Efficacy of vaccination with StroVac for recurrent urinary tract infections in women: a comparative single-centre study

International Urology and Nephrology - To assess the efficacy of prophylaxis for urinary tract infections (UTI) in a two-year follow-up in women with StroVac compared to a therapy with...     

Didymin attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of didymin (Did) on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Methods: After pretreatment with Did (2, 4, 8 mg/kg intraperitoneal i.p.) for 7 d, the male C57 mice were injected with single dose of DOX (20 mg/kg i.p.). The cardioprotective effect of Did was observed on the 7th day after DOX treatment. Results: DOX delayed body growth and caused cardiac tissue injury, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Similar experiments in H9C2 cardiomyocytes showed that DOX reduced cell viability, increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and fragmentation of DNA, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. However, all of these adverse effects were suppressed by Did pretreatment. Did increased protein expression of glutamate-L-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCL), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Besides, Did also induced activation of PI3K/AKT. Conclusion: These findings indicated Did prevented DOX-induced cardiac injury and apoptosis via activating PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 signaling pathway.     

促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素基因敲除小鼠的繁殖与基因型鉴定

目的探讨促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(CRH)基因敲除(KO)小鼠饲养、繁殖及基因型鉴定的方法。方法从美国Jackson实验室引进CRH KO小鼠,按照遗传学规则,对杂合子型(CRH+/-)小鼠进行配对繁殖,提取幼鼠尾部组织全基因组DNA,通过聚合酶链反应(PCR)对幼鼠基因型进行鉴定。结果 CRH KO纯合子型(CRH-/-)小鼠的繁殖和饲养均获得成功,采用PCR成功地对所获得的小鼠进行基因分析,在子代小鼠中存在野生纯合子型(CRH+/+)、杂合子型(CRH+/-)及CRHKO纯合子型(CRH-/-)小鼠。CRH-/-小鼠较另外2种基因型小鼠存活率明显下降,但3种基因型小鼠在出生后10 d及30d体质量无明显差异。结论正确的饲养繁殖以及鉴定方法可从杂合子型(CRH+/-)小鼠中获得CRH KO纯合子型(CRH-/-)小鼠。     

单病种协作防治体系在医疗质量管理与监控中的作用探讨

加强医疗质量管理与监控是提升医疗质量,合理利用医疗资源,产生良好社会效益的有效手段。本文通过对医疗质量管理与现状的分析,剖析单病种协作防治体系在医疗质量管理与监控中的作用,为医疗质量管理与监控提供实践和理论基础。     

血管内超声和血流储备分数测定在冠状动脉临界病变治疗中的作用

目的 比较血管内超声检查(IVUS)和血流储备分数测定(FFR)在指导冠状动脉临界病变治疗中的临床效果.方法 将94例行冠状动脉造影提示冠状动脉临界病变的患者分为IVUS组和FFR组,分别接受IVUS或FFR检查,并以此为依据指导冠状动脉介入治疗.在IVUS组中,如MLA＜4 mm2或冠状动脉狭窄虽不足,但IVUS显示为不稳定斑块,则行冠状动脉介入治疗(PCI);在FFR组中,以FFR＜0.75作为行冠状动脉支架置入术的指征.术后随访6个月,比较两组患者心血管不良事件的发生情况.结果 (1)两组患者病史等一般信息及冠状动脉造影情况差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).(2) IVUS组行介入治疗的比例高于FFR组(P＜0.01).(3)两组间不良事件的发生情况差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 IVUS和FFR检查均可用于指导冠状动脉临界病变的介入治疗,受准确性的限制IVUS不能取代FFR检查的地位.     

Meju, unsalted soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergilus oryzae, potentiates insulinotropic actions and improves hepatic insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Although soybeans have the ability to attenuate insulin resistance, it is insufficient to alleviate type 2 diabetic symptoms and different types of fermented soybeans may have even better anti-diabetic effects. Meju, unsalted fermented soybeans exhibited better insulin sensitizing and insulinotropic actions than unfermented cooked soybeans (CSB). We investigated whether meju fermented in the traditional (TMS) manner for 60 days and meju fermented in the standardized (MMS) method inoculating Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae for 6 days modulated insulin resistance, insulin secretion, and pancreatic beta-cell growth and survival in 90% pancreatectomized (Px) diabetic rats, a moderate and non-obese type 2 diabetic animal model. METHODS: Diabetic rats were divided into 3 groups: 1) TMS (n = 20), 2) MMS (n = 20) or 3) casein (control; n = 20). Rats were provided with a high fat diet (40 energy % fat) containing assigned 10% meju for 8 weeks. At the end of experiment insulin resistance and insulin secretion capacity were measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp and by hyperglycemic clamp, respectively. Additionally, beta-cell mass and islet morphohometry were determined by immunohistochemistry and insulin signaling in the liver was measured by western blot. RESULTS: TMS and MMS increased isoflavonoid aglycones much more than CSB. CSB and TMS/MMS improved glucose tolerance in diabetic rats but the mechanism was different between treatments (P < 0.05). CSB enhanced peripheral insulin sensitivity including hepatic insulin sensitivity better than the control but TMS and MMS enhanced only hepatic insulin sensitivity through activating insulin signaling in diabetic rats (P < 0.05). However, TMS and MMS, but not CSB, potentiated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and beta-cell mass (P <0.05). MMS had better insulinotropic actions than the control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The anti-diabetic action of MMS, especially when fermented with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae, was superior to CSB by increasing isoflavonoid aglycones and small peptides with regard to type 2 diabetic rats.     

Lupus vulgaris in a pediatric patient: a clinicohistopathological diagnosis

Lupus vulgaris is the most common form of cutaneous tuberculosis which usually occurs in patients previously sensitized to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We present a case of a 10-year-old boy who was diagnosed as lupus vulgaris clinically and histopathologically. He had well demarcated, irregularly bordered, pink, infiltrated plaques on his left cheek showing apple-jelly appearance on diascopy. The histopathological examination showed tuberculoid granulomas with Langhans type giant cells. The Mantoux reactivity was in normal limits, and no acid-fast bacilli was found in the lesion, either by direct stained smears or by culture. The lesions showed marked improvement on anti-tuberculosis treatment. We want to emphasize that histopathological examination has diagnostic value in lupus vulgaris in correlation with clinical appearance, when direct analysis or culture is negative.     

Aggregation induced emission by pyridinium–pyridinium interactions

Non-covalent intermolecular interactions between pyridinium subunits in a crystal-state are an efficient means to accomplish aggregation induced emission and avoid aggregation caused quenching.

Non-covalent intermolecular pyridinium–pyridinium and pyridinium–arene-π system interactions result in aggregation induced emission (AIE).