Objective To evaluate the reproducibility of quality intima-media thickness(QIMT) and quality arterial stiffness (QAS) technique in assessment of carotid under different measuring methods.Methods Between December 2012 and January 2014,carotid QIMT and QAS examinations were carried out in 30 health volunteers.QIMT and QAS indicators included IMT in QIMT and distensibility coefficient (DC),compliance coefficient(CC),stiffness index α(α),stiffness index β(β),pulse wave velocity(PWV) in QAS.The measurement employed unilateral/once,bilateral/twice,and unilateral/twice methods.Using intra observer and inter-observer variability,the reproducibility was compared between different QIMT and QAS indicators and measuring methods.Results Extremely high level of intra-observer reproducibility was found for both QIMT and QAS technique (ICC＞0.8).QIMT also showed an excellent inter observer reproducibility (ICC＞0.8).In contrast,the reproducibility of QAS technique varied in different indicators (PWV ＞ β ≈ α ＞ CC ＞ DC) and method ( unilateral/once ＞ bilateral/twice ＞ unilateral/twice).Conclusions QIMT measurement was highly reproducible.Whereas the reproducibility of QAS technique varied in different indicators and methods.Due to low reproducibility,the study result did not support the clinical application of DC indicator and unilateral/once method.

Objective To summarize the sonographic features and pathological features of ovarian tumor during pregnancy. Methods One hundred and five women with 114 pathologically proved ovarian tumors during pregnancy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively recruited. According to pathological diagnosis, the clinical treatment, the result of the pregnancy and sonographic examinations were reviewed and analyzed. The sonographic features of benign tumors were compared with low-grade malignant tumors. Results Among the 105 pregnant women with a total of 114 ovarian tumors, 65 tumors were found by ultrasound exam. The other 49 tumors were found during cesarean section. The sonographic features of pathologically proved ovarian tumors include regular shape and well-deifned margins, with 58 of benign tumors and 7 of borderline or low-grade malignant tumors. Compared with borderline or low-grade malignant tumors, benign tumors manifested as strong echoes or high echogenic mass without papillae in the tumors (50/58). As for borderline or low-grade malignant group, tumors manifested as papillae within the tumors (5/7). Pathological classiifcation of the 114 ovarian tumors included 84 germ cell tumors, 19 epithelial tumors, 9 sex cord-stromal tumors, and 2 germ cell tumors combined epithelial tumors. Surgical treatments were performed in 7 cases during the ifrst trimester, while 11 cases during the second trimester, and 87 cases during the third trimester. Pregnancy outcome of the 105 pregnant women included term delivery in 82 cases, premature delivery in 18 cases, artiifcial abortion during ifrst trimester in 4 cases, and induced abortion during second trimester in 1 case. Conclusions Most ovarian tumors treated in pregnancy are benign. The sonographic features of benign tumors include regular shape with well-deifned margins, strong echoes or high echogenic mass within the tumors. While the sonographic features of borderline or malignant tumors include papillae within the tumors. Ultrasound assessment of ovarian tumors can help to determine the risk of malignancy and guide the surgical management.

14 strains were isolated from pits sludge by anaerobic cultivation,two Clostridium butyricum strains were identified by physiological and biochemical experiments and the sequence analysis of 16S rDNA.The physiological characteristics and security of Clostridium butyricum B1 were studied,in vitro research indicated it was tolerant against low pH,bile concentration and antibiotics and has antagonism effects against pathogens.

Objective To explore the investigate of X-chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis pro- tein(XIAP)and its effect on chemotherapeutic sensitivity in bladder carcinoma.Methods Using immu- nohistochemistry methods,the expression of XIAP was evaluated in 47 bladder carcinomas and 6 normal bladder tissues.The XIAP gene was transfected into bladder cancer cell line T24 by liposome and the positive clone was screened by G418.Cellular XIAP mRNA level was detected by RT-PCR.The apoptosis of T24 cells was induced by low-dose of mitocycin C(0.005 mg/ml and 0.05 mg/ml,respectively).The in vitro cellular growth activities were assayed by MTT color imetry;and the apoptosis rate was assayed by TUNEL methods. Results The expression rate of XIAP was 78.7%(37/47)in bladder carcinoma samples,with no corre- lation with carcinoma stages and grades(P＞0.05).XIAP mRNA level in transfected T24 ceils was signifi- cantly increased by 3.8 times.Treated with 0.005 mg/ml and 0.05 mg/ml of mitomycin C,the growth rates of XIAP transfected T24 cells were increased [(11.60?0.25)% and(16.51?0.87)% ,respectively,P＜0.05];and the apoptosis rates were decreased [(10.1?0.2)% and( 11.9?0.2)% ,respectively,P＜0.05]compared with those in control cells.Conclusions XIAP is highly expressed in humun bladder car- cinoma samples.Overexpression of XIAP in T24 cells results in decrease in bladder carcinoma cell apoptosis induced by MMC,which may decrease the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of T24 cells.

OBJECTIVETo investigate how network education can improve college students' knowledge on sexual and reproductive health in Ningbo city.

METHODSFrom December 2012 to June 2013, we conducted a questionnaire investigation among college students in Ningbo city about the effects of network education on their knowledge about sexual psychology, sexual physiology, sexual ethics, and reproductive health.

RESULTSA total of 7 362 college students accomplished the investigation, of whom 2 483 (42.1% males and 57.9% females) received network education, while the other 4 879 (24.1% males and 75.9% females) did not. Approximately 47.1% of the male and 28.0% of the female students acquired sexual and reproductive knowledge via network education. Reproductive health-related network education significantly enriched the students' knowledge about the reproductive system and sex, pubertal development, sexual physiology, conception and embryonic development, methods of contraception, sexual psychology, sexually transmitted diseases and their prevention, pregnancy care and eugenics, and environment- and occupation-related reproductive health (P < 0.01). It also remarkably improved their cognitive attitude towards reproductive health knowledge (P < 0.01). Those who received reproductive health-related network education showed a significantly higher rate of masturbation (P < 0.01) but markedly later time of the first masturbation (P < 0.01) than those who did not.

CONCLUSIONNetwork education can enhance the effect of reproductive health education among college students and improve their sexual experience and health.

China ; Contraception ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Masturbation ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; Reproductive Health ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; psychology ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

OBJECTIVETo probe in the possible acting mechanism of Bizhongxiao Decoction (BZXD) for treatment of early active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by way of observing the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis map of proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy persons and RA patients (intervened or un-intervened with BZXD), analyzing the differential proteins and seeking out the RA associated proteins.

METHODSEighteen patients with early active RA were randomized into the BZXD group and the methotrexate (MTX) group, nine in each group, they were treated with BZXD (contained 15 Chinese herbs, as Herba Hedyotis diffusae, Herba Sarcandrae glabrae, Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae, Caulis Trachelosperi, Rhizoma Drynariae, Semen Coicis, etc.) and MTX combined with nimesulide Tablets respectively, three months as a treatment course, and their blood samples were collected for observation. Besides, blood samples from 9 healthy persons were taken as normal controls. PBMCs were isolated from blood using lymphozytes separation medium, and total protein in the cells was extracted through immobilized pH gradient two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. After Coomassie brilliant blue G250 staining, gel-image analysis was performed using PDQuest software. The differentially expressed proteins were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Then partial proteins were validated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe 2-DE protein profile of PBMCs from healthy persons and RA patients before and 3 months after treatment were obtained, and 23 differential protein spots were found, 14 from 18 differential protein spots were successfully identified, of which 8 proteins were up-regulated and 6 proteins were down-regulated in RA patients as compared with control. After 3-month treatment, 5 differentially expressed proteins showed more obvious in the BZXD group than in the MTX group. RT-PCR verified that the expression of ApoA-I in all the three groups was consistent with the outcomes of 2-DE.

