Erythromelalgia ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Mercury Poisoning ; complications ; Middle Aged

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and medication safety of low-dose erythromycin treatment on intractable allergic rhinitis(AR) associated with bronchus asthma.Methods Totally 173 cases of children received outpatient treatment because of AR associated with asthma,their ages ranging from 3 to 14 years.Among them,78 cases developed intractable AR with symptoms of asthma having been controlled or satisfactorily controlled after 2 courses of conventional treatment.Seventy-six children with intractable AR received full follow-up and were randomly divided into observation group and control group.The control group was given different second-generation antihistamines,when necessary,supplemented by nasal glucocorticoids.In the observation group,the same treatment as it was done in control group was continued,plus oral treatment with erythromycin enteric-coated capsules(10 mg?kg-1?d-1,which were taken 3 times a day for 1 month) to the observation group.Both observation group and control group were in accordance with the norms of the treatment of asthma.Results The improvement rate,inefficiency and the total efficiency were different between observation group and control group,and the diffe-rence was statistically significant(?2=12.629,8.412,8.412,Pa0.05).Their liver function was also monitored and was found normal before treatment and after the replacement of drugs for 1 month,including alanine ami-notransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,albumin,globulin,and were found normal.Conclusions On the basis of conventional treatment,low-dose erythromycin treatment of intractable AR is effective and safe.However,the treatment must be limited to the refractory cases,and the appropriate indications must be strictly observed.

Objective To investigate Glypican-3 gene expression and mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Glypican-3 gene expression and mutation in tumor,para-c.ancer and normal tissue of 48 HCCs were detected by RT-PCR and single-strand conformation polymorphism(SSCP),respectively.Results There was no Glypican-3 mRNA expression in para-cancer and normal tissue.Expression rate of Glypican-3 mRNA was 77.1% in tumor tissue,which was correlated with clinical staging and cell differentiation(P

Objective To analyze the effect of long-term anti-viral treatment in children with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and investigate the factors affecting the treatment efficacy and growth and development of the children, so as to provide reference for improving the efficacy of antiviral drugs.Methods Children with AIDS receiving anti-retroviral treatment during 2004 to 2016 were retrospectively enrolled.The height, weight and CD4+ T cell counts were recorded every half year and the measurement of HIV RNA load was recorded on an annual basis.The CD4+ T cell counts and viral inhibition rates for the children who were under the treatment in the first year, 1~<5 years, 5~<10 years, and ≥10 years were compared.And their growth and development were also assessed.Treatment efficacy and growth and development of the children were compared between those who raised by social organization and by family.Children who raised by family were further divided into two groups: high-income and low-income groups.All categorical data were analyzed using chi-square test and those non-normal distribution were compared by rank-sumtest.Results After comparison between the children who have received anti-virus treatment for 1 to 5 years (including 5 year) and those for 5 to 10 year (including 10 years), the baseline CD4+ T cell counts were 436.5(265, 728)cells/μL and 334 (102, 535)cells/μL, respectively with the statistically significant difference (Z=-2.619, P<0.01).The last measured CD4+ T cell counts were 779 (622, 1 024)cells/μL and 720 (640, 977)cells/μL, respectively with no statistical significance (Z=-0.708, P>0.05);and viral inhibition rates were 92.9% and 97.6%, respectively with no statistical significance (χ2=1.071, P>0.05).The viral inhibition rate for the children receiving the treatment for 1 year was 85.7%, while that for whose treatment lasted for more than 10 years was 100.0%.A total of 5 cases developed drug-resistance (2 cases treated for 1 to 5 years and 3 cases for 5 to 10 years), and the virus replication was completely inhibited after switching to Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r).The drug compliance was more than 95.0%.64.8% of children met the standard height, while 68.5% met the standard body mass.The baseline and last measured CD4+ T cell counts showed no significant differences between family-raised and social organization-raised children (Z=-1.159 and -0.523, respectively, both P>0.05).The children from high-income families had no significant differences compared with those from low-income ones in terms of the baseline and last measured CD4+ T cell counts (Z=-0.019 and -0.776, respectively, both P>0.05).Conclusions The long-term anti-retroviral treatment can effectively elevate the CD4+ T cell counts, inhibit viral replication and ensure drug compliance, which may promote the growth and development of children.However, approximately 30% children are still lower than the normal standards in terms of height and body mass.The drug-taking observer plays a central role on treatment effect.Most of the children′s family suffer from poor economic conditions.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis in epithelial cancer of the ovary and offer scientific indications for lymph node radical dissection.

