Objective: To investigate the effects of sleep electroencephalogram-modulated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (SEM-rTMS) and conventional rTMS (C-rTMS) on the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adren...Objective: To investigate the effects of sleep electroencephalogram-modulated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (SEM-rTMS) and conventional rTMS (C-rTMS) on the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with depression. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 164 patients diagnosed with depression were randomized to treatment with SEM-rTMS (n=57), C-rTMS (n=55) or sham rTMS (n=52) for 30 rain every day for 10 d. Before and after treatment plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) were measured, and the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-24) was used for assessment. Results: The HAMD-24 scores and plasma ACTH and CORT concentrations of these depressive patients before treatment were significantly different from those of the normal control group (P〈0.05). The HAMD-24 scores and plasma ACTH and CORT concentrations in the SEM-rTMS group and conventional rTMS group were decreased significantly (P〈0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the HAMD-24 scores and plasma ACTH (n=240, r=0.105, P=0.048) and CORT concentrations (n-240, r=0.126, P=0.023) in the patients with depression before and after treatment. Conclusion: The antidepressant effect of rTMS, including SEM-rTMS, may be related to its decreasing HPA axis activity. (This trail was registered. No: ChiCTR-TRC-00000465)展开更多
Natural and synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely employed in a number of inflammatory, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases, and, despite the introduction of novel therapies, remain the first-line treatment for in...Natural and synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely employed in a number of inflammatory, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases, and, despite the introduction of novel therapies, remain the first-line treatment for inducing remission in moderate to severe active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Despite their extensive therapeutic use and the proven effectiveness, considerable clinical evidence of wide inter-individual differences in GC efficacy among patients has been reported, in particular when these agents are used in inflammatory diseases. In recent years, a detailed knowledge of the GC mechanism of action and of the genetic variants affecting GC activity at the molecular level has arisen from several studies. GCs interact with their cytoplasmic receptor, and are able to repress inflammatory gene expression through several distinct mechanisms. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is therefore crucial for the effects of these agents: mutations in the GR gene (NR3C1, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1) are the primary cause of a rare, inherited form of GC resistance; in addition, several polymorphisms of this gene have been described and associated with GC response and toxicity.However, the GR is not self-standing in the cell and the receptor-mediated functions are the result of a complex interplay of GR and many other cellular partners. The latter comprise several chaperonins of the large cooperative hetero-oligomeric complex that binds the hormonefree GR in the cytosol, and several factors involved in the transcriptional machinery and chromatin remodeling, that are critical for the hormonal control of target genes transcription in the nucleus. Furthermore, variants in the principal effectors of GCs (e.g. cytokines and their regulators) have also to be taken into account for a comprehensive evaluation of the variability in GC response. Polymorphisms in genes involved in the transport and/or metabolism of these hormones have also been suggested as other possible candidates of interest that could play a role in the observed inter-individual differences in efficacy and toxicity. The best-characterized example is the drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein, a membrane transporter that extrudes GCs from cells, thereby lowering their intracellular concentration. This protein is encoded by the ABCB1/ MDR1 gene; this gene presents different known polymorphic sites that can influence its expression and function. This editorial reviews the current knowledge on this topic and underlines the role of genetics in predicting GC clinical response. The ambitious goal of pharmacogenomic studies is to adapt therapies to a patient’s specific genetic background, thus improving on efficacy and safety rates.展开更多
