OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in peripheral blood Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells and their significance among children with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

METHODSEighty-nine children with HFMD, including 55 cases of common HFMD and 34 cases of severe HFMD, were included in the study; and 30 healthy children were selected as the control group. The percentages of Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in CD4(+) T cells in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry. The expression levels of interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the cases of common HFMD and severe HFMD had significantly increased levels of Th17 cells and IL-17 (P<0.05) but significantly decreased levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells, IL-10, and TGF-β (P<0.05). The severity of the HFMD was positively correlated with the levels of Th17 cells and IL-17 in peripheral blood but negatively correlated with the levels of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells, IL-10, and TGF-β.

CONCLUSIONSChildren with HFMD have increased response of Th17 cells but decreased response of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in peripheral blood. Th17/CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cell imbalance may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HFMD.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-17 ; blood ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; Th17 Cells ; immunology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; blood

Objective To investigate the effect of early physical training on long-lasting neurological function,pathology changes,spatial learning and memory abilities,sensorimotor function and ultrastructure changes in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD).Methods Ninety 7-day-old sprague-dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups:a group that was subjected to left carotid ligation followed by 2 hours hypoxic stress (vehicle group),a group that received physical trainings (grabbing,rotation,walking and balance) 1 weeks after HIBD event (trained group) and a sham-operated group that was subjected to a sham-operation without ligation and hypoxic stress (n=30).Following four weeks of physical trainings,neurological scale was performed on all the rats; the number of neurons in the CA1 region of hippocampus and cortex forehead was measured by Nissl count; the expression levels of synaptophysin and c-fos were examined; Morris water maze tests and cortex sensorimotor tests were performed to detect the spatial learning and memory abilities and sensory functions; transmission electron microscope was employed to observe the synapses and neuronal ultrastructure.Results As compared with those in the vehicle group,the neurological scale scores were significantly increased in the trained group and the sham-operated group 14,21 and 28 days after trainings (P＜0.05).As compared with those in the vehicle group,the number of neurons in the left hippocampal CA1 area and cortex increased in the trained group and sham-operated group (P＜0.05).The expressions of synaptophysin and c-los in the trained group increased significantly as compared with those in the vehicle group (P＜0.05).As compared with those in the vehicle group,the spatial learning and memory abilities and sensorimotor functions in the trained group were significantly increased (P＜0.05).The ultrastructure of the left hippocampus and cortex was remarkably abnormal in the vehicle group by the transmission electron microscopy,while no obvious abnormality was observed in the trained group.Conclusion Early physical training can restrain neuron damage in the hippocampus and cortex and enhance synaptic plasticity to ameliorate the long-term neurological function after HIBD; the strong expression of synaptophysin and c-fos in the hippocampus and cortex caused by early physical training may be one of the improvement mechanisms.

Aim To investigate the effectiveness and safety of alfentanil in general anesthesia.Methods In this study, a multicenter randomized double-blind con¬trolled study was conducted.A total of 352 subjects were selected and randomly assigned to fentanyl group (group A, n =176) and alfentanil group (group 15, n = 176).Anesthesia induction: intravenous midazolam 0.03 mg • kg-1 + fentanyl 25 p.g • kg"'(group A) or alfentanil 4 p,g • kg-1 ( group 15) + propofol 2 mg • kg"1 + rocuronium 0.8 mg • kg"1.Sevoflurane + fent¬anyl ( group A ) or alfentanil ( group B ) + rocuronium were used for anesthesia.The vital signs of patients re¬covery time and extuhation time, anesthesia-related complications and the use of related remedial drugs during anesthesia induction and maintenance were compared between the two groups.Results During the induction and maintenance period of anesthesia, alfentanil and fentanyl could equally effectively inhibit the stress response induced by endotracheal intubation and surgical stimulation.Alfentanil also showed more effective inhibition on stress response induced by endo¬tracheal intubation and surgical stimulation than that of fentanyl ( P < 0.05 ) .However, there was no signifi¬cant difference in the incidence of intraoperative hypo¬tension and hypertension and the time of anesthesia re¬covery and extubation between the two groups.Conclu¬sions Both alfentanil and fentanyl can effectively in¬hibit the stress response induced by surgical stimulation and could be safely used in general anesthesia in sur¬gery.Alfentanil has more advantages in maintaining the stability of blood pressure and heart rate during an¬esthesia induction and maintenance.