OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the C609T polymorphism of NADP (H): quinoneoxidoreductase 1 (NQ01) gene and decreased cognitive function and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a community cohort.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and sequencing were used to determine the genotype of NQ01 in 110 subjects without cognitive dysfunction, 21 with cognitive dysfunction, and 65 AD patients from a community cohort.

RESULTSSignificantly different distributions of C/T and T/T genotypes were found between MMSE normal and abnormal subjects (OR=2.8, 95%CI 0.96-8.18, P=0.024), and between AD patients and healthy controls (OR=3.27, 95% CI 1.54-6.94, P=0.001), respectively. The frequencies of T allele of NQ01 C609T were significantly higher in MMSE abnormal subjects and AD patients (P=0.034 and 0.005) as compared to normal controls.

CONCLUSIONThe C609T polymorphism of NQ01 gene may be a genetic risk factor for cognitive dysfunction and sporadic AD in Chinese population.

Alzheimer Disease ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Cognition Disorders ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Coptis chinensis on jaundice of G6PD deficient neonates.

METHOD122 G6PD deficient neonates with jaundice who were in People' s Hospital of Guigang of Guangxi province from January 1999 to October 2004 were divided into two groups: C. chinensis group (62 neonates with C. chinensis administration before jaundice' s appearance) and none C. chinensis group (60 neonates without C. chinensis administration before jaundice' s appearance). The initial time, duration of jaundice, hemoglobin and serum bilirubin level and the incidence of kernicterus were analyzed between the two groups.

RESULTThe initial time of jaundice is significantly later and the duration of jaundice is markedly shorter in the neonates with C. chinensis than that without C. chinensis. Simultaneously, the level of hemoglobin is significantly increased, and there is a low tendency of serum total bilirubin and direct bilirubin level in C. chinensis group as compared to that in none C. chinensis group. Moreover, there is no kernicterus in C. chinensis group and no difference in the treating result out of hospital between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONOur results do not support the view that C. chinensis could aggravate jaundice of G6PD deficient neonates.

Bilirubin ; blood ; China ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Female ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; blood ; chemically induced ; complications ; Hemoglobins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Neonatal ; blood ; chemically induced ; complications ; Kernicterus ; blood ; chemically induced ; complications ; Male ; Plant Preparations ; adverse effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors

Objective Iodine loading would be carried out on orthopedic titanium Kirschner-wire by electrophoretic deposition.And by this,a kind of orthopedic iodine-coated implant with antibacterial properties was supposed to be developed,that would provide a theoretical basis for the development of clinical orthopedic implants with antibacterial properties.Methods Iodine loading on the surface of titanium Kirschner-wire was carried out by electrophoretic deposition.PVP-I solution as 1 000 ppm,2 000 ppm and 4 000 ppm was prepared respectively (1 ppm=1 mg/kg=1 mg/L).Three kinds of iodine-coated orthopedic titanium Kirschner-wires with different iodine content were prepared by electrophoretic deposition at 200 V voltage for 30 min and then stoved after being washed with distilled water.The surface signs and composition structure of iodine coated titanium Kirschnerwire were studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS).Antibacterial experiments of Iodine coating titanium Kirschner needle were performed in vitro.Antimicrobial test:10 pieces of uncoated titanium Kirschner-wires;10 pieces of iodine-coated titanium Kirschner-wires with 1 000 ppm;10 pieces of iodine-coated titanium Kirschner-wires with 2 000 ppm;10 pieces of iodine-coated titanium wires with 4 000 ppm.Because iodine is easy to sublimate and does not withstand high temperature,all the titanium Kirschner needles are fumigated and disinfected by ethylene oxide (supported by the supply room of our hospital).Titanium wires were immersed respectively in 106 CFUJ/ml (ATCC25923) bacterial suspension of standard Staphylococcus aureus so that bacteria would be fully inoculated on the surface of the titanium wire.The sterilized titanium Kirschner needle was placed in a sterile culture cup and 30 ml suspension was added into the culture cup.The sterilized titanium Kirschner needle was completely immersed in the bacterial solutionand was kept at 37°C for 6 h before taking out.Take out the titanium Kirschner needle slowly,rinse the titanium Kirschner needle with 5 ml sterile PBS buffer,after rinsing the surface of titanium Kirschner needle,transfer the titanium Kirschner needle to the new sterile culture cup and add 5 ml sterile saline until the titanium Kirschner needle is completely immersed.Then put the titanium Kirschner needle into the ultrasonic oscillator to wash the surface of the bacteria fully.After 10 000 times dilution,100 μl was smeared on agar medium for culture (37°C) and the number of colonies was observed and counted 24 h later.Results The surface of three kinds of iodine coating titanium Kirschner-wires was covered with uniform iodized compound coating and had a brown look.The film structure was stable and there was no falling off after ultrasonic cleaning.SEM exhibited that the surface of Titanium Kirschner-wire is covered with a compact coating;the appearance structure is relatively flat and a slight collapse can be seen scattered in the surface of the wire.The results of EDS showed that the iodine content in the surface coating of 3 groups was 4.38 wt％,9.05 wt％ and 14.48 wt％.The bacteria growing on the surface of titanium needle were shaken down by ultrasonic vibration.The CFU counting was carried out after the bacterial solution being diluted,coated and cultured for 24 h.It can be seen that the antibacterial property increases continuously with the increase of iodine coating content.The antibacterial properties of iodine-coated implant which content 14.48 wt％ iodine was more than 1 orders of magnitude than the control group.The results showed that the plants coated with iodine had obvious antibacterial effect.Conclusion The iodine coated titanium wire was prepared by electrophoretic deposition,after being characterized by SEM,EDS and quantitative measurement,the successful loading of iodine was proved,the antibacterial experiment proved that the iodinecoated orthopedic titanium Kirschner-wire has a stronger antibacterial properties than the ordinary titanium Kirschner-wire under laboratory conditions.

Objective To investigate the sexual behavior types, condom use and influencing factors of gonorrhea patients in Yunnan Province, and to provide evidence for the adjustment of sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention and control strategy. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate gonorrhea patients in 14 STD clinics in 7 more prevalent prefectures (cities) of Yunnan Province. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the socio-demographic and sexual characteristics of the patients in a one-to-one way. Multiple Logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of sexual behavior. Results A total of 179 cases of gonorrhea were investigated. The average age was (29.01±8.93) years old. 95.53% (171/179) patients were 40 years old and 88.27% were male patients (158/179). Unmarried patients accounted for 55.31% (99/179). Service and self-employed patients accounted for 34.64% (62/179) and 23.46% (42/179) respectively. The rate of sexual intercourse with opposite sex was 98.32% (176/179), the rate of men who have sex with men was 1.68% (3/179) and the rate of having more than two sexual partners was 27.93% (50/179). The rate of sexual intercourse between temporary partners, spouses/fixed partners and commercial partners were 53.07% (95/179), 37.99% (68/179) and 8.94% (16/179) respectively. Recent sexual activity had lower condom use rate, 17.89% (17/95), 19.12% (13/68) and 18.75% (3/16) respectively. The main ways for gonorrhea patients to make temporary partners were friend introductions or gatherings, accounting for 66.32% (63/95). Condom use in male patients was worse than that in female patients (OR=0.234, 95% CI: 0.084-0.656, P=0.006). Conclusions The patients with gonorrhea were mainly unmarried young adults. The main risk behaviors were unprotected behaviors between heterosexual temporary and spouse/fixed sexual partners. The condom use consciousness was generally low. The promotion of safe sex education for young adults should be further strengthened, with special attention to the use of condoms for temporary sexual behavior and spouse/fixed sexual intercourse.

BACKGROUNDThe application of pulmonary valved conduit to reconstruct the continuity between right ventricles and pulmonary artery is one of the major surgeries. This study aimed to establish an in vivo model of in situ implantation using pulmonary valved conduit in large animals under off-pump condition to validate the long-term effects of artificial pulmonary valved conduit.

METHODSDomesticate juvenile male sheep and tissue-engineered porcine pulmonary valved conduit were used for the experiment: 30 sheep, weighing (15 ± 3) kg (range 13 to 17 kg) were randomly divided into two groups which were all operated under general anesthesia by off-pump surgery (group 1) and left thoracotomy (group 2). Two different off-pump surgical methods were used to perform cannulation in sheep pulmonary artery to replace part of sheep pulmonary artery with pulmonary valved conduit which will work together with sheep pulmonary artery and valves. During the experiments, animal survival, complication rates, operating time and blood loss were recorded to compare the results between groups and to establish a surgical method with minimal invasion, simplicity, safety, and high success rates.

RESULTSIn group 1, a total of 15 cases of surgeries were performed, in which two sheep died; the operative mortality was 13.3% (2/15). In group 2, a total of 15 cases of surgeries were performed, and the surgical mortality rate was 0 (0/15). The operation time and blood loss in group 2 was significantly better than that in group 1. The postoperative echocardiograms showed that, after the surgeries by these two methods, the blood flows were normal, and the valves can open and close freely. Autopsy after 6 months showed that the inner wall and the valves of pulmonary valved conduit were smooth with no thrombus formation.

CONCLUSIONThese two off-pump methods are feasible and safe with fewer traumas; but the second method is better and particularly suitable for the establishment of a juvenile animal model.

Animals ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Male ; Pulmonary Valve ; Sheep ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering

OBJECTIVETo investigate the early effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on cerebral free radical reactions after acute brain injury in rabbits.

METHODS30 healthy white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (n=10), Group B (n=12) and Group C (n=8). The rabbits in Group A and Group B were injured by direct hit. At 0.5-4 hours after injury, the rabbits in Group A were injected with TRH (8 mg/kg body weight) through a vein and the rabbits in Group B were injected with normal saline of equal volume. The rabbits in Group C served as the normal control. Then all the rabbits were killed and brain tissues were obtained. The content of lipoperoxide (LPO), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the water content of the brain tissues were measured.

RESULTSThe contents of LPO and water in brain tissues in Group A were lower and the activity of SOD was higher than those of Group B (P<0.05). After injury, intracranial pressure (ICP) rose rapidly and continuously with time passing by. When TRH was given to the animals in Group A, the rising speed of ICP slowed down significantly.

CONCLUSIONSTRH can decrease the cerebral free radical reactions and cerebral edema after acute brain injury in rats.

Animals ; Brain Edema ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; metabolism ; Female ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Intracranial Pressure ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Rabbits ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEAlthough stressful life events represent an etiologic factor of mental health problems in adolescents, few studies have been conducted to address mechanisms linking the stress-psychopathology relation. The present study was designed to examine coping as a mediate factor on the relationship between stressful life events and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

METHODSThe participants were 13 512 students from eight cities of China, who participated in a school-based survey. Data were collected by a questionnaire comprising coping, stressful life events, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. As a model, a series of regression equations were used to examine whether coping mediated the association between stressful life events and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

RESULTSEach dimension of stressful life events showed significant correlation with anxiety, depression and coping (all P<0.001). In the model to analyze mediate effects, all standardized coefficients (β) were significant (all P<0.01), indicating marked mediator effects. Furthermore, negative coping might account for more mediate effects than positive coping on this relationship.

CONCLUSIONCoping partially mediated the relationship between stressful life events and mental health during adolescence. This study highlighted an important public health priority for preventive interventions targeting stress-related psychopathology, and for further promoting adolescents' mental health.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adolescent ; Anxiety ; psychology ; China ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Depression ; psychology ; Humans ; Life Change Events ; Mental Health ; Models, Psychological ; Students ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Humans ; Microbubbles ; Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense ; genetics ; Transfection ; methods ; Ultrasonics

OBJECTIVEWe investigate the magnitudes of waveform changes of arterial blood gas (ABG) in patients with heart failure.

METHODSFive patients with heart failure were selected, continuous collecting radial artery blood and measured PaO2, PaCO2, pHa and Sao2. We selected two typical breaths cycles of waveform changes of ABG from each patient for data analysis. Comparison of the adjacent highest and lowest values to verify the presence of a periodic waveform changes of ABG, and in addition, we used t test to analysis the range of waveform changes of ABG in patients with heart failure and patients with normal cardiac function and compared whether the difference between them.

RESULTSThe 5 patients (2 surgical and 3 ICU) with heart failure, were 4 male and 1 female, (69 ± 7)year, (169 ± 10) cm, (75 ± 19)kg, LVEF = (38 ± 3)%. The heart beat numbers for full blood into the blood sampling pipe were 17 ± 2, and all covered more than 2 breath cycles. There were significant changes of PaO2, PaCO2, [H+]a and SaO2 (P < 0.05). The magnitudes of changing PaO2, PaCO2, [H+]a and Sao2 were (7.94 ± 2.02)mmHg, (1.18 ± 0.56)mmHg, (0.54 ± 0.17)nmol/L and (0.21 ± 0.07)%, and they were (6.1 ± 1.5)%, (3.2 ± 1.5)%, (1.5 ± 0.5)% and (0.2 ± 0.1)% from their mean respectively. Even these magnitudes fo all ABG parameters were trendily lower than those of patients with normal cardiac function, but only PaO2 and [H+]a were significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONUsing this simple continuous beat-by-beat arterial blood sampling method, we obtained a clear evidence of periodic waveform of ABG parameters following by breath cycle in patients with heart failure, but the magnitude trendily be decreased.

Aged ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods

OBJECTIVETo review the clinical data of enteral feeding of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI), and analyze the influencing factors.

METHODFrom Jan. 2000 to Jan. 2010, data of 31 ELBWI from Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively collected. ELBWI were assigned to different groups according to the time achieving full enteral feeding, comparison was done between two groups for enteral feeding.

RESULTTwenty-four infants were analyzed, their mean gestational age was (29.0 ± 1.8) weeks (26.14 - 34.43 weeks), birth weight (882 ± 67) g (730 - 970 g), there were 11 infants in group A, whose time for achieving full enteral feeding was (27 ± 6)days, there were 13 infants in group B, whose time achieving full enteral feeding was (46 ± 10)days. The ratio of asphyxia (18.2% vs. 61.5%, P = 0.047), duration of umbilical vein catheterization longer than 10 days (18.2% vs. 61.5%, P = 0.047), and duration of mechanical ventilation longer than 14 days (27.3% vs. 76.9%, P = 0.038) in group A was higher than in group B. The milk volume on the 21st and 28th day in group A was much more than that in group B [(88.9 ± 35.4) ml vs. (37.4 ± 34.9) ml, P = 0.002; (121.1 ± 37.4) ml vs. (53.2 ± 33.1) ml, P = 0.000]. There were no significant differences between the two groups in gestational age, birth weight, patent ductus arterious, erythrocytosis, dysglycemia, sepsis, the time to begin enteral feeding, the beginning milk volume, the adding milk volume in the 1st, 2nd week, and the milk volume on the 3rd, 7th, 14th day.

CONCLUSIONAsphyxia, duration of umbilical vein catheterization, and duration of mechanical ventilation are likely to influence the enteral feeding of ELBWI, ELBWI with successful enteral feeding could show good tolerance in the 3rd week. But individual program should be made for enteral feeding of ELBWI, because enteral feeding could be influenced by multiple factors.

Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; growth & development ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; growth & development ; Male ; Retrospective Studies