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Biomedical subjects

L Zhu

Publications and source records attributed to L Zhu.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Association of stroke with dementia, cognitive impairment, and functional disability in the very old: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke is a major cause of disability in the elderly and is also related to the development of dementia, which is another important source of disability in old age. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential impact of stroke on cognitive and functional status in a community-based cohort of individuals aged 75 years and older. METHODS: The data were derived from a cross-sectional survey on aging and dementia that included all inhabitants of the Kungsholmen district in central Stockholm who were aged >/=75 years. Cases of stroke were identified through the computerized inpatient register system that has been widely used to study stroke in Sweden. Dementia was defined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised. Dementia onset was considered the appearance, according to an informant, of the first symptom. Cognitive impairment without dementia was defined as the presence of a Mini-Mental State Examination score of <24 and the absence of dementia. Functional disability was assessed according to Katz Index of independence in activities of daily living. RESULTS: The prevalence of stroke was 10. 0% in men and 8.0% in women. One third of stroke survivors were diagnosed as demented, which was 3 times higher than those without stroke: adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 3.6 (95% confidence interval, 2. 5 to 5.8). Stroke was also significantly related to cognitive impairment without dementia (adjusted OR, 2.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 4.6]). The population-attributable risks of dementia and cognitive impairment in relation to stroke were 18.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Among the 49 stroke patients with dementia, 15 cases (30.6%) had missing information on dementia onset, 22 (44. 9%) had been reported by the informant to have dementia-related symptoms after or close to the occurrence of stroke, and 12 (24.5%) had symptoms before stroke occurrence. The prevalence rates of disability in activities of daily living were much higher among stroke patients than among stroke-free subjects, even after adjustment for age, sex, heart disease, hip fracture, and dementia: the corresponding adjusted ORs for bathing, dressing, toileting, transfer, and continence were 3.5 (2.4 to 5.3), 2.2 (1.4 to 3.3), 3. 0 (2.0 to 4.5), 3.3 (1.9 to 5.7), and 2.1 (1.3 to 3.3), respectively. After dementia and hip fracture, stroke was the third largest contributor to disability in bathing, dressing, and transfer. Stroke was the second contributor to disability in toileting. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke is strongly associated with dementia, although it may relate to dementia in different ways: it can be the main cause or a precipitating factor of dementia, or they may share common etiological bases. Together with dementia and hip fracture, stroke is a major contributor to disability in most aspects of activities of daily living in very old people.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Neutrophil apoptosis during the development and resolution of oleic acid-induced acute lung injury in the rat.

The oleic acid (OA) model of acute lung injury in rats is characterized by a massive and rapid influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) within 1 h, with a peak inflammatory response at 4 h and resolution by 72 h. We hypothesized that PMN apoptosis is involved in the resolution of OA-induced acute lung injury. To test this hypothesis, healthy adult Fischer 344 rats were given 30 microl OA in 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) intravenously; controls were given BSA alone and killed at 1, 4, 24, and 72 h after OA to obtain bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue. Cell pellets from BALF and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue section samples were processed for terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) to identify apoptotic cells. Propidium iodide was used to counterstain nuclei. Percentage of nuclei undergoing apoptosis was counted under a fluorescent microscope. Control rats showed only resident alveolar macrophages (AM) in the BALF with no apoptosis. At the peak of injury, 1 h and 4 h after OA injection, we observed a massive PMN response without any evidence of apoptosis. At 24 h, when the OA injury is clinically and histologically in early resolution, we observed intense apoptosis of PMN nuclei along with evidence of apoptotic bodies in the cytoplasm of AM. Some of the AM also showed apoptotic nuclei at 72 h. Similar observations were made in the lung tissue sections. The results of the TUNEL assay were confirmed by DNA ladders and electron microscopy. We conclude that apoptosis of PMN and clearance by AM is an important mechanism in resolution of OA- induced acute lung injury.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Molecular cloning and characterization of Xenopus insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor: its role in mediating insulin-induced Xenopus oocyte maturation and expression during embryogenesis.

We have cloned a complementary DNA encoding the putative Xenopus insulin-like growth factor-1 (xIGF-1) receptor. Injection of messenger RNA derived from the cloned complementary DNA into Xenopus oocytes resulted in the expression and correct processing of the receptor's alpha- and beta-subunits. Using antibodies generated against protein expressed against the cloned sequence, we demonstrated that the endogenous xIGF-1 receptor in Xenopus oocytes was activated by nanomolar concentrations of mammalian IGF-1 and by insulin approximately 100-fold higher in concentration. This receptor activation profile correlated with hormone-induced Xenopus oocyte maturation. Furthermore, injection of a neutralizing antiinsulin receptor antibody into Xenopus oocytes inhibited hormone-induced xIGF-1 receptor activation. These results provide molecular and biochemical evidence supporting a role for xIGF-1 receptor in mediating insulin/IGF-1-induced Xenopus oocyte maturation. We also report here that embryonic transcription of xIGF-1 receptor is activated during the formation of the central nervous system in early Xenopus embryos.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

A novel insulin receptor substrate protein, xIRS-u, potentiates insulin signaling: functional importance of its pleckstrin homology domain.

A novel Xenopus insulin receptor substrate cDNA was isolated by hybridization screening using the rat insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) cDNA as a probe. The xIRS-u cDNA encodes an open reading frame of 1003 amino acids including a putative amino-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain. The carboxy terminus of xIRS-u contains several potential Src homology 2 (SH2)-binding sites, five of which are in the context of YM/LXM (presumptive binding sites for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase). It also contains a putative binding site for Grb2 (YINID). Pair-wise amino acid sequence comparisons with the previously identified xIRS-1 and the four members of the mammalian IRS family (1 through 4) indicated that xIRS-u has similar overall sequence homology (33-45% identity) to all mammalian IRS proteins. In contrast, the previously isolated xIRS-1 is particularly similar (67% identical) to IRS-1 and considerably less similar (31-46%) to the other IRS family members (2 through 4). xIRS-u is also distinct from xIRS-1, having an overall sequence identity of 47%. These sequence analyses suggest that xIRS-u is a novel member of the IRS family rather than a Xenopus homolog of an existing member. Microinjection of mRNA encoding a Myc-tagged xIRS-u into Xenopus oocytes resulted in the expression of a 120-kDa protein (including 5 copies of the 13-amino acid Myc tag). The injection of xIRS-u mRNA accelerated insulin-induced MAP kinase activation with a concomitant acceleration of insulin-induced oocyte maturation. An aminoterminal deletion of the PH domain (xIRS-u deltaPH) significantly reduced the ability of xIRS-u to potentiate insulin signaling. In contrast to the full-length protein, injection of xIRS-u (1-299), which encoded the PH and PTB domain, or xIRS-u (1-170), which encoded only the PH domain, blocked insulin signaling in Xenopus oocytes. Finally, xIRS-u (119-299), which had a truncated PH domain and an intact PTB domain, had no effect on insulin signaling. This is the first report that the PH domain of an IRS protein can function in a dominant negative manner to inhibit insulin signaling.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1998

Enhancing effects of beta-endorphin on glutamate neurotoxicity.

AIM: To study the effect of beta-endorphin (beta-End) on monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced neurotoxicity (GNT). METHODS: Image analysis of neuronal areas and determination of mitochondrial membrane protein-bound Ca2+ and intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) were used. RESULTS: beta-End aggravated MSG-induced neuronal injury in arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus in a dose-dependent manner in the range from 0.5 to 5.0 mg.kg-1. MSG-induced increase in mitochondrial membrane protein-bound Ca2+ was enhanced when treated with beta-End 2 g.L-1. MSG-induced elevation in [Ca2+]i in single neuron was also augmented from 320 +/- 84 to 589 +/- 78 nmol.L-1 by the treatment with beta-End 2 g.L-1. CONCLUSION: beta-End enhanced GNT via aggravating the disruption of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis induced by MSG.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Effects of long-term application of dopamine HCl on dopamine agonist-induced cAMP production in rat renal cortex.

AIM: To study the effects of long-term application of dopamine HCl (DA) on the functional changes of dopamine receptor subtypes coupled to adenyl cyclase in rat renal cortex. METHODS: cAMP levels were measured by radioimmunoassay as an index of dopamine receptor function. RESULTS: Injection of DA (30 mg.kg-1.d-1, i.p. 30 d) reduced the fenoldopam (Fen) (100 mumol.L-1)-induced increments of cAMP production from the control group of +1.26 +/- 0.04 to the DA-treated group of +0.63 +/- 0.22 nmol.min-1/g tissue and the propyl-butyl-dopamine (PBDA) (100 mumol.L-1)-induced decrements of cAMP production in the presence of Sch-23390 (Sch) from the control group of -0.38 +/- 0.18 to the DA-treated group of -0.11 +/- 0.08 nmol.min-1/g tissue with, however, comparable percentile changes for the 2 groups. Sch blocked both Fen- and PBDA-induced increase in cAMP production, while domperidone (Dom) blocked the decreasing effects of PBDA on cAMP accumulation in the presence of Sch. CONCLUSION: Long-term application of DA produced a marked "down regulation" of both DA1 and DA2 receptors in rat renal cortex with, however, the responsiveness of the remaining receptors unchanged.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[The method for the determination of fluoride in the total diet study].

This paper reports a microdiffusion method using fluoride-ion selective electrode for determination of fluoride contents in dietary samples. The method was suitable for the determination of fluoride in different dietary samples. It was a simple and fast method, and could be applied in large amount of sample analysis. The minimum detectable limit of this method was 1.0 microgram fluoride in 1.0 g dry dietary sample. The range of fluoride recovery and RSD in this dietary samples were 85.0%-107.0% and 4.5%-9.5% respectively. The fluoride content determined in the oyster tissue of NBS 1566 SRM was 87.9%-104.6% of certified SRM, and RSD was 6.5%. The RSD of fluoride determination in alcohol drinks was 3.1%.

Diet Surveys↗
PubMed1998

[Comparison of different surgical procedures for urinary stress incontinence].

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of different surgical procedures for urinary stress incontinence (USI). METHODS: 95 patients with and/or accompanying USI were treated operatively in a prospectively randomized manner. RESULTS: The cure rate of colposuspension group 3 months after operation was 93% and was higher than 69% after Kelly operation (P < 0.05). But the cure rate 12 months after operation decreased to 74% and 58% respectively (P > 0.05). The percentage of abnormal sexual life was lower in the colposuspension group (4%) than that of those having Kelly operation (7%). The average days and times of intubation in the colposuspension group were more than in Kelly operation group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The cure rate of colposuspension 3 months was better than that of the Kelly operation. The cure rate at 1 year was similar in the two procedures. Transient urinary retention occurred more after in the colposuspension group.

Female↗
PubMed1998

Pregnancy outcome of patients conceiving within one year after chemotherapy for gestational trophoblastic tumor: a clinical report of 22 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of pregnancy for patients who conceive within one year after successful chemotherapy for gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT). METHODS: We followed up and analysed retrospectively 22 patients who conceived within one year after receiving chemotherapy for GTT from 1966 through 1996. RESULTS: Of 22 patients, 9 had term delivery, 1 had premature birth, 6 requested induced abortion, and 6 experienced therapeutic abortion because of repeated hydatidiform mole (1 patient), intrauterine death (1), inevitable abortion (1), or threatened abortion (3). The fetal wastage rate was 27.3% (6/22). The incidence of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), including hydatidiform mole, was 9.1% (2/22). The incidence of GTT was 4.5%. The average interval between completion of chemotherapy and pregnancy was 9.78 months in the group of term pregnancy and 6.50 months in the group of fetal wastage (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients conceiving within one year after successful chemotherapy for GTT are at higher risk for recurrence of GTD and fetal wastage. Therefore, patients with preserved fertility should practice contraception for at least one year after chemotherapy to get better pregnancy outcome.

Abortion, Threatened↗
PubMed1998

Prevention of maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility with traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese herbal medicine on the prevention of hemolytic disease caused by maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility. METHODS: A total of 126 Chinese patients with maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility were studied, including 105 cases of ABO type and 21 cases of Rh type incompatibility. The traditional Chinese herbal medicine was used for preventative treatment in 79 cases, and 47 cases served as controls. The prescription consisted of Herba leonuri 500 g, white peony root 180 g, Banksia rose 12 g, root of Chinese angelica 150 g and Rhizomal ligustica 150 g. RESULTS: Preventative treatment with traditional Chinese herbal medicine significantly reduced the perinatal mortality rate in cases of Rh type incompatibility, from 50.0% in the control group to 7.7% in the treatment group (P < 0.05). There was no death in the cases of ABO incompatibility. The traditional Chinese herbal medicine also decreased the degree of hemolysis. The percentage of severe cases in the control group was 29.8%, while it was 15.2% in the treatment group (P = 0.05). The duration of treatment was closely related to the outcomes. In patients who used traditional Chinese herbal medicine for more than 10 weeks, the incidence of severe hemolysis was 8.2%, compared with 38.9% in those treated for less than 10 weeks (P < 0.05). The change of serum immune antibody (A and/or B) titers during the treatment was a very important predictive factor for the outcome of the pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Traditional Chinese herbal medicine is effective not only for ABO type but also for Rh type maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility, with no side effects.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1998

Effect of crystalloid cardioplegic solution at different calcium concentration on immature myocardium.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the myocardial protective effect of crystalloid cardioplegic solution at different calcium concentration on immature myocardium. METHODS: Isolated perfused neonatal rabbit hearts from three groups, arrested by intermittent infusion of St. Thomas II cardioplegic solution with different concentration of calcium (in each group, only calcium concentration of cardioplegic solution was modified, I. [Ca2+] 0.6 mmol/L; II. [Ca2+] 1.2 mmol/L; III. [Ca2+] 2.4 mmol/L), were kept ischemic globally at 20 degrees C for 90 minutes and then followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion in Langendorff mode. RESULTS: Although the recovery of LVDP, +dp/dtmax at calcium content of 2.4 mmol/L after 10 minutes of reperfusion was significantly higher than those at 0.6 and 1.2 mmol/L calcium (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). The declined tendency of left ventricular hemodynamics after 20 minutes of reperfusion in this group was detected. By the end of reperfusion, the left ventricular functional recovery at 2.4 mmol/L calcium did not differ from those at 1.2 and 0.6 mmol/L calcium. Conversely, postischemic left ventricular functions at 0.6 and 1.2 mmol/L calcium were gradually improved during 30 minutes of reperfusion. In 2.4 mmol/L calcium group, the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity significantly increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.001) whereas myocardial ATP content was lower when compared with 1.2 mmol/L (P < 0.001) and 0.6 mmol/L calcium groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our research demonstrated that there were no statistical differences with respect to hemodynamic recovery in three groups after 30 minutes of reperfusion although left ventricular functional recovery at 2.4 mmol/L calcium accelerated early after reperfusion. In addition, with 2.4 mmol/L calcium, myocardial ATP content was decreased significantly. We conclude that, from the point of view of myocardial energy metabolism, St. Thomas II cardioplegic solution at high concentration of calcium can not provide immature myocardium with optimal myocardial protection while with 1.2 mmol/L calcium, however, better high-energy store can be preserved.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Controlled clinical trial on efficacy of 5-month regimens and whole course intermittent 6-month regimens in treating bacillary pulmonary tuberculosis].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the therapeutic efficacy of rifapentine (L), to reduce the duration of treatment and the frequency of drug administration, and to observe the influence on efficacy and adverse reactions of using pyrazinamide (Z) through whole-course. METHOD: Two 5-month regimens respectively including rifampin (R) and L and two whole course intermittent regimens were designed as following: I: 2SHRZ/3R2H2Z2; II: 2SHRZ/3L1H2Z2; III: 2S3H3R3Z3/4L1H2Z2; IV: 2S3H3R3Z3/4L1H2E2. A total of 366 newly-diagnosed bacillary pulmonary tuberculosis patients were admitted and randomly allocated. RESULTS: 339 cases completed the prescribed short course chemotherapy. The sputum conversion rates at the end of the treatment of groups I, II, III and IV were 97.0%, 94.1%, 100.0% and 97.2% respectively. X-ray resolution rates were 96.0%, 97.6%, 100.0% and 94.4% respectively. Cavity-close rates of the 5-month regimens and the 6-month regimens were 77% and 76%. Comparing the results among groups, there were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05), and no obvious side-effect was found. 305 patients have been followed up for 3 years since completion of the chemotherapy. The bacteriological relapse and bacteriological relapse with deterioration on chest X-ray in groups I, II, III and IV were seen in 2,3,6 and 3 cases respectively. CONCLUSION: Domestic-made rifapentine is a long-acting, highly effective antituberculosis drug. It is unnecessary to use Z in continuation phase, and it is possible to shorten the duration to 5 months with the appropriate combination of essential drugs, which is worthwhile for further study.

Antitubercular Agents↗
PubMed1998

[Clinical study on Shuanghuanglian powder in treating children viral myocarditis].

OBJECTIVE: To study immune function of children viral myocarditis and to evaluate the clinical effect of Shuanghuanglian Powder (SHLP). METHODS: The authors determined serum COXB-IgM and the numbers of lymphocyte subsets CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ with viral myocarditis patients by ELISA and indirect immunofluorescent assay. Sixty-two cases were divided randomly into two groups. Thirty-two cases treated by conventional therapy with SHLP and the other 30 cases treated with conventional therapy alone were taken as control group. RESULTS: COXB-IgM was positive in 39 of 62 patients, which were significantly different with those of normal controls (P < 0.001). In addition, the level of CD4+ cells and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ were decreased while CD8+ increased. After treatment with SHLP, the recovery of symptoms, signs and immune function in patients were better than that of controls. These changes were significantly different (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There were disturbance of immune regulatory function with children viral myocarditis patients and SHLP is an effective drug in treating children viral myocarditis.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1998

[Controlled clinical study on efficacy of fixed-dose compounds rifater/rifinah in antituberculous chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To assess antituberculous efficacy, patients' compliance and application perspective of fixed-dose compounds rifater/rifinah in China. METHOD: Three hundred eight new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients were randomly allocated with a ratio of 2 to 1 into treatment group (227 cases, receiving 2RIFATER/4RIFINAH regimen) and controls (81 cases, 2HRZ/4HR) for observation. RESULT: The sputum negative conversion rates at the 2nd month in the treatment group and the controls were 91.2% and 86.4% respectively, and at the end of the chemotherapy 98.7% and 97.5%. Chest radiography showed remarkable improvement. The resolution of pulmonary lesions in the treatment group and the controls accounted for 95.2% and 93.8% respectively, with cavity closure rates of 68.6% in the treatment group and 67.9% in the controls. The drug adverse reaction rates were 8.9% in both groups, and the default rates were 4.3% and 7.8% respectively. CONCLUSION: Fixed-dose compounds rifater/rifinah show excellent therapeutic efficacy, safety and compliance in antituberculous chemotherapy, which could be recommended for wider use in tuberculosis control in China.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Effect of Zhongfeng Naodeping Granule on hippocampal excitatory amino acid and neuron of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats with hemorrhagic apoplexy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Zhongfeng Naodeping Granule (ZFNDPG) on hemorrhagic apoplexy. METHODS: The stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRsp) were used to study effects of ZFNDPG on hemorrhage apoplexy. Excitatory amino acid (EAA) concentration in hippocampus sector, neuronal density and ultrastructural changes in hippocampal CA1 sector were measured. RESULTS: In pathological model group glutamate (Glu) and aspartate (Asp) concentration elevated obviously. With the ZFNDPG treating SHRsp of hemorrhagic apoplexy, Glu and Asp concentration in hippocampal sector could be markedly inhibited, compared with model group, P < 0.05-0.01. Neuronal morphology was observed: neurone injury was mild and neuronal density increased in hippocampal CA1 sector of treatment group, compared with model group, P < 0.01. Electron microscopy showed: edema, degeneration and necrosis caused by hemorrhagic apoplexy were improved after the ZFNDPG treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Effects of protecting neurone for SHRsp on hemorrhagic apoplexy might be associated with that ZFNDPG inhibited concentration of EAA.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Treating portal hypertension by subtotal splenectomy with retroperitoneal splenic transposition and devascularization: clinical study].

OBJECTIVE: To devise a new surgical procedure for improving the operative effect of portal hypertension caused by hepatic cirrhosis. METHOD: In treatment group, subtotal splenectomy with retroperitoneal transposition was performed in 36 patients of cirrhotic hypertensives. In control group, 36 patients were treated by devascularization. The follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 5.5 years (average 26 months). RESULT: In the treatment group, the rates of disappearance, improvement and absence of changes of esophageal varices were 11.5%, 61.5% and 26.9%, respectively, and in the control group those of improvement were 50.0%, absence of change 45.8% and aggravation 4.2%. There was a significant difference between them (P < 0.05). In the treatment group, hypersplenism disappeared in all. There was also significant difference between the two groups in immunological indexes (P < 0.05). DSA showed abundant collateral circulation in the residual spleen and retroperitoneal wall, which enabled the portal blood flow diverting to retroperitoneal tissues. CONCLUSION: This method possesses the advantages of devascularization and decompression shunt. It is of value in retaining part of spleen in surgical treatment of portal hypertension.

Female↗