Bax inhibiting peptide reduces apoptosis in neonatal rat hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) has been reported to induce apoptosis in neonates. We, therefore, analyzed the ability of Bax-inhibiting peptide (BIP) to provide neuroprotective effects during hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Seven-day-old wistar rat pups (n = 198) were randomly divided into a sham-operated group (Group S, n = 18), saline group (Group C, n = 90) and BIP group (Group B, n = 90). Pathological changes in the cerebral tissues of rat pups were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin stain, TUNEL and Western blot. The expression of cytochrome c and caspase-3 was determined using western blot technique. Rat pups demonstrated neurobehavioral alteration in Groups C and B. TUNEL-positive cells in the left hippocampus were significantly increased in Group C and Group B after HIBD (P < 0.01) when compared with Group S. There was a marked reduction in TUNEL positive cells in subgroups B1 through B4 when compared with the respective subgroups C1 through C5. Compared with Group S, the expression of caspase-3 and cytochrome c was significantly increased in Groups C and B (P < 0.01). The difference in expression of caspase-3 and cytochrome c between subgroups B1 through B4 and C1 through C4 was significant (P < 0.01). In conclusions, the neuro-protective effect of BIP was due to a reduction of nerve cell apoptosis in our neonatal HIE rat model. We propose that BIP has potential as a neuro-protective drug in neonatal HIE cases.

[Mode of delivery on urinary incontinence].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of route of delivery in primiparae with prevalence of urinary incontinence. METHODS: One thousand primiparae who had birth deliveries from March 2001 to March 2002 in our hospital were telephone interviewed through a questionnaire about symptoms of urinary incontinence before and during pregnancy, and after delivery. Totally 548 women answered the questionnaire based on International Consultant on Incontinence completely. The incidence and degrees of different kinds of urinary incontinence in connection with different ways of delivery and the associated factors were evaluated using SPSS software. RESULTS: (1) Among 548 cases, urinary incontinence was diagnosed in 167 (30.5%). (2) According to logistic regression, cesarean section and neonatal weight were associated factors with incontinence. If the odds ratio (OR) were taken as 1.0 for the incontinence women who had a normal vaginal delivery, then OR for cesarean section would be 0.326. OR for neonatal weight would be 1.633. Neonatal weight was the only high risk factor related with incontinence in women with vaginal delivery (P = 0.013, OR = 2.081). (3) The incidence of urinary incontinence in spontaneous vaginal delivery, forceps and cesarean section was 38.6% (105/272), 43.8% (21/48) and 18.0% (41/228) respectively. There was no difference in the incidence of urinary incontinence between spontaneous vaginal delivery and forceps (P > 0.05). A lower incidence of urinary incontinence was found in cesarean section than in other ways of delivery (P < 0.05). (4) The incidences of stress urinary incontinence, mixed incontinence and urgent incontinence were 33.8%, 4.4% and 0.4% respectively in spontaneous vaginal delivery; 35.4%, 8.3% and 0% in forceps delivery; and 14.5%, 3.1% and 0.4% in cesarean section. The incidence of stress urinary incontinence was higher in vaginal delivery women than in cesarean section women (P < 0.05). Severe cases of stress urinary incontinence were more in spontaneous vaginal delivery than in cesarean section (P < 0.05). (5) 1.2% (2/167) women reported urinary incontinence before pregnancy; 7.8% (13/167) during pregnancy; 44% (75/167) within one year after delivery; 40.7% (68/167) persisting for more than one year after delivery; and 2.4% (4/167) in recent time. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Cesarean section may decrease the risk of urinary incontinence compared with vaginal delivery. (2) Most patients have the symptoms of incontinence within one year after delivery, with some lasting for more than one year. (3) Heavy fetal weight increases the risk of stress incontinence.