Objective To explore the relationship between the QT dispersion in simple central obesity youth and carotid atherosclerosis. Methods 38 patients with simple central obesity (obesity group) aged from 18 to 35 years, and 34 normal weight healthy control subjects (control group), age-matched were chosen. The blood pres-sure(BP) ,body mass index(BMI) ,waist-hip ratio(WHR) ,QTd,QTcd,plus the ultrasound examination of the inti-ma-media thickness(IMT) of carotid were measured and plaques on the patients' carotid artery were detected. Re-sults Comparing to the control group,BP,BMI,WHR,QTd,QTcd were larger in the obesity group with significant difference (P < 0.05) ; When QT dispersion was > 50 ms, the risk of IMT was higher than that when QT dispersion was < 50 ms (OR = 7.0,P < 0.05). Condnsion In the youth who are simple central obesity, their QT disper-sions are over the normal reference value, intima-media thickness are abnormal; the risk of IMT is higher when QT dispersion is > 50 ms; suggesting that QT dispersion can be one of reference index for forecasting the cardiovascular disease.

Objective To investigate the association of cysteine aspartic acid specific protease 8 (CASP 8) gene-652 6N Insertion/Deletion polymorphisms and susceptibility of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods CASP 8 gene -652 6N I/D polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing in 414 controls and 410 patients with T2DM. Results I/I, I/D and D/D genotype frequency were 56.5%, 38.9%, 4.6%in controls and 58.0%, 32.9%, 9.0%in T2DM group respectively (P<0.05). The risk in D/D genotype people was 1.916 times than I/I genotype (adjusted OR=1.916, 95%CI=1.199~3.054, P<0.05). The fasting blood sugar of D/D genotype people was significantly higher than that of I/D and I/I genotype people (P<0.05). Conclusions CASP 8 gene-652 6N I/D polymorphisms are associated with T2DM outbreak.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) combined with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 2~3 of IgA nephropathy. Methods 109 patients were randomized into the observation group and the control group. On the basis of taking RAS blockers, patients in the observation group received TwHF, and patients in the control group received methylprednisolone. The proteinuria, renal function and adverse effect were observed during treatment. Results At 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of treatment, proteinuria in the two groups was lower than the baseline(P <0.05). During follow-ups, there was no significant difference of eGFR between the two groups and baseline (P >0.05). Besides, there was no significant difference in terms of proteinuria, eGFR and effective rate in the two groups. The occurrence rate of adverse effects was 9.8% vs 27.4% and there was significant difference in the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions TwHF combined with RAS blockers can decrease proteinuria, protect renal function and have less adverse effects, and it is a useful therapeutic options for CKD stages 2 ~ 3 of IgAN.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common, malignant, and lethal primary brain tumor in adults.Up to now,there is no effective drug for GBM.Withaferin A(WFA)is mainly derived from Indian Winter cherry.It has been traditionally used in ayurvedic medicine.WFA has wide range of pharmaco-logical activities including cardioprotective,anti-inflammatory,immuno-modulatory properties.Recently, WFA was reported to inhibit the growth of many cancer cells; however, the precise molecular mecha-nisms of its anti-cancer activities in GBM remain unclear. Here, we found that treatment of WFA in U251 and U87-MG glioma cells inhibited the cell proliferation,released the cellular LDH,decreased the DNA synthesis, and inhibited the migration, invasion, and colony formation of cells. WFA also in-creased the apoptotic rate of cells, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, arrested cell cy-cle at G2/M,inhibited the activity of caspase 3/7,and increased the protein expression of cleaved-cas-pase 3,cleaved PARP in U251 and U87-MG cells.In addition,cell apoptosis induced by WFA was as-sociated with increasing level of Bim,Bad,P21,P53 and decreasing the level of p-CDK1,cyclin A and B. It was also shown that cell apoptosis induced by WFA was associated with P38 signal pathway. These results demonstrated that WFA induced mitochondrial dependent apoptosis in glioblastoma cells which was associated with arresting the cell cycle at G2/M phase by P38 pathway.Taken together,our findings suggest that WFA might be a promising chemotherapy drug in the treatment of GBM.

Animals ; Disease Progression ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; physiology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; blood ; Hydroxyl Radical ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Male ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; blood ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of syndrome-differentiation acupuncture on life quality in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) in order to evaluate its clinical efficacy.

METHODSOne hundred and five cases of FD were randomly divided into a syndrome-differentiation acupuncture group, a regular acupuncture group and a non-acupoint group, 35 cases in each one. Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Zusanli (ST 36) were selected as main acupoints in the syndrome-differentiation acupuncture group. After syndrome differentiation, Danzhong (CV 17) and Zhangmen (LR 13) were added for those with stagnation of liver qi; Pishu (BL 20) and Weishu (BL 21) were added for those with deficiency of spleen-stomach qi; Qimen (LR 14) and Taichong (LR 3) were added for liver-qi invading stomach and Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Neiting (ST 44) were added for dampness-heat blocking stomach. The selection of acupoints in the regular acupuncture group was the same as main acupoints in the syndrome-differentiation acupuncture group. The points 10 mm lateral to the main acupoints were selected in the non-acupoint group. The treatment was given once a day, six days as a treatment course and totally two courses were required. The symptom total score, health-related quality of life survey (SF-36) and Nepean dyspepsia index (NDI) were evaluated before and after the treatment as well as one month after the treatment (follow-up visit), respectively. The efficacy was also assessed.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the total effective rate was 87.5% (28/32) in the syndrome-differentiation acupuncture group, which was superior to 74.2% (23/31) in the regular acupuncture group and 20.7% (6/29) in the non-acupoint group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared before the treatment, the SF-36, NDI and symptom total score after the treatment and in the follow-up visit were all obviously improved in the syndrome-differentiation acupuncture group and regular acupuncture group (all P < 0.05), which was the most obvious in the syndrome-differentiation acupuncture group [after the treatment, SF-36: 84.54 +/- 5.93 vs 81.44 +/- 6.22, 63.46 +/- 6.59; NDSI: 18.94 +/- 9.30 vs 21.23 +/- 8.39, 43.93 +/- 11.26; NDLQI: 71.42 +/- 7.23 vs 63.11 +/- 7.06, 54.87 +/- 6.00; symptom total score: 22.06 +/- 15.80 vs 32.52 +/- 16.88, 47.97 +/- 10.92]; the improvement in the regular acupuncture group was more obvious than that in the non-acupoint group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared before the treatment, only NDSI score was improved in the non-acupoint group after the treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe syndrome-differentiation acupuncture could obviously improve patient's life quality in the treatment of FD, which is an effective therapy for FD.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Dyspepsia ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Young Adult

There is evidence that 5-7 d after acute seizure episodes induced by kainic acid (KA) the rats develop a long-lasting increase in the susceptibility to seizures followed by spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). The present study was focused on the role of hippocampal mu opioid receptors (MORs) in the susceptibility of rats to seizures with the KA model of epilepsy. The rats received a convulsant dose of KA (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were continuously infused with a selective MOR agonist PL017 (2.09, 2.59, 3.29 microg/microl), or a selective MOR antagonist beta-funaltrexamine hydrochloride (beta-FNA, 0.88, 1.10, and 1.35 microg/microl) into ventral hippocampus by means of mini-osmotic pumps. Seven days later, the susceptibility of rats to seizures was checked by a subconvulsant dose of KA (5 mg/kg, i.p.). PL017 infusion shortened the latency and increased the stage of seizures induced by subconvulsant dose of KA in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, infusion of beta-FNA exhibited a dose-dependent effect against seizures challenged by subconvulsant dose of KA. These results indicate that hippocampal MOR may exert a promoting effect on the susceptibility of rats to KA-induced seizures.
Animals ; Disease Susceptibility ; Dynorphins ; pharmacology ; Epilepsy ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Hippocampus ; physiopathology ; Kainic Acid ; Male ; Naltrexone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid, mu ; agonists ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology

Objective To analyze the spatial epidemiological characteristics of measles in Taizhou from 2009 to 2017, so as to provide theoretical basis for measles prevention and control. Methods The spatial autocorrelation analysis and trend surface analysis of measles epidemics data from 2009 to 2017 in Taizhou were performed using ArcGIS 10.0 software. The dynamic characteristics of measles epidemics in Taizhou were analyzed. Results Among 2009-2017 years, the incidences of measles in Taizhou ranged from 0.83/1 million to 65.43/1 million. The results of global autocorrelation analysis showed that there were spatial correlations of the incidence of measles among 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016 in Taizhou with a high-value clustering distribution. Local autocorrelation analysis indicated that the hot spots of measles incidence in Taizhou from 2009 to 2017 were mainly concentrated in the central towns of Taizhou. Trend surface analysis suggested that the measles incidence in the south towns of Taizhou was higher than that in the north in 2010, and the incidence in the central region was higher than those in other regions in 2013 and 2015. Conclusions According to the spatial analysis, autocorrelation was observed for the spatial distribution of measles incidence in Taizhou from 2009 to 2017, and there are hot spots in the central township. Targeted preventive measures should be taken based on these characteristics.

OBJECTIVETo isolate the wild-type virulent phage of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and simulate the treatments in vitro to investigate the methods for oral Hp-assisted penetration of the phage through the gastric barrier and offspring phage release for infection and treatment of gastrointestinal Hp.

METHODSThe Hp strain was cultured with the candle cylinder method and the virulent phage was isolated by single plate or double plate experiment. A simulated gastric juice was applied and the bactericidal effect of the phage was tested with double flats experiment.

RESULTSAfter a 1.5-h treatment in simulated gastric juice, the orally derived Hp-borne phage was still capable of forming plaques while the control phage was not.

CONCLUSIONThe oral Hp can help the phage resist the gastric juice and then infect the gastrointestinal Hp.

Bacteriophages ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections ; therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; virology ; Humans ; Virulence

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Phosphorylation ; Prognosis ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Threonine ; metabolism