OBJECTIVESTo explore whether the angiotensin I -converting enzyme (ACE) I/D (insertion/ deletion) polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) in the Han Chinese.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-seven HAPE-p (HAPE patients) and 193 HAPE-r (HAPE resistants) were enrolled from the Yushu earthquake reconstruction workers in Qinghai province where the altitude is over 3 500 m above sea level. Blood samples were collected from each of the HAPE-p and HAPE-r groups. Information about physiological phenotypes was obtained via fieldwork investigation. The ACE-I/D polymorphism in HAPE-p and HAPE-r was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTSThe SaO2 was significantly lower while HR was significantly higher in HAPE-p group than those in HAPE-r group. The genotype frequencies of ACE-I/D for II, ID, DD in HAPE-r and HAPE-p groups were 0.430, 0.446, 0.124 and 0.435, 0.469, 0.095, respectively, the allelic frequencies of I and D were 0.650, 0.350 and 0.670, 0.330, respectively. The OR of ID, DD and D alleles relative to II for HAPE was 0.961 (0.610-1.514), 1.322 (0.634-2.758) and 1.080 (0.783-1.489). There was no significant difference of the genotypic and the allelic frequencies in ACE-I/D polymorphism between HAPE-p and HAPE-r groups.

CONCLUSIONSThere is no relation between ACE-I/D polymorphism and HAPE in the Han Chinese.

Alleles ; Altitude ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pulmonary Edema ; genetics

Coptidis Rhizoma-Euodiae Fructus has been widely used for the treatment of digestive diseases since Song Dynasty, and therapeutic efficacy is very obvious. Modern research found that alkaloids are the main bio-active constituents, and some of their contents have striking difference after compatibility of the two herbs. The Chinese medicine pair (CMP) has extensive biological activities, such as the effect of gastrointestinal effect, anti-tumor, lowering the blood pressure and blood fat and so on. And some action mechanism of CMP also got partial demonstration. This paper mainly summarized the bio-active constituents, compatibility effects, action mechanism and clinical applications of the CMP, which can provide a basis for further research and development of the CMP.
Animals ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Evodia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Objective To investigate the situations of close contacting with MDR-TB in family and analysis the necessity and urgency of family protection.Methods Nine typical primary MDR-TB cases in our hospital that close contacted with family pulmonary TB patients.their relatives contacted with them and their treatment prognosis were retrospectively analyzed.Results All of the 9 cases were transmitted by lineal MDR-TB relatives.In one case,3 generations were pumonary TB patients.All of 4 family members were pulmonary TBpatients in another case.3 cases were treated with operations:2 cases with pulmonary lobectomy and 1 case with intestinal resection.Treatment prognosis:3 cases cured,2 cases not cured,4 cases dead.Conclusions Family close contacting with MDR-TB patients should be intervened earlier:including health education,effective protection and health examination regularly et al.

Animals ; Chronic Disease ; Diet, High-Fat ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Lung ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for studying efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines from an overall perspective.

METHODCarthamus tinctorius was taken the example. Its major components were depleted by preparing liquid chromatography. Afterwards, the samples with major components depleted were evaluated for their antioxidant effect, so as to compare and analyze the major efficacious materials of C. tinctorius with antioxidant activity and the contributions.

RESULTSeven major components were depleted from C. tinctorius samples, and six of them were identified with MS data and control comparison. After all of the samples including depleted materials are compared and evaluated for their antioxidant effect, the findings showed that hydroxysafflor yellow A, anhydrosafflor yellow B and 6-hydroxykaempferol-3, 6-di-O-glucoside-7-O-glucuronide were the major efficacious materials.

CONCLUSIONThis study explored a novel and effective method for studying efficacious materials of traditional Chinese medicines. Through this method, we could explain the direct and indirect contributions of different components to the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines, and make the efficacious material expression of traditional Chinese medicines clearer.

Alkalies ; chemistry ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVETo study the risk factors and abusers' characteristics on childhood sexual abuses among female students to provide reference data for preventive measures on child sexual abuse.

METHODSAnnonymous questionnaire survey of 701 adult female students in a college about their personal experience on childhood sexual abuses, their home conditions and abusers' characteristics.

RESULTSA total number of 701 female students were surveyed. 115 (22.11%) experienced non-physical contact sexual abuses before the age of 18, including 26 (3.71%) who suffered from attempted and 8 (1.14%) were forced with genital or anal sexual intercourse. 117 (16.69%) said they had suffered from sexual abuse before the age of 16. Most abusers were males (99.4%) and only a small percentage of them (3.2%) used violence. Most non-physical contact sexual abuses were from strangers (78.7%), while 71.3% of physical contact abuses were from acquaintances including 12.5% of them were teachers, 17.5% were neighbors and 21.3% were relatives. The risk factors of child sexual abuses were: frequent use of violence, bad hobbies and poor health conditions of parents, tight family relationships, and living in remarried families. Having well-educated fathers was a preventive factor.

CONCLUSIONStudies on childhood sexual abuses among females revealed that the incidents were not rare, and family environment played an important role.

