Relationship between Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Level and Efficacy of Inhaled Corticosteroid in Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome Patients with Different Disease Severity

This study explored the relationship between the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level and the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) patients with different disease severity. A total of 127 ACOS patients with ACOS (case group) and 131 healthy people (control group) were enrolled in this study. Based on the severity of COPD, the ACOS patients were divided into: mild ACOS; moderate ACOS; severe ACOS; and extremely severe ACOS groups. We compared FeNO levels, pulmonary function parameters including percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to predicted value (FEV1%pred), ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), inspiratory capacity to total lung capacity (IC/TLC) and residual volume to total lung capacity (RV/TLC), arterial blood gas parameters, including PH, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂), total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), induced sputum eosinophil (EOS), plasma surfactant protein A (SP-A), plasma soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), sputum myeloperoxidase (MPO), sputum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores. Compared with pre-treatment parameters, the FeNO levels, RV/TLC, PaCO₂, total serum IgE, induced sputum EOS, plasma SP-A, sputum MPO, sputum NGAL, and CAT scores were significantly decreased after 6 months of ICS treatment, while FEV1%pred, FEV1/FVC, IC/TLC, PH, PaO₂, plasma sRAGE, and ACT scores were significantly increased in ACOS patients with different disease severity after 6 months of ICS treatment. This finding suggests that the FeNO level may accurately predict the efficacy of ICS in the treatment of ACOS patients.

A prevalence study on mild cognitive impairment among elderly populations in Zhejiang province / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To understand the prevalence of older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Zhejiang province and to provide the basis for elderly early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer' s disease (AD).Methods 1211 more than 60-year-old elderly populations were selected in Zhejiang province,and were given screening questionnaire by general information,the montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE).Results MCI prevalence of elderly populations in Zhejiang was 20.7％ and the AD prevalence was 4.5％.The patient' s gender,age,education level,nature of work,sleep status,marital status,whether or not participating in physical exercise,having smoking and drinking habits,whether combined with hypertension and diabetes for MCI prevalence of the elderly were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion We should pay attention to take appropriate measures in preventing the cognitive decline for populations as elderly,especially for women,senior,no spouse,engaged in manual labor,low education level,poor quality of sleep and no physical exercise,with smoking and drinking,combined with hypertension and diabetes.

Effect of chronic iron overload on atherosclerosis lesion in apolipoprotein E knockout mice / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of chronic iron overload on the lesion of atherosclerosis (AS) in apolipoprotein (apo) E knockout mice.@*METHODS@#Twenty-four ApoE knockout mice were randomly divided into ApoE knockout group (0.1 mL saline for 4 weeks) and iron overload group (10 mg iron dextran for 4 weeks). The levels of serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity, contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver were measured. Iron deposition in the liver and heart was determined, and atherosclerotic plaque areas of the sinus aortae were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#In the iron overload group, the levels of SI increased by 377.86%, the saturation of transferrin increased by 121.98% and the levels of iron in the liver increased by 2,548.15% (P<0.01). The contents of MDA in the liver increased by 32.51% (P<0.01), and the activity of SOD in the liver decreased by 17.2% in the ApoE knockout group (P<0.05). The level of MDA in the liver increased by 411.15%, and the activity of SOD in the liver decreased by 46.84% in the iron overload group (P<0.01). There was a significant deposition of iron in the liver and heart of mice, and the areas of atherosclerotic plaque of sinus aortae increased markedly in the iron overload group.@*CONCLUSION@#Chronic iron overload may promote the development of AS lesion in the ApoE knockout mice, in which the increased oxidative stress and lipid oxidation may involve.

A study on viral gastroenteritis attributed to noroviruses in hospitals / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To better understand the clinical feature of viral gastroenteritis attributed to noroviruses and to summarize the experience on an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis through rapidly colleting and confirmation of related information regarding to noroviruses in hospitals.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Information on an outbreaks involving 18 patients with acute gastroenteritis in one hospital regarding its epidemiological and clinical features and to perform bacteria culture for stool specimens on every patient. On 7 patients, rotavirus antigen were RNA tested together with norovirus nucleic acid were examined by ELISA and PAGE and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Most of the patients were elderly with several chronic diseases. (2) Watery diarrhea (12/18, 66.67%) and few with mucous (3/18, 16.67%) were seen. Most stool examination was normal (10/18, 55.56%) but few stool specimen could be found with some leucocytes (3/18, 16.67%) and little occult blood (4/18, 22.22%). (3) All bacteria culture in stools showed negative. There was no rotavirus RNA identified but 3 specimen showed norovirus nucleic acid positive as 42.86% (3/7).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Norovirus was one of the important pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in hospitals attacking elderly with several chronic diseases in particular. Surveillance program targeting elderly inpatient with diarrhea should be enhanced, especially in autumn and winter.</p>

Protective effect of losartan on injury induced by ox-LDL in endothelial cells and the relationship with asymmetric dimethylarginine / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the protective effect of losartan against on injury induced by ox-LDL in endothelial cells and the relationship with asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA).@*METHODS@#Endothelial injury was induced by incubation with ox-LDL 100 mg/L in cultured HUVECs for 24 h, and the levels of ADMA, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the conditioned medium were measured. The activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) of cultured endothelial cells was also determined.@*RESULTS@#Incubation of endothelial cells with ox-LDL 100 mg/L for 24 h induced a marked elevation of the levels of ADMA, LDH and TNF-alpha in the conditioned medium and a significant decrease in the activity of DDAH and the content of NO (P < 0.05). Pretreatment with losartan (10(-8) - 10(-6) mmol/L) significantly inhibited the increased levels of ADMA, LDH and TNF-alpha, attenuated the decreased levels of NO and the decreased activity of DDAH induced by ox-LDL (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Losartan may preserve ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury by increasing the DDAH activity and decreasing the ADMA level.

Effects of advanced glycation end products on the activity of NF-kappaB and the expression of fibronectin mRNA in the endothelial cells in aged rats / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on the activity of NF-kappaB and fibronectin (Fn) synthesis in the endothelial cells in aged rats.@*METHODS@#Endothelial cells were cultured in M199 from the aorta of 24 month old rats and divided into 3 groups: Group A (5 mmol/L glucose) as controls, Group B (25 mg/L AGEs for 48 h), and Group C (50 mg/L AGEs for 48 h). The activity of NF-kappaB was evaluated by immunofluorescence and the expression of Fn mRNA was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).@*RESULTS@#Compared with the controls, AGEs induced the activity of NF-kappaB and increased the Fn mRNA expression in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The activity of NF-kappaB and up-regulated expression of Fn mRNA induced by AGEs may contribute to chronic complications of diabetes.

Pregnancy outcomes of 194 couples with balanced translocations / 中华妇产科杂志

Objective To investigate the pregnancy outcomes of couples with either maternal or paternal balanced translocations.Methods One hundred and ninety-four couples were divided into three groups based on the kind of translocations:135 with reciprocal translocation,52 with nonhomologous Robertsonian translocations,and 7 with homologous Robertsonian translocations.Past reproductive histories were surveyed.For those who wanted to have their own babies by natural conceptions after knowing their karyotypes as well as the risks of abnormal offsprings,subsequent pregnancy outcomes were recorded.Total pregnancy outcomes were compared between three groups.Results(1)503 previous and subsequent pregnancies were recorded in detail.The pregnancy outcomes are as follows:spontaneous abortions 81.7% (411/503);induced terminations because of fetal abnormalities 3.2%(16/503);birth defects 7.2% (36/503);normal/balanced offsprings 8.0%(40/503).In reciprocal translocations,nonhomologous Robertsonian translocations and homologous Robertsonian translocations,the birth defects rates were 5.7% (20/350),10.9%(14/128)and 8.0%(2/25),respectively(P