180)were 0.74?0.13,0.88?0.12,0.94?0.12 and 0.97?0.15 mm,respectively.ASI was positively related with IMT(r=0.395,P

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of endotoxin concentration in dwellings on the prevalence of atopic asthma in children.

METHODSStandardized questionnaires of asthma were distributed to the parents of 2986 school children aged between 8 and 12 years and endotoxin content in children's mattress was measured by a kinetic limulus assay. A radioallergosorbent technique--fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (RAST-FEIA) was used to measure the level of specific IgE in serum.

RESULTSComplete data was available for 904 children with males more than females. There were both negative associations seen between endotoxin levels and both atopic asthma (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.72, P < 0.05) and atopic sensitization (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49-0.94, P < 0.05) but not with non-atopic asthma and wheeze. Comparing with normal people, patients with atopic sensitization, atopic wheeze and atopic asthma had a higher levels of endotoxin (M-W U: 15 138.0, P < 0.01, M-W U: 4858.0, P < 0.01, M-W U: 4041.0, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONExposure to endotoxin in early lives of children might have a protective effect on atopic asthma and sensitization.

Asthma ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Data Collection ; Endotoxins ; blood ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; epidemiology ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Respiratory Sounds

AIM: To investigate hemodynamic alterations of retrobulbar vessels in proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR) patients with anterior segment neovascularization, before and 3mo after vitrectomy combined with panretinal photocoagulation and to explore the clinical significance.
●METHODS: Color Doppler flow imaging ( CDFl ) was used for measurement of blood flow velocities and resistive indexes ( Rl ) of the ophthalmic artery ( OA ) , short posterior ciliary arteries ( sPCA ) and central retinal artery ( CRA ) in 21 eyes of 21 PDR patients with anterior segment neovascularization. CDFl parameters were obtained before and 3mo after vitrectomy combined with panretinal photocoagulation ( PRP) .
● RESULTS: Peak systolic velocity ( PSV ) and end diastolic velocity ( EVD ) of CRA were significantly increased after surgeries, Rl were decreased significantly (P<0. 05). Parameters of sPCA and OA have no change after surgeries (P>0. 05).
●CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy combined with panretinal photocoagulation might increase the velocity of CRA, decrease Rl and improve ocular blood supply postoperatively. lt may delay or prevent the process of neovascular glaucoma.

Armillariella tabescens EJLY2098 was capable of secreting p-mannanase by konjac inducement. A 34 orthogonal design was applied to determine the optimum medium of inducing mannanase by Armillariella tabescens EJLY2098. The results suggested that Armillariella tabescens EJLY2098 secreted the high-activity enzyme in the optimum medium, which was composed of 2% konjac, 1% peptone, 25% potato juice,0.3% KH2PO4,15% MgSO4?7H2O, 0.01% VitB1. Purified by DEAE-anion exchange chromatography, two eluting peaks (P1 and P2) with the p-mannanase activity were obtained, and one of them (named?-mannanase P2) was a single band by the SDS-PAGE, and the molecular weight of?-mannanase P2 was 78. 9kDa. The isoelectric point of?-mannanase P2 was estimated to be 4.0-4. 1. The optimum activity for the enzyme was found at 60℃and pH4. 0 - 6. 0, and the enzyme was stable between pH4. 5 - 6. 0. The activity of?-mannanase P2 were enhanced by Na+ and Ba2+ . This?-mannanase can be used in feed industy. a new fungi secreting?-mannanase was obtained, providing an important base for cloning mannanase gene and constructing recombin microbe expressing?-mannanase .

Objective To investigate the relationship of gene transfection efficiency with different ultrasound exposure time and different dose of microhuhble,and to find the appropriate ultrasound parameters for gene transfection. Methods Plasmid encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein(pEGFP) was chosen as a report gene and HepG2 cells were chosen as research object. The HepG2 cells plus pEGFP and different dose of microbubble were exposed to ultrasound(1 MHz,0.5 W/cm2) with varying time. Twenty-four hours later, the expression of EGFP in the cells was observed by fluorescence microscope,the transfection efficiency was assessed by FACS and the cell viability was observed by trypan blue exclusion. Results The expression of EGFP in all experimental groups was different,and the approving transfection efficiency was got by ultrasound exposed for 20 s when the dose of microbubble was 60 μl. Conclusions With fixed ultrasound frequency and power, different transfection efficiency was got when the exposure time and dose of microbubble were different. The appropriate parameter was 20 s,60 μl, which can supply information for further study.

Objective To observe multiple metabolic changes within one year after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to evaluate the index of the gastric bypass surgery and the determination of applicable population. Methods The clinical and laboratory data before and after surgery in 112 patients diagnosed as type 2 diabetes mellitus by RYGB were included in this study. According to BMI, these patients were divided into two groups: normal group (≤ 25kg/m2), and the overweight group (> 25 kg/m2). The physiologic and biochemical indexes of the patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 12 months, respectively. The statistical analysis was performed by SPSS17.0 software. Results Compared with the preoperative period, the levels of HbA1c and HOMA-IR in the postoperative period were significantly increased in the two groups. Principal component analysis showed that the postoperatively contributions of BMI and HbA1c in 6 months was bigger than that of the other indexes, while HOMA-β, HOMA-IR had larger contributions after 6-month postoperative period. Conclusion Various metabolic indexes in patients with type 2 diabetes improve significantly within one year after surgery, and the complete remission rate is gradually increased. The indexes including weight, blood glucose, serum lipids, HOMA-βand HOMA-IR in overweight and obese group have more significant improvements than those in normal group. Obese patients are more appropriate for the surgical treatment. The indexes, such as BMI, HbA1c,HOMA-βand HOMA-IR, should help to evaluate the operating effectiveness and preoperative indications.

