Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mood disorder that affects almost 20% of the global population. In addition, much evidence has implicated altered function of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) system in the pathophysiology of depression. Recent research has indicated that GABA receptors (GABARs) are an emerging therapeutic target in the treatment of stress-related disorders such as MDD. However, which cell types with GABARs are involved in this process is unknown. As hippocampal dysfunction is implicated in MDD, we knocked down GABARs in the hippocampus and found that knocking down these receptors in astrocytes, but not in GABAergic or pyramidal neurons, caused a decrease in immobility in the forced swimming test (FST) without affecting other anxiety- and depression-related behaviors. We also generated astrocyte-specific GABAR-knockout mice and found decreased immobility in the FST in these mice. Furthermore, the conditional knockout of GABARs in astrocytes selectively increased the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein in hippocampal astrocytes, which controlled the decrease in immobility in the FST. Taken together, our findings contribute to the current understanding of which cell types expressing GABARs modulate antidepressant activity in the FST, and they may provide new insights into the pathological mechanisms and potential targets for the treatment of depression.

Isoquiritigenin,one of the active constituents in the Chinese herb liquorice,is found to have moderate inhibitory activity against rat monoamine oxidase B(MAO-B,IC5047. 2 μmol·L-1). However,the structure-activity relationship(SAR) remains unclear until now. In an attempt to reveal the SAR of inhibition by isoquiritigenin,and to identify more potent and selective inhibitors of MAOB,a series of 13 derivatives based on the scaffold of isoquiritigenin were prepared,and their purities and structures were confirmed by UPLC,1 H-NMR,13 C-NMR and HRMS. These compounds were then evaluated for their ability to inhibit the enzymatic activity of human MAO-B. The SAR of inhibition was summarized and a potent compound C8 with high inhibitory activity(IC501. 4 μmol·L-1) and selectivity(>57 folds over MAO-A) was identified. Enzyme kinetics studies suggested that C8 acted as a competitive inhibitor. In addition,C8 showed little cytotoxicity to glial cells in vitro,which could be a promising lead compound for further study.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Monoamine Oxidase ; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors ; Plant Extracts ; Rats ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective To evaluate the effect of tranexamic acid on the blood loss and coagulation function after liver resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Seventy patients with hepatectomy who underwent liver resection were randomly divided into control group and treatment group,each group 35 cases.Control group was given 0.9％ NaCl injection 10 mg · kg-1.Treatment group was given tranexamic acid 10 mg · kg-1.Two groups were used at half an hour before operation.The surgical bleeding volume and postoperative coagulation function between two groups were compared.Results The operation time,time of hilar occlusion in treatment group were (157.98 ±22.36),(30.14 ±5.64) min,had no significant difference with those in control group,which were (154.98 ± 23.65),(28.79 ± 5.79) min (P ＞ 0.05).The surgical blood transfusion,bleeding volume,infusion of erythrocyte suspension in treatment group were (879.65 ± 59.36) mL,(768.97 ± 45.65) mL,(1.36 ± 0.59) U,had significant differences with those in control group,which were (1054.91 ±61.32) mL,(869.64 ±46.69) mL,(2.01 ±0.65) U (all P ＜0.05).The percentage of activated thromboplastin (APTT),prothrombin time (PT),platelet (PLT) in treatment group at 24 h after operation were (41.56 ±5.46)s,(13.48 ±3.16)s,(167.89 ±35.87) × 109/L,had no significant difference with those in control group,which were (43.19 ± 5.69) s,(14.59 ± 2.49) s,(162.35 ± 41.59) × 109/L (all P ＞0.05).The fibrinogen (FIB) in treatment group and control group were (3.27 ±0.56),(3.01 ±0.59)g · L-1,with significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).There was no adverse drug reactions in two groups during the treatment.Conclusion Giving methotrexate injection to hepatocarcinoma patients before liver resection can reduce the amount of surgical bleeding,and improve the patients' postoperative coagulation function.

Aged ; Arsenicals ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute ; drug therapy ; Oxides ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the infection status and epidemiological characteristics of influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in influenza-like illness (ILI) of children ( ≤ 14 years) in Wuhan area from 2008 to 2012.

METHODSA total of 2854 cases of ILI patients ( ≤ 14 years) in a hospital of Wuhan were recruited in the study from July 2008 to June 2012. The sample of pharyngeal swab was collected from each patient, to extract the virus nucleic acids. Real-time fluorescent quantitation reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method was applied to detect the subtypes of influenza virus and RSV, and then analyzed the time and age characteristics.

