It is always an important academic and policy issue to understand the impact of hospital distance on Chinese inpatient service demand in rural areas. It employs household survey data collected from 97 villages in Shandong in 2006 and 2008, and investigates the influences of hospital distance on the demand of famars in rural areas. The discrete choice model is constructed to estimate the inpatient service demand function for patients in rural areas. The empirical analysis finds that the hospital distance is significantly affecting Chinese inpatient service demand in the rural areas. The longer the distance increases, the lower the visiting rate drops. In addition, the impact changes with the changes of hospital level; the lower the primary hospital is, the higher the impact would be. It paper provides new evidence for the understanding of the geographical characteristics of medical health care.

Objective To investigate whether unfolded protein response (UPR) plays a role in the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis (SpA),and to assess UPR-related gene expression in SpA and other arthritis patients.Methods Eighteen patients with SpA,12 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 6 with osteoarthritis (OA) were recruited.Macrophages were isolated from synovial fluid samples by immunomagnetic separation.The expression of UPR-regulated genes,including binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP),glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94),C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP),growth arrested and DNA damage-inducible 34 (GADD34),X-box binding protein 1 (XBP-1) and endoplasmic reticulum DnaJ homolog 4 (ERdj4),was tested by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results Compared with macrophages in OA patients,the expression of BiP and GRP94 mRNA [(6.06 ± 2.08) × 10-2 vs (1.11 ±0.72) × 10-2 for BiP mRNA,11.80(7.30-38.40) × 10-3 vs 1.27(1.02-4.18) × 10-3 for GRP94 mRNA,both P values ＜0.01] was significantly increased in macrophages in SpA patients.XBP1 mRNA was up-regulated [(12.70 ± 5.20) × 10-3 vs (4.14 ± 2.56) × 10-3,p ＜ 0.01] in SpA group as well.UPR-regulated gene expression in SpA patients with HLA-B27 positive or HLA-B27 negative was similar.However,none of UPR-regulated genes showed different expression between the SpA group and RA group except for GADD34 mRNA [7.30 (5.56-15.40) × 10-3 vs 21.30 (12.20-27.60) × 10-3,P =0.009].Conclusions Our data suggest that UPR possibly participates in the pathogenesis of SpA,although the relationship between HLA-B27 and UPR still needs further investigation.

Objective To evaluate the performance of an improved skin prick test in the screening for allergens.Methods A total of 475 patients with chronic urticaria who aged from 3 to 81 years were enrolled in this study,and classified into the control group (n =235) and research group (n =240).Traditional and improved skin prick test were conducted in the control and research group respectively.The allergen detection rate was compared between the two test methods.Results The allergen detection rate was 65.4％ and 67.2％ respectively for the improved and traditional skin prick test,respectively (P ＞ 0.05).House dust mites were the most common sensitizing agent.Conclusion The improved skin prick test can offer reliable evidence for chnical diagnosis with a relatively convenient and safe procedure.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Bronchoscopy ; methods ; Cooking ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Shenxiong Huayu Capsule (SHC) on the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury and the expression of growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) after total cerebral IR in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats.

METHODSTotally 100 male adult SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, i.e., the control group, the model group, the group A (by taking SHC once daily), the group B (by taking SHC twice daily), and the group C (by taking SHC thrice daily), 20 in each group. The total IR model was prepared by improved Pulsinelli's 4-vessel occlusion method. Morphological changes of the hippocampal CA1 region were observed by HE staining at day 1, 3, 7, and 14. The expression of GAP43 in the hippocampal CA1 region was detected using immunohistochemical assay at day 1, 3, 7, and 14. Meanwhile, the behavioral score was determined. The expression of GAP43 in the hippocampal CA1 region was detected using Western blot at day 14.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the expression of GAP43 increased in the model group, the behavioral score was elevated, degenerated neurons increased, and survival neurons decreased in the model group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of GAP-43 increased (with the most significant difference seen in the group C, P < 0.01), the behavioral score significantly decreased, degenerated neurons decreased, and survival neurons increased in each HSC group (all P < 0.05). Survival neurons obviously increased at day 14, of which, most number of survival neurons and highest contents of GAP43 protein could be seen in the group C, showing statistical difference when compared with those of the group A and the group B (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSHC had protective effect on total cerebral IR in the hippocampal CA1, which might be associated with increased expression of GAP43.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; GAP-43 Protein ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Cardiomyopathies ; blood ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Creatine Kinase ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Pesticides ; poisoning ; Troponin I ; blood

Aged ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Osteitis Deformans ; complications ; diagnosis

Adult ; Congresses as Topic ; Hearing ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Mass Screening

Background and purpose:miR-22 has been reported to be down-regulated in gastric cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. However, its expression in glioma was still poorly known. This study aimed to explicit whether miR-22 suppresses cell proliferation by targeting MTDH, thus to reveal molecular mechanism that miR-22 functions as a tumor suppressor in glioma. Methods:Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted for detecting the expression of miR-22 in gliomas and normal brain tissues. MTDH 3’UTR-luciferase vector was constructed and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was employed to examine the effect of miR-22 on luciferase activity. U251 cells were transfected with miR-22 mimics, and MTDH siRNA as for postive control, then Western blot was performed to detect the expressions of MTDH protein. The proliferation ability of U251 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Results:miR-22 was down-regulated in glioma tissues. Glioma patients with relatively high expression of miR-22 showed lower mortality compared with low expression of miR-22 by using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. We demonstrated miR-22 could bind to the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of MTDH and inhibited the luciferase activity. Western blot showed that the expression of MTDH protein was inhibited by restored miR-22 or siR MTDH in U251 cells. Overexpression of miR-22 or siR MTDH inhibited the proliferation of U251 cells. Conclusion:miR-22 suppresses cell proliferation by targeting MTDH in glioma.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of transection of cervical sympathetic trunk (TCST)on the fetal brain in rats with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH).Methods Thirty-two pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups(n=8 each):A control group;B PIH group;C TCST+PIH group and D sham operation+PIH group,PIH was produced by L-NAME 12.5 mg?100g~(-1) given subcutaneously from 14~(th)-20~(th) day of gestation.In group A normal saline was given instead of L-NAME.In group C TCST was performed on the 14~(th) day of gestation and L-NAME was injected asin group B.In group D the cervical sympathetic trunk was only exposed but not cut.Caesarean section was performed and fetus was taken on the 21~(st) day of gestation.The ultrastructure of fetal brain was examined.The content of ATP,ADP and AMP in the fetal brain and the Na~+-K~+-ATPase and Ca~(2+)-ATPase activity in neuronal plasmalemma were determined.Results The ultrastructure of the fetal brain was almost normal in group A and C,but was seriously damaged in group B and D.The ATP and adenylic acid content in the brain tissue and the Na~+-K~+-ATPase and Ca~(2+)-ATPase activity in neuronal plasmalemma were significantly lower in group B and D than in group A and C.Conclusion TCST has protective effect on the fetal brain in rats with PIH by improving energy supply and enhancing pump function of neuron.