Effect of Aβ1-42 injection on hippocampus cells in rats and protective role of polygona-polysaccharose for Alzheimer’s disease / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Objective: To determine the effect of polygona-polysaccharose (PP) on learning and memory ability in rats with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: Forty ifve Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into 3 groups. Rats in the sham-operated group were injected with normal saline. Rats in the Aβ group were injected with Aβ1-42. Rats in the PP group were injected with 16% PP solution for 45 days consecutively. hTe Morris water maze was used to investigate the ability of learning and memory in the rats. hTe effect of Aβ and PP on the hippocampus cells was observed by HE and Congo red staining of methanol. Results: Rats in the sham-operated group had no obvious morphological change; and morphology of rats in the PP group was basicaly normal. The layer of pyramidal cells in the Aβ group was decreased. hTe cells appeared sparse and irregular and became smaller. Karyopyknosis and vacuolardegeneration cells were also found. More positive staining materials aggradated in the Aβ group compared with the PP group by Congo red staining (P<0.05). Conclusion: Aβ infusion into the hippocampus results in the impairment of the neuronal degeneration in the rats, which shows similar characterizations of AD. PP can reduce the deposition of Aβ in the hippocampus.

Plasma copeptin levels in elderly victims of massive cerebral infarction and its relationship to early death / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate copeptin levels in elderly patients who have suffered massive cerebral infarction, and to establish its correlation with early death.@*METHODS@#Forty-nine elderly patients with acute massive cerebral infarction and an age-matched control group of thirty normal people were established. Plasma copeptin levels of patient group were measured by ELISA at 24 h, 36 h, 5 d, and 14 d after onset of infarction. Glasgow-Pittsburgh coma scale (GPCS) were recorded within 24 h after onset, and both results were graded. Based on the 14-day mortality, the patient was divided into a death group and a survival group, and the correlations between graded copeptin level and GPCS to mortality were analyzed, as well as the consistency and accuracy of prognosis.@*RESULTS@#Plasma copeptin levels in the patient group were no differences between the 24 h, 36 h and 5 d point, and that of the 14 d was lower than that of the other points. Copeptin levels were significantly higher than in the control group at each test point (P25.0 pmol/L) showed better consistency and coincidence rate than GPCS score (< 20) in predicting early death.@*CONCLUSION@#Plasma copeptin level was increased in early phases of acute massive cerebral infarction in elderly patients; it may have predictive value for early death.

TGF-beta1-800G>A polymorphism and cerebral infarction in Chinese Han population / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the association between transforming growth factor beta1(TGF-beta1)-800G>A polymorphism and cerebral infarction (CI).@*METHODS@#The genotypes of 247 patients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction and 167 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were detected by PCR-RFLP, and the frequency distribution of alleles calculated.@*RESULTS@#TGF-beta1-800G>A polymorphism was found in Han population in Hunan Province, China. The distribution of -800G>A genotypes was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg balance in the CI and healthy control group. There was no significant difference between genotypes and allele frequency of TGF-beta1-800G>A in the CI and control group (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis suggested that no genotypes could increase or reduce the risk of CI onset (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TGF-beta1-800G>A polymorphism is not associated with CI in Han population in Hunan Province.

Teicoplanin Treatment of Severe Community-acquired pneumonia among Elderly:A Retrospective Analysis / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the rationality of teicoplanin for the empirical treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) in the aged.METHODS Totally 179 hospitalized cases of severe CAP were enrolled and divided into two groups,teicoplanin treatment group(67 cases) and non-teicoplanin treatment group(112 cases),whose clinical data and antibiotic empirical treatment were analyzed respectively,compared their PSI scores and clinical outcomes after 5 day′s therapy.RESULTS The PSI scores had no significant difference of two groups.The total treatment failure rate in teicoplanin treatment group was 23.9%,lower than that in non-teicoplanin treatment group.The treatment failure rate of teicoplanin combining the third generation cephalosporin treatment cases was 19.4%,lower than that in single use of cephalosporin(50.0%),also less than that in the cases of cephalosporin combining other antibiotics therapy,which accounted for 32.1%.CONCLUSIONS The use of teicoplanin may reduce treatment failure rate of severe CAP among aged.