AIM: To observe the effects of irbesartan and perindopril on pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy in rats. METHODS: 40 male adult Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups. One was sham operation group, other four were aortic banding groups. One week after operation, all rats were gavaged with normal saline, perindopril, irbesartan or combination of perindopril and irbesartan. Morphometric determination, calcineurin (CaN) expression, CaN and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+-ATPase activity were performed at the end of 6 weeks of drug intervention. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass index (LVMI), transverse diameter of myocardical cell (TDM), CaN activity were remarkably decreased after drug intervention and this decrease was most remarkable in the combination group. SR Ca 2+-ATPase activity increased after drug intervention, especially in the combination group. CaN expression in myocardium were remarkably decreased after drug intervention. LVMI was positively correlated with TDM and CaN, negatively correlated with SR Ca 2+-ATPase. CONCLUSION: Both irbesartan and perindopril decrease CaN activity, increase SR Ca 2+-ATPase activity and combination of them has synergic effects on regressing of ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective To analyze the quality of Cortex Moudan which grew for four years from main planting parts in Anhui province.Methods According to Pharmacopoeias of People Republic of China(2005 edition),the water content,the total ash content,ash content of acid infusibility,the content of the thing soak out and paeonol content were measured to investigate the quality of Cortex Moudan.Results Paeonol content of Cortex Moudan collected from main planting parts in Anhui province was from 0.98% to 1.77%.Conclusion The quality of Cortex Moudan from Nanling is the best of all.

AIM: To investigate the effects of angiotensinⅡ receptor type Ⅰ antagonist irbesartan and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril on the myocardial expression of connexin 43 (CX43), desmin and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in the pressure overload-induced rat cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS: 40 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups (8 animals for each): sham operation group and other four groups with ventricular hypertrophy caused by banding aortic artery. Drugs were given one week after operation as follows: sham operation group, normal saline (2 mL?kg~-1?d~-1 ig) was given; Operative groups: animals with ventricular hypertrophy were treated with normal saline 2 mL?kg~-1?d~-1 ig; Treatment groups: animals with ventricular hypertrophy were treated with perindopril 2 mg?kg~-1?d~-1 ig, irbesartan 20 mg?kg~-1?d~-1 ig or irbesartan 20 mg?kg~-1?d~-1 ig plus perindopril 2 mg?kg~-1?d~-1 ig, respectively. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI), transverse diameter of myocardial cell (TDM), and myocardial expression of CX43, desmin and cTnT by immunohistochemistry were performed at the end of 8 weeks of drug intervention. RESULTS: LVMI, TDM were remarkably decreased after drug intervention, compared to animals of operative group (P

Objective:To approach the effects of calpain activity on hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and cognitive function in rats after traumatic brain injury(TBI).Methods:The rat model of severe closed traumatic brain injury was used.One hundred and twenty SD rats were divided randomly into TBI group,treated group,sham operation group and control group.The first 3 groups of 36 rats were further divided into five-phase groups,such as 6,12,24,48,72 h after injury(each subgroup n=6).The calpain activity and neuronal apoptosis were observed in each subgroup.The cognitive function was tested in another 6rats.There were 12 rats in control group.The calpain activity and neuronal apoptosis were observed in 6 rats of them and cognitive function was tested in another 6 rats.MDL28170(10μL)was injected into lateral ventricle of rats in treated group and isotonic Na chloride(10 μL)was injected in rats of TBI group,sham operation group and control group 1 d before TBI.Results:The calpain activity of the hippoeampus was elevated in rats of TBI group at 6 h and peaked at 24 h.The calpain activity of the hippocampus was significantly lower at each time point in treated group than that of TBI group(P＜0.01).A small amount of apoptosis-positive cells appeared in the CA2 area of hippocampus in TBI group at 6 h,significantly increased at 24 h and reached a peak at 72 h.The peak of apoptotic cell density was significantly reduced in treated group than that in TBI group (P＜0.01).The results of place navigation proficiency test showed that the latency to search traffic island was significantly shorter in treated group than that of TBI group(P＜0.01).The results of space exploration capability test results showed that the sailing time in the fourth quadrant was significantly longer in treated group than that in TBI group(P＜0.01).Conclusion:The increased activity of calpain may result in neuronal apoptosis and cognitive dysfunction in rats after TBI.

Objective To explore the influencing factor of duration of untreated psychosis(DUP) and the relationship between duration of untreated psychosis and treatment outcome in epidemiological first-episode schizophrenia. Methods 912 medical records of the first episode schizophrenia patients were recruited in the study for epidemiological survey . The general medical data, clinical diagnosis, and treatment outcome were collected. DUP was determined refer to symptom onset for schizophrenia (SOS) scale. Patients were divided into short DUP and long DUP groups according to the median values of DUP values. Results Between short DUP and long DUP groups, the difference in marriage was significant ( P < 0. 05). The unmarried patients in the short DUP group (63.7% ) was higher than the long DUP group (52.6% ), the variance was significant (λ2 =5.990, P<0.05). The divorce in the short DUP group (0.6% ) was lower than the long DUP group (4.4% ) , the variance was significant (λ2 =5.079, P<0.01).The simple schizophrenia in the short DUP group (1.5%) was lower than the long DUP group (4. 1% ) , the variance was significant (λ2 =5.868, P<0.05). The treatment outcomes between the two groups had a significant variance ( λ2 =36.093, P < 0.01) , and the Ridit analysis of treatment outcomes between the two groups showed significant difference ( u = 5.183, P<0.01). The marriage,age of onset and clinical diagnosis were significantly correlated with DUP in multiple factor Logistic regression analysis. Conclusion The marriage,age of onset and clinical diagnosis are significantly correlated with DUP in the first episode schizophrenia patients,the longer of DUP and the worse of treatment outcome.

Objective: To inquire into the testis gene change of mouse model with kidney-yang deficiency induced by overfatigue and excessive sexual life, the modern science mechanism of syndrome of kidney-yang deficiency and kidney controlling reproduction can be revealed on the gene level. Methods: The model of kidney-yang deficiency was established by each male mouse with six female mice keeping in the same cage, and all the male mice were forced to swim for 30-40 minutes everyday lasting for four weeks. The testis genes of mice in control group and model group were detected with Mouse OneArrayTM Whole Genome DNA microarray. The differentially expressed genes were screened under the condition of the relative fluorescence intensity ratio of the two groups ≥2 and ≤0.5 and further classified according to gene function by using Molecule Annotation System (MAS) created by CapitalBio Corp. Beijing, China. Results: The mouse model with kidney-yang deficiency was established successfully by the method of overfatigue and excessive sexual life. The scatter plot of gene expression profiles of comparing control group with model group was drawn. Differentially expressed genes were screened, including 2425 up-regulated genes and 3080 down-regulated genes. Among the first one hundred up-regulated genes, 41 genes were known and among the first one hundred down-regulated genes, 62 genes were known. These genes were mainly related to the cellular structure/function, material/energy metabolism, signal transduction/transmission, inflammation/immunization, cell apoptosis, transcription/translation,proliferation/differentiation and cell cycle. Conclusion: The testis gene of kidney-yang deficiency mouse had a wide change. The essence of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome and the theory of the kidney originating and controlling life reproduction were explained on the gene level.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of selective splenectomy on modulation of portal vein flow and prevention of small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) in living donor liver transplantation.MethodsTwenty six recipients who received LDLT from September 2007 to March 2008 were reviewed.The data of the portal vein flow of these recipients were collected during the operation.Simultaneous splenectomy was performed in patients with portal blood flow ＞250 ml/(min · 100g).No splenectomy was performed when the portal blood flow was less than 250 ml/(min · 100g).The effect of selective splenectomy on modulation of portal vein flow and whether splenectomy prevented the occurrence of SFSS were analyzed.ResultsThe portal vein flow decreased significantly after splenectomy in 8 patients who received splenectomy (P＜0.01),No SFSS occurred in the patients with or without splenectomy.Actual graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) of patients with splenectomy was significantly smaller than those with no splenectomy (P=0.044).The portal vein flow of patients with splenectomy was much higher than those with no splenectomy (P＜0.01).ConclusionAccording to the portal blood flow,selective splenectomy in LDLT decreased the portal vein flow and prevented the incidence of SFSS.

