To observe the changes of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4), factors related to T helper 1/T helper 2 (Th1/Th2), in airway inflammation in an asthmatic model of mice and the effects of Pingchuan Formula (PCF), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

Objective To evaluate the correlation between homologous recombination repair protein RAD51 and methotrexate-enhanced radiosensitivity.Methods Western blot and RT-PCR assays were used to detect RAD51 expression in HOS osteosarcoma cells exposed to γ-ray irradiation alone and in combination with methotrexate.Colony formation assay was used to test the survival fraction of HOS cells exposed to γ-rays and methotrexate.Results Methotrexate inhibited both protein and RNA expressions of RAD51,and the combination of radiation and methotrexate enhanced the inhibition of RAD51 expression.Moreover,transfection of cells with RAD51 gene decreased cellular sensitivity to methotrexate and γ-rays.The sensitizer enhancerment ratios after irradiation in combination with methotrexate were 1.51 and 0.99,respectively.Methotrenate was a preferred radiosensitizer to HOS cell.Conclusions RAD51 might be involved in the methotrexate-enhanced radiosensitivity.

To evaluate the effects of Bushen Gubiao Recipe (BGR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway and CD4(+)CD25(+)foxp3(+)regulatory T cells (CD4(+)CD25(+)foxp3(+)Tregs) in mice with recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs).

ObjectiveTo analyze the expression levels of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and their correlation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate their diagnostic values for HCC. MethodsA total of 160 patients consisting of 84 cases of HCC and 76 cases of liver cirrhosis, who were examined in the department of clinical laboratory, Yulin Xingyuan hospital, from December 2011 to December 2014, were selected in this study. The difference and correlation of AFP and GGT expression levels in the two groups were analyzed. The diagnostic cut-off values were determined based on sensitivity, specificity, Youden′s index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under the ROC curve. Comparison between two groups was made by independent-samples t test or Mann-Whitney U test. The correlation between AFP and GGT was determined by Spearman rank correlation analysis. ResultsThe AFP and GGT expression levels in the HCC group were significantly higher than those in the cirrhosis group (Z=-8.993, P＜0.05; Z=-7.647, P＜0.05). The expression levels of AFP and GGT in both groups were positively correlated (rs=0.531, P＜0.05; rs=0.416, P＜0.05). There was also a positive correlation between the AFP and GGT expression levels for all the subjects (rs=0.701, P＜0.05). The diagnostic accuracy of AFP and GGT for HCC was moderate. The maximum Youden′s index was 0.519 for AFP when its cut-off value was 100 ng/ml and the maximum Youden′s index was up to 0.494 for GGT when its cut-off value reached 150 U/L. A combination of AFP and GGT could increase the sensitivity and decrease the specificity in the diagnosis of HCC, but no significant change in the Youden′s index for AFP was observed. ConclusionThere is a significant positive correlation between the expression levels of GGT and AFP, but the combined measurement of AFP and GGT does not improve the accuracy of HCC diagnosis.

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of Xu's Liu Wei Xiaoqinglong Decoction on children's pneumonia with the syndrome of phlegm blocking in the lung.Method:86 cases were randomly divided into 2 groups,43 cases in each.Treatment group was treated by Liuwei Xiaoqinglong Decoction (granules),Control group was treated by San Ao Decoction (granules),both taken orally,twice per day,for 7 days.The clinical effects and syndrome integrals improvement were observed.Result:The total effective rate of the treatment group was 95.34％ and it was 81.39％ in the control group,the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P＜0.05).And the syndrome improvement of the treatment group was also significantly better than that of the control group.The disappearing time of major symtoms was statistically significantly shorter than that of the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion:Xu's Liu Wei Xiaoqinglong Decoction has certain effect on children's pneumonia with the syndrome of phlegm blocking in the lung and it should be applied in patient with simple syndrome of phlegm blocking in the lung,or in early stage of phlegm blocking in the lung,compared with cases with syndrome of phlegm blocking in the lung accompanied by spleen deficiency.

Objective To explore the difference between T cells in the synovial fluid and peripheral blood in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Method Samples from 22 patients were studied. The differentiation and activation markers expressed on T cell surface were detected by immunofluorscence using flow cytometer. The specific proliferation of collagen Ⅱ and heat shock protein 70 was analyzed using standard 3H-TdR incorporation method. Restricted V beta usage of these T cell was analyzed by semi-quantitied RT-PCR. Results The majority of the T cell subsets in the synovial fluid were demonstrated to be CD4 and CD8 positive cells in which (40?10)% were CD4 positive and (36?16)% were CD8 T cells respectively. The ratio between CD4 and CD8 was much lower than that found in the PBL of RA patients. The percentage of CD3+/CD25+ T cells was (16?6)%. The specific proliferation of collagen Ⅱ and HSP70 to CD3+/CD25+ T cell was higher than that of CD3+/CD25+ negative T cells. The T cell receptor expressed on the T cells from both peripheral blood and synovial fluid were tested for ?? TCR (70?26)%. However, the T cells in the synovial fluid showed V?14,16 and 17 restriction. Conclusion The data here reported indicates that T cell subsets in the synovial fluid and peripheral blood circulation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different. The T cells in the synovial fluid demonstrates more activation and higher reactivation to collagen Ⅱ and HSP70. The TCR of T cells showes V?14,16 and 17 restriction.

OBJECTIVETo study the cytomorphologic features of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

METHODSThe morphologic features in 153 pulmonary adenocarcinoma cytology specimens encountered during the period from September, 2011 to April, 2015 in Shanghai Cancer Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and/or immunohistochemistry (Ventana D5F3) for ALK gene rearrangement were carried out. The samples studied included 34 pleural effusion specimens, 40 endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspirates (EBUS-TBNA) and 79 fine needle aspirates of palpable masses on body surface.

RESULTSThirty-nine cases (25.5%) of ALK-rearranged samples were identified by FISH and/or immunohistochemistry, including 3 cases diagnosed by FISH and 36 cases by both technologies. The median age of the ALK-positive group was 50 years, significantly younger than that of the ALK-negative group (60 years old, P = 0.002). Only 4 of the ALK-positive patients were smokers, which was significantly less than that of the ALK-negative group (P < 0.01). In ALK-positive group, 3 cases showed cribriform pattern with prominent nucleoli, 3 cases showed cribriform pattern with mucin-rich cells and 8 cases showed extracellular mucus with mucin-rich cells. The above cytomorphologic patterns were significantly less common in ALK-negative tumors (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma is associated with certain distinctive morphologic patterns, including cribriform architecture, presence of prominent nucleoli, mucin-rich cells and extracellular mucus, which can be observed in cytology specimens (including conventional smears and cell block sections). These findings, when combined with clinical features, may give clues to detection of ALK-positive cases.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; China ; Gene Rearrangement ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; Retrospective Studies