Objective To explore the changes and role of levels of serum IL-18 and IL-13 in children with Guillain-Barr? syndrome(GBS).Methods The levels of serum IL-13 and IL-18 were determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsordent assay(ELISA)in 42 children with GBS(GBS group)in stages of acute and recovery,and compared with the normal control(NC)group.Results The serum levels of IL-18 and IL-13 in GBS group at acute stage[(44.87?7.53)pg/ml,(37.46?6.94)pg/ml] were significantly higher than those at recovery stage[(38.25?5.86)pg/ml,(32.14?6.89)pg/ml] and NC group[(32.35?4.93)pg/ml,(24.76?5.59)pg/ml](all P

Objective To study the relationship between serum amyloid A(SAA)and the common carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)in type 2 diabetic(T_2DM)patients.Methods Sixty-nine patients with type 2 diabetes,and 20 healthy subjects regarded as the normal controls(NC)were enrolled in the study from January to July of 2005.SAA levels were measured using ELISA.The carotid IMT were examined by hypersensitive color Doppler ultrasonography.Results SAA level was significantly elevated in type 2 diabetes group compared with that in the control3.08(2.1~5.06)mg/L vs 1.37(1.07~1.86)mg/L,P

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome ; blood ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; blood ; Interleukin-13 ; blood ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; Male

Objective To study the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF),thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and the mi- crovessel density (MVD) and their relationship in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Methods Forty-six specimens of resected, paraffin embedded esophageal specious of squamous cell carcinoma were examined by immunohistochemical technique for the MVD and expression of bFGF and TSP-1.Results Of the 46 patients,the positive rate of bFGF and TSP-1 were 60.9% (28/46) and 37.0% (17/46),respectively.The mean value of MVD was (56.59?28.97)/mm~2.The depth of invasion had a significantly positive corre- lation with positive expression of bFGF and TSP-1.TNM stage had a significantly positive correlation with positive expression of TSP- 1.The value of MVD was closely associated with histological grade,lymph node metastasis and the expression of bFGF.Conclusion bFGF,TSP-1 and tumor microvessel play important roles in development and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. bFGF is a important regulator of tumor angiogenesis.

This paper discusses the limitations of current NO inhalation systems, based on the research in collocation of NO, inspection of NO/NO2 and synchronous working of NO inhalation systems with ventilators. And then, the developing trend of NO inhalation systems is put forward here too.
Administration, Inhalation ; Nitric Oxide ; administration & dosage ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; trends

OBJECTIVETo further demonstrate the cognition upon the prominent effect of Yiguanjian and Xiayuxue Decoction on the CCI4 induced rat model of chronic liver fibrosis which have been verified in the previous studies. From the viewpoint of detecting TCM syndrome by recipe used, through this cognition the pathological features of the liver injury model manifesting a syndrome of "Gan-yin deficiency with blood stasis obstructing collaterals" were further explored.

METHODSWistar rats were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group, and the three medicated groups. All rats, except those in the normal group, were made into chronic liver injury model by subcutaneously injecting CCI4 for 12 weeks. Medication for the three medicated groups began from the 9th week after modeling, with oral administering of Yiguanjian (YGJ, a recipe has been verified to be effective for liver injury and fibrosis), Liuwei Dihuang Decoction (LWDH, a recipe with effects similar to YGJ) and Yinchenhao Decoction (YCHD, a recipe functioned differently) respectively for four weeks. Rats were sacrificed at the end of the experiment, changes of hepatic function, liver pathology and hydroxyproline (Hyp) content in the liver tissue were detected, and contents of Afamin and mRNA expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) in the liver tissue were assayed as well with Real-time PCR.

RESULTSAs compared with the normal group, the pathological figures of the chronic liver injury and fibrosis and hepatic function deterioration obviously appeared in the model rats, with the liver content of Hyp and alpha-SMA mRNA expression increased, and Afamin mRNA expression decreased significantly. In the YGJ treated group, the hepatic collagen hyperplasia and deteriorated hepatic function alleviated significantly after treatment, with content of Hyp significantly lowered, and mRNA expressions of alpha-SMA and Afamin restored to some extent (P < 0.05); the same effects on mRNA expressions of alpha-SMA and Afamin were shown in the LWDH treated group, also a decreasing trend of Hyp content (0.05 < P < 0.1), and a significant decreasing of alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was found; while in the YCHD treated group these pharmacological effects mentioned above were not observed at all.

CONCLUSIONThe pharmacological effects of LWDH and YGJ were similar to some degree, which gives support to the cognition that the feature of chronic liver injury model rat induced by CCI4 is attributable to yin-deficiency sydrome.

Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis ; drug therapy

Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Parathyroid Glands

Proteomics is an emerging discipline developed on the basis of genomics.The fundamental techniques of proteomics include sample preparation,protein separation,protein identification and analysis,and its core techniques are two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry.In recent years,proteomics has been used in researching the field of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB).Proteomics promotes deep understanding of the pathogenesis of MTB and resistance mechanism via isolating,identifying and analyzing the whole-cell protein and secreted proteins.The development of new vaccine against MTB has showed some promising results based on proteomics.Some powerful early diagnostic markers have been discovered via analyzing the protein composition of MTB clinical isolates.Proteomics also applies to find potential new drug targets,and it has shown many valuable research productions in developing new an-ti-MTB drugs.In summary,the application of proteomics has built a solid foundation for the development of prevention,early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

ObjectiveTo identify the framework for assessing health related quality of life(HRQOL) of Kaschin-Beck disease(KBD),in order to reflect the impact of KBD on quality of life in patients with the disease.MethodsQualitative descriptive research was adopted.Semi-open ended questions were developed by using the World Health Organization(WHO) definitions of health and quality of life.Group interview and face to face interviews were conducted on 48 patients with KBD and 29 health care experts on KBD in Linyou and Yongshou counties,Shaanxi province,which were higher prevalence areas of KBD.Content template analysis was conducted and the template was based on the WHOQOL-100's framework.ResultsThe framework of HRQOL for KBD included four domains:physical activity,familial/social support,economic and psychological state.There were also eleven facets which were:pain and discomfort,physical function and activity limitation,diet and sleeping,social relationship,concerns of family responsibilities,social support,economic,housing and the surrounding environment,appearance concerns,mental health,and general state of health.The total entries were 69.ConclusionsThe framework for assessing HRQOL of KBD is established.The framework highlights the impact of KBD on the patients' quality of life with higher specificity.

[ABSTRACT]OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between upper airway MRI parameters and the severity of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Then the values of upper airway MRI parameters in waking state were assessed.METHODS The MRI upper airway parameters of 37 OSAHS patients and 18 nonsnoring normal subjects were measured and compared. Then data analysis were carried out to find out significant correlations between the MRI upper airway parameters and the severity of patients (the apnea hypopnea index, AHI; the lowest oxygen saturation, LSaO2; the oxygen desaturation index, ODI) with OSAHS.RESULTSThe correlation between cross-sectional areas and left-right diameter in the narrowest retropalatal region, the thickness of lateral pharyngeal wall, the length of the tongue, the length and thickness of the soft palate and the cross-sectional areas of the soft palate on midsagittal planes and severity of OSAHS were found (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONThe MRI upper airway parameters can be used in evaluating the severity of OSAHS in some ways, locating the obstruction sites and choosing the best treatment planning.