RESULTSOut of the 2854 cases, 758 (26.6%) were positive for influenza virus,including 547 (19.2%) influenza A virus positive samples and 211 (7.4%) influenza B virus positive samples. Usually, there were two peaks present in the annual curve of influenza virus, namely summer peak and winter/spring peak. The positive rate of influenza virus in 6-14 years old children (48.0%, 275/573) was significantly higher than that in 3-5 years old children (26.6%, 213/801) and that under 3 years old children (18.3%, 270/1480). The difference showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 187.432, P < 0.01). A total of 219 (7.7%) cases were positive for RSV,including 108 RSV-A positive samples and 112 RSV-B positive samples (1 co-infection). The epidemic of RSV showed an obvious seasonal pattern with peaks in autumn,winter and spring,which accounted for 96.8% (212/219) of all the cases; however, the annual incidence of RSV fluctuated greatly. The predominant subtype shifted every 2 years. RSV-B predominated during September 2008 and May 2009, December 2009 and March 2010, accounting for 76.6% (36/47) and 96.9% (62/64) respectively. RSV-A predominated during November 2010 and March 2011, September 2011 and April 2012, accounting for 92.5% (37/40) and 100.0% (48/48) respectively. With the increase of the age, the positive rate of RSV-A and RSV-B decreased gradually (RSV-A: χ(2) = 36.223, P < 0.01; RSV-B: χ(2) = 36.281, P < 0.01). The positive rates of RSV-A in children < 1,1,2,3,4,5-9 and 10-14 years old were 7.0% (26/373), 5.9% (39/662), 4.0% (18/445), 3.2% (13/406), 1.3% (3/236), 1.4% (7/517) and 0.9% (2/215) respectively; while, the positive rates of RSV-B in each age group were 6.4% (24/373), 6.0% (40/662), 4.5% (20/445), 4.4% (18/406), 1.3% (3/236), 1.0% (5/517) and 0.9% (2/215) respectively. The children aged 0-3 years old were more susceptible for RSV infection,accounting for 90.0% (197/219) of the total positive samples. During the outbreak of influenza A H1N1 in November 2009, the positive rate of RSW was 3.0% (3/100), lower than that in the same month of 2008, 2010 and 2011,which were separately 18.2% (6/33), 10.8% (10/93) and 10.0% (4/40). The difference showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 8.450, P < 0.05). During the outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) in January 2011,the positive rate of RSV was 5.7% (3/53), lower than those in the same month of 2009, 2010 and 2012, which was separately 21.7% (5/23), 28.6% (22/77) and 16.0% (8/50). The difference showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 11.233,P < 0.05). During the period of less influenza happened in September 2011, the RSV positive rate was 25.0% (10/40), higher than those in the same month of 2008, 2009 and 2010, which was separately 11.4% (4/35), 1.7% (2/118) and 0.0% (0/109). The difference showed statistical significance (χ(2) = 32.521, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBoth influenza virus and RSV were important etiological agents of ILI of children in Wuhan. The characteristics of seasonal and age distributions of the two viruses were notably different; meanwhile, a certain inhibitional effect of influenza virus on RSV could be observed.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; Male ; Orthomyxoviridae ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; epidemiology ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; classification ; isolation & purification

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral ; epidemiology ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effect of Chinese drugs administered by both oral intake and retention enema on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

METHODSAdopting a randomized controlled design, 78 patients were assigned to three groups: 26 patients in group A treated with Chinese drugs given by both oral intake and retention enema, 27 in group B with Chinese drugs given by retention enema only, and 25 in group C with given Western medicine. The changes before and after a 30-day treatment of the patients' symptoms (including diarrhea, abdominal pain, mucous or pus-bloody stool), colonoscopic examination scores and histopathology of the colonic membrane were observed.

RESULTSGroup A showed the best outcomes in all the aspects of clinical comprehensive effectiveness. Improvements in the main symptoms, colonoscopic scores and histopathology of the colonic membrane were significantly different from those in groups B and C, respectively (P<0.05). Meanwhile comparisons between groups B and C showed insignificant differences (P>0.05); group B was better in ameliorating tenesmus (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThrough the use of Chinese drugs administered by both oral intake and retention enema to treat IBD, which combined external-internal therapies for both overall regulation and local management, it was confirmed that the Chinese medicine could embody the therapeutic principle of attending to both disease-diagnosis and syndrome-differentiation.

Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Colon ; drug effects ; pathology ; Colonoscopy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Enema ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To analyze etiology of hospitalized hypertensive patients in the department of hypertension from 1999 to 2008. Methods This retrospective study was performed to analyze the etiology of hospitalized hypertensive patients in department of hypertension and to show the distribution change of hypertension from 1999 to 2008. Results ( 1 ) There were 5867 ( 75. 1% ) patients with essential hypertension and 1942 (24. 9% ) patients with secondary hypertension (SH). (2) The prevalence rate of SH increased significantly during the 10 years (χ2 = 387.621 ,P ＜ 0.001 ) and was higher in 2008 than in 1999 (39. 3% vs. 9. 5% , P ＜ 0. 05 ). The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and primary aldosteronism (PA) in 2008 increased 38.3 and 1.8 times respectively than in 1999 (χ2 =304. 025 ,P ＜0. 001; χ2 =42. 845 ,P ＜0. 001 ) and other SH remained unchanged. ( 3 ) The prevalence of PA complicated with OSAS increased significantly in recent five years ( χ2 = 26.376, P ＜0. 001 ). Incidence of OSAS was 23.9% in PA patients and incidence of PA was 6. 7% in OSAS patients. Conclusions With the insights gained on hypertension mechanism and the development of new diagnostic technology, percent of diagnosed SH increased remarkably in recent years in hospitalized hypertensive patients in our department of hypertension. OSAS and PA are the leading causes of SH.

OBJECTIVETo establish a novel model of lumbar disc degeneration on the early stage in the rhesus monkey using percutaneous needle puncture guided by CT.

METHODS(1) Thirteen rhesus monkeys aged from 4 to 7 years, female 7 and male 6 were selected for establishing a model of the early stage of lumbar disc degeneration. (2)13 monkeys, 91 discs were divided into 3 groups: 64 discs from L1/2 to L5/6 were percutaneous punctured with a needle 20G as experimental group and 1 disc with a needle 15G as puncture control group and 26 discs were not be punctured from L6,7 to L7-S1 as control group. (3) Lumbar disc localization for needle puncture was guided by CT. All discs were examined by MRI, the HE, Masson's trichrome, Safranine-O and immunohistochemical staining of type II collagen before disc puncture and after puncture at 4, 8 and 12 weeks.

RESULTSMRI: (1) Experimental group: Pfirmann's Grade I was shown at postoperation 4, 8 and 12 weeks; (2) Puncture control group: Grade III was shown at postoperation 4 weeks and Grade IV at 8 weeks; (3) CONTROL GROUP: Grade I was shown at postoperation 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Histological examination: (1) In experimental group, there was no any change at postoperation 4 weeks, and the cell population of the nucleus was decreased at 8 weeks and more decreased at 12 weeks in HE. (2) There was no any change at postoperation 4 weeks, the clefts among the lamellae of the annulus fibrosus (AF) were shown at 8 weeks and more wider of the clefts of AF at 12 weeks in Masson's trichrome. (3) No any change was shown at postoperation 4 weeks, proteoglycan were progressively decreased at 8 and 12 weeks in Safranine-O. (4) No statistically significant difference in positive rate was observed at 4 and 8 weeks compared with control group in immunohistochemical staining of type II collagen. There was statistical difference at 12 weeks compared with control group (P<0.05). In puncture control group postoperation 8 weeks, the morphology of cell of nucleus pulposus was not clear in HE. The wider clefts of lamellae of the AF were shown in Masson's trichrome. The proteoglycan was obviously decreased in Safranine-O. Immunohistochemical staining collagen II synthesized was decreased. In normal control group, no any change was shown at 4, 8 and 12 weeks.

CONCLUSIONSThe degeneration of lumbar intervertebral disc on the early stage could be induced by the percutaneous needle puncture (20G) to the annulus fibrosus. The assessment of disc degeneration on early stage is not shown on MRI and only confirmed by histological examination.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Macaca mulatta ; Male ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo determine the jaw bone stress variation affected by cylinder implant diameter and length simultaneously in Ansys DesignXplorer module.

METHODSFinite element model of segment mandible with a cylinder implant was created. The range of the implant diameter (D) and length (L) were set from 2.5 mm to 5.0 mm and from 6.0 mm to 16.0 mm respectively. The maximum Von Mises stresses in jaw bone and sensitivity to D and L were evaluated.

RESULTSUnder axial (buccolingual) load, when one variable equaled to median, the amplification of maximum Von Mises stresses in cortical bone and cancellous bone were 44.66% (71.32%) and 51.45% (58.50%) respectively with the D increasing. The amplification of maximum Von Mises stresses in cortical bone and cancellous bone were 45.97% (21.66%) and 52.15% (37.75%) respectively with the L increasing. When D exceeded 3.7 mm and L exceeded 10.0 mm, the response curve curvatures of maximum Von Mises stresses to L and D in jaw bone ranged from -1 to 0. And the variation of the maximum Von Mises stresses in jaw bone was more sensitive to D than to L.

CONCLUSIONStresses in jaw bone under buccolingual and axial load are apt to be affected by implant diameter and length respectively. And to a cylinder implant, the diameter exceeds 3.7 mm and length exceeds 10.0 mm are optimal selections. Diameter should pay more attention to than to length for cylinder implant. Expanding the width of the jaw bone is more important than expanding the height of the jaw bone in clinical experience.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Dental Implants ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Mandible ; Stress, Mechanical