OBJECTIVETo explore the protective effect of baicalin against rotenone-induced injury on PC12 cells, and the po-tential mechanism of action action was also explored.

METHODPC12 cells were injured by rotenone and were treated with different concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 μmol x L(-1)) of baicalin at the same time. Cell viability was analyzed by MTT, and morphology was observed by phase-contrast microscopy. The cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The intracellular ROS level was determined by fluorescence microscope with DCF-DA staining. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 was analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTThe viability of PC12 cells exposure to rotenone for 24 hour was gradually decreased with dose escalating and 1.5 μmol x L was adopted to do the following experiment. Baicalin increased cell viability, improved cell morphology and decreased intracellular ROS level. Moreover, FACS indicated baicalin attenuated the apoptosis induced by rotenone significantly. Western blot showed that Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 expression in rotenone-induced PC12 cells was reversed by baicalin.

CONCLUSIONThis study has demonstrated that baicalin protects PC12 cells against rotenone-induced apoptosis, at least in part, by scavenging excessive ROS and inhibiting the mitochondrion-dependent apoptotic pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cytoprotection ; drug effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Intracellular Space ; drug effects ; metabolism ; PC12 Cells ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Rotenone ; pharmacology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of particulate matter (PM) less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) and ozone (O3) on daily mortality in Shanghai, China.

METHODSA generalized additive model with penalized spline function was used to observe the acute effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

RESULTSHigher PM10 significantly increased the effect of O3 on total mortality, and O3 also increased the effect of PM10 although the estimated increment was statistically insignificant.

CONCLUSIONOur findings provide further evidence for the effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Mortality ; Ozone ; toxicity ; Urban Population

BACKGROUNDThe gender-based differences in adverse events after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation between Chinese women and men have not been fully studied. The present study aimed to compare the 5-year clinical outcome after DES implantation in Chinese women and men.

METHODSChinese women (n = 298) and men (n = 698) with newly diagnosed de novo coronary lesions were studied after DES implantation. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) over a 5-year follow-up, including myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac death, and target vessel revascularization (TVR). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare the adjusted MACE rates between sexes.

RESULTSWomen differed in body habitus and had increased fasting cholesterol. Fewer women presented with MI, and they had better cardiac function with less complex disease. The unadjusted rate of MI at 3 years (2.1%) and 5 years (5.0%) and MACE (25.2%) at 5 years in men was significantly higher than that of women (0.3%, 1.0% and 17.8%, P = 0.050, P = 0.032, and P = 0.011, respectively). After PSM, the adjusted adverse events between sexes were similar. The stent thrombosis rate rapidly increased after 2 years in men.

CONCLUSIONSThere were significant gender-based differences in baseline characteristics. Chinese men had equivalent outcomes to women after DES after adjustment by PSM. The increased rate of MI in men was attributed to an increased unadjusted rate of MACE.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; methods ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relation between air pollution exposure and preterm birth in Shanghai, China.

METHODSWe examined the effect of ambient air pollution on preterm birth using time-series approach in Shanghai in 2004. This method can eliminate potential confounding by individual risk factors that do not change over a short period of time. Daily numbers of preterm births were obtained from the live birth database maintained by Shanghai Municipal Center of Disease Control and Prevention. We used the generalized additive model (GAM) with penalized splines to analyze the relation between preterm birth, air pollution, and covariates.

RESULTSWe observed a significant effect of outdoor air pollution only with 8-week exposure before preterm births. An increase of 10 microg/m3 of 8-week average PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3 corresponded to 4.42% (95%CI 1.60%, 7.25%), 11.89% (95%CI 6.69%, 17.09%), 5.43% (95%CI 1.78%, 9.08%), and 4.63% (95%CI 0.35%, 8.91%) increase of preterm birth. We did not find any significant acute effect of outdoor air pollution on preterm birth in the week before birth.

CONCLUSIONAmbient air pollution may contribute to the risk of preterm birth in Shanghai. Our analyses also strengthen the rationale for further limiting air pollution level in the city.

Air Pollutants ; adverse effects ; Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; epidemiology ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patient with gynecological malignancies after treatment of hysterectomy and chemotherapy/radiotherapy.

METHODSAll 32 patients with cervical or endometrial cancer after hysterectomy received full course IMRT after 1 to 3 cycles of chemotherapy (Karnofsky performance status(KPS) > or =70). Seventeen of these patients underwent postoperative preventive irradiation and the other 15 patients were pelvic wall recurrence and/or retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis, though postoperative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy had been given after operation.

RESULTSThe median dose delivered to the PTV was 56.8 Gy for preventive irradiation, and 60.6 Gy for pelvic wall recurrence or retroperioneal lymph node metastasis irradiation. It was required that 90% of iso-dose curve could covere more than 99% of GTV. However, The mean dose irradiated to small intestine, bladder, rectum, kidney and spinal cord was 21.3 Gy, 37.8 Gy, 35.3 Gy, 8.5 Gy, 22.1 Gy, respectively. Fourteen patients presented grade I (11 patients) or II (3 patients) digestive tract side-effects, Five patients developed grade I or II bone marrow depression. Twelve patients had grade I skin reaction. The overall 1-year survival rate was 100%. The 2- and 3- year survival rate for preventive irradiation were both 100%, but which was 5/7 and 3/6 for the patients with pelvic wall recurrence or retroperioneal lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONIntensity modulated radiation therapy can provide a better dose distribution than traditional radiotherapy for both prevention and pelvic wall recurrence or retroperioneal lymph node metastasis. The toxicity is tolerable. The adjacent organs at risk can well be protected.

Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Diarrhea ; etiology ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; methods ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; adverse effects ; methods ; Survival Analysis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical application of Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and centrifugal pump in low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODSFrom April 2000 to January 2004, 5 patients suffered serious LCOS after CABG in our department. Because maximum vasoactive agent had no significant effect, we supported these 5 patients with IABP and centrifugal pumps. The centrifugal pumps were connected with cannulas of right superior pulmonary vein and ascending aorta. The flow rate of the centrifugal pumps were increased to 3-4 L/min gradually. The dosage of vasoactive agent and flow rate of the centrifugal pumps were decreased gradually after hemodynamics stabilized.

RESULTSAll 5 patients' hemodynamics were improved significantly after the left ventricular assist by IABP and centrifugal pumps. Five patients were weaned from the centrifugal pumps after 4 to 7 days successfully. But some degree damage to blood cells and renal function were detected. Renal function of 3 patients were recovered gradually after centrifugal pumps removed and discharged successfully, One patient died of acute renal failure, 1 patient died of multiple organ failure, 5 patients need transfusion of whole blood or concentrated erythrocytes and 4 patients need transfusion of platelets.

CONCLUSIONSThere were significant improvements in hemodynamics after support with IABP and centrifugal pumps in the patients who suffered serious LCOS with less effect of maximum vasoactive agent after CABG. Some complications on blood cells and renal function should be paid more attention.

Aged ; Cardiac Output, Low ; etiology ; surgery ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; adverse effects ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Humans ; Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDAmong various treatments preventing vein graft restenosis, external stent is receiving more and more attention. This study aimed to investigate the effect of non-restrictive external stent on the prevention of vein graft restenosis and the potential mechanisms of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in the process of restenosis.

METHODSThirty-six "New Zealand white rabbits" were randomly divided into two groups, stented group (group S) and control group (non-stented group, group NS). Each rabbit underwent a reversed autologous external jugular vein into common carotid artery bypass grafting. In group S, the vein grafts were surrounded by a non restrictive stent which was 6 mm in diameter (a kind of Dacron vascular prosthesis); and in group NS, there was no stent to support the vein grafts. The grafts were harvested at the first week (1W), second week (2W) and fourth week (4W) after surgery respectively. The dimensions (including the thickness and area of the intima and media, luminal area) were measured by computer-aided image analysis system, and the intimal hyperplasia ratio was defined as the percentage of the area enclosed by the internal elastic lamina occupied by the intima.

RESULTSAt 1W, the difference of the thickness and area of the intima between groups S and NS was not significant (P > 0.05); at 2W and 4W, the thickness and area of the intima and the intimal hyperplasia ratio in group S were less significant than those in group NS (P < 0.05); from 1W to 4W, the thickness and area of the media in group S were smaller than those in group NS (P < 0.05). Immunocytochemistry staining of PDGF-B showed that the percentage of positive cells of intima in both two groups was peaked at 2W, and a significantly smaller percentage was detected in group S compared with that in group NS at 2W and 4W (P < 0.05); the percentage of PDGF-B positive cells of media in both two groups was also peaked at 2W, and that in group S was smaller than that in group NS from 1W to 4W (P < 0.05); and the percentage of PDGF-B positive cells of adventitia in group S was peaked at 4W, whereas the percentage of adventitia in group NS peaked at 2W, and the percentage of adventitia in group S was greater than in group NS at 4W (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNon-restrictive external stenting inhibits the hyperplasia of the intima and media of the vein grafts and reduces the thickness and area of the intima and media; Non-restrictive external stenting inhibits the synthesis of PDGF and changes its distribution, and then inhibits the hyperplasia of the intima.

Animals ; Female ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular ; prevention & control ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Immunohistochemistry ; Jugular Veins ; transplantation ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Rabbits ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among type 2 diabetic patients aged over 30 in Shanghai central area.

METHODS1039 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) aged over 30 were investigated by randomized cluster sampling in Shanghai central area and data from 767 of those patients were analyzed.

RESULTS(1) Among all of the 1534 digital ocular fundus images from 767 patients, 87.6% of the images from 672 patients were gradable. (2) Among all of the 672 patients with gradable ocular fundus images, the prevalence of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) was 21.6%, while proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) was 1.3%. The rates of mild, moderate and severe NPDR were 8.8%, 11.2% and 1.6% respectively. (3) DR patients were characterized with elder age, higher HbA1c, urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. DM duration and the level of fasting plasma glucose were risk factors for DR.

CONCLUSIONThe overall prevalence of DR in type 2 diabetic patients aged over 30 in Shanghai central area was 22.9% and the DR risk factors were found to include duration of diabetes and fasting plasma glucose level.

Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of serum galactose-deficient IgA1 in the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy and explore its relationship with the decline of renal function and pathological grade of renal biospy samples of the patients. METHODS: The serum samples were collected from, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical Unerversity from January 2016 to December 2017,which included 40 IgA nephropathy patients(group A), 20 other primary glomerulonephritis patients(group B) and 20 healthy persons(group C).Serum levels of GD-IgA1 were detected in all the samples.The 24-hour urinary protein and serum creatinine were measured in group A and B,the eGFR calculated. Recorded the pathological grade of renal biospy samples and Lee's classification. Study the value of serum Gd-IgA1 level in diagnosing IgA nephropathy by drawing ROC curve and calculating the area under the curve. RESULTS: The serum levels of GdIgA1 in IgA nephropathy patients were significantly higher than those in other types of primary glomerular diseases and healthy controls.The area under ROC curve was 0.886.When serum Gd-IgA1 level is higher than 662.5 U/ml, it suggested that people were more likely to have a IgA nephropathy.The level of serum Gd-IgA1 was related to the decline of renal function and pathological grade of renal biospy samples in patients with IgA nephropathy. CONCLUSION: Serum Gd-IgA1 levels may be helpful in the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy in patients who can not undergo renal pathological examination.