Prevalence of Spina Bifida Occulta and Its Relationship With Overactive Bladder in Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese People

Jun Wei Wu,Yu Rong Xing,Yi Bo Wen,Tian Fang Li,Quan De Feng,Xiao Ping Shang,Yun Long Li,Jin Jin Feng,Xin Xin Wang,Rong Qun Zhai,Xiang Fei He,Tao Chen,Xin Jian Liu,Jian Guo Wen 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2016 International Neurourology Journal Vol.20 No.2

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of spina bifida occulta (SBO) and its relationship with the presence of overactive bladder (OAB) in middle-aged and elderly people in China. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based survey was carried out at 7 communities in Zhengzhou City, China from December 15, 2013 to June 10, 2014, where residents aged over 40 years were randomly selected to participate. All of the participants underwent lumbosacral radiographic analysis and relevant laboratory tests. A questionnaire including basic information, past medical history and present illness, and the OAB symptom score was filled out by all participants. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used for data analysis with a P-value of <0.05 denoting statistical significance. Results: A total of 1,061 subjects were qualified for the final statistical analysis (58.8±11.7 years; male, 471 [44.4%]; female, 590 [55.6%]). The overall prevalence of SBO was 15.1% (160 of 1,061): 18.3% (86 of 471) in men and 12.5% (74 of 590) in women. Among these subjects, 13.7% (145 of 1,061) had OAB: 13.2% (62 of 471) in men and 14.1% (83 of 590) in women. The results of logistic regression showed that age, SBO, history of cerebral infarction (HCI), and constipation were risk factors for OAB (P<0.05), while sex, history of childhood enuresis (HCE), body mass index (BMI), and diabetes mellitus (DM) were not (P>0.05). In men, age, SBO, and constipation were risk factors for OAB (P<0.05), while HCE, BMI, DM, HCI, and benign prostate hyperplasia were not (P>0.05). In women, age, SBO, and HCI were risk factors for OAB (P<0.05), while HCE, BMI, DM, vaginal delivery, and constipation were not (P>0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of SBO is high and it is related to OAB in middle-aged and elderly people in China.

Investigation of the Deformation and Failure Characteristics of High-Strength Concrete in Dynamic Splitting Tests

Xudong Chen,Jin Wu,Kai Shang,Yingjie Ning,Lihui Bai 한국콘크리트학회 2022 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.16 No.6

The dynamic response properties of concrete have been of interest during the use of buildings due to seismic, impact, and explosion events. The splitting Hopkinson lever is a classical device for testing the dynamic mechanical properties of materials. In this paper, dynamic splitting tests on concrete were conducted using it, and a time series predictive computational model for the incident, reflected and transmitted pulses of high-strength concrete specimens at high strain rates was developed, and the extension mechanism of splitting tensile cracks in high-strength concrete was detected and analyzed based on the DIC technique. The results show that: the peak strength of C60 specimens and C80 specimens increased by about 60% and 90%, respectively, from 0.05 MPa to 0.09 MPa in impact strength; the triangular damaged area at the end of the contact surface of the specimen and the rod subjected to high impact pressure increased significantly, the dynamic energy dissipation increased, and the damage degree of the specimens increased; under the action of high strain rate, the brittleness of the concrete specimens with higher strength increased, the damage rate The higher strength concrete specimens have increased brittleness, faster damage rate and higher crack extension under high strain rate. The results of the paper can provide important references for the design of buildings under impact loading.

Construction of Mammalian Cell Expression Vector for pAcGFP-bFLIP(L) Fusion Protein and Its Expression in Follicular Granulosa Cells

Yang, Run Jun,Li, Wu Feng,Li, Jun Ya,Zhang, Lu Pei,Gao, Xue,Chen, Jin Bao,Xu, Shang Zhong Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2010 Animal Bioscience Vol.23 No.3

FLICE inhibitory protein (FLIP) is one of the important anti-apoptotic proteins in the Fas/FasL apoptotic path which has death effect domains, mimicking the pro-domain of procaspase-8. To reveal the intracellular signal transduction molecules involved in the process of follicular development in the bovine ovary, we cloned the c-FLIP(L) gene in bovine ovary tissue with the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), deleted the termination codon in its cDNA, and directionally cloned the amplified c-FLIP(L) gene into eukaryotic expression vector pAcGFP-Nl, including AcGFP, and successfully constructed the fusion protein recombinant plasmid. After identifying by restrictive enzyme BglII/EcoRI and sequencing, pAcGFP-bFLIP(L) was then transfected into follicular granulosa cells, mediated by Lipofectamine 2000, the expression of AcGFP observed and the transcription and expression of c-FLIP(L) detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The results showed that the cattle c-FLIP(L) was successfully cloned; the pAcGFPbFLIP(L) fusion protein recombinant plasmid was successfuly constructed by introducing a BglII/EcoRI cloning site at the two ends of the c-FLIP(L) open reading frame and inserting a Kozak sequence before the start codon. AcGFP expression was detected as early as 24 h after transfection. The percentage of AcGFP positive cells reached about 65% after 24 h. A 1,483 bp transcription was amplified by RT-PCR, and a 83 kD target protein was detected by Western blot. Construction of the pAcGFP-bFLIP(L) recombinant plasmid should be helpful for further understanding the mechanism of regulation of c-FLIP(L) on bovine oocyte formation and development.

The Effect of Glycemic Status on Kidney Stone Disease in Patients with Prediabetes

Tzu-Hsien Lien,Jin-Shang Wu,Yi-Ching Yang,Zih-Jie Sun,Chih-Jen Chang 대한당뇨병학회 2016 Diabetes and Metabolism Journal Vol.40 No.2

Background: While the evidence supporting a positive association between diabetes mellitus and kidney stone disease (KSD) is solid, studies examining the association between impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and KSD show inconsistent results. Currently, there are no studies examining the relationship between impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and KSD. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of different glycemic statuses on KSD. The results may help to motivate patients with diabetes to conform to treatment regimens. Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study of a population that underwent health check-ups between January 2000 and August 2009 at the Health Evaluation Center of National Cheng Kung University Hospital. A total of 14,186 subjects were enrolled. The following categories of glycemic status were used according to the criteria of the 2009 American Diabetes Association: normal glucose tolerance, isolated IGT, isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes. The existence of KSD was evaluated using renal ultrasonography, and the presence of any hyperechoic structures causing acoustic shadowing was considered to be indicative of KSD. Results: The prevalence of KSD was 7.4% (712/9,621), 9.3% (163/1,755), 10.8% (78/719), 12.0% (66/548), and 11.3% (174/1,543) in subjects with NGT, isolated IGT, isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes, respectively. Isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes were associated with KSD after adjusting for other clinical variables, but isolated IGT was not. Age (41 to 64 years vs. ≤40 years, ≥65 years vs. ≤40 years), male gender, hypertension, and hyperuricemia were also independently associated with KSD. Conclusion: Isolated IFG, combined IFG/IGT, and diabetes, but not isolated IGT, were associated with a higher risk of KSD.

Gentiopicroside Ameliorates the Progression from Hepatic Steatosis to Fibrosis Induced by Chronic Alcohol Intake

( Hong-xu Yang ),( Yue Shang ),( Quan Jin ),( Yan-ling Wu ),( Jian Liu ),( Chun-ying Qiao ),( Zi-ying Zhan ),( Huan Ye ),( Ji-xing Nan ),( Li-hua Lian ) 한국응용약물학회 2020 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.28 No.4

In current study, we aimed to investigate whether the gentiopicroside (GPS) derived from Gentiana manshurica Kitagawa could block the progression of alcoholic hepatic steatosis to fibrosis induced by chronic ethanol intake. C57BL/6 mice were fed an ethanol- containing Lieber-DeCarli diet for 4 weeks. LX-2 human hepatic stellate cells were treated with GPS 1 h prior to transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) stimulation, and murine hepatocyte AML12 cells were pretreated by GPS 1 h prior to ethanol treatment. GPS inhibited the expression of type I collagen (collagen I), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and tissue inhibitor of metal protease 1 in ethanol-fed mouse livers with mild fibrosis. In addition, the imbalanced lipid metabolism induced by chronic ethanol-feeding was ameliorated by GPS pretreatment, characterized by the modulation of lipid accumulation. Consistently, GPS inhibited the expression of collagen I and α-SMA in LX-2 cells stimulated by TGF-β. Inhibition of lipid synthesis and promotion of oxidation by GPS were also confirmed in ethanol-treated AML12 cells. GPS could prevent hepatic steatosis advancing to the inception of a mild fibrosis caused by chronic alcohol exposure, suggesting GPS might be a promising therapy for targeting the early stage of alcoholic liver disease.

Charged BTZ-like black hole solutions and the diffusivity-butterfly velocity relation

Ge, Xian-Hui,Sin, Sang-Jin,Tian, Yu,Wu, Shao-Feng,Wu, Shang-Yu Institute of Physics Pub 2018 The journal of high energy physics Vol.2018 No.1

Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitor Parecoxib Was Disclosed as a PPAR-γ Agonist by In Silico and In Vitro Assay

( Bin Xiao ),( Dan-dan Li ),( Ying Wang ),( Eun La Kim ),( Na Zhao ),( Shang-wu Jin ),( Dong-hao Bai ),( Li-dong Sun ),( Jee H. Jung ) 한국응용약물학회 2021 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.29 No.5

In a search for effective PPAR-γ agonists, 110 clinical drugs were screened via molecular docking, and 9 drugs, including parecoxib, were selected for subsequent biological evaluation. Molecular docking of parecoxib to the ligand-binding domain of PPAR-γ showed high binding affinity and relevant binding conformation compared with the PPAR-γ ligand/antidiabetic drug rosiglitazone. Per the docking result, parecoxib showed the best PPAR-γ transactivation in Ac2F rat liver cells. Further docking simulation and a luciferase assay suggested parecoxib would be a selective (and partial) PPAR-γ agonist. PPAR-γ activation by parecoxib induced adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 murine preadipocytes. Parecoxib promoted adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner and enhanced the expression of adipogenesis transcription factors PPAR-γ, C/EBPα, and C/EBPβ. These data indicated that parecoxib might be utilized as a partial PPAR-γ agonist for drug repositioning study.