Impact of disease management of caregivers on self-management behaviors among patients with chronic heart failure / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective·To explore the impact and mechanism of disease management of caregivers on self-management behaviors among patients with chronic heart failure.Methods·A total of 231 dyads of outpatient chronic heart failure patients and their caregivers were assessed by caregivers contribution to self-care of heart failure index (CC-SCHFI),self-care of heart failure index (SCHFI) and Atlanta heart failure knowledge test (AHFKT-V2).IBM SPSS 22.0 was used to conduct the paired t test and Pearson correlation analysis.LISREL 8.80 was used to conduct the path analysis.Results·There were significant differences between caregivers and patients in maintenance behavior (P=0.015),management behavior (P=0.023) and self-efficacy (P=0.001).There was no correlation between caregiver self-efficacy and patient heart failure knowledge and skill,but other variables were positively correlated,and r value ranged from 0.129 to 0.575 (P＜0.05).Patient self-management behaviors were directly influenced by caregiver disease management,patient heart failure knowledge and skill and patient self-efficacy,and indirectly influenced in part by caregiver disease management through patient heart failure knowledge and skill and patient self-efficacy.Conclusion·Caregiver disease management not only can directly influence patient self-management behaviors,but also can indirectly influence patient self-management behaviors through patient heart failure knowledge and skill and self-efficacy.Health care workers should carry out family-centered health education,and help caregivers actively participate in disease management of patients with heart failure;for those patients whose caregivers can't change their disease management behaviors,health care workers should also improve their self-management behaviors by improving paticnts' heart failure knowledge and skill and self-efficacy.

Extracellular polysaccharide with novel structure and antioxidant property produced by the deep-sea fungus Aspergillus versicolor N2bc.

An extracellular polysaccharide, N1, was obtained from the culture medium of the deep-sea fungus Aspergillus versicolor N2bc by a combination of ethanol precipitation, ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. N1 was a mannoglucogalactan with molecular weight of about 20.5kDa. Results of chemical and spectroscopic analyses, including Fourier-transform infrared, one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the main chain of N1 consisted of →2)-α-d-Glcp-(1→, →2)-ß-d-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-ß-d-Manp-(1→ units, substituted at C-6 position of →2)-α-d-Glcp-(1→ units. The branches were composed of galactofuranose-oligosaccharides built up of →5)-ß-d-Galf-(1→, →6)-ß-d-Galf-(1→ and terminal ß-d-Galf units. At an average, there were two branching points for every five sugar residues in the backbone. N1 possessed a high in vitro antioxidant activity as evaluated by scavenging assays involving superoxide, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl radicals and reducing power. The investigation revealed that N1 was a novel antioxidant polysaccharide differing from previously described extracellular polysaccharides and could be a potential antioxidant.

The recruitment of exogenous endothelial progenitor cells in lung tumor model of nude mice / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in hypoxia-triggered tumor vasculogenesis. However, the homing of exogenous EPCs in tumors is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the recruitment of exogenous EPCs in human lung adenocarcinoma model of nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>EPCs labeled with green fluorescence protein (GFP) were transplanted into nude mice bearing human lung adenocarcinoma. The growth of tumor was observed. After the mice were killed, GFP-EPCs in different tissues were examined by fluorescence. The tumor tissues were stained for CD133, hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α), stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (KDR). Real-time polymerase chain reaction of CD133, HIF-1α, SDF-1α, and VEGF-1 were also performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The growth of tumor in EPC group was significantly faster than that in saline solution group (P <0.05). Under fluorescence microscope, GFP-EPCs were strongly expressed in both tumor and bone marrow. EPCs were recruited to the tumor periphery to participate in tumor vasculogenesis. The expression of CD133, HIF-1α, and SDF-1 mRNA in tumor and bone marrow were significantly higher than that in the liver, spleen, and skin (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Exogenous EPCs can be recruited to tumor and accelerate tumor growth. Except tumor, bone marrow can also recruit EPCs.</p>

Renal protective effects of benidipine and valsartan in primary hypertension patients with proteinuria / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the renal protective effects between calcium channel blocker benidipine and angiotensin II receptor blocker valsartan in primary hypertension patients with proteinuria.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 236 patients were divided to low (< 1 g/24 h) and high (1 - 3 g/24 h) proteinuria groups and treated with benidipine (8 mg/d) or valsartan (80 mg/d) for 48 weeks. Blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and 24 h protein were measured at baseline, 12, 24 and 48 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood pressure was significantly and equally reduced in all treated groups (all P < 0.05 vs. baseline). GFR was also significantly and equally improved in all treated groups after 24 weeks treatments (all P < 0.05 at 24 weeks and 48 weeks). Proteinuria reduction at 24 and 48 weeks was more significant in patients treated with valsartan compared to patients treated with benidipine in low proteinuria group [24 weeks: (0.27 +/- 0.07) g/24 h vs. (0.39 +/- 0.06) g/24 h, P < 0.01; 48 weeks: (0.18 +/- 0.01) g/24 h vs. (0.30 +/- 0.05) g/24 h, P < 0.01].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The renal protection efficacy of valsartan and benidipine was similar in primary hypertensive patients with proteinuria.</p>

A novel approach of proteomics to study the mechanism of action of grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts on diabetic retinopathy in rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness among the people of occupational age. To prevent the progress of retina injury, effective therapies directed toward the key molecular target are required. Grape seed proanthocyanidin extracts (GSPE) have been reported to be effective in treating diabetic complications, while little is discussed about the functional protein changes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We used streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes in rats. GSPE (250 mg/kg body weight per day) were administrated to diabetic rats for 24 weeks. Serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were determined. Consequently, 2-D difference gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to investigate retina protein profiles among control, STZ-induced diabetic rats, and GSPE treated diabetic rats.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>GSPE significantly reduced the AGEs of diabetic rats (P < 0.05). Moreover, GSPE significantly suppressed the vascular lesions of central regions, decreased capillary enlargements and neovascularization, similar to those of the control rats under light microscope. Eighteen proteins were found either up-regulated or down-regulated in the retina of STZ-induced diabetic rats. And seven proteins in the retina of diabetic rats were found to be back-regulated to normal levels after GSPE therapy. These back-regulated proteins are involved in many important biological processes such as heat shock, ubiquitin-proteasome system, cell proliferation, cell growth and glucose metabolism.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These findings might promote a better understanding for the mechanism of DR, and provide novel targets for evaluating the effects of GSPE therapy.</p>

Morphological study of adenoid by endoscopy and its clinical significance / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the natural process of adenoid growth and degeneration as the age grows, to investigate the related clinical significance and pathologic characteristics of hypertrophied adenoid.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 2650 (age 2 to 87) cases with nasal obstruction or/and other symptoms were included in the patients group, and 810 (age 3 to 85) subjects without symptoms were included as the control group. Morphological characteristics examined with nasal endoscope. Biopsy was performed for 39 cases. The adenoid was calcified as 4 degrees according to the size.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the patient group, age 2 to 9, degree III and degree II adenoid were 81.1% (198/244) and 18.9% (46/244) respectively. And adenoid of children whose age 2 to 5 was 100.0% in degree III; In above 10 years old group, the adenoid was mostly degree II. In age 60 to 69 group, degree 0 was (66.5%), and in age 81 or above, degree 0 reaches 100%. And 19 years old was the youngest age at which adenoid of degree 0 started to be found and 21 was the oldest age at which there is no adenoid of degree III. In the control group, compared with the patient group, no statistical significant difference found in all other groups except in age 2 to 9 (degree III 57.9%, 22/38, degree II 42.1%, 16/38). Shapes of adenoids at degree II varied while degree I were almost like peeled orange. Pathologically, among children there are abundant of adenoidal lymph tissue, while in adults the lymph tissue getting less as age grows but with evident inflammation reaction. Among patients, the incidence of sinusitis and snoring was higher in degree III group compared with others, 47.4% and 18.7% respectively, and the differences is statistically significant (chi2 = 51.28, P < 0.01; chi2 = 40.26, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Adenoid volume of children (age < 10) is the biggest, especially of children under 5 years old.</p>

Experimental studies on antianimia effect of shengxuesu / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Using animal anemia models to observe the antianemia effect of Shengxuesu, and to afford an experimental basis for preventing and treating anemia.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Rat model of iron deficiency induced by denutrition and mouse model of nemorrhagic anemia by blood lefting were established. Indices of hemoglobin(HB), red blood cell count(RBC), hematocrit(HCT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin count(MCHC), serum iron(SI), serum ferritin (SF) and total iron-binding capacity(TIBC) were monitored.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>A dosage of Shengxuesu 0.5-2 g.kg-1 was given to the rat model of hypoferric anemia by gavage for 15 days, and to the mouse model of hemorrhagic anemia by gavage for 7 days. The result shows that HB, RBC, HCT, MCHC in blood and iron, ferroprotein in serum were elevated significantly; but total bounding iron in serum was decreased. Meanwhile, diet amount, diet consumption and general activity of the model rats were increased.</p>