Role and mechanism of glucagon-like peptide-1 in depression / 中国药理学通报

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a major hormone of incretin hormone and gut-brain axis, which is related to the control of energy homeostasis and the occurrence of obesity. In addition to suppressing appetite, GLP-1 has neuroprotective effects by acting on areas of the brain involved in stress response and mood regulation. Depression is a common mental disease, and GLP-1 is closely related to depression. This article reviews the role and mechanism of GLP-1 in depression.

Clinical efficacy and prognostic factors of locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma with intensity-modulated radiotherapy / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective·To retrospectively analyze the treatment outcome, radiation toxicity and the prognostic factors in patients with locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods?·?From January 2012 to August 2016, a total of 44 patients who were diagnosed with locally recurrent NPC and received reirradiation with IMRT were included in the study. Among all the patients, there were 33 male patients and 11 female patients, the median age of whom was 51.5 years (range 25–76 years). According to the 2012 American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage Classification Cancer Staging Manual, the distribution of disease restaging was 25.0% for stage rT1, 22.7% for stage rT2, 22.7% for stage rT3 and 29.6% for stage rT4. The median recurrence interval was 28 months (range 5–168 months). The median prescribed dose to the target volume was 66 Gy (range 54–70 Gy). The toxicities were evaluated by Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). The survival rate was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were analyzed by Log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard model. Results?·?Three months after reirradiation therapy, the complete remission rate, the partial remission rate, the stabilization rate and the progressive rate were 18.2% (8/44), 47.7% (21/44), 27.3% (12/44) and 6.8% (3/44), respectively. The 3-year overall survival (OS), 3-year progression free survival (PFS), 3-year local recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis rates were 56.8%, 43.2%, 58.9% and 11.4%, respectively. In a univariate analysis, age, recurrent T stage, recurrence interval, adverse reactions and response to re-IMRT were significant prognostic factors for OS and recurrent T stage was also an independent prognostic factor for PFS. In a multivariate analysis, recurrent T stage remained significant for OS and PFS. During follow-up, 21 patients died. Five patients died of nasopharynx hemorrhea. Grade 3–4 toxicities were reported in 12 patients. Conclusion?·?Re-irradiation with IMRT is available to improve OS and thus is a reasonable choice for patients with locally recurrent NPC. However, the incidence of severe adverse events is still high. Younger ages lower recurrent T stage and longer recurrent interval are independent prognostic factors for OS of recurrent NPC.

Effects of adrenergic receptor agonists injected into hippocampus on cellular immune function / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM AND METHODS</b>The effect of intrahippocampal microinjection of noradrenaline (NA) and its receptors antagonists and agonists on cellular immune functions were investigated in normal and adrenalectomy rat by determine the proliferative activity of Con A-stimulated splenic lymphocytes in MTT method and natural killer (NK) cell activity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) In normal group, the proliferative activity of Con A-Stimulated splenic lymphocytes were inhibited and the activity of NK cell were reduced with microinjection NA and beta1-, beta2-adrenergic receptor agonists Dobutamine (Dob, 4 microl, 6.0 x 10(-3) moL/L), Metaproterenol (Met, 4 microl, 8.0 x 10(-3) mol/L), compared with their intensity of effect, NA > Met > Dob; the immunosuppression effect induced by NA was partly hindered by alpha- and beta-receptor antagonists, phentolamine (Phen, 2 microl, 1.6 x 10(-2) mol/L) and propranolol (Prop, 2 microl, 1.6 x 10(-3) mol/L), and the action of Prop was more evident. (2) In adrenalectomy group, immunosuppression effect induced by NA was unconspicuous.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggested that NA in hippocampus could inhibit distinctly cellular immune functions, which was predominantly mediated by beta2- adrenergic receptor with a minor contribution of beta1- and alpha- adrenergic receptors. Moreover, keeping intact construction and function of adrenal gland have an important role in the effect of NA on cellular immune function.</p>