Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a main type of syndrome from mild cognitive impairment to dementia,which is caused by cerebrovascular risk factors (eg,hypertension, diabetes,hyperlipemia),obvious (cerebral infarction and hemorrhage) or unobvious cerebrovascular disease (leukoaraiosis and chronic cerebral ischemia).Its incidence is increasing,however,its pathogenesis remains uncertain,and effective therapeutic tools are lacking.Therefore,an increasing attention is being paid to all aspects of studies.This article mainly reviews the recent development in research of neuropsychology,imaging,electrophysiology,biology,and gene.

Based on the organization and implementation of the comprehensive reform of countylevel public hospitals in 15 provinces (municipalities)in southern China,the research discussed the progress and problems of such reforr.The progress made and areas of the reform vary among provinces and municipalities.For example,the reform has completely covered all the counties in four provinces such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu province.Medicine markups have been canceled in all the pilot counties by adjusting the service prices to pave the way for hospital compensation.Contemporary hospital management,remuneration system and personnel system reform are also main targets of the reform,while the collaboration between superiors and subordinates,and hospital regulatory system have recently been included.Problems are also found with the current reform:for example,lack of attention for the system reform,no fundamental changes in place in the business orientation of hospitals,as well as problems in collaboration among departments,and hospital debts.

AIM:Scopolamine blocks cholinergic transmission and impairs learning and memory in mice．The purpose of this study was to evaluate the memory-improving properties of curcumin on scopolamine-induced memory im-pairment in mice．METHODS：The mice of memory impairment were induced by scopolamine．Step down test and Morris water maze test were used to observe the earning and memory ability in curcumin-treated ice．Biochemical assessments of AChE，MDA，and GSH-Px levels in brains were performed．RESULTS：Oral administration of curcumin ignificantly reduced the numbers of step-down rrors(P<0．05)and prolonged the step-down latency induced by scopolamine(P<0．05)．The escape latency time in mice treated with curcumin Was remarkably educed compared to that in scopolamine group by Morris water maze test(P<0．05)．After the platform was removed，the total time that the mice swam in the tar-get quadrant Was also longer in curcumin group than that in model group(P<0．05)．The data also indicated that curcumin significantly inhibited AChE ctivity(P<0．01)and prevented oxidative stress characterized by the significant reduction in MDA content and the significant increase in GSH-Px activities in the brain(P<0．01)．CONCLUSl0N：Curcumin in-duces cognitive improvement by enhancing the function of cholinergic system and its antioxidant activity．

Objective To obtain more information concerning polymorphism of the thyrotropin (TSHR) in Graves diseases(GD). Methods (1)A family of GD was studied (including 3 patients and 9 healthy family members)to examine SNPs of TSHR through direct sequencing of all 10 exons and part of introns. (2)In the current case-control study, 30 patients with familiar GD, 48 sporadic patients and 96 healthy control individuals were used to assess whether SNP of TSHR was associated with GD. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocytes isolated from ACD-anticoagulated blood. Ten exons were amplified by PCR, using primers designed by ourselves. After purifying, the products were sequenced. Results Eight polymorphisms were found. There was a novel polymorphism in exon 8. There were no significant differences between patients and controls. Conclusions These findings suggested that the novel and other polymorphisms of the TSHR gene may not be responsible for GD. There are racial differences in the distribution of polymorphisms of TSHR gene.

Animals ; Cardiovascular System ; chemistry ; Female ; Group II Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Group IV Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Group V Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Group X Phospholipases A2 ; blood ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To establish the reference databases for bone mineral density(BMD)in multiple skeletal regions,which would be useful for diagnosis of osteoporosis(OP)and prediction of fracture risk in adult women in Qingdao.Methods BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at skeletal regions of lumbar spine,left hip(femoral neck,Ward's triangle and greater trochanter)in 868 healthy adult women aged 25- 83 years and 191 women with fractures.BMD of skeletal regions with age-related change was found to fit in 8 kinds of regression models.Best model equations of fitting were found and the reference database was established.BMD of women with fractures was compared with the reference databases to predict the risk of fracture.Results BMD in 6 skeletal regions changed with aging and a cubic regression model was better fitted with aged-related change as compared with other regression models.The coefficients of determination(R~2)of fitting curve were 0.21?0.09 (P＜0.01).The BMD reference databases of women in Qingdao were established by cubic regression equation, the peak BMD of lumbar spine and hip appeared at 25-29,and 40-44 years old groups respectively.Finally,the BMD in fracture group was significantly decreased by 1.6-2.5 s as compared with the peak BMD of health women. Conclusion The bone quantity is lost rapidly after 45 years old in women.If the BMD in women after 50 years old is decreased by 1.6-2.5 s compared with the peak BMD in the same area,the risk of fracture is increased.

A pilot-scale research on purification of odorous gas emitted from wastewater treatment plant using a biofilter was conducted. The aim of this study is to check on the performance of biofilter running in various conditions and the effect of pH fluctuations on the performance of biofilter. The relation between distribution of microorganism and removal of odorous gases were also discussed here. The experimental results show that the predominant odor-causing gas can be efficiently eliminated by a biofilter inoculated with deodoring microorganism which were isolated previously. Moreover the biofilter had been proved having good tolerance to shocking loads of pollutant and can operate well in the condition of low pH.

This paper investigates the main problems existing in research-type key lab construction in higher schools.Based on the investigation,countermeasures are proposed also.

Objective To report the development of clinical symptoms in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant progressive external ophthalmoplegia(adPEO).Methods Electromyologram and muscle biopsy were performed in the proband and 4 family members with the disease.Results The proband was a 57 year-old woman,who developed bilateral ptosis after the age of 30,external ophthalmoplegia after the age of 35 years old,weakness of extremities at the age of 37 years old and bulb palsy with palmus at the age of 47 years old.In the family there were 20 male and female members from five generations.All of them complained about bilateral ptosis between 26—33 years old,external ophthalmoplegia(12/15)and weakness of all extremities(14/15)between 35—45,facial and masticatory weakness(9/9)as well as dysphagia(8/9)between 44—60,accompanied with heart lesions(4/7)after 50 years old.Some patients died due to cardiac impairment.Electromyologram showed myopathic abnormalities in the examined patients. The main myopathological changes were ragged red fibers,cytochrome c oxidase negative fibers and ragged blue fibers in succinate dehydrogenase staining.Conclusions The adPEO started from extra-ocular muscles to limbs,finally facial and bulbar muscles.Heart lesions were presented in late stage and lead to death in some members.The developing process of symptoms suggested that we should pay more attention to cardiac manifestations in this disease.

Objective To analysis the clinical manifestations of mtDNA A3243G mutation in adulthood.Methods The clinical features were investigated in 36 cases (28 patients from 5 families with the mutation and 8 sporadic cases),in whom mtDNA A3243G mutation was confirmed genetically in 23 cases (15 cases from 5 mutation families and 8 sporadic cases).Cranium radiology was performed in 14 cases.Muscal biopsies were performed in l0 cases.Results Among 28 cases in the 5 family,there were 9 cases (32.1%) with stroke like episodes,17 cases (60.7%) with diabetic mellitus and 16 cases (57.1%) with deafness.Such symptoms usually combined with each other and rarely existed alone. Cardiomyopathy and renal failure were uncommon.In the 23 cases with mtDNA A3243G mutation,14 cases (61.0%) had mitochondria] myopathy,encephalopathy,lactic acidosis,and stroke-like episodes (MELAS),mostly presenting cognitive abnormalities,dysarthria or aphasia and headache,3 cases (13.0%) were asymptomatic carriers,2 cases (8.7%) had autonomic dysfunction,2 cases (8.7%) had diabetic mellitus with or without nerve deafness,1 case (4.3%) had diabetic mellitus with infertilitas and cardiomyopathy,respectively.Cranial radiological images revealed the changes more commonly in the temporal and occipital lobes and less frequently in the frontal lobes.Ragged red fibers were confirmed in 9 of 10 cases with muscle biopsies.The proportion of mutant mtDNA A3243C was not significantly different between MEALS (28.75%?13.69%) and non-MELAS (25.08%?11.54%).Conclusions mtDNA A3243G mutation mainly results in the lesions in the central nerve system,pancreatic island and acoustic nerve in adulthood.Heart and kidney are less frequently involved.Cognitive abnormalities,aphasia and headache are the major symptoms of adult MELAS.Families have with more than 1 patient with diabetic mellitus and deafness,indicating that the mutation is other than MELAS mutation.We should pay more attention to the non-MELAS symptoms in the families with mtDNA A3243G mutation.