Associations of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-12 levels in peripheral blood with lung function, cellular immune function, and quality of life in children with moderate-to-severe asthma.

Background: Pediatric asthma has gained increasing concerns with poorly understood pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, and IL-12 levels in peripheral blood (PB) with lung function, cellular immune function, and children's quality of life (QOL) with moderate-to-severe asthma.

Methods: A total of 1158 children with moderate-to-severe asthma (the experimental group) and 1075 healthy children (the control group) were recruited for our study.

[Ecological evaluation of different multiple cropping systems in red soil drylands.].

In order to maximize the ecological function of red soil drylands and to determine the desirable multiple cropping systems, we evaluated the productivity, circulation of materials, energy and value flows in four multiple cropping systems on the basis of a consecutive three-year field experiment. Four multiple cropping systems were designed: treatment A (CK): wheat/soybean-sesame; treatment B: mixed green manure (rape × Chinese milk vetch × radish)-soybean ‖ maize-mung bean‖ sesame; treatment C: ryegrass-peanut‖ maize-millet‖ buckwheat; and treatment D: rape-mung bean‖ sweet potato; where interplanting was expressed as '/', intercropping as '‖', planting after harvest as '-', and mixed cropping as '×'. Thirteen variables were employed to compare economic, ecological, and social benefits among the four cropping systems using grey relational analysis.

[Argon plasma coagulation combined with cryotherapy via bronchoscopy for the treatment of one child with severe post-intubation tracheal stenosis and literature review].

Objective: To observe the short term effect of argon plasma coagulation (APC) combined with cryotherapy via bronchoscopy for treatment of severe post-intubation tracheal stenosis in a child.

Method: A 3-year old boy was admitted for cephalothorax abdominal compound trauma and dyspnea, who had severe post-incubation tracheal stenosis. The agreement about the operation risk was signed by the parents.