Objectives:To compare the effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) and methylprednisolone(MP) on intracellular free calcium(［Ca2+］i) and capacity of containing water(CCW) after spinal cord injury(SCI).　Methods:Forty-two SD rats were divided into four groups： control, GDNF,MP and GDNF+MP.GDNF and MP were supplied through subarachnoid cavity, tail vein and both of the above after T12 segments spinal cord injury by modified Allen crush method. Animals were executed and specimens were collected at 24 h, 72 h and 168 h after SCI.［Ca2+］i and CCW were measured using Fura-2 method.　Results:Both ［Ca2+］i and CCW of injured spinal cord in GDNF,MP, and GDNF+MP groups were lower than that of the control group at 24 h and 72 h after SCI(P<0.01).Levels of ［Ca2+］i and CCW in GDNF group was much higher than that of MP and MP+GDNF groups(P<0.01),but there was no difference between MP group and MP+GDNF group(P>0.05) 24 hours after SCI. Seventy-two hours after SCI,［Ca2+］i in GDNF group was higher than that in MP group, MP group was higher than MP+GDNF group(P<0.05).CCW of GDNF group exceeded that of MP and MP+GDNF group(P<0.01).［Ca2+］i in GDNF group was higher than that in MP group, and MP group was higher than MP+GDNF group(P<0.01) 7 days postoperatively, but for CCW, there were no differences among GDNF,MP and MP+GDNF groups(P>0.05).　Conclusions: Both GDNF,MP and GDNF + MP groups might reduce ［Ca2+］i and CCW of injured spinal cord. The curative effect of MP for SCI preponderate over that of GDNF, the effect of MP could be enhanced by adding GDNF.

An α-amylase inhibitor (α-AI) was isolated from white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris. L) by ethanol fractional precipitation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration column chromatography. It was a homogeneity glycoprotein demonstrated by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration on CL-6B. The glycoprotein contained 88.2% protein and was rich in aspartic acid, glutamic acid, leucine, threonine and serine. The carbohydrate moiety was consisted of Man, Glc, Gal and Xyl in a mole ratio of 2.42∶1.50∶1.52∶1.00. The glycan and the core protein backbone was connected by O-linkage as determined by β-elimination reaction. The continuous oral administration of the α-AI (150 mg·kg-1·d-1 ) for 7 days can lower fasting blood glucose and 300 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 α-AI for 7 days can improve the sugar tolerance on alloxan-dependent diabetic model rats. The result showed the α-AI obtained from white kidney beans had good hypoglycemic effect on alloxan induced diabetic rats and may have high potential pharmaceutical value as a regulative digestive-starch degradation in patients suffering from diabetes.

Embryo Transfer ; Endometrium ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristic of regional cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with Wilson's disease (WD) using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET.Methods Thirteen WD patients and 12 normal controls were studied by brain 18F-FDG PET, and the data were analyzed by visual analysis, semi-quantification and statistical parametric mapping (SPM). The radioactivity ratios of lenticular nuclei, caudate, thalamus and cerebellum to cerebral cortex and the ratio of lenticular nuclei to caudate were calculated, respectively. SPSS 11.0 software for statistics was also used to analyze the data. Results In WD patients, radioactivity of lenticular nuclei and candate was significantly decreased compared with controls. The radioactivity ratios of lenticular nuclei and caudate to cerebral cortex in WD patients were both significantly lower than that in normal controls (0.95±0.05 vs 1.26±0.05, t =15, P < 0.05 ; 1.02±0.06 vs 1.17±0.05, t = 8, P < 0.05), and the ratio of lenticular nuclei to caudate in WD patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls (0.93±0.06 vs 1.09±0.06, t =9, P< 0.05). Conclusion As compared with normal controls, patients with WD had significantly decreased glucose utilization in the basal ganglia, especially in the lenticullar nuclei.

Objective To evaluate the short-term clinical efficacy and safety of administration of levosimendan or milrinone added to conventional therapy in patients with decompensated heart failure.Methods A total of 180 patients admitted due to heart failure [NYHA (New York Heart Association) class Ⅲ or Ⅳ] were randomly (random number) divided into control group,milrinone group and levosimendan group (n =60,each group).A continuous infusion of milrinone added to conventional therapy was administered for 72 hours in milrinone group,while administration of levosimendan for 24 hours in levosimendan group.The changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVDD) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) plasma level were compared between before and after treatment,respectively,and comparisons of improvement in cardiac function (NYHA class) and hospital mortality were carried out among three groups.Patients were further followed up at 3 months after treatment.Results The LVEF in levosimendan group after treatment had significantly more increased than that in control group [(32.0±6.3)％ vs.(30.6 ±5.5)％,P =0.007].Compared BNP before treatment,the sums of BNP deducted were 444.0 (-74.0,1068.0) pg/mL,469.0 (141.5,1151.5) pg/mL and 936.5 (437.8,1566.8) pg/mL in control group,milrinone group and levosimendan group,respectively after treatment (all P ＜ 0.01).Moreover,the deduction in BNP was more dramatic in levosimendan group compared with control or milrinone group (t =3.256 or 2.665,P =0.004 or 0.026).After treatment for 5 days,the probability at least of achieving more effectively better improvement in NYHA class (cardiac function) in levosimendan group was 2.036 times that of control group (95％ CI:1.030-4.028,P =0.041).The incidence of combined end point events (death or readmission) in levosimendan group was significantly lower than that in milrinone group (50％ vs.70％,HR =0.573,95％ CI:0.358-0.917,P=0.020),while in hospital mortality,readmission or 3-month mortality incidence was similar among 3 groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The short-term clinical efficacy of levosimendan is superior to that of milrinone or conventional therapy in patients with decompensated heart failure.

Objective To evaluate the improvement effect of levosimendan by vein injection on short term cardiac function of patients with decompensated heart failure.Methods One hundred and sixty patients admitted due to heart failure were randomly divided into levosimendan group and control group (80 subjects for each group).Patients in control group were given a regular therapy including diuretics,vasodilators (including the recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide),angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI) or angiotensin Ⅱ receptorantagonists(ARB),β blockers,spironolactone and stain.Patients in levosimendan were administered levosimendan for 24 hours plus regular therapy.The improvements of dyspnoea in 9 days and cardiac function classification in 30 days after therapy were assessed.Mortality of 1 month and 3 month in two group were calculated and compared during follow-up.Results The dyspnoea improvement rate was superior than that of control group during 9 days (OR =1.956,95％ CI:1.156-3.310,P =0.013).The improvements in the levosimendan group were better than in the control group at 1 st day (OR =2.261,95 ％ CI:1.280-3.999,P =0.005),at 3rd (OR =2.002,95 ％ CI:1.111-3.607,P =0.021) and 5th day (OR =1.846,95 ％ CI:1.009 -3.377,P =0.047).However,there was no significant difference in term of improving dyspnoea between the levosimendan group and the control group at 9th day (P =0.126).Similarly,the improvement of cardiac function classification in the levosimendan group was superior than the control group during 30 days (OR =1.933,95％ CI:1.229-3.040,P =0.004).Although no significant difference was seen regarding of improving cardiac function classification between the two groups at 30th day after treatment (P =0.115),the improvements in the levosimendan group were better than in the control group at 3rd (OR =1.986,95％ CI:1.195-3.300,P =0.008),5th (OR =2.268,95 ％ CI:1.329-3.873,P =0.003),9th (OR =2.627,95 ％ CI:1.419-4.860,P =0.002) and 14th day(OR =2.212,95％ CI:1.189-4.112,P =0.012).Moreover,there was a nonsignificant reduction in terms of mortality in levosimendan group during 1-month and 3-month follow-up compared with control group (P ＞ 0.05).Condusion Levosimendan can effectively improve the short-term cardiac function in patients with decompensated heart failure.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the predictive value of the sperm quality to fertilization outcomes after short-time insemination.MethodsA total of 558 cycles of short-time insemination in the Reproductive Medical Center of Henan Provincial People's Hospital during January 2009 to June 2010 excluding patients aged ＞ 38 years and M Ⅱ oocyte number ＜ 3 were analyzed retrospectively.According to whether undergo rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection( Re-ICSI),all cycles were divided into in vitro fertilization (IVF)group (472 cycles) and rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Re-ICSI) group (86 cycles).Both IVFgroup and Re-ICSI group were subdivided into primary infertility and secondary infertility according to previous history of pregnancy.269 primary infertility cycles and 203 secondary infertility cycles were characterized in IVF group; and 64 primary infertility cycles and 22 secondary infertility cycles were characterized in Re-ICSI group.x2 test was applied for comparison of embryo plant rate,clinical pregnancy rate,early miscarriage rate between IVF and Re-ICSI groups,while Fisher test was used for comparison of live birth rate.and Mann-Whitney U test was utilized for comparison of duration of infertility,forward moving sperm counts,abnormal sperm rate,sperm acrosin activity between IVF and Re-ICSI groups.ResultsThe embryo plant rate,clinical pregnancy rate,early miscarriage rate,live birth rate of IVF group were:29.4％,44.9％,13.4％,37.0％ respectively; the above indicators in Re-ICSI group were:25.7％,34.6％,10.7％,29.6％ respectively,the differences of the indicators between the two groups had no statisticalsigmficance (x2 =0.869,2.963,0.010,P =0.351,0.085,0.922,0.098).Median of duration of infertility,forward moving sperm counts,abnormal sperm rate,sperm acrosin activity of primary infertility cycles in IVF group were:4.00(3.00 -6.00) years,58.37(33.64 - 102.27) × 106,81.09％ (79.41％ -88.69％ ),76.30 (48.50 - 92.46 ) μIU/106 sperm respectively ; in Re-ICSI group were:5.00 ( 3.25 -8.00) years,36.33 (20.59 -64.43 ) × 106,85.5％ (81.28％ - 89.02％ ),47.14( 31.61 -90.24) μIU/106 sperm respectively,the differences of them between the two groups had statistical significance (Z =-2.617, -3.505, -3.553, -3.530,P =0.009,0.000,0.000,0.000).Median of duration of infertility,forward moving sperm counts,abnormal sperm rate,sperm acrosin activity of secondary infertility cycles in IVF group were:5.00 (3.00 -7.00) years,63.00 (34.20 - 107.73 ) × 106,81.29％ (79.90 -86.09) ％,78.34 ( 53.87 - 98.00) μIU/106 sperm respectively,in Re-ICSI group were:5.00 ( 3.75 -7.00) years,28.80 ( 18.57 - 48.56 ) × 106,88.79％ ( 84.04 - 95.64 ) ％,54.70 ( 39.73 - 76.77 ) μIU/106 sperm respectively,the differences of them between the two groups showed statistical significance except duration of infertility (Z =- 0.338,- 3.505,- 3.553,- 3.530,P =0.735,0.000,0.000,0.006).ConclusionThe duration of infertility,forward moving sperm counts,abnormal sperm rate,sperm acrosin activity have predictive value of fertilization outcomes after short-time insemination.

In this cross-sectional survey,2 682 traffic policemen in Tianjin were enrolled,and they were tested with Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised (OSI-R) and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90).Body mass index,blood pressure,fasting blood glucose,triglycerides,and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ( HDL-C ) were also determined at the same time. Correlation analysis showed that body mass index was positively correlated with somatization ( r =0.039,P =0.045 ),hostility ( r =0.046,P =0.01 8 ),and psychoticism ( r =0.041,P =0.036).Systolic blood pressure was positively correlated to somatization (r =0.056,P =0.004 ),obsessive-compulsiveness ( r =0.044,P =0.023 ),interpersonal sensitivity ( r =0.041,P =0.034 ),depression ( r =0.039,P =0.043),anxiety ( r =0.055,P =0.004 ),and psychoticism ( r =0.051,P =0.009 ).Diastolic blood pressure was positively correlated to somatization ( r =0.047,P =0.015 ),interpersonal sensitivity ( r =0.042,P =0.030 ),anxiety ( r =0.050,P =0.010 ),and psychoticism ( r =0.047,P =0.014 ).Fasting blood glucose was positively correlated to somatization ( r=0.042,P=0.028 ).Multiple regression analysis showed that occupational stress factors were role boundary,physical environment,responsibility,recreation,role ambiguity,role overload,and cognitive coping.Among these factors,role ambiguity and cognitive coping reduced occupational stress while others increased the stress.The results of the unconditional logistical regression analysis showed that there is an independent association of metabolic syndrome with somatization,role insufficiency,and physical strain for the task and body tension ( P＜0.01).

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide in acute anterior myocardial infarction complicated with heart failure.Methods Two hundred patients suffered from acute anterior myocardial infarction complicated with heart failure were randomly divided into two groups:rhBNP group ( n =100) and control group ( n =100 ).All patients were given conventional treatment,patients in rhBNP group were given rhBNP on the basis of conventional therapy.The clinical effectiveness including the improvement of cardiac function,cardiac ultrasound data,the incidence of hospital adverse cardiac events,and six month follow-up were compared between the two groups.Results The degree of decompensation and Killip class in rhBNP group were better than those of control group after treatment ( improved dyspnea:significantly improved:36 vs 27 ; improved:49 vs 46; no improvement:11 vs 20 ; deterioration:4 vs 7 ; Ridit value:0.4618 vs 0.5382,P =0.043) ( Killip class:significantly improved:26 vs 20; improved:56 vs 45; no improvement:14 vs 25 ; deterioration:4 vs 10; Ridit value:0.4553 vs 0.5447,P =0.017 ).After treatment for one week,The LVEF improvement in rhBNP group was more remarkable than that of control group ( [ 53.0 ± 5.2 ] ％vs.[ 50.0 ±:6.2 ] ％,P =0.014).The occurrence rate of angina ( 13.0％ vs.27.0％,P =0.013 ),heart failure ( 18.0％ vs.32.0％,P =0.022) and major adverse cardiac events(MACE) ( 17.0％ vs.30.0％,P =0.030) inrhBNP group was lower than that in control group.During 6 months follow-up period,event-free survival in rhBNP group was higher than that in control group ( 69.0％ vs.55.0％,P =0.041 ).Conclusion Transvenous injection of rhBNP combined with other routine treatment can improve cardiac function in patients with myocardial infarction in acute anterior myocardial infarction.It can also decrease adverse cardiac events during hospitalization and increase event-free survival in 6 months follow-up period.

Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies worldwide.Previous studies have shown that microRNA-449b (miR-449b) functions as a tumor suppressor in many cancers.However,the role of miR-449b in NSCLC is still unknown.In the present study,miR-449b was significantly downregulated in NSCLC samples and cell lines.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 3'-UTR region of leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) mRNA had putative complementary sequences to miR-449b,which was further confirmed by the luciferase assay.Western blotting showed that restoration of miR-449b in NSCLC cells decreased the expression of LGR4.Interestingly,over-expression of miR-449b inhibited growth and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro.Furthermore,ectopic expression of LGR4 reversed miR-449b-suppressed proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells.Therefore,the data of the present study demonstrate that miR-449b inhibits tumor cell growth and invasion by targeting LGR4 in NSCLC.