Objective To investigate the effects of Irbesartan on endothelial function and autonomic nervous system activity of patients with essential hypertension. Methods The endothelium dependent flow mediated dilatation (F-MD) and the endothelium independent nitroglycerin mediated dilatation (NTG-MD) were evaluated by the brachial ultrasound examination. Time-domain indices of heart rate variability (HRV) were measured by 24 h ambulatory electrocardiogram. The changes of blood lipoproteins, blood glucose, insulin levels, endothelial function and heart rate variability in 60 patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension and 20 healthy controls were compared, and the effects of different antihypertensive agents (AT1 receptor blocker and diuretic) for 8-week treatment were observed. Results Endothelial dysfunction and abnormal autonomic nervous activity were observed in patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension as follow: mildly decreased total HRV and mildly increased 24-hour average heart rate, significantly decreased parasympathetic tone-rMSSD and PNN50, obviously lowered endothelium dependent F-MD. The postprandial insulin level and insulin/glucose ratio of patients with hypertension was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. The decreased blood pressure level caused by AT1 receptor blocker (Irbesartan) and diuretic (Indapamide) was similar. Irbesartan for 8-week therapy resulted in a significant improvement of the endothelium dependent F-MD and insulin resistence, the increase of vagal nervous activity and the decrease of 24-hour average heart rate, but Indapamide presented no such effects. Conclusion This study suggested that patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension have significantly abnormal endothelial function and autonomic nervous activity, and the beneficial effect of Irbesartan is associated with an improvement of insulin resistence and heart rate variability, not with the decrease of blood pressure level.

Objective To observe the polysomnographic manifestation of sleep disorder and the characteristics of sleep architecture in patients with PD.Methods 42 patients with PD and 40 normal controls underwent night polysomnography.The parameters of sleep architecture and progress in two groups and video-monitoring features were analyzed.Results According to PSG recordings,the incidence of difficulties in the initiation of sleep(73.8%),fragmented sleep(59.5%),excessive daytime sleepiness (46.1%)were respectively increased in PD patients group than that in controls(all P5)、 ESS were increased(P=0.022,0.000,0.007, 0.001,0.000,respectively).SOREMPs occurred in 6 patients(14.3%)in PD group,but didn't oecure in controls.In PD group REM without atonia(RWA)was demonstrated in 36 patients(85.7%),RBD in 19 patients;in control group,however,REM in 6 and RBD in 2 separately.The statistics analysis showed the incidence of RWA(85.7%)and RBD(45.2%)in PD group was significantly higher than that in control group(P

Objective To investigate the bid gene expression and cell death in brain after cerebral hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal rats and the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on bid gene expression,so as to elucidate the possible mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of DEX pretreatment on rats following cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.Methods Twenty-four SD neonatal rats were divided randomly into hypoxia-ischemia brain damage(HIBD),normal,dexamethasone-pretreated and 9 g/L NaCl(NS)control group.The animal models of HIBD were made.Total RNA from ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere was extracted.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to evaluate the level of bid gene expression after hypoxia-ischemia.Cerebral apoptosis was determined by terminal-deoxynucleotidy transferase mediated d-UTP nick end labeling(TUNEL).Results The levels of bid mRNA were higher in HIBD rats than those in normal rats.The number of positive apoptosis cells significantly increased in HIBD group(P

Objective To explore the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1(cIAP1)gene expression and Caspase-3 activity in brain after cerebral hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal rats and the influence of dexamethasone(DEX)on cIAP1 gene expression and Caspase-3 activity,so as to elucidate the possible mechanism of the neuro-protective effect of DEX pretreatment on rats following cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.Methods Twenty-four SD neonatal rats were divided randomly into hypoxic-ischemic brain damage group(HIBD group),normal group(NS group),dexamethasone-pretreated group(DEX group)and 9 g/L NaCl control group(NS group).The animal models of HIBD were made.Total RNA from ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere was extracted.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to evaluate the level of cIAP1 gene expression after hypoxia-ischemia.Caspase-3 relative activity of brain tissue was determined by colorimetric assay.Results The levels of cIAP1 mRNA were lower in HIBD group than those in NS group.Caspase-3 relative activity significantly increased in HIBD group(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the relation of the anogenital distance (AGD) with cryptorchidism in male newborns.

METHODSThis study included 350 male infants delivered in two community hospitals between September 2013 and September 2014. Within 24 hours after birth, a pediatric surgeon measured the AGD of the neonates and determined whether they had cryptorchidism. According to the testicular position, we divided the undescended testes into three types: upper scrotal, inguinal, and non-palpable.

RESULTSTotally 39 cases of cryptorchidism were found in the 350 newborns. The AGD of the cryptorchidism infants was significantly shorter than that of the normal neonates ([2.01 ± 0.22] vs [2.35 ± 0.19] cm, P < 0.01), and statistically significant differences remained even when preterm and low birth-weight infants were excluded ([2.32 ± 0.14] vs [2.06 ± 0.19] cm; (2.37 ± 0.17) cm vs (2.12 ± 0.12) cm, all P < 0.01). The newborns with higher-position cryptorchidism had a shorter AGD, though with no significant difference (F = 0.434, P > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the AGD between unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism ([1.96 ± 0.13] vs [2.02 ± 0.17] cm, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONShorter AGD is associated with a higher incidence of cryptorchidism in male newborns. AGD could serve as a potential biomarker for disruption of androgen action during the male programming window period.

Androgens ; physiology ; Cryptorchidism ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Perineum ; abnormalities

Objective To explore a better method to repair cervical cicatricle contracture deformity.Methods The cervicai cicatrical contraction deformity was repaird by the cervico-shoulder island skin flap with blood supply crossing and abundant anastomotic branches of the neck-shoulder blood vessels. After removing the cervical scar, the flaps were designed according to the size of the wound to be repaired, and the clinical anatomy of crossing and abundant anastomotic branches of the neck-shoulder blood vessels. The secondary wound of donor site was closed directly if the donor region was small, or closed by skin graft. Results Sixteen patients in this clinic were operated with this method, and venous return dysfunction occurred in 1 case, but blood circulation was improved after treatment. All the flaps survived with good appearance and texture. The extensive flap was created and transferred to the anterior neck by one stage without pre-expansion which met some patients'requirement of repairing cervical cicatricle contracture deformity. Conclusion The cervico-shoulder island skin flap, with abundant blood supply, is a new method to repair cervical cicatricle contracture deformity.

Objective To explore the change of activin A(ACT A) in umbilical artery blood of newborns with fetal distress and its clinical significance.Methods Forty healthy pregnant women(control group)and 35 pregnant women with fetal distress (experimental group)were collected.The levels of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in both groups were determined by a solid quantitative biotin-avidin system enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(BAS-ELISA),umbilical artery blood gas were also measured.Results The level of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in fetal distress group was (1 235.89?178.78)ng/L,and that in control group was (627.28?75.24)ng/L,and the level of ACT A of umbilical artery blood in fetal distress group was significantly higher than that in control group(P

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) has been proved to be associated with malignancy.The incidence and risk factors of malignancy development in IgG4-RD were not clear.Nine IgG4-RD patients with malignancies and 27 IgG4-RD control cases were analyzed for risk factors and clinical features.The incidence of malignancy in IgG4-RD was 3.3％,higher than age-controlled general population.Smoking history was significantly more common in patients with malignancies than in the control group (9/9 vs 16/27,P ＜ 0.05).A total of 6/9 malignancies occurred within the first year after the diagnosis of IgG4-RD.Colorectal,biliary and thyroid cancers were the leading types.Smoking history is a risk factor for IgG4-RD associated malignancy.Careful vigilance to monitor malignancy needs to be paid during follow-up.

Objective To establish a simple and economic method for isolating rat hepatic lipocytes. Method Perfusion of the rat liver with pronase E and collagenase in succession was performed in cycles, and the hepatic lipocytes were isolated and purified by digesting the rat liver with DNase in the presence of the above 3 enzymes, followed by 11% Necodenz density gradient centrifugation. The resulted lipocytes were subjected to routine identification procedures and viability assessment. Results The yield of the lipocytes from each rat was 2×107 to 3×107, with viability over 95% and purity above 90%. Conclusion The method adopted in this study is simple, economic and highly productive.

Objective To establish a simple and economic method for isolating rat hepatic lipocytes. Method Perfusion of the rat liver with pronase E and collagenase in succession was performed in cycles, and the hepatic lipocytes were isolated and purified by digesting the rat liver with DNase in the presence of the above 3 enzymes, followed by 11% Necodenz density gradient centrifugation. The resulted lipocytes were subjected to routine identification procedures and viability assessment. Results The yield of the lipocytes from each rat was 2×107 to 3×107, with viability over 95% and purity above 90%. Conclusion The method adopted in this study is simple, economic and highly productive.