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Biomedical subjects

R Meng

Publications and source records attributed to R Meng.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Cerebrospinal fluid tau, Abeta1-42 and inflammatory cytokines in patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

In this study we aimed to evaluate the possibility of using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau, Abeta(1-42) and inflammatory cytokines for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD). We measured levels of total tau (T-tau), phospho-tau (P-tau), Abeta(1-42), IL-6, and TNFalpha in CSF in groups of AD, VD, and controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). T-tau level was found significantly higher in groups of AD (t = 3.015, P < 0.01) and VD (t = 2.872, P < 0.01) than in controls. IL-6 level as also higher in AD (t = 2.883, P < 0.01) and VD (t = 3.032, P < 0.01) than in controls. Both T-tau and IL-6 were not significantly different between AD and VD (P > 0.05). The group of AD had remarkably higher P-tau (t = 4.261 and 3.883, respectively, P < 0.01) and lower Abeta(1-42) (t = 3.883 and 4.129, respectively, P < 0.01), as compared with those in VD and controls. TNFalpha level in AD was significantly higher than that in controls (t = 2.745, P < 0.01), but lower than in VD (t = 3.032, P < 0.01). Our data suggested that increment of T-tau and IL-6 levels in CSF was useful for screening AD and VD in certain population, while descending Abeta(1-42) and ascending TNFalpha in CSF are preferable to diagnose AD. In addition, a higher level of CSF P-tau might support AD diagnosis.

Aged↗

[The effects of electric copper needle on venous thrombosis in the rat].

OBJECTIVE: In order to study the relation between the electric copper needle and venous thrombosis in the rat. METHODS: 90 rats were divided into two groups, each using either the superficial epigastric vein or the femoral vein for the experiment. The relations of voltage, current, electrifying time and venous thrombosis were studied and the histological changes were observed. RESULTS: 1. 1.4 V DC did not damage the vessel-nerve. 2. The current declined with time to 0.1 mA. 3. When the diameters of the copper needle and the vein were similar (P > 0.05), the thrombogenesis time was from 5.5 to 10.5 minutes. When the diameters of the copper needle and the vein were different (P < 0.05), the thrombogenesis time was from 7.5 to 17.5 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: For the electric copper needle to get ideal treatment, the best voltage is 4 V DC for 5.5 to 10.5 minutes or 7.5 to 17.5 minutes.

Animals↗

[Detection of serum antibody of coxsackievirus A24 variant].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the serum antibody in residents after outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) caused by coxrackievirus (CA24 v). METHODS: The serum was diluted in 1:10 and mixed with 100 TCID50 CA24 v in volume. The same the mixture was incubated 1 hour in 37 degrees C and then observed for cytopathic changes of the infected HeLa cells. RESULTS: The post-epidemic antibody positive rate in residents was 49.67% and in 19-25 age group was about 69.49%. It had significant difference statistically (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The raising of CA24 v antibody level in residents was relevent with age. May be it was caused by the opporturnities of taking part in social activities in different age groups.

Adolescent↗

[Study on etiology of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Qingdao during 1997].

OBJECTIVE: To study the etiology of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) in Qingdao during 1997. METHODS: During the AHC epidemic season viruses from the conjunctival swabs were isolated in Hela and Hep-2 cell cultures and were identified by neutralization test. RESULTS: All isolated virus strains were identified as (CA24) v and adenoviruses (Adv) by neutralization test with antisera of CA24 v, Echo virus 70(EV70), CA24, CA24 v of Beijing local strain, Ad3, Ad7 and Ad11. CONCLUSION: In 1997, a small epidemic of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis was caused by adenoviuses and CA24 v.

Conjunctivitis, Acute Hemorrhagic↗

[Flow injection analysis of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid with inhibited chemiluminescent detection].

It was found that 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (protocatechuric acid) inhibited chemiluminescence of luminol-H2O2 reaction catalyzed by Co2+. On this basis, a flow injection method has been developed for the determination of protocatechuric acid. The method is simple, convenient and sensitive with detection limit of 2.7 x 10(-7) mol/L and is effective to determine protocatechuric acid in the range of 1 x 10(-6)-1 x 10(-5) mol/L. The variation coefficient of eleven determinations for 8 x 10(-6) mol/L protocatechuric acid is 2.3%.

English Abstract↗

HIV infection in Maryland public psychiatric facilities: results of an informal survey.

The Maryland Psychiatric Society (MPS) Public Psychiatry Committee, concerned with the preparedness of Baltimore mental health facilities to deal with the accelerating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, surveyed public sector mental health facilities. The survey results indicated that the number of HIV-infected patients is greatly underestimated. Care providers acknowledged awareness of the problem and wanted more education.

Baltimore↗

Immunoenhancing effects of alprazolam, a benzodiazepine receptor agonist.

The effects of alprazolam (ALP), a triazolobenzodiazepine with high affinity for "central" benzodiazepine receptors, were examined on several parameters of immune function in mice. NK, MLR, and mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation were all significantly increased 2 hr after administration of low doses (0.02-1.0 mg/kg) of ALP. Twenty four hr later, similar but less robust immunoenhancing effects were observed. These measures of immune functions were not affected by higher doses of ALP (5-10 mg/kg). The immunoenhancing effects of ALP did not appear related to serum corticosterone levels. These and other findings demonstrate that the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor chloride channel complex can bidirectionally modulate immune function.

Alprazolam↗

How dangerous is work in Canada? Estimates of job-related fatalities in 482 occupations.

Data have been gathered from Labour Canada and the Quebec Workers' Compensation Board to examine estimates of mortality in 482 Canadian occupations. These data contain information on job-related fatalities within four-digit occupations for 1980, 1981, 1985, and 1986. Compared with comparable data from the United States, the estimates indicate that the incidence of job-related fatalities is significantly higher in Canada.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Is duplex follow-up cost-effective in the first year after carotid endarterectomy?

Recent reports have suggested that duplex scanning is an ideal method to noninvasively assess the incidence of recurrent carotid stenosis. However, the timing and frequency of the follow-up studies are controversial. In the present study, 150 patients underwent 173 carotid endarterectomy procedures over a 2 year period. In the postoperative period, a total of 210 duplex studies were carried out on 117 carotid arteries. 21.4 percent of the 117 arteries studied had recurrent stenosis of 16 percent or greater at a mean postoperative follow-up of 15.2 +/- 3 months. Recurrent stenoses were detected early after operation; 96 percent were detected at or before 15 months postoperatively. Patients with recurrent stenoses remained stable and had infrequent symptoms. Several risk factors placed the patient at increased risk for recurrent carotid stenosis: presence of contralateral disease (defined as stenosis of 50 percent or greater), use of tacking sutures, and continued smoking in the postoperative period. Although it remains important for researchers to thoroughly investigate the natural history of atherosclerosis of the extracranial carotid artery, including those changes that occur after carotid endarterectomy, our results indicate that frequent duplex scanning in the first postoperative year is unnecessary and is not cost-effective. Duplex follow-up studies 1 and 12 months after carotid endarterectomy are sufficient for assessing the problem of recurrent stenosis in the first postoperative year.

Adult↗

Altered response of reperfused myocardium to repeated coronary occlusion in dogs.

It is hypothesized that myocardium subjected to a 5 minute period of coronary occlusion and a 30 minute period of reperfusion has latent abnormalities that become overt when the reperfused myocardium is "challenged" by a subsequent coronary occlusion. This hypothesis is clinically relevant because reperfused myocardium is frequently subjected to recurrent ischemia, as in patients with unstable angina, vasospastic angina or recurrent thrombosis after initial coronary occlusion and thrombolysis. In 19 open chest dogs, the response of regional myocardial function to brief coronary occlusions was studied. Systolic wall thickening and diastolic thinning were measured using a specially developed miniature 5 MHz echocardiographic transducer fixed to the epicardium by suction. All 19 dogs underwent an initial "challenge" coronary occlusion (30 seconds). Thereafter, the control group (n = 8) underwent no intervention for 30 minutes, while the intervention group (n = 11) underwent 5 minutes of coronary occlusion followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion. All dogs were then subjected to a second "challenge" coronary occlusion (30 seconds). In the control group, responses to the second challenge occlusion were the same as to the first occlusion. In the intervention group, regional and global systolic function and myocardial perfusion after the 5 minute coronary occlusion intervention returned to baseline levels, but the response to the second challenge coronary occlusion was significantly different in the intervention group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Use of noninvasive methods in evaluation of left ventricular performance in coronary artery disease. II: Change in systolic time intervals after coronary artery bypass in patients with stable angina.

Serial recording of systolic time intervals (STI) was used to assess changes in left ventricular (LV) function in 92 patients with stable angina undergoing coronary angiography and LV cineangiography. On the basis of angiography, patients were placed in the following study groups: mild or absent coronary artery disease group -21 patients with less than 70 per cent occlusion of all coronary arteries, considered to have non-significant coronary artery disease and not needing bypass surgery; surgical bypass group-52 patients with evidence of significant (less than 70%) obstruction of at least one coronary artery who underwent myocardial revascularization; and medical group-19 patients with evidence of significant coronary artery disease not undergoing bypass surgery. Measured STI, corrected for heart rate and sex, were expressed as indices. No significant differences were noted in the mean STI from the time of initial evaluation to second evaluation 3 to 6 months later in either the mold or absent coronary artery disease patients or the medical group. In the surgical bypass group, however, serial studies at initial angiographic evaulation and 3 to 6 months after bypass surgery showed a shortened pre-ejection period (PEP) from 150 +/- 20 to 142 +/- 16 mn (P less than 0-001), prolonged left ventricular ejection time (LVET) from 396 +/- 21 to 409 +/- 14 ms (P less than 0-02), and decreased PEP/LVET from 0-45 +/- 0-11 to 0-04 +/- 0-07 (P less than 0-02). Paired data analysis of the three groups also showed a significant change only within the surgical bypass group from initial to find study, with a shortened PEP (P less than 0-002), prolonged LVET (P less than 0-001), and decreased PEP/LVET (P less than 0-001). These data suggest improvement in LV function in patients with significant coronary artery disease within a few months of myocardial revascularization, without demonstrable change in STI in those patients with coronary artery disease not subjected to revascularization.

Adult↗