OBJECTIVETo measure the levels of urinary prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with or without overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and determine whether urinary PGE2 can serve as a biomarker for BPH-related OAB.

METHODSThis study included 86 BPH patients and 34 male control subjects without lower urinary tract symptoms. Based on the OAB symptom scores (OABSS), the BPH cases were classified as BPH/OAB (n =49) and BPH/non-OAB (n = 37) to be treated orally with tamsulosin alone and tamsulosin + tolterodine-tartrate, respectively, for 12 weeks. We measured the urinary PGE2 levels of all the subjects by ELISA before and after medication, the total PGE2 level normalized to the concentration of the urinary creatinine (PGE2/Cr). We also obtained the residual urine volume, Qmax, prostate volume, PSA level, IPSS and OABSS of the BPH patients, and compared them among different groups.

RESULTSThe baseline PGE2/Cr level was significantly lower in the control than in the BPH/OAB and BPH/non-OAB groups (both P <0.05), and higher in the BPH/OAB than in the BPH/non-OAB patients (P <0.05). After 12 weeks'treatment, the urinary PGE2/Cr level was remarkably decreased with relief of the OAB symptoms in the BPH/OAB patients (P <0.05) , but not in the BPH/non-OAB group (P >0.05). The concentration of PGE2 was not correlated with the IPSS storage score and OABSS of the BPH/OAB patients (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients with BPH/OAB have significantly higher urinary PGE2/Cr levels than those with BPH/non-OAB and normal controls, which tend to decrease with the alleviation of OAB symptoms. Our findings suggest that urinary PGE2 can be a potential biomarker for BPH/OAB.

Aged ; Biomarkers ; urine ; Case-Control Studies ; Dinoprostone ; urine ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; complications ; urine ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive ; complications ; urine

BACKGROUND:Since the meniscal blood supply is only in the red zone, the synovial fluid becomes the main nutrition source of the meniscus. As its poor self-healing ability, the meniscus is almost impossible to heal in non-blood supply regions. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expression and characteristics of transforming growth factor-β3 in the rat meniscus during postnatal development. METHODS:Meniscus tissues of Wistar rats with different ages (1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 days) were adopted, and immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR methods were performed to detect the location and expression pattern of transforming growth factor-β3 within the meniscus. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemistry results revealed that the expression of transforming growth factor-β3 started from the joint capsule, and gradualy extended to the red zone, gray zone, and white area;RT-PCR results showed the mRNA expression of transforming growth factor-β3 in the rat meniscus at different ages, and during development process gradualy increased until adult stage (rat weight > 100 g), which remained relatively stable.

Objective To determine the efficacy and safety of acarbose in the treatment of senile postprandial hypotension (PPH). Methods Forty three senile in-patients with PPH were recruited. Blood pressure and heart rate(HR) were recorded for 120 minutes by using non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring system. The participants had semiliquid standard meals with or without acarbose on two following days. The ejection fraction(EF) and fractional shortening(FS) were measured by two dimensional echocardiography before treatment. Results The magnitudes of the falls in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure (SBP、DBP、MAP) (all P

Cardiovascular Diseases ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of ethyl gallate in inducing apoptosis of human colon carcinoma Lovo cells. METHODS: Cultured human colon carcinoma Lovo cells in vitro were used as the research object. Morphological changes of apoptotic cells were observed by inverted microscope.AnnexinV-FITC/PI assay and DNA Ladder assay were performed to study the apoptotic effects. Immunocytochemistry was used to detect the expression of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 proteins. RESULTS: Ethyl gallate had growth inhibition on colon cancer Lovo cells,the density was decrease: the apoptotic rates were increased with dose increase: Agarose gel electrophoresis showed evident DNA fragmentation: the expression of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 proteins was increased in treated groups. CONCLUSION: Ethyl gallate could induce the apoptosis in Lovo cells through up-regulating the expression of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 protein,and then activated the mitochondrial pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of treadmill testing guided-rehabilitation exercises upon quality of life (QOL) of patients who underwent revascularization for coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods All the participants received routine therapy and rehabilitation for 6 weeks.A 36-item short-form (SF-36) was used to assess QOL of the patients.Results Injured functioning of patients who received revascularization for CHD were physiological function ( 37.86 ),social function ( 43.67 ),vitality (45.58),physical performance ( 65.45 ),mental health ( 68.73 ),role emotion ( 71.30 ),physical pain ( 79.52 ),and general health ( 86.75 ).After intervention,physiology function ( 37.86 ± 8.49 vs 62.13 ± 10.53 ),social function (43.67 ±26.23 vs 56.98 ± 18.89),vitality (45.58 ±27.01 vs 77.42 ±23.48),and physical pain (79.52 ±9.05 vs 87.32 ± 13.14) were significantly improved.Conclusion Rehabilitation exercises and behavioral psychological treatment may be beneficial to improve QOL of patients undergoing revascularization for CHD.

Objective To assess the effects of health management on high-risk diabetic populations.Methods A total of 307 diabetic high-risk adults from 6 communities of Tianjin were recruited by using diabetes risk screening technology.Three-month intensive health management and nine-month follow-up were conducted in this participants.Paired t test for continuous variables and paired contingency table x2 test were used for data analysis.Results Energy intake (1989.8 vs.1766.4 kcal,t =6.84,P ＜0.05),effective exercises (120.4 vs.157.5 kcal,t =-5.00,P ＜ 0.05),body weight (73.0 vs.71.5 kg,t =6.92,P ＜0.05),systolic blood pressure (130.4 vs.124.6 mm Hg (1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa),t =8.36,P ＜0.05),diastolic blood pressure (81.8 vs.78.4 mm Hg,t =7.40,P ＜ 0.05),serum total cholesterol (5.21 vs.5.08 mmol/L,t =2.73,P ＜ 0.05),fasting plasma glucose (6.4 vs.5.8 mmol/L,t =16.37,P ＜ 0.05)and 2 h postprandial blood glucose (7.7 vs.6.9 mmol/L,t =9.67,P ＜ 0.05) were significantly improved after the intervention.Conclusions Community-based health management may provide an effective way to prevent and control the risk factors of diabetes.

BACKGROUNDTo study to immunogenicity of recombinant HEV ORF2 protein expressed in pichia pastoris.

METHODSBALB/c mice were immunized with the recombinant HEV ORF2 protein. The ability of antiserum to bind HEV was tested using affinity-capture reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, the recombinant protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice by different routes with different adjuvants. Serum conversion rate of anti-HEV antibody and the ELISA titer were detected.

RESULTSThe antiserum could capture native HEV for RT-PCR. As to the immunization effect, the immune response by intramuscular route was better than that of the intraperitoneal route. The protein with alum and CpG adjuvant could elicits more significant immune responses than using the alum adjuvant alone. The best way was to immunize with the protein with alum and CpG adjuvant by intramuscular route with a boosted injection on the 4th week after the first immunization. The ED50 was 0.023 microgram. This is the first report that the antibody elicited by recombinant HEV ORF2 protein expressed in pichia pastoris recognizes native HEV. High immunogenicity of this kind of ORF2 was also demonstrated by inducing strong immune response in mice with good ED50 result.

CONCLUSIONSThe high immunogenicity of this kind of HEV ORF2 may make a foundation for the development of new type of hepatitis E vaccine.

Animals ; Antibody Formation ; Female ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pichia ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Viral Proteins ; immunology

AIM:To analyze the characteristics of optical coherence tomography ( OCT ) in diabetic optic neuropathy ( DON ) retrospectively.
●METHODS:Retrospective study. A total of 175 cases of type ll diabetes with fundus lesions from Dec. 2013 to Dec. 2015 were selected and the clinical information was collected. These cases were diagnosed by consultation between Departments of Ophthalmology and Endocrinology in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiao Tong University. The results of body examination were recorded and cases were examined by color fundus photography, fluorescein fundus angiography ( FFA) and OCT. All these data were analyzed.
●RESULTS: A total of 49 cases ( 90 eyes, 25. 7%) were diagnosed DON through FFA which manifested abnormal fluorescence in optic papilla. Results of OCT showed:among 90 eyes of DON patients, 15 eyes ( 16. 7%) had normal optic nerve form; 20 eyes(22. 2%) of excavation of optic disc became smaller or disappeared, with prelaminar tissue and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) swelling;26 eyes (28. 9%) manifested optic cup deep and cup/disc ratio increasing;18 eyes (20. 0%) had tissue hyperplasia in the hollow or on the surface of optic disc; 11 eyes(12. 3%) had symptoms including vitreous traction optic papilla and optic disc rim rising. DON eyes which had similar fluorescence features could manifest different tissue morph by OCT.
●CONCLUSION: FFA defines DON by change of blood circulation in optic nerve. However, OCT can show differences of tissue morph of optic nerve that FFA fails to do. So OCT can manifest the causes and sites of optic neuropathy more clearly and also provide basis for treatment. The advantages of OCT are conducive to reviews and curative effect tracking among DON patients and these advantages including noninvasive, convenient, inexpensive and repeatable.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Autopsy ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; poisoning ; Child ; Humans ; Male ; Poisoning ; pathology ; Rodenticides ; poisoning