Effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on synaptic plasticity following acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to explore the effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on synaptic plasticity in rats with acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. A rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO). Rats were randomly assigned into a sham group, a MCAO group, and a Xiaoxuming Decoction(60 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) group. The Longa score was rated to assess the neurological function of rats with cerebral ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h. The 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were employed to observe the cerebral infarction and the pathological changes of brain tissue after cerebral ischemia, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to detect the structural changes of neurons and synapses in the ischemic penumbra, and immunofluorescence, Western blot to determine the expression of synaptophysin(SYN), neuronal nuclei(NEUN), and postsynaptic density 95(PSD95) in the ischemic penumbra. The experimental results showed that the modeling increased the Longa score and led to cerebral infarction after 24 h of ischemia-reperfusion. Compared with the model group, Xiaoxuming Decoction intervention significantly decreased the Longa score and reduced the formation of cerebral infarction area. The modeling led to the shrinking and vacuolar changes of nuclei in the brain tissue, disordered cell arrangement, and severe cortical ischemia-reperfusion injury, while the pathological damage in the Xiaoxuming Decoction group was mild. The modeling blurred the synaptic boundaries and broadened the synaptic gap, while such changes were recovered in the Xiaoxuming Decoction group. The modeling decreased the fluorescence intensity of NEUN and SYN, while the intensity in Xiaoxuming Decoction group was significantly higher than that in the model group. The expression of SYN and PSD95 in the ischemic penumbra was down-regulated in the model group, while such down-regulation can be alleviated by Xiaoxuming Decoction. In summary, Xiaoxuming Decoction may improve the synaptic plasticity of ischemic penumbra during acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by up-regulating the expression of SYN and PSD95.

Effects of acrylamide on the permeability of blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier in rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of acrylamide on the permeability of blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCB) and tight junction protein ZO-1 of choroid plexus in rats and to provide a theoretical basis for explaining the mechanism of nerve injury induced by acrylamide.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into ACR and control groups. ACR group was exposed to 20 mg/kg ACR daily for 5 days a week by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) for 4 weeks. Control group was exposed to normal saline. The neurobehavioral tests (including sensatory and motor functions) were performed every week. At the end of exposure, Evan blue (EB) and Sodium fluorescein (NaFI) content in rat CSF were detected for determining the BCB permeability, Real-time PCR was used to measure the expression levels of ZO-1 mRNA in the epithelium cells of choroid plexus, and laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) was utilized to observe the distribution of ZO-1 protein.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Neurobehavioral tests showed that the tail-flick latencies of ACR group were 27.77% and 53.71% as long as control group in the 3rd week and 4th week, respectively (P < 0.05). The hind lamb splay distances of ACR group were 131.76% and 153.77% as long as control group in the 3rd week and 4th week, respectively (P < 0.05). Evan blue (EB) and Sodium fluorescein (NaFI) content of ACR group were significantly higher than those of control group (P < 0.05). In the 4th week, the expression level of ZO-1 mRNA in ACR group was 0.21 +/- 0.07, which was significantly lower than that (0.31 +/- 0.11) in control group (P < 0.05). In the 4th week, the ZO-1 protein expression level of choroid plexus in ACR group was significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acrylamide could increased the BCB permeability of rats, which may be involved in the central nervous injury induced by ACR.</p>

Cost-effectiveness analysis on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and multi-point daily insulin injections in the treatment program of type 2 diabetes / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To observe the cost-effectiveness of using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CS Ⅱ) and multi-point daily insulin injections (MDI) in controlling blood sugar in the newly hospitalized type 2 diabetes patients. Methods Retrospective analysis on 86 cases taking CS Ⅱ and 103 cases using MDI on a 'blood sugar control program' among the newly hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes. The period for observation was 2 weeks, using cost-effectiveness analysis methods to evaluate the two treatment programs. Results After two weeks of treatment, the effectiveness in the control of blood sugar in CS Ⅱ group was similar to the MDI group, with no significant difference(P<0.05) and the adverse reactions were similar. Costs in the CS Ⅱ program (Yuan/person) was less than in the MDI program (1478.34 vs. 1620.46), with significant differences (P< 0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratios (C/E) were 15.07 in the CS Ⅱ group, and 16.34 in the MDI group, with no significant difference (P>0.05). In order to further reduce the cost of CS Ⅱ group as a reference, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (△C/ △E)ofthe MDI group was 129.20. Conclusion Costs-effective of the CS Ⅱ program was better than the MDI one in treating the newly hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that CS Ⅱ program might be a better choice for hospitals to carry on an intensive insulin therapy program.

Renal protective effects of sulodexide in diabetic rats and its anti-oxidative mechanism / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the renal protective effects of sulodexide and its anti-oxidative stress mechanism in diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Thirty male SD rats were randomized into 3 equal groups, namely the control group, diabetic group, and sulodexide treatment group. Twelve weeks after establishment of rat diabetic models and administration of sulodexide, the rats were sacrificed for measurement of the urine volume, body mass, kidney mass/body weight ratio, plasma glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activities in the renal tissue or serum were tested. Electron microscopy was performed to observe the pathological changes in the kidneys.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The urine volume, renal mass/body mass ratio, serum glucose, HbA1C, and serum and renal MDA levels all significantly increased in the diabetic rats in comparison with the normal controls (P<0.05). But the body weight and activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX in the renal tissue in the normal control group were significantly higher than those in the diabetic and sulodexide group. After 12 weeks of sulodexide treatment, SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX activities in the renal tissue of rats were significantly increased in comparison with those in the diabetic rats (P<0.05). Electron microscopy showed obvious irregular thickening of the glomerular capillary basement membrane in the diabetic group with vacuolization in the mitochondria in the epithelial cells, and such pathological changes were significantly alleviated in the sulodexide treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Sulodexide can effectively lower the urinary albumin excretion rate, improve the ultrastructural renal pathologies and prevent glomerular basement membrane thickening in diabetic rats, probably in association with the reduction of the MDA levels and enhancement of SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX activities.</p>

Expression and clinical significance of HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatocytes in chronic hepatitis B / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatocytes in CHB patients, and analyze the correlation among the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg, the quantity of HBV DNA in serum, the pathology of liver tissue and the clinical manifestation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to assay the quantity of HBV DNA in serum in 351 CHB patients. Furthermore pathological diagnosis was performed using liver biopsy to assay the expression of HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatocytes by an immunohistochemical staining technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive expression rate of HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatocytes was 92.3% and 76.9% respectively. Cytoplasm-membrane HBcAg expression type (75.6%) was observed in the CHB with more active inflammation, while Nucleus HBcAg expression type (24.4%) was observed in the CHB with more sedative one (P < 0.0001). The expression of HBsAg was correlated with the quantity of HBV DNA in serum (rp = 0.24, P = 0.0129), while inversely correlated with the inflammation and the fibrillation of liver tissue (rp = -0.22, P = 0.0279; rp = -0.23, P = 0.0186). The expression of HBcAg was correlated with the quantity of HBV DNA in serum (rp = 0.52, P < 0.0001), while was inversely correlated with the inflammation and the fibrosis of liver (rp = -0.33, P < 0.0001; rp = -0.34, P < 0.0001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cytoplasm-membrane HBcAg expression type was observed in the CHB with more active inflammation, while Nucleus HBcAg expression type was observed in the CHB with mild change. In the immunopathogenesis of the liver damage in CHB, HBcAg might be a main target antigen. HBsAg might be a sensitive index to screen HBV infection; HBcAg might probably be a reliable index to evaluate the replication of HBV</p>

Comparison of once daily and twice daily administration of glimepiride with same total dosage in type 2 diabetes / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

A total of 126 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized into two groups:one received glimepiride 1 mg twice daily and the other 2 mg once daily.Fasing blood glucose(BG),BG 2 h after meals(breakfast,lunch and dinner)and HbA_(IC)were tested,△and standard deviation of the 4 point BG were calculated.It was found that two kinds of administration of glimepiride were equally effective in decreasing BG and once daily aministration could ease better the fluctuation of BG.