We have gone through decades using hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The first problem encountered was increased endometrial cancer and solved by addition of progesterone. Now we are facing cardiovascular complications and how could we solve in the use of HRT. Research in vitro with HUAR and HUVEC and clinically seemed to show that small physiological doses might be the solution in protection of CVD.
Aged ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause

PBL(Problem-Based Learning, PBL) is a problem-oriented and effective supplementary teaching method. PBL is giving a great help to improve self-learning, communication and cooperation, thinking and problems solving abilities for the students. In the process of PBL teaching, attention should be paid to two important items. One item is the role transfer for the teacher. Teacher is only a guider in PBL teaching, teacher should avoid excessive interfere of the process for keeping the passion and enthusiasm of the students. Meanwhile, students should always be realized that they are the main part in PBL teaching, they should not depend on their teacher too much. Another important item is how to find and solve the frequently encountered problems, in order to avoid students wandering from the subject, and lead them toward the main goal to get effective teaching and learning.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of long-term and low-dose hormone replacement therapy on bone mineral density (BMD), and the incidence of bone pain in postmenopausal women.

METHODSTotally 141 postmenopausal women were selected from the medical staff of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Of them, 63 women treated with low-dose sex hormone for over 5 (5-32) years were divided into hormone replacement therapy (HRT) group, and 78 never receiving HRT were divided into control group. The BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at lumbar spine, Ward's triangle, femoral neck, trochanter, and total hip, and the incidence of bone pain was inquired.

RESULTSThe BMD in the HRT group was 9.1% higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of bone pain was significantly lower in the HRT group (71.4%) than that in the control group (89.7%).

CONCLUSIONLong-term and low-dose hormone replacement therapy can reduce bone loss and the incidence of bone pain.

Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Estrogens ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; prevention & control ; Progesterone ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo explore the immunogenetic features of human leukocyte antigen DRB1, DQB1 locus and children with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in Han ethnic population in Kunming and its association with digestive diseases and H. pylori to better understand the immunogenetic features of the H. pylori infection.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) method was used to study the HLA-DRB1, DQB1 allelic frequency distribution on 35 children with H. pylori infection and 37 healthy controls in Han ethnic population in Kunming.

RESULTSAllelic frequencies of HLA-DRB1 * 0901, DQB1 * 03032 in the H. pylori infection group were lower than those of the healthy control group (7.14% vs. 31.08%, chi(2) = 13.16, Pc < 0.012; 5.71% vs. 25.68%, chi(2) = 10.68, Pc = 0.007) but the rest alleles' frequencies did not show significant differences.

CONCLUSIONThese result suggested that HLA-DRB1 * 0901, DQB1 * 03032 might protect the H. pylori infection in Han ethnic population in Kunming.

Adolescent ; Alleles ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Female ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; HLA-DQ beta-Chains ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Helicobacter Infections ; epidemiology ; genetics ; immunology ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of estrogen and progestin on the blood levels of nitric oxide and angiotensin II in aid of the application of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women.

METHODSThe serum nitric oxide and plasma angiotensin II levels in postmenopausal women were determined before and 3 months after oral intake of estradiol valerate 1 mg/day (n = 10) or estradiol valerate, 1 mg/d plus medroxyprogesterone acetate, 2 mg/d (n = 30).

RESULTSThe serum nitric oxide levels of postmenopausal women were significantly increased by 3 months of oral estradiol valerate 1 mg/d (P < 0.05), whereas the plasma levels of angiotensin II tended to decrease. The positive correlation between the increases of nitric oxide and the changes of estradial 3 months after oral intake of estradiol valerate 1 mg/d was significant. Compared with the baseline, no significant changes were observed in both serum nitric oxide levels and plasma angiotensin II levels 3 months after oral intake of estradiol valerate, 1 mg/d plus medroxyprogesterone acetate, 2 mg/d (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe vascular functions can be improved through increasing the serum nitric oxide level after 3-month oral intake of estradiol valerate, 1 mg/d in postmenopausal women, and estradiol valerate plus medroxyprogesterone acetate intake may attenuate the beneficial effects.

Adult ; Angiotensin II ; blood ; Estradiol ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Postmenopause ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study if there is any association between frequency of HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 genes and susceptibility or resistance to Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection among children of Yi ethnic group in Kunming for understanding the immunogenetic features of the digestive diseases associated with Hp infection.

METHODSPeripherial blood samples were collected from 156 children of Yi ethnic group in a primary school in Kunming city by cluster sampling and the blood Hp-IgG tests (ELISA) were performed. The samples were divided into two groups (Hp-IgG-positive group and Hp-IgG-negative group) according to the blood Hp-IgG test results. There were 61 children in Hp-IgG-positive group and 95 children in Hp-IgG-negative group. Forty children who were chosen from each group by simple random sampling underwent (13)carbon-urea breath test ((13)C-UBT). Thirty-three children who were Hp-IgG-positive and (13)C-UBT-positive were defined as currently Hp- infected group; 39 children who were Hp-IgG-negative and (13)C-UBT-negative were defined as Hp-non-infected group. DNA specimens were extracted from the lymphocytes of their peripheral blood samples. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 DNA typing was performed by using polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). HLA-DRB1, DQB1 allelic frequency distribution among currently Hp infected and non-infected children was compared.

RESULTSHLA-DRB1 * 12 gene frequency among children in Hp non-infected group was higher than that in the currently Hp-infected group (42.31% vs. 14.52%, P < 0.001, Pc < 0.012); however, HLA-DRB1 * 11 gene frequency in the Hp-non-infected group was lower than that in the currently Hp-infected group (3.85% vs. 12.9%, P < 0.05, Pc > 0.05). HLA-DQB1 * 0301 gene frequency in the Hp non-infected group was higher than that in the currently Hp-infected group (55.13% vs. 32.26%, P < 0.007, Pc < 0.05); however, HLA-DQB1 * 04 gene frequency in the Hp non-infected group was lower than that in currently Hp infected group (2.56% vs. 11.29%, P < 0.05, Pc > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHLA-DRB1 * 12 and HLA-DQB1 * 0301 gene may be associated with protection against Hp infection in Kunming Yi ethnic group children. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to clarify if HLA-DRB1 * 11 and HLA-DQB1 * 04 are associated with susceptible gene to Hp infection.

Adolescent ; Child ; China ; ethnology ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DQ beta-Chains ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Helicobacter Infections ; ethnology ; genetics ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans

Objective To investigate the effect of Jiawei Naotaifang on neuronal apoptosis and the mechanism in ovariectomized rats with cerebral ischemia. Methods Female Sprague-Dawley rats(n=40)were randomly divided into sham group(n=10),model group(n=10),es-trogen group(n=10)and Jiawei Naotaifang group(n=10).The model group,estrogen group and Jiawei Naotai-fang group were ovariectomized.Eleven days after ovariectomy,the estrogen group and Jiawei Naotaifang group were given estrogen and Jiawei Naotaifang respectively intragastrically for three days.14 days after ovariecto-my,the model group,estrogen group and Jiawei Naotaifang group were modeled cerebral ischemia with Langa's method.24 hours after modeling,the apoptosis rate of neurons was detected with TUNEL,and the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(ERK1/2)and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(p-JNK)in hippocampus were de-tected with Western blotting. Results Compared with the model group, the apoptosis rates decreased in Jiawei Naotaifang group and the estrogen group(P<0.001),with more activation of ERK1/2(P<0.01)and less activation of JNK(P<0.01). Conclusion Jiawei Naotaifang can protect neuron from apoptosis by promoting the activation of ERK1/2 and inhibiting the activation of p-JNK.

OBJECTIVETo understand whole body bone mineral and body composition changes in normal subjects, and study the relationship between body composition and bone mineral.

METHODS292 normal subjects aged 10-79 years old, including 140 males and 152 females, were selected to be measured bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) lean and fat of whole body by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Individuals were divided into age-groups by every ten years and were analyzed by statistical methods.

RESULTSIn males, peak values of BMC, BMD, lean and fat were in the 30-39, 20-39, 30-39, 70-79 age-groups. In females, they were in the 30-39, 30-39, 30-49, 50-69 age-groups respectively. Peak values of BMC, BMD and lean were higher in males than that in females, but peak value of BMD was not significantly higher in males than that in females. Peak value of fat was higher in females than that in males. Loss of BMC and BMD for females were more pronounced than that for males. Loss of lean for males was more pronounced than that for females. There are significant positive correlation between lean, weight and bone mineral in males and females. Fat has significant effect on BMC in females only.

CONCLUSIONSThe normal bone mineral and body composition data of whole body for males and females, and the characteristic of changes with aging are provided for analyzing the relationship between bone mineral and body composition with ease.

Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Body Composition ; Bone Density ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo examine sensitivity of the tree shrews and Macaca assamensis to human hepatitis B virus (HHBV) by serologic methods.

METHODSTotally 233 tree shrews and 28 Macaca assamensis were inoculated with human sera containing HBV. After inoculation, the sera were collected weekly from them and HBV markers were detected with HBV ditecting ELISA kits.

RESULTSNinety percent of the tree shrews developed acute infection, among them, 44.4 % persisted for over one year, 33.3% of them developed chronic infection persisted for 2 years and one month; the persistence of HBV in Macaca assamensis was much shorter.

CONCLUSIONThese data clearly indicated that tree shrew may be used as an animal model for study of chronic HBV infection, whereas, Macaca assamensis, showed only a transient sensitivity to HHBV.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Macaca ; Male ; Tupaiidae

OBJECTIVETo detect gene mutations associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Chinese patients and possible correlations between genotype and phenotype.

METHODSTwenty-one unrelated patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were studied. The clinical data including symptoms, physical examination, echocardiography and electrocardiography were collected. The full ecoding exons of cardiac myosin-binding protein C gene (cMYBPC3) were amplified with PCR and the products were sequenced.

RESULTSTwo mutations were identified in probands from two families. One mutation was frame shift mutation Pro1208fs in the exon 32 of the cMYBPC3 gene. Pro1208fs mutation was identified in a 59 years old female patient with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Symptom onset was late and a favorable clinical course was evidenced in this patient. Another mutation was missence mutation Gly507Arg in the exon 17 of the MYBPC3 gene identified in a 24 years old male patient. Diffuse thickness of left ventricular wall, impaired diastolic function and enlarged left atria were evidenced in echocardiography. No mutation was identified in the 80 control healthy individuals.

CONCLUSIONcMYBPC3 might be the disease-causing genes in Chinese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; genetics ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Exons ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; Young Adult