We investigated the baseline brain activity level in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) by am plitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) based on resting-state functional MRI (fMRI). We examined 13 patients in the MDD group and 14 healthy volunteers in the control group by resting-state fMRI on GE Signa 3.0T. We calculated and compared the ALFF values of the two groups. In the MDD group, ALFF values in the right medial prefrontal were higher than those in control group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). ALFF values in the left parietal in the MDD group were lower than those in control group with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). This resting-state fMRI study suggested that the alteration brain activity in the right medial prefrontal and left parietal ALFF contributed to the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism of MDD patients.
Brain ; physiopathology ; Brain Mapping ; Case-Control Studies ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Objective To analyze the influential factors of healthy children′s heart rate turbulence (HRT). Methods One hundred and six healthy children with ventricular premature beat (VPB) were selected in this study and the correlation among HTR parameters as turbulence onset (TO) and turbulence lope (TS) and age, gender, basic heart rate, the number of VPBs were analyzed. Results It was observed that among three age groups, TO decreased with the age, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05), but there was no significant gender difference (all P > 0.05). TS increased with the age, and intergroup difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the group of children aged over seven, significantly higher TS was observed among boys (P < 0.05), while in the group of children aged 1 to 3 and the group aged 3 to 7 , there was no significant gender difference (P > 0.05). TO and TS decreased with the decline of heart rate (r = 0.494, P < 0.00; r = -0.569,P < 0.00 respectively), and the correlation between TO and HR, TS and HR was found.The number of VPBs had no significant correlation with TO or TS (r = 0.104,P = 0.290; r = 0.122,P =0.212). Conclusions The results demonstrate that influenced by age and basic heart rate, healthy children′s HRT increases with the age and the decline of heart rate. Therefore, the reference index of children′s HRT should differ from that of adults, which requires further evaluation.

Objective To explore the relationship between the HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and the infection of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) for children.Methods The study genotyped HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of 102 infectious mononucleosis children and 165 normal controls by PCR-PAGE,detected the plasma sHLA-G level of 51 infectious mononucleosis children and 146 normal controls by ELISA.Results A significant difference was observed for the frequencies of the HLA-G 14 bp genotype between the two groups( x2 =6.742,P=0.034 ),and a significant difference was also observed for the 14 bp allele frequencies between the two groups( x2 =6.672,P=0.01 ).The plasma sHLA-G levels in the infectious mononucleosis children were dramatically higher than that in normal controls,and a significant difference was observed between the two groups( Z=-9.472,P＜0.01 ).Among the infectious mononucleosis children,levels of sHLA-G was find a significant difference between the three genotypes of HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism( H=6.09,P =0.048 ),and the level of s HLA-G with 14 bp+/+ genotype was markedly lower than that of the two other genotypes (Z=-2.376,P=0.01 8).Conclusion There was a relationship between the HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and the susceptibility to the infectious mononucleosis for children.Children who carried the 14 bp-/- genotype or deleted the 14 bp allele may have a significantly increased risk of the infection of EBV.The plasma sHLA-G might be considered as an index for auxiliary diagnosis infectious mononucleosis.

AIMTo study the effect of crocin on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells (BASMCs).

METHODSCells were loaded with fluorescence probe Fluo-3/AM and [Ca2+]i was measured by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM).

RESULTSIn the presence or absence of extracellular Ca2+, crocin (1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1)) concentration-dependently inhibited the [Ca2+]i elevation induced by 1 x 10(-2) mol x L(-1) H2O2 (for the former, the inhibition rates were 34.1%, 57.1% and 74.3%, while for the latter were 26.2%, 32.1%, 50.0%). In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, crocin (1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-7), 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1)) could inhibit the [Ca2+]i elevation induced by 70 mmol x L(-1) CHCl3, the inhibition rates were 27.8%, 27.8% and 50.0% respectively.

