AIM: To study the role of protein kinase B (PKB) in tryptase-induced gene expression on ECV304 cells. METHODS: The expression of PKB, transcript factor AP-1 and NF-?B P65, IL-8, JNK, p38MAPK, and the activity of PKB were measured using RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Tryptase at concentration of 1 ?g/L increased the activity of PKB by promoting PKB phosphorylation, promoted the expression of PKB, chemokine IL-8, transcription factor AP-1 and NF-?B P65, however, no changes of JNK and p38MAPK was observed. PI3K specific inhibitor (LY294002) abolished the augment of PKB, NF-?B P65 and IL-8 expression. Antisense PKB cDNA transfection also abolished the augment of PKB, AP-1, NF-?B P65 and IL-8 expression. Though PAR2 antibody did not inhibit PKB expression, it did inhibit the phosphorylation by tryptase in ECV304 cells. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that tryptase can activate PKB through PAR2 receptor and subsequently NF-?B, AP1, IL-8 and PKB expression.

Objective To evaluate the effects of isoflurane anesthesia on NR1 expression and neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus and cortex of adult rats .Methods Thirty-six adult male Sprague-Dawley rats , weighing 250-280 g ,were randomly assigned into 3 groups using a random number table :control group (group C , n=6 ) ,O2 inhalation group (group O , n=6 ) and isoflurane anesthesia group (group I , n=24 ) .The rats were exposed to 2% isoflurane (group I) ,to pure oxygen (group O) ,or to air (group C) for 2 h .At 2 h ,and 1 ,7 and 14 days after the rats were awake (T1-4 ) ,Morris water maze test was performed .The rats were then sacrificed and brains were removed for isolation of the hippocampus and cortex .NR1 expression was detected using SABC immuno-histochemical technique and neuronal apoptosis was determined using TUNEL .Results Compared with group C , the escape latency at T2 and total swimming distance at T1 ,2 were significantly prolonged , and the expression of NR1 in hippocampi was down-regulated at T1 ,2 in group I ,and the expression of NR1 in the cortex was down-regulated in O and I groups ( P<0.05) .There was no significant difference in the apoptosis index between the three groups ( P> 0.05 ) .Conclusion Isoflurane anesthesia can decrease the cognitive function transiently ,which is related to inhibition of up-regulation of NR1 expression in the hippocampi ,but not related to neuronal apoptosis in adult rats .

AIM:To study the effects of adiponectin on H 2 O2-induced cell injury and tau hyperphosphorylation in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.METHODS:Cell viability was determined by MTT assay .H2 O2-induced cell in-jury and morphological changes in the SH-SY5Y cells with or without adiponectin treatment were observed .The level of tau phosphorylation as well as the activities of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and of glycogen synthase kinase-3β(GSK-3β) were examined by Western blotting . RESULTS: Adiponectin significantly attenuated H 2 O2-induced cell injury (P<0.01).Adiponectin upregulated the activity of PP2A and decreased phosphorylation levels of tau under the stimula-tion with H2O2(P<0.01).Okadaic acid, a specific inhibitor of PP2A, blocked the protective effects of adiponectin (P<0.01).Adiponectin increased the phosphorylation level of GSK-3βat Ser9 site under H2O2stimulation (P<0.01).CON-CLUSION:Adiponectin protects SH-SY5Y cells against H2O2-induced cell injury and decreases tau hyperphosphorylation by activating PP2A and inactivating GSK-3β.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for preeclampsia (PE) in pregnancies complicated with chronic aplastic anemia ( CAA ) by analyzing the obstetric management and pregnancy outcome.Methods Retrospectively review the clinical data including the obstetric management,the laboratory findings and the pregnancy outcome of 41 pregnant women complicated with CAA,all of whom were hospitalized in Peking University People's Hospital from May 2002 to February 2011.Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the risk factors associated with PE.Results ( 1 ) Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed before conception while 13 were diagnosed during gestation.Eleven patients including all the 7 who were categorized as severe CAA presented with mild bleeding in the third trimester.( 2 ) The medians of white blood cell counts,hemoglobin concentrations and platelet counts were 5.0 × 109/L,66.0 g/L and 12.0 × 109/L respectively.(3) The obstetric management consisted of strict assessment, intensive surveillance and follow-up,appropriate supportive measures,timely recognition of complications,and delivery when necessary.Twenty-one patients received supportive transfusions.Ten patients developed PE,all of whom were diagnosed as severe PE( SPE).Twelve patients suffered postpartum hemorrhage,and 3 of them had blood loss more than 1000 mL All were conservatively treated in success.(4) The median gestational age of delivery was 37 weeks.Sixteen cases delivered before 37 weeks and 5 delivered before 34 weeks.Two patients developed SPE at 29 weeks and 30 weeks respectively,and both of the neonates died for severe asphyxia.The birth weight of the live neonates ranged from 1500 to 3660 g.(5) The postpartum follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 7 years.Thirty-three patients got improvement without dependence on transfusions.Four achieved no remission and still needed intermittent transfusions.Four were lost in followup.(6) Significant differences were found in the bleeding tendency,the platelet counts and the delivery weeks when comparing the patients developing PE and those without PE.No differences were found with regard to the age,the gestational age of first visit,the percentage of patients diagnosed before conception,the percentage of severe CAA,the choice of treatment,the white blood cell counts and the hemoglobin level.The Multiple logistic regression showed that the platelet count less than 10 × 109/L was an independent risk factor for CAA patients developing PE (P =0.006).Conclusions Most pregnancies complicated with CAA could achieve good maternal and fetal outcome, when intensive prenatal care and supportive management are provided SPE is the most common complication.The platelet count less than 10 × 109/L is perhaps an independent risk factor for CAA patients developing PE.

