Animals ; Rats ; Specimen Handling ; methods ; Spinal Cord

OBJECTIVETo study the regulatory role of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS ) in the development of bronchial asthma by examining the effects of LPS on serum IL-4, serum IL-8 and pulmonary vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in mice with asthma.

METHODSTwenty-seven BALB/c mice were randomly assigned into control, asthma and LPS-treated asthma groups (n=9 each). Serum IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations were measured using ELISA. VEGF expression in lung tissues was examined using the immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSSerum IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations in the asthma group were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). LPS treatment significantly decreased serum IL-4 and IL-8 concentrations compared with the asthma group (P<0.05), although levels were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Airway VEGF expression in the asthma group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). LPS treatment significantly decreased airway VEGF expression compared with the asthma group (P<0.05), although concentrations remained higher than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLPS can decrease serum IL-4, serum IL-8 and pulmonary VEGF expression in mice with asthma, and thus can possibly reduce both airway inflammation and airway vascular remodeling.

Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Female ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis ; physiology

Airway Remodeling ; physiology ; Animals ; Asthma ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; PPAR gamma ; biosynthesis ; Rats

Adolescent ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy ; etiology ; Male ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVE To study the content and distribution characteristics of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in nasal mucosa of murine model of allergic rhinitis.METHODS 6-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into control group and experimental group.Mice of experimental group were sensitized by means of dropping OVA in nasal cavity and intraperitoneal injection of OVA. Meanwhile,mice of control group were dealt with physiological saline instead of OVA.The content of TSLP in nasal mucosa of mice was tested by means of real-time PCR and its distribution was detected by means of immunohistochemistry staining.RESULTS The content of TSLP was obviously higher in nasal mucosa of experimental group than that of control group.It was distributed mainly in lamina propria and on the surface of epithelium.CONCLUSION TSLP may play an important role in allergic rhinitis of the mice.

Objective To investigate the clinical value for treatment of diabetic foot with PTA and PTA combined cinepazide maleate.Methods In 24 cases of diabetic associated vascular disease of lower limb,12 cases were treated with PTA and other 12 cases were treated with PTA combined einepazide maleate,We analysed and compared clinical effects before and after the procedure,together with 3 months follow up.Results In patients treated with PTA,the clinical symptom scores of posttreatment and follow-up decreased;ABI and TcPO_2 increased significantly.The clinical symptom score and ABI of follow-up remained,stable,but TcPO_2 decreased significantly.Control angiography showed improvement in degree of vascular stenosis and peripheral staining of 11 patients after treatment.The vascular patency remained in 12 patients and the peripheral staining decreased in 7 patients on follow-up.In patients treated with VIA combined cinepazide maleate,the clinical symptom score,ABI and TcPO_2 after treatment and on follow-up showed no signifcant changes compared with those in patients treated by PTA.F,Control angiography showed that the degree of vascular stenosis and peripheral staining were improved in 12 patients after treatment.The vascular pateney was maintained and peripheral staining was improved on follow-up.Before and after treatment,there were no significant differences in clinical symptom score.ABI and TcPO_2 between patients treated with PTA and PTA combined cinepazide maleate,however,there were significant differences in clinical symptom score and TcPO_2 on follow-up.Conclusion PTA can significantly improve clinical symptom of diabetic foot and the application of cinepazide maleate is a benefitial and necessary supplement.PTA combined cinepazide maleate can be taken as one of the conventional treatment plans for diabetic foot.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:811-815)

Objective To explore the differences in health care quality,scale,output,efficiency,cost and financial condition between freestanding secondary hospitals and system-affiliated secondary hospitals in Shanghai,and analyse the determinants of hospital integration. Methods Eleven upper secondary hospitals in Shanghai integrated between 2000 and 2004 were selected,and another 40 secondary hospitals (including 30 upper secondary hospitals and 10 middle secondary hospitals) without integration were served as controls. Using related data of 1999,Mann-Whitney U test was performed to analyse the differences between these two groups,and Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the determinants of hospital integration. Results There were significant differences in health care quality,scale,and output between these two groups (P0.05). It was revealed by Logistic regression analysis that health care quality,scale,output,and financial condition were determinants of integration. Conclusion System-affiliated secondary hospitals have advantages over freestanding hospitals in health care quality,scale,output and financial condition,and those with better health care quality,larger scale,larger output and better financial condition are more likely to be integrated by tertiary hospitals.

OBJECTIVETo observe analgesic effect of electroacupuncture ( EA) on rats with chronic inflammatory pain and its regulatory mechanism on ispilateral dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal dorsal horn (SDH) Mas-related G protein-coupled C receptor (MrgprC).

METHODSTotally 40 healthy male SD rats were divided into 4 groups according to random number table, i.e., the normal (N) group, the model (M) group, the acupuncture (Acu) group, the EA group, 10 rats in each group. The model of chronic inflammatory pain was established by subcutaneous injecting 0. 1 mL complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into right hind paw. Paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were measured before modeling, at day 1, 3, 5, 7, and after CFA injection, respectively. Expression levels of MrgprC in ispilateral DRG and SDH were detected by Western blot. The content of bovine adrenal medulla 22 (BAM22) in SDH was detected by immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSCompared with N group at each time point, PWTs significantly decreased in M group (P <0. 01). Compared with M group, PWTs significantly increased at day 5 of EA and after EA in EA group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with Acu group at each time point, post-EA PWTs significantly increased in the EA group (P < 0.05). Compared with N group, expression of MrgprC in ispilateral DRG and ratio of BAM22 positive cells in ispilateral SDH increased in M group (P < 0.01). Compared with M group, expression of MrgprC in ispilateral DRG and ratio of BAM22 positive cells in ispilateral SDH increased in the EA group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA had favorable analgesic effect on chronic inflammatory pain induced by CFA, and its mechanism might be possibly associated with up-regulating MrgprC expression in ispilateral DRG and BAM22 content in ispilateral SDH.

Analgesia ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Enkephalins ; metabolism ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Ganglia, Spinal ; drug effects ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Pain Management ; methods ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Posterior Horn Cells ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Effects of different drying methods including sun drying, steamed, boiled, constant temperature drying (at 40, 50, 60 °C) on appearance, hardness, rehydration ratio, dry rate, moisture, total ash, extractive and polysaccharides contents were studied to provide the basis of standard processing method for Tulipa edulis bulbus. The results showed that the treatments of sun drying and 40 °C drying showed higher rehydration ratios, but lower dry rate, higher hardness, worse color, longer time and obvious distortion and shrinkage in comparison with other drying methods. The treatments of 60 °C constant temperature drying resulted in shorter drying time, lower water and higher polysaccharides content. Drying time is shorter and appearance quality is better in the treatment of steaming and boiling compared with other treatments, but the content of extractive and polysaccharides decreased significantly. The treatments of 50 °C constant temperature drying led to similar appearance quality of bulb to commercial bulb, and it resulted in lowest hardness and highest dry rate as well as higher rehydration ratio, extractive and polysaccharides content, moderate moisture and total ash contents among these treatments. Based on the results obtained, 50 °C constant temperature drying is the better way for the processing of T. edulis bulbus.
Color ; Desiccation ; methods ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; Quality Control ; Tulipa ; chemistry ; Water ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the risk factors for the development of fungal pneumonia in neonates.

METHODSA total of 260 neonates with nosocomial infectious pneumonia were classified into two groups: fungal pneumonia (n=160) and bacterial pneumonia (n=100). Their medical data were retrospectively studied.

RESULTSEighty-seven percent of patients in the fungal pneumonia group had a duration of hospital stay of >10 days, but 30.1% of patients in the bacterial pneumonia group (p<0.01). The preterm infants in the fungal pneumonia group accounted for 49.5%, which was significantly higher than that in the bacterial pneumonia group (22.0%) (p<0.01). In the fungal pneumonia group, 59.9% of patients showed a weight of <2 500 g, but 34.0% of patients in the bacterial pneumonia group (p<0.01). The duration of the combined use of more than two broad-spectrum antibiotics (p<0.05) and the total duration of antibiotics use in the fungal pneumonia group was significantly longer than that in the bacterial pneumonia group (p<0.05). Nosocomial infectious bacterial pneumonia was common as the primary disease of fungal pneumonia (n=145).

CONCLUSIONSPremature delivery, lower weight, longer duration of hospital stay and antibiotics use, and combined use of more than two broad-spectrum antibiotics may increase the risk of fungal pneumonia in neonates. The development of fungal pneumonia may be related to nosocomial infectious bacterial pneumonia in neonates.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; adverse effects ; Cross Infection ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Mycoses ; etiology ; Pneumonia ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors