Objective To determine the effect of inhaling rosemary compound essential oil on learning and memory and the expression of choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in rats with vascular dementia (VD).Methods A modified 2-VO method was used to induce permanent brain hypoperfusion,and thus VD,in 60 male SD rats aged 2 months.They were then randomly divided into a normal control group (n =10),a sham-operation group (n =10),a model group (n =10),a rosemary compound essential oil group (n =10) and an edaravone group (n =10).The rosemary compound essential oil group inhaled a compound of the essential oils of rosemary,eugenol and peppermint once a day; the edaravone group was given a daily injection of edaravone injecta.Both the interventions lasted for 65 days.A water maze was used to test their learning and memory abilities.Morphological damage in the CA1 region of the hippocampus and the expression of ChAT were also observed.Results The learning and memory abilities of the model group were significantly weaker compared with the sham-operated group and the normal controls.The rats in the rosemary compound essential oil and edaravone groups were obviously better than those in the model group,but there was no significant difference between rosemary compound essential oil group and the edaravone group.The morphological damage observed in the hippocampus and striatum of the model group was significantly greater,on average,than that observed in the rosemary compound essential oil group and the edaravone group.The average number of ChAT positive units in the CA1 region of the hippocampus was significantly greater in both the rosemary compound essential oil group and the edaravone group compared with the model group,but there was no significant difference between the rosemary compound essential oil group and the edaravone group.Conclusions Inhaling rosemary compound essential oil can improve the learning and memory abilities of rats with VD caused by permanent chronic brain hypoperfusion.It decreases the damage to the neurons of the hippocampus,increases the expression of ChAT,and shows a therapeutic effect on VD,at least in rats.

Objective To observe the curative effect and safety of operation combined with recombinant human erythropoietin on patients with severe intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods Seventy-six surgery patients with severe intracerebral hemorrhage were divided into rHu-EPO group (40 cases) and control group (36 cases) by random digits table method. The rHu-EPO group was injected subcutaneously with rHu-EPO, and the control group was treated with placebo. Neurologic impairment (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS score) and activities of daily living (Barthel index) were evaluated 1 month and 3 months after treatment respectively. Moreover, blood pressure, hemoglobin, and adverse reaction were also observed. Results The scores of NIHSS and Barthel index in two groups before treatment had no significant differences (P>0.05). One month and 3 months after treatment, the scores of NIHSS and Barthel index in rHu-EPO group were significantly better: (12.27±5.26) scores vs. (15.36±4.34) scores and (8.17±2.40) scores vs. (13.90±2.54) scores, (54.36±21.87) scores vs. (43.47±20.29) scores and (69.71±23.08) scores vs. (52.56±21.32) scores, there were statistical differences(P<0.05). There were no statistical differences in systemic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and hemoglobin between 2 groups (P>0.05). There were no apparente adverse reactions such as fever, erythra, itching and deep venous thrombosis in rHu-EPO group. Conclusions Operation combined with recombinant human erythropoietin has nerve protective effect, and might be an effective and safe therapy target in severe intracerebral hemorrhage.

Objective To investigate the correlation between myocardial fibrosis evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)T1 mapping and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in elderly patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM).Methods The 56 hospitalized patients with ICM(ICM group)and 20 healthy volunteers(control group)were recruited in cardiology department of Henan Provincial People's Hospital from April 2014 to June 2017.Clinical data,serum NT-proBNP detection,CMR T1 mapping and contrast-enhanced scan were determined,retrospectively collected and compared between two groups.The differences in myocardial extracellular volume fraction(ECVF)and NT-proBNP levels were compared among the control group,the ICM group and the ICM subgroups with different degree of cardiac dysfunction.The correlation between ECVF and NT-proBNP level was analyzed.Results The levels of ECVF and NT-proBNP were significantly higher in ICM group than in control group[(35.1t6.2)％ vs.(25.3±2.2)％ for ECVF,and(3 902.7± 1 670.3)ng/L vs.(280.5± 140.5)ng/L for NT-proBNP,t =6.917 and 9.645 respectively,both P＜0.01].Along with NYHA Functional Class upgrade of Ⅱ to Ⅲ] to Ⅳ of the ICM subgroups,the levels of ECVF and NT-proBNP were significantly increased (F =18.372 for ECVF,61.82 for NT-proBNP,all P＜0.01).There was a positive correlation between ECVF and NT-proBNP level in ICM patients (r =0.666,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Serum NT-proBNP level is correlated with the degree of myocardial fibrosis,which might be used as an indicator of myocardial fibrosis in ICM patients.

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of protein kinase N1(PKN1)on the proliferation of mouse cardiomyocytes.Methods Two 1-day-old mice were anesthetized with isoflurane,and their cardiomyocytes were isolated and divided into the control group and the interference group.The cardiomyocytes in the interference group were transfected with PKN1 fragments,while the cardiomyocytes in the control group were transfected with control fragments.According to the random number table method,10 mice were divided into the normal group and the observation group,with 5 mice in each group.The mice in the observation group were injected with PKN1 adenovirus in situ in the heart,while the mice in the normal group were injected with empty adenovirus in situ in the heart.The Ki-67 positive expression in myocardial cells and tissues of mice in the four groups was detected by immunofluorescence assay,indicating the proliferation ability of cardiomyocytes.The PKN1 mRNA expression in cardiomyocytes of mice in the control group and interference group was measured by real-time fluorescence quan-titative polymerase chain reaction.The expression of PKN1 and cyclin D1 proteins in cardiomyocytes of mice in the control group and interference group was determined by Western blot.Results The positive expression rates of Ki-67 in myocardial cells of mice in the interference group was significantly lower than that in the control group(t=11.201,P＜0.01);the positive expression rate of Ki-67 in myocardial tissue of mice in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the normal group(t=11.851,P＜0.01).The relative expression level of PKN1 mRNA in cardiomyocytes of mice in the interference group was significantly lower than that in the control group(t=7.022,P＜0.01).The relative expression levels of PKN1 and cyclin D1 proteins in cardiomyocytes of mice in the interference group were significantly lower than those in the control group(t=5.762,6.884;P＜0.01).Conclusion The decreased expression of PKN1 in mouse cardiomyocytes can inhibit the expression of cyclin D1 protein,thereby restraining cardiomyocyte proliferation.

Objective To observe changes in relative pituitary hormones after severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) in children and to investigate the short-and long-term effects of mild hypothermia on pituitary function.Methods Included for this study were 81 children who had been admitted to the Brain Hospital of Liaocheng People's Hospital from June 2011 to January 2015 for STBI and abnormal secretion of pituitary-related hormones.They were divided by the wishes of patients and their families into 2 groups,subjected to mild hypothermia treatment (n=42) or conventional treatment (n=41).The levels were examined of growth hormone (GH),prolactin (PRL),adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH),free triiodothyronine (FT3),free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) for both groups unpon admission and in the moming of 1,3,5,7 and 14 days after injury.At 6 months after injury the patients were followed up for Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) and levels of pituitary-related hormones.Results Of the 83 patients,disturbance of one single hormone was found in 31 (30.10％) and disturbance of 2 or more hormones in 52 (50.48％).The top 3 hormones disturbed were PRL,ACTH and GH.On days 3,5 and 7 after injury,the levels of PRL and ACTH in the mild hypothermia treatment group were significantly lower than in the conventional treatment group (P＜0.05).On day 3 after injury,the level of FT3 in the mild hypothermia treatment group was significantly lower than in the conventional treatment group (P＜0.05).At 6 months after injury,the GOS score for the conventional treatment group was 3.04±0.38,significantly lower than that for the mild hypothermia treatment group (4.56±0.62) (P＜0.05).The incidence of hypopituitarism in the hypothermia treatment group (16.67％) was significantly lower than in the conventional treatment group (46.88％) (P＜0.05).Conclusions Incidence of pituitary dysfunction is high in children following severe traumatic brain injury.Mild hypothermia treatment can effectively alleviate early-stage parasecretion of pituitary hormones,and decrease the incidence of later pituitary dysfunction.