Adult ; Child ; Child Abuse, Sexual ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; Family Relations ; Female ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) animal model was established in female SD rats fed with high iodine diet.The concentrations of FT_3 and FT_4 were increasing in order of normal control group, iodine excess control group,EAT control group and EAT iodine excess group (Pl＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Semi- quantitative RT-PCR and Western-blotting results showed that the expression of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) existed in thyrocytes of each group,while the expression was increasing in order of normal control group,iodine excess control group,EAT control group and EAT iodine excess group (P＜0.01).The results suggested that high iodine diet might induce thyrocytes' apoptosis by increasing the expression of TRAIL and hence influencing functional and pathologic changes of thyroid grand.

Objective To explore the correlation between induced abortion and reproductive tract infections (RTIs). Methods On the basis of keeping the representation of cities under study,53 652 fertile women aged 15-49 were surveyed by using a stratified-cluster-random sampling.Investigation and gynecological examination were conducted by two steps - firstly converging at the clinics, and then visiting those households for someone who did not show up at the clinics. Results Among all the 32.0% (n=16 800) women ever having experienced the history of induced abortion,21.1%(n= 11 090) of them had one, 7.6%(n=3976) women had two, and 4.1%(n=1734) women had at least three events. 59.0%(n=30 959) women among our studied samples had ever had RTI,with 30.9% ( n = 16 215 ) of them had only one 20.0% (n = 10 494 ) women had two and 8.1% (n =4250) had three or more RTIs. Data from x2 text and ordinal regression analysis revealed that the rural married women who underwent more induced abortions were more likely to suffer from RTIs,especially cervical infection and PID. Conclusion Our study showed that the rates of induced abortion and reproductive tract infections among married women in Anhui province were both high.Women who underwent induced abortions had a higher prevalence rate of reproductive tract infections.

Objective To explore the distribution of arsenic speciafion and to estimate the effect of arsenic on glutathione(GSH)levels in the blood and liver of mice exposed to different concentrations of inorganic AsⅢ through drinking water.Methods Mice drank water containing arsenite at concentrations of iAsⅢ of 0(contr01),25,50,100 ms/L for 6 weeks.Blood and liver were sampled to asses$the levels of inorganic arsenic(iAs),monomethylarsenic acid(MMA),dimethylarsenic acid(DMA)by the method of hydride generation trapping and ultra-hypothermia coupled with atomic absorption spectrometry,and the level of GSH by the method of 5,5'-Dithio-bis (2-Nitrobenzoic acid).Results Leveh of iAs.MMA and DMA in blood and in liver increased along with the increase of iAs concentrations in drinking water.Primary methylated index(PMI)and secondary methylation index (SMI)of liver and blood were significantly higher in exposed groups than those in control group(P＜0.05).SMI of liver in 50 mg/L exposed group[(50.45±2.94)%]was significantly higher than those in 25 mg/L and 100 mg/Lgroups[(41.68±7.09)%and(41.19±8.87)%,respectively],the difference being statistically significant(P＜0.05).The ratio of iAs.MMA and DMA in blood and liver in exposed group were 2:3:5 and 4:3:3,the percentage of level of organic arsenic(MMA+DMA)were 80%and 60%.GSH in blood and liver in exposed group decreased along with iAs concentrations in drinking water and had significant differences compared with those in control group (P＜0.05).However,levels of GSH in liver and blood did not differ significantly between exposed groups and control group(P＞0.05).Conclusions Membolism of iAs in liver is maximized when the iAs concentrations in drinking water increases to a certain level.However,the percentage of arsenic speciation in blood is different from that in liver,suggesting that other organs and tissues may be capable of methylation of inorganic arsenic.The level of GSH in liver and blood in mice is a good mark tO reflect the toxicity of arsenic.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of surgery for the patients with pyriform sinus carcinoma and analyze the prognostic factors related to the cancer.

METHODSBetween December 1995 and December 2002, 62 patients with pyriform sinus cancer were treated in Zhejiang Tumor Hospital. There were 13 patients staged T1, 17 T2, 12 T3, 20 T4. Four patients received preoperative radiation and 40 patients had post-operative radiation. Among 62 patients, 33 patients were treated by partial laryngectomy, 29 patients were treated by total laryngectomy.

RESULTSThe survival rate was calculated with Kaplan-Meier method. The overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 42.3% and 27.8%, respectively. The 3-year survival rate between partial and total laryngectomy was 51.9% and 29.9%. The 5-year survival rate between partial and total laryngectomy was 39.5% and 11.2% (chi2 = 4.14, P<0.05). Early stage and combined modality therapy were the independent favorable prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONSEarly diagnosis with treatment and combined treatment are the most important factors influencing the survival of patients with pyriform sinus carcinoma. Partial laryngopharyngectomy is a suitable treatment for early and selected advanced pyriform sinus carcinoma with a good function and oncologic outcome.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; mortality ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Laryngectomy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngectomy ; Pyriform Sinus ; pathology ; Survival Rate