Objective To study the clinical application of the peak expiratory flow rate( PEFR) in children with asthma.Methods The PEFRs of 43 cases of asthma at the acute stage were measured to guide the clinical grading and therapy by the optimum individual PEFR of the patients at the remission stage, and the descending rate and warning value of individual PEFR were determined to investigate the relationship between the individual PEFR descending rate and the asthma attack conditions in the standard and nonstandard monitoring groups.Results At the asthma attack stage, the clinical symptoms became severe with PEFR declining; at the remission stage, the preventive application of drugs was based on the changes of the individual PEEF descending rate . The case number and frequency of asthma attack and the cases subjected to moderate or severe attacks in the standard group were 15 %,23.5 % and 25 % respectively; while those in the nonstandard group were 43.5 %, 75.5 % and 76.9 % respectively, which showed a significant difference( P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and pathological features, differential diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma.

METHODSThe clinical manifestations, histopathological features, immunohistochemistry, treatment and prognosis were analyzed retrospectively in 10 cases of granulocytic sarcoma.

RESULTSThe age of patients ranged from 10 to 56 years (means = 35.8 years). The male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. Histologically, the malignant cells of granulocytic sarcoma grew in a diffuse pattern. The cytoplasm was scanty, with eosinophilic fine granularity in some cells. The nuclei were round or focally irregular, and had finely dispersed chromatin. The mitotic figures were visible. Immunohistochemical stains for MPO, CD43, CD117, CD34 and CD99 were positive.

CONCLUSIONSGranulocytic sarcoma can occur in patients of all ages with a male predominance. The diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma is assisted by the cytochemical stain for naphthol-ASD-chloroacetate esterase and/or immunophenotypic analyses for MPO, CD43, CD117, CD34, CD99. These stains aid in the distinction of granulocytic sarcoma from: lymphoblastic lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, small round cell tumours, particularly in children, and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm.

12E7 Antigen ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, CD34 ; metabolism ; Burkitt Lymphoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Child ; Dendritic Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukosialin ; metabolism ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoma, Myeloid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo optimize the ultrasonic extraction condition for flavonoids from Chrysanthemum morifolium.

METHODThe extraction rate of flavonoids optimized condition (ethanol concentration, ultrasonic time, solvent quantity and extraction times) was determined by orthogonal design. UV-Spectrophotometry was used for the determination.

RESULTThe order of factors to affect the flavonoid extraction was ethanol concentration > extraction times > solvent quantity > ultrasonic time.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum ultrasonic extractions were: A2 B2 C3 D3. Compared with traditional extraction, ultraction method can save time, be easy to operate, improve extraction rates and need no heating.

Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Ultrasonics

OBJECTIVEAn electric monitor of bruxism had been invented in order to evaluate the curative effect of cuspid occlusal upheaving splint and stabilization splint.

METHODS20 patients with bruxism were randomly divided into two groups. A cuspid occlusal upheaving splint or a stabilization splint was fabricated respectively for patients. The vertical dimension for each splint was 0.5 mm lower than mandibular postural position. Sleeping time, bruxist time and times of bruxism were recorded with bruxism monitor that was invented for studying bruxing.

RESULTSThe bruxist time and the times of bruxism were decreased obviously in patients with cuspid occlusal upheaving splint, while no significant difference was shown before and after using the stabilization splint.

CONCLUSIONSThe bruxism monitor can automatically measure and record the data of bruxism with splint, which is valuable for clinic. The curative effect of cuspid occlusal upheaving splint is better than that of stabilization splint for treating bruxism.

Adult ; Bruxism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Masticatory Muscles ; physiopathology ; Occlusal Splints

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Leg Bones ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps

BACKGROUNDFor patients with end-stage lung diseases, lung transplantation is the final therapeutic option. Sequential double-lung transplantation is recognized as an established procedure to avoid cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). But some of the sequential double-lung transplantations require CPB support during the surgical procedure for various reasons. However, conventional CPB may increase the risk of bleeding and early allograft dysfunction. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is more advantageous than conventional CPB during the perioperative period of transplantation. Replacing traditional CPB with ECMO is promising for those patients needing cardiopulmonary support during a sequential double-lung transplantation procedure. This study aimed to summarize the preliminary experience of ECMO practice in lung transplantation.

METHODSBetween November 2002 and October 2008, twelve patients with end-stage lung diseases undergoing sequential double-lung transplantation were subjected to ECMO during the surgical procedure. Eleven patients were prepared for the procedure via transverse thoracostomy (clamshell) and cannulated through the ascending aorta and right atrium for ECMO. The first patient who underwent bilateral thoracotomy for bilateral sequential lung transplantation required emergency ECMO via the femoral artery and vein during the second lung implantation. The Medtronic centrifugal pump and ECMO package (CB1V97R1, Medtronic, Inc., USA) were used for all of the patients.

RESULTSDuring ECMO, the blood flow rate was set between 1.8 - 2.0 L x m(-2) x min(-1) to keep hemodynamic and oxygen saturation stable; colloid oncotic pressure was maintained at more than 18 mmHg with albumin and hematocrit (HCT) kept at 28% or more. Two patients died early in this series and the other 10 patients were weaned from ECMO successfully. The duration of ECMO was 1.38 - 67.00 hours, and postoperative intubation was 10.5 - 67.0 hours.

CONCLUSIONSAs an established technique of cardiopulmonary support, ECMO is helpful to keep hemodynamics stable, while reducing risk factors such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, anticoagulation requirement and systemic inflammatory response for sequential double-lung transplantation compared with conventional CPB.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; surgery ; Lung Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with long-standing diabetes often demonstrate intestinal dysfunction and abdominal pain. However, the pathophysiology of abdominal pain in diabetic patients remains elusive. The purpose of study was to determine roles of voltage-gated sodium channels in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in colonic hypersensitivity of rats with diabetes. METHODS: Diabetic models were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ; 65 mg/kg) in adult female rats, while the control rats received citrate buffer only. Behavioral responses to colorectal distention were used to determine colonic sensitivity in rats. Colon projection DRG neurons labeled with DiI were acutely dissociated for measuring excitability and sodium channel currents by whole-cell patch clamp recordings. Western blot analysis was employed to measure the expression of NaV1.7 and NaV1.8 of colon DRGs. RESULTS: STZ injection produced a significantly lower distention threshold than control rats in responding to colorectal distention. STZ injection also depolarized the resting membrane potentials, hyperpolarized action potential threshold, decreased rheobase and increased frequency of action potentials evoked by 2 and 3 times rheobase and ramp current stimulation. Furthermore, STZ injection enhanced neuronal sodium current densities of DRG neurons innervating the colon. STZ injection also led to a significant upregulation of NaV1.7 and NaV1.8 expression in colon DRGs compared with age and sex-matched control rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that enhanced neuronal excitability following STZ injection, which may be mediated by upregulation of NaV1.7 and NaV1.8 expression in DRGs, may play an important role in colonic hypersensitivity in rats with diabetes.
Abdominal Pain ; Action Potentials ; Adult ; Animals ; Architectural Accessibility ; Blotting, Western ; Citric Acid ; Colon* ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Female ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Membrane Potentials ; Neurons ; Rats* ; Sensory Receptor Cells* ; Sodium ; Sodium Channels ; Streptozocin ; Up-Regulation ; Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels*

OBJECTIVETo ascertain extraction technology condition for extract and flavonoids from Chrysanthum morifoliwn.

METHODThe optimizing ultrasonic extraction condition on the basis of extractive yield and flavonoids were determined by orthogonal design.

RESULTThe order of factors which affected the flavonoid extraction was extraction times > ethanol concentration > ultrasonic time > solvent quantity.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum ultrasonic extractions are A2B3C3D3. Compared with traditional extraction, ultraction method is timesaving, simple to operate, stable and need not be heated.

Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the morphologic and growing alterations of oral cancer cell line Tca8113 before and after cocultured with tumor stromal fibroblasts (TSF) and normal stromal fibroblasts (NSF) respectively, and evaluate the influence of mesenchymal cells on tumor cells.

METHODSTSF and NSF were isolated and cultured. To observe the morphologic change of Tca8113 cells after cocultured with TSF and NSF respectively.

RESULTSWhen cocultured with NSF, the Tca8113 cells proliferated as rapidly as monocultured to form colonies, while the NSF proliferated slowly to form pieces and then joined each other to form network. The NSF network segmented and surrounded the colonies of cancer cells so that the cancer cells shrank, turn round, broke away from the bottom and floated into the medium. The cancer cells proliferated actively but they were elbow out entirely in the end. TSF proliferated slowly when cocultured with cancer cells, projected several branched protrusions. The cancer cells proliferated along the two sides of protrusions of TSF, or projected short protrusions to connect the body or protrusions of TSF, and overlaid the protrusions gradually, finally, cover the body. In the end, TSF melt away, and the cancer cells took on the figure of TSF.

CONCLUSIONThe results do suggest that, oral cancer cell line Tca8113 are restrained when coculture with NSF, but are promoted when with TSF.

Cell Line ; Coculture Techniques ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mouth Neoplasms

OBJECTIVEA number of putative virulence factors have been postulated to be relevant to the clinical outcome of Helicobacter pylori infection based on strains identified in the western countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genotypes of vacA, cagA and iceA and duodenal ulcer disease in patients from Hong Kong.

METHODSSeventy-two dyspeptic patients with or without duodenal ulcer disease, with proven H.pylori infection, were studied. Gastric biopsy specimens were analyzed by specific polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot to determine the genotypes of these virulence factors.

RESULTSExcept 6 (8.3%) cases with evidence of multiple infections, all of the remaining 66 cases had vacA signal sequence s1 type strains. Twenty-seven (90%) of the 30 cases with duodenal ulcers were infected with cagA-positive strains, compared with 32 (88.9%) of 36 with non-ulcer dyspepsia (P > 0.05). Similarly, vacA middle region sequences were detected with no significant difference in the two groups, 9 (30.0%) versus 13 (36.1%) for m1b and 21 (70.0%) versus 23 (63.9%) for m2 type. IceA1 subtype was detected in the same frequency in 42 (63.6%) of the 66 cases. Neither cagA nor vacA and iceA were associated with duodenal ulcer disease.

CONCLUSIONNo clear differences were found in the distribution of cagA, vacA and iceA genotypes among patients with duodenal ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsia. The association of these virulence genes and duodenal ulcer disease needs reappraisal, particularly under geographic considerations.

Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Duodenal Ulcer ; etiology ; Genotype ; Helicobacter pylori ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Virulence