Influence of Social Support Network and Perceived Social Support on the Subjective Wellbeing of Mothers of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study explored the relations between the social support network of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), perceived social support, and their subjective wellbeing. The participants were mothers of children with ASD in Shanghai. Their social support network structure was explored via the nomination method. Perceived social support was measured using the Revised Social Provisions Scale for Autism (R-SPS-A), and the mothers' subjective wellbeing was assessed using the Index of Wellbeing, Index of General Affect. A significant correlation was observed between the subjective wellbeing of mothers of children with ASD and perceived social support. Meanwhile, perceived social support was significantly correlated with the effectiveness of overall social support. Finally, perceived social support was also significantly correlated with the network size of social support. Moreover, the effectiveness of social support was significantly associated with the network size of social support and was highly significantly associated with the degree of intimacy of social support. Furthermore, the network size of instrumental support has a significant influence on all perceived social support subdimensions. Overall, social support effectiveness plays an important role in the social support network mechanism on perceived social support and subjective wellbeing in China.

[Antidepressant effects of the extract of Dendrobium nobile Lindl on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depressive mice].

To investigate whether the extract of Dendrobium nobile Lindl (DNL) has an antidepressant effect on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depressive mice, 72 BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into the control group, the CUMS model group, the extract of DNL groups (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg DNL, i.g.) and the paroxetine group (10 mg/kg, i.g.). The different doses of DNL or the paroxetine was administered orally once daily to CUMS mice for 8 weeks (containing two-week preventive medication before the modeling). The same volume of distilled water was given to the control group and the CUMS group. Except for the control group, the other mice were exposed to chronic stress for 35 days. Behavioral tests were performed by using the sucrose preference test (SPT), the novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test, the tail suspension test (TST), and the forced swim test (FST). The levels of dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were measured by the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (LC-MS)/MS. Compared with the control group, obvious behavioral changes were observed in the CUMS group after 5-week CUMS, including a decrease in the sucrose consumption, an increase in the latency to feeding in the NSF test and a prolongation of the immobility time in the TST. Compared with the CUMS group, the application of DNL resulted in a dose-dependent increase in sucrose consumption (P < 0.01) as paroxetine (10 mg/kg) did and a significant dose-dependent decrease in the latency to feeding in the NSF test (P < 0.05). In the TST, the application of paroxetine (10 mg/kg) and the high-dose DNL (200 mg/kg) obviously decreased the immobility time when compared with the CUMS group (P < 0.05). In the FST, compared with the CUMS group, all the groups had no significant differences in the immobility time (P > 0.05). In addition, in the hippocampus and cortex, the levels of 5-HT and DA were significantly decreased in the CUMS group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In comparison with the CUMS group, paroxetine obviously increased the DA levels in the hippocampus and the cortex and the 5-HT level in the hippocampus (P < 0.05). DNL (50 and 200 mg/kg) significantly increased the DA level in cerebral cortex of the brain, and DNL (100 and 200 mg/kg) increased the DA level in the hippocampus. The 5-HT level in the 200 mg/kg DNL group was notably increased in both two brain regions (P < 0.05), but the 5-HT level in the 100 mg/kg DNL group was significantly increased only in the hippocampus (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that the extract of DNL has an antidepressant-like effect on CUMS-induced depressive mice and its mechanism may be related to the changes in DA and 5-HT in the hippocampus and cortex.

(99m)Tc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging method may be unsuitable to be used as the reference method in investigating the validity of CDK-EPI equation for determining glomerular filtration rate.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the measurements of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) determined by (99m)Tc-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid ((99m)Tc-DTPA) renal dynamic imaging with those estimated by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CDK-EPI) equation and to identify a more accurate measurement of GFR of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in clinical practice. METHODS: The GFR was determined simultaneously by 3 methods: (a) dual plasma sample clearance method (tGFR); (b) renal dynamic imaging method (dGFR); (c) CDK-EPI equation (eGFR). The tGFR was employed as the reference method. The correlation, regression, and limit of agreement of dGFR and eGFR were used to demonstrate the validity of the two methods. The comparison of bias, precision, and accuracy between dGFR and eGFR was analyzed to identify the most suitable method. The analysis of bias, precision and accuracy was repeated after stratifying patients by a measured tGFR cutpoint of 60 ml·min(-1)·(1.73 m(2))(-1). RESULTS: A total of 149 patients were enrolled. Both dGFR and eGFR correlated well with tGFR and the regression equation of dGFR and eGFR against tGFR was respectively Y = -4.289+0.962X (r = 0.919; RMSE = 14.323 ml.min(-1). (1.73 m(2))(-1); P<0.001) and Y = 2.462+0.914X (r = 0.909; RMSE = 15.123 ml.min(-1). (1.73 m(2))(-1); P<0.001). In addition, Bland-Altman analysis showed preferable agreement between the two methods and the reference method. The comparison revealed that eGFR, compared with dGFR, showed better performance on bias and 50% accuracy and similar performance on other indexes in the whole cohort and the lower-GFR subgroup, whereas in the higher-GFR subgroup the difference of the two methods was not significant in all parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Although both CDK-EPI equation and renal dynamic imaging can be used to determine the GFR of CKD patients, CDK-EPI equation is more accurate than renal dynamic imaging. As a result, (99m)Tc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging may be unsuitable to be used as the reference method in investigating the validity of CDK-EPI equation.

CDK-EPI equation may be the most proper formula based on creatinine in determining glomerular filtration rate in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease.

PURPOSE: To compare the performance of the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CDK-EPI) equation, the 24-h creatinine clearance rate (24hCCr), Cockroft-Gault (C-G) formula, the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (aMDRD) equation, the modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (mMDRD) equation in determining glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and detect the most proper method to measure GFR in clinical practice. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-four patients with CKD were enrolled in the present study. (99m)Tc-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid ((99m)Tc-DTPA) plasma clearance method measured by dual plasma sampling method (rGFR) was considered as the reference standard. GFR was estimated simultaneously using five methods: (1) CDK-EPI equation (eGFR1); (2) 24hCCr (eGFR2); (3) C-G formula (eGFR3); (4) abbreviated MDRD equation (eGFR4); (5) mMDRD equation (eGFR5). The comparison of correlation, regression, bias, precision, accuracy, limit of agreement, and receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) for detecting CKD (with a GFR cutoff of 60 mL min(-1) 1.73 m(-2)) among the methods was analyzed to identify the most suitable method. RESULTS: All the equations correlated well with rGFR, and the correlation coefficient of CDK-EPI equation was the highest (reGFR1 = 0.922, P < 0.001). The Bland-Altman analysis showed that the limit of agreement for CDK-EPI equation was -25.5 to 30.3 mL min(-1) 1.73 m(-2), which was the least range among the tested equations. The CDK-EPI equation represented the best capability in precision (14.24 mL min(-1) 1.73 m(-2)). The ROC curve showed the best performance in detecting CKD. The accuracy within ±30 % of CDK-EPI equation, 24hCCr, and mMDRD equation was 72.08, 69.48, and 70.13 %, respectively, and no statistical significant difference was found (P > 0.05). However, CDK-EPI equation had the highest accuracy when compared with the other two equations (P < 0.05). And its performance on bias showed no statistically significant difference compared with other four equations. CONCLUSIONS: Although its bias and accuracy did not overmatch the other four equations in our patient group, the CDK-EPI equation outperformed the other equations based on creatinine in correlation, precision, limit of agreement, and detecting CKD, and it is very simple, time-saving, and cost-effective. So we recommend intensely that the CDK-EPI equation is the most suitable method in determining GFR in Chinese patients with CKD and can be applied generally in clinical practice.

[Adjustment effect of Radix Astragalus and Radix Angelicae sinensis on TNF-alpha and bFGF on renal injury induced by ischemia reperfusion in rabbit].

OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of Astragalus membeanaceus and Angelica sinensis inrenal ischemia reperfusion injury of rabbits. METHOD: Thirty-four heathy mature Japanese big-ear rabbits were randomized into control group, IR model group, Astragalus Membeanaceus + IR groupand Danggui + IR group. Renal ischemia lasted for 1 hour and then the renal reperfusion lasted for 48 hours. At the end, kidneys were observed with Electron Microscopy and the level of Cr in serum and the level of TNF-alpha and bFGF in kidneys were measured. RESULT: The changes of kidneys in IR model group were significant, but they were slight in Astragalus Membeanaceus + IR group and Danggui + IR group. The level of Cr in serum and the level of TNF-alpha in kidneys of IR model group were higher and yet the level of bFGF decreased obviously. The level of Cr and TNF-alpha in Astragalus Membeanaceus + IR group and Danggui + IR group was lower than that in IR model group and the level of bFGF was higher than that in IR model group. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of Astragalus Membeanaceus and Danggui in remedying renal IR injury may be relative to their regulation of TNF-alpha, bFGF and other cytokines.