METHODSFifty-eight patients with ovarian cancer treated from January 1990 to December 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Single-factor and multifactor analysis with Logistic regression model were performed by SPSS 10.0 statistic software.

RESULTSThe metastasis rates of overall lymph nodes, pelvic nodes and para-aortic nodes were 48.3%, 37.9% and 25.9% respectively, among which no significant difference was noted (P > 0.05). Single-factor analysis showed that tumor location, ascitic condition, clinical stage and the size of residual tumor were associated with retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis. Multifactor analysis revealed that clinical stage and size of residual tumor were independent risk factors for metastasis of retroperitoneal lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONFor early ovarian cancer patients, it is extremely important to perform radical dissection of the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. For advanced or residual lesions, radical dissection of pelvic nodes and para-aortic nodes could be considered in the second exploration.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; drug therapy ; secondary ; surgery ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; drug therapy ; secondary ; surgery ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Second-Look Surgery

BACKGROUND: Visual-spatial neglect (VSN) is a neuropsychological syndrome, and right-hemisphere stroke is the most common cause. The pathogenetic mechanism of VSN remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) changes in patients with or without VSN after right-hemisphere stroke. METHODS: Eleven patients with VSN with right-hemisphere stroke (VSN group) and 11 patients with non-VSN with right-hemisphere stroke (non-VSN group) were recruited along with one control group of 11 age- and gender-matched healthy participants. The visual-spatial function was evaluated using behavioral tests, and ERP examinations were performed. RESULTS: The response times in the VSN and non-VSN groups were both prolonged compared with those of normal controls (P < 0.001). In response to either valid or invalid cues in the left side, the accuracy in the VSN group was lower than that in the non-VSN group (P < 0.001), and the accuracy in the non-VSN group was lower than that in controls (P < 0.05). The P1 latency in the VSN group was significantly longer than that in the control group (F[2, 30] = 5.494, P = 0.009), and the N1 amplitude in the VSN group was significantly lower than that in the control group (F[2, 30] = 4.343, P = 0.022). When responding to right targets, the left-hemisphere P300 amplitude in the VSN group was significantly lower than that in the control group (F[2, 30] = 4.255, P = 0.025). With either left or right stimuli, the bilateral-hemisphere P300 latencies in the VSN and non-VSN groups were both significantly prolonged (all P < 0.05), while the P300 latency did not differ significantly between the VSN and non-VSN groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Visual-spatial attention function is impaired after right-hemisphere stroke, and clinicians should be aware of the subclinical VSN. Our findings provide neuroelectrophysiological evidence for the lateralization of VSN.
Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; Perceptual Disorders ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Reaction Time ; genetics ; physiology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Stroke ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of tranilast on myocardial fibrosis in mice with viral myocarditis (VMC).

METHODSMale balb/c mice (n=72) were randomly divided into control, VMC and tranilast groups (n=24 each). In the VMC and tranilast groups, the mice were infected with Coxsackie virus B3 (CVB3) to prepare VMC model, while the control group was treated with Eagle's medium. After modeling, the tranilast group was administrated with tranilast [200 mg/(kg.d)] until the day before sampling. On days 7, 14 and 28 after CVB3 or Eagle's medium infection, heart specimens (n=8) were taken and examined after Toluidine blue staining and Nissl staining for counts of mast cells (MC), hematoxylin-eosin staining for myocardial pathological changes, and Masson staining for myocardial fibrosis. The expression of CTGF and type I collagen (Col I) in the myocardial tissue was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot. The correlations of CTGF mRNA expression with MC counts and Col I expression were analyzed.

RESULTSThe myocardial pathological changes and collagen volume fraction in the VMC group were significantly higher than in the control group at all three time points (P<0.05). Tranilast treatment significantly decreased the myocardial pathological changes and collagen volume fraction compared with the VMC group (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression of CTGF and Col I increased in the VMC group compared with the control group, and the increases were reduced with tranilast treatment (P<0.05). The number of MC was positively correlated to CTGF mRNA expression on the 7th day and 14th day (r=0.439, P=0.049) in the VMC group. There were positive correlations between the mRNA expression of Col I and CTGF on the 7th day and 14th day (r=0.646, P=0.007) and the 28th day (r=0.326, P=0.031).

CONCLUSIONSTranilast may inhibit the aggregation of MC and down-regulate the expression of CTGF, relieving myocardial fibrosis of mice with VMC.

Animals ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; genetics ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; drug therapy ; Enterovirus B, Human ; Fibrosis ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; Myocardium ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; ortho-Aminobenzoates ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the role of tranilast in the pathogenesis of myocardiac fibrosis in viral myocarditis.

METHODSSeventy-two BALB/C mice were randomly divided into control, model and intervention groups (n=24 each). Mice in the model and intervention groups were infected with Coxsackievirus B3 to induce viral myocarditis. The intervention group was given with tranilast (200 mg/kg) by gavage until sacrifice for sampling, while the other two groups were administered with the same volume of normal saline. Cardiac tissues were obtained from 8 mice on 7, 14 and 28 days after modeling. The mast cell number was observed by toluidine blue staining and thionine staining. The cardiac tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin as well as masson trichrome to observe the pathological changes in cardiac tissues. The mRNA and protein expression of osteopontin and transforming growth factor-β1 was measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively.

RESULTSIn the model group, the mRNA and protein expression of osteopontin reached the highest level on the 7th day, decreasing from the 14th day, and became to the least on the 28th day; while the expression of TGF-β1 increased from the 7th day, reaching a peak on the 14th day, and decreased slightly on the 28th day. The mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1 and OPN was lower in the intervention group than the model group (P<0.05), but higher than the control group (P<0.05). The expression of OPN mRNA was positively correlated to the number of mast cells.

CONCLUSIONSTranilast can reduce myocardial fibrosis by decreasing the number of mast cells, inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1 and OPN.

Animals ; Fibrosis ; Male ; Mast Cells ; drug effects ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocarditis ; complications ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Osteopontin ; analysis ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; analysis ; genetics ; ortho-Aminobenzoates ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate a genetic association for schizophrenia within chromosome 22q11 in a Chinese Han population.

METHODSThe PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was used to detect three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs165655 (A/G base change) and rs165815 (C/T base change) present in the ARVCF (armadillo repeat gene deletion in velocardiofacial syndrome) locus, and rs756656 (A/C base change) in the LOC128979 (expressed sequence tags, EST) locus, among 100 Chinese family trios consisting of fathers, mothers and affected offspring with schizophrenia. Genotype data were analyzed by using linkage disequilibrium (LD) methods including haplotype relative risk (HRR) analysis, transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and haplotype transmission analysis.

RESULTSThe genotype frequency distributions of three SNPs were all in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05). Both the HRR and the TDT analysis showed that rs165815 was associated with schizophrenia (chi2=6.447, df=1, P=0.011 and chi2=6.313, df=1, P=0.012, respectively), whereas the other two SNPs did not show any allelic association. The haplotype transmission analysis showed a biased transmission for the rs165655-rs165815 haplotype system (chi2=17.224, df=3, P=0.0006) and for the rs756656-rs165655-rs165815 hapoltype system (chi2=20.965, df=7, P=0.0038).

CONCLUSIONEither the ARVCF gene itself or a nearby locus may confer susceptibility to schizophrenia in a Chinese Han population.

Adult ; Armadillo Domain Proteins ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; genetics ; China ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Phosphoproteins ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Schizophrenia ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of different parameters (frequency, intensity, needle-retained time and treatment interval) of electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40) for adjusting blood lipids, so as to find out the optimization parameter.

METHODSFifty-four cases meeting the criteria for hyperlipoidemia were randomly divided into 27 groups with orthogonal design L27 (3(13) ). According to the orthogonal design program they were treated with electroacupuncture at Fenglong (ST 40). Ten sessions constituted one course with a one week's interval between two course. The treatment was given for 2 courses.

RESULTS(1) The parameters of EA at Fenglong (ST 40) for regulating blood lipids in primary and secondary orders are: frequency, needle-retained time, interval of treatment, intensity. (2) The parameters of EA at Fenglong (ST 40) for various programs in regulating various blood lipids are: for TG, frequency AM 50 Hz, needle-retained time 20 ain, intensity 1 mA, twice each week; for TC, frequency AM 100 Hz, needle-retained time 30 min, intensity 1 mA, once every other day; for LDL-C, frequency Am 100 Hz, needle-retained time 30 min, intensity tolerable and comfortable, once every other day.

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Electroacupuncture ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; therapy ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged