Objective Inflammation is considered as a driving force in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. We study the inhibitory effects of indomethacin on production of nitric oxide (NO) in ?-amyloid 1-42 stimulated microglia in vitro, in order to explore the role of ?-amyloid and microglia in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and that admimistration of anti-inflammatory drugs might be an effective therapeutic modality. Methods We cultured murine microglia BV-2 cells to serve as the model of microglia for experimentation in vitro. Indomethacin in different concentrations (10 -9 , 10 -8 , 10 -7 , 10 -6 and 10 -5 mol/L) was added separately without or with ?-amyloid 1-42 20?mol/L, and culture was continued for 12h. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the supernatant of culture were determined. iNOS mRNA expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Results There was no effect in the production of NO and the activity of iNOS in BV-2 cells incubated with indomethacin alone. Indomethacin could inhibit NO production and lower iNOS activity and iNOS mRNA expression after microglia were stimulated by ?-amyloid 1-42, and the inhibitory effect was obvious at the concentration of 10 -7 -10 -5 mol/L. Conclusions As a conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs), indomethacin can inhibit NO production, decrease iNOS activity and iNOS mRNA expression in BV-2 microglia after being stimulated by ?-amyloid 1-42 in vitro. The results suggest that the mechanism by which indomethacin might be beneficial in treatment of AD might be due to the inhibition of NO production from microglia, blocking the inflammatory cascade reaction to ameliorate injury to neuron. As an effective model in vitro, BV-2 microglia are valuable in the study of Alzheimer's disease.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of swallowing training combined with real-time electrical stimulation on dysphagia after stroke. Methods17 patients, older than 80 years old, with dysphagia after stroke, were treated with Vocastim-Master Physiomed Elektromedizin. They were assessed with the Watian drinking water test, swallowing disorder evaluation, swallowing ability evaluation, and α. ResultsAll the assessment significantly improved in the 17 patients (P<0.001). ConclusionSwallowing training combined with real-time electrical stimulation can significantly improve the swallowing capacity of the patients older than 80 after stroke.

ObjectiveTo determine the responsiveness of 3 assessment for swallowing disorder on elderly people. Methods40 elderly cases with were assessed with drinking test, classification of swallowing disorder, and swallowing ability evaluation before and 3 weeks after treatment. ResultsThe effect size was 1.04 for drinking test, 1.74 for classification of swallowing disorder and 2.06 for swallowing ability evaluation. The standardized response mean was 2.49 for drinking test, 2.35 for classification of swallowing disorder and 2.78 for swallowing ability evaluation. There was very significant difference before and after treatment in the score of all the scales (P<0.001). ConclusionDrinking test, classification of swallowing disorder, and swallowing ability evaluation are responsive for swallowing disorder in elderly people receiving rehabilitation.

Objective To investigate the incidence and risk factors of the complications in perioperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) supported cardiac surgical patients. Methods The clinical data of adult cardiac surgery patients undergoing IABP in Fuwai Hospital from January 2005 to January 2017 were enrolled. The patients were divided into complications group and no complications group. Demographic characteristics, diagnosis, perioperative clinical parameters, IABP related data, and IABP complications (including ischemia, bleeding, vascular injury and mechanical problems) were collected. The incremental risk factors of complications related IABP were analyzed by logistic regression. Results During the 12-year period, 522 patients received IABP support, with 388 male and 134 female; the mean age was (61.79±9.35) years; the complications related to IABP occurred in 25 patients, and overall complication rate was 4.79%; 87 IABP patients were dead in-hospital, the overall mortality was 16.67%, no patient died due to complications. The complications rate was higher in the female patients (40.00% vs. 24.95%), and was more in patients with age ≥ 65 years old (80.00% vs. 38.03%), more with higher body mass index [BMI (kg/m2): 25.45±13.71 vs. 22.95±3.45], diabetes mellitus (44.00% vs. 26.76%), combination treatment with extra-corporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO: 20.00% vs. 5.03%) and prolonged IABP support time (hours: 134.4±90.3 vs. 109.8±89.1, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications among preoperative IABP support, intra-operative IABP support and post-operative IABP support [3.30% (3/91), 5.46% (10/183), 4.84% (12/248), χ 2 =0.629, P = 0.730]. Bleeding from puncture site occurred in 14 cases (2.68%) without severe bleeding. Limb ischemia occurred in 9 cases (1.72%). One patient (0.19%) was under another surgery because of retroperitoneal hemorrhage caused by vascular injury. One patient (0.19%) was unsuccessful due to a balloon leak. It was shown by logistic regression analysis that presence of age ≥ 65 years [odds ratio (OR) = 2.320, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.011-1.806, P = 0.047], diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.281, 95%CI = 1.016-5.120, P = 0.026) and combination treatment with ECMO (OR = 4.341, 95%CI = 1.240-15.196, P = 0.040) were found to be the risk factors of complications related to IABP. Conclusions IABP complication rates are generally low. The frequent complications during IABP support is bleeding from site of catheterization and limb ischemia. When patients were treated with IABP, those with older age, diabetes mellitus and combination with ECMO should be monitored closely in order to reduce complications.

OBJECTIVEPrevious studies have demonstrated that two homozygous missense MYO1E mutations are associated with childhood autosomal recessive focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) families from Italy and Turkey. Non-disease-causing heterozygous MYO1E variants were also found in other SRNS patient cohorts. However, the role of MYO1E mutations in Chinese sporadic SRNS has not been established.

METHODPeripheral blood samples were collected for genetic analysis from 54 children with sporadic SRNS in Chinese Han ethnic group and a normal control group of 59 healthy adult volunteers. None of the patients carried mutations in NPHS2 or WT1. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Twenty-eight exons and exon-intron boundaries of the MYO1E gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Mutational analysis was performed by direct DNA sequencing and restriction endonuclease digestion.

RESULTFifty-one variants in the MYO1E gene were identified in 54 children with sporadic SRNS. Among them, 10 MYO1E mutations of IVS1-11T>C, IVS2-86T>A, 279T>C (D93D), IVS6-181G>A, 718C>T (L240F), 1678A>G (T560A), IVS16-35A>G, IVS18+48T>A, IVS19+38G>A and IVS25+13C>T were detected in 11 patients, whereas they were absent in the 59 normal Chinese controls. Forty-one variants in MYO1E were identified and all of them were published in single nucleotide polymorphism database from national center for biotechnology information. Furthermore, all the 10 MYO1E mutations were in heterozygous states.

CONCLUSIONMYO1E mutations are not a major cause of Chinese children with sporadic SRNS in the study.

Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mutation ; genetics ; Myosin Type I ; genetics ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; congenital ; ethnology ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic