Yoga Training Improves Metabolic Parameters in Obese Boys

Yoga has been known to have stimulatory or inhibitory effects on the metabolic parameters and to be uncomplicated therapy for obesity. The purpose of the present study was to test the effect of an 8-week of yoga-asana training on body composition, lipid profile, and insulin resistance (IR) in obese adolescent boys. Twenty volunteers with body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile were randomly assigned to yoga (age 14.7±0.5 years, n=10) and control groups (age 14.6±1.0 years, n=10). The yoga group performed exercises three times per week at 40~60% of heart-rate reserve (HRR) for 8 weeks. IR was determined with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). After yoga training, body weight, BMI, fat mass (FM), and body fat % (BF %) were significantly decreased, and fat-free mass and basal metabolic rate were significantly increased than baseline values. FM and BF % were significantly improved in the yoga group compared with the control group (p<0.05). Total cholesterol (TC) was significantly decreased in the yoga group (p<0.01). HDL-cholesterol was decreased in both groups (p<0.05). No significant changes were observed between or within groups for triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Our findings show that an 8-week of yoga training improves body composition and TC levels in obese adolescent boys, suggesting that yoga training may be effective in controlling some metabolic syndrome factors in obese adolescent boys.     

Predictive value of free triiodothyronine (FT3) to free thyroxine (FT4) ratio in long-term outcomes of euthyroid patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease

Background and aimsWhether routine assessment of FT3/FT4 ratio in euthyroid patients with three-vessel disease (3VD) could help identify high-risk individuals remains unclear. This study evaluated the relationship between FT3/FT4 ratio and long-term clinical outcomes in this specific population.Methods and resultsThis study included 2106 euthyroid patients with 3VD (stenoses of ≥50% in right coronary artery, left circumflex and left anterior descending). Patients were categorized into three groups according to tertiles of FT3/FT4 ratio (Q1>2.58,n = 704; 2.2 ≤ Q2<2.58, n = 706; Q3<2.22, n = 696). The median follow-up time was 5.3 years, during which 206 deaths and 332 MACCEs (consisting of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke) occurred. Compared with the other two groups, patients with low level of FT3/FT4 ratio tended to be female, older, diabetic, and had significantly higher incidences of all-cause death, cardiac death and MACCE (all P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that patients with low level of FT3/FT4 ratio had higher risks of long-term cardiac death (adjusted HR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.06–3.28, P = 0.030) and MACCE (adjusted HR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.07–1.93, P = 0.017) than those with high level of FT3/FT4 ratio. Subgroup analysis showed there was a significant interaction between FT3/FT4 ratio and age (≥65 years vs.<65 years) for MACCE (P = 0.029).ConclusionLow level of FT3/FT4 ratio is independently associated with an increased risk of long-term cardiac death and MACCE in euthyroid patients with 3VD. Routine assessment of FT3/FT4 ratio might be helpful to identify high-risk individuals in this specific population.     

Coxsackievirus-induced acute neonatal central nervous system disease model

Coxsackievirus B (CVB) is a significant pathogen that causes pediatric central nervous system disease with acute syndromes commonly. The onset of its infection was abrupt, and after recovery there usually will be severe mental sequelae. The disease model for research was not established by the way of natural infection, although there are various investigations about the CVB-induced central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Thus, we have established an acute neonatal CNS disease mice model by CVB orally infecting. This model imitated the natural infection route and focuses the onset of CNS disease, inducing severe infection and lesion in the hippocampus and cortex regions, and the stability of the model was demonstrated. A pathology score system was developed for quantitative pathology analysis, which standardizes the CNS pathology analysis by statistics analysis. By this model, the track of CVB penetrating the blood brain barrier in vivo has been captured. One of the experimental strains CVB3/Macocy, as a new variant, was isolated, and its genomic RNA was cloned. According to its nucleotide sequence, we have characterized its genomic structure and defined its genotype. Based on the sequence, some mutations which do not change the CVB-induced CNS damage have been found. The model is an effective tool for studies on CVB-induced CNS diseases.     

硫化氢对肝硬化大鼠肝脏survivin表达的影响

目的:探讨抗凋亡因子存活素(survivin)在硫化氢(hydrogen sulfide,H2S)干扰的肝硬化大鼠肝脏中的表达量,了解H2S在肝硬化过程中可能的作用机制.方法:♀SD大鼠经复合因素法复制肝硬化模型,造模结束后随机分为S组、P组、C组,分别腹腔注射硫氢化钠(sodium hydrogen sulfide,NaSH)56mg/(kgd)、炔丙基甘氨酸(Propargylglycine,PPG)30mg/(kgd)及等量生理盐水,用敏感硫电极法检测肝硬化大鼠门静脉中H2S的量,用免疫组织化学及realtime-PCR检测大鼠肝脏survivin蛋白及mRNA表达.结果:S组、P组与C组相比,门静脉血浆内H2S浓度显著改变(51.19mol/L±8.75mol/L,68.97mol/L±2.69mol/Lvs134.49mol/L±12.25mol/L,P<0.05),肝硬化H2S增加组大鼠survivin蛋白及mRNA表达显著增加(P<0.05),肝硬化大鼠体内H2S与survivin表达有相关性.结论:在大鼠肝硬化模型中,随着体内H2S浓度的变化,survivin蛋白及mRNA表达发生变化,这可能是H2S调节肝硬化作用过程中的机制之一.     

颌间Ⅲ类矫形力对青春期恒河猴上颌骨作用的头影测量研究

目的：通过建立颌间Ⅲ类矫形动物实验模型,评价持续的颌间Ⅲ类矫形力对上颌骨的作用及动态变化规律。方法：选用青春生长发育期雌性恒河猴6只,分为实验组（3月、6月各2只）和对照组（3月、6月各1只）,实验组戴用Ⅲ类双阻板磁力矫治器,对照组不戴。实验过程中,定期拍摄X线头颅侧位片,图像输入计算机头影测量系统进行测量分析。结果：（1）与对照组相比,实验组位发生明显改变;（2）头影测量表明,对照组表现为向下向前发育,实验组矫形治疗后上颌骨相对于颅骨发生了向前的移位和少量旋转,同时其长度出现增加;（3）发现上颌骨的空间位置变化主要发生在开始矫治的两个月内,长度增加的最大值出现在第三个月左右;（4）上颌骨对矫形力作用的反应有一定的限度,增加矫形力作用时间并不能进一步促进上颌骨的更多空间变化和长度的增加。结论：Ⅲ类矫形力可以显著改变上颌骨的空间位置和固有长度,空间的位移比长度的改变出现得早。     

Simple and sensitive determination of sparfloxacin in pharmaceuticals and biological samples by immunoassay

Plasma quinolone concentrations are not routinely measured in clinical practice. However, in order to optimize quinolone treatment, monitoring of plasma concentrations could sometimes be useful particularly in critically ill patients. In this study, anti-sparfloxacin antibody was obtained by immunizing rabbits with sparfloxacin conjugated with bovine serum albumin using isobutyl chloroformate method. After the assay procedure was optimized, the standard curve of sparfloxacin was established. The practical measuring range of the competitive ELISA extended from 5 ng/mL to 2 μg/mL. The recovery rates and coefficients of variation for rat plasma, urine and tissues were 87.7–106.2% and 4.8–15.3%, respectively. To demonstrate the potential of the ELISA, a preliminary pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of sparfloxacin in rats and quantitative analysis of sparfloxacin in several pharmaceuticals were performed and compared with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The experimental data indicated that the proposed method would be a valuable tool in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for sparfloxacin.     

感染科住院医师规范化培训的实践与探索

住院医师规范化培训是医学生毕业后教育的重要组成部分,是培养合格的、具有综合素养的青年医师的重要手段。西安交通大学第二附属医院感染科在住院医师规范化培训的实践与探索中,逐步建立了符合专业特点的规培管理体系,包括规培管理梯队、规培实施细则、三阶段评价反馈体系、教学相长双向培训模式、三维评价体系等,旨在以岗位胜任力为导向,从理论知识、临床技能、医学人文素养、科研能力、人际沟通能力,多维度高质量的进行住院医师规范化培训工作。     

After-hours esophagectomy may pose additional risk to patients with esophageal cancer

BackgroundThe increase in the incidence of esophageal cancers (ECs) combined with fewer surgeons working at large centers will increase the likelihood of surgery for ECs being performed during later hours. This study aimed to compare esophagectomies’ operative outcomes for EC performed at different surgical starting times.MethodsThis was a single-center, retrospective study. Risk-adjusted cumulative sum curve analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to identify the potential change-point of surgical starting times. The participants were then divided into 2 groups according to the change-point time. Propensity score matching was used to control confounding factors between the 2 groups. We compared the short- and long-term outcomes in both groups.ResultsA total of 702 patients who underwent potentially radical esophagectomy from 7 May 2014 to 31 December 2017 in our institute were included. The 3-year all-cause mortality showed a significant change-point at 16:42, with an increment from 56.5% to 76.9% (P=0.043). Esophagectomy that commenced between 17:00–18:59 was associated with significantly lower overall survival (OS) [multivariate hazard ratio (HR): 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.25 to 4.90; P=0.010] and disease-free survival (DFS) (multivariate HR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.08 to 4.21; P=0.028). The participants were allocated to the during-hours group and the after-hours group according to the change-point of 17:00. A total of 84 participants in the during-hours group were matched to 33 participants in the after-hours group. The median operative time was shorter in the after-hours group [309 (during-hours) vs. 239 (after-hours) minutes, P=0.014); the after-hours group had a greater incidence of respiratory complications (22.63% vs. 45.45%, P=0.023) and 90-day mortality (0 vs. 9.09%, P=0.021). The 5-year OS (P=0.042) and DFS (P=0.030) were significantly higher in the during-hours group.ConclusionsEsophagectomies started during after-hours are correlated with poorer surgical outcomes. It is recommended to cancel selective esophagectomies due to commence after 17:00.