Objective To explor the ultrasonography methodology of the fetal ductus arteriosus.Methods Based on the fetal four-chamber sight, the characteristic ultrasound images were observed by moving probe,such as "V-shape" sign,"three-finger" sign,"Z-shape" sign and"hockey-handle" sign making up of the ductus arteriosus and the nearby structures were observed by moving probe. The inner diameter,the systole flow velocity,the diastole flow velocity and the resistance index of the ductus arteriosus via the "V-shape" sign section were measured. Results Among the 365 normal fetus cases,355 "V-shape" sign cases,237 "three-finger" sign cases,298 "Z-shape" sign cases and 331 "hockey-handle" sign cases were identified. The inner diameter of the fetal ductus arteriosus increases gradually with the growth of the gestational weeks and the flow velocity increases gradually too, while the resistance index had no obvious variation with the growth of the gestational weeks. Conclusions According to the characteristic ultrasound images, such as "V-shape" sign, "three-finger" sign, "Z-shape" sign and "hockey-handle" sign, the fetal ductus arteriosus can be identified promptly.

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To prove the purinergic signaling mechanism of the neuroprotective action of hydrogen sulfide by observing the effects of sodium hydrosulfide ( NaHS) , a donor of hydrogen sulfide, on the cell viability, intracellular Ca2+concentration ( [ Ca2+] i ) and the change of membrane permeability in the PC12 cells injured by adenosine triphos-phate ( ATP) .METHODS: PC12 cells in logarithmic growth phase were randomly divided into 4 groups.In control group, the cells were cultured without ATP treatment.In ATP group, the cells were treated with ATP after cultured for 24 h.In NaHS+ATP group, the cells were incubated with NaHS for 30 min before treated with ATP, and NaHS always exis-ted in the reaction system.In KN-62+ATP group, the cells were pretreated with KN-62 for 30 min, and the other treat-ments were as the same as those in NaHS+ATP group.The cell viability was assessed by MTT assay.The [ Ca2+] i was detected by Fura-2/AM staining.The membrane permeability was observed by staining with fluorescent dye YO-PRO-1. RESULTS:ATP at concentration of 0.3 mmol/L showed no injury effect on the cells.However, the cell viability was dropped gradually in a dose-dependent manner as the ATP at doses of 1, 3, 5 and 10 mmol/L.The decline of cell viability by ATP was obviously reversed by 200 μmol/L of NaHS in the PC12 cells (P<0.05), but exasperated by 800μmol/L of NaHS (P<0.05).At the same time, ATP evoked the increase in [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner, which was inhib-ited by NaHS ( P<0.05) .Furthermore, the YO-PRO-1 uptake induced by ATP in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner was also reduced by NaHS ( P<0.05) .CONCLUSION:Hydrogen sulfide has protective effect on the PC12 cells injured by ATP.The mechanism may be related to the reverse of the increased [ Ca2+] i and YO-PRO-1 uptake.

Objective To study the differences in retinoic acid receptor γ(RARγ) mRNA expression levels in blood leukocytes between antipsychotic-free and antipsychotic-naive schizophrenic patients and healthy control,especially in different genders. Methods Forty-three acute schizophrenic patients who were antipsychotic-naive or antipsychotic-free for at least three months (male = 34, female = 9) and 39 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (male =25 ,female = 14) were included for blood leukocytes expression of RAR γ mRNA ,using real-time PCR technique. Results Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z analysis showed a significant increase of RARγ mRNA (P =0.041) level in blood leukocytes of pooled schizophrenic patients(0. 027 ± 0. 003) than in the healthy subjects (0. 020 ± 0.002). The elevation was mainly found in the female patients (0. 030 ± 0.003). Within-sex analysis showed that the female schizophrenic patients showed a trend increase (P = 0. 166) of RAR γmRNA expression compared with the male patients (0. 026 ± 0. 001) and exhibited greater RARγ mRNA expression (P = 0. 014)when compared with the female healthy subjects(0. 018 ±0.004). Conclusions The present findings showed an abnormal expression of leukocyte RARγ mRNA level in antipsychotic-free and antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia especially in the female patients. Blood RARγ markers could add to the diagnosis and individualized pharmacotherapy of schizophrenic patients ,especially the female patients.