AIM: To explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms of promoter G~ -597 -A, G~ -572 -C, G~ -174 -C and T~ 15 -A, C~ 132 -T in exon 5 of interleukin 6 and lumbar intervebral disc disease. METHODS: The single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin 6 gene, including polymorphisms of G~ -597 -A, G~ -572 -C in promoter, G~ -174 -C and T~ 15 -A, C~ 132 -T in exon 5 were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods in 81 cases with lumbar intervebral disc disease and 101 healthy controls. The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin 6 gene with lumbar intervebral disc disease in two groups was measured. The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin 6 gene with lumbar intervebral disc degeneration in those younger than 45-year-old were also measured. RESULTS: The G~ -572 -C polymorphism of interleukin 6 gene was observed, but no single nucleotide polymorphism of G~ -597 -A, G~ -174 -C in promoter and T~ 15 -A, C~ 132 -T in exon 5 in two groups was detected. There was no difference between the distribution of the G~ -572 -C polymorphism of interleukin 6 gene in two groups. In those younger than 45-year-old the association of the single nucleotide polymorphism of interlukin-6 gene and lumbar intervebral disc degeneration was not significant. CONCLUSION: There is G~ -572 -C polymorphism in Chinese. No relation between G~ -572 -C polymorphism of interleukin 6 with lumbar intervebral disc disease and lumbar intervebral disc degeneration was observed.

Objective To develop SYBR Green I real-time PCR assay for detection and identification of Hepatitis B virus. Methods Based on the sequences of Hepatitis B virus gp1 gene,primers were designed.The reaction assay and thermal cyc-ling profile were optimized.The positive standard was from recombinant clone.Both the developed assay and Zhejiang kuake biotechnology company’s assay were applied in 100 patients serum.Results The detection limit was between 5×102 copies/ml to 5×108 copies/ml with a good liner correlation and no cross reaction.The whole process just needed 2.5 h.Comparing with the company products,the sensitivity and specificity of the developed assay were 100% and 92.5% respectively.Con-clusion The established assay is rapid,simple,high sensitivity and specificity.It is not only valuable for the identification of Hepatitis B virus patients,but also provide accurate quantitative analysis for HBV patients.

Objective: To investigate the creation of smoke-free environments in public places in Hangzhou City, so as to provide insights into effective implementation of the tobacco control policy. Methods: The party and government administrations at each level, medical institutions, educational places, restaurants and entertainment places, and open public places were enrolled. The creation of smoke-free environments was investigated in these places through undercover investigation with field observations and concealed photography by a third-party professional investigation company from November to December, 2022. The building of smoke-free environments (totally 60 scores) and no smoking indoors (totally 40 scores) were evaluated according to the Criteria for Scoring of Smoke-free Organizations in Hangzhou City. Results: Totally 909 places were investigated, and the comprehensive score of smoke-free environment building was (82.83±14.13) points. There were 285 party and government administrations with a comprehensive score of (84.19±12.85) points, 65 medical institutions with a comprehensive score of (90.35±6.95) points, 65 educational places with a comprehensive score of (83.43±16.81) points, 403 dining and entertainment places with a comprehensive score of (80.68±14.75) points, and 91 open public places, with a comprehensive score of (82.34±14.77) points. There were 397 places with standardized tobacco control tips at entrances (43.67%), 308 places with tobacco control signs posted as required (33.88%), 707 places that set outdoor smoking areas correctly (77.78%), 68 places with smoking paraphernalia (7.48%), 28 places with tobacco sales (3.08%). There were 732 places without signs of indoor smoking (80.53%), 850 places without indoor smoking (93.51%) and 24 places without dissuading from smoking (2.64%). Conclusion The indoor no-smoking is overall satisfactory in public places in Hangzhou City; however, standardizing no-smoking tips at entrances, standardizing the posting of no-smoking signs and assignment of tobacco control materials remain to be improved.

Objective: To evaluate the service competence of 99 smoking cessation clinics in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide reference for the improvement. Methods: The questionnaire, prepared by Tobacco Control Office of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, was used to investigate all the smoking cessation clinics in Zhejiang Province, to score the basic and developmental indicators, and to assess the qualified rates ( basic indicators >50 points and total scores >60 points ). Results: There were 99 smoking cessation clinics, with 52 in secondary hospitals and 47 in tertiary hospitals. The overall assessment scored from 11 to 96 points, with an average of ( 53.99±16.56 ) points. The smoking cessation clinics in secondary and tertiary hospitals scored ( 53.92±15.88 ) points and ( 54.06±17.45 ) points. The scores of basic and developmental indicators were ( 45.66±12.16 ) points and ( 8.33±5.39 ) points, with the scoring rates of 65.23% and 27.77%. The overall assessment of 43 smoking cessation clinics were qualified and the rate was 43.43%, which was 44.23% in secondary hospitals and 42.55% in tertiary hospitals. Conclusion The qualified rate of smoking cessation clinics in Zhejiang Province was 43.43%, which was similar between second hospitals and tertiary hospitals.

Objective : To investigate the establishment of smoke-free environments in medical and healthcare institutions in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide the evidence for improving the implementation of the tobacco control policy in medical and healthcare institutions. Methods: Health administrative sectors and public health institutions at provincial, city and county levels, secondary and tertiary medical institutions, and community health service/township health centers in Zhejiang Province were enrolled. The status of institutional establishment of smoke-free environments was investigated through concealed photography and consulting medical service guides by the assigned the third-party professional investigation company in 2021. The layout of smoke-free environments and indoor smoking were assessed according to the Criteria for Scoring Smoking-free Medical and Healthcare Institutions. Results: Totally 547 medical and healthcare institutions were enrolled in this undercover investigation, including 102 health administrative sectors, 209 public health institutions, 146 secondary and tertiary medical institutions, and 90 community health service/township health centers. The gross mean scores of establishment of smoke-free environments were 83.41±12.19 among all medical and healthcare institutions, 82.02±10.73, 85.56±9.70 and 83.18±12.59 among province-, city- and county-level medical and healthcare institutions, respectively, and the gross mean scores of establishment of smoke-free environments were 82.60±12.27, 85.79±10.74, 80.89±13.85, 82.27±11.62 scores among health administrative sectors, public health institutions, secondary and tertiary medical institutions and community health service/township health centers, respectively. There were 315 institutions with no smoking signs at entrances (57.59%), 255 institutions posting no smoking signs ( 46.62% ), 245 institutions assigning two and more types of health education materials for tobacco control ( 44.79% ), 110 institutions with outdoor smoking areas ( 51.16% ), 66 secondary and tertiary medical institutions with smoking cessation clinics ( 45.20% ) and 354 institutions with carpet smoking bans in indoor places ( 64.72% ). Conclusions The overall establishment of smoke-free environments is satisfactory among medical and healthcare institutions in Zhejiang Province. Nevertheless, improving the coverage of no smoking signs and health education of tobacco control, promoting the standardized construction of smoking cessation clinics and establishing a long-action tobacco control mechanism are still needed.

Osteochondral lesions of the talus can present as a late complication of ankle injuries. As the talus is largely covered by articular cartilage, it has a limited ability for repair. Early and accurate diagnosis is important as talar integrity is required for optimal function of the ankle. The common presentation is chronic ankle pain with a history of ankle trauma. Conservative treatment involving a period of casting and non-weight-bearing is recommended for acute, non-displaced osteochondral lesions. Surgical management is recommended for unstable lesions or failed conservative management.
Humans ; Osteochondritis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Talus ; physiopathology

AIM: To study the relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) and spontaneous brain bleeding. METHODS: The IgG and IgM antibody titers to Cpn in peripheral blood from 9 patients of spontaneous brain bleeding were detected by microimmunofluorescence antibody technique (MIF). The Cpn DNA of arteries in brain bleeding region from these cases was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The Cpn major outer membrane protein (MOMP) expression of arteries in brain bleeding region from these cases were tested by Western blot. RESULTS: All the geometric average titer to IgG antibody (190 3?3 2) and the positive rate of IgG antibody (85 2%) and IgM antibody (30 8%) were significantly higher in spontaneous brain bleeding patients than those (48 1?2 0, 48 1% and 4 8%) in control ( P

Objective: This study estimated nationally representative medical expenditures of gynecologic cancers, described treatment patterns and assessed key risk factors associated with the economic burden in the United States. Methods: A retrospective repeated measures design was used to estimate the effect of gynecologic cancers on medical expenditures and utilization among women. Data were extracted from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (weighted sample of 609,787 US adults) from 2007 to 2014. Using the behavioral model of health services utilization, characteristics of cancer patients were examined and compared among uterine, cervical, and ovarian cancer patients. Multivariable linear regression models were conducted on medical expenditure with a prior logarithmic transformation. Results: The estimated annual medical expenditure attributed to gynecologic cancers was $3.8 billion, with an average cost of $6,293 per patient. The highest annual cost per person was ovarian cancer ($13,566), followed by uterine cancer ($6,852), and cervical cancer ($2,312). The major components of medical costs were hospital inpatient stays (53%, $2.03 billion), followed by office-based visits (15%, $559 million), and outpatient visits (13%, $487 million). Two key prescription expenditures were antineoplastic hormones (10.3%) and analgesics (9.2%). High expenditures were significantly associated with being a married woman (p<0.001), having private health insurance (p<0.001), being from a low- and middleincome family (p<0.001), or living in the Midwest or the South (p<0.001). Conclusion The key risk factors and components were well described for the economic burden of gynecologic cancers. With a growing population of cancer patients, efforts to reduce the burden of gynecologic cancers are warranted.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the interaction effects of In-Chen-How (Artemisia capillaries Thunb.) on the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen and on liver microsomal cytochrome P450 enzyme activity in rats. The rats were divided into control group (n = 8) without In-Chen-How and the pretreated group (n = 8) administered with In-Chen-How (approximately 1.0 mL x kg(-1), according to weight) for 5 consecutive days. Rats in the control group received water simultaneously. Each rat was then given acetaminophen. The pharmacokinetic parameters of acetaminophen of the two groups were significantly different. In the In-Chen-How pretreated group, the maximum concentration of acetaminophen and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve were reduced about 58.4%, 56.7% and 55.4%. To further explain the results, liver microsomal suspensions were obtained from rats that were randomly divided into control and In-Chen-How pretreated group. The levels of CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 in hepatic microsomal protein from pretreated group were increased as compared to that from the control group. It indicated that In-Chen-How can stimulate the activity of CYP isozymes. The changes in the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen resulting from the administration of In-Chen-How are related to an increase in metabolic activity of CYP1A2 and CYP2E1.
Acetaminophen ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Administration, Oral ; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Animals ; Area Under Curve ; Artemisia ; chemistry ; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; metabolism ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Immunoblotting ; Male ; Metabolic Clearance Rate ; drug effects ; Microsomes, Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Adult ; Cardiac Imaging Techniques ; Cardiomyopathies ; diagnostic imaging ; Clinical Protocols ; Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted ; Diet, High-Fat ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Sarcoidosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed