Activation of PPARγ pathway enhances cellular anti-oxidant capacity to protect long-term cultured primary rat neural cells from apoptosis / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To study the protective effect of enhanced peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) pathway against apoptosis of long-term cultured primary nerve cells.@*METHODS@#A natural aging model was established in primary rat nerve cells by long-term culture for 22 days. The cells were divided into control group, 0.1, 1.0, 5.0, and 10 μmol/L GW9662 intervention groups, and 0.1, 1.0, 5.0, and 10 μmol/L pioglitazone intervention groups. The cell viability was assessed using MTT assay and the cell morphological changes were observed after the treatments to determine the optimal concentrations of GW9662 and pioglitazone. Double immunofluorescence labeling and flow cytometry were used to observe the changes in the number of viable cells and cell apoptosis following the treatments; immunocytochemical staining was used to assess the changes in the anti-oxidation ability of the treated cells.@*RESULTS@#The optimal concentrations of GW9662 and pioglitazone determined based on the cell viability and morphological changes were both 1 μmol/L. Compared with the control group, GW9662 treatment significantly lowered while pioglitazone significantly increased the total cell number and nerve cell counts ( < 0.05), and nerve cells in the cell cultures maintained a constant ratio at about 80% in all the groups ( > 0.05). GW9662 significantly enhanced while pioglitazone significantly lowered the cell apoptosis rates compared with the control group ( < 0.05). GW9662 obviously lowered SOD activity and GSH content in G group ( < 0.05) and increased MDA content in the cells ( < 0.05), and pioglitazone resulted in reverse changes in SOD, GSH and MDA contents in the cells ( < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Activation of PPARγ pathway protects long-term cultured primary nerve cells by enhancing cellular anti-oxidant capacity and reducing cell apoptosis, suggesting a potential strategy for anti-aging treatment of the nervous system through intervention of the PPARγ pathway.

Effects of electroacupuncture at different time during reperfusion on the expression of Bcl-2 and Beclin1 in myocardial tissue in rats with myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at different time during reperfusion on the expression of autophagy-related protein Bcl-2 and Beclin1 in myocardial tissue in rats with myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI), and to explore the autophagy-related mechanism of EA on protecting MIRI.@*METHODS@#A total of 72 SD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a RA group, a RB group, a RC group and a RD group, 12 rats in each group. Except the sham operation group, the rats in the remaining groups were treated with ligating the left anterior descending artery (LAD) for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion to establish the model of MIRI. The rats in the sham operation group were treated with crossing a line through the LAD. The rats in the model group did not receive treatment. The rats in the RA group, RB group, RC group and RD group were treated with EA at "Neiguan" (PC 6) for 20 min, starting at 0 h, 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h after reperfusion. Evans Blue-TTC double-staining was employed to evaluate myocardial infarct size; the serum CK-MB was detected by ELISA and the expression of Bcl-2 and Beclin1 protein in myocardial tissue were detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the model group, the percentage of myocardial infarct size in the RB group, RC group and RD group was decreased significantly (all 0.05); the increasing of Bcl-2 in the RB group was more significant than that in RC group (0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EA at different time during reperfusion could reduce myocardial infarct size in rats with MIRI, and EA at 0.5 h after reperfusion has best efficacy; this protective effect may be achieved by increasing Bcl-2 expression and reducing Beclin1 expression to inhibit overautophagy during reperfusion.

An autophagic mechanism study on effect of electroacupuncture at different times pretreating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the difference of protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at different times pretreating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and the protein expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1 in myocardial tissue, so as to explore the relation of the difference and autophagic mechanism.@*METHODS@#Sixty-three male SD rats were randomized into 7 groups, a sham group, a model group, an EA pretreating for 1 d (EA-1d) group, an EA pretreating for 2 d (EA-2d) group, an EA pretreating for 3 d (EA-3d) group, an EA pretreating for 4 d (EA-4d) group, an EA pretreating for 5 d (EA-5d) group, 9 rats in each group. All the rats in the pretreating groups were treated with EA 1-5 days before MIRI surgery. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 2 mA) was used at bilateral "Neiguan (PC 6)" for 20 min. All the rats except for those in the sham group was underwent left thoracotomy and ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery for 30 minutes followed by 4 hours of reperfusion to establish the MIRI model. The same operation was performed in the sham group except for the ligation of the LAD. Throughout the experiment, electrocardiogram was continuously monitored. The myocardial infarct sizes were assessed by Evans blue and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The serum concentrations of cardiac troponinⅠ(cTnⅠ) was detected by ELISA. The expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1 in the heart tissues were analyze by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the sham group, the concentrations of cTnⅠ and the protein expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1 increased in the model group (all <0.05). Compared with the model group, the infarct sizes decreased in the EA-1d, EA-2d, EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05), with less risk sizes in the EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05). The levels of cTnⅠin the EA-4d and EA-5d groups decreased ( both <0.05); the expressions of ULK1 protein decreased in the EA-1d, EA-2d, EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05); the expressions of Beclin-1 protein decreased in the EA-2d, EA-3d, EA-4d and EA-5d groups (all <0.05). The infarct sizes in the EA-4d and EA-5d groups were lower than that in the EA-1d group (both 0.05). The cTnⅠconcentration in the EA-4d group was less than that in the EA-1d group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Pretreatment with EA for 1-5 days can improve the infarct size in MIRI, with better effect of the pretreatment for 4-5 days. The cardioprotective effect may be related to the inhibition of autophagy. But the difference of the protective effects is not related to the protein expressions of ULK1 and Beclin-1.

Operating efficiency of endoscopic centers in the United States and its inspirations / 中华医院管理杂志

Growth of demand for endoscopic services and limited medical resources have brought the efficiency of endoscopic services in spotlight in the world .A retrospective efficiency analysis of endoscopic centers in the United States , as made by the authors , revealed their selection of efficiency indicators , benchmark establishment , evaluation and intervention .These efforts help summarize the experiences of improving efficiency and provide references for such centers in China to improve their efficiency .

Evolution and perfection of the HIV/AIDS designated hospital system in China / 中国卫生政策研究

Objective:To summarize the development of the HIV/AIDS designated hospital system, analyze the main issues and explore solutions for this system. Methods:184 leaders/experts of three levels of healthcare facilities ( provinces, cities and counties) from 30 provinces engaged in AIDS prevention and control for over five years, and 2,432 people living with HIV/AIDS(PLWHA) from seven provinces were investigated through two different question-naires. Results:According to the staff responses, the issues of surgery and hospitalization are difficult and outstand-ing for PLWHA due to the current designated hospital system with scores of 6. 49 in severity. Of the ten largest prob-lems, ranked third is the need for improved AIDS prevention and control. 2 367 (97. 3%) PLWHAs had an aware-ness of the designated hospitals, 1,376 received treatment in the designated hospitals, and 85. 5% believed that the illness was effectively treated, while 9. 0% thought that the medical technology of the designated hospital was limited;18 . 7% of hospitalized HIV/AIDS patients or those who received surgery experienced prevarication by the non-des-ignated hospitals. Policy analysis shows that China’s designated hospital system for PLWHA has developed gradually with the characteristics of periodic and temporary changes. Conclusion:The designated hospital system for PLWHA in China has played an important role, but there are still several problems. The government should improve the existing system by strengthening the comprehensive medical service capacity of designated hospitals, improving the mechanism of consultation and referrals, coordinating the non-designated hospitals to provide technical support, reducing dis-crimination and fear from medical staff against HIV/AIDS, decreasing the risk of occupational exposure, and enhan-cing the communication among hospitals, CDCs and patients.

Main issues, causes and strategies for AIDS prevention and control in health care systems / 中国卫生政策研究

Objective:To summarize the main issues, analyze the causes and offer a strategy for AIDS preven-tion and control for all types of healthcare facilities in the health care system. Methods:184 leaders and experts of tertiary-level healthcare facilities ( provinces, cities and counties) from 30 provinces who had been engaged in AIDS prevention and control for more than five years were studied through a questionnaire including the issues and causes in AIDS prevention and control. Results: According to the results of the respondents and experts’ demonstration, the main issues were identified, including a lack of human resources in the system of disease control facilities, a lack of relevant agencies involved in AIDS response, the difficulty for AIDS patients to receive surgery and follow-up, poor detection of HIV, shortcomings in medical insurance, and so on. Conclusion: Based on the analysis of issues and causes, the paper offers strategic solutions: Clearly define the responsibilities of various health institutions in AIDS prevention and control;promote the participation of primary health institutions in AIDS prevention and control; im-prove the medical service system for AIDS patients;improve AIDS medical security policies;reform the management system of antiretroviral therapy drugs;and strengthen technical support from disease control facilities.

VENTILATORY VOLUMES AND RESPIRATORY FLOW RATE IN HEALTHY PILOTS / 解放军医学杂志

Ventilatory volumes and respiratory flow rate during quiet and rapid respiration were measured in 480 healthy pilots of our Air Force. The mean values were: VE, 9.58?1.74 1/min; MVV, 154.69?19.48 l/min; PIFR, 23.56?4.60 l/min; and FPIFR, 182.388?29.95 l/min.Regression analysis showed that they correlated well with each other as well as with body surface area (BSA), age, sitting height etc. The regression. formulae are Y = 2.97398 + 3.74173X2 for VE, Y = 103.921-0.839956X1 + 44.4811X2 for MVV, Y = 20.2761+0.735782X4 for PIFR, and Y = 99.9757-0.69924X1+ 59.7506X2 for FPIFR, where X1 stands for age, X2 for BSA, and X4 for vital capacity.The above results should provide a valuable physiological basis for designing aircraft oxygen equipment,for laying down the standard of on-board oxygen supply, and for pulmonary functional tests in pilots.