After the systems, methods and criteria for assessment of scientific research capability in USA, Germany, Britain and Japan were described, the advances in studies on assessment of scientific research capability in China were summarized, their characteristics were compared, and the enlightenments to perform assessment of medical research institution capability were elaborated.

Pg.The adherence activity of periodontal pathogens to HA was enhanced by Ss and Av.When cultivated with Sm,the adherence activity of Pg was reduced.Periodontal pathogens had no effect on the adherence activity of Sm and Av,and Ss excepted. Conclusion The adherence activity of periodontal pathogens is lower than that of cariogenic bacteria.Periodontal pathogens can utilize early-attached bacteria to become those predominant bacteria in periodontal ecosystem.

Objective To investigate the effects and safety of sequential treatments with methotrexate and mifepristone for ectopic pregnancy with fetal cardiac activity.Methods 4 cases of ectopic pregnancy with fetal car- diac activity in our hospital were given by sequential therapy with methotrexate and mifepristone.Serum?-HCG,liv- er function and renal function,blood routine and gastrointestinal response were observed.Results 4 cases of ectopic pregnancy with fetal cardiac activity with 1～4 periods of sequential treatments were cured.Except light gastroin- testinal response,and one had slight rise of serum ALT level and AST level,no one had rnyelosuppression and heavy hepatic injury.Conclusion The sequential therapy with methotrexate and mifepristone is an effective and safe method for the treatment to ectopic pregnancy with fetal cardiac activity.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of methyl protodioscin (MPD), an active ingredients of yamogenin, in protecting cardiomyocytes (CMC) against anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury.

METHODSCultured CMCs of neonatal SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, cells in Group A were untreated normal cells, cells in Group B and C were made to injury CMC model by A/R, and only those in Group C were treated with MPD. Levels of ATPase activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in cell membrane of CMCs were determined. Besides, the mRNA expression of sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) in MPD treated CMCs was detected.

RESULTSAs compared with Group B, the degree of CMC injury was significantly milder and the activities of Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase were higher in Group C after cells were treated with MPD in concentration of 10 microg/mL and 50 microg/mL. The mRNA expression of NCX in CMCs was down-regulated after MPD treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMPD could maintain the low calcium internal environment in CMCs by way of protecting the membranous function of Na+ -pump and Ca2+ -pump, and influencing the Ca2+ transmembrane transportation in CMCs.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Diosgenin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study blood Leptin level of 154 (78 male, 76 female) Chinese obese/non-obese children aged 0 - 14 years during 1999 - 2001.

METHODSThe gender- and age-specific distribution pattern of Leptin and its relationship with anthropometric parameters (waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, lean body mass, fat mass, body fat percentage, BMI/Kaup index etc.) and blood insulin level were recorded.

RESULTS(1) The blood Leptin level in healthy non-obese kids ranged from 1.01 - 29.92 (ng/ml), the mean values and SD were 2.99 +/- 2.13 (ng/ml) [90% confidence interval was 1.36 - 14.21 (ng/ml) in boys and 1.74 - 21.17 (ng/ml) in girls]. There was no significant difference in the blood Leptin level between serum and plasma. (2) The blood Leptin level was higher in overweight/obese kids than that in non-obese kids (P < 0.001). (3) There was significant difference in the blood Leptin levels between boys and girls groups (P = 0.023), especially in non-obese group (P = 0.004). The multiple regression analysis showed that there was no correlation between gender and blood Leptin level when body fat factor was added (P = 0.138, 0.241, 0.990), but there was still a strong correlation between blood leptin level and BMI, FM and BF% (P < 0.001). (4) There was a correlation between blood Leptin level and age (P = 0.005), especially in overweight/obese group and in girls (P = 0.001). The blood Leptin level rose from early puberty, especially in girl group (P = 0.045). There was significant difference in blood Leptin level in different age groups (P < 0.001) (5) There were strong positive correlation between blood Leptin level and BMI, BM and FM%, a weak correlation with LBM, and no correlation with W/H ratio in boys and a positive relationship in girls. The Quatatic equation was better than the linear equation in description of the correlation mentioned above. (6) There was a correlation between blood Leptin from 0 to 7 yr and birth weight (P = 0.001), after 7 yr of age this correlation disappeared (P = 0.456). (7) A positive correlation was seen between blood Leptin level and blood insulin level (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe blood Leptin level of 0 - 14 years old children is consistent with the level of growth of adiposity tissue and the degree of adiposity rebound.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Birth Weight ; physiology ; Body Constitution ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Insulin ; blood ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Regression Analysis ; Sex Factors

Child ; Congresses as Topic ; Forecasting ; Humans ; Internationality ; Pediatrics

OBJECTIVEThe reproductive goals of married couples living in impoverished areas of China affect survival rates and quality of life of female children in those areas. The goal of this study was to collect information on parents' attitudes toward reproduction, gender preferences/prejudices, and to collect relevant socioeconomic and demographic data.

METHODSRandom sample families were enrolled from 3 poverty counties. Sample size included parents of 1800 children from birth to 6 years old. The children were divided into 6 age groups at one-year interval. Baseline data were collected and a questionnaire (endorsed by UNICEF) was used to evaluate reproductive expectations and gender preferences of parents.

RESULTS(1) The success of the One Child Family program has lead to a decreased overall birthrate. (2) The gender ratio (boys:girls) of the 3 counties studied was 100:87-100:95-100:97. No gender imbalance was found in this study. (3) The "Boy Preference" was still expressed by both fathers (69.0%) and mothers (65.7%). Approximately 40% of fathers and 37% of mothers interviewed expressed that only a male child would be acceptable. (4) Approximately 65% of both fathers and mothers recognize that girls are more likely to care for aging parents.

CONCLUSIONGovernment initiatives have encouraged small families, yet in this region gender ratio of newborns is still normal. More educational and social programs are needed to influence perceptions regarding gender and to eliminate the suboptimal status/poorly perceived value of girls in many societies.

Attitude ; Child ; Child Mortality ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Culture ; Female ; Goals ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Interpersonal Relations ; Male ; Parent-Child Relations ; Parents ; psychology ; Poverty Areas ; Prejudice ; Quality of Life ; Survival Rate ; Women's Rights

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibitors on the viability of pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 and its mechanism.MethodsPANC-1 cells were treated with PP2A inhibitors Cantharidin or Okadiac acid.The activity degree of NF-κB pathway was tested by Western blot.NF-κB pathway was blocked from all sectors by PP2Acα plamid transfection,NF-κB inhibition of protein kinase α (IKKα) and NF-κB inhibitor α (IκBα) dominant negative mutant and p65 interfering plasmid.Cell viability was determined by MTT.ResultsPP2A inhibitors could induce phosphorylation of IKKα,further phosphorylation of IκBα and degradation and followed by the release of p65 into nucleus.When PP2Acα,IKKα dominant negative mutant and IκBα dominant negative mutant were overexpressed,or p65 was interfered,the inhibition rate of Cantharidin on cell viability decreased (31.85±13.37) ％,(23.48±8.98)％,(22.63±5.81)％ and (20.88±3.24)％respectively,and the inhibition rate of Okadiac acid on cell viability decreased (40.17 ± 11.65)％,(27.34±14.28)％,(24.85±3.39)％ and (27.08±3.81)％ respectively.ConclusionsPP2Ainhibitors play a role in preventing pancreatic cancer through PP2Acα/IKKα/IκBα/p65 pathway.

Objective To study the clinical value of using a four-point method (FP) in measuring joint angles.Method Methods Twenty-five subjects without knee dysfunction were studied.Every knee joint was tested in extension,below 90° of flexion and above 90° of flexion with the traditional three-point method (TP) and the new four-point method.X-rays were taken as a gold standard measurement.The reliability and validity were analyzed using Bland-Altman plots,which can yield 95% limits of agreement (LOA).Results (1) The joint axis centers moved with changes in joint angle.(2) The 95% LOA of inter-tester reliability was (-5.0,2.7) with the FP and (-6.5,4.4) with the TP.The 95% LOAs of intra-tester reliability were (-3.6,4.0) for tester A and (-4.1,4.8) for tester B with the FP,while (-5.0,6.4) for tester A and (-6.1,5.8) for tester B with the TP.(3) The 95% LOAs in the three positions were (3.5,2.6) in extension,(-3.3,3.6) in mild flexion and (-1.9,5.7) in greater flexion with the FP,and ( 6.8,1.1),(-4.0,7.1) and (0,8.5) with the TP.Conclusions The FP gives better reliability and validity than the TP in joint angle measurement.

Objective To evaluate protective effects of recombinant human thioredoxin(TRX) in myocardial injury of mice with viral myocarditis. Methods We established viral myocarditis models by intraperitoneal injection with 0.1 ml 100TCID50 Coxsackie virus 3m(CVB3m), along with tail vein injection of recombinant human TRX (2 mg/kg) for protection. The control group was given equivalent volume of normal saline. The mice were killed 7 days following the injections. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was determined and myocardial injury was examined with light microscopy. Results The somm LDH activity in Coxsackie virns-infected mice [(3130.50±390.57)U/L] was higher than that of animals in the control group[ (1617.86±155.42)U/L] and that of TRX protection group[ (1959.43±540.75)U/L], the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05); there was no significant difference between TRX protection group and the control group(P 0.05). Light microscopy showed that five of the eight Coxsackie rims-infected mice had myocardial lesions, including focal myocardial necrosis and inflammatory infiltration. There was no myocardial injury in the TRX protection group. Conclusions Recombinant human TRX can lessen myocardial injuries induced by infection with CVB3m, and so can protect myocardium.