OBJECTIVETo seek a rapid, simple, but effective inquiry method for screening high risk population challenged by schistosomiasis.

METHODSTwo embankment collapsed villages were selected in schistosomiasis epidemic area in Dongting Lake. Information on water exposure was collected through a retrospective study. Data was analyzed by stepwise discriminant analysis.

RESULTSA Fisher's function was established by stepwise discriminant analysis which including 5 variables out of 18. Two hundred and forty-six individuals were discriminated by the function with accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of predicting their current infection status with the results of 87.4%, 84.1% and 89.0% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe inquiry method might serve as simple, rapid, economic and effective tool for diagnosis in screening high risk population challenged by schistosomiasis in lake communities.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Disasters ; Discriminant Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; methods ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Rural Health ; Sampling Studies ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

In order to develop potent antidiabetic agents that have inhibitory effect to a-glucosidase, twelve β-acetamido ketone derivatives such as N-{[(substituted-4-oxo-thiochroman-3-yl)phenyl]-methyl}acetamide are designed and synthesized through one-pot Dakin-West reaction. Their chemical structures are confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and HR-MS. In vitro α-glucosidase inhibition assays of compounds 4a-41 were carried out using glucose oxidase method. The result indicated that most of them possess inhibitory activity in vitro. Compound 4k showed the most potent inhibitory activity with 87.3% inhibition of α-glucosidase at the concentration of 5.39 mmol x L(-1). The structure-activity relationship of these β-acetamido ketone derivatives was discussed preliminarily. Moreover, the molecular docking method was used to study the interaction mode of compound 4k and α-glucosidase. Our results will be helpful for designing of α-glucosidase inhibitors in the future.
Acetamides ; Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; alpha-Glucosidases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the potential usefulness of a multivariable model in predicting the response to immunosuppressive therapy (IST) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA), and its application to the clinical practice.

METHODSPB T cells subpopulation and BM T cells intracellular IFN-gamma and IL-4 were serially analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) before and during treatment. HLA-DRB1 * 1501 phenotype was analyzed by PCR-SSP. The predictive potentials of different parameter combinations for clinical responsiveness were statistically assessed.

RESULTSIn all evaluated parameters, CD8+ cell intracellular IFN-gamma had the relatively best diagnostic value with sensitivity and specificity of 94.3% and 62.5%, and positive and negative predictive value of 84.6% and 83.3% respectively. Positive CD8+ cell intracellular IFN-gamma plus Tc1/Tc2 < 50 could increase the positive predictive value to 92.3%. A multivariable model consisting of absolute neutrophil count (ANC), BM T cell intracellular IFN-gamma, Tc1/Tc2 ratio and HLA-DRB * 1501 phenotype of the patients was finally established.

CONCLUSIONThe multivariable model is superior to each of the single parameters in terms of predictive power of IST therapeutic outcome, and its higher accuracy and the clinical application make it potentially useful in practice.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Aplastic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Child ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; HLA-DR Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Statistical ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Treatment Outcome

Aged ; Cecum ; surgery ; Colectomy ; methods ; Colonic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Enterostomy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peristalsis ; Rectum ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the Angelica Sinensis as a protecting agent affecting the radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in an animal model,

METHODSThe thoraces of C57BL/6 mice were exposed to either sham irradiation or single fraction of 12 Gy. Four groups were defined: that received neither irradiation nor Angelica Sinensis (N group), that received Angelica Sinensis but no irradiation (A group), that underwent irradiation without Angelica Sinensis (NX group) and that received both Angelica Sinensis and irradiation (AX group). Mice were sacrificed at 1, 24, 72 hours and 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 weeks post-irradiation. The lungs tissue were removed and processed for definitive analysis, including hydroxyproline content, HE and Masson staining, and the TGF-beta1, (Transforming Growth Factor beta1, TGF-beta1) mRNA expressions.

RESULTSCompared with N and A group, there was some differences in the AX group, but a significant histological and pathologic changes in NX group. Non-irradiated groups (N and A group) exhibited low levels of hydroxyproline (0.775 +/- 0.024) microg/mg and (0.751 +/- 0.034) microg/mg, and there was a significantly elevated level of hydroxyproline in NX group (0.875 +/- 0.009) microg/mg (P < 0.05). AX group (0.782 +/- 0.010) microg/mg was in between the non-irradiated groups (N and A group) and the radiation-only group (NX group), and the difference between AX group and NX group was significant (P < 0.01). The results of real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that the relative mRNA expressions of cytokine TGF-beta1 in NX group(249.655 +/- 16.320) was significantly higher than that in group A (1.254 +/- 0.061) and N (1.324 +/- 0.057) (P < 0.01), and that in AX group (108.076 +/- 9.870) decreased than that of NX group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAn animal model of mice with radiation-induced lung injure was established successfully. This study has demonstrated that Angelica sinensis in Hibits the progress of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis, Possibly by down-regulating the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine Tgfb1. These data suggest that Angelica sinensis maybe useful in preventing and/or treating radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the clinic.

Angelica sinensis ; Animals ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Phytotherapy ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare clinical outcome and quality of life of subtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy and total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (TAC-IRA) in patients with severe slow transit constipation (STC).

METHODSOf the 56 patients enrolled in this study from January 1999 to June 2008, 32 cases underwent subtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy, and 20 patients underwent TAC-IRA. The patients' clinical characteristics, operative data, postoperative outcome, functional result and gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) survey were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 1-7 years (median, 4 years). The basic clinical characteristics between the two groups was comparable. During the follow-up period, the number of daily bowel movements in the subtotal colectomy group was significantly fewer than that in TAC-IRA group (2.5+/-0.8 vs. 3.4+/-0.8; P=0.000). The Wexner continence score was significantly lower in subtotal colectomy group (4.4+/-1.6 vs. 5.8+/-1.9; P=0.011), and the GIQLI score in subtotal colectomy group was significantly higher than that in the TAC-IRA group (120.7+/-7.5 vs. 111.1+/-12.0; P=0.005).

CONCLUSIONSubtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy appeared to be the superior treatment than the TAC-IRA for selected patients with slow transit constipation for improved functional outcomes and quality of life.

Adult ; Aged ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; methods ; Cecum ; surgery ; Colectomy ; methods ; Constipation ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Ileum ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Rectum ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the clinical therapeutic methods and their curative effects in recurrent ischemic angina for internal mammary artery resterosis after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).Methods We enrolled the patients who had recurrence of ischemic angina for restenosis of internal mammary artery graft after CABG as research subjects in the Affiliated Hospital of Yan'an University from January 2014 to January 2016.The 42 patients were divided into three groups according to the different treatment approaches for recurrence of ischemic angina:Group A (n=22)who received internal mammary artery interventional therapy;Group B (n=12)who received coronary artery bypass grafting treatment;and Group C (n=8)who received left subclavian artery proximal stent treatment.Then we compared the clinical therapeutic effects in the three groups.Results The success rate in Group C was 100%,which was the highest in the three groups,and the post-operative restenosis rate was 0.The hospitalization time was significantly shorter in Group A than in Group B (P＜0.05).However,the two groups did not significantly differ in mortality,success rate or restenosis rate (P＞0.05).Conclusion We should select the appropriate treatment according to the patient's specific situation for recurrent ischemic angina. Endovascular treatment has evident therapeutic effects,rapid postoperative recovery,and lower treatment risk, making it the preferred treatment when possible.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expressions of iron transport related proteins and the dysregulation of iron homeostasis in the spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) transgenic mice. Methods The hSOD1

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the serum uric acid levels and the prevalence of hyperuricemia among Chinese adults in 2015 and compare the differences between urban and rural areas, as well as the differences between eastern, central, and western regions. METHODS: A national representative sample of 180,208 participants were included using a stratified, multistage, and random sampling method. The demographic characteristics and blood samples were collected to determine the serum uric acid levels and prevalence of hyperuricemia among subgroups using complicated sampling weight. A t-test or ANOVA was used for normally-distributed data. The Kruskal-Wallis rank test was used for skewed-distributed data. The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test was used to compare the difference in categorical variables. RESULTS: The weighted mean uric acid level in Chinese adults was 310.4 μmol/L (317.5 μmol/L in urban areas and 302.9 μmol/L in rural areas). The weighted average values of uric acid in eastern, central, and western China were 315.5 μmol/L, 303.5 μmol/L, and 310.4 μmol/L, respectively. The weighted prevalence of hyperuricemia in Chinese adults was 14.6%, with a prevalence of 16.5% in urban areas and 12.5% in rural areas. The weighted prevalence of hyperuricemia in eastern, central, and western China was 16.0%, 12.5%, and 14.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION The uric acid level in Chinese adults is relatively high. Effective actions are warranted to improve this metabolic abnormality.
Adult ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia/epidemiology* ; Uric Acid ; Nutritional Status ; Asian People ; China/epidemiology*

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Jinlida granules on visceral fat accumulation and its induced inflammatory response in prediabetic rats. MethodMale SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， Jinlida low-dose group （1.5 g·kg^-1）， Jinlida high-dose group （3.0 g·kg^-1） and atorvastatin group （10 mg·kg^-1）. Prediabetic rat model was established using high-carbohydrate， high-fat diet combined with low-dose streptozotocin （STZ） by multiple small-dose intraperitoneal injections. After 8 weeks of modeling and drug intervention for 13 consecutive weeks， body weight， oral glucose tolerance test（OGTT）， fasting blood glucose （FBG）， fasting insulin （FINS）， insulin resistance index （HOMA-IR）， total cholesterol （TC）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） were measured in each group of rats. The content of visceral fat was quantified by micro-computed tomography （Micro-CT）. Hematoxylin-eosin staining （HE） was used to observe the pathological changes of fat cells. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin- 6 （IL-6） in rat visceral fat and serum were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The expression of macrophage marker CD68 in visceral fat was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. ResultCompared with normal group， model group had increased oral glucose tolerance， FBG， FINS， HOMA-IR， TC， LDL-C （P<0.01）， elevated body weight and visceral fat accumulation （P<0.05， P<0.01）， enhanced CD68 protein expression and TNF-α and IL-6 levels （P<0.01）， decreased HDL-C （P<0.01）， and abnormal hypertrophy of adipocytes. Compared with model group， Jinlida high- and low-dose groups lowered oral glucose tolerance， HOMA-IR， TC and LDL-C （P<0.05， P<0.01）， body weight and visceral fat accumulation （P<0.05）， and CD68 protein expression and TNF-α and IL-6 levels （P<0.05， P<0.01） and lessened hypertrophy of fat cells. ConclusionJinlida can improve the insulin resistance in prediabetic rats by reducing visceral fat accumulation and its induced inflammatory response， which provides a new pharmacological basis for clinical treatment of prediabetes by Jinlida granules.