Epidemiological surveys show that folic acid can prevent prostate cancer, but fortified folic acid may increase the risk of the malignancy. The physician data queries from the National Cancer Institute of the USA describe folate as protective against prostate cancer, whereas its synthetic analog, folic acid, is considered to increase prostate cancer risk when taken at levels easily achievable by eating fortified food or taking over-the-counter supplements. We review the current literature to examine the effects of folate and folic acid on prostate cancer, help interpret previous epidemiologic data, and provide a clarification regarding the apparently opposing roles of folate for patients with prostate cancer. A literature search was conducted in Medline to identify studies investigating the effect of nutrition and specifically folate and folic acid on prostate carcinogenesis and progression. In addition, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database was analyzed for the trends in serum folate levels before and after mandatory fortification. Folate likely plays a dual role in prostate carcinogenesis. There remains some conflicting epidemiologic evidence regarding folate and prostate cancer risk. However, there is growing experimental evidence that higher circulating folate levels can contribute to prostate cancer progression. Further research is needed to clarify these complex relationships.
Dietary Supplements ; adverse effects ; Disease Progression ; Folic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacology ; Food, Fortified ; Humans ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritional Status ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; chemically induced

Objective To compare the efficacy of total pelvic floor reconstruction with mesh patch and vaginal hysterectomy with anterior and posterior vaginal wall repair for presby-pelvic floor dysfunction patients.Methods We randomly chose 92 pelvic floor dysfunction inpatients of our hospital from September 2007 to February 2009 and divided them into 2 groups:total pelvic floor reconstruction group(n=70) underwent total pelvic floor reconstruction with mesh patch[12 patients of this group complicated with stress incontinence,4 patients received tension free vaginal tape-obturator(TVT-O) simultaneously];control group(n=22) received vaginal hysterectomy with anterior and posterior vaginal wall repair(3 patients of this group complicated with stress incontinence).A follow-up for 3 to 18 months after the surgery were taken in all the patients.Results In total pelvic floor reconstruction group,no recidivate case was found and the FOP scores and cure rate were 0 and 100% respectively.In control group,there were 7 recidivate cases,all of who were primary vagina anterior wall bulge patients.The cure rate of control group was 68%;For the patients complicated with stress incontinence,they were all cured by TVT-0 or by ascending the front patch in total pelvic floor reconstruction group,but 1 case was as before operation and 2 cases were even worse in control group.Conclusion Total pelvic floor reconstruction with vicarious materials had a definite efficacy for presby-pelvic floor dysfunction.

Objective: To explore the change of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and its correlation with forced expiratory volume in the ifrst second (FEV1), the ifrst second forced expiratory volume percentage of forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) in bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: FeNO, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were measured in 57 suspected asthmatics (21 acute onsets, 12 non-acute and 24 non-asthma), 38 COPD patients (25 acute exacerbations and 13 stable stages) and 26 healthy subjects. Results: In the 57 suspected asthmatic patients, when the optimal cut off value of FeNO was 20.15 PPb, which was used to diagnose asthma and differentiate asthma and non-asthma, the positive predictive value, the negative predictive value, the sensitivity and the speciifcity was 94.1%, 95.7%, 97.0%, and 91.7% respectively. hTere was signiifcant difference in the FeNO level between the 33 asthmatics and 26 healthy subjects (P<0.05). There was also significant difference in the FeNO level between the acute onset and the non-acute (P<0.05), but not in the FEV1 and FEV1/FVC level (bothP>0.05). hTere was no signiifcant correlation between FeNO and FEV1, FEV1/FVC in patients with asthma (r=-0.186,-0.236, bothP>0.05). hTere was signiifcant difference in the levels of FeNO, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC between the 38 COPD patients and the 26 healthy subjects (all P<0.05), and also between the 25 acute exacerbations and 13 stable COPDs (allP<0.05), but not between the 13 stable COPDs and 26 healthy subjects (allP>0.05). FeNO was not correlated with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC level in COPD patients (r=-0.167,-0.285, bothP>0.05). Conclusion: FeNO level is increased obviously in patients with asthma. hTe optimal cut off value of FeNO at 20.15 PPb can differentiate asthma and non-asthma with high sensitivity and speciifcity. FeNO is higher for the acute onset than non-acute, which may be useful to evaluate the control degree. FeNO level is increased in COPD patients in the acute exacerbations, but there is no change in stable COPD patients compared with the healthy subjects.

Objective: To study the psychological status and influencing factors in patients with nephritic syndrome(NS) before and after percutaneous renal biopsy(PRB).Methods: 235 cases of NS were examined by Symptom Check List-90(SCL-90) and STAI 24 hours before and 6 hours after PRB.Results: Before PRB,factorial anxiety and phobic anxiety were higher than norm,while after the procedure,only somatization score was still higher than norm;In men,there was a higher score than that of women after PRB,all indices were seen decreased significantly;Higher scores were seen in under-60 years old than over-60 years old.Conclusions: Before and after PRB,many factors were involved in and responsible for patients' psychological symptoms.

AIM: To determine 5 different aphrodisiacs,including apomorphine,yohimbine,vardenafil,sildenafil and alprostadil,adulterated into Chinese proprietary medicine by LC/MS(n),and build a laboratory library including MS(n) spectra and retention time. METHODS: ZORBAX SB C_18 column(150 mm?4.6 mm,5 ?m)was applied.The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.5% formic acid changing by linear gradient elution,and the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min.The ion trap mass spectrometer with positive ion mode electrospray(ESI?) was applied. RESULTS: In the mass spectrum apomorphine,yohimbine,vardenafil and sildenafil showed abundant pseudomolecular ion +,and alprostadil showed abundant pseudomolecular ion -.All the MS(n) spectra showed characteristic product ion. CONCLUSION: It is proved that the method is simple,reliable and suitable to determin aphrodisiac adulterated to health food.

This study examined the effect of cholic acid (CA) on cultured cardiac myocytes (CMs) from neonatal rats with an attempt to explore the possible mechanism of sudden fetal death in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Inverted microscopy was performed to detect the impact of CA on the beating rates of rat CMs. MTT method was used to study the effect of CA on the viability of CMs. CMs cultured in vitro were incubated with 10 μmol/L Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescence indicator fluo-3/AM. The fluorescence signals of free calcium induced by CA were measured under a laser scanning confocal microscope. The results showed that CA decreased the beating rates of the CMs in a dose-dependent manner. CA could suppress the activities of CMs in a time- and dose-dependent manner. CA increased the concentration of intracellular free calcium in a dose-dependent manner. Our study suggested that CA could inhibit the activity of CMs by causing calcium overload, thereby leading to the sudden fetal death in ICP.

Objective To investigate whether catalpol is the active component responsible for the Yin tonic effect of Radix Rehmanniae.Methods Young NH mice were injected with triiodothyronine to produce the hyperthyroidism model,while old mice were used as the model of natural aging.The single point radioligand binding assay was carried out to determine the ?-adrenergic receptor density and M-cholinergic receptor density.The learning ability(short term memory) was determined by the Y-maze avoidance test. Results In the ?-adrenergic receptor experiment,the densities were(15.7?5.2) and(20.9?7.2) fmol/mg protein in normal control group and in T3 control group(P

Objective To investigate the change in body weight over time in rectal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy and the correlation between setup errors and weight loss,and to establish the image-guided radiotherapy regimens in different periods of treatment.Methods A total of 24 postoperative patients with rectal cancer admitted to our hospital in 2016 were selected.Before each fraction of radiotherapy,the body weight was recorded,and the patients underwent cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with different frequencies in every week.The planning CT was matched with CBCT to obtain setup errors.The paired t test was used for difference analysis;the Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between setup errors and weight loss.Results Body weight was measured 456 times in the 24 patients,and these patients underwent CBCT scans and image registration 456 times.Two patients were excluded because of treatment discontinuance.In the first and second weeks,there was no significant change in body weight.In the third week,the mean weight loss was 1.53 kg.In the fourth week,the mean weight loss was 2.48 kg.In the fifth week,the mean weight loss was 3.24 kg.The setup errors obtained by CBCT image registration in the superior-inferior (SI),anterior-posterior (AP),and left-right (LR) directions were 0.19 cm,0.20 cm,and 0.18 cm,respectively,in the first week,0.18 cm,0.17 cm,and 0.15 cm,respectively,in the second week,0.20 cm,0.22 cm,and 0.21 cm,respectively,in the third week,0.19 cm,0.25 cm,0.24 cm,respectively,in the fourth week,and 0.34 cm,0.33 cm,and 0.31 cm,respectively,in the fifth week.The Pearson correlation analysis showed that weight loss increased the setup errors,with P values of 0.140,0.046,and 0.044 in the SI,AP,and LR directions,respectively.Conclusions For rectal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy,the body weight decreases significantly in the late period (especially in the fifth week),which influences the setup errors.Therefore,in the fourth and fifth weeks of radiotherapy for rectal cancer,the weight loss should be closely monitored,and the number of CBCT scans can be increased before the treatment fraction to ensure the accuracy and optimization of treatment.

To evaluate the efficacy of Tuina and Chinese patent drug Shuxuetong injection in preventing patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty from deep venous thrombosis and in functional rehabilitation.

Objective: To investigate the neural connections between Shenmen (HT7)-heart and the brain by observing the tracing viruses co-labeled brain nuclear groups after injection of the pseudorabies viruses (PRV), the reverse transsynaptic virus tracer carrying different fluorescent protein genes, into the myocardium and Shenmen (HT7) point, respectively.Methods: Pseudorabies virus 531 (PRV531) carrying the green fluorescent protein gene and pseudorabies virus 724 (PRV724) carrying the red fluorescent protein gene were injected into the left ventricular wall and Shenmen (HT7) point area of the left forelimb of six C57BL/6 mice, respectively. After 120 h, whole brain tissue was extracted under 4％ paraformaldehyde perfusion to prepare brain sections. Neuronal co-labeling with the tracing viruses was observed under fluorescence microscopy. Results: Co-labeled signals from the mouse ventricular wall and Shenmen (HT7) point region were found at all levels of the mouse central nervous areas, such as the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The number of co-labeled neurons was higher in the primary motor area, the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, the subceruleus nucleus, and the paramedian reticular nucleus. Conclusion: There is a neural connection between Shenmen (HT7), the heart, and the brain, which may be most closely related to the autonomic nervous system.