OBJECTIVETo compare the incidence of metabolic disorders (MS) in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) and essential hypertension (EH).

METHODSMS prevalence was observed in 200 EH patients (male 104) and 220 PA patients (male 117) hospitalized to our hospital from August 2005 to March 2007.

RESULTS(1) The prevalence of MS in PA group was significantly higher than that of EH group (47.3% vs. 31.5%, P = 0.009). (2) Blood pressure was significantly higher in PA group than that of EH [SBP: (150.67 +/- 15.45) mm Hg vs. (145.69 +/- 17.13) mm Hg, P = 0.042; DBP: (93.03 +/- 10.51) mm Hg vs. (85.83 +/- 14.44) mm Hg, P = 0.037]. (3) Incidences of abdominal obesity (86.8% vs. 78.5%, P = 0.024) and insulin resistance (insulin sensitivity index: 42.42 +/- 16.11 vs. 49.58 +/- 22.43, P = 0.008) were significantly higher in PA group than in EH group.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of MS in hospitalized PA patients was significantly higher than that of EH patients characterized by prevalent abdominal obesity, insulin resistant and severe hypertension.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Incidence ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the polymorphism distribution of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene Fok I in Mongolian population of China.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to analyze three genotypes FF, Ff and ff in the start codon of VDR gene (Fok I) in unrelated normal healthy Mongolian individuals of China.

RESULTSIn the population, we obtained the allelic frequencies of 57% and 43% for (F) and (f) allele and the percentage of genotypes FF, Ff and ff to be 31%, 52%, and 17% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphism frequency and distribution of this VDR gene Fok I in Mongolian population of China exhibit its own characteristics.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Population ; Population Groups ; genetics ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) strains subtypes in Shandong province and to study their source in order to predict the epidemic trend.

METHODSEpidemiological investigation was made and 93 DNA fragments of HIV-1 env, gag, tat gene were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction from people infected with HIV-1, in 2002 - 2003. Their C2-V3, P17/P24, 1st exon of tat and adjacent region were sequenced.

RESULTSSequence analysis showed that there were 7 HIV-1 strains or circulating recombinant forms (CRFs), B' (n = 71), CRF01-AE (n = 9), CRF07-BC (n = 3), CRF08-BC (n = 3), B (n = 2), C (n = 2), CRF02-AG (n = 2). B' strains was the predominant which, covered 10 cities and 4 kinds of population including blood donors, blood receivers, spouses of the infected people and clients of the sex workers. CRF07-BC, CRF08-BC strains were identified in 5 cities, mainly from injecting drug users. CRF01-AE and other strains were found distributed in developed cities, among sex workers.

CONCLUSIONThere were many kinds of subtypes and CRFs of HIV and their genomes which generated obvious variation in Shandong province, suggesting that they might facilitate the spread of the disease in Shandong province.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; genetics ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with diet adjustment and aerobic exercise and simple diet adjustment combined with aerobic exercise for treatment of simple obesity, in order to scientifically evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with diet adjustment and aerobic exercise for simple obesity.

METHODSSixty-one cases were randomly divided into an observation group (31 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The control group was treated with diet adjustment combined with aerobic exercise, on the basis of this, the observation group was treated with acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) etc., once a day, 15 days constituting one course. After three course of treatment, the changes of body weight and waist-hip ratio (WHR) in both groups were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter one course of treatment, both the body weight and WHR in the observation group were obviously lower than those of control group (both P < 0.05); after two courses of treatment, there were no significant differences of body weight and WHR between two groups (both P > 0.05); after three courses of treatment, the body weight of observation group was obviously lower than that of control group (P < 0.05), there was no significant difference of WHR between two groups (P > 0.05); the body weight and WHR of both groups were obviously decreased after treatment (both P < 0.01); the difference comparison of the body weight in observation group was obviously higher than that of control group before and after treatment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBoth two treatments can decrease the body weight and WHR of patients with simple obesity, while the effect of acupuncture combined with diet adjustment and aerobic exercise is more obvious in the early stage of the treatment for body weight and WHR.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Body Weight ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Exercise ; Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; diet therapy ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Waist-Hip Ratio ; Young Adult

The role of female partners in the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) is being paid more and more attention now. ED has serious adverse effects on the sexual experience of female partners, while the attitudes of female partners to ED will have a direct effect on seeking and continuing treatment behavior of ED patients. So it's necessary for clinicians to consider female partners in the clinical practice of ED. The evidence from a recently published clinical trial has demonstrated that vardenafil not only improved ED men's erectile function, but also improved the sexual quality of life for female partners, which was the ideal solution of ED couples.
Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Sexual Partners ; psychology ; Sulfones ; therapeutic use ; Triazines ; therapeutic use ; Vardenafil Dihydrochloride ; Vasodilator Agents ; therapeutic use

The injury of the penile cavernous nerve is a common cause of erectile dysfunction (ED). Reconstruction of the resected cavernous nerve can restore penile erectile function to normal. The methods for cavernous nerve repair include direct anastomosis, autotransplantation of the nerve, and substitution of the biodegradable artificial nerve, among which only autotransplantation of the sural nerve is used clinically at present. Besides, the nerve growth factor plays an important role in nerve reconstruction. This paper summarizes the methods of cavernous nerve reconstruction in the recent years.
Humans ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; Nerve Tissue ; surgery ; transplantation ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; innervation

AIMTo study the effect of chimonin on chronic hypoxia and hypercapnic pulmonary hypertension and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSSD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (A), hypoxic hypercapnic group(B), hypoxic hypercapnia + chimonin group (C). HO-1 and HO-1 mRNA was observed in pulmonary arterioles of rats by the technique of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTS(1) mPAP was significantly higher in rats of B group than that of A and C group. Differences of mCAP were not significant in three groups. (2) Blood CO concentration was significantly higher in rats of B group than that of A group, it was significantly higher in rats of C group than that of B group. (3) Light microscopy showed that WA/TA (vessel wall area/total area), SMC (the density of medial smooth muscle cell) and PAMT (the thickness of medial smooth cell layer) were significantly higher in rats of B group than those of A and C group. (4) Electron microscopy showed proliferation of medial smooth muscle cells and collagenous fibers of pulmonary arterioles in rats of B group, and chimonin could reverse the changes mentioned above. (5) HO-1 and HO-1 mRNA in pulmonary arterioles was significantly higher in rats of B group than that of A group, they were significantly higher in rats of C group than that of B group.

CONCLUSIONChimonin can inhibit hypoxic hypercapnia pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary vessel remodeling by further increasing the expression of HO-1 mRNA.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; metabolism ; Hypercapnia ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

HBV-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure is prevalent in mainland China.The prognosis of HBV-ACLF is poor.The mortality of HBV-ACLF is approximately 80％.Therefore,a prognostic indicator was needed in order to allow us to intervene as soon as possible.The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scoring system is widely used to predict the prognosis of liver failure.However,the assessment is too complex to restrict its application.This study aimed to investigate the expression ofIP-10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC),in order to explore the relationship between the expression and prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF.The mRNA level of IP-10 in PBMCs were analyzed in 80 patients with HBV-ACLF,40 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB)and 40 healthy people by fluorescent quantitative PCR.IP-10 mRNA level was significantly higher in the HBV-ACLF group than in the other two groups (P＜0.01).Group with MELD score below 30 had lower IP-10 mRNA level than group with MELD score over 30 (P＜0.05).The IP-10 mRNA level in PBMCs in positive group was higher than that in negative group (P＜0.01).With a threshold of 0.925,the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was 0.815.These findings suggest that assessment of IP-10 mRNA level in the PBMCs would be helpful for evaluating the disease severity and prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical therapeutic effect of the needling method for regulating wei and strengthening brain on insomnia.

METHODSTwo hundred cases of insomnia were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 100 cases in each group. The test group were treated with the needling method for regulating wei and strengthening brain with Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenmai (BL 62), Zhaohai (KI 6) and ear points Yuanzhong, Shenmen selected; and in the control group, Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenmen (HT 7) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected. Acupuncture was given once daily for 15 days. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was used for scoring before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 89.0% in the test group and 65.0% in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01); the difference of PSQI scores before and after was -9.15+/-5.68 in the test group and -5.64+/-5.73 in the control group, with a very significant difference before and after treatment in the two groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of the needling method for regulating wei and strengthening brain on insomnia is better than that of normal needling method.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo prepare and characterize polyelectrolyte multilayer film coated microbubbles for use as ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) and evaluate its effects in ultrasonic imaging on normal rabbit's liver parenchyma.

METHODSPerfluorocarbon (PFC)-containing microbubbles (ST68-PFC) were prepared by sonication based on surfactant (Span 60 and Tween 80). Subsequently, the resulting ST68-PFC microbubbles were coated using oppositely charged polyelectrolytes by microbubble-templated layer-by-layer self-assembly technique via electrostatic interaction. The enhancement effects in ultrasonic imaging on normal rabbit's liver parenchyma were assessed.

RESULTSThe obtained microbubbles exhibited a narrow size distribution. The polyelectrolytes were successfully assembled onto the surface of ST68-PFC microbubbles. In vivo experiment showed that polyelectrolyte multilayer film coated UCA effectively enhanced the imaging of rabbit's liver parenchyma.

CONCLUSIONSThe novel microbubbles UCA coated with polyelectrolyte multilayer, when enabled more function, has no obvious difference in enhancement effects compared with the pre-modified microbubbles. The polymers with chemically active groups (such as amino group and carboxyl group) can be used as the outermost layer for attachment of targeting ligands onto microbubbles, allowing selective targeting of the microbubbles to combine with desired sites.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; chemistry ; Electrolytes ; chemistry ; Fluorocarbons ; chemistry ; Liver ; diagnostic imaging ; Microbubbles ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Rabbits ; Surface Properties ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography