Objective To investigate the prevalence of sinusitis in poorly controlled asthma children.Methods Asthmatic children from the Asthma Specialist Department of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital were selected as the study cases,of which 107 children coughing for more than 4 weeks after treatment were allocated to the research group and 105 newly diagnosed asthmatic children were selected as the control group.Results 1.The CT confirmed sinusitis prevalence was 81.3％ (87/107 cases) in research group and 51.4％ (54/105 cases) in the control group,respectively.The 2 groups were significantly different (x2 ＝ 21.242,P ＜ 0.05).2.The patient complained nasal obstruction in sinusitis group was 80.5％ (70/87 cases) compared to 50.0％ (10/20 cases) in non sinusitis group,and the difference between 2 groups was statistically significant (x2 =7.997,P ＜ 0.05).3.In the research group,69.2％ (74/107 cases) suffered from maxillary sinusitis,61.7％ (66/107 cases) ethmoid sinusitis,14.0％ (15/107 cases) frontal sinusitis,and 30.8％ (33/107 cases) sphenoid sinusitis.All the 4 nasosinus involved was 10.3％ (11/107 cases).The frequency of allergic rhinitis symptoms in 4 groups of sinuses had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Chronic cough in poorly controlled asthma children is related to sinusitis and upper airway cough syndrome.

Objective To examine plasma levels of MDA-LDL and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in patients with angiography type lesions Ⅱ(representing plaque rupture with or without thrombosis), and to evaluate the effect of simvastatin on plasma MDA-LDL and PAPP-A. Methods One hundred and ten patients were enrolled and underwent coronary angiography with 85 patients diagnosed as coronary heart disease (CHD) and twenty-five as controls. According to the morphologic types of plaque, the patients with CHD were straitified as type Ⅰ(smooth borders) (n=31) and type Ⅱ(irregular lesions) (n=35) and type Ⅲ (long lesions with irregular surface) group (n=19). The patients in type Ⅱ group received simvastatin (40 mg/d ) for four weeks. The plasma MDA-LDL, PAPP-A, LDL, HDL levels before and after simvastatin treatment were determined. Results Plasma levels of MDA-LDL, PAPP-A in type Ⅱ group was significantly higer than that in the controls group, type Ⅰ group, type Ⅲ group (P

0.05) were obtained. There were no access site bleeding complications in TRCA group as opposed to 7.2% in TFCA group ( P

Objective The aim of this study was to examine plasma levels of CD40 ligands (CD40L) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A in patients with angiography type Ⅱ lesions (representing plaque rupture with or without thrombosis), and to evaluate the role of PAPP-A in the development of plaque disruption. Methods The morphology of the plaques in 68 patients was studied and analyed by means of coronary angiography. According to the morphology of the plaques, the patients were divided into type Ⅰ group (smooth borders, n=19), type Ⅱ group (irregular lesions, n=33), and type Ⅲ group (long lesions, n=16). The plasma level of CD40L, PAPP-A, creatine kinase (CK), and MB isoenzyme of CK (CK-MB) was measured in all the patients. Results Mean plasma CD40L [(3.21?2.08)mg/L] in type Ⅱ group was significantly higher than that in the type Ⅰ group [(1.03?0.98)mg/L, P

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of the expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in nasal polyps tissues and the Th2 inflammatory response. METHOD: Sixty patients with nasal polyps were collect ed. The immunohistochemical staining method was used to detect the expression of TSLP in nasal polyps tissues and ELISA method to the expression of IL-4, IL-5, IFN-gamma, IL-13 and analyzed the correlation between them. RESULT: The expression of TSLP in nasal polyp tissues was higher than that in normal inferior turbinate mucosa (P < 0.05). The expression level of IL-4, IL-5, IFN-gamma and IL-13 in nasal polyps tissues were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). TSLP staining was a statistically significant positive correlation with IL-4, IL5 and IL-13 (r = 0.475, 0.594 and 0.582, respectively, P < 0.01), while inverse correlation with IFN-gamma (r = -0.614, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The high expression of TSLP might promote T cell differentiation towards Th2, and participated in the occurrence/development of nasal polyps, aggravated the nose Th2 inflammatory response.
Adult ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-13 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-5 ; metabolism ; Male ; Nasal Polyps ; immunology ; metabolism ; Th2 Cells ; immunology ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the relationship between pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), C-reactive protein (CRP) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods Sixty-eight patients with coronary artery disease, who were confirmed by angiography, were enrolled in this study. Among them, there were 43 cases with ACS and 25 cases with stable angina. At the same time, randomly selective 20 healthy subjects served as control group. Plasma PAPP-A and CRP levels were measured by using untrasensitive immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma levels of PAPP-A and CRP were significantly higher in ACS patients than those in control group (PAPP-A: 17.9?8.7mIu/L VS 7.1?4.2mIu/L, P1, which indicated both were the risk factors of ACS. Conclusion The plasma levels of PAPP-A and CRP increased in ACS patients, and both PAPP-A and CRP were independent risk factors of ACS.

AIM: To elucidate the effects of losartan on the expression ofmatrix metalloproteinases-2, JNK1/2 and proliferation in cardiac fibroblast. METHODS: Neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured. The cells proliferation was determined by MTT. To determine effects of AngⅡ on JNK1/2 activity, cells were incubated (for 0, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60, 120 min) in serum-freemedia with AngⅡ, and the other group fibroblasts were exposed to serum-free media with or without AngⅡ and losartan (AngⅡ 100 nmol/L, AngⅡ 100 nmol/L+losartan 100 nmol/L, losartan100 nmol/L, losartan for 45 min before). Cells protein was collected with MBST buffer. The relative abundance of MMP-2, JNK1/2 and p-JNK1/2 in cells was determined by immunoblotting. The secretion of MMP-2 in media of cell culture was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: AngⅡ increased the proliferation of CFB in a dose-dependent manner, whereas losartan decreased the proliferation of CFB stimulated by AngⅡ in a dose-dependant manner, too (P＜0.05). The relative abundance of JNK1/2 was highest in AngⅡ of the 2-min-stimulated group. AngⅡincreased expression of JNK1/2 and MMP-2 protein (P＜0.05), on the contrary, losartan inhibited JNK1/2 and MMP-2 protein expression.CONCLUSION: AngⅡ induce the increase of proliferation of CFB, expression of JNK1/2 and MMP-2 in CFB, and losartan inhibits these effects of AngⅡ.

Objective To investigate the value of FDG PET-CT in the outcome assessment and prognostic evaluation for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC).Methods From January 2008 to December 2013,92 rNPC patients were treated in our center,who were histologically or radiologically diagnosed and re-staged according to the 2008 clinical staging system for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China.The numbers of patients in stage Ⅰ,stage Ⅱ,stage Ⅲ,and stage Ⅳ were 8,11,39,and 34,respectively.According to the recurrent T stage (rT),the numbers of patients in rT1,rT2,rT3,and rT4 were 10,11,38,and 33,respectively.Twenty-eight patients had recurrence in the neck lymph nodes.All patients underwent pretreatment FDG PET-CT for the whole body or head/neck,and treated by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy.The relationship of maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) and clinical factors with clinical outcomes was analyzed.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate overall survival (OS),disease-free survival (DFS),local recurrence-free survival (LRFS),regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS),and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS).The log-rank test was used for survival difference analysis and univariate prognostic analysis.The Cox model was used for multivariate prognostic analysis.Results The 3-year OS,DFS,LRFS,RRFS,and DMFS were 33.6％,32.1％,32.8％,31.8％,and 33.7％,respectively.The median SUVmax was 8.35 (2.7-21.5).The SUVmax of 7.0 was taken as the optimal cut-off value for all patients.Patients with SUVmax ≤7.0 had a significantly higher 3-year OS rate than those with SUVm ax ＞7.0 (42.0％ vs.28.3％,P=0.019).The univariate analysis revealed that patient age,SUV and rN were significantly associated with OS (P=0.023,0.019,and 0.002).The multivariate analysis showed that SUVmax and rN were significant influencing factors for OS,DFS,and DMFS (HR=1.68,P=0.045 and HR=2.23,P=0.003;HR=1.67,P=0.042 and HR=2.39,P=0.001;HR=1.77,P=0.025 and HR=2.40,P=0.001).Conclusions SUVmax may be one of the useful prognostic factors for OS,DFS,and DMFS in rNPC patients.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT) is the integration of functional imaging and anatomic information,which is found to be particularly valuable in TNM staging,tumor volume delineating,post-treatment assessment,identification of recurrent and residual nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).The combination of 18F-FDG PET-CT with other image technologies,different tracer agents,and specific molecular biomarkers can improve the application value of 18F-FDG PET-CT in NPC.

Objective To investigate the effect of angiotensin Ⅱ-1 receptor antagonist losartan on expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?) in the ventricular myocardium in the renovascular hypertension rats. Methods Renovascular hypertension model was obtained by clip left renal artery in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. After operation the rats were divided into 3 groups: sham group, two-kidney one clip (2K1C) group, and losartan treatment group(2K1C and losartan 20 mg/kg?d by drinking). Tail blood pressure was determined every week. Animals were euthanized after treatment with losartan for four weeks. Cardiac index(CI)was calculated by HW/BW, and TNF-? protein of ventricle myocardium was determined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Results Losartan significantly decreased blood pressure(P