Respiratory Patterns as Predictors of Laughter

Earlier research on respiratory patterns indicates that they are sensitive to emotional processes. Abdominal and thoracic patterns were therefore used as predictors of laughter responses in 25 subjects participating in an entertainment situation. The abdominal respiratory body circumference changes (the abdominal amplitude) of the women predicted their laughter responses; the greater the abdominal amplitudes during the entertainment period, the more frequent and enduring were their laughter responses. No prediction was obtained by the respiratory patterns of men. The results suggest that respiratory patterns are sensitive indicators of laughter response habits in women only. The variability of tonus in the abdominal muscles was suggested to be of particular importance to the results, i. e. great variability yields frequent and enduring laughter responses in women.     

Influence of testosterone on pup killing in the rat is modified by prior experience.

The usual response of the adult male rat which is placed together with newborn rat pups for the first time is to kill and eat the pups. In past experiments castration of the male blocked this behavior, and replacement therapy with testosterone propionate (TP) maintained the behavior. In the present experiments this relationship between testosterone and pup-killing behavior was modified by giving the animals prior killing or nonkilling experience. In general, experienced killers continued to kill on a retest after 30 days of testosterone deprivation, and experienced nonkillers tended not to kill on the retest even though they were given daily treatment with testosterone for thirty days prior to retesting.     

Left ventricle haemodynamics and vaso-active hormones during graded supine exercise in healthy male subjects

Left ventricle systolic and diastolic functional parameters were measured by gated equilibrium radionuclide cardiography in 12 healthy men (age 33–51 years) at rest and during graded supine exercise. The leftventricle end-diastolic volume showed an initial small (11%) increase during low submaximal exercise [from mean 163 (SD 40) at rest to mean 181 (SD 48) ml], while left ventricle end-systolic volume decreased successively [from mean 59 (SD 19) to mean 39 (SD 21) ml] with increasing exercise. Stroke volume was therefore elevated at all exercise levels compared with rest [mean 104 (SD 23) ml], and the peak value [mean 128 (SD 33) ml] was found at the lowest exercise level, contributing 40% to the initial increase in cardiac output. Cardiac output increased from mean 6.2 (SD 1.4) at rest to mean 20.2 (SD 5.0) 1 · min^–1 at maximum. Left ventricle peak ejection and peak filling rates increased from mean 449 (SD 89) and mean 442 (SD 85) ml · s^–1 at rest to mean 996 (SD 227) and mean 1255 (SD 333) ml · s^–1, respectively, at maximum. The myocardium oxygen consumption, assumed to be proportional to the sum of the stroke work and the potential energy, increased fourfold, but absolute values were twice as high as expected, indicating that extrapolation from data obtained in dog hearts (as we have done) cannot be directly applied to humans. Selected vaso-active hormones were measured at all exercise intensities. Noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A) and angiotensin II (AII) concentrations showed a very pronounced increase at maximal exercise compared with the preceding lower intensites, while atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and cyclic guanosinemonophosphate (cGMP) concentrations showed a more continuous increase, and dopamine (DA) remained almost unchanged. This speaks in favour of a crucial role for NA, A and AII in preserving blood pressure at maximum exercise, while DA probably has no importance for the cardiovascular homeostasis during exercise. Increases in concentrations of ANF and cGMP were highly correlated (r = 0.86). Our data supported the opinion that there is a cardiac limitation to maximal performance connected to the cardiac pumping capacity.     

甲状腺激素对成骨样MG-63细胞甲状腺激素受体不同亚型表达的影响

目的 检测人类成骨样细胞MG-63中甲状腺激素受体(TR)的表达情况以及甲状腺激素(T3或T4)对其的影响.方法 用实时荧光定量PCR法对MG-63细胞中TR的主要4个亚型,α1、α1、β1、β2的mRNA表达进行了测定.结果 TRα1 mRNA的表达水平最高,为10.70±0.45;TRβ1仅及其半,为5.75±0.10;TRβ2不低,相当于TRβ1的60%,为3.34±0.08;TRα2的表达极低,仅为(3.66±0.59)×10-2.分别加入不同浓度的T3或T4,仅TRα1和TRα2对T3表现明显的降调节,且TRα1和TRα2的表达与相应T3浓度之间负相关,其他亚型无显著性变化,也无相关关系;同样浓度范围的T4作用各亚型,表达均无显著性变化.结论 在骨细胞发育分化中TRα1起关键作用.

