Most epidemiological investigations and basic studies have demonstrated that estrogen has neuroprotective effects,and the application of estrogen in cerebrovascular disease has a positive attitude.However,large clinical trials of the application of estrogen have indicated that harms outweigh benefits,and even have the risks of stroke.This article reviews the related studies about the neuroprotective effects of estrogen from the positive and negative aspects.

Objective To construct a mutant strain of Aspergillus fumigatus with the mutant pbs2 gene, and to investigate the effect of the mutant gene on the morphology of A. fumigatus, the variation of os-motic pressure and the sensitivity of oxidative stress. Methods S. cerevisiae pbs2 gene homologs was identi-fied in A. fumigatus genome database. A PCR fragment, composed of the 5' flanking sequence(approximate-ly 1 kb) ofpbs20RF and its 3' flanking sequence (approximately 1 kb), was subcloned into a vector pDHt/SK with Xho Ⅰ/Xba Ⅰ enzyme to produce a recombinant plasmid PA. The selected marker pryG amplified from pLAX223 was cloned into PA with BamH Ⅰ/Pst Ⅰ enzyme to produce plasmid PB. PB was transformed into Agrobacterium tumefac/ens and named plasmid At pbs2. Then At pbs2 was transformed into A. fumigatus strain AF293.1 (pyrG) via ATMT to produce the transformants △pbs2. To observe the growth rate and the phenotype on the MM containing different oxidative stress and osmotic pressure between the △pbs2 and the wild type. Results There were no visible difference between △pbs2 and AF293 on the radial growth rate and morphology. △pbs2 mutant was not only more sensitive to osmotic pressure produced by sodium chloride and glycerol but also sensitive to oxidative stress produced by hydrogen peroxide than the wild type. Conclu-sion The pbs2 gene plays a role in osmotic pressure and oxidative stress signal tmnsductions in A. fumiga-tus but only involved in oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide specifically. However, pbs2 gene has a minor effect on growth and morphology in A. fumigatus.

Objective To evaluate the influence of aging on left ventricular systolic and diastolic function by quantitative tissue velocity image(QTVI) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Methods Sixty healthy participants aged from 36 to 82 years old were divided into age <60 years group (32 cases) and age≥60 years old group (28 cases). Compared traditional echocardiography,QTVI and BNP between the two groups, and analysised the correlation between age and the abovementioned measurements. Results Compared age ≥60 years group with age <60 years group, the ratio of early to late mitral annulus flow velocity(E/A) (0. 92 ±0. 18 vs. 1. 28 ± 0. 18), mean of systolic mitral annulus velocity (Sm) ([6. 04 ± 0.77] cm/s vs.[6. 89 ± 1. 03] cm/s) ,mean of early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (Em) ([5. 67 ±0.99]cm/s vs. [7.29 ± 1. 11]cm/s),the ratio of Em to Am(Em/Am) (0. 79 ± 0. 13 vs. 1.18 ± 0. 33) were significantly decreased (t =5. 396,2.478,4.075,3. 535, respectively, Ps < 0. 05), whereas mean of late diastolic mitral annulus velocity (Am) ([7. 67 ±0. 80]cm/s vs. [6. 80 ± 1. 16] cm/s),the ratio of E to Em(E/Em) (14. 83 ±4.43 vs. 10. 68 ±2. 85), BNP ([51. 25 ± 12. 21] ng/L vs. [14. 15 ± 6. 68] ng/L) were significantly increased (t =-2. 268,-2.995 and-3. 523, Ps < 0.05) . Age was negatively correlated with Sm, Em, Em/Am, E/A (r =-0.411,-0. 631,-0.622,-0. 614,Ps<0.05),and age was positively correlated with Am,E/Em and BNP (r = 0.481,0.614 and 0. 684,Ps <0. 05). Conclusion Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function decreased with aging. QTVI and BNP could evaluate left ventricular function sensitively and easily.

