Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH2),one of the isoforms of aldehyde dehydrogenase,has multiple enzymatic functions including the activity of dehydrogenase and esterase.The metabolisms of ethanol,amino acids,biogenic amine,vitamin or steroid in the body produce various substances of aldehyde.With the help of co-factor NAD(P)+,ALDH2 can convert aldehydes into corresponding carboxylic acid,which plays a key role in reducing toxic effects of aldehydes on the body.It does not need co-factor when ALDH2 works as esterase.It can convert carboxylic ester or other acids into corresponding carboxylic acids or alcohols.Recently,it has been shown that the decrease of ALDH2 activity exacerbates multiple factors(such as ethanol,ischemia)-induced myocardial injury and accelerates the development of nitroglycerin tolerance.Therefore,the development of specific agonists of ALDH2 may provide a novel approach to the therapy and prevention of heart diseases.

Objective To investigate the expression changes and significance of Pdlim2 in the glomerular podocyte of hyperlipidemic rats.Methods Forty-five individuals of SD rats were divided randomly into 3 groups (n =15 in each group).The control group was fed with normal diet.The high fat group was fed with high fat diet.The simvastatin group was fed with high fat diet plus with simvastatin gavage (10 mg· kg-1 · d-1).Five rats were sampled randomly from each group at week 4,6,and 10 and the urinary protein excretion,the concentration of serum cholesterol,and the concentration of low density lipoprotein cholestorol were determined,the glomerular podocyte damage in rats was detected by electron microscope,the expression of Pdlim2 protein was determined by immunohistochemistry and by Western blotting.Results The levels of serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholestorol increased significantly in high fat group and simvastatin group at week 4 compared to that in control group(P ＜ 0.05),and the level in simvastatin group was significantly decreased compared with that in high fat group(P ＜ 0.05).The urinary protein levels of high fat group and simvastatin group were significantly higher than that in control group at week 10,and the level in simvastatin group was significantly decreased in high fat group,there was significant difference in each group of comparison(P ＜ 0.05).Podocyte injury was detected by electronic microscopy in high fat group at week 4,and the injury became more serious as the treatment time increased.Podocyte injury in the simvastatin group was significantly less than that in the high fat group and the control group at week 10.The positive staining of Pdlim2 was mainly in the glomeruli and the expression of Pdlim2 of the high fat group was lower than the simvastatin group,and both were lower than the control group at week 10.The expression of Pdlim2 protein of high fat group was lower than that in the control group since week 4(P ＜0.05).The expression of Pdlim2 protein of high fat group was lower than that in the simvastatin group (P＜0.05),and both were lower than the control group at week 10(P＜0.05).Conclusions Hypedipidemia induces podocyte injury before urinary protein,which is suggested to be associated with the decrease of Pdlim2 protein.Simvastatin reduces podocyte toot processes of high fat induced fusion,which may be through protecting the expression of glomerular Pdlim2.

BACKGROUND:Posterior lumbar interbody fusion is a typical therapeutic method of lumbar degenerative disease. Present studies suggested that adjacent segment degeneration occurs after fusion. Recently, more and more scholars paid attention to the development of non-fusion of the spine. ＜br> OBJECTIVE:To compare clinical effects of Dynesys dynamic stabilization system fixation and posterior lumbar interbody fusion in treatment of lumbar degenerative disease. ＜br> METHODS:From July 2009 to July 2011, clinical data of 56 patients with lumbar degenerative disease were retrospectively analyzed. There were 28 cases of Dynesys dynamic stabilization system fixation, and 28 cases of posterior lumbar interbody fusion. Operation time, bleeding volume, and postoperative hospitalization time were compared in both groups. Visual analog scale was used to assess pain. Oswestry disability index was utilized to evaluate clinical effects. ＜br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 56 patients were fol owed up for 18-24 months. Visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores were significantly improved at 12 months after treatment in both groups (P＜0.01). Significant differences in operation time, bleeding volume, and postoperative hospitalization time were detected between both groups (P＜0.01). Dynesys dynamic stabilization system group was better than posterior lumbar interbody fusion group. Range of motion was better in the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system group than in the posterior lumbar interbody fusion group (P＜0.01). During fol ow-up, nail rope system and polyester sleeve loose were not detectable in the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system group. These results verified that compared with posterior lumbar interbody fusion, Dynesys dynamic stabilization system for lumbar degenerative diseases has a high safety and smal trauma, and can keep advantages of a fixed segment, and exert a certain effect on degeneration of intervertebral disc in the adjacent segment.

Metal sulfides are chemically attacked by Fe~ 3+ and H~+, resulting in the formation of elemental sulfur via polysulfides or thiosulfate pathway. Elemental sulfur may aggregate and even form a layer on the metal sulfide surface, which will inhibit leaching metals from the sulfides minerals. Elimination of inert elemental sulfur in a typical acidic environment can exclusively be by way of oxidation of acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, such a way includes the attachment, transport and oxidation process of elemental sulfur by acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. On the basis of analysis on the pertinent researches, the molecular mechanism of sulfur elimination by the acidophilic bacteria is far away from elucidated, and to attain that target, there are still much work to be done for elucidating the molecular mechanism on the attachment, transport and oxidation process of elemental sulfur by the acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and environmental e-cigarette exposure among residents living in Guangzhou City, so as to provide the evidence for the development of the e-cigarette control policy. Methods: Permanent university students living in Guangzhou City were recruited as investigators from July to October 2021, and the permanent adult residents in communities where the university students lived were randomly selected as participants. Subjects' demographic features, e-cigarette use, passive viewing of e-cigarette use and exposure to e-cigarette advertising were collected using both online and offline questionnaire surveys, and the association of e-cigarette use with passive viewing of e-cigarette use and exposure to e-cigarette advertising were examined using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 948 questionnaires were allocated, and 874 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 92.19%. The respondents had a mean age of ( 34.96±13.76 ) years. There were 420 men ( 48.05% ), and 426 married residents ( 48.80% ). The prevalence of e-cigarette use was 14.99%, and the rate of e-cigarette use was 23.81% in men and 6.83% in women. In addition, 27.27% of respondents at ages of 35 to 44 years used e-cigarette, 479 respondents viewed e-cigarette advertising ( 54.81% ) and 510 respondents had at least once passive viewing of e-cigarette use ( 58.35% ). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that a higher frequency of exposure to e-cigarette advertising ( OR: 3.064-5.784, 95%CI: 1.683-12.620 ) and a higher frequency of passive viewing of e-cigarette use ( OR: 2.182-2.349, 95%CI: 1.094-4.526 ) led to a higher rate of e-cigarette use. Conclusions E-cigarette use is affected by passive viewing of e-cigarette use and exposure to e-cigarette advertising among community residents in Guangzhou City. Supervision and restriction is recommended for e-cigarette advertising, marketing, and use in public places.

Objective To investigate the effect of great omentum combined with medical obturation glue on preventing thoracic cavity anastomotic leakage.Methods From August 2008 to September 2012,560 patients with esophageal gastric cardial carcinoma were enrolled and divided into two groups:the regular group (n =280) and the experimental group (n =280).In the regular group,anastomosis was reinforced with interrupted mattress sutures after esophageal gastric anastomosis was stapled.In the experimental group,anastomosis was covered with great omentum and medical obturation glue was sprayed to conglutinate after reinforced with interrupted mattress sutures.After that,gastric corpus was fixed upon the thoracic aorta and posterior chest wall.The clinical effects of the two groups were compared.Results Intrathoracic anastomotic leakage occurred in 8 cases (2.86％(8/280)) of the regular group,including 7 cases with symptomatic leakage and 1 case with asymptomatic loculate leakage.Seven patients were cured with conservative treatment and 1 patient with severe infection left hospital without cure.Average length of hospital stay was (55.6 ± 30.5) days postoperatively.Anastomotic stenosis occurred in 11 patients (3.93％,11/280).In the experimental group,one patient (0.36％,1/280) with asymptomatic loculate leakage was hospitalized for 20 days,and finally cured and discharged.8 cases with anastomotic stenosis occurred in the experimental group (2.86％,8/280).There was statistic difference in the rate of intrathoracic anastomotic leakage between the two groups (P =0.044),but there was no statistic difference in anastomotic stenosis between the two groups (P =0.484).Conclusion The technique of great omentum combined with medical obturation glue for preventing thoracic cavity anastomotic leakage,which is easy to perform,can obviously decrease the occurrence and attenuate the symptom of intrathoracic anastomotic leakage,and anastomotic stenosis increases unobviously.It also can shorten the length of hospital stay and is worthy of clinical promotion.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of monitoring the gene expression of VEGF165 via the diglycylcysteine (GGC) reporter gene system by reporter probe of 99Tcm-GH. Methods DNA fragments encoding GGC binding motifs were prepared by PCR and positioned at the C end of VEGF165 gene after the linearization of pcDNA3-VEGF165 plasmid. A replication-defective adenovirus vector Ad5-VEGF165GGC motif-internal ribosomal entry site(IRES) -enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) (Ad5-VIE)was constructed, with a cytomegalovirus (CMV) early promoter driving the expression of VEGF165 gene,GGC motif and EGFP, under the aid of an IRFS. A replication-defective adenovirus carrying the Ad5-EGFP was used as the control. Mensenchymal stem cells (MSC) were infected with the recombinant adenovirus at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) from 0 to 100 infectious units (0,10,25,50,100). The cellular uptake of 99Tcm-GH in infected MSC were then studied at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. VEGF165 was detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (RT-PCR), Western-blot, and immunohistochemisty. EGFP was observed by RT-PCR and fluorescence microscopy. The correlation analysis was studied between the cellular uptake of 99Tcm-GH and the expression of VEGF165. SPSS 13.0 was applied for statistical analysis. Independent samples t-test, q-test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used. Results After infected with different viral titer of Ad-VIE, the cellular uptake of 99Tcm-GH increased with the increasing virus titer(r2 =0.86, P ＜0.05), with the peak rate (7.94 ±0.75) % at MOI = 100. In time-dependent uptake study, the cellular uptake rates increased rapidly with the time extension, and the highest uptake occurred at 120 min with the peak uptake rate (7.72 ±0.22)%. The uptake rates of 99Tcm-GH in Ad5-VIE-infected cells were significantly higher than those of Ad5 -EGFP-transfected cells at all time points (t = 15.10- 54.92, all P ＜0.05). The VEGF165 and EGFP mRNA levels increased with increasing virus titer, and the VEGF165 mRNA correlated well with the EGFP mRNA(r2 = 0. 99, P ＜ 0.05). After infected with different MOI of Ad5-VIE, good relationship was found between the cellular uptake of 99Tcm-GH and the expression of VEGF165protein in MSC(r2 =0.90, P ＜0.05). Inmunohistochemisty showed VEGF165 protein expressed obviously at Ad5-VIE-infected MSC, and the EGFP was observed by fluorescence microscopy. Conclusions The cellular uptake of 99Tcm-GH in Ad5-VIE-infected MSC are well correlated with the expression of VEGF165 in vitro. The expression of therapeutic gene VEGF165 can be monitored by the GGC peptide expression.

OBJECTIVETo observe the impacts on the recovery of swallowing function in patients of dysphagia after acute stroke treated with acupuncture and functional electric stimulation.

METHODSSeventy-four patients were randomized into an acupuncture plus electric stimulation group (38 cases) and an electric stimulation group (36 cases). The functional electric stimulator was used in the two groups. The electric pads were placed on the hyoid bone, the upper part of thyroid cartilage, the masseter muscle and the mandibular joint. The treatment lasted for 30 mm each time. In the acupuncture plus electric stimulation group, acupuncture was supplemented at motor area of Jiao's scalp acupuncture, lower 2/5 of sensory area, Baihui (CV 20), Lianquan (CV 23), Jinjin (EX-HN 12) and Yuye (EX-HN 13), 30 mm each time. The treatment was given once a day, 6 treatments for one session and there was 1 day at interval between the sessions, 4 sessions were required totally in the two groups. The dysphagia scale was adopted for efficacy evaluation before treatment and after 4 sessions of treatment in the two groups. The removal rate of nasal feeding tube was observed after treatment.

RESULTSThe dysphagia score was increased apparently after treatment compared with that before treatment in the two groups (both P < 0.05). After treatment, in the acupuncture plus electric stimulation group, the dysphagia score was increased much more apparently than that in the electric stimulation group (8.01 +/- 1.25 vs 6.73 +/- 1.36, P < 0.05). The remarkably effective rate was 84.2% (32/38) in the acupuncture plus electric stimulation group, better than 58.3% (21/36) in the electric stimulation group (P < 0.05). The removal rate of nasal feeding tube was 89.5% (34/38) in the acupuncture plus electric stimulation group, which was higher than 50. 0% (18/36) in the electric stimulation group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with electric stimulation achieves the much better efficacy on dysphagia after acute stroke and promotes the early removal of nasal feeding tube. The efficacy is better than that of the simple electric stimulation therapy.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electric Stimulation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

Background and purpose: Astrocytoma is the most common neuroepithelial neoplasm, and its grading has profound effect on its treatment and prognosis. To investigate the application of stepwise discriminant analysis in grading astrocytomas, this study developed two models of stepwise discriminant analysis according to relevant factors of astrocytoma. Methods: From January 2008 to April 2009, 111 primary astrocytoma patients were enrolled. Each patient was scored based on location, signal intensity on T1WI, signal intensity on T2WI, enhancement, edema, border, cyst or solidness, and mass effect of their magnetic resonance images. With their age score of grading, Fisher stepwise discriminant analysis and the Logistic discdminant were used. The results from the two models were then evaluated and compared. Results: According to Fisher stepwise diseriminant analysis, the predictive accuracy was 87.7% with 80.0% sensitivity, 91.5% specificity and 0.942 area of ROC curve. However, the predictive accuracy of Logistic discriminant analysis was 84.9% with 80.0% sensitivity, 86.8% specificity and 0.940 area of ROC curve. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of accuracy (P=0.250) and areas under ROC curve (Z=0.433, P=0.665) between the two models. Conclusion: Two stepwise discriminant analysis models are meaningful to predict the grading of astrocytoms, and the application of Fisher stepwise discriminant analysis is simpler than the Logistic discriminant analysis.

OBJECTIVETo study the anatomy of Dracaena cochinchinensis systematically, and find out the distribution and detect the constituents of its resin, in order to provide substantial foundation for the formation mechanism of its red resin.

METHODThe microscopic structures of D. cochinchinensis were systematically observed by using color micrographics, including stem with and without resin, roots, barks and leaves. The HPLC fingerprints of the stem with and without resin were compared.

RESULTCharacteristics of the tangentical longitudinal section of stem with resin and surface view of leaves were elucidated. Besides xylem vessels and fibers of the stem, it was found that the red resin also exists in the cortex parenchyma cells of the stem and the medulla and xylem of the root. According to the HPLC fingerprint analysis result of the stems with and without resin, a number of flavones and stilbenoids were detected in the stem in which resin appeared after it wounded.

CONCLUSIONNo secretory tissue to secrete resin was found in D. cochinchinensis, further study is needed to elucidate the formation mechanism of its resin.

Dracaena ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Resins, Plant ; chemistry ; metabolism