The rate of bone turnover in postmenopausal women accelerates and the newly formed osteoid is poorly mineralized, resulting in the loss of bone mineral content. Meanwhile, the requirement for calcium increases as more bone matrix needs to be mineralized. On the other hand, the reduction of serum estrogen level impairs the absorption of calcium in intestinal tract and the reabsorption in kidney, resulting in the decreased absorption and increased excretion of calcium. Therefore, sufficient calcium intake is critical for maintaining the bone structure in postmenopausal women. The reference intake of calcium differs greatly among different countries. In 2000, China established the adequate intake of calcium for Chinese women aged 50 years and older as 1000 mg/d. Diets provide the optimal source of calcium to prevent osteoporosis. Although calcium supplements have been demonstrated to be beneficial for the bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, its impact on fracture risk and cardiovascular diseases remains controversial. Available evidences suggest that calcium supplements combined with vitamin D are unlikely to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To evaluate the effect of flurbiprofen axetil pretreatment on the level of central β-endorphin in a rat model of incisional pain.Methods Fifty-four SPF male healthy Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 6-7 weeks,weighing 180-230 g,were divided into 3 groups (n=18 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),incisional pain group (group Ⅰ) and flurbiprofen axetil pretreatnent group (group FA).At 30 min before the model of incisional pain was established,fat emulsion 1 ml was injected via the caudal vein in group Ⅰ,and flurbiprofen axetil 6 mg/kg (diluted to 1 ml in fat emulsion) was injected via the caudal vein in group FA.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) was measured at 1 day before establishment of the model and 1,6 and 12 h after establishment of the model (T1-3).The rats were sacrificed after measurement of pain threshold at T1-3,and the lumbar enlargement segment of the spinal cord and hypothalamic arcuate nucleus specimens were obtained for determination of β-endorphin content (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and β-endorphin expression (by immunohistochemistry).Results Compared with group C,the MWT was significantly decreased at T1-3 in I and FA groups,the content and expression of β-endorphin in the spinal cord were significantly decreased at T2,3,and the content and expression of β-endorphin in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus were increased at T1 in group Ⅰ,and the content and expression of β-endorphin in the spinal cord and hypothalamic arcuate nucleus were significantly increased at T1-3 in group FA (P＜0.05).Compared with group Ⅰ,the MWT was significantly increased,and the content and expression of β-endorphin in the spinal cord and hypothalamic arcuate nucleus were increased at T1-3 in group FA (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which flurbiprofen axetil pretreatment produces analgesic effect may be related to the increased level of central β-endorphine in a rat modal of incisional pain.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of high-dose methylprednisolone pulse treatment on peritumoral edema induced by supratentorial brain tumors.Methods Thirty-five patients with supratentorial brain tumors and peritumoral edema were treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy before surgery and the edema index of every patient was calculated by MRI examinations before and after methylprednisolone treatment.Results After methylprednisolone pulse therapy, the edema indexes of the light, medium and severe edema patients reduced by 1.79%, 8.81% and 12.02% respectively. The edema indexes of the medium and serious patients were significantly lower than that before treatment ( P<0.01). But the edema index of the light edema patients was not significantly different with that before treatment ( P>0.05).Conclusion High-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy has an obvious effect on medium and serious peritumoral edema induced by supratentorial brain tumors and has no serious adverse reactions.

Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; prevention & control ; Health Services Administration ; Humans

Adolescent ; Child ; Humans ; Male ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; pathology

Objective To establish a platinum resistance nude mice model of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and investigate its resistance to cisplatin (DDP) biological characteristics, so as to provide evidences for exploring chemoresistence mechanisms and screening for reversal targets in vivo micro-environment. Methods The resistance model was produced by repeating a crossover subcutaneous injection of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells labelled green fluorescent protein(GFP) and transplatation of tumor fragment into nude mice. Two kinds of cancer cell lines of SKOV3/DDPⅠand SKOV3/DDPⅡwere induced with acquired resistence to DDP. The chemosensitivities of EOC cells to DDP were tested and half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50) was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and flow cytometry (FCS). Dynamic analysis among the concentration of DDP treatment and cell apoptosis, cell cycle phase distribution and intracellular DDP concentration. The expression of PTEN, STAT5, XIAP, BRCA1 and MDR1 were examined by real time quantitative reverser transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) in vivo. Results IC50 value of cisplatin for SKOV3/DDPⅡ were 2.83 ± 0.12 and 3.82 ± 0.19 folds than those for SKOV3/GFP by MTT and flow cytometry, separately. SKOV3/DDPⅠwere 2.20±0.16 and 3.40±0.20 folds. The apoptosis rate of SKOV3/DDPⅡ and SKOV3/DDPⅠ were decreased significantly at 29.7 and 39.6μmol/L DDP when treatment for 36 hours,which were lower than that of SKOV3/GFP cells [(57.0±1.4)%vs (37.6 ± 4.36)%vs (83.1 ± 2.71)%,P=0.024;(74.4 ± 2.3)%vs (50.5 ± 3.4)%vs (87.4 ± 4.0)%,P=0.001]. SKOV3/DDPⅠ and SKOV3/DDPⅡ was positively related with cisplatin processing time. Intracellular DDP accumulation of SKOV3/DDPⅡand SKOV3/DDPⅠwere lower than SKOV3-GFP in dynamic processes(P<0.05). Besides intracellular DDP accumulation of SKOV3/DDPⅡ also lower than SKOV3/DDPⅠin dynamic processes (P<0.05). Transplanted tumor of SKOV3/GFP appeared organelle degradation and nuclear membrane imcompleted after five times DDP injection with concentration of 4 mg/kg. SKOV3/DDPⅡand SKOV3/DDPⅠdid not generate these phenomenon untill eighth DDP injections with concentration of 4 mg/kg. STAT5 and BRCA1 of SKOV3/DDPⅡwere increased with DDP treatment at concentration of 4 mg/kg. Expression of XIAP from SKOV3/DDPⅡwas positive correlated with injection times. STAT5,XIAP and BRCA1 of SKOV3/DDPⅡwere up-regulated 3.86,28.1 and 14.6 folds than those in SKOV3/GFP cells after eighth DDP treatment, separately. While PTEN of SKOV3/DDP Ⅱ was decreased 3.77 folds. Conclusions We have successfully established platinum-resistent EOC mice model,which provides a new platform for further study on chemoresistant reversal and individualized clinical treatment. The results shown that potential mechanisms of SKOV3/DDPⅡDDP-resistance included over-expressed BRCA1 gene may be promote DNA damage repair, elevate XIAP gene to decrease cell apoptosis,up-regulated STAT5 gene and decrease PTEN gene to stimulate proliferation.

BACKGROUND: It is proposed that elevated serum homocysteine is an important independent risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS), and 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is the key enzyme for homocysteine metabolism. The relationship between genetic mutation of MTHFR and IS remains controversial.OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of hyperhomocysteinemia and two MTHFR gene polymorphisms with IS in Northwest Chinese population.DESIGN: Case-control study.SETTING: Department of Neurology, First Hospital Affiliated to Jilin University, and Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-seven consecutive patients with ischemic stroke (71 males and 26 females) treated between November 2001 and May 2002were recruited, who were diagnosed by CT scan or MRI in the Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA. The control group consisted of 94 subjects (58 males and 36 females) without history of ischemic stroke. All the subjects were free of intracranial hemorrhage, cancer, renal dysfunction, and none used multivitamins or estrogen.METHODS: Serum homocysteine was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was employed to detect the genotype at the two sites of C677T and A1298C in MTHFR gene.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum homocysteine levels and the genotypic frequency frequencies of the two mutations of MTHFR.RESULTS: The 677T allele frequency was 59.3% in IS patients and 44.7% in the controls, showing significant differences (P=0.006), but no difference in 1298C allele frequency was detected between the two groups (22.7% vs 19.7%, P ＞ 0.05). Homozygous 677TT genotype was closely associated with hyperhomocysteinemie (P ＜ 0.01). In multivariate logistic regression analysis,677T gene mutation and hyperhomocysteinemie were all associated with the IS, with an OR of 1.870 and 1.031 (P＜ 0.05), respectively.CONCLUSION: Hyperhomocysteinemie is a risk factor of IS, and C677T mutation significantly increases homocysteine levels, and serves also as an independent genetic risk factor of IS.

Objective The study was to evaluate DWI for quantifying liver fibrosis. Methods A total of 12 volunteers, 47 patients who had chronic HBV or HCV hepatitis and underwent liver biopsy [Scheuer score for fibrosis(S) and inflammation(G)] were enrolled in this study. They were scanned using a 1.5 T MR unit with b value of 0,250,500,750, 1000 s/mm~2. ADCs at b_(250-1000) and b_(500-1000) were the average ADCs of b=250, 500, 750, 1000 s/mm~2 and b=500, 750, 1000 s/mm~2. The studied the correlation between Scbeuer scores and ADC values, and conducted Mann-Whitney U test and Logistic regression to evaluate ADC for prediction of fibrosis scores. Results The average ADCs were (1.41± 0.11),(1.37±0.09), (1.27±0.05), (1.26±0.04), (1.22±0.06) mm~2/s respectively from SO to S4, stage at b=750 s/mm~2 (F=18.31, P<0.01). With the increase of fibrosis score, the average ADC decreased gradually, the two were better negatively correlated at b_(250-1000)(r=-0.727, P<0.01) than other b values. Using b_(750) and the two combined b values, the found significantly lower ADCs in S2 or greater versus S1 or less and in S3 or greater versus S2 or less fibrosis (P<0.01). The best predictor for S2 or greater was b_(750) with the largest AUC of 0.909, sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 100.0% (ADC ≤1.35×10~(-3) mm~2/s). The best predictor for S3 or greater was b_(250-1000) with the largest AUC of 0.864, sensitivity of 69.6%, and specificity of 95.8% (ADC≤1.53×10~(-3) mm~2/s). Conclusion DWI can be a good predictor for scoring liver fibrosis for S2 or S3 stage above, while b_(750) and the combined b values are suitable for evaluation.

Objective To investigate the effects of transforming growth factorβ1(TGFβ1)and β3 (TGFβ3)gene transfer on MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 expression in hepatic stellate cells(HSC-T6).Methods TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 expression plagmids were constructed.The recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-=TGFβ1 and pcDNA3.1(+).TGFβ3 were transfected or cotransfected into HSC-T6.At 24,48 and 72 h after transfection,the expression of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA were detected by real-time quantitative PCR,and the expression of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 protein were detected by Western blot.The recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+).TGFβ1 was transfected into HSC-T6,and positive clones were selected by G418.The positive clones were transfected by the recombinant expression plasmid pcDNA3.1(+).TGFβ1,and the expression of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were detected at 48 h after transfection.Results After transfection with peDNA3.1-TGFβ1,MMP-2 and TIMP-1 increaged remarkably in HSC-T6 cells(P＜0.05),but MMP-9 remained at the sanle level;After transfection with pcDNA3.1-TGFβ3,expression levels of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA were not changed,but TIMP-1 protein increased remarkably(P＜0.05);in cotransfection group,the expression of MMP-2 was higher than that in the blank and the control groups(P＜0.05),but MMP-9 level was not changed and TIMP-1was decreased compared with that in the TGF-β1 transfection group(P＜0.05).After TGFβ3was transfected into positive clones,the change of MMP-2 wag not significant(P＞0.05).but MMP-9 increaged and TIMP-1 decreased significantly at 48 h after transfection(P＜0.05).Conclusions TGFB3 may inhibit liver fibrosis by increase the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9,and decrease the activity of TIMP-1.

Objective To investigate the relationship between androgen level and body adipose tissue content and distribution via a cross sectional survey in healthy women aged 40 to 60 years. Methods A total of 222 women were divided into 4 groups according menstruation status, i.e. reproductive stage, early perimenopausal stage, late perimenopausal stage and postmenopausal stage. Serum level of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured. Free androgen index (FAI) was calculated. Body adipose tissue content and distribution were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results In women aged 40 to 60 years, DHEA, TT and FAI level of reproductive stage women was (12.3±4.1) nmol/L, (0.56±0.22) nmol/L and 1.15 (quartile:0.71 to 1.85), respectively. DHEA, TT and FAI level of early perimenopausal stage women was (12.0±3.4) nmol/L, (0.56 ± 0.24) nmol/L and 1.37 (quartile: 0.89 to 1.61), respectively. DHEA, TT and FAI level of late perimenopausal stage women was (14.2 ± 4.7) nmol/L, (0.62 ± 0.18) nmol/L and 1.38 (quartile:1.12 to 1.63). DHEA, TT and FAI level of postmenopausal stage women was (11.6±3.5) nmol/L, (0.45±0.22) nmol/L and 0.94 (quartile:0.47 to 1.49). DHEA, TT and FAI level of perimenopausal stage women was comparable with those of reproductive stage women (P>0.05), however, TT and FAI level of postmenopausal women was significantly lower than those of reproductive stage women (P=0.001, 0.014). The total adipose percentage of reproductive stage women, early perimenopausal stage women, late perimenopausal stage women and postmenopausal stage women were (35 ± 6)%, (35 ± 5)%, (37 ± 4)%and (37 ± 5)%. The adipose percentage in“android”area of reproductive stage women, early perimenopausal stage women, late perimenopausal stage women and postmenopausal stage women were (43±5)%, (43±4)%, (47±5)%and (46±5)%. The total adipose percentage was similar in 4 groups (P=0.312). Compared with reproductive stage women, adipose percentage of“android”area increased in late perimenopausal and postmenopausal women (P=0.026). Women with higher FAI level presented higher adipose tissue content and higher percentage of centrally distributed adipose tissue (r=0.28, P=0.003). Conclusions Body adipose tissue tends to distribute centrally from perimenopausal stage. Androgen level is related to body adipose tissue content and distribution, but may not be the main reason of changes of fat distribution in middle life women.