Objective To assess and compare the Beck Depression Inventory-II ( BDI-Ⅱ) , Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression Subscale ( HADS-D) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale ( CES-D) as screening instruments for depression in patients with epilepsy .Methods One hundred and seventeen patients diagnosed with epilepsy were evaluated by BDI-Ⅱ, HADS-D and CES-D, the performance of BDI-Ⅱ, HADS-D and CES-D was evaluated by ROC curve .Results There were 33 epileptics with depression .The sensitivity and specificity of BDI-Ⅱfor the diagnosis of depression was around 90% for critical value 16, the sensitivity of CES-D was more than 80%for critical value 15, and specificity was 72.6%.The sensitivity and specificity of HADS-D was more than 80%for critical value 9, and the sensitivity of HADS-D was 91.3% for critical value 7, and specificity was 76.8%.Three instruments showed a negative predictive value of over 90%.Comparisons of the areas under the ROC curve for these instrument were not statistically significant difference (all P>0.05).Conclusion HADS-D is a brief efficient screening instruments to identify depression in patients with epilepsy .

Objective To determine the mechanism of nitric oxide synthase(NOS) and prostacyclin(PGI2) acting on splanchnic hyperdynamic circulation of portal hypertention(PHT). Methods Ninety-six Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, namely, intrahepatic portal hypertension(IHPH, n=31), prehepatic portal hypertension(PHPH, n=33) and sham-operated controls(SO, n=32). Animals of each group were received indomethacin(INDO) either on a short term or long term with saline as control. Portal venous pressure, together with the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) and PGI2 in serum was measured. The constitutive nitric oxide synthase(cNOS)and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)activity in the abdominal aorta and small intestine of these rats were detrmined by spectrophotometry method. RT-PCR was performed to measure the levels of iNOS and cNOS mRNA in the arteries and guts mentioned above. Results Although INDO decreased the concentration of PGI2 in serum, the long-term INDO-treated group restored splanchnic hyperdynamic circulation in both IHPH and PHPH rats, concomitant with enhanced expression of iNOS and concentration of NO(P0.05). Conclusion Overproduction of NO inducing hemodynamic abnormalities of PHT is synthesized principally by increase of iNOS. There may be a possible interaction between PGI2 and NO in hyperhemodynamics of PHT, while PGI2 may not be a mediator in the formation and development of hyperdynamic circulatory state.

AIM: To activate hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in vitro in precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) stimulated by acetaldehyde for studying and screening anti-fibrotic drugs. METHODS: PCLS were prepared by the vibratome, and incubated with 700 ?m?L~-1 acetaldehyde for 0, 2, 4 and 6 h. The medium and homogenate were retained to determine glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and hydroxyproline (Hyp) content. PCLS were prepared for paraffin sections. The expression of ?-smooth muscle actin (?-SMA) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and the result was analyzed with image analysis software. RESULTS: The leakages of GST and LDH were increased significantly compared with those in 0 h group (P

Objective To compare the result of percutaneous or open drainage for muhilocular bacterial liver abscess. Methods The clinical data of 45 patients with multilocular bacterial liver abscess were reviewed retrospectively over the past 5 years. Twenty-one cases underwent B-us or CT-guided pereutaneons drainage (PD) and 24 received surgical drainage (SD) as the first-line treatment. The treatment outcomes in both groups were compared, and clinical end-points included time to defervescence, failure of treatment, secondary procedures, hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. Results The time of defervesecnce was not statistically different between the two groups (4.85 day vs. 4.38 days, P＞0.05). However, patients in SD group suffered from less treatment failures (2 cases vs. 9 cases, P<0.05), less requirement for secondary procedures (1 cases vs. 11 cases,P<0.01), and shorter hospital stay (8 day vs. 11 days, P<0.05). There was no difference in morbidity or mortality rates between the two groups. Conclusions It was concluded that for multilocular liver abscess, SD provides better clinical outcomes than PD in terms of treatment success, number of secondary procedures, and hospital stay with comparable morbidity and mortality rates. SD should be considered as first-line treatment for multilocular bacterial liver abscesses.

AIM:To examine and compare the effects of several ARBs that are widely used in clinics , on the ACE-Ang II-AT1 receptor and the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis during the development of cardiac remodeling after pressure overload .METHODS: All of the mice used in the study underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) or sham operation for 2 or 4 weeks.A solution of either ARBs or sa-line was administered through a stomach tube 3 days before the operation .Meanwhile , to eliminate the influence of Ang II , a recombi-nant adenovirus expressing small interfering RNAs targeting angiotensinogen ( Ad-ATG siRNA) was injected via the tail vein .The sur-gery was then performed and the drug was administered as mentioned above .Cardiac function and remodeling were evaluated by echo-cardiography , hemodynamic measurements and cardiac histology .Western blotting was used to determine the protein expression levels . Meanwhile , we performed similar experiments using ARBs with or without ATG siRNA in cardiomyocytes induced by mechanical stretch.RESULTS:Although all of the six ARBs , none of which repressed the elevation of left ventricular pressure after TAC , attenu-ated the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in the wild-type mice, the degree of attenuation by Olmesartan , Candesar-tan and Losartan tended to be larger than that of the other three drugs tested .Additionally , the degree of downregulation of the ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis and upregulation of the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis was higher in response to Olmesartan, Candesartan and Losartan administration in vivo and in vitro.Additionally, Olmesartan had a larger influence when administered long term .However, the expres-sion of ACE was not influenced by the administration of ARBs in vivo and in vitro.Moreover, in angiotensinogen-knockdown mice, TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure were inhibited by Olmesartan , Candesartan and Losartan but not by Telmisartan , Valsartan and Irbesartan administration .Furthermore , only Olmesartan and Candesartan could downregulate the ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis and upregulate the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis in vitro.CONCLUSION: Olmesartan, Candesartan and Losartan could effectively in-hibit pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling even when with knockdown of Ang II , possibly through upregulation of the expres-sion of the ACE2-Ang(1-7)-Mas axis and downregulation of the expression of the ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis.In contrast, Telmisartan, Valsartan and Irbesartan only played a role in the presence of Ang II , and Losartan had no effect in the presence of Ang II in vitro.

Objective To investigate the changes of 4 histamine receptors (H1R, H2R, H2R and H4 R)in interstitial cystitis on animal experimental models. Methods Thirty female SD rats (250-300 g) were randomly divided into 2 groups as follows: 20 in experimental group and 10 in control group. The experimental group was filled with protamine sulfate+ potassium chloride to create interstitial cystitis model, the control group was sacrificed directly. At the end of the experiment, the bladders of all these SD rats were studied by the immunohistochemistry staining and the value of their mean absorbance (-A) was calculated by IPP4.5 image analysis software. The SPSS 11.5 was used to analyze the differences between the groups. Results Four kinds of histamine receptors mainly expressed in the bladder epithelium. In the experimental group, the (-A) of H1 R was 0. 054±0.031, the of H2R was 0.032±0.021, the (-A) of H3R was 0.047±0.033 and the (-A) of H4R was 0. 149±0. 191,respectively. In the control group, the A of H1R was 0. 017±0. 011, the (-A) of H2R was 0. 018±0. 015, the (-A) of H3R was 0. 014±0. 011, the (-A) of H4R was 0. 060±0.039, respectively. In contrast,the A of H1 R, H2 R and H3R in experimental group was increased significantly(P＜0.05); there was no significant change in (-A) of H4R expression(P＞0.05). Conclusions H1, H2 and H3 receptors in rat model interstitial cystitis bladder epithelium have increased and it indicates H1 R, H2R and H3R may be related to interstitial cystitis. H3 R may be a new treatment target of interstitial cystitis.

Animals ; Coal Tar ; toxicity ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Mice ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the distribution and drug resistance of pathogens of ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP) in general intensive care unit(ICU).Methods Statistical methods were used to analyze retrospectively the data of pathogens and drug resistance of VAP in general ICU from 2004 to 2006.Results Totally 347 pathogens were isolated from deep-part secretion of lower respiratory tracts of 302 VAP in general ICU.The main pathogens included Pseudomonas aeruginosa(32.3%),Acinetobacter baumanii(31.1%),Staphylococcus aurous(16.7%),Klebsiella(7.5%) and Coagulase-negative Staphylococci(6.1%).Gram-negative bacillus showed a high resistance to piperacillin and Cefotaxime but high susceptibility to carbapenems and the enzyme inhibitor antibiotics.Gram-positive coccobacteria showed a high resistance to Penicillin,Clindamycin and Erythromycin but high susceptibility to Vancomycin and Quinolone.Conclusion Gram-negative bacillus was the main pathogen of VAP in general ICU,multidrug resistance was serious.The rate of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aurous(MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci(MRCNS) was high,with serious drug resistance.According to the data of the bacteria pathogen and antibiotics susceptibity,we can select antibiotics reasonably to control the infection and delay the emergency of new drug-resistant bacteria.

reression of M 2 receptor mRNA of rat myocardium intoxicated by soman under high altitude hypoxia. Methods The expressions of M 2 receptor mRNA under hypoxia, soman intoxication and soman intoxication under hypoxia were detected by semi quantitative RT PCR, respectively. Results The expression of M 2 receptor mRNA increased in the high altitude hypoxia group. Both simple soman intoxication and combined soman intoxication and hypoxia decreased the expression of M 2 receptor rapidly. But under hypoxia, the expression increased significantly at 12 h and 24 h. Conclusion M 2 receptor was sensitive to nerve agents. Compared to simple soman intoxication group, the expression of M 2 receptor increased in combined soman intoxication and hypoxia group. This may be one of the major factors leading to aggravation of the injury of heart function by nerve agents in high altitude area.

Objective Conserved DNA-Derived Polymorphism (CDDP) markers were used in the study of the genetic diversity of 43 Dendrobium officinale and preliminary resistance screening, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the screening of D. officinale and the selection of fine varieties. Methods A total of 21 CDDP primers were used to amplify the genomic DNA of the test material with clear and polymorphic primers. Results Sixteen primers generated 151 bands, of which 144 (95.7%) were polymorphic. The results of data analysis on three population showed that the percentage of polymorphic locus (PPL) were between 65.56% and 82.12%, coefficient of genetic differentiation among natural populations (Gst) was 0.110 2, and the total gene flow (Nm) was 4.035 4. Indicating that anthropogenic factors may also promote the genetic diversity of D. officinale. Conclusion The genetic diversity of D. officinale was rich, and the results showed that there were eight plants with potentially good resistance among 43 materials.