AIM: To observe skeletal muscle damage of mdx mice after overload exercise, and protection to muscle damage induced by exercise due to myoblast transplantation (MTT). METHODS: Muscle samples of C 57 mice were minced and digested with trypsin, and myoblasts were cultured ex vivo , purified and detected by immunohistochemistry stains. The myoblasts were injected into muscle of left limb of mdx mice, whereas the right limb was injected with DMEM liquid as control. Mice were submitted to exercise for 3 days starting 1 month after MTT, and then Evans blue was injected intravenously through the tail vein. The muscle cryostat sections of mdx mice were made, and then detected the immunofluorescence of dystrophin. Under a fluorescence microscope, the number of fiber stained with Evans blue and dystrophin was counted, analyzed quantitatively with image software. RESULTS: Under a fluorescence microscope, only 10 37%?2 87% muscle fibers in the myoblast grafted muscles were stained with Evans blue. In contrast, 26 82%?14 85% muscle fibers in right control muscles were stained. Significant differences between these two groups were showed ( P

Vascular cognitive impairment is a common type of cognitive impairment. At present, there is no targeted treatment, especially for moderate to severe dementia. This review focuses on the early functional evaluation and rehabilitation treatment in patients with vascular cognitive impairment, in order to obtain optimal curative effects and improve the quality of daily living. Neuropsychological test is helpful for early screening of vascular cognitive impairment. Neuropsychological test, together with the results of neuroelectrophysiology and imaging examination as objective evidence, can further predict the disease progress and can be used to guide rehabilitation treatment and curative effect evaluation. Cognitive training, exercise training, non-invasive nerve regulation technology, acupuncture and moxibustion are currently effective rehabilitation treatments. Combined application of various methods has a better improvement effect than monotherapy. Among them, non-invasive nerve regulation technology shows a good application prospect. At present, more high-quality clinical research evidence is needed.

OBJECTIVETo establish a specific technique for diagnosing and classifying Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and neurologic dystrophy.

METHODSForty-seven cases were detected by immunofluorescence technique for analyzing dystrophin located in skeletal muscle cell membrane with the use of mouse monoclonal antibodies, goat and rabbit polyclonal antibodies.

RESULTSThe normal individuals showed ringed positive staining stripe around muscle fibers. Negative result of staining was seen in 16 DMD patients. Eleven BMD patients had discontinuous or a patchy positive staining pattern, and all of 10 FSHD and 10 neurological amyotrophic patients showed positive dystrophin staining.

CONCLUSIONDetecting dystrophin in the skeletal muscle cell membrane of muscular patients is an efficient technique for diagnosing and classifying various types of muscular dystrophy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dystrophin ; analysis ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; chemistry ; pathology ; Muscular Dystrophies ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Neuromuscular Diseases ; diagnosis ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the vitamin B 12 status of vegetarians in Shanghai.Methods A total of 282 adult vegetarians and 282 omnivores matching by gender and age were recruited in Shanghai.Their dietary intakes were collected.The serum concentrations of vitamin B12,folate and homocysteine were tested.The red blood cell,hematocrit value,mean corpuscular volume and mean erythrocyte width were also examined.Results The daily average intake of dietary vitamin B12 was (0.46± 1.01) μg/d in vegetarians and only (0.1±0.46) μg/d in vegans,which was lower than that of omnivores [(3.91±6.92) μg/d,F=50.57,P＜0.01].137 omnivores and 274 vegetarians had less dietary vitamin B12 level than recommended nutrient intake (RNI) and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =114.77,P＜ 0.01).54.26％ of vegetarians,68.92％ vegans,49.04％ ovo-lacto vegetarians and 15.60％ omnivores had hyperhomocysteinemia and the differences between vegetarians and omnivores were statistically significant (all P＜0.01).After adjusting the confounding factors the hematocrit value was higher in vegetarians,vegans and ovo-lacto vegetarians than in omnivores (27.42％± 18.32％,28.73％± 18.19％,26.95％± 18.38％ vs.8.96％± 16.59％,P＜0.01).Vegans had lower red blood cell counts and higher hematocrit value and mean corpuscular volume than omnivores.Conclusion Vitamin B12 deficiency combined with an elevated level of homocysteine and red blood cell volume growth are common but serious issue in vegetarians,especially in vegans.

Studies have suggested that the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression; however, the regulatory strategy that targets the NAc to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit has not been elucidated. Here, we identified a specific reduction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the subset of dopamine D1 receptor medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the NAc that promoted stress susceptibility, while the stimulation of cAMP production in NAc D1-MSNs efficiently rescued depression-like behaviors. Ketamine treatment enhanced cAMP both in D1-MSNs and dopamine D2 receptor medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) of depressed mice, however, the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine solely depended on elevating cAMP in NAc D1-MSNs. We discovered that a higher dose of crocin markedly increased cAMP in the NAc and consistently relieved depression 24 h after oral administration, but not a lower dose. The fast onset property of crocin was verified through multicenter studies. Moreover, crocin specifically targeted at D1-MSN cAMP signaling in the NAc to relieve depression and had no effect on D2-MSN. These findings characterize a new strategy to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit by elevating cAMP in D1-MSNs in the NAc, and provide a potential rapid antidepressant drug candidate, crocin.