Climacteric ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; drug therapy ; Methimazole ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

China ; Environmental Exposure ; prevention & control ; standards ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; standards ; Seasons ; Temperature ; Workplace ; legislation & jurisprudence ; standards

The family of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belongs to the superfamily of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). It has various functions in the body. In recent years the BMPs family(especially the BMP7) has been discovered to play an important role on the genesis and development of cancer. In this article the characteristic, the mechanism and the function of BMP7 in the genesis and development of cancer are summarized.

Objective: To discuss the management principles and skills for treatment of intractable ureterostenosis under ureteroscope. Methods: Our management experience on 19 patients with intractable ureteral stenosis was retrospectively analyzed. The 19 cases included urological TB-caused multiple ureteral stenosis, oncothlipsis to ureters from intestinal tract or gynecology, restenosis 3 months to 12 years after pelviureteric junction plasty, operative site stenosis after ureterolithotomy, double ureter back flow accompanied by stenosis, ureter imperforation after renal parenchyma lithotomy without placing double "J", ureter imperforation 3 months after extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy due to ureterolith, tubal bladder stoma stenosis after renal transplantation, restenosis after tubal bladder stoma due to distal ureterostenosis, and so on. All the patients were treated under ureteroscope. The management methods included: the Wolf 8/9. 8 CH12° and Wolf 6/7. 6 CH5° ureteroscope was used as a dilator to dilate the stenoses; balloon expanding under ureteroscope was used to dilate the stenoses; the ureter pliers was used to expand the stenoses to different directions; the cold knife was used to open the stenoses; if the diameter of stenoses were smaller than the that of the ureteroscopes, F4. 5 or F3 double "J" tubes were inserted guided by a wire under ureteroscope; and 2 or 3 weeks later, a larger tube or two tubes were introduced into the stenoses already dilated partly by the former tube. Results: Ureteroscopic method failed in treating 2 patients in our group and succeeded in treating all the other patients. The outcomes of patient were fine during 2 months to 3 years' follow-up. Conclusion: It is difficult to treat patients with intractable ureterostenoses. With good experience in manipulation of ureteroscope, the flexible application of several techniques according to the different conditions of different patients can guarantee successful treatment in most patients.

Objective: A rapid and sensitive method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantitative determination of salvianolic acid B (Sal B) and its main active metabolite danshensu(DSS) in rat plasma. Methods: The analytes were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate after IS (IS, chloramphenicol) spiked. The separation was performed on a Symmetry C18 column with methanol-acetonitrile-0.5% formic acid (55:5:40) as mobile phase at a flowrate of 0.4 mL/min. The triple quadrupole LC-MS system was operated under selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode using the electrospray ionization technique in negative mode. Quantification was performed using SRM of the transitions m/z 717→519 for Sal B, 197→135 for DSS, and 321→152 for the IS, respectively. Results: The nominal retention times for Sal B, DSS , and IS were 3.12, 2.60, and 3.98 min, respectively. The standard calibration curve for spiked rat plasma containing Sal B was linear over the range 10-5 000 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient (r >0.995). And DSS was linear over the range 5-5000 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient (r>0.995). The lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) of Sal B and DSS of the method were 10 and 5 ng/mL, respectively. The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision of the assay were less than 12.6%. After Sal B was ig administered to rats, absorption of Sal B was rapidly metabolized to DSS. Pharmacokinetic parameters of Sal B and DSS after ig administration Sal B to Wistar rats were: Cmax (1.21±0.31) and (0.27±0.05) μg/mL, tmax (0.50±0.00) and (0.56±0.18) h, t1/2 (1.20±0.11) and (1.57±0.16) h, AUC0-1 (1.31±0.30) and (0.39±0.05) μg·mL-1·h. Conclusion: This method has been applied successfully to a pharmacokinetic study of Sal B and its metabolite DSS involving the ig administration of Sal B to rats.

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of thrombotic biomarkers in estimation of venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in cancer patients.

METHODSA total of 1473 cancer patients treated in the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from 2009 to 201 were selected, including 845 males and 628 females in the age of 56 ± 17 years. The activities of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag), factor VII (F VII:A), factor VIII (F VIII:A), antithrombin (AT:A), protein C (PC:A) and protein S (PS:A) were assayed using an ACL TOP 700 blood coagulation analyzer. The level of D-dimer (D-D) was assayed using the Biomerieux Mini Vidas Automated Immunoassay Analyzer. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to analyze the diagnostic performance of the parameters. Cox regression analysis model was applied to evaluate the effect on prognosis, and Kaplan-Meier curve was used to implement the survival analysis.

RESULTSThe levels of vWF:Ag, D-D, and F VIII:A were significantly higher in all the specified tumor groups ( except the other tumor group ) than that of the control groups (P < 0.05). F VIII:A was significantly higher than that in the control group in all tumor groups except the renal carcinoma, prostatic cancer, lymphoma groups and the other tumor group (P < 0.05). The PC:A level was significantly lower in all tumor patients groups than in the control group, except glioma, breast cancer, gastric carcinoma, renal carcinoma and the other tumors groups (P < 0.05). The PS: A level was significantly lower in all tumor groups than in the control group, except the glioma, breast cancer, prostatic cancer, lymphoma and the other tumors groups (P<0.05). The AT: A level was significantly lower in all tumor groups than in the control group (P<0.05). When the optimum cut-off point of vWF:Ag for VTE diagnosis was 192% in the cancer group, the area under ROC curve = 0.828 (95% CI: 0.716 to 0.939). When the optimum cut-off point of D-dimer for VTE diagnosis was 1484 ng/ml in the cancer group, the area under ROC curve = 0.915 (95% confidence interval: 0. 840 to 0.988). When the optimum cut-off point of PC: A for VTE diagnosis was 75.2% in the cancer group, the area under ROC curve = 0.764 (95% confidence interval: 0.630 to 0.898). The Cox analysis showed that age, surgery, chemotherapy and D-dimer were independent risk factors for VTE event within three months in cancer patients. The cumulative probability of VTE was increased significantly in the cancer patients if whose plasma D-dimer level was over the cut-off value.

CONCLUSIONSThe plasma D-dimer level is obviously increased in cancer patients, and there is a relevance to thrombosis risk stratification and VTE cumulative probability. It is with good diagnostic performance, and may be used as an effective marker in estimation of VTE risk within 3 months in cancer patients.

Aged ; Antithrombins ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Factor VII ; analysis ; Factor VIII ; analysis ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; blood ; Prognosis ; Protein C ; analysis ; Protein S ; analysis ; ROC Curve ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Venous Thromboembolism ; etiology ; von Willebrand Factor ; analysis

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of DTaP-IPV/Hib combined vaccine in comparison with commercially available DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), tetanus conjugate and IPV monovalent vaccine. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on DTaP-IPV/Hib were retrieved by searching interna-tional and national databases. The pooled mean difference and relative risk and 95% CI were assessed by meta analysis with RevMan 5.0 software. Results Totally 6 studies were included for the final analysis. The seroprotection/seroconversion level of the Anti-PT (RR=0.26, 95%CI: 0.14, 0.48) in combination vaccine was higher. The antibody titer levels of Anti-PT (WMD=21.11, 95%CI:9.36, 32.86), Anti-polio type1 (WMD=59.15, 95%CI:2.81, 115.48), Anti-polio type 3 (WMD=169.82, 95%CI:75.33, 264.30) were higher respectively. But the antibody titer level of Anti-PRP (WMD=-3.58, 95%CI:-5.52,-1.64) in the com-bination vaccine group was lower. Redness (RR=0.82, 95%CI:0.72, 0.93) and Tenderness (RR=0.45, 95%CI:0.30, 0.65) were lower in the combination vaccine. Swelling (RR=2.03, 95%CI:1.02, 4.01) was more common in the patients given the combina-tion vaccine. Conclusions This study supports the conclusion that the DTaP-IPV/Hib combination vaccine is equivalent to the separate injections based on similar antibody responses to the vaccine antigens, effectiveness and safety after primary doses.

Objective To comprehensively evaluate the effect of health education on intervening iodine deficiency disorders(IDD) in Chinese pupils and housewives,and to provide a basis for prevention and intervention of the disease.Methods A computerized literature search was carried out in Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM),Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),VIP,Wangfang and PubMed to collect articles published from 1997-2012 concerning the effect of education intervention on iodine deficiency disorders (IDD).The study was a self-controlled intervention study.Meta-analyses were performed to assess the knowledge on IDD prevention and behavior changes.Fixed and random effect models were employed to combine results after a heterogeneity test,and rate different(RD) was used as an indicator of the intervention effect.Results A total of 20 controlled before and after studies were included in our meta-analysis.The quality of individual studies was assessed by EPOC,and all studies were grade B.Because the heterogeneity was higher,each knowledge point was stratified analyzed according to the baseline rate.The results showed that the lower the baseline rate,the better the effect of the intervention.The analysis indicated that the RD for the main harm of IDD,the RD for the key measure to prevent IDD,the RD for the meaning of the pattern on the bags,and the RD for knowledge dissemination of IDD were increased by 35％,29％,27％,42％ and 47％,respectively.Conclusion Health education is helpful to Chinese pupils and housewives in improving their IDD related knowledge and their attitudes toward IDD.

Objective To understand the impacts of a small antimony smeltery on surrounding environment. Methods The samples of raw materials,such as ore and coal,soil and plant around a small antimony smeltery in southwest Guizhou province were analyzed. Results The levels of arsenic,mercury,fluoride ,antimony and selenium in soil around the antimony smeltery significantly increased compared with the average background levels of related elements in nationwide range . The levels of arsenic, mercury,fluoride ,antimony and selenium in soil around the antimony smeltery were 1. 73～4.69,4. 75～237.5,2. 26～3.42,35.6～36. 2,54. 29～57.14 times as much as their related average levels in our country respectively. The levels of arsenic ,mercury ,fluoride and selenium in soil around the smeltery were 1.25～ 3. , 58,1.86～ 93.14,1.38～ 2.08,33. 04～ 34.78 times as much as their related average levels of Guizhou province respectively. The levels of arsenic, mercury, fluoride, antimony and selenium in corn leaves around the smeltery was 67,26.7,1046.4,2220,38. 8 times as much as their related average levels in non-polluted plants respectively. Conclusion The air pollutants,such as sulphur,arsenic,mercury,fluoride,antimony and selenium in industrial waste gas emitted from the antimony smeltery had resulted in heavy pollution to the environment, which was aggravated by the application of coal with high level of sulphur.

Objective　The clinical manifestations and mechanism of pathological synkinesia were studied. Methods　Recurrent pathological synkinesia was measured by clinical and experimental nictitation reflex. The changes of nerve-muscle junctions were observed via scanning electron microscope. Results　All the 32 cases of pathological synkinesia were denervation of degree Ⅲ and severe facial palsy. Reaction undulatory forms of musculus orbicularis oculi and musculus orbicularis oris recorded simultaneously at the stimulated side in trigemial-facial nerve reflex test accounted for 81%(28/32) patients and 89% guinea pigs. Conclusion　Pathological synkinesia was the marker of severe facial palsy and was related with over-error in regeneration of nerve.