Serum testosterone reduction and metabolism in aging male rats: correlation and mechanism / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanism of serum testosterone reduction, its relationship with metabolism, changes in the number and morphology of Leydig cells and endocrine function in aging male rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The levels of serum total testosterone (tT), LH, FSH, HDL, LDL, TG, TC, Glu, INS, IRG and LP were determined in young (9 mo) and aging rats (12, 15, 18 and 21 mo), with 6 in each group. The morphological changes of Leydig cells were observed under the microscope. The concentrations of testosterone secreted from the cultured Leydig cells with the stimulation of hCG and Forskolin were assayed. The apoptosis rates of Leydig cells were detected by TUNEL. The visceral fat was isolated and weighed, and the Lee's index calculated. All the above indexes were recorded and compared among different age groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The aging rats showed a significant decrease in the levels of serum tT and TSI ([1.26 +/- 0.65] ng/ml and [0.07 +/- 0.65] ng/mIU) as compared with the young rats ([3.24 +/- 0.38] ng/ml and [0.21 +/- 0.01] ng/mIU) (P < 0.01). Obvious differences were found in the morphology of Leydig cells among different age groups. The T secretion of Leydig cells at 24, 48 and 72 h in aging rats was markedly decreased (P < 0.05) while their TUNEL positive rate remarkably increased in the aging rats (17.36% +/- 1.31%) compared with the young ones (7.02% +/- 1.05%) (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the young and aging rats in all the biochemical parameters including IRG, HDL, LDL, TG, TC and visceral fat content (P < 0.05), except the levels of serum Glu, INS and LP (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The serum T level and secreting capacity of Leydig cells are significantly lower in aging rats than in young ones, and the metabolic parameters undergo regular changes with the decreasing level of serum T. The reduction of testosterone in aging male rats may be associated with the decreased secreting capacity and number of Leydig cells and declined function of the pituitary.</p>

Measurement of brain regional oxygen saturation in neonates in China: a multicenter randomized clinical trial / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To understand the value of measuring neonatal cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in assessing cerebral oxygenation, to establish the normal range of neonatal cerebral rSO2 and to collect data of the changes of cerebral rSO2 under certain disease status.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nine large hospitals participated in the multicenter randomized clinical trial from Jan 2007 to Apr 2008. Using the NIRS human tissue oximeter (TSAH-100) independently developed in China, the cerebral rSO2 of 223 normal full-term and 95 otherwise healthy preterm neonates without any special disease, was detected at 1, 2 and 3 days after birth, respectively. The cerebral rSO2 of 102 neonates with diseases which may affect the cerebral oxygenation, was also detected during the severe phases. The pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) measured at the finger tip, and also the arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) measured by blood gas analysis, which could indicate the oxygen supply of the whole body, were obtained simultaneously. The correlations among cerebral rSO2, pulse SpO2 and arterial SaO2 were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The cerebral rSO2 of the normal full-term neonates was (62+/-2)%. Cerebral hypoxia was defined as rSO2 lower than 58%. The cerebral rSO2 of the normal full-terms was steady at 1, 2 and 3 days after birth respectively, without any significant differences among them (F=0.610, P>0.05). The cerebral rSO2 of the neonates with diseases was (55+/-7)%, which was significantly lower than that of the normal full-term neonates (t=15.492, P<0.05). (2) The cerebral rSO2 was positively correlated with the SpO2 (r=0.74, P<0.01) and the SaO2 (r=0.71, P<0.01). (3) Under some special diseases, the changes of cerebral rSO2 was asynchronous with those of the SpO2: (1) For 18 cases under severe cerebral damages or under relatively low hemoglobin concentration, the cerebral rSO2 was significantly low (50%-58%), but the SpO2 was still normal (above 90%). (2) During the recovery of some critically ill neonates, the increase of cerebral rSO2 was lagged as compared with that of pulse SpO2. Especially, during the severe phases of 6 cases with multi-organ failure, the SpO2 and the cerebral rSO2 were both significantly low (55%-80% for SpO2, and 44%-50% for cerebral rSO2); when the diseases were alleviated, although the SpO2 recovered to above 85%, the cerebral rSO2 was still significantly low (around 50%). (3) In 3 cases, during the severe phases of serious hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), the cerebral rSO2 significantly increased to 70%-72%, which was significantly higher than the normal value (62%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The range of cerebral rSO2 of the normal full-term neonates was (62+/-2)%. Cerebral oxygenation can be externally indicated by the rSO2 noninvasively and continuously measured by NIRS, which was positively correlated with traditional pulse SpO2 and arterial SaO2. In some special diseases, the rSO2 measured by NIRS can be helpful for clinical diagnoses and treatments.</p>

Comparison of the effect of Angelica polysaccharide, platelet-derived growth factor and thrombopoietin on megakaryocytopoiesis / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Angelica polysaccharide (APS), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and thrombopoietin (TPO) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human megakaryocytic cell line M-07e.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Cell count and the viability testing of M-07e cells (trypan blue exclusion assay) were performed at 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after treatment with APS, PDGF or TPO. Three apoptosis related flow cytometric assays including Annexin V, Caspase-3 and JC-1 were performed to determine apoptotic rate of each group at 72 hours after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the incubation, the number of M-07e cells in the APS, PDGF and TPO group increased and the viabilities of the three groups were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). The dead cells in the APS, PDGF and TPO group were (19.41 +/- 7.59)%, (21.38 +/- 7.25)% and (18.77 +/- 8.00)%, respectively by flow cytometry using Annexin V method, which were significantly lower compared to the control group (34.33 +/- 5.46)%. The expression of the activated caspase-3 in the group of APS, PDGF and TPO were (12.27 +/- 5.18)%, (12.39 +/- 6.26)% and (13.75 +/- 8.25)%, the APS and PDGF group decreased significantly compared to the control group (18.92 +/- 6.09)%. The ratio of total cell deaths in the APS, PDGF and TPO group were (23.64 +/- 6.69)%, (28.00 +/- 10.05)% and (27.99 +/- 8.99)%, the ratio in APS group decreased significantly compared to the control group (39.48 +/- 11.86)% by JC-1 method. Differences between APS and PDGF groups and between APS and TPO groups were not statistically significant.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>APS, PDGF and TPO have similar effect in stimulating proliferation and inhibiting serum-free-culture induced apoptosis of M-07e cells.</p>

Examination of cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram in healthy newborns / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Cerebral electrical admittance plethysmography is a novel noninvasive technique for evaluating cerebral hemodynamics. This study aimed to measure the reference values of cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram in healthy newborns.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bilateral cerebral electrical admittance plethysmography was performed in 40 healthy newborns.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The values of various indexes of cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram in 40 newborns were obtained by this technique. The index of Admittance Differential Loop (ADL) I+II at the third and fourth days after birth was significantly higher than that at the first day of life (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in the index of ADL I+II and the ratio of Hs to b-S (Hs/ b-S) among different birth weight groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in all the indexes of cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram between the left and right brain of newborns. Gender and parturition mode had also no effects on these indexes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The research reported the reference values of cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram in healthy newborns. The postnatal age and birth weight are influencing factors for the cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram.</p>

Regional cerebral oxygen saturation in neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study examined the changes of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) by noninvasive near infrared spectrophotometry in neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-three full neonates with MAS were divided into three groups by respiratory symptoms: asymptomatic group (group 1, n=38), common group (group 2, n=28) and severe group (group 3, n=7). Near infrared spectrophotometry was used to measure the cerebral rSO2 on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 after birth. Thirty healthy full-term newborns served as the Control group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cerebral rSO2 of group 1 decreased significantly compared with that of the Control group between days 1 and 3 (P < 0.05). The cerebral rSO2 of group 2 or group 3 was significantly lower than that of group 1 and the Control group on days 1, 3 and 5 (P < 0.05). The MAS patients with mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) had significantly higher brain rSO2 levels than those with medium or severe HIE on days 2, 3 and 5 (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The cerebral rSO2 decreased in neonates with MAS. The values for rSO2 correlated with the severity of HIE in MAS patients.</p>

Detective Significance of Cerebral Electrical Admittance Plethysmogram in Newborns with Asphyxia / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To study hemodynamics of cerebral blood flow in newborns with asphyxia.Method Bilateral cerebral electrical admittance plethysmogram(BCEAP) was used to explore characteristics of cerebral blood flow in 20 healthy newborns and 20 newborns with asphyxia respectively from first to fourth day after birth.Results Both the ratio of Hs to b-S(Hs/ b-S) and index of admittance differential loop(ADL) Ⅰ+Ⅱ decreased significantly in newborns with asphyxia compared to normal control from first to fourth day after birth(P