Asthma ; metabolism ; therapy ; Breath Tests ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEIt is supposed that bronchial epithelial cells responses to the environmental stimuli are different between asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals, which contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma. These different responses produce different mediators. If differential gene expressions are found in bronchial epithelial cells of asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals after the same stimuli in vitro, and these genes are overexpressed in asthmatic children in vivo, then it is concluded that these genes may be associated with asthma. Therefore the authors analyzed the differential gene expressions in the bronchial epithelium cells of asthmatic and non-asthmatic children after RSV infection in vitro. Among these genes, Galectine-7 (lectin, galactoside-binding, soluble, 7, Galectin-7) was 8 times up-regulated in asthmatic children. Galectine-7 was associated with skin keratinocyte apoptosis. The authors hypothesized that Galectin-7 may also be associated with bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis in asthmatic children. The aim of this study was to understand the role of Galectine-7 in bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis in asthma.

METHODSThe bronchial mucosae of one asthmatic child and one non-asthmatic child were obtained by biopsy and cultured in vitro. The bronchial epithelial cells were infected by RSV. The differential gene expressions were analyzed with micro array. Among those differentially expressed genes, Galectin-7 was 8 times up-regulated in asthmatic children. The bronchial mucosae from 10 asthmatic children and 17 non-asthma children were investigated for cell DNA break, Galectine-7 and mRNA expression, Caspase-3 expression by TUNEL, hybridization in situ and immunochemistry. Image analysis was used for quantitative assessment.

RESULTSGalectine-7 gene was 8 times up-regulated in bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic children after RSV infection in vitro. Galectin-7 and mRNA were overexpressed in bronchial epithelial cells in asthma in vivo. Bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis increased in asthma in vivo.

CONCLUSIONGalectin-7 may be associated with bronchial epithelial cell apoptosis in asthma.

Adolescent ; Apoptosis ; genetics ; Asthma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Biopsy ; Bronchi ; metabolism ; pathology ; Bronchoscopy ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Galectins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Infant ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; Respiratory Mucosa ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; pathogenicity ; Up-Regulation

Objective To assess the limit of detection(LOD),sensitivity and specificity of collodial gold immunochrom-atography(GICA)products purchased from two manufacturers under special environmental conditions.Methods The sensitivity and specificity of GICA made in InTec Products, INC.and Beijing WANTAI Biological Pharmacy Enterprise Co., LTD.for detecting HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-Treponema pallidum(TP)serum samples were evaluated under different conditions(conventional facilities,simulated hot and humid environments and simulated low pressure and hypoxia environments)according to the protocol of kits.LOD was estimated by detecting the standard materials obtained from the National Center for Clinical Laboratory(NCCL)of China.Results LOD for syphilis improved from 2 NCU to 1 NCU using GICA from InTec Products in hot and humid environments.The extreme conditions did not influence the specificity of GICA from the two manufacturers in the course of detection of clinical samples,but the sensitivity of detection was affected.For InTec Products,the sensitivity of hepatitis B virus and syphilis detection was improved in hot and humid environments,but was reduced in low pressure and hypoxia environments.In addition,the sensitivity of hepatitis C virus detection by InTec Products decreased in hot and humid environments.As for WANTAI products,the sensitivity of hepatitis B virus detection was reduced under extreme conditions and that of hepatitis C virus was only influenced by hot and humid environments. Interestingly, extreme conditions had no impact on the sensitivity of syphilis.Conclusion LOD of InTec Products is better than that of the WANTAI products for detection of standard materials from blood-borne diseases.In the process of detecting clinical samples,the sensitivity of the two manufacturers′GICA is influenced by extreme conditions, with the specificity unchanged.Overall, WANTAI products are more stable than those of InTec, and are also less influenced by extreme conditions.

Objective To explore the characteristics and their influencing factors of economic burden for pneumoconiosis disease,and to provide a baseline to develop the prevention measures and to reduce the economic burden of pneumoconiosis. Methods The retrospective epidemiological method was used to investigate the general information of pneumoconiosis cases,frequency of outpatient and hospitalization per year,medical expenditure. Direct economic loss and its influencing factors of pneumoconiosis patients were analyzed. Results A total of 421 pneumoconiosis cases were investigated. All subjects were male,including 306 inpatients. The average medical expenditures of outpatient and inpatient were 594. 53 ± 336. 23 and 32 266. 06 ± 28 130. 67 Yuan,respectively. The annual average expenditures of outpatient and inpatient were 2 907. 25 and 48 721. 75 Yuan,respectively. In terms of health care costs,the highest proportion of western medicine was 44. 08% ,followed by traditional Chinese medicine(12. 62% ). With an increase in pneumoconiosis stage,the annual frequency of outpatient and hospitalization,as well as total expenditure increased accordingly. The average annual cost of pneumoconiosis inpatient with complications and non - complication inpatient were 55 822. 20 and 23 532. 21 Yuan,respectively. The annual average cost of outpatient with complications and without complications were 4 236. 41 and 882. 31 Yuan, respectively. The expenditures for pneumoconiosis disease with complications among outpatient and inpatient were significantly higher than those of pneumoconiosis patients without complications(P < 0. 05). Conclusion Direct economic loss of pneumoconiosis disease is relatively high. The disease stage and complications of pneumoconiosis are the main factors influencing the direct economic loss of pneumoconiosis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the different expressions of endothelin-1 ET-1) in prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues and their clinical significance.

METHODSA total of 36 BPH and 44 PCa specimens were examined for the expression of ET-1 by immunohistochemical technique (Elivision plus method). The staining intensity for ET-1 was assessed by light microscopy on a scale from "-" to "+ + +".

RESULTSPositive immunoreactivity was found in BPH and PCa, with a positive rate of 100%. Positive staining was located mostly in the cytoplasm of glandular epithelia and smooth muscle cells of both BPH and PCa and was noted in all stroma vascular endothelial cells. These were no significant differences in the intensity of positive staining for ET-1 between the groups of BPH and PCa (P > 0.05), bone metastasis (BM) and non-BM (P > 0.05), and highly and moderately differentiated PCa (P > 0.05), but the staining intensity for ET-1 was significantly higher in the poorly than in the highly and moderately differentiated PCa (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONET-1 has a high expression and the localization is the same in both BPH and PCa. It is involved in the development and progression of BPH and PCa.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Endothelin-1 ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective:To study the effect of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang on receptor of advanced glycation end products(AGEs)/advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE)/nuclear transcription factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) signaling pathway in the diabetic peripheral neuropathy rats through an animal modeling experiment, and discuss the mechanism of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in alleviating diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Method:Rat model of diabetic peripheral neuropathy was established by high-fat diet and intraperitoneal injection with streptozotocin (STZ). After successful modeling, Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang intervention began in the fifth week. The patients in high-dose group (19.40 g∙kg^-1∙d^-1), middle-dose group (4.85 g∙kg^-1∙d^-1) and low-dose group (2.43 g∙kg^-1∙d^-1) were given by gavage continuously for 12 weeks. The western medicine control group was given 25 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1 by gavage. After the experiment, serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect RAGE and NF-κB p65 mRNA expressions in sciatic nerve tissue. The expressions of RAGE, NF-κB and phosphorylation(p)-NF-κB p65 proteins in sciatic nerve tissues were detected by Western blot (WB). Result:Compared with the normal group, serum IL-1β and TNF-α protein levels, RAGE mRNA and NF-κB p65 mRNA levels, RAGE protein, NF-κB p65 protein and p-NF-κB p65 protein levels were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01), the ratio of p-NF-κB p65 to NF-κB p65 was increased, and the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 was enhanced (P<0.01). After the intervention of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang, compared with the model group, serum IL-1β and TNF-α protein levels, RAGE and NF-κB p65 mRNA levels, RAGE protein, NF-κB p65 protein and p-NF-κB p65 protein levels were all decreased (P<0.01), the ratio of p-NF-κB p65 to NF-κB p65 was decreased in high-dose group (P<0.01). The effect was obvious with the increase of dose of astragalus cassia twig. Conclusion:Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang can alleviate diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and its mechanism may be related to blocking the expression of RAGE on tissue cell surface in AGEs/RAGE/NF-κB signaling pathway, inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and inducing TNF-α triggered oxidative stress and excessive inflammatory response, so as to avoid cell damage and dysfunction.