Objective To design and manufacture a hypobaric cabin simulator for experimental animals.Methods The simulator was composed of a fully transparent working chamber,an electrical chamber,a pressure control component and a program control component,which had its body made of polymethyl methacrylate plastics,the hatch made of metal plate and support by reinforced metal bar.The air inside chamber was exhausted by the diaphragm vacuum pump,the air inflow was controlled by proportional valve,and the inner pressure and the speed of rise and decline were exactly controlled by the balance of inflow and exhaust.Results The new type of hypobaric cabin simulator had the characteristics of accurate pressure control,low fluctuation range and controllable up and down time,low noise as well as adaptable air exchange rate.Conclusion The new type of hypobaric cabin simulator matches the national standard for experimental animals,and can be used in making the animal model of high altitude diseases.

Objective:To evaluate the short-term prognostic value of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) combined with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods:From December 2015 to December 2018, 182 patients with HBV-ACLF who were treated in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital were included. Prognosis and clinical data including HDL-C, total bilirubin, international standardized ratio (INR), creatinine of patients within 24 hours after admission were collected and analyzed retrospectively.The values of MELD were calculated. The binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent risk factors affecting 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients.The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) and MedCalc 15.2 software were used to assess the predictive value of MELD, HDL-C and MELD-HDL-C model for prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was performed to analyze the prognosis of patients in different groups.Results:Sixty patients were divided into the death group and 122 patients were divided into the survival group according to the prognosis during hospitalization and 90 days after discharge. The MELD score of patients in the survival group was 21(19, 24), which was significantly lower than that in the death group (29(25, 34)), and the HDL-C value of patients in the survival group was significantly higher than that in the death group (0.3 (0.1, 0.6) mmol/L vs 0.2(0.1, 0.5) mmol/L). The differences were both statistically significant ( Z=-6.290 and -4.087, respectively, both P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MELD score and HDL-C value were the independent risk factors for 90-day mortality in patients with HBV-ACLF(odds ratio ( OR)=1.432, 95% confidence interval ( CI)1.271-1.613; OR=0.584, 95% CI 0.487-0.700, respectively; both P<0.01). Areas under the ROC of MELD, HDL-C and MELD-HDL-C scoring models were 0.775, 0.782 and 0.878, respectively. MELD-HDL-C scoring model was superior to both MELD and HDL-C , and the differences were both statistically significant ( Z=3.944 and 3.104, respectively, both P<0.01). When the MELD-HDL-C Youden′s index was set at 0.72, the optimal threshold was 24.69. Patients with MELD-HDL-C score≥24.69 had lower survival rate than patients with MELD-HDL-C score<24.69, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=142.900, P<0.01). Conclusion:MELD, HDL-C and MELD-HDL-C scoring systems could predict the short-term prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF, and the predictive value of MELD-HDL-C has the superiority.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors, clinical features and prognosis of abnormal liver function after receiving oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy regimen in patients with colorectal cancer, and to provide a relevant basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:The clinical data of 108 colorectal cancer patients who received XELOX (oxaliplatin+capecitabine) or mFOLFOX6 (oxaliplatin+leucovorin+ 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy regimen from October 2017 to May 2019 in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. According to the liver function indexes after chemotherapy, the patients were divided into abnormal liver function group and normal liver function group. The observation indexes included alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. The clinical characteristics of liver dysfunction after oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy were analyzed and the related factors that might lead to liver dysfunction were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:Among 108 patients receiving chemotherapy, there were 67 (62.0%) cases of abnormal liver function. The main grades of liver dysfunction were grade 1 and grade 2, including 49 cases of grade 1 (73.1%) and 16 cases of grade 2 (23.9%). After chemotherapy, the abnormal liver function usually began in 1-4 cycles, of which 22 cases were 1 cycle (32.8%), 17 cases were 2 cycles (25.4%), 20 cases were 3 cycles (29.8%), and 4 cases were 4 cycles (6.0%). Univariate analysis showed that the age <60 years old, chemotherapy cycle >6, the use of mFOLFOX6 regimen, unprotected hepatoprotective drugs were related to liver dysfunction ( χ2 values were 3.910,4.799, 12.861, 4.044; all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that mFOLFOX6 regimen and unprotected hepatoprotective drugs were independent risk factors of abnormal liver function ( HR = 3.405, 95% CI 1.266-9.159, P = 0.015; HR = 2.348, 95% CI 1.012-5.477, P = 0.047). Conclusions:For patients with colorectal cancer who have a high risk of liver dysfunction after chemotherapy, it is recommended to prefer XELOX regimen among oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy regimens and to take preventive liver protection treatment.

This article introduced the experience of Professor YU Yun in treating the primary carcinoma of liver by using acupuncture after pulse diagnosis. Professor YU thinks that the overall pathogenesis of liver cancer is deficiency of zang-fu organs, so the cancer cells can invade and occupy in the liver. Therefore, Professor YU uses the way of supporting the healthy qi and driving out the cancer as the treatment principle from multiple organs and meridians. On the basis of the theories of Nei Jing, Professor YU creates the acupuncture after pulse diagnosis. He feels the pulse on the basis of four pulses: Cunkou, Renying, Chongyang, and Taixi. According to the feelings of the pulses, he compares the size and speed, strong or weak, smooth or nonfluency of the four pulses. In treatment, he uses reducing method when the pulse is strong and fast, and tonic method when the pulse is weak and slow. He chooses the main acupuncture points on head, face, belly, flank and lower limbs. According to the experience, Professor YU uses gold needle in tonic method and uses silver needle in reducing method. In this way, the acupuncture after pulse diagnosis can regulate zang-fu organs and meridians, yin and yang, qi and blood, and promote blood circulation for removing blood stasis and resolving dampness, and attack the retained fluid and tumour in the liver, and combined with adjunct points to treat cancer.

Otolaryngology ; Periodicals as Topic ; Quality of Life ; Sickness Impact Profile

Appropriate selection and measurement of lead biomarkers of exposure are critically important for health care management purposes, public health decision making, and primary prevention synthesis. Lead is one of the neurotoxicants that seems to be involved in the etiology of psychologies. Biomarkers are generally classified into three groups: biomarkers of exposure, effect, and susceptibility.The main body compartments that store lead are the blood, soft tissues, and bone; the half-life of lead in these tissues is measured in weeks for blood, months for soft tissues, and years for bone. Within the brain, lead-induced damage in the prefrontal cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, such as brain damage, mental retardation, behavioral problems, nerve damage, and possibly Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsons disease, and schizophrenia. This paper presents an overview of biomarkers of lead exposure and discusses the neurotoxic effects of lead with regard to children and adults.
Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Animals ; Behavior ; drug effects ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Brain Diseases ; chemically induced ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Lead ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Lead Poisoning ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Parkinson Disease, Secondary ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Schizophrenia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the density and distribution of nerve endings and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in lumbar facet joints of patients with low back pain.

METHODSFifteen patients without low back pain were selected as control group (group A). Facet joint samples in group A were obtained during the operation or lumbar spinal canal tumor they suffered from. Those patients with low back pain were divided into three groups according to their different origins of pain, such as not from facet joint (group B, 15 patients) ,from facet joint only (group C, 20 patients), or from facet joint partially (group D, 20 patients). Different origins were determined by VAS after facet joint block. The density and distribution of nerve ending and neuropeptide in the capsular tissues were analyzed by a modified gold chloride staining and immunochemistry respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the ones in group A and B, the fact joints in group C and D were more inclined to be degenerated and got more nerve endings. NPY was expressed mainly in the facet joint of patients with low back pain in group C and D. In addition, there was a significant relationship between the distribution of nerve endings and NPY expression,while none of them were related with MRI Fujiwara grade of facet joint.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that the number of mechanoreceptors, neural sprouting and secreted peptides in the facet joint capsules vary with the change of mechanical or nociceptive stimulation, which may promote the development of low back pain in return.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Pain ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mechanoreceptors ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Endings ; pathology ; Neuropeptide Y ; analysis

Objective To investigate the effect of bifidobacterial adhesin (BA) on nuclear factor of κB (NF-κB) and cytokines of intestinal mucosa of stressed rats.Methods Forty-eight rats were divided into stress group (n =24) and BA group (n =24) using the stochastic indicator method.After the stressed rat models were established withfettering as the stress condition,the experiment lasted 8 days.Both groups were given enteral nutrition (EN) with heat 125.4 kJ/(kg · d) and nitrogen 0.2 g/(kg · d).The BA group was fed with EN plus 5 mg/ (kg · d) bifidobacterial adhesin,and the stress group was fed with EN plus equivalent volume of normal saline [5 mg/ (kg · d)].The levels of NF-κB,interleukin-10 (IL-10),tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α),and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were measured in both groups before modeling,after modeling,on the 3rd intervention day,and on the 8th intervention day.The changes in the morphology of intestinal mucosal were observed by transmission electron microscopy.Results (1) Expression of NF-κB:The positive expression rate of NF-κB in the intestinal mucosa was 0,79.2％,63.5％,and 66.7％ in the control group and 0,68.4％,55.7％,and 45.8％ in the BA group before modeling,after modeling,on the 3rd intervention day,and on the 8th intervention day.The expressions of NF-κB in both groups significantly increased after the modeling (both P =0.000).Even on the 3rd and 8th intervention days,the positive expression rates of NF-κB in the intestinal mucosa were still significantly higher than the pre-modeling level (both P =0.000).Compared with the levels after modeling and in the control group,the expression of NF-κB in the intestinal mucosa in the BA group on the 8th intervention day was significantly down-regulated (P =0.015,P =0.021).(2) Quantitative expressions of TNF-α and IFN-γ:Compared with the pre-modeling levels,the intestinal mncosa levels of TNF-α [stressed group:(154.63 ± 17.52) pg/g,(198.72 ±26.59) pg/g; BA group:(154.63 ±17.52) pg/g,(201.45 ±28.16) pg/g],IFN-γ [stressed group:(39.47 ±5.76) pg/g,(55.32 ±5.93) pg/g; BA group:(39.47 ± 5.76),(60.75 ± 7.68) pg/g] and the plasma levels of TNF-α [stressed group:(17.35±2.62) pg/g,(30.56±4.85) ng/L; BA group:(83.31 ±9.78) pg/g,(114.82±13.78) ng/L] and IFN-γ [stressed group:(17.35 ±2.62) pg/g,(28.73 ±4.17) ng/L; BA group:(17.35 ± 2.62) pg/g,(30.56 ± 4.85) ng/L] significantl increased (all P ＜ 0.05).On the 3rd and 8th intervention day,the intestinal mucosa levels of IFN-γ [(58.16 ± 7.38) pg/g,(56.37 ± 7.29) pg/g] and TNF-α [(215.76 ±31.54) pg/g and (211.83 ±33.61) pg/g] and plasma levels of IFN-γ [(29.35 ±4.76) ng/L,(30.25±3.67) ng/L] andTNF-α [(125.71 ±17.38) ng/L,(141.26±19.65) ng/L] in the stressed group were significantly higher than the pre-modeling levels (all P ＜ 0.05).On the 3rd and 8th intervention day,the intestinal mucosa levels of IFN-γ [(165.43 ± 24.58) pg/g,(171.57 ± 26.87) pg/g]and IFN-γ [(42.35 ±4.92) pg/g,(40.58 ±4.65) pg/g] and the plasma levels of TNF-α [(103.96 ±13.68) ng/L,(94.53±12.66) ng/L] and IFN-γ [(20.78±2.84) ng/L,(19.65±2.45) ng/L] in the BA group were significantly lower than the post-modeling levels (all P ＜ 0.05),whereas those of IL (intestinal mucosa:(62.82 ±8.34) pg/g,(75.16 ±9.65) pg/g; plasma:(43.32 ±5.28) ng/L,(55.64 ±6.87) ng/L] were significantly higher than the post-modeling levels (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the stressed group,the intestinal mucosa levels of TNF-α and IFN-γand plasma levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α significantly decreased while the IL-10 level significantly increased (all P ＜0.05) in the BA group.(3) Histomorphology showed that,compared that the ileal mucosal villi and crypt structure were recovered in the BA group on the 8th intervention day.Compared with the post-modeling conditions,the ileal mucosal villi and crypt structure were damaged in the stressed group,showing edema of the lamina propria,in which inflammatory cell infiltration was observed.Conclusions BA is helpful for the repair of the intestinal mucosa injury after stress by regulating the release of inflammatory mediators and cytokines of intestinal mucosa.

Objective To explore the sensitivity and accuracy of directly sequenced core and non-structrural protein (NS)5B regions for hepatitis C virus (HCV)genotyping.Methods Fifty-one serum samples from chronic hepatitis C patients were collected in the study.Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify core and NS5B regions.Genotypes or subtypes were determined by the phylogenetic analysis of directly sequenced core and NS5B regions.Results Among the 51 samples,49 (96.1 %)were successfully typed by phylogenetic analysis of directly sequenced core region.There were overall five genotypes determined in the area,including 1b (61 .2%,30/49 ),2a (20.4%,10/49 ),2b (2.0%,1/49),3a (4.1 %,2/49 )and 6a (12.2%,6/49 ).The positive rate of HCV genotying was 88.2% (45/51 )on the basis of NS5B region.HCV genotypes 1b,2a,2b,3a and 6a were found in 62.2% (28/45),20.0% (9/45 ),2.2% (1/45 ),4.4% (2/45 )and 11 .1 % (5/45 )of the patients, respectively.Conclusion The HCV genotyping based on core regions,compared with that based on NS5B,shows the advantages of primer design,amplification efficiency and accuracy,suggesting that it has the priority to be used in the epidemiological and clinical study of HCV genotyping.

Objective:To check the effect of immunosuppressants as adjuvants for DNA vaccine to prevent autoimmune disease.Methotis:Three immunosuppressants,Cyclosporin A(CsA),Tacrolimus(FK506)and Mycophenolate Mofetil(MMF)Were combined with DNA vaccine of Multiple Sclerosis(MS)and injected intramuscuarly.The splenocytes of immunized mice were checked for regulatory T cells(Treg),T cell proliferation and maturation of dendritic cells(Dcs)as well as release of intereleukin 10(IL-10).The immunized mice were induced as EAE animal model to check the preventive effect of FK506 as adjuvant.Results:More Treg cells Were induced in the mice immunized with FK506 and DNA vaccine and also T cell proliferation Was suppressed.DCs maturation Was blocked and high level of IL-10 in DCs Was induced in mice treated with FK506 and DNA vaccine.The clinic scores of EAE were significantly decreased in mice treated with FK506 and DNA vaccine compared with other control groups.Conclusion:FK506 as adjuvant of DNA vaccine can stimulate Treg cells and immune tolerance,then prevent from the autoimmune disease.