Objective To investigate the effects of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment on swallowing function and hemorheology in patients with pseudobulbar palsy following stroke. Methods One hundred thirty-one patients with laughing sickness after cerebral stroke from March 2010 to November 2013 were selected and divided into two group by random number table method:a treatment group (66 patients) and a control group (65 patients). The control group was treated with aspirin and rosuvastatin, while the treatment group was additional treated with acupuncture for benefiting vital energy and eliminating phlegm for 4 weeks. The swallowing function was evaluated by Kubota Water Swallow Test and the hemorheological measurements were performed. Results The total improvement rate of swallowing function in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (86.36% vs. 64.61%; χ2=8.391, P=0.004). After the treatment, the whole blood viscosities at high shear rate (4.96 ± 0.53 mPa?s vs. 5.32 ± 0.63 mPa?s;t=3.541, P=0.001) and low shear rate (23.23 ± 0.94 mPa?s vs. 23.81 ± 1.01 mPa?s;t=3.403, P=0.001), and the plasma viscosity (1.52 ± 0.24 mPa?s vs. 1.61 ± 0.28 mPa?s;t=1.976, P=0.050) in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Conclusion Acupuncture combined with conventional treatment can improve the swallowing function and the hemorheological parameters in patients with pseudobulbar palsy following stroke.

Objective To explore the effect of glucose fluctuation on resistin. Methods The phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate(PMA)-activated and differentiated U937 cells were exposed to experimental condition for 3 days, three groups of cells were formed, each one receiving the following fresh medium every 6 hours, respectively: (1) continuous 11.1 mmol/L glucose concentration medium (Con group), (2)continuous 22.2 mmol/L glucose concentration medium (CHG group), (3) alternating 11.1 mmol/L glucose concentration and 22. 2 mmol/L glucose concentration medium every 6 hours (IHG group). The supernatants of cell mediam at the last 6 hours were collected to test resistin concentration. Besides, 92 subjects were selected and classified into three groups according to the results of oral glucose tolerance test:normal glucose tolerance group ( NGT group, n =30), impaired glucose tolerance patients (IGT group, n =31) and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients (T2DM group, n =31). Blood glucose and serum resistin levels were measured at 0 h and 1 h during oral glucose tolerance test ( OGTT) to compare the glucose fluctuation (△Glu1-0) and the change of serum resistin level (△lnRes1-0) among the three groups. Results Resistin concentration in the Con , CHG and IHG group was (73.62 ± 5.07)ng/L, (97.78 ±7.00)ng/L and(212.49 ± 28. 81 )ng/L respectively and in IHG group it was higher as compared with the other two groups (P<0.05). △Glu1-0 in NGT, IGT and T2DM group was(2.31 ±2.30)mmol/L,(5.70 ±2.08)mmol/L and (8.41 ±2.63)mmol/L respectively; △Glu1-0 increased gradually in all the three groups (P<0.05). Serum resistin level from 0 h to 1 h in the NGT group was 6.41 (1.52-15.76) μg/L to 6. 96( 1.52-22. 70) μg/L, in the IGT group 5.47( 1.49-24. 09)μg/L to 9. 12( 1.27-21.94)μg/L and in the T2DM group 5.77( 1.11-30.10) μg/L to 9. 27(1.02-48.15)μg/L In the IGT and T2DM group serum resistin level increased from 0 h to 1 h (P<0.05), but no difference was observed in the NGT group (P>0. 05).△lnRes1-0 in these 3 groups was (0.05 ± 0.05) μg/L, (0.25 ± 0.04) μg/L and (0.37 ± 0.03 )μg/L respectively and the change in the T2DM group was significant as compared with that in the NGT group,△lnRes1-0 was positively correlated with △Glu1-0 (r = 0.23, P = 0.02). Conclusion Glucose fluctuation induced monocyte/macrophage to secrete resistin, greater the glucose fluctuation, greater the change of amplitude of serum resistin.

Objective:To investigate the impacts of astragaloside Ⅳ (AS-Ⅳ) on in- vitro proliferation and angioblastic differentiation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCBMSCs), providing a basis for further research about the effects of AS-Ⅳ on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-mediated angiogenesis. Methods:The hUCBMSCs were extracted from umbilical cord blood of normal full-term infants and subcultured. Osteoblasts, chondroblasts, and lipoblasts were induced, differentiated and identified. At the same time, the surface antigens CD44, CD73, and CD105 on hUCBMSCs were determined by flow cytometry. The successfully identified hUCBMSCs were cultured and treated with a series concentrations of AS-Ⅳ (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/L). The optimum concentration of AS-Ⅳ for cell proliferation in hUCBMSCs was confirmed. In another experiment, hUCBMSCs were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group. The cells in the experiment group were treated with the optimum concentration of AS-Ⅳ, and those in the control group were treated with equal volume of PBS. The impact of AS-Ⅳ on the proliferation of hUCBMSCs was detected using the cell counting kit (CCK-8). Besides, the impact of AS-Ⅳ on the angioblastic differentiation of hUCBMSCs was examined using the matrigel in- vitro tube formation assay. CD31 and von willebrand factor (vWF) expressions were determined using immunofluorescence after hUCBMSCs differentiated towards endothelial cells. Results:Under the light microscope, hUCBMSCs had clear edges and arranged orderly, showing a typical long fusiform structure. Flow cytometry confirmed that hUCBMSCs had surface markers of mesenchymal stem cells. The optimum concentration of AS-Ⅳ for the proliferation of MSCs was 300 mg/L. The OD values of the control and experimental groups were (0.51±0.01) and (0.98±0.05), respectively, with statistical significance ( t=15.96, P<0.05), indicating that the proliferation ability of the experimental group was enhanced. Compared with the control group, the tube density and the length of the tube network in vitro in the experimental group were higher, with statistically significant difference [(629.80±52.94)mm vs (110.36±13.19)mm, P<0.05]. Compared with the control group, the expression of CD31 and vWF increased in the experimental group after AS-Ⅳ induced hUCBMSCs differentiation ( t=13.64, 13.18, P<0.05). Conclusions:AS-Ⅳ has no toxicity to human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells, and can improve their proliferation function, and induce hUCBMSCs to differentiate into endothelial cells.