Hypocholesterolaemic mechanism of bitter melon aqueous extracts via inhibition of pancreatic cholesterol esterase and reduction of cholesterol micellar solubility

This study investigated the hypocholesterolaemic effects of bitter melon aqueous extracts (BMAE) in vitro, the inhibitory effects of BMAE on pancreatic cholesterol esterase (CEase) and incorporation of cholesterol into micelles were investigated. BMAE decreased the in vitro micellar solubility of cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner. The conformation of CEase was investigated by means of circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence. The result revealed the decrease of α-helix contents, increase of β-sheet and exposure of aromatic amino acid residuals. The incorporation of cholesterol into micelles was inhibited by BMAE. A complex was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicated interaction between cholesterol and BMAE. The result revealed that BMAE can play a role in decreased intestinal cholesterol absorption via inhibition of CEase, and of micelle formation.     

竹林区村庄白纹伊蚊孳生特点的调查

白纹伊蚊在竹林里孳生的阳性比为75.4%;而在竹林包围的居民区阳性比为15.3%。白纹伊蚊在居民区孳生密度布雷图指数为19.4,容器指数为6.2%。居民区孳生蚊虫的主要场所是泡菜坛,泡菜坛主要孳生蚊种是骚扰阿蚊,阳性比为73.7%,其次是淡色库蚊为20.2%,贪食库蚊为14.0%,白纹伊蚊最低,为9.1%。     

Integrating PET and CT information to improve diagnostic accuracy for lung nodules: A semiautomatic computer-aided method.

Our objective was to develop and evaluate 3 semiautomatic computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) schemes for distinguishing between benign and malignant pulmonary nodules by use of features extracted from CT, 18F-FDG PET, and both CT and 18F-FDG PET. METHODS: We retrospectively collected 92 consecutive cases of pulmonary nodules (<3 cm) in patients who underwent both thoracic CT and whole-body PET/CT. Forty-two of the nodules were malignant and 50 benign, as confirmed by pathologic examination and clinical follow-up. The interval between CT and PET was less than 1 mo. Four clinical parameters, including patient age, sex, smoking status, and history of previous malignancy, were used for the CAD schemes. Sixteen CT features based on size, shape, margin, and internal structure of nodules were independently rated subjectively by 2 chest radiologists. Four PET features were viewed on a PET/CT workstation. CAD schemes based on clinical parameters together with CT features, PET features, and both CT and PET features were then used to differentiate benign from malignant nodules. Finally, the output from the CAD schemes was evaluated by use of receiver-operating-characteristic analysis. RESULTS: When we used clinical parameters and CT features as input units (CAD scheme 1), the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (A(z) value) of the CAD scheme was 0.83. When we used clinical parameters and PET features as input units (CAD scheme 2), the A(z) value for the computer output was 0.91. However, when we used all data as input units (CAD scheme 3), the A(z) value for the computer output was 0.95. The performance of CAD scheme 3 was better than that of CAD scheme 1 or 2. A statistically significant difference existed between the A(z) values of CAD schemes 3 and 2 (P = 0.037) and between those of CAD schemes 3 and 1 (P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Our CAD scheme based on both PET and CT was better able to differentiate benign from malignant pulmonary nodules than were the CAD schemes based on PET alone and CT alone.     

Changes in T .lymphocyte subsets after severe traumatic brain inJury

BACKGROUND： Besides local changes of cranial parenchymal cells, hemorrhage, etc., severe traumatic brain injuries also cause the changes of total body fluid and various functions, and the changes of lymphocytes and T lymphocyte subsets should be paid more attention to. OBJECTIVE： To reveal the changing laws of T lymphocyte subsets after severe traumatic brain injury, and compare with mild to moderate brain injury. DESIGN： A comparative observation. SETTINGS： Department of Neurosurgery, Longgang District Buji People＇s Hospital of Shenzhen City; Central Laboratory of Shenzhen Hospital of Prevention and Cure for Chronic Disease. PARTICIPANTS： All the subjects were selected from the Department of Neurosurgery, Longgang District Buji People＇s Hospital of Shenzhen City from August 2002 to August 2005. Thirty patients with severe brain injury, whose Glasgow coma score （GCS） was ≤ 8 points, were taken as the experimental group, including 21 males and 9 females, aging 16 - 62 years. Meanwhile, 30 patients with mild traumatic brain injury were taken as the control group （GCS ranged 14- 15 points）, including 18 males and 12 females, aging 15 -58 years. All the subjects were in admission at 6 hours after injury, without disease of major organs before injury Informed consents were obtained from all the patients or their relatives. METHODS： （1） The T lymphocytes and the subsets in peripheral blood were detected with immunofluorescent tricolor flow cytometry at l, 3, 7 and 14 days after injury in both groups. （2） The conditions of pulmonary infections were observed at 4 days after injury. The differences of measurement data were compared with the t test. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Changes of T lymphocytes subsets at 1 - 14 days after severe and mild or moderate traumatic injury. RESULTS： Finally, 28 and 25 patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury, whereas 25 and 21 patients with severe traumatic brain injury were analyzed at 7 and 14 days respectively, and the missed ones died due to the development of disease. （1） Changes of T lymphocyte subsets： At 1 and 3 days after injury, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 began to decrease, whereas CD8 increased in the experimental group, which were very significantly different from those in the control group （t =2.77 - 3.26, P 〈 0.01）, and began to recover at 7 days, which were significantly different from those in the control group （t = 2.06 - 2.24, P 〈 0.05）, and generally recovered to the normal levels at 14 days （P 〉 0.05）. （2） Conditions of pulmonary infections： At 4 days after injury, the rate of pulmonary infection was significantly different between the experimental group and control group [73% （22/30）, 0, x2=37.29, P 〈 0.01]. CONCLUSION： Patients with severe traumatic brain injury suffer from damages of cellular immune function at early period （within 7 days）, and they are easily to be accompanied by pulmonary infections.     

Radiation dose reduction during hysterosalpingography: an application of scanning-beam digital radiography

Hysterosalpingography was performed in 31 patients by means of a low-dose scanning-beam digital radiographic system. The technique permits adequate evaluation of gynecologic abnormalities while allowing significant reduction in radiation: 2.4-mR (6.1 X 10(-7) C/kg) exposure to the skin and 0.7-mrad (7 X 10(-6) Gy) mean dose to the ovaries per image obtained. Sixteen patients demonstrated readily recognizable and documented abnormalities, corroborated by laparoscopy, laparotomy, or other supportive evidence.     

脑梗死急性期降压治疗对预后的影响

目的 研究脑梗死急性期降压及在不同时间进行降压治疗对患者近期预后的影响.方法 据发病后是否降压及进行降压的时间,将198例急性脑梗死患者分为6组,观察各组患者神经功能缺损程度及心脑血管事件的再发生率和病死率.结果 在发病后进行降压治疗的患者中其心脑血管事件再发率和病死率明显低于未降压组（P＜0.01） 3d后降压组患者神经功能恢复的程度明显好于未降压组（P＜0.01）.结论 降压治疗可以降低患者心脑血管事件的发生率和病死率3d后进行降压治疗的患者神经功能恢复明显要好.     

老年急重症胆管炎临床分析

目的：探讨重症胆管(ACST)患者的临床特点及死亡原因。方法：分析我院近十五年来收治46例ACST的治疗情况。结果：手术41例．非手术5例，死亡9例，其中手术治疗死亡6例。结论：老年ACST患者，伴发病多，死亡率高，及时就诊，早期应用大量激素，选择适宜手术方法是降低死亡率的关键。