OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors for cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) among infants through a multicenter clinical study. METHODS: A total of 1 829 infants, aged 1-12 months, who attended the outpatient service of the pediatric department in six hospitals in Shenzhen, China from June 2016 to May 2017 were enrolled as subjects. A questionnaire survey was performed to screen out suspected cases of CMPA. Food avoidance and oral food challenge tests were used to make a confirmed diagnosis of CMPA CMPA. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for CMPA. RESULTS: Among the 1 829 infants, 82 (4.48%) were diagnosed with CMPA. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that maternal food allergy (OR=4.91, 95%CI: 2.24-10.76, P<0.05), antibiotic exposure during pregnancy (OR=3.18, 95%CI: 1.32-7.65, P<0.05), and the introduction of complementary food at an age of <4 months (OR=3.55, 95%CI: 1.52-8.27, P<0.05) were risk factors for CMPA, while exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.21, 95%CI: 0.08-0.58, P<0.05) and the introduction of complementary food at an age of >6 months (OR=0.38, 95%CI: 0.17-0.86, P<0.05) were protective factors. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of complementary food at an age of <4 months, maternal food allergy, and antibiotic exposure during pregnancy are risk factors for CMPA in infants.
Animals ; Cattle ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; Milk Proteins ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: To compare the pathogenicity of isolates of sequence type 7 (ST-7) ( ) belonging to four different serogroups (A, B, C, and X). Methods: Four ST-7 isolates serogrouped as A, B, C, and X and characterized by different capsule structures, were examined for their adhesion and invasion properties, and their ability to induce cytokine release and apoptosis in the host cell (the A549 cell line). Results: Among the four ST-7 isolates, the serogroup A isolate possessed the strongest adhesion and invasion ability. This isolate also induced the release of the highest levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and interferon, and the highest apoptosis rate in the host cells. However, there was no significant difference in interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion between the four isolates. Based on the findings, the serogroup X isolate had the weakest pathogenicity, whereas there was almost no difference in the pathogenicity of the isolates from serogroups B and C. Conclusions The differences in the capsular structure of the four isolates of ST-7 affected their pathogenic capacities. The findings also imply that the hyperinvasive ST-7 lineage may include hypoinvasive isolates.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy for acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 66 patients with acne vulgaris were randomized into an observation group and a control group by the random number table, with 33 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy, and the control group was treated only with auricular point sticking therapy. The treatments of both groups were performed twice a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, for 3 courses in total. The scores of skin lesions and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scores were recorded before and after treatment to assess the clinical efficacy. Results: During the trial, there were 3 cases of drop-out both in the observation group and the control group. After 3 courses of treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was 96.7％, while that of the control group was 76.7％. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The intra-group comparison showed that the scores of skin lesion and DLQI were both decreased with the increase of treatment times, that was, the scores were lower than those at the previous time point (allP<0.05). After 1, 2, and 3 courses of treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of both groups were statistically different from those of the same group before treatment (allP<0.05). At every time point during the treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking has a better curative effect than auricular point sticking therapy alone in the treatment of acne vulgaris, and has a time-effect correlation.

Objective To study the effect of caffeine on hyperoxic lung injury of premature rats and its relationship with p38 motigen-activated protein kinase( MAPK) signal pathway. Methods Sixty Wistar premature rats were divided into 4 groups(n＝15) according to the random number table:air + normal sa-line group(A+N group),air + caffeine group( A+C group),hyperoxia + normal saline group( H+N group),and hyperoxia + caffeine group(H+C group). Among them,H+N group and H+C group were continually exposed to hyperoxia ( oxygen concentration was 60% ~70%). For A + C group and H + C group,the premature rats were injected with caffeine of 29 mg/(kg·d) into their peritoneal cavities every day after birth. For A+N group and H+N group,the premature rats were injected with normal saline of the same volume into their peritoneal cavities. In each group,the lung tissues of 5 premature rats were randomly select-ed on the third, seventh and fourteenth day respectively. The pathological changes of lung tissue, radiated alveolar count(RAC) and collagen content in lung tissue were observed under a light microscope. The wet/dry ratio ( W/D) was measured. Two-step immunohistochemistry was used to detect the distribution of p38MAPK in lung tissue. The content of phosphorylated p38MAPK( p-p38MAPK) protein was detected by western blot. Results Compared with the air groups,the lung tissues of premature rats in high oxygen expo-sure groups showed different degree of inflammatory changes on the third,seventh,and fourteenth day. The changes were more obvious with the prolonged exposure to hyperoxia. Pulmonary fibrosis was visible on the fourteenth day,which was improved after caffeine intervention. The RAC value of premature rats in hyperoxia exposure groups was significantly lower than that in air-exposure groups(P<0. 05),and the W/D ratio and collagen content in lung tissue increased significantly (P<0. 05),which were improved after caffeine inter-vention(P<0. 05). The results of two-step immunohistochemistry showed that the number of p-p38MAPK positive cells in the lung tissue of premature rats in hyperoxia exposure groups increased and widely distribu-ted, but decreased after caffeine intervention. The results of western blot showed that the content of p-p38MAPK protein in lung tissue of premature rats in hyperoxia exposure groups was significantly higher than that of air groups(P<0. 05),but it decreased after caffeine intervention(P<0. 05). Conclusion Hy-peroxia can promote the formation of pulmonary fibrosis by activating p38MAPK signal pathway. Caffeine can interdict the expression of p38MAPK to alleviate the fibrosis of lung tissue exposed to hyperoxia and thus protects the lung tissue.

OBJECTIVE: To comparatively study the toxicity of four metal-containing nanoparticles (MNPs) and their chemical counterparts to the air-blood barrier (ABB) permeability using an in vitro model. METHODS: ABB model, which was developed via the co-culturing of A549 and pulmonary capillary endothelium, was exposed to spherical CuO-NPs (divided into CuO-40, CuO-80, and CuO-100 based on particle size), nano-Al2O3 (sheet and short-rod-shaped), nano-ZnO, nano-PbS, CuSO4, Al2(SO4)3, Zn(CH3COO)2, and Pb(NO3)2 for 60 min. Every 10 min following exposure, the cumulative cleared volume (ΔTCL) of Lucifer yellow by the model was calculated. A clearance curve was established using linear regression analysis of ΔTCL versus time. Permeability coefficient (P) was calculated based on the slope of the curve to represent the degree of change in the ABB permeability. RESULTS: The results found the increased P values of CuO-40, CuO-80, sheet, and short-rod-shaped nano-Al2O3, Al2(SO4)3, and Pb(NO3)2. Among them, small CuO-40 and CuO-80 were stronger than CuO-100 and CuSO4; no difference was observed between Al2(SO4)3 and sheet and short-rod-shaped nano-Al2O3; and nano-PbS was slightly weaker than Pb(NO3)2. So clearly the MNPs possess diverse toxicity. CONCLUSION ABB permeability abnormality means pulmonary toxicity potential. More studies are warranted to understand MNPs toxicity and ultimately control the health hazards.
A549 Cells ; Blood-Air Barrier ; metabolism ; Epithelium ; metabolism ; Humans ; Metal Nanoparticles ; toxicity ; Particle Size ; Permeability

OBJECTIVE: Identification of new risk factors is needed to improve prediction of adverse outcomes in patients with three-vessel disease (TVD). The present study aimed to evaluate the prognostic values of serum chloride and sodium levels in patients with TVD. METHODS: We used data from a prospective cohort of consecutive patients with angiographically confirmed TVD. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to analyze the relationship of serum chloride and sodium levels with long-term outcomes of TVD patients. RESULTS: A total of 8,318 participants with available serum chloride and sodium data were included in this analysis. At baseline, patients in the low tertiles group of serum chloride level (⪕ 102.0 mmol/L) or serum sodium level (⪕ 139.0 mmol/L) had more severe disease conditions. During a median follow-up of 7.5-year, both low serum chloride level and low serum sodium level were found to be associated with an increased risk for mortality in univariate analysis. However, when both parameters were incorporated into a multivariate model, only low serum sodium level remained to be an independent predictor of all-cause death (hazard ratio: 1.16, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.34, P = 0.041). Modest but significant improvement of discrimination was observed after incorporating serum sodium level into the Synergy between percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score. CONCLUSION Serum sodium level is more strongly associated with long-term outcomes of TVD patients compared with serum chloride level. Low serum sodium level is an independent risk factor for mortality, but only provides modest prognostic information beyond an established risk model.
Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Chlorides ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; diagnosis ; mortality ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Sodium ; blood

Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets has good anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities,but its reproductive damage is significant. Previous studies of the research group have found that Cuscutae Semen flavonoids can improve spermatogenic cell damage caused by Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets by regulating spermatogenic cell cycle,apoptosis and related protein expression,but the mechanism of action at the gene level is still unclear. In this study,Illumina high-throughput sequencing platform was applied in transcriptional sequencing of spermatogenic cells of rats after the intervention of Cuscutae Semen flavonoids and Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets. Differentially expressed genes were screened out and the GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes were conducted to explore the mechanism of Cuscutae Semen flavonoids in improving reproductive injury caused by Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets. The results showed that 794 up-regulated genes and 491 down-regulated genes were screened in Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets group compared with the blank group. Compared with Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets,440 up-regulated genes and 784 down-regulated genes were screened in the Cuscutae Semen flavonoids+Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets group. Among them,the gene closely related to reproductive function is DNMT3 L. Analysis of GO function and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment showed that the above differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in cell,cell process,catalytic activity,binding,ovarian steroid synthesis,thyroid hormone and other functions and pathways. The thyroid hormone signaling pathway was the common enrichment pathway of the two control groups. In a word,Cuscutae Semen flavonoids has a good treatment effect on male reproductive damage caused by Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets. The mechanism may be closely related to up-regulation of DNMT3 L genes and intervention of thyroid hormone signaling pathway. At the same time,the discovery of many different genes provides valuable information for study on the mechanism of Cuscutae Semen flavonoids and Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets compatibility decreasing toxicity and increasing efficiency.
Animals ; Cuscuta ; chemistry ; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases ; genetics ; Female ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Genitalia ; drug effects ; pathology ; Glycosides ; toxicity ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Male ; Rats ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; Tablets ; Thyroid Hormones ; genetics ; Transcriptome ; Tripterygium ; toxicity

Rat model of blood stasis syndrome was prepared by subcutaneous injecting of epinephrine hydrochlorid,then the model rats were administrated by Yunnan Baiyao for 15 days. Blood rheology,coagulation function and histopathology were chosen as indicators to evaluate the successful replication of blood stasis syndrome model and the treatment effect of Yunnan Baiyao. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to rapidly analyze the serum samples of blood stasis syndrome rat after 15 days Yunnan Baiyao treatment,Progenesis QI software was employed to identify the alkaloids components. The results showed that Yunnan Baiyao reduced the plasma viscosity and whole blood viscosity of rats with blood stasis syndrome,prolonged thrombin and prothrombin time,reduced fibrinogen content,and effectively improved pathological state such as inflammatory cell infiltration,blood stasis,congestion and edema of various organs in rats with blood stasis syndrome. Seven alkaloids components from Aconitum kusnezoffii,including karacolidine,senbusine B,isotalatizidine,karakoline,denudatine,talatisamine and chasmanine were found in the rat serum after Yunnan Baiyao treatment. Based on the effectiveness of Yunnan Baiyao in the treatment of blood stasis syndrome induced by epinephrine hydrochloride in rats,alkaloids components from the root of A. kusnezoffii absorbed into blood after Yunnan Baiyao treatment were clarified rapidly and accurately with the help of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Karacolidine,senbusine B,isotalatizidine,karakoline,denudatine,talatisamine and chasmanine are the pharmacodynamic material basis of the root of A. kusnezoffii for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Animals ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Blood Viscosity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Prothrombin Time ; Rats ; Thrombin Time

As a common soft tissue disease, the mechanism of tendinopathy has not been clarified and is lack of effective treatment method. Change of tissue fibrosis is the one of the main pathological features. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), which is one of the important factor, participated in fibrosis. Inconsonant expressions of TGF-β1 could be found in tendinopathy. The studies are still controversial, but the vast majority of studies had showed that TGF-β1 was abnormal, and it is given priority to increase, which means that TGF-β1 plays an important role in the process of tendinopathy. In the process of tendon injuries and repairs, the time of TGF-β1 increasing is inconsistent. The time for TGF-β1 plays a significant role has not been determined. TGF-β1 has abnormal expressions in both tendinopathy and tendon repairs, which are two opposite processes. Thus, it may not be a one-way adjustment factor, but has a pleiotropic. Recent studies showed that TGF-β1 was considered as binding to receptor and transferring signal into the cell. Now there are three different receptors are found. The classical pathway of TGF-β1 in intracellular signal transduction is mainly through activation of Smad pathway. In the same time, there are also some non-classical pathways. TGF-β1 could break balance of extracellular matrix, which may be a reason to cause tendinopathy. But the regulations of TGF-β1 on the extracellular matrix are complex and diverse, further studies are required. Existing researches showed that the performance of treatments on tendinopathy is unsatisfied by blocking TGF-β1 downstream pathway. Therefore, it is a good way to study the upstream mechanism of produce TGF-β1. It may be an effective method to find new targets to inhibit the development of tendinopathy better by finding the original source of TGF-β1.
Fibrosis ; Humans ; Signal Transduction ; Tendinopathy ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVE: To study the significance of plasma neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) and its markers in the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. METHODS: A total of 160 children with CAP were enrolled as the CAP group, and 50 healthy children were enrolled the control group. According to disease severity, the CAP group was further divided into a mild CAP subgroup with 137 children and a severe CAP subgroup with 23 children. According to the pathogen, the CAP group was further divided into a bacterial pneumonia subgroup with 78 children, a Mycoplasma pneumonia subgroup with 35 children, and a viral pneumonia subgroup with 47 children. The levels of plasma NET and its markers [antibacterial peptide (LL-37), extracellular free DNA (cfDNA), and deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I)] were measured. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the value of each index in diagnosing CAP and assessing its severity. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the CAP group had significant increases in the levels of NET, LL-37, and cfDNA and a significant reduction in the activity of DNase I (P<0.05). Compared with the mild CAP subgroup, the severe CAP subgroup had significantly higher levels of NET, LL-37 and cfDNA and a significantly lower activity of DNase I (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of NET, LL-37, and cfDNA and the activity of DNase I among the bacterial pneumonia, Mycoplasma pneumonia, and viral pneumonia subgroups (P>0.05). In the CAP group, plasma NET levels were positively correlated with white blood cell count (WBC), percentage of neutrophils, and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin and tumor necrosis factor-α (r=0.166, 0.168, 0.275, 0.181 and 0.173 respectively, P<0.05); LL-37 and cfDNA levels were positively correlated with WBC (r=0.186 and 0.338 respectively, P<0.05) and CRP levels (r=0.309 and 0.274 respectively, P<0.05); the activity of DNase I was negatively correlated with CRP levels (r=-0.482, P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that NET, LL-37, cfDNA, and DNase I had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.844, 0.648, 0.727, and 0.913 respectively in the diagnosis of CAP, with optimal cut-off values of 182.89, 46.26 ng/mL, 233.13 ng/mL, and 0.39 U/mL respectively, sensitivities of 88.12%, 35.63%, 54.37%, and 91.25% respectively, and specificities of 74.00%, 92.00%, 86.00%, and 76.00% respectively. In the assessment of the severity of CAP, NET, LL-37, cfDNA, and DNase I had an AUC of 0.873, 0.924, 0.820, and 0.778 respectively, with optimal cut-off values of 257.7, 49.11 ng/mL, 252.54 ng/mL, and 0.29 U/mL respectively, sensitivities of 83.21%, 86.96%, 78.26%, and 95.65% respectively, and specificities of 78.26%, 83.94%, 76.64%, and 56.93% respectively. CONCLUSIONS Plasma NET and its related markers have a certain value in diagnosing CAP and assessing its severity in children.
Biomarkers ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Community-Acquired Infections ; diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Extracellular Traps ; Humans ; Pneumonia ; ROC Curve