Objective· To investigate the association between neck circumference (NC) and cardiovascular risk factors among middle-aged and elderly people without diabetes in Jiading District in Shanghai.Methods· A cross-sectional study was conducted among 4 657 nondiabetic inhabitants aged 40 and above in Jiading District,Shanghai from August 2014 to July 2015.Clinical information collection,anthropometric measurements,and biochemical analyses were performed.The objects were divided into 4 groups according to the quartiles of NC in order to analyze association between NC and cardiovascular risk factors.Results· With increase of NC,the prevalences of abdominal obesity,insulin resistance,hypertension,and dyslipidemia all increased as well as waist circumference,body mass index (BMI),blood pressure,lipid profile,fast blood glucose,and HOMA-IR level (all Ptrend ＜0.01).Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that individuals in Q2,Q3 and Q4 group had significantly higher risk of abdominal obesity,insulin resistance,hypertension,and dyslipidemia compared with those in Q1 group after age,sex,smoking,drinking,physical activity,BMI,waist circumference,systolic blood pressure,C-reactive protein,fast blood glucose,and lipid profile were corrected (all Ptrend ＜0.01).Conclusion· NC is positively and independently correlated with cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and elderly nondiabetic people in Jiading District in Shanghai.

Background Qiang minority is minority groups of China with the special habits and customs and living condition. So whether the spectrum of disease and bacteria spectrum in conjunctiva are similar with Han nationality is worth paying attention. Objective Present survey was to obtain the data about bacterial species in conjunctival sac in Qiang minority population with the age 40 years old and more and the compare with matched Han nationality population. Methods This survey study was performed as the standardized training and protocol. A total of 212 eyes of 106 individuals from Qiang minority in Beichuan county and 640 eyes of 320 subjects from Han nationality in Mianyang city received questionnaire survey and ophthalmological examination. The secretion of the inferior palpebral conjunctival sac was embrocated and inoculated on blood plate for 48-72 hours. The bacteria was separated and identified. This study was approved by the Ethic Committee of Sichuan Provicial People' s Hospital. Orally informed consent was obtained before the medical procedure. Results All the examinee finished the survey and examination with a good compliance. No significant difference was found in the demography between these two groups of population. The multiple bacterial positive rate in conjunctival sac was 59. 4% in Qiang minority and that of Han people was 66. 3% with a considerably difference between them (χ2 = 2. 27,P = 0. 13). The multiple bacterial species were simultaneously detected in 26.2% in Qiang minority population and 11.88% Han people, showing evidently difference (χ2 = 106. 40, P = 0. 00 ) . The positive rate of corynbaccterium in conjunctival sac of Qiang minority was statistically lower than that of Han people (20. 7% versus 45. 0% ,χ2 =31. 75 ,P = 0. 00) ,but there was no statistical difference in the positive rate of staphylococcus epidemics between two groups (χ2 = 1. 89 ,P = 0. 17). Conclusion The bacteria positive rate in conjunctiva sac is resemble in the population over 40 years in both the Qiang minority and Han nationality. The simple bacterial species is found in majority people in two groups of subjects. The positive rate of multiple bacterial strains coexistence is more in the Qiang minority. The bacterial strains is different between Qiang minority and Han nationality.

T site polymorphism is closely related to CHD and elevated serum triglyceride and total cholesterol.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanical properties and microstructure of nano -zirconia toughened alumina ceramics with variety of nano-zirconia content in centrifugal infiltrate casting processing of dental all-ceramic.

METHODSComposite powder with different ethanol-water ratio, obtained serosity from ball milling and centrifugal infiltrate cast processing of green, then sintered at 1 450 degrees C for 8 h. The physical and mechanical properties of the sintered sample after milling and polishing were tested. Microstructures of the surface and fracture of the sintered sample were investigated by SEM.

RESULTSThe experimental results showed that there had statistical significience (P < 0.01) on static three-point flexure strength and Vickers Hardness in three kinds of different nano-zirconia content sintered sample. Fracture toughness of 20% group was different from other two groups, while 10% group had not difference from 30% group (P < 0.05). The mechanical properties of this ceramic with 20% nano-zirconia was the best of the three, the static three-point flexure strength was (433 +/- 19) MPa and fracture toughness was (7.50 +/- 0.56) MPa x min 1/2. The intra/inter structure, fracture of intragranular and intergranular on the surface and fracture of sintered sample in microstrucre was also found.

CONCLUSIONIntra/inter structure has strengthen toughness in ceramics. It has better toughness with 20% nano-zirconia, is suitable dental all-ceramic restoratives.

Aluminum Oxide ; Ceramics ; Dental Porcelain ; Hardness ; Materials Testing ; Zirconium

Objective To develop a disposable negative pressure syringe to solve the problems in bone marrow aspiration. Methods The syringe was composed of an injector and a self-contained puncture needle.The injector consisted of a barrel,a plunger and a tip.The plunger had its front end placed in the barrel and connected with the tip.The tip clung to the inner wall and could slide along it,and the upper end of the cylinder was connected closely with a negative-pressure sealing cap.A negative-pressure cavity was formed between the sealing cap and the tip,and an anticoagulation layer existed at the cylinder inner wall in the cavity.The blood taking needle was made up of a bone puncture needle and a hub.Results The developed syringe gained stable negative pressure,low time and workload consumption during bone marrow aspiration when compared with the conventional tools. Conclusion The syringe increases the quality of bone marrow aspiration while decreases the workload of medical staffs,and thus is worthy promoting practically.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of acupuncture on Chinese medicine syndromes of vascular dementia (VaD).

METHODSSixty-three VaD patients were divided into three groups. Those willing to be randomized were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture (random acupuncture group, 24 cases) or rehabilitation training (guided rehabilitation group, 24 cases) for 6 weeks. Those unwilling to be randomized also received acupuncture for 6 weeks (non-random acupuncture group, 19 cases). Patient syndromes and their severity were evaluated before treatment (baseline), at the end of treatment, and at 4-week follow-up after the completion of treatment using a CM scoring system (scale of differentiation of syndromes of vascular dementia, SDSVD). The SDSVD scores of the random and non-random acupuncture groups, and of all patients who received acupuncture (combined acupuncture group, 43 cases), were compared with those in the guided rehabilitation group.

RESULTSIn the random, non-random, and combined acupuncture groups, SDSVD scores were significantly reduced at the end of treatment and at follow-up than at baseline. In the guided rehabilitation group, SDSVD scores were similar to baseline scores at the end of treatment and at follow-up. However, there were no significant differences in SDSVD scores among the three groups or between the combined acupuncture group and the guided rehabilitation group at any time points. In the non-random and combined acupuncture groups, SDSVD scores were significantly reduced at the end of treatment than at baseline in patients with hyperactivity of Liver (Gan)-yang or phlegm obstruction of the orifices.

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture reduced the severity of VaD. The improvement was the greatest in patients undergoing their treatment of choice. Treatments in this study were more effective for excess syndromes, such as Liver-yang hyperactivity or phlegm obstruction of the orifices than deficiency syndromes, such as Kidney (Shen)-essence deficiency.

Acupuncture ; Dementia, Vascular ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

AIMTo investigate the effect of chronic lead exposure on rat hippocampal CA1 LTP and alpha-Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (alpha-CaM K II) activity in vivo.

METHODSA stimulus bipolar electrode was placed on the Schaffer/Commissural fibers, with extra cellular microelectrode technique to record the population spike (PS) in the CA1 pyramidal, and we observed the changes of PS amplitude before and after the high frequency stimulation (HFS) of lower, mid and higher level lead exposure groups and the control group, respectively. The hippocampal CA1 alpha-CaM K II activity was determined by Western blots by using phosphorylation antibody.

RESULTSThe average changes of PS after HFS of the control group, the lower, mid and higher level lead exposure groups were 162.5%, 105.2%, 86.8%, 83.0%, respectively (P < 0.01 vs. control). Defined control a-CaM K II activity as 100, that the lower, mid and higher level lead exposure groups were 62.0 +/- 3.7, 50.8 +/- 4.0, 43.3 +/- 4.1 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONChronic lead exposure can inhibit CA1 LTP in vivo, and the decrease of alpha-CaMK II activity may play an important role in this mechanism.

Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 ; metabolism ; Lead ; toxicity ; Long-Term Potentiation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Toxicity Tests, Chronic

OBJECTIVETo explore the intervention timing of acupuncture in treatment of cerebral infarction and the relationship of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury with inflammatory cytokine receptor.

METHODSOne hundred and ten male healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group (n=10), a sham operation group (n=10), a model group (n=10), an acupuncture at non-acupoint group (non-acupoint group, n=40), an acupuncture with regaining consciousness method group (regaining consciousness group, n=40). Four subgroups were set up 1 h ischemia reperfusion in 1 h group, 3 h group, 6 h group, 12 h group in the two acupuncture groups, 10 rats in each subgroup. Two acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at four time points (1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 12 h after ischemia reperfusion), and "Shuigou" (GV 26) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) were selected in regaining consciousness group, and the non-acupoints below the bilateral costal region were selected in non-acupoint group. At the corresponding time point, the tissues of the brain were removed and interleukin1 receptor (IL-1RI) and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR-I) mRNA and protein changes were detected by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot assay.

RESULTSThe expression of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein in the model group were significantly higher than that in normal group, sham operation group, regaining consciousness group and non-acupoint group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The expression of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein in regaining consciousness group was weakest at 3 h after reperfusion followed successively by 6 h, 1 h, 12 h, and there was no significantly change of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein expression in non-acupoint group among different timing points, but which was decreased as compared with those in the model group at the same time point (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can reduce the expression of IL-1RI and TNFR-I mRNA and protein in rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion, inhibit the excessive expression of proinflammatory cytokine receptor, block apoptosis signal transduction and extend time window for treatment of cerebral ischemia, so as to play the protective effect for brain. Within 3 h of ischemia is the best time for intervention of acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; genetics ; metabolism ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy

OBJECTIVERecently, a new traditional Chinese medicine differentiation theory "Syndrome Element (SE)" has been raised. In this study, the main syndrome element types and their correlations with the results of coronary angiography (CAG) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) were investigated.

METHODSEpidemiology cross-sectional study method was employed and 324 patients with CHD were enrolled, and their syndrome element types as well as the CAG results were analyzed. The correlations among syndrome element types, Gensini score, and the number of abnormal branches were also analyzed based on the distribution characteristics of syndrome element and coronary angiography results in the 324 cases.

RESULTSAccording to their occurrence frequency in 324 CHD patients, the top eight major heart syndrome elements were Xin () blood stasis (85.8%), Xin qi deficiency (79.6%), Xin heat blockage (41.1%), Xin phlegm with turbid fluid (38.0%), Xin qi stagnation (24.7%), Xin yang deficiency (18.9%), Xin yin deficiency (17.5%) and Xin cold coagulation (4.4%), respectively, which suggested that Xin blood stasis and Xin qi deficiency were the two most common syndrome elements. Also, as coronary artery Gensini score increased, the changing trend of the syndrome element was "Xin yang deficiency with blood stasis" to "Xin phlegm obstruction with heat blockage" to "Xin yin deficiency with blood stasis" to "Xin qi deficiency with blood stasis" to "Xin cold coagulation with phlegm and turbid fluid, "Xin cold coagulation with blood stasis" to "Xin deficiency of qi, yin and yang". As the number of abnormal branches increased, the syndrome element changing trend was "simultaneous occurrence of cold and heat syndrome" to "Xin qi and yang deficiency with blood stasis" to "Xin retention of phlegm with turbid fluid" to "Xin cold coagulation in the heart meridian", "Xin deficiency of both qi and yin". The result of this study shows that Xin qi deficiency and Xin blood stasis were the major syndrome elements in patients with CHD.

CONCLUSIONAs the severity and extent of coronary artery lesion increased, there were some apparent correlations among syndrome elements, Gensini score and number of abnormal coronary artery branches.

Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Yin-Yang

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of -1131T>C and c.553G>T polymorphisms and their haplotypes in apolipoprotein A5(ApoA5) gene with cereberovascular disease in Chinese.

METHODSUsing polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), we analyzed two ApoA5 genetic variants in 272 patients with cerebral infarction (CI) and 316 control individuals respectively. The levels of serum lipid profiles were measured with biochemical methodsìand the other clinical characters were obtained by case file investigation.

RESULTSThe odds ratio (OR) for CI in -1131CC genotype carriers was 2.10 (95%CI 1.01-4.37). The distribution of T-T and T-G haplotypes had obvious differences between CI patients and control individuals. The OR for CI in C-G and T-G haplotype carriers were 1.34 and 0.71(95% CI 1.02-1.76 and 0.55-0.92) respectively, compared with the others. Furthermore, the major haplotypes had significant differences of serum TG(P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe ApoA5 -1131T>C polymorphism may be associated with an increased risk of CI in the Chinese population, but the influence of blood lipids can not be ignored.

Aged ; Apolipoproteins A ; genetics ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; complications ; genetics ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Haplotypes ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length