several MDS mouse models and the advances of study on the mechanisms of malignant clone and the marrow microenvironment are summarized. In addition, the progress in xenotransplantation models of MDS and the problems to be solved are discussed briefly.
Animals ; Cellular Microenvironment ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes

AIM:To investigate the effect of insulin on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation and to evaluate the intracellular signaling pathways involved.METHODS:VSMCs separated from Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The proliferation of VSMCs induced by insulin was assayed by [3H]-thymidin incorporation. The protein expression and activity of p-ERK1/2 were determined by immunblot and [?-32P]ATP incorporation.RESULTS:Insulin induced cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The proliferative effect of insulin on VSMCs was inhibited partly by LY294002 (48.8%),an inhibitor of PI-3 kinase,and the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (43.6%),respectively. Moreover,phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and activity of ERK1/2 induced by insulin were also inhibited partly by LY294002.CONCLUSION:PI-3 kinase and ERK1/2 are involved in insulin induced VSMCs proliferation.