Objective To explore the specific brain regions involved in Chinese character radicals visualspatial processing,as well as to explore the relationship between visual-spatial identification and Chinese characters radicals identification.To provide an evidence for understanding the underlying neural mechanism of developmental dyslexic.Methods Twelve healthy Chinese fourth and fifth grade children(7 boys and 2 girls,aged from 10 to 11 years old)were chosen from a primary school in Guangzhou.The children were native Chinese speakers and right handed.The subjects participated in two fMRI experiments on a 3.0 T Siemens MR scanner.Two separate block-designed cognitive tasks were devised,one was figure directions judgement task and the other was Chinese characters radical identification task.A single-shot GE-EPI scan sequence were used for fMRI scans.The BOLD fMRI data were collected and were preprocessed and analyzed in SPM2.Results The subjects had longer reaction time during the two experiments tasks than in control states((879±127)ms vs(805±124)ms,P=0.029;(917±144)ms vs(750±101)ms,P＜0.01),and had same response accuracy in both tasks and control states((96±5)% vs(95±8)%,P=0.515;(89±10)% vs(96±6)%,P=0.130).In figure direction judgement experiment,activations were found in bilateral occipital,right superior parietal,right precuneus and right middle frontal cortices.However,different and more extensive regions including left superior parietal,left precuneus,left hippocampus,right thalamus,right caudate cortices and bilateral occipital cortices were involved in identifying the radicals of Chinese characters.Conclusion Right hemisphere was dominant in judging the figure direction,and left hemisphere is dominant in identifying radicals of Chinese characters.These fMRI results show light on underlying partial similar neurophysiological mechanism between judging figure directions and identifying Chinese character radicals.The visual-spatial ability may be essential for Chinese character radical identification.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A receptor gene C(-1019)G polymorphism and geriatric depression and Alzheimer′s disease (AD) with depressive symptoms in Han Chinese. Methods The case control study was used in the study among 106 patients with geriatric depression, 72 AD patients with depressive symptoms and 150 healthy old individuals in China. The C(-1019)G polymorphism of 5-HT1A was analyzed with the technique of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results The frequencies of 5-HT1A genotype C/G (39.6%), G/G(24.5%) and allele G (44.3%) in the patients with geriatric depression were significantly higher than those in the controls (respectively 35.3%, 13.3%, 31.0%, P < 0.05). The frequencies of 5-HT1A G allele in the AD patients with depressive symptoms (41.0%) were significantly higher than those in the controls (31.0%,X2=4.2879, P<0.05). No significant difference in distribution of (5-HT)1A C (-1019) G polymorphism between the patients with geriatric depression and the AD patients with depressive symptoms was observed (P > 0.05). Conclusion The 5-HT1A gene C (-1019)G polymorphism may be associated with geriatric depression and AD with depressive symptoms and (-1019)G allele may be a risk factor for them.

Objective To explore the relationship between intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sodium fluoride (NaF)-induced injury in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Methods The levels of [Ca2+]1 and ROS were measured in different exposed times(0,3,6,12,18,24 h) respectively after SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to 40 mg/L NaF in vitro, and the optimal expose time was selected. Furthermore, the changes of [Ca2+]1, ROS and LDH levels in 40 mg/L NaF-treated groups incubated with 38.23 mg/L BAPTA-AM or 380.40 mg/L ethylene glycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N, N, N', N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) or 16.32 mg/L N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC) also observed at the optimal expose time(12 h), respectively. Results At 3,6,12,18 and 24 h, [Ca2+]1 level(5620.0±226.3,4775.5±85.6,3312.3±87.5, 3047.0±75.0,2717.0±66.5) was significantly increased, and so was the ROS level(4449.53±324.61,7463.07±117.43,20 227.33±178.04,8817.56±200.13, 7975.61±92.90) except at 3 h, compared with 0 h(2115.0±24.0,4098.01±21.22, all P<0.05). The levels of [Ca2+]1 and ROS reached the peak at 3 h and 12 h, respectively. [Ca2+]1 and LDH levels in NaF-treated group [3279.5±94.0, (1057.50±64.35)U/L], NaF+NAC treated group[ 3583.0±350.7, (561.02±85.50)U/L], NaF+EGTA treated groups[3701.5±157.7, (1074.50±86.97)U/L], and BAPTA-AM treated group[2766.5±38.9, (521.43±40.80)U/L] had increased, compared with the control[2022.5±118.1, (186.97±8.73)U/L], the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). ROS levels in NaF-treated group (19 003.04±332.34), and NaF+EGTA treated group(19 170.12±95.46) was higher than that in the controls(4060.98±145.66), the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). NaF and NAC had antagonistic effect on ROS and LDH levels (F=976.11,43.54,P<0.05). And NaF and BAPTA-AM had antagonistic effect on [Ca2+]1, ROS and LDH levels (F=15.65,1515.53,115.00, P<0.05). Conclusions NaF-related calcium is released from the site of intracellular calcium storage, which induces ROS production, both of them caused cytotoxicity and the increase of LDH level in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the enhancing effect of crystal sugar-vinegar solution on the tolerance of alcohol consumption in mice and rabbits.

METHODCrystal sugar-vinegar solution was given to mice or rabbits 30 min before feeding a dose of alcohol. The toxic behavior and percentage of animal death in 24 hours were observed. Meanwhile, blood alcohol levels in the rabbits were measured.

RESULTCrystal sugar-vinegar solution could prolong the latent period of righting reflex disappearing of the drunk mice(P < 0.01) and decrease death percentage of drunk mice in 24 hours(P < 0.01). Crystal sugar-vinegar could also decrease blood alcohol levels in the drunk rabbits, especially 30 min(P < 0.01) and 180 min(P < 0.05) after administration of alcohol.

CONCLUSIONCrystal sugar-vinegar solution has an evident sober-up effect on drunk model animal.

Acetic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Alcoholic Intoxication ; blood ; drug therapy ; Alcoholism ; blood ; drug therapy ; Alcohols ; blood ; Animals ; Carbohydrates ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Crystallization ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Rabbits