Biomarkers ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Critical Illness ; Early Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Peptides ; blood ; Severity of Illness Index ; Trefoil Factor-2

Objective To investigate the expression changes of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-kB) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)in rats with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)and the effect of pretreatment of pioglitazone,a specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor?(PPAR?),)ligand, on the development of SAP.Methods Fifty-four SD rats were divided into sham operation group(C), SAP group(A)and pioglitazone pretreatment group(Ⅰ).The SAP was induced by retrograde infusion of 5% sodium taurocholate(0.1 ml/100 g)into the biliopancreatic duct.The rats inⅠgroup were intraperi- toneally injected with pioglitazone(2 mg/100 g)two hours before operation.The rats were sacrificed at 3,6 and 12 hrs,the blood,ascites and pancreatic tissues were collected(6 rats once for each group). The expressions of NF-kB and ICAM-1 in pancreatic tissues were measured by immunochemistry,mean- while the serum amylase,the amount of ascitic,pancreatic wet/dry ratio were measured.The pathologi- cal changes of pancreatic tissues were observed by immunochemistry staining with hematoxylin and eosin and the score of the tissues were evaluated.Results Pretreatment with pioglitazone could significantly attenuated the severity of SAP,including reduction of amylase and ascites,and the mass and pathological scores of the pancreatic tissue were decreased after 6 hrs of medication.The expression of ICAM-1 and NF-kB activity were inhibited.Conclusions Above findings demonstrate that pioglitazone can attenuate the severity of SAP by inhibition of ICAM-1 expression and NF-kB activation.The beneficial effects of pioglitazone might be due to its anti-inflammatory activities.The pioglitazone can be used as a new drug in treatment of SAP.

Objective To develop a standard and procedural protocol for the perioperative management of thymectomy for myasthenia gravis(MG) patients and thus to reduce the incidence of MG crisis.Methods From June 1996 to March 2016,466 MG cases received thymectomy we continuously explored key technologies of surgical treatment for MG 466 patients,there were 209 male cases and 259 female cases,with age ranging from 5 to 77 years and chief complaint history ranging from 12 days to 18 years.Symptoms included drooping eyelids,double vision,weakness,shortness of breath,coughing,dysarthria,and difficulties in swallowing and chewing.According to the modified Osserman classification,there were 248 type Ⅰ MG cases,58 type Ⅱa MG cases,66 type Ⅱb MG cases,71 type Ⅲ MG cases,and 23 type Ⅳ MG cases respectively.116 cases received thymecotomy via full sternotomy,204 cases via J type semi-sternotomy,and 146 case via thoracoscopy (including 13 cases via sub-xiphoid approach).Results Perioperatively one case died of sudden death,another patient died of respiratory failure after the second operation for metastatic thymoma,with a mortality rate of 0.42％ (2/466);13 cases had M G crisis (13/466);Six cases underwent tracheotomy (6/466);2 cases had plasmapheresis hypotonic syndrome (accounting for 3.4％ in plasmapheresis cases) and were reoperated to stop bleeding.Postoperatively pathological diagnosis was made,including three thymic atrophy cases,272 thymic hyperplasia cases,178 thymoma cases,and 13 thymic cyst cases.Conclusion A standard and procedural protocol for the perioperative management of thymectomy for MG patients can be developed,which can reduce the morbidity of MG crisis and the incidence of tracheotomy.

Objective To investigate the effect of local injection of Botulinum toxin type A(BTXA) on spasticity and function of the affected upper limb in stroke patients.Methods A total of 32 stroke patients were re- cruited and randomly divided into two groups:a BTXA group and a control group.All the patients had spasticity of upper limb muscles,which scored grade 2 to 3 with the Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS) ,and decreased elbow joint range of motion.The 16 patients in the BTXA group received BTXA injection in the biceps brachii muscles and flexor muscles of forearm on 10～15 points,while those in the control group did not.All the patients in both groups were treated with rehabilitation training techniques.The MAS,Fugl-Meyer upper limb function assessment and Barthel In- dex were employed to evaluate the changes of muscle tone,upper limb function and activity of living (ADL)perform- ance of the patients before injection and at 1st,2nd,6th 12th weeks after injection.Results The therapeutic effect between the BTXA group anti control group was significantly different in terms of biceps muscle tone,the scores of Fugl-Meyer upper limb function assessment and Barthel Index.Compared with preinjection,muscle tone was de- creased significantly and ADL performance was improved after injection in BTXA group.The effects of BTXA lasted more than 12 weeks.Conclusion Intramuscular muhipoint injection of BTXA was useful in reducing muscle spas- ticity,and was helpful for increasing motor ability of the affected upper limb and ADL performance of the stroke pa- tients.

Pseudomonas sp. M18, one of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, can produce secondary metabolites including phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) and pyoluteorin (Plt). PA2572 gene coding protein is a probable two-component response regulator in Pseudomonas according to homologous speculations. In order to investigate its genetic function, PA2572 homologous gene, ppbR, was amplified from M18 genome, inactivated by inserting a Gm cassette. The resulting reconstruct was introduced into the M18 genome using homologous recombination technique, so as to obtain the null mutant M18P. The results showed that the M18P has less flagellar swimming and swarming motility, and yielded fewer PCA. The production of PCA was only 50% of the wild type. However, there was no remarkable difference between mutant and wild type in producing pyoluteorin in KMB medium.

Objective To observe the effects of low-intensity(650 nm,5 mW)laser irradiation on the pathological changes associated with aortic atherosclerosis using a rabbit model.Methods Thirty-six male Zelanian rabbits were randomly divided into 4 equal groups:a control group,a laser irradiation group,a simvastatin treatment group and a laser plus simvastatin group,and were treated accordingly.After being fed the basic diet for a week,all the animals were fed a high fat diet during the experiment.Blood samples were taken for lipid assay at the 60th day. The animals were sacrificed at the 61st day and their aortas removed for gross and microscopic examination.Any pathological changes were graded as mild,intermediate or severe according to the indicators of atherosclerosis observed.Results There were no significant differences in blood fat levels among the four groups before the experi- ment,but significant differences in serum triglyceride prevailed after the treatments.Low-density lipoprotein(LDL)- C level in the control group was significantly higher than those in the laser irradiation,simvastatin treatment and laser plus simvastatin groups.There was also a very significant difference in high-density lipoprotein(HDL)-C levels among the laser irradiation group,the laser plus simvastatin group and the control group.The pathological changes observed were correlated with blood fat levels.Mild atherosclerosis was found in the treated groups,but severe or in- termediate atherosclerosis was more prevalent in the control group.Conclusion Low-intensity laser irradiation a- lone or combined with simvastatin can significantly decrease blood lipid levels and the severity of pathological changes associated with aortic atherosclerosis in this animal model.

In view of the effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of clinical depression, the mechanism is not clear, this study attempts to research the cause of depression in a complex situation to lay the foundation for the next step of TCM curative effect evaluation. Based on the brain wave of 120 depression patients and 40 ordinary person, the change regulation of acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, depression neurotransmitters and excited neurotransmitters in the whole and various encephalic regions' multi-neurotransmitters of depression patients-serotonin are analysed by search of encephalo-telex (SET) system, which lays the foundation for the diagnosis of depression. The result showed that: contrased with the normal person group, the mean value of the six neurotransmitters in depression patients group are: (1) in the whole encephalic region of depression patients group the dopamine fall (P < 0.05), and in the double centralregions, right temporal region and right parietal region distinct fall (P < 0.01); (2) in the right temporal region of depression patients group the serotonin rise (P < 0.05); (3) in the right central region, left parietal region of depression patients group the acetylcholine fall (P < 0.05), left rear temporal region fall obviously (P < 0.01). The correlation research between antagonizing pairs of neurotransmitters and neurotransmitters: (1) the three antagonizing pairs of neurotransmitters-serotonin and dopamine, acetylcholine and norepinephrine, depression neurotransmitters and excited neurotransmitters, in ordinary person group and depression patients group are characterizeed by middle or strong negative correlation. Serotonin and dopamine, which are characterized by weak negative correlation in the right rear temporal region of ordinary person group, are characterized by strong negative correlation in the other encephalic regions and the whole encephalic (ordinary person group except the right rear temporal region: the range of [r] is [0.82, 0.92], P < 0.01)/(depression patients group:the range of [r] is [0.88, 0.94], P < 0.01); acetylcholine and norepinephrine, in the whole and various encephalic region are characterized by middle negative correlation(ordinary person group:the range of [r] is [0.39, 0.76], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05)/(depression patients group: the range of [Ir] is [0.56, 0.64], P < 0.01); depression neurotransmitters and excited neurotransmitters are characterized by middle strong negative correlation (ordinary person group: the range of [r] is [0.57, 0.80], P < 0.01)/(depression patients group: the range of [r] is [0.68, 0.78], P < 0.01). (2) The two neurotransmitters which are not antagonizing pairs of neurotransmitters, serotonin and excited neurotransmitters, or acetylcholine and depression neurotra-nsmitters, or dopamine and depression neurotransmitters in the various encephalic regions are characterized by weak negative correlation. Serotonin and excited neurotransmitters are characterizeed by weak negative correlation (ordinary person group: in the right central region, left parietal region, double front temporal regions, right rear temporal region, the range of [r] is [0.25, 0.50], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05)/(depression patients group: in the whole encephalic regions, double parietal regions, double occipital regions, right front temporal region, left central region, left frontal region, the range of [r] is [0.18, 0.37], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); acetylcholine and depression, neurotransmitters are characterized by weak negative correlation (ordinary person group: in the double frontal regions, left parietal region, left front temporal region, right rear temporal region, the range of [r] is [0.31, 0.46], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05)/(depression patients group: in double rear temporal regions, right front temporal region, double occipital regions, left central region, the range of [r] is [0.20, 0.32] , P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); do-pamine and depression neurotransmitters are characterized by weak middle negative correlation (ordinary person group: in left parietal region, right central region, left frontal region, left occipital region, double front temporal regions, the range of [r] is [0.33, 0.68], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05)/(depression patients group: in the whole region and other various regions except the left frontal region, right central region, the range of Irl is [0.21, 0.34], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Dopamine and acetylcholine or norepinephrine and serotonin are characterized by weak positive correlation in all encephalic regions. Dopamine and acetylcholine are characterized by weak positive correlation (ordinary person group: in left frontal region, right parietal region, left front temporal region and left rear temporal region, the range of [r] is [0.37, 0.46], P < 0.01)/(depression patients group: in the whole region and the orther various regions except the double central regions, the range of [r] is [0.23, 0.5], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); norepinephrine and serotonin are characterized by weak positive correlation (ordinary person group: in double front temporal regions, double rear temporal regions, right frontal region and left parietal region, the range of [r] is [0.34, 0.48], P < 0.01 or P < 0.05)/(depression patients group: in the whole and various regions, the range of [r] is [0.18, 0.42], P < 0.01). The main differences between the depression patients group and ordinary person group are: (1) In the whole regin, left frontal region and right central region of depression patients group, the six neurotransmitters all fall normally (P < 0.05). (2) The percent of dopamine falling or including dopamine falling, or including dopamine falling and serotonin rising in depression patients group increases. The percent of dopamine falling or including dopamine falling in the whole region, right frontal region, right central region increases (P < 0.01), such as dopamine decreasing, serotonin increasing dopamine decreasing, serotonin increasing acetylcholine decreasing dopamine decreasing, dopamine decreasing norepinephrine increasing depression neurotransmitters decreasing, serotonin increasing acetylcholine decreasing dopamine decreasing neurotransmitters increasing and so on. (3) The percent of acetylcholine falling, or including acetylcholine falling, or including acetylcholine falling and neurotransmitters (beta)-receptor)rising in depression patients group increases. The percent of acetylcholine falling, or including acetylcholine falling in the right temporal region, double central regions increases (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), such as acetylcholine decreasing, acetylcholine decreasing neurotransmitters increaseng, acetylcholine decreasing neurotransmitters increasing depression neurotransmitters decreasing, serotonin increasing acetylcholine decreasing dopamine decreasing neurotransmitters increasing and so on. It's showed in research that depression patients' brain are characterized by multi-neurotransmitters abnormal, the synchronous change of multi-neurotransmitters has some certain regularities, which are not the simple linear relation. It's conformed that the three antagonizing pairs, neurotransmitters-serotonin and dopamine, acetylcholine and norepinephrine, depression eurotransmitters and excited neurotransmitters of ordinary person group and depression patients group, are both characterized by strong antagonizing relation, that the two neurotransmitters which are not antagonizing pairs of neurotransmitters are characterized by weak positive correlation or negative correlation, prompt maybe has the indirect causal relationship. And the change of six neurotransmitters in depression patients' various encephalic regions is rather complex. It's conformed preliminarily that the right frontal region and right central region are characterized by dopamine decreasing, acetylcholine decreasing, serotonin increasing dopamine decreasing, serotonin increasing acetylcholine decreasing dopamine decreasing, dopamine decreasing norepinephrine increasing excited neurotransmitters decreasing, serotonin increasing acetylcholine decreasing dopamine decreasing neurotransmitters increasing, acetylchoine decreasing neurotransmitters increasing, acetylcholine decreasing neurotransmitters increasing excited neurotransmitters decreasing and so on. Contrasted with the ordinary person group, the depression patients group have the notable difference.
Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Depression ; metabolism ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Norepinephrine ; metabolism ; Serotonin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

AIMTo determine the age-adjusted prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in 3 big cities of China and to explore its potential sociodemographic, medical and lifestyle correlates.

METHODSA cross-sectional, population-based survey was conducted in three cities of China. Structured questionnaires were administered to 2 226 men, aged 20 - 86 years, by trained interviewers.

RESULTSThe age-adjusted prevalence of ED was 28.34 % (mild 15.99 %, moderate 7.14 %, severe 5.21 %). In the men above 40, the prevalence was 40.2 %. Age was positively correlated with ED (P<0.01). Education was negatively correlated with ED (P<0.01). Spouse companionship, living condition were positively correlated with ED (P<0.01). Histories of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were positively correlated with ED (P<0.01). Cigarette smoking was not correlated with ED (P>0.05), while the cigarette consumption and duration were positively correlated with ED (P<0.01). Alcohol drinking is negatively correlated with ED (P<0.01). The duration of drinking was positively correlated with ED (P<0.01). Weekly alcohol consumption was not correlated with ED (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of ED increased with age. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were positively correlated with the increased prevalence. Sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, such as education, spouse companionship, living condition, cigarette and alcohol consumption or duration also have association with the prevalence of ED.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; complications ; epidemiology ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; epidemiology ; Education ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; complications ; epidemiology ; Life Style ; Male ; Marriage ; Middle Aged ; Population ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; physiopathology ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the knowledge of and attitude to sexual dysfunction in aged men, and to discuss the status and needs of male healthcare.

METHODSTwo thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight men (40-70 years old) were surveyed on sexual dysfunction using the randomized questionnaire in Xicheng District, Beijing.

RESULTSThe prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was 41.2%, and only 12.1% ED patients were to see the doctor. 52.4% aged men thought the sexual life was important or very important during the life, and 55.6% thought ED would exert negative impact on the quality of life and the partner relationship. Although 27.4% knew that ED was a kind of disease, 49.0% thought ED was a nature rule. Compare to the 41.2% ED prevalence, only 9.7% male were dissatisfied with their sexual life, and later ratio was 14.1% among the partner.

CONCLUSIONIn China, the status of the knowledge of and attitude to sexual dysfunction in aged men was unsatisfactory to some extent. There is a lot of work to do especially in sexual healthcare education and improvement on diagnostic and treatment of sexual dysfunction.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Coitus ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Alzheimer Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Fluorescent Dyes ; chemistry ; Humans ; Mice ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Staining and Labeling ; Thiazoles ; chemistry