Objective To detect serum levels of 25 ? hydroxyvitamin D (25 [OH] D) and matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP?9)in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria(CSU), and to explore their significance. Methods Totally, 56 patients with CSU and 25 healthy controls were enrolled into this study. High?performance liquid chromatography tandem?mass spectrometry(LC?MS/MS)and enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were performed to measure serum levels of 25(OH)D and MMP?9 respectively in these subjects. Statistical analysis was carried out by two independent samples t?test or Wilcoxon rank sum test for comparisons of the above indexes between the two groups, and by Spearman rank correlation analysis for assessment of relationships between the serum levels of 25(OH)D and MMP?9 as well as between the two indexes and disease severity. Results Of the 56 patients, 19 were diagnosed with mild CSU, 26 with moderate CSU and 11 with severe CSU. Compared with the control group, the patient group showed significantly lower serum levels of 25(OH)D(21.74 ± 6.04 vs. 30.17 ± 2.21μg/L, P<0.05), but significantly higher serum levels of MMP?9(Median[P25-P75]:291.55[166.18-594.46]vs. 138.46[94.27-233.12]μg/L, P<0.05). In the patient group, the serum level of 25(OH)D was negatively correlated with that of MMP?9 (rs=-0.26, P<0.05), but uncorrelated with the severity of CSU(rs=-0.20, P>0.05);the serum level of MMP?9 was positively correlated with the severity of CSU(rs=0.27, P<0.05). Conclusion Vitamin D and MMP?9 may play a role in the occurrence of CSU.

Objective To explore the possible causes that result in serum-resistance of patients with syphilis. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) routine and biochemistry, RPR, TPPA, and immunological function in 25 patients with syphilis serum-resistance were detected after giving the standard therapy, and radiographic examination of multiple internal organs was performed as well. All patients were treated with 24 million units of Penicillin G per day by intravenous drip for 14 days followed by muscle injection of Bicillin 2.4 million units weekly for 3 weeks after leaving hospital. Blood serum RPR was reexamined 3 and 6 months after treatment, respectively. Results Among 25 patients CSF-TPPA was positive in 11 cases, all patients' CSF-RPR were negative, CSF-WBC and CSF-Pr increased in 7 patients, serum IgM level increased and C3 decreased in 10 cases (40%), and CD_3+CD_8+ cell count increased and NK cell count decreased in 21 cases (84%). The regurgitation of bicuspid valve, tricuspid valve and aortic value was found in 3 patients. The RPR titers in all patients did not decrease after treatment according to neurosyphlis. Conclusion Asymptomatic neurosyphilis and immune disorder may be causes of serum-resistance of syphilis.

Objective·To observe changes of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) before and after inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy and to explore the correlation of FeNO level with inflammation and pulmonary function indexes. Methods·Seventy COPD patients at stable stage who underwent ICS therapy (the COPD group) were enrolled. Levels of peripheral blood eosinophil (Eos) and neutrophil (N), FeNO, PEF, FEV1 and FEV1/pred before and after treatment were measured. Fifty healthy volunteers who received physical examination at the same time served as controls (the control group). The relationship between these indexes and clinical efficacy and the correlation between FeNO level and inflammation or pulmonary function indexes were analyzed. Results·The COPD group had significantly higher FeNO, Eos, and N levels before treatment, significantly lower PEF, FEV1 and FEV1/pred after treatment (P<0.05), and remarkably better indexes after treatment (P<0.05) compared with the control group. Indexes of the effective group and the improved group were significantly better than that of the ineffective group after treatment. Results of correlation analysis showed that before treatment, the FeNO level was positively correlated with peripheral blood Eos and N levels (P<0.05) and negatively correlated with PEF, FEV1 and FEV1/pred (P<0.05). After treatment, the FeNO level was positively correlated with peripheral blood Eos and N levels (P<0.05) and the correlation of the FeNO level with PEF, FEV1 and FEV1/pred was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion·The FeNO level increased significantly in patients with COPD at stable stage and is a sensitive index of airway inflammation. Combined with lung function test, it's useful for evaluating the efficacy of ICS and guiding treatment.

Objective To evaluate the relationship of acute-phase response and coagulation/fibrinolysis with chronic urticaria (CU).Methods Fifty-three patients with CU and twenty-five healthy human controls were enrolled in this study.Venous blood samples were collected from all of these subjects.Then,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out to measure the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and amyloid protein A (AA),and immunoturbidimetry to determine the levels of serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) and plasma D-dimer.The patients with CU were classified into three groups according to the severity of clinical symptoms.The levels of serum IL-6 and plasma D-dimer were given in mean ± standard deviation,and those of serum AA and Hs-CRP in mean (25th percentile,75th percentile).Rank sum test and t test were performed to compare these parameters between the patients and controls,and Spearman rank correlation analysis was conducted to study the relationship among these parameters as well as between these parameters and symptom severity in these patients.Results The levels of serum IL-6,serum AA and plasma D-dimer were (10.70 ± 4.94) ng/L,4.92 (8.22,12.51) μg/L,and (222.32 ± 163.69) μg/L respectively in the patients with CU,significantly higher than those in the healthy controls ((7.49 ± 3.41) ng/L,2.11 (1.21,2.83) μg/L,(104.72 ± 43.12) μg/L,respectively,all P＜ 0.05),while no significant differences were observed between the patients and controls in the level of serum HsCRP (0.30 (0.10,1.40) mg/L vs.0.30 (0.10,0.55) mg/L,P ＞ 0.05).In patients with CU,the levels of serum IL-6 were unrelated to those of serum Hs-CRP,serum AA,or plasma D-dimer (all P ＞ 0.05),whereas a positive correlation was observed between the levels of serum Hs-CRP and AA (r =0.67,P ＜ 0.01),serum Hs-CRP and plasma D-dimer (r =0.49,P ＜ 0.01),serum AA and plasma D-dimer (r =0.38,P ＜ 0.01).Further more,the levels of serum Hs-CRP,AA and plasma D-dimer were significantly correlated with symptom severity in patients with CU (r =0.63,0.62,0.47,respectively,all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Acute-phase response coexists with the activation of coagulation system in patients with CU,suggesting a potential association between acute-phase response and coagulation system activation.

Objective To investigate the relationship between negative acute phase proteins and chronic urticaria (CU).Methods Fifty patients with CU were enrolled into this study,and divided into three grades,i.e.,mild (grade 1),moderate (grade 2) and severe (grade 3) according to symptoms.Twenty-eight health checkup examinees served as the control group.Immunoturbidimetry was performed to determine serum levels of prealbumin (PA) and transferrin (TRF).Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was conducted to measure serum levels of insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).Statistical analysis was carried out to assess differences in these indices between these two groups,the relationship among these indices and between these indices and disease severity.Results Compared with the control group,the patients with CU showed reduced serum levels of PA ((229.99 ± 54.16) vs.(272.06 ± 36.42) mg/L,t =3.667,P ＜ 0.05) and IGF-1 ((177.23 ± 46.48) vs.(239.88 ± 45.16) μg/L,t =5.748,P＜ 0.05),but higher serum levels of TNF-α ((25.39 ± 11.01) vs.(14.13 ± 6.12) ng/L,t =4.989,P＜ 0.05),and similar serum levels of TRF ((2.48 ± 0.49) vs.(2.48 ± 0.25) g/L,P＞ 0.05).The serum level of PA showed a significant negative correlation with that of TNF-α (r =-0.312,P ＜ 0.05),as well as with disease severity (r =-0.635,P ＜ 0.01),whereas the serum level of TNF-α showed a significant positive correlation with disease severity (r =0.409,P ＜ 0.01),and no statistical correlation was found between the remaining indices (all P ＞ 0.05) in the patients with CU.Conclusions Serum levels of some negative acute phase proteins decrease and negatively correlate with disease severity in patients with CU.Acute phase response may be involved in the occurrence of CU.

Objective To explore the indicators change of early renal injury in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its clinical significance.Methods Ninety cases of COPD including 45 cases with stable period of COPD,45 cases with acute exacerbation of COPD who received treatment in Baoshan Branch of Shanghai General Hospital from January 2014 to December 2014 were enrolled in this study.Meanwhile 45 cases of healthy subjects were collected as the control group.According to the extent of hypoxia,the COPD patients were divided into mild subgroups (60mmHg

Objective To evaluate the intestinal barrier function of the patients by two-sugar absorption test with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Methods Nineteen children with confirmed food hypersensitivity (FH) and 19 normal children were included in this study. The average age was (8.1?1.7) months. After 8-hour fasting, subjects drank test solution (5 g lactulose and 2 g mannitol per 100 ml) at the dose of 2 ml/kg. Five-hour urinary excretion ratio of lactulose/mannitol (L/M) were measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The condition of HPLC was as follows: Sugar-PakI column with refractive index detector; Mobile phase: pure deionized water; Flow rate: 0.5 ml/min; temperature of column: 85 ℃. Results HPLC chromatogram of urine sample was stable. The retention time of mannitol and lactulose was 13.86 min and 9.27 min respectively. A significant rise in 5 h urinary L/M excretion ratios was found in children with FH (0.18?0.06) as compared to that of controls (0.05?0.03) (P

The popularization of reading ancient books on traditional Chinese medicine has been in abasinstate due to their contents , their readers and the reading competence of their readers .The role of media guidance in popu-larization of reading ancient books on traditional Chinese medicine was thus elaborated with the exhibition of ancient books on traditional Chinese medicine in Library of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine as an exam-ple, which may provide certain reference for changing the ideas of libraries and popularizing the reading of charac-teristic documents .

Objective To evaluate the influence of orthokeratology lenses on vision,intraocular pressure and biometric measurement parameters in adolescent myopia.Methods A total of 72 adolescent myopia patients (136 eyes) with orthokeratology lens,aged 8-16 years old,in Hebei Provincial Eye Hospital from Junuary 2013 to December 2015 were randomly selected.The vision,intraocular pressure,axial length,corneal topography,corneal thickness and anterior chamber depth were observed before wearing glasses,at 1 week,1,3,6 months after wearing glasses.Results After orthokeratology wearing,the uncorrected visual acuity was obviously improved (P＜0.05),the average refraction diopter was declined (P＞0.05) and the non-contact intraocular pressure was decreased (P＜0.05).The axial length after orthokeratology wearing had little change (P＞0.05).The curvature of the patient's cornea at one week after wearing glasses was deceased (P＜0.05) and the posterior corneal curvature tended towards stability.The corneal thickness at 1 week after wearing glasses had no obvious change compared with before wearing glasses(P＞0.05),which at 1 month after wearing glasses was decreased(P＜0.05) and which at 3,6 months after wearing glasses trended to be stabilized.The anterior chamber depth after wearing glasses had no obvious change.Conclusion Orthkeratology lens can decrease the myopia degree,increases the uncorrected visual acuity and has obvious effect for controlling adolescent myopia.The intraocular pressure and biometric measurement parameters have corresponding change after wearing orthkeratology lens.

The effects of prescriptions of fragrant traditional Chinese medicine covered in ancient books on traditional Chinese medicine published in the past dynasties on disease control and treatment were retrieved from the Full-text Database of Ancient Books on Traditional Chinese Medicine developed by Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A fragrant medicinal subject system with unique characteristics was established by analyzing the characteristics of prescribed fragrant traditional Chi-nese medicine and the prescribing rules of fragrant traditional Chinese medicine according to theirprinciples-methods-formulae-medicinal, clarifying the related factors influencing diseases and the related mechanisms of prescriptions, which can not only promote the theoretical and practical development of external treatment with prescriptions of fragrant traditional Chinese medicine but also provide the reliable philological basis for external diseases and pharmacology of traditional Chinese medical formulae.