Dementia is a loss of mental ability (ability to think, remember and make logical conclusions) which, in principle affects normal everyday life of a person. Dementia is not a disease but a group of symptoms that may...Dementia is a loss of mental ability (ability to think, remember and make logical conclusions) which, in principle affects normal everyday life of a person. Dementia is not a disease but a group of symptoms that may cause different diseases. Symptoms include change of behaviour, character and unexpected changes in the mood. Poor quality of nutrition affects significantly the intensity of dementia. Balanced diet that meets healthy safety standards and requirements will satisfy the needs of an organism for vitamins and minerals and special attention should be given to intake of folic acid, vitamin B12 and minerals zinc and selenium. Intake of omega3 fatty acids is a source of fuel for blood vessels, particularly for the ones of the nervous tissues.展开更多
Based on reference review, this study investigated ecosystem services supported by 10 typical rice paddies in six rice planting regions of China. The services were primary production, gas regulation, nitrogen transfor...Based on reference review, this study investigated ecosystem services supported by 10 typical rice paddies in six rice planting regions of China. The services were primary production, gas regulation, nitrogen transformation, soil organic matter accumulation, and water regulation and flood control. The results indicated that grain production of the 10 rice paddies was between 4.71 and 12.18 t ha^-1 y^-1; straw production was 4.65 to 9.79 t ha^-1 y^-1; gas regulation was calculated to emit O2 ranging from 8.27 to 19.69 t ha^-1 y^-1 and to assimilate greenhouse gases ranging from -2.13 to 19.24 t ha^-1 y^-1 (in CO2 equivalent); nitrogen transformation was estimated as nitrogen input ranging from 209.70 to 513.93 kg N ha^-1 y^-1 and nitrogen output of 112.87 to 332.69 kg N ha^-1 y^-1; soil organic matter accumulation was calculated to be between 0.69 and 4.88 t C ha^-1 y^-1; water regulation was estimated to consume water resources of 19875 m3 ha^-1 y^-1 and to support water resources of 6430 m3 ha^-1 y^-1; and flood control of several of the rice paddies was calculated to be 1500 m3 ha^-1 y^-1. The integrated economic value of ecosystem services of these rice paddies was estimated at USD 8605–21 405 ha^-1 y^-1, of which 74%–89% of the value can be ascribed to ecosystem services outside primary production. The results also indicated that the integrated economic value of the ecosystem services of the 10 rice paddies was higher when nitrogen fertilizer was applied in the range of 275 to 297 kg N ha^-1. Until now, the economic value of the rice paddy ecosystem has been underestimated as only the economic value of grain and straw production was previously calculated. As more and more forest land and grassland is lost to urban and industrial use, cropland and especially rice paddies, will become more ecologically important to society. The economic value of ecosystem services supplied by rice paddies, outside primary production, are worthy of increased research attention.展开更多
OBJECTIVE:To study the development mechanism of kidney-Yang deficiency through the establishment of support vector machine models of relevant hormones of the pituitary-target gland axes in rats with kidney-Yang defici...OBJECTIVE:To study the development mechanism of kidney-Yang deficiency through the establishment of support vector machine models of relevant hormones of the pituitary-target gland axes in rats with kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome.METHODS:The kidney-Yang deficiency rat model was created by intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone,and contents of the hormones of the pituita- ry-thyroid axis:thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),3,3',5-triiodothyronine(T_3) and thyroxine(T_4);hormones of the pituitary-adrenal gland axis:adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) and Cortisol(CORT);and hormones of the pituitary-gonadal axis:luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),and testosterone(T),were determined in the early,middle,and advanced stages.Ten support vector regression(SVR) models of the hormones were established to analyze the mutual relationships among the hormones of the three axes.RESULTS:The feedback control action of the pituitary-adrenal axis began to lose efficacy from the middle stage of kidney-Kong deficiency.The contents all hormones of the three pituitary-target gland axes decreased in the advanced stage.Relative errors of the jackknife test of the SVR models all were less than 10%.CONCLUSION:Imbalances in mutual regulation among the hormones of the pituitary-target gland axes,especially loss of effectiveness of the pituitary-adrenal axis,is one pathogenesis of kidney-Yang deficiency.The SVR model can accurately reflect the complicated non-linear relationships among pituitary-target gland axes in rats with of kidney-Yang deficiency.展开更多
基金Supported by the Social Development Guide Projects of Science and Technology Committee of Jiangsu Province in 2005 (BS2005629)"The Six Major Expert Peaks" Projects of Jiangsu Provincial Government in 2006 [Surentong (2006) 174]
