Objective To find an efficient and practical reconstruction algorithm for the fluorescence molecular tomography basing on total leastsquares rule as well as the normalized conjugate gradient method.Methods The finite element method was used to get the weighting matrix from the forward diffusion model.For the inverse reconstruction problem,the total least-squares rule was employed.The normalized conjugate gradient method was applied to find the fluorochrome information in the objective area.Results The simulation experiments showed that images reconstructed by the total least-squares rule were more accurate than those reconstructed by the least-squares rule under the same circumstances when noise existed.The presented algorithm could also give consistent results when the initial guesses varied in a wide range.Conclusion The algorithm presented in this paper offers a practical and efficient reconstruction for the fluorescence molecular tomography.

Objective:To explore the influence of radiofrequency ablation (RFA)on P-wave dispersion (difference between maximum and minimum P-wave interval)in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).Methods:A total of 95 PAF patients underwent circumferential pulmonary vein isolation.The preoperative and postoperative 12-lead ECG were recorded for 24h,maximum P-wave interval (Pmax)and minimum P-wave interval (Pmin)were measured,and P-wave dispersion was calculated.Since three months after operation,patients received outpatient follow up and dynamic ECG every month for six months.The operation was judged for successful or not according to symptoms of atrial fibrillation and dynamic ECG results,and patients were divided into success group (n=70)and recurrence group (n=25).Results:Compared with before operation,there was significant reduction in P-wave dis-persion [(48.84±4.08)ms vs.(42.22±4.02)ms,P <0.01]in all PAF patients after RFA.Compared with be-fore operation,there was significant reduction in P-wave dispersion [(47.63±3.58)ms vs.(40.67±4.82)ms,P<0.01]in success group;and reduction in P-wave dispersion [(49.51±1.64)ms vs.(48.26±3.48)ms]in recur-rence group,but no significant difference (P =0.346).After circumferential pulmonary vein isolation,P-wave dis-persion in success group was significantly lower than that of recurrence group (P <0.01).Conclusion:Circumferen-tial pulmonary vein ablation can improve P-wave dispersion in patients with atrial fibrillation,and it's more signifi-cant for success group.P-wave dispersion can predict the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after circumferential pulmo-nary vein ablation.

Objective To investigate the influence of di-(2-ethylexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on cell apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 and bax in cultured human first trimester cytotrophoblasts. Methods Human first trimester cytotrophoblasts were cultured with DEHP at concentration of 0, 25, 50, 100 μmol/Lfor 24 hours. Cell apoptosis was detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and flow cytometer method. The expression of apoptosis-associated genes, including Bcl-2 and bax, were detected by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in cultured cytotrophoblast cells. The protein expression of Bcl-2 and bax in cytotrophoblast cells was measured by western blot. Results (1) The expression of Bcl-2: when incubated with DEHP at concentration of 0, 25,50 and 100 μmol/L, the expression of Bcl-2 were 1.00 ± 0.05, 1.03 ± 0.04, 1.04 ± 0.03, 1.04± 0.04,which did not show statistical difference ( P > 0.05 ). The expression of Bcl-2 protein were 0.11 ± 0.02,0.11 ±0.04, 0.12±0.02, 0.12 ±0.03, which also didn't reach statistical difference (P>0.05). (2)The expression of bax: when incubated with DEHP at concentration of 50 and 100 μmol/L, the expression of bax protein were 0.63 ± 0.04 and 0.81 ± 0.04, which were significantly higher than 0.23 ± 0.05 with DEHP at 0 μmol/L (P < 0.05). The expression of bax mRNA were 0.96 ± 0.04 and 1.02 ± 0.04, which was significantly higher than 0.81 ±0.05 with DEHP at 0 μmol/L (P < 0.05). (3) Apoptosis: when incubated with DEHP at concentration of 50 and 100 μmol/L for 24 hours, the apoptotic cell ratio were ( 18.8 ± 2.6) % and ( 20.3 ± 2.0) % by annexin V-FITC/PI staining, which were significantly higher than (10.6±1.4)% at 0 μmol/L and (18.1 ±4.6)% and (19.5 ±1.2)% by TUNEL staining, which were significantly higher than ( 11.2 ± 3.1 ) % at 0 μmol/L of DEHP (P < 0.05). Conclusion DEHP could induce apoptosis of cytotrophoblast cells by increasing bax gene expression, but had no effect on Bcl-2 expression.

To explore the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of estrogen and especially observe the effect of estradiol on the content of cholesterol in J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells which were incubated with oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL). J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophages were incubated with ox-LDL or with both ox-LDL and estradiol (1, 0.1 or 0.01 micromol x L(-1)). Oil red O staining was used to observe the formation of foam cells, and cholesterol oxidase fluorometric was used to determine the content of cellular cholesterol content. Western blotting and RTFQ-PCR were used to observe the expressions of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-B I ) in J774a.1 foam cells. Compared with the control cells, J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells showed significantly increased contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (P < 0.001) and decreased SR-B I mRNA expression (P < 0.01). Estradiol treatment significantly lowered the contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (P < 0.05), and increased SR-B I protein and mRNA expression (P < 0.01) in the foam cells in a dose-dependent manner. Estradiol can inhibit the formation of mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells by decreasing the contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester and up-regulating the expression of SR-B I in the foam cells.

To explore the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of estrogen and especially observe the effect of estradiol on the content of cholesterol in J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells which were incubated with oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL). J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophages were incubated with ox-LDL or with both ox-LDL and estradiol (1, 0.1 or 0.01 micromol x L(-1)). Oil red O staining was used to observe the formation of foam cells, and cholesterol oxidase fluorometric was used to determine the content of cellular cholesterol content. Western blotting and RTFQ-PCR were used to observe the expressions of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-B I ) in J774a.1 foam cells. Compared with the control cells, J774a.1 mouse mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells showed significantly increased contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (P < 0.001) and decreased SR-B I mRNA expression (P < 0.01). Estradiol treatment significantly lowered the contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester (P < 0.05), and increased SR-B I protein and mRNA expression (P < 0.01) in the foam cells in a dose-dependent manner. Estradiol can inhibit the formation of mononuclear/macrophage-derived foam cells by decreasing the contents of total cholesterol and cholesterol ester and up-regulating the expression of SR-B I in the foam cells.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Cholesterol Esters ; metabolism ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Foam Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Scavenger Receptors, Class B ; metabolism

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of duloxetine in the treatment of malignant neuropathic pain with depression.Methods 60 patients were randomly divided into two groups as study group(30 cases) and contrdl group(30 cases) and treated for 4 weeks.The patients of study group were treated with duloxetine and oxycontin,and the patients of control group were treated with oxycontin only.Numberical rating scale (NRS) on pain,criteria of pain relief and Hamilton depression scale(HAMD,17 items) score were used to assess the therapeutic effect before and after treatment.Results By the end of the fourth week of treatment,the average usage of oxycontin of the study group was significantly less than control group((45.6±8.5) mg vs (88.2±5.2)mg,P＜0.05).The effective rate of pain relief in the study group was significantly higher than that in control group (93.3％ vs 73.3％,P＜0.05).Comparing pre-treatment,the score of HAMD of the study group had a remarkable decrease ((11.45±4.56) vs (23.07±5.47),P＜0.01).In comparison to the score of control group,study group had a significant effect ((11.45±4.56) vs (18.75±4.21),P＜0.01).Conclusion Duloxetine is one of effective agents in the treatment of malignant neuropathic pain with depression,which can alleviate depression and relieve pain.Duloxetine have mild adverse effects and good tolerance.

Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Diabetic Angiopathies ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To investigate and analyze the attitudes of higher vocational nursing students toward death and the related effect factors.Methods Totally 324 nursing students in a higher vocational school in Shaanxi province were investigated with death attitude profile-revised scale.Contents of investigation included physical and mental health status,family members' attitude towards death,family form and ranking,religion,presence of suicidal thoughts,exposure to mass media reports about death,reading books about death,death fear,death escape,natural acceptance,approach acceptance,avoidance acceptance,etc.SPSS 16.0 was used for data entry and statistic analysis,mean and standard deviation for statistical description,t test and variance analysis for statistical inference.Results ①Higher vocational nursing students got the highest average score (3.93 ± 0.55) in the dimension of natural acceptance.②In the dimension of avoidance acceptance,the scores of nursing students with excellent and good physical and mental health were significantly lower than those of students with general physical and mental health (F=4.80,P=0.009) ; the scores of nursing students in single parent family were significantly higher than those of students in other family forms (F=4.59,P=0.004) ; the scores of nursing students with suicidal thoughts were significantly higher than those of students without (t=-4.77,P=0.000).In the dimension of death avoidance,the scores of nursing students whose family discussed death openly were significantly lower than those of students whose family never done so (F=6.88,P=0.001).In the dimension of natural acceptance,the scores of nursing students with religious beliefs were significantly lower than those of students without (t=2.52,P=0.012) ; the scores of nursing students who gained information of death from mass media were significantly higher than those of nursing students who never done so.(t=-3.85,P=0.000),which was the same in the dimension of approach acceptance (t=-3.48,P=0.001).Conclusions The majority of higher vocational nursing students can naturally accept death reality.Attitude of higher vocational nursing students toward death are influenced by physical and mental health,discussing death in family,family form,religious belief,suicidal thought and news or report about death from the mass media.

Objective To investigate the risk factors associated with feeding intolerance in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and to investigate the beneficial factors for preventing feeding intolerance.Methods Retrospectively analysis was carried out in 151 VLBWI cases in our hospital from January 2005 to November 2010.Logistic regression analysis was performed to find the risk factors of feeding intolerance.Results The overall rate of feeding intolerance in VLBWI was 47.7 ％ (72/151).Dysporia and infection were associated with feeding intolerance in VLBWI (Wald x2 =7.748 and 4.555,P =0.05 and 0.033 respectively).Gender,multifetation were not associated with feeding intolerance(Ps ＞0.05).Conclusion The feeding intolerance is associated with dysporia and infection in VLBWI.

The effects of quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucuronide (Q3GA)on the triglyceride metabolism and oxidative stress in steatotic HepG2 cells and the underlying mechanism were investigated in this study.Significant fat accu-mulation was documented by Oil Red O staining;intracellular triglyceride levels were detected by triglyceride(TG)enzymatic assay.DCFH-DA staining assay was performed to observe reactive oxygen species (ROS)pro-duction of HepG2 cells.The level of malondialdehyde(MDA)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)were assayed by thibabituric acid method and xanthine oxidase method.Changes in the mRNA expression of peroxisome prolifera-tor-activated receptorα(PPARα);carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 A(CPT1 A);medium chain acyl-CoA dehydro-genase (MCAD);cytochrome P450 4A11(CYP4A11)and acyl-CoA oxidase(ACO);which are related with fatty acid oxidation were assessed by RT-PCR.Our results showed that Q3GA obviously reduced fat deposition and TG content.At the same time;Q3 GA decreased MDA content and significantly increased the SOD activity with reduced ROS production.Moreover;the PPARα;CPT1A;MCAD expression-related fatty acid βoxidation was upregulated with the treament of Q3GA;while without any change of the expression of CYP4A11;ACO.In conclu-sion;Q3GA prevents FFA-induced HepG2 cell steatosis;and enhances mitochondrial fatty acidβoxidation;which may partly be related to its anti-oxidation ability.