Objective To establish a paraspinal neural pathway of quadriceps femoris by end-to-end anastomoses between the spinal ventral root after spinal cord injury(SCI) in rats. Methods Twenty-fourweek old SD rats, with the weight of 120 g to 150 g, were included. The left side was the experimental side, while the right side served as a control. Electrostimulating of L1-L5 ventral root was done respectively to decide the predominant nerve of quadriceps femoris. The lumbar 1 ventral root was reveal to little innervation of quadriceps femoris, and the lumbar 3 ventral root was predominant innervation. End-to-end anastomosis between the left L1 and L3 ventral root was done. After axona regeneration, the new paraspinal neural pathway of quadriceps femoris was established. At 6 months postoperatively, the early function of the new pathway was observed by electrophysiological examinations, hindlimb locomotion and BBB (basso, beattie and bresnahan)scale at 1,3,7, 14,21,28 d after SCI. Results Sixteen rats survived for 6 months after operation and only ten rats got good results because of tissue adhesion postoperatively. Single stimuli (2.5 mA,0.2 ms, 1 Hz) of the left anastomoses nerve resulted in action potential recorded from the left quadriceps femoris before and after the spinal cord hemisection horizontally between L2 segmental levels. The amplitudes of the action potentials were (7.63 ± 1.86) mV and (6.00 ± 1.92)mV, respectively, and there was no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05). The left quadriceps femoris contraction was initiated by single stimuli (2.5mA, 0.2 ms, 1 Hz) of the left anastomoses nerve. After paraplegia, when the right L3 ventral root was stimulated, the amplitude of the action potential was (15.87 ± 1.16) mV. Locomotion of the left hindlimb was partially restored after spinal cord hemisection while creeping and climbing. According to BBB scale, there was significant difference at 1, 3, 7 d, and little difference at 14, 21, 28 d after SCI. Conclusion Spinal ventral roots cross-ananstomosis to reconstruct the paraspinal pathway of quadriceps femoris after SCI is efficient reinnervation of hindlamb muscles in a rat model and may have potential in clinical application.

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimizing the ultrasonic-assisted extraction technology of pigment from Coreopsis tinctoria. The results showed that the flavonoids were the main constituents of the pigment Based on single factor experiments, a four-factor-level experiment design were developed by box-benhnhen central composite design method with causal factors of ultrasonic temperature, ultrasonic time, ratio of liquid to raw material, the concentrations of ethanol in solvent and the extract absorbance value for the response. The interactive effects of four crucial technological parameters were assessed by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions were as follow: ultrasonic temperature was 70 °C, ultrasonic time was 60 min, the concentrations of ethanol in solvent was 72.25% and the ratio of liquid to raw material was 32.05:1 mL . g-1. Under the optimum extraction technology conditions, the absorbance value was 0. 936. The conditidns are suitable for the extraction process regression analysis and parameter optimization.
Coreopsis ; chemistry ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; Pigments, Biological ; isolation & purification ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; Regression Analysis ; Solvents ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Ultrasonics

Objective To explore the protective effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on diabetic myocardium and anoxic pre-conditioning (AP).Methods Eight-week-- old male Sprague-Dawley rats were given with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg)to induce diabetes mellitus (DM).Donor rats were 8-week-old male Sprague - Dawley rats.Before transplantation,MSC were incubated in CM-DiI at a concentration of 2 μg/mL for 20 min.AP-MSC were exposed to 3 hours of anoxia.At 4 months after STZ injection,diabetic rats were randomly given with an intramyocardial injection of one of the followings:150 μL of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium ( DMEM),5 ×106 MSC/150 μL,or 5 × 106 AP - MSC/150 μL (n =10 for each group).Three months after STZ injection and 2 weeks after transplantation,we evaluated the cardiac function by echocardiography,and also evaluated the cardiac conditions by alkaline phosphatase staining,western blot analysis for apoptosis related proteins and signal pathways.Results MSC,especially AP- MSC increased fractional shortening (FS) of diabetic heart (P ＜0.01 vs DMEM respectively).AP-MSC greatly increased the capillary density of diabetic myocardium (P ＜0.01 vs DMEM and MSC group respectively).AP-MSC are anti-apoptotic in the rat DCM model,possibly mediated through cardiac upregulation of Bcl-2/Bax ratio ( P ＜ 0.05 ) and inhibiting the expression and activation of caspase - 3 ( P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions Intramyocardial transplantation of APMSC has a protective effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Objective To investigate ultrasonographic features,clinical and histopathologic characteristics of hydrometra in the elderly women.Methods Hysteroscopy endometrial biopsy,dilation and curettage (D&C) and Tao Brush were selectively performed for the endometrial cytologic and histopathologic diagnosis according to the depth of the hydrometra investigated by transvaginal sonography,endometrial thickness and high-risk factors of carcinoma of endometrium in 72 elderly women with hydrometra.Results Among 72 elderly women with hydrometra,9 cases (12.5％) were examined by hysteroscopy,51 cases (70.8％) by D&C and 12 cases (16.7％) by endometrial cytology along with D&C.Histopathologic examination revealed that there were 7 (9.72％) cases with endometrial carcinoma,2 cases (2.8％) with atypical endometrial hyperplasia,6 cases (5.6％) with endometrial benign lesion,14 cases(19.4％)with pyometra and the other 43 cases (59.7％) with normal and simple hydrometra.Conclusions Transvaginal sonography in combination with endometrial cytology are beneficial for screening of endometrial disorders or for drainage of hydrometra in elderly women,decreasing invasive examinations such as D&C.

Objective To compare the various surgical procedures commonly used to treat ampullary neoplasms.Methods The clinical data of 238 patients with ampullary tumor who were admitted to the Peking Union Hospital from January 1995 to June 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 51 patients with benign ampullary adenomas (34 patients treated with local tumor resection,17 patients treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy) and 187 patients with ampullary cancer (25 patients treated with ampulla local excision,162 patients treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy).Results For both ampullary cancer and benign tumor,the group of patients who received local excision was superior to the group of patients who received pancreaticoduodenectomy in operative time,blood loss,hospital stay,and incidence of postoperative complications (all P＜0.05).For benign ampullary adenomas,there were no significant differences in postoperative median survival time between local resection and pancreaticoduodenectomy (P=0.071,x2 =2.003).For stage T1 or T2 ampullary cancer,there was also no significant difference in the postoperative median survival time (P=0.054,x2=3.163).However,the postoperative median survival time of the pancreaticoduodenectomy group was significantly longer than that of the local resection group for patients with stage T3 or T4 ampullary cancer (P=0.041,x2 =6.309).Conclusions Ampullary tumors are characterized by relatively good response to treatment.The results suggested that for patients with benign ampullary adenomas and stage T1 or T2 of ampullary cancer,local resection is a good surgical procedure.For patients with ampullary cancer at more advanced stages (T3 or T4),pancreaticoduodenectomy is the first choice of therapy.

In recent years,with the increasing of immunocompromised patients in clinical practice,invasive candidiasis has been increased accordingly. Although several antifungal drugs,including polyenes,azoles,5-flucytosine,and echinocandins,have been used widely to treat invasive candidiasis,the treatment failure that caused by the resistance of Candida albicans to these antifungal drugs have been reported widely. Here,we reviewed the molecular mechanisms of resistance to azoles,polyenes,5-flucytosine,and echinocandins,such that to provide an update on these issues.

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is one of the leading causes of death in ICU patients.However,there have been few studies on the role of MODS as a cause of death in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI),particularly in those at advanced age.Our study aimed to investigate the incidence and to identify the predicting factors of MODS in elderly patients with AMI.Methods We identified consecutive patients with AMI who were discharged from the Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 1993 to June 2006.Medical records of 800 consecutive patients aged 60 years or over were analyzed retrospectively.Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors predicting in-hospital development of MODS.Results Twenty-seven (3.4%) patients developed MODS within 30 days after AMI.Compared with patients without MODS,patients with MODS had higher in-hospital mortality rates (55.6% vs 11.6%,P＜0.001 ) and more frequent complications of cardiogenic shock (25.9% vs 6.2%,P＜0.001),heart failure (HF) (59.3% vs 18.2%,P＜0.001 ),cardiac arrhythmia (44.4% vs 26.4%,P＜0.05) and pneumonia (55.6% vs 16.3%,P＜0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the major predictors for the occurrence of MODS secondary to AMI were advanced age (≥ 75 years,odds ratio 2.64,95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 6.61),heart rate/＞ 100 bpm on admission (odds ratio 1.74,[CI] 1.14 to 2.64),in-hospital complication of HF (odds ratio 3.03,[CI] 1.26 to 7.26) and pneumonia (odds ratio 2.82,[CI] 1.18 to 6.77).Conclusions MODS is not the uncommon complication in elderly patients with AMI and is associated with poor prognosis.Advanced age,heart failure and pneumonia are predictors of the development of MODS in patients with AMI.(J Geriatr Cardiol 2008;5:199-202)