Growing evidence indicates that hyperhomocysteinemia is not only a high risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases,but also closely correlated with neurodegenerative diseases and mental diseases,such as Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,dementia,cognitive impair- ment,depression and schizophrenia,The mechanisms of homocysteine neurotoxicity remains unclear,and it may include activating extracellular signal-regulated kinases,excessively activating glutamate receptors,participating in oxidative stress response,affecting methylation process and damaging DNA.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the reformatted unenhanecded spiral CT of ureter for ureterolithiasis. Methods 39 patients were examined using nonenhenced spiral CT from the top of the kidneys to symphysis pubis in a single breath hold. The postprocessing method used in our studies was curved planar reformatting(CPR). Results Reformatted CT displayed clearly the entire course of ureter in all 39 cases . The diagnosis of ureterolithiasis was made on CPR views by definitive demonstration a calculus actually within the ureter, including the stone size, shape, location and the obstruction degree of ureter in 33 patients. The CPR views also demonstrated the ureter and the structures around clearly to aid greatly in differentiating the other 6 cases miscellaneous urinary tract conditions. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the reformatted nonenhanecded spiral CT of ureter has potential as an imaging tool for the ureterolithiasis and other urinary tract abnormalities.

Non-motor symptoms are an important component of the manifestations of Parkinson's disease(PD);they usually include sleep disorder,neuropsychotic symptoms,autonomic dysfunction,pain,and so on.Non-motor symptoms are multifactorial and mainly involve various non-dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems.These symptoms are not only a result of disease progression,but also can appear in the early stage of the disease,and they can have a major impact on the quality of life.The early notice of these symptoms may lead to better therapeutic strategies and subsequently to the improvement of the quality of life in PD patients.

Objective To observe the repairing effects of bone after nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen (nHAC)being implanted in and to study its prospect in clinical application.Methods Nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen composite was developed by biomimetic method. The material was used in clinical operation,the healing effects of bone defects were assessed by methods of radiography.Results The composite showed some features of natural bone in both composition and microstructure.After implanting,the patients were not hyperpyrexial,did not have extravasate and immunoreaction,the bone defects were healing well.Conclusion The composite can serve as one of the promising materials for bone repairing.

Objective　In order to explore the effect of 13-cis isotretinoin on androgen receptor in acneic patients and provide the theoretical basis for acne treatment. Methods　Radiological binding assay (RBA) was used to study the specific AR binding capacities between the experimental group and the control group before and after taking medicine. The serum testosterone level was measured with radioimmunoassay. Results　 16 weeks after taking medicine, the AR level in the acne patients decreased significantly compared with that before taking 13-cis RA (P＜0.05)，but the affinity change was not found, the testosterone levels did not evidently change either. Conclusion　The 13-cis RA can decrease the levels of AR and depress the hyperplasia of sebaceoous glands.

The glutathione peroxidase cDNA has been acquired by reverse transcriplate-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). mRNA was isolated from the culture liver cancer cells firstly, then trancriplate if into cDNA with AMV reverse transcriptase. By using this cDNA as PCR template and two synthetic special primers, we get about 600 bp DNA fragment after 35 circles. The result is identical with our expectation.

Objective To determine the involvement of DNA demethylation in tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)-induced matrix metalloproteinase 9 ( MMP9) expression in human epidermal keratinocytes. Methods Real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to determine the mRNA and protein levels of MMP9 after human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) cells were treated with 10 ng/ ml TNF-α or 2. 5 μmol/ L DAC/ 300 nmol/ L TSA. Bisulfite sequencing PCR ( BSP) and Methylation-sensitive high-resolution melt analysis ( Ms-HRM) were used to detect significantly differentially demethylated CpG sites in the human MMP9 promoter region in cells exposed to TNF-α. Different sites methylation constructs of promoter-luciferase reporter gene were made to detect the influences of site-specific DNA demethylation on transcription activity of MMP9 promoter. Results Compared with PBS-treated control, TNF-α significantly increased the expression of MMP9 in HaCaT cells for indicated culture duration ( P < 0. 05 ). Real time PCR, Western blot, and ELISA analysis demonstrated that the mRNA and protein levels of MMP9 were increased initially, followed by a decline with prolonged incubation time. After TNF-α treatment, varied degrees of DNA demethylation occurred at 10 CpG sites in the promoter of MMP9, and the changes at the -36 bp site were statistically significant (P<0. 05). The demethylation at the -36 bp site greatly increased the transcription activity of MMP9. Conclusion TNF-α promotes MMP9 expression in HaCaT cells through inducing -36 bp site DNA demethylation on the promoter of MMP9.

Objective To investigate the role of prokinetic agent itopride in colonic preparation before colonoscopy examination in patients with constipation.Methods A total of 115 outpatients with history of chronic constipation who requested colonoscopy were collected.According to colonic preparation proposal,patients were divided into three groups.Group A (39 cases) took standard dosage of PEG-E solution six hours before colonoscopy examination.Group B (38 cases) took 150 mg itopride 30 minutes before administration of lavage solution.Group C (38 cases) took itopride 150 mg at 7 am,12 am and 8 pm the day before the examination and on the examination day took the same medicine as that of group B.The blood pressure,heart rate and blood electrolytes were monitored before and after taking medicine in the patients of three groups.Quality of colon cleansing of each group was observed and side effects were also observed.One-way analysis of variance (least significant difference,LSD) test was performed for pairwise comparisons among the three groups.Chi-square test was applied for count data.Results Both group A and group B excluded one patient because of malignant carcinoma with colon stricture under colonoscopy,and 113 patients completed the whole colon examination.There was no significant difference in the baseline patients' data of three groups.The colon cleaning score of group C (7.28±1.11) was higher than those of group A and B (6.55±1.18 and 6.51±1.16,LSD test,both P＜0.05).The frequency of bowel movements defecation of group C (8.31± 1.32) was more than those of group A and group B (7.11± 1.41 and 6.94± 1.51,LSD,test,both P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in terms of intestinal bubble scores,blood pressure,heart rate,blood electrolytes the uncomfortable degree of colonic preparation and rate of side effects of the three groups.Conclusion The colonic preparation can be safely and effectively improved by taking high dose of itopride one day before and on the day of colonoscopy examination.

BACKGROUND: Different processes of thinking may lead to the same results, which represent one of the forms of the complexity of the human brain.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the similarity in the results of thinking and difference in the thinking process by means of questionnaires.DESIGN: A comparative analysis of the answers in the final term examination with the difference in answers analyzed by x2 test with contingency table.SETTING: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Henan University of Science and Technology.PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted between June and November,2004, involving totally 300 volunteered second-year medical students (150male and 150 female, aged 20-22 years) of the medical school of Henan Science and Technology University who took their final examination in physiology.METHODS: The first "question for thinking" in the final examination was taken as an example, and the papers with full score for this question (completely correct group, n=42) and zero score (totally wrong group, n=49)were chosen, from which one paper was randomly selected from each group. The first 10 words in the answer to the question was used as the control and compared with the answers of the other papers word by word.Each same word was given a score of 1 and otherwise a score of 0, and the number of the same words and different words were counted for comparison. Meanwhile the total words of the answer were also counted and compared. The difference in the answers was analyzed with x2 test with contingency table.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The difference in the first 10 words between completely correct group and totally wrong group.RESULTS: Totally 42 students in the complete correct group and 49 in totally wrong group were included in the final result analysis. The number of the total words of the answer was different between the students in spite of the same scores. The first 10 words of the chosen paper in completely correct group was significantly different from those in the other 41 papers (x2=270.978, P ＜ 0.01); there was also significant difference in the first 10words between the chosen paper and the other 41 papers in totally wrong group (x2=285.153, P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: Longitudinal thinking as well as lateral thinking processes are different between persons.

Objective To observe the changes of the intercellular spaces of squamous epithelium of lower esophagus in gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD).Methods Eleven outpatients with GERD symptoms more than 3 months [6 with nonerosive reflex disease(NERD)and 5 with erosive esophagitis(EE)]and 5 healthy volunteers were recruited.All of them underwent endoscopy and 24-hr ambulatory pH monitoring.Biopsies were taken in lower esophagus(2 cm above Z-line)for electron microscope examination.Results Intercellular spaces of esophageal epithelial cell in volun teers,NERD patients and EE patients were (0.374?0.073)?m,(1.308?0.079)?m and (1.332?0.144)?m respectively,with significant differences between the control group and the NERD or EE group.There was no difference between NERD group and EE group.Conclusions Dilated intercellular spaces were seen in both NERD and EE cases,which was significantly different from the control cases.