Objective This study was to explore deaf people's needs for a smooth communication with doctors and/or nurses during health consultation in the outpatient department or when being hospitalized and supply reference for compilation of sign language textbooks.Methods Purposive sampling was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted.Six deaf participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were interviewed.It lased for 20 to 40 minutes for each interview.Interviews were recorded digitally and then transcribed and validated.Transcripts were analyzed using a method of thematic analysis.Results Three themes were identified,i.e.needs for sign language interpreters,needs for information and knowledge.and needs for psychosocial and emotional support.Needs for sign language interpreters meant that doctors and nurses were able to communicate with them using simple sign language instead of terminology.The required information and knowledge covered three aspects,i.e.health condition,pharmaceutical therapy,and self-care activity.Conclusions There may exist serious communicative barriers for deaf people during their health consultation in the outpatient department or when being hospitalized.There is a need for healthcare professionals who are competent in sign language to establish the health delivery environment with minimal barriers.

Objective: To establish a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) complicated with atherosclerosis(AS). Methods: Sixteen female SD rats were selected and randomly divided into control group and model group, with 8 rats in each group.The rats in the control group were given routine rearing.The rats in the model group were subcutaneously given dihydrotestosterone(DHT) in neck and fed with high fat diet for a long term.The changes of food intake (FI), body weight(BW), testosterone (T), estrogen (E₂), luteinizing hormone (LH), total cholesterol (TC), blood glucose (BG) and insulin (INS) were observed in the two groups. Results: The levels of FI, T, E₂, LH between the control group and model group had no obvious change[(86.13±7.83)g/r vs.(96.25±10.66)g/r, t=2.113, P=0.563, (10.79±1.74)mg/L vs.(11.47±1.89)mg/L, t=1.785, P=0.087; (36.58±2.57)ng/L vs.(38.64±1.78)ng/L, t=2.697, P=0.068; (15.47±1.96)IU/L vs.(16.01±0.80)IU/L, t=1.570, P=0.614]. The levels of BW, TC, DHT, INS in the model group were significantly higher than those in the control group[(234.54±17.14)g vs.(192.67±16.47)g, t=7.930, P<0.000; (2.47±0.13)mmol/L vs.(2.02±0.15)mmol/L, t=6.475, P<0.000; (139.75±12.12)ng/L vs.(55.63±7.80)ng/L, t=8.697, P<0.000; (283.25±33.47)pg/mg vs.(162.12±15.51)pg/mg, t=9.289, P<0.000]. Tube wall was markedly thickened in the model group after being given high fat feed for 12 weeks, and intimal wall was significantly thickened after 16 weeks, and endotheliocyte injury, deep collagen fiber, monocyte adhesion, visible atherosclerotic plaques were observed in the model grouop. Conclusion DHT-induced PCOS rat model by high fat feed reproduces the human typical clinical symptoms and pathological characteristics, it can provide a relatively simple and feasible rat model for further study of the mechanism of PCOS complicated with AS.

Objective This study aimed to explore issues about dysandia female during pregnancy,peripartum and contraception and to supply reference for their reproductive health improvement. Methods Purposive sampling strategy was used. With the aid of an interview guide, 12 dysaudia women who met inclu-sion and exclusion criteria were invited to be interviewed. Interviews were recorded, validated and then ana-lyzed. Results Four themes were generated, limited knowledge, passive information acquisition, total depen-dence on family and reluctant to talk about contraception. Total dependence on family was noticeable during pregnancy and peripartum. Though little was known about health protection related to pregnancy, peripartum and contraception, participants were passive at seeking for relevant information. Conclusions Deaf women may experience more threats to reproductive health in relation to pregnancy, peripartum and contraception that they require more guidance and assistance.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors are present in cardiac membranes. However, its physiological roles in the heart are not clear. The aim of this study was to define the direct effects of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) on atrial dynamics and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) release in perfused beating atria. Pancreatic polypeptides, a NPY Y4 receptor agonist, decreased atrial contractility but was not dose-dependent. The ANP release was stimulated by PP in a dose-dependent manner. GR 23118, a NPY Y4 receptor agonist, also increased the ANP release and the potency was greater than PP. In contrast, peptide YY (3-36) (PYY), an NPY Y2 receptor agonist, suppressed the release of ANP with positive inotropy. NPY, an agonist for Y1, 2, 5 receptor, did not cause any significant changes. The pretreatment of NPY (18-36), an antagonist for NPY Y3 receptor, markedly attenuated the stimulation of ANP release by PP but did not affect the suppression of ANP release by PYY. BIIE0246, an antagonist for NPY Y2 receptor, attenuated the suppression of ANP release by PYY. The responsiveness of atrial contractility to PP or PYY was not affected by either of the antagonists. These results suggest that NPY Y4 and Y2 receptor differently regulate the release of atrial ANP.
Animals ; Arginine/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor/*metabolism ; Benzazepines/pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/pharmacology ; Peptide YY/pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Neuropeptide Y/agonists/antagonists & inhibitors/*metabolism

Gap junction protein, connexin, is expressed in endothelial cells of vessels, glomerulus, and renin secreting cells of the kidney. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of gap junction in renin secretion and its underlying mechanisms using As 4.1 cell line, a renin-expressing clonal cell line. Renin release was increased proportionately to incubation time. The specific gap junction inhibitor, 18-beta glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) increased renin release in dose-dependent and time- dependent manners. Heptanol and octanol, gap junction blockers, also increased renin release, which were less potent than GA. GA-stimulated renin release was attenuated by pretreatment of the cells with amiloride, nifedipine, ryanodine, and thapsigargin. GA dose-dependently increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration, which was attenuated by nifedipine, nimodipine, ryanodine, and thapsigargin. However, RP-cAMP, chelerythrine, tyrphostin A23, or phenylarsine oxide did not induced any significant change in GA-stimulated increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration. These results suggest that gap junction plays an important role on the regulation of renin release and intracellular Ca2+ concentration in As 4.1 cells.
Amiloride ; Calcium* ; Cell Line* ; Connexins ; Endothelial Cells ; Gap Junctions* ; Glycyrrhetinic Acid ; Heptanol ; Kidney ; Nifedipine ; Nimodipine ; Renin* ; Ryanodine ; Thapsigargin