A 17-year-old young man with a history of swollen leg and intermittent jaundice was presented to Peking Union Medical College Hospital with acute fever and mental disturbance.He developed deep venous thrombosis,acute myocardial infarction and plantar skin necrosis during the past four years,and was presented with an acute episode of fever,thrombocytopenia,acute kidney injury,acute myocardial infarction,mental disturbance,and obstructive jaundice.Laboratory tests showed schistocytes on peripheral blood smear.High titer of antiphospholipid antibodies was detected.Strikingly,the activity of a disintegrin and metalloprotease with a thrombospondin type 1 motif,member 13 (ADAMTS13)was significantly decreased without the production of inhibitors.Images indicated stenosis of the common bile duct,common hepatic duct,and cystic duct,which caused dilation of bile ducts and the gall bladder.Corticosteroids and anticoagulation therapy were effective at first,but the disease relapsedonce the corticosteroids tapered down.Plasma exchange was administrated for 17 times,which was effective temporarily during this episode.Methylprednisolone pulse therapy,intravenous immunoglobulin,rituximab,anticoagulation therapy,and bile drainage,were all tried but still could not control the disease.The patient's family agreed to withdraw treatment after he developed septic shock.

Objective To examine the effects of maternal rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress before pregnancy on the behaviors and brain monamine of their adult male offspring.Methods Sixteen SD rats were divided into chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) group and controls.CUS rats were exposed to 21 days chronic unpredictable stressors ,and the controls were stress-free.Ten days after the last stressor, all the female rats were caged with sexually experienced males of the same strain.Then we performed the following experiments on the two months male progeny, sucrose consumption measuring anhedonia, Morris water maze measuring cognitive function and high performance liquid chromatography detecting the contents of monoamine.Results The sucrose consumption showed that both sucrose intake and sucrose consumption percentage of the control progeny were higher than those of the CUS progeny ( sucrose consumption: ( 10.23 ± 4.12 ) g vs ( 6.48 ± 3.19 ) g; sucrose consumption percentage: ( 85.43 ± 20.15 ) % vs (60.98 ± 24.65 ) % ) (P ＜ 0.05 ).The number of times crossing the removed hidden platform in the CUS progeny ( 1.64 ± 1.69) was significantly fewer than that in the control progeny (4.17±2.29 ) in Morris water maze (P ＜ 0.05 ).The contents of serotonin in the hypothalamus of CUS progeny ( ( 500.17 ± 80.94 ) ng/g tissue) was lower than that of the control progeny ( ( 569.63 ± 50.91 ) ng/g tissue) (P ＜0.05) ,while the norepinephrine in the hippocampus of CUS progeny( (2315.01 ± 1397.12) ng/g tissue) was higher than that of the control progeny( (907.56 ± 207.27) ng/g tissue) (P＜0.05) by high performance liquid chromatography.Conclusions Depression or stressful events before pregnancy of dams result in anhedonia, decreased spatial memory and abnormalities in brain monoamine of their adult male progeny.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and strategy of percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) for patients with multisegmental lumbar disc herniation. Methods Between December 2005 and December 2008,a total of 56 patients with multisegmental lumbar disc herniation underwent PLDD. Under local anesthesia, the operation was performed using Nd:YAG laser. A digital subtraction angiography (DSA) system was employed to guide the surgery,insert burning, each 1 s, pulse intermission gasification 1 s, single segment laser total 400-800 J. In preoperative and postoperative 3 months visual analogue scale(VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores of times during followed up,Macnab standard to assess the clinical curative effect. Results The patients were followed up for 6 - 36 months (mean 18 months). The ODI improved from (31.10 ±2.92) scores to (11.80 ±2.62) scores (t=3.067,P ＜0.01 ). The VAS also showed postoperative improvement of pain compared with preoperative findings (7.00 ± 1.41 ) scores vs (3.00 ± 0.81 ) scores (t= 2.802,P ＜0.01 ). According to the Macnab standard, 36 patients achieved excellent outcomes, 10 were good, 8 were fair, and 2 were poor. The rate of excellent and good outoomes was 82. 1% (46/56). No patient had postoperative complications. Conclusions PLDD is effective and safe for patients with multisegmental lumbar disc berniation. The cases recover quickly after the operation, because the procedure is minimally invasive.