The altered cortical connectivity during spatial search for facial expressions in major depressive disorder

To characterize the altered directed connectivity within a distributed cortical network, as is associated with the impaired attention modulation involved in the manifestation of mood disorder in depression, short-window partial directed coherence (PDC) combining with the event-related brain potentials (ERPs) was applied in this study. ERPs were recorded from 13 normal subjects and 12 depressed patients during visual search for facial expressions. The evoked N2 component of ERPs by responding to all neutral faces (F(1,22) = 5.51, P < 0.05) and the positive face was reduced in the depressed patients as compared to the normal subjects (F(1,22) = 5.71, P < 0.05), while the evoked N2 component by detecting the negative face showed no significant between-group effect (F(1,22) = 2.10, P = 0.16). The reduced N2 amplitude reflected deficits in effortful attentional modulation in depression. Obtained PDC values within the N2 time-window (150-300 ms post stimulus) showed weaker intra-frontal and intra-central directed interactions and enhanced occipital information output when responding to all neutral faces in depression relative to those in the normal group. Few decreased intra-frontal directed interactions were observed when detecting the emotional face in depression. The altered cortical directed connectivity contributed to the impairment occurring in the effortful attention modulation in depression. Our findings supported that the impaired attention modulation processing in depression was associated with the altered cortical connectivity.     

Bibliometric study of diabetic retinopathy during 2000-2010 by ISI

AIM: To analyze the progress in diabetic retinopathy (DR) researches between 2000 and 2010 through bibliometric study. METHODS: Using ISI Web of Science database for statistical sources, we retrieved DR literatures during 2000-2010, analyzed "the number of published articles per year, authors, source publications, subject category, document type, document language, institution and country/region" by bibliometric statistical methods. RESULTS: The total number of published articles that were retrieved for the years during 2000-2010 was 8590. DR researches changed as a linear upward trend, the main researches focused on ophthalmology, endocrine and metabolic diseases. Article was the main document type. Harvard University was the major research institution. CONCLUSION: There has achieved a significant increase in the number of ISI publications and collaborations in DR literatures from 2000 to 2010. With the rising of the number of diabetes in the world, diabetic retinopathy has become a focus of scientific researches.     

The Illness/Injury Sensitivity Index: an examination of construct validity

The 11-item Illness/Injury Sensitivity Index [ISI; Taylor, 1993: J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 24:289-299] measures fears of injury and illness and has the potential to delineate some mechanisms underlying anxiety-associated chronic health conditions. In a principal components analysis in 2005, Carleton et al. [2005a: J Psychopathol Behav Assess 27:235-241] indicated that a two-factor solution (Fear of Injury and Fear of Illness) best explained the structure of the ISI. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the structural and construct validity of the ISI. Results supported a two-factor solution after removal of two overinclusive items. Although the measure demonstrated good factorial validity, convergent and discriminant validity require further evaluation. In addition, a substantial correlation with fear of pain suggests a shift in our perspective on what constitutes a fundamental fear. Future research implications are discussed.     

Properties of a recombinant bovine tissue factor expressed by Silkworm pupae and its performance as an Owren-type prothrombin time reagent for warfarin monitoring

Tissue factor (TF), or thromboplastin, is a glycoprotein that triggers the extrinsic coagulation pathway. In blood coagulation testing, TF has been used as a natural source for determining Quick prothrombin time (PT) or the Owren PT (OBT). Currently, natural sources are being replaced with recombinant proteins because of their uniform characteristics and the possibility of stable mass production of PT reagents. Because bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-infected cows are widespread in Japan, we prepared a recombinant bovine TF (rbTF) with a baculovirus expression system using silkworms. To overcome the limitations of natural TF, especially in bovine brain, we expressed a full-length rbTF protein in Silkworm pupae with a baculovirus expression system. Baculovirus inactivation and the presence of DNA fragments in the rbTF fraction were confirmed using Reed-Muench and polymerase chain reaction methods after inactivation with a detergent. The rbTF fraction prepared by an immobilized anti-Silkworm pupae fluid protein Sepharose 4B column was identified as a visible band on western blots with a polyclonal antibody against human TF with cross-reactivity with TFs. The inhibition of the polyclonal antibody against human TF by the clotting assay for PT was identified, and amidolytic biological activity through activated factor VII on S-2288 substrate was observed. In conclusion, the rbTF expressed by the baculovirus system using Silkworm pupae was uniformly specific for bovine TF. The OBT reagent incorporated by this rbTF was similar to those of commercial reagents. It also showed a suitable International Sensitivity Index and reproducibility precision, thereby allowing for diagnostic use.     

Evaluation of the sexual function and quality of life in raloxifene treated postmenopausal women

Objective  To evaluate the net effect of raloxifene on overall quality of life and sexual function in postmenopausal women. Methods  The study was performed in the Gynecology and Obstetrics outpatient clinic of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine between January 2002 and February 2005. Fifty postmenopausal women, in whom raloxifene was indicated for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, were considered the study group. Fifty postmenopausal women who were not osteoporotic were enrolled as the control group. Participants completed a questionnaire composed of several parts (GRISS, BDI and ISI), at the beginning and end of the 12-month treatment period. Results  Two groups were similar to each other with respect to total GRISS scores at the beginning and at the end of the study (P = 0.929 and P = 0.508; respectively). Raloxifene was associated with a significant improvement from baseline in the total scores of BDI (P = 0.0001), whereas this improvement was not significantly different from the control group (P = 0.216). With regard to ISI scores, there were no differences between groups in total scores. Raloxifene use did not seem to affect subscores of ISI either. Conclusions  This study failed to prove any deleterious effect of raloxifene on quality of life and sexual functions.     

消瘅片改善糖耐量减低患者胰岛素抵抗的临床研究

目的：探讨消瘅片对肥胖型糖耐量减低（IGT）患者胰岛素抵抗及胰岛功能的影响。方法：将96例糖耐量减低患者随机分为消瘅片治疗组36例,采用消瘅片治疗;对照组30例,采用二甲双胍治疗（广东华南药业集团有限公司,国药准字H44020775）;安慰剂组30例,采用维生素B1治疗（广东华南药业集团有限公司,国药准字H44023349）。疗程4周。两组均予一般治疗：饮食干预和运动干预等。比较治疗前后空腹胰岛素（FINS）、餐后2h胰岛素（2hINS）等指标的变化,计算胰岛素抵抗指数（HOMA-IR）及胰岛β细胞功能指数（HOMA-IS）、胰岛素敏感指数（IAI）。结果：治疗组及对照组治疗后FINS、2hINS、HOMA-IR均明显下降（P〈0.05）,IAI明显上升（P〈0.05）。安慰剂组上述指标无明显改善。结论：消瘅片可降低胰岛素水平,减轻胰岛素抵抗,提高胰岛素敏感性,对治疗IGT有效。     

国际敏感指数在血浆凝血酶原时间测定中的应用

目的 :分析在测定 PT- INR实验过程中建立实验室敏感指数 (L ocal ISI)值的方法和必要性。方法 :在 CA- 15 0 0全自动凝血仪上使用 INR定标血浆建立 INR标准曲线 ,并做回归分析 ,计算出 L ocal ISI值 ,并利用 Dade- behring公司产品 Thromborel S凝血活酶试剂 ISI值和 L ocal ISI值分别测定 4 3例正常对照组和 2 0例长期口服抗凝药物治疗患者的凝血酶原时间 PT- INR,对两组结果进行统计处理。结果 :经校正本实验所用 Dade- behring公司产品 Throm borel S凝血活酶试剂 L ocal ISI值为 1.10 ,高于厂家提供的 ISI值。两组受试者利用 L ocal ISI值和 ISI值测定所得 PT- INR值差异有极显著性 (P<0 .0 1) L ocal ISI值组明显高于 ISI值组。结论 :直接利用试剂厂家标定的 ISI值进行 PT- INR值测定可能造成误差 ,仍应用 PT- INR定标血浆仪器上进行校正。利用实验室敏感指数 (L ocal ISI)值测定 PT- INR具有可信性 ,可应用于口服抗凝药物治疗监测     

老年2型糖尿病患者尿微量白蛋白与C反应蛋白及胰岛素抵抗关系的临床观察

目的了解老年2型糖尿病患者尿白蛋白排泄率(UAER)与C反映蛋白(CRP)及胰岛素抵抗(ISI)的关系.方法对血压正常的42例老年2型糖尿病合并微量白蛋白尿(MAU)患者与36例未合并MAU患者的C反应蛋白、胰岛素敏感指数(ISI)及血糖进行比较分析.并对所有病例的UAER与有关因素进行多因素逐步回归分析.结果老年2型糖尿病合并MAU时,其ISI显著降低(P＜0.01).UAER与.ISI呈独立的相关性[偏回归系数(β)=0.39,P＜0.01],而与CRP呈正相关.CRP与ISI呈显著负相关(P＜0.01).结论血压正常的老年2型糖尿病的胰岛素抵抗是MAU的独立危险因素,CRP也是MAU的危险因素.     

胰岛素样生长因子-1与胰岛素抵抗和冠心病

目的 :探讨胰岛素样生长因子- 1(IGF- 1)与胰岛素抵抗 (IR)在冠心病发病机制中可能作用。方法 :测定了 16例正常人外周静脉血清IGF- 1和胰岛素 (IS)水平与 16例冠心病患者外周静脉血清IGF- 1和IS水平。结果 :冠心病患者外周静脉血清IGF- 1水平显著低于正常人 ,IS水平显著高于正常人 ,胰岛素敏感指数 (ISI)显著低于正常人。结论 :IGF -1和IR可能参与冠心病的病理生理过程。     

针刺治疗代谢综合征患者37例临床观察

目的观察针刺治疗对代谢综合征（MS）患者糖代谢、脂代谢及胰岛素敏感性的影响。方法将71例MS患者随机分为治疗组（37例）及对照组（34例）。治疗组采用针刺治疗,主穴为背俞穴（肝俞、肺俞、胃俞、胰俞、三焦俞、脾俞、膈俞、肾俞）,配穴为足三里、内关、三阴交;对照组给予盐酸二甲双胍0.5g,每日3次,口服。12周后观察两组患者体重指数、胰岛素敏感指数及血脂[包括甘油三酯（TG）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）及血清总胆固醇（TC）]、收缩压。结果治疗组总有效率91.89%,对照组总有效率50.00%,治疗组总有效率明显高于对照组（P<0.05）。治疗组胰岛素敏感指数、收缩压、体重指数及血脂各项指标治疗前后差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,对照组治疗前后差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）,两组患者治疗后各指标比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,治疗组疗效优于对照组。结论针刺治疗可降低MS患者血糖并改善其脂代谢及胰岛素抵抗。