Objective To investigate the syndrome differentiation characteristics of children with atopic dermatitis(AD)and the immune imbalance status in children with different syndrome types of AD.Methods A total of 159 AD children and 100 normal control children were enrolled.The peripheral blood eosinophil(Eo)count was measured by impedance method,total serum immunoglobulin E(IgE)by immunoturbidimetric assay,and interferon-gamma(IFN-γ),interleukin-4(IL-4),interleukin-5(IL-5)and interleukin-17(IL-17)were measured by multiple microspheres flow immunofluorescence assay.Results Among 159 AD children,syndrome of heart-fire and spleen-deficiency was most commom,accounting for 38.4%,followed by syndrome of blood-deficiency and wind-dryness(22.0%),syndrome of heat accumulation in heart and spleen(20.1%)and syndrome of spleen-deficiency and dampness-accumulation(19.5%).Compared with normal control group,there was no significant difference in serum IFN-γ level among different syndrome types of AD.The levels of peripheral blood Eo,serum total IgE,IL-4 and IL-17 in AD with heart-fire and spleen-deficiency syndrome were significantly increased(P<0.05).The levels of peripheral blood Eo,IL-4,IL-5 and IL-17 in AD with blood-deficiency and wind-dryness syndrome were significantly increased(P<0.05).The levels of IL-4,IL-5 and IL-17 in AD with heat accumulation in heart and spleen syndrome were significantly increased(P<0.05).The levels of peripheral blood Eo and serum IL-4 in AD with spleen-deficiency and dampness-accumulation syndrome were significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Heart-fire and spleen-deficiency syndrome is the most common type in children with AD,however,the main type under 3 years old is heat accumulation in heart and spleen syndrome.Th2/Th17 immune imbalance are the main pathogenesis in heart-fire and spleen-deficiency syndrome,blood-deficiency and wind-dryness syndrome and heat accumulation in heart and spleen syndrome,and Th2 immune imbalance is the main pathogenesis of spleen-deficiency and dampness-accumulation syndrome.

Objective:To seek any differential effect of combining repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with a modified version of constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) on the walking ability of stroke survivors.Methods:Seventy-five stroke survivors were randomly divided into a sham rTMS group, an rTMS group and a combined group, each of 25. In addition to 40 minutes of routine rehabilitation daily, including balance training, transfer training, muscle strength training, and proprioceptive training five times a week for 4 weeks, the sham rTMS group and rTMS group received sham or genuine rTMS. The combined group received 20 minutes of rTMS followed by mCIMT training 30 minutes later. The treatment was performed once a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Before and after the treatment, all groups were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment, the Berg balance scale, a 10-metre walk test and the modified Barthel index.Results:Significant improvement was observed in the average scores of all three groups in all of the assessments. The combined group′s averages were, however, significantly better than those of the other two groups.Conclusion:Supplementing mCIMT with rTMS can better improve the walking and other abilities in the activities of daily living of stroke survivors.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of combining contralateral high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with biofeedback-controlled empty swallowing training on dysphagia among stroke survivors.Methods:Eighty dysphagic stroke survivors were divided at random into a control group, a biofeedback group, an rTMS group and a combined treatment group, each of 20. In addition to routine dysphagia rehabilitation, the biofeedback group and the rTMS group received empty swallowing training based on biofeedback or high-frequency rTMS applied to the healthy motor cortex as appropriate. The combined treatment group was given both. The treatment was administered once daily, 5 days a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Before and after the treatment, all of the subjects′ swallowing was evaluated using the penetration aspiration scale (PAS), functional oral intake scale (FOIS) and a standardized swallowing assessment (SSA). The latency and amplitude of the mylohyoid muscle′s motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were also recorded before and after the treatment.Results:After the treatment, significant improvement was observed in the average PAS, FOIS and SSA scores as well as in the latency and amplitude of the MEPs in the four groups. The average results in the combined treatment group were significantly better than in the other 3 groups. The latency of the mylohyoid muscle′s MEP was significantly shorter in the combined group than in the control and biofeedback groups on average, while the amplitude was significantly greater than in the control group.Conclusion:Combining contralateral high frequency rTMS with empty swallowing training based on biofeedback can better improve the swallowing of dysphagic stroke survivors.

Objective To compare the dose distribution between volumetric-modulated arc therapy ( VMAT ) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy ( IMRT ) in patients with brain metastases receiving hippocampus-sparing whole brain radiotherapy. Methods Forty-six patients with brain metastases admitted to our hospital from 2013 to 2016 were recruited in this study. After fusing the CT and MRI images, the hippocampus was delineated on the fusion images. The three-grade hippocampal avoidance regions were created by using a volumetric expansion of 3,5 and 10 mm surrounding the hippocampus. The planning target volume ( PTV) was calculated by subtracting the 5-mm expansion surrounding the hippocampus from the whole brain. The prescription dose was 30 Gy/10 fractions. The 7-field IMRT and single arc VMAT were designed for each case. The dose distribution of PTV,hippocampus and other organs at risk ( OARs) were evaluated in both plans. Results The PTV was statistically compared between VMAT and IMRT:V95:95. 90％ and 94. 97％( P=0. 000 );V90:98. 17％ and 97. 48％( P=0. 000 );CI:0. 825 and 0. 813 ( P=0. 013);HI:0. 277 and 0. 289(P=0. 025).The hippocampal dose was also compared between VMAT and IMRT:the Dmax of hippocampus was 1698. 9 cGy for VMAT and 1784. 9 cGy for IMRT (P=0. 002).TheDmean of hippocampus was 1183. 8 cGy for VMAT and 1112. 7 cGy for IMRT (P=0. 000).No statistical significance was observed between IMRT and VMAT in protecting the OARs except the chiasma opticum ( 3262. 6 cGy and 3529. 3 cGy,P=0. 000).The MU and treatment time of VMAT and IMRT were 651 and 2768( P=0. 000) ,and 188 s and 504 s ( P=0. 000) . Conclusions The dose distribution of PTV in VMAT is significantly better than that in IMRT. VMAT is advantageous in protecting the hippocampus than IMRT. VMAT can significantly shorten treatment time and MU and enhance the equipment utilization. Besides, VMAT can achieve the goal of protecting the hippocampus and meet the prescription dose requirement of PTV.

Background The population with diabetes in China is increasing year by year. Current research has found that either air pollution or temperature has an impact on the occurrence and development of diabetes, but the interaction between the two is unclear yet. Objective To investigate the effects and the lag effects of air pollutants and temperature on the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes in Hefei, Anhui Province from 2016 to 2019, as well as to verify potential interaction between air pollutants and temperature. Methods This study collected hospital admission data for patients with type 2 diabetes from a tertiary hospital in Hefei, Anhui Province, and the corresponding monitoring data on air pollutants and meteorological factors from 2016 to 2019. Firstly, a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to explore the effects of air pollutants and temperature on the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes. Subsequently, a bivariate response surface model was used to explore potential interaction between temperature and various pollutants on frequency of hospital admission due to diabetes. Temperature was further divided into lower, medium, and higher levels by percentiles during the study period, and the potential interaction between air pollutants and temperature strata were verified . Results After controlling long-term trend, seasonal trend, holiday effect, and day of the week effect, the results of single pollutant models showed that for every 10 μg·m⁻³ increase in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), the relative risk (RR) values for hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes were 1.032 (95%CI: 1.021, 1.043), 1.018 (95%CI: 1.008, 1.026), and 1.037 (95%CI: 1.016, 1.058), respectively; for every 1 mg·m⁻³ increase in carbon monoxide (CO), the RR value for hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes was 1.319 (95%CI: 1.163, 1.495); the increases in sulfur dioxide (SO₂), ozone (O₃), and daily average temperature showed no statistically significant impact on hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes. The results of bivariate response surface models suggested that daily average temperature and various pollutant levels spontaneously affected the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes, but the stratified analysis did not find significant differences in the effect of PM_2.5 on the risk of hospital admission due to type 2 diabetes across different temperature strata. Conclusion Increases in the concentrations of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and CO elevate the risk of hospital admission for type 2 diabetes. This study could not confirm the interactions between daily average temperature and various pollutants.

To explore the role of P2X4 receptor in opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH).
 Methods: A total of 30 Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: a saline (N0) group, a remifentanil at 0.5 μg/(kg.min) (R1) group, a remifentanil at 1.0 μg/(kg.min) (R2) group, a remifentanil at 1.5 μg/(kg.min) (R3) group, and a remifentanil at 5.0 μg/(kg.min) (R4) group. The paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) and paw withdrawal thermal latency (PWTL) were measured at follow time points to optimize the dosages: the day before treatment (T1), 30 min after tail intravenous catheterization (T2), and 30 min (T3), 1 h (T4), 2 h (T5), 24 h (T6) after withdrawal from remifentanil. Then, the rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a saline group (N group), a remifentanil at 1.0 μg/(kg.min) group (R group). The PWMT and PWTL were measured at follow time points: T1, T2, and T4. The lumbar enlargement of spine was selected at 1 h after withdrawal from remifentanil, and the expression of P2X4 receptor mRNA and protein was examined in OIH. Additional male rats were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups: a plantar incision surgery followed by saline treatment group (I+N group), a plantar incision surgery followed by remifentanil treatment group (I+R group). The PWMT and PWTL were measured at follow time points: T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, 48 h (T7) and 72 h (T8) after withdrawal from remifentanil. The lumbar enlargement of spine was selected at 1 h after withdrawal from remifentanil, the expression of P2X4 receptor mRNA and protein was examined by PCR and Western blotting, and the microglial activation in spine 1 h after withdrawal from remifentanil were assessed by immunofluorescence.
 Results: The pain thresholds including PWMT and PWTL in different groups were as follows: R4 group Animals ; Hyperalgesia ; Male ; Pain, Postoperative ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X4 ; Remifentanil ; Spinal Cord