Objective To evaluate the effect of ulinastatin on brain injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice.Methods Ninety adult male C57 mice,aged 3-4 months,weighing 200-300 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:control group (C group),LPS group and ulinastatin group (U group).Group U received intraperitoneal injection of ulinastatin 10 000 U/kg,while group L received the equal volume of normal saline,and 10 min later brain injury was produced with LPS 1 μg/g injected into the cerebral ventricle.Ten animals were chosen and blood samples were taken for determination of plasma concentrations of S100β protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) at 1,3 and 7 days after LPS injection.Then the animals were sacrificed and hippocampal tissues were obtained for determination of interleukin-1β (IL-1 β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) contents and IL-1β mRNA and TNF-α mRNA expression.Results Compared with C group,the plasma concentrations of S100β protein and NSE and contents of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly increased at 1,3 and 7 days after LPS injection,and IL-1β mRNA and TNF-α mRNA expression was up-regulated at 1 and 3 days after LPS injection in LPS and U groups.Compared with group LPS,the plasma concentrations of S100β protein and NSE and contents of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly increased,and IL-1β mRNA and TNF-α mRNA expression was down-regulated at 1 and 3 days after LPS injection in group U.Conclusion Ulinastatin can attenuate brain injury induced by LPS in mice,and the mechanism is related to inhibited inflammatory responses.

Objective To study the effects of exercise on hemodynamic parameters and cardiovascular humoral factors in the elderly patients with hypertension. Methods The modified Bruce assessment (MBA) was employed in an essential hypertension (EH) group (group 1, n =34) composed by elderly EH patients and a control group (group 2, n =31) composed of normal subjects. Heart rate (HR),systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP、DBP), and the quantum and duration of exercise (QE, DE) were explored, while the serum concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin 1(ET1), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and AngiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ) were measured at 3 min before and after treatment. Results There were no significant differences between groups 1 and 2 with regard to HR, SBP, DBP, total DE and peak QE before and after treatment, in addition, at the peak of exercise ( P 0.05). Pretreatment SBP and DBP were significantly and positively correlated with those at the peak of and after treatment ( r =0.648,0.630, P

Objective To evaluate the effect of intraperitoneal desferroxmine on the postoperative cognitive function of aged rats.Methods Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 15-18 months,weighing 490-550 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),operation group (group O),and desferroxmine group (group D).Exploratory laparotomy was performed after anesthesia in O and D groups.In group D,desferroxmine was injected intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg per time,each time lasting for 12 h) for 7 consecutive days,starting from 7 days before operation,while the equal volume of normal saline (100 ml/kg) was given in group O.All the rats underwent Morris water maze test at 3 days after operation,and the escape latency and frequency of crossing the original platform were recorded.The rats were then sacrificed and the hippocampus was removed for detection of ferritin expression.Results Compared with group C,the escape latency was significantly prolonged,the frequency of crossing the original platform was decreased,and ferritin expression was up-regulated in group O,and no significant changes were found in each parameter mentioned above in group D.Compared with group O,the escape latency was significantly shortened,the frequency of crossing the original platform was increased,and ferritin expression was down-regulated in group D.Conclusion Intraperitoneal desferroxmine 100 mg/kg (injected for 7 consecutive days) before operation can improve the postoperative cognitive function of aged rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is the most common type of autoimmune encephalitis. This study aimed to explore the possible factors affecting the response to first-line treatments in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. METHODS: We enrolled 29 patients who were diagnosed as anti-NMDAR encephalitis between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2018. They were divided into the remission and nonremission groups according to their response to first-line treatments. The demographics, clinical manifestations, main ancillary examinations, follow-up treatments, and prognosis of patients were recorded. The symptoms reported on in this study occurred before treatments or during the course of first-line treatments. RESULTS: There were 18 patients (62.07%) in the remission group and 11 patients (37.93%) in the nonremission group. Compared to the remission group, a higher proportion of the patients in the nonremission group exhibited involuntary movements, decreased consciousness, central hypoventilation, lung infection, and hypoalbuminemia. The nonremission group had a high incidence of increased intracranial pressure and significant elevations of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in peripheral blood (NLR), aspartate aminotransferase, and fibrinogen. Six patients (54.55%) in the nonremission group received second-line immunotherapy. Only one patient (3.45%) died, which was due to multiple-organ failure. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-NMDAR-encephalitis patients with more symptoms—especially involuntary movements, disturbance of consciousness, central hypoventilation, and accompanying hypoalbuminemia and pulmonary infection—may respond poorly to first-line treatments. Positive second-line immunotherapy therefore needs to be considered. Admission to an intensive-care unit, increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and increased NLR might be the significant factors affecting the response to first-line treatments.
Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure ; Consciousness ; Demography ; Dyskinesias ; Encephalitis ; Fibrinogen ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Hypoventilation ; Immunotherapy ; Incidence ; Intracranial Pressure ; Lung ; Prognosis

Objective:To observe the expression of noggin mRNA in the hippocampus of rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, and explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at the " baihui" and " dazhui" acupoints on their learning and memory and on hippocampal neurogenesis.Methods:In total, 120 Sprague-Dawley rats had cerebral hypoperfusion induced by permanent bilateral ligation of the common carotid artery. The 104 successfully induced were divided at random into a model group and an EA group, each of 52. The EA group was given EA on the baihui and dazhui acupoints for 20 minutes daily for seven days followed by a two-day break. The output current was 1mA at 15Hz. No special treatment was given to the model group. After one, two, four and six weeks of treatment, 6 rats were given BrdU injections to observe the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. Learning and memory were assessed using the Morris Water Maze. The expression of noggin mRNA and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus were measured using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reactions and immunohistochemistry.Results:After one, two and five weeks of intervention, the average learning and memory ability of the EA group were significantly better than those of the control group. The average expression of noggin mRNA was significantly higher in the EA group than in the model group at the same time points. Compared with the model group, there were more BrdU-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in the EA group, and the number decreased with the prolongation of ischemia. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the levels of noggin mRNA in the hippocampus of both groups were positively correlated with their number of BrdU-positive cells. The correlation was stronger in the EA group than in the model group.Conclusions:Electroacupuncture can promote hippocampal neurogenesis in rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion by regulating the expression of hippocampal noggin mRNA, thereby improving their spatial learning and memory ability.