Vascular depression: a new view of late-onset depression

We have suggested that cerebrovascular disease may predispose, precipitate, or perpetuate some late-life depressive syndromes. The mechanisms of "vascular depression" include disruption of cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical (CSPTC) pathways or their modulating systems. This view is supported by the presentation of vascular depression, which consists of depressive symptoms, cognitive abnormalities, as well as neuroimaging findings that may result from CSPTC impairment. Moreover, clinical and electrophysiological evidence of CSPTC impairment, an abnormality frequently found in patients with vascular depression, appears to be associated with poor response to antidepressant treatment and early relapse and recurrence. The vascular depression hypothesis provides the conceptual background for studies that may have clinical and theoretical impact. Agents influencing dopamine, acetylcholine, and opioid neurotransmitters may be studied in vascular depression, since these are essential neurotransmitters of the frontostriatal circuitry. Drugs used for prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular disease may be shown to reduce the risk for vascular depression or improve its outcomes. The choice of antidepressants in vascular depression may depend on their effect on neurological recovery from ischemic lesions. Finally, identification of specific relationships between specific symptoms, cognitive deficits, and disability may lead to interventions that target the patients' deficits as well as their interactions with psychosocial factors known to contribute to depression. Research can clarify the pathways to vascular depression by focusing on the site of lesion, the resultant brain dysfunction, the presentation of depression and time of onset, and the contribution of nonbiological factors.     

Enhancement of persistent Na+ current by sea anemone toxin (ATX II) exerts dual action on hippocampal excitability

We used anemone toxin II (ATX II) to study how a selective enhancement of persistent Na+ current (INaP) would affect the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal slice. In whole-cell recordings from CA1 cell somata, local application of ATX II (10 microM) into the stratum pyramidale invariably depolarized the neurons and produced sustained burst discharges with depolarizing plateau potentials of variable amplitude and length. However, the strong excitatory action of ATX II, observed on the single cell level, was not mirrored in field potential recordings from the same hippocampal subfield. The amplitude of the electrically evoked population spike declined, reflecting the decreased availability of fast Na+ channels, and the intracellulary recorded burst discharges were not detected by the field electrode. The lacking synchronization of cellular bursting activity was seen during both local and bath application of ATX II, suggesting that the toxin, in addition to promoting burst discharges of individual neurons, simultaneously dampens network excitability. In fact, ATX II reduced afferent fibre volleys (reflecting axonal excitability) and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in a similar fashion. As the expression of different Na+ channel subtypes appears to be compartmentalized within hippocampal neurons, we propose that point mutations leading to pathologically enhanced INaP might exert quite opposite effects, depending on the type and location of the Na+ channel affected. Whereas alterations of somatodendritic Na+ channels would give rise to bursting activity, alterations of axonal Na+ channels would primarily decrease network excitability.     

儿童益智口服液中海参水解工艺改进研究

目的　研究并改进儿童益智口服液中海参水解工艺。方法　采用 5因素 4水平L16(45)正交试验法 ,以水解度为考察指标 ,对影响水解的因素进行研究。结果　影响海参水解的主次因素为B >A >D >C。优选的水解工艺条件为 :加酶量 (A)1.5 %、加水量 (B) 2 0倍、水解时间 (C) 6h、水解温度 (D) 5 0℃。按此优选工艺生产 ,水解度达 (2 9.2± 0 .9) % (n =3) ,与原工艺所得水解度经t检验比较 ,有极显著差异 (P <0 .0 0 1)。结论　上述结果为儿童益智口服液中海参水解工艺的改进提供了依据     

加味通关液超声雾化吸入治疗Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭的临床观察

为观察中药超声雾化对呼吸衰竭的疗效,采用本院研制的加味通关液超声雾化吸入治疗Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭患者27例,并与可拉明组30例对照。结果显示:治疗组临床治愈显效率70.3％,SaO_2上升达38.4％,咳嗽、呼吸困难、咯痰好转率、平均治疗时间与对照组比较均有显著性差异(P<0.05)。     

