Objective To elucidate the relationship between a 936C/T mutation at 3'-untranslated region of human vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) gene and diabetic peripheral neuropathy ( DPN ). Methods All subjects recruited in this study were assigned into DM (n = 92, diabetes without neuropathy, retinopathy or nephropathy), DPN (n = 102, diabetes with peripheral neuropathy only ), and healthy control (n = 120 ) groups,respectively. The gene polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLP, as well as the other clinical parameters including serum VEGF by ELISA. Results The frequencies of both genotype CC and allele C were significantly higher in DPN group than those in either DM group(x2 = 5.578 and 5.614, P＜0. 05 ) or control group (x2 = 9. 406 and 9. 677, P＜0. 05 ). However, the frequencies of genotype(CT+TT) and allele T were significantly lower in DPN group than that in either DM group(x2 =5.578 and 5.614, P＜0. 05) and control group (x2=9.406 and 9.677, P＜0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of HbA1c, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteincholesterol( LDL-C ), and serum VEGF positively correlated with DPN, while the 936C/T polymorphism of VEGF gene negatively correlated with DPN(β= -1. 046, OR=0. 457, P=0. 006, 95% CI: 0. 166-0. 741 ). Conclusions Allele 936C of VEGF gene may serve as a genetic marker susceptible to DPN, while allele 936T may be a protective genetic marker of DPN.

Objective To evaluate the effect of controlled hypotension at the beginning of reperfusion on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the liver in patients undergoing hepatectomy.Methods Forty ASA Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients (aged 30-60 years and weighing 40-70 kg) undergoing elective partial hepatectomy for liver cancer were randomly divided into two groups (n =20 each):normal blood pressure group (control group,group C) and controlled hypotension group (group H).In group C,normal blood pressure was maintained during reperfusion,while in group H,controlled hypotension (the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was maintained at 60-70 mm Hg) was performed for 10 minutes since the beginning of reperfusion.Hepatic portal was occluded during operation.Venous blood samples were taken before hepatic ischemia (T0,baseline) and after 15 minutes of ischemia (T1) and after 25 minutes of reperfusion (T2) for determination of plasma levels of endothelin (ET),nitric oxide (NO),tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1).Results I/R of the liver led to significant increases in plasma levels of ET,TNF-α and IL-1 and a decrease in plasma level of NO at T1,2 as compared with the baseline values at T0 in both groups.Plasma levels of ET,TNF-α and IL-1 were significantly lower while plasma level of NO was significantly higher at T2 in group H than in group C.Conclusion Controlled hypotension for 10 minutes in the initial stage of reperfusion can attenuate I/R-induced injury to the liver in patients undergoing hepatectomy through balancing ET with NO and inhibiting inflammation responses.

The relationship between C936T polymorphism at 3'-untranslated region of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and diabetic nephropathy (DN) was analysed in 194 type 2 diabetic patients. The frequencies of genotype CC and allele C were significantly higher in DN group than those in non-DN group and control group. Allele C and genotype CC of VEGF may be a genetic marker susceptible to DN.

Objective To evaluate the effect of controlled hypotension at the beginning of reperfusion on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the liver in patients undergoing hepatectomy. Methods Forty ASA Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients aged 30-60 yr weighing 40-70 kg undergoing elective partial hepatectomy for liver cancer were randomly divided into 2 groups ( n = 20 each): group C normal BP and group H controlled hypotension. Hepatic portal was occluded during operation. In group C normal BP was maintained during reperfusion while in group H controlled hypotension (MAP was maintained at 60-70 mm Hg) was performed for 10 min since the beginning of reperfusion.Venous blood samples were taken before hepatic ischemia (T0 ,baseline) and at 15 min of ischemia (T1) and 25 min of reperfnsion (T2 ) for determination of plasma endothelin (ET), nitric oxide(NO), TNF-α and IL-1 concentrations. Results I/R of the liver led to significant increase in plasma ET, TNF-α and IL-1 concentrations and decrease in plasma NO concentration at T1,2 as compared with the baseline values at T0 in both groups. Plasma ET,TNF-α and IL- 1 concentrations were significantly lower while plasma NO concentration was significantly higher at T2 in group H than in group C. Conclusion Ten minutes controlled hypotension in the initial stage of reperfusion can attenuate I/R-induced injury to the liver in patients undergoing hepatectomy by balancing ET with NO and inhibiting inflammation response.

Sixty-nine cases of acute hyperthyroid myopathy admitted from 1990 to 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.Hoarseness was the most common symptom; 17.39％ of the patients had difficulty in breathing; respiratory muscle paralysis and aspiration pneumonia were the main causes of death.Efficient treatment lasting for two weeks was carried out in 81.16％ of the cases.Patients with severe bulbar palsy were often complicated with aspiration pneumonia and thus had high mortality rate.The main treatments in cluded anti-hyperthyroid drugs,corticosteroids,energy supports,and symptomatic management,which usually resulted in good clinical improvement.

Objective To explore the role of σ1 receptor (σ1R) in the clinical prognosis of cervical cancer,and provide a theoretical basis for σ1R targeted molecular therapy through observing the inhibition of synthetic σ1R-specific ligand compounds on the growth of cervical cancer cells. Methods (1) Immunohistochemical or immunocytochemistry staining were respectively used to detect the expression and localization of σ1R protein.(2)The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set was used to validate our results. (3)Two series of 4 novel σ1R ligand compounds were synthesized by altering the N-terminal substituents on the piperidine ring of the prezamicol analogue, named as 14a, 14e, 15c and 15f. Methyl thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay was detect the anti-proliferative effect of the four compounds on HeLa and SiHa cells. Compound 14a with potent inhibitory activity and the highest specificity of σ1R was selected for further experiments. Scratch test was observed the migration effect of compound 14a on HeLa and SiHa cells. Flow cytometry was determined cell cycles and apoptosis. Results (1) Immunostaining of σ1R protein was located in the cytoplasm and nucleus of cervical epithelium. The expression of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was significantly higher than those of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or normal cervical tissues. There was no significant difference in the expression of σ1R between HSIL and normal cervical tissues. σ1R expression in cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) was higher than that in SCC (P=0.020). The nuclear expression rate of σ1R in AC (10/18) was higher than that of SCC (27.1%, 19/70; P=0.024). The median overall survival (MOS) of σ1R-positive SCC patients was lower than that of σ1R-negative patients [(45.8±3.1) vs (51.7±2.9) months, P=0.045]. MOS of the patients with σ1R nuclear positive SCC was lower than that of non-nuclear staining [(38.9±3.8) vs (48.7±2.1) months, P=0.022]. MOS of the patients with σ1R nuclear positive AC was lower than that of non-nuclear staining [(35.0± 6.3) vs (44.2±4.2) months, P=0.034]. (2) Analysis of TCGA data showed that σ1R expression of in SCC was correlated with age (P=0.005). σ1R expression in AC was significantly associated with advanced stage, lymphnode metastasis and vascular invasion (all P<0.05). MOS of AC patients with σ1R overexpression was significantly lower than that of the patients with low expression (P=0.034). There was no significant difference in the MOS of different expression of σ1R mRNA in SCC patients(P=0.930). (3) MTT assay showed that these four compounds could suppressed the growth of HeLa and SiHa cells in time- and dose-dependent manner. The growth inhibition rates of HeLa and SiHa cells at 48 hours treated by combination of different concentrations of nedaplatin (NDP) with compound 14a (6 μmol/L) were significantly higher than those treated by NDP alone. Compound 14a (30 μmol/L) significantly inhibited the migration (both P<0.01) and induced the apoptosis of HeLa or SiHa cells (both P<0.01). Conclusions σ1R is over-expressed in cervical cancer and HSIL. σ1R nuclear expression is an important marker of AC. σ1R over-expression, especially σ1R nuclear expression is associated with the poor prognosis of cervical cancer. Our study is mostly consistent with cervical cancer data of TCGA. These results suggest that the novel synthetic prezamicol analogues 14a for σ1R could inhibit the growth of cervical cancer cells and cell migration through inducing apoptosis and arresting cell cycle in G0/G1 period, enhance NDP-induced cytotoxicity.

Keeping an enzyme in its native form with high catalytic activity is of great significance. In the present study, thermal stabilizers of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were screened. The results indicated that thermal stability of HRP was enhanced by magnesium sulphate and gelatin. A synergic effect of magnesium sulphate and gelatin was observed. In the presence of the stabilizer, the enzymatic activity of HRP remained 89% after kept for 80 h at 50 degrees C and 57% for 90 days at room temperature. Thermal alterations of HRP structure in the absence and presence of the stabilizers were explored by using UV absorption spectra at 402 nm (Soret band), intrinsic fluorescence and 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (ANS) fluorescence. The results suggested that magnesium sulphate and gelatin attenuated the extent of unfolding of HRP and therefore the native enzyme structure was stabilized.
Drug Synergism ; Enzyme Stability ; drug effects ; Gelatin ; pharmacology ; Horseradish Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Hot Temperature ; Magnesium Sulfate ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the interruptive effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific immunolobulin (HBIG) before delivery in attempt to prevent intrauterine transmission of HBV.

METHODSNine hundred and eighty HBsAg carrier pregnant women were randomly divided into HBIG group and control group. Each subject in the HBIG group received 200 IU or 400 IU of HBIG intramuscularly at 3, 2 and 1 month before delivery. The subjects in the control group did not receive any specific treatment. All newborn infants received 100 IU of HBIG intramascularly after venous blood samples were taken at birth and 2 weeks after birth, followed by 30 micro g plasma-derived HB vaccine or 5 micro g recombinant yeast-derived hepatitis B vaccine at 1, 2 and 7 months of age. Blood tests were performed for all the lying-in women and their neonates. Blood specimens were tested for HBsAg and HBeAg by enzyme immunoassay. All infants were followed up for 1 year.

RESULTSIn the HBIG group, 491 neonates were born to 487 HBV carrier mothers; and in the control group, 496 neonates were born to 493 HBV carrier mothers. The rates of intrauterine transmission in the two groups were 14.3% and 5.7% respectively (chi(2) = 20.280, P < 0.001), and the rates of chronic hepatitis B in the two groups were 2.2% and 7.3% respectively (chi(2) = 13.696, P < 0.001). The high risk factors of intrauterine HBV infection included HBsAg HBeAg double positive and HBV DNA positive in the peripheral blood of pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONHBV infection in the uterus may be interrupted by injecting multiple intramuscular HBIG injections before delivery without causing any side-effects.

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; transmission ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; therapeutic use ; Infant, Newborn ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; prevention & control ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Middle Aged ; Pregnancy

Objective To examine the association between caregiver burden and comorbidity in elderly patients with cognitive impairment.Methods The study was conducted in 212 patients at the Memory Clinic and the Departments of Geriatrics and Neurology of Fuxing Hospital from September 2014 to September 2016.Recruited patients were assigned into a dementia group and a non-dementia group according to their cognitive status and were examined using mini mental state examination (MMSE),auditory verbal learning test (AVLT),activity of daily living (ADL),neuropsychiatric inventory(NPI),and Charlson comorbidity index(CCI).Their caregivers were surveyed with Zarit burden inventory (ZBI).Results The ZBI score was significantly correlated with patients' age,gender,CCI,MMSE,NPI,and ADL.The ZBI score was higher in male patients(21.21 ± 11.24)than in female patients(18.33±10.38).Age(r=0.10,P＜0.001),NPI(r=0.32,P＜0.001),ADL(r=0.29,P ＜0.001),and CCI(r =0.38,P ＜0.001) were positively correlated with caregiver burden,while MMSE(r =-0.28,P ＜ 0.001) was negatively correlated with it.Multiple linear regression model analysis indicated that MMSE,NPI,ADL,and CCI were influencing factors for caregiver burden.When CCI was stratified into CCIno dementia and CCIdementi8,influencing factors for caregiver burden were identified as MMSE,NPI,ADL,and CCIdementia.Conclusions Cognitive deterioration,decrease in ADL,and neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly patients are the major causes of increased caregiver burden.Besides,the number and severity of comorbidity are independent factors for caregiver burden.