Biomedical subjects

Hong Lin

Publications and source records attributed to Hong Lin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Study on Bombyx mori silk treated by oxygen plasma.

Study of the morphology, aggregation structure and properties of Bombyx mori silk treated by low temperature oxygen plasma showed that slight flutes appeared on the surface of Bombyx mori silk fiber and that its surface structure changed after plasma treatment. The conformation also changed and crystalline degree decreased. The stannic filling rate of treated fiber was improved. Because of etching, the weight of the fiber decreased but the breaking strength changed little after short-time treatment.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Elimination of chloramphenicol, sulphamethoxazole and oxytetracycline in shrimp, Penaeus chinensis following medicated-feed treatment.

Muscle residue depletion of chloramphenicol (CAP), sulphamethoxazole (SMZ) and oxytetracycline (OTC) following oral administration was evaluated in shrimp, Penaeus chinensis under field conditions. Three groups of shrimps were cultured in tanks filled with seawater and fed a commercial medicated diet containing 2000 mg kg(-1) CAP, SMZ and OTC, respectively, twice daily for 3 days. Sampling was conducted at different intervals (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168 h) after the cessation of medication. Drug analysis was carried out by HPLC. The elimination half-life (t(1/2)) of CAP was 10.04 h, the elimination half-life (t(1/2)) of SMZ was 5.68 h and that of OTC was 16.12 h. If the EU MRPL value of 0.3 ng/g for CAP and MRL value of 0.1 microg/g for SMZ and OTC quoted for muscle from finfish is extended to shrimp muscle, extrapolation of the data indicates that it would be passed after a 139.7 h (95% CI=132.0-144.4 h), 30.6 h (95% CI=27.2-33.1 h), 90.3 h (95% CI=87.9-92.5 h) withdrawal period for CAP, SMZ and OTC in shrimp muscle, respectively.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2004

Maitake beta-glucan MD-fraction enhances bone marrow colony formation and reduces doxorubicin toxicity in vitro.

Previous studies have indicated that MD-fraction (MDF), in which the active component is beta 1,6-glucan with beta 1,3-branches, has anti-tumor activity as an oral agent and acts as an immune adjuvant. Since some other beta glucans appear to promote mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells, the effects of a beta glucan extract from the Maitake mushroom "MD-fraction" on hematopoietic stem cells were examined in a colony forming assay. Here we report for the first time that MDF has a dose response effect on mouse bone marrow cells (BMC) hematopoiesis in vitro. Using the Colony Forming Unit (CFU) assay to detect formation of granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) colonies, and the XTT cytotoxicitiy assay to measure BMC viability, the data showed that the addition of MDF significantly enhanced the development of CFU-GM in a dose range of 50-100 microg/ml (p<0.004). The mechanism of action included significant increase of nonadherent BMC viability, which was observed at MDF doses of 12.5-100 microg/ml (p<0.005). In the presence of Doxorubicin (DOX), MDF promoted BMC viability and protected CFU-GM from DOX induced toxicity. In addition, MDF treatment promoted the recovery of CFU-GM colony formation after BMC were pretreated with DOX. These studies provided the first evidence that MDF acts directly in a dose dependent manner on hematopoietic BMC and enhances BMC growth and differentiation into colony forming cells.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of efficacy of reverse remodeling and clinical improvement for relatively narrow and wide QRS complexes after cardiac resynchronization therapy for heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling and improve symptoms in heart failure patients with wide QRS complexes; however, its role in patients with mildly prolonged QRS complexes is unclear. This study investigated if CRT benefited patients with mildly prolonged QRS complexes >120 to 150 ms and explored if the severity of systolic asynchrony determined such a response. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients (age 66 +/- 11 years, 66% male) who had undergone CRT were studied prospectively. Of these patients, 27 had QRS duration between 120 and 150 ms (group A), and 31 had QRS duration >150 ms (group B). Tissue Doppler echocardiography and clinical assessment were performed at baseline and 3 months after CRT. Both groups had significant reduction of LV volume and increased ejection fraction, +dP/dt, and sphericity index (all P < 0.05). These improvements were greater in group B and were explained by the higher prevalence of systolic intraventricular asynchrony. Significant reverse remodeling (reduction of LV end-systolic volume >15%) was evident in 46% of group A patients and 68% of group B patients. Improvement in clinical endpoints was observed in both groups (all P < 0.01), although the changes in metabolic equivalent and New York Heart Association functional class were greater in group B. In both groups, systolic asynchrony index (TS-SD) was the most important predictor of reverse remodeling (r =-0.78, P < 0.001) and was the only independent predictor in the multivariate model (beta=-1.80, confidence interval =-2.18 to -1.42, P < 0.001); QRS duration was not. A predefined TS-SD value >32.6 ms had a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 83% to predict reverse remodeling. Improvement of intraventricular asynchrony after CRT was evident only in responders (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Improvement of LV remodeling and clinical status is evident after CRT in heart failure patients with QRS duration >120 to 150 ms. These responders are closely predicted by the severity of prepacing intraventricular asynchrony but not QRS duration.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

[The expression of cluster of differentiation 44 variant 6 and fibronectin in lacrimal gland tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of cluster of differentiation 44 variant 6 (CD44V6) and fibronectin (FN) in lacrimal gland tumors. METHODS: Strept Avidin-Biotin Complex (SABC) immunohistochemistry method was used to study the expression of CD44V6 and FN in 49 cases of lacrimal gland tumors. RESULTS: In benign lacrimal gland tumors, the CD44V6 and FN positive rates were 30.8% (8/26) and 80.8% (21/26) respectively. In malignant lacrimal gland tumors, the CD44V6 and FN positive rates were 60.9% (14/23) and 34.8% (8/23). The positive expression rates of CD44V6 and FN in malignance were significantly different from benign and control tissue. There is also a significant difference in the expression of CD44V6 and FN in the cases of recurrence and non recurrence (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of CD44V6 and FN was correlated with the progress and recurrence of lacrimal gland tumors. The positive staining of CD44V6 and FN was useful for differentiating malignance from benignity and evaluating the progress and recurrence.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Cytoplasmic retention sites in p190RhoGEF confer anti-apoptotic activity to an EGFP-tagged protein.

p190RhoGEF is a large multi-functional protein with guanine nucleotide exchange (GEF) activity. The C-terminal region of p190RhoGEF is a highly interactive domain that binds multiple factors, including proteins with anti-apoptotic activities. We now report that transfection of EGFP-tagged p190RhoGEF protects Neuro 2a cells from stress-induced apoptosis and that anti-apoptotic activity is localized to cytoplasmic retention sequences (CRS-1 and CRS-2) in the C-terminal region of p190RhoGEF. Cytoplasmic retention is conferred to an EGFP fluorescent marker when fused to either CRS-1 or CRS-2. Both cytoplasmic retention and anti-apoptotic activity are lost by deleting CRS-1 and CRS-2 in the p190RhoGEF sequence and can be recovered by restoring either CRS-1 or CRS-2 to the EGFP-tagged sequence. Since the CRS-1 and CRS-2 contain the JIP-1 and 14-3-3 binding sites, we propose that anti-apoptotic activity may be conferred by the binding of p190RhoGEF to JIP-1 or 14-3-3, possibly by altering their interactive properties or nucleocytoplasmic movements. Taken together, our findings support a model whereby multiple interactions of p190RhoGEF confer homeostatic properties to differentiated neurons and may link neuronal homeostasis to the regulation of NF-L expression.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Tomoregulin ectodomain shedding by proinflammatory cytokines.

The shedding mechanism for the tomoregulin (TR) ectodomain, which contains two follistatin modules and a single epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain, remains unclear. Our study provides the first evidence that proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, induce TR-ectodomain shedding in cultured A172 human glioma cells, without affecting TR mRNA expression. In addition, it appears that this shedding process is induced via activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway; with consequent increase in the production of metalloproteinases. Furthermore, since due to erbB4 tyrosine phosphorylation TR may have functions similar to EGF/neuregulin (NRG) family growth factors, our results suggest that following inflammation-induced injury, increases in TR shedding may contribute to tissue growth and repair in the central nervous system.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed2003

Overexpression of ErbB2 enhances ethanol-stimulated intracellular signaling and invasion of human mammary epithelial and breast cancer cells in vitro.

Both epidemiological and experimental studies indicate that ethanol is a tumor promoter and may promote metastasis of breast cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ethanol-mediated tumor promotion remain unknown. Overexpression of ErbB proteins in breast cancer patients is generally associated with poor prognosis. The ErbB proteins are a family of receptor kinases that include four closely related members: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/ErbB1), ErbB2/neu, ErbB3, and ErbB4. Particularly, ErbB2 plays a pivotal role in ErbB-mediated activities. Here we demonstrated that amplification of ErbB2 expression sensitized a specific cellular response to ethanol. Human breast cancer cells or mammary epithelial cells with a high expression of ErbB2 exhibited an enhanced response to ethanol-stimulated cell invasion in vitro. Ethanol also stimulated cell proliferation; however, this stimulation was independent of ErbB2 levels. Ethanol triggered divergent intracellular signaling among cells expressing different ErbB2 levels. In the cells overexpressing ErbB2, ethanol was more effective in the activation of c-Jun NH2 terminal protein kinases (JNKs) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) as well as the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than the cells with normal ErbB2 expression. Blockage of either JNKs or p38 MAPK activation eliminated ethanol-mediated cell invasion. In contrast, the reduction of hydrogen peroxide concentration by catalase exposure had little effect on ethanol-induced cell invasion. These results indicated that ethanol-induced cell invasion was primarily mediated by JNKs and p38 MAPK, whereas the involvement of ROS formation might be minimal. Our study suggests that overexpression of ErbB2 may augment ethanol-elicited signaling and promote ethanol-stimulated tumor metastasis.

Breast↗

PubMed2003

Direct interaction of focal adhesion kinase with p190RhoGEF.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a protein-tyrosine kinase that associates with multiple cell surface receptors and signaling proteins through which it can modulate the activity of several intracellular signaling pathways. FAK activity can influence the formation of distinct actin cytoskeletal structures such as lamellipodia and stress fibers in part through effects on small Rho GTPases, although the molecular interconnections of these events are not well defined. Here, we report that FAK interacts with p190RhoGEF, a RhoA-specific GDP/GTP exchange factor, in neuronal cells and in brain tissue extracts by co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization analyses. Using a two-hybrid assay and deletion mutagenesis, the binding site of the FAK C-terminal focal adhesion targeting (FAT) domain was identified within the C-terminal coiled-coil domain of p190RhoGEF. Binding was independent of a LD-like binding motif within p190RhoGEF, yet FAK association was disrupted by a mutation (Leu-1034 to Ser) that weakens the helical bundle structure of the FAK FAT domain. Neuro-2a cell binding to laminin increased endogenous FAK and p190RhoGEF tyrosine phosphorylation, and co-transfection of a dominant-negative inhibitor of FAK activity, termed FRNK, inhibited lamininstimulated p190RhoGEF tyrosine phosphorylation and p21 RhoA GTP binding. Overexpression of FAK in Neuro-2a cells increased both endogenous p190RhoGEF tyrosine phosphorylation and RhoA activity, whereas these events were inhibited by FRNK co-expression. Because insulin-like growth factor 1 treatment of Neuro-2a cells increased FAK tyrosine phosphorylation and enhanced p190RhoGEF-mediated activation of RhoA, our results support the conclusion that FAK association with p190RhoGEF functions as a signaling pathway downstream of integrins and growth factor receptors to stimulate Rho activity.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Dissipating step bunches during crystallization under transport control.

In studies of crystal formation by the generation and spreading of layers, equidistant step trains are considered unstable-bunches and other spatiotemporal patterns of the growth steps are viewed as ubiquitous. We provide an example to the opposite. We monitor the spatiotemporal dynamics of steps and the resulting step patterns during crystallization of the proteins ferritin and apoferritin using the atomic force microscope. The variations in step velocity and density are not correlated, indicating the lack of a long-range attraction between the steps. We show that (i) because of its coupling to bulk transport, nucleation of new layers is chaotic and occurs at the facet edges, where the interfacial supersaturation is higher; (ii) step bunches self-organize via the competition for supply from the solution; and, (iii) bunches of weakly interacting steps decay as they move along the face. Tests by numerical modeling support the conclusions about the mechanisms underlying our observations. The results from these systems suggest that during crystallization controlled by transport, with weakly or noninteracting growth steps, the stable kinetic state of the surface is an equidistant step train, and step bunches only arise during nucleation of new layers. Since nucleation only occurs at a few sites on the surface, the surface morphology may be controllably patterned or smoothened by locally controlling nucleation.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Predictors of left ventricular reverse remodeling after cardiac resynchronization therapy for heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated or ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Biventricular pacing results in left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling in heart failure patients with wide QRS complexes. This study examines potential predictors of reverse remodeling. Echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging was performed at baseline and 3 months after biventricular pacing in 30 patients (21 men and 9 women, mean age 62 +/- 14 years). There were 17 responders to reverse remodeling (defined as a reduction in LV end-systolic volume by >15%) and 13 nonresponders. Responders had significant improvement in 6-minute hall-walking distance (p = 0.006), metabolic equivalents (p = 0.02), peak oxygen uptake (p = 0.02), New York Heart Association functional class (p <0.001), and quality of life (p <0.001); an increase in the sphericity index (p = 0.007), ejection fraction (p <0.001), and diastolic filling time (p = 0.03); a decrease in myocardial performance index (p = 0.02), isovolumic relaxation time (p = 0.004), and mitral regurgitation (p = 0.007); and an improvement in systolic dyssynchrony (SD of the time to peak myocardial systolic contraction of the 12 LV segments as dyssynchrony index) (45.0 +/- 8.3 vs 32.5 +/- 14.5 ms, p = 0.003). In contrast, nonresponders only had a small degree of clinical improvement in New York Heart Association class (p = 0.03) and quality-of-life scores (p = 0.03), without any change in cardiac function, and worsening of systolic dyssynchrony (24.8 +/- 4.5 vs 34.1 +/- 13.5 ms, p = 0.02). When all the above factors were put into univariate and multivariate analyses models, systolic dyssynchrony was the only independent predictor of reverse remodeling (r = -0.76, p <0.001) (beta = -1.54, p = 0.007). A preimplant dyssynchrony index of 32.6 ms (+2 SDs from mean of 88 normal controls) was able to totally segregate responders from nonresponders of biventricular pacing. Thus, responders of LV reverse remodeling were associated with improvement in clinical status, cardiac function, and systolic synchronicity. Direct assessment of systolic synchronicity by tissue Doppler imaging is highly accurate in predicting responders to therapy.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Comparison of acute changes in left ventricular volume, systolic and diastolic functions, and intraventricular synchronicity after biventricular and right ventricular pacing for heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Biventricular pacing (BiV) therapy has recently been shown to improve systolic function and cause reverse remodeling in patients with advanced heart failure with electromechanical delay. In these patients, the benefit of right ventricular (RV)-based pacing was controversial. We compared the acute changes in systolic and diastolic function, left ventricular (LV) volume, and intraventricular synchronicity in BiV pacing, RV pacing, and without pacing (No) by means of echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). METHODS: TDI was performed in 33 patients with heart failure after undergoing pacemaker implantation, when the device was randomized to BiV, RV, and no pacing modes. RESULTS: Systolic function was only improved during BiV pacing, but not during RV pacing. This included ejection fraction (No vs RV vs BiV = 24% +/- 12% vs 25% +/- 10% vs 30% +/- 14%, P =.02 vs No), +dp/dt (P =.01), myocardial performance index (P =.01), and isovolumic contraction time (P =.03). Mitral regurgitation was only reduced during BiV pacing (P =.02). LV early diastolic function was depressed in both RV and BiV pacing, as detected by transmitral flow (97 +/- 34 vs 80 +/- 34 vs 82 +/- 32 cm/s, both P < or =.005) and TDI (mean myocardial early diastolic velocity of 6 basal segments, 3.3 +/- 1.7 vs 2.6 +/- 1.0 vs 2.6 +/- 1.0 cm/s, both P =.01). The LV end-diastolic (187 +/- 86 vs 177 +/- 84 vs 166 +/- 79, P =.003) and end-systolic (146 +/- 77 vs 138 +/- 79 vs 122 +/- 69, P =.003) volumes were only decreased during BiV pacing. For systolic synchronicity, a significant delay in peak systolic contraction in the lateral over the septal wall (171 +/- 37 vs 217 +/- 46 ms, P =.004) was revealed by TDI when there was no pacing. This was abolished by BiV pacing, in which septal contraction was delayed (195 +/- 38 vs 201 +/- 53 ms, P = not significant). However, RV pacing restored the lateral wall delay, and systolic asynchrony reappeared (190 +/- 40 vs 227 +/- 56 ms, P =.01). Diastolic asynchrony between the septal and lateral walls was not evident in these patients and was not affected by either pacing mode. CONCLUSION: Only BiV pacing, but not RV pacing, improves systolic function, and reduces mitral regurgitation and LV volumes in patients with heart failure and electromechanical delay. This is attributed to the improvement of systolic synchronicity. Diastolic synchronicity was unaffected, whereas early diastolic function could be jeopardized, by either pacing mode.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

A PKC epsilon-ENH-channel complex specifically modulates N-type Ca2+ channels.

Multiple protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes are present in neurons, where they regulate a variety of cellular functions. Due to the lack of specific PKC isozyme inhibitors, it remains unknown how PKC acts on its selective target(s) and achieves its specific actions. Here we show that a PKC binding protein, enigma homolog (ENH), interacts specifically with both PKCepsilon and N-type Ca2+ channels, forming a PKCepsilon-ENH-Ca2+ channel macromolecular complex. Coexpression of ENH facilitated modulation of N-type Ca2+ channel activity by PKC. Disruption of the complex reduced the potentiation of the channel activity by PKC in neurons. Thus, ENH, by interacting specifically with both PKCepsilon and the N-type Ca2+ channel, targets a specific PKC to its substrate to form a functional signaling complex, which is the molecular mechanism for the specificity and efficiency of PKC signaling.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed2003

Assessment of left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic synchronicity in normal subjects by tissue Doppler echocardiography and the effects of age and heart rate.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined inter- and intraventricular synchronicity in systole and diastole by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and investigated if these parameters and the regional velocities were affected by age and heart rate. METHODS: TDI was performed in 106 normal subjects (64.3 +/- 9.5 years, 60% male) using three apical views and a six-basal, six mid-segmental model. The regional parameters measured off line in both ventricles included peak isovolumic contraction velocity IVC(M), peak sustained systolic velocity (SM), peak early diastolic velocity (EM), peak late diastolic velocity (AM), and the E/AM ratio, as well as their time to these peak velocities: T(IVC), T(S), T(E), and T(A). RESULTS: The systole and diastole within the left ventricle (LV) was highly synchronized without difference in T (IVC), TS, TE, and TA. However, the right ventricle (RV) was about 20 msec later than the LV for T(IVC) and TS. For regional velocities, IVC(M), S(M), E(M), and A(M) were significantly higher in basal than mid-segments (all P < 0.001). In the base of the LV, SM, and EM were the highest at the lateral segment and the lowest at the anterolateral segment. Age and heart rate did not affect systolic velocities or the timing of events. In diastole, age correlated negatively with EM(r =-0.36 to -0.48, P <or= 0.001)and E/AM ratio(r =-0.37 to -0.51, P <or= 0.01), while increasing heart rate affected AM (r = 0.17 to 0.43) positively and TE(r =-0.49 to -0.66, P < 0.001)and TA(r =-0.85 to -0.93, P < 0.001)negatively. CONCLUSION: (1). Systolic and diastolic functions of the normal hearts are highly synchronized, though LV contraction slightly preceded that of RV. (2). Age and heart rate predominantly affect the diastolic, but not systolic, parameters that need to be taken into account.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2003

Neurofilament RNA causes neurodegeneration with accumulation of ubiquitinated aggregates in cultured motor neurons.

The mechanisms whereby mutant gene expression triggers neurodegeneration are poorly understood but have generally been attributed to translated gene products. We now demonstrate direct neuropathic effects of untranslated RNA on cultured motor neurons. We show that expression of untranslated light neurofilament (NF-L) RNA sequence in the 3'UTR of an EGFP transgene (pEGFP/NF-L RNA) or in a separate expression vector (pRc/NF-L RNA) causes dose-dependent, neuron-specific motor neuron degeneration. Neither unfused EGFP protein (pEGFP/wt) nor EGFP-tagged NF-L protein (pEGFP/NF-L protein) has similar neuropathic effects. The findings are the first demonstration of a direct RNA-mediated neurotoxic effect. Moreover, the resulting neuropathological changes show that untranslated RNA can lead to early degeneration of neuritic processes and accumulations of ubiquitinated aggregates in the perikarya and nuclei of degenerating motor neurons. The latter findings are hallmark neuropathological features of neurodegenerative diseases and their occurrence as a result of altered RNA expression raises the prospects of an RNA-mediated component in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative states.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection in cases with history of in vitro fertilization failure.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the management of cases with a history of conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure. METHODS: Two groups of patients, 19 with normal semen parameters and a history of IVF failure (metaphase II oocytes: 0-30 %) and 28 with severe male factor infertility received ICSI technology during the same period. Ovarian stimulation was achieved by conventional procedure. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte collection was done 35-37 h after human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) injection. Only metaphase II oocytes were selected for microinjection. RESULTS: Fertilization was achieved with ICSI in all the patients. The fertilization rate (75.6 % +/-21.1 % vs. 73.9 % +/-19.2 %), cleavage rate (85.1 % +/-19.3 % vs. 82.7 % +/-22.1 %), clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer cycle (31.6 % vs. 28.6 %) and implantation rate per embryo (15.3 % vs. 14.4 %) did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSION: ICSI is a valuable method for couples with a history of IVF failure. These patients may have a similar ICSI result as in severe male infertility.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

PubMed2003

[Effects of H1 blocker and inhaled corticosteroids on asthmatic patients with allergic rhinitis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of H(1) blocker in combination with low dose inhaled corticosteroid on allergic asthma. METHODS: A multi-center, double blind, randomized, placebo control study was conducted in 67 patients with mild to moderate allergic asthma. Patients were randomized to receive either Loratadine 10 mg or placebo twice a day on the basis of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (400 microg/d for 14 days, then reduced to 200 microg/d) for 5.3 +/- 1.3 months. Symptom scores of asthma, frequencies of episode of rhinitis and common cold and doses of inhaled Salbutamol as rescue drug were recorded. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (PD(20) FEV(1) in response to Histamine) and serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, there was much better improvement in symptom score (2.4 +/- 0.9 vs 3.1 +/- 0.9, P < 0.01), symptomatic days due to rhinitis (4.0 +/- 1.2 d/week vs 1.9 +/- 0.9 d/week, P < 0.001), episode of common cold symptom (0.8 +/- 0.5 time vs 1.1 +/- 0.4 time, P < 0.001), average doses of inhaled beta(2) agonist as rescue medication (2.6 +/- 0.9 puff/week vs 3.7 +/- 0.8 puff/week, P < 0.001) and bronchial responsiveness (P < 0.05) in Loratadine group as compared with the control group. However, there was no significant change in serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels after treatment in both groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of low dose inhaled corticosteroid, orally administered Loratadine significantly improves the therapeutic efficacy of asthma in patients with allergic asthma and rhinitis.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed2003

[Distribution and expression of basement membrane proteins in malignant eyelid tumors and its clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution and expression of type IV collagen (Col IV), laminin (LN) and fibronectin (FN) in the basement membrane of malignant eyelid tumors so as to explore the relationships between the basement membrane and the degree of differentiation, metastasis and prognosis of malignant tumors. METHODS: Eighty-five paraffin-embedded specimens of malignant eyelid tumors including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and sebaceous cell carcinoma were studied to identify the Col IV, LN and FN with immunohistochemical SABC techniques. RESULTS: A continuous intact basement membrane (BM) could be identified in all of the normal tissues and benign tumor specimens. In the malignant tumor specimens, the BM was defective or absent. The positive expression rate of Col IV in BCC, SCC and sebaceous cell carcinoma was 65% (24/40), 56% (16/25) and 40% (8/20). The positive expression rate of LN was 58% (23/40), 40% (10/25) and 35.% (7/20), respectively. The positive expression rate of FN was 33% (13/40), 36% (9/25) and 30% (6/20), respectively. The positive expression rate of these extracellular matrices was correlated with the degree of differentiation of the tumor. The difference of positive rate between highly-differentiated and poorly-differentiated tumors was significant (P < 0.05). In a short term follow-up (6-18 months), a statistically significant correlation (P < 0.05) could be observed between tumor recurrence and BM integrity. A higher recurrence rate and early recurrence were found in patients with interrupted BM. CONCLUSION: The absence of expression of Col IV, LN and FN was related to the invasive capacity and recurrence of the tumor. This result can be used as an index for clinical judgment of prognosis of the eyelid tumors.

Adult↗