脑缺血再灌对小鼠学习记忆的影响及药物防护

在建立及管性学习记忆障碍模型的基础上，观察脑缺血再灌对小鼠学习记忆的影响及服用尼莫地平、７６４－３、醒脑灵对其的防护作用。重复脑缺血再灌可明显的降低动物的学习和记忆能力，并可通过药物改善小鼠学习记忆障碍的程度。     

Green tea polyphenols protect spinal cord neurons against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress

Green tea polyphenols are strong antioxidants and can reduce free radical damage. To investigate their neuroprotective potential, we induced oxidative damage in spinal cord neurons using hydrogen peroxide, and applied different concentrations(50–200 μg/mL) of green tea polyphenol to the cell medium for 24 hours. Measurements of superoxide dismutase activity, malondialdehyde content, and expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins revealed that green tea polyphenol effectively alleviated oxidative stress. Our results indicate that green tea polyphenols play a protective role in spinal cord neurons under oxidative stress.     

Genes in the serotonin pathway are associated with bipolar affective disorder in a Han Chinese population

Serotonin plays an important role in mood regulation, but the involvement of serotonin pathway genes in the development of bipolar I disorder (BP-I), a mood disorder, is not clear. We selected 21 singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the HTR2A gene, 8 within the SLC6A4 gene and 23 within the TPH2 gene for genotyping using the GoldenGate genotyping assay. A total of 375 patients with BP-I and 475 normal controls were recruited. Two out of 21 SNPs (rs1475196 and rs9567747) in the HTR2A gene and 1/23 SNPs (rs17110566) in the TPH2 gene were significantly associated with BP-I, both genotype-wise and allele-wise. Furthermore, a specific haplotype in the HTR2A gene showed a significant association with BP-I. Our results indicate that the HTR2A and TPH2 genes in the serotonin pathway play important roles in susceptibility to BP-I.     

The value of respective urodynamic parameters for evaluating the occurrence of complications linked to benign prostatic enlargement

Purpose

To assess the correlation between urodynamic parameters and urinary tract complications linked to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE), as well to assess the possible value of these parameters for predicting complications.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the relationship between the complications and correlative urodynamic data of 486 BPH patients. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression was used to identify major independent predictors and establish regression models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the models’ predictive values.

Results

All of the individual parameters examined significantly correlated with most of the complications linked to BPE, except bladder calculus. According to ROC analysis, all of the areas under ROC curves (AUC), comparison of the individual parameters and the combined effects from the logistical regression models reached statistical significance (p < 0.05), and combining the parameters revealed a higher AUC compared to the individual parameters; however, all of the AUCs were below 0.9.

Conclusions

Urodynamic parameters are significantly correlated with most of the complications linked to BPE, and these parameters have predictive value for the occurrence of these complications with limited values.     

Change in renal parenchymal volume in living kidney transplant donors

Purpose

Uninephrectomy would induce compensatory hypertrophy in the remaining kidney. We investigated the relationship between changes in renal parenchymal volume (RPV) and renal function after nephrectomy in living kidney donors.

Methods

From July 2011 and January 2012, 45 kidney donors were enrolled in this study. Magnetic resonance scanning was performed before surgery, 3 and 7 days postoperatively, and RPV was calculated through disc summarize methods. Participants were followed up for 1 year.

Results

The RPV of the remaining kidney was 118.06 ± 23.51 cm³ and then increased by 21.23 % to 143.13 ± 25.52 cm³ at 3 days and by 24.17 % to 146.60 ± 25.86 cm³ at 7 days. Multivariate regression analysis showed that preoperative RPV is positively related to its initial function (p = 0.037); the RPV at 7 days is directly related to its initial, preoperative size (p < 0.001). With respect to change in postoperative RPV, there is bigger gain in size in smaller kidneys (p = 0.005). The kidneys that has ≥20 % increase RPV after 7 days are more likely to show further increase in GFR at 1 year (p = 0.024).

Conclusions

Uninephrectomy induced immediately increment in RPV of the remaining kidney. Donors with RPV increase of ≥20 % at 1 week have a more favourable renal function adaptation at 1 year.     

The p.R229Q variant of the NPHS2 (podocin) gene in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome: a meta-analysis

While many previous studies have reported an association between the p.R229Q variant of the NPHS2 gene and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), a conclusive relationship has not been defined. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of the published data to investigate the impact of the p.R229Q polymorphism on FSGS and SRNS patients. Despite significant heterogeneity within some of the comparisons, the results revealed significantly higher risks of SRNS in individuals homozygous for the variant allele (OR 7.411, 95 % confidence interval 1.876–29.436, p = 0.004) compared to homozygous non-variant individuals. However, the carrier rate of the p.R229Q variant was not significantly different between SRNS patients and steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome patients. No statistically significant differences in the p.R229Q carrier rate were observed between FSGS patients and controls or FSGS patients and patients with different pathology classifications. No notable differences in the p.R229Q carrier rate were found between patients and controls in any group with early-onset disease (onset age < 18). In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that for adult-onset disease (onset age > 18), the homozygous variant could be a potential predictor of hereditary nephrotic syndrome and that the p.R229Q allele cannot currently be considered a risk factor for predicting FSGS.