Salvianolic acid B decreases interleukin-1β-induced colitis recurrence in mice / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Degree of mucosal recovery is an important indicator for evaluating the therapeutic effects of drugs in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Increasing evidences has proved that tight junction (TJ) barrier dysfunction is one of the pathological mechanisms of IBD. The aim of this study was to observe whether enhancement of TJ can decrease colitis recurrence.@*METHODS@#Eighty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups including normal group, colitis group, sulfasalazine (SASP) treated group, and traditional Chinese drug salvianolic acid B (Sal B) treated group. Colitis was established in mice by free drinking water containing dextran sulfate sodium, after treatments by SASP and Sal B, recombinant human interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was injected intraperitoneally to induce colitis recurrence.@*RESULTS@#Compared with sham control, cell apoptosis in colitis group was increased from 100.85 ± 3.46% to 162.89 ± 11.45% (P = 0.0038), and TJ dysfunction marker myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) was also significantly increased from 99.70 ± 9.29% to 296.23 ± 30.78% (P = 0.0025). The increased cell apoptosis was reversed by both SASP (125.99 ± 8.45% vs. 162.89 ± 11.45%, P = 0.0059) and Sal B (104.27 ± 6.09% vs. 162.89 ± 11.45%, P = 0.0044). High MLCK expression in colitis group was reversed by Sal B (182.44 ± 89.42% vs. 296.23 ± 30.78%, P = 0.0028) but not influenced by SASP (285.23 ± 41.04% vs. 296.23 ± 30.78%, P > 0.05). The recurrence rate induced by recombinant human IL-1β in Sal B-treated group was significantly lower than that in SASP-treated group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These results suggested a link between intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction, especially TJ barrier dysfunction, and colitis recurrence. The TJ barrier dysfunction in remission stage of colitis increased the colitis recurrence. This study might provide potential treatment strategies for IBD recurrence.

Exploring the System Roots of Service Capacity Weakening in Chinese Primary Medical Institutions / 中国卫生经济

The difficulty and expense of seeing a doctor was attributed to the out-of-level diagnosis and treatment, and the out-of-level treatment was due to the weakening of the basic medical service capacity. Since the new medical reform,the state has invested a lot, which led to the weakening of the primary medical service capacity. Exploring the institutional root of the weakening of grass-roots medical service ability could help to find the realistic path to enhance the service capacity of grass-roots medical institutions. Enhancing the service capacity of primary medical institutions was the only way to implement graded medical treatment. The administration of medical institutions restricted the improvement of service capacity of primary medical institutions, and the root of administration was the existing medical and health system. Only by starting from the reform of the system and realizing the administration of primary medical institutions, the service capacity of primary medical institutions could be enhanced.

Effect of AT₁ receptor on changes of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactivity in rostral ventrolateral medulla induced by brain cholinergic stimuli in rats / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of AT₁ receptor on the changes of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactivity (TH-IR) in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) induced by brain cholinergic stimuli in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: NS + CBC group, Los + CBC group, Los + NS group and NS + NS group. AT₁ was blocked by pretreatment of 20 μg losartan in Los + CBC and Los + NS groups; intracerebroventricular injection of 0.5 μg carbachol was used for cholinergic stimuli in NS + CBC and Los + CBC groups; normal saline (NS) was used for control. The output amount of natrium in kidney, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (PRF) were observed. The changes of TH-IR in the RVLM were observed by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>In NS + CBC group carbachol induced potent natriuresis, after pretreatment of losartan the natriuretic effect was partially inhibited in Los + CBC group. Both the number and optical density of TH-IR positive neurons in NS + CBC group were markedly increased than those in NS + NS group (P < 0.05); while those in Los + CBC group were significantly lower than those in NS+CBC group (P < 0.05). Intracerebroventricular injection of carbachol and losartan had no effect on GFR and RPF(P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggest that cholinergic stimuli can induce potent natriuresis and increase the activity of adrenergic neurons in the RVLM; the above effects can be down regulated by blockade of brain AT₁ receptor.</p>

Survey of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in outpatients at 50 general hospitals in Beijing / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Describe the prevalence and risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among outpatients at general hospitals in Beijing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Trained psychiatric nurses obtained data about the characteristics of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts from 2877 persons 15 years of age or older who were consecutive outpatients at 35 level-1, 8 level-2 and 7 level-3 general hospitals selected from all hospitals in Beijing by stratified random sampling. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt were 6.08% (95% CI: 5.25% - 7.25%) and 1.18% (0.82% - 1.65%), respectively. Mutivariate logistic analysis found that the most important risk factors for suicidal ideation were hopelessness in the prior year (OR = 7.96), current depression (OR = 3.41), younger age (OR for < 35 = 2.83; OR for 35 - 55 = 2.08), having a blood relative with prior suicidal behavior (OR = 2.58), and so forth; the most important risk factors for suicide attempt were younger age (OR for < 35 = 4.96; OR for 35 - 55 = 4.40), hopelessness in the prior year (OR = 4.02), self-report of health status in last weeks as poor (OR = 2.81), not currently married (never married, divorced, widowed, etc) (OR = 2.80), and so forth. Four variables were independent risk factors for both suicidal ideation and suicide attempt: hopelessness in the last year, younger age, having associates with prior suicidal behavior and female gender.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Many patients treated at medical, surgical and other outpatient departments of general hospitals in Beijing are depressed and at risk for suicide; this is particularly true of young female patients who feel hopeless about their future. Outpatient clinicians need to be trained to identify such patients, to assess the severity of their psychological problems and, if necessary, to provide appropriate treatment or refer them for psychiatric evaluation.</p>

The role of AT1 receptor in the changes in TH immunoreactivity of LC induced by brain cholinergic stimulation / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM AND METHODS</b>In the present study, we investigated the TH immunoreactivity and the expression of angiotensin AT1 receptor in locus coeruleus after intracerebroventricular (i. c. v.) injection of carbachol in conscious SD rats with immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile the effects of blocking AT1 receptor were also observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both mean optical density and number of TH and AT1 immunoreactive positive neurons were markedly increased in locus coeruleus after 40 minutes of i.c.v. injection of carbachol (0.5 microg). The enhancement was significantly reduced by i. c. v. injection of losartan.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results above suggest that i. c. v. injection of cholinergic agonist carbachol can enhance the activity of adrenergic neurons and the expression of AT1 receptor in locus coeruleus. The blockade of AT1 receptor may down regulate the above action induced by carbachol in locus coeruleus.</p>

Characteristics of mental health services at 325 general hospitals in Beijing / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Describe the mental health services provided at different types of general hospitals in Beijing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Distribute the "Hospital Mental Health Services Survey" to all 508 hospitals in the 18 Beijing districts; the survey covers information for 2001 on the type of mental health services provided, the characteristics of the service providers, the number and diagnoses of first-visit mental health patients, and the prescription of psychotropic medications.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>73% (373/508) of the hospitals completed the survey, including 75% (325/436) of the general hospitals. Among the 325 general hospitals, 171 (53%) provided one or more types of mental health services; they had a total of 420 staff members who provide these services, but their educational level was relatively low and mental health training limited. 61 general hospitals had mental health outpatient departments that treated 50% (47,151/93,891) of all first-visit mental health patients seen in all hospitals (including psychiatric hospitals) in the municipality; 90% (42,578/47,151) of these first-visit patients in general hospitals were seen at 18 level-3 hospitals. Among the 44,441 first-visit patients for whom diagnostic information was available, the main diagnoses were neurosis (43%) and depression (30%). 103 of the participating general hospitals prescribed 73% of antidepressant medications prescribed at all hospitals in the municipality and 97% of all fluoxetine (Prozac and others).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>General hospitals-particularly level-1 and level-2 general hospitals-need to put more emphasis on mental health services, increase training of staff who provide the services and open relevant departments. Monitoring the development of mental health services in general hospitals and increasing the quality of their mental health services will require periodic assessment of the types and range of mental health services provided and of the diagnostic accuracy and treatment standards of the staff providing these services.</p>

The role of brain AT1 receptor in renal sodium and water excretion and the change of TH-IR in hypothalamus / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM AND METHODS</b>To investigate the role of modulation by angiotensin AT1 receptor in sodium and water excretion induced by cholinergic agonist carbachol. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (TH-IR) in hypothalamus were also observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The natriuretic and diuretic effect induced by carbachol (CBC) were partially inhibited by pretreatment of losartan, a specific blocker of angiotensin AT1 receptor (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed that both TH-IR density and number of TH-IR positive neurons were markedly increased in PaPo, Arc, Pe and AHP of hypothalamus at 40 min after carbachol administration, as compared with NS group (P < 0.05). However, in losartan pretreated group, the number and the density of TH-IR were significantly decreased in such nuclei mentioned above except PaPo.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results above suggest that brain AT1 receptor appears to be involved in mediating natriuresis induced by cholinergic stimulus. The blockade of AT1 receptor may down regulate the excitability of adrenergic neurons in Arc, Pe and AHP induced by CBC. We postulate that brain adrenergic and angiotensinergic pathway get involved in natriuresis induced by brain cholinergic stimulus together. Moreover, angiotensinergic neurons may influence the activity of adrenergic neurons in hypothalamus.</p>