Ethical Issues of Medical Artificial Intelligence / 中国医学科学院学报

As an important branch of artificial intelligence,the emerging medical artificial intelligence(MAI)is facing many ethical issues.MAI may offer the optimal diagnosis and treatment for patients but may also bring adverse effects on society and human beings.This article discusses the ethical problems caused by MAI and elucidates its development in a direction that meets ethical principles and requirements.

Anxiolytic Effect of Increased NREM Sleep after Acute Social Defeat Stress in Mice / 神经科学通报·英文版

Social defeat stress (SDS) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression. Sleep is generally considered to involve recovery of the brain from prior experience during wakefulness and is altered after acute SDS. However, the effect of acute SDS on sleep/wake behavior in mice varies between studies. In addition, whether sleep changes in response to stress contribute to anxiety is not well established. Here, we first investigated the effects of acute SDS on sleep/wake states in the active period in mice. Our results showed that total sleep time (time in rapid eye-movement [REM] and non-REM [NREM] sleep) increased in the active period after acute SDS. NREM sleep increased mainly during the first 3 h after SDS, while REM sleep increased at a later time. Then, we demonstrated that the increased NREM sleep had an anxiolytic benefit in acute SDS. Mice deprived of sleep for 1 h or 3 h after acute SDS remained in a highly anxious state, while in mice with ad libitum sleep the anxiety rapidly faded away. Altogether, our findings suggest an anxiolytic effect of NREM sleep, and indicate a potential therapeutic strategy for anxiety.

Multidisciplinary Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer:Application and Prospects / 中国医学科学院学报

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignant tumor in women worldwide.The burden of cervical cancer is particularly heavy in less developed countries as the malignancy brings huge pain to the patients and their family members and causes huge losses to social development and global health.However,cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease.While screening and human papillomavirus vaccination in developed countries have remarkably lowered the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer,there is still a far way to go to achieve the prevention and treatment of this disease.The multidisciplinary prevention and control programs slightly differ in different countries due to diverse economic and health conditions.The general principle is to vaccinate the young females and to implement a comprehensive strategy including human papillomavirus vaccine vaccination,screening,early diagnosis,and early treatment in adults.

Study on CYP2E1 gene polymorphism and the relationship between methylation level of its promoter region and liver injury induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs in Mongolian tuberculosis patients in Inner Mongolia / 医学研究生学报

ObjectiveThere are few studies on whether the occurrence of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ADIH) is associated with the polymorphism of CYP2E gene and methylation level. This study aims to CYP2E1 gene polymorphism and the relationship between the methylation level of the promoter region and ADIH in Mongolian tuberculosis (TB) patients.Methods A total of 135 Mongolian TB patients who received standardized treatment at the Tuberculosis Research Institute of Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia from November 2015 to June 2018 were selected. According to the ADIH criteria, TB patients with liver injury were selected as the ADIH group (n=45), and TB patients without liver injury were matched as the control group based on a ratio of 1∶2 (n=90). DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed to amplify the CYP2E1 gene to determine the CYP2E1 rs2031920 genotype, and to analyze the CYP2E1 gene polymorphism and relationship between ADIH and promoter methylation level.Results There were no significant differences in the distribution of CYP2E1 rs2031920 genotype, C1 and C2 gene frequencies between the ADIH group and the control group (P>0.05). The overall methylation level in the promoter region of CYP2E1 gene in ADIH group (0.711±0.085) was significantly lower than that of the control group (0.759±0.062). Results of Logistic regression showed that the overall methylation level in the promoter region of CYP2E1 gene was the influencing factor for the occurrence of ADIH (P<0.005). For each 0.1 unit increase of methylation level, the risk of ADIH occurrence reduced by 0.388 times, and the OR (95% CI) value was 0.388 (between 0.204 and 0.739).Conclusion The overall methylation level in the promoter region of CYP2E1 gene was reduced in Mongolian ADIH patients, but the polymorphism of CYP2E1 gene was not related to the occurrence of ADIH. These results suggested that CYP2E1 methylation could be applied to the prevention and treatment of ADIH in patients with tuberculosis.

Study on CYP2E1 gene polymorphism and the relationship between methylation level of its promoter region and liver injury induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs in Mongolian tuberculosis patients in Inner Mongolia / 医学研究生学报

ObjectiveThere are few studies on whether the occurrence of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ADIH) is associated with the polymorphism of CYP2E gene and methylation level. This study aims to CYP2E1 gene polymorphism and the relationship between the methylation level of the promoter region and ADIH in Mongolian tuberculosis (TB) patients.Methods A total of 135 Mongolian TB patients who received standardized treatment at the Tuberculosis Research Institute of Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia from November 2015 to June 2018 were selected. According to the ADIH criteria, TB patients with liver injury were selected as the ADIH group (n=45), and TB patients without liver injury were matched as the control group based on a ratio of 1∶2 (n=90). DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed to amplify the CYP2E1 gene to determine the CYP2E1 rs2031920 genotype, and to analyze the CYP2E1 gene polymorphism and relationship between ADIH and promoter methylation level.Results There were no significant differences in the distribution of CYP2E1 rs2031920 genotype, C1 and C2 gene frequencies between the ADIH group and the control group (P>0.05). The overall methylation level in the promoter region of CYP2E1 gene in ADIH group (0.711±0.085) was significantly lower than that of the control group (0.759±0.062). Results of Logistic regression showed that the overall methylation level in the promoter region of CYP2E1 gene was the influencing factor for the occurrence of ADIH (P<0.005). For each 0.1 unit increase of methylation level, the risk of ADIH occurrence reduced by 0.388 times, and the OR (95% CI) value was 0.388 (between 0.204 and 0.739).Conclusion The overall methylation level in the promoter region of CYP2E1 gene was reduced in Mongolian ADIH patients, but the polymorphism of CYP2E1 gene was not related to the occurrence of ADIH. These results suggested that CYP2E1 methylation could be applied to the prevention and treatment of ADIH in patients with tuberculosis.

Whole-Brain Mapping of Direct Inputs to and Axonal Projections from GABAergic Neurons in the Parafacial Zone / 神经科学通报·英文版

The GABAergic neurons in the parafacial zone (PZ) play an important role in sleep-wake regulation and have been identified as part of a sleep-promoting center in the brainstem, but the long-range connections mediating this function remain poorly characterized. Here, we performed whole-brain mapping of both the inputs and outputs of the GABAergic neurons in the PZ of the mouse brain. We used the modified rabies virus EnvA-ΔG-DsRed combined with a Cre/loxP gene-expression strategy to map the direct monosynaptic inputs to the GABAergic neurons in the PZ, and found that they receive inputs mainly from the hypothalamic area, zona incerta, and parasubthalamic nucleus in the hypothalamus; the substantia nigra, pars reticulata and deep mesencephalic nucleus in the midbrain; and the intermediate reticular nucleus and medial vestibular nucleus (parvocellular part) in the pons and medulla. We also mapped the axonal projections of the PZ GABAergic neurons with adeno-associated virus, and defined the reciprocal connections of the PZ GABAergic neurons with their input and output nuclei. The newly-found inputs and outputs of the PZ were also listed compared with the literature. This cell-type-specific neuronal whole-brain mapping of the PZ GABAergic neurons may reveal the circuits underlying various functions such as sleep-wake regulation.

A Critical Time-Window for the Selective Induction of Hippocampal Memory Consolidation by a Brief Episode of Slow-Wave Sleep / 神经科学通报·英文版

Although extensively studied, the exact role of sleep in learning and memory is still not very clear. Sleep deprivation has been most frequently used to explore the effects of sleep on learning and memory, but the results from such studies are inevitably complicated by concurrent stress and distress. Furthermore, it is not clear whether there is a strict time-window between sleep and memory consolidation. In the present study we were able to induce time-locked slow-wave sleep (SWS) in mice by optogenetically stimulating GABAergic neurons in the parafacial zone (PZ), providing a direct approach to analyze the influences of SWS on learning and memory with precise time-windows. We found that SWS induced by light for 30 min immediately or 15 min after the training phase of the object-in-place task significantly prolonged the memory from 30 min to 6 h. However, induction of SWS 30 min after the training phase did not improve memory, suggesting a critical time-window between the induction of a brief episode of SWS and learning for memory consolidation. Application of a gentle touch to the mice during light stimulation to prevent SWS induction also failed to improve memory, indicating the specific role of SWS, but not the activation of PZ GABAergic neurons itself, in memory consolidation. Similar influences of light-induced SWS on memory consolidation also occurred for Y-maze spatial memory and contextual fear memory, but not for cued fear memory. SWS induction immediately before the test phase had no effect on memory performance, indicating that SWS does not affect memory retrieval. Thus, by induction of a brief-episode SWS we have revealed a critical time window for the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memory.

The roles of glutamate in sleep and wakefulness / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Glutamate as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, participate in initiation and maintaining of sleep and wakefulness. The paper presents an overview of the research progress of glutamate in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, especially focuses on its role in the brainstem, lateral hypothalamus and basal forebrain. Glutamate in the brain stem regulates the brain activity and maintains muscle tone during the wakefulness, as well as adjusts the electroencephalograph (EEG) in rapid eye movement phase and leads to muscle weakness. Glutamate in the lateral hypothalamus participates in the lateral hypothalamic arousal system by activating orexins neurons. The basal forebrain glutamatergic neurons take part in EEG synchronization and cause the decrease of sleep. Finally,The glutamatergic neurons of the cerebral cortex is not just a target of the arousal system, but itself contribute to regulation of arousal. Meantime, the glutamatergic neurons can regulate sleep stages through interaction with other types of neurons, which forms a complex sleep-wake regulation network in the brain. These indicate that the switches between different phases of sleep and wakefulness have different neuronal circuits.So we also reviewed the neuronal circuits and mechanisms that glutamate may be involved in. This review will help us to get a better understanding of the roles of glutamate in sleep and wakefulness.

Gap junction and function of brain / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Gap junction is the aggregate of some intercellular channels, which allows ions and small molecules to transport or transfer between cells. There are about 20 proposed members of the connexin family found in mammalian tissues now, and more than 10 reported are expressed in the nervous system. The astrocytes and oligodendrocytes express some specific connexins. In the present article, we review the recent literatures to illustrate the importance of gap junction for the intercellular communication between glial cells, astrocytes and neurons, and neuronal cells, which is crucial for brain functions.

Electrical stimulation of deep peroneal nerve mimicking acupuncture inhibits the pressor response via capsaicin-insensitive afferents in anesthetized rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the inhibitory modulation of blood pressure by stimulation of the deep peroneal nerve (DPN) and to determine the involvement of nociceptive fibers in the modulation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All the animals were divided into six groups (A-F). The rats in groups A and B received no pretreatment. The rats in groups C and D received subcutaneous injection of capsaicin or control vehicle, respectively, near the DPN for 2 days. Those in groups E and F had the DPN exposed to capsaicin or control vehicle, respectively, for 20 min. Subsequently, pressor responses were induced by stimulation of paraventricular nucleus (PVN) either electrically (groups A and C C-F) or chemically via injection of glutamate (group B). After two stable pressor responses (baseline), all groups were subject to 5-min DPN stimulation followed by PVN stimulation for 10 s. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiogram were recorded. The pressor response was calculated as the difference in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) before and after PVN stimulation, and changes from baseline in pressor response after DPN stimulation were compared between the groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Increases of MAP of 22.88±2.18 mm Hg and 20.32±5.25 mm Hg were induced by electrical (group A) or chemical (group B) stimulation of the PVN, respectively. These pressor responses were inhibited by stimulation of the DPN, and the MAP was reduced to 12.00±2.10 mm Hg in group A (n=6, P<0.01) and 7.00±2.85 mm Hg in group B (n=6, P<0.01). Subcutaneous injection of capsaicin (125 mg/kg) near the DPN in group C (n=7) had no effect on the inhibitory effect of DPN stimulation compared with the group D (n=9), and neither did blockade of nociceptive fibers with capsaicin in group E (n=6) compared with group F (n=8).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Stimulation of the DPN mimicking acupuncture has an inhibitory effect on the pressor response, and the effect is mediated by capsaicin-insensitive afferent fibers in the DPN.</p>

Relationship between the polymorphisms of UGT1A6 genes and anti-tuberculosis drug induced hepatic-injury / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the polymorphisms of UGT1A6 genes and anti-tuberculosis drug induced hepatic-injury (ADIH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>202 cases and 239 controls were collected and a case-control study was conducted. Information on related risk factors of tuberculosis was collected. The genotypes of UGT1A6-19T/G, UGT1A6-308C/A and UGT1A6-541A/G genetic polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism technique (PCR-RFLP) in patients received anti-tuberculosis therapy. The Hha I, Dpn II and Nsi I enzyme were employed. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic analyses were conducted using SPSS13.0 for windows software.</p><p><b></b>RESULTS</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The allele frequency of gene UGT1A6-19T/T, UGT1A6-19T/G, UGT1A6-19G/G, GT1A6-308C/C, UGT1A6-308C/A, UGT1A6-308A/A, UGT1A6-541AA, UGT1A6-541A/G and UGT1A6-541G/G in ADIH group were 51.5%, 39.6%, 8.9%, 52.0%, 40.6%, 7.4%, 57.9%, 33.7%, 8.4% and 71.1%, 25.5%, 3.3%, 79.1%, 19.2%, 1.7%, 79.5%, 19.2%, 1.3% in control group, respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the frequency of UGT1A6-19T/G, UGT1A6-308C/A and UGT1A6-541A/G genotype in cases were significantly higher than that in controls (P less than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A positive association is found between UGT1A6 genotype and the occurrence of ADIH. The synergetic effect is proved on susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis between UGT1A6 mutant genotypes.</p>

Research progress on barrel cortex and its plasticity / 浙江大学学报·医学版

Synaptic plasticity of barrel cortex is one of the most widely studied topics in neuroscience in recent years. The primary somatosensory cortex of the rodent has a good topology character,which provides an ideal experimental model for plasticity study. This system displays very strong experience-dependent plasticity both during development and in adulthood. The changes of sensory cortex's neural circuit can induce experience-dependent plasticity. In the synaptic level,thalamocortical synapse is considered to be the main location of plasticity. In the circuit level,both synapses from layer 4 to layer 2/3 and those within layer 2/3 are also the necessary parts of achieving synaptic plasticity in primary somatosensory cortex. The GABAergic inhibitory circuit may be involved in this plasticity of S1, but the exact mechanism remains unknown.

Role of astrocytes in sensory processing in central nervous system / 浙江大学学报·医学版

There are two types of cells in the central nervous systems (CNS) of mammals-neurons and glia. The structure and function of neurons have been thoroughly studied; while the role of glia in information processing has not been systematically studied because they cannot produce action potentials like neuron. During the past decades, glial cells were considered to play a supportive role in CNS instead of information processing. Recently, a variety of studies suggest that glial cells are actively involved in the regulation of brain function associated with neurons. Glial cells, especially astrocytes play important roles in different sensory processing. In the present article, we review the role of astrocytes in sensory processing in the CNS.

Effect of whisker trimming on behavior and barrel cortex of rat / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the change of behavior, as well as the plasticity of somatosensory cortex after whisker trimming.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SD rats were divided into 4 groups. Group A is the normal control group; group B: bilateral vibrissotomy on the second postnatal day; group C: unilateral right vibrissotomy on the second postnatal day; group D: right unilateral whisker trimmed during 1-5 days after birth, and leave untreated after the 5th postnatal day. Their body weight, length of the left D2 whiskers was measured on the 30th postnatal day. At the same time, the changes of their behavior (including the slit-detection test, the home exploring behavior and thigmotaxis test) were also recorded on the 30th postnatal day. Cytochrome oxydase histochemistry (CO reaction)was applied to study the development and arrangement of barrel cortex.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the slit-detection test, control rats could find and get into the right slit very quickly. The rats in group B could get into the slit only if their noses touched the slit. The rats in group C couldn't identify the slit by right face, but if they turned their body and touched the slit with the left whiskers, they could get into the slit very quickly. The behavior of rats in group D was similar to that in group C. The time spent for finding out the right slit of the rats in group A, B, C was obviously longer than that of group A (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In the exploring behavior and thigmotaxis test, the time for left thigmotaxis, right thigmotaxis and total thigmotaxis of rats in group B was longer than that of control animals. The time for right thigmotaxis of group C was significantly shorter than that of group A (P < 0.05). Both the weight of the rats and the length of left D2 whiskers of rats in all the four groups had no significant difference. CO reaction showed that the barrels became smaller, the septum was not clear, the arrangement of the barrels was not tidy in the mice whose right whiskers were trimmed from 2-30 days after birth.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Deafferentation doesn't change the body weight and length of the whiskers left. But the stimulation of whiskers is important for rodent especially in thigmotaxis and exploring behavior. Deafferentation can also induce the plastic change of barrel cortex.</p>

The protective effect of melatonin on auditory cortex toxicity induced by cis-platinum / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the toxic response in auditory cortex of guinea pigs caused by cis-platinum (DDP), and the protective role of melatonin in this effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cis-platinum and melatonin were injected peritoneally. LDH, MDA, NO in the auditory cortex were detected by spectrophotometeR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The body weight of the guinea pigs was diminished by peritoneal injection of Cis-platinum for 7 days (P < 0.01). Peritoneal injection of Cis-platinum induced the increased leakage of LDH (P < 0.05 vs injection of normal saline). This effect was reduced by injection of MT (P < 0.05). The content of MDA in the auditory cortex was also increased because of injection of Cis-platinumv for 7 days (P < 0.01) and MT reduced this effect (P < 0.05). The change of NO in the auditory cortex was not statistically significant after injection of Cis-platinum or Cis-platinum with MT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Peritoneal injection of Cis-platinum could destroy neurons in the auditory cortex. This effect could be reduced by melatonin by an anti-free radials mechanism.</p>

The self-protective effect of low dosage of gentamicin / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To approach the protective effect of low dose gentamicin against high ototoxic dose of gentamicin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups: control group, low dose group, low dose protective group and high dose group. Each group received multiple intraperitoneal injections of gentamicin sulphate within different durations. Auditory brain stem response (ABR) was examined one day previous to the first and 24 h after the final injection respectively. The bulla was taken out so that the content of NO, MDA and the activity of LDH in cochlear were determined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The threshold of ABR was significantly lower in low dose protective group compared with high dose group (P < 0.01). The content of NO (15.86 +/- 1.98 nmol/mg pro) and MDA (19.14 +/- 0.96 nmol/mg pro) in homogenate of high dose group was significantly higher than that of control group, low does group and low does protective group (P < 0.01). The increase of the content of NO and MDA induced by high dose GM could be significantly decreased by low dose GM administration previous to high dose injection (P < 0.01). The activity of LDH in homogenate of high dose group was significantly higher compared with control group, low dos group and low dos protective group (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference of content of NO and MDA among control group, low does group and low does protective group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The protective effects resulting from previous low dose administration to high dose injection of GM may be related to the decrease of content of NO and MDA and activity of LDH both of which induced by high dose GM.</p>

The role of amygdala in the inhibitory effect of somatic afferent inputs on the central pressor response / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the inhibitory effect of the deep peroneal nerve (DPN) on the cardiovascular responses induced by excitation of the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN) and the role of central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) in this effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CeA was injected by L-glutamate or Kainic acid (KA). The femoral arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate (HR) of SD rats were recorded while PVN or DPN was electrically stimulated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It showed that MAP increased when PVN was activated by electrical stimulation. Stimulating contralateral DPN inhibited this pressor response. Ten minutes after microinjection of KA(0.02 mol/L, 100 nl) into ipsilateral CeA, MAP increased for (13.8 +/- 3.2) mmHg when PVN was stimulated. Microinjection of KA into CeA could not only reduce the pressor response elicited by stimulation of PVN for (6.6 +/- 1.6) mmHg (P < 0.05), but also the inhibitory effect of DPN from 51.5% to 32.0% .</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggest that central nucleus of amygdala partly mediate the central pressor response induced by stimulation of PVN. The neurons in central nucleus of amygdala are involved in the inhibitory effect of DPN on the above pressor response.</p>

Roles of the central nucleus of amygdala in the cardiovascular response elicited by the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the cardiovascular responses induced by activation of the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN) and the roles of the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) on this effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The PVN was activated by microinjection of L-glutamate or electrical stimulation. The CeA was injected with L-glutamate or Kainic acid (KA). The femoral arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate (HR) of the male SD rats were recorded when the PVN was electrically stimulated.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The blood pressure increased when the PVN was activated either by electrical current or by L-glutamate. The blood pressure increased for (10.27+/-1.80)mmHg and the change of heart rate was -10.66 +/- 8.11 beat/min after L-Glu (100 nl) was injected into the ipsilateral CeA. The pressor response of PVN stimulation could still be evoked by electrical stimulation of (13.78 +/- 3.18)mmHg 10 min after kainic acid (100 nl) was injected into the ipsilateral CeA. But this pressor response decreased of 6.57 mmHg compared to that before injection of KA (P <0.05). The locations of the electrode tips and termination of the injector tracts were identified according to the atlas after the recording.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Stimulating the PVN elicits pressor response in rats. The CeA mediates partly the pressor response elicited by activation of the PVN.</p>

Effect of emodin on NO-cGMP signal pathway in rat vascular endothelium in vitro / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the vasorelaxation effect of emodin and its relationship with NO-cGMP signal pathway.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Changes of tension of rat thoracic aortic rings were measured by MedLab biologic signal collection system, and the activity of total nitric oxide synthase (tNOS), constitutive NOS (cNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS) in endothelium after being treated with emodin was determined with nitric acid reductase method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Emodin relaxed the phenylephrine and potasium chlorate induced contraction of aortic rings, either with or without intact endothelium, in a concentration-dependent manner. Pretreatment of no-specific potassium channel blocker strontium chloride (CsCL) could attenuate the vasorelaxation effect of emodin on aortic rings without intact endothelium, but it could not inhibit vasorelaxation of emodin on aortic rings with intact endothelium. This vasorelaxation action of emodin (40 micromol/L) could be partial blocked by NOS inhibitor L-NAME and guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ, with the vasorelaxation range dropped to 64.76 +/- 13.73% and 6.28 +/- 4.79% respectively. Moreover, emodin (40 micromol/L) increased iNOS activity significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The concentration-dependent vasorelaxation effect of emodin might act by activating the NO-cGMP pathway in vascular endothelium.</p>

Role of dorsal column in pathway of hypotensive effect of the somatic afferent inputs / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of the dorsal column (DC) in the inhibitory effect of somatic afferent inputs on the central pressor response.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The femoral arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate (HR) of the male SD rats were recorded when the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was electrically stimulated with or without destruction of DC. The inhibitory effect of the deep peroneal nerve (DPN) on the pressor response induced by stimulation of PVN was observed 20 min or 5 d after ipsilateral DC destruction.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Stimulating DPN inhibited the pressor response elicited by electrical stimulation of PVN with an inhibitory rate of 43.29%. Twenty minutes after destroying the right DC, stimulation of the right or left DPN could inhibit the pressor response with an inhibitory rate of 38.64% and 39.97%, respectively (P>0.05); five days later the inhibitory rates remained as 33.87% and 36.86% respectively (P>0.05). The pain responses of both hindlimbs in the rats with the right DC destroyed showed no significant difference compared with the intact rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DC is not involved in the inhibitory effect of DPN on the pressor response induced by PVN stimulation.</p>