OBJECTIVETo report the clinical features and the prognosis, the methods of diagnosis and treatment, and the early detection of the pulmonary toxicity induced by amiodarone.

METHODThe clinical course, the findings of X-ray and CT and the results of treatment were summarized and analyzed in six patients with amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity.

RESULTSFive males, one female, aged 62 - 69 (66.0 +/- 2.4) years. Amiodarone was used because of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in five patients and ventricular arrhythmia in one. The loading dose was 7 g and the maintaining dose was 0.2 g/d or less. Pulmonary toxicity was recognized at the times in 0.5 - 4.0 (2.1 +/- 1.3) years after amiodarone therapy. Dyspnea occurred, crack rales were audible in both lower parts of the lungs, and the chest X-ray showed grid-like changes in case one. No symptom was found in the others. Their diagnosis was made according to the pulmonary intestinal changes by high-resolution computerized tomography when the lung marking was increased or deranged by chest X-ray during the regular follow-up. Pulmonary function examination showed that the restrictive ventilation and the CO diffusing capacity decreased in case one, while the CO diffusing capacity was normal in the others. The decreased obstructive ventilation capacity was found in case six. Amiodarone was discontinued in all the cases after the diagnosis of induced pulmonary toxicity. One patient was treated with corticosteroid, three with azithromycin, and the another two patients were not treated with drug. During 0.1 - 5.0 year period of follow-up the symptoms were markedly attenuated in case one, and no new symptoms and radiography findings were found in the others.

CONCLUSIONSPulmonary toxicity is a serious adverse effect of amiodarone. The typical feature is pulmonary intestinal fibrosis and thick pulmonary intestine in the early stage. Corticosteroid treatment seems effective. It would be helpful for early diagnosis to take chest X-ray examination regularly and CT examination in suspicions cases during the therapy. The prognosis may be good in the early diagnosed cases.

Aged ; Amiodarone ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes in Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADDLs in brains of 3 month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice after six-month intervention with curcumin, in order to discuss the neuroprotective effect of curcumin.

METHODAPPswe/PS1dE9dtg mice were randomly divided into the model group, the Rosiglitazone group (10 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and curcumin high (400 mg x kg9-1) x d(-1)), medium (200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and low (100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) dosage groups, with C57/BL6J mice of the same age and the same background in the normal control group. After 6 months, the immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and the Western blot method were used to observe the changes in positive cell of Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADDLs in hippocampal CA1 area, their distribution and protein expressions.

RESULTBoth of the immunohistochemical staining and the Western blot method showed more positive cell of Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADDLs in hippocampal CA1 area and higher protein expressions in the model group than the normal group (P < 0.01). IHC showed a lower result in the Rosiglitazone group than the model group (P < 0.05), while Western blot showed a much lower result (P < 0.01). The number of Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADDLs positive cells and the protein expressions decreased in the curcumin high group, the medium group showed a significant decrease (P < 0.01), and the low dose group also showed reductions in the protein expressions of Aβ40 and Aβ42.

CONCLUSIONThe six-month intervention with curcumin can significantly reduce the expressions of hippocampal Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADDLs in brains of APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice. Whether curcumin can impact Aβ cascade reaction by down-regulating expressions of Aβ40, Aβ42 and ADDLs and show the neuroprotective effect needs further studies.

Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Curcumin ; administration & dosage ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neuroprotective Agents ; administration & dosage ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage

Sixty healthy Sprague-Dawley male rats were used and divided randomly into control group (group C), cadmium loading group with medium dose (group M) and cadmium loading group with high dose (group H). Groups C, M and H were orally dosed daily with 0, 5 and 10 mg/kg of cadmium for over 6 weeks. Effects of cadmium loading on testis and endocrine function of reproduction in male rats were studied. The results showed that the zinc content decreased slightly in testis and plasma, and the cadmium concentration increased significantly in the testis of groups M and H; while the plasma levels of cadmium and zinc had no obvious difference as compared with those of group C; daily sperm production in the testis of group H decreased markedly during week 3 of cadmium loading, and was significantly lower in groups M and H as compared to that in group C during week 6; alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in group H and lactate dehydrogenase-X (LDH-X) in groups M and H were markedly lower compared to those of group C; plasma testosterone (T) level in both cadmium loading groups decreased and was low or significantly lower than that in group C; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels had no apparent difference between the three groups. It is suggested that the gradual accumulation of cadmium in testis tissue induced by chronic cadmium loading results in changes in some enzyme activity, a decrease in sperm production, and defect of endocrine function activity in the testis.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; drug effects ; Animals ; Cadmium ; blood ; Cadmium Chloride ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Isoenzymes ; drug effects ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; drug effects ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; enzymology ; pathology ; Testosterone ; blood

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.

Objective To construct an evaluation index system of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges based on a logical model,and to provide reference for scien-tific and systematic measurement of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of universities and colleges.Methods The first draft of the evaluation index system was drawn up by combing the re-search literature and laws and policies related to the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements transfor-mation in domestic hospitals,and two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evalua-tion index system.Results The expert positive coefficient of both rounds was 100%,the authority coefficient was 0.875 and 0.874,and Kendall's W coefficient increased round by round.Finally,an evaluation system covering 4 first-level indicators,12 second-level indicators and 44 third-level indicators of scientific and technological achieve-ments transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities was determined.Conclusion The evaluation in-dex system of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universi-ties has certain reliability and scientificity,with obvious main characteristics,and has important guiding significance and practical value for promoting the optimization of scientific and technological achievements transformation in affiliated hospitals of colleges and universities and improving the transformation efficiency.