Acetates ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Diving ; adverse effects ; Ear Canal ; injuries ; Nitrogen ; Oxygen ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rabbits

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Hyperparathyroidism ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parathyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery

Objective To evaluate the associations of oral contraceptives (OC) exposure,angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) gene polymorphism and their joint actions with the risk of stroke in Chinese women.Methods A case-control study,based on a set cohort,was carried out.Incident cases of stroke identified between July 1 1997 and June 30 2009 were enrolled.One hospital control and healthy community control were matched on region and age ( ± 3 years).A total of 453women with stroke and 919 controls were recruited.I/D genepolymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and amplification fragment length polymorphism (AFLP),A-240T polymorphism were detected by TagMan.Results ( 1 ) The risk of stroke gradually increased with the cumulative time of OC being used in women (P＜0.0001).Compared with non-users,the risk of stroke significantly increased among those with cumulative time of using OC longer than 20 years (adjusted OR was 2.07,with 95％ CI as 1.30-3.29).(2) ID/DD genotype of I/D locus indicated significantly an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke (adjusted OR,2.37; 95％CI,1.46-3.84).(3)Women with ID/DD genotype of I/D locus or with TA/TT genotype of A-240T locus and using OC could significantly increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (adjusted OR was 4.59; with 95％ CI as 2.21-9.51 and OR was 2.50; with 95％CI as 1.42-4.38).(4) Data from multivariate analyses showed that both OC and ID/DD genotypes were important risk factors for hemorrhagic stroke.Conclusion ID/DD and TA/TT genotypes of ACE gene,OC and their joint action might increase the risk of stroke,especially on hemorrhagic stroke in Chinese women.

BACKGROUNDSubclinical apoplexy of pituitary functional adenoma can cause spontaneous remission of hormone hypersecretion. The typical presence of pituitary growth hormone (GH) adenoma is gigantism and/or acromegaly. We investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with spontaneous partial remission of acromegaly or gigantism due to subclinical apoplexy of GH adenoma.

METHODSSix patients with spontaneous remission of acromegaly or gigantism were enrolled. The clinical characteristics, endocrinological evaluation and imageological characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSIn these cases, the initial clinical presences were diabetes mellitus or hypogonadism. No abrupt headache, vomiting, visual function impairment, or conscious disturbance had ever been complained of. The base levels of GH and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were normal or higher, but nadir GH levels were all still > 1 µg/L in 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Magnetic resonance imaging detected enlarged sella, partial empty sella and compressed pituitary. The transsphenoidal surgery was performed in 2 cases, and the other patients were conservatively managed. All the patients were in clinical remission.

CONCLUSIONSWhen the clinical presences, endocrine evaluation, biochemical examination and imageology indicate spontaneous remission of GH hypersecretion in patients with gigantism or acromegaly, the diagnosis of subclinical apoplexy of pituitary GH adenoma should be presumed. To these patients, conservative therapy may be appropriate.

Acromegaly ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Gigantism ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma ; complications ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; complications ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the safety, biodistribution, and dosimetry of myocardial perfusion imaging agent 99Tc(m)N-NOET in 10 healthy volunteers.

METHODS744-792 MBq of 99Tc(m)N-NOET was injected to each volunteer. Safety parameters and adverse event was measured in 24 hours of injection. Biodistribution was studied by whole-body imaging 1, 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after the injection of 99Tc(m)N-NOET. The estimation of dosimetry was based on the standard medical internal radiation dose method using MIRDOSE 3.0 analysis program. Myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging was performed at 1 and 4 hours after injection.

RESULTSNo undesirable effects were reported by the subject during 24 hours after injection of 99Tc(m)N-NOET. No clinically significant changes were found in vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram). No biochemical aspects and serology changes were measured. The myocardial SPECT imaging was clear. Cardiac uptake of 99Tc(m)N-NOET was as high as 2.68% at 2 hours after injection. The heart to lung ratio was more than 1 from 30 minutes after injection, reaching a maximum of 1.91 +/- 0.53 at 2 hours after injection. Radiation dosimetry calculations indicated an effective absorbed dose of 1.28 x 10(-5) Sv/MBq. The dosimetry in each main organ is lower then 50 mGy given 740 MBq of 99Tc(m)N-NOET in once imaging.

CONCLUSIONS99Tc(m)N-NOET exhibits high cardiac uptake and low estimated effective absorbed dose. It's a safe myocardial perfusion imaging agent.

Heart ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Organotechnetium Compounds ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Thiocarbamates ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; Tissue Distribution ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the associations of oral contraceptives (OC) exposure, angiotensinogen (AGT) gene polymorphism and joint effects on the risk of stroke in Chinese women.

METHODSOn the basis of a prospective female cohort of contraceptive use, the first-ever-developed (FED) stroke cases, as well as, two sets of age-(± 3 years) and region-matched controls (including neighborhoods and hospitalized patients) were recruited. Between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2009, a total of 453 FED stroke cases and 919 controls were recruited. Genotyping for polymorphisms of AGT gene was detected by Taqman method.

RESULTS(1) The risk of stroke gradually increased with the cumulative time of OC use in women (P < 0.0001). Compared with the non-users, the risk of hemorrhagic stroke slightly increased among those with OC use (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.25 - 2.66). (2) Women with AG/GG genotypes of A-6G locus or CA/AA genotypes of C11535A locus indicated that there was a slightly reduced risk of stroke (OR = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.61 - 0.99; OR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.56 - 0.95). (3) Women with AA genotypes of A-20C locus and AG/GG genotypes of A-6G, when incorporated with CA/AA genotypes of C11535A locus with OC, it could increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (OR = 1.99, 95%CI: 1.34 - 2.97; OR = 1.84, 95%CI: 1.15 - 2.94; OR = 1.73, 95%CI: 1.06 - 2.85).

CONCLUSIONThe AGT gene polymorphisms showed that they did have an impact on the risk of stroke. And the joint effect between women using OC and AGT gene polymorphisms could slightly increase the risk of stroke.

Aged ; Angiotensinogen ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Contraceptives, Oral ; adverse effects ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; etiology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the impact of heat-sensitive moxibustion on lung function in chronic persistent bronchial asthma and analyze its effect on the improvement of life quality as well as compare its efficacy with Seretide inhaler.

METHODSFifty-seven cases were divided into a heat-sensitive moxibustion group (28 cases) and a Seretide group (29 cases) according to the random number table. In heat-sensitive moxibustion group, the therapy of heat-sensitive moxibustion was applied to the regions at the level of Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17), or to the heat-sensitized points in the region 6 cun lateral from the 1st and 2nd intercostal spaces in the chest. The treatment was given continuously for 8 days, once per day, 12 treatments should be ensured in the later 22 days of the 1st month. In the later two months since then, 15 treatments should be ensured each month (< or = 1 treatment each day). In Seretide group, Seritide manufactured in GlaxoSmithKLine was used, one inhalation each time, twice per day. The cases in both groups were received treatment for 3 months. The changes in lung function such as forced expiratory volume one second (FEV1), TCM symptoms score, Asthma Control Test (ACT) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were assessed and compared between two groups and within group separately.

RESULTSLung function as FEV1 was improved in either group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The terminal improvement effects on symptoms of Chinese medicine, life quality and others were same between two groups (all P > 0.05). But the improvements in general situation, chills, fever and sweating in heat-sensitive moxibustion group were superior to those in Seretide group (both P < 0.05). Concerning to the improvement in respiratory symptoms, the effect of Seretide was better than that of heat-sensitive moxibustion (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHeat-sensitive moxibustion improves lung function, relieves clinical symptoms and benefits life quality for patients with chronic persistent bronchial asthma. It's efficacy on the disease is equal to the internationally-recognized effect of Seretide.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Asthma ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life

The efficacy and safety of bevacizumab with modified irinotecan, leucovorin bolus, and 5-fluorouracil intravenous infusion (mIFL) in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has not been well evaluated in randomized clinical trials in Chinese patients. We conducted a phrase III trial in which patients with previously untreated mCRC were randomized 2:1 to the mIFL [irinotecan (125 mg/m(2)), leucovorin (20 mg/m(2)) bolus, and 5-fluorouracil intravenous infusion (500 mg/m(2)) weekly for four weeks every six weeks] plus bevacizumab (5 mg/kg every two weeks) group and the mIFL group, respectively. Co-primary objectives were progression-free survival (PFS) and 6-month PFS rate. In total, 214 patients were enrolled. Our results showed that addition of bevacizumab to mIFL significantly improved median PFS (4.2 months in the mIFL group vs. 8.3 months in the bevacizumab plus mIFL group, P < 0.001), 6-month PFS rate (25.0% vs. 62.6%, P < 0.001), median overall survival (13.4 months vs. 18.7 months, P = 0.014), and response rate (17% vs. 35%, P = 0.013). Grades 3 and 4 adverse events included diarrhea (21% in the mIFL group and 26% in the bevacizumab plus mIFL group) and neutropenia (19% in the mIFL group and 33% in the bevacizumab plus mIFL group). No wound-healing complications or congestive heart failure occurred. Our results suggested that bevacizumab plus mIFL is effective and well tolerated as first-line treatment for Chinese patients with mCRC. Clinical benefit and safety profiles were consistent with those observed in pivotal phase III trials with mainly Caucasian patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bevacizumab ; Camptothecin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Prospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

Objective Throush identify biochemical characteristics and virulence factors of 2 strains suspected Yersinia pestis(Y.pestis)isolated from the dead Marmota himalayana(M.himalayana)to confirm the nature epidemic focus in Dege County,Sichuan Province.Methods Y.pestis was analyzed by specific staining and shape,culturing characteristics,splitting-test by bacteriophage,test of biochemical characteristics and glycolysis ability,virulence factors,virulence,nutritional requirement,plasmid,genetic test and genetic type. Results The tested strains were Gram staining bacilus.The main biochemical characteristics were Arabinose(+)、 Rhamnose(-),Maltose(+),Melibiose(-),Glycerol(+),Denitrification(+).The virulence factors with FI+.VW+, Pgm+,Pst I+;and with the common 6.0×106,45.0×106,65.0×106 plasmids,also with the virulence-relative plasmid gene.Both their absolutely lethal dose(LD100)in mice were 50 bacteria.The nutritional requirement appeared which were depended on Phenylalanine and Methionine.With the Genomovar 5 genotype characteristics of M.himalayana plague foci of Qinghai-Tibet plateau.The difference between tested strains and Yersinia pseudotubercuosis on the 3 different culture medium was obvious.The tested strains had a Y.pestis' specific 3a fragment,Pst I and FI-Ag,at 22 ℃,the strains could be split by bacteriophage completely.Conclusions According to the diagnostic criteria of plague in China,the 2 suspected strains isolated from Dege County,Sichuan Province ale confirmed as Y.pestis.both with powerful virulenceand with the characteristics of the Y.pestis of M.himahtyana in Qinghai-Tibet plateau plague natural focus.

Humans ; Aldosterone ; Hyperaldosteronism/diagnosis* ; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/complications* ; Adenoma/diagnosis*