A new study on diffusion tensor imaging of the whole visual pathway fiber bundle and clinical application / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>With conventional imaging methods only the morphous of the visual nerve fiber bundles can be demonstrated, while the earlier period functional changes can not be demonstrated. We hypothesized that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) would demonstrated the whole optic never fiber bundle and visual pathway and the earlier period functional changes. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the application of DTI technique in the demonstration of the whole optic never fiber bundle and visual pathway, and the influence of orbital tumors on them.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>GE 1.5 T signa HD MR System, and the software package DTV2 were adopted. The total 45 subjects were enrolled, including 15 volunteers and 30 patients. All patients had ocular proptosis from minor to major. Seven patients had visual acuity decrescence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The nerve fiber bundles, e.g. optic chiasma, optic tract and optic radiation in posterior visual pathway were well demonstrated in all cases. Wherein, the intact whole visual pathway fiber bundles were clearly revealed in 10 volunteers and 17 patients, and optic nerve was not wholly revealed in the rest of the subjects. Shift of optic nerve caused by compression and partial deformation were seen in 7 patients with orbital tumor. In 6 of 7 patients, DTI displayed significant abscise and deformation of visual nerve. Chi-square test indicated significant correlation between visual acuity decrescence and DTI visual nerve non-display.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Visual nerve fiber bundles and the whole visual pathway were visualized in most of patients with DTI. It might be an effective method of providing imaging evidence for visual nerve fiber earlier period functional changes, and laid a foundation for the study in other cranial nerves.</p>

Effects of combination of irbesartan and perindopril on calcineurin expression and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase activity in rat cardiac pressure-overload hypertrophy / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

<p><b>AIM</b>To observe effects of angiotensin (Ang) II receptor antagonist (AT1) irbesartan and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril on rat myocardium calcineurin expression and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in the model of pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male adult Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups. One group was treated by sham operation; four groups were myocardium hypertrophy cases caused by banding aortic above renal artery. Drugs were given one week after operation. Group 1: sham group, rats (n=8) were gavaged with normal saline 2 ml/(kg.d) (ig); Group 2: control group, rats (n=8) were treated with normal saline 2 ml/(kg.d) (ig); Group 3: rats (n=8) were given perindopril 2 mg/(kg.d) (ig); Group 4: rats (n=8) were treated with irbesartan 20 mg/(kg.d) (ig); Group 5: rats (n=8) were given irbesartan 20 mg/(kg.d) plus perindopril 2 mg/(kg.d) (ig). Morphometric determination, calcineurin expression and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase activity were done at the end of 6 week of drug intervention. Expression of calcineurin in myocardium was detected by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Left ventricular mass index (LVMI), transverse diameter of myocardial cell (TDM), calcineurin activity were remarkably decreased after drug intervention and this decrease was most remarkable in the combination drug therapy group. Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase activity was increased after drug intervention, especially in the combined drug therapy group. Calcineurin expression in myocardium was remarkably decreased after drug intervention. LVMI was positively correlated with TDM and calcineurin, negatively correlated with sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These data suggest that irbesartan and perindopril inhibit cardiac hypertrophy through the increased activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase and decreased expression of calcineurin. Their combination had better effects on regressing of ventricular hypertrophy.</p>