Objective:To explore the optimal cut-off value of aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) for primary aldosteronism screening in hypertensive populations stratified by sex and age.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Patients who were diagnosed with hypertension from November 2016 to December 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were included. Upright direct renin concentration (DRC) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were measured using chemiluminescence, and the ARR was calculated as PAC/DRC. Patients were divided into primary aldosteronism and primary hypertension groups based on the results of comprehensive screening tests and confirmatory tests (saline infusion test and/or captopril challenge test). Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between ARR and age. Patients were stratified by age (≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years) and sex. The efficacy of ARR for primary aldosteronism screening was assessed by drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve and calculating the area under curve ( AUC), and to explore the optimal cut-off values for different ages and sexes. Results:A total of 1 282 hypertensive patients were enrolled, aged 46.0 (37.0, 56.0) years with 746 males. ARR showed a positive correlation with age in both primary aldosteronism ( r=0.168, P=0.007) and primary hypertension patients ( r=0.327, P<0.001). In the general population, male patients, and female patients, the AUC values of ARR screening for primary aldosteronism were 0.975 (95% CI 0.967-0.982), 0.989 (95% CI 0.983-0.995), 0.957 (95% CI 0.942-0.972), respectively. In the four groups of patients ≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years, the AUC values of ARR screening for primary aldosteronism were 0.990 (95% CI 0.983-0.997), 0.973 (95% CI 0.958-0.988), 0.965 (95% CI 0.947-0.982), 0.958 (95% CI 0.933-0.984), respectively. In the four groups of patients aged ≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years, the optimal ARR cut-off values for primary aldosteronism screening were 2.31, 2.67, 2.94, and 3.68 (ng·dl -1)/(mU·L -1)(1 ng/dl=27.7 pmol/L), respectively. The optimal ARR cut-off values for primary aldosteronism screening were 2.37 and 2.94 (ng·dl -1)/(mU·L -1) in male and female patients, respectively. Conclusion:The optimal cut-off value of ARR in the screening of primary aldosteronism increases with age, and the optimal cut-off value of ARR in female patients is higher than that in male patients. The ARR cut-off value should be selected individually based on the patient′s characteristics in clinical practice.

Objective:To explore the optimal cut-off value of aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) for primary aldosteronism screening in hypertensive populations stratified by sex and age.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Patients who were diagnosed with hypertension from November 2016 to December 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were included. Upright direct renin concentration (DRC) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were measured using chemiluminescence, and the ARR was calculated as PAC/DRC. Patients were divided into primary aldosteronism and primary hypertension groups based on the results of comprehensive screening tests and confirmatory tests (saline infusion test and/or captopril challenge test). Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between ARR and age. Patients were stratified by age (≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years) and sex. The efficacy of ARR for primary aldosteronism screening was assessed by drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve and calculating the area under curve ( AUC), and to explore the optimal cut-off values for different ages and sexes. Results:A total of 1 282 hypertensive patients were enrolled, aged 46.0 (37.0, 56.0) years with 746 males. ARR showed a positive correlation with age in both primary aldosteronism ( r=0.168, P=0.007) and primary hypertension patients ( r=0.327, P<0.001). In the general population, male patients, and female patients, the AUC values of ARR screening for primary aldosteronism were 0.975 (95% CI 0.967-0.982), 0.989 (95% CI 0.983-0.995), 0.957 (95% CI 0.942-0.972), respectively. In the four groups of patients ≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years, the AUC values of ARR screening for primary aldosteronism were 0.990 (95% CI 0.983-0.997), 0.973 (95% CI 0.958-0.988), 0.965 (95% CI 0.947-0.982), 0.958 (95% CI 0.933-0.984), respectively. In the four groups of patients aged ≤40, >40 to 50, >50 to 60, and >60 years, the optimal ARR cut-off values for primary aldosteronism screening were 2.31, 2.67, 2.94, and 3.68 (ng·dl -1)/(mU·L -1)(1 ng/dl=27.7 pmol/L), respectively. The optimal ARR cut-off values for primary aldosteronism screening were 2.37 and 2.94 (ng·dl -1)/(mU·L -1) in male and female patients, respectively. Conclusion:The optimal cut-off value of ARR in the screening of primary aldosteronism increases with age, and the optimal cut-off value of ARR in female patients is higher than that in male patients. The ARR cut-off value should be selected individually based on the patient′s characteristics in clinical practice.

In order to improve the clinical efficacy of the umbilicus fumigation method, the ancient literature with the heat control of umbilicus fumigation method involved is collected extensively and analyzed systematically, and the heat control, precautions and contraindications of this method are discussed. In association with the cases and the present clinical experience, the main factors to the heat control are introduced, such as preparation of doughnuts, filling quantity, size of moxa cone and numbers of moxa cones so that the clinical application of the umbilicus fumigation method can be promoted and enhanced.
Biomedical Research ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Fumigation ; History, Ancient ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; methods ; Umbilicus ; physiopathology

Objective To establish neutralization assay based on H5N1 avian influenza pseudotyped virus in vitro and to evaluate neutralizing titer of convalescent serum from 2 patients with H5N1 avian influenza.Methods pHR-Luc,pCMV△8.2 and CMV/R-SH or CMV/R-TH were cotransfected into 293T cell by co-precipitation with calcium phosphate.Pseudotyped virus supernatant was harvested 72 h posttranofection and identified the expression of HA and P24 by Western blot,and then we analyzed infective activity of 200 μL supernatant of pseudotyped virus.293T cell integrated HA was prepared and anti-HA antibodies in convalescent serum were measured with FACS assay.Neutralizing titers of convalescent serums against Shenzhen and Thailand pseudotyped virus were determined based on calculating IC50 with neutralizing assay.Results Pseudotyped virus involved P24 and HA,and precursor protein HA0 could cleavage into HA1 and HA2 with biological activity.Pseudotyped virus possessed better infective activity,and RLA value was about 2 × 104 with 200 μL supernatant.Both convalescent serums contained anti-HA antibodies and had cross-reactivity against different virus clades with FACS assay.Both convalescent serums had neutralizingactivity and could cross-neutralize different virus clades.However,both serums'neutralizing titers against Shenzhen virus were higher than Thailand.Conclusion We successfully constructed infectious pseudotyped virus which integrated HA of Shenzhen or Thailand virus,and it could be used for evaluation of serum neutralizing activity fast,efficiently and safely with broadly application prospect.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of microtuble-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHOD: The expression of LC3 in 50 cases of LSCC, 45 cases of para-carcinoma, 10 cases of laryngeal papilloma and 16 cases of polyp of vocal cord were detected by immunohistochemistry (MaxVision method). Expression level of LC3 mRNA was assayed by RT-PCR in 41 of LSCC, 41 of para-carcinoma tissue and 11 of polyp of vocal cord. RESULT: The positive rates of LC3 protein expression were 60.0%, 93.3%, 90.0%, 93.8% in LSCC tissue, para-carcinoma, laryngeal papilloma and poly of vocal card tissues, respectively. The positive rates of LC3 were significantly lower in LSCC than in para-carcinoma and poly of vocal cord (chi2 = 18.135, P < 0.01). The mRNA levels of LC3 were significantly lower in LSCC than in para-carcinoma and poly of vocal cord (0.57 +/- 0.08 )vs (0.99 +/- 0.11) and (1.07 +/- 0.05) , F = -255.872, P < 0.01. The expression of LC3 were related to tumor location and pathological grade (P < 0.05), but not related to age, T stage, clinical stage and lymphoid metastasis (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Expression of LC3 are down-regulated in LSCC. The change of autophagic capacity may play an important role in occurrence and development of LSCC.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging

To establish a method based on a pseudotyped virus assay for screening drugs for anti-H5N1 avian influenza virus, and then to evaluate anti-virus activity of traditional Chinese herbal compounds with the function of purgation, detoxification, cooling the blood and reinforcing the healthy qi based on seropharmacology.

Objective To construct pseudotype retrovirus which integrates hemagglutinin(HA)of H5N1 avian influenza virus(AIV)isolated from human in Shenzhen.Methods AIV HA gene was amplified bv RT-PCR,then it was ligated with pGEM-T vector,and identified by restriction enzyme digestion and sequenced.HA gene was cloned into CMV/R vector at the site of Sal Ⅰ and BamH Ⅰ.pHR-Luc,pCMV&8.2 and CMV-HA were co-transfected into 293T cell by co-precipitation with calcium phosphate.The pseudotype virus supernatant was harvested 72 h post-transfection and ultracentrifugation,and the HA and P24 expression on the surface of pseudotype virus was analyzed by western blot.Meanwhile.the infection activity of HIV-HA pseudotype virus was identified in different kinds of cell lines,including MDCK,HeLa,CHO and 293T.Results A/Shenzhen/406H/06 belonged to subclade2.3 with open reading frame(ORF)of HA gene encoded 567 amino acides,whose accession number was EF137706 in GenBank.HA gene was cloned into CMV/R successfully.After co-transfection of above vectors,it revealed that HA protein could integrate pseudotype virus by western blot,and precursor protein HA0 could cleavage into HA1 and HA2 with biological activity.Finally.HIV-HA pseudotype virus could infect 4 kinds of cell lines,which indicated its property of infectivity and catholicity.Conclusion The pseudotype retrnvirns wassuccessfully constructed,which can integrate HA protein of A/Shenzhen/406H/06 and had property of infectivity.It call be used in the further research,including selection of neutralizing antibodies and epitope analysis.

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of low bone mass in amenorrhea patients with elevated follicular stimulating hormone (FSH).

METHODSAmenorrhea patients with elevated FSH: Primary amenorrhea 18 cases, secondary amenorrhea 171 cases and age matched controls with normal menstruation, 180 cases. The descriptive parameters were: estrogen, alkaline phosphatase, urinary excretion of calcium to creatine ratio, cortical bone mineral density at the right radius measured by single photon absorptiometry and trabecular bone mineral density at the lumbar vertebra body measured by quantitative computerized tomography.

RESULTSAverage E(2) levels in amenorrhea patients is under 150 pmol/L with significantly higher alkaline phosphatase and urine calcium to creatine ratio values than the normal menstruation group. Cortical bone mineral density in the secondary amenorrhea group (655 +/- 69 mg/cm(2)) was significantly lower than that of the normal menstruation group (677 +/- 56 mg/cm(2), P < 0.01). Trabecular bone mineral density in the secondary amenorrhea group (145 +/- 26 mg/cm(3)) was significantly lower than that of the NOR group (192 +/- 28 mg/cm(3), P < 0.001). The disparity with the normal menstruation group is even greater in the primary amenorrhea group. Bone mineral density of the amenorrhea patients was negatively correlated with duration of the menopause.

CONCLUSIONSSerum estrodiol levels in amenorrhea patients was so low that bone turnover was accelerated. This led to insufficient bone accumulation and a dramatically drop in trabecular bone mineral density. The extent was closely related to age of onset of amenorrhea and the duration of ovarian failure.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Amenorrhea ; blood ; metabolism ; Bone Density ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged