Objective To investigate the prevalence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Beijing. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed at Beijing communities in men aged over 50 years. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire was used to evaluate the symptoms. Transabdominal ultrasonography was used to measure prostate size and the residual urine volume(RUV). Uroflowmetry was performed to record the maximum flow(Q_(max)). One-way ANOVA was used to analysis the differences. Results 1644 subjects were enrolled and the mean age was 64. 5 years (range 50 - 93 years). The mean IPSS, prostate weight andQ_(max) were 9. 9±8. 2, (30. 8± 19.4) and (14. 7 ± 7. 5)ml/s, respectively. They had correlation with age (r=0. 388,0. 262, - 0.371). The prevalence of moderate-severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) was 50. 8% (835/1644). Prostate volume was greater than 20 ml in 69. 7%(1146/1644) of the subjects.Q_(max) was less than 15 ml/s in 53. 8% (883/1642) of the subjects. Conclusions In men age over 50 years in Beijing, there is positive correlation between LUTS, prostate size and age, and negative correlation between Q_(max) and age. The prevalence of BPH, defined as IPSS greater than 7, maxium flow rate less than 15 ml/s and prostate size greater than 20 ml, is 26. 8%(441/1644).

Objective To investigate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in aged men and associated risk factors in Beijing. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed in communities of Beijing involved 1656 men aged over 50 years.The International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5),Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory for Urology ( O'Leary 1995 ) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)questionnaires was recorded.The body mass index (BMI),prostate size was measured.The survey was conducted to make sure if the patients had diabetes,high blood pressure,hyperlipidemia,cerebrovascular history,and smoking and drinking situation.Pearson's X2 test and unconditional logistic regression were used to investigate the factors associated with sexual dysfunction. Results 1644 subjects were enrolled.The incidence of ED,reduction of sexual desire and defective ejaculation was 90.45％,60.04％ and 38.81％ respectively,and significantly different according to age ( P ＜ O.05 ). Age was positively correlated with ED (3 =0.12,P＜0.05),reduction of sexual desire (β =0.10,P＜0.05) and defective ejaculation (β =0.10,P ＜ 0.05 ) ; ED was significantly associated with BMI (β =0.07,P ＜ 0.05 ).Hypertension and prostate size were risk factors for reduction of sexual desire and defective ejaculation; There was correlation between drinking and defective ejaculation ( β =- O.31,P ＜ 0.05 ). Conelusions Compared with high prevalence of ED and lower sexual desire,the incidence of defective ejaculation were lower; this may reflect the sexual activities of aged male were more active compared with the less success of really erection.The prevalence of ED,reduction of sexual desire or defective ejaculation increased with age.BMI was the risk factor for ED.Enlarged prostate and hypertension was associated with reduction of sexual desire,and drinking was the risk factor for defective ejaculation.

Objective:To study interferon alpha (IFN-α) inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis induction of human brain vascular adventitial fibroblasts(HBVAFs)via IFI16.Methods:Cultured HBVAFs were treated with transfection IFI16 siRNA and/or IFN-α in vitro instantaneously.The protein and mRNA levels of IFI16,P53,P21 were measured by Western blot and Real-time PCR.MTT was used to detect the cell proliferation of the HBVAFs.Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results:IFN-α with terminal concentration of 2 000-5 000 kU/L induce significantly expression of IFI16 in HBVAFs,without any significant difference.Stimulated with 2 000 kU/L IFN-α up-regulated the expression of P53,P21 at protein and mRNA levels,and inhibited the cell proliferation and promote cells apoptosis in HBVAFs.Such effect was restrained by transfection with IFI16 siRNA into HBVAFs.Conclusion:IFN-α inhibits HBVAFs proliferation and induces apoptosis may partly relate to the increased IFI16 expression.

Objective:To discuss the diagnotic and therapeutic value of endoscopy on chro-nic pancreatitis(CP).Methods:To analyse the results of endoscopy in 72 cases respectively.Results:Of 72 cases,69 cases finished the endoscopy,and the success rate was 96%.ERCP showed duodenal papillary stenosis in 61 cases,and thin-diameter-pancreatic duct in 7 cases.After therapentic endoscopy,including ERCP,endoscopic sphincterotomy,and endoscopic stent-placement,the symptoms of the patients relieved at different extent,and the effective rate was 100%.Conclusion:The thinning change of the pancreatic duct is one of imaging feature in chronic pancreatits.Simple duodenal papillary stenos is may be the unigue sign during ERCP.Duodenal papillary stenosis and stone are the main cause of chronic pancreatitis.Therapeutic endoscopy can protect some patients from surgery.

Objective: To observe the effects of interferon-induced protein 204 (p204) over-expression on apoptosis, proliferation and migration of aortic vascular adventitial ifbroblast (VAFs) in experimental rats.
Methods: Our research included in 3 groups: Iif204-Lv group, in whichVAFs were infected by Iif204-recombined lentivirus, Con-Lv group, in which VAFs carried the empty vector without virus, Blank control group, in which VAFs were untreated. VAFs proliferation was examined by MTT method, cell apoptosis was measured by lfow cytometry and the migration was detected by scratching assay and transwell chamber method. The mRNA and protein expressions of p204, p53 and p21were evaluated by real-time q RT-PCR and Western blot analysis respectively.
Results: Compared with Con-Lv and Blank control groups, Iif204-Lv group had decreased VAFs proliferation (by OD value) at 48 hours: (0.53 ± 0.05) vs (0.66±0.03) and (0.63 ± 0.06), at 72 hours: (0.89 ± 0.06) vs (1.02 ± 0.06) and (1.01 ± 0.07); distance of cell migration (by pixel): (61.00 ± 1.83) vs (74.50 ± 6.25) and (75.50 ± 7.85); number of cell migration: (61.75 ± 10.69) vs (155.25 ± 10.21) and (153.75 ± 9.40), allP<0.05. VAFs apoptosis rates were similar among different groups. Compared with Con-Lv and Blank control groups, Ifi204-Lv group presented up-regulated mRNA expressions of p204 (3.45 ± 0.15) vs (2.09 ± 0.10) and (2.06 ± 0.09); p53 (3.41 ± 0.09) vs (2.06 ± 0.07) and (2.10 ± 0.06); p21 (3.01 ± 0.08) vs (2.05 ± 0.06) and (2.11 ± 0.08), allP<0.05.
Conclusion: p204 over-expression inhibits VAFs proliferation and migration which might be partly related to the activation of p53 and p21 expression in experimental rats.

Objective To investigate the effect of interferon alpha ( IFN-α) on apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs) in rats and the related mechanism. Methods The cells were divided into three group:group A, group B and group C.Group A was transfected with nonspecific siRNA, group B was intervened with IFN-α and transfected with nonspecific siRNA, and group C was intervened with IFN-α and transfected with IFI204 siRNA. All the cells were cultured for 48 h. The expression of P204 mRNA was determined by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).P204, RAS protein levels, and phosphorylation levels of RAF and ERK were analyzed by Western blotting. The cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry with Annexin-V FITC/PI method. Results As compared with group A, the expression of P204 mRNA and protein in group B was up-regulated (P<0.05), the cell apoptosis was increased (P<0.05), in the process of the above, the expression of RAS protein was decreased ( P<0.05) and the phosphorylation levels of RAF and ERK were dropped (P<0.05).In group C, the expression levels of P204 mRNA and protein were down-regulated (P<0.05), and cell apoptosis was decreased ( P<0.05) , the expression of RAS protein and the phosphorylation levels of RAF and ERK were increased ( P<0.05) . Conclusion P204 and RAS signal pathway participates in IFN-α regulation of apoptosis of VSMCs in rats.

The effects of over-expression of testis-specific expressed gene 1 (TSEG-1) on the viability and apoptosis of cultured spermatogonial GC-1spg cells were investigated, and the immortal spermatogonial cell line GC-1spg (CRL-2053™) was obtained as the cell model in order to explore the function of TSEG-1. We transfected the eukaryotic vector of TSEG-1, named as pEGFP-TSEG-1 into cultured spermatogonial GC-1spg cells. Over-expression of TSEG-1 inhibited the proliferation of GC-1spg cells, and arrested cell cycle slightly at G0/G1 phase. Transfection of TSEG-1 attenuated the transcript levels of Ki-67, PCNA and cyclin D1. In addition, over-expression of TSEG-1 induced early and late apoptosis, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential of GC-1spg cells. Moreover, transfection of TSEG-1 significantly enhanced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and transcript levels of caspase 9, and decreased the expression of Fas and caspase 8 in GC-1spg cells. These results indicated over-expression of TSEG-1 suppresses the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of GC-1spg cells, which establishes a basis for further study on the function of TSEG-1.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between occupational psychological stress and metabolic syndrome (MS) in Hui and Han populations in Ningxia, China.

METHODSA 1:1 matched case-control study was performed. A total of 600 unrelated patients aged from 20 to 60 years who were clearly diagnosed with MS in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and Wuzhong People's Hospital from October 2011 to October 2012 were collected as the case group (MS group). A total of 600 healthy people who underwent a regular health examination in the same hospital during the same period were selected as the control group with matched gender, nationality, and age (≤ ± 3 years). The self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the general situations and do the physical examination, and the fasting venous blood samples were collected for laboratory biochemical blood tests. The Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) was used to investigate the subjects' occupational stress factors and stress levels.

RESULTSWith the increase in stress levels, the levels of WC, FPG, TG, AST, and UA were increased, WHR, SBP, and DBP first increased and then decreased, and the level of HDL-C increased. There were statistically significant differences in these parameters between the two groups (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The occupational psychological stress test results showed that the total score of stress factors (t = 6.676, P < 0.05), workload (t = 10.269, P < 0.05), interpersonal relationship (t = 6.569, P < 0.05), family/work balance (t = 2.028, P < 0.05), cognitive load (t = 8.714, P < 0.05), and other scores (t = 2.838, P < 0.05) in the MS group were all significantly higher than those in the control group, but there were no significant differences in the scores of management role, work responsibilities, and organizational climate between the MS group and the control group (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the total score of stress factors and the score of each factor between Hui and Han groups (P>0.05). The relative risks of MS in the people with moderate stress exposure were 2.325 and 2.331 times those in the people with mild stress exposure before and after adjustment for age, gender, education level, marriage status, smoking, and drinking, and the relative risks for MS in the people with severe stress exposure were 3.000 and 3.126 times those in the people with mild stress exposure. There were significant differences in the detection rates of abdominal obesity, high TG, low HDL-C, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and diabetes between the sub-groups with different stress levels in the MS group (χ² = 17.636, 8.514, 14.640, 14.280, and 33.323, P < 0.01). The results of multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors for MS were SBP, TG, LDL-C, UA, BMI, fasting blood glucose, family history of hypertension, family history of diabetes, and the level of psychological stress in Ningxia, and the protective factor for MS was HDL-C.

CONCLUSIONThe occupational psychological stress is closely associated with MS, and it is an environmental risk factor for MS. With the increase in the stress level, the detection rates of MS components and the relative risk for MS are significantly increased. And there is no significant difference in the level of occupational psychological stress between the Hui and Han nationality groups.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Metabolic Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workload

AIMTo explore the protective effect of L-arginine on isolated rat heart with ischemia/reperfusion injury.

METHODS24 wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (each 8): control group, ischemia group, L-arginine group. The myocardiac relatively ischemia/reperfusion models in vitro were set up by using weak current stimulating isolated rat hearts. During the pre-ischemia, post-ischemia 15 min and post-ischemia 30 min, the coronary fluid was collected for testing contents of MDA and activities of both CK and LDH. Cardiac functional indexes were recorded through Pclab. At the time of 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min after ischemia, the recovery of PRP, + DP/dt(max) and - DP/dt(max) were calculated.

RESULTS(1) During the reperfusion, L-arginine group achieved better recovery of cardiac function than that of the ischemia group. (2) MDA content, CK and LDH activities both in the coronary fluid and in the myocardium of L-arginine group were lower than those of the ischemia group, while SOD activities in the myocardium of L-arginine group were higher than that of the ischemia group.

CONCLUSIONTo some extent, L-arginine could protect the myocardium from ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Heart ; drug effects ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture on improving insulin resistance of rat from aspects of morphology and function of mitochondrial in quadriceps femoris.

METHODSForty-eight 8-week Wistar rats (female and male in half) were randomly divided into a normal group (16 rats, group A), a model control group (16 rats, group B), a model plus electroacupuncture (EA) group (8 rats, group C) and a model plus sham acupoint EA group (8 rats, group D). Group A was given with basic diet while high-fat diet was applied in the group B, group C and group D for 8 weeks to establish model of insulin resistance. After the model establishment, "Guanyuan" (CV 4), "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Fenglong" (ST 30) were selected according to acupoint combination of manifestation-root in the group C, while four points in non-meridian area where 1 to 2 mm next to the acupoints used in group C were selected in the group D. The treatment was given 15 min per time with 1 mA of intensity and 2 Hz in frequency, 5 times per week for totally 8 weeks. The transmission electron microscope was adopted to observe mitochondria structure, and chemical colorimetry was used to test the activity of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase and phosphomolybdic acid colorimetry was applied to measure the content of ATP.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the body mass was (401.63 +/- 109.81) g in the group B, which was significantly higher than (305.88 +/- 62.72) g in the group A (P < 0.05); morphological structure of mitochondrion was damaged, showing swelling and deformation; the activity of ATP synthase was decreased (P < 0.05) and the content of ATP in tissue of quadriceps femoris was also obviously lowered (P < 0.05). The body mass was (294.13 +/- 53.78) g in the group C, which was significantly lower than that in the group B (P < 0.05); the damaged mitochondrion was restored and merged among each other; the activity of ATP synthase was increased (P < 0.05); the content of ATP in tissue of quadriceps femoris was obviously lifted (P < 0.05). The results in group D were not different from those in group B.

CONCLUSIONThe electroacupuncture with manifestation-root acupoint combination could improve the recovery of damaged structure of mitochondrion and promote the merge among each other, which could enhance oxidizing capacity, lower body mass and improve synthetic rate of ATP.

Acupuncture Points ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; biosynthesis ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Mitochondria ; enzymology ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases ; metabolism ; Quadriceps Muscle ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar