AIM: To observe the expression of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) within the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN) and to explore the relationship between the activated CRH-containing neurons and sympathetic activity in rats with heart failure (HF).METHODS: Healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to coronary artery ligation to induce HF, and chronic intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion was performed by osmotic pump for 4 weeks.The rats in sham group and HF group were given vehicle (VEH;artificial cerebrospinal fluid 0.25 μL/h).The rats in HF plus treatment group were treated with CRH competitive inhibitor αh-CRH (15 mg/h).Meanwhile, the Lewis rats and Fischer 344 rats for control study also underwent coronary ligation to induce HF or sham surgery.After 4 weeks, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and maximum positive/negative change in pressure over time (±dp/dtmax) were determined.The right ventricular-to-body weight (RV/BW) and lung-to-body weight (lung/BW) ratios were calculated.The renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) was recorded and the plasma norepinephrine (NE) level was measured.The expression of CRH in the PVN combined with the plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) levels were measured.RESULTS: Compared with the sham-SD rats, the HF-SD rats had a greater number of CRH positive neurons in the PVN (accordingly the plasma ACTH levels were increased), accompanied by decreased ±dp/dtmax and increased RSNA, plasma NE, LVEDP, lung/BW and RV/BW.However, ICV treatment with αh-CRH attenuated these changes in the HF-SD rats (P<0.05).Compared with the sham-Fisher 344 rats, the HF-Fisher 344 rats also had a greater number of CRH positive neurons in the PVN (accordingly the plasma ACTH levels were increased).In addition, they had significantly increased RSNA and plasma NE level, higher LVEDP, RV/BW and lung/BW, and lower ±dp/dtmax (P<0.05).Compared with the SHAM-Lewis rats, the HF-Lewis rats had not significantly changed in the above parameters.CONCLUSION: In CHF, the CRH-containing neurons in PVN are activated, thus aggravating cardiac function by increasing sympathoexcitation.

Lipase of 54/923 cases increased in viral hepatitis group with an abnormal rate of 5.85％.Lipase level of viral hepatitis patients gradually increased with the rising total bilirubin levels,and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.0l).Among 54 viral hepatitis cases with elevated lipase,11 died.The sustained abnormal rate of lipase (6/11) of the death group was statistically significant vs.4.65％ (2/43) of the survival group(P ＜0.01).Thus viral hepatitis could be concomitant with elevated lipase and elevated lipase might promote the progression of liver disease.The continuing rise of lipase is correlated with the severity and prognosis of the patients.

As a mono-sodium salt form of alendronic acid, alendronate sodium presents multi-level ionization for the dissociation of its four hydroxyl groups. The dissociation constants of alendronate sodium were determined in this work by studying the piecewise linear relationship between volume of titrant and pH value based on acid-base potentiometric titration reaction. The distribution curves of alendronate sodium were drawn according to the determined pKa values. There were 4 dissociation constants (pKa1=2.43, pKa2=7.55, pKa3=10.80, pKa4=11.99, respectively) of alendronate sodium, and 12 existing forms, of which 4 could be ignored, existing in different pH environments.