To investigate plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-BNP) levels and to assess their clinical significance in elderly patients with isolated diastolic dysfunction. Methods Plasma NT-BNP level were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay in 34 symptomatic patients (Group 1), 34 asymptomatic patients (Group 2) with isolated diastolic dysfunction, and in 16elderly healthy subjects (control group, Group 3), serving controls. Colored Doppler echocardiography was performed to evaluate the patients' cardiac structures and functions. Results The plasma NT-BNP level in Group 1 was significantly higher than those in Group 2 and Group 3 and increased with the severity of heart failure. There was no significant difference of plasma NT-BNP levels between Group 2 and Group 3 (p＞0.05). A NT-BNP value of 102.75 pg/mL showed a sensitivity of 88.2%, a specificity of 87.5%, and an accuracy of 88.1% for diagnosing diastolic dysfunction. Patients with restrictive filling pattern on echocardiography had higher NTBNP levels than those of impaired relaxation pattern (1961.2±304.9 versus 460. 1±92.7pg/mL, p＜0.001). Conclusion The elevation of plasma NT-BNP level in elderly patients with isolated diastolic dysfunction correlates with the severity of their diastolic abnormalities.The level of plasma NT-BNP has an important clinical value in the diagnosis of elderly patients with isolated diastolic dysfunction.

Basic life support ( BLS ) is a very important clinical skill for medical students. However,current BLS education is lack of proper BLS skills evaluation protocol to give educational feedback both to instructors and students. This article is aimed to discuss the necessity of protocol of skills evaluation in basic life support education for medical students prior to their internship.

Objective To observe the effect of S-adenosyl-L-methionine(SAMe) in treatment of jaundice in newborns and its mechanism.Methods Two hundred and two newborn infants with jaundice were treated with SAMe,76 cases in control group treated with phototherapy and liver enzyme induction elixir;SAMe 30-60 mg/(kg?d) were added to 202 cases intravenously in treatment group.The total biliorubin(T-BILI),direct bilinrubin(D-BILI) and indirect bilinrubin(I-BILI) were dynamically detected.Results Six days after treatment,the skin jaundice index in treatment group decreased remarkably.T-BILI,D-BILI and I-BILI decreased significantly.The curing effectiveness was higher in treatment group than that in control group.The number of applicating blood products and albumin,and blood produets/albumin were decreased in treatment group than those in control group.In those who used glucose to dissolve the SAMe 2.68% had blood-vessel phlebitis.Conclusions SAMe can efficiently quicken the retrogression of jaundice in newborns.It can reduce the use of blood products.It is a reliable and safe drug to treat jaundice in newborns.

Objective To investigate the influence of factors related to metabolic syndrome(MS)on the outcome in subjects without diabetes mellitus in a community.Methods A two-year follow-up study was conducted in 885 subjects who were enrolled in the epidemiologic survey carried out in Pingliang Community, Shanghai in 2002.Oral glucose tolerance test,lipid prefde,blood pressure(BP),body mass index(BMI),waist and hip circumferences were measured.Results (1)The baseline of BMI,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),2h plasma glucose after glucose loading(2hPG),BP,triglyceride(TG)in the subjects with impaired glucose regulation(IGR)increased significantly as compared to those with normal glucose regulation(NGR)(all P

OBJECTIVETo explore the repair of Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction (XSLJZD) on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and gap junction (GJ) in the gastric muscular layer of rats of Pi-qi deficiency syn- drome (PQDS).

METHODSPQDS was established using purgative method with bitter and cold drugs in 30 healthy Wistar rats. After successful modeling they were randomly divided into the treatment group and the model group, 15 in each group. Another 15 healthy Wistar rats were recruited as the healthy control group. Rats in the treatment group were gastric administered with XSLJZD at 2 mL/100 g body weight, once daily for 14 successive days. Equal volume of normal saline was gastrically administered to those in the healthy control group and the model group. The gastric muscle tissues were taken out before modeling, before intervention, and after intervention, respectively. Ultrastructural changes of ICC and GJ were observed using transmission electron microscope (TEM). The number and distribution of Connexin43 (Cx43) were detected using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSResults of TEM indicated that compared with the healthy control group, both ICC and GJ in the model group showed obvious injury. ICC and GJ were apparently repaired after intervention in the treatment group. Compared with the same group before modeling, the integrated optical density (IOD) of the Cx43 expression significantly decreased in the model group before and after intervention (P <0.05). Compared with before intervention, the IOD of the Cx43 expression significantly increased in the treatment group (P <0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the IOD of the Cx43 expression significantly decreased in the model group before and after intervention (P <0.05). Compared with the model group, the IOD of the Cx43 expression significantly increased in the treatment group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUltrastructures of ICC and GJ in the gastric muscular layer of rats of PQDS were obviously damaged. XSLJZD could repair the structural damage of ICC and GJ in the gastric muscle tissues of rats of PQDS.

Animals ; Connexin 43 ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gap Junctions ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; drug effects ; Leydig Cells ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth ; Qi ; Rats, Wistar ; Syndrome

China ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Pathology ; Periodicals as Topic ; history

Aim To investigate the expression of stro-mal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) in rat pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH ) tissues and effects of STIM1 on arterial muscle cells proliferation. Methods PAH was induced by a single intraperitoneal injec-tion of MCT at a dose of 60 mg·kg - 1 . The mRNA or protein expressions of STIM1 in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats were measured by real-time PCR or Western blot, respectively. The arterial smooth muscle cells A7R5 were transiently transfected with STIM1 plasmids to prepare STIM1 overexpressed cells. Cell proliferations were detected by using CCK-8 kits. The expressions of Akt/ mTOR pathway molecules of A7R5 were measured by Western blot. Results The right ventricular systolic blood pressure ( RVSP) and right ventricular mass index ( RVMI ) were markedly elevated in MCT-treated rats (P < 0. 01) in comparison to control rats. The mRNA and protein ex-pression levels of STIM1 in monocrotaline-induced pul-monary hypertensive rats were 2. 19 and 1. 66 folds of control rats, respectively. STIM1 were transiently over-expressed in cultured A7R5. Cells transfected with STIM1 grew more quickly than non-transfected control. Overexpression of STIM1 significantly increased the phosphorylation of Akt, mTOR, p70-S6K, and 4E-BP1, but did not change their protein expression lev-els. Conclusion STIM1 are over-expressed in rat PAH tissues. Overexpression of STIM1 can promote ar-terial smooth muscle cells proliferation by regulating Akt/ mTOR pathway.

Objective To develop the scale of volume-management for peritoneal dialysis(PD) patients.Methods The item pool was formulated based on literature review and in-depth interviews.An initial scale was constructed through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation and preliminary test.Totally 125 PD patients from Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area were investigated to test the reliability and validity of the scale.Results 2 factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis,which contained 8 items and could explain 66.07％ of the total variance.The content validity index was 1.0,the Cronbach α was 0.870,and test-retest reliability was 0.930.Conclusions The scale is proved to be a reliable and valid tool for the volume-management assessment of PD patients.

Objective To investigate the direct inhibitory effects of 153Sm- DTPA-c (Cys-Gly-Arg-Arg-Ala-Gly-Gly-Ser-Cys) NH2 ( 153 Sm-DTPA-c (CGRRAGGSC)) on human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Methods 153Sm-DTPA-c(CGRRAGGSC) was synthesized by the reaction of 153SmCl3 with DTPA-c(CGRRAGGSC) using indirect synthesis method. PC-3 cells in vitro culture were divided into four study groups, groug A ( the control, with PBS only), group B with 1.5 mg/L c ( CGRRAGGSC), group C with 370 kBq 153 SmCl3 and group D with 370 kBq 153Sm-DTPA-c(CGRRAGGSC). PC-3 cell growth was assayed by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl ) -2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression changes of interleukin 11 (IL11 ) and IL11 receptor (IL1 1 R) in PC-3 cells were examined by Western Blot. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired-t test were applied for statistic analysis. Results The labeling yield of 153Sm-DTPA-c (CGRRAGGSC) was 85% and the radiochemical purity was 95.8%. The specific activity of 153Sm-DTPA-c(CGRRAGGSC) was 1.32 × 105 MBq/μmol. Significant inhibitory effects on the growth of PC-3 cells were found in both group C and D, with a time-dependent manner. However, no obvious inhibition was found either in group A or in group B. After 48 h,significant differences of sub-G1 peak area were found among groups, (0. 98 ± 0. 18)%, (0. 35 ±0. 10)%, (4.05 ±0.28)% and (13.38 ±0. 89)% for group A, B, C and D, respectively. Furthermore,sexpression of ILl 1R in group D was significantly lower than that in group B and C with absorbance values 0. 339 ~ 0.014, 0.338 ~ 0.019, 0.226 ~ 0. 015 for group B, C and D, respectively. Absorbance values in groups B and C were not significantly different after treatment, compared with those before treatment; however, there was difference between absorbance values after and before treatment in group D ( t = 0. 405,1. 163,135.989,P>0.05 >0.05, <0.05). Conchluion 153Sm-DTPA-c(CGRRAGGSC) can directly in hibit the cell growth and expression of human prostate cancer cells PC-3.

Objective　To study the occurence, development and regulation of reactive gliosis with astrocyte (Ast) in vitro. Methods　Ast was isolated and cultured in vitro and its model of reactive gliosis was established by scratching the cultured astrocytes. The reactivity and rules of Ast to injury was studied by morphological changes, RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization and imaging analysis. Results　After scratching, the astrocytes showed typical features of reactive gliosis, with the hypertrophic cell body, thickened and lengtheded processes, and enhanced glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining. In situ hybridization and RT-PCR analysis confirmed that the expression of GFAP mRNA was markedly increased. These changes occurred 1 d after scratching and reached the peak 5 to 7 d after injuring. Conclusion　A model of reactive astrogliosis was successfully established in vitro which showed an active reaction to injury. The characteristics of reactive gliosis parallel that seen in vivo.