Objective To investigate the effect of bronchodilators on dyspnea and pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD) at different degrees.Methods 50 patients with COPD from January 2014 to January 2015 in pneumology department of Tongchuan City People's Hospital were selected.According to the standard of Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD), the patients were divided into mild degree of 14 cases, moderate degree of 18 cases and severe degree of 18 case.The changes of Borg score of dyspnea, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and inspiratory capacity (IC) after received tiotropium bromide inhalation in each group.Results FEV1, FVC, PEF and IC values significant improved in mild, moderate and severe degree groups after received tiotropium bromide inhalation and the values of improvement rate changed significantly with degrees of disease ( P <0.05 ).The improvement rates of FEV1, FVC and IC were highest in patients at severe degree, improvement rate of PEF was highest in patients at mild degree (P<0.05).After received tiotropium bromide inhalation, the Borg score improved significantly compared with that of pre-treatment in mild, moderate and severe degree groups (P<0.05), the improvement rate of Borg score was highest in severe degree group(P<0.05).There were significantly positive correlations between Borg score and FEV1(r=0.372),FVC(r=0.296),PEF(r=0.284),IC(r=0.704)(all P<0.05).Conclusion Bronchodilator could significantly improve dyspnea and lung function in patients with COPD, and the improvement rate of FEV1, FVC and IC is highest in patients with COPD at server degree, PEF is highest at mild degree and Borg score is highest at server degree, which need the comprehensive analysis of each indicators for reversibility of airflow obstruction.

Objective To study the mutagenic action of antiepileptic drugs(AEDs), and find an effective way to prevent the mutagenesis induced by AEDs,by observing the effects of AEDs on serum folic acid(FA) level and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency in epileptic children.Methods Ninty epileptic children were divided into different groups on the basis of the different drugs they had taken, then detected the two indexes at different time points.Results The serum FA level and SCE frequency of the patients significantly decreased and increased after they took carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA)respectively. The two indexes went back respectively when supplied with FA.Conclusions Both CBZ and VPA possess mutagenic action, yet nitrazepam does not.FA may help repair the chromosome damage and reduce the mutagenesis effects.

Objective To investigate whether there is prethrombotic state in acute viral encephalitis.Methods Von willebrand factors (VWF),granule membrane protein-140(GMP-140) and D-dimer were measured in 60 children,30 cases of them had mild acute viral encephalitis, and other 30 cases of them had severe acute viral encephalitis.Results The figures mentioned above had marked difference in children with mild acute viral encephalitis during acute and recovery stage compared with controls.Conclusions Testing the expressive rate of GMP-140 on platelet surface,plasma VWF and D-dimer can find the prethrombotic state immediately. GMP-140,VWF and D-dimer in estimating the severe extent of disease and the prognosis play a major role. J Appl Clin Pediatr,2004,19(6):501-503

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Industry ; Inhalation Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Maximum Allowable Concentration ; Occupational Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Quartz

OBJECTIVETo investigate the drug-resistant genes at hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase region during entecavir (ETV) treatment.

METHODSSerum samples from chronic hepatitis B patients with virologic breakthrough during enticavir therapy were studied. The resistant mutation patterns in the polymerase gene of hepatitis B virus were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-sequencing method.

RESULTSETV resistance was detected from 19 out of 29 ETV-refractory patients, among whom 16 (84.2%) had a history of lamivudine-refractory. The mutation patterns were diverse, while rtL180 + rtM204 + rtT184 (58.6%, 17/29) was most common in patients with ETV genotype resistance. Four of 7 patients (7/29, 24.1%) with genotype B were detected to have ETV genotype resistance, while 15 of 22 patients (22/29, 75.9%) with genotype C were detected to have ETV genotype resistance. The rate of ETV genotype resistance was 57.1% (4/7) and 68.2% (15/22) in patients with genotype B and genotype C,while no statistical difference was found(P = 0.665).

CONCLUSIONSETV genotype resistance is more common in patients who have been refractory to ETV and lamivudine sequential treatment. rtM204+rtL180+rtT184 mutation is common in genotype B and C ETV resistance patients.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Guanine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the expressions of Wnt/beta-catenin and the effects of tanshinone IIA (TII A) on Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in high glucose induced renal tubular epithelial cell transdifferentiation.

METHODSHuman kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) were divided into three groups, i. e., the normal glucose group, the high glucose group, and the high glucose plus tanshinone IIA group. The expression of beta-catenin was observed using immunocytochemical staining. The protein expression of beta-catenin, E-cadherin, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) were detected by Western blot. The mRNA levels of beta-catenin and E-cadherin were detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the normal glucose group, both the protein and the mRNA expressions of beta-catenin were significantly enhanced (P < 0.01), the expression of E-cadherin significantly decreased (P < 0.01), the expression of beta-catenin increased in the cytoplasm and nucleus in the high glucose group. TIIA at the final concentration of 100 micromol/L significantly reduced the ectopic expression of beta-catenin. At that concentration, the protein and mRNA expressions of beta-catenin in the nucleus significantly decreased, while the protein and mRNA expressions of E-cadherin were up-regulated. Meanwhile, the expression of alpha-SMA obviously decreased.

CONCLUSIONSWnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway participated in the high glucose induced renal tubular epithelial cell transdifferentiation. TIIA inhibited the transdifferentiation process possibly through down-regulating the activities of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway, thus further playing a role in renal protection.

Cadherins ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Glucose ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Kidney Tubules, Proximal ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; drug effects ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the metabolic characteristics of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in isolated postchallenge hyperglycemia(IPH) and to clarify the factors responsible for the development of IPH. Methods(Eight hundred) and fifty subjects were classified into the following three groups based on the results of a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT): normal glucose tolerance(NGT),n=557;isolated impaired glucose tolerance(iIGT),n=146;and IPH,n=147.Insulin secretion(insulinogenic index) and insulin sensitivity(insulin sensitivity index) were identified in the three groups. Results From NGT to iIGT and IPH in these subjects,the insulinogenic index and insulin sensitivity index were gradually decreased(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical significance of neutralizing anti-interferon-alpha antibodies (NA) in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with recombinant interferon-alpha(rIFN-alpha).

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-one patients (128 male and 53 female) with histological proven chronic hepatitis B were treated with 5 MU recombinant interferon-alpha 1b (rIFN-alpha 1b) subcutaneously thrice weekly for 6 to 37 (median 10) months. For each patient, Specific detection of serum HBV DNA level with fluorescent-quantitative PCR, HBeAg with enzymoimmunoassay and NA with an antiviral neutralizing biological assay were performed during therapy.

RESULTSNA was found in 61 (33.7%) of 181 patients. At the end of treatment, complete-response was achieved in 17 (27.9%) of 61 patients with NA and in 54 (45.0%) of 120 patients without NA, respectively (chi2=4.979). For NA positive patients, the complete-response rate was significantly lower in those who had not achieved partial-response prior to or at the same time as NA occurred than in those who did (3.8%, 1/26, vs. 45.7%, 16/35, chi2 = 7.457). Moreover, it was lower in patients who either had 20pg/ml of serum HBV DNA or above or HBV DNA had being reduced by less than 60% recent 3 months, but higher in those who had less than 20pg/ml of HBV DNA and HBV DNA had being reduced by 60% or above (20.0%, 9/45, vs. 56.3%, 9/16, chi2 = 11.009).

CONCLUSIONNA may negate the antiviral effects of rIFN-alpha in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with rIFN-alpha, especially if they appear before partial-response or at the occasion at which serum HBV DNA level was not below 20pg/ml or HBV DNA had being reduced by less than 60% recent 3 months.

Antibodies ; blood ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the features of white matter myelin development in preterm infants using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

METHODSA total of 31 preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks and a birth weight of <1 500 g were enrolled. According to head MRI findings, these infants were divided into preterm group with brain injury (12 infants) and preterm group without brain injury (19 infants). A total of 24 full-term infants were enrolled as control group. Head MRI and DTI were performed at a gestational age or corrected gestational age of 37-40 weeks. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured for the same regions of interest in the three groups.

RESULTSThe preterm group with brain injury showed a significantly lower FA value of the posterior limb of the internal capsule than the preterm group without brain injury and full-term control group (P<0.05). The preterm groups with and without brain injury showed significantly lower FA values of frontal white matter and lenticular nucleus than the full-term control group (P<0.05). The FA value of occipital white matter showed no significant differences among the three groups (P>0.05). Compared with the full-term control group, the preterm groups with and without brain injury showed significantly higher ADC values of the posterior limb of the internal capsule, lenticular nucleus, occipital white matter, and frontal white matter (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter brain injury, preterm infants tend to develop disorder or delay of white matter myelination in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. At a corrected full-term gestational age, the preterm infants with and without brain injury have a lower grade of maturity in periventricular white matter and grey matter than full-term infants.

Brain Injuries ; physiopathology ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; physiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Myelin Sheath ; physiology ; White Matter ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo establish the method for cotransferring human A20 gene and human heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene into the isolated rat islets using lentiviral transfection system, and to study the protective effect of A20 and HO-1 protein against the apoptosis induced by cycloheximide (CHX) and TNF-α, and finally to explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODThe A20 gene and HO-1 gene were cloned and inserted into the lentiviral transfection system. The efficacy of gene transfer was measured by the intensity of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fluorescence-positive islets. Western blot was applied to verify the expression of the A20 and HO-1 genes. To induce apoptosis in vitro, the isolated islets were treated with CHX+TNF-α, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and the fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) methods were used to evaluate the apoptosis of the islet cells and Western blot was used to detect caspase-3 activation.

RESULT(1) A20 and HO-1 genes were introduced into the isolated islets by lentiviral transfection, both of the genes were highly expressed in the islets after 96 hours culture detected by Western blot method. (2) The insulin levels in the cell culture medium from A20 and/or HO-1 transgenic islets were significantly higher than that in non-transgenic controls (P < 0.01). (3)After CHX + TNF-alpha treatment, the cell culture medium insulin concentration in the A20 gene transfected group [(93.58 ± 4.12)µg/ml], HO-1 gene transfected group [(88.98 ± 4.77) µg/ml ] and A20/HO-1 co-transfected group [(103.33 ± 3.16) µg/ml] were significantly higher than that in the EGFP group [(9.03 ± 0.65) µg/ml ] and the control group [(8.86 ± 0.38) µg/ml] (P < 0.001). Minimum expression level of the activated caspase-3 was found in the A20/HO-1 co-transfected group.

CONCLUSIONThe lentiviral gene transfer system was an efficient and stable gene transfer vector, the over-expressed A20 and HO-1 protein delivered via lentivirus could preserve rats' islets function and act against the apoptosis induced by CHX and TNF-α.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Genetic Vectors ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Islets of Langerhans ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiology ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Male ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transfection ; methods ; Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology