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Objective To explore the relationship between the polymorphism of integrin-metalloproteinase-33 (ADAM33) gene and bronchial asthma. Methods Subjects were selected from the Department of Respiratory Medicine in our department from June 2015 to December 2016 in the treatment of 120 cases of asthma patients as the observation group, the same period into our hospital physical examination of 120 healthy children as the control group. The patients were enrolled in the upper extremity elbow vein and extracted DNA, followed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing. The frequency of T2 genotype distribution and the frequency distribution of T2 locus and the relative risk of asthma were compared according to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium law. Results The frequency of A gene in the T2 allele of the subject was significantly higher than that of the control group. The frequency of A gene in the T2 allele was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) There was significant difference between the two groups (χ2=8.09, P=0.00), and the increase of A allele was the risk factor of asthma (OR=2.32); the observation group T2 gene AG (χ2=4.21, P=0.04), and the increase of AG allele was the risk factor of asthma. The frequency of asthma was significantly higher than that of control group (OR=1.89). Conclusion ADAM33 gene T2 locus polymorphism is significantly associated with bronchial asthma, which can significantly increase the risk of bronchial asthma.
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Objective:To evaluate the changes in the central auditory system of presbycusis by applying auditury brainstem response (ABR) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Method:A total of twenty-five elderly subjects with expressed presbycusis, eight elderly subjects with normal hearing and fifteen healthy volunteers as young controls were enrolled in the study. Each participant was examined using ABR and DTI. ABR measures were obtained from all the subjects. The fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured at two brain regions of the auditory pathway-the inferior colliculus (IC) and Heschl's gyrus. Result:Higher FA values were recorded at the left side of the Heschl's gyrus in all three groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the left and right side of the ABR results and FA values of inferior colliculus in the three groups (P>0.05). Aging increased ABR peak latencies, yet did not change the Ⅰ-Ⅴ interpeak latency interval. Comparing with the elderly subjects with normal hearing group, the wave Ⅴ latencies of the presbycusis group were prolonged (P<0.05). Comparing with the healthy control group, the FA values of the IC were reduced in both of the elderly subjects with normal hearing group and the presbycusis group (P<0.05). No statistically differences were observed between the presbycusis group and the elderly subjects with normal hearing group in the FA values of the IC (P>0.05). Significant differences between all groups were found in the FA values of the Heschl's gyrus, with higher values in the elderly subjects with normal hearing group than in the presbycusis group and even higher values in the healthy control group than in the elderly subjects with normal hearing group (P<0.05). Conclusion:The results indicated that the age-related microstructural changes exist in the central part of the auditory system, which are more obvious in the patients with presbycusis.
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Objective To examine the distribution of systemic inflammation and risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) by comparing with healthy controls.Methods Forty PsA patients and 44 controls were recruited into this cross-sectional study.We evaluated the disease activity and severity [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),C reactive protein(CRP) and Disease Activity Score (DAS)28],functional ability in patients with predominant axial involvement [Bath AS disease activity index (BASDAI) and Bath AS functional index (BASH)],traditional CVD risk factors and inflammation between these two groups of patients.Then,we compared risk factors for CVD between 40 consecutive PsA patients and 44 controls,adjusted for body mass index (BMI).The frequencies were compared using chi-square tests for categorical variables.Student's t-tests or Mann-Whitney U-tests were used forcontinuous variables where appropriate.Association between the traditionaland metabolic risk factors and the hs-CRP level were assessed using Spearman correlations.Finally,we also assessed the role of inflammation on the CVD risk factor by using a BMI and hs-CRP-adjusted model.Results The BMI of PsA patients was significantly higher than that of the controls.After adjusting for the BMI,PsA patients had a higher prevalence of hypertension (OR=5.615,95％CI 1.844-17.099) and diabetes mellitus (OR=10.655,95％CI 1.150-98.683) than the controls.PsA patients had significantly increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures [(SBP) and (DBP)],total cholesterol (TC)/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL),insulin resistance,inflammatory markers (hsCRP,white cell count and platelet) and decreased HDL compared to the controls.As excepted,the hsCRP level [4.0 (2.1-13.9) vs 1.7 (1.3-2.2)],platelet and white cell counts were significantly increased in the PsA group reflecting underlying inflammation.Further adjustment for hsCRP level rendered the differences in the prevalence of hypertension (OR=3.544,95％CI 1.151-10.914);but the DBP,HDL and sugar levels were non-significantly different between the two groups,while the differences in other parameters were significant.Conclusion The data support the hypothesis that PsA may be associated with hypertension,obesity and dyslipidemia because of the shared inflammation pathway.
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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the relationship between pure-tone average (PTA), the fractional anisotropy (FA) of the auditory pathway, cognitive cortex and auditory cortex in presbycusis.@*METHOD@#Twenty-five elderly subjects with presbycusis were participated in the study. PTA, speech discrimination abilities were evaluated in each subject. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was applied to access the FA of the IC, the superior frontal gyrus and the Heschl's gyrus. Compare the difference between two sides of the values of FA in the three areas. Bivariate correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of PTA and FA of the inferior colliculus (IC), the superior frontal gyrus and the Heschl's gyrus on speech discrimination abilities.@*RESULT@#There were no significant differences between the left and right side of the inferior colliculus (P > 0.05). Higher FA values were recorded at the left side of the Heschl's gyrus and the superior frontal gyrus (P < 0.05). Both PTA and the FA of the superior frontal gyrus have a negative association with speech discrimination abilities (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while the FA of the Heschl's gyrus has a positive association with speech discrimination abilities (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Our findings indicated that the speech discrimination abilities of the elderly is not only related to the peripheral auditory function, but also to the central auditory and cognitive function.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Audiometry, Pure-Tone , Auditory Cortex , Auditory Pathways , Diffusion Tensor Imaging , Inferior Colliculi , Presbycusis , Diagnosis , Speech PerceptionABSTRACT
Objective To summarize the imaging features of intracranial solitary fibrous tumors (ISFT).Methods Ten patients with ISFT proven histopathologically were collected.Four cases had CT data and all cases had MR data.The imaging features and pathological results were retrospectively analyzed.Results All cases were misdiagnosed as meningioma at pre-operation.All lesions arose from intracranial meninges including 5 lesions above the tentorium,4 lesions beneath the tentorium and 1lesion growing around the tentorium.The margins of all the masses were well defined,and 8 lesions presented multilobular shape.CT demonstrated hyerattenuated masses in all 4 lesions,smooth erosion of the basicranial skull in 1lesion,and punctiform calcification of the capsule in 1lesion.T1WI showed most lesions with isointense or slight hyperintense signals including homogeneous in 4 lesions and heterogeneous in 6 lesions.T2WI demonstrated isointense or slight hyperintense in 2 lesions,mixed hypointense and hyperintense signals in 4,cystic portion in 2,and two distinct portion of hyperintense and hypointense signal,so called “yin-yang”pattern,in 2.Strong enhanced was found in all lesions,especially in 8 lesion with heterogeneous with the low T2 signal.“Dural tail” was found in 4 lesions.Conclusions ISFI has some specific CT and MR features including heterogeneous signal intensity on T2WI,strong enhancement of areas with low T2 signal intensity,slight or no “dural tail”,without skull thickening,and the typical “yin-yang” pattern.