Biomarkers ; blood ; Biopsy, Needle ; utilization ; Hepatitis C ; complications ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnosis ; pathology

Objective To explore the effects of perinatal exposure to low dose tributyltin (TBT) on development and estrogen level of female offspring KM mice.Methods The CL healthy adult pregnant KM mice were randomly divided into 4 groups,6 in each group,they were given doses of TBT (100,10 and 1 ?g/kg) by gavage from days 6 of gestation to the end of lactation,1 time each day,at a volume of 1 ml/kg.On postnatal day (PND) 49,10 female offspring mice were randomly selected in each group and killed after weighed and the blood was collected.The uterus and ovary were weighed for account of viscera coefficient.The concentrations of estrogen in serum were measured with radioimmunoassay.Results Compared with the control group the time of eye opening was significantly delayed and the vagina opening was significantly ahead in treatment groups (P0.05).The weight of ovary and its coefficient increased significantly in 10 ?g/kg group (P

OBJECTIVEIn order to get the method for improving the salt resistance of Lycium ruthenium seeds and seedlings under NaCl stress, the seed germination and physiological characteristics of L. ruthenium seedlings was studied.

METHODSeveral physiological indexes of L. ruthenium seeds under NaCl stress, such as the germination rate (Gr), germination vigor (Gv), germination index (Gi), vigor index (Vi), and relative salt damage rate were measured. Other indexes of the seedlings like relative water contents (RWC) , chlorophyll contents, soluble protein contents, electrolyte leakage, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and peroxidase (POD) were also measured.

RESULTNaCl at lower concentration could promote the seed germination but inhibit the seed germination at higher concentration. After the treatment by CaCl2 at the different concentrations, all germination indexes were increased. With the increase of salt concentration, the relative water contents and the contents of chlorophyll were decreased, the content of MDA and electrolyte leakage were increased. The change trend of POD activity showed the first increase and then decrease with the increase of salt concentration, which was similar to that of the soluble protein. After the treatment by CaCl2, relative water contents, chlorophyll and POD activities were decreased more slowly, and also electrolyte leakage and MDA contents increased slowly.

CONCLUSIONThe CaCl2 could significantly alleviate the damages to the seeds and seedlings of L. ruthenium under NaCl stress, and promote the salt resistance to the seeds and seedlings of L. ruthenium.

Calcium ; pharmacology ; Germination ; drug effects ; Lycium ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Seedlings ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Seeds ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Sodium Chloride ; metabolism

Aged ; Equipment Failure ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Male ; Scoliosis ; Spine ; abnormalities ; Trachea ; Tracheostomy ; instrumentation

Objective: To investigate the status and identify the influencing factors of smoking behaviors among residents in Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, so as to provide insights into tobacco control. Methods: Permanent residents at ages of more than 18 years were recruited from 17 communities in Nanshan District, Shenzhen City using the stratified multistage random sampling method from July to November, 2018. Participants' demographic features, smoking, smoking cessation and exposure to secondhand smoke were collected using the Individual Questionnaire for 2018 Chinese Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance. The factors affecting current smoking were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Totally 1 700 questionnaires were allocated, and 1 625 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 95.59%. The respondents included 714 men and 911 women, with a male to female ratio of 1∶1.27, and had a mean age of ( 45.13±13.59 ) years. The prevalence of current smoking was 15.51%, with 28.15% prevalence in men and 5.60% in women. The mean age of starting daily smoke was ( 21.00±5.52 ) years, and the mean daily smoking frequency was (13.53±9.15) cigarettes/d. The prevalence of smoking cessation was 6.58%, with 10.64% in men and 3.40% in women, and the prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke was 41.42%, including 46.63% in men and 37.32% in women. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that an educational level of junior high school ( OR=1.683, 95%CI: 1.088-2.602 ), an educational level of high school/technical secondary school/vocational school (OR=1.687, 95%CI: 1.185-2.402), an occupation of farmers ( OR=2.514, 95%CI: 1.404-4.500 ), and an occupation of commercial and service personnel ( OR=1.939, 95%CI: 1.093-3.439 ) were associated with current smoking. Conclusion The prevalence of current smoking is low among residents in Nanshan District, but the prevalence of current smoking in women is higher than the national level. Educational level and occupation are main factors affecting current smoking.

Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; physiology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Liver Regeneration ; Receptors, Vitronectin ; biosynthesis

Humans ; Liver Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; Liver Failure ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Models, Biological ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve Prolapse ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic features for quantitative assessment of hepatic fibrosis.

METHODS86 patients with chronic viral hepatitis B were enrolled in this study from March 2007 to August 2009. The patients were classified into 5 groups (S(0)-S(4)) according to fibrosis stage evaluated with ultrasound guided liver biopsy. New contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) features including area under the time-intensity curve (TIC) of portal venous phase/hepatic arterial phase (Qp/Qa) and intensity of portal venous phase/hepatic arterial phase (Ip/Ia) were used to detect the blood supply ratio (portal vein/hepatic artery) in each group. Arrival time of portal vein trunk (Tp) and decreasing rate of TIC (β) were also analyzed.

RESULTSQp/Qa and Ip/Ia decreased from S(0) to S(4), while Tp and β increased. These 4 features were significantly correlated with the degree of fibrosis (P<0.001) and were significantly different among the five groups (P<0.001). Sensitivity and specificity of Ip/Ia were 80% and 86% for groups ≥S(1), 75% and 86% for groups ≥ S(2), 71% and 84% for groups ≥ S(3), and 76% and 80% for group S(4), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of Qp/Qa were 70% and 88% for groups ≥ S(1), 80% and 76% for groups ≥ S(2), 74% and 70% for groups ≥ S(3), and 81% and 95% for group S(4), respectively.

CONCLUSIONIp/Ia and Qp/Qa could be adopted as reliable, non-invasive features for quantitative assessment of hepatic fibrosis.

Adult ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of portal hypertension on prognosis in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.

METHODSThe clinical data of decompensated cirrhosis patients in our hospital, between 2003 and 2006, were retrospected and followed up. Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) classification was calculated using the standard formula. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the mortality in subgroups ranked by the syndromes. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate the effect of the syndromes on prognosis.

RESULTSA cohort of 322 patients was admitted in this study at the end of the follow-up. The mortality of variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, a large volume ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, the type I and type II hepatorenal syndrome was 45.9%, 79.4%, 66.7%, 100%, 100% and 84.6% respectively. On the whole, the occurrence of all the syndromes was correlated with CTP classification and MELD score. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that all of these syndromes, except for low to medium volume of ascites, significantly affected the survival rate (P<0.01). In Cox regression analysis, all the syndromes were the independent predictors of prognosis, the regression coefficient values of hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, type I and type II hepatorenal syndrome, variceal bleeding and ascites were 0.973, 0.928, 0.935, 0.866, 0.464 and 0.369 respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe portal hypertensive syndromes have significant effect on the prognosis of the patients with decompensated cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathy is the worst one.

Adult ; Aged ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Hepatorenal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; complications ; epidemiology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Statistical ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Severity of Illness Index ; Survival Analysis