OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in a rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSThirty male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, diabetes group and treatment group( n = 10). Intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin was utilized to establish a rat model of DCM. The rats with DCM in treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with NaHS solution. After treated for 12 weeks, the hearts isolated from rats were perfused on a langendorff apparatus. The ventricular hemodynamic parameters were measured. The ultrastructures of myocardium were observed using electron microscopy. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in myocardial tissue were determined by spectrophotometry. The expressions of C/EBP homologous protein( CHOP), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and Caspase 12 at mRNA level in myocardium were detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the cardiac function and myocardial ultrastructure were damaged obviously in diabetic rats. In myocardial tissue, the content of MDA was increased, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased. CHOP, GRP78 and Caspase 12 mRNA expressions were increased significantly. Compared with diabetes group, cardiac function and myocardial ultrastructure damage were improved in treatment group. The content of MDA was decreased, while the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were increased significantly. The mRNA levels of CHOP, GRP78 and Caspase 12 were increased.

CONCLUSIONH2S can protect myocardium in diabetic rats, maybe it is related to reduce oxidative stress damage and inhibition of the ERS-induced apoptosis pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 12 ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; pharmacology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Streptozocin ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of job psychological demands and job control on mental health and their interaction.

METHODS93 male freight train dispatchers were evaluated by using revised Job Demand-Control Scale and 7 strain scales. Stepwise regression analysis, Univariate ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H and Modian methods were used in statistic analysis.

RESULTSKruskal-Wallis H and Modian methods analysis revealed the difference in mental health scores among groups of decision latitude (mean rank 55.57, 47.95, 48.42, 33.50, P < 0.05), the differences in scores of mental health (37.45, 40.01, 58.35), job satisfaction (53.18, 46.91, 32.43), daily life strains (33.00, 44.96, 56.12) and depression (36.45, 42.25, 53.61) among groups of job time demands (P < 0.05) were all statistically significant. ANOVA showed that job time demands and decision latitude had interaction effects on physical complains (R(2) = 0.24), state-anxiety (R(2) = 0.26), and daytime fatigue (R(2) = 0.28) (P < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed a significant job time demands and job decision latitude interaction effect as well as significant main effects of the some independent variables on different job strains (R(2) > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJob time demands and job decision latitude have direct and interactive effects on psychosomatic health, the more time demands, the more psychological strains, the effect of job time demands is greater than that of job decision latitude.

Humans ; Mental Health ; Occupational Diseases ; psychology ; Regression Analysis ; Stress, Psychological ; psychology

OBJECTIVEThough myasthenia gravis (MG) is a typical autoimmune disorder, there was some controversy on the treatment of the childhood-onset MG. By observing the efficacy of different therapies, the authors analyzed the affecting factors of prognosis in childhood-onset MG.

METHODThe retrospective data of 155 patients with childhood-onset MG (age of MG onset was less than 15 years) were collected from Department of Neurology, Beijing Tongren Hospital (January 2000 - February 2010). The patients were non-randomly divided according to their treatment into 3 groups (glucocorticoid, thymectomy and glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy groups). Postintervention status meeting the criteria of Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) "complete stable remission, CSR", "pharmacologic remission, PR", "minimal manifestations, MM", or "Improved, I" was regarded as desirable response, which was used as primary indicator of observation. The authors assessed the efficacy of three therapies and analyzed the influencing factors of prognosis by using Chi-square test and Logistic regression.

RESULTAt 3 months of treatment, glucocorticoid group showed the highest effective rate. At the end of 1 year or 2 years of treatment, glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy group showed the highest effective rate respectively. The generalization rate of MG at 2 years, 10 years and 20 years in childhood-onset ocular MG patients were 4.3%, 10.7%, and 41.5%, respectively. Of patients with generalization of MG, 48.1% occurred within 2 years, 92.6% within 20 years. Univariate analysis showed that in childhood-onset ocular MG patients, variables such as age at onset (> 10 years), LG-MG and with chronic fatigue were significantly associated with general MG conversion. Whereas multivariate analysis showed that patients with age at onset (> 10 years) and chronic muscle fatigue were apt to convert to generalized MG.

CONCLUSIONGlucocorticoid appeared to have an effect that leads to early remission of symptoms in childhood-onset MG patients and glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy appeared to have better long-term effect. For those childhood-onset ocular MG patients with longer course of disease, older age of onset, chronic fatigue, or LG-MG, physicians should try to prevent the generalization of MG by immunosuppressive therapies.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Myasthenia Gravis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymectomy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the predictors of depression in patients with chronic prostatitis (CP).

METHODSWe enlisted 49 CP patients in this study, and evaluated their clinical symptoms with NIH-CPSI and IIEF-5, their depression symptoms with the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), their trait-oriented coping styles with the Trait-Oriented Coping Styles Questionnaire (TCSQ), and their illness perceptions with the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). We conducted Pearson correlation analysis on the correlation of depression with the clinical symptoms of the patients and used multivariate Logistic regression models to analyze the predictors of their depression.

RESULTSPain or discomfort, urination symptoms, impact of symptoms and total score in NIH showed a significant positive correlation with depression symptoms, but a negative correlation with erectile function (r = 0.32, 0.31, 0.35, 0.38, and -0.36, P<0.05). Besides, 43.4% of the depression symptoms in the CP patients could be explained by negative trait-oriented coping and disease impact factors (R2 = 0.434, adjusted R2 = 0.456, F = 14.853, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONDepression symptoms are closely associated with clinical symptoms, and negative trait-oriented coping and disease impact factors are the main predictors of depression in CP patients.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; etiology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prostatitis ; psychology ; Self-Assessment ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe and compare the effects of 17beta-estradiol (EST) on the phasic and tonic contractile activities of the uterine smooth muscles of SD rats in vitro.

METHODSDifferent concentrations of 17beta-estradiol were added into the perfusion muscular sockets containing uterine smooth muscles of SD rats, and the activities of muscle contraction were recorded at the same time.

RESULTS17beta-estradiol had obvious depression effects on spontaneous rhythmic contraction of the uterine smooth muscles in a concentration-dependent manner, it could considerably decrease muscular tension, the mean amplitudes and frequencies of contractile waves (P < 0.01); it could also suppress the uterine contraction stimulated by KCl, CaCl2 or prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha). Based on the contraction of uterine smooth muscle stimulated by KCl, IC50 was 7.278 micromol/L and pD2 was -0.862 when calculated by linear regression method. 17beta-estradiol could also inhibit the maximal CaC12 contraction of uterine smooth muscle in the Ca2+ free Krebs solution, which the ECQ was 1.422 x 10(-3) mol/L, pD2 was 2.847 (control), but the E50 was 3.028 x 10(-3) mol/L, p2 was 2.519 (added with EST) when calculated by linear regression method.

CONCLUSIONThe depression effects of 17beta-estradiol on the spontaneous rhythmic contraction and activated contraction of the uterine smooth muscles of SD rats could be mediated through the blockage of C2+ influx through potential-dependent Ca2+ channels of plasma membrane.

Animals ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Myometrium ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterine Contraction ; drug effects

Amino Acids ; metabolism ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Male ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Neurons ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Synapses ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure

Objective To observe the risk factors and prevalence status of hypertension at the Guangxi Zhuang-rural region.Methods Through cross-sectional survey,Xinlan village (Ethnic-Zhuang tribe village) in Liangqing District of Nanning was chosen as survey site.Select Zhuang-ethnic villagers (age≥18 years,living time ≥ 6 months per year) as survey subjects.Questionnaire survey and examinations including blood pressure measurement,blood tests,and urine test were made by trained medical professionals.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of hypertension.Results Complete data were obtained in 2036 residents.The hypertension prevalence rate was 11.6％ (237/2036) [12.5％ (110/883) for male,l1.0％ (127/1153) for female],adjusted prevalence rate was 10.7％ (11.3％ for male,10.4％ for female) based on the population of Guangxi in 2010.Hypertension awareness rate was 36.3％ (86/237),therapy rate was 22.8％ (54/237),and control rate was 11.0％ (26/237).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR =1.06,95％ CI:1.05-1.08,P ＜ 0.01),alcohol drinking habit (OR =1.92,95％ CI:1.25-2.95,P ＜ 0.01),high salt diet(OR =1.48,95％ CI:1.04-2.10,P ＜ 0.05),diabetes (OR =7.03,95％ CI:1.94-25.44,P ＜0.01),obesity (OR =1.20,95 ％ CI:1.15-1.25,P ＜ 0.01) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR =1.12,95％ CI:1.03-1.22,P ＜0.01) were risk factors for hypertension in this cohort.Conclusions Prevalence rate is slightly lower in adult of the Guangxi Zhuang-rural areas than national or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region levels,but hypertension awareness,therapy and control rates in this cohort are not satisfactory.Targeted strategies are needed to improve the prevention and therapy of hypertension in this region.

The objective of this study was to estimate a novel apoptosis-promoting molecule PDCD5 expression in the bone marrow cells from adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for investigation of its significance in the pathogenesis of AML. Flow cytometry assay was used for detection of PDCD5 expression in the different groups of cells from bone marrow of AML patients and normal controls by using 21 monoclonal antibodies with different fluorescent markers. The PDCD5 expressions in bone marrow cells from some AML patients and normal controls were also detected by Western blot. The results showed that the mean PDCD5 fluorescence intensity in bone marrow nucleated cells (MNC) from the bone marrow of 36 untreated AML patients was significantly lower than that from the bone marrow of 30 normal controls (3059 +/- 1392) vs (7432 +/- 1261) (P < 0.01). The mean PDCD5 fluorescence intensity was lower in the marrow granulocytes, monocytes, blast cells, and lymphocytes from untreated AML patients than that from normal (3939 +/- 2121) vs (8367 +/- 1045); (3156 +/- 1635) vs (5917 +/- 2329); (2824 +/- 1592) vs (3998 +/- 2106); (1474 +/- 816) vs (3355 +/- 2042) respectively, (all P < 0.01). Western blot analysis demonstrated that PDCD5 expression was significantly decreased in the AML cells, as compared with normal cells. It is concluded that PDCD5 expression in MNC in untreated AML patients is lower than that in the normal. PDCD5 expression in the marrow granulocytes, monocytes, blast cells, and lymphocytes of untreated AML patients is significantly lower than that in the normal. It suggests that the abnormally low expression of PDCD5 may be involved in the pathogenesis of AML.
Apoptosis ; physiology ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism

Objective To assess the limit of detection(LOD),sensitivity and specificity of collodial gold immunochrom-atography(GICA)products purchased from two manufacturers under special environmental conditions.Methods The sensitivity and specificity of GICA made in InTec Products, INC.and Beijing WANTAI Biological Pharmacy Enterprise Co., LTD.for detecting HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-Treponema pallidum(TP)serum samples were evaluated under different conditions(conventional facilities,simulated hot and humid environments and simulated low pressure and hypoxia environments)according to the protocol of kits.LOD was estimated by detecting the standard materials obtained from the National Center for Clinical Laboratory(NCCL)of China.Results LOD for syphilis improved from 2 NCU to 1 NCU using GICA from InTec Products in hot and humid environments.The extreme conditions did not influence the specificity of GICA from the two manufacturers in the course of detection of clinical samples,but the sensitivity of detection was affected.For InTec Products,the sensitivity of hepatitis B virus and syphilis detection was improved in hot and humid environments,but was reduced in low pressure and hypoxia environments.In addition,the sensitivity of hepatitis C virus detection by InTec Products decreased in hot and humid environments.As for WANTAI products,the sensitivity of hepatitis B virus detection was reduced under extreme conditions and that of hepatitis C virus was only influenced by hot and humid environments. Interestingly, extreme conditions had no impact on the sensitivity of syphilis.Conclusion LOD of InTec Products is better than that of the WANTAI products for detection of standard materials from blood-borne diseases.In the process of detecting clinical samples,the sensitivity of the two manufacturers′GICA is influenced by extreme conditions, with the specificity unchanged.Overall, WANTAI products are more stable than those of InTec, and are also less influenced by extreme conditions.

Objective To investigate the master situation and training needs of disaster rescue skills of nursing students from subjective and objective aspects in order to improve students' disaster rescue competencies.Methods Stratified and random sampling was used and self-designed questionnaires were used to investigate 377 nursing students.Results The score of training needs of disaster rescue knowledge and skills was (67.57 ± 12.886).The score of subjective and objective master situation respectively were (41.47 ±11.934) and (51.51 ± 18.343).The subjective master situation of disaster rescue knowledge and skills was significantly different with objective master situation,except call emergency phone (Z =-19.388,-19.554,-18.673,-13.078,-6.692,-17.004,-19.484,-19.388,-10.560,-3.144,-7.215,-8.619,-2.029,-6.600; P ＜ 0.05).Significant differences were found in the subjective and objective master situation among nurse students with different education degree or grade (F =8.922,8.553,4.554,P ＜ 0.05).No significant difference was found in training needs of the disaster rescue among nurses with different education degree and grade (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Nursing students knew little about disasters rescue knowledge and skills,and their disastrous rescue competencies need to be improved.So,schools and related departments should set up disaster rescue course to improve their disaster capability.