Protective effects of betulinic acid on intestinal mucosal injury induced by cyclophosphamide in mice

BackgroundBetulinic acid (BA) is a plant-derived pentacyclic triterpenoid with a variety of biological activities. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential protective role of BA against intestinal mucosal injury induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP) treatment.MethodsMice were pretreated with BA daily (0.05, 0.5, and 5.0 mg/kg) for 14 days, then injected intraperitoneally with CYP (50 mg/kg) for 2 days.ResultsBA pretreatment reduced the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in small intestine, increased villus hight/crypt depth ratio and restored the morphology of intestinal villi in CYP-induced mice. Moreover, BA pretreatment could significantly down-regulate the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-17, IL-12 (P70) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), reduced production of chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β) and regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and enhanced the levels of anti-inflammatory such as IL-2 and IL-10 in serum, and decreased the mRNA expressions of IL-1β and TNF-α in intestine of CYP-induced mice. Furthermore, RT-PCR demonstrated that BA improved intestinal physical and immunological barrier in CYP-stimulated mice by enhancing the mRNA expressions of zonula occluden 1 (ZO-1) and Claudin-1.ConclusionsBA might be considered as an effective agent in the amelioration of the intestinal mucosal resulting from CYP treatment.     

上海浦东新区MCI人群的痴呆相关知识知晓的调查 及慢性病的关注度对知晓率的影响

目的 调查上海市浦东新区入册MCI老人痴呆相关知识知晓情况及慢性病的关注度对知晓率的影响。方法 采用自行设计的老年痴呆防治相关知识知晓率的调查表，包括性别、年龄、学历等一般情况及相关知识问卷等测量工具对2016年入档的942名MCI干预项目老人痴呆知识知晓率开展调查，根据客观及主观认为有无慢性病将MCI分为四组，分别为无慢性病（A组），仅客观有慢性病（B组），仅主观有慢性病（C组），客观及主观均有慢性病（D组），比较各组对痴呆相关知识知晓率的情况。结果 通过独立样本T检验提示，有慢性病组的痴呆严重性、影响因素、总分准确率显著高于无慢性病组,其差异具有统计学意义(P﹤0.01)，通过多重比较的LSD法进一步两两比较，在痴呆严重性准确率维度上，D组准确率最低,具有显著性差异（P﹤0.01）; 在就医信息、概念、总分准确率上， B组最低，其差异具有统计学意义（P ﹤0.05）；在影响因素准确率上，C组显著高于B组及D组,其结果具有显著性差异（P ﹤0.01）；在总分准确率上， C组高于D组，其差异具有统计学意义（P ﹤0.01）。结论：有慢性病组对痴呆相关知识知晓率高于无慢性病组。无慢性病MCI对慢性病的适度关注及注意力有益于对痴呆相关知识的了解，同时有慢性病MCI对患慢性病关注不足或回避态度将不利于MCI的早期识别，进一步延误病情。加强社区慢性病健康相关知识的宣教，积极的关注自身的健康，对慢性病引起足够的重视，有助于减少痴呆的发病。     

医院新型放射防护管理实践与体会

目的 介绍福建医科大学附属协和医院新型放射防护管理的具体做法和成效，以期为同类医疗机构放射防护管理提供借鉴。方法 对比新型管理模式前后的做法及管理成效。结果 新型放射防护管理模式完善了事前、事中、事后监管，放射防护管理工作更加科学、有效。结论 医院领导的高度重视、职能部门的积极监管、放射工作人员对防护工作重要性的清醒认识与积极配合、行政监管部门主动监督检查是放射工作安全、可持续发展的重要保障。监管过程中部分流程的进一步优化，将使放射防护管理工作更加科学、更加有效。     

Considerations in Seating and Positioning Severely Disabled Drivers

Seating and positioning methods and products have taken a lead in clinical intervention with the disabled client. The seating clinician has emerged as an important member of the rehabilitation team working toward maximizing independence and function of the clients they serve. Seating and positioning interventions have proven to be very effective in stabilizing the client's trunk and torso, making it possible to achieve the once impossible task of driving a motor vehicle. The areas of acceleration deterioration, improved head height, and design of a secure wheelchair base are all concerns for the rehabilitation team working on driving. Addressing these issues early in the driver rehabilitation program can maximize successful outcomes and create a safer driving environment.     

Profound barriers to basic cancer care most notably experienced by uninsured women: Historical note on the present policy considerations

America is considering the replacement of Obamacare with Trumpcare. This historical cohort revisited pre-Obamacare colon cancer care among people living in poverty in California (N = 5,776). It affirmed a gender by health insurance hypothesis on nonreceipt of surgery such that uninsured women were at greater risk than uninsured men. Uninsured women were three times as likely as insured women to be denied access to such basic care. Similar men were two times as likely. America is bound to repeat such profound health care inequities if Obamacare is repealed. Instead, Obamacare ought to be retained and strengthened in all states, red and blue.     

Antibodies against Haemophilus influenzae type b in The Gambia: Investigating the extent of protection across age groups

Following a landmark clinical trial, the vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was introduced in The Gambia in 1997. Whilst the immunogenicity of this vaccine is well established subsequent to the doses administered under the EPI schedule, little data exists assessing longevity of protection, using serology. Such data are needed however to predict the susceptibility to Hib at the population level.     

Skin permeation and metabolism of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)

Phthalates are suspected to be endocrine disruptors. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is assumed to have low dermal absorption; however, previous in vitro skin permeation studies have shown large permeation differences. Our aims were to determine DEHP permeation parameters and assess extent of skin DEHP metabolism among workers highly exposed to these lipophilic, low volatile substances.     

Severe hypoglycaemia in 1076 adult patients with type 1 diabetes: influence of risk markers and selection

BACKGROUND: Differences between studies in rates of severe hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetic cohorts are common and poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of severe hypoglycaemia in unselected patients treated in different secondary care centres and to evaluate the influence of risk markers, clinical setting and selection. METHODS: Cross-sectional Danish-British multicentre survey of 1076 consecutive adult patients with clinical type 1 diabetes who completed a detailed questionnaire on hypoglycaemia and related issues. Key variable was the self-reported rate of severe hypoglycaemia during the preceding year. RESULTS: The overall rate of severe hypoglycaemia in the preceding year was 1.3 episodes/patient-year and episodes were reported by 36.7% of subjects. The distribution was highly skewed with 5% of subjects accounting for 54% of all episodes. There were no significant differences between countries or centres. Reduced hypoglycaemia awareness, peripheral neuropathy and smoking were the only significant risk markers of severe hypoglycaemia in a stepwise multivariate analysis. In a subgroup selected to be similar to the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) cohort, the rate of severe hypoglycaemia was 0.35 episodes/patient-year and only retinopathy was a significant risk marker together with state of awareness. CONCLUSION: Severe hypoglycaemia remains a significant clinical problem in type 1 diabetes. The rate of severe hypoglycaemia and the influence of risk markers are very sensitive to selection and differences in rates between centres or studies seem to disappear after correction for differences in clinical characteristics. Smoking is a novel overall risk marker of severe hypoglycaemia.