Objective Clinical significance of using ELISA to determine ?-amyloid(A?)_(1-42) antibody levels in the sera of patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD).Methods 96 wells PVC plate was coated with A?_(1-42)peptide.Serum of AD patient was competing with mouse A?_(1-42)monoclonal antibody in this assay.The second antibody was horseradish peroxidase(HRP)conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG.Serum A?_(1-42)antibody levels were determined by ELISA.Results The sensitivity of this assay was about 1 ng/ml.The recovery rate of this test was between 96.5% and 104.7%.The residual A?_(1-42)antibody levels in human serum or horse serum after A?_(1-42)antibody was removed by absorption were less than 1 ng/ml. Serum A?_(1-42)antibody levels in 37 AD patients[(5.1?1.9)ng/ml]were remarkably lower than those in normal people[(12.6?3.3)ng/ml,P

OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention effect of Leihong Granule (LG) in in-stent restenosis (ISR) after endovascular therapy for lower extremity arterial occlusive diseases (LEAOD).

METHODSRecruited 80 LEAOD patients who successfully underwent endovascular therapy (balloon dilation and stent implantation) were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group and the LG group, 40 in each group. Patients in the control group received basic treatment, while those in the LG group additionally took LG for 3 months. Plasma levels of IL-10, IL-18, CRP, and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of lower extremity artery were observed in the two groups between and after treatment. The rate of stent patency, ABI, intermittent claudication, rest pain, and the incidence of amputation the two groups were recorded and observed in the two groups.

RESULTSIn the control group, serum levels of IL-10, IL-18, CRP, and IMT were significantly higher one month after surgery than before surgery (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum levels of IL-10, IL-18, CRP, or IMT between the two groups before surgery (P > 0.05). These indices were obviously lower in the LG group than in the control group after surgery (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the incidence rates of intermittent claudication and the rest pain at 6 months and 12 months after surgery significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The stent patency rate at 6 months and 12 months after surgery, and ABI were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the amputation rate between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLG might effectively improve ischemic symptoms of affected limbs possibly through lowering the ISR rate after endovascular therapy for LEAOD through preventing immunosuppressive actions.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular ; therapy ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To assess the efficacy and adverse-event profile of monotherapy oradd-on therapy with topiramate in elderly patients with epilepsy. Methods A multicenter, prospective,open-label, observational study of topiramate, for either monotherapy or add-on therapy, was performedamong 119 elderly patients with epilepsy in the Outpatient Department of Neurology of 52 generalhospitals in China. After the baseline evaluation, topiramate was given at the target dose of 200 mg/dayover an 8-week titration period. In the subsequent 12-week maintenance period, the topiramate dose wasadjusted (200-300 mg) according to the clinical results. The patients were followed up for 6 months, withmonthly visits and regular physical, neurological and laboratory examinations. Results After themaintenance period, 106 patients (89.1%) showed a seizure frequency reduction by 50% or greater fromthe baseline, among whom 65 patients(93.8%)received the monotherapy and 54(83.8%) had the add-ontherapy. Topiramate monotherapy and add-on therapy resulted in a complete seizure control in over 50%of the patients with various types of seizure. In patients with disease course less than 1 year, between 1and 3 years, between 4 and 6 years, and over 6 years, topiramate monotherapy resulted in seizurereduction by 92.86%, 91.67%, 100%, and 94.44%, and the add-on therapy reduced the seizure by80.00%, 85.71%, 70.00%, and 86.36%, respectively. When combined with carbamazepine, valproatesodium, phenytoin, phenol barbital, and diazepam, the total effective rate oftopiramate was 79.41%,87.50%, 85.71%, 0%, and 80.00%, respectively. Topiramate, especially in monotherapy, caused onlymild or moderate adverse effects. Conclusion Topiramate is effective and safe for either monotherapyor add-on therapy of epilepsy in elderly patients. The types of epilepsy, disease course, or the drugs usedin the add-on therapy do no obviously affect the efficacy of topiramate for seizure control.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the changes of leptospirosis epidemic characteristics before and after the Phase 2 'reservoir store water project' in Chongqing section of the Three Gorges dam area and to provide prevention, control and intervention measures to prevent the spread of leptospirosis from infectious focus to the Three Gorges dam area and downstream region of Changjiang River.

