Objective To evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine plus sufentanil during postoperative analgesia on sleep quality in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy.Methods Sixty patients (aged 30-55 years,ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ) scheduled for hysterectomy were randomly divided into the following 2 groups: group C (n=30,sufentanil) and group D (n=30,sufentanil plus dexmedetomidine).Polysomnography measures were performed,the night before surgery (PSG1),the first night after surgery (PSG2),and the second night after surgery (PSG3).In addition,pain levels (visual analogue scale,VAS),sedation levels,sufentanil consumptions,and possible adverse effects on MAP,HR and SpO2 were investigated.Results Compared with PSG1,N1 stage sleep in group C and N2 stage sleep in group D were significantly increased (P<0.05),N1 stage sleep at PSG2 and PSG3 in group D was decreased (P<0.05);N3 and REM stage sleep,sleep efficiency index and subjective sleep quality were decreased,arousal index was increased in two groups (P<0.05).Compared with group C,N1 stage sleep was decreased,and N2 stage sleep was increased at PSG2 and PSG3 in group D (P<0.05);sleep efficiency index,subjective sleep quality were increased,arousal index in group D was decreased (P<0.05).Patients in group D had a lower VAS score and cumulative sufentanil consumption,MAP,HR at 6,24,48 h after surgery (P<0.05) and a higher sedation score at 6,24 h after surgery than those in group C (P<0.05).Conclusion Besides offering effective analgesia,postoperative dexmedetomidine infusion has positive effects on sleep disturbance in patients undergoing hysterectomy.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of yang-supplementing thread-embedding (acupoint embedded with catgut soaked in Shenfu injection) in treating shoulder-hand syndrome after cerebral stroke. Method Totally 120 patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 60 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by acupoint thread-embedding, while the control group was by conventional acupuncture. The changes of symptoms, joint range of motion (ROM), pain, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), and general therapeutic efficacy were observed after 30 d treatment. Result The total effective rate was 95.0% in the treatment group versus 85.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Yang-supplementing thread-embedding and conventional acupuncture both can mitigate pain induced by shoulder-hand syndrome, increase the range of motion, and significantly improve the upper-limb motor function, while the effect of yang-supplementing thread-embedding is superior to that of conventional acupuncture.

Objective To evaluate the role of c?Jun N?terminal kinase ( JNK) and p38 mitogen?ac?tivated protein kinase ( p38MAPK) signaling pathways in attenuation of myocardial ischemia?reperfusion ( I∕R) injury by morphine postconditioning. Methods Healthy adult male Sprague?Dawley rats, weighing 180-240 g, were used in the study. Their hearts were excised and retrogradely perfused in a Langendorff apparatus with Krebs?Ringer ( K?R) buffer saturated with 95% O2?5% O2 at 37℃. After 15 min of equili?bration, 52 isolated hearts were divided into 4 groups ( n=13 each) using a random number table: control group (group C), I∕R group, morphine postconditioning group (group MP), and morphine postcondition?ing plus anisomycin group ( group MP+A) . The hearts were continuously perfused with K?R buffer for 105 min in group C. In group I∕R, the hearts were subjected to 45 min of global ischemia by stopping perfusion with K?R buffer, followed by 60 min of reperfusion by restoration of perfusion with K?R buffer. In group MP, the hearts were subjected to 45 min of global ischemia, followed by 10 min of reperfusion with K?R buffer containing 3?0 μmol∕L morphine and then by 50 min of reperfusion with K?R buffer. In group MP+A, the hearts were subjected to 45 min of global ischemia, followed by 10 min of reperfusion with K?R buffer containing 3?0 μmol∕L morphine and 1?0 μmol∕L anisomycin ( an activator of JNK and p38MAPK) and then by 50 min of reperfusion with K?R buffer. At 60 min of reperfusion, 8 hearts in each group were selected for measurement of the myocardial infarction and amount of creatine kinase?MB ( CK?MB) released from the myocardium, and the myocardial infarct size was calculated. At 20 min of reperfusion, 5 hearts in each group were selected to detect the expression of phosphorylated JNK ( p?JNK ) , phosphorylated p38MAPK ( p?p38MAPK) and cytochrome c ( Cyt c) in myocardial tissues ( by Western blot) and content of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ( NAD+) in myocardial tissues ( by spectrophotometry ) . Results Compared to group C, the myocardial infarct size and amount of CK?MB released from the myocardium were significantly increased, the expression of p?JNK, p?p38MAPK and Cyt c was significantly up?regulated, and the content of NAD+ was significantly decreased in I∕R, MP and MP+A groups ( P<0?05) . Compared to group I∕R, the myocardial infarct size and amount of CK?MB released from the myocardium were signifi?cantly decreased in MP and MP+A groups, and the expression of p?JNK, p?p38MAPK and Cyt c was sig?nificantly down?regulated, and the content of NAD+ was significantly increased in group MP (P<0?05). Compared to group MP , the myocardial infarct size and amount of CK?MB released from the myocardium were significantly increased, the expression of p?JNK, p?p38MAPK and Cyt c was significantly up?regula?ted, and the content of NAD+ was significantly decreased in group MP+A (P<0?05). Conclusion The mechanism by which morphine postconditioning attenuates myocardial I∕R injury is related to inhibition of activation of JNK and p38MAPK signaling pathways in rats.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness of horticultural therapy involving the planting of Chinese medicinal herbs （mint and lily potted plants） combined with intradermal needling therapy for generalized anxiety disorder （GAD） of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome under transcranial magnetic stimulation and basic psychological therapy， and to explore the possible mechanisms of action. MethodsA total of 180 patients with GAD of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome were randomly divided into three groups， horticultural therapy group， intradermal needling group， and horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， with 60 patients in each. All groups received basic treatment including basic psychological therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation. The horticultural therapy group received horticultural therapy in addition to the basic treatment； the intradermal needling group received intradermal needling therapy once a week for 8 weeks in addition to the basic treatment； the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group received both horticultural therapy and intradermal needling therapy， following the same procedures and duration. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale （HAMA）， Self-Rating Anxiety Scale （SAS）， and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI） scores were assessed at baseline and after 2， 4， 6， and 8 weeks of treatment. Serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone （ACTH） and corticosterone （CORT） were measured before treatment and after 8 weeks of treatment. Motor-evoked potential （MEP） baseline levels were recorded before treatment， and MEP amplitude ratios were compared after 1 week and 8 weeks of treatment. Clinical effectiveness and safety were evaluated after 8 weeks of treatment. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between serum ACTH and CORT levels， MEP amplitude， and anxiety. ResultsIn the horticultural therapy group and intradermal needling group， HAMA， SAS and PSQI scores after 4， 6， and 8 weeks treatment were lower than baseline scores （P＜0.05）. In the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， these scores showed a significant decline starting after 2 weeks treatment and continuing through 8 weeks after treatment （P＜0.05）. The HAMA， SAS， and PSQI scores in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group were significantly lower than those in the other two groups after 2， 4， 6， and 8 weeks treatment （P＜0.05）. After 8 weeks of treatment， serum CORT and ACTH levels in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group were significantly lower than baseline levels （P＜0.05） and were also lower than those in the horticultural therapy group and intradermal needling group at the same time point （P＜0.01）. When comparing the level after 8 weeks treatment to that after 1 week treatment， under PAS10 stimulation， the MEP amplitude ratio in the intradermal needling group decreased at 30 minutes， while in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， the MEP amplitude ratio decreased at all time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.001）； under PAS25 stimulation， the MEP amplitude ratio in the horticultural therapy group increased at 20 minutes， and in the intradermal needle group at 10 minutes （P＜0.05）. In the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， the MEP amplitude ratio increased significantly at all time points after treatment （P＜0.001）. The cure rate in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group （74.14%， 43/58） was significantly higher than that in the horticultural therapy group （30.00%， 18/60） and the intradermal needling group （48.28%， 28/58， P＜0.05）. Correlation analysis revealed that serum ACTH and CORT levels were positively correlated with HAMA scores （r = 0.488， P＜0.01； r = 0.428， P＜0.01）. Following PAS10 intervention， the MEP amplitude ratio was positively correlated with HAMA scores （r = 0.458， P＜0.01）， whereas after PAS25 intervention， the MEP amplitude ratio was negatively correlated with HAMA scores （r = -0.562， P＜0.01）. ConclusionHorticultural therapy combined with intradermal needling treatment， under transcranial magnetic stimulation and basic psychological therapy， demonstrates significant clinical effectiveness in patients with GAD of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome. Its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis and the reduction of cortical excitability.