Objective To reinvestigate the value of overnight low-dose dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.Methods Fifty-two patients with Cushing syndrome and 153 patients with simple obesity or essential hypertension in whom Cushing syndrome was excluded were studied retrospectively in order to compare the sensitivity and specificity of different serum cortisol cut-off levels in overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.Results The sensitivity of 50% of basal serum cortisol level at 8:00 and of the serum cortisol cut-off levels of 275,200,138,50 nmoL/L at 8:00 after the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test was 92.3%,92.3%,92.3%,92.3% and 100.0% respectively, and the specificity was 90.8%,98.7%,96.1%,91.5% and 78.4%,respectively.Conclusion The serum cortisol cut-off level of 50 nmol/L in the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test has very high sensitivity and can be used as a screening test for Cushing syndrome.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death. Safflower attracts great attention owing to its anti-ischemia/reperfusion injury effect. Ninety-three patients with CAD were included and randomized into safflower treatment group, PCI group and control group. Low-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed to measure end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion score index (WMSI) to determine the recovery of hibernating myocardium and cardiac function in all patients before treatment and after 3-month follow-up. The study was to investigate the effects of safflower on hibernating myocardial revascularization and cardiac function. It was found that LVEF was significantly improved, while the ESV and WMSI were significantly reduced after 2-week treatment in safflower and PCI treatment groups. No significant differences were found between safflower and PCI treatment groups in ESV, EDV, WMSI and LVEF after treatment Safflower injection effectively improved hibernating myocardial function.
Aged ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Coronary Artery Disease ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Myocardial Stunning ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Recovery of Function

To study the protective effect of Danshen Tongluo capsule on rat hearts in the myocardial infarction (MI) model. After being fed with high fat diets for one month, the SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group and the model group according to the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). The MI model group was duplicated by ligating coronary artery and then divided into five groups: the model group, the positive control group (model + captopril), the small dose group (model + Danshen Tongluo), the medium dose group (model + Danshen Tongluo) and the high dose group (model + Danshen Tongluo). Four weeks later, changes in myocardium ultra-structure were observed by hemodynamics, cardiac ultrasound and electron microscope. The results showed: (1) All doses of Danshen Tongluo capsule could significantly reduce the left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (P <0.01), increase the maximum internal pressure of the left ventricle (+ dp/dtmax), and lower the drop rate of left ventricular pressure (- dp/dtmax), with statistical significances in medium and high dose groups; (2) The B ultrasound results showed increase in EF and left ventricular shortening fraction (FS) in all dose groups of Danshen Tongluo capsule; (3) The medium dose group showed significant decrease in myocardial infarction index (P <0.01) and injured and fractured myofilament and sarcomere of ischemic myocardium in myocardial ultra-structure; All of Danshen Tongluo capsule-treated groups revealed reduction in myocardial injury and myocardial infraction area. The study preliminarily proves that Danshen Tongluo capsule can improve hemodynamic function, and has a protective effect on myocardial ischemia.
Animals ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the effects of different standard cross sections and angles on the measurement accuracy of induced postnatal fetal long bones. Methods Fetal long bones (femori and humeri) in 30 cases with induced abortion were measured utilizing ultrasound from different angles and /or at different directions. The values measured from different sections and angles with vernier calipers were compared prenatally and postnatally. Results There was no apparent difference between the pre-induced abortion and those of the post-induced abortion. The results in the 30 cases showed that: (1) the values measured from anterior 90 degree, the long bone length would best match with the bare long bone length up to 96.7%, the match rate of other angles and/or directions was up to 80%; (2) no apparent statistical difference was between the length of left and right bone and no difference was found using 4 different directions and 3 different angles; (3)there was no difference between the left and right femuri and humeri.Conclusions Though the measured value from anterior 90 degree direction was the most accurate one, the statistical analtical results showed no difference among 12 values measured from 3 different angles and/or 4 different directions.

Objective:To conduct empirical analysis on the impact mechanism of local public health expenditure based on fiscal decentralization.Methods:Using panel data of China's 31 provinces from 2010 to 2015,through static panels,FGLS,GMM estimation methods,the influence of different fiscal decentralization indexes on local public health expenditure in China were analyzed.Results:Different fiscal decentralization indexes had different effects on public health expenditure.Local governments with bigger fiscal autonomous income fight might increase public health expenditure effectively.Conclusion:It needed to further differentiate fiscal powers of the central and local governments reasonably,clear responsibility boundary,build the central and local public health expenditure hard constraint mechanism and improve the enthusiasm of local governments to provide unproductive public products.

Objective The present study was to differentiate the hyperdensities on CT immediately after intra-arterial thrombolysis in patients with acute isehemic stroke.Methods Twenty two patients with acute ischemic stroke were treated with intra-arterial combining with intravenous thrombolysis within 6 hours after onset.All patients underwent nonenhaneed CT scans before,immediately and 24 hours after thrombolytic therapy.The hyperdensities on CT after intra-arterial thrombolysis were analyzed retrospectively.Results Five hyperdense areas were seen in 22 patients immediately after thrombolytie therapy.According to their locations, CT values and follow-up CT scans,the hyperdensities on CT imaging were classified into two groups:contrast enhancement and hemorrhagic transformation.The former was characterized by rapid clearance of the hyperdensity lesion with maximum Hounsifild Unit＜90,on the contrary,the latter was noted by persistence of hyperdensity lesion after 24 hours CT scan with maximum Hounsifild Unit＞90.Two of the five hyperdense lesion patients were confirmed to be contrast enhancement with location in cerebral cortex,the other were hemorrhagic transformation,mostly located in basal ganglia.Hyperdensity in patients with contrast enhancement showed neurological improvement although no further medical cares were offered.Conclusions Different kind of hyperdensity on CT immediately after intra-arterial thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke can be differentiated according to its location,CT value and follow-up CT scan.When contrast enhancement occurred,no further medical care is needed.

