Objective To study the clinical significance of the content of ? 2-microglubin and activity of ?-glucuronidase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with cerebral tumor. Methods The activities of ? 2-microglubin and ?-glucuronidase in CSF of patients with cerebral tumor and non- cerebral tumor were analyzed by radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. Results the activities of ? 2-microglubin and ?-glucuronidase in cerebral malignancy were obviously higher than that of cerebral benign tumor (P

Carotid ultrasound examination is a very mature examination method, it is widely used in clinical diagnosis and health checkup. Carotid ultrasound examination plays an important role in the prediction of the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. However, there are still certain problems in the application of the examination in the domestic health checkup population, which mainly include that the method and the standard are not unified, and the reporting form is not standardized. Carotid ultrasound examination must be standardized as soon as possible.

OBJECTIVE To design molecular beacon probe of 43 Codon of high mutation site in rpsL of STR resistant MTB and its amplification system, meanwhile, to find the way of detecting the fluorescent light and making a qualitative judgment by use of fluorescence microscope and image analysis software. METHODS The software, Beacon designer, was used to design the 43 Codon molecular beacon probe and the amplification system, and the fluorescence microscope and image analysis software were used to detect the fluorescent light and make a qualitative judgment. RESULTS The strap of amplification product was shown clearly. The difference between PCR products from standard strain and STR resistant one was obvious in detecting the fluorescent light by use of fluorescence microscope. The rate of resistant STR detected was about 80% (P

Objective To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of progressive liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods A total of 2 054 subjects who underwent health check up and were diagnosed as NAFLD in 9 institutions were included in the study.Blood routine and biochemical findings were collected to calculate aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI).Subjects were divided into three groups according to diagnostic threshold of liver fibrosis:APRI ＜0.43 group,APRI 0.43-0.53 group and APRI ≥ 0.54 group.The correlation between APRI and biochemical variables was analyzed,and the risk factors of progressive fibrosis were also analyzed.Results Among 2 054 subjects (male/female 1 598/456) there were 61 cases with APRI ≥ 0.98 (2.97％,progressive fibrosis),318 with APRI ≥0.54 (15.48％),1 475 with APRI ＜ 0.43 (71.81％),261 with APRI 0.43-0.53 (12.71％).Logistic stepwise regression analysis showed that TG (P =0.002,OR =1.095,95％CI:1.033-1.161),2 hPG(P =0.000,OR =1.103,95％ CI:1.058-1.151,BUN(P =0.034,OR =1.215,95 ％ CI:1.014-1.454) were risk factors,and H DL-C (P =0.034,OR =0.353,95 ％ CI:O.135-0.924) was a protective factor for the progression of fibrosis.Conclusion The progressive fibrosis in patients with NAFLD is closely associated to blood glucose and lipid metabolism disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between carotid atherosclerosis and renal function in hypertensive patients. METHODS: A total of 2 809 hypertensive patients aged (56.59±10.79) years were enrolled. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was derived via B-mode ultrasonography and chronic kidney disease (CKD) was evaluated by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with Cockcroft- Gault method. The patients were divided into 3 groups: a normal group, a thick group, and a plaque group according to the results of carotid ultrasonography. RESULTS: The eGFR of the normal group was (111.09±25.61) mL/(min.1.73m(2)), that of the thick group and the plaque group was (94.45±27.14) mL/(min.1.73m(2)) and (85.98±26.92) mL/ (min.1.73m(2)). Binary logistic analysis showed that age (OR=3.590), smoking status (OR=1.543), systolic blood pressure (OR=1.018), diastolic blood pressure (OR=0.977), fasting plasma glucose (OR=1.132), triglyceride (OR=0.873) and eGFR (OR=0.986) were significantly correlated with cIMT. Subgroup analyses on different genders showed that eGFR was a significant independent risk factor in men (OR=0.991) but not in women. CONCLUSION The thicker the cIMT, the lower the eGFR in hypertensive patients. With the development of cIMT, eGFR gradually decreases and contributes to the occurrence and development of early-stage atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients.
Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; Carotid Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Risk Factors ; Smoking

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between high-normal blood pressure and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in occupational physical examination population in Changsha. METHODS: With a convenient sampling method, a cross-sectional survey of representative sample of 11 274 white collar workers was conducted in Changsha between March 2011 and May 2011 in a large comprehensive hospital. All subjects were assigned into 4 groups: a normal blood pressure group, a high-normal blood pressure group, an undiagnosed hypertension group, and a diagnosed hypertension group. Anthropometry, blood pressure, blood sample and urine sample were measured with standard instruments and methodology for all the subjects. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for CKD. RESULTS: The prevalence of CKD in the normal blood pressure, high-normal blood pressure, undiagnosed hypertension, and diagnosed hypertension were 3.31%, 6.60%, 11.78%, and 17.35%, respectively. The prevalence of CKD in males was significantly higher than that in females (P<0.01). For males with high-normal blood pressure, the CKD risk was significantly greater (OR, 1.30; 95% CI:1.03 - 1.63) than those with optimal blood pressure. The logistic regression analysis showed that there was an additive effect of hyperuricemia on CKD risk in men with high-normal blood pressure compared with men with optimal blood pressure (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.59 - 3.19; P<0.05). CONCLUSION The prevalence of CKD in people with the high-normal blood pressure is 6.60% in occupational physical examination population in Changsha. CKD is a high risk for men with highnormal blood pressure and hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor.
Blood Pressure ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Hyperuricemia ; epidemiology ; Male ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors

Space flight experiments have suggested that microgravity can affect cellular processes in microorganisms. To simulate the microgravity environment on earth, several models have been developed and applied to examine the effect of microgravity on secondary metabolism. In this paper, studies of effects of space flight on secondary metabolism are exemplified and reviewed along with the advantages and disadvantages of the current models used for simulating microgravity. This discussion is both significant and timely to researchers considering the use of simulated microgravity or space flight to explore effects of weightlessness on secondary metabolism.
Humans ; Metabolism ; physiology ; Models, Theoretical ; Space Flight ; Weightlessness Simulation

Background: The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 omicron variant has been triggering the new wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally. However, the risk factors and outcomes for radiological abnormalities in the early convalescent stage (1 month after diagnosis) of omicron infected patients are still unknown. Methods: Patients were retrospectively enrolled if they were admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19. The chest computed tomography (CT) images and clinical data obtained at baseline (at the time of the first CT image that showed abnormalities after diagnosis) and 1 month after diagnosis were longitudinally analyzed. Uni-/multi-variable logistic regression tests were performed to explore independent risk factors for radiological abnormalities at baseline and residual pulmonary abnormalities after 1 month. Results: We assessed 316 COVID-19 patients, including 47% with radiological abnormalities at baseline and 23% with residual pulmonary abnormalities at 1-month follow-up. In a multivariate regression analysis, age ≥ 50 years, body mass index ≥ 23.87, days after vaccination ≥ 81 days, lymphocyte count ≤ 1.21 × 10 -9 /L, interleukin-6 (IL-6) ≥ 10.05 pg/mL and IgG ≤ 14.140 S/CO were independent risk factors for CT abnormalities at baseline. The age ≥ 47 years, presence of interlobular septal thickening and IL-6 ≥ 5.85 pg/mL were the independent risk factors for residual pulmonary abnormalities at 1-month follow-up. For residual abnormalities group, the patients with less consolidations and more parenchymal bands at baseline could progress on CT score after 1 month. There were no significant changes in the number of involved lung lobes and total CT score during the early convalescent stage. Conclusion The higher IL-6 level was a common independent risk factor for CT abnormalities at baseline and residual pulmonary abnormalities at 1-month follow-up. There were no obvious radiographic changes during the early convalescent stage in patients with residual pulmonary abnormalities.

Background: Xylazole (Xyl) is a veterinary anesthetic that is structurally and functionally similar to xylazine. However, the effects of Xyl in vitro remain unknown. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the anesthetic mechanism of Xyl using fetal rat nerve cells treated with Xyl. Methods: Fetal rat nerve cells cultured for seven days were treated with 10, 20, 30, and 40 μg/ mL Xyl for 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. Variations of amino acid neurotransmitters (AANTs), Nitric oxide-Cyclic GMP (NO-cGMP) signaling pathway, and ATPase were evaluated. Results: Xyl decreased the levels of cGMP and NO in nerve cells. Furthermore, Xyl affected the AANT content and Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase activity in nerve cells. These findings suggested that Xyl inhibited the NO-cGMP signaling pathway in nerve cells in vitro. Conclusions This study provided new evidence that the anesthetic and analgesic effects of Xyl are related to the inhibition of the NO-cGMP signaling pathway.

To understand how the nervous system develops from a small pool of progenitors during early embryonic development, it is fundamentally important to identify the diversity of neuronal subtypes, decode the origin of neuronal diversity, and uncover the principles governing neuronal specification across different regions. Recent single-cell analyses have systematically identified neuronal diversity at unprecedented scale and speed, leaving the deconstruction of spatiotemporal mechanisms for generating neuronal diversity an imperative and paramount challenge. In this review, we highlight three distinct strategies deployed by neural progenitors to produce diverse neuronal subtypes, including predetermined, stochastic, and cascade diversifying models, and elaborate how these strategies are implemented in distinct regions such as the neocortex, spinal cord, retina, and hypothalamus. Importantly, the identity of neural progenitors is defined by their spatial position and temporal patterning factors, and each type of progenitor cell gives rise to distinguishable cohorts of neuronal subtypes. Microenvironmental cues, spontaneous activity, and connectional pattern further reshape and diversify the fate of unspecialized neurons in particular regions. The illumination of how neuronal diversity is generated will pave the way for producing specific brain organoids to model human disease and desired neuronal subtypes for cell therapy, as well as understanding the organization of functional neural circuits and the evolution of the nervous system.
Humans ; Neural Stem Cells/physiology* ; Neurons/physiology* ; Brain ; Spinal Cord ; Embryonic Development ; Cell Differentiation/physiology*