OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) on serum cytokines, Th1, including interleukin-2 (IL-2) and gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN), and Th2, including interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), in patients with herpes simplex keratitis (HSK).

METHODSOne hundred and six HSK patients were randomly divided into the AM treated group and the ribavirin treated group. Levels of serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and gamma-IFN of all the patients and 62 healthy person, selected from donors for control group, were determined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.

RESULTSLevels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 in HSK patients were significantly higher and those of IL-2 and gamma-IFN were significantly lower than those in the healthy control (all P < 0.01). These parameters were significantly improved in the patients of the AM group after treatment, but with no change in patients of the ribavirin group.

CONCLUSIONAM can modulate the imbalance state of Th1/Th2 in HSK patients, improve their immune function disturbance, that shows important significance in treating HSK.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Astragalus membranaceus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

Adult ; Age Factors ; Athletic Injuries ; epidemiology ; Blood Group Antigens ; Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Male ; Military Personnel ; education ; statistics & numerical data ; Physical Education and Training

Objective　To observe the changes of glucocorticoi d receptor (GR) in hepatic cytoplasm in rats after scalding-induced pathologic al stress and its regulation. Methods　The receptor binding capa city (R0) and the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of GR in hepatic cytopla sm of normal, low-degree and heavy-degree scalded rats were measured with rad io-ligand binding assay, with ［3H］ dexamethasone as ligand. The changes of R0 and Kd of GR were regulated by injections of anti-rat TNFα, IL-1β a ntibodies, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), and KPV peptide( Ac- D-Lys-L-Pro-D-Val) respectively in vivo. Results　The R 0 of GR in hepatic cytoplasm in rats 12 h after heavy-degree scalding ［Mass action robust: （205.52±30.14） fmol/mg; Scatchard: （208.45±30.78） fmol/mg ］were significantly lower than that of control group ［Mass action robust:（307 .86±24.22） fmol/mg;Scatchard:（306.71±27.96） fmol/mg］(P<0.01), but no s ignificant difference was found in the R0 of GR between the control and the ra ts 12 h after low-degree scalding ［Mass action robust: （285.19±16.62） fmol/ mg ; Scatchard: （296.64±16.06） fmol/mg］. The injection of anti-rat TNFα, IL-1β antibodies, α-MSH and KVP all prevented the decline of R0 of GR in h epatic cytoplasm in rats with severe scalding. Conclusion　The injections of anti-rat TNFα, IL-1β antibodies, α-MSH or KPV can attenuate the reduction of GR in rat hepatic cytoplasm caused by severe scalding-induced pathological stress to some extent.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive-behavioral program on pain and medical fear in hospitalized school-aged children receiving intravenous (IV) placement. METHODS: This study used an quasi-experimental design. Thirty-five participants were assigned to the experimental group and 33 to the control group in the acute internal medicine ward of a children's hospital. The cognitive-behavioral program entailed having the patients read an educational photo book about IV placement before the procedure and having them watch their favorite music video during the procedure. The outcome measures were numeric rating scales for pain intensity and fear during the procedure. RESULTS: After applying the cognitive-behavioral program, the mean scores on pain and fear decreased in the experimental group. However, the difference in pain intensity between these two groups was nonsignificant. The intensity of fear in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group. CONCLUSION: In this study, the cognitive-behavioral program used with school-aged hospitalized children promoted less fear during IV placement. The results of this study can serve as a reference for empirical nursing care and as care guidance for clinical IV injections involving children.
Child* ; Child, Hospitalized ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Music ; Needles ; Nursing Care ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of top pruning on fruiting characters of Platycodon grandiflorum, and find the suitable stage, in which seed growth and development furtherly.

METHODOne-year old seedlings were chosen and planted in field. Plant height, branching number, fruit number per plant, 1000 grains weight were measured during growth and development period, respectively.

RESULTThe treatment of top pruning postponed in turn the flowering date, lowered the plant heights and the fruit number per plant, increased the branching number and influenced significantly on 1000 grains weights.

CONCLUSIONThe suitable stage of top pruning for producing seeds was from June 20th to July 5th.

Crops, Agricultural ; growth & development ; Fruit ; growth & development ; Platycodon ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the adrenocortical function in children with severe and critical enterovirus 71 infection by using a high-dose (250 µg) adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test. And to at provide experimental basis for glucocorticoid in the treatment of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD).

METHODThis was a prospective multi-center study which was carried out in PICUs of Beijing Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Kaifeng Children's Hospital and Linyi People's Hospital in Shandong province. Children with severe and critical hand-foot-mouth disease admitted to PICUs of the four hospitals from June 2009 to April 2010 were enrolled in this study, and EV71 virus nucleic acid test and high-dose (250 µg) ACTH stimulation started at the same time. EV71 virus nucleic acid positive 51 cases were eventually enrolled in the study. Cortisol test was performed at baseline (T0) and after high-dose (250 µg) ACTH stimulation at 30 minutes (T30), 60 minutes (T60) in the first 6 hours after admission, but before glucocorticoid was given. The adrenocortical function was evaluated according to ΔTmax [ΔTmax=(T30, T60 maximum)-T0]. Diagnostic criteria of adrenal insufficiency (AI) is increment (ΔTmax)≤9 µg/dl.

RESULTThe incidence of AI in 51 cases was 52.94% (27/51). The incidence of AI in severe group was 44.74% (17/38), which was significantly higher in critical group 76.92% (10/13), P<0.05. Of the cases with a pediatric critical illness score (PCIS)≤70, 81.82% (9/11) had adrenal insufficiency, and it was 28.57% (4/14) when PCIS≥90. The incidence of AI was 75% (6/8) and 48.84% (21/43) in death and survivor group respectively, but there were no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Baseline (T0) cortisol in death group was higher than survivor group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAI may occur in children with enterovirus 71 infection. The critical enterovirus 71 infection had a high incidence of AI. AI may affect the prognosis of patients with severe and critical enterovirus 71 infection. Exogenous glucocorticoids administration may be considered when AI is identified or highly suspected. The timing, dosage and regimen of glucocorticoid are still unclear. Further animal experiments and clinical trials are needed.

Adrenal Insufficiency ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; Enterovirus A, Human ; pathogenicity ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo develop a rapid, sensitive and specific real time reverse transcription PCR for detecting and identifying human metapneumovirus.

METHODSThe Hmpv-L gene of human metapneumovirus was chosen as target gene, the primers and TaqMan probe were designed, and the PCR reaction was optimized systematically. The total RNA was extracted from respiratory specimens, and reverse transcription was performed through random primer. The cDNA was detected by using real time PCR. The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of real time PCR were estimated. The real time PCR was applied to detect 180 clinical respiratory specimens.

RESULTSThe human metapneumovirus can be detected using real time reverse transcription PCR accurately and quickly, and the sensitivity was 1 copy/microl. The coefficient of variation of intra-assay and inter-assay was less than 5%. Among those 180 specimens, 28 (15.56%) were positive for human metapneumovirus, the clinical diagnoses for these 28 patients were pneumonia (15.60%, 17/109) and bronchiolitis (15.49%, 11/71). 21 positive specimens were from patients under 2 years of age, and 6 positive specimens were from patients between 2 and 5 years of age, only 1 positive specimens was from patients over 5 years.

CONCLUSIONIt is demonstrated that real time reverse transcription PCR is a reliable, accurate and feasible assay for human metapneumovirus, which has become one of the most important pathogens induced acute respiratory infections in pediatric patients.

