ObjectivePolyamidoamine(PAMAM) dendrimers enhance the solubility of nicotinic acid. MethodsPAMAM dendrimers of generation 1 to 6 were prepared and the effect of pH and concentration of the dendrimers on the solubility enhancement of nicotinic acid was investigated. ResultsThe pH and concentration of the dendrimers influence the solubility enhancement of nicotinic acid. Conclusions Electrostatic interaction between the carboxyl group of the nicotinic acid and the amine groups of the dendrimers is involved.

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes in pulmonary artery protein kinase C (PKC) activity in rats with chronic inflammatory pulmonary hypertension (PHT).

METHODSChronic inflammatory PHT was induced in rats with monocrotaline. The PKC activities in the rat pulmonary arteries were measured by radioactive assay during the development of PHT.

RESULTSWith the development of chronic inflammatory PHT, the total and cytosolic fractions of PKC activity in PHT rat pulmonary arteries increased initially with subsequent decrease (Plt;0.05), but the membranous fraction of PKC activity and the membrane-to-cytosol PKC activity ratio increased continuously (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe up-regulation of PKC activity and the translocation of PKC might be associated with the development of chronic inflammatory PHT in rats.

Animals ; Chronic Disease ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; chemically induced ; enzymology ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; enzymology ; Male ; Monocrotaline ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; enzymology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective: To explorer factors related to spontaneous reduction in twin pregnancy following assisted reproductive technology. Methods: 2 848 twin pregnant women with treatment of vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) or intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were enrolled at Assisted Reproductive Centre of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity Hospital and Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January 2013 to December 2016 respectively. Basic features of subjects, relevant clinical indicators, factors of assisted reproductive therapy and pregnancy outcome were collected from clinical assisted reproductive technology management system. According to the pregnancy outcome, the subjects with spontaneous reduction were classified as case group (n=686), and those with normal twin birth were classified as control group (n=2 162). The features of subjects in the two groups were compared. Non-conditional logistics regression model was used to analyze the related factors of the occurrence of spontaneous reduction. Results: The age of case group and control group were (30.6±4.3) and (30.2±4.0) years old respectively. After the adjustment of male sterile factor, compared to the subjects with luteinizing hormone level on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration (HCG) <1.43 IU/L, OR (95%CI) of the subjects with value at 2.59-5.10 IU/L was1.62 (1.08-2.42).Compared to the subjects with number of transferred embryo as 1, OR (95%CI) of the subjects with value as 3 was 0.23 (0.07-0.74). Compared to the subjects with stage of transferred embryo as cleavage stage, OR (95%CI) of the subjects with blastula stage was 0.42 (0.27-0.67). Conclusion Luteinizing hormone level on day of HCG, number and stage of embryo transfer are related factors to spontaneous reduction in twin pregnancy following assisted reproductive technology.

Background:Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)is a commonly seen functional gastrointestinal disorders(FGIDs),and can reduce the quality of life and has some effects on patients'psychology. Aims:To investigate the disorder of sleep and psychological status in patients with IBS and IBS overlapping other FGIDs,and to analyze their risk factors. Methods:Questionnaires were conducted among FGIDs patients from January 2014 to December 2014 in 6 hospitals at Tianjin. Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)was used to assess sleep quality,anxiety and depression were assessed by self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)and self-rating depression scale(SDS),respectively. Two-factor Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of sleep disorder in patients with IBS overlapping other FGIDs. Results:A total of 1 117 patients with FGIDs completed the questionnaires,including 32 IBS patients(2. 9%)and 113 patients(10. 1%)with IBS overlapping other FGIDs. The percentages of sleep disorder,psychological disorder,and combination of the two were 59.4%,93.8% and 59.4% in IBS group,respectively;and 82.3%,95.6% and 78.8% in IBS overlapping other FGIDs group,respectively. Gender,age and severity of symptoms were the risk factors of sleep disorder in patients with IBS overlapping other FGIDs(P=0.014,P=0.049,P=0.025). Conclusions:Both IBS patients and IBS overlapping other FGIDs patients are associated with varying degrees of sleep disorder and/or psychological disorder. Gender,age and severity of symptoms may be the risk factors of sleep disorder in IBS overlapping other FGIDs patients.

Objective To analyze the status of sleep disorders in patients with functional gastrointestinal disease (FGID) and its relation with symptom characteristics .Methods From January to December 2014 ,questionnaire was carried out in FGID patients who met the Rome Ⅲ criteria and visited the outpatient department of gastroenterology at six third-level general hospitals in Tianjin City to assess the severity of symptoms ,sleep quality (Pittsburgh sleep quality index ,PSQI) ,and psychological state (anxiety and depression) .Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney rank sum test were performed for statistical analysis .Results Among 931 patients with FGID ,651 (69 .92％ ) patients had sleep disorders and 280 (30 .08％ ) patients had no sleep disorders .Among 828 patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) ,360 (43 .48％ ) patients had sleep disorders complicated with and depression .Among 292 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS ) , 138 (47 .26％ ) had sleep disorders complicated with anxiety and depression .Among 618 patients with FD complicated with sleep disorders , 70 (11 .33％ ) patients overlapped with IBS ;among 210 patients with FD ,but without sleep disorder ,11 (5 .24％ ) patients overlapped with IBS and the percentage of the former was higher than the latter ,and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 =6 .580 , P=0 .01) .The proportion of lower abdominal pain ,sheep fecal or hard stool ,laborious defecation or incomplete defecation in FGID patients without sleep disorder were 22 .14％ (62/280) ,11 .79％ (33/280) ,19 .29％ (54/280) and 27 .86％ (78/280) ,respectively ;which were lower than those of FGID patients with sleep disorders (36 .10％ (235/651) ,21 .20％ (138/651) ,32 .41％(211/651) and 44 .39％ (289/651));and the differences were statistically significant (χ2 =17 .552 ,11 .569 , 16 .566 and 22 .419;all P<0 .01) .FGID patients with sleep disorders have more severe symptoms such as lower abdominal pain , lower abdominal discomfort (non-pain ) , sheep fecal or hard stool , laborious defecation incomplete defecation , and urgency than FGID patients without sleep disorders ;and the differences were statistically significant (Z= -4 .423 ,-1 .973 ,-3 .360 ,-4 .467 ,-4 .550 and -2 .420 ;all P<0 .05) . Conclusions Sleep disorders ,anxiety and depression often coexist in patients with FGID .Sleep disorders are closely related with lower gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with FGID .