METHODSChangshou district and Fengdu county were selected as surveillance sites. We monitored the source of infection through examining the serum antibody of patients, healthy groups together with farm cattle measured by micro agglutination test (MAT).

RESULTSporadic cases were reported before and after the storage of water in the reservoir. There was no significant difference found between mouse density before and after the Phase 2 reservoir project (chi2 = 1.00, P > 0.05). The main species of rat were Sewer rat before and Insectivorea after the storage of water. The germ-carrying rate of rats was 1.72% (10/583) and positive carrying rate of rats was 16.51% (18/109) when using PCR. Results showed a significant difference when comparing it to culture method (chi2 = 51.80, P < 0.01). Positive rate of leoptopirosis appeared in the serum of patients was 73.33% (33/45) with the major serum group as the Australia group. The rate of infection among the healthy group was 26.84% (233/868). There was significant difference seen between the serum antibody positive rate of epidemic prophase (23.85%) and epidemic anaphase (29.86%) of the healthy group (chi2 = 3.99, P < 0.05). The GMRT of ox serum antibody of leoptopirosis was 29.97 with Bailen group as the predominant microbial population.

CONCLUSIONThere was no epidemics of leptopirosis occurred in the Three Gorges dam area. There was no significant difference between mouse density before and after the storage of water in the reservoir. However, the major species of rats had a change. The natural infection level of people living in the dam area was low, but there existed potential of leoptopirosis outbreak.

Animals ; China ; Humans ; Leptospira ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Leptospirosis ; epidemiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Population Surveillance ; Rats ; microbiology ; Rivers ; Water Supply

Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor in China and a major health concern. We aimed to estimate the liver cancer incidence and mortality in China in 2010 using liver cancer data from some Chinese cancer registries and provide reference for liver cancer prevention and treatment. We collected and evaluated the incidence and mortality data of liver cancer in 2010 from 145 cancer registries, which were included in the 2013 Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report, calculated crude, standardized, and truncated incidences and mortalities, and estimated new liver cancer cases and deaths from liver cancer throughout China and in different regions in 2010 from Chinese practical population. The estimates of new liver cancer cases and deaths were 358,840 and 312,432, respectively, in China in 2010. The crude incidence, age-standardized rate by Chinese standard population (ASR China), and age-standardized rate by world standard population (ASR world) were 27.29/100,000, 21.35/100,000, and 20.87/100,000, respectively; the crude, ASR China, and ASR world mortalities were 23.76/100,000, 18.43/100,000, and 18.04/100,000, respectively. The incidence and mortality were the highest in western regions, higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and higher in males than in females. The age-specific incidence and mortality of liver cancer showed a rapid increase from age 30 and peaked at age 80-84 or 85+. Our results indicated that the 2010 incidence and mortality of liver cancer in China, especially in undeveloped rural areas and western regions, were among high levels worldwide. The strategy for liver cancer prevention and treatment should be strengthened.
China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Male ; Registries ; Rural Population ; Sex Distribution ; Urban Population

Objective To understand the status of community-based management of hypertensive patients aged thirty-five or above in Shanghai . Methods Data from Shanghai Chronic Disease and Risk Factors Surveillance carried out in 2013 were used to analyze the community-based management and treat-ment and control of blood pressure of hypertensive patients aged thirty-five or above in Shanghai .Sample was weighted according to complex sampling scheme and post-stratification to calculate the rates with95 %confidence intervals ( CI) for the subgroups according to different characteristics .The Rao-Scottχ2 test was performed to test for the differences of the rates of the subgroups . Results There were 10 510 hyperten-sion patients were included in the study among which 7 343 patients were aware of their diagnosis , and a total of 3 815 patients had been under management in communities .After being weighted the rate of management of hypertensive patients in communities was 49.74%(95%CI:45.66%-53.83%).There was a significant difference in the proportion of patients receiving management services when comparing different age groups (χ2 =68 .120 , P=0 .002 ) , the rate of management among the patients aged sixty-five or above was 55.49%(95%CI:51.58%-59.32%), while among the patients aged thirty-five to forty-four was only 41.20% (95%CI: 30.73% -52.54%).The rate of management among females was 51.12%(95%CI:47.17%-55.05%), while males was 48.46% (95%CI:43.34%-53.61%), with no statistical significance (χ2 =5.194, P =0.216 ).The rates of management in urban areas , sub-urban areas and rural areas were 47 .66% ( 95%CI: 42 .55%-52 .82%) , 52 .92% ( 95%CI:43.41% -62.24%), 52.84% ( 95%CI: 44.96% -60.58%), respectively, with no statistical significance (χ2 =19 .281 , P =0 .432 ) . The follow-up rate in patients with hypertension under standardized management in communities was 21 .97%( 95%CI: 18 .61% -25 .74%) .There was a significant difference between different genders (χ2 =65.048, P =0.000 ).The rate of females was 27.42%(95%CI:227.7 %-32.61%), which was higher than the rate of males (16.61%,95%CI:13 .02%-209.3 %) .There were no significant differences among different age groups (χ2 =2 .017 , P=0 .834 ) and regions (χ2 =21 .244 , P=0 .111 ) .The treatment rate was 95 .47% ( 95%CI: 94 .08% -96 .54%) .There was a significant difference among different age groups (χ2 =403.46 , P=0 .006 ) .The treatment rate among the patients aged sixty-five or above was 96 .90% ( 95%CI:95 .39%-97 .93%) , while among the patients aged thirty-five to forty-four was 89.31%(95%CI:77.94% -95.19%).There were no significant differences among gender (χ2 =7.983 , P=0.055 ) and regions (χ2 =0.881, P=0 .807 ) .The control rate of hypertensive patients managed in communities was 38 .98% ( 95%CI:35 .55%-42 .51%) , There were no significant differences among different age groups (χ2 =23 .188 ,P=0.103), gender(χ2 =1.050,P =0.468) and regions( χ2 =0.529,P =0.938). Conclusion We should further expand the coverage of the standardized management of hypertension patients in the community , and make personalized intervention plan , so as to improve blood pressure control rates of hypertension patients in the community .

Objective:The hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) role in pathogenesis of various diseases were wildly addressed in recent decade.The circulatory (plasma or serum) and biological fluid H2S measurement is still an enormous issues due to the technical limitation.This paper aimed to develop a novel measurement method based on fluorescence probe.Methods:Firstly,20 μL ethanol was used to dissolve 100 pmol fluorescence probe,then added in a 96-well plate.An equal volume of ethanol was also added to the blank well of the plate.The plate was placed in a dark room for about 1 h until the fluorescence probe was evenly coated in the 96-well microplate and dried.The plate was frozen at-20 ℃ for later use.Secondly,the plasma or serum sample was added with saturated ammonium sulfate buffer (pH 7.8) and then centrifuged to remove the proteins.The equal volume supernatant liquid was added to the probecoated well and the probe-uncoated well.The plate was incubated in a dark environment at 37 ℃ for 2 h.Finally,after incubation,the fluorescence density was acquired at λEx/λEm 340/445 nm in a microplate reader.The differences of the fluorescence density values between the probe-coated well and probeuncoated well were counted and H2S concentration of plasma/serum was calculated by standard curve with NaHiS.Results:The method had high sensitivity (from 0.3 to 100 μmol/L) and specificity for measuring H2S as compared with other biologically relevant reactive sulfur species and sulfur-containing amino acid.Serum H2S concentrations were assayed in 188 health volunteers using this method [(12.1 ±3.5) μmol/L,95％ CI:4.6-19.8 μmol/L],and the frequency distribution showed a normal tendency(one-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test,P ＞ 0.1).The serum H2S concentrations in 30 hypertension patients were decreased compared with 22 age-and gender-matched health individuals (paired-samples t test,t =9.937,P ＜ 0.001).There were no differences of H2S concentration in serum [(19.66 ±2.32) μmol/L] or plasma [(18.67 ±2.07) μmol/L],between the samples acquired from artery [(19.34 ±0.51) μmol/L] or vein [(18.99 ±0.50) μ mol/L] of male Wistar rats (repeated measurement of ANOVA,P =0.38).One week frozen samples did not affect the detection.The values of the repeated measurement did not differ (two-way ANOVA,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion:The present method is easily performed with high sensitivity,specificity and repeatability for circulatory H2S.It is also quick and may apply for large samples.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of anticolchicine cytotoxicity of Dan Gua-Fang, a Chinesea Chinese), a Chinese herbal compound prescription on endothelial cells of vein (ECV304) cultivated in mediums of different glucose concentrations as well as the proliferation of those cells in the same conditions, in order to reveal the value of Dan Gua-Fang in preventing and treating endothelial damage caused by hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus.

METHODSThe research was designed as three stages. The growing state and morphological changes were observed when ECV304 were cultivated in the culture mediums, which have different glucose concentrations with or without Dan Gua-Fang and at the same time with or without colchicine.

RESULTS(1) Dan Gua-Fang at all concentrations reduced the floating cell population of ECV304 cultivated in hyperglycemia mediums. (2) Dan Gua-Fang at all concentrations and hyperglycemia both had a function of promoting "pseudopod-like" structure formation in cultivated ECV304, but the function was not superimposed in mediums containing both hyperglycemia and Dan Gua-Fang. (3) Colchicine reduced and even vanished the "pseudopod-like" structure of the endotheliocyte apparently cultivated in mediums of hyperglycemia or with Dan Gua-Fang. The "pseudopod-like" structure of the endotheliocyte emerged quickly in Dan Gua-Fang groups after colchicine was removed, but it was not the case in hyperglycemia only without Dan Gua-Fang groups. (4) Dan Gua-Fang reduced the mortality of cells cultivated in mediums containing colchicine. The cell revived to its normal state fast after colchicine was removed.

CONCLUSIONDan Gua-Fang has the functions of promoting the formation of cytoskeleton and fighting against colchicine cytotoxicity.

Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Cell Shape ; drug effects ; Colchicine ; adverse effects ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Culture Media ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Cytoprotection ; drug effects ; Cytotoxins ; adverse effects ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Drug Antagonism ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drug Synergism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; drug effects ; Up-Regulation

Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cities ; epidemiology ; Female ; Folic Acid Deficiency ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo study the toxicity features of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle and the influence of Dan Gua-Fang, a Chinese herbal compound prescription, on the reproductive cycle of vascular endothelial cells cultivated under a high glucose condition; to reveal the partial mechanisms of Dan Gua-Fang in the prevention and treatment of endothelial injury caused by hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus (DM); and offer a reference for dealing with the vascular complications of DM patients with long-term high blood glucose.

METHODSBased on the previous 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (z-y1)-3-5-diphenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) experiment, under different medium concentrations of glucose and Dangua liquor, the endothelial cells of vein-304 (ECV-304) were divided into 6 groups as follows: standard culture group (Group A, 5.56 mmol/L glucose); 1/300 herb-standard group (Group B); high glucose culture group (Group C, 16.67 mmol/L glucose); 1/150 herb-high glucose group (Group D); 1/300 herb-high glucose group (Group E); and 1/600 herb-high glucose group (Group F). The cell cycle was assayed using flow cytometry after cells were cultivated for 36, 72 and 108 h, respectively.

RESULTS(1) The percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase was significantly increased in Group C compared with that in Group A (P<0.05), while the percentage of S-phase (S%) cells in Group C was significantly reduced compared with Group A (P<0.05); the latter difference was dynamically related to the length of growing time of the endothelial cells in a high glucose environment. (2) The S% cells in Group A was decreased by 30.25% (from 40.23% to 28.06%) from 36 h to 72 h, and 12.33% (from 28.06% to 24.60%) from 72 h to 108 h; while in Group C, the corresponding decreases were 23.05% and 21.87%, respectively. The difference of S% cells between the two groups reached statistical significance at 108 h (P<0.05). (3) The percentage difference of cells in the G2/M phase between Group C and Group A was statistically significant at 72 h (P<0.01). (4) 1/300 Dan Gua-Fang completely reversed the harmful effect caused by 16.67 mmol/L high glucose on the cell cycle; moreover it did not disturb the cell cycle when the cell was cultivated in a glucose concentration of 5.56 mmol/L.

CONCLUSIONSHigh glucose produces an independent impact on the cell cycle. Persistent blocking of the cell cycle and its arrest at the G0/G1 phase are toxic effects of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle. The corresponding variation of the arrest appears in the S phase. 1/300 Dan Gua-Fang completely eliminates the blockage of high glucose on the endothelial cell cycle.

Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; pharmacology ; Cytoprotection ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Flow Cytometry ; Glucose ; adverse effects ; Humans