Objective To investigate the efficacy and adverse effects of methotrexate(MTX) in the treatment of steroid-dependent asthma.Methods By a randomized, double-blind scheme,50 patients with steroid dependent asthma were divided into two group:MTX group and placebo group:MTX(15mg?week -1 ) and placebo agent were given respectively for 12 weeks.The dose of oral steroid daily,symptom scores, peak flow rates, spirometry, ?-agonist frequency were monitored before and after treatment. During the treatment,frequency of asthma attack,adverse events of MTX were noted,and blood routine examination,liver function test,kidney function test were performed.Results 45 subjects completed the study. Compared with before treatment,the MTX significantly decreased daily steroid dosage(14 38?4 90mg?d -1 versus 10 63?5 77mg?d -1 ,P0 05).No serious adverse effects of MTX were found during the study.Conclusion We consider that low-dose MTX may be beneficial for steroid-dependent asthma and that this therapy is well tolerated by patients.

Crown Lengthening ; methods ; Crowns ; Dental Caries ; therapy ; Dental Restoration, Permanent ; Humans ; Root Canal Therapy ; Tooth Fractures ; therapy

Objective To investigate whether terminal QRS distortion on the electrocardiogram in acute inferior myocardial infarction could be as a standard for the infarct-related artery,through comparing to coronary angiography.Methods Fifty-seven patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction were enrolled,among which,the right coronary artery (RCA) occlusion (RCA occlusion group) was present in 29 cases,and left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) occlusion (LCX occlusion group) was in 28 cases.The changes of electrocardiogram was analyzed in 12 hours after the acute episode.Results The incidence of terminal QRS distortion in leads Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF in RCA occlusion group was 44.8％(13/29) and 39.3％(11/28)in LCX occlusion group,and there was no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of terminal QRS distortion in leads V4R-V5R in RCA occlusion group was 17.2％(5/29) and 7.1％(2/28) in LCX occlusion group,and there was no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of terminal QRS distortion in leads V7-V9 in RCA occlusion group was 6.9％(2/29),which was lower than that in LCX occlusion group[53.6％(15/28)],and there was significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).For identifying LCX as the infarct-related artery of acute inferior myocardial infarction,the sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative value in terminal QRS distortion in leads V7-V9 were 53.6％ (15/28),93.1％ (27/29),88.2％ (15/17),67.5％ (27/40).The area under curve of terminal QRS distortion in leads V7-V9 in identifying LCX as the infarct-related artery of acute inferior myocardial infarction was 0.733 (95％ CI 0.599-0.868).Conclusion Terminal QRS distortion in leads V7-V9 may be of diagnostic value in identifying the infarct-related artery in acute inferior myocardial infarction.

Alveolar Bone Loss ; surgery ; Humans ; Molar ; injuries ; surgery ; Periodontitis ; surgery ; Tooth Root ; injuries ; surgery

Objective To systematically review the existing evidence about the effect of medial and lateral (crossed) entry pins versus only lateral entry pin fixation on the supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children.Methods Eligible studies were identified in Cochrane library,the Cochrane Bone,Joint and Muscle Trauma Group (till March 2011 ),Medline (from 1966 to March 2011 ),EMbase (from 1966 to 2011 ),CBM (from January 1979 to March 2011 ),PubMed,Wanfang Data (from 2000 to March 2011 ) and CNKI and the references of the included studies and several Chinese orthopedic journals were manually searched.Then,the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials (CCTs) about two entries (crossed and only lateral pinning) for supracondylar fractures of humerus in children were collected.After evaluation of methodology with the enrolled studies,available data was extracted and systematic review was conducted via the method recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration.Results In total,five RCTs involving 311 patients were involved.Compared with the preoperative data,the meta-analysis results showed no significant difference in reduction stability in terms of change in Baumann angle and Carrying angle between the two groups.For the postoperative function outcome including complete reduction,Flynn grade and full return to function,no significant difference was found between the two groups.For the postoperative complications,there was no difference in the infection of pin tract,though lateral entry resulted in a significant lower incidence of the iatrogenic nerve injury compared with the medial and lateral entry.Conclusions With the Kirschner wire fixation for supracondylar fractures of humerus in children,current existing evidences indicate that the lateral entry of pinning has similar results in reduction stability,function outcome and incidence of pin tract infection compared with medial and lateral entry.Nevertheless,lateral entry,as a safe pinning technique,may effectively decrease the risk of iatrogenic nerve injury

Adult ; Aggressive Periodontitis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dental Scaling ; Female ; Humans ; Orthodontics, Corrective ; Radiography ; Tooth Loss ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy

Objective To investigate the effects of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) on mice with experimental ulcerative colitis and the underlying mechanisms. Methods Forty-eight mice were equally randomized into 6 groups ( n = 8): normal control group, model group, salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) group, low-dose TGP group one day after enama, the mice were treated with corresponding agent by oral gavage for3 days. The disease activity index (DAI) score was evaluated every day. After all the mice were scarified, the macroscopic and histological scores were evaluated. The tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level of the colon mucosa was measured by ELISA and the colonic expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with the normal control group, the DAI score was significantly higher in the model group (P ＜0. 01 ),but was similar to that in low-dose TGP group ( P ＞ 0.05 ). Compared with the model group, the DAI score was significantly decreased in SASP group, medium-dose TGP group, and high-dose TGP group (all P ＜ 0. 05). The macroscopic score, histological score, TNF-α level, and expression of NF-κB p65 were significantly higher in model group than in normal control group, SASP group, medium-dose TGP group, and high-dose TGP group ( all P ＜0. 01 ), but was similar to that in low-dose TGP group (P ＞ 0. 05). The efficacy of TGP was higher in high-dose TGP group than in SASP group. Conclusions TGP has certain therapeutic effects on experimental ulcerative colitis,which may be achieved by its inhibitory effect on the activation of NF-κB and the production of TNF-α.

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture plus thunder-fire moxibustion on the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in cartilage of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rats, and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture plus thunder-fire moxibustion in the treatment of KOA. Methods:Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group, a model group and an acupuncture-moxibustion group by random digits table, 10 rats in each group. Rats in the model group and the acupuncture-moxibustion group were injected with papain in the right posterior knee joint to prepare the models. The levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in rat synovium of each group were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) after 2 weeks of treatment. The level of TGF-β1 was determined by Motic B5 Micro-camera system. Results:The levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in the cartilage of the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group (allP<0.01); the levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in the acupuncture-moxibustion group were lower than those in the model group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in the acupuncture-moxibustion group were higher than those in the blank control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The level of TGF-β1 in cartilage tissues of the model group was significantly lower than that in the blank control group (P<0.01); the level of TGF-β1 in the acupuncture-moxibustion group was higher than that in the model group (P<0.05), but it was lower than that in the blank control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture plus thunder-fire moxibustion can effectively recover the abnormal expressions of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in KOA model rats and somewhat up-regulate TGF-β1, which may be one of its mechanisms of acupuncture plus thunder-fire for KOA.

Objective To study the characteristics of ? cell function change and to explore the predictive value of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-Ab and other factors for ? cell function in the patients with latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). Methods Sixteen LADA patients (positive GAD-Ab) and 24 type 2 diabetic patients (negative GAD-Ab) were followed-up at 0, 6th, 12th, 30th, 36th, 42th and 48th months respectively. Their fasting and postprandial 2h C-peptide and glycemic control were measured. GAD-Ab was determined by radioimmunoprecipitation assay and C-peptide by RIA. Results Decreased fasting C peptide (FCP) levels (Month 30, 36, 42, 48 compared with Month 0, P