It has been suggested that melatonin is involved in learning and memory. In the present study, we investigated the effects of melatonin on spatial learning and memory in rats, using Morris water maze and electrophysiological methods. The results are as follows. (1) During a six-day water maze training, the mean escape latency of melatonin group in the last 4 days was 30.02+/-3.6 s, and that of control group was 18.44+/-2.7 s (P<0.01). The crossing annulus coefficient of melatonin group was 25.68+/-2.32%, and that of control group was 43.33+/-2.85% (P<0.01). (2) Microinjection of melatonin into CA1 area inhibited long-term potentiation (LTP). Sixty minutes after tetanus, the field excitory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) slope of group C (n=7 0.5 microliter saline) was 169.71+/-6.48 % of the baseline, and that of group M2 (n=6, 2 microgram melatonin) was 114.28+/-1.80% of the baseline. The difference is significant (P<0.01). (3) We also investigated the effects of melatonin on LTP after administration of scopolamine. Sixty minutes after tetanus, the fEPSP slope of group SM (n=6, 2 microgram scopolamine before 2 microgram melatonin) was 113.70+/-5.55% of the baseline. It showed a significant decrease compared with group C (P<0.01). However, there was no difference between groups SM and M2 (P>0.05, i.v.). The results obtained by applying melatonin after bicuculline were different from those after scopolamine. Sixty minutes after tetanus, the fEPSP slope of group BM (n=7, 1 microgram bicuculline before 2 microgram melatonin) was 162.29+/>10.52% of the baseline. Compared with group C, there is no significant difference (P>0.05); but compared with group M2, the difference is significant (P<0.01). Our results showed that application of melatonin in rats significantly inhibited not only spatial learning and memory, but also LTP in CA1 area. Furthermore, the results indicate that the inhibition of LTP by melatonin may not be mediated by cholinergic system, but may be through the modulation of GABAergic system.
Animals ; Bicuculline ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; physiology ; Learning ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide ; pharmacology ; Space Perception ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the correlation between arteriosclerotic risk factors and the severity of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSA total of 877 patients with diagnosed BPH were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The weight of the prostate was estimated by transrectal ultrasonography, the degree of bladder outlet obstruction determined by urodynamic examination, and the symptoms quantified by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Arteriosclerotic risk factors included age, hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Comparative studies were made on the data obtained by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTSThe severity of BPH was increased with the increase in the severity of the risk factors and the incidence of the disease. The logistic regression analysis showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus was a prominent predictor of the prostate volume, IPSS and degree of bladder outlet obstruction (OR = 3.179, 3.862 and 2.847, P < 0.001), while the level of serum triglyceride was not (P > 0.05). Age, hypertension, high LDL, low HDL and smoking were all prominent predictors of the severity of BPH.

CONCLUSIONArteriosclerotic risk factors are obviously correlated with the development and severity of BPH, among which type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most important.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arteriosclerosis ; pathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Risk Factors ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of transrectal 125 I seeds implantation brachytherapy (BT) combined with intermittent hormonal therapy (IHT) in the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer.

METHODSWe treated 27 patients with locally advanced prostate cancer by transrectal 125I seeds implantation BT combined with IHT, and dynamically observed the changes in the PSA level, prostate volume, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS).

RESULTSAll the implantation procedures were completed smoothly, lasting 20 to 35 minutes, with 40 to 58 seeds implanted. At 6 months after implantation, the PSA level was < 0.2 microg/L in all the patients (< 0.1 microg/L in 19 cases), the prostate volume was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and Qmax and IPSS remarkably improved (P < 0.05). At 3 years after implantation, 19 cases were in the first cycle and the other 8 in the third cycle of IHT, of which 2 progressed to androgen-independent prostate cancer, and another 2 developed early bone metastasis. The rates of 3-year biochemically and clinically progression-free survival were 70.3% and 85.2%, respectively, and the rate of therapeutic effectiveness was 92.6%. No severe complications occurred in any of the cases.

CONCLUSIONTransrectal 125I seeds implantation BT combined with IHT is a safe and minimally invasive procedure for locally advanced prostate cancer, which can effectively retard its clinical progression with no such complications as severe urethral, rectal or erectile dysfunction.

Aged ; Brachytherapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

In order to investigate the effect of Shouwu Shudi Yin on dopaminegic neurons in MPTP induced Parkinson's disease mouse model and the possible mechamism, the experimental mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, Shouwu Shudi Yin, MPTP and the treatment (MPTP+Shouwu Shudi Yin) groups. The number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells in the substantia nigra was measured by immunohistochemistry, and mRNA expression of TH and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were detected by PCR. The results showed that the number of TH positive cells and mRNA expression of TH were significantly reduced in MPTP group compared with the control (P<0.05), and pretreated with Shouwu Shudi Yin didn't show protective effect. Compared to MPTP group, the mRNA expression of four subtypes of GPX were increased in various degrees in the treatment group pretreated with Shouwu Shudi Yin, although the difference was not statistically significant. These indicated that the preventive medication of Shouwu Shudi Yin don't have protective effect on the mice with Parkinson' s disease induced by MPTP, but it may enhance the antioxidant capacity through increasing the expression of GPX.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of complete transperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (CTNU) and traditional retroperitoneoscopic nehroureterectomy (TRNU) for the management of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC). METHODS: We retrospectively collected the clinical data of UTUC patients who underwent CTNU or TRNU surgery from January 2011 to December 2018 in Peking University First Hospital and Fujian Provincial Hospital, and compared the clinical characteristics, perioperative parameters, and follow-up results between the CTNU and TRNU surgeries. RESULTS: Finally, a total of 266 cases were included, with 94 cases in the CTNU group and 172 cases in the TRNU group. The proportion of left side lesions was bigger in TRNU group when compared with CTNU group (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in clinical characteristics, such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), American society of anesthesiologists score (ASA score) and tumor laterality. All surgery procedures were completed. The vascular resparing was performed by reason that left arteria renalis was injured accidently during surgical operation in one case of TRNU group. No serious complications were observed in both CTNU and TRNU groups. In CTNU group, operating time was (202.9±76.7) min, estimated blood loss was (68.4±73.3) mL, drainage duration was (3.9±1.5) d, drainage volume was (181.7±251.5) mL, and postoperative hospital stay was (7.8±4.1) d. In TRNU group, operating time was (203.5±68.7) min, estimated blood loss was (130.2±252.1) mL, drainage duration was (4.3 ±1.6) d, drainage volume was (179.1±167.5) mL, and postoperative hospital stay was (8.2±3.7) d. The estimated blood loss in CTNU group was significantly less than that in TRNU group (P=0.005).The median follow-up time was 39 months (range: 1-88 months). The 5-year overall survival rate (OS), cancer specific survival rate (CSS), intra-vesical recurrence free survival rate (IvRFS), disease free survival rate (DFS) of CTNU group was 75.6%, 86.9%, 73.8%, 57.5%, respectively. The OS, CSS, IvRFS and DFS of TRNU group was 66.3%, 83.5%, 75.9%, 58.6%, respectively.No significant differences were observed in the OS, CSS, IvRFS and DFS between the CTNU and TRNU groups. CONCLUSION CTNU technique is a safe and effective surgical option, and further prospective randomized controlled trial is needed for further evaluation.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Humans ; Nephrectomy ; Nephroureterectomy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Urologic Neoplasms