Objective To investigate the effects of antihypertension and reversing left ventricular hypertro- phy by carvedilol or bisoprolol in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.Methods 40 cases of mild to moderate essential hypertension patients were selected for this random single-blind,paralleling controlled clinical study.Results Patients were randomized to take 12.5～25mg carvedilol tablet orlce daily or bisoprolol 2.5～5mg once daily if DBP was still in the range of 12.0～14.6kPa(90～110mmHg)after 2 weeks' placebo baseline. Carvedilol group included 20 cases,bisoprolol group included 20 cases,and the course was 24 weeks.Blood pressure and heart rate were measured and symptoms and signs were recorded.At the end of placebo and in 24 weeks heart ultrasound,blood routine,serum glucose,blood lipid,hepatic function and renal function were examined.SBP,DBP and heart rate of patients in two groups decreased obviously.There were significant differences between the two groups.Ventricular hypertrophy of carvedilol group improved than that in pretherapy.There were significant differ- ences between the two groups.Conclusion Carvedilol was well-tolerated with less side effects such as mild headache,tiredness,dizziness,slightly elevating of serum glucose.Carvedilol could well treat the mild moderate essen- tial hypertension effectively and safely by 12.5～25mg once daily.

Objective To analyze the molecular characteristics of the newly isolated two Japanese encephalitis virus strains(JEV) in Wuhan. Methods The mosquitoes were collected in Wuhan from April to October in 2009. The envelope (E) protein gene of JEV was detected using RT-PCR and sequenced.Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using DNAstar and MegAlign. Results Two Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) strains (WHJX09-9, WHJX09-10 ) were isolated from Culex tritaeniorhynchus among 16 mosquito pools and identified as genotype I. The result showed that the homology of the two strains was 98. 9％ in nucleotides and 100％ in deduced amines. The comparison between the new genotype 1 JEV strains and live attenuated vaccine strain SA14-14-2 in E gene showed that the homology of nucleotide sequence was 87.4％ and 87.9％ ,the homology of amino acid was 96. 9％ (totol 15 amino acid were different) in E gene. The mutation sites of amino acid distributed among three different coding domain,but no antigen binding site and neurotoxin-involved site of amino acid were changed. Conclusion Wuhan had appeared a new genotype of JEV which was different from the former strain isolated in Wuhan,the new JEV strains still had neurotoxicity but had high homology with the vaccine strains adopted in Wuhan. The vaccine could still be adopted to prevent Japanese encephalitis if steps were take to eradicate mosquitos at the same time. laboratory surveillance were also an important task to build an early-warning mechanism against JEV.

Acute myocardial ischemia is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death.The diagnosis of early myocardial ischemia is a hot point in forensic medicine,which is also an early and important part for a prevention against myocardial infarction.This paper conducts a comprehensive discussion of the structure,function,clinical value and forensic medicine application prospect of ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP),aiming to determine whether the two proteins can be used as biochemical detection indicators of early myocardial ischemia for the diagnosis of sudden cardiac death in forensic medicine.

The primers and probes for the Real-time RT-PCR were designed based on the multiple sequence (swine and humans HEV strains) alignments of the ORF3 region of genotype 4 HEV. A rapid, sensitive and stable TaqMan Real-time RT-PCR assay was established, and its specificity and sensitivity were assessed, and comparison of the Real-time RT-PCR with conventional and nested RT-PCR was performed. The results found that the crossing points showed linearly proportional to the logarithm of the input copy number. The correlation coefficient (R2) and the slope value of the standard curves with plasmid DNA were 0.994 and -3.312, respectively. The efficiency (E) of the PCR was 100%. Coefficients of variation values of the different diluted plasmid DNA were low in the same or different repeated experimental group. In addition, the assay was able to correctly detect genotype 4 HEV RNA from swine fecal samples. The sensitivity of established assay was 100-fold higher than that of conventional RT-PCR and 10-fold higher than nested RT-PCR.
Animals ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Disease Reservoirs ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; Fluorescence ; Genotype ; Hepatitis E ; virology ; Hepatitis E virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Swine ; virology

Previous studies proposed that the synergistic effect of fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) and insulin may be due to the improvement of insulin sensitivity by FGF-21. However, there is no experimental evidence to support this. This study was designed to elucidate the mechanism of synergistic effect of FGF-21 and insulin in the regulation of glucose metabolism. The synergistic effect of FGF-21 and insulin on regulating glucose metabolism was demonstrated by investigating the glucose absorption rate by insulin resistance HepG2 cell model and the blood glucose chances in type 2 diabetic db/db mice after treatments with different concentrations of FGF-21 or/and insulin; The synergistic metabolism was revealed through detecting GLUT1 and GLUT4 transcription levels in the liver by real-time PCR method. The experimental results showed that FGF-21 and insulin have a synergistic effect on the regulation of glucose metabolism. The results of real-time PCR showed that the effective dose of FGF-21 could up-regulate the transcription level of GLUT1 in a dose-dependent manner, but had no effect on the transcription level of GLUT4. Insulin (4 u) alone could up-regulate the transcription level of GLUT4, yet had no effect on that of GLUT1. Ineffective dose 0.1 mg kg(-1) FGF-21 alone could not change the transcription level of GLUT1 or GLUT4. However, when the ineffective dose 0.1 mg x kg(-1) FGF-21 was used in combination with insulin (4 u) significantly increased the transcription levels of both GLUT1 and GLUT4, the transcription level of GLUT1 was similar to that treated with 5 time concentration of FGF-21 alone; the transcription level of GLUT4 is higher than that treated with insulin (4 u) alone. In summary, in the presence of FGF-21, insulin increases the sensitivity of FGF-21 through enhancing GLUT1 transcription. Vice versa, FGF-21 increases the sensitivity of insulin by stimulating GLUT4 transcription in the presence of insulin. FGF-21 and insulin exert a synergistic effect on glucose metabolism through mutual sensitization.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Drug Synergism ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 1 ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; metabolism ; Mice

Objective To explore the application value and forensic significance of ischemia modified albumin (IMA) in pericardial fluid to diagnose sudden cardiac death.Methods IMA level in pericardial fluid was detected in acute ischemic heart disease group (n=36),acute myocardial infarction group (n=6),cardiomyopathy group (n=4) and control group (n=15) by albumin cobalt binding method.The levels of IMA were compared among these groups.The best cut-off IMA value was estimated and the sensitivity and specificity of acute myocardial ischemia group was distinguished from control group by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve.Results The IMA level in acute ischemic heart disease group was significantly higher than that of control group (P＜0.05).Compared with acute myocardial infarction group and cardiomyopathy group,the IMA level in acute ischemic heart disease group had no significant difference (P＜0.05).The cut-off value for the identification of acute myocardial ischemia which obtained by ROC analysis was 40.65U/mL.And the sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing acute ischemia cardiac disease was 60.0％ and 80.5％,respectively.Conclusion The IMA value in pericardial fluid can be a reference marker for the diagnosis of acute myocardial ischemia,which also can provide objective basis for the forensic identification of sudden cardiac death.

OBJECTIVEThe incidence of type 1 diabetes varied in different countries, different nations and different regions. This survey was conducted to clarify the incidence of type 1 diabetes of children in Beijing area between 1997 and 2000, to compare and analyze the difference in incidence of type 1 diabetes between the 2 periods of 1988 - 1996 and 1997 - 2000.

METHODAccording to the criteria of WHO Diabetes Mondial (DIAMOND), data were collected from all the children younger than 15 years of age in Beijing area who had the onset of type 1 diabetes during Jan. 1st, 1997 to Dec. 31st, 2000. Using the capture-recapture methods, 95% confidence intervals of incidence were calculated with Poisson's distribution formula. The significance of differences was tested with Chi-square method.

RESULTSThe incidences of type 1 diabetes during 1997 - 2000 were around 0.76/100 000 to 1.21/100 000. The average yearly incidence was 1.014/100 000 (95% confidence interval was 0.98/100 000 - 1.16/100 000). There was no significant difference in the incidence between 1988 - 1996 and 1997 - 2000, and it showed the same result when the incidences were adjusted by age according to the Chinese population census in 2000 (The incidence was 0.83/100 000 in 1988 - 1996 and 0.86/100 000 in 1997 - 2000, respectively). The incidence was higher in 10 - 14 year-old group than the younger groups (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference between male and female groups, either.

CONCLUSIONSNo significant difference was found between the periods 1988 - 1996 and 1997 - 2000 when the average yearly incidence of type 1 diabetes of children in Beijing was compared. These results were different from the other countries' reports that the incidence of type 1 diabetes was increasing by 3% - 5% per annum. There was no significant difference between male and female groups either and there was a higher incidence of type 1 diabetes in 10 - 14 yr group than the other groups in 1997 - 2000. Although the life-style of Beijing people changed a lot, it didn't affect the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children in this area. But since many people migrated to Beijing from other parts of the country, the changes in constitutive proportions of population might have some impacts on the results of the survey.

Age Factors ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the level of AIDS knowledge among people concerned in Nanjing city in order to provide scientific evidence and constructive suggestions for the government to formulate relevant policies for AIDS control.

METHODSThree sets of questionnaires on AIDS knowledge were designed, the scores calculated, and the results evaluated.

RESULTSOf the 2,500 questionnaires issued to 4 different groups of people, 2,436 were collected back with effective answers, 991 from medical and health-related workers with the mean score of 58, 473 from college students with the mean score of 39.9, 524 from common city residents with the mean score of 42.3, and 448 from those working in high risk environment with the mean score of 47.

CONCLUSIONSThe level of AIDS knowledge among people concerned in Nanjing city was far below the requirement of the nation, especially among medical and health-related workers. Efforts must be made to raise the level of AIDS knowledge of people concerned so as to enhance the prevention and treatment of the disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; prevention & control ; Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of QuDu ZengNing Capsule on AIDS.

METHODSQuDu ZengNing Capsule is a capsule containing extract from 4 Chinese medicinal herbs. Totally 1,000 AIDS patients were treated, among them 60 patients were clinically observed weekly. Blood routine tests, liver, heart and kidney function, X-ray, CD4, CD8 cells were examined before and after treatment at 1, 3, 6 month. The patients were treated with 4 capsules t.i.d for 6 months.

RESULTSThe symptoms were improved in most of the patients, the CD4 cells increased from 115.0 to 295.2/ul and the viral load (RNA copies/ml) in most patients reduced markedly or maintained at the same level.

CONCLUSIONThese data indicated that QuDu ZengNing Capsule was effective for treatment of AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Adult ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Viral Load

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of high-pressure carbon monoxide for preservation of ex vivo rabbit heart graft in comparison with the conventional HTK cardioplegic solution preservation.

METHODSHeart grafts isolated from 85 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into Naive group (n=5), HTK group (n=40) and CO group (n=40). The grafts underwent no preservation procedures in Naive group, preserved at 4 degrees celsius; in HTK cardioplegic solution in HTK group, and preserved at 4 degrees celsius; in a high-pressure tank (PO2: PCO=3200 hPa: 800 hPa) in CO group with Krebs-Henseleit solution perfusion but without cardioplegic solution. After preservation for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 18, and 24 h, 5 grafts from the two preservation groups were perfused for 30 min with a modified Langendorff apparatus and examined for left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVDP), arrhythmia score (AS), myocardial ultrestructure, and cardiac enzyme profiles.

RESULTSAfter preservation for 6 to 24 h, the cardiac enzyme profiles and systolic and diastolic functions were significantly better in CO group than in HTK group, but these differences were not obvious between the two groups after graft preservation for 2 to 4 h. Significant changes in the myocardial ultrastructures occurred in the isolated hearts after a 24-h preservation in both CO and HTK groups, but the myocardial damages were milder in CO group.

CONCLUSIONPreservation using high-pressure carbon monoxide can better protect isolated rabbit heart graft than the conventional HTK preservation approach especially for prolonged graft preservation.

Animals ; Carbon Monoxide ; Cardioplegic Solutions ; Glucose ; Heart ; physiology ; Heart Transplantation ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Rabbits ; Tissue Preservation ; methods ; Tromethamine