Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of neutrophil S100A8/A9 in induced sputum in children with bronchial asthma. Methods A total of 108 cases of bronchial asthma patients in the FourthAffiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were involved in the study form October 2014 to October 2015. According to the severity of the disease, the patients were divided into mild group (n=40), moderate group (n=36) and severe group (n=32). Twenty health children were taken as control group at the same period. All the patients were treated with budesonide aerosol for three months, and the control group was received aerosol inhalation for normal saline (NS). The ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC, FEV1%) were used to evaluate the pulmonary function in two groups. The asthma control questionnaire (AcQ-5) score was used to estimate the asthma control effects. The expression level of neutrophil S100A8/A9 mRNA in induced sputum was detected by real-time PCR. The correlation of S100A8/A9 mRNA, AcQ-5 score and FEV1%was analyzed. Results Before the treatment, the FEV1%decreased, while the AcQ-5 score and express level of S100A8/A9 mRNA significantly increased with the severity of disease (all P<0.01). Three months after treatment, asthma was completely controlled in 60 patients, partial controlled in 31 cases and uncontrolled in 17 cases. With the improvement of the therapeutic efficacy, the FEV1%significantly decreased, while the express level of S100A8/A9 mRNA significantly increased (all P < 0.01). The express level of S100A8/A9 mRNA in induced sputum neutrophils was negatively correlated with FEV1%(r=-0.327 and-0.406 respectively, P<0.05), which was positively correlated with ACQ-5 score (r=0.704 and 0.817, P<0.05). Conclusion The level of S100A8/A9 expression in induced sputum neutrophil is positively correlated with the severity of asthma, which can be used as clinical indicators of the severity and the efficacy of asthma.

Objective To investigate the expression of CD40,CD40L and MMP9 in carotid atherosclerotic plaques and evaluate their roles in carotid atherosclerotic plaque stability.Methods Carotid atherosclerotic plaques were isolated in carotid eversion endarterectomy (GEE) in 37 patients with high-grade stenosis (>70%) including 20 stroke (A group) and 17 non-stroke patients (B group).The control group included samples of normal carotid artery from 11 normal individuals,The RNA expression levels of CD40,CD40 L and MMP9 in all A,B and control groups were quantitatively detected by real-time quantification polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the protein expression levels were detected by Western blotting analysis.The expression and distribution of CD40,CD40L and MMP9 in carotid atherosclerotic plaques were detected by immunohistochemistry staining.Then correlations between CD40-CD40L and MMP9 were statistically analyzed.Results The relative CD40 mRNA level in high-grade stenosis of A group,B group and normal control were 2.41±0.43,1.03±0.38 and 0.31±0.12,respectively,and MMP9 mRNA 6.88±1.57,1.90±0.44 and 0.39±0.12,respectively.The levels of CD40 and MMP9 mRNA in A group were significantly higher than those in B group (P=0.000),the levels of CD40 and MMP9 in B group were significantly higher than those in controls (P=0.000).There was a linear correlation between CD40 and MMP9 mRNA (r=0.929,P=0.000).However,there were no significantly difference in mRNA levels of CD40L between carotid atherosclerosis and controls.The protein expression levels of CD40,CD40L and MMP9 in A group were significantly higher than those in B group (FCD40=104.100,P=0.000;FCD40L=129.932,P=0.000;FMMP9=13.565,P=0.021) and B group higher than normal controls (FCD40=115.848,P = 0.000;FCD40L= 30.482,P=0.005;FMMP9=35.557,P=0.004).The areas of positive staining of CD40,CD40L and MMP9 in immunochemistry study in A group were significantly higher than those in B group and B group was significantly higher than controls.There were linear correlations between positive staining areas Of CD40 and CD40L,CD40 and MMP9,CD40L and MMP9 (r=0.963,0.959,0.929,P=0.000).Expressions of CD40,CD40L and MMP9 were significantly higher in the shoulder areas of the atherosclerotic plaques than in other areas.Conclusions The CD40-CD40L has an important role in the formation of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque instability,probably by up-regulating MMP9.The expression of CD40L may be regulated by post-transcriptional modification to exert biological effects.

Concept Formation ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Musculoskeletal Manipulations ; methods

BACKGROUNDLiver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage acute or chronic hepatic disease. Bile duct complications are common events after liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the blood supply of the human bile duct and identify the underlying mechanisms of bile duct complications after liver transplantation.

METHODSThe duct supply branches from gastroduodenal artery and blood supply of extrahepatic bile duct system were re-evaluated through selective hepatic angiography from 600 patients. In addition, 33 cadavers were injected with latex casting material into the common hepatic artery, then the extrahepatic bile duct and the branches from the common hepatic artery were carefully dissected to visualize the gastroduodenal artery and its branching to the extrahepatic bile duct.

RESULTSThe bile duct artery arose from the branch of the gastroduodenal artery in 8.1% (49/600). Of these 49 individuals, the bile duct artery was supplied by the gastroduodenal artery (61.22%, 30/49), the proper hepatic artery (14.29%, 7/49), or both the gastroduodenal artery and the proper hepatic artery (24.49%, 12/49). In our study of 33 cadavers, the percentage that the bile duct artery arose from the gastroduodenal artery was 27.27%. The blood supply to the bile extrahepatic bile ducts was divided into different segments and formed longitudinal and arterial network anastomosed on the walls of the duct.

CONCLUSIONSThere is a close relationship between the duct supply branches from gastroduodenal artery and the blood supplying patterns of the extrahepatic bile duct system. In liver transplant surgery, the initial part of the gastroduodenal artery is preferred to be preserved in the donor liver. It is of great significance to improve the success rate of operation and reduce complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angiography ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Hepatic Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged

This study was purposed to establish a new quick and simple diagnostic method with high sensitivity and good specificity for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and to evaluate its significance. 240 platelet lysates (from patients with ITP, leukemia, MDS, and healthy adults, each of 60 cases) were randomly assigned to training set (120 cases) or validation set (120 cases), all of them were detected by surface enhanced laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS), in order to identify the differentially expressed protein, the diagnostic model was established by means of artificial neural network (ANN), and was validated by blind test with SPSS 17.0. The results showed that 5 marked proteins significantly differentially expressed (P < 0.01), m/z of highly expressed proteins were 2234.30, 3476.36, and 7526.29, m/z of low expressed proteins were 4990.02 and 5152.39, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic model were 80.6% and 77.3% respectively. The area under the ROC curve consisting of the output value of artificial neura1 network was 0.837. Efficacy of the model was validated by means of blinded test. It is concluded that the ANN model is useful for clinical diagnosis of ITP on the basis of platelet protein fingerprint spectrum.
Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Peptide Mapping ; Proteome ; analysis ; Proteomics ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; methods

Objective To investigate the effect of lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on oxidative stress in renal tissue of rats with renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF).Methods The RIF rat model was established by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).A total of 108 specified pathogen free (SPF) class healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,UUO model group and treatment group.The treatment group was further divided into low,medium and high dose of LBP groups and benazapril group.From the next day of the operation,the rats were given continuous intragastric administration for 3 weeks.The LBP low,medium and high dose groups were given 400,600,800 mg · kg1 · d-1 LBP,respectively.The benazapril group was administered with 1.05 mg · kg-1 · d-1 benazepril hydrochloride.The sham operation group and UUO model group were daily fed normal saline solution by gavage.Six rats were sacrificed randomly at 7,14 and 21 days after operation.Their blood samples were collected to detect the serum creatinine (Scr) and the kidney organ index was calculated.The pathological changes on the surgical side were observed by both HE staining and Masson staining.Meanwhile,the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the renal tissue were detected by colorimetry detection.The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) protein was detected by immunohistochemical staining and the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA was detected by real time PCR.Results (1) Compared with the sham group,the Scr and kidney organ index of the UUO model group and treatment groups increased at each time point (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the UUO model group,the kidney organ index of LBP low dose group in the 7th days,the LBP medium and high dose group in the 21st days as well as benazapril group in the 7th and 21st days were significantly lower (all P ＜ 0.05).(2) Renal pathological change:compared with the sham operation group,both the renal tubular interstitial injury index and collagen positive area of the else groups were higher at each time point (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the UUO group,the tubulointerstitial injury index and collagen staining positive area of LBP dose groups and benazapril group significantly decreased at different time points (all P ＜ 0.05).(3) Compared with the sham group,in renal tissue of the other groups the level of MDA increased,SOD level decreased,while the expressions of TGF-1 mRNA and protein increased (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the UUO model group,LBP low,medium and high dose group as well as benazapril group had lower MDA level,higher SOD level as well as lower expressions of TGF-1 mRNA and protein at each time point (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The pathological injury in UUO rats can be improved by the LBP.The LBP can alleviate the oxidative stress status of the kidney tissue by decreasing MDA and increasing SOD.The further study on the LBP delaying the progression of RIF is to be conducted.

Purpose: Despite the high prevalence of postdialysis fatigue (PDF) in maintenance hemodialysis patients, no meta-analysis on the prevalence and risk factors of PDF has yet been published. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of PDF and explore its related factors. Methods: PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the four Chinese databases (National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], Chinese Biomedical Literature database [SinoMed], Wanfang Digital Periodicals [WANFANG], and Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals [VIP] database) were searched from inception up to July 2022. This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The articles were independently searched by two reviewers, and the relevant data were extracted. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Thirteen articles with 2,118 participants were included. The pooled prevalence was 60.0%. The meta-analysis results revealed that the ultrafiltration volume, mean arterial pressure after dialysis, and good sleep quality were potentially associated with PDF, whereas only good sleep quality (odds ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.19e0.30) was significantly associated with PDF. Conclusion PDF is common in maintenance hemodialysis patients, which is related to the ultrafiltration volume, sleep quality, and mean arterial pressure after dialysis. However, the mechanism underlying the risk factors and PDF remains unknown. Further research is warranted to investigate the risk factors, intervention, treatment, and mechanism in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of kushenin in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C after renal transplantation.

METHODSFifty-five patients were randomly assigned by lottery to the treatment group (29 cases) and control group (26 cases). The same immunosuppression therapy was given to all patients in both groups. Patients in the treatment group were treated with kushenin 0.6 g once a day, while those in the control group were treated with conventional liver protective agents such as vitamins. The treatment duration of both groups was 3 months. The incidences of serious hepatitis and acute rejection reaction, serum biochemistry parameters including indicators of liver and kidney functions, hepatic fibrosis index, and serum HCV-RNA were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS(1) The incidence of serious hepatitis in the treatment group and the control group was 3.45% (1/29 cases) and 11.54% (3/26 cases), respectively, which was insignificantly different between the two groups (P=0.335). (2) The incidence of acute rejection in the treatment group was 6.90% (2/29 cases) and that in the control group was 7.69% (2/26 cases), showing insignificant difference (P=0.335). (3) The differences in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), direct bilirubin (DBIL), hyaluronic acid (HA), propeptide collagen type III (PC III), laminin (LN), collagen type IV (Col IV) levels between the two groups were insignificant before transplantation (P>0.05), while the above-mentioned parameters in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group after transplantation (P<0.05). The difference in serum creatinine (SCr) and endogenous creatinine clearance rate (CCr) between the two groups was insignificant before and after transplantation (P>0.05). (4) The negative conversion rate of HCV-RNA in the treatment group was 31.03% (9/29 cases), significantly higher than the value of 11.54% (3/26 cases) in the control group after transplantation (P<0.05). (5) The levels of serum ALT and DBIL in patients with HCV-RNA converted to negative were significantly lower than those with still-positive HCV-RNA (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSKushenin has a certain effect on inhibiting the proliferation of HCV, protecting liver cells, and anti-liver fibrosis. On the other hand, it has no obvious influence on renal allograft function. Thus, the drug is clinically safe and effective for use in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C after renal transplantation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Function Tests ; Kidney Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Pterocarpans ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Viral ; blood

Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Catalase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Humans ; Mutation ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of general anesthesia, acupuncture at acupoints compound general anesthesia and acupuncture at non-acupoints compound general anesthesia on the perioperative analgesic effect in patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODSNinety patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into a general anesthesia group (group A), an acupuncture at acupoints compound general anesthesia group (group B) and an acupuncture at non-acupoints compound general anesthesia group (group C), 30 cases in each group. General anesthesias were all induced by Fentanyl, Propofol and Vecuronium Bromide. The bilateral Hegu (LI 4), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) were selected in the group B, and the middle points of the line connecting the meridians where every acupoint mentioned above belonged and their lateral neighbor meridians selected in the group C. The dosage of anesthetics, the time of goggle and the time of evulsion cannulation and direction location in all the patients were compared, and the dosage of analgesia pump within 4, 6, 8, 24 and 44 hours and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain were recorded after surgery.

RESULTSThe dosage of Fentanyl in the group B was obviously lower than that in both the group A and the group C (both P<0.05), and the dosages of Propofol and Vecuronium Bromide in the group B were obviously lower than those in the group A (P<0.05, P<0.01). The time of goggle, evulsion cannulation and direction location in the group B were significantly shorter than those in the other groups (all P<0.01). After surgery, the dosage of analgesia pump in the group B was significantly fewer than that in the group C within 4 and 6 hours (both P<0.05), and it was significantly fewer than that in the group A within 4, 6, 8 hours (all P<0.05). The scores of VAS of pain at 44th hour after surgery in the group B were obviously lower than those in the other groups (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at acupoints can enhance the anesthetic effect of compound general anesthesia and prolong the analgesia period. Acupuncture at non-points has a certain effect, but their effectiveness is less than that of acupoints. Thus, the acupoint has the specificity and accurate acupoint selection is the key factor affecting analgesia effect.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Female ; Gallbladder Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management ; Perioperative Care