It has been suggested that melatonin is involved in learning and memory. In the present study, we investigated the effects of melatonin on spatial learning and memory in rats, using Morris water maze and electrophysiological methods. The results are as follows. (1) During a six-day water maze training, the mean escape latency of melatonin group in the last 4 days was 30.02+/-3.6 s, and that of control group was 18.44+/-2.7 s (P<0.01). The crossing annulus coefficient of melatonin group was 25.68+/-2.32%, and that of control group was 43.33+/-2.85% (P<0.01). (2) Microinjection of melatonin into CA1 area inhibited long-term potentiation (LTP). Sixty minutes after tetanus, the field excitory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) slope of group C (n=7 0.5 microliter saline) was 169.71+/-6.48 % of the baseline, and that of group M2 (n=6, 2 microgram melatonin) was 114.28+/-1.80% of the baseline. The difference is significant (P<0.01). (3) We also investigated the effects of melatonin on LTP after administration of scopolamine. Sixty minutes after tetanus, the fEPSP slope of group SM (n=6, 2 microgram scopolamine before 2 microgram melatonin) was 113.70+/-5.55% of the baseline. It showed a significant decrease compared with group C (P<0.01). However, there was no difference between groups SM and M2 (P>0.05, i.v.). The results obtained by applying melatonin after bicuculline were different from those after scopolamine. Sixty minutes after tetanus, the fEPSP slope of group BM (n=7, 1 microgram bicuculline before 2 microgram melatonin) was 162.29+/>10.52% of the baseline. Compared with group C, there is no significant difference (P>0.05); but compared with group M2, the difference is significant (P<0.01). Our results showed that application of melatonin in rats significantly inhibited not only spatial learning and memory, but also LTP in CA1 area. Furthermore, the results indicate that the inhibition of LTP by melatonin may not be mediated by cholinergic system, but may be through the modulation of GABAergic system.
Animals ; Bicuculline ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; physiology ; Learning ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide ; pharmacology ; Space Perception ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the clinical and MRI characteristics of reversible splenial lesion syndrome (RESLES).Methods The clinical data,MRI features and follow-up results of 18 patients with RESLES were analyzed retrospectively.Results The average age of the patients was younger,and 5 cases were below 1 5 years old.Clinical history and MRI features were characterized.About 67%(12/18)patients had fever,headache,encephalitis,history,without long history of alcohol abuse.MRI revealed that the lesions of splenial of corpus callosum were solitary nodule with clear boundary.The lesions were slightly hyperintensity on T2 WI and obviouslyhyperintensity on FLAIR and DWI,while the they show hypointensity on ADC with the ADC value <1×10-3 mm2/s.No edema or significant enhancement were observed.The lesions may completely disappear or relief on DWI after short treatment.Conclusion RESLES is a rare entity with a broad clinicoradiological spectrum.The MRI features are characteristic,and it will provide helpful information for diagnosis, differential diagnosis and clinical treatment.

Objective To observe the clinical effects of tibial locking multidirectional interlocking intramedullary nail (TLMIIN) for tibial plateau fractures. Methods 38 cases with closed tibial plateau fractures treated by TLMIIN from October 2008 to May 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 22 males and 16 females, with an average age of 48.7 years (range, 28-67 years). There were 24 fractures on the left side while the other 14 factures were on the right side, which were all fresh frac?tures. According to AO/OTA classification of tibial plateau fractures, there were 4 cases of B1, 1 case of B2, 14 cases of B3, 8 cas?es of C1, 5 cases of C2 and 6 cases of C3. Close reduction were performed on 4 cases (10.5%of all cases). Open reduction were performed on the other 34 cases. The limited incision was decided by the distribution of the fragments and fracture line. Hohl?Luck evaluation system was applied for the follow?up. Results The mean follow?up period was 18.1 months (range, 11-23 months). All fractures were healed at an average period of 87.4 days (range, 48-131 days). The average time from operation to full weight?bearing was 108.9 days (range, 80-128 days). Hohl?Luck evaluation system was used in the final follow?up. The excellent and good rate of functional score was 94.7%(36/38), including 28 cases excellent, 8 cases good and 2 cases fair from functional as?pect. The excellent and good rate of radiological score was 84.2%(32/38), including 23 cases excellent, 9 cases good and 6 cases fair from radiological aspect. No complications such as infection, breakage and loosening of the screw, malunion, nonunion oc?curred at the time of the latest follow?up. 6 cases with serious swelling of the knee joint and the soft tissue of crus were cured by an?ticoagulation, dehydration and physiotherapy treatments after operation. The 2 cases with a little exudates and incrustation was bacterial cultured negative and healed after 16 days and 18 days on the incision. 1 case had lost of reduction due to weight?bearing 1 week after operation, who had 25 degree of varus deformity, which was left dispose, and the bone healing and joint function were unaffected. Conclusion The intramedullary support, restrictive and non?restrictive multidirectional tridimensional fixation of TLMIIN technology had satisfactory effects in treating plateau fractures. It can supply a new therapeutic method, with little dam?age of soft tissues when taking out the internal fixation and reduce some postoperative complications.

Objective: To discuss the effect of intensive insulin therapy on D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase level in patients with sepsis.Methods: 48 patients was divided into control group and conventional group randomly.Content of D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase in serum was detected with absorption spectrometry before and after therapy.Result: D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase in patients decreased significantly in control group compared to that of conventional group.Conclusion: Insulin can depress interstinal permeability and ameliorate sepsis symptom resulted from bacterial translocation from intestine.

Objective To investigate the expression of NMDAR1 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of old rats after 30-min -inhalation of 2% isoflurane, and to investigate the effects of isoflurane on the learning and memory functions of old rats and the underlying mechanism. Methods The healthy old male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 36) were randomly divided into the control group, the oxygen group, the 2-hour post-recovery group, the 1-day post-recovery group, the 3-day post-recovery group, and the 7-day post-recovery group. The morris water maze was used to detect the ethological effect of 30-min inhalation of isoflurane , and the immunohistochemistry assay was used to detect the expression of NMDAR1 in the hippocampus (CA1, CA3) and the cerebral cortex. Results The 30-min inhalation of 2% isoflurane inhibited the learning and memory abilities of old rats at 2 h post-recovery. On 1 d post-recovery, the inhibition of learning and memory began to reduce, then on 3 d and 7 d post-recovery, the learning and memory abilities continously recovered. The expression of NMDAR1 in the rat hippocampus and cerebral cortex decreased at 2 h post-recovery, and reversed on 1 d post-recovery and reached the normal level on 3 d and 7 d post-recovery. Conclusion 30-min inhalation of 2%isoflurane had an inhibitory effect on the learning and memory abilities of old rats, and the attenuation of NMDAR1 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex may involve in this process.

Objective To study the COX regression model of 28-day mortality in ARDS patients.Methods Four hundred and fifty-two ARDS patients from 2003 to 2005 was prospectively analyzed in a multi-center and random way. Results In the ARDS pathogeny,sepsis accounted for 41%,severe trauma and operation accounted for 36.3%,severe pancreatitis for 8.8%,and other for 13.9%.The 28-day mortality was 62.2%.Compared with the survived group,the number of dysfunction organs,age,APACHEII,PaCO_2,FiO_2,and A-aDO_2 were higher in the succumbed group,while PaO_2,PaO_2/FiO_2,and pH were lower.Conclusion The 28-day mortality was related with the number of dysfunction organs,age,GLASGOW score,and shock.