Child, Preschool ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Metapneumovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reverse Transcription ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Objective: To compare the outcomes between haploidentical donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) and matched-sibling donor transplantation (MSD-HSCT) for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) . Methods: The clinical data of 40 PNH patients received HSCT (haplo-HSCT=25, MSD-HSCT=15) from July 2007 to May 2018 were analyzed retrospectively to compare the outcomes between haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT groups. Results: There were no differences in terms of gender, age, patients of PNH-AA and median time from diagnosis to transplantation between the 2 groups (P>0.05) . The median values of absolute mononuclear cell counts and CD34⁺ cells infused were 10.74 (4.80-22.86) ×10⁸/kg and 12.19 (5.14-17.25) ×10⁸/kg (P=0.866) , 3.57 (0.68-7.80) ×10⁶/kg and 4.00 (3.02-8.42) ×10⁶/kg (P=0.151) respectively, in haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT groups. All patients attained complete engraftment, no patient occurred graft failure. The median durations for myeloid and platelet engraftment were 12 (range, 9-26) and 11 (range, 7-15) days (P=0.065) , 19 (range, 11-75) and 13 (range, 11-25) days (P=0.027) respectively, in haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT groups. During a median follow-up of 26 (4-65) months in haplo-HSCT and 36 (4-132) months in MSD-HSCT groups (P=0.294) , the incidences of grade Ⅰ-Ⅳ acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) were 32.0% and 20.0% (P=0.343) , grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD were 16.0%, 13.3% (P=0.759) , chronic GVHD were 30.7% and 24.6% (P=0.418) , moderate-severe chronic GVHD were 12.7% and 7.1% (P=0.522) respectively, in haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT groups. The incidences of infection were 32.0% (8/25) and 26.7% (4/15) (P=1.000) respectively, in haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT groups. No patients occurred early death and relapse. Three-year estimated overall survival (OS) were (86.5±7.3) % and (93.3 ±6.4) % (P=0.520) , GVHD-free and failure-free survival (GFFS) were (78.3±8.6) % and (92.9±6.9) % (P=0.250) respectively, in haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT groups. Conclusion: The preliminary results indicated that haplo-HSCT was a feasible choice for PNH with favorable outcomes, haplo-HSCT and MSD-HSCT produced similar therapeutic efficacy.
Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal/therapy* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Siblings ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To compare the outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria-aplastic anemia (PNH-AA) syndrome. Methods: The outcomes of 46 patients who received allo-HSCT (16 PNH patients, 30 PNH-AA patients) from July 10, 2007 to June 2, 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The conditioning regimen was busulfan, cyclophosphoramide, and ATG in haploidentical donors and unrelated donors. Patients with matched sibling donors were treated with the fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and ATG regimen. Results: There were no differences of baseline data between the 2 groups except gender distribution and the numbers of haploidentical donor transplantation. The median values of absolute nucleated cell counts were 10.58 (3.83-13.83) ×10(8)/kg in the PNH group and 10.81 (3.96-33.40) ×10(8)/kg in the PNH-AA group (P=0.668) . The median doses of CD34(+) cells infused were 5.00 (3.14-8.42) ×10(6)/kg and 3.57 (1.97-6.17) ×10(6)/kg (P=0.002) , respectively. All patients obtained complete engraftment. The median time for myeloid engraftment were 11 (7-14) days in the PNH group and 12 (10-26) days in the PNH-AA group (P=0.003) . The median time for platelet engraftment were 13 (11-16) days and 18 (12-75) days (P=0.002) , respectively, after a median follow-up of 36 (4-132) months in the PNH group and 26 (4-75) months in the PNH-AA group (P=0.428) . There were no differences of incidence rates of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) , chronic GVHD and infection between PNH and PNH-AA groups (P>0.05) . No patient occurred early death and relapse. The estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) of PNH and PNH-AA groups were (100.0±0.0) % and (85.7± 6.6) % (P=0.141) , GVHD-free and failure-free survival (GFFS) were (100.0±0.0) %, (78.7±7.7) % (P=0.067) . Conclusions: allo-HSCT is effective for patients with PNH and PNH-AA syndrome. The preliminary results indicate that myeloid and platelet engraftment in PNH group were faster than PNH-AA group. There were no differences in OS and GFFS between PNH group and PNH-AA group.
Anemia, Aplastic/therapy* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal/therapy* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and predictors of acute stress disorder (ASD) in the victims affected by Wenchuan earthquake in China.

METHODSA random clustered sampling method was used. Of 891 victims enrolled in the study, 874 were completely assessed with the ASD constructive questionnaire and diagnosed with DSM-IV criteria. Sociodemographic variables were obtained. Also, the major symptoms of ASD (i.e., general symptoms to a traumatic event; dissociative symptoms; re-experiencing symptoms; hyper-arousal symptoms; avoidance symptoms) were recorded.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of ASD was 12.59% (110/874). The incidence rates of ASD for female and male were 15.16% (72/475) and 9.52% (38/399) respectively. There was a significant difference between female and male on the incidence rate of ASD (chi(2) = 6.26, P = 0.01). Logistic regression indicated that the ASD diagnosis was predicted by gender (beta = 0.58, P = 0.01, OR = 1.79), the condition of casualties of family members (beta = 0.60, P = 0.01, OR = 1.82), and the condition of sharp properties loss (beta = 1.02, P = 0.01, OR = 2.76).

CONCLUSIONThe major earthquake should have great influence on mental health of victims. The efforts to reduce casualties and property loss might help to prevent ASD. Further research is needed on gender difference among traumatic events.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; China ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires