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Objective To systematically evaluate the clinical effect of Xiaoke Decoction in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Methods Chinese databases such as CNKI, Wanfang, Weipu Chinese Biomedical Journal Database, and Chinese Medical Biological Literature Database, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for English language literature from their inception until November 2019. A Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0. Results Thirty-eight studies were included in this study, with a total of 3757 patients. It was found that adding Xiaoke Decoction could improve total efficiency. The Xiaoke Decoction groups surpassed the western medicine groups regarding improvement in total efficiency (OR = 3.49; 95% CI: 2.78–4.39, P Conclusion Compared with western medicine alone, Xiaoke Decoction has more advantages for the treatment of type 2 diabetes with respect to total efficiency, FPG, 2hPG, HbAlc, and TCM syndrome score.

Background Patients with chronic stroke have reduced capacity for performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and are at increased risk for falls during walking due to long-term changes to muscle tone and force, as well as movement control. Research question To investigate the efficacy of lateral stair walking training on muscle strength of affected lower extremities, balance, ADLs, and gait ability in patients with chronic stroke. Methods The experimental group received 15 min of lateral stair walking exercise along with 15 min of traditional physiotherapy, whereas the control group received only traditional physiotherapy for 30 min. Both groups received the intervention once a week for 12 weeks. Outcome measurements included muscle strength, postural assessment scale for stroke patients (PASS), Fugal–Meyer assessment for lower extremity (FMA-LE), Barthel index (BI), timed up and go test (TUG), and the gait parameters which were determined by the Reha-Watch system. Results A total of 24 participants completed the study. The experimental group showed significant improvements in hip extensor, flexor, and abductor strength of the affected limb, FMA-LE, BI, TUG, and gait parameters of stride length, velocity, and cadence. Significant differences in affected limb ankle plantar strength (p = 0.024), PASS (p = 0.017), BI (p = 0.039), TUG (p = 0.049), and gait velocity (p Significance Lateral stair walking training alongside physical therapy resulted in significant improvements in hip muscle strength and gait parameters in patients with chronic stroke. Our results support the incorporation of lateral stair walking training into clinical rehabilitation programs. Lateral stair walking training in patients with chronic stroke can be used as an effective treatment to improve gait, balance performance, and ADLs.

In May 2020, a new taxon of Euphorbia, Euphorbiaceae was collected from a dry hillside of Dongsheng District, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia. The morphological characteristics of the specimens analyzed differ from those of the known Euphorbia species from this region; therefore, we suspected this may be a new species, and we set to analyze the ITS2 sequences of some Euphorbia species. The results show that the new taxon belongs to the sect. Esula of Euphorbia subg. Esula. It is similar to Euphorbia esula (description from Flora of China) but does not belong to the same species. Concomitantly, plant morphological data and pollen morphology results show significant differences between the new taxon, E. esula and E. caesia, a finding that supports the delimitation of this new taxon, which is named Euphorbia mongoliensis in accordance with its geographical distribution.

Background Hyperlipidemia, characterized by abnormal lipid metabolism, is a dominant feature of many chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that consumption of plant-based functional foods may serve as a promising approach for the prevention or management of chronic and metabolic diseases, including hyperlipidemia. Scope and approach This review focuses on specific bioactive components of plant-based functional foods and pharmacological mechanisms underpinning their hypolipidemic effect. For each bioactive component, we provide an overview of the source, model, dosage, effects, and mechanisms, as well as the chemical monomer structure. Key findings and conclusions The bioactive components of plant-based functional foods can be divided into six categories: flavonoids, steroidal saponins, polysaccharides, alkaloids, polyphenols, and others. The precise hypolipidemic effects of these components are mediated by various mechanisms, including inhibition of endogenous lipid biosynthesis; promotion of exogenous lipid metabolism; regulation of lipid metabolism; promotion of lipid redistribution, transport, and excretion; anti-lipid peroxidation and free radical scavenging; inhibition of platelet aggregation; alleviation of hemorheological abnormalities and reduction of blood viscosity; alleviation of insulin resistance; and regulation of the gut microbiota. Hence, the development of plant-based functional foods with potent hypolipidemic properties is a promising approach for the management of obesity, diabetic dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease.

Cancer cell discrimination and cellular viability monitoring are closely related to human health. A universal and convenient fluorescence system with a dual function of wide-spectrum cancer cell discrimination and dynamic cellular viability monitoring is desperately needed, and is still extremely challenging. Herein we present a series of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) (denoted as IVP) which can allow accurate discrimination between cancer and normal cells and dynamic monitoring of cellular viability through mitochondria–nucleolus migration. By regulating the lengths and positions of alkyl chains in IVP molecules, we systematically studied the discrimination behavior of these AIEgens between cancer cells and normal cells and further investigated how they can migrate between the mitochondria and nucleolus based on the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Using IVP-02 as a model molecule, wash-free bioimaging, excellent two-photon properties, and low cytotoxicity were demonstrated. This present work proves that these designed IVP AIEgens show great potential for cancer identification and metastasis monitoring, as well as activity evaluation and screening of drugs., We present a series of AIEgens for cancer cell discrimination and dynamic viability monitoring.

Glucose ingestion attenuates the water ingestion-induced increase in the total peripheral vascular resistance and orthostatic tolerance. We investigated the gastrointestinal physiology of glucose by examining the effect of glucose ingestion on the functional expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in red blood cell (RBC) membrane. This study was performed in 24 young, healthy subjects. Blood samples were collected at 5 min before and 25 min and 50 min after an ingestion of 10% glucose water 500 mL, water 500 mL, or normal saline 500 mL. We determined glucose and osmolality in plasma, and phosphorylation of aquaporin 1 (AQP1), glucose transporter 1 (Glut1), and FAK in RBC membrane. Our results showed that glucose ingestion reduced the rise of peripheral vascular resistance after water ingestion and upregulated the serine phosphorylation of Glut1. It also lowered both the serine phosphorylation of FAK and tyrosine phosphorylation of AQP1, compared with the ingestion of either water or saline. In an ex vivo experiment, glucose activated the Glut1 receptor and subsequently reduced the expression of FAK compared with 0.8% saline alone. We concluded that glucose activates Glut1 and subsequently lowers the functional expression of FAK, a cytoskeleton protein of RBCs. The functional change in the RBC membrane proteins in connection with the attenuation of osmopressor response may elucidate the pathophysiology of glucose in postprandial hypotension.

Background: Many patients after acute stage of stroke are present with abnormal gait pattern due to weakness or hypertonicity of the affected limbs. Facilitation of normal gait is a primary goal of rehabilitation on these patients. Objective: We aimed to investigate whether walking assist device with auxiliary illuminator (quad-cane with laser) providing visual feedback during ambulation could improve parameters of gait cycle immediately among patients with subacute and chronic stroke. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study and 30 participants (male 23, female 7, group 1) with mean age [Formula: see text] years were recruited. Among them, 22 used ankle-foot orthosis [(AFO), group 2] and 8 did not use AFO (group 3) at usual walking. All the participants walked along a strait corridor with even surface for 20[Formula: see text]m without and with using a quad-cane with laser, respectively. A gait analyzer (Reha-Watch1 system) was used to measure the changes of the parameters of gait cycle, including stride length, cadence, gait speed, stance phase, swing phase, duration of single support and double support, the angle between toes and the ground at the time of toe-off (the toe-off angle) and the angle between calcaneus and the ground at the time of heel-strike (the heel-strike angle), before and with the use of a quad-cane with laser. Results: The increase in the heel-strike angle reached a significant difference in groups 1 2, and 3 ([Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], respectively). However, the stride length, the gait speed, the cadence, percentage of the stance phase, swing phase, single-support phase, and double-support phase in a gait cycle, and the toe-off angle showed no significant change with the use of quad-cane with laser. Conclusion: Patients after acute stroke had an immediate and significant increase in the heel-stroke angle by using a quad-cane with laser during ambulation, which might help the patients to reduce knee hyperextension moment and lessen the pressure of heel at loading phase.

Background: This study aimed to explore the effects of netrin-1 on hypobaric hypoxia-induced lung injury in mice. Methods: We exposed 6–8-week-old C57BL/6 mice to hypobaric stress at 340 m...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic progressive systemic disease caused by a metabolic disorder. In recent years, a large number of studies have shown that certain traditional Chinese medicines and their bioactive ingredients have obvious hypoglycemic effects. This literature review focuses on medicine food homology (MFH) and medicinal health food (MHF) species used in China with a hypoglycemic function and emphasizes the bioactive ingredients and their pharmacological effects. The bioactive ingredients of MFH and MHF have been divided into six categories: saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and others; and their sources, models, efficacy, and mechanisms of action have been described. It is noteworthy that the mechanisms of the bioactive ingredients of MFH and MHF with hypoglycemic effects have been summarized as follows: a) insulin-mimetic effects and restoration of the damaged pancreas; b) effect on glucose metabolism; c) increased insulin sensitivity and improved insulin resistance; and d) regulation of intestinal flora. We conclude that this review provides useful data and information to support the further investigation and application of MFH and MHF to treat DM.

AIM Low bone mineral density occurs more commonly in patients with haemophilia (PWH) than the general population. However, the risk of haemophilia-related osteoporotic fractures has not been well established. We aim to explore the relationship between haemophilia and the development of osteoporotic fractures following haemophilia. METHODS This was a nationwide population-based cohort study based on the data in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (TNHIRD). Patients who were diagnosed with haemophilia were selected. A comparison cohort was formed of patients without haemophilia who were matched according to age and sex. The incidence rate and the hazard ratios (HRs) of new-onset osteoporotic fractures were calculated for both cohorts. RESULTS The haemophilia cohort consisted of 75 patients, and the comparison cohort comprised 300 matched control patients without haemophilia. The risk of osteoporotic fractures was higher in the haemophilia cohort than in the comparison cohort (HR = 5.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.42-12.1, P

In previous studies, Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hulten was reported to contain xanthones, iridoids, terpenoids, and sterols and is mainly used to cure hepatitis, jaundice, fever, headache, and angina pectoris. In this study, we used bioassay guided fractionation to identify compounds from G. acuta and investigated their activity against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis of H9c2 cells using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) expression were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein expression was evaluated using western blot. The results showed that all four compounds had protective effects on H9c2 cells. The transcription levels of HO-1 and GCLC significantly increased in H9c2 cells pretreated with norswertianolin (1), swetrianolin (2), demethylbellidifolin (3), and bellidifolin (4). However, compared to the model group, the transcription levels of Nrf2 were not enhanced by pretreatment with compounds 1, 2, and 4. The protein expression levels of HO-1 and GCLC in H9c2 cells were greater than that in the H2O2-treated group, and the expression of Nrf2 was not significantly changed except by swetrianolin treatment; inhibitors can reverse the protective effect by ZnPP (15 μM), BSO (10 μM), and brusatol (10 μM). The results indicated that the four compounds isolated from G. acuta inhibited the oxidative injury induced by H2O2 by activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway in H9c2 cells and provide evidence that G. acuta may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

The relationship between air temperature and the hospital admission of adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) was analyzed. The hospitalization data pertaining to adult CAP patients (age ≥ 18 years) in two tertiary comprehensive hospitals in Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China from 2014 to 2018 and meteorological data there in the corresponding period were collected. The exposure–response relationship between the daily average temperature and the hospital admission of adult CAP patients was quantified by using a distributed lag non-linear model. A total of 4466 cases of adult patients with CAP were admitted. After eliminating some confounding factors such as relative humidity, wind speed, air pressure, long-term trend, and seasonal trend, a lower temperature was found to be associated with a higher risk of adult CAP. Compared to 21 °C, lower temperature range of 4 to –12 °C was associated with a greater number of CAP hospitalizations among those aged ≥ 65 years, and the highest relative risk (RR) was 2.80 (95% CI 1.15–6.80) at a temperature of − 10 °C. For those

Alkaloids are nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds typically isolated from plants. They represent one of the most important types of natural products because of their large number and structural diversity and complexity. Based on their chemical core structures, alkaloids are classified as isoquinolines, quinolines, indoles, piperidine alkaloids, etc. In-depth analyses of alkaloids have revealed their antibacterial activities. To date, due to the widespread use of antibiotics, the problem of drug-resistant bacterial infections has been gradually increasing, which severely affects the clinical efficacy of antibacterial therapies and patient safety. Therefore, significant research efforts are focused on alkaloids because they represent a potentially new type of natural antibiotic with a wide antibacterial spectrum, rare adverse reactions, and a low tendency to produce drug resistance. Their main antibacterial mechanisms include inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis, change in cell membrane permeability, inhibition of bacterial metabolism, and inhibition of nucleic acid and protein synthesis. This article reviews recent reports about the chemical structures and the antibacterial activities and mechanisms of alkaloids. The purpose is to solve the problem of bacterial resistance and to provide a certain theoretical basis and research ideas for the development of new antibacterial drugs.

The COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which developed into a pandemic in 2020, has become a major healthcare challenge for governments and healthcare workers worldwide. Despite several medical treatment protocols having been established, a comprehensive rehabilitation program that can promote functional recovery is still frequently ignored. An online consensus meeting of an expert panel comprising members of the Taiwan Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation was held to provide recommendations for rehabilitation protocols in each of the five COVID-19 stages, namely (1) outpatients with mild disease and no risk factors, (2) outpatients with mild disease and epidemiological risk factors, (3) hospitalized patients with moderate to severe disease, (4) ventilator-supported patients with clear cognitive function, and (5) ventilator-supported patients with impaired cognitive function. Apart from medications and life support care, a proper rehabilitation protocol that facilitates recovery from COVID-19 needs to be established and emphasized in clinical practice.

Background Chitosan supplementation has been shown to modulate glycemic levels; however, studies have reported conflicting results. The present meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis was conducted to verify the overall influence of chitosan on glycemic levels in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods The PubMed, Cochrane library, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled studies of chitosan intake and glycemic levels. Results A total of ten clinical trials including 1473 subjects were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled effect sizes were determined by random-effects meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed to analyze the sources of heterogeneity and their influence on the overall results. The results revealed a significant reduction in fasting glucose levels (SMD: − 0.39 mmol/L, 95% CI: − 0.62 to − 0.16) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels (SMD: -1.10; 95% CI: − 2.15 to − 0.06) following chitosan supplementation but no effect on insulin levels (SMD: − 0.20 pmol/L, 95% CI: − 0.64 to 0.24). Subgroup analyses further demonstrated significant reductions in fasting glucose levels in subjects administered 1.6–3 g of chitosan per day and in studies longer than 13 weeks. Trial sequential analysis of the pooled results of the hypoglycemic effect demonstrated that the cumulative Z-curve crossed both the conventional boundary and trial sequential monitoring boundary for glucose and HbA1c. Conclusions The glucose level of patients who are diabetic and obese/overweight can be improved by supplementation with chitosan for at least 13 weeks at 1.6–3 g per day. Additional clinical research data are needed to confirm the role of chitosan, particularly in regulating glycosylated hemoglobin and insulin.

Background/Purpose Task-oriented functional walking is important in stroke patients. We aimed to investigate effects of a quad-cane with auxiliary laser illuminator (laser-cane) among stroke patients. Methods This was a randomized-prospective study. Patients in the experimental group (EG) received 15-min of walking training with laser-cane and 15-min of traditional physical therapy. Patients in the control group (CG) received the same rehabilitation without laser-cane. The rehabilitation lasted for 4 weeks, twice per week. Primary outcome were gait parameters. Secondary outcomes were Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and Barthel index (BI). Outcomes were measured at baseline, at the end of the rehabilitation (visit-1), and 4 weeks later (visit-2). Results Both the groups (both n = 15) showed improvement of cadence, relative stance and swing phase duration of non-paretic side, BBS, and TUG at both visits. In the intragroup comparison, the EG additionally improved at stride length, relative stance and swing phase duration of paretic side, and gait speed at both visits; temporal swing symmetry, and toe-off angle of non-paretic side at the visit-2. Intergroup comparing for changing of outcomes with the CG, stride length and gait speed increased, relative stance phase duration of the non-paretic site decreased, and the temporal swing symmetry improved at the visit-1; relative stance phase duration of the paretic side decreased and the temporal stance symmetry improved at the visit-2 in the EG. Conclusion Rehabilitation with laser-cane improved the balance, activity of daily living, gait symmetry and gait parameters of stroke patients.

Hyperuricemia is a common metabolic disease that is caused by high serum uric acid levels. It is considered to be closely associated with the development of many chronic diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipemia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. While pharmaceutical drugs have been shown to exhibit serious side effects, and bioactive compounds from plant-based functional foods have been demonstrated to be active in the treatment of hyperuricemia with only minimal side effects. Indeed, previous reports have revealed the significant impact of bioactive compounds from plant-based functional foods on hyperuricemia. This review focuses on plant-based functional foods that exhibit a hypouricemic function and discusses the different bioactive compounds and their pharmacological effects. More specifically, the bioactive compounds of plant-based functional foods are divided into six categories, namely flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, and others. In addition, the mechanism by which these bioactive compounds exhibit a hypouricemic effect is summarized into three classes, namely the inhibition of uric acid production, improved renal uric acid elimination, and improved intestinal uric acid secretion. Overall, this current and comprehensive review examines the use of bioactive compounds from plant-based functional foods as natural remedies for the management of hyperuricemia.

Studies on physiotherapists are generally focused on clinical professionalism, with very few examining job performance from a management standpoint. To address this gap, this study sought to investigate the relationship between impression management and organizational citizenship behavior and job performance. This study targeted medical institutions offering rehabilitation and physiotherapy services and conducted a questionnaire survey based on scales developed by domestic and foreign scholars. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed and 523 valid ones collected. The data was tested and verified using regression analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). In the survey, the Impression Management Scale, Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale, and Job Performance Scale indicated that at the individual level, the impression management of physiotherapists is significantly related to their organizational citizenship behaviors and job performance. The organizational citizenship behaviors were also found to have a mediating effect between impression management and job performance. At the group level, impression management had a conditioning effect on organizational citizenship behaviors and job performance. In terms of statistical methods, group-level variables act as moderators, which affects the power of individual-level explanatory variables on outcome variables, i.e., the influence of the slope. The job behaviors of physiotherapists entail direct service and their performance is closely related to organizational development. Impression management gives people certain purposes and behaviors while organizational citizenship behaviors are a type of non-self-seeking, selfless dedication behaviors. Therefore, the motivation of physiotherapists who demonstrate organizational citizenship behaviors should be further explored.

Ischemic heart diseases are one of the major causes of death worldwide. Effective restoration of blood flow can significantly improve patients’ quality of life and reduce mortality. However, reperfusion injury cannot be ignored. Flavonoids possess well-established antioxidant properties; They also have other benefits that may be relevant for ameliorating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). In this review, we focus on flavonoids with cardiovascular-protection function and emphasize their pharmacological effects. The main mechanisms of flavonoid pharmacological activities against MIRI involve the following aspects: a) antioxidant, b) anti-inflammatory, c) anti-platelet aggregation, d) anti-apoptosis, and e) myocardial-function regulation activities. We also summarized the effectiveness of flavonoids for MIRI.

Oxidation is a normal consequence of metabolism in biological organisms. The result is the formation of detrimental reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). A large number of studies have shown that polyphenolic compounds have good antioxidant properties. Hippophae species plants have high polyphenolic content and are widely used in food, medicinal, or the cosmetic field. The main polyphenols in Hippophae species are flavonoids, phenolic acids and tannins, which have multiple effects. However, there is a limited number of studies on polyphenols in Hippophae species plants. This review systematically summarizes the polyphenols compounds and antioxidant activity of Hippophae species plants, and it is noteworthy that the main mechanisms of the polyphenols of Hippophae with antioxidant activity have been summarized as follows: regulating enzyme activity, affect the antioxidant reaction of cells, and others. This review provides useful information for the further study and application of Hippophae species polyphenols and their antioxidant activity.

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between adiponectin gene polymorphisms rs10937273, rs1501299, rs182052, rs2241767, and rs266729 and environmental risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Hohhot. The study explored different models of gene-environment interactions, aimed at providing approaches for the prevention and control of T2DM in combination with the characteristics of the local population. Methods. A case-control study was conducted including 406 Chinese participants, comprising 203 cases and 203 controls from various hospitals. Adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene polymorphisms rs10937273, rs1501299, rs182052, rs2241767, and rs266729 were detected using an improved multiple ligation detection reaction technique. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) and logistic regression were conducted to analyze the associations between adiponectin gene polymorphisms and T2DM, as well as the interactions between adiponectin gene polymorphisms and environmental factors. Results. ADIPOQ gene polymorphisms rs10937273, rs1501299, rs182052, rs2241767, and rs266729 were associated with type 2 diabetes. Based on the haplotype of the five adiponectin gene single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci, we found that G-G-A-A-C was a susceptible haplotype of T2DM (P<0.05). Interaction analyses demonstrated associations between rs1501299 and central obesity (consistency=80%, P=0.011) and between rs266729 and rs182052 and central obesity (consistency=70%, P=0.011). Conclusions. Our findings indicate that there is an interaction between the ADIPOQ gene and central obesity, which provides new insights into the prevention and treatment of T2DM.

Iridoids are a class of active compounds that widely exist in the plant kingdom. In recent years, with advances in phytochemical research, many compounds with novel structure and outstanding activity have been identified. Iridoid compounds have been confirmed to mainly exist as the prototype and aglycone and Ι and II metabolites, by biological transformation. These metabolites have been shown to have neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities. This review summarizes the new structures and activities of iridoids identified locally and globally, and explains their pharmacokinetics from the aspects of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion according to the differences in their structures, thus providing a theoretical basis for further rational development and utilization of iridoids and their metabolites.

Transcatheter occlusion and surgical ligation are the treatments of choice for most patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in children. Fifty-five children who had PDA completed a pulmonary function test and a symptom-limited treadmill exercise test from 2016 to 2018 at 1 medical center in southern Taiwan. The study group was divided into surgical ligation and catheterization groups, which were compared to a healthy control group matched for age, sex, and body mass index. Data about the performance on the exercise test, including metabolic equivalent at anaerobic threshold and peak, were analyzed. No differences in the pulmonary function and ventilatory parameters were observed between the surgery, catheterization, and control groups. Heart rate at peak and at anaerobic threshold significantly differed in the investigated groups. The post hoc analysis showed that the surgery group had a lower heart rate at peak and threshold compared to the catheterization and control groups (P = .02, P

Current treatments for ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced acute lung injury are limited. Mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium (CM) has been reported to attenuate lung injury. Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), a type of multipotent stem cells, are more easily obtained than mesenchymal stem cells. We hypothesize that NCSC-CM has anti-inflammatory properties that could protect against IR-induced lung injury in rats. In this study, NCSC-CM was derived from rat NCSCs. Typical acute lung injury was induced by 30-min ischemia followed by 90-min reperfusion in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were collected to analyze the degree of lung injury after the experiment. NCSC-CM was administered before ischemia and after reperfusion. NCSC-CM treatment significantly attenuated IR-induced lung edema, as indicated by decreases in pulmonary vascular permeability, lung weight gain, wet to dry weight ratio, lung weight to body weight ratio, pulmonary arterial pressure, and protein level in BALF. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in the BALF were also significantly decreased. Additionally, NCSC-CM improved lung pathology and neutrophil infiltration in the lung tissue, and significantly suppressed nuclear factor (NF)-κB activity and IκB-α degradation in the lung. However, heating NCSC-CM eliminated these protective effects. Our experiment demonstrates that NCSC-CM treatment decreases IR-induced acute lung injury and that the protective mechanism may be attributable to the inhibition of NF-κB activation and the inflammatory response. Therefore, NCSC-CM may be a novel approach for treating IR-induced lung injury.

International audience; Host−guest polymeric hydrogels often suffer from poor biocompatibility and weak mechanical strength owing to the low complexation degree between host and guest polymers. In contrast to reported works, here a biocompatible host−guest macro-cross-linker (HGMC) was synthesized beforehand by complexation of poly(β-cyclodextrin) with natural glycyrrhetinic acid-derivative functionalized with acrylates at two extremities. After cross-linking polyacrylamide, three polymeric hydrogels were obtained, the swelling ratios and micropore sizes of which could be adjusted effectively by HGMC content. Moreover, they exhibited robust anticompressing and elastic features. These biocompatible tough polymeric hydrogels hold promise for potential applications as biomaterials.

Background: The lipid profile is associated with metabolic diseases in overweight and obese individuals. Quercetin treatment is suggested to reduce the risk factors for obesity. Objective: The aim of the literature meta-analysis was to determine the range of doses of quercetin administration on plasma lipid levels in overweight and obese human subjects. Methods: Articles searched on EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science through March 20, 2019, were reviewed independently using predetermined selection criteria. The Cochrane collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias was used to assess the quality of the included trials. Heterogeneity was measured using Cochran's Q test and the I-square (I2) statistic. Data were pooled using a random-effects model and the standardized mean difference (SMD) was considered for measuring the overall effect size. Results: Of 176 articles reviewed, 9 randomized clinical trials were selected based on the inclusion criteria. The pooled results for the effect of quercetin administration on LDL-cholesterol (SMD: -002; 95% CI: -0.15–0.11), HDL-cholesterol (SMD: -0.06; 95% CI: -0.19–0.07), triglycerides (SMD: 0.05; 95% CI: -0.08–0.18), and total cholesterol (SMD: 0.04; 95% CI: -0.09–0.17) were not significantly different from the control group results. Quercetin administration at doses of ≥250 mg/day (SMD: -0.58 ; 95% CI: -0.94–-0.22) and total dose ≥14,000 mg (SMD: -0.58 ; 95% CI: -0.94–-0.22) significantly reduced LDL levels; however, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Quercetin administration does not affect plasma lipid levels in overweight and obese individuals. However, it significantly reduces LDL-cholesterol levels at doses of ≥250 mg/day and total dose ≥14000 mg.

ObjectiveOverweight and obesity in preschoolers might develop into childhood and even adulthood obesity. Overweight and obesity have been shown to be negatively related with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in children and adults but few studies did among preschoolers. We aimed to evaluate whether excess body adipose is negatively associated with CRF in both the submaximal and maximal effort of preschool children in exercise testing and to examine if there is difference to achieve maximal effort during exercise testing between preschoolers with normal and excess body adipose.MethodsData of 106 preschoolers aged 4-6 that received symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing was analyzed. Anthropometry was measured by vector bioelectrical impedance analysis. Excess body adipose was defined as (1) 'overweight' and 'obesity' by body mass index (BMI), (2) fat mass index (FMI) greater than the sex- and age-specific 75th percentile of whole subjects, and (3) fat-free mass index (FFMI) smaller than the sex- and age-specific 25th percentile. CRF was indicated by metabolic equivalent (MET) at anaerobic threshold (AT MET), peak MET, oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) calculated by the 50% (OUES-50) and the entire (OUES-100) duration of the exercise testing.ResultsPreschoolers with excess body adipose by three different definitions (BMI, FMI, and FFMI) all had poorer ability to perform maximal effort (p = 0.004, 0.043, and 0.007, respectively). Preschoolers with excess body adipose by BMI and FFMI classifications had lower OUES-50 (p = 0.018, and 0.001, respectively), and lower OUES-100 (p = 0.004, and 0.001, respectively) than peers with normal body adipose during exercise testing while those with excess body adipose by FMI classification showed no significant differences from peers with normal body adipose in both OUES-50 and OUES-100.ConclusionsPreschoolers with excess body adipose had lower CRF significantly during treadmill exercise testing. Weight control and health promotion should start as early as possible.

Respiratory disease symptoms in children are aggravated by frequent changes in meteorological conditions. The net effective temperature (NET) integrates temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed as a cooling indicator. This study aims to assess the effect of daily changes in meteorological factors and corresponding NET data on children's hospitalizations for different ages, genders and subtypes of respiratory infections in Baotou, China. Distributed lag non-linear models were constructed to simultaneously assess the exposure–response associations between daily admission counts of children with respiratory diseases and daily NET and other meteorological factors, as well as their lag dependencies. As air pollution significantly affects the respiratory tract, it was considered as confounding factor. In general, the cumulative meteorological factors had greater effects on lower respiratory tract infections than upper respiratory tract infections (RR: temperature [5.21 vs. 2.33], wind speed [4.89 vs. 3.12], and humidity [1.77 vs. 0.97]). The effects of cumulative meteorological factors on female children were greater than those on male children (RR: temperature [2.14 vs. 1.82], wind speed [5.46 vs. 1.90], and humidity [1.60 vs. 1.55]). Temperature and wind speed showed an influence on 4–7-year-old children, but these factors had no influence on other age groups; humidity only showed an influence on the 0–3-year-old group. The NET value had a large effect on lower respiratory infections, in the 4–7-year-old group and female children. In conclusion, a complex non-linear relationship exists between climate variability and children's respiratory diseases. The results of the study can be used to support the development of important meteorological information tools for early warnings of respiratory disease events in children. Concurrently, the NET values can be used for comprehensive assessments of climate change in the future, which will help the government and health authorities better minimize the impacts of children's respiratory diseases., Environmental science; Environmental analysis; Environmental health; Environmental impact assessment; Epidemiology; Respiratory system; Temperature; Humidity; Wind speed; Net effective temperature; Respiratory disease.

Platycodon grandiflorus is a widely used edible, traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is rich in saponins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and other compounds. It contains a large number of fatty acids such as linoleic acid (up to 63.24%), a variety of amino acids, vitamins, and multiple essential trace elements. P. grandiflorus has several biological applications, such as in hypotension, lipid reduction, atherosclerosis, inflammation, relieving cough and phlegm, promoting cholic acid secretion, and as an antioxidant. Further, P. grandiflorus is often used in the development of cold mixed vegetables, canned vegetables, preserved fruit, salted vegetables, and cosmetics in northeast China, South Korea, Japan, and Korea. In this paper, the active chemical components and the health benefits of P. grandiflorus have been reviewed, providing new ideas for the further development of nutraceutical products to prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Radix Astragali (RA), a traditional Chinese medicine from the dried root of Astragalus species, is widely distributed throughout the temperate regions of the world. The major bioactive constituents of RA are triterpene glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, and alkaloids, and these compounds mostly exert pharmacological activities on the cardiovascular, immune, respiratory, and hepatic systems. This review summarizes the recent studies on RA and provides a comprehensive summary regarding the status of resources, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, clinical application, and patent release of RA. We hope this review can provide a guidance for further development of therapeutic agents from RA.

Peak metabolic equivalent (MET) is the most reliable indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The aim of this study was to examine the association between CRF indicated by peak MET and body mass index (BMI) or fat mass index (FMI) in Taiwanese children and adolescents (C-A). Data of 638 C-A aged 10–18 that received symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing was analyzed. Anthropometry-body composition was measured by vector bioelectrical impedance analysis. BMI was defined as body weight (kg)/body height (m)2 and FMI was defined as fat mass (kg)/body height (m)2. BMI was grouped by Taiwanese obesity cut-off points. FMI Class-I was categorized by percentage of body fat. FMI Class-II used the reference values from Korean C-A. Excess adiposity was defined as (1) “overweight” and “obesity” by BMI, (2) greater than the sex- and age-specific 75th percentile of whole subjects by FMI Class-I, and (3) greater than 95th percentiles of reference value by FMI Class-II. Boys had significantly higher fat mass and FMI, and had more excess adiposity than girls (all p < 0.05). Both boys and girls with excess adiposity (by any definition) had lower MET at anaerobic threshold (AT MET) and peak MET (all p < 0.001). BMI and FMI were significantly negatively associated with both AT MET and peak MET significantly (all p < 0.001). FMI (95% CI: −0.411~−0.548) correlated with peak MET more than BMI (95% CI: −0.134~ −0.372) did. Excess adiposity affected CRF negatively. It is concluded that weight management should start early in childhood.

A predischarge submaximal exercise test is often recommended after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as part of phase I cardiac rehabilitation. In this study, a submaximal exercise parameter, oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES), was used to monitor the benefit of early mobilization within 48 h after AMI. An early mobilization protocol within 48 h after AMI has been initiated since 1 September 2012 in our center. Patients with onset time of AMI within 1 year before and 1 year after initiation of the early mobilization protocol were recruited for comparisons. Sixty patients were analyzed on the basis of this criterion, and were subjected to predischarge submaximal exercise tests. The OUES calculated with 100% exercise duration (OUES100) and calculated with the first 50% of exercise duration (OUES50) were obtained and analyzed. Both OUES100 and OUES50 of the AMI patients with early mobilization were significantly higher than those without early mobilization (P=0.025 and 0.007, respectively). The OUES100 and OUES50 were also highly correlated (r=0.891, P

In China, over 40 species of the genus Salvia have been used as medicinal plants for various diseases, some for thousands of years. Recently, research has focused on the biological activities of Salvia medicinal plants used in traditional chinese medicine (TCM). However, to date a scientific survey of the genus Salvia in China has not been carried out. In this paper, we report the results of 10 field surveys of Salvia medicinal plants collected in 17 provinces including detailed information on their local names, growing environment, distribution and therapeutic effects. We also summarize the results of research on the materia medica, phytochemistry and pharmacology of some of the important Salvia medicinal plants. Our study reveals that 35 Salvia plants have been used in TCM in different regions of China, including 20 species used as Danshen to treat heart diseases, and 15 species used to treat a range of other conditions including gynecological diseases, muscular or skeletal problems, hepatitis, urological diseases, and mouth and eye conditions. It is clear that some species of Salvia L. possess significant pharmacological activity in the context of ethnopharmacological knowledge, especially in the treatment of heart disease. Further studies of the phytochemistry and pharmacology of Salvia species will no doubt improve their medical utilization and contribute to the development of new natural drugs.

Systemic administration of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) reportedly attenuates acute lung injury induced by acid aspiration and phorbol myristate acetate. However, the effects of PFCs on ischemia–reperfusion (IR)-induced lung injury have not been investigated. Typical acute lung injury was induced in rats by 60 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion in isolated and perfused rat lung model. Rat lungs were randomly assigned to receive PBS (control), 1 % FC-77, IR only, or IR with different doses of FC-77 (0.1 %, 0.5 %, or 1 %). Subsequently, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), perfusate, and lung tissues were collected to evaluate the degree of lung injury. IR caused a significant increase in the following parameters: pulmonary arterial pressure, capillary filtration coefficient, lung weight gain, lung weight/body weight ratio, wet/dry lung weight ratio, and protein concentration in BALF. TNF-α and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 concentrations in perfusate samples and MDA concentration and MPO activities in lung tissues were also significantly increased. Histopathology showed increased septal thickness and neutrophil infiltration in the lung tissues. Furthermore, NF-κB activity was significantly increased in the lungs. However, pretreatment with 1 % FC-77 prior to IR significantly attenuated the increases in these parameters. In conclusion, our results suggest that systemic FC-77 administration had a protective effect on IR-induced acute lung injury. These protective mechanisms may have been mediated by the inhibition of NF-κB activation and attenuation of subsequent inflammatory response.

Background Emerging evidence reveals that nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) has a significant role in the pathophysiology of the inflammatory process. NAMPT inhibition has a beneficial effect in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases. However, it remains unclear whether NAMPT inhibition has an impact on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute lung injury. In this study, we examined whether NAMPT inhibition provided protection against I/R lung injury in rats. Methods Isolated perfused rat lungs were subjected to 40 min of ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion. The rats were randomly allotted to the control, control + FK866 (NAMPT inhibitor, 10 mg/kg), I/R, or I/R + FK866 groups (n = 6 per group). The effects of FK866 on human alveolar epithelial cells exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) were also investigated. Results Treatment with FK866 significantly attenuated the increases in lung edema, pulmonary arterial pressure, lung injury scores, and TNF-α, CINC-1, and IL-6 concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the I/R group. Malondialdehyde levels, carbonyl contents and MPO-positive cells in lung tissue were also significantly reduced by FK866. Additionally, FK866 mitigated I/R-stimulated degradation of IκB-α, nuclear translocation of NF-κB, Akt phosphorylation, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, and downregulated MKP-1 activity in the injured lung tissue. Furthermore, FK866 increased Bcl-2 and decreased caspase-3 activity in the I/R rat lungs. Comparably, the in vitro experiments showed that FK866 also inhibited IL-8 production and NF-κB activation in human alveolar epithelial cells exposed to H/R. Conclusions Our findings suggest that NAMPT inhibition may be a novel therapeutic approach for I/R-induced lung injury. The protective effects involve the suppression of multiple signal pathways.

The mung bean (Vigna radiata) is an important food crop with preventative effects against human diseases. The anti-allergic activities of mung bean sprouts of different lengths were evaluated by assaying in vivo antipruritic activity and in vitro hyaluronidase inhibitory effects. After 48 h of growth, sprouts were determined to have the best activity and extracted with petroleum (PeF), ethyl acetate (EaF), and n-butanol (nBF). The active EaF extracts were further assayed for in vivo effects on compound 48/80-induced mast cell degranulation and histamine release, as well as the anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction. The main chemical constituents were further analyzed by UV spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC/MS/MS). EaF significantly protected against compound 48/80-induced mast cell degranulation and histamine release, and PCA. Flavonoids were determined to be the main contributors to the anti-allergic activity of the EaF extracts.

Motion sickness (MS) is evoked by the conflict among somatosensory, visual, and vestibular input. Some of the MS symptoms and signs are mediated by activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), a maneuver used for pain control, was found to influence cardiovascular responses through ANS reflex, and to enhance motor function, visuospatial abilities, postural control, and cognitive function. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of TENS on MS.Fifteen (15) healthy young men participated in a within-subjects crossover study. Each completed four test sessions (control, rotation, TENS, TENS+rotation) in randomized order. Rotary chair (120°/s) combined with pitch movement of the subject's head was used as a model to provoke MS. Whole rotation protocol consisted of 5 1-minute rotations, each separated by a 1-minute rest period. TENS protocol involved simultaneous electrical stimulation of posterior neck and Zusanli acupoint.Motion sickness susceptibility was rated on a standardized questionnaire (Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire). Motion sickness symptoms, blood pressure (BP), skin temperature, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured. Saliva samples were collected to analyze the level of stress markers. Cognitive function was evaluated with d2 test prior to and after MS provocation.Spinning by itself significantly decreased task response speed and contraction. MS symptom scores, BP, as well as the sympathetic parameter of HRV increased progressively with MS provocation (p0.05), but skin temperature decreased (p=0.023). Severity of MS symptoms significantly decreased with TENS intervention (p0.05). After TENS treatment, subjects were able to concentrate better and showed fewer errors in a cognitive test. Salivary cortisol concentration significant decreased after TENS treatment.Sympathetic activity increased but parasympathetic activity decreased during MS. TENS was effective in reducing MS symptoms as well as alleviating cognitive impairment.

Background Mild hypothermia has become an important treatment for ischemic brain injury. However, the role of mild hypothermia in air embolism-induced lung injury has not been explored. In this study, we investigated whether treatment with mild hypothermia before and synchronous with air infusion can attenuate acute lung injury induced by air embolism. Methods In this rat model study (Sprague-Dawley rats), pulmonary air embolism was induced by venous infusion of air at a rate of 25 microL/min for 40 minutes. Control animals received no air infusion. The rats were randomly assigned to 2 control groups of normothermia (37 degrees C) and mild hypothermia (34 degrees C) and 3 air embolism groups of mild hypothermia induced before air infusion, normothermia with air infusion, and mild hypothermia induced synchronous with air infusion. At the end of the experiment, the variables of lung injury were assessed. Results Air infusion elicited a significant increase in lung wet/dry weight ratio and protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentration of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Myeloperoxidase activity, neutrophil infiltration, and interstitial edema in lung tissue were also significantly increased. In addition, nuclear factor-kappaB activity was significantly increased in the lungs. Treatment with mild hypothermia before air infusion reduced increases in these variables, whereas mild hypothermia synchronous with air infusion had no significant effect on them. Conclusions Our study suggests that mild hypothermia before air infusion decreases air embolism-induced acute lung injury. The protective mechanism seems to be the inhibition of inflammation.

1. Glutamine is an amino acid that is used to treat various diseases. Glutamine has been reported to have protective effects in human pulmonary epithelia-like cells exposed to hyperoxia. However, the effects of glutamine in hyperoxia-induced lung injury have not been investigated in vivo. 2. Mice treated with saline or glutamine [(750 mg/kg) intravenously] were randomly exposed to hyperoxia for 48 or 72 h. Control mice treated with saline or glutamine were exposed to room air. Cytokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), heat shock protein (HSP) 70, the wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and pathoglogical findings in lung tissue were evaluated to determine the effects of glutamine on acute lung injury. In addition, survival was monitored. 3. Lung expression of HSP70 was significantly enhanced in both the control (room air) and 48 and 72 h hyperoxic glutamine-treated mice. The W/D ratio, BALF concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, MDA levels, MPO activity, neutrophil infiltration and interstitial oedema in lung tissue were significantly lower at 48 and 72 h of hyperoxia in glutamine-treated mice compared with saline-treated mice. 4. In a separate series of experiments evaluating survival, after 96 h continuous exposure to hyperoxia, all saline-treated mice died. In contrast, all glutamine-treated mice died after 108 h exposure to hyperoxia. 5. The data suggest that glutamine administered to mice during hyperoxia has a protective effect against hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury and improves survival.

Background and purpose: Baicalin has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects and protect against various tissue injuries. However, the effect of baicalin on air embolism-induced acute lung injury has not been tested yet. Experimental approach: Acute lung injury was induced by infusion of air at a rate of 0.25 mL·min−1 for 1 min into the pulmonary artery of rat isolated lungs. At the end of the experiment, samples were collected for assessment of lung injury, biochemical analysis and histology. Different doses of baicalin (1, 2 and 4 mg·kg−1) were given into the perfusate before air infusion. Key results: Air embolism elicited a significant increase in microvascular permeability (Kf), lung weight gain, wet/dry weight ratio, pulmonary artery pressure and protein concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Levels of the cytokines, tumour necrosis factor α and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 in perfusate, and malondialdehyde levels and myeloperoxidase activities in lung tissue were also significantly increased. In addition, histological examination showed increased neutrophil infiltration in lung tissues. Furthermore, nuclear factor-κB activity and degradation of IκB-α were significantly increased in lungs. Pretreatment of the lungs with baicalin (4 mg·kg−1) showed a statistically significant difference in all of the assessed parameters, except for alteration in the pulmonary artery pressure. Conclusions and implications: Our study suggests that baicalin attenuated air embolism-induced acute lung injury and may be considered a useful adjunct drug therapy in this clinical condition.

Introduction: Acceleration on the +G z axis increases pressure in the cardiac chambers. Our research was designed to study whether: 1) such acceleration would impair cardiac function; and 2) a "preconditioning" exposure to +G z would protect the heart from any such effects. Methods: There were 45 male Sprague-Dawley rats that were randomly divided into 3 groups of 15: 1) control without acceleration (CTRL); 2) exposure to 5 min of + 15 G z (EXP); and 3) pretreatment whereby the 5-min exposure was preceded by two exposures of 30 s at + 15 G z (PRE). Within each group of 15, subsets of 7 animals were used to study: 1) echocardiographic heart function or 2) myocardial injury [lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA)], and 1 animal was used to examine the histology of cardiac tissue. Results: Acceleration (EXP) was found to have a significant effect on cardiac function; specifically the early diastolic myocardial velocity (E m ) and systolic myocardial velocity (S m ) in both ventricles decreased in EXP compared to CTRL, while PRE significantly reduced this effect. The systolic mitral annular velocity in the left ventricular lateral wall was significantly less affected in PRE than in EXP (1.99 ± 0.65 vs. 1.2 ± 0.39 cm ·s -1 , P = 0.017). Enzyme levels showed only minor changes. In histology, no neutrophil infiltration was found in three groups. Conclusions: These results suggest that short bouts of acceleration might offer cardiac protection. Confirmation using larger animal models may allow application of the concept to pilots preparing to undertake sustained high G maneuvers and may explain some aspects of the "G layoff" effect.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown that ingestion of glucose water lowers blood pressure (BP) in patients with perturbed autonomic control and more modestly lowers BP in elderly normal subjects. Whether glucose water affects cardiovascular control during orthostatic stress in normal young healthy subjects is unknown. We hypothesized that glucose water ingestion will reduce orthostatic tolerance in young healthy volunteers. METHODS In a randomized, controlled, within-subject study, 15 healthy male subjects (21-28 years of age) ingested water or 10% glucose water 5 min before tilt-table testing. We measured finger BP, brachial BP, heart rate, and peripheral vascular resistance. Orthostatic tolerance was measured as the time to presyncope during a 70 degrees head-up tilt, in which the head was tilted for 45 min or until presyncopal symptoms were observed. RESULTS During the first 45 min of tilt, 8 of 15 subjects who ingested 10% glucose water experienced presyncope, but only 2 of 15 who ingested water (P = 0.029) experienced presyncope. Ingestion of 10% glucose water increased the heart rate significantly more than pure water during head-up tilt (P = 0.026). Ingestion of water increased the peripheral vascular resistance significantly >10% glucose water during the head-up tilt test (P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS Ingestion of 10% glucose water impairs head-up tilt tolerance relative to water ingestion. The contrasting effect of 10% glucose water vs. pure water on orthostatic tolerance is associated with increased heart rate and attenuation of the increase in peripheral vascular resistance in head-up tilt testing.

Use of antipsychotics may be associated with cerebrovascular adverse events in psychotic patients. In this study, the effects of haloperidol and risperidone on the cerebral hemodynamics and the possible relationships between antipsychotics and cerebrovascular risks tendency were evaluated by Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD).Twenty drug-nai ve schizophrenic patients and 20 normal control subjects were included. The patients were divided into haloperidol- and risperidone-treated groups and received treatment for 8 weeks double-blindly. The subjects' cerebral blood flow mean velocities (MV) and pulsatility index (PI) were measured weekly by TCD. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for schizophrenia (PANSS) was used to assess the patients' psychopathological symptoms.Increased MV and decreased PI were found significantly in drug-nai ve schizophrenic patients than normal subjects before treatment (p0.01). The decreased PI could be normalized after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment, while the increased MV could not. Treatment with haloperidol could significantly increase the PI than the treatment with risperidone (p0.01) throughout the treatment course. The PANSS scores of both groups were significantly improved (p0.05) at the endpoints of treatment.Our findings indicate that haloperidol may affect the cerebral hemodynamics in drug-naive schizophrenics more prominently than that of risperidone via TCD monitoring.

Oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) are exercise parameters that can predict cardiac morbidity in patients with numerous heart diseases. But the predictive value in patients with tetralogy of Fallot is still undetermined, especially in children. We evaluated the prognostic value of OUES and VO2peak in children with total repair of tetralogy of Fallot.Retrospective cohort study.Forty tetralogy of Fallot patients younger than 12 years old were recruited. They underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test during the follow-up period after total repair surgery. The results of the cardiopulmonary exercise test were used to predict the cardiac related hospitalization in the following two years after the test.OUES normalized by body surface area (OUES/BSA) and the percentage of predicted VO2peak appeared to be predictive for two-year cardiac related hospitalization. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the best threshold value for OUES/BSA was 1.029 (area under the curve = 0.70, p = 0.03), and for VO2peak was 74% of age prediction (area under the curve = 0.72, p = 0.02). The aforementioned findings were confirmed by Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank test.OUES/BSA and VO2peak are useful predictors of cardiac-related hospitalization in children with total repair of tetralogy of Fallot.