Objective:To explore therapeutic effect of atorvastatin on aged patients with mild to moderate hyperten-sion.Methods:A total of 427 aged patients with mild to moderate hypertension treated in our hospital from Jul 2011 to Jul 2013 were randomly divided into routine treatment group (n=210)and atorvastatin group (n=217,received atorvastatin additionally based on routine treatment)according to number table.All patients were treated with a continuous 24 months.Therapeutic effect of controlling blood pressure,changes of blood pressure level and high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP)level and occurrence of adverse reactions during treatment were compared be-tween two groups.Results:Compared with routine treatment group,there was significant rise in total effective rate of long-term (24 months)controlling blood pressure (76.8% vs.85.9%),and significant reductions in blood pres-sure [(145.3±10.1/88.6±6.7)mmHg vs.(136.9±6.8/83.0±5.2)mmHg]and hsCRP [(2.02±0.29)mg/L vs. (1.60±0.18)mg/L]level in atorvastatin group,P<0.05 or <0.01. There was no significant difference in inci-dence rate of adverse reactions during treatment between two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion:Atorvastatin combined antihypertensive drugs can well control blood pressure and reduce inflammatory reactions,which is suitable for long term use in aged patients with hypertension.

Objective The objective of the present study was to establish a template for the self assessment of hearing aids outcomes according to the evaluation of a large group of hearing aid users .Methods In total ,1 724 subjects participated in the study .The Chinese version of International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) was used as the evaluation tool .IOI -HA is a seven -item questionnaire ,each item is designed to assess a specific outcome domain .Each item was designed with a five -point rating scale ,a higher rating indicates better outcome .According to the subjects'self reported hearing difficulty when they were not wearing hearing aids (unaid-ed) ,the subjects were divided into two groups :self reported hearing difficulty to be no ,mild ,moderate group ,and self reported hearing difficulty to be moderately severe or severe group ,respectively .Templates for each group were established according to the analysis of the item ratings .Results One thousand two hundred and forty -seven sub-jects accept the investigation ,with a response rate of 72 .3% ,and 1203 completed responses were included in the fi-nal analysis .The Chinese version of IOI-HA scores showed a skewed distribution ,with a mean score ranging from 3 .52 to 4 .19 .The total IOI-HA scores ranged from 9 to 35 ,and the mean total score was 26 .30 .Results showed that for the self reported hearing difficulty (unaided) to be none ,mild or moderate group ,the mean scores for the i-tem of daily use ,benefit ,residual activity limitation ,satisfaction ,residual participation restrictions ,impact on others ,and quality of life were 4 .14 ,3 .67 ,3 .76 ,3 .58 ,3 .56 ,3 .93 and 3 .69 ,respectively .The corresponding mean scores for the self reported hearing difficulty (unaided) to be moderately severe or severe group were 4 .19 ,3 .63 ,3 .64 ,3 . 65 ,3 .52 ,3 .89 ,and 3 .79 ,respectively .A template for the Chinese IOI -HA was established according to the above data .Conclusion The template for the Chinese version of IOI -HA could be served as an effective tool to measure the general effectiveness of the hearing aid outcomes and hearing aid fitting in China ,which would also facilitate the international outcome comparison cross culture .

Objective To investigate the effects of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) stimulating on cholesterol influx in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and the relation to low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) pathway.Methods HK-2 cells were cultured and divided into the control group (incubated with serum-free medium) and Ang Ⅱ group (treated by 10-7 mol/L of Ang Ⅱ for 24 hours).The effects of Ang Ⅱ on lipid accumulation were examined by Oil red O staining and a quantitative assay of intracellular cholesterol.The expression of LDLr,sterol regulatory elementbinding protein (SREBP) cleavage activating protein (SCAP) and SREBP-2 mRNA and protein were examined by real-time PCR and Western blotting.The cotranslocation of SCAP-SREBP-2 from endoplasmic retieulum to Golgi in HK-2 cells was examined by immunofluorescent staining under confocal microscopy.Results Ang Ⅱ treatment increased intracellular lipid accumulation in HK-2 cells,which was associated with increased mRNA and protein expression of LDLr,SCAP,and SREBP-2 in HK-2 cells induced by Ang Ⅱ.Furthermore,results from confocal microscopy observation demonstrated that Ang Ⅱ increased the translocation of SCAP/SREBP-2 complex from endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi,thereby up-regulating LDLr gene transcription.Conclusion Ang Ⅱ disrupts LDLr feed-back regulation to increase cholesterol uptake and induce intracellular lipid accumulation.

Objective To investigate the difference of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fraction of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF) between Alzheimer's disease (AD)patients and normal aging (NA) controls by voxel-based analysis.Methods Thirty-one AD patients and 44 NA controls were enrolled in the study.Blood oxygen level dependent functional (BOLD) EPI data were obtained during resting-state by using 32-channel head coil.Data were realigned,normalized and then smoothed with 8 mm FWHM kernel.Resting-state fMRI toolkit(version 1.6) was used to generate ALFF and fALFF images.Independent two sample t-test was performed with SPM5 to compare ALFF and fALFF of AD and NA controls.Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between MMSE score and ALFF,fALFF parameters.The significance level was set to be uncorrected O.001 on the voxel level and 0.05 on the cluster level.Results AD patients showed increased ALFF in left temporal lobe (0.492 ±0.119) and right cingulated cortex (0.434 ± 0.093) of AD patients,which were 0.443 ± 0.068 and 0.380 ±0.081 in NA controls (t =2.658,2.227,P ＜ 0.05).Decreased fALFF was found in bilateral posterior cingulate cortices (1.167 ± 0.203) and increased fALFF was found in bilateral temporal lobes (left 1.226 ±0.127,right 1.146 ±0.214) with left side dominance,which were 1.453 ±0.269,1.134 ±0.088,1.014 ± O.132 in NA controls (t =5.001,3.695,3.285,P ＜ 0.05).Bilateral temporal ALFF and fALFF correlated with MMSE positively (r =0.768—0.909,P ＜ 0.05) with left dominance.Conclusion AD patients showed increased resting-state functional MRI changes correlated with MMSE score in the temporal lobes with left dominance,which indicated left temporal lobe may be the best location for the observation of disease progression in AD patients.

Objective To explore the correlation between plantar pressure and walking function in hemiplegic stroke patients.Methods Thirty hemiplegic patients with stroke (a hemiplegic group) and thirty age-matched healthy persons (a control group) were recruited.Gait and balance function training and assessment system (model:AL-600) were used to quantify the walking velocity,peak plantar pressure at heel-strike and push-off periods and displacement of center of pressure (DCOP) of all subjects during walking.The asymmetry of gait was calculated.Two independent sample t-test were used to compare the walking velocity,peak plantar pressure and DCOP for the two groups.Pearson correlation coefficients were applied to analyze the correlation between the walking velocity and peak plantar pressure and DCOP.Results The walking velocity,the peak plantar pressure at heel-strike and push-off periods and DCOP of the hemiplegic group were significantly lower than the control group.In the hemiplegic group,the asymmetry of peak plantar pressure and DCOPx significantly increased,while that of DCOPy became bigger without significant difference.Moreover,the walking capacity of the hemiplegic group was positively correlated with the peak plantar pressure and DCOP.Conclusion Among hemiplegic stroke patients,both the peak plantar pressure at heel-strike and push-off periods lower in a way.Their capacity of weight transfer decreases,which is closely related to their walking velocity.

Objective:To investigate the expression of sal-like 4 (SALL4) gene in children with acute leukemia and analyze its clinical significance. Methods:Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect SALL4 mRNA and SALL4 protein ex-pressions in 50 patients initially diagnosed with acute leukemia and in 15 patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), which served as controls. Changes were detected in SALL4 mRNA expression from preliminary diagnosis and after complete remission of 5 acute leukemia patients. The relationship between SALL4 mRNA expression and clinical indicators was analyzed. Results: SALL4 mRNA expression is higher in initially diagnosed B-ALL [13.89 (1.00-63.15)] and AML [11.12 (2.31-56.59)] than in ITP controls [1.00 (0.29-1.71)] (P<0.01). SALL4 mRNA expression in initially diagnosed T-ALL [1.48 (0.87-4.81)] and in controls showed no significant difference (P>0.05). SALL4 protein expression is in agreement with SALL4 mRNA expression. SALL4 mRNA expression significant-ly decreased in complete remission stage [0.98 (0.22-1.09)] than in acute phase [28.64 (11.20-87.46)] in acute-leukemia patients (P<0.01). High SALL4 mRNA expression level is positively correlated with high white blood cell count, high risk classification, and high minimal-residual disease at the end of induction chemotherapy (r=0.424, r=0.40, and r=0.393, respectively;P<0.05), but not with age, gender, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and lymphadenectasis (P>0.05). Conclusion:SALL4 was found to play an important role in pro-moting childhood B-ALL and AML, which promises a new target for monitoring the therapeutic effects and evaluating the prognosis of childhood B-ALL and AML.

Objective To explore any correlation between gait asymmetry and the balance of hemiplegic stroke survivors.Methods Thirty patients with hemiplegia caused by stroke but who could walk more than 10 metres independently were recruited as the experimental group; 30 age-matched healthy elderly people served as the control group.An AL-600 gait analyzer was used to quantify the spatial and temporal gait parameters of all subjects.Gait asymmetry ratios were calculated.The 30 stroke patients were also assessed with the Berg balance scale (BBS).Two independent sample t-tests were used to compare the step length asymmetry (SLA),swing time asymmetry (SWTA) and STA (stance time asymmetry) ratios for the two groups and their average step widths.Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated relating the SLA,SWTA,STA,step width and BBS results.Results Among the experimental group,swing time and step length on the affected side were significantly different from the unaffected side,and stance time on the affected side was significantly shorter.The control group showed no such significant differences.All of the experimental group's average asymmetry ratios were significantly greater than those of the control group,as was their step width.Step width and BBS score were negative correlated,but step width was positively correlated with the step length and swing time asymmetry ratios.BBS scores were negatively correlated with the step length and swing time asymmetry ratios.Stance time asymmetry and step width showed no significant correlation with the BBS scores.Conclusion The gait of hemiplegic stroke patients is both spatially and temporally asymmetric,and a certain correlation exists between the degree of asymmetry and balance function.

Objective To investigate the expression and distribution of the downstream substrate of extracellular regulated protein kinase(ERK1/2) pathway, ternary complex factor phospho-Elk-1, in rat brains with chronic fluorosis, and reveal the mechanism of the impaired learning and memory ability caused by chronic fluorosis. Methods Seventy-two SD rats, weighing 100 - 120 g, were randomly divided into 3 groups, 24 in each group (half male and half female). The rats in control group were fed with tap water (fluoride < 0.5 mg/L); low- and high-dose fluoride groups were fed with tap water with different concentrations of NaF(5.0,50.0 mg/L F-, respectively). After 6 months, body weight was weighed, dental fluorosis was determined by observation and urinary fluoride and bone fluoride were detected by fluorine ion-selective electrode; the learning ability of rats was measured by navigation test of Morris water maze, and memory ability by spatial probe test in Morris water maze; the expression and distribution of phospho-Elk-1 in different brain regions were detected by immunohistochemistry method. Results In low- and high-fluoride groups, the body weight of rat[(449.2 ± 77.1), (312.8 ± 89.7)g] was significantly decreased than that of control [(635.5 ± 76.2 )g, all P< 0.05], the varying degrees of dental fluorosis were observed(x2 = 7.83, P<0.05), urinary fluoride[(2.56 ±0.91),(5.73 ±3.14)mg/L] and bone fluoride[(709.2 ± 37.4) ,(1306.3 ± 102.4) mg/kg] were significantly higher than those in controls[(0.92 ± 0.30)mg/L,(348.5 ± 89.2)mg/kg, all P< 0.05]. The escape latency of low- and high-fluoride groups[ (7.4 ± 4.1), (12.2 ± 5.7)s] was longer than that of control [(4.8 ± 2.7 )s, all P < 0.05] and the escape latency in high-fluoride group was significantly longer than that in other groups (all P < 0.05); in spatial probe test, the time of first crossing platform was longer in rats with fluorosis [(4.18 ± 1.10),(5.89 ± 0.56)s] as compared to control[(1.17 ± 0.75)s, all P< 0.05]. Expressions of phospho-Elk-1 in the hippocampus CA1(167.4 ± 8.3,163.2 ± 9.4), CA2(175.7 ± 5.0,183.3 ± 4.2), CA3(165.2 ± 11.6,162.9 ± 4.4), CA4(168.7± 6.9,169.5 ±5.3), fascia dentate (185.2 ±4.0,193.1 ±6.1) and caudate putamen( 181.4 ± 3.8, 179.8 ± 5.5) in low- and high-fluoride groups were higher than those of controls(142.4 ± 8.1,144.9 ± 8.4,143.6 ± 5.8, 116.8 ± 9.1,140.2 ± 7.8,163.1 ± 13.1, all P< 0.05). Conclusion Chronic fluorosis can cause increased expression of phospho-Elk-1 in the hippocampus and caudate putamen region of rat brains, which might be related to the mechanisms of decreased learning and memory ability of rats overexposed to fluoride.

The high molecular weight genomic DNA of yeast was extracted using three methods.Products were separated on agarose gel electrophoresis,quantified by spectrophotometer ND-1000 and restricted by EcoRⅠand MesⅠ.The result was shown that the genomic DNA extracted by modified benzyl chloride method was the best.The products of wild isolates supported it,too.This method was suitable for restriction of genomic DNA from yeast.

The clinical and experimental publish literatures of the traditional acupuncture treatment for xerophthalmia were review and selected, and the acupoints and outcomes index were analyzed. The clinical studies demonstrated that acupoints around eyes, head and face were mainly coordinated with Zangfu organs and meridians; and the experimental studies showed the effect of acupuncture work through stimulation of the lacrimal gland secretion, repairing lacrimal gland structure, inhibition of apoptosis to increase the flow of tears, extending the breakup time of lacrimal film, and relieving eye related symptoms.