Objective To explore the diagnostic significance of differential cell count in induced sputum to chronic cough and assessment of airway inflammation.Methods The sputum of 335 chronic cough patients were induced.Differential cell counts were measured in these samples.The side effects were observed during the induced procedure.The final diagnosis was made based on clinical manifestation and examination findings including pulmonary function tests,provocation test,induced sputum cell differentials, etc.Results The cause of chronic cough was defined in 322 patients.The six most important causes of cough were typical asthma(TA,n=84),eosinophilic bronchitis (EB,n=62),atopic cough (AC,n= 42),cough variant asthma (CVA,n=40),gastroesophageal reflux cough(GERC,n=37),rhinitis and/ or paranasal sinusitis (PNDs,n=32),and others and indefinite cause (n=25,13).Percentage of eosinophils were significantly increased in the induced sputum of AC,EB,CVA,and GERC patients (0.005,0.052,0.059,0.234) compared with those in other causes and the healthy controls (0) (P

Objective To discuss the ability of 64 slices CT to display the image of peripancreatic vessels. Methods 105 patients underwent abdomen enhancement scans. The scan data of aterial phase and venous phase were reconstructed respectively, the peripancreatic vessels were displayed by means of volume rendering (VR) and multiplanar volume reconstructions (MPVR). The percentage of successful display of the peripancreatic vessels were calculated. Results ①The display frequency of the peripancreatic big arteries and veins, including celiac trunk artery(CTA), common hepatic artery (CHA), 1eft gastric artery(LGA), splenic artery (SA), gastroduodenal artery (GDA), right gastloepiploic artery(RGEA), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), portal vein(PV), superiormesenteric vein(SMV), spleenic vein (SV)was 100%. ②The display frequency of small arteries including superior pancreaticoduodenal artery (PSPDA), inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (PIPDA), dorsal pancreatic artery (PDA), transverse pancreatic artery (PTA), pancreaticomegana artery (PMA) and caudal pancreatic artery (PCA) ranged from 43.3% to 97.20%,while of the posteriorsuperior pancreaticoduodenal vein (PSPDV) and posterior-inferior pancreaticoduodenal vein (PIPDV) was 71.4% and 30.5% respectively. ③The display frequency of the peripancreatic small vessels by the multiplanar volume reconstruction (MPVR) was higher than that of the volume rendering (VR)(P＜0.05). Conclusions Multislice CT can display the peripancreatic peripancreatic vessels. Furthermore, there is a significant difference in the display frequency of the peripancreatic small vessels between the MPVR and VR reconstruction methods.

Objective To assess mucin gene expression in Barrett's esophagus.Methods Mucin core protein-MUC1,MUC2,MUC3,MUCSAC and MUC6 were detected by immunohistochemistry.The re- lationship between mucin expression and magnification-endoscopic characteristics,pathohistologic epithelial types of Barrett's esophagus was analyzed.Results Mild expression of MUC1 was predominantly found in the superficial epithelium of both gastric and specialised intestinal metaplasia.In a small number of specimens, mild expression of MUC1 was also noted in glands.Strong MUC2 expression was noted only in the goblet cells in Barrett's oesophagus.MUC3 was expressed in the superficial columnar cells of specialized intestinal metaplasia with or without globlet cells but not in gastric metaplasia of the oesophagus.In some specimens MUC3 was expressed in the vacuolus of the globlet cells and the lumen of gland.Strong staining of MUCSAC was noted in the columnar epithelium of both gastric metaplasia and specialized intestinal metaplasia in Barrett's oesophagus,as well as expressed in the cytoplasm and vacuolus of the globlet cells in some speci- mens.Expression of MUC6 protein was detected at the basement of the crypts in gastric metaplasia and spe- cialised Barrett's glands.Expression of MUC2 and MUC3 protein was found much higher in villous or irregu- lar pit pattern than that in dot or rod pit pattern(P

OBJECTIVETo observe the differences in onset time and the overall efficacy of the acupuncture therapy of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality combined with fluoxetine and the fluoxetine for post-stroke depression(PSD).

METHODSSixty-three patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture intervention of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality group(acupuncture and medication group, 33 cases) and a control group (medication group, 30 cases). In the medication group, 20 mg fluoxetine was used by oral administration, once a day at 7:00 in the morning, continuously for 4 weeks. In the acupuncture and medication group, based on the oral administration of fluoxetine, the acupuncture intervention of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality was applied mainly at Baihui(GV 20), Fengfu(GV 16), Shenting(GV 24), Shuigou(GV 26), Dazhui(GV 14) and Shendao(GV 11), once a day, 6 times a week, continuously for 4 weeks. Twenty-four items in Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD), modified Edinburgh Scandinavia Stroke Scale(MESSS) and activity of daily life scale(ADL, Barthel index, BI) were used before and after 2-week and 4-week treatment. The efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 2-week treatment, the HAMD score and the MESSS score in the acupuncture and medication group were obviously decreased and the BI score was apparently increased(all P<0. 01). In the medication group, however, the score of every scale was not statistically different from that before treatment(P'>0. 05). After 4-week treatment, HAMD scores and MESSS scores in the two groups were obviously decreased and the BI scores I were apparently increased(all P<0. 01). After 2-week and 4-week treatment, the HAMD scores and the MESSS scores in the acupuncture and medication group were lower than those in the medication group and the BI scores were higher than those in the medication group(P<0. 01, P<0. 05). The total effective rate of anti-depression (97. 0%, 32/33) the total effective rate of nerve function impairment(90. 9%, 30/33) and the total effective rate of daily life activity(97. 0% 32/33) in the acupuncture and medication group were better than 80. 0% (24/30), 80. 0%(24/30), 83. 3%(25/30) in the medication group(all P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture therapy of dredging Governor Vessel and regulating mentality could reduce the onset time of anti-depression medicine treatment of PSD and enhance the overall efficacy. Therefore, it enhances the clinical compliance.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Antidepressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; drug therapy ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo study the extent of retinal vascular development and influencing factors at birth and the relation between retinal vascularization and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

METHODSFrom October, 2006 to December 2006, retinal vascularization was screened and evaluated in 84 neonates at different weeks of gestation and birth weights (BWs), had dilated fundus evaluation for zone of retinal vascularization by the 130 degrees lens of a digital fundus camera. The infants' pupils were dilated with 2.5% phenylephrine and 0.5% cyclopentolate eye drops. The study cohort was divided into subgroups depending on the weeks of gestation and birth weights. The control group consisted of healthy term infants. Maternal and neonatal factors were ascertained and analysed.

RESULTSVascularization up to zone I and II was considered to be immature retina; vascularization up to zone III or beyond was considered to be mature retina. In this study, 11 of 12 infants who were born at < 30 weeks of gestation, 12 of 26 infants who were born at < 31 approximately 33 weeks of gestation, 1 of 26 babies who were born at < 34 approximately 36 weeks of gestation and none of 20 babies who were born at < 37-40 weeks of gestation had immature retina; 12 of 15 babies at < 1500 g BW, 8 of 14 infants at 1500 g < BW < 1700 g, 4 of 11 infants at 1700 g < BW < 2000 g and of 44 infants at > 2000 g BW had immature retina. Those infants who were born at > 34 weeks of gestational age and at > 2000 g BW had mature retina. Infants who were born between 31 to 34 weeks of gestation and at 1501 to 2000 g BW had variable extent of retinal vascularization at birth. Vascularization was associated with postconceptional age (F = 31.9193, P = 0.000), birth weight (F = 32.4532, P = 0.000), anemia (F = 36.9391, P = 0.000), surfactant (F = 24.000, P = 0.0000), poor nutrition (F = 4.184, P = 0.041), RDS (F = 17.6191, P = 0.000), cesarean delivery (F = 10.972, P = 0.0022) and oxygen > 48 h (F = 22.076, P = 0.0000). Vascularization was affected mainly by the postconceptional age (95% CI = 1.57-261.728, P = 0.021). At last, 15/24 infants with immature retina developed ROP while none of the infants with mature retina developed ROP (chi2 = 45.1087, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONThere is considerable variability in the extent of retinal vascularization in infants who we born between 31 to 34 weeks of gestation. Modifiable maternal and fetal factors could influence extent of vascularization at birth. Immature retina is the critical factor of ROP. Gestational age is the main factor of the immature retina in premature infants.

Birth Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Retina ; anatomy & histology ; Retinal Vessels ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions of COX-2 and MMP-9 in cervical carcinoma and their clinical significance.

METHODSImmunohistochemical SP method was used to detect the expressions of COX-2 and MMP-9 in 72 cases of invasive carcinoma of cervix (ICC) and 16 cases of normal cervical epithelium remote from tumor (NCE), and the relationship between the expressions of COX-2 and MMP-9 in ICC and some factors relating to clinical pathology of cervical carcinoma such as histopathological grading, lymph node metastasis, stroma involvement and FIGO staging were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSThe rates of positive expression of COX-2 and MMP-9 in ICC were significantly higher than those in NCE. COX-2: 88.9% in group ICC and 12.5% in group NCE, P = 0.000. MMP-9: 94.4% in group ICC and 43.8% in group NCE, P = 0.000. The expression of COX-2 was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and stroma involvement (r = 0.296, P = 0.012 in group ICC and r = 0.257, P = 0.029 in group NCE, respectively). The expression of MMP-9 was positively correlated with FIGO staging (r = 0.329, P = 0.005) and histopathological grading (r = 0.351, P = 0.003). The expression of COX-2 was positively correlated with the expression of MMP-9 in ICC (r = 0.297, P = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONThe overexpressions of COX-2 and MMP-9 are closely related to the invasion and growth of cervical carcinoma. The tissue with overexpression of COX-2 has strong invasion ability. COX-2 and MMP-9 have synergistic effect on proliferation, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Detecting the expression of both COX-2 and MMP-9 may be of value in further understanding the biological behavior and predicting the prognosis of cervical carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective The immunotoxins generated by conjugating monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a certain toxin play an important and promising role in treating hematopoietic malignancies. However, most of the toxins used for the conjugation are toxic proteins, which are immunogenic in the patients. Norcantharidin (NCTD) is a small molecule toxin without immunogenicity, and thus has become a potential new drug for hematopoietic cancers. In this study, we prepared immunotoxin 2E8-NCTD by using the ZCH-4-2E8 cells produced in the laboratory of our hospital, and then detected its targeting effect against CD+19 lymphoid malignant Nalm-6 cells in vitro.Methods 2E8 mAb was obtained from mouse ascites and purified by gel chromatography. After its purity was checked by SDS-PAGE, immunotoxin 2E8-NCTD was generated by conjugating CD19 mAb with NCTD using activated ester method. The binding activity of the immunoconjugate to CD19 antigens on cell surface, and the expression levels of the CD19 antigens on Nalm-6 and K562 cells were determined by flow cytometry. The inhibitory effects of PBS, purified 2E8 mAb, NCTD, and immunotoxin 2E8-NCTD on the cell growth of either Nalm-6 or K562 cells were then compared.Results The purity of the 2E8 mAb was higher than 99% demonstrated by SDS-PAGE assay. 2E8 mAb was detected on the surface of 99.34% of the Nalm-6 cells, while on only 0.98% of the K562. The newly generated immunotoxin had a positive rate of 99.90% on the Nalm-6 with slightly reduced binding activity. Both 2E8-NCTD and NCTD significantly inhibited the growth of CD+19 Nalm-6 cells (P < 0. 001 ), while the purified 2E8 mAb did not show any significant influences on the growth of the same cell line ( P > 0.05 ). Meanwhile, no significant inhibitory effects on the CD-19 K562 cells were identified in the 2E8-NCTD, 2E8 mAb, or control groups, indicating a significant targeting effect of 2E8-NCTD against Nalm-6 cells.Conclusions The immunotoxin 2E8-NCTD can be synthesized by activated ester method. It has target killing effects on CD+19 Nalm-6 leukemia cells in vitro.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of gene expression profile in transitional cell carcinoma of bladder T24 cell after crocin treatment, in order to find the possible crocin targets.

METHODThe bladder cancer T24 cell line was treated with crocin. MTT assay was adopted to determine the inhibition rate for selecting the best effect time and concentration of crocin. Differentially expressed genes on groups with or without treatment of crocin were screened with high throughout cDNA microarray. One up-regulated gene p21(WAF1) and one down-regulated gene cyclinD1 were selected to undergo analysis by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, immunocytochemical method was used to evaluate p21(WAF1) and cyclinD1 protein expression.

RESULTThe growth of T24 cells was inhibited remarkably following a marked positive correlation between crocin concentration, time and inhibitor rate. When 3 mmol x L(-1) crocin treated T24 cells for 48h, the difference was significant compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Crocin induced wide changes of the gene expression profile of T24 cells. A total of 836 genes were up-regulated or down-regulated by more than 2 times, which were involved cell cycle controlling, DNA cell apoptosis, replication factor, and so on. The mRNA expression of p21(WAF1) and cyclinD1 detected by RT-PCR were in accordance with cDNA microarray data. The results of immunocytochemical method showed that p21(WAF1) and cyclinD1 protein expression were consistent with those mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONCrocin can induce the significant alteration of gene expression profile of T24 cell. It is suggested that the widly konwn anti-tumor effects of crocin are medicated at least in part by regulating the cell cycle controlling gene expression.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carotenoids ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Time Factors ; Up-Regulation ; drug effects ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence of cough and its risk factors in young college students in Guangzhou.

METHODSUsing a questionnaire with uniform scheme, a cluster-randomized sampling survey was conducted among young college students in Guangzhou. Fluoroscopy of chest was performed in subjects with persisted cough longer than 8 weeks.

RESULTSThere were 1087 cases with complete data from 1091 people including 648 males, 439 females with an average age of 21.16 years old. The total prevalence of cough was 10.9%. Difference in prevalence of cough between males and females showed no significance (10.3% vs. 11.9%, P > 0.05). There were also no significant differences between male and female in prevalence rates of acute cough (6.9% vs. 8.7%, P > 0.05) and chronic cough (3.4% vs. 3.2%, P > 0.05). Under chronic cough condition, cough was more likely to be the only or major symptom than under acute cough condition (77.8% vs. 44.6%, chi(2) = 11.166, P < 0.01). Nasal disease was an important risk factor to the development of chronic cough, which was found in 33.3% of the patients with chronic cough and when having chronic nasal diseases.

CONCLUSIONCough seemed a common disorder in young college student in Guangzhou and there was no significant difference in prevalence between males and females. Nasal disease was an important risk factor to chronic cough.

China ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Nose Diseases ; complications ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sampling Studies ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism and microsatellite instability (MSI) in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODSMTHFR gene C677T and A1298C polymorphism were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and MSI was examined with PCR.

RESULTSMTHFR gene C677T and A1298C polymorphisms were analyzed on 122 gastric cancers and 110 normal controls The genotype frequencies of MTHFR 677CC, 677CT and 677TT were 47.5%, 39.3% and 13.1% on patients with gastric cancer, and 48.5%, 42.6%, 8.9% in the controls respectively. There was no significant difference of genotype frequency between the two groups (P > 0.05). The individuals with 677CT genotype, 677TT genotype and 677CT + TT genotype exhibited significantly reduced risk (OR = 0.38,95% CI: 0.15-0.98; OR = 0.26,95% CI: 0.03-2.18 and OR = 0.36,95% CI: 0.07-0.98) of developing gastric cardia cancer compared with those harboring the wild-type(677CC). The individuals with 677TT genotype having a 3.03-fold (95% CI: 1.07-8.65) increased risk of developing gastric corpus cancer. The genotype frequency of MTHFR 1298AA, 1298AC and 1298CC were 59.8%, 36.1% and 4.1% in gastric cancer patients, and 57.4%, 7.6%, 5.0% in the controls, respectively. The distribution of MTHFR A1298C genotype was not significantly different between gastric cancer and controls (P > 0.05). The individuals with 1298CC genotype had a reduced risk of developing gastric antrum cancer (OR = 0.41- fold, 95% CI: 0.03-2.18, 0.05-3.72) when comparing with those having 1298AA genotype. Patients with MSI+ gastric cancer had an increased frequency of the MTHFR 677TT genotype when comparing with those suffering from MSI- gastric cancer (P = 0.009) and with controlled subjects (P = 0.008). There was no significant association found between MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and MSI (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONPolymorphism of MTHFR C677T was associated with increased risk on gastric corpus cancer and reduced risk on gastric cardia cancer. The polymorphism of MTHFR A1298C was associated with reduced risk for gastric antrum cancer while MSI pathway was possibly involved in the development of gastric cancer with MTHFR 677TT genotype.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Microsatellite Instability ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics