Objective To explore the interaction between serum melatonin and the status of disease and probe the effect factor of serum melatonin change in asthmatic children.Methods Serum melatonin was measured in asthmatic children with 15 cases of mild persistent asthma,15 cases of moderate persistent asthma,15 cases of severe persistent asthma,15 cases of stable asthma and 15 cases of normal subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results The levels of serum melatonin in the 5 groups of mild persistent asthma,moderate presistent asthma,Severe Persistent asthma,Stable asthma,control subject were(22.76?5.16)ng/L,(16.79?3.35)ng/L,(11.54?1.45)ng/L,(22.06?3.36)ng/L,(28.72?4.32)ng/L,respectively.There were significant differences between any of them(Pa

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of Xifeng Zhidong Tablet (XZT) in treating tic disorder children patients of internal disturbance of Gan-wind with phlegm syndrome (IDGWPS).

METHODSA stratified randomized, double-blinded, parallel control of placebo, multi-center trial was conducted in 160 subjects from 5 hospitals in China. They were randomly assigned to 2 groups, the test group and the control group, 80 in each group. Those in the test group were treated with XZT, while those in the control group were treated with placebos. The therapeutic course was 4 weeks for all. The effectiveness indicators covered main indicators and secondary indicators. Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS) was taken as the main indicators. The amelioration of social function impairment, efficacy, single index of Chinese medical syndromes, Chinese medical syndrome efficacy as well as disappearance rate of single Chinese medical symptoms were evaluated as secondary indicators. The safety indicators included clinical adverse events, vital signs, blood/urine/stool routines, renal and liver functions, and electrocardiogram (ECG).

RESULTSAs for main indicators, the score of YGTSS decreased from 22.10 +/- 6.38 to 11.34 +/- 6.58 in the test group, while it decreased from 22.65 +/- 6.70 to 16.82 +/- 6.53 in the control group, showing statistical difference when compared with the same group before treatment (P < 0.01). Besides, the decrement was more significant in the test group after treatment (P < 0.05). As for secondary indicators, the total effective rate was 83.54% in the test group and 34.18% in the controlled group, showing statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). As for social function impairment, 20,38, 16, 3, 1 case(s) in the test group were ranked as normal, minimal, mild, moderate, obvious degree, while 1, 24, 45, 7, and 0 case(s) in the control group were ranked as normal, minimal, mild, moderate, obvious degree. Better effect was obtained in the test group (P < 0.05).As for Chinese medical syndrome efficacy, it was 87.34% in the test group and 64.56% in the control group (P < 0.05). As for single index of Chinese medical syndromes, the disappearance rate of motor tics, irritability, dreaminess, abnormal tongue proper,abnormal tongue fur, and abnormal tongue pulse condition was 78.67%, 34.72%, 62.26%, 34.62%, 58.97%, and 39.74%, respectively in the test group, while they were 34.67%, 13.11%, 21.82%, 15.58%, 25.97%, and 19.48%, respectively in the control group. Better results were shown in the test group (P < 0.05). Totally 5 adverse events occurred. The incidence of adverse events was 3.75% in the test group and 2.53% in the control group.

CONCLUSIONSAfter 4 weeks of XZT treatment, the integral of YGTSS could be obviously reduced, the degree of social function impairment ameliorated, and Chinese medical syndromes improved. In addition, no adverse reaction occurred in this study.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Placebos ; Tic Disorders ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDIn the past several decades we have seen multiple advances in the reconstruction for girls born with vaginal agenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility, anatomical and functional outcomes of one-stage laparoscopic and gasless laparoscopic vaginoplasty with sigmoid colon for the patients of vaginal agenesis (Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome).

METHODSWe did a retrospective review of a total of 150 women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome treated at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from March 2006 to August 2010. The patients were divided into the CO2 pneumoperitoneum laparoscopic group and the abdominal wall lift of gasless laparoscopic group. Sigmoid colon vaginoplasty approaches were performed in all of the patients. The surgical techniques, perioperative results, complications, anatomical and functional outcomes of vaginoplasty were recorded.

RESULTSAll procedures were performed successfully. Significant differences in the operative time and intraoperative blood loss existed in the laparoscopic vaginoplasty group compared with the gasless laparoscopic vaginoplasty group. The patients who underwent sigmoid colon vaginoplasty had good cosmetic results without the problem of excessive mucus production. The postoperative complications were minimal. During a mean follow-up of 15.6 months, no stenosis or shrinkage was encountered. The subjective sexual satisfaction rate with the surgical outcomes in all patients was 83.3%.

CONCLUSIONSLaparoscopic or gasless laparoscopic vaginoplasty with sigmoid colon are effective and feasible approaches for women with congenital vaginal agenesis. The procedures have satisfactory anatomical and functional results.

46, XX Disorders of Sex Development ; surgery ; Abnormalities, Multiple ; surgery ; Adult ; Colon, Sigmoid ; surgery ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; abnormalities ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Mullerian Ducts ; abnormalities ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Somites ; abnormalities ; Spine ; abnormalities ; Uterus ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Vagina ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Vaginal Diseases ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the anesthetic effect of modified anesthesia in the bronchoalveolar lavage.

METHOD118 cases randomly fell in two groups: traditional group: intramuscular injection of 10 mg diazepam prior to routine anesthesia; modified group: preoperative intramuscular injection of 50 mg dolantin,and venous injection of 2 ml physiological saline, 10 mg dexamethasone, 5 mg ephedrine; observe the anesthetic effect, satisfaction and lavage quantity in patients.

RESULTSThe excellence rate and satisfaction of anesthetic effect are both 100% in modified group while 82.76% and 76.2% in the tradition group. The result indicates the excellence rate and satisfaction of anesthetic effect in modified group are better than the traditional group with a significant difference (P<0.05); the lavage quantity in the modified group is significantly higher than that in the traditional group with a significant difference (P<0.01 ).

CONCLUSIONDolantin, dexamethasone and ephedrine preoperatively used with a good anesthetic effect can improve the cooperation of patients in bronchoalveolar lavage with less pain and increased lavage quantity, thereby worthy of clinical application.

Adult ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; therapy

Objective To investigate the image changes of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in children with epilepsy and their clinical significance. Methods Sixty-four patients with epilepsy,admitted to our hospital from March 2008 to March 2011,and 10 healthy children as control group were chosen in our study; the patients were divided into MR normal group and MR abnormal group according to the results of MR imaging. All of them received 1H-MRS examination on the hippocampal area.The ratio of NAA/Cho+Cr was compared between each 2 groups. Results No significant differences on the ratio of NAA/Cho+Cr were noted between the fight and left sides in all the groups (P＞0.05).The ratio of NAA/Cho+Cr was significantly different:MR normal group and control group enjoyed obvious difference as compared with MR abnormal group (P＜0.05); however,MR normal group and MR abnormal group existed no statistically significant differences (P＞0.05). Conclusion 1H-MRS is more sensitivity than MRI in children with epilepsy,therefore,1H-MRS can find the lesions earlier than MR imaging.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of the acupoint sticking therapy with Chuanfuling for preventing and treating asthma.

METHODSThirty male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (normal saline, p.i. +no acupoint sticking+ normal saline, spray inhalation), model group (normal saline with ovalbumin, p.i. +no acupoint sticking+ normal saline with ovalbumin, spray inhalation), and acupoint sticking group (normal saline with ovalbumin, p.i. +acupoint sticking with Chuan fuling+normal saline with ovalbumin, spray inhalation), 10 rats in each group. The incubation period of nodding breath, symptom of asthmatic attack, expression level of interleukin-4 mRNA (IL-4 mRNA) and interferon-gamma mRNA (IF-gamma mRNA), as well as pathological changes on the middle leaf of right lung, were observed in each group.

RESULTS(1) Comparing with the control group, the model group was showed that the expression level of IL-4 mRNA in the peripheral blood cells (PBMC) was increased, while hyperemia, edema and eosinocyte (EOS) invasion of lung tissue was more serious (P < 0.01). (2) Comparing with the model group, the acupoint sticking group was showed that the expression level of IL-4 mRNA in PBMC was decreased, the incubation period of nodding breath was prolonged for induced asthma on the fifth and seventh time with lower frequency, while in the lung tissue EOS invasion was reduced (P < 0.05), but there were no significant changes on the hyperemia and edema (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupoint sticking for treating asthma of model rats with Chuanfuling can inhibit the expression level of IL-4 mRNA in PBMC, and the release of the inflammatory mediator and cytokine from the EOS to the air passage, in order to reduce the injury of epithelial layer and high reaction on the air passage.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of identifying oral streptococcus by comparing their metabolic profiling, and to find a convenient and rapid way to discriminate oral microorganisms.

METHODSThe pure cultivation of Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10556 and Streptococcus sobrinus 6715 (reference strain) from solid culture were respectively inoculated in TPY liquid medium. Then the growth quantity was measured periodically by turbidimetry and the growth curves of the inoculated bacteria were completed. The culture solutions in the stationary phase of the two bacteria were centrifuged, and then tested with the 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectrometer respectively. The gained free induction decay (FID) data were all inputted into MestReC Soft and finally transformed into metabolic profiling. The metabolic profiles were integrated segmentingly and the results were inputted into SIMCA-P Soft for principal components analysis (PCA).

RESULTSThe PCA results showed the obvious clustering phenomena and the points of two group data differentially centralized in two clusters. Therefore, the NMR-based metabonomics profiles can discriminate the two different kinds of bacteria.

CONCLUSIONThe metabonomics can be expected to be a kind of promising useful method in quick discrimination of oral streptococcus.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Metabolomics ; Mouth ; microbiology ; Streptococcus

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical value of different magnetic resonance (MR) pulse sequences in diagnosis of spinal metastatic tumor.

METHODSFifteen patients with clinically suspected spinal metastatic tumor were included in this study. These patients were with documented primary tumors. Four MR pulse sequences, T1-weighted spin echo (T1WI SE), T2-weighted fast spin echo (T2WI FSE), short time inversion recovery (STIR), and gradient echo 2-D multi echo data imaging combination (GE Me-2D) were used to detect spinal metastasis.

RESULTSFifteen vertebral bodies were entire involvement, 38 vertebral bodies were section involvement, and totally 53 vertebral bodies were involved. There were 19 focal infections in pedicle of vertebral arch, 15 metastases in spinous process and transverse process. Fifty-three vertebral bodies were abnormal in T1 WI SE and GE Me-2D, 35 vertebral bodies were found abnormal in T2WI FSE, and 50 vertebral bodies were found abnormal in STIR. The verges of focal signal of involved vertebral bodies were comparatively clear in T1WI SE, comparatively clear or vague in T2WI FSE, vague in STIR, and clear in GE Me-2D.

CONCLUSIONSGE Me-2D may be the most sensitive technique to detect metastases. So three sequences (T1WI SE, T2WI FSE, GE Me-2D) can demonstrate the early changes of spinal metastasis roundly.

Cervical Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Coccyx ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; pathology ; Radiography ; Sacrum ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary ; Spine ; diagnostic imaging ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of identifying oral pathogenic bacteria by comparing the metabolic profiling of putative periodontal pathogens and try to find a convenient and rapid way to discriminate oral microorganisms.

METHODSSuspensions of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum with same density were prepared and cultured respectively at liquid BHI medium. Then the growth quantity was measured periodically through turbidimetry and the growth curves of the inoculated bacteria were completed. The culture solutions of stable growth phase were sampled and characterized by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance 1H-NMR). The data of 1H-NMR spectroscope results were analyzed by principal components analysis (PCA).

RESULTSThe PCA showed the obvious clustering phenomena and the points of three groups differentially centralized to three clusters. Therefore, the NMR-based metabonomics profiles could discriminate the three different kinds of bacteria.

CONCLUSIONThe metabonomics is a potential classable method to identify the oral pathogenic bacteria.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ; Bacteria ; Fusobacterium nucleatum ; Metabolomics ; Mouth ; microbiology ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Prevotella intermedia

OBJECTIVEThis study aims to establish and evaluate the methodology of isolated rabbit eye (IRE) test.

METHODSIRE test was performed according to modifications of the in vitro toxicology (INVITTOX) Protocol No.85: Rabbit enucleated eye test by European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM), and then 26 chemicals and 26 cosmetic products were tested in both in vitro IRE and in vivo Draize tests. A statistical analysis was conducted to determine the relevance of the IRE test to the data generated in the Draize test.

RESULTSIRE test was established successfully in our laboratory. It was shown that ranking correlation and class concordance were fairly well between the IRE test and the Draize test for 26 reference chemicals (Fisher's Exact Test χ(2)=51.314, P<0.001; McNemar P=0.261; Gamma=0.960, P<0.001; Kappa=0.843, P<0.001) and 26 cosmetic products (Fisher's Exact Test χ(2)=15.522, P<0.001; McNemar P=0.311; Gamma=0.967, P<0.001; Kappa=0.611, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONIRE test was established successfully for in vitro testing of eye irritation as an alternative to Draize test.

Animal Testing Alternatives ; Animals ; Cosmetics ; toxicity ; Eye ; drug effects ; Irritants ; toxicity ; Rabbits ; Toxicity Tests ; methods