Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of pelvic floor ultrasound parameters in post-cesarean stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and biofeedback efficacy evaluation. Methods A total of 215 pregnant women who underwent cesarean section were selected by simple sampling method. According to whether postpartum SUI occurred, they were divided into SUI group (n=88) and non-SUI group (n=127). The SUI group received biofeedback therapy. The ultrasonic parameters of pelvic floor were compared between the two groups. The ultrasound parameters of pelvic floor in the SUI group were compared before and after treatment. Results Bladder neck descent (BND), urethral rotation angle (URA) as well as levator hiatal area (LHA) and posterior urethrovesical angle (PUVA) in Valsalva state of the SUI group were significantly higher than those in the non-SUI group (P < 0.05). After biofeedback therapy, the total effective rate of 88 patients with SUI after cesarean section was 94.32%. The BND, URA as well as LHA and PUVA in Valsalva state of the SUI group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of BND, URA, LHA and PUVA in predicting the effect of biofeedback on post-cesarean section SUI were 0.853, 0.897, 0.865 and 0.887, respectively. Conclusion Pelvic floor ultrasound parameters are highly effective in diagnosing SUI after cesarean section and evaluating the effect of biofeedback therapy.

Humans ; Abdomen ; Dantrolene ; East Asian People ; Malignant Hyperthermia

Objective:To observe any effect of threshold pressure loaded inspiratory muscle training on the balance of persons with Parkinson′s disease (PD).Methods:Forty-eight persons with PD were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, each of 24. Both groups were given conventional neurological drug treatment and conventional rehabilitation training. The observation group additionally completed inspiratory muscle training using a threshold pressure load trainer, 5 days per week for 8 weeks. Before and after the treatment, both groups′ inspiratory muscle functioning was quantified using ultrasound to assess diaphragm mobility and thickness, and maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP). Balance was quantified using Trunk Injury Scale (TIS) scoring, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), limits of stability (LOS), and the timed up and go test (TUGT). Walking was evaluated using the 10-metre walk test (10MWT) and the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI).Results:After the treatment all of the indicators had improved significantly in both groups, on average, but those of the observation group were then significantly better. Correlation analysis showed that the difference in MIP of the observation group before and after treatment was significantly negatively correlated with the TUGT and 10MWT times.Conclusion:Threshold pressure loaded inspiratory muscle training combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy significantly improves the inspiratory muscle strength, balance and walking of persons with PD.

Poria is an important medicine for inducing diuresis to drain dampness from the middle energizer. However, the specific effective components and the potential mechanism of Poria remain largely unknown. To identify the effective components and the mechanism of Poria water extract (PWE) to treat dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency syndrome (DSSD), a rat model of DSSD was established through weight-loaded forced swimming, intragastric ice-water stimulation, humid living environment, and alternate-day fasting for 21 days. After 14 days of treatment with PWE, the results indicated that PWE increased fecal moisture percentage, urine output, D-xylose level and weight; amylase, albumin, and total protein levels; and the swimming time of rats with DSSD to different extents. Eleven highly related components were screened out using the spectrum-effect relationship and LC-MS. Mechanistic studies revealed that PWE significantly increased the expression of serum motilin (MTL), gastrin (GAS), ADCY5/6, p-PKAα/β/γ cat, and phosphorylated cAMP-response element binding protein in the stomach, and AQP3 expression in the colon. Moreover, it decreased the levels of serum ADH, the expression of AQP3 and AQP4 in the stomach, AQP1 and AQP3 in the duodenum, and AQP4 in the colon. PWE induced diuresis to drain dampness in rats with DSSD. Eleven main effective components were identified in PWE. They exerted therapeutic effect by regulating the AC-cAMP-AQP signaling pathway in the stomach, MTL and GAS levels in the serum, AQP1 and AQP3 expression in the duodenum, and AQP3 and AQP4 expression in the colon.
Animals ; Rats ; Poria ; Spleen ; Albumins ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein

Autologous ozonized blood transfusion(AOBT) is a therapy of re-transfusion of 100-200 mL of autologous blood after shaking and agitation with appropriate amount of oxygen-ozone in vitro. The oxidation of blood through the strong oxidation of ozone can enhance the non-specific immune response of the body, regulate the internal environment and promote health. This therapy has been increasingly applied in clinical practice, while no unified standard for the operation process in terms of ozone concentration, treatment frequency and treatment course had been established. This operation process of AOBT is primarily explored in order to standardize the operation process and ensure its safety and efficacy.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of adult Chinese patients with syncope.Methods:This is a cross-sectional survey study. Patients with preliminary diagnosis of syncope in the Emergency Department, Geriatrics and Cardiology Outpatient Department, or Syncope Unit of 37 hospitals in 19 provinces, autonomous regions and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from June 2018 to March 2021 were included in this study. The clinical features of these patients with syncope were analyzed.Results:A total of 4 950 consecutive patients with syncope were included in this study. The age was (56.3±16.8)years, and 2 604 cases (52.6%) were male. The most common type of syncope was neurally mediated syncope (2 345 (47.4%)), followed by cardiac syncope (1 085 (21.9%)), orthostatic hypotensive syncope (311 (6.3%)), and unexplained syncope accounted for nearly one third (1 155 (23.3%)). Predisposing syncope was more common in patients under 65 years of age(2 066(72.4%) vs. 786(27.6%),χ 2=136.5, P<0.001). Presyncope was more common in patients with neurally mediated syncope (1 972(79.0%) vs.1 908(73.9%), χ 2=17.756, P<0.001). Premonitory symptoms were more common in women(1 837(80.0%) vs. 1 863(73.0%),χ 2=33.432, P<0.001). Presyncope syndrome was more common in patients under 65 years of age (2 482(77.8%) vs. 1 218(73.4%),χ 2=17.523, P=0.001). Cyanosis was more common in ≥65 years old patients (271(18.2%) vs. 369(12.7%), χ 2=23.235, P<0.001). Urinary incontinence was more common in old patients aged ≥65 years(252(15.2%) vs. 345(10.8%), χ 2=19.313, P<0.001). Family history was more common in patients with cardiogenic syncope compared with other types of syncope (264(24.3%) vs. 754(19.5%), χ 2=11.899, P=0.001). Hypertention(1 480(30.5%)), coronary heart disease(1 057(21.4%)), atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation(359(7.2%)), second degree atrioventricular block(236(4.8%)) were common complications of syncope. The proportion of patients with coronary heart disease was significantly higher in cardiac syncope than that of other types of syncope(417(38.4%) vs. 640(16.6%), χ 2=241.376, P<0.001). Other common complications included cerebrovascular diseases (551 (11.1%)) and diabetes mellitus (632(12.8%)). Conclusions:Neurally mediated syncope is the most common syncope in adult Chinese population. Patients with predisposing conditions and premonitory conditions are younger. Presyncope is more common in women. The proportion of family history and coronary heart disease is higher in patients with cardiogenic syncope.

Objective:To investigate whether ventricular non-excitatory electrical stimulation(NES)preconditioning can protect myocardial ischemia-reperfusion(IR)injury in aged mice by regulating cardiac calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP).Methods:Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, (1)the Sham group, receiving sham operation group(n=6); (2)the IR group, receiving ligation of coronary artery to induce myocardial ischemia for 45 min and reperfusion for 120 min(n=13); (3)the NES group, IR model receiving NES from 15 min before IR to the end of reperfusion(n=13). Infarct size was detected by staining with 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride.The level of serum cTnI and expression of myocardial CGRP were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction.Results:Compared with the IR group, the infarct sizes were significantly lower in NES group[(38.17±4.36)% vs.(45.33±5.68)%, P<0.05]. Besides, the IR and NES groups were associated with significantly increased levels of serum cTnI[(10.89±2.14)μg/L, (7.03±1.79)μg/L vs.(3.92±0.47)μg/L, P<0.001], myocardial CGRP protein[(26.33±4.55)μg/kg, (19.67±5.79)μg/kg vs.(17.00±2.90)μg/kg, P<0.01], CGRP mRNA[(1.40±0.20), (2.20±0.75) vs.(1.05±0.10), P<0.01]compared with the Sham group.Furthermore, the NES group was associated with markedly decreased levels of serum cTnI and myocardial CGRP protein, and increased level of CGRP mRNA compared with the IR group(all P<0.05). Conclusion:NES may protect myocardium IR injury by regulating endogenous CGRP expression in aged mice.

As self-subunit swapping chaperones or metallochaperones, the activators assist nitrile hydratases to take up metal ions and they are essential for active expression of nitrile hydratases. Compared with nitrile hydratases, the activators have a low sequence identity. Study of the activation characteristics and the relationships between structures and functions of the activators is of great significance for understanding the maturation mechanism of nitrile hydratase. We co-expressed low-molecular-mass nitrile hydratase (L-NHase) from Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1 with four heterologous activators respectively and determined their activation abilities. Then we made sequence analysis and structure modelling, and studied the functions of the important domains of the activators. Results showed that all four heterologous activators could activate L-NHase, however, the specific activities of L-NHases were different after activation. L-NHase showed the highest specific activity after being activated by activator A, which was 97.79% of that of the original enzyme, but the specific activity of L-NHase after being activated by activator G was only 23.94% of that of the original enzyme. Activator E and activator G had conserved domains (TIGR03889), and deletion of their partial sequences resulted in a substantial loss of activation abilities for both activators. Replacing the N-terminal sequence of activator G with the N-terminal sequence of activator E, and adding the C-terminal sequence of activator E to the C-terminus of activator G could increase the specific activity of L-NHase by 178.40%. The activation by nitrile hydratase activators was universal and specific, and the conserved domains of activators were critical for activation, while the N-terminal domain and C-terminal domain also had important effects on activation.

Objective: To investigate the protective effects of pretreatment with a Shenfu(SF)injection on arrhythmias induced by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion(IR)injury in aged mice. Methods: Thirty 18-month-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 3 groups(n=10, each group): the sham treatment group(receiving sham operation without thoracotomy), the IR group(undergoing the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery with ischemia for 30 min and reperfusion for 2 h)and the SF group(receiving SF intraperitoneal injection of 10 ml/kg 30 min before thoracotomy and the same treatment as the IR group). Arrhythmias were monitored, and serum levels of creatine kinase-isoenzyme(CK-MB), troponin(cTnI)and tumor necrosis factor α(TNFα), and the ratio of myocardial connexin 43(Cx43)phosphorylation(ser368)to total protein(p-Cx43/t-Cx43)were detected in the three groups. Results: Ventricular arrhythmias occurred in the IR and SF groups.Compared with the IR group, ventricular arrhythmias in the SF group were alleviated, the frequency of ventricular premature systolic episodes was reduced(36.6±13.5 times vs. 48.4±22.1 times), the frequency of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation decreased(3.4±1.8 times vs. 7.6±3.5 times), and the total duration of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation episodes was shortened(8.9±4.5 times vs. 17.7±5.1 times)in the SF group(P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in arrhythmia scores(1.8±1.2 points vs. 1.9±1.7 points, P>0.05)between the two groups.Compared with the sham treatment group, serum levels of CK-MB, cTnI and myocardial TNF(increased in the IR and SF groups(P<0.05), and their levels were lower in the SF group than in the IR group(P<0.05). Compared with the sham treatment group, the ratio of Cx43 ser368/total protein was lower in the IR and SF groups, but was higher in the SF group than in the IR group(P<0.05). Conclusions SF pretreatment can significantly reduce IR-induced arrhythmias in aged mice possibly by reducing TNF(and up-regulating the phosphorylation activity of Cx43.

Objective SIV30 protein of simian immunodeficiency virus(SIV)was prepared by genetic engineering technique as an antigen diagnostic reagent, to establish an immune comb method for the specific detection of anti SIV IgG in monkey serum. Methods Recombinant expression plasmid of SIV SIV30 gene was constructed by prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-1, and expressed in the competent BL21 cells. The recombinant protein was purified as a diagnostic antigen, and a standardized procedure for the detection of immune comb was established and applied for clinical detection. Results The optimum coating amount of antigen was 0.02 mg/mL. The prepared IC was able to specifically detect the positive serum of SIV. There was no cross reaction between the sera of other viruses. It showed a high specificity of the detection method. Sensitivity analysis showed that the SIV30 protein was able to detect 1:400 times diluted SIV positive sera. The result of stability and repeatability test(the same sample was repeated 3 times) showed that the coefficient of variation(CV)was less than 10%. The serum samples of 10 suspicious monkeys were detected by this method, showing a consistent rate of comb method and ELISA test result of 100%, Kappa =1.000. Conclusions SIV30 protein is expressed in prokaryotic cells. The immune comb is prepared,and is successfullyl applied in clinical examination. It shows that the method has a high sensitivity, strong specificity, good reproducibility and practicability.