文摘Objective: To investigate the effects of sleep electroencephalogram-modulated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (SEM-rTMS) and conventional rTMS (C-rTMS) on the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with depression. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 164 patients diagnosed with depression were randomized to treatment with SEM-rTMS (n=57), C-rTMS (n=55) or sham rTMS (n=52) for 30 rain every day for 10 d. Before and after treatment plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) were measured, and the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-24) was used for assessment. Results: The HAMD-24 scores and plasma ACTH and CORT concentrations of these depressive patients before treatment were significantly different from those of the normal control group (P〈0.05). The HAMD-24 scores and plasma ACTH and CORT concentrations in the SEM-rTMS group and conventional rTMS group were decreased significantly (P〈0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the HAMD-24 scores and plasma ACTH (n=240, r=0.105, P=0.048) and CORT concentrations (n-240, r=0.126, P=0.023) in the patients with depression before and after treatment. Conclusion: The antidepressant effect of rTMS, including SEM-rTMS, may be related to its decreasing HPA axis activity. (This trail was registered. No: ChiCTR-TRC-00000465)
文摘Natural and synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely employed in a number of inflammatory, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases, and, despite the introduction of novel therapies, remain the first-line treatment for inducing remission in moderate to severe active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Despite their extensive therapeutic use and the proven effectiveness, considerable clinical evidence of wide inter-individual differences in GC efficacy among patients has been reported, in particular when these agents are used in inflammatory diseases. In recent years, a detailed knowledge of the GC mechanism of action and of the genetic variants affecting GC activity at the molecular level has arisen from several studies. GCs interact with their cytoplasmic receptor, and are able to repress inflammatory gene expression through several distinct mechanisms. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is therefore crucial for the effects of these agents: mutations in the GR gene (NR3C1, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1) are the primary cause of a rare, inherited form of GC resistance; in addition, several polymorphisms of this gene have been described and associated with GC response and toxicity.However, the GR is not self-standing in the cell and the receptor-mediated functions are the result of a complex interplay of GR and many other cellular partners. The latter comprise several chaperonins of the large cooperative hetero-oligomeric complex that binds the hormonefree GR in the cytosol, and several factors involved in the transcriptional machinery and chromatin remodeling, that are critical for the hormonal control of target genes transcription in the nucleus. Furthermore, variants in the principal effectors of GCs (e.g. cytokines and their regulators) have also to be taken into account for a comprehensive evaluation of the variability in GC response. Polymorphisms in genes involved in the transport and/or metabolism of these hormones have also been suggested as other possible candidates of interest that could play a role in the observed inter-individual differences in efficacy and toxicity. The best-characterized example is the drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein, a membrane transporter that extrudes GCs from cells, thereby lowering their intracellular concentration. This protein is encoded by the ABCB1/ MDR1 gene; this gene presents different known polymorphic sites that can influence its expression and function. This editorial reviews the current knowledge on this topic and underlines the role of genetics in predicting GC clinical response. The ambitious goal of pharmacogenomic studies is to adapt therapies to a patient’s specific genetic background, thus improving on efficacy and safety rates.
文摘Dementia is a loss of mental ability (ability to think, remember and make logical conclusions) which, in principle affects normal everyday life of a person. Dementia is not a disease but a group of symptoms that may cause different diseases. Symptoms include change of behaviour, character and unexpected changes in the mood. Poor quality of nutrition affects significantly the intensity of dementia. Balanced diet that meets healthy safety standards and requirements will satisfy the needs of an organism for vitamins and minerals and special attention should be given to intake of folic acid, vitamin B12 and minerals zinc and selenium. Intake of omega3 fatty acids is a source of fuel for blood vessels, particularly for the ones of the nervous tissues.
基金Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA05050203)National Natural Science Foundation of China (31140048, 30770410 and 31070384)Innovation Project of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS (200905010)
文摘Based on reference review, this study investigated ecosystem services supported by 10 typical rice paddies in six rice planting regions of China. The services were primary production, gas regulation, nitrogen transformation, soil organic matter accumulation, and water regulation and flood control. The results indicated that grain production of the 10 rice paddies was between 4.71 and 12.18 t ha^-1 y^-1; straw production was 4.65 to 9.79 t ha^-1 y^-1; gas regulation was calculated to emit O2 ranging from 8.27 to 19.69 t ha^-1 y^-1 and to assimilate greenhouse gases ranging from -2.13 to 19.24 t ha^-1 y^-1 (in CO2 equivalent); nitrogen transformation was estimated as nitrogen input ranging from 209.70 to 513.93 kg N ha^-1 y^-1 and nitrogen output of 112.87 to 332.69 kg N ha^-1 y^-1; soil organic matter accumulation was calculated to be between 0.69 and 4.88 t C ha^-1 y^-1; water regulation was estimated to consume water resources of 19875 m3 ha^-1 y^-1 and to support water resources of 6430 m3 ha^-1 y^-1; and flood control of several of the rice paddies was calculated to be 1500 m3 ha^-1 y^-1. The integrated economic value of ecosystem services of these rice paddies was estimated at USD 8605–21 405 ha^-1 y^-1, of which 74%–89% of the value can be ascribed to ecosystem services outside primary production. The results also indicated that the integrated economic value of the ecosystem services of the 10 rice paddies was higher when nitrogen fertilizer was applied in the range of 275 to 297 kg N ha^-1. Until now, the economic value of the rice paddy ecosystem has been underestimated as only the economic value of grain and straw production was previously calculated. As more and more forest land and grassland is lost to urban and industrial use, cropland and especially rice paddies, will become more ecologically important to society. The economic value of ecosystem services supplied by rice paddies, outside primary production, are worthy of increased research attention.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation for Young Scholars of China(Study on the Mechanism of Kidney-Yang Deficiency Regulation with Yougui Pill Base on Support Vector Regression Machine,No.81403153)National Natural Science Foundation of China(General Program,Study on the Mechanisms of the Premature Ovarian Failure Regulation by Herbs Couples of Cuscuta Chinessis-Radix Bupleuri in Dingjing Decoction based on RBF Artificial Neural Networks,No.81073073) and National Natural Science Foundation of China(General Program,Study on the law of compatibility of Categorized Formula for Tonifying Kidney Yang based on Rough Set,No.30973977)
文摘OBJECTIVE:To study the development mechanism of kidney-Yang deficiency through the establishment of support vector machine models of relevant hormones of the pituitary-target gland axes in rats with kidney-Yang deficiency syndrome.METHODS:The kidney-Yang deficiency rat model was created by intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone,and contents of the hormones of the pituita- ry-thyroid axis:thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),3,3',5-triiodothyronine(T_3) and thyroxine(T_4);hormones of the pituitary-adrenal gland axis:adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) and Cortisol(CORT);and hormones of the pituitary-gonadal axis:luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),and testosterone(T),were determined in the early,middle,and advanced stages.Ten support vector regression(SVR) models of the hormones were established to analyze the mutual relationships among the hormones of the three axes.RESULTS:The feedback control action of the pituitary-adrenal axis began to lose efficacy from the middle stage of kidney-Kong deficiency.The contents all hormones of the three pituitary-target gland axes decreased in the advanced stage.Relative errors of the jackknife test of the SVR models all were less than 10%.CONCLUSION:Imbalances in mutual regulation among the hormones of the pituitary-target gland axes,especially loss of effectiveness of the pituitary-adrenal axis,is one pathogenesis of kidney-Yang deficiency.The SVR model can accurately reflect the complicated non-linear relationships among pituitary-target gland axes in rats with of kidney-Yang deficiency.