BACKGROUNDDisequilibrium of Th1/Th2 is known as an important cause of allergic asthma with a biased Th2 type response. It has been shown that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration during post-sensitization modified the inflammation of asthma via upregulating the Th1 response that decrease the Th2 immunity. We would like to know if, during pre-sensitization, the elevated Th1 response is necessary for LPS exposure to modify the asthmatic response.

METHODSDuring pre- or post-sensitization, 40 microg LPS were intraperitoneal injected (i.p.) to asthmatic mice sensitized and challenged by Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinea). Inflammation was assessed by examining bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for the number and identity of cells and by cytokine titers measured by ELISA. Semi-quantified RT-PCR was used to evaluate the level of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA in dendritic cells (DCs) from bone marrow (BMDCs).

RESULTSThese investigations demonstrated that LPS exposure during pre-sensitization inhibited the Th2 cytokine and inflammatory infiltration, the same as with LPS exposure during post-sensitization in allergic asthma mice. Contrary to post-sensitization LPS exposure, the Th1 cytokines were not upregulated by pre-sensitization with LPS. Finally, the study failed to show any significant difference between TLR4 mRNA expressed in BMDCs with the two times of LPS exposure.

CONCLUSIONSOur data suggest that elevated Th1 immunity is not required for the modification of the Th2 response induced by LPS exposure during pre-sensitization in asthmatic mice and that pre-sensitization differs from post-sensitization. Immune modulation with treatment is independent of TLR4 expression in BMDCs. This study implicates a potential way to protect from allergic disease and an inflammatory response.

Animals ; Asthma ; chemically induced ; immunology ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; immunology ; Cytokines ; immunology ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; immunology ; Female ; Lipopolysaccharides ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics

To study the application characteristics of copovidone (PVP-S630) in Xinyueshu extracts during the spray drying process, and its effect on such pharmaceutical properties as micromeritics and drug release behavior. PVP-S630 was added into Xinyueshu extracts to study on the spray drying, the effect of different dosages of PVP-S630 against the wall sticking effect of the spray drying, as well as the power property of Xinyueshu spray drying power and the dissolution in vitro behavior of the effective component of hyperoside. The results showed that PVP-S630 revealed a significant anti-wall sticking effect, with no notable change in the grain size of the spray drying power, increase in the fluidity, improvement in the moisture absorption and remarkable rise in the dissolution in vitro behavior of hyperoside. It was worth further studying the application of PVP-S630 in spray drying power of traditional Chinese medicine.
Absorption ; Desiccation ; methods ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Porosity ; Powders ; Pyrrolidines ; chemistry ; Vinyl Compounds ; chemistry ; Wettability

OBJECTIVETo establish the evidence of exposure to rural areas would reduce the risk of atopic asthma and sensitization.

METHODSA cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2986 school-age children and their parents completed standardized questionnaires on atopic asthma and sensitization, wheezing. A radioallergosorbent technique-fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (RAST-FEIA) was used to measure the level of specific IgE in serum.

RESULTSThe risks of atopic and non-atopic asthma (OR = 0.45, 95% CI:0.13-0.96 and OR=0.41, 95% CI:0.15-0.95), atopic sensitization. and wheezing (OR= 0.32, 95% CI:0.11-0.62; OR =0.44, 95% CI:0.13-0.91) were lower in subjects living in village area compared with those living in towns. The risks of atopic asthma and sensitization were lower in subjects exposed to stables in first year (OR=0.23, 95% CI:0.04-0.91 and OR =0.32, 95% CI:0.17-0.78) and were lowest in those exposed continually until the age of 6 (OR = 0.21, 95% CI:0.03-0.87 and OR = 0.31, 95% CI:0.15-0.78) compared with those non-exposed in the first 6 years.

CONCLUSIONExposure to rural environment might have a protective effect on children against atopic asthma and sensitization while continual exposure could strengthen the effects.

Anaphylaxis ; complications ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Child ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

As a neuropeptide, neurotensin (NTS) is widely expressed in central and peripheral nervous system, which is mainly mediated byneurotensin receptor1 (NTSR1) to activate the related downstream signaling pathways. After summarized the function and mechanism of NTS/NTSR1 in various malignant tumors, we found that NTS/NTSR1 played essential roles during tumor initiation and development. NTS/NTSR1 regulates tumor initiation, proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis and differentiation mainly through three pathways, including IP3/Ca2+ /PKC/MAPKs pathway, MMPs/EGFR/MAPKs (PI3K/Akt) pathway, or Rho-GTPsaes and non-receptor tyrosine kinase pathway. Besides, NTS/NTSR1 is also regulated by some upstream pathways and some traditional Chinese medicine preparations and traditional Chinese medicine therapies. In this article, we summarized the function of NTS/NTSR1 and its mechanisms, and discussed the prospective in its application to clinical diagnosis and drugs targeting.
Animals ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neoplasms ; etiology ; Neurotensin ; chemistry ; physiology ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; physiology ; Receptors, Neurotensin ; chemistry ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein ; physiology