AIM: To investigate the protective mechanism of extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGB) on apoptosis of hippocampus neuronal cells in type 1 diabetic encephalopathic rats. METHODS: Thirty-six male Sprague-Dauley rats were divided into 3 groups: control group, diabetic group and EGB-treated group. Streptozotocin was injected intraperitoneally to the animals in later two groups to induce diabetes. The rats in EGB-treated group were injected intraperitoneally with EGB, and the same volume of normal saline was injected to the rats in other groups. At the end of the 12th week, the spatial learning and memory abilities of rats in each group were examined by Morris water maze test. Blood glucose and serum insulin concentration were measured. The neuron densities in hippocampus were measured by Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software. The expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3 were assayed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared to control group, the level of blood glucose (P<0.01), the protein expression of Bax (P<0.01) and caspase-3 (P<0.01) in hippocampus neuronal cells, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 (P<0.01) and the escape latency (P<0.01) in diabetic group, were significantly increased, while the serum insulin concentration (P<0.01), the neuronal density (P<0.05) in CA1,CA2 hippocampal regions and the platform searching score (P<0.01) were significantly deceased. After treated with EGB, the serum insulin concentration (P<0.05), the neuronal density (P<0.05) in CA1,CA2 hippocampal regions and the platform searching score (P<0.01) were significantly increased, while the level of blood glucose (P<0.01), the protein expression of Bax (P<0.05), caspase-3 (P<0.05) in hippocampus neuronal cells, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 (P<0.01) and the escape latency (P<0.05) were significantly deceased than those in diabetic group. The protein expression of Bcl-2 in hippocampus neuronal cells did not alter in any experimental rats. CONCLUSION: EGB improves the spatial learning and memory capacity in diabetic rats by decreasing the expression of Bax, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and down-regulating caspase-3 to reduce neurocyte apoptosis and increase the neuron density in CA1, CA2 hippocampal regions, suggesting that effective regulation of neuron apoptosis associated genes may be one of the mechanisms for EGB to treat diabetic encephalopathy.

Objective To explore the image quality of gastric cancer improved by dual-energy CT,and to evaluate the clinical utility in staging gastric cancers.Methods 55 patients suspected gastric cancers were included in the study.Patients underwent dual-phasic scans using dual-energy CT with a dual-source scanner.The relationships image quality parameters in 100 kV,120 kV and 70 keV images were evaluated.Image quality parameters comprised mean density,signal-to noise ratio (SNR) and objective noise.The 120 kV and 70 keV images were compared in TNM staging.Results In arterial and portal phase,the attenuation was significantly higher at 70 keV and 100 kV compared to 120 kV images (P＜0.001).In arterial phase,the SNR were higher at 120 kV and 70 keV in comparison to 100 kV(P＜0.01).In portal phase,the SNR were higher at 70 keV in comparison to 120 kV and 100 kV(P＜0.01).Overall accuracy in assessment of tumor invasion of the gastric wall (T stage) was 83.7％ with 70 keV images and 72.1％ with 120 kV images,this difference was not significant (P=0.25);Overall accuracy for lymph node (N) staging was significantly better with 70 keV images(74.4％) than with 120 kV images(62.8％) (P＜0.05).Conclusion The image quality of gastric cancers using dual-energy CT can be improved by optimizing the energy level.The 70 keV images may be used to improve the N-staging accuracy.

Objective To measure the angle and distance between superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and abdominal aorta (AA) at the level of left renal vein and duodenum in Chinese.Methods The angle and distance between SMA and AA were measured in 41 patients with normal CT findings in the supine position using 16 slices multislice spiral CT(MSCT)scanner.Results The average angle of 41 normal cases was 47.4??18.3? (mean?SD), and 3 of 41 (7.3%)≤15?,10 of 41 (24.4%)≥70?. At the level of left renal vein and duodenum, the average distance between SMA and AA were (1.3?0.4) cm and (1.4?0.4) cm respectively.Conclusion MSCT allows accurately measure the angle and distance between SMA and AA, it shows significance in the diagnosis of SMA syndrome and nutcracker phenomenon.

ObjectiveTo screen the variations of the human protein kinase Cγ gene (PRKCG) and study their association with Parkinson's disease(PD).MethodsDNA was extracted from blood of patients with PD and matched normal controls. All 18 exons including the exon-intron junctions were amplified in 17 different PCR fragments, which were analyzed for the presence of variations by DHPLC. The PCR products with a heteroduplex peak were sequenced. Significance was evaluated from 2×2 contingency tables byX2 test on the basis of the total number of alleles at each locus. Case-control association analysis was performed between candidate polymorphisms and PD. ResultsIn the 50 early-onset PD(EOPD) patients and 50 controls, there was no missense mutation, insertions or deletions in coding regions of the PRKCG. But 2 different single nucleotide polymorphism(SNPs) in exons, 5 different SNPs and 1 tetranucleotide repeat in introns were identified. Five of them [IVS3+96G>T, IVS11+26T>G, IVS15-41T>C, IVS16-59G>A, IVS16-42(TCTG)1-2] were described here for the first time. Three of them (IVS11+26T>G, IVS13+76T>C,1497T>C),in complete linkage,constituted a haplotype block. In the preliminary association analysis, the frequency of IVS13+76C, IVS11+26G and 1497C allele on this haplotype block was significantly higher in EOPD patients than the controls (24% vs 9%)(X2=8.165,P=0.004,OR=3.193, 95%CI:1.400-7.282). But in a larger sample of 156 EOPD patients, 153 late-onset PD(LOPD) patients and 195 normal controls, there was no significant difference between the three groups (12.8%,13.7% ,14.6%)(X2=0.471,P=0.790). ConclusionThe PRKCG gene might not be a risk factor for sporadic PD.

Electrochemical constant current linear polarization and atomic absorption spectroscopy were used to measure the corrosion rate of coronary stents made of 316L and 317L stainless steel in 30 degrees C Tyrode's solution. The results indicated that the corrosion rate of 316L and 317L stainless steel was 21 X 10(-3) microm/a, 9.8 X 10(-3) microm/a and 0.8 X 10(-3) m/a, 0.6 X 10(-3) microm/a, respectively. All corrosion rates were lower than the medical materials corrosion rate criteria, i.e. 0.25 microm/a. Moreover the corrosion resistance of 317L stainless steel was much higher than that of 316L stainless steel. The results from atomic absorption spectroscopy may correctly reflect the quantity of releasing metal ions in the solution.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Corrosion ; Materials Testing ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; Stainless Steel ; chemistry ; Stents ; Surface Properties

Objective To observe the effect of propofol on cognitive functions and hippocampus tissue in hyperlipidemia aged rats.Methods Seventy-six aged male SD rats were selected and randomly divided into basal diet with propofol injection (group PI), basal diet with normal saline injection(group N1), high-fat diet with propofol injection (group P2) and high-fat diet with normal saline injection (group P2), with 19 rats in each group.Eight weeks later,group P1 and P2 received intraperitoneal injection of propofol 100 mg · kg-1 · d-1 for 5 days.While in group N1 and N2, rats received the same intraperitoneal injection of equal volume normal saline.One day after the last injection, escape latency and space exploration were detected by Morris water maze in the next six days.One hour after the last water maze test, the serum and hippocampus were sampled to detect the expression of beta-amyloid protein and receptor for advanced glycation endproducts(RAGE) by immunohistochemical method and ELISA respectively.Results In place navigation tests,the escape incubation period(98.20±25.40)s in group P1 was obviously longer than that in N 1 group (47.50± 11.08) s (P＜ 0.01).Compared with P2 (99.79 ± 20.38) s, escape incubation period was shortened in N2 (50.70± 20.55) s (P＜ 0.05).There was no significantly difference between N2 and N1 (P＞0.05), while the escape incubation period in group P2 was longer than P1 (P＜ 0.05).In spatial probe test,platform passing number ((2.86 ±1.46)times) in group P1 were less than that in N1 group ((7.50± 1.70) times, P＜0.05).In group N2, the platform passing number ((6.60 ±3.91) times) were more than those in group P2 ((1.16 ±1.16)times, P＜0.05) while there was no significant difference between group N1 and N2 (P＞0.05).Times of crossing platform in group P2 were less than that in P1 group (P＜0.05).Compared with group N1((147.83±60.88) ng/L) and N2((152.73±87.50) ng/L) ,the expression of RAGE protein was increased in group P1((629.89±110.33) ng/L) and P2((229.89±53.20) ng/L) (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference between N1 and N2 groups(P＞0.05) ,while the expression of RAGE protein in P1 group was lower than that of P2(P＜0.05).In immunohistochemical test, positive expression cells in P1 ((18.49± 1.53) and P2 (25.67±3.08)) were higher than that in group N1(9.33±2.31) and group N2(12.14±2.52) (P＜0.05) ,while there was no significant difference between group N1 and N2(P＞0.05).Conclusions Anesthetic dose of propofol can injure spatial learning and memory ability in aged rats.Hyperlipidemia might act synergistically with propofol.

The electrochemical mechanism of austenitic stainless steel (SUS316L and SUS317L) coronary stents in flowing artificial body fluid has been investigated with electrochemical technologies. The results indicated that the flowing medium coursed the samples' pitting potential Eb shift negatively, increased the pitting corrosion sensitivity, accelerated its anodic dissolution, but had little effects on repassivated potential. The flowing environment had great effects on cathodic process. The oxygen reaction on the samples' surface became faster as the cathodic process was not controlled by oxygen diffusion but by mixed diffusion and electrochemical process. With the increase of velocity of solution, the pitting corrosion becomes liable to occur under this circumstance.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Body Fluids ; chemistry ; Corrosion ; Electrochemistry ; Materials Testing ; Stainless Steel ; chemistry ; Stents

Objective To evaluate the effect of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ ) on the change of nephrin phosphorylation both in Ang Ⅱ-infused rat model and cultured podocytes.Methods Thirty Wistar rats were subcutaneously embedded with osmotic minipumps and randomly divided into 3 groups according to receiving either Ang Ⅱ at a dose of 400 ng· kg-1· min-1 or Ang Ⅱ +telmisartan at a dose of 3 mg·kg-1 ·d-1,or normal saline as a control group.Blood pressure and 24-hour urinary albumin were measured at 0 d,7 d,14 d,21 d and 28 d of the experiment.Renal histomorphology was evaluated through electron microscopy.The concentrations of Ang Ⅱ both in blood plasma and kidney were detected by radioimmunoassay.In vitro,cultured murine podocytes were exposed to Ang Ⅱ (10-6 mol/L) pretreated with or without losartan (10-5 mol/L) for different time periods.Nephrin and its phosphorylation expression were analyzed by Western blotting.The distribution of F-actin was presented by FITC-phallodin labeling.The change in phenomenon of F-actin was evaluated by cortical F-actin score index (CFS).Results (1)Ang Ⅱ-infused rats exhibited increased Ang Ⅱ concentration,significant hypertension and marked albuminuria.(2)In Ang Ⅱ-infusion group,nephrin expression was decreased (P＜0.05).Ang Ⅱ-receiving rats displayed diminished phosphorylation of nephrin.(3)In vitro,the phosphorylation of nephrin was significantly reduced after Ang Ⅱ stimulation for 3-6 hours (P＜0.05).(4)Ang Ⅱ stimulatation resulted in irregularly arrangement of F-actin followed by the redistribution of F-actin to podocyte periphery and formation of F-actin ring,in which the CFS obviously increased compared to control (P＜0.05).Conclusions Phosphorylation of nephrin is important for the survival status of podocytes.Ang Ⅱ-induced nephrin dephosphorylation may be an important molecular mechanism for Ang Ⅱ-induced podocyte cytoskeleton rearrangement and foot process effacement.

Objective To investigate the distribution of genotypes in chronic HBV infection (CHB) and acute HBV infection (AHB) patients in Shanghai. Methods Sixty-two patients with AHB and 73 patients with CHB admitted to ('hanghai Hospital of Shanghai between 2003 and 2007 were studied. Viral genotypes of all the patients were determined by direct gene sequencing.Meanwhile, epidemiological, clinical and biochemical parameters of all patients were collected. Mean values of different groups were compared by t test while frequency was compared by chi square test. Results The major prevalent genotypes in both AHB and CHB patients were genotype B and C (48.4% vs 51.6% in AHB patients and 26.0% vs 74.0% in CHB patients). The proportion of genotype B was higher in AHB patients compared to CHB patients (P= 0.02). Epidemiological factors and clinical outcomes were not statistically different among patients with different viral genotypes. The proportion of genotype C was much higher in CHB patients compared to AHB patients (P=0.006). The main transmission route of AHB was heterosexual interaction which was 18 out of 62 (29.0%), but in CHB patients, it was prenatal transmission which was 38 out of 73 (52.1%). Conclusions In shanghai, the main HBV genotypes in both AHB and CHB patients are genotype B and C. The proportion of genotype B is relatively high in AHB patients while proportion of genotype C is more common in CHB patients. There is no significant relationship between genotypes and the clinical outcomes of AI-IB patients.

Objective To analyse the changes of metabolic parameters and condition of metabolic syndrome(MS)in females with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS),and explore the interaction between OSAHS and MS.Methods Sixty females undergoing polysomnography were included,and were divided into simple snorer group(n=19),mild OSAHS group(n=21)and moderate to severe OSAHS group(n=20).Epworth sleepiness scale(ESS)scores and metabolic parameters were compared among groups.Forty-one patients with OSAHS were subdivided into group with MS(MS group,n=15)and group without MS(non-MS group,n=26).ESS scores,apnea hypopnea index(AHI),oxygen desaturation index(ODI)and lowest pulse oxygen saturation(LSpO_2)were compared between MS group and non-MS group.Results There was no significant difference in age,body mass index(BMI),total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low density cholesterol(LDL),high density cholesterol(HDL),apolipoprotein A-I(apoA-I)and apolipoprotein B(apoB) among simple snorer group,mild OSAHS group and moderate to severe OSAHS group(P>0.05).Correlation analysis revealed ESS was positively related to AHI(r=0.327,P=0.011).ESS scores and proportions of hypertension,fasting plasma glucose(FPG)and MS were significantly higher in moderate to severe OSAHS group than those in simple snorer group(P<0.05).BMI,FPG,TG,proportion of hypertension,ODI and ESS score in MS group were significantly higher than those in non-MS group(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in AHI and LspO_2 between these two groups(P>0.05). Conclusion ESS score may reflect the severity of OSAHS in females.Females with OSAHS matched for age and BMI have no difference in blood fat.With the increase of severity of OSAHS,glycometabolism can be impaired,the prevalences of hypertension and MS increase.MS can exacerbate the severity of OSAHS,indicating that MS and OSAHS interact with each other.