Prosopo-Thoracopagus Conjoined Twins and Other Cephalopagus-Thoracopagus Intermediates: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Prosopo-thoracopagus twins are united from the face down to the umbilicus, none with union in the brain but all with visceral anomalies intermediate between those of cephalopagus and thoracopagus. In a review of over 1200 cases of conjoined twins reported during the past 100 years, there were 14 that illustrate the continuum between cephalopagus and thoracopagus, including three that were united only from the cervical region to the umbilicus. Classic cephalopagus twins are joined from the top of the head to the umbilicus, sharing a single foregut as well as two relatively normal hearts, the “posterior” one often diminished. Typical thoracopagus, however, are conjoined only from the upper thorax to the umbilicus, each twin with a normal foregut but both sharing a single complex multiventricular heart. The intermediate cases shared either a single very abnormal heart or two hearts united by double aortic arches, and all except one had a single foregut. It is these cases intermediate between cephalopagus and thoracopagus which are the subject of this report. Received September 11, 1996; accepted December 16, 1996     

章次公生平和崇尚“革新源于继承”理念

章次公先生治学严谨,务求实据真理,崇尚"革新源于继承,真知出自实践"理念。主张"发皇古义,融会新知"学术思想,倡导科学发展中医、振兴民族文化。在上海,为振兴中医学术及培养众多中医后继人才方面作出了卓越贡献,为海派中医丁甘仁学术流派奠定了基础,为发扬我国传统医学作出了卓越贡献。     

RP-HPLC法同时测定石榴皮提取物阴道泡腾片中安石榴苷和鞣花酸

目的建立RP-HPLC法同时测定石榴皮提取物阴道泡腾片中安石榴苷和鞣花酸的方法。方法色谱柱为Phenomenex Gemini C18柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm),流动相为甲醇-乙腈-0.2%三氟乙酸水溶液,梯度洗脱,体积流量为0.8 mL/min,检测波长280 nm。结果安石榴苷在0.098～0.610 mg/mL(r=0.999 1)、鞣花酸在0.011～0.060 mg/mL(r=0.999 8)有良好的线性关系;平均回收率分别为102.0%、100.4%(n=9),RSD均小于1.5%。结论本方法简便、准确、专属性强,为石榴皮提取物阴道泡腾片的质量控制建立了方法。     

栀子提取物中大孔吸附树脂的苯残留量检查

目的测定栀子提取物中大孔吸附树脂残留的苯是否符合限量要求.方法使用气相色谱仪,采用DB-624毛细管色谱柱,以氮气为载气,FID检测器,测定苯.结果栀子提取物中未检出苯,检出限为0.06mg·L-1.结论该方法简便、准确、重复性好,可用于栀子提取物的质量控制.     

人参三七川芎提取物对增龄和高血压大鼠血管平滑肌细胞的影响

目的 观察和比较增龄与高血压对大鼠主动脉血管平滑肌细胞(vascular smooth muscle cells,VSMCs)的影响及人参、三七、川芎提取物的干预作用。方法 采用原代细胞培养的方法建立大鼠主动脉VSMCs模型,其中增龄实验分5组：青年对照组(Yon组)、老龄组(Old组)、老龄+普罗布考组(Old+Pro组)、老龄+中药低剂量组(Old+Low组)和老龄+中药高剂量组(Old+High组);高血压实验分5组：Wistar-Kyoto对照组(WKY组)、自发性高血压大鼠(spontaneously hypertensive rat,SHR)组、SHR+缬沙坦组(SHR+Val组)、SHR+中药低剂量组(SHR+Low组)和SHR+中药高剂量组(SHR +High组)。采用MTT法检测细胞增殖,免疫细胞化学法检测基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)表达,RT-PCR和Western blot分别检测过氧化物酶增殖物激活受体γ(peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ,PPAR-γ)mRNA和蛋白表达。结果 与Yon组比较,Old组VSMCs增殖水平和MMP-9表达升高,PPAR-γ mRNA和蛋白表达减少,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与Old组比较,Old+Pro组、Old+High组和 Old+Low组VSMCs增殖水平和MMP-9表达明显降低,PPAR-γ mRNA表达明显增加(均P<0.05),Old+Pro组和Old+Low组PPAR-γ蛋白表达明显增加(均P<0.05)。与WKY组比较,SHR组VSMCs增殖水平和MMP-9表达明显升高,PPAR-γ mRNA和蛋白表达明显减少(均P<0.05);与SHR组比较,SHR+Val组、SHR +High组和SHR+Low组VSMCs增殖水平和MMP-9表达明显降低,PPAR-γ mRNA和蛋白表达增加(均P<0.05)。结论 增龄和高血压均可造成大鼠主动脉VSMCs过度增殖及相关细胞活性因子的表达改变,中药人参、三七、川芎提取物能够降低其增殖水平,减少负性细胞因子的表达以降低增龄和高血压对VSMCs的损害,延缓血管细胞的老化。