Objective To study the plasma TNF-α and endothelin (ET) levels in patient with subarach-noid hemorrhage(SAH). Methods The plasma TNF-α and ET levels were measured by ELISA and radioimmunity at 1,3,7,14 and 21 d after onset of SAH in 45 patients. Results The plasma TNF-α and ET levels in patients with SAH were higher than the normal controls(P<0.01),among which the highest levels appeared at 3 d and 7 d,and the levels of plasma TNF-α and ET in patients with SAH were decreased at 14 d. Those of high Hunt-Hess grade～groups was higher than those of lower grade～groups(P<0.01). Conclusion The plasma TNF-α and ET levels are significantly elevated in the patients with SAH,which suggests that TNF-α and ET may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SAH,and which suggests that is one of the possible ways to prevent and treat cardiovascular spasm (CVS) after SAH by inhibiting TNF-α and ET.

BACKGROUNDRecently, the p14 ARF gene has emerged as a new putative tumor suppressor gene, and the alteration of p14 ARF gene is closely related to development of multiple human tumors. The aberrant promoter methylation as a mechanism of inactivation of p14 ARF gene might participate in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate promoter methylation status and protein expression of p14 ARF gene in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and to value the role of p14 ARF promoter methylation in carcinogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODSPromoter methylation status and protein expression of p14 ARF gene were analyzed in 40 cases of pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), restriction enzyme-related polymerase chain reaction (RE-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTSThe positive rate of p14 ARF promoter methylation in tumor tissues and normal tissues adjacent to cancer was 17.5% (7/40) and 2.5% (1/40) respectively (P= 0.025 ). The results of RE-PCR were consistent with the above. The positive rate of p14 ARF protein in tumor tissues was significantly lower than that in normal tissues adjacent to cancer (P=0.003). Promoter methylation and protein expression of p14 ARF gene showed a significantly negative correlation (r=-0.56, P= 0.001 ), and both of them did not correlate statistically with the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients such as histological classification, TNM stages, differentiation grade and lymph node involvement.

CONCLUSIONSPromoter methylation is a crucial mechanism of inactivation of p14 ARF gene. Promoter methylation of p14 ARF gene might be involved in carcinogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer, and it is an early event in development process of non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the primary causes of cancer-induced death among the world. Although the network of molecular implicated in lung cancer is gradually revealed, the exact molecular mechanism of its occurrence and development has not been fully elucidated. As a class of small and endogenous single-stranded non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) are found in a wide range of organisms from plants, viruses to humans. miRNAs involve various functions in normal lung tissue development. They take part in a large amount of biological processes including cell growth, metabolism, proliferation and differentiation. However, aberrant expression of miRNAs could induce the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of lung tumor, so it is deemed the novel biomarkers. Similar to that of protein-coding genes, expression and function of miRNA are regulated by various factors and the epigenetic network which includes DNA methylation and histone modification. Moreover, key enzymes driving epigenetic modifications are regulated by miRNAs. Therefore, better understanding of inextricable linkage between miRNAs and epigenome will provides a basis for the feasibility of miRNA-orientated diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic strategies related to lung cancer in future.

Objective:To explore the application value of asthma prediction index (API) in the management of young wheezing children in primary hospitals.Methods:From July 2014 to December 2016, 137 children with recurrent wheezing diagnosed and treated in the People's Hospital of Qidong were selected for API evaluation.Forty-six children with positive API (treatment group) were given standardized treatment for childhood asthma, 43 patients with API positive (observation group) and 48 patients with API negative (control group) were given routine treatment (intermittent anti-inflammatory and antiasthmatic treatment). All children were given breathing nursing education and management, followed up to observe breathing control.Results:One child in the treatment group was withdrawn from the cohort, and the complete remission rates in the treatment group, observation group and control group were 86.7% (39/45), 9.3% (4/43) and 43.8% (21/48), respectively.The complete response rate in the treatment group and control group was higher than that in the observation group, and the differences were statistically significant (χ 2=53.39, 14.78, all P<0.05). Conclusion:API can effectively help pediatricians in primary hospitals to manage young wheezing children and improve the complete remission rate.