Objective:To detect the interleukin-22(IL-22) levels in peripheral blood of the asthma patients and analyze the relationship between the IL-22 levels and IgE,pulmonary function,fractional exhaled nitric oxide(FENO),and to investigate the role of IL-22 in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Methods:Seventy-eight patients with asthma were selected as experiment group.The asthma patients were divided into increased IgE group (n=46)and normal IgE group(n=32)according to the IgE levels.The asthma patients were also divided into acute attack stage and clinical control stage according to patients' clinical symptoms.In addition, twenty healthy controls were chosen as healthy control group.The plasma IL-22 levels, IgE,forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and FENO levels of the subjects in various groups were detected and compared between various groups.The correlations between the plasma IL-22 levels and IgE, FEV1,FENO were analyzed.Results:The plasma IL-22 level and FENO level of the patients in asthma group were higher than those in healthy control group(P<0.05).The IL-22 level and FENO level of the patients in clinical control stage were lower than those in acute attack stage,but they were still higher than those in healthy control group(P<0.05).The plasma IL-22 level of the patients in increased IgE group was higher than that in normal IgE group(P<0.05).There were significant negative correlations between the IL-22 levels and FEV1 in the asthma patients in acute attack group and clinical control group(r=-0.365 3,P<0.05;r=-0.267 2,P<0.05),but there was no significant correlation between the IL-22 levels and FENO(r=0.011 9,P>0.05;r=0.059 8,P>0.05).Conclusion:The increased expression of IL-22 in peripheral blood of the patients with asthma may participate in the pathogenesis of asthma,and may aggravate the deterioration of pulmonary function of the asthma patients.

Lynch syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by the early onset of colon cancer, endometrial cancer and other tumors caused by a genetic mutation within DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes.A small subgroup (approximately 3% -5%) of endometrial cancer and colorectal cancer is related to Lynch syndrome .Identification of these patients in clinical practice will be of great benefit to the relatives and patients themselves .We reported two cases, and reviewed the literature and clinical diagnostic guideline.MMR protein was lost in the tumors.Meanwhile the two cases had different clinicopathological characteristics.Together with the literature, our findings may suggest that the MMR protein expression, associated molecular alterations and clinicopathological features and biological behavior of endometrial cancer and colorectal cancer related to Lynch syndrome are different .Thus the algorithm for detection the patients at highest risk is different .To detect the MMR loss by immunohisto-chemistry is a practicalscreening method.

Objective: To observe the effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) plus Luohua Anshen oral liquid for patients with perimenopausal insomnia. Methods: A total of 66 participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the randomized controlled trial and allocated to a treatment group and a control group at a ratio of 1:1, with 33 cases in each group. Both groups were given Luohua Anshen oral liquid as a basic treatment. The treatment group was additionally given EA every other day, three times a week. Both groups were treated for four weeks and a four-week follow-up was conducted. The scores of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Kupperman index (KI) and traditional Chinese medicine sleep syndrome scale (TCMSSS) were recorded at pre- and post-treatment, and at the follow-up. Meanwhile, adverse effects were monitored and recorded. Results: After four-week treatment, the global scores of PSQI, KI and TCMSSS in both groups declined significantly (all P<0.05), and the decreases in the treatment group were more significant than those in the control group (allP<0.05). The global scores of PSQI, KI and TCMSSS in both groups at the follow-up visit were significantly different from the corresponding baseline (allP<0.05), while insignificantly different from those assessed at post-treatment (allP>0.05). The total effective rate was 93.9％ in the treatment group, significantly higher than 72.2％ in the control group (P<0.05). No significant adverse event was reported in this trial excepted one patient experienced slight dizziness in the first acupuncture treatment. Conclusion: EA plus Luohua Anshen oral liquid is safe for perimenopausal insomnia with satisfactory short- and long-term effectiveness, and it shows certain advantage compared with using Luohua Anshen oral liquid alone.

AIM: To investigate the action of diltiazem (a calcium antagonist) on the expression of heme oxygenase (HO) -1 and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the small pulmonary arteries (SPA) of rat in chronic hypoxia. METHODS: Chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension models were established by treating the rats in hypoxic environment[(10%?1%)O 2] for 6 weeks. After 2 weeks of hypoxia, rats were treated with diltiazem (15 mg/kg/day). Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) were measured. Pathological changes in the lungs were observed under the light microscope and transmission electron microscope. The expression and distribution of heme oxygenase (HO) -1, endothelial NOS (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) were tested by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Guanosine-3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) of lung tissues were detected with radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Diltiazem significantly decreased abnormal RVSP, and RVHI in model rats, attenuated the SPA media thickeness, and recovered abnormal eNOS and iNOS expression in SPA. Whereas diltiazem had little effect on the increased HO-1 expression in SPA caused by hypoxia and ultrastructure injury in endothelium. cGMP levels were corresponded with HO-1. CONCLUSION: Diltiazem has a significant effect on inhibiting hypoxic pulmonary hypertension structural remodeling. These effects might be partly attributed to the suppression of iNOS, promotion of eNOS, and not attenuation HO-1 expression in the lung of hypoxic rats.

Objective:To observe the efficacy and safety of dexzopiclone plus auricular acupressure in intervening primary insomnia.Methods:A total of 72 participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial,with 36 cases allocated to a treatment group and 36 cases allocated to a control group.Both groups were given dexzopiclone as the routine treatment.Patients in the treatment group were given auricular acupressure with Wang Bu Liu Xing (Semen Vaccariae) seeds at the auricular acupoints related to sleep and emotion based on meridian theory,whereas for patients in the control group,the medical plasters with Wang Bu Liu Xing (Semen Vaccariae) seeds were only gently stuck to acupoints unrelated to sleep without stimulation.Patients in both groups were required to visit the hospital once a week for replacing the seeds and plasters.The course of intervention lasted for 8 weeks and the patients were followed up for another 4 weeks.Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Karolinska sleep diary (KSD) were used to evaluate the outcomes.Meanwhile,adverse effects were monitored and recorded.Results:In the enrolled 72 cases,4 patients (one in the treatment group and three in the control group) reported thirst and a bitter taste,and one case in the control group reported nausea and vomiting.At last,3 cases in the control group dropped out for adverse reactions,and 69 cases completed the clinical trial.After 8 weeks of treatment,the global scores of PSQI in both treatment and control groups decreased significantly compared with the baseline (both P＜0.001).Furthermore,the global score of PSQI in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (P＜0.01).The global scores of PSQI in both groups at the follow-up were significantly different from the baseline (both P＜0.001),but insignificantly different compared with the post-treatment results (both P＞0.05).According to KSD,both treatment protocols could prolong the total sleep time,shorten sleep-onset latency,improve sleep efficacy and sleep quality significantly,and the changes in the treatment group were more significant.The total effective rate was 88.9％ in the treatment group,higher than 81.8％ in the control group,though the difference was statistically insignificant (P＞0.05).Conclusion:Dexzopiclone plus auricular acupressure is effective and safe for patients with primary insomnia both in short and long terms,and it is more effective than monotherapy of dexzopiclone.

Objective:To evaluate the anxiety and depression symptoms of burning mouth syndrome (BMS), and to explore risk factors to BMS.Method:In this case-control study,147 patients with BMS and 140 sex-and age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited.Three questionnaires were used to collect information of psychical and mental condition.The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS)were applied to evaluate symptoms of anxiety and depression.The scores of SAS and SDS were statistically analyzed by t-test.The risk factors of BMS were statistically analyzed by Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.Result:The scores of SAS and SDS were higher in the patients with BMS than in the controls [SAS:(44.4 ±9.9)vs. (35.7 ±6.2);SDS:(48.1 ±11.6)vs.(37.5 ±8.9)].The risk factors of BMS included ischemic stroke (OR =4.46,95%CI:1.87 -10.95),low level of education (OR =1.91,95%CI:1.04 -3.49),anxiety symptom (OR =8.12,95%CI:2.60 -25.37)and depression symptom (OR =2.57,95%CI:1.26 -5.27).Conclusion:BMS is a multi-factorial disease.It indicates that ischemic stroke,lower level of education,anxiety symptom and depression symptom are the risk factors of BMS.A positive association could be established between psychological alterations and BMS.According to these findings it can be assumed that mental factors should be taking into account in the etiologyof BMS.It should be advocated to treat BMS patients by psychotherapy.

Aneuploidy ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Male ; Spermatozoa ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy and safety of Danlong Oral Liquid (DOL) combined Western medicine (WM) in treating mild-to-moderate bronchial asthma patients (heat wheezing syndrome) at acute onset.

METHODSTotally 480 mild-to-moderate bronchial asthma patients (heat wheezing syndrome) at acute onset were randomly assigned to two groups in the ratio 3:1, the treatment group (360 cases) and the control group (120 cases). All patients received basic WM treatment. Patients in the treatment group took DOL, 10 mL each time, 3 times per day for 7 days in total, while those in the control group took Kechuanning Oral Liquid (KOL) , 10 mL each time, 3 times per day for 7 days in total. Efficacy for asthma symptoms, lung functions and scores of TCM syndrome and/or main symptoms were evaluated.

RESULTSThe percentage of clinical control and significant effectiveness of asthma symptoms in the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group (77.36% vs 56.07%, P < 0.01). The percentage of clinical control and significant effectiveness of lung functions in the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group (74.28% vs 50.00%, P < 0.01). The anterior-posterior difference in scores of TCM syndrome was significantly superior in the treatment group than in the control group (-11.26 ± 4.70 vs -9.21 ± 5.09, P < 0.01). The anterior-posterior difference in scores of main symptoms was significantly better in the treatment group than in the control group (-6.58 ± 3.08 vs -5.16 ± 3.45, P < 0.01). The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group [1.73% (6/346 cases) vs 10.17% (12/118 cases) , P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONDOL combined WM was superior to KOL in treating mild-to-moderate bronchial asthma patients (heat wheezing syndrome) at acute onset.

Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; Biomedical Research ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Lung ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Respiratory Sounds ; Syndrome

Objective To investigate the expression and mechanism of microRNA-148b (miRNA-148b) in high glucose-induced renal tubular injury.Method HK-2 cells cultured in vitro were divided into normal glucose group,mannitol hypertonic control group and high glucose group.After 48 hours of culture,the expression of miRNA-148b was detected by real-time quantitative PCR.2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) was used for detecting production of ROS and observed under fluorescence microscope for analysis;The expression of AMPKot1,Bcl-2,NOX2,NOX4,activated caspase3 (cleaved-caspase3) were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the normal glucose group,the expression of miRNA-148b was up-regulated in HK-2 cells in high glucose group and hypertonic group (P ＜ 0.01),and the production of ROS increased (P ＜ 0.01).The expression of NOX2 and NOX4 was increased,AMPKα1 and Bcl-2 decreased,and cleaved caspase-3 was increased (all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions HG up-regulated miRNA-148b expression and down-regulated its target gene AMPKα1 which promotes the expression of NOX2 and NOX4 in HK-2 cells.MiRNA-148b promotes apoptosis of HK-2 cells via increasing production of ROS and enhancing cleaved-caspase3 for Bcl-2 insufficiency.The tubular toxicity of high glucose is partly due to osmotic pressure.MiRNA-148b may be involved in the pathological injury of diabetic nephropathy and is expected to become a new therapeutic target for diabetic nephropathy.

Aorta, Thoracic ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; diagnosis ; mortality ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Vascular Malformations ; diagnosis ; mortality