Objective To investigate the current status of tobacco control in public places in Jiading District, after the introduction of "Tobacco Control Regulation in Public Places of Shanghai" (amendment), providing basic data for further implementing regulations. Methods The method of field observation was adopted to conduct the monitoring in 14 representative public places, including site staff in 109 places in April and September. Results The display rate of tobacco control propaganda increased(χ²=10.588, P < 0.001), but the posting rate of pictures for smoking control warnings decreased(χ²=6.272, P=0.012);the differences between two monitoring results were both statistically significant; the smoking rate in the staff within the workplaces decreased to 5.17%(χ²=20.973, P < 0.05);the differences between two monitoring results were both statistically significant. Conclusion The situation of tobacco control in Jiading District public places is good, but in some places smoking control should be further strengthened, and the intensity of tobacco control in public places should be maintained.

OBJECTIVETo study the differences between epidemic strains of influenza virus subtype A3 circulated in China and Occident in past 18 years, in genetic level, and vaccine strains recommended by WHO in corresponding time.

METHODSAmino acid sequences of HA1 regions of the epidemic strains, which circulated in China and Occident from 1988 to 2005, and the vaccine strains of influenza virus subtype A3 were compared by BioEdit and analyzed on the differences of HA1 and it's antigen determinants

RESULTSDifferences between epidemic strains and vaccine strains recommended in corresponding year, both in HA1 and it' s antigen determinant regions, were obviously greater than that between epidemic strains and vaccine strains recommended in next round (P< 0.01). However, differences between epidemic strains in Occident and vaccine strains recommended in corresponding year were slightly greater than that between epidemic strains and vaccine strains recommended in next round and it was not marked (P >0.05). In addition, differences between epidemic strains and vaccine strains which being used for several years, whether in China or in Occident, constantly increased accompanying the used time prolonged.

CONCLUSIONThere was an obvious lag between vaccine strains recommended by WHO, analyzed in genetic level, and epidemic strains of influenza virus subtype A3 circulated in China.

Antigens, Viral ; analysis ; China ; epidemiology ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; analysis ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; classification ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human ; classification ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influence of different salt iodine concentration on urinary iodine excrition among the target population and to determine the appropriate level of salt iodization to the local people.

METHODSIn the 31-day random control trial, 1099 subjects from 399 families were randomly distributed into four groups and were supplied with iodized-salt with different iodine concentration of (6 +/- 2)mg/kg, (15 +/- 2)mg/kg, (24 +/- 2)mg/kg and (34 +/- 2)mg/kg, respectively. The original family salt was retrieved, whose iodine content was determined in those subjects' families with single-blind method. Baseline survey was conducted including salt and urinary iodine of the subjects. From the 27th day after the intervention, the urinary samples of the subjects were continuously collected for 5 days and urinary iodine was tesed respectively. Meanwhile, daily meal investigation was conducted to evaluate the influences originated from food.

RESULTSThe median of local water iodine content was 3.05 microg/L and the average salt iodine concentration was (36.4 +/- 5.4)mg/kg while 98.8% of the household consumed sufficient iodized-salt. The medians of baseline urinary iodine of the subjects were 293.6 microg/L in city, and 508.8 microg/L in the countryside. The urinary iodine medians of four groups in the day of 28th after intervention were 97.2 microg/L, 198.6 microg/L, 249.4 microg/L, and 330.7 microg/L respectively in the city group, while they were 100.5 microg/L, 193.0 microg/L, 246.3 microg/L and 308.3 microg/L seperately in the countryside group. There was no statistically significant differences among the medians of urine iodine in the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st day after intervention (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe target areas were with iodine deficiency which possessed high coverage of qualified iodized-salt at household level. The average urinary iodine level of the subjects was slightly higher than the standard level, according to the baseline survey. The intervetion trail showed that the salt iodine concentration of 15-24 mg/kg was sufficient to the local people.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Housing ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency ; pharmacology ; urine ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary ; pharmacology ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo extend the use of vector-derived siRNA by generating multiple shRNAs in the same plasmid.

METHODSConstruct a vector that expresses shRNAs targeting on Ku70 and Ku80 in tandem. The gene silencing efficiency of each shRNA was verified previously. After identification by restriction digestion and DNA sequencing, the reconstructed plasmid, named psiRNAKus, was transfected into the human hepatoma cell line HepG2. The tandem-shRNA-induced silencing of targeted genes was determined by RT-PCR at RNA level and Western blot at protein level.

RESULTSThe shRNAs encoded by psiRNAKus down-regulated both the expression of Ku70 and Ku80.

CONCLUSIONThe vector-derived siRNA delivery system that allows multiple shRNA species to be expressed from the same vector may be of value in experimental and therapeutic applications.

Antigens, Nuclear ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Ku Autoantigen ; Plasmids ; RNA ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering