Apelin is the endogenous ligand of a G protein-coupled receptor called APJ, its propeptide is an X-linked and coded peptide with 77 amino acids. Apelin/apelin receptor system is widely distributed in the body and is involved in various physiological and pathological regulations. It has been demonstrated that apelin is associated with the occurrence and development of many diseases, including angiocardiopathy, pulmonary arterial hypertension, nephropathy, cancer, endocrine disease, and so on. Currently, studies on apelin in nervous system have been developed gradually. This article focuses on apelin and summarizes the distribution and pathophysiological roles of apelin in nervous system, as well as in the occurrence and development of diseases associated with nervous system.

Objective · To study the metabolite profiles on patients of ischemic stroke using metabonomics approach. Methods · The serum samples from the 29 patients with ischemic stroke and 31 healthy controls were analyzed by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) coupled multi-dimensional statistical methods to find differential metabolites in two groups. Results · Orthogonal partial least squares analysis (OPLS) model was generated based on identified metabolites and shown clear discrimination from patients and healthy controls. Some serum metabolite levels were significantly altered in patients. Six up-regulated metabolites included γ- aminobutyric acid, glutaric acid, glyceric acid, gluconic acid, lactobionic acid, and cholesterol, and nineteen down-regulated metabolites included citric acid, aconitic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, β-alanine, and glycerol-3-phosphate. Conclusion · Amino acid metabolism, glycometabolism and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are disturbed in patient of ischemic stroke. The metabonomic approach has great potential to understand the underlying mechanisms of stroke in ischemic patients.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Organophosphonates ; Tenofovir ; Treatment Failure

Objective·To study the change of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients within one week after attack,and the correlation of cEPCs with the prognosis.Methods·Ninty-two patients with AIS (AIS group) and 20 patients with risk factors (Risk group) were recruited.The proportion of cEPCs (CD34TKDR+ cells) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of AIS patients was measured by flow cytometry (FCM) on the first day of admission and the seventh day after attack.Functional recovery was assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) on the 90th day after onset.The cEPCs percentages of AIS patients with different mRS were compared to analyze their correlation.Results·Compared with Risk group,cEPCs percentage of AIS group on the 1st day of admission was lower (P=0.016).In AIS group,compared with poor prognosis group (mRS＞2),eEPCs percentage of good prognosis group on the 7th day after onset (mRS ≤ 2) elevates (P=0.002).The result of multiple linear regression showed that cEPCs percentage on the 7th day after onset was positively correlated with mRS on the 90th day (t=4.608,P=0.011).Conclusion·The percentage of cEPCs in peripheral blood of AIS patients decreases significantly during the acute phase.The percentage on the 7th day after onset is correlated with prognosis of AIS patients.

ObjectiveTo investigate the biological effects and its mechanisms of ascorbic acid on pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells. Methods PANC1 cells were treated by ascorbic acid of different concentrations (0 ～40 mmol/L) for 24,48,72 hours.The proliferation of PANC1 cells was analyzed by MTT method; cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry (FCM); inverted microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe cell morphology. The membrane potential of mitochondria were mearured by with JC-1 staining and FCM.Meanwhile,the changes of cell morphology and mitochondrial membrane potential induced by ascorbic acid after pretreatment with hydrogen peroxidescavenging enzyme (catalase) and red blood cells were also detected. Results Ascorbic acid in pharmacologic concentrations selectively inhibited the proliferation of PANC1 cells in a dose and time dependent manner.PANC1 cells were arrested in G2/M phase after treatment with 5 mmol/L ascorbic acid [ (32.55 ± 7.14)％ vs (22.00 ±1.27)％,t =5.808,P＜0.05],but there was no changes on apoptosis rate [ (1.98 ± 1.80)％ vs (1.09 ±0.16)％ ].Inverted microscope and transmission electron microscopy showed that oncosislike cell death of PANC1 cells was induced after treatment with ≥5 mmol/L ascorbic acid.Mitochondrial membrane potential of PANC1 cells was significantly lower than that of the control group in a dose dependent manner.The descent of mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with catalase and red blood cells,and the degree of cell oncosis was attenuated.ConclusionsAscorbic acid significantly inhibited the proliferation of pancreatic cancer PANC1 cells in vitro.Ascorbic acid induced PANC1 cell oncosis,but not apoptosis.The possible mechanisms of inducing oncosis may be related to the descent of mitochondrial membrane potential.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) in Chinese Han nationality.

METHODSFor 106 patients with CHD and 108 unrelated health individuals, the G894T mutation at exon 7 of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene was studied by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

RESULTS(1) Among the normal subjects of Chinese Han nationality, the frequencies of the eNOS/GG, GT and TT genotypes were 0.9095, 0.0883 and 0.0021, respectively. The G and T allele frequencies were 0.9537 and 0.0463. (2) The authors assumed the effects of the T allele to be dominant (GT and TT combined vs GG). The GT+TT genotype frequencies in CHD and myocardial infarction (MI) subgroup were 0.2219 and 0.2387, respectively. The frequencies of eNOS/GT+TT genotypes in CHD patients, as well as MI subgroup were significantly higher than that of the normal subjects (P<0.05), respectively. The frequencies of T allele in CHD, MI subgroup were significantly higher than that in the normal subjects (P<0.01), respectively. (3) This mutation was not related to the number of affected vessels in the 58 patients who had angiographically documented artery narrowing (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe G894T mutation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene may be a marker for genetical predisposition of CHD in Chinese Han population.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Coronary Artery Disease ; enzymology ; genetics ; DNA ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; genetics ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Point Mutation

Objective To study phylogenies, epidemiology and genetic environment of CTX-M type of ESBLs produced by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from nine hospitals in Guangzhou. Methods The phylogenies of CTX-M type of ESBLs were analyzed by PCR Genetic environment of CTX-M-15 encoding gene (bla_(CTX-M-15)) were investigated by conjugation test and plasmid analysis. The clonal relationship of strains producing CTX-M-15 was determined by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR). Results A total of 361 ESBLs-producing isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were collected. 67.3% of ESBLs strains were detected to produce CTX-M-type ESBLs, and the commonest genotypes in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were CTX-M-14 (35.4% and 28.3%), CTX-M-15(21.5% and 26.1%) EBIC-PCR products of all CTX-M-15-producing strains show 39 strains of Escherichia coli were classified into 27 genotypes while 43 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae were divided into 30 genotypes. Furthermore, the genotypes of CTX-M-55, CTX-M-19, CTX-M-27, with ceftazidime-hydrelyzing activity, were detected in this study. The great majority of bla_(CTX-M-15) genes were found to locate on a 65 000 bp-conjugative plasmid, and there was no blaTEM-1, bla_(OXA-1), blaDSA-1 or aac (6')-Ib-cr gene coexisted on the plasmid, ISEcp1-like insertion sequences, relative to mobilization of bla_(CTX-M-15) gene, were detected in all bla_(CTX-M-15) positive strains, and the distances between the end of ISEcp1-like insertion sequences and the start cedon of bla_(CTX-M-15) were equal, with 48 base pairs. Conclusion CTX-M-14 is still the most common genotype of ESBLs in Guangzhou, but high prevalence of CTX-M-15 ESBLs hydrolyzing ceftazidime already appears in south China.

Objective:To explore a new technology that can protect the lungs and heart better by utilizing the dose distribution attributes of the half-field and the characteristics of the VMAT (volumetric modulated arc therapy) technology.Methods:A three-dimensional water tank was used to measure the dose of symmetrical field and half field edge and analyze them comparatively. A total of 50 patients with left breast cancer receiving the postoperative radiotherapy were selected. Among them, 25 patients were performed conserving surgery and 25 patients were performed radical mastectomy. After the operation, all the patients received the prescription dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions. Based on the Eclipse system, the symmetrical field continuous arc VMAT technology and the semi-field segmented arc VMAT technology were used to design the plan. Besides, the dose suitability data and the treatment efficiency of target areas and organs at risk were compared and analyzed.Results:The radiation size of half-field did not increase with the increased depth in the water mode. The symmetric field gradually enlarged due to the angle of tensor factor, increased to about 2 cm at the depth of 30 cm, and the delivery dose in the half-field was lower than that in the symmetric field. The closer the field edge is, the more obvious it is. Compared with the symmetric field continuous arc plan, the half-field segmental arc VMAT plan significantly improved the delivery dose of the lungs and heart ( t=-4.11, -4.42, P=0.00), in which the mean values of V5, V30, and Dmean for the whole structure of the heart were reduced by 52.5%, 65.5%, and 47%, respectively. The left anterior descending coronary artery, which was closely related to the target area, had a decrease of more than 20%. The mean values of V5, V10, V20, and Dmean of the affected lung were reduced by 21.6%, 24.8%, 25.0%, and 23.2%, respectively. The mean values of the doses of other endangered healthy organs, and the execution time of half-field segment arc plan were also better than the continuous arc plan. Conclusions:For breast cancer radiotherapy, the combination of half-field and VMAT can give full play to the advantages of half-field and VMAT, and significantly reduce the irradiated dose of the heart, affected lung, and healthy side of the breast.

Objective:To explore a new technique for lung dose reduction in esophageal cancer radiotherapy based on the dose distribution characteristics of the half-field combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technique.Methods:A three-dimensional water tank was used to measure the dose distribution at the edge of the symmetrical field and half-field, which was then compared and analyzed. Twenty patients with the middle and lower thoracic esophageal cancer receiving radiotherapy with prescription doses of 50.4-60.0 Gy were selected. Based on the Varian Vital beam linear accelerator and Eclipse planning system, flattening filter (FF) technique symmetrical field and half-field beam design and the flattening filter-free (FFF) technique symmetrical field and half-field design were adopted to compare and analyze various dose data and treatment MU numbers for the target area and the endangered organs. The field settings were chosen in the front 1 and back 4 mode.Results:Compared with the symmetrical field plan, the half-field plan significantly improved the irradiated dose to the lung with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05), and the half-field FFF was slightly better than the half-field FF mode. Compared with the total lung V 5Gy, V 20Gy, V 30Gy, and D mean dosimetric parameters (Gy), the FF symmetric field and FFF half-field were (49.64±5.39)% vs.(42.70±5.53)%, (15.99±3.93)% vs.(13.32±3.06)%, (9.24±2.77)% vs.(8.50±2.62)%, and (10.45±1.76)% vs.(9.50±1.53)%, respectively. There was a significant reduction in the volume dose values for all structures of the lung (all P<0.05). For other comparative data, the irradiated dose for the heart of the symmetrical field was better than that of the half-field mode ( P<0.05), and the differences in conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI), number of treated MU, and spinal cord associated with the target area were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). Conclusions:During radiotherapy for esophageal cancer, target area coverage and dose volume data of the lung are the main parameters affecting the efficacy and side effects. IMRT treatment based on the half-field mode can give full play to the advantages of half-field and IMRT, and significantly improve the irradiated dose to the lung, which can offer an additional clinical option.

Objective To investigate the resistance of clinical Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from 15 hospitals in several regions of China during 2011.Methods Fifteen repre-sentative general hospitals were involved in this program. Bacterial susceptibility testing was carried out by means of a unified protocol using Kirby-Bauer method and MIC determi-nation.Results were analyzed according to CLSI 2011 break-points.Results Majority (93.3%) of the 1 889 clinical strains of S.maltophilia were isolated from inpatients.On-ly 6.7% of the isolates were from outpatients.About 62.9% of these S .maltophilia strains were isolated from old patients whose age was 60 years or older.Only 8.2% of the strains were from the patients younger than 18 years old.Sputum and re-spiratory tract secretion were the most common specimen source,accounting for 82.6%.Another 4.2% isolates were from blood,abdominal fluid and other sterile body fluids.The percentage of the S .maltophilia strain resistant to trimethoprim-sul-famethoxazole,levofloxacin and minocycline was 16.6%,10.0% and 1.8%,respectively.The strains resistant to cefopera-zone-sulbactam accounted for 19.0%.About 37.1% of the strains isolated from blood or sterile body fluids were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,significantly higher than the strains from urine or wound specimens (P < 0.01).Conclusions S.maltophilia strains are mainly isolated from inpatients.The most common source is sputum and other respiratory speci-mens.Most of the patients with S.maltophilia isolate are 60 years of age or older.The S.maltophilia strains are constitu-tively resistant to several antibacterial agents,but showed relatively lower resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,levo-floxacin and minocycline.Cefoperazone-sulbactam is still active against these strains.The antimicrobial therapy targeting S. maltophilia infections should be selected cautiously according to the results of antimicrobial resistance surveillance.