CONCLUSIONCrocin could inhibit the extracellular Ca2+ influx and release of intracellular Ca2+ stores in endoplasmic reticulum.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Carotenoids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Chloroform ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Intracellular Space ; metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Objective To learn the present hospital management conditions in Shanghai for upgrading quality of care.Methods The stratified sampling method was used for a questionnaire survey of the quality of care at 20 hospitals in Shanghai (10 tertiary hospitals and 10 secondary hospitals).The survey covered such six dimensions as organizational framework,management functions,management tools,professional training,regulations and norms,and supervision over operations.Results Medical quality management system is established at such hospitals and all of them have established medical quality management committees.Rooms of improvement remain in such details as departmental quality management,regulations standardization,IT support,and management tools popularity.Conclusion Management regulations and standards of medical quality management should be improved and implemented from both external and internal aspects,to improve medical quality and patient safety.

To compare the microcalorimetric fingerprint profiles of Lonicerae japonicae Flos (Lj.F) and Lonicerae Flos (L.F), microcalormietry was applied to find the heat change regularity of Bacillus shigae (B. shigae) metabolism affected by Lj.F and L.F (we choose Lonicera macranthoides Hand.-Mazz in this paper) with different concentrations. The thermogenic curves and thermodynamics parameters were investigated as evaluation index, and then the date of experiment was studied by similarity analysis. All the results indicated that the Lj.F and Lonicera macranthoides Hand.-Mazz (L.m.H-M) significantly impacted the microbial growth and had good similarity in its inhibitory activities. The combination approach of chemical analysis with bioassay was developed and employed to ensure the safety and efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Bacillus ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Calorimetry ; methods ; Chemical Safety ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; classification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; Quality Control ; Thermodynamics ; Thermogenesis

Objective To study on the effect of indicator animals in plague surveillance throngh detecting F1 antibody against Yersiniapestis(Y.pestis)in indicator animals in wild rat plague foci,provide scientific evidence for plague control and determining the range of epidemic area.Methods According to investigation scheme of wild rodents plagne foci in Yunnan Province,indicator animals Canis familiarils and Felis catu(C.familiarils and F.catus)related to the plague were investigated in 75 villages,14 township and 10 counties around Yulong County,and living rodents were captured by cage,sera of indicator animals and rodents relevant to plague were simultaneously collected and detected for F1 antibody against Y.pestis using indirect hemagglutination(IHA).Results Seropositivity rate of indicator animals were 6.76%(202/2987),being 24.69% in C.familiaris and 24.69% in F.catus,there were statistical significance(X2＝87.32,P＜0.01)between C familiaris and F catus,the latter beingmore than the former.But F1 antibody of rodents sera were not detected,its seropositivity rate was zero.there was a statistical significance(P＜0.01)between indicator animals and rodents.Conclusions Through serocpidemiological survey of indicator animals,new wild rat plague natural focus has been confirmed in YuLong County and Gucheng District in LiJiang City,therefore,serocpidemiological surveillance of indicator animals is very important for plague control and prevention.

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of oxidative stress in development of acute high altitude response (AHAR) during the process of strong physical work at high altitude and its change after return to lower altitude.

METHODSNinety-six officers and soldiers of rapid entering into high altitude (3 700 m) with strong physical work were analyzed, all subjects were male, aged 18-35 years. According to the symptomatic scores of AHAR were divided into 3 groups: severe AHAR (group A, n = 24), mild AHAR (group B, n = 47) and without AHAR (group C, n = 25). Levels in serum 8-iso prostaglandinF2alpha(8-iso-PGF2alpha), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malonaldehyde (MDA) were measured at higher altitude stayed 50 d and after return to lower altitude (1 500 m) 12 h and 15 d, and 50 healthy volunteers (group D) at 1 500 m altitude served as controll.

RESULTSLevels of serum 8-iso-PGF2alpha and MDA [(9.53 +/- 0.47) microg/L, (8.91 +/- 0.39) micromol/L] were significantly higher in group A than those in group B [(8.34 +/- 0.42) microg/L, (7.31 +/- 0.32) micromol/L] , group C [(7.02 +/- 0.48) microg/L, (6.41 +/- 0.23) micromol/L] and group D [(5.13 +/- 0.56) microg/L, (5.48 +/- 0.33) micromol/L], (all P < 0.01), and serum SOD [(52.08 +/- 3.44) micro/ml] was significantly lower in group A than that in group B [62.27 +/- 2.54) micro/ml], group C [(71.99 +/- 3.35) micro/ml] and group D [(80.78 +/- 3.44) micro/ ml] (all P < 0.01), there were significant differences between group B and C, C and D (all P < 0.01). At altitude 3 700 m 50 d, AHAR scores was positively correlated with serum 8-iso-PGF2alpha and MDA (all P < 0.01), negatively correlated with SOD (P < 0.01). Serum 8-iso-PGF2alpha and MDA were negatively correlated with SOD (all P < 0.01). Levels of serum 8-iso-PGF2alpha and MDA were significantly higher at altitude of 3 700 m 50 d than those at altitude of 1 500 m 12 h,15 d in group D (all P < 0.01), and serum SOD was significantly lower than that at 1 500 m 12 h,15 d in group D (all P < 0.01), there were significantly difference between at 1 500 m 12 h and 15 d (all P < 0.01), there were no difference between at 15 d in group D (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe more serious of oxidative stress and oxidative/antioxidative imbalance, the more serious of AHAR, oxidative stress and oxidative/antioxidative imbalance may be involved in the development of AHAR. The changes were obviously improved after return to lower altitude 12 h, and recovered to normal after 15 d.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Physical Exertion ; physiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether or not administration of folic acid and resveratrol have preventive effects on cleft palate formation as well as the comparison of the two drugs' s effects.

METHODSPregnant mice were randomly divided into 9 groups, with 8 mice in each group. The TCDD group mice were dosed with TCDD 28 microg/kg body weight on gestation day 10 (GD 10) animals in folic acid group were respectively dosed with folic acid 15, 10, 5 mg/kg and TCDD 28 microg/kg; resveratrol treated mice were divided into 3 groups: resveratrol 50 mg/kg were orally administered for 6 consecutive days, from gestational day GD 8 to GD13 in resveratrol (GD8-13 ) group; resveratrol 50 mg/kg were orally administered for 6 consecutive days, from gestational day GD 8 to GD13, followed hy an oral administered with TCDD on GD10 in resveratrol (GD8-13) + TCDD group; resveratrol 50mg/kg and TCDD 28 microg/kg were used by gavage administration at GD10 in resveratrol (GD10) + TCDD group. Control mice were treated with the same volume of water for 6 consecutive days from GD8 to GD13 and were given a single dose of corn oil on GD10. The pregnant mice weight and embryos, the number of live, cleft palate, dead and resorption fetal mice were recorded on GD 17.5. The coronal sections of the fetal mice heads were prepared at GD 17.5 and observed by microscopy.

RESULTSTotal frequency of clefts was 92.86% in TCDD group, 84.00% (15 mg), 73.08% (10 mg), 84.00% (5 mg) in folic acid + TCDD groups, 0% in resveratrol (GD10) group, 74.51% (GD10), 57.78% (GD8-13) in resveratrol + TCDD groups. The frequency of cleft was 0% in the control group. Compared with the control and the TCDD groups, there were significant differences in the number of live, dead and resorption fetal mice in TCCD + resveratrol (GD8-13) group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in embryonic weight, live fetuses weight, the number of live, dead and resorption fetal mice were found in the other groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTest dose of folic acid and resveratrol both had certain antagonistic effect on cleft palate in mice induced by TCDD, with folic acid 10 mg/kg, resveratrol 50 mg/kg GD8-13 doses having stronger antagonistic action. Effects of both the two drugs have no significant difference, but resveratrol (50 mg/kg, GD8-13) significantly affects the fetal mice's growth and development under TCDD exposure in utero.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced ; prevention & control ; Animals ; Cleft Palate ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Female ; Fetus ; Folic Acid ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Pregnancy ; Random Allocation ; Stilbenes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Teratogens