Objective To study the changes and significance of the hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen in the larynx of old guinea pig.Methods Six young guinea pigs (4 months old) and 6 old guinea pigs (2 years old) were selected as control group and aged group for this study (n=6 for each)The expressions of HA and collagen in the larynx of guinea pigs were detected using Alcian blue and Masson trichrome methods,respectively.The images were managed using Image-Pro Plus 6.0 For Window.Results The optical density (expression level) of HA in the larynx was lower in aged group than in control group (0.69 vs.0.80,F=13.45,P＜0.05).The optical density(expression level) of collagen in the larynx was higher in aged group than in control group (0.71 vs.0.63,F=9.56,P＜0.05).Conclusions The content of HA in larynx is decreased and collagen in larynx is increased in old guinea pig which may result in presbyphonia change through higher viscoelastic properties of vocal cords.

Objective Cardiovascular diseases comorbid with mental disturbances are described as psycho-cardiology diseases, which have been paid attention increasingly. The aim of this study is to summarize and analyze the findings about the study of psycho-cardiology over a year , and to obtain the baseline data of psycho-ca rdiology diseases in inpatients of cardiology department. Methods Subjects in this study were inpatients of cardiology department in the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University in the past 21 months. The demographic and clinical data of the inpatients were collected. Anxiety and depression were evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with various cardiovascular diseases were calculated respectively. To detect the potential risk factors of anxiety or depression, two logistic regression models were established. Results The prevalence of anxiety, depression, anxiety and/or depression, and anxiety comorbid with depression was 38.6%, 12.4%, 51.0%, and 7.9%,respectively. The prevalence of depression in patients with chronic heart failure was 24.6%, which was higher than the general level and that of patients with other cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of anxiety in patients with acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and hypertension ranged from 39.6% to 41.7%. The long course of diseases, multiple diseases, and the history of cardiac interventional operation were the common risk factors for anxiety and depression. Conclusion Anxiety and depression are common in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Cardiologists should take mental disturbances seriously, and pay more attention to the patients with above risk factors.

Objective To investigate the prognosis correlation factors of sudden hearing loss.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 137 cases (149 ears) of sudden hearing loss.The relationships between the age,prehospital delay time,type of hearing loss,degree of hearing loss,and whether with dizziness,tinnitus,diabetes mellitus,high blood pressure and therapeutic effect were observed.Results The total effective rates in ＜ 45 years,45-59 years and ＞ 59 years patients were 86.36％(38/44),77.78％ (56/72) and 57.58％ (19/33) respectively.There were statistical differences in the total effective rate between ＜ 45 years,45-59 years patients and ＞ 59 years patients (x2 =8.128,P =0.004; x2 =4.525,P =0.033).The total effective rates in patients who were treated ≤7 d,8-14 d and ≥ 15 d were 83.52％ (76/91),76.67％(23/30) and 50.00％(14/28) respectively.There were statistical differences in the total effective rate between patients who treated ≤7 d,8-14 d and patients who were treated ≥ 15 d (x2 =13.050,P =0.000; x2 =4.459,P =0.035).The total effective rates in low-mid frequency type,all frequency type,total deafness type and mid-high frequency type were 89.66％ (52/58),84.44％ (38/45),7/12,47.06％ (16/34) respectively.There were statistical differences in the total effective rate between low-mid frequency,all frequency type and total deafness type,mid-high frequency type (P ＜ 0.05).The total effective rates in hearing loss mild degree,middle degree,severe degree,extremely severe degree and total deafness were 87.23％ (41/47),86.11％ (31/36),61.90％ (13/21),7/15 respectively.There were statistical differences in the total effective rate between mild degree,middle degree and severe degree,extremely severe degree and total deafness (P ＜ 0.05).The hearing loss prognosis with the dizziness,diabetes mellitus,high blood pressure was worse.Conclusions It is considered that the age,prehospital delay time,type of hearing loss,degree of hearing loss,and whether with dizziness,high blood pressure,diabetes mellitus are related to the total effective rate.The prognosis of hearing loss can be estimated according to these correlation factors.

Objective To observe the tolerance of contemporaneous multiplane operations in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS). Methods Twenty-three patients were enrolled. According to the different obstructive level, the different operations were chosen to complete upper airway reconstruction in contemporaneous operation group (group A, 13 patients). In the simple palatopharynx level obstructive group (group B, 10 patients), bilateral tonsillectomy and H-UPPP was chosen. Results The operation time in group A was significantly longer than that in group B:(121.0 ± 35.4) min vs.(80.7 ± 25.3) min, P<0.01. The hospital days and adverse events in two groups had no significantly difference (P>0.05). Conclusions Individual therapeutic schedule for OSAHS patients should be formulated. Operating the different obstructive levels simutaneously, which would solve upper airway occlusion and complete the upper airway reconstruction at the same time. No more adverse events happen, compared with the simple palatopharynx level obstructive group, though the operation time may be longer.

Objective To characterize the association between the mean CT value on a scout view and the dependent mA selection method, and to evaluate the clinical value of a mA selection method based on scout view mean CT value in obtaining individualized scan protocol and consistent image quality for patient population on 64-row MSCT CT coronary angiography (CTCA).Methods One hundred patients (group A) underwent CCTA consecutively using standard protocol with a fixed mA.The mean CT value of a fixed ROI (region of interest) from the scout AP view and the CTCA image noise (standard deviation on the root of ascending aorta) were measured.The correlation between CT values and noise was studied establish a formula and a list to determine the required mA for obtaining a consistent CTCA image noise based on the measured SV CT value.Another 100 patients (group B) were scanned using the same parameters as group A except the mA and the CT value was also measured.The mA was determined by the list established previously.The CTCA image quality (IQ) as well as the image noise (IN) and the effective dose (ED) from the two groups were statistically analyzed using t-test.The CT findings for the 32 patients in the group B were also compared with the selective coronary angiography (SCA) results.The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of CCTA for detection of significant stenosis were obtained.Results The formula between the required mA and the CT value was : XmA=FmA×[(K1×CTscout + C1)/INa]2.The CCTA images in B group had statistically higher IN (27.66±2.57,22.22±4.17,t=11.33, P=0.000), but no statistical difference between IQ scores for the two groups (3.29±0.66,3.37±0.67,t=0.009, P=0.990), and ED[(8.72±2.51) versus (12.53±0.90) mSv]was 30% lower for the B group (P<0.01).For the 32 patients in the B group who had SCA, the CCTA sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and stenosis detection accuracy were 94.92% (56/59), 92.13% (82/89) ,88.89% (56/63) ,96.47% (82/85) and 93.24% (138/148) wspectively for stenosis greater than 50%.Conclusion The mA selection method based on the SV CT value for CCTA in 64-row MSCT provides individualized protocol to obtain consistent image quality and to optimize dose delivery to patients.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms underlying neuroprotection of silent information regulation 2 homolog 3 ( SIRT3 ) against hypoxia via preconditioning.Methods PG12 cells were randomly divided into control,hypoxic preconditioning ( Hyp),Hyp with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and OGD.MTT assay and DAPI staining were used to evaluate cellular viability.MitoSOX Red was used to measure the production of mitochondrial superoxide.The protein expression of SIRT3,PGC-1α and MnSOD were assessed by Western blot.Recombinant SIRT3 was also given to further investigate its roles in hypoxic preconditioning.Results The preconditioned PC12 cells had a higher survival rate.When expressed as a percentage of the control group,MTT values following 6 h OGD were around 51.0% in the OGD group but around 74.7% in the Hyp + OGD group ( F = 56,P ＜ 0.01).Mitochondrial ROS after Hyp was less than the OGD group.Both Hyp + OGD and OGD increased the expression of SIRT3,PGC-1α and MnSOD proteins,and these increases were greater after Hyp + OGD.Similarly,the application of recombinant SIRT3 to OGD also further increased the expression of these proteins.Conclusions Hypoxic preconditioning can protect PC12 cells against hypoxic injury.One possible mechanism of hypoxic preconditioning is via SIRT3 to upregulate PGC-la and,in turn,MnSOD to reduce generation of ROS.

Ultrasonic microbubbles were used to open blood-brain barriers (BBB) with a reversed and limited behavior feature in the study, which could improve the brain-targeted delivery of anti-tumor drugs. The glioma rat model was prepared. Low-frequency ultrasound was combined with microbubbles to affect the permeability of BBB compared with the permeability of independently administered Evans blue (EB) crossing BBB. Time point and length of ultrasound were investigated whether they affect the permeability of BBB and the damage of brain tissue. The effect of the growth time of glioma on BBB permeability was explored. Only glioma had a very little impact on BBB permeability. However, ultrasonic microbubbles opened the BBB with the features of temporary, limited and reversed behavior and improved EB and magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent penetrating BBB. A length of 30 s ultrasound is appropriate for opening BBB and no damage of brain tissue. Drugs should be injected before ultrasound so that they enter into brain as BBB opening. Ultrasonic microbubbles can open BBB effectively and safely, which improve drugs penetrating BBB under proper time point and length.
Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Contrast Media ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Glioma ; drug therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Microbubbles ; Permeability ; Rats ; Ultrasonics

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of sequential acupuncture in treating post-stroke dysphagia. Methods One hundred and ten patients with post-stroke dysphagia were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 55 cases each. The control group received routine medication and the treatment group, “cortex-pharynx-tongue root” sequential acupuncture in addition. The pre-/post-treatment difference in the Kubota’s water drinking test score was observed in the two groups and the clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups after 14 days of treatment.Results There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in the Kubota’s water drinking test score in the two groups (P<0.01,P<0.05). There was a statistically significant post-treatment differences in the Kubota’s water drinking test score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 89.1% in the treatment group and 67.3% in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Sequential acupuncture is an effective way to treat post-stroke dysphagia.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and attitude of smoking and its influencing factors among residents in Hongkou District of Shanghai,so as to provide evidence for tobacco control. Methods Nine hundred and sixty residents in Hongkou District of Shanghai aged 15 to 69 years were selected by multi-level random sampling,among whom 958 completed the investigations on smoking status. Results The smoking rate and standardized smoking rate were 20.04% and 18.73%,respectively.The smoking rate and standardized smoking rate of males were 41.05% and 30.07%,and those of females were 0.80% and 1.70%,respectively.The smoking rate of males was higher than that of females(RR=0.02,95%CI: 0.01-0.03).The smoking rates of age groups of 25 years old and over were higher than those of 15 to 24 years old,and the smoking rate of subjects with or above junior college education was lower than that of subjects with or below middle school education(RR=0.45,95%CI: 0.25-0.79).Subjects who drank alcohol smoked more than those did not(RR=2.68,95%CI: 1.76-4.09).Lower annual per capita income and higher knowledge on smoking hazard led to more tendance to object to smoking and agree with anti-smoking. Conclusion The prevalence of smoking of residents aged 15 to 69 years in Hongkou District of Shanghai was relatively lower.Age,gender,education status and alcohol drinking were influencing factors of smoking.Education on tobacco control among subjects aged more than 35 years should be strengthened,and more attention should be paid to those with lower education.Besides,education on alcohol control should be managed together with tobacco control.

Tripterygium glycosides preparation which extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii (TWHY), was widely used to treat the autoimmune diseases. Previous works demonstrated that TWHF had potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. But the different quality and high incident rate of side effects of different manufactures inhibited its clinical application. Since TWHF had been generally known to play a therapeutical effect by synergism of multiple constituents, it was necessary to build the relationship between the HPLC fingerprint and bioactivity so as to ensure the quality safety and efficacy. The HPLC fingerprint showed that description and content of peaks from different manufactures were diverse. Only 11 common peaks were found. In this study, mice spleen cells stimulated by Con A were used to test the proliferation inhibition bioactivity of TWHF preparations, which were incubated with 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75, 1.88 and 0.94 mg x L(-1) TWHF preparations for 48 h. The results showed that mice spleen cells proliferation was inhibited by all TWHF preparations significantly compared with the control group, which suggested the TWHF preparations showed immune suppress activity. The TWHF preparations from 7 manufacture showed different IC50 value, which might belong to different contents which showed in the HPLC fingerprint. Moreover, a relationship between the HPLC fingerprint and the bioactivity were established to identify important constituents by grey relational analysis (GRA). The result showed that all the contents were relative with the IC50, especially No. 5 and 10 peaks, but No. 1 peak, which was proved to be triptolide, had few contribute to the inhibition of mice spleen cells proliferation. The study of relationship between the HPLC fingerprint and the IC50 by GRA could help to investigate mechanism of bioactive and provide an evidence for the quantification of multi-constituents.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Spleen ; cytology ; drug effects ; Tripterygium ; chemistry