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Aim: Neurogenic inflammation has been recognized as an important contributing factor in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical values of substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and neuropeptide Y as biomarkers of disease severity and treatment outcomes of chronic urticaria complicated with allergic rhinitis. Methods: Our prospective study included 150 patients with chronic urticaria complicated with allergic rhinitis and 80 healthy control patients. Before treatment, the serum samples of all study subjects were collected and analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis. The intervention group received imipramine of 10 mg/day orally for 2 weeks, and the Symptom Score Reduction Index (SSRI) was used to analyze clinical outcomes, which were categorized as effectual and ineffectual. Results: Our data suggested that substance P, VIP, and neuropeptide Y were significantly correlated to each other. Lower levels of substance P, VIP, and neuropeptide Y were associated with better treatment outcomes. A good detection sensitivity (69.49%) and specificity (80.22%) could be achieved using a combination of these markers (area under curve = 0.85). Conclusions: Our data indicates that substance P, VIP, and neuropeptide Y levels before treatment correlate strongly with the treatment outcomes of the patients, which could potentially serve as a decision support tool in clinical management of chronic urticaria complicated with allergic rhinitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the association between small ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (SUMO-1) gene rs6709162, rs7599810, rs7580433 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC). Methods Our study consisted of 208 Ningxia NSOC patients, their parents(189 fathers and 176 mothers), 172 nuclear families (patients and their pa-rents), and 284 normal controls. DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length poly-morphisms (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify rs6709162, rs7599810, rs7580433 genotypes of the samples. The data was analyzed by case-control analysis, family based associated test (FBAT), and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT). Results Case-control study found that TT genotype's frequency was significantly different in cleft lip and cleft palate group compared with the control group at rs7599810 of SUMO-1 (P=0.01, P=0.01). TDT test showed that rs7599810's T allele had over-transmitted (P=0.00) in cleft lip and palate group. FBAT analysis revealed that distribution of rs75-99810's TT genotype and T allele was significantly different(P=0.00, P=0.00). TDT test showed that rs6709162's C allele in cleft palate and cleft lip and palate patients had over-transmitted (P=0.00, P=0.01). rs7580433's G allele in cleft lip group had over-transmitted (P=0.05). Conclusion SUMO-1 gene polymorphism is associated with NSOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the association between small ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (SUMO-1) gene rs6709162, rs7599810, rs7580433 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC)., Methods: Our study consisted of 208 Ningxia NSOC patients, their parents (189 fathers and 176 mothers), 172 nuclear families (patients and their parents), and 284 normal controls. DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify rs6709162, rs7599810, rs7580433 genotypes of the samples. The data was analyzed by case-control analysis, family based associated test (FBAT), and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT)., Results: Case-control study found that TT genotype's frequency was significantly different in cleft lip and cleft palate group compared with the control group at rs7599810 of SUMO-1 (P=0.01, P=0.01). TDT test showed that rs7599810's T allele had over-transmitted (P=0.00) in cleft lip and palate group. FBAT analysis revealed that distribution of rs7599810's TT genotype and T allele was significantly different (P=0.00, P=0.00). TDT test showed that rs6709162's C allele in cleft palate and cleft lip and palate patients had over-transmitted (P=0.00, P=0.01). rs7580433's G allele in cleft lip group had over-transmitted (P=0.05)., Conclusion: SUMO-1 gene polymorphism is associated with NSOC.

Objective: To examine the effects of low dose (25-100 ng/ml) CsA on the hormonal secretion of the pancreatic islet cells isolated from normal and spontaneously inherited diabetic Chinese hamsters., Methods: A modified kanatsuna and Knudsen's column perifusion system was developed. The secretions of Insulin (Ins) and glucagon (Glc) of the cultured islet cells responding to the glucose stimulations were tested after pretreated with different doses of CsA for 24 hours., Results: The secretions of Ins of the diabetic islet cells with and without glucose stimulations (16.7 mmol/L) both reduced significantly compared to the normal controls (P < 0.05). In contrast, the static secretions of Glc increased significantly in the diabetes islet cells (P < 0.05). The response (Ins release) of normal islets to glucose stimuli was significantly inhibited after 24-hour pretreatment with CsA (25-100 ng/ml, P < 0.05), while the concentrations of Ins and Glc detected in the culture fluids did not differ from the controls (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Abnormal islet function exists in diabetic hamsters characterized by impairment of Ins secretion and increase of Glc secretion. Low dose CsA has no significant effects on the secretions of Ins and Glc, but it inhibits the response of the islets to the glucose stimuli.

Objective: To investigate the level and clinical implication of antibodies to glutamic acid in patients with Graves disease., Methods: ELISA and RIA were used to determine the decarboxylase (GADAb) levels of GADAb, thyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb), thyroidperoxidase antibodies(TPOAb), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) before and after treatment in the patients with Graves disease not yet complicated by diabetes mellitus and in the healthy volunteers as controls. Then the relations of GADAb to FT3, FT4, TGAb and TPOAb were detected., Results: The correlation coefficients between GADAb and FT3, FT4 were--0.367 (P > 0.05) and 0.029 (P > 0.05), respectively. The correlation coefficients between GADAb and titers of TGAb, TPOAb were 0.320 (P > 0.05) and 0.394 (P > 0.05), respectively. The levels of GADAb, TGAb, TPOAb, and the ratio of patients with positive GADAb were reduced in the treated patients with Graves disease, but no significant difference was observed between the treated and untreated patients., Conclusion: The above data indicated that GADAb was related to Graves disease, but no relation was seen between GADAb and thyroid