Determinants of Willingness to Undergo Lung Cancer Screening among High- Risk Current and Ex-smokers in Sabah, Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study / 결핵및호흡기질환

Background@#Attitudes towards smoking, lung cancer screening, and perceived risk of lung cancer have not been widely studied in Malaysia. The primary objective of this study was to describe the factors affecting the willingness of high-risk current smokers and ex-smokers to undergo low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. @*Methods@#A prospective, cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted in current smokers or ex-smokers aged between 55 and 80 years at three hospitals in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The questionnaire recorded the following parameters: perceived lung cancer risk; Prostate Lung Colon Ovarian Cancer 2012 risk prediction model excluding race and ethnicity predictor (PLCOm2012norace); demographic characteristics; psychosocial characteristics; and attitudes towards lung cancer and lung cancer screening. @*Results@#A vast majority of the 95 respondents (94.7%) indicated their willingness to undergo screening. Stigma of lung cancer, low levels of knowledge about lung cancer symptoms, concerns about financial constraints, and a preference for traditional medication were still prevalent among the respondents, and they may represent potential barriers to lung cancer screening uptake. A desire to have an early diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 11.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53 to 84.05; p=0.02), perceived time constraints (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.32 to 11.73; p=0.01), and proximity of LDCT screening facilities (OR, 14.33; 95% CI, 1.84 to 111.4; p=0.01) had significantly higher odds of willingness to undergo screening. @*Conclusion@#Although high-risk current smokers and ex-smokers are likely to undergo screening for lung cancer, several psychosocial barriers persist. The results of this study may guide the policymakers and clinicians regarding the need to improve lung cancer awareness in our population.

Applying the OMOP Common Data Model to Facilitate Benefit-Risk Assessments of Medicinal Products Using Real-World Data from Singapore and South Korea / 대한의료정보학회지

Objectives@#The aim of this study was to characterize the benefits of converting Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) to a common data model (CDM) and to assess the potential of CDM-converted data to rapidly generate insights for benefit-risk assessments in post-market regulatory evaluation and decisions. @*Methods@#EMRs from January 2013 to December 2016 were mapped onto the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership-CDM (OMOP-CDM) schema. Vocabulary mappings were applied to convert source data values into OMOP-CDM-endorsed terminologies. Existing analytic codes used in a prior OMOP-CDM drug utilization study were modified to conduct an illustrative analysis of oral anticoagulants used for atrial fibrillation in Singapore and South Korea, resembling a typical benefit-risk assessment. A novel visualization is proposed to represent the comparative effectiveness, safety and utilization of the drugs. @*Results@#Over 90% of records were mapped onto the OMOP-CDM. The CDM data structures and analytic code templates simplified the querying of data for the analysis. In total, 2,419 patients from Singapore and South Korea fulfilled the study criteria, the majority of whom were warfarin users. After 3 months of follow-up, differences in cumulative incidence of bleeding and thromboembolic events were observable via the proposed visualization, surfacing insights as to the agent of preference in a given clinical setting, which may meaningfully inform regulatory decision-making. @*Conclusions@#While the structure of the OMOP-CDM and its accessory tools facilitate real-world data analysis, extending them to fulfil regulatory analytic purposes in the post-market setting, such as benefit-risk assessments, may require layering on additional analytic tools and visualization techniques.

Determining the Utility of the Guillain-Barré Syndrome Classification Criteria

Background@#and Purpose Several variants of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) exist, but their frequencies vary in different populations and do not always meet the inclusion criteria of the existing diagnostic criteria. However, the GBS classification criteria by Wakerley and colleagues recognize and define the clinical characteristics of each variant. We applied these criteria to a GBS and MFS cohort with the aim of determining their utility. @*Methods@#Consecutive GBS and MFS patients presenting to our center between 2010 and 2020 were analyzed. The clinical characteristics, electrophysiological data, and antiganglioside antibody profiles of the patients were utilized in determining the clinical classification. @*Results@#This study classified 132 patients with GBS and its related disorders according to the new classification criteria as follows: 64 (48.5%) as classic GBS, 2 (1.5%) as pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant, 7 (5.3%) as paraparetic GBS, 29 (22%) as classic MFS, 3 (2.3%) as acute ophthalmoparesis, 2 (1.5%) as acute ataxic neuropathy, 2 (1.5%) as Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE), 17 (12.9%) as GBS/MFS overlap, 4 (3%) as GBS/BBE overlap, 1 (0.8%) as MFS/PCB overlap, and 1 (0.8%) as polyneuritis cranialis. The electrodiagnosis was demyelinating in 55% of classic GBS patients but unclassified in 79% of classic MFS patients. Anti-GM1, anti-GD1a, anti-GalNAc-GD1a, and anti-GD1b IgG ganglioside antibodies were more commonly detected in the axonal GBS subtype, whereas the anti-GQ1b and anti-GT1a IgG ganglioside antibodies were more common in classic MFS and its subtypes. @*Conclusions@#Most of the patients in the present cohort met the criteria of either classic GBS or MFS, but variants were seen in one-third of patients. These findings support the need to recognize variants of both syndromes in order to achieve a more-complete case ascertainment in GBS.

Antimicrobial activity of characterized Leuconostoc spp. as novel probiotics isolated from Oreochromis spp. (red tilapia) against fish pathogen Edwardsiella tarda

Aims@#This study aimed to isolate and characterize putative new probiotic with antimicrobial properties against common fish pathogens from the gut of Oreochromis spp. (red tilapia). @*Methodology and results@#A total of 28 colonies were isolated from gut of Oreochromis spp. and characterized phenotypically. Eight isolates were selected for probiotic characterization. Temperature, salinity, pH and bile salt tolerance, antibiotic susceptibility and antimicrobial test against selected fish pathogens (Aeromonas hydrophila, Edwardsiella tarda and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923) were conducted. Characterization studies revealed isolates suited for freshwater environment and exhibited tolerance against wide range of salinity, pH and bile salt. Isolates displayed different antibiotic susceptibility profile, with six exhibited antimicrobial properties against E. tarda. Molecular identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed 99.44%, 98.59% and 91.21% sequence similarity with Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides strain 3832T, Leuconostoc lactis strain KCC202369T and Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain 4332T, respectively as compared to known sequence in the GenBank. When identified Leuconostoc spp. were coated on feed pellets, no major decrease in viability over 21 days of storage at 4 °C were observed, with an average of 8 log CFU/mL.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#The characterized species allow further application assessment of the probiotic-supplemented tilapia feed. Host-originated Leuconostoc displayed potential antimicrobial properties against fish pathogen E. tarda. The isolates Leuconostoc is expected to provide protective effect for Oreochromis spp. against edwardsiellosis and to exert beneficial effects more efficiently as compared to commercial probiotics which are not specifically target for Oreochromis spp., thereby indirectly helping fish farmers in achieving economic sustainability and increase affordability of fish.

Development of an eco-friendly and fast HPLC method for quantitative analysis of four nucleosides in Cordyceps and related products / 中国天然药物

An eco-friendly and fast HPLC method was developed for the determination of adenosine, inosine, guanosine and uridine in Cordyceps and related products (fermented mycelia of Hirsutella sinensis andPaecilomyces hepiali). The sample was ultrasonically extracted using 0.5% phosphoric acid solutions for 2.5 min. Sample separation was performed on a Poroshell SB-Aq column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 2.7 μm) using eco-friendly mobile phase consisting of formic acid and ammonium formate aqueous solution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min

Determining the Utility of the Guillain-Barré Syndrome Classification Criteria

Background@#and Purpose Several variants of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) exist, but their frequencies vary in different populations and do not always meet the inclusion criteria of the existing diagnostic criteria. However, the GBS classification criteria by Wakerley and colleagues recognize and define the clinical characteristics of each variant. We applied these criteria to a GBS and MFS cohort with the aim of determining their utility. @*Methods@#Consecutive GBS and MFS patients presenting to our center between 2010 and 2020 were analyzed. The clinical characteristics, electrophysiological data, and antiganglioside antibody profiles of the patients were utilized in determining the clinical classification. @*Results@#This study classified 132 patients with GBS and its related disorders according to the new classification criteria as follows: 64 (48.5%) as classic GBS, 2 (1.5%) as pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant, 7 (5.3%) as paraparetic GBS, 29 (22%) as classic MFS, 3 (2.3%) as acute ophthalmoparesis, 2 (1.5%) as acute ataxic neuropathy, 2 (1.5%) as Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE), 17 (12.9%) as GBS/MFS overlap, 4 (3%) as GBS/BBE overlap, 1 (0.8%) as MFS/PCB overlap, and 1 (0.8%) as polyneuritis cranialis. The electrodiagnosis was demyelinating in 55% of classic GBS patients but unclassified in 79% of classic MFS patients. Anti-GM1, anti-GD1a, anti-GalNAc-GD1a, and anti-GD1b IgG ganglioside antibodies were more commonly detected in the axonal GBS subtype, whereas the anti-GQ1b and anti-GT1a IgG ganglioside antibodies were more common in classic MFS and its subtypes. @*Conclusions@#Most of the patients in the present cohort met the criteria of either classic GBS or MFS, but variants were seen in one-third of patients. These findings support the need to recognize variants of both syndromes in order to achieve a more-complete case ascertainment in GBS.

Submerged fermentation improves bioactivity of mulberry fruits and leaves / 中草药·英文版

Objective: Mulberry (Morus spp.) fruits and leaves have been proven to possess nutraceutical properties. Due to its fast and easy growing characteristics, mulberry fruits (MF) and leaves (ML) potentially emerge as a great source of functional foods. This study aims to enhance bioactivities (antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and hypoglycemic activity) of MF and ML via submerged fermentation using bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum TAR 4), yeast (Baker's yeast and red yeast) and fungi (Tempeh and Tapai starter). Methods: In this study, 25% (mass to volume ratio) of MF and ML were fermented (48 h) with 1% (mass to volume ratio) of different microbial cultures, respectively. Effects of different fermentations on MF and ML were determined based on the changes of total phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), anthocyanins, total sugar, DPPH activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), albumin denaturation inhibition activity (ADI), anti-lipoxygenase activity and α-amylase inhibition activity (AI). Results: Generally, ML had higher AI than MF. However, MF exhibited higher DPPH, FRAP and anti-lipoxygenase activity than ML. After all forms of fermentation, DPPH and AI activity of MF and ML were increased significantly (P < 0.05). However, the effects of fermentation on TPC, FRAP, ADI and anti-lipoxygenase activity of MF were in contrast with ML. TPC, FRAP and anti-lipoxygenase activity of ML were enhanced, but reduced in MF after fermentation. Although the effects exerted by different microorganisms in MF and ML fermentation were different, the bioactivities of MF and ML were generally improved after fermentation. Fermentation by Tempeh starter enhanced TPC (by 2-fold), FRAP (by 2.3-fold), AI (at 10% increment) and anti-lipoxygenase activity (by 5-fold) of ML, whereas Tapai fermentation effectively enhanced the DPPH (at 17% increment) and ADI (by 2-fold) activity of MF. Conclusion: Findings of this study provide an insight into the future process design of MF and ML processing into novel functional foods.

The Barriers of Child Immunization Completion among Parents in the Community Health Centre, Johor Bahru

Introduction:Immunization is one of the most cost-effective strategies forreducing child mortality. There is a vital need to assess parents’ barriers involvingchild immunization completion to improve and increase vaccination coverage and completeness. Objective:To determine the barriers of child immunization completion among parents in the Community Health Centre of Johor Bahru. Methodology:The Maternal and Child Health Clinic, Jalan Abdul Samadproviding primary immunization wasselected via non-random and convenience sampling. Children between1 month to 2 years old who were immunized were identified. Data were obtained from parents who brought intheir children for primary vaccination at the Maternaland Child Health Clinic, Jalan Abdul Samad Results:The response rate for this study was 100% (n=306). All the eligible parents who were approached by the researchers agreed to participate in this research. Out of all respondents, 3 (1.0%)completely refused the immunization of their child, 23 (7.5%) defaulted with the immunization, and 280 (91.5%) completed the immunization. In terms of perception towards immunization, 60 or 19.6% of the total respondents stated that their preference for alternative treatments is their main reason if theydecide not to have their children vaccinated.After adjusting for socio-demographic differences, the researchers discovered that parents who have significantlylower coverage for all 10 childhood vaccines themselves were less likely to agree that vaccines are necessary to protect the health of children, to believe that their child might get a disease if they aren't vaccinated, or to believe that vaccines are safe.Conclusion:This first systematic evaluation of immunization refusal in Malaysia showed that a small number of parents refused immunization

Effect of human growth hormone releasing hormone receptor splice variant type 1 on proliferation of human liver cancer HepG2 cells / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To investigate the effect of human growth hormone releasing hormone receptor splice variant type 1 (GHRHR SV1) on the proliferation of human liver cancer HepG2 cells,and to clarify the proliferation effect of GHRHR SV1 on the human cancer cells.Methods:The GHRHR SV1 plasmids were transfected into the human HepG2 cells to construct the HepG2-SV1 cell line.HepG2 group(HepG2 cells),HepG2-empty group(HepG2-pcDNA3.0 cell line) and HepG2-SV1 group(HepG2-SV1 cells) were set up.PCR and Western blotting methods were used to identify the HepG2-SV1 cell line;CCK-8 method was used to detect prolifernation rate of cells;colony formation assay was used to detect the colony formation rate of cells;cell wound healing assay was used to evaluate the migration rate of cells.Results:The PCR and Western blotting results showed the HepG2-SV1 cell line expressed GHRHR SV1 steadily.The CCK-8 results showed that the proliferation rate of the HepG2-SV1 cells in HepG2-SV1 group was higher than that of the HepG2-pcDNA3.0 cells in HepG2-empty group(P<0.05).The colony formation assay results showed that the colony formation rate of HepG2-SV1 cells in HepG2-SV1 group was 3.5 times higher than that of the HepG2-pcDNA3.0 cells in HepG2-empty group(P<0.05).The cell wound scratch assay results showed that the migration rate of the HepG2-SV1 cells in HepG2-SV1 group was higher than that of the HepG2-pcDNA3.0 cells in HepG2-empty group(P<0.05).Conclusion:GHRHR SV1 could increase the proliferation of HepG2 cells.

Effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor Nω-Nitro-L-arginine on the penile erectile function of healthy male rats / 中国医师杂志

Ojective To investigate the direct effect of exogenous NOS inhibitor Nω-Nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on the erectile function of healthy male rats in order to clarify the mechanism of the erectile dysfunction of type 2 diabetic rats.Methods L-NNA (50 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage to Sprague Dawley (SD) rats for 16 weeks to induce rat model of NOS inhibition.By the end of the experiment,corpora cavernosa was isolated from the rats under anesthetization and fixed in an organ chamber for the examination of relaxation function response to acetylcholine (ACh) to reflect erectile function.Enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to determine the content of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in cavernosal tissue.NOS activity and nitric oxide (NO) content were measured by colorimetric method.Western blotting was employed to detect the protein expression of NOS and phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5).The activity of the antioxidative enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and content of the lipid peroxidative product malondialdehyde (MDA) were analyzed to reflect oxidative stress.Results In comparison with control group,the relaxation response to acetylcholine of corpus cavernosum was significantly impaired in L-NNA model rats,indicating penile erectile dysfunction.Either decreased contents of NO and cGMP or suppressed activity of NOS were observed in the corpus cavernosum of L-NNA model rats and in accompany with the down-regulation of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) expression,up-regulation of inducible NOS (iNOS) and PDE5 expression as well as an increase of oxidative stress.Incubation of corpus cavernosum from control rats with L-NNA (1-10 μmol/L) ex vivo for 30 min could also inhibit the relaxation function responses to acetylcholine in a dose-dependent manner.Treatment with L-arginine ex vivo for 45 min could improve the impairments of relaxation function responses to acetylcholine of corpus cavernosum induced by L-NNA in vivo and ex vivo.Conclusions Exogenous NOS inhibitor L-NNA could induce penile erectile dysfunction in healthy male rats and the mechanism may be related to reducing NO content and increasing oxidative stress.

Impact of sperms on fertilization rate after in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer / 实用医学杂志

Objective To explore the related factors of fertilization failure after in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Methods 150 patients were divided into total fertilization failure (TFF) group, low fertilization (LFR) group, and control (NFR) group according to fertilization rate. Semen was collected from the male pa-tients; the number, concentration, shape, and progressive motility of sperms were measured. Level of gACE was detected by Western blot. Logistic regression was used to explore the factors affecting fertilization rate. Results The fertilization rate and the concentration , progressive motility , and shape of sperms in were lower TFF group than in LFR group and NFR group (P < 0.05). Western blot proved that level of gACE group was higher in TFF than in LFR group and NFR group (P < 0.05). Logistic regression showed that the fertilization rate, the concen-tration , progressive motility , shape of sperms , and the level of gACE were all the independent risk factors for fertilization failure. Conclusions The concentration, progressive motility, and shape of sperms have impact on IVF. A lower expression of gACE in patients with lower fertilization rate can be used as a potential biomarker for predicting fertilization failure.

Prevalence of dysglycaemic events among inpatients with diabetes mellitus: a Singaporean perspective

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>As the effectiveness of intensive glycaemic control is unclear and recommended glycaemic targets are inconsistent, this study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of dysglycaemia among hospitalised patients with diabetes mellitus in an Asian population and evaluate the current standards of inpatient glycaemic control.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective observational study was conducted at a secondary hospital. Point-of-care blood glucose (BG) values, demographic data, medical history, glycaemic therapy and clinical characteristics were recorded. Dysglycaemia prevalence was calculated as proportions of BG-monitored days with at least one reading exceeding the cut points of 8, 10 and 15 mmol/L for hyperglycaemia, and below the cut point of 4 mmol/L for hypoglycaemia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 288 patients recruited, hyperglycaemia was highly prevalent (90.3%, 81.3% and 47.6% for the respective cut points), while hypoglycaemia was the least prevalent (18.8%). Dysglycaemic patients were more likely than normoglycaemic patients to have poorer glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (8.4% ± 2.6% vs. 7.3% ± 1.9%; p = 0.002 for BG > 10 mmol/L) and longer lengths of stay (10.1 ± 8.2 days vs. 6.8 ± 4.7 days; p = 0.007 for BG < 4 mmol/L). Hyperglycaemia was more prevalent in patients on more intensive treatment regimens, such as basal-bolus combination therapy and the use of both insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents (100.0% and 96.0%, respectively; p < 0.001 for BG > 10 mmol/L).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Inpatient glycaemic control is suboptimal. Factors (e.g. type of treatment regimen, discipline and baseline HbA1c) associated with greater prevalence of dysglycaemia should be given due consideration in patient management.</p>

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system with myelopathy as initial clinical presentation

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare vasculitis restricted to the central nervous system without systemic involvement. Delay in diagnosis and treatment is common due to its non-specific symptoms and lack of non-invasive diagnostic tests. Myelopathy can occur in PACNS, during the clinical course of the illness, with or without cerebral symptoms. We describe here a 51 year-old ethnic Chinese woman who presented initially with paraparesis without cerebral symptoms. The diagnosis of PACNS was eventually made from brain biopsy when she subsequently developed cerebral involvement. Despite aggressive treatment, the patient developed progressive neurological deterioration and died. This patient demonstrates the rare occurrence of myelopathy as the sole initial presentation of PACNS.

Nucleotide sequence analysis for a new HLA-B allele HLA-B*13:01:06* / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To confirm a new allele HLA-B*13:01:06 and analyze its nucleotide sequence.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Genomic DNA was extracted using a Qiagen DNA extraction kit. Nucleotide sequences of HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C and HLA-DRB1 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-sequence based typing (PCR-SBT). HLA high-resolution results were assigned, and the nucleotide sequences of HLA-B locus was compared with that of HLA-B*13:01:01.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The nucleotide sequence of the new allele shows a strong similarity to that of HLA-B*13:01:01. One nucleotide in exon 2 has changed from G to A at position 219 (codon 49 GCG>GCA), which however did not result in amino acid change.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The novel allele verified by sequencing has been submitted to GenBank and officially named as HLA-B*13:01:06 by the World Health Organization HLA Nomenclature Committee.</p>

Determination of 10 Plant Growth Regulators in Bean Sprouts by Sequential Cleaning-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / 分析化学

A sequential clean-up method was developed for the quantification of 10 plant growth regulators in bean sprout by the gas chromatography / mass spectrometry (GC / MS). The analytes were firstly extracted by the acided acetonitrile. Extraction was concentrated and re-dissovled by methanol. Then, it was divided to two aliquots. One of that was analyzed for 2,4-D-butyl ester and 2,4-D-ethyl ester after the purification by QuECHERS cartridge. Another one was treated by MCS solid phase extraction column including diverse eluting steps. After eluting by 5 mL methanol, composition 1 was obtain, concentrated, and methyl esterified by 10% boron trifluoride methanol solution. The treated extract was used for the determination of 4-chlorophenoxy acetic acid, β-naphthyl acetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, indole acetic acid and indole butyric acid. Composition 2 collected by eluting with 5 mL 5% amonium methanol was used for the determination of paclobutrazol, Kinetin, 6-Benzylaminopurine. The clean-up procedures are designed according to different chemistry properties of these plant growth regulators. The results showed that after spiking of 0. 01-0. 1 mg / kg selected plant growth regulators, average recovery ranged from 70. 0% to 93. 2%and relative standard deviation were 5. 2% -12. 3% . Limit of quantification (LOQ S / N≥10) and limit of detection (LOD S / N≥3) were 0. 01-0. 025 mg / kg and 0. 003-0. 008 mg / kg respectively. The developed purification method is easy, fast and accurate, and can be applied to routine test of plant growth regulators in bean sprout.

Sperm DNA integrity of infertile males with hepatitis B virus infection / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate sperm DNA integrity in male infertility patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 90 infertile men with HBV infection (group A), 82 infertile men without HBV infection (group B) and 70 normal fertile men (group C). We detected sperm DNA integrity among the subjects, including DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and high DNA stainability (HDS), by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), and compared them among the three groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DFI was higher in group A ([28.17 +/- 13.06]%) than in B ([26.64 +/- 9.79]%) and C ([15.67 +/- 4.73]%), significantly higher in A and B than in C (P < 0.05) but with no significant difference between A and B (P > 0.05). HDS was higher in group A ([10.83 +/- 5.601]%) than in B ([9.04 +/- 3.48]%) and C ([8.04-2.25]%), with significant difference between A and C (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Sperm DNA integrity of infertile males is significantly different from that of normal fertile men, and infertility with HBV infection further impairs sperm DNA, which is manifested by abnormal sperm nuclear maturity.</p>

Antibiotic Prescribing for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Sarawak District Hospitals

Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is mostly viral in aetiology, but patients presenting with such complaints are frequently prescribed antibiotics. This may result in increased development of antimicrobial resistance. The objectives of this study are to determine the choice and proportion of oral antibiotics prescribed in patients with URTI, in a Sarawak district hospital setting. All outpatient prescriptions received in July 2011 in 10 hospitals with relevant diagnoses were analysed. A total of 6747 URTI prescriptions met the inclusion criteria, and 64.8% (95% CI 63.7%, 65.9%) had antibiotic prescribed. Medical Assistants (MAs) were significantly more likely to prescribe antibiotics compared to Medical Officers (MOs) (p < 0.001). Prescribers were significantly influenced by the patient’s age and specific diagnosis when prescribing antibiotics for URTI (p <0.001). Antibiotic choices differed between MOs and MAs, where some of the antibiotic choices were inappropriate. There is a need for multi-faceted interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing rate and choice.

Full sequence analysis for a null allele of MICA gene (MICA*063N) / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the full nucleotide sequence of a null allele of major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene (MICA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A sequence-based typing method was used to determine the nucleotide sequence of the MICA gene. Potential alleles were identified with a computer program.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The identified allele has possessed a sequence similar to that of MICA*027 except for a C→T substitution at position 184 in codon 62 (CAG→TAG) of exon 2. As a stop codon, this may result in a truncated protein.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A null allele of MICA gene has been identified. The sequence has been submitted to the Genbank nucleotide sequence database (submission No. HWS10011131), which was officially named as MICA*063N by the WHO Nomenclature Committee in October 2010.</p>

Effect of esmolol on propofol dose requirement for anesthesia in thyroidectomy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of esmolol application before and during operation on propofol dose required for anesthesia induction and maintenance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty patients (ASA physical status I or II) undergoing general anesthesia for thyroidectomy were randomized equally into esmolol and control groups. Patients in esmolol group received a loading dose of esmolol at 0.5 mg/kg in 30 ml normal saline over a period of 5 min followed by an intravenous infusion of esmolol at 50 microg.kg(-1).min(-1) until the end of surgery, while patients in the control group were given normal saline in the same manner, in addition to anesthesia with protofol. Perioperative hemodynamic parameters and BIS were measured, and the duration of anesthesia, operation and recovery time from anesthesia were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences between the two groups in propofol dose required for anesthesia induction and recovery time from anesthesia, but not in maintenance propofol dose. Patients in esmolol group had significantly lower HR and BIS during tracheal intubation than those in the control group , and no significant differences were found in HR, BP and BIS during operation between the two groups. The hemodynamic parameters during extubation showed less fluctuation in esmolol group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Perioperative esmolol administration during anesthesia reduces propofol dose required for anesthesia induction and recovery time from anesthesia, and decreases HR and BIS variation during tracheal intubation and hemodynamic response during extubation without affecting the maintenance propofol dose.</p>

EFFECTS OF HIGH ERUCIC ACID RAPESEED OIL ON FATTY ACID OXIDATION IN RAT LIVER / 营养学报

The effects of high erucic acid rapeseed oil (HER) on fatty acid oxidation in rat livers compared with low erucic acid rapeseed oil (LER) were studied. Weanling male SD rats were fed on 20% (% by weight, similarly hereinbelow) HER or LER diet for a week or 4 weeks, or 5% HER diet for 4 weeks. The hepatic capacity for oxidation of butyric acid and palmitic acid was determined by titrating the acetone produced by the fatty acid oxidation. The results showed that feeding HER to rats led to an increse in weight of liver and the extent of this increase was positively correlated to the intake of erucic acid (C22:1, n-9 cis). Feeding HER reduced the hepatic oxidation capacity for palmitic acid, notably in 20% HER (1 wk) group. Feeding LER had not shown this effect,indicating that erucic acid plays an important role in the toxicity of rapeseed oil. In the present study it was not found that the hepatic oxidation capacity for butyric acid was influenced by the intake of HER. Therefore, we considered that the inhibitory effect of HER on oxidation of long-chain fatty acids probably resulted from that the incorporation of erucic acid into mitocho-ndrial membranes interfered with the fatty acyl-CoA transfering system on the membranes, leading the fatty acyl-CoA to be unable to enter the mitochondria and to be oxidized there, but not from that the B-oxidation system in mitochondria was directly inhibited.