To investigate the effect of flavonoids from Sophora flavescens in aging mice induced by D-galactose and its mechanism. Totally 60 mice were randomly divided into six groups: the control group, the model group, the piracetam group (positive control group) and flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups. Except for the control group, all of the rest groups were subcutaneously injected with D-galactose (160 mg x kg(-1)) for successively 30 days to establish the sub-acute senescent model. Meanwhile, flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups were respectively administered with 150, 300 and 600 mg xkg-('1)of flavonoids from S. flavescens for 30 days. The learning and memory abilities of mice were determined by avoiding darkness ex-eriment and jumping stair experiment. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) tumor necrosis factor-aα NF-aα the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) Na'(+)K'(+)-ATPase and Ca2(+ )-ATPase in the brain of mice were deter-ined respectively after the behavioral experiments. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase ( DH) in blood serum was also determined and analyzed by microscope after HE staining to observe the changes in hippocampal organizational structure. Compared with the model group, flavonoids from S. favescens medium and high doses groups showed significantly increases in the latency of avoiding darkness and jumping stair experiments; flavonoids from S. fllvescens low, medium and high doses groups and the piracetam group showed de-reases in the numbers of errors in avoiding darkness experiment; the flavonoids from S. flavescens high dose group and the piracetam group showed reduction- n the number of errors in jumping stair experiment (P <0 . 5 or P <0 . 1). Flavonoids from S. flavescens me-ium and high doses groups and the piracetam group showed improvements in the activities of SOD, Na'(+)K'(+)ATPase in the brain of mice and declines in the contents of MDA and TNF-aα the activity of MAO-B in the brain of mice, the activity of LDH in blood serum (P <0 . 5 or P <0 . 1). Flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups and the piracetam group also showed im-rovement in the activity of Ca2(+ )ATPase, with statistical difference from the model group (P <0 . 5 or P <0 . 1). The pathological result showed decreases in the number of cells of hippocampal dentate gyrus area, sparse cell arrangement, incomplete cellular mor-hology, scarce cytoplasm, blurred boundary between nucleus and cytoplasm, nuclei anachromasis, irregular pyknosis and unconspicu-us nucleoli in the model group. Compared with the model group, flavonoids from S. flavescens low, medium and high doses groups and the piracetam group showed improvements in hippocampal organization tissues. Flavonoids from S. favescens can improve the learning and memory ability of senescent mice induced by D-galactose. Its mechanism may be correlated with the enhancement of anti-oxidative actions by lowering TNF-aαcontent, which results in the stability of cell membrane and the reduction in MAO-B activity.
Aging ; drug effects ; metabolism ; psychology ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Flavonoids ; administration & dosage ; Galactose ; adverse effects ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Sophora ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Objective To explore the relationship of intelligence among memory, sustained attention and executive function of schizophrenic patients. Methods 120 schizophrenic inpatients and 60 healthy subjects matched in age, gender and years of education with the patients were assessed with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-fourth edition (WAIS-IV) and Wechsler Memory Scale-fourth edition (WMS-IV), Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results The intelligence quotient (IQ), memory quotient (MQ), scores of CPT and WCST were poor in the patients (P<0.05). IQ was correlated with MQ (r=0.837, P<0.01), the scores of CPT (r=0.613, P<0.01) and WCST (r=0.466, P<0.01). The scores of CPT and MQ were the independent factors related with IQ (P<0.001).Conclusion There is intelligence impairment in schizophrenics, which may related with the impairment of memory and sustained attention.

italic>Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) can cause a variety of digestive tract diseases, the serious may develop into gastric cancer. Nowadays, H. pylori infection rate exceeds 50%, and its eradication rate is declining due to the continuous increase of drug resistance, leading to the occurrence of plenty of stubborn infections, which seriously threaten human health. At present, it is difficult to achieve satisfactory curative effect by increasing the types of antibiotics combination or increasing their dose. In this review, the clinical treatments of H. pylori were introduced. Proceed from the characteristics and pathological background of H. pylori infection that makes H. pylori difficult to eradicate, the research advances of drug delivery strategies for improving H. pylori eradication rate were reviewed, such as strategies that could increase drug concentration in stomach (e.g. drug delivery systems with gastric acid-stabilized ability), increase drug concentration in H. pylori colonization sites (e.g. drug delivery systems with gastric retention or H. pylori targeted abilities), overcome H. pylori resistance (metal nanoparticles, anti-biofilm delivery systems), enhance host immune response (vaccine preparation) and so on. Novel drug delivery systems, such as cell membrane coating technology and phage therapy, are comparatively rare in the field of anti-H. pylori, but have broad application prospects. This review would provide reference for the development and application of therapeutic strategies to improve H. pylori eradication rate.

Objective To investigate the memory characteristics and related factors of patients with mental retardation. Methods 73 patients with mental retardation (patient group) and 73 normal subjects (control group) matched with the patient group were respectively tested with Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition of Chinese Version (WMS-IV). Results The scores of each subtest and composite scores of WMS-IV were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (P<0.01). All the composite scores positively correlated with each other in the patient group (r=0.38-0.90, P<0.01) and in the control group (r=0.31-0.94, P<0.01). Age and education level positively correlated with all the composite scores (except the Visual Working Memory Index) in the patient group (P<0.05). Conclusion The patients with mental retardation present an overall decline in memory, especially in the immediate memory. The memory function in patients is related with their ages and education levels.

Objective To investigate the intellectual characteristics and related factors for patients with mental retardation. Methods 118 patients with mental retardation and 118 normal subjects were assessed with Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-fourth edition of Chinese (WAIS-Ⅳ). Results The full intelligence quotient (FIQ), index and scores of subtests were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls (P<0.01), especially for those of working memory and processing speed index. The difference in percentage of significance between verbal comprehension and working memory was higher (P<0.05). The FIQ and some index of patients positively correlated with age, education level and their parents' education level (P<0.01). Conclusion The patients with mental retardation present an overall decline in intelligence,especially in the working memory and processing speed. The mental development is unbalanced in some patients, that the verbal comprehension is relatively better than working memory. The intelligence of patients with mental retardation may be related with their age, education level and their parents' education level.

OBJECTIVETo study the BRCA1 mutations in patients with early-onset breast cancer and their affected relatives in Guangdong province and explore the relationship between BRCA1 mutation and the expressions of estrogen receptor(ER), progesterone receptor(PR), HER2 and ALN.

METHODSFrom 58 patients with early-onset breast cancer and their affected relatives, the genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the coding regions of the BRCA1 gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. BRCA1 gene mutations were screened by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and subsequent direct DNA sequencing. The expression of ER, PR, HER2 and ALN were detected with immunohistochemistry and their relations with the gene mutation were analyzed.

RESULTSDisease-related BRCA1 mutations were detected in 2 of the 58 patients, who were younger than 35 years old, including 1 with a novel splice-site mutation (IVS5-1 G-->A). No association was found between this novel mutation and the expressions of ER, PR, HER2 and ALN.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of BRCA1 mutation is significantly lower in patients with early-onset breast cancer and their affected relatives in Guangdong province than in the Western populations. The novel mutation identified in BRCA1 gene may represent a mutation characteristic of the patients in Guangdong province. BRCA1 gene mutations may not have any relation with the expression of ER, PR, HER2 and ALN.

Adult ; Age of Onset ; Base Sequence ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genes, BRCA1 ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; Receptors, Estrogen ; genetics ; Receptors, Progesterone ; genetics

Objective To explore the clinical data,muscle pathological findings and recent follow-up results of 5 patients being diagnosed as having mitochondrial encephalopathy,lactic acidosis,and stroke-like episodes (MELAS).Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical manifestations,sero-enzymology,electrophysiology,iconography and muscle biopsy pathology,and recent follow-up results of 5 patients with MELAS,who admitted to our hospital from December 2008 to June 2011.Results Headache as first symptom appeared in 3 patients,hemiparesis as first symptom in 1 patient and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in 1.The total body seizure in the course was noted in 4 patients and psychiatric symptoms in 2.The creatine kinase level was normal in 4 with one being mildly elevated.Four patients were observed no abnormal electromyography with one having myogenic lesions.Brain MRI showed significant abnormality in 5 patients,mainly presented as permanent cerebral infarction and cerebral atrophy.Five patients were found strongly SDH-reactive blood vessels (SSVs) in muscle tissue pathological staining and the SSVs of CCO (+).After mitochondrial protection treatment,follow-up for six months showed that 3 patients has been restored to normal work and mildly improvement was noted 2 patients.Conclusion The brain MR imaging of 5 patients with MELAS is significantly abnormal,and muscle biopsy pathology and tissue enzymatic staining are important methods in diagnosing the disease; generally,the disease is a benign course.

OBJECTIVETo elucidate the pathogenic role of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in increased pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell permeability induced by one lung ventilation (OLV) in rabbits.

METHODSForty-eight healthy Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into control group (group C), saline pretreatment group (group S), bestatin (a leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) inhibitor) plus saline pretreatment group (group B), OLV group (group O), saline pretreatment plus OLV group (group SO) and bestatin plus saline pretreatment with OLV group (group BO). ELISA was used to detect LTB4 content in the lung tissues, and LTA4H and phospholipase Cεl (PLCEl) expressions were examined by Western blotting and quantitative PCR. The wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio of the lung, lung permeability index and the expressions of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) protein and mRNA in the lung tissues were determined to evaluate the permeability of the pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs). The severities of lung injury were evaluated by lung histomorphological scores.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found among groups C, S and B except that LTA4H expressions was significantly lower in group B than in groups C and S (P<0.05). OLV significantly increased the expressions of LTA4H (P<0.05) and resulted in LTB4 overproduction in the lungs (P<0.05) accompanied by significantly enhanced PLCE1 expression and PMVEC permeability (P<0.05). Pretreatment with bestatin, significantly reduced the expression of LTA4H and LTB4 production (P<0.05) and down-regulated the expression of PLCE1 in the lungs of the rabbits receiving OLV (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONBestatin plays a protective role in OLV-induced rabbit lung injury by downregulating LTA4H to reduce the production of LTB4 in the lungs. LTB4 can increase PMVEC permeability by up-regulating PLCE1 expression in rabbits with OLV-induced lung injury.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Huanshuai Recipe Oral Liquid ([characters: see text], HSR) on retarding the progression of renal dysfunction in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS).

METHODSA total of 52 ARAS patients with the Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome of qi deficiency and blood stasis, phlegm and dampness retention were recruited and randomly assigned into the treatment group (36 cases) and the control group (16 cases). Both groups received a basic treatment (high-quality low-protein diet, blood pressure control, lipid-lowering, correcting the acidosis, etc.). In addition, the treatment group received 20 mL HSR and the control group received placebo, 3 times a day for 6 months. Renal function (serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid) and blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein) were examined monthly. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and CM syndrome score were compared between groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment, compared with the control group, the serum creatinine level, uric acid level and CM syndrome score of the treatment group were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the eGFR in the treatment group were significantly increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONHSR can effectively improve the renal function and clinical symptoms of ARAS patients.

Administration, Oral ; Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Disease Progression ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Kidney Function Tests ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome