The current situation of the rise in medical expenses is shown through statistics and the causes of the rise are analyzed. These include: ①inevitability of development, such as changes in the spectrum of diseases, use of new technologies and materials, rise in the overall price index, and generally increased needs for medical care; ②restriction of social factors, such as the imperfect medical insurance system, the reduced proportion of input by the government, the irrational medical pricing and compensation, the fictitiously high pricing of drugs and health materials, and the hospital's excessively high operational costs; ③the boosting effect of the "supporting medicine with drugs" policy. Countermeasures are put forward for the government's price control and financial organs, the departments of health administration, and the hospitals.

Blue laser imaging (BLI) is a new endoscopic system equipped with the laser beam emitting two different wavelengths.It produces bright and high resolution images for observation of microvascular and microsurface patterns of esophageal and gastric mucosa, helping the diagnosis of early upper gastrointestinal cancer.Compared with the existed endoscopic techniques, BLI shows its unique advantages.In this article, advances in application of BLI in diagnosis of early upper gastrointestinal cancer were reviewed.

A three-phase depletion/repletion/depletion feeding study was designed to investigate the changes of Se levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in tissues and blood in rats fed for 6 weeks low-Se diet (6 ppb Se) from a Keshan disease area during the supplementations of Se as Ziyang high-Se wheat (1.175 ppm Se) or sodium selenite (dietary Se 219 and 223 ppb respectively) and after the supplements were discontinued, and to evaluate the relative bioavailability of Se in the wheat. The resalts showed that the average bioavailability of Se in high-Se wheat derived from the values at wk 2, 4 and 6 of supplement was close to that in selenite when plasma, erythrocyte, kidney, liver and cardiac Se contents were used as the response criteria, the relative bioavailabilities being 98%, 104%,100%,96% and 101% (sodium selenite = 100%) respectively. The bioavailability was lower for Se in high-Se wheat (70% or 90%) than for selenite when estimated by erythro-cyte or cardiac GSH-Px activities. However, the bioavailabilities of high-Se wheat Se in various tissues were not all the same at different stages of supplement. In addition, the effect of Se in high-Se wheat in maintaining either Se levels in heart, liver and erythrocyte or GSH-Px activity in heart was superior to that of selenite 3 weeks after the Se supplements were withdrawn.

Objective:To investigate the effect of Rab7 on cytokine induced by TLR7 (Toll like receptor-7) R848 activated in Raw264.7,and discusses the influence of Rab7 on MAPK signal transduction.Methods: TLR7 downstream cytokines such as TNF-α,IL-6,IFN-α,IFN-β and IP-10 activated by R848 were detected through Q-PCR in Rab7 silenced mouse macrophages,and then analysis of phosphorylation of MAPK determined with Western blot showed the effect of Rab7 on signal transduction of MAPK.Results: Rab7 inhibit production of cytokine activated by TLR7,and also,Rab7 had an inhibitory effect on MAPK signal pathway.Conclusion: The experimental results further illustrate that the Rab7 is the TLR7 signal transduction pathway negative regulatory factor,and to participate in MAPK signaling pathway.

Objective:to investigate the clinical feature and dynamic changes of the cervical dural sac and spinal cord during neck flexion in Hirayama disease(juvenile muscular atrophy of distal upper extremity).Methods:Clinical data were taken and MRI in neutral neck position and a fully flexed neck position were performed on 27 cases of Hirayama disease.Results:(1)All patients were consistent with the diagnostic criteria of Hirayama disease who had asymmetric muscular atrophy and weakness of the hand and forearm.All patients were young males and right handed of whom 77.8% had initial symptoms before they were 19 years old.More patients(20 cases,74%)had muscular atrophy in the right hand than in the left at onset.The duration after disease onset was from 2-72 months[(26.48?15.57)months].(2)In neutral neck position by MIR examination,16 patients showed abnormal cervical curvature,14 showed atrophy of the lower cervical cord and 2 patients had intramedullary abnormal high signal.(3)In a fully flexed position of the neck,all patients showed forward displacement and flattening of the lower cervical cord,and a crescent-shaped high signal area behind the cord.(4)The crescent-shaped area was enhanced on T1-weighed imaging and disappeared after the patient returned to a neural position in one case.Conclusion:Hirayama disease occurs mainly in young males.There are obviously dynamic changes of the cervical cord during neck flexion in Hirayama disease by MRI examination,which can help the doctor make diagnosis in the early stage.

