[Blood eosinophils: a biomarker of response to glucocorticoids and increased readmissions in severe hospitalized exacerbations of COPD].

Objective: To compare the clinical characteristics of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) by different levels of blood eosinophil (EOS) count and to investigate the predictive value of the response to glucocorticoid treatment and the readmission rate in the patients with higher blood eosinophils. Methods: A total of 120 patients with AECOPD were admitted to the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 01, 2017 to December 31, 2017. Patients were divided into two groups according to their admission blood eosinophil fractions. Patients with EOS%≥2% were in the EOS group (n=56) , while patients with EOS%<2% were in the Non-EOS group (n=64) . The clinical characteristics, hospitalization treatments especially the glucocorticoid treatment response were compared, and the risk of severe acute exacerbation of the two groups including the 12-month COPD-related readmission, and time to first COPD-related readmission were also compared. Results: Compared with the Non-EOS group, the EOS group had lower values of white blood cell (WBC) , neutrophil fraction (N%) , blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) , and C-reactive protein (CRP) . The EOS group also required shorter course of antibiotic treatment [8 (6-10) and 9 (7-11) , P=0.033]. In glucocorticoid-treated patients (n=82) , the EOS group had significantly alleviated symptoms than the Non-EOS group (patients withδCAT≥2 were 86.8% and 68.2%, respectively, P=0.046) , and the duration of hospitalization of the EOS group was shorter [9 (7-11) and 10 (9 to 13) , P=0.042]. Patients with glucocorticoid treatment in the EOS group had significantly alleviated symptoms than those without glucocorticoid treatment (patients with δCAT ≥ 2 were 86.8% and 61.1%, respectively, P=0.040) . The follow-up one year after discharge showed a higher risk of severe acute exacerbation in the EOS group [Adjust OR 2.67 (1.10-6.46), P=0.030; HR: 1.57 (1.02-2.40), P=0.040]. Conclusion: The blood eosinophil levels were useful in predicting the AECOPD patients' response to glucocorticoid treatment and the risk of severe acute exacerbations.

135G/C polymorphism in the RAD51 gene and acute myeloid leukemia risk: a meta-analysis.

Numerous studies have evaluated the association between the 135G/C polymorphism in the RAD51 gene and risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but the results have been inconsistent. The aim of this study is to precisely examine the association between the 135G/C polymorphism in the RAD51 gene and AML risk through a meta-analysis. PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched to identify relevant studies from their inception to June 2015. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated using fixed- or random-effect models. A total of 6 case-control studies containing 1432 patients and 2750 controls were used in this meta-analysis, and our results showed no association between the 135G/C polymorphism in the RAD51 gene and AML risk (CC vs GG: OR = 1.67, 95%CI = 0.93-3.02; GC vs GG: OR = 1.24, 95%CI = 0.80-1.92; the dominant model: OR = 1.26, 95%CI = 0.83-1.91; the recessive model: OR = 1.63, 95%CI = 0.90-2.95). No publication bias was found in this study. In summary, the present meta-analysis suggests that the 135G/C polymorphism in the RAD51 gene may not be associated with AML risk. However, further studies with larger cohorts are needed to confirm this conclusion.

Serological survey of viral hepatitis markers among newly diagnosed patients with HIV/AIDS in China.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence and epidemiological features of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in China. METHODS: Two thousand and forty patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from 10 provinces in China were selected during 2009 to 2010. Serum samples obtained from each individual were screened for HBV and HCV serum markers [HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), HBV surface antibody (HBsAb), HBV envelope antigen (HBeAg), HBV envelope antibody (HBeAb), HBV core antibody (HBcAb) and HCV antibody (HCVAb)]; liver function tests were also performed. Demographics and medical histories were collected. RESULTS: Of the 2040 patients, 741 (36.3%) were positive for at least one HBV and HCV serum marker; 300 (14.71%) were HCVAb positive, and 248 (12.16%) were isolated HCVAb positive; 222 (10.9%) were positive for HBsAg; 19 (0.93%) were positive for both HBsAg and HCVAb. The highest prevalence of HBsAg positivity was found in Guangxi (15.31%), followed by Guangdong (15.19%) and Shanghai (14.36%). The highest prevalence of HCVAb positivity was found in Xinjiang (43.18%), followed by Henan (39.06%) and Yunnan (27.36%). The proportion of patients with abnormal liver function in patients positive for HCVAb and/or HBsAg was significantly higher than that in those who were negative for both HCVAb and HBsAg (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in China is high. HBsAg and HCVAb positivity prevalences were found to vary significantly in different provinces in China. Patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and coinfected with HBV and HCV are at higher risk of abnormal liver function. It is necessary to routinely screen for HBV and HCV infection among patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Inhibitory effects of chlorpheniramine and astemizolum on contraction of isolated rat and rabbit uteri induced by oxytocin and PGF2 alpha.

The contraction of isolated rat and rabbit uteri induced by oxytocin and PGF2 alpha was markedly inhibited by chlorpheniramine (Chl) and astemizolum (Ast), both of which also decreased the resting tension of uteri, and their spontaneous contraction. The inhibitory effects of both drugs were dose-dependent. At high concentrations, Chl 7.4 x 10(-4) mol/L and Ast 10(-4) mol/L could counteract the contraction of the uteri induced by Oxy and PGF2 alpha, and their spontaneous contraction as well. They decreased the resting tension to the lower level. The mechanism of their non-special relaxed action on uteri could not be completely explained only by their H1-receptor blocking action. Whether they act by blocking calcium channel or by inhibiting calmodulin (CaM) remains to be further explored.

The neuromuscular junction revisited: Ca2+ channels and transmitter release in cholinergic neurones in Xenopus nerve and muscle cell culture.

Although the entry of calcium ions into the presynaptic nerve terminals though voltage-gated Ca2+ channels is now universally recognized as playing an essential role in evoked transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), and indeed in chemical synapses generally, we have as yet very little direct knowledge of the Ca2+ channels of the presynaptic terminals. In this work, making use of co-cultured nerve and muscle cells from Xenopus embryos, we studied the NMJ formed between the soma of identified cholinergic neurones and myoball, which allowed the use of patch-clamps on both the pre- and postsynaptic components. Both whole-cell and single-channel recordings of Ca2+ channels in the presynaptic cell were made. We found only one type of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel with high-voltage activation and slow inactivation characteristics, allowing its classification either as the L or the N type. The channels were susceptible to block by metenkephalin but not to block by nifedipine or to enhancement by Bay K 8644. This combination of pharmacological properties favours their classificaiton as the N type. Preliminary observations on the correlation between calcium currents and transmitter release disclosed a strikingly rapid run-down of the evoked release with unchanged calcium currents and spontaneous release during whole-cell recording, indicating a specific wash-out effect on some link between calcium entry and evoked transmitter release.

[Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in urine of asymptomatic HBsAg carriers].

Urine samples from 100 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers were examined for HBV DNA by a simple spot hybridization technique. The results showed that the positivity rate of HBV DNA of urine collected from HBsAg carriers with negative HBeAg was 6.5% where as that from HBsAg carriers with positive HBeAg were 21.1%. The above results suggested that presence of HBV in urine may be of important epidemiological significance in the contact transmission of Hepatitis B.