Apelin is the endogenous ligand of a G protein-coupled receptor called APJ, its propeptide is an X-linked and coded peptide with 77 amino acids. Apelin/apelin receptor system is widely distributed in the body and is involved in various physiological and pathological regulations. It has been demonstrated that apelin is associated with the occurrence and development of many diseases, including angiocardiopathy, pulmonary arterial hypertension, nephropathy, cancer, endocrine disease, and so on. Currently, studies on apelin in nervous system have been developed gradually. This article focuses on apelin and summarizes the distribution and pathophysiological roles of apelin in nervous system, as well as in the occurrence and development of diseases associated with nervous system.

Objective To investigate the effects of bortezomib on cellular migration and invasion ability in cuhured human prostatic cancer cells DU145 and its mechanism.Methods Transwell method was used to detect cell migration.Invasion was assayed by Matrigel-coated invasion chambers.Expressions of FAK and Tyr397 proteins were analyzed by Western blot.Results After treated by bortezomib at the concentration of 10,20 nmol/L for 24 h,the invasion index of DU145 cells were (69.05±10.56) and (52.55±6.98),they were gradually reduced compared with untreated group (81.55±10.56) (P ＜ 0.05).The migration index were (39.35±6.45),(32.05±4.22),they were also reduced compared with untreated group (58.75±5.41) (P ＜ 0.05).The group of treated by bortezomib showed Tyr397 protein expression had been suppressed.However FAK protein had not marked change.Conclusions FAK is involved in the regulation of cellular migration and invasion function.Bortezomib might inhibit cells migration and invasion function by down regulation of Tyr397 expression.

Objective To study the signal transduction pathway of norepinephrine (NE)-induced expressions of oncogenes c-fos and c-myc in the rat heart. Methods mRNA levels of c-fos and c-myc in the left ventricle of the Langendorff-perfused rat heart was quantitated by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results NE increased the expressions of c-fos and c-myc while the effects of NE on the expressions of c-fos and c-myc were blocked by ? 1-adrenergic blocker prazosin (5?10 -6 mol/L) completely. Neomycin (5 mmol/L) and ruthenium red (10 ?mol/L) decreased the NE-induced c-fos and c-myc mRNA levels. Conclusion NE can induce the expressions of oncogenes c-fos and c-myc in the ventricle mediated by ? 1-adrenergic receptor. The signal transduction pathway of NE-induced c-fos and c-myc expressions may be associated with inositol phosphates-Ca 2+ system and diacylglycerol-protein kinase C system.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate ( MgIG) in the treatment of patients with liver damage after closed abdominal trauma. Methods:Totally 84 cases of patients with closed abdominal trauma were randomly divided into the observation group (n=42) and the control group (n=42) according to the random number table. The control group was given the conventional treatment, while the observation group was treated with MgIG additionally. The treatment course was 14d. The clinical efficacy and the level changes of albumin, prealbumin, TBiL, AST and ALT before and after the treatment in the two groups were stud-ied and compared, and the adverse reactions during the treatment course were also compared between the groups. Results: The total effective rate of the observation group (90. 48%) was significantly higher than that of the control group(69. 05%, P<0. 05). After the treatment, the plasma albumin and prealbumin levels in both groups were significantly increased (P<0. 05), and those in the ob-servation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0. 05). The serum TBiL, AST and ALT levels in both groups were significantly decreased after the treatment (P<0. 05), and those in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0. 05). There was no serious adverse reaction during the treatment course in both groups. Conclusion:MgIG in the treatment of liver damage after closed abdominal trauma shows notable effect, which can improve liver function obviously with high safety and reliability.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic performance of multi ? b value DWI to differentiate pancreatic adenocarcinoma from healthy pancreas using the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and parameters derived from the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) theory. Methods Forty?eight patients with histopathologically proven pancreatic adenocarcinoma and fifty patients with healthy pancreas were examined at 3.0 Tesla using a single?shot echo?planar imaging DWI pulse sequence. Eight b?values ranging from 0 to 1 000 s/mm2 were used. ADC, diffusion coefficient (D), perfusion?related diffusion (D*) and perfusion fraction (f) were compared between pancreatic adenocarcinoma and healthy pancreas, t test or Mann?Whitney U test was used to compare the MRI parameters, ROC was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency. Results In comparison to healthy pancreatic tissue, a significant reduction of the ADC, D*and f was found in pancreatic adenocarcinoma [healthy pancreatic tissue:(1.68±0.31)×10-3mm2/s, 27.10×10-3mm2/s, (36.92±12.47)%;pancreatic adenocarcinoma:(1.51±0.37)×10-3mm2/s, 13.90×10-3mm2/s, (30.06±19.84)%] (P<0.05). No significant difference in the diffusion coefficient D was observed between the two groups (1.06× 10-3 and 1.26 × 10-3mm2/s; P>0.05). In the ROC?analyses, the area under curve for D* was the largest (0.727), followed by f and ADC in order (0.680 and 0.669). Conclusion Using the IVIM DWI approach, the D*, f and ADC value are useful for differentiating pancreatic adenocarcinoma from healthy pancreatic tissue.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of increasing end-tidal concentrations of sevoflurane and increasing stimulation voltage on motor evoked potentials,so as to provide evidence in making anesthesia plan for intraspinal tumor surgery.Methods:In the study,48 patients scheduled to undergo intraspinal tumor surgery [American Society of Anesthesiology,(ASA)Ⅰ-Ⅱ,18-65 years old]were enrolled. After general anesthesia induction,the patients were assigned to receive sevoflurane anesthesia of increa-sing end-tidal concentration in the sequence of 0.0%,0.5%,1 .0% and 1 .5% respectively,under a background of propofol and remifentanil.All the observations were done before the important steps of sur-gery.Remifentanil infusion rate was 0.2 μg /(kg·min),while the propofol infusion rate was adjusted to maintain the bispectral index values within the range of 30-50.At each concentration,4 stimulation voltages of 300 V,400 V,500 V and 600 V were employed to elicit motor evoked potentials (MEPs). The amplitude and latency of each MEP were compared.The success ratio was also recorded.Results:The concentration of sevoflurane and the stimulation voltage had impacts on the amplitude and latency of MEPs.Under each stimulation voltage,the MEPs amplitude decreased following increasing end-tidal sevoflurane concentrations,and significant differences were found in comparing 1 .5% sevoflurane (left 20.50 μV,70.71 μV,135.97 μV,190.00μV ,right 14.29 μV,50.71 μV,73.10μV,77.50μV) with 0.0% sevoflurane (left 143.00 μV,388.10 μV,484.53 μV,500.00 μV,right 176.00 μV, 407.60 μV,384.35 μV,451.00 μV)and 0.5% sevoflurane (left 100.00 μV,362.57 μV,444.05μV,435.00 μV,right 115.00 μV,207.15 μV,258.34 μV,358.50 μV),left χ2 =27.46,P<0.01,right χ2 =60.49,P<0.01;left χ2 =20.73,P<0.01,right χ2 =55.05,P<0.01;left χ2 =34.25,P<0.01,right χ2 =33.58,P<0.01;left χ2 =28.61,P<0.01 ,right χ2 =49.04,P<0.01;while there were no statistical differences in the latency changes (P =0.26 ).Under each end-tidal sevoflurane concentration,the MEPs amplitude increased following increasing stimulation voltages,and significant differences were found in comparing 300 V (left 143.00 μV,100.00 μV,61.50 μV,20.50μV ,right 176.00 μV,115.00 μV,41.07 μV,14.29 μV)with 400 V (left 388.10 μV,362.57μV,198.81 μV,70.71 μV,right 407.60 μV,207.15 μV,89.00 μV,50.71 μV)and 500 V (left 484.53 μV,444.05 μV,216.24μV,135.97 μV,right 384.35 μV,258.34μV,187.50μV,73.10μV)and 600 V (left 500.00 μV,435.00 μV,344.00 μV,190.00 μV,right 451.00 μV,385.50μV,156.00μV,77.50μV),leftχ2 =45.55,P<0.01,rightχ2 =25.73,P<0.01;leftχ2 =46.67, P<0.01,right χ2 =55.30,P<0.01;left χ2 =47.36,P<0.01,right χ2 =47.82,P<0.01;left χ2 =38.67,P<0.01,right χ2 =45.87,P<0.01;while the latencies were decreased,and significant dif-ferences were found in comparing 300 V with 400 V and 500 V and 600V(left F=7.50,P=0.01 ,right F=13.33,P<0.01),but the differences had little clinical significance.The success ratio decreased by increasing end-tidal sevoflurane concentration,and significant differences were found in comparing 1 .5%sevoflurane (left 43.8%,70.8%,77.1%,81.3%,right 37.5%,60.4%,75.0%,66.7%)with 0.0%sevoflurane (left 79.2%,87.5%,95.8%,93.8%,right 75.0%,95.8%,95.8%,95.8%)and 0.5%sevoflurane (left 72.9%,89.6%,95.8%,95.8%,right 66.7%,89.6%,95.8%,97.9%);the suc-cess ratio increased by increasing stimulation voltage,and significant differences were found in comparing 300 V(left 79.2%,72.9%,62.5%,43.8%,right 75.0%,66.7%,60.4%,37.5%)with 400 V(left 87.5%,89.6%,77.1%,70.8% ,right 95.8%,89.6%,79.2%,60.4%)and 500 V(left 95.8%, 95 .8%,9 1 .7%,77 .1%,right 95 .8%,95 .8%,8 1 .3%,75 .0%)and 600 V (left 93 .8%,95 .8%, 89.6%,81.3%,right 95.8%,97.9%,89.6%,66.7%),but there were no statistical differences in the success ratio of MEPs between the group with stimulation voltage of 600 V ,end tidal sevoflurane concen-tration of 1 .5% and the group with stimulation voltage of 300 V,end tidal sevoflurane concentration of 0.0% (P=0.22).Conclusion:Sevoflurane inhibited MEPs in a dose-dependent manner.It can de-crease the amplitudes and prolong the latencies.But increasing stimulation voltage will facilitate MEPs monitoring and increase the success ratio.Sevoflurane can be used in larger parts of MEPs monitoring surgery by increasing the stimulation voltage.

AIM: To investigate the variation of ?-AR in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and variation of GRK2 in lung and to explore the therapeutic effect of methlyprednisolone in severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury model in rats.METHODS: 36 rats were divided into three groups randomly: the control group,the experimental group,and the intervention group.In the experimental group,severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury model was induced in SD rats by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct.In the control group,laparotomy was performed,duodenum and pancreas were flipped only.In the intervention group,methlyprednisolone(30 mg/kg) was injected into rump muscle of rats after model developed.At 6 and 12 h after model was developed,the maximum binding capacity(Bmax) and the Kd value of ?-AR were detected in lung by means of radioactive ligand binding assay.GRK2 expression was detected in lung by means of immunofluorescence.RESULTS: The scores of the severity of pancreatitis and the severity of lung injury in the experimental group were obviously higher than those in control group.In the experimental group,Bmax was obviously lower,Kd and GRK2 were obviously higher than those in control group and the intervention group.CONCLUSION: The ?-AR in lung is lower down and GRK2 expression in lung is up-regulated in severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury model in rats.The therapeutic effect of methlyprednisolone to severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury is positive.

Objective To select valuable biomarkers for diagnosis and predicting outcome of sepsis-related acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) from D-dimmer (DD),yon Willebrand factor (vWF),platelet (PLT),N terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP),interleukin-6 (IL-6),interleukin-8 (IL-8) and surfactant protein D (SP-D).Methods A total of 48 sepsis accompanied with ARDS patients and 40 sepsis patients were prospectively studied with comparison.The clinical characteristics of all the patients were recorded in detail.The blood samples were obtained within 24 hours of ICU admission.The concentration or activity of the seven biomarkers was quantitatively assayed and the results were recorded.To select the most valuable biomarkers as clinical indices,diagnosis model and death predictive model were constructed by Logistic regression.Results Among the seven candidate biomarkers,SP-D,vWF and IL-8 showed the most value.Their area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) were 0.758 (P ＜ 0.01),0.783 (P ＜ 0.01) and 0.747 (P ＜ 0.01) respectively,and raised to 0.847 (P ＜ 0.001) when the three biomarkers were combined.IL-8,age greater than or equal to 60 years and APACHE Ⅱ score greater than or equal to 20 were related to ARDS death with 12.138(lnIL-8)(P=0.022),6.157(P=0.040) and7.415(P=0.014) of OR values respectively.Conclusion SP-D,vWF,IL-8 should be valuable for early prediction of sepsis-induced ARDS and the diagnostic accuracy raised through combined utilization.IL-8 may be predictable for prognosis of sepsis related ARDS and the comprehensive evaluation combining clinical indices with IL-8 should be suggested in clinical practice.

Objective · To study the metabolite profiles on patients of ischemic stroke using metabonomics approach. Methods · The serum samples from the 29 patients with ischemic stroke and 31 healthy controls were analyzed by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) coupled multi-dimensional statistical methods to find differential metabolites in two groups. Results · Orthogonal partial least squares analysis (OPLS) model was generated based on identified metabolites and shown clear discrimination from patients and healthy controls. Some serum metabolite levels were significantly altered in patients. Six up-regulated metabolites included γ- aminobutyric acid, glutaric acid, glyceric acid, gluconic acid, lactobionic acid, and cholesterol, and nineteen down-regulated metabolites included citric acid, aconitic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, β-alanine, and glycerol-3-phosphate. Conclusion · Amino acid metabolism, glycometabolism and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are disturbed in patient of ischemic stroke. The metabonomic approach has great potential to understand the underlying mechanisms of stroke in ischemic patients.

Objective To evaluate the clinical results of three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) for esophageal carcinoma. Methods From May 1999 to May 2001, 104 patients with pathologically confirmed esophageal carcinoma were randomly divided into conventional radiotherapy (CT) and three dimensional conformal radiotherapy(3DCRT) groups, with 52 patients in each arm. The patients in CT group received conventional radiotherapy in 2.0?Gy/f, 5 fractions a week to a total dose of 70?Gy in 7 weeks. The patients in 3DCRT group were first treated by the same fractionation in CT group to the dose of 40?Gy, and then treated by 3DCRT in 3.0?Gy/f, 5 fractions a week to the total dose of 70?Gy in 6 weeks. Results The 1-and 3-year local control rates were 80.2% and 60.5% in 3DCRT group and 61.6% and 31.7% in CT group(?2 = 4.87, P