OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of arecoline on hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes rats and to elucidate its possible mechanism.

METHODSForty five Wistar rats were fed with high fructose diet for 12 weeks to induce type 2 diabetic rat model. rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8): control group, model group and model group were treated with different dose (0, 0.5, 1, 5 mg/kg) of arecoline. After 4 weeks, the fasting blood glucose, blood lipid and insulin level measured , mRNA expression of liver constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the protein expression of p-AKT and glucose transporter4 (GLUT4) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS1.5 mg/kg arecoline could significantly decrease the level of fasting blood glucose, blood lipid, blood insulin level and liver G6Pase, PEPCK, IL-6, TNF-alpha mRNA level in type 2 diabetes rats. 1.5 mg/kg arecoline also could significantly increase CAR, PXR mRNA level and p-AKT and GLUT4 protein expression.

CONCLUSIONArecoline improved hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes rats by increasing the mRNA levels of CAR and PXR leading to the creased glucose metabolism and inflammation related genes expression.

Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Glucose-6-Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; metabolism ; Receptors, Steroid ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial disease in which inflammation plays a central role.This study aimed to investigate the association of inflammatory markers such as the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR),the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score with in-hospital mortality of elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in an attempt to explore the prognostic value of these indices for elderly AMI patients.One thousand consecutive CAD patients were divided into two groups based on age 60.The laboratory and clinical characteristics were assessed retrospectively by reviewing the medical records.The NLR and GRACE score were calculated.In the elderly (≥60 years),patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) had significantly higher NLR than did those with unstable angina (UA) and stable angina pectoris (SAP) (P＜0.01).The NLR was considerably elevated in older AMI patients compared with their younger counterparts (＜60 years) (P＜0.05).In elderly AMI patients,the NLR was considerably higher in the high-risk group than in both the low-risk and medium-risk groups based on the GRACE score (P＜0.05 and P＜0.01,respectively),and the NLR was positively correlated with the GRACE score (r=0.322,P＜0.001).Either the NLR level or the GRACE score was significantly higher in the death group than in the surviving group (P＜0.05).By curve receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis,the optimal cut-off levels of 9.41 for NLR and 174 for GRACE score predicted in-hospital death [ROC area under the curve (AUC) 0.771 and 0.787,respectively,P＜0.001].It was concluded that an elevated NLR is a potential predictor of in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with AMI.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of nNOS and ultrastructural changes in the penile tissue of rats with prolactinoma-induced erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODSWe established the model of prolactinoma in 20 male Westar rats by peritoneal injection of diethylstilbestrol (DES) and treated the control rats with normal saline (n = 10) or sterilized arachis oil (n = 10). After 8 weeks, we performed the apomorphine test and measured the weight of the pituitary gland and the levels of serum prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T) to confirm the successful construction of the prolactinoma-induced ED model. Then we determined the expression of nNOS in the penile tissue by immunohistochemistry and examined the ultrastructural changes of the penile cavernosum under the transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSThe prolactinoma-induced ED model was successfully established in 15 rats. The weight of the pituitary gland was significantly increased in the rats treated with DES as compared with the normal saline and sterilized arachis oil controls ([46.7 ± 15.5] vs [11.7 ± 2.4] and [12.4 ± 2.3] mg, both P < 0.05). The level of serum PRL was markedly higher while that of T remarkably lower in the former than in the latter two groups ([1,744.9 ± 304.5] vs [11.5 ± 2.4] and [10.6 ± 1.9] ng/ml, both P < 0.0l; [1.54 ± 0.46] vs [3.11 ± 1.08] and [3.04 ± 1.11] ng/ml, both P < 0.05). The rate of penile erection was significantly reduced in the prolactinoma-induced ED model rats in comparison with the normal saline and arachis oil controls (16.7% vs 100% and 87.5%, both P < 0.05), and so was the expression of nNOS in the penile tissue (0.024 ± 0.011 vs 0.066 ± 0.019 and 0.058 ± 0.021, both P < 0.05). Transmission electron microscopy manifested significant ultrastructural changes in the endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the cavernous tissue in the prolactinoma-induced ED models.

CONCLUSIONThe ultrastructural changes of the penile cavernous tissue and the reduced expression of nNOS in penile tissue may be the most important mechanisms of prolactinoma-induced ED in rats.

Animals ; Apomorphine ; Carcinogens ; Diethylstilbestrol ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; ultrastructure ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Organ Size ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; complications ; Prolactin ; blood ; Prolactinoma ; chemically induced ; complications ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testosterone ; blood

Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; methods ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications

OBJECTIVETo study the possible association between C-reactive (CRP) and insulin resistance (IR) as well as the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes macrovascular complication.

METHODSSerum CRP was measured by ultrasensitive immuoturbidimetric, which was determined on type 2 diabetes (T2DM) with or without macrovascular complication (70 and 60 cases respectively) and on normal controls (90 cases). IR was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).

RESULTSResults showed that the concentration of CRP was higher in T2DM with or without macrovascular complications than that in the healthy subjects (P < 0.01), while it was higher in diabetic patients with macrovascular complications than that in diabetic patients without macrovascular complications (P < 0.01). In diabetic patients with macrovascular complications, person correlation analysis indicated that there existed positive correlations between CRP and FINS, HOMA-IR, triglyceride (TG) while stepwise linear regression showed that usCRP and HOMA-IR, TG having linear correlation.

CONCLUSIONCRP seemed to play a role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes, possibly was by the way of IR.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetes Complications ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Female ; Homeostasis ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) gene polymorphisms between the Uygurs and the Hans in Urumqi and the association of the polymorphisms with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

METHODSICP cases and controls from a hospital were recruited from April 2008 to April 2011,and a total of 105 ICP patients in Uygurs case group and 105 ICP patients in Hans case group were randomly selected, meanwhile, 105 Uygurs and 105 Hans healthy pregnant women were recruited as control group. The distribution of Rsa I and Alu I of ERbeta gene polymorphism were analyzed by PCR amplification and restriction and other molecular biology approaches. Data were analyzed by chi2 and Fisher exact probability.

RESULTSIn Uygurs case group, the genotype frequencies of rr, Rr,RR,aa, Aa and AA were 39.0% (41 cases), 50.5% (53 cases), 10.5% (11 cases), 62.7% (66 cases), 30.5% (32 cases), 6.8% (7 cases). In Uygurs control group, the frequencies were 21.0% (22 cases), 56.2% (59 cases), 22.8% (24 cases), 80.0% (84 cases), 18.1% (19 cases), 1.9% (2 cases). In Hans case group, the genotype frequencies of rr, Rr, RR, aa, Aa and AA were 40. 0% (42 cases), 45.7% (48 cases), 14.3% (15 cases), 66.7% (70 cases), 29.5% (31 cases), 3.8% (4 cases). In Hans control group,the frequencies were 29.5% (31 cases), 57.2% (60 cases), 13.3% (14 cases), 74.2% (78 cases), 23.8% (25 cases), 2.0% (2 cases). The genotype frequencies were not statistically significant between the two case groups and between the two control groups (all P values > 0.05), and between two Hans groups (P > 0.05). The frequencies of RRaa in the Uygur case group was lower(4. 76% ,5 cases)than control group (13.33%, 14 cases) (P <0.05), while the frequencies of rrAa in the Uygur case group was significantly higher (14. 29% ,15 cases)than control group (2.86%, 3 cases) (all P values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of ERbeta gene polymorphism is of no significant difference between the Uygurs and Hans, ERbeta gene polymorphism may correlate with pathogenesis of ICP in the Uygurs other than in the Hans, and rrAa might be risk factor for ICP in the Uygurs.

Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholestasis, Intrahepatic ; ethnology ; genetics ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Minority Groups ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; ethnology ; genetics ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the vulnerability to floods in Guangdong province at district level.

METHODSData were collected from the sixth census, the 2010 Statistical Yearbook of Guangdong, the 2010 Health Statistics Yearbook of Guangdong and China Disease Prevention and Control information systems, etc. The weight of each indicator was determined based on subjective method and objective method respectively; and finally the results of the two methods were compared.

RESULTS13 indicators were selected for the assessment of vulnerability to floods, including 6 sensitivity indicators, 5 adaptability indicators and 2 exposure indicators. Indicators with large weight (subjective weight/objective weight) were the proportion of population older than 65 years old (0.31/0.30), the proportion of population older than 65 years old (0.16/0.23), infant mortality rate (0.18/0.20), the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita (0.33/0.21), the proportion of illiterate in the population older than 15 years old (0.19/0.28), history frequency of floods (0.75/0.75). The mean vulnerability index (VI) calculated by subjective method was 0.35 with the standard deviation of 0.10; the mean vulnerability index calculated by objective method was 0.31 with the standard deviation of 0.08. The two weighting methods showed consistent results of vulnerability index (ICC = 0.975, P < 0.01). VI of most districts dropped in the interval of 0.30 - 0.39. Districts with subjective VI > 0.50 or objective VI > 0.40 should pay more attention to floods, including parts of the coastal areas, Beijiang River Basin, the eastern tributary area of Dongjiang River and the northern part of Pearl River Delta. Dapu district of Meizhou (0.55/0.45), Dianbai district and Maogang district of Maoming (0.54/0.48) were most vulnerable. Districts of Heyuan, Dongguan, Zhaoqing and Huizhou were less vulnerable, Yuancheng district of Heyuan showed least vulnerable to floods (0.15/0.12) followed by Dongguan (0.18/0.16), Duanzhou district (0.18/0.16) and Guangning (0.17/0.15) district of Zhaoqing. The score of indicators differed among different level of vulnerability (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDifferent regions of Guangdong province showed different vulnerability to floods, vulnerable areas should be priority in the prevention and control of floods.

China ; Climate ; Demography ; Disasters ; Floods ; Humans ; Risk Assessment ; Rivers

A large amount of evidence has showed that sexually transmitted infection is an important synergistic factor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Therefore, this paper reviews the current situation of sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) and HIV infection, introduces HIV prevention and intervention measures and problems for STD patients at home and abroad, and proposes that behavior-psychology-society integrated intervention model should be constructed based on the characteristics of STD patients.

Acupuncturists have always paid high attention to deqi (needling sensation) in clinical. However, relationship between deqi and curative effect has not been elucidated yet. In order to have a further understanding on effect of deqi on clinical effect, through study on literature associated with deqi since the establishment of People's Republic of China in 1949, it is held that various factors can influence therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment, including whether needling sensation appears or not, the speed of deqi, the intensity of deqi, different types of sensations as well as propagated sensation along meridians (PSM). Joint launched multidisciplinary researches should be carried out to reveal the influence principle of deqi on acupuncture effect, and to lay foundations for the further studies on mechanism of deqi.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Meridians ; Qi ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of influenza virus infections in children in 2006 using the real-time PCR method.

METHODS(1) Consulting the most conserved sequence NP gene of influenza virus, after comparing with the NP gene sequences of influenza virus in GenBank, one pair of specific primers and one TaqMan probe were designed for each subtype of influenza virus by the software Primer Express. The sensitivity of influenza was evaluated by testing known positive samples which had been two-fold diluted. The specificity of real-time PCR for influenza virus detection was assessed by cross testing 60 isolates of influenza A, 16 isolates of influenza B, and by testing a variety of other respiratory viruses positive samples; (2) 281 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were detected by real-time PCR and virus isolation; (3) the 12 301 specimens from the patients of Guangzhou Children's Hospital were tested by using the real-time PCR method. Furthermore, the real-time PCR reagent was evaluated by comparing with the result of virus isolation.

RESULTS(1) The sensitivity of real-time PCR developed in this study for influenza A detection was 1:2(22) and for influenza B was 1:2(20) in two-fold serially diluted way. (2) No positive results were found in cross testing of other viruses positive specimens. (3) Influenza virus was detected from 1687 cases (13.71%) out of the 12 301 cases, including 773 cases (45.8%) positive for subtype A and 914 cases (54.2%) positive for subtype B; 455 out of 525 (86.7%) of influenza B positive specimens and 70 out of 525 (13.3%) of influenza A (H1N1) positive specimens were from patients seen during January to April; 419 out of 1118 (37.5%) specimens positive for influenza B and 699 out of 1118 (62.5%) specimens positive for influenza A (H1N1) were from patients seen from May to August. Influenza virus could be identified from 1380 samples by the methods of virus isolation, accounting for 81.80% of the 1687 positive samples detected by real-time PCR. All the influenza virus subtype A was H1N1.

CONCLUSIONThe real-time PCR method developed in this study was sensitive and specific for detecting influenza A and B in clinical specimens. During 2006, influenza A and influenza B co-circulated. The predominant virus was influenza B from January to April, peaking in April. Influenza A (H1N1) prevailed from May to August, with the peak in June.

Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemics ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Prevalence ; RNA, Viral ; isolation & purification ; Sensitivity and Specificity