Objective This study was aimed to investigate the association between integrity of long association fiber tracts changes and neuropsychological performance in patients with remitted geriatric depression (RGD).Methods Using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE),Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT),Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT),Trail Making Test-A&B (TMT-A&B),Digit Span Test (DST) to collect general clinical data and neuropsychological data.14 patients with RGD and 19 healthy volunteers as control were recruited in this follow-up study.Subjects were scanned using a General Electric 1.5 Tesla scanner to acquire diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) images.Using the DTI studio software to calculate the fraction anisotropy (FA) value of region of interesting (ROI) in 13 RGD patients and 19 controls.Results (1) At baseline,RGD patients showed significant poorer performance in some specific domain of cognitive function,such as AVLT,SDMT,TMT A&B and DST than controls [RGD patients:5.93±2.56,25.00 ± 15.04,133.50 ±96.66,237.71 ± 138.42,11.79 ±2.08; controls:8.16 ± 1.83,34.95 ± 8.89,69.58 ± 27.92,139.74 ± 38.11,13.16 ± 1.74.At follow-up,the score of MMSE,AVLT,DST in RGD patients showed some degrees of decline (27.79 ±3.97,5.00 ±2.83,11.71 ±2.13,SDMT,TMT-A&B exhibited increased score 27.07 ± 15.78,70.43 ±25.52,157.71 ±36.92,but only the change of TMT-A and B was statistically significant (P =0.038,0.032).After follow-up,the RGD patients exhibited lower scores of DST than controls [(11.71 ±2.13) vs.(14.05 ±2.72),P ＜0.01].(2) At baseline,the FA value of left cingulate fasciculus (posterior) in RGD patients was lower than controls [(0.50 ± 0.08) vs.(0.57 ±0.05),P =0.015].At follow-up,the FA value of right frontooccipital fasciculus in RGD patients was lower compared to controls [(0.50 ± 0.03) vs.(0.54 ± 0.06),P =0.025],the FA value of corpus callosum (splenium) was decreased significantly in RGD patients [(0.83 ± 0.05) vs.(0.77 ± 0.06),P =0.013].In controls,the FA value of left cingulate fasciculus (middle) exhibited significant decrease [(0.60 ± 0.06) vs.(0.54 ± 0.06),P =0.011].(3) Correlation analysis showed that the decreased FA value of splenium of corpus callosum was negatively related to the increase of SDMT score (r =-0.617,P =0.025).Conclusions The findings suggest that the regional fiber connection change be closely related to cognitive impairment.The abnormality of integrity long white matter fiber bundle might be associated with impaired cognitive function in patients with RGD.

Objective This study was aimed to investigate the association between integrity of long association fiber tracts changes and neuropsychological performance in patients with remitted geriatric depression (RGD).Methods Using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE),Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT),Symbol Digit Modality Test (SDMT),Trail Making Test-A&B (TMT-A&B),Digit Span Test (DST) to collect general clinical data and neuropsychological data.14 patients with RGD and 19 healthy volunteers as control were recruited in this follow-up study.Subjects were scanned using a General Electric 1.5 Tesla scanner to acquire diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) images.Using the DTI studio software to calculate the fraction anisotropy (FA) value of region of interesting (ROI) in 13 RGD patients and 19 controls.Results (1) At baseline,RGD patients showed significant poorer performance in some specific domain of cognitive function,such as AVLT,SDMT,TMT A&B and DST than controls [RGD patients:5.93±2.56,25.00 ± 15.04,133.50 ±96.66,237.71 ± 138.42,11.79 ±2.08; controls:8.16 ± 1.83,34.95 ± 8.89,69.58 ± 27.92,139.74 ± 38.11,13.16 ± 1.74.At follow-up,the score of MMSE,AVLT,DST in RGD patients showed some degrees of decline (27.79 ±3.97,5.00 ±2.83,11.71 ±2.13,SDMT,TMT-A&B exhibited increased score 27.07 ± 15.78,70.43 ±25.52,157.71 ±36.92,but only the change of TMT-A and B was statistically significant (P =0.038,0.032).After follow-up,the RGD patients exhibited lower scores of DST than controls [(11.71 ±2.13) vs.(14.05 ±2.72),P ＜0.01].(2) At baseline,the FA value of left cingulate fasciculus (posterior) in RGD patients was lower than controls [(0.50 ± 0.08) vs.(0.57 ±0.05),P =0.015].At follow-up,the FA value of right frontooccipital fasciculus in RGD patients was lower compared to controls [(0.50 ± 0.03) vs.(0.54 ± 0.06),P =0.025],the FA value of corpus callosum (splenium) was decreased significantly in RGD patients [(0.83 ± 0.05) vs.(0.77 ± 0.06),P =0.013].In controls,the FA value of left cingulate fasciculus (middle) exhibited significant decrease [(0.60 ± 0.06) vs.(0.54 ± 0.06),P =0.011].(3) Correlation analysis showed that the decreased FA value of splenium of corpus callosum was negatively related to the increase of SDMT score (r =-0.617,P =0.025).Conclusions The findings suggest that the regional fiber connection change be closely related to cognitive impairment.The abnormality of integrity long white matter fiber bundle might be associated with impaired cognitive function in patients with RGD.

Objective To describe the clinical features of patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in popular period and other period.Methods All the HFRS patients from epidemic areas in Xi' an were surveyed retrospectively.The sociodemographic data,symptom characteristics and laboratory test results were collected.Chi-square test,rank test were used to analyze the data.Results Totally 429 HFRS cases were recruited including 280 male (65.3％) and the male/female ratio was 1.9 ∶ 1.Adults with 16-60 years of age were the main group,which accounted for 74.8％ of the total cases.The constituent ratios of cases with 16-60 years of age in popular period and other period were 76.1％ (245/322) and 71.0％ (76/107),respectively; the sex ratios were 1.93∶1 and 1.74∶1,respectively; the time from fever onset to hospitalization was 3 d and 4 d,respectively; the time of hospitalization was both 10 d; the proportions of emergency cases were 59.8％ (189/316) and 67.6％ (71/105),respectively; the proportions of cured cases were 56.4％ (181/321) and 43.4％ (46/106),respectively.The clinical features were not significantly different between popular period and other period (all P＞0.05).The immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody positive rate was 85.4％ (315/369) and those in popular period and other period were 88.4％ (251/ 284) and 75.3％ (64/85),respectively (x2 =8.968,P＜0.01).There was a positive correlation between symptom severity and outcome of discharge (x2=18.558,P＜ 0.01),the more slight symptoms were related with the better outcome.Conclusion The clinical features are similar in cases from popular period and other period from Jan 2008 to Jun 2011.

Aim To identify paclitaxel differential binding protein in the cells of cell line MCF-7 and MCF-7/Taxol and to find new target for antitumor agents.Methods Synthesis and activity assay of biotinylated paclitaxel was used to gain paclitaxel binding protein by semiautomatic in vitro selection using the affinity magnetic beads method.LC MS/MS analysis and Western immunoblot analysis were used to identify the differential binding protein.Results The experimentation identified paclitaxel binding protein in the cells of MCF-7 and MCF-7/Taxol.An absent strap in MCF-7/Taxol was discovered by comparing the straps of two cell lines, which contained 25 kinds of proteins, among which 3 proteins were identified by western blot techniques: Heat shock protein HSP 90,Dermcidin Precursor,Actinin.Conclusions By comparing the straps of two cell lines, the differential protein in the cells of MCF-7 and MCF-7/Taxol are discovered, implying that they may be the novel mechanism of taxane resistance and may lead to find a new approach to finding a new target for oncotherapy drugs.

Objective To investigate the effect of methylene blue(MB)on liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rabbits.Methods Twenty-four healthy New Zealand white rabbits of both sexes welshins 2.0-2.3 kg were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=8 each):group Ⅰ sham operation(group s);group Ⅱ I/R and group Ⅲ methylene blue (group MB).The animals were anesthetized with intravenous 2% pentobarbital 30 mg/kg.Liver I/R was produced by occlusion of hepatic blood flow for 40 min followed by 60 min repeffusion.In group MB methylene blue 5 mg/kg was injected iv at 20 min before liver ischemia.Femoral artery was carmulated for MAP monitoring and blood sampling.MAP and HR were recorded immediately before(T1,baseline)and at 20 and 40 min of ischemia (T2,3) and 1,5,30,60 min(T4-7)of repedusion.Blood samples were collected at T1,T5,T6 and T7 for measurement of seruln TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations.Plasma AST and ALT activities were measured at T1,T6 and T7.Liver specimens were obtained at the end of experiment for determination of SOD activity and MDA content.Results In group I/R MAP was significantly decreased at T4-7 during reperfusion and HR at T7 as compared with the baseline at T1;while in group MB no significant change in MAP and HR Was observed during ischemia and reperfusion as compared with the baseline.The gerum TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations and the plasma ALT and AST activities were significantly increased during reperfusion as compared with the baseline immediately before ischemia in group I/R and MB and were significantly lower in group MB than in group. I/R. The SOD activity was significantly higher while MDA content was significantly lower in group MB than in group I/R. Microscopic examination showed that liver damage was less severe in group MB than in group I/R. Conclusion The administration of MB can maintain hemodynamic stability and attenuate liver I/R injury in rabbits.

Objective To investigate the role of Notch signaling pathway in cerebral ischemic tolenmce induced by clectroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning.Methods Fifty-two adult male SD rats weighing 280-320 g were randomly divided into 2 groups(n=each):control group(group C)and electroacupuncture preconditionig group(group EA).Group C received no treatment.Group EA received EA at the Baihui acupoint (GV20) for 30 min a day for 5 days.Twenty-four hours after the last preconditionig,focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 120 min,followed by 72 h of reperfusion.Notch intracellular domain(NICD)expression was determined by Western blot and expression of Notch1,Notch4,Jag1,and Hes1 mRNA by real-time PCR immediately before iachemia and 24 and 72 h of reperfusion.The neurological deficit was scored at 72 h of reperfusion.The infarct volumes were then determined after evaluation of the neurological deficit score .Results There was no significant difference in Hesl mRNA and NICD expression immediately before ischemia between group EA and C(P>O.05).NICD expression was up-regulated at 24 and 72 h of reperfusion in both groups, and Hesl mRNA expression at 72 h of reperfusion in group C and at 24 h of reperfusion in group EA was up-regulated compared with those immediately before ischemia (P < 0.05). Hes1 mRNA and NICD expression was up-regulated in group C, while down-regulated in group EA at 72 h of reperfusion compared with those at 24 h of reperfusion ( P < 0.05 ). Compared with group C, the expression of Notchl,Notch4 and Jag1 mRNA was up-regulated immediately before ischemia, and Hes1 mRNA and NICD expression was up-regulated at 24 h of reperfusion while down-regulated at 72 h of reperfusion in group EA( P < 0.05). EA preconditioning significantly reduced infarct volumes and increased neurological deficit scores at 72 h of reperfusion (P < 0.05 ). Conclusion Notch signaling pathway may participate in cerebral ischemic tolerance induced by EA preconditioning.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether pretreatment with repeated electroacupuncture (EA) at the Baihui acupoint could induce ischemic tolerance against transient focal cerebral ischemic injury in rats.

METHODSThirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10 for each): the control group consisted of animals receiving no treatment, the isoflurane (ISO) group had animals that inhaled 1.5% isoflurane for 30 min a day for 5 days, and animals in the EA group received electroacupuncture at the Baihui acupoint for 30 min a day for 5 days under 1.5% isoflurane anesthesia. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, the middle cerebral artery was occluded with No. 3 nylon monofilament for 120 min. The neurological outcomes were evaluated 24 h after reperfusion. The infarct volumes were then assessed using 2% triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining after the neurological outcome evaluation.

RESULTSThe neurological deficit score (NDS) of the EA group [1 (0-2)] was lower than that of the ISO group [2 (1-3)] and the control group [2 (1-4)], P < 0.05. The infarct volume of the EA group (38.3 +/- 25.4 mm(3)) was significantly smaller than that of the control group (220.5 +/- 66.0 mm(3)) and the ISO group (168.6 +/- 57.6 mm(3)) 24 h after reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at the Baihui acupoint 30 min a day for 5 days significantly reduces neurological injury induced by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; therapy ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley