Objective To study the influences of ginsenoside Re on learning and memory abilities of natural apolexis rats and to probe its preliminary mechanism.Method Water maze test for old rats was used to observe the effect of ginsenoside Re on learning and memory,and electrophysiological technique to record the long-term potentiation(LTP)in basic synaptic transmission of the dentate gyrus in anesthetized rats.Results Ginsenoside Re can markedly counteract memory acquisition impairment in natural apolexis rats,and enhance the synaptic transmission in the dentate gyrus and form the LTP consequence.Conclusion Ginsenoside Re can improve the learning and memory obstacle in rats,the mechanism may correlate with its enhancing the basic synaptic transmission and promoting the magnitude of LTP of the dentate gyrus.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of synchronous perfusion of specific respiratory chain complex IV inhibitor sodium azide (NaN3) in brain on rat ventromedial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and acetylcholine (ACh) and choline (Ch) contents in hippocampal extra-cellular fluid, and establish the AD rat model induced by mitochondrial acute injury.

METHODThe synchronous dual-probe dual-channel brain microdialysis sampling technology was applied to synchronously perfuse modified Ringer's solution containing NaN3 (50 micro mol L-1) and neostigmine (2 micro mol L-1) into mPFC and hippocampus of conscious, freely moving normal rats, and continuously collect dialysates from different encephalic areas. Dynamic contents of ACh and Ch were determined by high performance liquid chromatography-post-column immobilized enzyme reactor-electrochemical process.

RESULTACh and Ch contents in mPFC extracellular fluid of normal rats were higher than that in hippocampus. During the process of perfusion, NaN3 could significantly reduce ACh in mPFC/hippocampal extra-cellular fluid, but remarkably increase Ch, and constantly inhibit the recovery of ACh and Ch contents in mPFC/hippocampus.

CONCLUSIONThe synchronous perfusion of NaN3in rat mPFC and hippocampus can injure functions of the cholinergic nerve projection area, and cause the acute AD model with ACh and Ch metabolic disorders. This model can be used in pathogenetic and pharmacological studies.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Animals ; Choline ; metabolism ; Extracellular Fluid ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Male ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Perfusion ; Prefrontal Cortex ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Azide ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Time Factors

Ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (ergone) is one of main components in many medicinal fungi. Ergone has been reported to possess the activities of diuresis, cytotoxicity, antitumor, immunosuppression, as well as treatment of chronic kidney disease. According to reported literatures, an overview of spectroscopy characteristics, content determination, pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetics, etc. for ergone is presented in this review. Furthermore, the present review can provide a certain reference value for the further study and development of ergone.
Animals ; Cholestenones ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Humans

Objective To investigate the relationship between genetic single-nucleotide polymorphisms of ligase Ⅳ (LIG4) and heat shock protein B1 (HSPB1) and prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinomas.Methods DNAs were extracted by phenol-chlorofrom method from peripheral blood samples of 168 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.Genetic single-nucleotide polymorphisms were divided by Taqman realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR).All statistical analyses were performed with statistical product and service solutions v13.0.A p-value of less than 0.05 was confirmed as statistical significance.Single-factor and multiple-factor logistic analyses were used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95％ confidence interval (CI).Long-rank test and COX were also used.Results No relationship was found between the recurrence,metastasis and overall survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and genetic single-nucleotide polymorphisms of LIG4 and HSPB1 with single-factor and multiple-factor logistic analyses.Conclusions LIG4 rs1805388 and HSPB1 rs2868371 had no relationship with prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinomas.

Objective To investigate the effect of the eye-acupuncture therapy on serum TNF-α levels in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and the related mechanism. Methods Healthy SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal group, sham-operated control group, ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group according to body weight. Sham-operated control group, ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group were divided into the 3h group, the 24h group and the 72h group, a total of 10 groups (n=8). To establish the rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by suture method in ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group. Eye-acupuncture was separately started immediately after reperfusion and at 30 min before sampling in the 3h eye-acupuncture group, besides, eye-acupuncture was separately taken every 12h in the 24h eye-acupuncture group and in the 72h eye-acupuncture group. The rats in normal group were not treated, those in sham-operated control group were inserted the fishing thread 1cm, and the others were identical with those in ischemia-reperfusion model group. At 3h, 24h, 72h after reperfusion, the neurophysical behaviours were accessed by ZeaLonga neurophysical impairment marks in ischemia-reperfusion model group and eye-acupuncture group. The method of ELISA was taken to detect the change of serum TNF-α levels in rats after the eye-acupuncture therapy. Results Compared with the ischemia-reperfusion model group, the neurologic impairment score of the eye-acupuncture group decreased obviously; The levels of serum TNF-αin ischemia-reperfusion model group at 3 h, 24 h, 72 h respectively were(76.803±18.325)pg/ml、(85.511±13.334)pg/ml、(86.831±9.232)pg/ml. The level of serum TNF-α in normal group was(24.304±6.511)pg/ml. The level of serum TNF-α in Sham-operated control group at 3 h, 24 h, 72 h respectively were(24.928±3.792)pg/ml,(27.533±5.362)pg/ml,(29.366±5.874)pg/ml. Ischemia-reperfusion model group compare with normal group and sham-operated control group, the difference were significant(P＜0.01). The levels of serum TNF-α in rats after the eye-acupuncture therapy at 3 h, 24 h, 72 h respectively were(40.185±3.335)pg/ml, (48.523±7.687)pg/ml, (51.611± 6.403)pg/ml. Compared with ischemia-reperfusion model group, the levels of serum TNF-α were strongly reduced(P＜0.01). Conclusion The eye-acupuncture therapy could play a role in improving cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury evidently and the mechanism was related to its reducing serum TNF-α levels.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the serum level of a novel autoantibody, anti-tubulin-α-1C, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to investigate its clinical significance. METHODS: Anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 62 patients with SSc, 38 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 24 primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients, and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), immunoglobulin A(IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), C3, C4, rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibody(ANA), anti-centromere antibodies(ACA), anticardiolipin (aCL), anti-dsDNA antibody, anti-Sm antibody, anti-RNP antibody, anti-Scl-70 antibody, anti-Ro52 antibody, anti-SSA antibody, anti-SSB antibody, centromere protein A(CENP-A), centromere protein B (CENP-B) were measured by standard laboratory techniques. Raynaud's phenomenon and modified Rodnan skin score(MRSS) were recorded to evaluate the disease status of SSc. Independent sample t test, Chi square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman rank correlation were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The serum anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody concentration in SSc group was 81.24±34.38, the serum anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody concentration in SLE group was 87.84±38.52, the serum anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody concentration in pSS group was 59.79±25.24, and the serum anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody concentration in healthy group was 39.37±18.7. Multivariate analysis revealed that anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody levels were significantly increased in the SSc and SLE patients. The expression level of anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody in SSc was higher compared with the pSS group and the health control group (P < 0.01). Further analysis demonstrated that the elevated anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody were correlated with the SSc inflammation and disease activity markers ESR(r=0.313, P=0.019), The levels of anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody were also significantly correlated with MRSS(r=0.636, P < 0.01). The best cut-off value for the diagnose of SSc was 76.77 as mean+2SD value. The proportion of Raynaud's phenomenon was higher in the group of anti-tubulin-α-1C autoantibody-postive SSc patients than that in anti-tubulin-α-1C autoantibody negative group(71.4% vs. 37.5%, P=0.039). The proportions of anti-Scl-70 antibody, anti-CENP antibody and anti-cardiolipin antibody were higher in the group of anti-tubulin-α-1C autoantibody-postive SSc patients than in the anti-tubulin-α-1C autoantibody negative group (37.9% vs. 15.2%, 34.5% vs. 12.1%, 13.8 vs. 0, respectively, all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Based on this explorative stu-dy, the level of anti-tubulin-α-1C antibody increased in the serum of the patients with SSc. There were correlations between anti-tubulin-α-1C autoantibody and clinical and laboratory indicators of the SSc patients. It may become a novel biomarker indicative of active SSc and could be applied in future clinical practice.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Scleroderma, Systemic ; Sjogren's Syndrome

We aimed to study the effect of allitridum (All) on the transient outward potassium current (Ito) of ventricular myocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Totally 30 male SHRs were randomly divided into three groups: low-dose All group (7.5 mg·kg(-1)), high-dose All group (15.0 mg·kg(-1)) and normal saline group. The other 10 sex and age matched Wistar-kyoto rats (WKY) were also taken as control group (WKY group). All animals received i.p. administration for 8 weeks. The dual enzymatic method was used to separate single ventricular myocyte from animals. Patch-clamp technique was used to record Ito and analyze the effect of All on the current. It was shown that the left ventricular hypertrophy of SHR was reversed significantly by All. Furthermore, the density of Ito was recovered in both high and low dose All groups. The peak current densities of Ito were enhanced from 18.23±3.64 to 25.17±2.86 pA/pF (P<0.01) and 36.47±5.42 pA/pF (P<0.01) at +50 mV by All 7.5 mg·kg(-1) and 15.0 mg·kg(-1), respectively, which was not significantly different with WKY group. The effect was associated with positive shift of the steady-state, close-state inactivation, and shortened recovery from inactivation of Ito. It is concluded that All decreases the remodeling of Ito of ventricular hypertrophic myocytes of SHR.
Allyl Compounds ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; drug therapy ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; drug effects ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Sulfides ; pharmacology

Objective:To establish an HPLC method for the determination of four kinds of isoflavone compounds including daid-zin, tectoridin, daidzein and tectorigenin in the extracts of Pueraria lobata flowers. Methods:The separation was performed on an Agi-lent C18 column(250 mm × 4. 6 mm, 5 μm) using a mobile phase of methanol-acetonitrile-water(2∶1∶2). The flow rate was 1. 0 ml· min-1 ,and the detection wavelength was 264nm. The column temperature was 25℃ and the sample size was 20 μl. Results:The de-tection could be accomplished within 10 minutes with good separation and specificity of four isoflavone compounds with the retention timeof3.4,3.8,5.7and7.2min,respectively. Thelinearrangewas0.784-78.440 μg·ml-1(daidzin),2.000-200.000 μg· ml-1(tectoridin) and 0.800-80.020 μg·ml-1 (daidzein and tectorigenin),and the relative coefficient was 0.999 9, 0.999 8, 0. 999 7 and 0. 999 9, respectively. The average recovery was 100. 54%(RSD=1. 66%,n=6),100. 03%(RSD=1. 00%, n=6), 99. 48%(RSD=1. 76%, n=6) and 100. 92%(RSD=2. 26%, n=6), respectively. Conclusion: The method is simple, rapid and accurate with good repeatability, which can be used in the rapid determination of isoflavone compounds in the flowers of Pueraria loba-ta.

We aimed to study the effect of allitridum (All) on the transient outward potassium current (Ito) of ventricular myocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Totally 30 male SHRs were randomly divided into three groups: low-dose All group (7.5 mg·kg(-1)), high-dose All group (15.0 mg·kg(-1)) and normal saline group. The other 10 sex and age matched Wistar-kyoto rats (WKY) were also taken as control group (WKY group). All animals received i.p. administration for 8 weeks. The dual enzymatic method was used to separate single ventricular myocyte from animals. Patch-clamp technique was used to record Ito and analyze the effect of All on the current. It was shown that the left ventricular hypertrophy of SHR was reversed significantly by All. Furthermore, the density of Ito was recovered in both high and low dose All groups. The peak current densities of Ito were enhanced from 18.23±3.64 to 25.17±2.86 pA/pF (P<0.01) and 36.47±5.42 pA/pF (P<0.01) at +50 mV by All 7.5 mg·kg(-1) and 15.0 mg·kg(-1), respectively, which was not significantly different with WKY group. The effect was associated with positive shift of the steady-state, close-state inactivation, and shortened recovery from inactivation of Ito. It is concluded that All decreases the remodeling of Ito of ventricular hypertrophic myocytes of SHR.

Objective To learn the present hospital management conditions in Shanghai for upgrading quality of care.Methods The stratified sampling method was used for a questionnaire survey of the quality of care at 20 hospitals in Shanghai (10 tertiary hospitals and 10 secondary hospitals).The survey covered such six dimensions as organizational framework,management functions,management tools,professional training,regulations and norms,and supervision over operations.Results Medical quality management system is established at such hospitals and all of them have established medical quality management committees.Rooms of improvement remain in such details as departmental quality management,regulations standardization,IT support,and management tools popularity.Conclusion Management regulations and standards of medical quality management should be improved and implemented from both external and internal aspects,to improve medical quality and patient safety.