Objective To study the natural history of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) progress to dementia and to evaluate the efficacy of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) donepezil on MCI.Methods Ninty-eight patients with MCI including amnestic MCI and non-amnestic MCI were retrospectively analyzed. The patients with donepezil or not were separately divided to two groups while they were matched by sex, age,degree of MCI and possession of the ApoE?4 allele.The rate of conversion from MCI to dementia, measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE),Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale- Cognitive section(ADAS-Cog) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R),was compared between the two groups.Results In aMCI group,the rate of conversion dropped by 15.1% and 8.3% (P0.05).Conclusion Donepezil could postpone the conversion of MCI to dementia.

Objective:To investigate the in vivo absorption kinetics of caffeine at different intestine segments in rats.Methods: The rat intestine was cannulated for in situ recirculation.The absorption kinetics of caffeine,including the absorption segments of intestine,drug concentration and pH value,were investigated in all the rats under light anesthesia.Ultraviolet light spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography were used to determine the concentrations of phenol red and caffeine,respectively.Results: The absorption rate constants(Ka) of caffeine in the small intestine at the concentrations of 2.5,5,10 and 25 mg?L-1 were 0.252,0.247,0.304 and 0.232 h-1,respectively.The Ka values at pH of 7.8,6.8,and 5.4 were 0.267,0.274 and 0.247 h-1,respectively.The Ka values in the duodenum,jejunum,ileum,and colon were 0.112,0.099,0.095 and 0.069 5 h-1,respectively.Conclusion: Concentration and pH value have no obvious effect on the absorption kinetics of caffeine.Caffeine can be better absorbed in the duodenum,jejunum and ileum than in the colon.The absorption of caffeine in the intestine is a first-order process through passive diffusion mechanism.

Recombinant PCR applies to fulfill gene recombination by PCR thermal reaction.Over the twenty years,it has branched into three characteristic strategies:splicing by overlapping extension(SOE),jumping polymerase chain reaction(JPCR)and DNA shuffling.Recently,the technique aimed with exploiting natural source of different allele genes is developing up on simplification of experimental procedure,on trap for mutation and variation,and on highthroughput screening with technology of surface display and fluorescent probe.The recombinant PCR is increasesing value in broad range from biological basic research to bioengineering study.

Background:In the past decade, many researchers focused on to robot?assisted surgery. However, on long?term outcomes for patients with early?stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whether the robotic procedure is superior to video?assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy is unclear. Nonetheless, in the article titled “Long?term survival based on the surgical approach to lobectomy for clinical stage I non–small cell lung cancer: comparison of robotic, video assisted thoracic surgery, and thoracotomy lobectomy” by Yang etal. that was recently published in Annals of Surgery, the authors provided convincing evidence that the robotic procedure results in similar long?term survival as compared with VATS and thoracotomy. Minimally invasive procedures typically result in shorter lengths of hospital stay, and the robotic procedure in particular results in superior lymph node assessment.
Main body:Our propensity score?matched study generated high?quality data. Based on our ifndings, we see prom?ise in expanding patient access to robotic lung resections. In this study, propensity score matching minimized the bias involved between groups. Nevertheless, due to its retrospective nature, bias may still exist. Currently, the concept of rapid rehabilitation is widely accepted, and it is very diffcult to set up a randomized controlled trial to compare robotic, VATS, and thoracotomy procedures for the treatment of NSCLC. Therefore, to overcome this limitation and to minimize bias, the best approach is to use a registry and prospectively collected, propensity score?matched data.
Conclusions:Robotic lung resections result in similar long?term survival as compared with VATS and thoracotomy. Robot?assisted and VATS procedures are associated with short lengths of hospital stay, and the robotic procedure in particular results in superior lymph node assessment. Considering the alarming increase in the incidence of lung can?cer in China, a nationwide database of prospectively collected data available for clinical research would be especially important.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of sequoyitol (Sep) on high glucose-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury.

METHODSHUVECs were cultured with high glucose (30 mmol/L) in the presence or absence of sequoyitol (0.1, 1 and 10 micromol/L) for 24 h. Cell proliferation was measured by BrdU marking and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate was used to evaluate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The NO, malonydialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 levels were determined by colorimetric method according to the manufacturer's instructions. The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSIn the present study, we found that sequoyitol pretreatment for 1 h significantly decreased cell injury, promoted cell proliferation. Meanwhile sequoyitol significantly down-regulated NOX4 expression and decreased the level of ROS, MDA and H2O2 and obviously increased NO levels and up-regulated eNOS expression.

CONCLUSIONSequoyitol alleviates high glucose-induced cell injuries in HUVECs via inhibiting oxidative stress and up-regulating eNOS expression.

Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucose ; toxicity ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; Inositol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of sequoyitol (Seq) on expression of eNOS and NOX4 in aortas of type 2 diabetic rats. Type 2 diabetic rats induced by high fat and high sugar diet and low dose of streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg x kg(-1)) and were administered Seq (12.5, 25 and 50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 6 weeks. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) and body weight were tested. Acetylcholine (Ach) induced endothelium-dependent relaxation and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced endothelium-independent relaxation were measured in aortas for estimating endothelial function. Aortic morphological change was observed with HE staining. The level of serum insulin was measured by radioimmunoassay. The total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO levels in aortas were determined according to the manufacturer's instructions. In addition, the expressions of eNOS and NOX4 in aortas were measured by immunohistochemisty, real-time PCR or Western blotting. The results showed that Seq significantly decreased FBG and insulin resistance, and improved aortic endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation function. The expressions of NOX4 and MDA content were obviously decreased, while the expression of eNOS, the levels of NO and T-AOC increased significantly in aortas of diabetic rats with Seq treatment. In conclusion, Seq protects against aortic endothelial dysfunction of type 2 diabetic rats through down-regulating expression of NOX4 and up-regulating eNOS expression.
Animals ; Aorta ; metabolism ; pathology ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Inositol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

This article analyzes the status quo of sales supervision on medical devices through some aspects, including the relevant regulation system, the standards of sales admittance, the supervision team and the approval of business license. According to the exiting problems, some improving countermeasures are proposed for reference.
Materials Management, Hospital ; organization & administration

This paper focuses on issues needed to be clear towards the product quality supervision of medical devices in use. The life circle of medical devices, the supervision regarding its boundary, target, emphasis, basis and standards have been analyzed in turn. A clear and creative idea is also provided for theoretical exploration of the supervision on medical devices in use.
Materials Management, Hospital ; Quality Assurance, Health Care

Adult ; Bone Transplantation ; Fibula ; transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla ; surgery ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Zygoma ; transplantation

Objective: To investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture on obestatin in rat with simple obesity. Methods: Obesity was induced in male SD rats with high-fat and -glucose diet for 10 weeks. Twenty-four rats with obesity were randomly divided into untreated group and electro-acupuncture group, with 12 rats in each group. Another 12 normal SD rats serving as controls were fed standard rat chow. Rats in the electro-acupuncture group were treated with electro-acupuncture on bilateral Zusanli (ST36), Tianshu (ST25) and Pishu (BL20) acupoints for fifteen days consecutively. Rats in the blank control group and untreated group were not interfered. Body weight was measured every 3 days during treatment. After treatment, obestatin in serum and hypothalamus was detected by radioimmunoassay or immunohistochemiscal method respectively. Visceral fat weight was also detected. Results: Body weight and visceral fat weight of rats in the untreated group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group (P<0.01). Body weight and increase of body weight in the electro-acupuncture group were significantly lower than those in the untreated group (P<0.01). Visceral fat weight in the electro-acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the untreated group (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference as compared with the blank control group. The obestatin expression in hypothalamus was higher in the untreated group than in the blank control group (P<0.05), while it was lower in the untreated group than in the electro-acupuncture group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Electro-acupuncture has an effect against obesity in rats, which may be related to up-regulating obestatin expression in hypothalamus.