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

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

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.

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 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

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 evaluate the precision and uncertainty and comparison analysis of 6 items blood lipids index among 5 different Beckman AU biochemical testing systems ,such as triglyceride(TG) ,total cholesterol(TCHO) ,high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL‐C) ,low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL‐C) ,apolipoproteins A1(APOA1) ,apolipoproteins B(APOB) .Meth‐ods According to the document the EP15‐A2 of national Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards ,6 items blood lipids index were respectively detected by 5 different Beckman AU biochemical testing systems to obtain precision and comparison .The intra‐and inter‐precision and results of comparability among different system were low than 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/2 CLIA′88 as evaluation standard ,respectively .The measurement uncertainty of these items were evaluated by the calibrator uncertainty and internal quality control and external quality control .Results The intra‐and inter‐or day‐to‐day precision and relative bias were accepted by clinical requirements .The expanded measurement uncertainty for TG was 0 .079 mmol/L and 0 .035mmol/L .The expanded measurement uncertainty for TCHO was 0 .248 mmol/L and 0 .157 mmol/L .The expanded measurement uncertainty for HDL‐C was 0 .144 mmol/L and 0 .018 mmol/L .The expanded measurement uncertainty for LDL‐C was 0 .140 mmol/L and 0 .186 mmol/L .The ex‐panded measurement uncertainty for APOA1 was 0 .148 mmol/L and 0 .090 mmol/L .The expanded measurement uncertainty for APOB was 0 .104 mmol/L and 0 .058 mmol/L .Conclusion The results of 6 items blood lipids index respectively show well preci‐sion and significantly correlation among 5 different Beckman AU biochemical testing systems and the results were comparable ,and the influence factor of detection results were expression directly by evaluating the measurement uncertainty of 6 items blood lipids index .This way of assessment is simple .

Objective To evaluate the capacity of atopy patch test in diagnosis of food allergy in children with atopic dermatitis (AD).Methods Egg and milk,as the most common food allergens among Chinese children,were employed in this study.Skin prick test (SPT) and atopy patch test (APT) with fresh egg and milk were carried out in 68 children with AD.Oral food challenges in an open style were performed to confirm the diagnosis of food allergy.Resuits Of these patients,58(85.3%)were sensitive to egg,40(58.8%)to milk and 34(50.0%) to both.Of 98 patients with positive challenge,47 showed late response,10 immediate reactions.and 41 mixed reactions.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value (PPV),negative predictive value (NPV) and the agreement with food challenges in diagnosis of egg/milk allergy were 96.6%/67.5%.90.0%/82.1%,98.2%/84.4%,81.8%/63.9% and 95.6%/73.5%,respectively for APT alone,37.9%/30.0%,100%/89.3%,100%/80.0%,21.7%/47.2% and 47.1%/54.4%,respectively for SPT alone.APT was found to be more sensitive in diagnosis of late-phase reactions than SPT (P<0.01).No significant difference was found in the sensitivity between APT alone and the combination of APT and SPT in parallel algorithm for diagnosis of egg or milk allergy (x2=0.509,0.549,both P>0.05) or in the specificity between APT alone and that in serial algorithm( P=1.000;x2=3.514,P>0.05).Conclusions APT is superior to SPT in diagnosis of late responses to food,and the combination of SPT and APT does not facilitate the diagnosis of food or milk allergy compared with APT alone.