CONCLUSIONSSome differentially expressed proteins exist in the PBMCs of RA patients, which may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of RA; BZXD may treat RA by way of regulating the expression of some differential proteins in patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; drug therapy ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Male ; Methotrexate ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Proteome ; analysis ; Proteomics ; methods

BACKGROUND: The nervous system has been proved to play an important role in fracture healing, and different nervous components exert different effects on bony callus.OBJECTIVE: To observe the callus volume and morphological changes in the fracture healing progress of the rats with spinal cord hemisection and fracture.METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups, and the models of simple fracture and spinal cord hemisection by cutting the right spinal cord combined with fracture were established. The tibia was removed at 14 and 28 days after surgery, and the wet weight was measured, the fracture healing was observed by X-ray examination, morphological changes of the callus were observed through hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the expression level of calcitonin gene-related peptide mRNA in the broken bones was detected by SYBR Green qPCR.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the combination group, the wet weight of the contralateral tibia was more than that of the affected side (P < 0.05), which both were more than those in the simple group (P < 0.05). X-ray findings showed that the combination group had the largest lateral callus, followed by the affected side, and the smallest in the simple group.Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that in the combination group, the contralateral cells arranged in disorder, while the fibrous callus and cells in regular arrangement were found in the affected side; there were bony callus and cells in regular arrangement in the simple group at 28 days after surgery. SYBR Green qPCR results revealed that the expression level of calcitonin gene-related peptide mRNA in the simple group was significantly higher than that in the combination group (P < 0.05). To conclude, complete innervation is a necessary factor for fracture healing.

This study is to elucidate the metabolic pathway of 1,2-[bis (1,2-benzisoselenazolone-3 (2H)-ketone)]-ethane (BBSKE) in rats. Rats were administrated with a single dose of BBSKE 200 mg x kg(-1). The metabolites in rat urine, feces, bile and plasma were identified by LC-MSn analysis. The characterization of fragment ions from LC-MSn chromatography and mass spectrometry was applied to the investigation of structures of metabolites. Three phase I metabolites were detected in rat urine and feces. Two of them were also found in plasma and one existed in bile. These products were derived from oxidized, methylated and S-methylated BBSKE, separately. One phase II glucuronide of BBSKE was also found in bile. Therefore, it is possible that BBSKE was metabolized by oxidization, methylation and glucuronidation.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Bile ; metabolism ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Feces ; chemistry ; Male ; Organoselenium Compounds ; administration & dosage ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis and treatment of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the retroperitoneum (MFHR).

METHODSThe clinicopathological features, treatment and prognosis of 31 patients with MFHR were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe mean age of the patients was 52.7 +/- 14.1 years. Male:Female = 22:9. The primary symptoms were abdominal mass and pain. The average diameter of tumor was 15 cm. The histopathologic types of the tumor were inflammatory, storiform-pleomorphic, myxoid and giant cell in 16, 10, 4 and 1 cases. The overall survival rate of 1-, 3- and 5-year was 61.3% +/- 9.8%, 31.6% +/- 11.3% and 21.1% +/- 11.4% with a median survival time of 17.0 +/- 6.3 months. Complete resection of the tumor was the major prognostic factor. Postoperative radiotherapy of 20 - 45 Gy was able to prolong the median survival from 12.1 +/- 11.6 months of surgery alone to 26.4 +/- 22.0 months of surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy though without statistical significance (P = 0.051). Postoperative CHOP chemotherapy was not shown to be beneficial.

CONCLUSIONChemotherapy remains the important method of cure. The survival in patients with MFHR might be improved by complete resection combined with chemotherapy or/and radiotherapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; secondary ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pancreatectomy ; Postoperative Period ; Prednisone ; administration & dosage ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenectomy ; Survival Rate ; Vincristine ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo investigate the regularity of changes in the main active components of Schisandra chinensis preparations before and after being processed with vinegar.

METHODHigh performance liquid chromatography was used to analyze the changes in the content of lignans and organic acids in S. chinensis preparations before and after being processed with vinegar.

RESULTAfter being processed with vinegar, the content of lignans in S. chinensis preparations significantly reduced, while that of organic acids significantly increased. The ratio between them reduced from 1:16 (raw product) to 1:21 (vinegar products).

CONCLUSIONThe changes in the main pharmacological effects of S. chinensis are related to not only the changes in the contents of lignan and organic acids, but also the significant changes in the ratio relations between the two components. This is of great significance to the correlation among the principle of S. chinensis processed with vinegar and material basis and the changes in pharmacological effects.

Acetic Acid ; Acids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Chemical Fractionation ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Lignans ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Schisandra ; chemistry