Clinical application of Chinese Nanjing persistent vegetative state scale / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#It is a challenge to characterize the consciousness level of patients with severe disturbance of consciousness and predict their prognosis effectively for Chinese doctors. We aimed to investigate the psychometric property and the diagnostic practicality of severe disturbance of consciousness by Chinese Nanjing persistent vegetative state scale (CNPVSS) which was first set up in 1996 and modified in 2001 and 2011.@*METHODS@#The concurrent validity, inter-rater consistency and diagnostic accuracy of CNPVSS and Chinese version of coma recovery scale-revised (CRS-R) were investigated by assessment of 380 patients with severe disorders of consciousness.@*RESULTS@#Total scores of the CNPVSS were correlated significantly with that of the CRS-R, indicating acceptable concurrent validity. Sub-scale analysis showed moderate to high inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability. CNPVSS was superior to CRS-R on the diagnosis sensitivity. The CNPVSS was able to distinguish 65 patients in emergence from minimal consciousness state who were misclassified as in minimal consciousness state (MCS) by the CRS-R, and it could also distinguish two patients in MCS who were misclassified as in vegetative state by the CRS-R.@*CONCLUSION@#The CNPVSS is an appropriate measurement and is sensitive to distinguish the MCS patients from the VS patients.

Investigation of Mental Health of Fresh TCM Graduate Students and Analysis on Influence Factors / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objectives To discuss mental health of fresh graduate students in China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (hereinafter referred to as our academy); To provide psychological basis for education and management of graduate students.Methods All 2014 fresh graduate students in our academy took psychological test via SCL-90 and comparison was made between this result and normal results of Chinese graduate students.Results The primary psychological problems of graduate students from our academy were shown as obsessive compulsive disorder (14.02%), interpersonal barriers (7.32%), depression (8.54%), and anxiety (5.49%). Among the freshmen, psychological health level of doctor candidates is higher than that of master candidates . Mental health of fresh TCM graduate students is better than that of national college students, with statistical significance (P<0.01). Conclusion Mental health of TCM graduate students is better. There is specificity for TCM students’ mental health maintenance. Therefore, health maintenance for TCM students should make full use of advantages in TCM major.

Employment Characteristics of Graduate Students from China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and SWOT Analysis / 中国中医药信息杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate employment status of graduate students of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (hereinafter referred to as our academy);To propose suggestions and promote employment.MethodsBased on data from employment dispatch database of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education during 2005-2013, data analysis and SWOT analysis were combined to use in this research to discuss employment characteristics of graduate students, such as education background, majors, genders, and regions.ResultsThe employment characteristics were concluded as follows:education level is high and employment trend is stable;compared to male, females are superior in quantity but inferior in seeking a job;the number of job-hunting students staying for Beijing decreases and increasing students intend to apply for a position all over the country;training target is defined and less students can work in university after graduation;subject advantage is prominent, which is highly regarded by employers. ConclusionIn order to help graduate students find jobs successfully, first of all, students’ ability with more professional skills should be improved;moreover, their sense in searching job should renewed through training courses, job services and personal instructions;in the end, more job information should be provided by establishing service network.

Study on simplification of extraction kinetics model and adaptability of total flavonoids model of Scutellariae radix / 中国中药杂志

Because of irregular shapes of Chinese herbal pieces, we simplified the previously deduced general extraction kinetic model for TCMs, and integrated particle diameters of Chinese herbs that had been hard to be determined in the final parameter "a". The reduction of the direct determination of particle diameters of Chinese herbs was conducive to increase the accuracy of the model, expand the application scope of the model, and get closer to the actual production conditions. Finally, a simplified model was established, with its corresponding experimental methods and data processing methods determined. With total flavonoids in Scutellariae Radix as the determination index, we conducted a study on the adaptability of total flavonoids extracted from Scutellariae Radix with the water decoction method in the model. The results showed a good linear correlation among the natural logarithm value of the mass concentration of total flavonoids in Scutellariae Radix, the time and the changes in the natural logarithm of solvent multiple. Through calculating and fitting, efforts were made to establish the kinetic model of extracting total flavonoids from Scutellariae Radix with the water decoction method, and verify the model, with a good degree of fitting and deviation within the range of the industrial production requirements. This indicated that the model established by the method has a good adaptability.

Mutation screening of the F VIII gene in 10 hemophilia A families / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the F VIII gene mutations of patients and suspected female carriers in 10 Hemophilia A (HA) families, and to guide the prenatal diagnosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>PCR, denaturinghigh performance liquid chromatogramphy (DHPLC) and DNA sequencing technologies were applied to screen the F VIII gene of 8 HA patients and 12 suspected female carriers in the 10 families. Linkage analysis was performed by using St 14(DXS 52), intron 13 (CA)n and EX18/Bcl I of the F VIII gene in the HA families. In prenatal diagnosis, we screened the same mutation found in the patients. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was applied to detect the new missense mutations of F VIII gene in 100 unrelated healthy individuals to exclude the possibility of polymorphism.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Five missense mutations, 3 frameshift mutations, 2 nonsense mutations and 2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were identified in 10 the HA families. Among them, c.878A to G, c.1015A to G, c.6870G to T, c.1282delA, c.3072_3073insT, c.4880_4881insA and c.5000G to A were novel mutations or polymorphism. No missense mutations c.878A G, c.1015A to G and c.6870G to T, were found in the 100 healthy unrelated controls. (2) Nine suspected female carriers were confirmed at the gene level. (3) X risk chromosome could be determined to in 4 HA families by genetic linkage analysis. (4) Among the four fetuses for prenatal diagnosis, 2 were normal, 1 was carrier and the remaining 1 was a patient.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Six novel mutations, i.e., c.878A to G, c.1015A to G, c.6870G to T, c.1282delA, c.3072_3073insT and c.4880_4881insA, were identified in this study. PCR, DHPLC and DNA sequencing could be used to screen the gene mutations of HA patients, to carry out carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of HA families efficiently, by combining with restriction endonuclease analysis and genetic linkage analysis.</p>

Mutation screening and prenatal diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen mutations of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients to confirm a clinical diagnosis of TSC, and to perform prenatal diagnosis for families with mutations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this study, PCR-denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC), supplemented with sequencing when necessary, was used to screen TSC1 and TSC2 mutations in 21 patients from 19 pedigrees visited author's hospital in the last five years. For novel mutations, one hundred unrelated healthy individuals were screened to exclude the possibility of polymorphism.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventeen different mutations were found in 21 patients of 19 pedigrees with 13 being novel mutations, including c. 2672delA, c. 2672insA of TSC1 gene and c.4918insCGCC, c.1143delG, Intron27+1 G>A, c.1957-1958delAG, Intron5+1 G>A, c.910insCT, c.2753 C>G, c.4078dupAGCAAGTCCAGCTCCTC, Intron 11 -1 G>A, Intron 14+1 G>A, c.684 C>A of TSC2 gene, indicating a high frequency of de novo mutations in TSC. Three of these mutations were in the TSC1 gene (N762S, c.2672insA and c. 2672delA), while all remaining 14 were in the TSC2 gene. Prenatal diagnosis for TSC was performed for 7 fetuses from these pedigrees. The six fetuses that tested negative for TSC mutations were carried to term and, to date, none of these children has shown symptoms of TSC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Author's data showed that a mutation detection rate of tuberous sclerosis was 89.5%(17/19) among patients in author's hospital. The ratio of TSC2 and TSC1 mutations was about 1:1 in the familial cases, but TSC2 mutation was more common than TSC1 mutation in sporadic cases. Author's data demonstrated that birth of TSC children for those with familial history of TSC could be prevented through prenatal diagnosis.</p>

Initial experience of 640-slice CT coronary angiography in pacemaker patients / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the feasibility and image quality of coronary artery angiography with 640-slice CT system in the pacemaker patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ECG-triggered 640-slice CT coronary angiography was performed in 16 pacemaker patients. Image quality of the fifteen coronary segments and metal-related artifact originating from pacemaker were assessed by two experienced radiologists in consensus. Image quality was assessed using a 4-point grading scale. ECG trigger information was recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rate of available diagnostic images was 99.07% (Grade 1 in 83.64%, Grade 2 in 15.42%, Grade 3 in 0.47% and Grade 4 in 0.47% of patients, respectively). Image quality and the effect of streak artifact were similar between the high heart rate group and low heart rate group (P > 0.05) and between normal pacing group and arrhythmia group (P > 0.05). In coronary MSCT angiography, streak artifact of the pacemaker can render segments of the coronary artery uninterpretable, especially on S1, S2, S3, S4 and S8 segments of the coronary artery. Small shifts in the reconstruction window resulted in significance reduction of streak artifact (χ(2) = 151.818, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>640-slice gated CT coronary angiography could provide excellent image quality for patients with pacemaker. The streak artifact induced by pacemaker on some segments of the coronary artery could be improved by small shifts in the reconstruction window.</p>

Plasma levels of D-dimer and von Willebrand factor and the therapeutic effect of compound glycyrrhizin in children with cytomegalovirus hepatitis / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the significance of plasma D-dimer and von Willebrand factor (vWF) and the therapeutic effect of compound glycyrrhizin in children with cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty healthy children, 16 asymptomatic cases with CMV infection and 52 cases of CMV hepatitis (21 cholestatic and 31 non-cholestatic) were enrolled. The 52 children with CMV hepatitis were randomly administered with conventional treatment alone or conventional treatment plus compound glycyrrhizin treatment. Plasma D-dimer and vWF levels were measured before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Plasma D-dimer and vWF levels in the CMV hepatitis group were markedly higher than those in the healthy control and asymptomatic CMV infection groups (P<0.01). The cholestatic hepatitis group had more increased plasma D-dimer and vWF levels compared with the non-cholestatic hepatitis group (P<0.01). Plasma D-dimer and vWF levels in the CMV hepatitis group were markedly reduced after conventional or compound glycyrrhizin treatment (P<0.01). Compound glycyrrhizin treatment decreased more significantly plasma D-dimer and vWF levels compared with the conventional treatment in children with CMV hepatitis (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The detection of plasma D-dimer and vWF is useful in the early assessment of liver damage in children with CMV hepatitis. Compound glycyrrhizin can decrease obviously plasma D-dimer and vWF levels and might thus provide protective effects against liver damage.</p>

Effects of Astaxanthin on the damage of osteoblast induced by H2O2 / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Astaxanthin on enhancing the function of anti-oxidative damage in osteoblast.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were randomly divided into five groups, including control group, model group, Astaxanthin group [low-dose (1 x 10(-7) mol/L), middle-dose (1 x 10(-6) mol/L), high-dose (1 x 10(-5) mol/L)], in which the activity of cells, activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid oxygen (LPO) and membrane fluidity were tested and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with Astaxanthin groups, the activity of cells, SOD activity and membrane fluidity in the model group were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). However, the contents of ROS and LPO were significantly raised (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>H2O2 can cause oxidative damage of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, but Astaxanthin can prevent or decrease its influence.</p>

Influence of canthaxanthin on D-galactose induced osseous changes of rat / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the influence of canthaxanthin on D-galactose induced osseous changes of rat.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five six-week-old Wistar male rats were randomly divided into model group, canthaxanthin group and young control group. In addition, 15 sixteen-month-old Wistar male rats were used as old control group. Model group and canthaxanthin group were given injections of D-galactose for 5 months (20 mg/kg/once per-day) to cause aging of rat. Then routine osseous parameters were tested and compared among the 4 groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with young control group, the BMD, parameters of structural mechanics and biomechanics, bone calcium, manganese, magnesium and the content of hydroxyproline in the model group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), however, the content of bone phosphorus, the activity of bone and serum ALP increased significantly (P < 0.01). Those changes of the model group were the same as the old control group,but the changes in the canthaxanthin group significantly differed with the model group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The high does of D-galactose intake can cause aging and osteoporosis at the same time in rat, but canthaxanthin can prevent and inhibit D-galactose induced osseous changes.</p>

Mutation detection of PKD1 gene in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseases / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect gene mutation in the patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) analyses were performed in 3o single copy region of PKD 1 gene (PKD1). DNA sequencing were carried out on PCR products with abnormal peak shape afterwards.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A new nonsense mutation (C11901A in exon 42 of PKD1 was identified to cause serine in position 3897 turning to a stop codon. A missense mutation, C10737T, was detected in exon 35 which caused threonine in position 3509 turn to methionine. Two kinds of samesense mutation, G11824A and C11860T in exon 42, were found in normal control.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PKD1 mutation were detected successfully by PCR-DHPLC. A new nonsense mutation, a missense mutation and two polymorphisms are identified in this study.</p>

Evaluation of the consciousness scales in the diagnosis of the severely impaired consciousness / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the commonly used consciousness scales according to longitudinal study on small-sample patients with minimally conscious state. Method Eleven patients with minimally consciousness, who were scanned using fMRI, were selected and scored by the commonly used consciousness scales in Wujing Hangzbeu Hospital. The 11 patients were classified into 2 groups according to the scores of CRS-R scale couple with the results of the fMRI study. The One-Way ANOVA method was used to analyze the inter-group difference of the commonly used consciousness scales and their subscales. Results Despite the communicative subscale of the CRS-R scales, other iterms lack of statistic significance in classification of the conscious state. Among the commonly used consciousness scales, the Wessex Head Injury Matrix (WHIM) scale presented the highest diagnostic value in consciousness state, whereas the Chinese Vegetative State Scale (CVSS) presented the lowest diagnostic value. Conclusions It indicated that the total scores of the consciousness scales and the scores of subscales of them presented poor diagnostic value in general, and big discrepancy of diagnostic value existed between the iterms of the scales by using objective tools.

Mutation screening and prenatal diagnosis of hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in a Chinese family / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the mutations in Cx30 gene in a Chinese family with hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) and to make prenatal diagnosis on the embryo which has been pregnant for 5 months.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A family including 2 affected and 4 unaffected individuals was collected, and their informed consents were obtained. The affected woman had a five-month pregnancy. An 884 bp fragment containing the whole GJB6 coding sequence was amplified by PCR and the products were bi-direction sequenced directly. The mutation was further confirmed with restriction endoenzyme digesting. On the base of successful gene diagnosis, the following detection procedure on the pregnant baby was performed. First the whole coding region of Cx30 was amplified using primers Cx30-F and Cx30-R and the PCR products were digested by Hae II. Then the PCR products were cloned into pUCm-T vector. Blue-white blot screening method and PCR-restriction endoenzyme digesting technique were used to identify the correct clones. The mutant allele clone was sequenced to confirmed the mutation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A heterozygous missense mutation 263C --> T in the Cx30 gene was detected in the affected little girl and her affected mother, which led to an amino acid substitution (A88V) in the second transmembrane domain of GJB6. The mutation was confirmed by Hae II digestion. A88V mutant allele cannot be cut while the wild normal allele can be cut into two fragments, 520 and 278 bp. The result of analyse on the five-month pregnancy show the embryo carried the A88V mutation too. So the embryo will be a patient.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>An A88V missense mutation in the Cx30 gene can also cause HED in Chinese Han population. Based on the gene diagnosis, prenatal diagnosis can be played using bi-direction sequencing and confirmed with restriction endoenzyme digesting.</p>

Functional MRI of human brain in musicians and non-musicians / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the differences in brain activation between musicians and non-musicians by use of functional MRI.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve right-handed musicians and twelve right-handed non-musicians were recruited in the study. During a listening task, they were scanned on the Sigma 1.5T scanner (GE) while they were passively listening to several segments of music of "the Butterfly Love" and the white noise with same physical energy.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Both musicians and non-musicians demonstrated bilateral transverse gyrus weak activated while listening to the white noise. But when listening to music, they showed bilateral temporal areas strongly activated including superior temporal gyrus, transverse gyrus and some middle temporal areas. Moreover, musicians showed relative left dominance (10/12), whereas non-musicians demonstrated right dominance(11/12). Furthermore,besides bilateral temporal areas, more and stronger activated areas were found in musicians such as cuneus, precuneus,medial frontal and left middle occipital gyrus.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There are different neuro-patterns between musicians and non-musicians.</p>

Lateralized distribution of motor areas involved in voluntary movement / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the brain functional laterality in motor areas during motor execution systematically.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed combined with right hand sequential finger movement task to investigate brain activation pattern and laterality in 8 right-handed subjects. 3dDeconvolve program of AFNI was used to estimate the hemodynamic response function and to generate activation maps. Then the laterality index (LI) was calculated and tested statistically.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>All motor areas including the areas which were previously considered to be engage in movement preparation only were activated in movement execution. In the activation map, it appeared left lateralization in cerebra and right lateralization in cerebella. After further statistical test, it was found that in primary motor area (M1), supplementary motor area (SMA) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC), there were left lateralization. While in premotor cortex (PMC), cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia (BG), the lateralization tendency was not obvious. The activation in cerebella is characterized with right lateralization.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Though there are tiny differences among subjects, most of the motor areas appear lateralized activation. Past studies only observed laterality in several motor areas. It may be due to the difficulty of the task or the experimental design.</p>

Effect and mechanism of selective aldosterone receptor blocker eplerenone on renovascular hypertensive rats / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of a selective aldosterone receptor blocker, eplerenone (EP), on renovascular hypertensive rats. Method Forty-eight Wistar rats were divided into six groups: sham operation group, control model group, early EP group, late EP group, early losartan (LO) group and late LO group. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and urinary protein excretion (UPE) were measured before and every two weeks after operation. Histopathology and endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) gene expression were examined in heart, aorta and kidney. Results SBP obviously increased in control model group as compared to sham group at week 10(132. 1 ?2.4 vs. 115.0?0.6 mmHg, P = 0. 0191), while early treatment with LO or EP could decrease SBP significantly as compared to control group. The control group developed significant UPE [ (21. 7 ? 1.9) mg/d] compared with the sham group [(13. 4?0. 8) mg/d] (P