The effect of percutaneous oestradiol on atheroma formation in ovariectomized cholesterol-fed rabbits

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of percutaneous oestradiol on the lipid profile and on atheroma formation using an animal model. METHODS: The study was of 12 weeks duration. Fifty sexually mature female New Zealand White rabbits were divided into five groups of equal size. Two groups acted as controls and received normal rabbit chow. Rabbits in one of these groups were ovariectomized. The remaining three groups were ovariectomized but received 1% cholesterol enriched rabbit chow. One of these cholesterol-fed groups received 0.3 mg/kg percutaneous oestradiol daily whilst another received 0.1 mg/kg oral oestradiol daily. Measurements of concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were made at the beginning and end of the study. Aortic atheroma formation was measured using computerized image analysis of uptake of Sudan III staining. RESULTS: After 12 weeks there were significant increases in the mean concentrations of TC in the three cholesterol-fed groups compared with controls (P < 0.001). Changes in HDL-C and TG concentrations were less consistent. The mean area of aortic atheroma formation was significantly less in both the percutaneous oestradiol group (4.9%) and the oral oestradiol group (8.6%) compared with the non-oestrogen-treated cholesterol-fed group (19.5%) (P < 0.001, < 0.01 respectively). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that percutaneous oestradiol has a direct protective effect on atheroma formation independent of serum concentrations of total cholesterol.     

Intracardiac teratoma in a newborn

Primary tumors of the heart are infrequent at all ages. We present a newborn with hypoxia and a heart murmur, in whom an echocardiogram revealed a large tumor filling the right ventricle and the pulmonary annulus. To maintain pulmonary blood flow, the patency of the ductus arteriosus was achieved by infusion of prostaglandin E1. Successful surgical resection was accomplished. The pathological examination was characteristic of a benign teratoma. The patient remains asymptomatic and has shown no evidence of recurrence of the tumor during a follow-up period of 34 months. This represents the eleventh case of intracardiac teratoma and only the fourth case to undergo successful surgical resection.     

山楂饮片对胰脂肪酶活性的抑制作用研究

目的 探讨不同产地、不同品种的山楂样品对胰脂肪酶活性的抑制作用。方法 以对硝基苯基丁酸酯作为底物,在405 nm波长测定山楂饮片样品的水提物对胰脂肪酶体外活性。结果 各批次山楂样品对胰脂肪酶活性具有一定的抑制作用。结论 山楂可用于预防和治疗肥胖症;胰脂肪酶活性可作为山楂饮片等级划分的生物效应指标。     

Serving Veterans in their Communities: Evaluation of an Online Resource for Behavioral Health Care Providers

Many veterans receive behavioral health care services from providers in their communities. The Community Provider Toolkit (the Toolkit) is a website developed by the National Center for PTSD and the Department of Veterans Affairs intended to provide community mental health care providers with key veteran-focused educational resources. This mixed-methods study examined the potential impact of the Toolkit on provider knowledge and behaviors. Sixty-four clinicians in the community who currently or plan to provide services to veterans were surveyed. The majority of providers found the website useful and easy to navigate. After visiting the site, many providers found additional online and educational resources that they would add to a hypothetical treatment plan. Forty-five providers completed a 1-month follow-up survey focused on use of the Toolkit. Results indicate that the Toolkit may be a valuable tool for increasing provider knowledge about veteran-specific resources.

     

Levels of Circulating Microparticles in Lung Cancer Patients and Possible Prognostic Value

Background. Endothelial-derived microparticles (EDMPs) and platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs) have been reported to be increasing in various diseases including malignant diseases. Here, we investigated whether these MPs may be useful biomarkers for predicting lung cancer (LC) disease status, cell type, or metastasis. Methods and Results. One hundred and thirty LC patients were prospectively enrolled into the study between April 2011 and February 2012. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that the circulating levels of platelet-derived activated MPs (PDAc-MPs), platelet-derived apoptotic MPs (PDAp-MPs), endothelial-derived activated MPs (EDAc-MPs), and endothelial-derived apoptotic MPs (EDAp-MPs) were significantly higher in LC patients than in 30 age- and gender-matched normal control subjects (all P < 0.05). Additionally, circulating level of PDAc-MPs was significantly lower (P = 0.031), whereas the circulating levels of the other three biomarkers did not differ (all P > 0.1) in early stage versus late stage LC patients. Furthermore, the circulating levels of the four types of MPs did not differ among patients with different disease statuses (i.e., disease controlled, disease progression, and disease without treatment, i.e., fresh case) (all P > 0.2) or between patients with or without LC metastasis (all P > 0.5). Moreover, only the circulating level of EDAp-MPs was significantly associated with the different cell types (i.e., squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma) of LC (P = 0.045). Conclusion. Circulating MP levels are significantly increased in LC patients as compared with normal subjects. Among the MPs, only an increased level of EDAp-MPs was significantly associated with different LC cell types.     

Selenium level does not differ in blood but increased in cerebrospinal fluid in Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: Recent studies have found that selenium (Se) levels were associated with the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the results were contradictory. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the correlation between Se levels and PD.

Methods: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched published up to 28 October 2019. The differences between groups were analyzed by forest plots and results were pooled and assessed using a random-effect model. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to assess the association between Se levels and the risk of PD. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis were also conducted. Publication bias was estimated using Begg’s regression asymmetry test.

Results: Finally, 12 articles involving 601 PD patients and 749 controls were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a significantly higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Se level in PD patients than those in controls (SMD = 1.22; 95%CI [0.05, 2.39]; p?=?0.000). No publication bias was found.

Conclusion: The meta-analysis indicated that CSF Se levels in PD patients were significantly higher than those in controls.     

A Community Survey of Quality of Life and Psychiatric Disorders among Residents Following the Kaohsiung Gas Explosion: a 5-Year Cross-Sectional Follow-Up Study

Psychiatric Quarterly - To investigate factors associated with quality of life (QoL) and disaster-related psychiatric disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive...