Asthma was considered to be a kind of chronic airway inflammatory diseases mediated by eosinophils(EOS),mast cells,T lymphocytes for a long time,and the typical pathologic features of asthma was airway EOS inflammation.The current study had found out that elevated neutrophils in airway were seen in severe asthma,and this kind of asthma had a poor response to corticosteroids.Impaired neutrophil chemotaxis and apoptosis of airway neutrophilia may be associated with persistent neutrophilic inflammation in the airways of severe asthma.A deep research into the mechanisms of neutrophilic phenotypes asthma would contribute to the new strategy of therapy.This article discusses a range of topics related to the role of neutrophilic inflammation in severe asthma in children,which were organizedas follows.

Obesity has been a world-wide growing health problem in children and adolescents,insulin resistance plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of obesity-associated complications,the mechanism is still unknown.There is growing evidence that obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation in youth.The onset of low-grade inflammation in obesity may be associated with the inflammatory cytokine secreted by adipose tissue,local Monocyte/Macrophage system and role of oxidative stress.The study of inflammatory cytokines in pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance will help to develop new treatment strategies to prevent obesity and obesity-associated complications.

Objective: To study the effect of levothyroxine replacement therapy on improving diffused left ventricular myocardial lesions and cardiac function in patients with hypothyroidism. Methods: Our research included 2 groups: Hypothyroidism group,n=20 newly diagnosed patients and Control group, n=17 normal healthy subjects. Diffused left ventricular myocardial lesions were quantitatively evaluated by non-invasive cardiac MRI T1 mapping technique. Left ventricular myocardial T1 value and left ventricular function before and after levothyroxine replacement therapy were compared; the relationship between T1 value and thyroid function and the relationship between T1 value and the indicators of left ventricular function were analyzed. Results:①Compared with Control group, Hypothyroidism group had increased left ventricular myocardial T1 value, P<0.01, while decreased cardiac index (CI) and left ventricular peak filling rate (PFR), allP<0.05.②In patients with hypothyroidism, left ventricular myocardial T1 value was negatively related to serum FT3 level (r=-0.52,P=0.0006) and PFR (r=-0.43,P=0.0085).③Compared with pre-therapeutic condition, the patients with recovered normal thyroid function showed obviously decreased left ventricular myocardial T1 value and improved CI, PFR. Conclusion: Levothyroxine replacement therapy may improve diffused left ventricular myocardial lesions in patients with hypothyroidism, and therefore improve the cardiac function.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus moxibustion at Ciliao (BL 32) for primary dysmenorrhea (PD) due to cold-dampness. Methods:A total of 58 cases with PD due to cold-dampness were randomly allocated into an observation group (n=29) and a control group (n=29). Patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture and suspended moxibustion at Ciliao (BL 32), whereas patients in the control group were treated with routine acupuncture alone. After three courses of treatment, the clinical efficacy was evaluated and compared between the two groups. Results:After treatment, the symptom scores were significantly reduced in both groups (P<0.05), but there were no significant between-group differences in clinical efficacy and symptom scores (P>0.05). Conclusion: With fewer points and less pain, acupuncture-moxibustion at Ciliao (BL 32) can obtain similar effect as routine acupuncture therapy for PD due to cold-dampness.

Objective To investigate the correlations between plasma levels of carnitine(CT),free fat acid(FFA) and insulin resisitance in children with simple obesity.Methods Fifty-six children diagnosed with simple obesity were enrolled as study group(obesity group),36 healthy children as control group.The concentration of plasma level of insulin was measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA),CT was measured by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),FFA and triglyceride(TG) were measured by enzymatic-colorimetric assay.Body mass index(BMI) and waist to hip ratio(WHR) were caculated.Insulin sensitivity index (InSI) and insulin resistance index (InRI) were cacula-ted by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results The concentration of CT in plasma was (43.67?12.75) ?mol/L in obesity group,(58.31?21.25) ?mol/L in control group,respectively.There was a significant difference between 2 groups (t=2.566 P

Objective To study the expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(STAT3) in airway epithelial cells of asthmatic mouse model and its association with airway remodeling,explore the role of signal-transduction pathway in airway remodeling.Methods Thirty Balb/c mice were randomly divided into normal control group(n=10),asthma without intervention group(n=10) and AG490 intervention group(n=10).The mice were sensitized with ovalbumin to establish the asthmatic model.The histological changes were evaluated by HE staining,total brochial wall thickness(Wat)and smooth muscle thickness(Wam) were measured by image analysis system,the percentages of collagen deposition were detected by Masson′s trichrome staining,the expression of STAT3 in airway were detected by immunohistochemistry technique;lung tissue extracts were analyzed for phosphorylation of STAT3(p-STAT3)by Western blot.SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results 1.The histological changes including airway thickness,airway smooth cell proliferation and excessive collagen deposition in subepithelial aera were found under light microscope in asthmatic mice.2.The level of STAT3 and p-STAT3 in asthma without intervention group were significantly higher than those in normal control group(Pa

Objective To observe the effects of inhaled budesonide (BUD) in early phase on the airway inflammation in asthmatic mouse,and its effects on the IL-6/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(IL-6/STAT3 )signaling pathway in airway,explore the therapeutic target of BUD.Methods Forty Balb/c mice were randomly divided into control group(n=10),asthma group(n=10),BUD group(n=10) and AG490 group(n=10).The mice were sensitized with ovalbumin to establish the asthmatic model.The histological changes were evaluated by HE staining.The levels of IL-4,IL-5 and IL-6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Lung tissue extracts were analyzed for total STAT3 and phospho-STAT3(p-STAT3) by Western blot.Results 1.The levels of inflammatory cells,EOS%, IL-4,IL-5 and IL-6 levels in the BALF in BUD group were significantly lower than those in asthma group (Pa0.05).Conclusions Inhaled corticosteroid can apparently ameliorate airway inflammation in early phase in asthmatic mouse model,and it can downregulate the expressions of IL-6 and STAT3,inhibit the signal-transduction pathway of STAT3.The IL-6 /STAT3 signaling pathway of airway may be one of the potential therapeutic targets of inhaled corticosteroid.

Objective:To clone and express panallergen profilin from the pollen of coco(Cocos nucifera Linnaeus).Methods:RT-PCR and RACE methods were applied to clone the full-length panallergen genes from coco pollen and the sequence was analyzed.The specific primers were designed.The ORF of profilin of coco pollen was amplified with RT-PCR and cloned into the expression vector pET 28a.Expression of the recombinant coco pollen profilin was carried out in E.coli BL21(DE3) and the purification of the recombinant protein was performed via affinity chromatography with Ni2+ coupled to sepharose.IgE reactivity to recombinant coco pollen profilin was investigated by immunoblot.Results:The complete sequence of coco pollen profilin was cloned.The sequence was 608 bp and included an open reading frame(396 bp) coding for 131 amino acids.Sequence analysis showed that the deduced protein was an acidic protein with an estimated molecular mass of 14.19 kD and a pI of 4.61.The GeneBank accession number of the clones was EF173598.After overexpressed in E.coli BL21(DE3),the recombinant protein was purified through affinity chromatography with Ni2+ coupled to sepharose.Immunoassay showed that the recombinant allergen has good IgE binding capacity.Conclusion:The profilin of coco pollen is expressed successfully in BL21(DE3),which will be used as a base for further study on coco pollen related allergy.