Objective:To investigate the changes of expressions of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells and downstream factors interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in serum in the children with asthma, and to explore their significances on assessing the condition of the children.Methods:A total of 176cases of children with asthma were divided into acute exacerbation group (n=91) , chronic persistent group (n=49) and clinical remission group (n=36) according to the clinical manifestation.During the same period, 60healthy children were selected from the outpatient physical examination center as control group.The pulmonary function of children was checked with lung function instrument.The expression levels of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the subjects in various groups were detected by using real-time quantitative PCR.The serum levels of IL-1βand IL-18of the subjects in various groups were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) .Results:Compared with control group, the forced expiratory volume in 1second percentage of predicted value (FEV1％) and fixed ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) of the children in acute exacerbation, chronic persistent and clinical remission groups were decreased (P＜0.05) ;acute exacerbation group＜chronic persistent group＜clinical remission group, and there were significant differences between various groups (P＜0.05) .The levels of NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum levels of IL-1βand IL-18in the children with asthma were higher than those in control group (P＜0.01) .The expression levels of NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the children in acute exacerbation group were higher than those in chronic persistent and clinical remission groups (P＜0.05) , and the expression levels of NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1mRNA in chronic persistent group were higher than those in clinical remission group (P＜0.05) .Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression level of NLRP3mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of asthmatic children was positively correlated with the expression levels of ASC, Caspase-1 mRNA and the serum levels of IL-1βand IL-18 (P＜0.05) , while it was negatively correlated with FEV1％and FEV1/FVC;the expression level of ASC mRNA was positively correlated with the expression level of Caspase-1mRNA and the serum levels of IL-1βand IL-18 (P＜0.05) , while it was negatively correlated with FEV1％and FEV1/FVC (P＜0.05) ;the expression level of Caspase-1 mRNA was positively correlated with the expression level of Caspase-1mRNA and the serum levels of IL-1βand IL-18 (P＜0.05) , while it was negatively correlated with FEV1％and FEV1/FVC (P＜0.05) ;the serum level of IL-1βwas negatively correlated with FEV1％and FEV1/FVC (P＜0.05) , and the serum level of IL-18was negatively correlated with FEV1％and FEV1/FVC (P＜0.05) .Conclusion:The expression levels of NLRP3inflammasome and the downstream factor IL-1βand IL-18in peripheral blood of the children with asthma are increased, and they are related to the clinical stage of the children with asthma.NLRP3inflammasome pathway might promote the pathogenesis of asthma in the children.

Objective: To investigate the effects of interferon inducible protein 16 (IFI16), a cytosolic DNA sensor, on the expression of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines in adult HTLV-1-positive T cells. Methods: IFI16 expression in different HTLV-1-positive T cell lines was detected by immunoblot assay. Specific siRNA targeting the IFI16 gene was constructed and the gene silencing efficiency was detected by immunoblot assay. Expression of HTLV-1 Tax protein at mRNA and protein levels was respectively detected by real-time PCR and immunoblot assay after knocking down the expression of IFI16 in HTLV-1-positive T cells with siRNA. Expression of interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Tax and Env were detected by real-time PCR. Results: Compared with the HTLV-1-negative T cell line Jurkat, IFI16 expression was enhanced in the HTLV-1-positive T cell lines MT2, MT4 and C8166. Tax expression was increased, while that of IFN-α, IFN-γ and TNF-α was decreased in MT2 and MT4 cells after silencing the expression of IFI16 with siRNA. Conclusions IFI16 expression was increased in HTLV-1-positive MT2 and MT4 cells. Meanwhile, IFI16 promoted the production of interferon and pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibited the expression of HTLV-1 proteins.

Objective: To improve the structure of current bronchoscopy specialized wagons, enhance the care efficiency and improve care experience. Methods: Use the bronchoscopy specialized wagons in bronchoscope room from 3rd of January to 1st of June 2018 as control group. Use the bronchoscopy specialized wagons in bronchoscope room from 5 th June to 3rd November 2018 as the test group. Test group adopted the national patent, new bronchoscopy specialized wagons and control group with the general treatment wheel. Results: The operation time of the test group was (14.25±0.45) seconds, lower than that of in the control group (47.99±1.84) seconds, the difference was significant (t=1.542, P<0.05). The operation trouble of the test group was 0, lower than that of in the control group (5.37±0.72) times, the difference was significant (t=4.917, P <0.05). Intake capacity of the test group was (107.70±15.18), higher than that of in the control group (48.17±6.93), the difference was significant (t=3.191, P <0.05). Conclusions The use of the new bronchoscopy specialized wagons can reduce operation time, greatly improve working efficiency. It is worthy to be applied in future.

Objective: To investigate the features of plaques of saphenous venous graft (SVG) with virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) in patients underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Methods: From March 2016 to March 2018, a total of 45 patients ((64.4±7.9) years old, 88.9% male (40 cases)) with ischemic symptoms after coronary artery bypass graft surgery and with coronary artery angiography evidenced SVG stenosis greater than or equal to 50%, who received percutaneous coronary intervention in Tianjin chest hospital were continuously included in this study, and the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. VH-IVUS was performed before PCI to analyze plaque composition. The patients were divided into no smoking group (21 cases) and smoking group (24 cases), no diabetes group (30 cases) and diabetes group (15 cases), normal very low density lipoprotein cholesterin (VLDL-C) group (24 cases) and elevated VLDL-C group (21 cases), stable angina pectoris group (5 cases) and acute coronary syndrome group (40 cases), plaque burden (PB) < 70% group (11 cases) and PB ≥ 70% group (34 cases), without thin-cap fibroatheroma group (35 cases) and thin-cap fibroatheroma group (10 cases), and plaque features were compared between different groups. Results: The graft age was (8.9±3.7) years.The stenosis degree of SVG lesions was 90 (90, 98) %. The minimum lumen diameter was 1.6 (1.5, 1.8) mm. The vessel cross-sectional area was (12.1±4.0) mm². The plaque area was 8.6 (5.7,12.0) mm². The minimum lumen area was 2.5 (2.1,3.3) mm². The plaque burden was (75.3±8.3)%. The fibrotic tissue (FI) ratio was (65.1±10.1)%, fibrofatty plaque (FF) ratio was 13.8 (5.4,25.3) %, necrotic core tissue (NC) ratio was 12.0 (5.4,24.0)%, and dense calcium tissue (DC) ratio was1.0 (0.2,3.8)% in SVG lesions. There were no significant differences in SVG plaque area, FI area,FF area,NC area,and DC area between no smoking group and smoking group, no diabetes group and diabetes group, and normal VLDL-C group and elevated VLDL-C group. SVG plaque volume was significantly higher in acute coronary syndrome group than in stable angina pectoris group (262.2 (148.5,401.2) mm³ vs. 93.1 (50.6,155.9) mm³,P=0.006), and plaque area (10.1 (6.6,13.3) mm² vs. 5.0 (3.6,6.9) mm², P<0.001), FI area(4.8 (3.2,6.8) mm² vs. 2.8 (1.9,3.0) mm², P<0.001),and FF area (1.15 (0.60, 2.07) mm² vs. 0.30 (0.10,0.90) mm², P=0.009) were significantly larger in PB ≥ 70% group than in PB < 70% group.The NC area (1.75(0.40,2.78) mm² vs. 0.60 (0.20,1.30) mm², P=0.030) and DC area (0.35 (0.10,0.50) mm² vs. 0.00 (0.00,0.10) mm², P=0.006) were significantly larger in thin-cap fibroatheroma group than that in without thin-cap fibroatheroma group. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the plaque area of SVG lesion was positively correlated with FF area (r=0.64, P<0.001) and NC area (r=0.43, P=0.003). PB was positively correlated with FF area (r=0.50, P<0.001) and NC area (r=0.33, P=0.028). Graft age was positively correlated with FF area (r=0.30, P=0.047). Conclusions The main components of SVG plaque are fibrotic tissue, conversely, calcified tissue is rare in patients with SVG stenosis after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Fibrofatty tissue is increased in the plaque in patients with PB ≥ 70%. The necrotic component is also increased in patients with thin-cap fibroatheroma. The fibrofatty component increases and the plaque tends to be unstable in proportion with increaing age of the graft in this patient cohort.

BACKGROUND:Previous study has found that hsa-miR-182 is probably related to the apoptosis-related genes such as cytochrome C (Cycs C) and calcineurin subunit CnB (PPP3R1) in nucleus pulposus cells.
OBJECTIVE:To determine whether miR-182 plays a regulatory role in nucleus pulposus cel apoptosis by detecting the relative gene expression levels after transfecting miR-182 with Cycs C and PPP3R1 into nucleus pulposus cel s via plasmid delivery.
METHODS:After a bioinformatics prediction about miR-182, miR-182 and target genes were transfected into the nucleus pulposus cel s, and at the same time, blank control group was established. Then the expression levels of the target genes were detected through cel lysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:miR-182 significantly inhibited the expression of Cycs C in nucleus pulposus cel s compared with the blank control group (P<0.05). Compared with the blank control group, miR-182 made no inhibitory effect on the expression of PPP3R1. These findings suggest that miR-182 may play a regulatory part in nucleus pulposus cel apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of Cycs C.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the features of caloric tests in vestibular migraine (VM) and Menière's disease (MD) patients, and provide objective evidence for differentiating the 2 groups of patients. METHOD: This case-control study included 11 MD patients with left ear involved and mild to moderate impaired hearing, and 18 matched cases with VM. All participants received caloric tests. Maximum slow phase velocities (SPVmax) were used to describe horizontal and vertical nystagmus respectively and were compared between the 2 groups. Horizontal and vertical canal parasis(CP) were calculated according to respective SPVmax. Unilateral (UW-VR) or bilateral (BW-VR) weakness of vestibular response, and positive unilateral (UVR) or bilateral (BVR) vertical response or negative bilateral vertical response (NBVR) were judged by the boundary point of SPVmax of 5°/s respectively. Total left (LV) or right (RV) Vertical reactions were calculated accoeding to vertical SPVmax,and inter ears difference of vertical responses (IED-VR) calculated from LV minus RV. RESULT: There were no significant differences in age and gender between the 2 groups. Horizontal SPVmax of all of caloric tests of VM group,except the left cold (LC), were statistically larger than that of MD group (P < 0.05) and the maximum responses of right warm (RW) caloric test in VM group (34.50 ± 17.77) were significantly greater than that in MD group (12.82 ± 6.69) (P < 0.01). Only the vertical SPVmax of RW of all caloric tests has statistically difference between the 2 groups (P < 0.01), and the maximum responses of RW caloric test in VM group (6.00 ± 4.45) were significantly stronger than that of LC in MD group (1.27 ± 2.00) (P < 0.01). Horizontal CP ≥ 25% of the 2 groups(VM: 72.22%, MD: 54.55%) were not statistically different, while the proportions of UW-VR and BW-VR in VM group (5.56%, 0) were significantly lower than that in MD group (27.27%, 18.18%) (P < 0.05). Vertical CP ≥ 25% of the 2 groups (VM: 94.44%, MD: 27.27%) were significantly different (P < 0.01), and the proportions of positive UVR (left: 5.56%, right: 77.78%) and BVR (0) and NBVR (16.67%) in VM group were significantly different from that in MD group (UVR (left: 9.09%, right: 0), BVR (0), NBVR (90.91%)) (P < 0.01). There was statistically difference between LV and RV in VM group (P < 0.01, LV < RV), while no difference were showed in MD group. IED-VR in VM group (left intenser: 16.67%, right intenser: 83.33%) was statistically different from that in MD group (left intenser: 36.36%, right intenser: 9.09%, both no difference: 54.55%) (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Vestibular responses of caloric test are more sensitive, and vertical reactions are more easily induced in VM patients than in MD. Caloric test can be used to differentiate the 2 groups of diseases.
Caloric Tests ; Case-Control Studies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Migraine Disorders ; diagnosis ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to find whether inreversible function damage of saccule was exist and correlated in Meniere's patients with different audition. METHOD: Senenty-nine patients with unilateral Meniere's disease, who visited the Dizziness Diagnosis and Treatment Centre of the Second Military Medical University from January to July in 2015 were included. They were grouped as slightly audition damage group (41 cases), mildly-severely audition damage group(38 cases). Meanwhile 20 normal controls underwent the research. The cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials were conducted in symptom free period. RESULT: There was no significant difference of the C-VEMP inducing rate between slightly audition damage group and normal control group. While a statistically difference showed between mildly-severely audition damage group and normal control group or slightly audition damage group. P1, N1 latency had no statistically difference between three groups. The P1-N1 amplitude and asymmetric ratio had no difference between slightly audition damage group and normal control group, but had a statistically difference between mildly-severely audition damage group and slightly audition damage group, normal control group. CONCLUSION The function of saccule in Meniere's patients decreased with the aggravation of audition damage.
Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Meniere Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of the serum of rats fed with Shenkang pill in regulating monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) expression induced by advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) and explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODSMPC5 cultured in vitro were incubated for different time lengths in the presence of different concentrations of serum of rats medicated with Shenkang pill, and the cell proliferation was assessed using MTT assay. In MPC5 treated with AOPP prior to exposure to the rat serum, the changes in the protein expressions of p38MAPK and IκBα were examined with Western blotting, NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation was analyzed with immunofluorescence assay, and MCP-1 expression in the supernatant was determined using ELISA kits.

RESULTSThe medicated rat serum time- and concentration-dependently promoted the proliferation of MPC5, with the optimal serum concentration of 5% and incubation time of 24 h. AOPP significantly increased MCP-1 expression in the cell supernatant in a time-and concentration-dependent manner; pretreatment with SB203580 (a p38 inhibitor) or parthenolide (a NF-κB inhibitor) significantly decreased MCP-1 expression, and treatment with the medicated serum significantly decreased AOPP-induced MCP-1 expression. AOPP concentration-dependently increased the protein expression of P-p38 but decreased that of IκBα. Both the medicated serum and SB203580 increased IκBα protein in AOPP-induced cells, but the effect was more obvious with the medicated serum. The medicated serum also decreased NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation in AOPP-induced MPC5.

CONCLUSIONShenkang pill-medicated serum can decrease AOPP-induced expression of MPC-1 in MPC5 by regulating p38MAPK/NF-κB to mediate its anti-inflammatory effect. This finding provides a new theoretical basis for the application of Shenkang pill to treat diabetic nephropathy.

Advanced Oxidation Protein Products ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Imidazoles ; Mice ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Pyridines ; Rats ; Serum ; chemistry ; Sesquiterpenes ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To investigate paclitaxel and ezrin-siRNA therapy for metastatic liver cancer.Methods Human metastatic liver cancer cells MHCC97-H were divided into four groups in vitro and in vivo,including control cells,exposure to paclitaxel alone,ezrin-siRNA alone,and the combination of paclitaxel and ezrin-siRNA.Nude mice lung lesions were formed by tail vein injection of tumor cells.The tumor cells'apoptosis rate,wound healing ability,the ability to cross an artificial membrane,and the numbers of metastatic lung lesions were measured.Results The apoptosis rate in normally cultured MHCC97-H tumor cells was 2.52％,compared to the other three groups at 11.66％,2.35％,7.38％ respectively.The wound healing ability was best in the negative control and weakest in cells treated with combination paclitaxel and ezrin-siRNA.The numbers of cells which could cross the artificial membrane in the negative,paclitaxel,ezrin-siRNA,and combination paclitaxel and ezrin-siRNA group were 52.5 ± 3.9,32.2 ± 3.2,26.6 ± 2.4,and 19.4 ± 1.1 respectively.The numbers of metastatic lung lesions in the nude mice (n =40) were 12.5 ±2.4,8.2 ± 1.5,7.0 ± 1.3,and 3.8 ± 0.3 respectively.Conclusions The ezrin-siRNA combined with paclitaxel therapy demonstrated a greater efficacy over single agent therapy for depressing liver cancer growth,motility,aggression,and metastasis in vitro and in vivo.

Objective To investigate feasibility and early stage postoperative complications of lapa-roscopic radical cystectomy ( LRC) . Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 63 consecutive pa-tents (58 males and 5 females) who underwent LRC from Oct .2011 to Oct.2013 in our institute.Of these patients, 46 patients underwent ileal conduit , 9 patients underwent ureterocutaneostomy , and 8 patients un-derwent orthotopic ileal neobladder urinary diversion .The average age and body mass index of patients were 67.7±11.1 (33-84) years and 23.3±2.1 (18.8-28.7) kg/m2, respectively.The mean hemoglobin and al-bumin of patients were (130.7±20.3) g/L and (38.9±4.1) g/L, respectively.Comorbidities of hyperten-sion, diabetes, coronary heart disease and decompensated liver cirrhosis were found in 10, 6, 2 and 1 pa-tient, respectively.10 of 61 patients had a history of abdominal surgery .The indications for cystectomy were classified as muscle invasive bladder cancer for 30 patients, unresectable superficial bladder cancer for 19 patients and recurrent bladder cancer for 14 patients.Postoperative data and early stage postoperative compli-cations within 3 months after surgery were collected . Results The median operative time for LRC and uri-nary diversion was 390 (260-480) min, with a median estimated blood loss of 400 (100-1 500) ml.This was one patient converted to open surgery .The mean postoperative hemoglobin and albumin of patients was 108.5±14.7 g/L and 29.5±3.7 g/L, respectively, both of which significantly reduced compared with pre-operative data (P<0.01).The median duration of hospital stay was 15 days.The median time for liquid in-take, abdominal drainage removal and ureteral stent removal was 4 days, 9 days and 2 months after surgery , respectively.Catheter was removed 2 weeks after laparoscopic orthotopic cystectomy .21 (33.3%) of 63 pa-tients suffered from perioperative complications .15 of 46 patients (32.6%) in ileal conduit group had com-plications including ileus ( 5, 1 of 5 need re-operation ) , lymphatic fistulas ( 5) , pulmonary infection ( 1) , pyelonephritis (1), delirium (1), anastomotic leak (1, re-operation was needed) and pneumothorax (1). 2 of 9 patients (22.2%) in ureterocutaneostomy group had complications such as ileus (1) and lymphatic fistulas (1).4 of 8 patients (50.0%) in orthotopic ileal neobladder group suffered from complications like ileus (2, 1 of 2 required re-operation), lymphatic fistulas (1) and arrhythmia (1). Conclusions LRC is technically feasible and safe .It reduces the estimated blood loss and postoperative complications .It is noteworthy to surgeons that serum albumin significantly reduced after LRC , nutrition should be kept balanced after surgery.