Objective To explore the significance of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H- MRS)in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS).Methods Single-voxel1 H-MRS was carried on the preeentral gyri in 110 patients with ALS and 24 patients with lower motor neuron syndrome (LMNS) compared with 89 healthy controls.The upper motor neuron involvement of the patients was assessed by upper motor neuron(UMN)signs and the reflex scale,and the disease severity was evaluated by the AIJS function rating scale(ALS-FRS)and APPEL ALS rate scale(AARS).Results Compared with the healthy controls(1.62±0.18),the NAA/Cr of patients with ALS(1.40±0.25)remarkably decreased (t= -5.007,P=0.000),however,it did not change in patients with LMNS(1.60±0.17)as compared with that of the controls.The NAA/Cr of patients with ALS was also lower than that of patients with LMNS(t= -2.660,P=0.009).Furthermore,the NAA/Cr of patients with definite ALS was lower than those of patients with probable and possible ALS(definite vs probable:t=-2.626,P=0.010;definite vs possible: t=-2.537,P=0.013).On the other hand,patients with pronounced UMN signs had a lower NAA/Cr ratio than those with probable UMN signs(t=-2.827,P=0.006).In patients with asymmetric clinical presentation,the NAA/Cr ratio was significantly lower in the precentral gyrus contralateral to the clinically predominantly affected side(t=-2.652,P=0.011).The NAA/Cr was correlated with the reflex scale scores,ALS-FRS score,and AARS and its sub-items(P＜0.05). Conclusions 1H-MRS is useful in studying ALS.The marker NAA/Cr of precentral gyrus may reflect the UMN degeneration in ALS,which is related to the disease severity and progression.However,it might not be helpful in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the disease.

Objective:To establish cell lines stably expressing Rab5a and its the inactive mutant Rab5aN133I,analyze the effect of Rab5a on the expression of cytokines in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells .Methods:RAW264.7 cells were transfected with Rab5a and its inactive mutant vector Rab5a N133I separately,and then screened by G418.Rab5a stable expressing cell lines were identified by Real time-PCR.The growth of the stable cell lines was analyzed by MTT assay.After the stable cell lines were stimulated by LPS for different time periods,the expression of iNOS,TNF-αand IL-6 was detected.Results:Rab5a and Rab5aN133I transfection resulted in elevated Rab5a mRNA expression compared with the control cells ( P<0.05 ).Rab5a overexpression enhanced the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells.However,the proliferation of Rab5aN133I cells was significantly slower than the control cells ( P<0.05).Overexpression of Rab5a promoted LPS-induced production of iNOS,TNF-αand IL-6 in RAW264.7 cells (P<0.01). Conversely,overexpression of Rab5aN133I abolished the stimulating effects of Rab5a.Conclusion: Rab5a promoted LPS-induced expression of iNOS,TNF-αand IL-6 in RAW264.7 macrophages in a GTP-binding ability-dependent manner.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between hyponatremia and the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods:Clinical data of 12 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Shantou Central Hospital from January 23 to February 5 in 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including gender, age, symptoms, lab test and clinical outcomes, to analyze the change trend of blood Na + level in the patients with COVID-19. Results:Among the 12 patients with COVID-19, there were 8 males and 4 females with the mean age of (38.0±16.3) years old, most of them were admitted to the hospital with cough and/or fever. All patients had a positive nucleic acid test for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), and were discharged after clinical treatment with oxygen therapy, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and nutritional support. All patients were of ordinary type when they were admitted to the hospital. Among them, 1 patient turned into a severe case during the course of the disease, and 1 patient showed a tendency to become severe case. It was found that 10 patients without severe conversion had an average blood Na + of (138.3±1.3) mmol/L at admission, and the lowest blood Na + during the course of disease was (135.9±3.1) mmol/L. However, 2 patients who became severe and had a tendency to become severe disease (Na + levels at admission were 140.0 mmol/L and 138.0 mmol/L, respectively) experienced hyponatremia during the course of the disease (the lowest blood Na + levels were 129.0 mmol/L and 122.0 mmol/L). Further analysis showed that the lower serum Na + level, the higher level of white blood cell count (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP), but serum Na + level was consistent with the change trend of lymphocytes, suggesting that hyponatremia was closely correlated with severe inflammation reaction. Conclusions:Serum Na + showed decreasing tendency during the development of COVID-19, and hyponatremia was closely related to the severity of COVID-19. It was necessary to pay great attention to the change trend of blood Na + level. However, further research was needed to obtain more reliable conclusions and explorer the pathophysiological mechanisms.

Pannexin-1 (Panx1) forms nonselective large channel in cell plasma membrane and has been shown to be associated with NLRP3 inflammasome activation, ATP release and phagocytes recruitment. In the current study, by manipulation of Panx1 expression in human myeloid cells and application of Panx1 deficient mice, we failed to find a correlation between Panx1 and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, although an interaction between these two proteins was evident. However, in thioglycollate induced peritonitis, Panx1 deficient mice showed much more phagocytes infiltration. Further analyses showed that mice deficient for Panx1 exhibited enlarged F4/80(low)Gr1(-)Ly6C(-)cell population in the peritonea. Our study thus reveals an important role for Panx1 in regulation of peritoneal cell population and peritonitis development.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Connexins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; deficiency ; genetics ; metabolism ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Inflammasomes ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; cytology ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; deficiency ; genetics ; metabolism ; Peritoneal Cavity ; cytology ; Peritonitis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; metabolism ; Thioglycolates ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of heat-sensitive moxibustion on corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) in rats with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and to explore the possible mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion on IBS.

METHODSAccording to random number table, 56 SD male rats were randomly divided into a blank group (=8), a model group (=8), a moxibustion group (=32), and a mifepristone group (RU-486 group,=8). The rats in the blank group were treated with normal feeding; the rats in the model group, RU-486 group and moxibustion group were treated with chronic non-predictable stimulation for 21 days to establish IBS model. After model establishment, the rats in the moxibustion group were treated with moxibustion at "Mingmen" (GV 4) for 40 min, once a day for 14 days; the tail temperature was recorded every 5 min; according to the change of tail temperature, the rats were divided into a heat-sensitive moxibustion group and a non-heat-sensitive moxibustion group, and 8 rats were randomly selected in the two groups. The rats in the RU-486 group were treated with gastric administration of RU-486 for 14 days, while the rats in the blank group, model group and moxibustion groups were treated with identical volume of 0.9% NaCl. The rat general condition, body mass, behavioristics, intestinal propulsive rate and visceral sensitivity were observed in each group; ELISA method was used to detect serum CRH, ACTH and CORT; optical microscope was applied to observe the morphological changes of colon.

RESULTS(1) After model establishment, rats were in rest state, fatigued, with withered hair and dim ear; the stool was dry or watery; the body mass were slowly increased; the number of crossed grid and standing frequency were significantly reduced; visceral sensitivity was increased and intestinal propulsion rate was decreased; no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration was observed under microscope. (2) After intervention, compared with the blank group, the body mass and visceral sensitivity in the RU-486 group were not significantly different (both>0.05), but the intestinal propulsion rate was decreased significantly (<0.01). Compared with the blank group, the body mass of heat-sensitive moxibustion group and non-heat-sensitive moxibustion group was lower (both<0.01), but the visceral sensitivity and intestinal propulsion rate were similar (both>0.05). Compared with the model group, the body mass and visceral sensitivity were improved in the RU-486 group (<0.05,<0.01), but the intestinal propulsion rate was similar (>0.05). The body mass, visceral sensitivity and intestinal propulsion rate of the heat-sensitive moxibustion group and the non-heat-sensitive moxibustion group were superior to those of the model group (<0.05,<0.01), and the body mass and intestinal propulsion rate of heat-sensitive moxibustion group were superior to those of non-heat-sensitive moxibustion group (both<0.05). (3) After intervention, compared with the blank group, the contents of CRH, ACTH and CORT in the model group were significantly increased (<0.05,<0.01). Compared with the model group, the contents of CRH, ACTH and CORT of the heat-sensitive moxibustion group were statistically reduced (<0.05,<0.01), and the contents of CRH and ACTH in the non-heat-sensitive moxibustion group were statistically reduced (<0.05,<0.01); the content of CRH in the RU-486 group was reduced (<0.05), but the contents of ACTH and CORT were increased (<0.05,<0.01). Compared with the non-heat-sensitive moxibustion group, the heat-sensitive moxibustion group was better in the improvement of CRH (<0.05), but there was no significant difference of ACTH and CORT between the two groups (both>0.05).

CONCLUSIONHeat-sensitive moxibustion could reduce the contents of CRH, ACTH and CORT through the HPA axis, and improve the function of gastrointestinal motility to treat IBS.