Abstract：

Objective To examine the expression of thyroid hormone receptor isoforms (TR α1, α2, β1, and β2) in human osteoblast-like cell line MG-63 at the mRNA level and the effect of thyroid hormone (T3 or T4 ) on the expression. Methods Realtime quantitative PCR was performed. Results The expression of TRα1 mRNA was the highest, that was 10. 70± 0.45, TRβ1 was 5.75 ± 0. 10, TRβ2 was 3.34 ± 0. 08, and TRα2 was very low, only (3.66 ±0. 59) × 10-2. Only the expression of TRαl and TRα2 mRNA was down regulated significantly by the treatment of 10-10 ～ 10-6 mol/L T3, and there was a negative correlation between the expression of TRα1 or TRα2 mRNA and the concentration of T3. Conclusion TRα1 plays a primary role in mediating the effects of thyroid hormones in skeletal development.     

Physiological stress responses in defensive individuals: Age and sex matter

The association between defensiveness and physiological responses to stress were evaluated in 81 healthy working men and 118 women, aged 20 to 64 years (M=41; SD=11.45). Participants underwent laboratory testing during which they were exposed to interpersonal stressors. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), and salivary cortisol were measured. Defensiveness was evaluated using the Marlowe‐Crowne Social Desirability Scale. In women, higher defensiveness was associated with greater BP and HR reactivity to stress (p<.05). In older men, lower defensiveness was associated with increased systolic BP reactivity to stress (p<.02), delayed HRV recovery (p<.02), and greater salivary cortisol levels (p<.02). In conclusion, greater defensiveness was associated with increased reactivity to stress in women whereas in older men, lower defensiveness was associated with elevated cardiovascular, autonomic, and endocrine responses to stress.     

Fluoxetine treatment induces dose dependent alterations in depression associated behavior and neural plasticity in female mice

Antidepressant-induced increases in neurogenesis and neurotrophin mobilization in rodents and primates are proposed to be necessary for behavioral efficacy. The current study examines the relationship between the effects of fluoxetine treatment on behavior, cell proliferation and the neurotrophin BDNF in females. Female MRL/MpJ mice were treated acutely (5 and 10 mg/kg) or chronically (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg b.i.d.) with fluoxetine and tested in the tail suspension test (TST) and or novelty-induced hypophagia test (NIH), respectively. Mice treated chronically with fluoxetine received 4 (100 mg/kg) injections of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) on the last 4 days of treatment to measure DNA synthesis. The other half of the hippocampus and the frontal cortex was removed and examined for BDNF levels. Fluoxetine treatment decreased immobility in the TST and latency to eat in the NIH test, but only the highest dose of fluoxetine significantly altered behavior in both tests. Chronic treatment with 5 and 10 mg/kg of fluoxetine significantly increased cell proliferation and BDNF levels in the hippocampus. Only chronic treatment with the highest of fluoxetine increased BDNF levels in the frontal cortex. Behavioral measures in the NIH test correlated with BDNF levels in the frontal cortex but not in the hippocampus or with cell proliferation in the hippocampus. These data suggest that females require high doses of fluoxetine for behavioral efficacy regardless of elevations of neurogenesis and BDNF mobilization in the hippocampus. Elevations in BDNF levels in the frontal cortex are related to the behavioral efficacy of fluoxetine.     

男性肝硬化患者钙调激素与性激素变化及其临床意义

探讨男性肝硬化患者钙调激素与性激素变化及其临床意义.男性肝硬化患者48例(按Child-Pugh分级分为A、B、C三组), 男性健康对照组43名, 均进行骨密度(BMD)测定, 用免疫放射法(IRMA)及放射免疫法(RIA)测定甲状旁腺激素(PTH)、降钙素(CT)、骨钙素(BGP)、雌二醇(E2)和睾酮(T), 生化检测肝功能、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、骨性碱性磷酸酶(BLP)及血钙(Ca2 )、磷(P3 ).肝硬化患者与对照组比较血清PTH升高、CT降低、BGP大部分患者降低、E2上升、T降级、E2/T比值升高;血清ALP及BLP均上升,血Ca2 及血P3 均下降, 骨质疏松发病率增高,而且随着肝功能损害加重, 上述变化越显著.男性肝硬化患者钙调激素及性激素紊乱, 导致肝性骨病, 成人以骨质疏松为主, 并随病情发展而趋严重.     

替米沙坦对男性高血压患者性功能影响的研究(英文)

目的:探讨替米沙坦对男性高血压患者性功能的影响。方法:选择150例男性高血压患者为研究对象,随机分为替米沙坦组(75例)和贝那普利对照组(75例),观察并比较两组血压、勃起功能国际指数(IIEF)和性生活情况。结果:治疗后两组患者血压均明显下降(P<0.05),且治疗后两组患者血压情况仍无显著差异(P>0.05);治疗后,与贝那普利对照组比较,替米沙坦组IIEF评分[(11.28±1.32)分比(19.48±2.49)分]、性生活频率[(2.09±0.22)次/月比(6.31±0.85)次/月]明显升高,能够勃起比例(62.7%比82.7%)明显增大(P均<0.05);勃起功能情况[分正常,轻、中、重度障碍(ED),χ2=6.322,P=0.0412]及主观性欲要求(分强、中、弱,χ2=7.493,P=0.0326)替米沙坦组亦明显好于贝那普利对照组。结论:替米沙坦能够在保证降压效果的基础上,改善性功能和性生活质量。     

我国耐药结核病的危险因素——2007年全国结核病耐药基线调查资料分析

目的 探索新登记、复治患者发生耐药、耐多药结核病的危险因素。 方法2007年4-12月中国进行了全国结核病耐药基线调查,调查覆盖全国31个省、自治区和直辖市,以省分层,采用多阶段整群抽样方法从全国结核病防治系统中随机抽取70个调查点,调查期间每个调查点纳入新登记涂阳新患者51例和复治患者17例。临床医师采用信息表收集患者的相关信息,通过当面询问患者填写治疗史信息,如有可能查阅患者医疗记录进行确认,治疗信息的准确性经另一位临床医师再次询问患者进行复核。采用比例法进行药敏试验,检测药物包括异烟肼、利福平、链霉素、乙胺丁醇、卡那霉素和氧氟沙星。 结果 多因素分析结果表明,对于新登记、治疗时间少于1个月(OR=1.6, 95% CI＝1.1～2.1)发生耐药结核病的风险较高;而女性（OR=1.4, 95% CI＝1.0～2.1）和进行过结核病药物治疗（OR=2.4, 95% CI＝1.5～3.7）是发生耐多药结核病的危险因素。对于复治患者,女性（OR=1.7,95% CI＝1.1～2.7）、既往有过2次及以上治疗且最近1次在结核病专科医院治疗（OR=4.0, 95% CI＝1.2～14.0）发生耐药结核病的风险较高;而女性（OR=2.3, 95% CI=1.5～3.6）、生活在实施DOTS较晚（2000年以后）的地区（OR=1.7, 95% CI＝1.2～2.4）、既往有过2次及以上治疗且最近1次在结核病专科医院外的其他医疗机构治疗（OR=3.3, 95% CI＝2.1～5.2）、既往有过2次及以上治疗且最近1次在结核病专科医院治疗（OR=13.0, 95% CI＝3.9～46.0）是产生耐多药结核病的危险因素。 结论 进行过结核病治疗的新登记产生耐药、耐多药结核病的风险较高;患者为女性、既往有过2次及以上的结核病治疗史是复治患者产生耐药、耐多药结核病的危险因素。