The characteristics of impaired fasting glucose associated with obesity and dyslipidaemia in a Chinese population

Background  

Different populations have diverse patterns of relationships between Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and obesity and lipid markers, it is important to investigate the characteristics of associations between IFG and other related risk factors including body mass index (BMI), waist circumstance (WC), serum lipids and blood pressure (BP) in a Chinese population.     

Contribution of fast and slow conducting myelinated axons to single-peak compound action potentials in rat spinal cord white matter preparations

Unlike recordings derived from optic nerve or corpus callosum, compound action potentials (CAPs) recorded from rodent spinal cord white matter (WM) have a characteristic single-peak shape despite the heterogeneity of axonal populations. Using a double sucrose gap technique, we analyzed the CAPs recorded from dorsal, lateral, and ventral WM from mature rat spinal cord. The CAP decay was significantly prolonged with increasing stimulus intensities suggesting a recruitment of higher threshold, slower conducting axons. At 3.5 mm conduction distance, a hidden higher threshold, slower conducting component responsible for prolongation of CAP decay was uncovered in 22 of 25 of dorsal WM strips by analyzing the stimulus-response relationships and a normalization-subtraction procedure. This component had a peak conduction velocity (CV) of 5.0 ± 0.2 (SE) m/s as compared with 9.3 ± 0.5 m/s for the lower threshold peak (P < 0.0001). Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), along with its known effects on CAP amplitude, significantly (P < 0.015) shortened the CAP decay. The hidden higher threshold, slower conducting component showed greater sensitivity to OGD compared with the lower threshold, faster conducting component, suggesting a differential sensitivity of axonal populations of spinal cord WM. At longer conduction distances and lower temperatures (9.8 mm, 22-24°C), the slower peak could be directly visualized in CAPs at higher stimulation intensities. A detailed analysis of single-peak CAPs to identify their fast and slow conducting components may be of particular importance for studies of axonal physiology and pathophysiology in small animals where the conduction distance is not sufficiently long to separate the CAP peaks.     

The Evaluation of Cytotoxic Properties from CCB-2 Sugar Complexes Against TNBC and Non-TNBC Cells

Objective: The progress from Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) development urged us to explore new targeted and selective boron carriers. Firstly, we reported the successful synthesis of CCB-2 which exerts a cytotoxic effect against triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We introduced the new modification of CCB-2 with sugar and alcohol sugars to enhance its solubility in hoping to increase cellular uptake. Methods: CCB-2 fructose complex (CCB-2-F), CCB-2 sorbitol complex (CCB-2-Sor), and CCB-2 xylitol complex (CCB-2-Xy) were obtained with small size within nano-specific particle. All the compounds were then determined for their cytotoxic activities through MTT assay. Results: All compounds were performed cytotoxic activities against TNBC 4T1 and HER-2 positive MCF-7/HER2 cells with good selectivity when tested in immortalized fibroblast cells. Conclusion: Overall, we provided a new modification of CCB-2 through complexation with sugars. Still, further evaluations are needed to develop more efficient CCB-2 as the new candidate of anticancer agent, notably in breast cancer.     

Analysis of Curcumin as a Radiosensitizer in Cancer Therapy with Serum Survivin Examination: Randomised Control Trial

Objective: One of the important treatments for cervical cancer is radiation therapy. This study sought to determine the role of curcumin as a radio-sensitizing agent for use with radiation therapy for cervical cancer. To accomplish this, we assessed the levels of survivin, which is an anti-apoptotic protein that plays a role in cell division and apoptosis inhibition. Method: This study used a quasi-experimental design, including a pretest–posttest control group design approach. The study subjects included cervical carcinoma stage IIB–IIIB patients who were scheduled to undergo surgery at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital Bandung during the research period. The advanced cervical cancer patients were assigned to two groups: i) those who received curcumin + radiation therapy and ii) those who received placebo + radiation therapy. Results: In the group treated with curcumin + radiation, 15 (75%) patients showed decreased survivin levels and 5 (25%) showed increased survivin levels. Whereas, in the placebo + radiation group, there were 8 (40%) patients who showed decreased survivin levels and 12 (60%) who showed increased survivin levels. Conclusion: In conclusion, curcumin is an effective, alternative radiosensitizer agent for application in cervical cancer treatment.     

Effects of advancing age on the efficacy and side effects of antiarrhythmic drugs in post-myocardial infarction patients with ventricular arrhythmias. The CAST Investigators.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of age on the response to anti-arrhythmic drugs. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial comparing particular drugs. SETTING: Multi-institutional (The Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial, CAST). PARTICIPANTS: 2,371 patients, age less than 80, with ventricular arrhythmias after a recent myocardial infarction. Subjects classified by age as less than or equal to 55, 56-65, and 66-79 years. INTERVENTION: Upwardly titrated doses of encainide, flecainide or moricizine. After identification of a tolerated and effective dose of one of the drugs, participants were randomized to that drug and dose versus its placebo for up to 10 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Efficacy of drug (suppression of ventricular premature depolarizations and/or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia), side effects and mortality. RESULTS: Older patients had more previous MIs, congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, NSVT, repolarization abnormalities, digitalis use, and diuretic use. They had less pathologic Q-waves or electrocardiographic injury pattern, and their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower. First dose VPD suppression with the first drug averaged 53% and is not associated with age (P = 0.29). Adverse events including death are more frequent in older patients taking study drugs (P less than 0.001). This trend is consistent in all three study drugs and at varying LVEFs. History of prior MI, low LVEF, VPD (in log scale), and digitalis therapy also correlates with adverse events (all P less than 0.05). Following adjustment for these factors, older age is an independent predictor of adverse events (relative risk 1.30 per decade of age, P less than 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Older age increases the susceptibility to adverse cardiac events from a class of relatively toxic antiarrhythmic agents.     

