ObjectiveTo explore the comprehensive effects of Qingxin Zishen decoction on the symptom score and neuroendocrine indexes and the mechanism of the decoction in regulating KNDy neurons in the patients with menopausal syndrome. MethodA total of 60 patients with menopausal syndrome due to yin deficiency with effulgent fire who attended the menopausal outpatient of Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine were randomized into an experimental （Qingxin Zishen decoction） group （30 cases） and a control （femoston） group （30 cases）. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks in both groups. The two groups were compared in terms of the comprehensive efficacy， frequency and degree of hot flashes and sweating， modified Kupperman score， and the serum levels of hypothalamic peptide kisspeptin， neurokinin B （NKB）， dynorphin （Dyn）， follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）， and estradiol （E₂）. Result① Comprehensive efficacy： The comprehensive efficacy of the two groups was comparable. ② Frequency and degrees of hot flashes and sweating： After treatment， the frequency and degrees of hot flashes and sweating in the two groups were reduced （P<0.05） and the control group outperformed the experimental group （P<0.05）. ③ Modified Kupperman score and menopausal symptoms： After treatment， the modified Kupperman score decreased in both groups （P<0.05）. After 4 weeks of treatment， the experimental group was superior to the control group in terms of the scores of dizziness and headache （P<0.05）. ④ Serum levels of sex hormones： After treatment， the serum E₂ level elevated and the FSH level lowered in both groups （P<0.05）， and the changes were more obvious in the control group （P<0.05）. ⑤ Neuroendocrine indexes： After treatment， the serum levels of kisspeptin and NKB in the two groups decreased （P<0.05）， and the serum Dyn level in the experimental group increased （P<0.05）. Moreover， the experimental group had higher Dyn level than the control group after treatment （P<0.05）. ConclusionQingxin Zishen decoction can alleviate hot flashes， sweating， and other symptoms in the women with menopausal syndrome by acting on the KNDy neurons to lower the kisspeptin and NKB levels and elevate the Dyn level. The findings provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of hot flashes in menopause.

Objective To prepare 4-sulfonylcalix[6]arene-modified cotton fibers for adsorption and removal of uranium based on the specific complexation of calix[6]arene with uranium (VI). Methods Chemical grafting was used for the modification of cotton, which reacted with α-bromoisobutyryl bromide, glycidyl methacrylate, and 4-sulfonylcalix[6]arene. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of 4-sulfonylcalix[6]arene-modified cotton (Cotton S-C[6]a). A Franz diffusion cell was used to simulate uranium-contaminated skin. Laser fluorimetry was used to determine the uranium content. Results SEM, XPS, and FTIR showed that cotton fibers were successfully grafted with 4-sulfonylcalix[6]arene. The optimal conditions of Cotton S-C[6]a for the adsorption of uranium (VI) was pH 4.0, duration of 20 min, and 20 mg of adsorbent. The adsorption process fitted well with pseudo-secondary-order kinetics. The uranium removal efficiency of Cotton S-C[6]a was up to 78.46% in aqueous solution and 81.72% on skin. Conclusion The synthesized Cotton S-C[6]a is highly efficient in the removal of uranium (VI) in solution and on contaminated skin.

Objective:To explore the incidence of acquired swallowing dysfunction in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients after brain tumor surgery, and analyze the risk factors of patients with acquired swallowing dysfunction.Methods:From May 2018 to December 2019, convenience sampling was used to select 147 patients who were admitted to the ICU after brain tumor surgery in a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital in Shanghai as the research object and clinical data were collected. Single factor analysis and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of acquired swallowing dysfunction.Results:The incidence of acquired swallowing dysfunction in 147 patients admitted to ICU after brain tumor surgery was 21.1% (31/147) . Logistic regression analysis showed that the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score [ OR=0.573, 95% CI (0.457, 0.719) ], gastrointestinal nutrition tube placement [ OR=15.381, 95% CI (2.698, 87.700) ] and tumor location [ OR=6.264, 95% CI (2.662, 14.739) ] were independent predictors of acquired swallowing dysfunction in ICU patients after brain tumor surgery ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The incidence of acquired swallowing dysfunction in ICU patients after brain tumor surgery is high, and there are many risk factors, such as infratentorial tumors, placement of gastrointestinal feeding tubes, and low GCS scores. High-risk groups should be closely watched so that early measures can be taken to prevent the occurrence of acquired swallowing dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) on electrophysiological epileptic activities of mouse hippocampal pyramidal neurons in the extracellular acidotic condition. METHODS: We investigated effects of extracellular acidosis on epileptic activities induced by elevated extracellular K concentration or the application of an antagonist of GABA receptors in perfusate of mouse hippocampal slices under field potential recordings. We also tested the effects of extracellular acidosis on neuronal excitability under field potential recording and evaluated the changes in epileptic activities of the neurons in response to pharmacological inhibition of ASICs using a specific inhibitor of ASICs. RESULTS: Extracellular acidosis significantly suppressed epileptic activities of the hippocampal neurons by converting ictal-like epileptic activities to non-ictal-like epileptic activities in both high [K ]o and disinhibition models, and also suppressed the intrinsic excitability of the neurons. ASICs inhibitor did not antagonize the inhibitory effect of extracellular acidosis on ictal epileptic activities and intrinsic neuronal excitability, but exacerbated non-ictal epileptic activities of the neurons in extracellular acidotic condition in both high [K]o and disinhibition models. CONCLUSIONS ASICs can differentially modulate ictal-like and non-ictallike epileptic activities via its direct actions on excitatory neurons.
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ; metabolism ; Acidosis ; Animals ; Epilepsy ; physiopathology ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Mice ; Pyramidal Cells ; pathology ; physiology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) on electrophysiological epileptic activities of mouse hippocampal pyramidal neurons in the extracellular acidotic condition. METHODS: We investigated effects of extracellular acidosis on epileptic activities induced by elevated extracellular K concentration or the application of an antagonist of GABA receptors in perfusate of mouse hippocampal slices under field potential recordings. We also tested the effects of extracellular acidosis on neuronal excitability under field potential recording and evaluated the changes in epileptic activities of the neurons in response to pharmacological inhibition of ASICs using a specific inhibitor of ASICs. RESULTS: Extracellular acidosis significantly suppressed epileptic activities of the hippocampal neurons by converting ictal-like epileptic activities to non-ictal-like epileptic activities in both high [K ]o and disinhibition models, and also suppressed the intrinsic excitability of the neurons. ASICs inhibitor did not antagonize the inhibitory effect of extracellular acidosis on ictal epileptic activities and intrinsic neuronal excitability, but exacerbated non-ictal epileptic activities of the neurons in extracellular acidotic condition in both high [K]o and disinhibition models. CONCLUSIONS ASICs can differentially modulate ictal-like and non-ictallike epileptic activities via its direct actions on excitatory neurons.
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ; Acidosis ; Animals ; Hippocampus ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Mice ; Pyramidal Cells

Objective To investigate the correlation between posterior perianal abscess and thickness of the puborectalis muscle by magnetic resonance imaging.Methods Sixty-three patients with a low-position posterior perianal abscess (the low-position group),44 patients with a high-position posterior perianal abscess (the high-position group) and 46 healthy volunteers (the control group) were enrolled in this study.In the lithotomy position,MRI was performed to measure the thicknesses of the puborectalis muscle at the 5,6 and 7 o'clock positions of the rectum.Results The thickness of puborectalis muscle at 5,6 and 7 o'clock points in the control group was (5.5 ±0.8),(9.0 ±0.7),(5.4 ±0.6) mm,while that in the low-position group was (5.4 ± 0.7),(10.0 ± 0.9),(5.5 ± 0.7) mm,and that in the high-position group was (7.3 ± 1.0),(11.7-1.2),(7.5 ±0.9) mm,respectively.The thicknesses of the puborectalis muscle at the 5,6,and 7 o'clock positions of the rectum in the lithotomy position were compared between the control group and the low-position group.The difference in the thickness at the 6 o'clock position was statistically significant(t =6.492,P ＜ 0.05),but there were no significant differences at 5 and 7 points (t =-0.719,0.633,P＞0.05).The thicknesses of the pubqrectalis muscle at the 5,6 and 7 o'clock positions of the rectum in the lithotomy position were compared between the control group and the high-position group,and the differences were statistically significant at each position (t =9.476,12.875,13.649,P ＜ 0.05).Simultaneously,the differences between the low-position group and the high-position group were statistically significant(t =-11.206,-7.835,-13.361,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Magnetic resonance imaging can diagnose perianal abscess in different parts by measuring the thickness of puborectal muscle,which provides strong evidence for early intervention treatment,so as to improve the therapeutic effect and reduce post-operative anal fistula.

Objective To investigate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the negative symptoms of chronic schizophrenia and on the P300 component of schizophrenics' event-related potentials (ERPs).Methods Ninety convalescing schizophrenia patients were randomly divided into a 5 Hz group,a 10 Hz group and a 15 Hz group,each of 30.The three groups were treated with the corresponding 5 Hz,10 Hz or 15 Hz rTMS once a day,five times a week for five consecutive weeks.The P300 ERPs of all three groups were tested before and after the treatment.Any curative effect was evaluated using the scale for the assessment of negative symptoms (SANS).Results After the treatment,the average SANS score of the 10 Hz group was significantly different from that before the treatment and also from those of the other two groups after the treatment.After the treatment,significant improvement was also observed in the amplitude of P300 in the 10 Hz group.The treatment's effectiveness was negatively correlated with age and longer course of the disease.Conelusion rTMS at 10 Hz is the most effective of the protocols tested for improving the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and improving cognitive functioning.

Objective To analyze the relationship between the dose volume of bone marrow and acute hematologic toxicity in craniospinal irradiation (CSI),and preliminarily explore the dosimetric differences in bone marrow between helical tomotherapy (HT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT).Methods Clinical data and HT plans of twenty patients treated with CSI in the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were collected,and the HT plans were transferred back to the MIM system.The skull,mandible,clavicle,sternum,scapula,ribs,vertebrae and pelvis were successively delineated on the CT images and then the V2,V5,V10,V15,V20,V25,V30,V35,Dmax Dmean of each aforementioned bone and total bone were read on DVH images.The correlation between those indexes and the incidence of ≥ grade Ⅱ hematologic toxicity was subsequently analyzed.The images of 6 patients were selected and transferred to Monaco TPS and VMAT plans were completed.The dosimetric differences of those indexes were statistically compared between HT and VMAT.Statistical analyses were performed by using Spearman correlation analysis and Wilcoxon symbol rank-sum test.Results The incidence of ≥ grade Ⅱ leukopenia was positively correlated with the V25 of pelvis and the V5 of total bones (P =0.038);the risk of ≥ grade Ⅱ thrombocytopenia was positive associated with the V20 of pelvis (P=0.041);the incidence of ≥grade Ⅱ neutropenia was positively correlated with the V10 of vertebrae (P=O.036).There was no dosimetric difference of dose volume of vertebral and pelvis between HT and VMAT plans (P＞ 0.05).Conclusions There is a positive correlation between ≥ grade Ⅱ leukopenia and the V25 of pelvis and the V5 of total bones.The V20 of pelvis shows a positive correlation with ≥ grade Ⅱ thrombocytopenia.A positive correlation is found between ≥ grade Ⅱ neutropenia and the V10 of vertebrae.The indices of vertebral and pelvis between HT and VMAT plans show no significant differences.

We evaluated clinical application effect of gene chip for detection of rifampin (RFP) and isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).Rifampin and isoniazid drug-resistance gene loci were detected by gene chip with sputum specimens from smear-positive tuberculosis patients and clinical strains,comparing the results of detection.BACTEC MGIT 960 drug susceptibility test results were used as control to evaluate the detection performance of gene chip.The sequences of the polymerase chain reaction products of the rpoB,katG and inhA genes from 999 strains identified as Mycobacterium tuberculosis were determined to confirm the mutations by DNA sequencing.Results showed that 100 cases were identified as nontuberculous mycobacteria by gene chip in the 1 108 cases of smear-positive samples.Among the rest 1 008 samples,there were only 9 cases of microarray results different from BACTEC MGIT960 culture-positive strains,achieving the coincidences of 99.1％.Compared with BACTEC MGIT 960 drug susceptibility test results,the gene chip method displayed a concordance of 98.1 ％ and 94.5 ％ for RFP and INH respectively in the 999 strains.Compared with the DNA sequencing method,the accuracy of gene chip method was 99.6％ for rifampin resistance and 99.8％ for isoniazid resistance.It's concluded that the gene chip technology can quickly and accurately detect rifampin and isoniazid resistance in MTB and can be used directly for the detection of sputum samples.

Objective To establish a headspace gas chromatography method for determination of nine residual solvents in grape seed extract. Methods The residual solvents in grape seed extract were separated on DB-WAX column (30 m× 0.45 mm, 0.85 μm) with an FID detector; the injector temperature and the detector temperature was set at 220 ℃ and 250 ℃ , respectively; the chapiter pressure was 27.58 kPa; the containers of headspace injector were in equilibrium for 30 min at 80 ℃ ;the N, N-dimethylformamide was used as the solvent. Results The detected solvents were well separated. Good linear relationship of the benzene and ethanol was obtained within the range of 0.04-0.3,100-750 μg?mL-1 , respectively. Good linear relationships of the hexane, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, styrene, toluene and 1,2-diethyl benzene solvents were obtained within the range of 0.4-3.0 μg?mL-1 (r≥0.995 8), respectively. The average recoveries (n = 3) of the nine solvents were 96.35%,97.08%,97.31%,89.93%,92.35%,90.65%,88.56%,93.84%,86.51% and the RSDs were 4.38%,2.16%,3.49%, 4.19%,4.80%,4. 83%,4. 70%,5. 00%,4. 39%, respectively. Conclusion The established method is simple, rapid and accurate, which can be used for the determination of residual solvents in grape seed extract and can simultaneously provide scientific basic for quality control.