Animals ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Physical Endurance ; physiology ; Quadriceps Muscle ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

We developed an R function named "microarray outlier filter" (MOF) to assist in the identification of failed arrays. In sorting a group of similar arrays by the likelihood of failure, two statistical indices were employed: the correlation coefficient and the percentage of outlier spots. MOF can be used to monitor the quality of microarray data for both trouble shooting, and to eliminate bad datasets from downstream analysis. The function is freely avaliable at http://www.wriwindber.org/applications/mof/.
Algorithms ; Computational Biology ; methods ; Internet ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of urinary monocyte chemottractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN), and to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of triptolide (TL) in treating DN.

METHODSThirty-five patients in the treated group were treated with TL plus benazepril and thirty two patients in the control group were treated with benazepril alone for six months. The change of urinary MCP-1 was measured before and after treatment.

RESULTSLevel of urinary MCP-1 in DN patients was significantly higher than that in healthy subjects (P < 0.01), but it could be significantly decreased after TL treatment, showing significant difference as compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDetermination of urinary MCP-1 level is beneficial to know the degree of kidney inflammation in DN patients. TL can inhibit inflammatory reaction to decrease the level of urinary MCP-1, and thus improve the renal function.

Adult ; Aged ; Chemokine CCL2 ; urine ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; urine ; Diterpenes ; therapeutic use ; Epoxy Compounds ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phenanthrenes ; therapeutic use ; Phytotherapy ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on circadian rhythm of temperature and melatonin (MT) in depression rats model induced by chronic stress, so as to explore the biological mechanism of EA for depression.

METHODSTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an EA group, 8 cases in each one. Rats in the control group were treated with normal diet for 21 days without any treatment. In the model and EA group, rat model was established by chronic unpredictable stress combined with solitarily feeding method, and rats in the EA group was treated with EA at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Yintang" (GV 29) 1 h before stress stimulation everyday, 2 Hz in frequency and intensity was favorable with the head of rat slightly shivering. The needles were retained for 20 min, once a day for totally 21 days. After EA treatment, open-field experiment was adopted to observe the behavioral improvement; the rats temperatures were monitored at six time points (2:00, 6:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, 22:00) and orbital blood sampling was collected. The level of serum MT was tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The circadian rhythm changes of temperature and serum MT in each group were compared.

RESULTSThe numbers of horizontal movement and vertical movement in the model group were obviously lower than those in the control group (both P < 0.05), while those in the EA group were significantly improved compared with those in the model group (both P < 0.01). The circadian rhythm of temperature and MT disappeared in the model group, which was improved into normal level after EA treatment.

CONCLUSIONThe electroacupuncture has regulation effects on circadian rhythm of temperature and melatonin in depression rat model induced by chronic stress.

Animals ; Circadian Rhythm ; Depression ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Male ; Melatonin ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

A method based on wavelet transform has been developed for detecting QRS-waves.The MIT-BIH database is used to evaluate this method, and the accuracy is over 99.5%. Then the method is implanted into the embedded system to implement the real-time detection of ECG. This method has good performances in time-delay and computation.
Algorithms ; Electrocardiography ; methods ; Wavelet Analysis

A kind of real-time remote monitoring embedded terminal which is combined with mobile communication technology and GPS localization technology, has been developed. The results of preliminary experiments show that the terminal can transmit ECG signals and localization information in real time and continuously, supply a real-time monitoring of out-of-hospital cardiac patients and trace the patients.
Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Telemedicine ; instrumentation ; Telemetry ; instrumentation

EMG, This paper introduces a slope variability algorithm which uses the CU Database and the AHA Database. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictivity and accuracy are calculated and these values are compared with the results from two earlier detection algorithms. The results show this algorithm is more effective and fast than other algorithms.
Algorithms ; Defibrillators ; Electric Countershock ; instrumentation ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of particulate matter (PM) less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) and ozone (O3) on daily mortality in Shanghai, China.

METHODSA generalized additive model with penalized spline function was used to observe the acute effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

RESULTSHigher PM10 significantly increased the effect of O3 on total mortality, and O3 also increased the effect of PM10 although the estimated increment was statistically insignificant.

CONCLUSIONOur findings provide further evidence for the effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Mortality ; Ozone ; toxicity ; Urban Population

OBJECTIVEDiscuss the functional mechanism of treating male infertility with Bushen Shengjing pill (BS).

METHODFill the SD rat with adenine so as to injure the germ cell which will produce the model rat with kidney yang deficiency. Measure the activity of SOD and NOS, the amount of NO and MDA in the testicle.

RESULTBS can promote the activity of SOD, reduce the activity of NOS and the amount of NO and MDA.

CONCLUSIONBS has the function of protecting the germ cell which is closely related to the function that the pill can promote the activity of SOD, reduce the activity of NOS and the amount of NO and MDA.

Adenine ; Animals ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fertility Agents, Male ; pharmacology ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Testis ; metabolism ; Yang Deficiency ; chemically induced ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomies (LAH) for intrahepatic bile duct stone.

METHODSLAH was performed in 14 patients with intrahepatic bile duct stone, while another 20 patients with intrahepatic bile duct stone underwent classical operation. Surgical time, blood loss, postoperative complications, and postoperative hospital stay were recorded.

RESULTSThe operations were successful in all 14 patients who underwent LAH. Surgical time was 190-420 mm [mean (259 +/- 134) mm]. Blood loss during operation was 220-1 000 ml [mean (454.5 +/- 314.2) ml]. No serious postoperative complications occurred. All these 14 patients were discharged with T dragin 7-14 days later, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was (9.2 +/- 3.4) days. In the classical operation group, the surgical time was 125-257 mm [mean (178 +/- 58) mm] and the blood loss was 210-1200 ml [mean (550.9 +/- 348.1) ml] All the patients were discharged with T dragin 9-25 days after operation, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was (13.4 +/- 4.7) days. Surgical time of LAH was longer than classical operation (P < 0.05). Rate of postoperative complications and postoperative hospital stay were decreased in LAH (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The difference of blood loss during operation was no significance between LAH and classical operation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLAH is feasible and safe for selected patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones. As a minimally invasive procedure, it can reduce surgical time, blood loss, hospital stay, and postoperative complications.

Gallstones ; complications ; surgery ; Hepatectomy ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome