Analysis of the factors contributing to endometriosis in China and UK / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the differences in the factors associated with endometriosis between Chinese and British patients.@*METHODS@#This case-control study was conducted in 387 patients with endometriosis and 199 non-endometriosis patients admitted to John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford, UK) and in 101 patients with endometriosis and 50 non-endometriosis patients admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The clinical data including height, weight, body mass index, marital status, employment, menstruation, fertility, and operation reasons were collected via a standardized WERF EPHect questionnaire.@*RESULTS@#Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that body mass index, surgery for dysmenorrhea, history of pregnancy, counts of previous surgeries for endometriosis and status of employment were all significantly associated with endometriosis in the UK (P < 0.05), while a history of dysmenorrhea was significantly correlated with endometriosis in Chinese patients (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Dysmenorrhea may be the most important common factor associated with endometriosis in China and the UK, but the other factors contributing to endometriosis may differ between these two countries.

Research advances in telemedicine program for diabetic retinopathy screening / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Diabetic retinopathy(DR)remains a major cause of worldwide preventable blindness among working-age adults. DR screening programs are challenged by the rising burden of diabetes, unbalancing distribution of health resources and poor compliance with regular fundus examination. Teleophthalmology provide a viable method for rural remotely diabetic patients evaluated and monitored by the ophthalmologist at far location by exchange of medical data through electronic telecommunications technology. This review apply Wilson and Jungner's all 10 criteria of screening for chronic diseases to evaluate telemedicine screening program, summarizes and compares telemedicine screening programs according to American Telemedicine Association validation level.

Effects of sodium arsenite and arsenic metabolites on the expression of linear and circular RNA of Nup107 in A549 cells / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of sodium arsenite and arsenic metabolites monomethylarsenic acid(MMA) and dimethylarsenic acid(DMA)on the expression of linear and circularRNAs of nucleoporin 107(Nup107) in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. METHODS: i) The A549 cells in logarithmic phase were treated with 0, 30, 60, 90 μmol/L sodium arsenite for 48 hours. ii)The A549 cells in logarithmic phase were treated with 90 μmol/L sodium arsenite, MMA and DMA for 48 hours, the control group received no treatment. After culturing, the relative expression of linear RNA and circular RNA(circRNA) of Nup107 was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: i) The relative expression of linear RNA of Nup107 decreased and four circRNA isomers such as hsa＿circ＿0003599, hsa＿circ＿0027477, hsa＿circ＿0027478 and hsa＿circ＿0027479 increased with the increase of sodium arsenite dose(all P<0.01), showing a dose-effect relationship. In the 90 μmol/L sodium arsenite stimulated group, the relative expression of linear RNA of Lin-Nup107 decreased, and the four circRNA isomers increased compared with the control group in the A549 cells(all P<0.01). ii) The relative expression of Lin-Nup107 increased in the MMA and DMA stimulated groups and decreased in the sodium arsenite stimulated group compared with the control group in the A549 cells(all P<0.05). The relative expression of Lin-Nup107 decreased in the sodium arsenite stimulated group compared with the MMA and DMA stimulated groups in the A549 cells(all P<0.05). The relative expressions of hsa＿circ＿0003599, hsa＿circ＿0027478, hsa＿circ＿0027479 in the sodium arsenite stimulated group were higher than that in the MMA and DMA stimulated groups as well as the control group(all P<0.05).The relative expressions of hsa＿circ＿0027479 in the DMA stimulated group was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Sodium arsenite can induce the down-regulation of linear RNA and the up-regulation of circRNA of Nup107 in a dose-dependent manner. The metabolites of arsenic MMA and DMA can induce the overexpression of linear RNA of Nup107, however, they had no obvious effect on the circRNA of Nup107 in A549 cells.

The current situation of the drug supply and determinants of drug shortage in primary health centers:A case study of Anhui Province / 中国卫生政策研究

Objective: To investigate the current situation of drug supply and determinants of drug shortage in primary health institutions in Anhui province. Methods:Primary health institutions in Anhui province were selected as the main research subjects. One hundred and six (106) primary health institutions from three areas/districts in Anhui province namely northern Anhui,Central Anhui,and Southern Anhui were selected with stratified random sampling as the first sample,and 54 pharmaceutical producing enterprises and 62 pharmaceutical trading enterprises were selected with convenience sampling method as the second sample. The survey was conducted by issuing questionnaires to record views of the respondents to help understand the current situation of drug supply from the first sample and the main de-terminants and solutions of drug shortage from two samples. Results:13% of the primary health institutions still suffer from serious shortage of drug supply; the drug distribution rate varies greatly between units, and 19% of the primary health institutions have a drug distribution rate below 70%,and all primary health institution within the scope of inves-tigation experienced drug shortages. The frequency of choices of determinants of drug shortage were in sequence of or-der:drug demand instability (19.20%), drugs have a new and higher profit alternative (15.94%), etc.; The fre-quency of choices of solutions of drug shortage of primary health institution were in sequence of order:to improve the national list of essential medicines(12.78%),appropriate improvement in efficacy the low-priced varieties(with cura-tive effect) (12.03%),etc. Conclusions:Primary health institutions suffer from drug shortage issue widely,and the reasons for the shortage of drugs are more complicated;the government should continue to implement relevant policies, comprehensively improving the primary health institution drug supply mechanisms in all to prevent drug shortages.

Effects of oral antiviral agents on long-term outcomes of treatment-naive patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis: a retrospective cohort study / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) treatment and to assess the long-term outcomes, including survival, liver function improvement and virologic response, in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores more than or equal to 7, who had been treated with either lamivudine or other agents, but who were free of co-infection with other hepatitis virus were enrolled between January 2005 and December 2009. The study participants were subgrouped according to the antiviral drugs received or model for endstage liver disease (MELD) score for comparative analyses.Additionally, the 19 patients who were treated with NA for more than 5 years were investigated for changes in biochemical and virological indices, before and after the antiviral treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 166 patients (125 males; 89 e-negative) and 52 untreated healthy patients (as control) were analyzed.The cohort of patients receiving antiviral therapy had significantly better 5-year actuarial survival than the untreated patients (74.1% vs.34.9%, P less than 0.001). For patients with MELD score more than or equal to 18, actuarial survival was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.073).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Antiviral therapy significantly increases survival and improves the clinical long-term outcome of patients with HBV-induced decompensated cirrhosis.Antiviral treatment should be initiated at an early stage to maximize benefit in the improvement of clinical status.</p>

The effects of repetitive limb ischemia on the systemic concentration of NO, NOS in plasma of healthy humans / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the effects of RLI on plasma nitric oxide (NO) and NO synthase (NOS) isoforms of healthy humans.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>30 healthy human subjects (aged from 40 - 70 years old) were recruited. RLI was induced by five 5 min cycles of ischemia of non dominant arm (200 mmHg, 5 min interval). Blood pressure, heart rate, and the feelings of ischemic arm were continuously monitored. Venous plasma was collected in contralateral arm at Pre, Post-0 h, Post-4 h, and Post-24 h. Plasma level of NO was measured by Griess reaction, and NOS was measured by chemical method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood pressure and heart rate varied in normal range. The uncomfortable feeling was decreased with the increasing numbers of ischemic cycles. Plasma level of NO, and iNOS in plasma were significantly increased at Post-0 h, Post-4 h, and Post-24 h compared to Pre (P < 0.05). tNOS was also significantly increased at Post-0 h and Post-4 h compared to Pre (P < 0.05). No significant change in plasma cNOS was shown at following three time points than Pre.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These findings suggest that RLI can elevate plasma level of NO, tNOS, and iNOS in healthy humans. RLI might be a safe method as a rIPC, and it would have important possibility to be performed in clinic.</p>

Influence of Dexamethasone on Cellular Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein 1 Gene Expression and Caspase-3 Activity in Brain after Cerebral Hypoxia-Ischemia / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1(cIAP1)gene expression and Caspase-3 activity in brain after cerebral hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal rats and the influence of dexamethasone(DEX)on cIAP1 gene expression and Caspase-3 activity,so as to elucidate the possible mechanism of the neuro-protective effect of DEX pretreatment on rats following cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.Methods Twenty-four SD neonatal rats were divided randomly into hypoxic-ischemic brain damage group(HIBD group),normal group(NS group),dexamethasone-pretreated group(DEX group)and 9 g/L NaCl control group(NS group).The animal models of HIBD were made.Total RNA from ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere was extracted.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to evaluate the level of cIAP1 gene expression after hypoxia-ischemia.Caspase-3 relative activity of brain tissue was determined by colorimetric assay.Results The levels of cIAP1 mRNA were lower in HIBD group than those in NS group.Caspase-3 relative activity significantly increased in HIBD group(P

Effect of Dexamethasone on bid Gene Expression and Cerebral Apoptosis in Brain after Cerebral Hypoxia-Ischemia / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To investigate the bid gene expression and cell death in brain after cerebral hypoxia-ischemia in neonatal rats and the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on bid gene expression,so as to elucidate the possible mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of DEX pretreatment on rats following cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.Methods Twenty-four SD neonatal rats were divided randomly into hypoxia-ischemia brain damage(HIBD),normal,dexamethasone-pretreated and 9 g/L NaCl(NS)control group.The animal models of HIBD were made.Total RNA from ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere was extracted.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to evaluate the level of bid gene expression after hypoxia-ischemia.Cerebral apoptosis was determined by terminal-deoxynucleotidy transferase mediated d-UTP nick end labeling(TUNEL).Results The levels of bid mRNA were higher in HIBD rats than those in normal rats.The number of positive apoptosis cells significantly increased in HIBD group(P

Changes of Bid Gene Expression in Neonttal Rats with Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Dama ge / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To study the changes and significance of Bid gene expression in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) in neonatal rats.Methods The animal models of HIBD were made. Total RNA from ipsilateral cerebral hemisph ere was extracted.RT-PCR was used to evaluate the levels of Bid gene expression at different time points after hypoxic-ischemic. Results The levels of Bid mRNA were higher in HIBD rats than those in normal rats.The ex pression of Bid mRNA in ipsilateral hemiphere following cerebral hypoxic-ischem ic began to increase at 6 h, increased to the highest level at 24 h, and then gr adually returned.Conclusion The upregulation of Bid mRNA can play a role in the induction of apoptosis fol lowing cerebral hypoxic-ischemic. J Appl Clin Pediatr,2005,20(2):121-122