Objectives:To explore the dynamic changes of right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) on echocardiography during the process of right ventricular fibrosis with right ventricular pressure overload.Methods:Animal models with RV pressure overload (n=5) were established by main pulmonary artery (PA) banding in piglets.The ratio of RV pressure to left ventricular (LV) pressure was greater than 60％ as assessed by the pressure measuring needle during the operation.Pre-and post-operative echocardiography were performed.Histopathological examination of RV tissues was performed at the end of the experiment.Results:During the establishment of the animal models,2 piglets died due to hemorrhagic shock,while 3 piglets survived and were included in the analysis.Systolic RV pressure,systolic PA pressure and mean PA pressure(measured at the proximal end of the constriction) were significantly increased immediately after PA banding,mean RV pressure and mean PA pressure were significantly inreased at 14 weeks postopseratively (all P<0.05).Tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion and peak early diastolic velocity of tricuspid annulus (TV e') decreased immediately after operation (all P<0.05).They returned to the pre-operative level in the following three weeks.The absolute values of RVGLS were reduced after PA banding (all P>0.05).The RVGLS of the inner membrane layer began to recover after 3 weeks,and the RVGLS of the middle and outer membrane layers began to recover after 7 weeks.However,the time to peak RVGLS was significantly prolonged and could not be restored even untill the end of the experiment (14 weeks after surgery)(all P<0.05).At the end of the experiment,pathological examination revealed fibrous tissue hyperplasia in both the myocardial interstitium and endocardium.Conclusions:The measurement of intracardiac pressure and pathological results confirmed the success of the establishment of the animal model of increased right ventricular afterload.Both stress and strain cannot truly represent the intrinsic characteristics of the myocardium under pressure overload.The prolonged time to peak of longitudinal strain might indirectly reflect the progression of myocardial injury more persistently during the process of increased right ventricular afterload and myocardial injury.

Objectives:To explore the dynamic changes of right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) on echocardiography during the process of right ventricular fibrosis with right ventricular pressure overload.Methods:Animal models with RV pressure overload (n=5) were established by main pulmonary artery (PA) banding in piglets.The ratio of RV pressure to left ventricular (LV) pressure was greater than 60％ as assessed by the pressure measuring needle during the operation.Pre-and post-operative echocardiography were performed.Histopathological examination of RV tissues was performed at the end of the experiment.Results:During the establishment of the animal models,2 piglets died due to hemorrhagic shock,while 3 piglets survived and were included in the analysis.Systolic RV pressure,systolic PA pressure and mean PA pressure(measured at the proximal end of the constriction) were significantly increased immediately after PA banding,mean RV pressure and mean PA pressure were significantly inreased at 14 weeks postopseratively (all P<0.05).Tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion and peak early diastolic velocity of tricuspid annulus (TV e') decreased immediately after operation (all P<0.05).They returned to the pre-operative level in the following three weeks.The absolute values of RVGLS were reduced after PA banding (all P>0.05).The RVGLS of the inner membrane layer began to recover after 3 weeks,and the RVGLS of the middle and outer membrane layers began to recover after 7 weeks.However,the time to peak RVGLS was significantly prolonged and could not be restored even untill the end of the experiment (14 weeks after surgery)(all P<0.05).At the end of the experiment,pathological examination revealed fibrous tissue hyperplasia in both the myocardial interstitium and endocardium.Conclusions:The measurement of intracardiac pressure and pathological results confirmed the success of the establishment of the animal model of increased right ventricular afterload.Both stress and strain cannot truly represent the intrinsic characteristics of the myocardium under pressure overload.The prolonged time to peak of longitudinal strain might indirectly reflect the progression of myocardial injury more persistently during the process of increased right ventricular afterload and myocardial injury.

Females increase aggression for mating opportunities and for acquiring reproductive resources. Although the close relationship between female aggression and mating status is widely appreciated, whether and how female aggression is regulated by mating-related cues remains poorly understood. Here we report an interesting observation that Drosophila virgin females initiate high-frequency attacks toward mated females. We identify 11-cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA), a male-derived pheromone transferred to females during mating, which promotes virgin female aggression. We subsequently reveal a cVA-responsive neural circuit consisting of four orders of neurons, including Or67d, DA1, aSP-g, and pC1 neurons, that mediate cVA-induced virgin female aggression. We also determine that aSP-g neurons release acetylcholine (ACh) to excite pC1 neurons via the nicotinic ACh receptor nAChRα7. Together, beyond revealing cVA as a mating-related inducer of virgin female aggression, our results identify a neural circuit linking the chemosensory perception of mating-related cues to aggressive behavior in Drosophila females.
Animals ; Male ; Female ; Drosophila/physiology* ; Drosophila Proteins/physiology* ; Cues ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology* ; Aggression/physiology* ; Drosophila melanogaster/physiology*

OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of baicalin on Aβ25-35 induced learning and memory deficits and changes in autophagy-related genes in mice so as to explore the related mechanisms of Alzheimer disease (AD) treatment . METHODS C57 mice were administered with 3μL Aβ25-35 3 mmol·L-1 by intracerebroventricular injection to establish an AD model. Baicalin was given by intracerebroventricular injection at the dose of 25, 50 and 100 mg · kg-1 for 15 d, respectively. The total distance and the central grid residence time were measured in the open-field test. The escape latency and the time to reach the platform were monitored in the Morris water maze trial. The autophagic vacuoles in the hippocampus of the mice were observed by transmission electron microscopy before the protein expressions of microtu?bule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin1 in brain tissue were analyzed by Western blot?ting assay. RESULTS Intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ25-35 could reduce the total distance from (3984±321)cm to (2790±306)cm and extend central grid residence time from (3.6±1.2)s to (8.8±2.9)s in the open-field test. The escape latency of water maze also increased from (22.0 ± 1.9)s to (38.8 ± 2.2)s. Autophagic vacuoles or late autophagic vacuoles and increased Beclin1 and LC3 and protein level were observed in the hippocampus after Aβ25-35 injection. Intraperitoneal injection of Baicalin 50 and 100 mg · kg-1 for fifteen consecutive days extended the total distance in open-field test to (3705 ± 337)cm and (3968 ± 448)cm, respectively, while the central grid residence time was reduced to (5.6 ± 1.8)s and (3.9±1.5)s, respectively. The total time taken to reach the platform in water maze test was reduced to (28.6± 1.9)s, (22.9 ± 1.7)s. Mitochondrial swelling, vacuolar membrane structure or autophagic vacuoles were visible in the hippocampus. LC3 and Beclin1 protein expression was significantly up-regulated(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Baicalin shows protective effect against Aβ25-35 induced learning and memory deficits, and this effect may be related to the activation of autophagy in the mouse hippocampus.