核因子κB受体活化剂在犬乳恒牙替换阶段的表达

目的 观察犬乳恒牙替换中核因子κB受体活化剂(receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB，RANK)的表达，探讨其在此过程中所起的作用。直达免疫组织化学方法检测RANK在犬乳恒牙替换期中的表达和染色。结果 RANK的阳性信号出现在乳牙根吸收面的破牙细胞和接近牙胚的牙槽骨陷窝中的破骨细胞、恒牙胚的成牙本质细胞和前期牙本质中。结论 RANK可能参与了犬乳恒牙替换的生理过程，在乳牙根吸收和恒牙胚发育方面起作用。     

Hormone-replacement therapy influences gene expression profiles and is associated with breast-cancer prognosis: a cohort study

Background

The aim of the current study was to assess the antidepressant efficacy and safety of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) extract WS^® 5570 at doses of 600 mg/day in a single dose and 1200 mg/day in two doses.

Methods

The participants in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial were male and female adult out-patients with an episode of mild or moderate major depressive episode (single or recurrent episode, DSM-IV criteria). As specified by the relevant guideline, the study was preceded by a medication-free run-in phase. For the 6-week treatment, 332 patients were randomized: 123 to WS^® 5570 600 mg/day, 127 to WS^® 5570 1200 mg/day, and 82 to placebo. The primary outcome measure was the change in total score on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D, 17-item version) between baseline and endpoint. Additional measures included the number of responders, the number of patients in remission, and several other standard rating scales. Efficacy and safety were assessed after 2 and 6 weeks. The design included an interim analysis performed after randomization with the option of early termination.

Results

After 6 weeks of treatment, mean ± standard deviation decreases in HAM-D total scores of 11.6 ± 6.4, 10.8 ± 7.3, and 6.0 ± 8.1 points were observed for the WS^® 5570 600 mg/day, 1200 mg/day and placebo groups, respectively (endpoint analysis). Secondary measures of treatment efficacy also showed that both WS^® 5570 groups were statistically superior to placebo. Significantly more patients in the WS^® 5570 treatment groups than in the placebo group showed treatment response and remission. WS^® 5570 was consistently more effective than placebo in patients with either less severe or more severe baseline impairment. The number of patients who experienced remission was higher in the WS^® 5570 1200 mg/day group than the WS^® 5570 600 mg/day group. The incidence of adverse events was low in all groups. The adverse event profile was consistent with the known profile for Hypericum extract preparations.

Conclusion

Hypericum perforatum extract WS^® 5570 at doses of 600 mg/day (once daily) and 1200 mg/day (600 mg twice daily) were found to be safe and more effective than placebo, with comparable efficacy of the WS^® 5570 groups for the treatment of mild to moderate major depression.     

应用双水平正压通气联合乙醇湿化吸入治疗急性左心功能不全早期疗效观察

目的：通过观察急性左心功能不全早期在常规使用强心、利尿、扩管、氧疗、茶碱等相关治疗措施的基础上加用双水平正压通气（BiPAP）联合10%乙醇湿化吸入20min治疗的临床疗效。方法68例急性左心功能不全患者按随机号码表法分成治疗组与对照组,治疗组与对照组治疗前各项指标比较无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,具有可比性。2h后以两组患者治疗后呼吸、心率、氧分压、血氧饱和度恢复程度等指标进行比较。结果两组临床指标比较两组治疗前各项指标比较无显著性差异,经过治疗2h后,治疗组患者呼吸、心率、氧分压、血氧饱和度恢复程度各项指标较治疗前明显改善,治疗组疗效明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论BiPAP联合10%乙醇湿化吸入治疗急性左心功能不全疗效显著,值得临床推广应用。     

重组人表皮生长因子凝胶与康复新液治疗Ⅲ级放射性皮炎的疗效观察

目的观察重组人表皮生长因子凝胶与康复新液治疗Ⅲ级放射性皮炎的临床效果。方法将放射治疗过程中发生Ⅲ级放射性皮炎患者24例随机均分为2组。治疗组使用重组人表皮生长因子凝胶与康复新液对损伤部位进行换药,对照组使用1%冰片对损伤部位进行换药,2组均暴露皮肤。感染者全身使用抗生素治疗。结果治疗组平均创面愈合时间(4.0±1.5)d,对照组平均创面愈合时间(7.8±3.5)d。结论重组人表皮生长因子凝胶与康复新液用于临床治疗Ⅲ级放射性皮肤损伤效果明显,愈合时间短,可减轻和控制局部疼痛,提高患者的生活质量。