[Objective]To study the clinical experience of Professor LIU Zhe treatment of essential tremor with acupuncture.[Methods]The paper states Professor LIU's understanding of treating essential tremor from the pathogenesis, acupuncture points and acupuncture manipulations, then summarizes the principle, regularity, and the features of acupuncture manipulations for Professor LIU treating essential tremor of different types of syndrome, so as to elaborate the clinical experience of Professor LIU. [Result] Professor LIU Zhe considers the age-dependent deficiency of qi and blood and insufficient liver and kidney syndrome to be a common one of essential tremor, as an experienced doctor, he distinguishes different types of syndrome from sign, tongue, pulse and so on. He places great emphasis on nourishing the bone marrow and tonifying liver and kidney. According to the symptoms select acupuncture points with the effects of nourishing the bone marrow and calming the liver to stop the wind, tonifying liver and kidney and supplementing qi and nourishing blood. Professor Liu sets a high value on selecting points of head and makes use of the point of Fengchi with unique acupuncture manipulations to relax cerebrovascular. In clinically, the curative effects are remarkable. [Conclusion]The unique method for treating essential tremor of Professor LIU gives some inspirations for clinic. It is worth of a deep study and spreading.

The inter-species differences of estradiol metabolism were investigated in human, Beagle dog and rat liver microsomes by comparing enzyme kinetics of parent drug and the formation of its major metabolites. The incubation systems of estradiol with liver microsomes of the three species were optimized in terms of estradiol concentration, microsomal protein content and incubation time. The concentrations of estradiol and its metabolites were measured by LC-MS/MS method. The t1/2, CLint, CLh, Km and Vmax of estradiol incubated with male human liver microsomes were 40.02 +/- 8.32 min, 41.39 +/- 6.57 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 13.81 +/- 12.36 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 26.8 +/- 6.99 micromol x L(-1) and 0.75 +/- 0.92 micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), respectively. The corresponding parameters of female human were 44.71 +/- 10.21 min, 29.85 +/- 8.97 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 0.01 +/- 0.68 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 44.2 +/- 7.73 micromol x L(-1) and 1.27 +/- 4.41 micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), that of male dog were 21 +/- 7.33 min, 165.53 +/- 29.33 mL x min(-1) xkg(-1), 26.01 +/- 8.39 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 19.5 +/- 7.34 micromol x L(-1) and 1.6 +/- 0.65 micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), that of female dog were 25.5 +/- 5.32 min, 135.11 +/- 42.34 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 0.24 +/- 3.18 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 8.33 +/- 6.32 micromol x L(-1) and 0.51 +/- 2.15 micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), that of male rat were 5.11 +/- 3.84 min, 485.63 +/- 36.52 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 49.57 +/- 15.29 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 62 +/- 13.74 micromol x L(-1) and 19.16 +/- 9.67 micromol x L(-1) x min(-1), and that of female rat were 7.0 +/- 3.69 min, 354.82 +/- 33.33 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 8.04 +/- 3.23 mL x min(-1) x kg(-1), 35.38 +/- 7.65 micromol x L(-1) and 8.39 +/- 4.91 micromol x L(-1) min(-1), respectively. There were nine metabolites detected from all the three species, but the relative amounts of the metabolites generated were different in three species. The results indicted that the major phase I metabolic pathway of estradiol was similar in the liver microsomes from all the three species. However, the inter-species differences were found in the view of relative amounts of the metabolites as well as the metabolic characteristics of estradiol in liver microsomal incubation.

AIM: To study the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) on the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in the initiating stage of pulmonary fibrosis of rats after administration of bleomycin (BLM).METHODS: The expression of CTGF in lungs was detected by Western blotting. The content of hydroxyproline was assayed by the method of chloramines T. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma was investigated by colorimetry.RESULTS: On day 14 after administration of BLM, the contents of CTGF in lungs and MDA in plasma in BLM+NS group were higher than those in NS group, respectively (P

Cross-modal stochastic resonance is a ubiquitous phenomenon, that is, a weak signal from one sensory pathway can be enhanced by the noise from a different sensory pathway. It is a special multisensory integration (MI) that can not be explained by the inverse-effectiveness rule. According to cross-modal stochastic resonance, the detection of signal is an inverted U-like function of the intensity of noise at different levels. In this paper, we reviewed the research of cross-modal stochastic resonance and put forward some possible explanations for it. These efforts raise a new idea for neural encoding and information processing of the brain.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Auditory Perception ; physiology ; Brain ; physiology ; Humans ; Mental Processes ; physiology ; Sensory Thresholds ; physiology ; Stochastic Processes ; Visual Perception ; physiology

Objective To investigate the effect of pretreatment with electroacupuncture at point Neiguan(PC6) on CK and myocardial cell activity in rabbit myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and provide an experimental basis for a relatively specific relationship between pericardium meridian points and the heart. Methods Forty New Zealand big ear rabbits were randomly allocated to groups A, B, C, D and E, eight rabbits each. Group A was a sham operation group. Group B was an ischemia-reperfusion model group, in which the left anterior descending coronary artery was occlude for 30 min and reperfused for 60 min. In groups C, D and E, points Neiguan(PC6), Lieque(LU7) and Hegu(LI4) were separately given electroacupuncture stimulation, 20 min every day, at seven days before model making. Creatine kinase (CK) and myocardial formazan contents were compared between the groups. Results There were statistically significant differences in serum CK and myocardial formazan contents between group B, C, D or E and group A (P＜0.01, P＜0.05). There was a statistically significant differences in serum CK content between group C, D or E and group B (P＜0.01). There was a statistically significant differences in myocardial formazan content between groups C and B (P＜0.05). There were statistically significant differences in serum CK and myocardial formazan contents between group D or E and group C (P＜0.01, P＜0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture at point Neiguan(PC6) can reduce myocardial ischemia-reperfusion induced injury to myocardial cells to produce a protective effect on the heart.

Objective To measure the tensile strength of the normal medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), and evaluate the biomechanics of different fixation methods of the hamstring tendon graft on the patella.
Methods Eight fresh cadaver knees were prepared by isolating the patella, leaving only the MPFL as its attachment to the medial condyle of femur. The MPFL was reconstructed by three different methods:four-suture fixation, anchors-single suture fixation, and anchors-double suture fixation. The tensile strength and the elongation of the normal MPFL and the tendon grafts were measured.
Results The tensile strength of the four-suture fixation group (234.86±49.02 N) was stronger than that of the normal MPFL (146.91±25.30 N, P=0.0014) and the anchors-single suture group (159.17±49.07 N, P=0.0077), while weaker than that of the anchors-double suture group (314.74±78.46 N, P=0.0052)
Conclusions With regard to the tensile strength, the four-suture fixation method is reliable for clinical use. Compared with the anchor-suture method, the four-suture fixation method which has no specific implants is more economical, convenient and efficient.

In order to investigate the mechanism, the correlation between the odor change in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process and 5-HMF were studied. Required samples were retrieved from Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process. Statistical quality control (SQC) was used to analyze the response values acquired by the electronic nose. At the same time, the content of 5-HMF was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the above two. Experimental results showed that SQC model established by response values of all samples could show the change law of odor in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process and changes of 5-HMF content was dropped after the first increase. Correlation analysis showed that the odor change in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process and 5-HMF were significantly correlated (P < 0.05). Sugar degradation reaction and the Maillard reaction may be one of the mechanisms of the odor change in Crataegi Fructus stir-fried process.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Crataegus ; chemistry ; Furaldehyde ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Hot Temperature ; Odorants ; analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

BACKGROUND: Metabotropic glutamate receptor(mGluR) is G-protein coupled membrane receptors, which participate in various physiology or pathology process in brain, but how it induce brain ischemic tolerance(BIT)is unclear.OBJECTIVE: To study roles of mGluR2/3 and mGluR1/5 in the BIT induction.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study based on experimental animals.SETTING: Neurological department of provincial hospital and pathophysiological department of basic institute in a university.MATERIALS: The study was conducted at the Pathophysiological Department, Institute of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University from May 2002 to May 2003. Totally 64 healthy male SD rats were selected from the Experimental Animal Center of Hebei Medical University. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibody, MTPG and(s)-4C3HPG were got from Sigma Company.INTERVENTIONS: 4 vessel occlusion(4VO) brain ischemic models in rats stained with thionine staining and GFAP immunohistochemistry staining. were used. Sixty-four rats, of which bilateral vertebral arteries were occluded permanently by electrocautery, were divided into the following 8groups: sham operation group, cerebral ischemic preconditioning(CIP)group, ischemic insult group; BIT group; MTPG + sham operation group;MTPG+BIT group; MTPG+ischemia group and(s) -4C3HPG+BIT coup. All the rats were killed 7 days after the operation or the final ischemic treatment. Cerebral sections were selected and stained with thionine staining and GFAP immunohistochemistry staining.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The changes of the morphologic hippocampal pyramidal cell and GFAP expression of astrocyte.RESULTS: ① The 8 minutes ischemic insult increased the histological grade(HG) in CA1 area, decreased the pyramidal neuronal density(ND)and increased the expression of GFAP significantly( P ＜ 0.05) . ② The above changes were not observed in the BIT group, indicating that the CIP could protect pyramidal neurons against the 8-minute ischemic insult. ③The protective effects of the CIP were blocked by MTPG or(s)-4C3HPG, as manifested by significant increases in HG and decreases in ND in the groups of MTPG + BIT, MTPG + ischemia and(s)-4C3HPG + BIT( P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: MTPG or (s) -4C3HPG could block the induction of BIT induced by CIP, but mGluR2/3 or mGluR1/5 could participate in the induction of BIT by which protect effect of mGluR is further induced.

Objective To investigate the clinical features,treatment response and prognosis in children with Takayasu′s arteritis(TA) in order to improve the understanding of TA.Methods A retrospective study of 10 children with TA was performed.All of them were admitted and diagnosed in Peking University First Hospital from Jan.1998 to Oct.2008.The clinical features,laboratory tests,imaging modalities,treatment response and prognosis were all collected and evaluated.Results There were 3 boys and 7 girls in the 10 patients with TA,and the ratio of male to female was 12.3.The onset was from 4 months to 9 years old,with average age at 5.5 years old.The average duration of diagnosis was 7.6 months.The incidences of hypertension,vascular bruits,albuminuria,convulsion were present in 100%,100%,70% and 40%,respectively.The clinical types included typeⅡ(60%),type Ⅲ(10%) and type Ⅳ(30%).The acute phase inflammatory indices of activity such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),C-reactive protein(CRP) and white blood cell(WBC) were not evidently increased.Tuberculosis infection was found in 6 out of 10 patients and anti-tuberculosis treatment was performed.Six patients were treated with steroids and 3 cases of them were also given immunosuppressives cyclophosphamide or methotrexate.Three of the 10 patients received anti-hypertensive and vasodilator.Two patients received percutaneous translurminal angioplasty and 1 patient received nephrectomy.One patient died of renal failure,heart failure and shock.Conclusions The patients with TA had high prevalence of tuberculosis infection,diagnosis as often late because of lack of specific clinical features at the acute inflammatory period.When organic ischaemia occurred,treatment response was usually unsatisfactory.Patients with multi-systemic and multi-viscera lesions should have comprehensive examination,especially for those with hypertension,pulseless and vascular bruits,in order to rule out TA.Early ultrasonography,computed tomography and magnetic resonnance image methods are valued in eariler diagnosis and they are the key factors to improve prognosis.

AIM: To explore the role of NO in the induction of brain ischemic tolerance (BIT) by observing changes of NOS activity and NO_2-/NO_3- content following a transient cerebral ischemia. METHODS: The rat 4-vessel occluding brain ischemic model was used. 140 male Wistar rats were divided into sham, cerebral ischemic preconditioning (CIP), ischemic insult and CIP+ischemic insult groups. An occlusion of the 4 vessels for 3 min was normally used as CIP, and a relative long one for 10 min was used as ischemic insult. When CIP was followed by ischemic insult, the interval between them was 3 d. The CA1 region of the hippocampus of rats was dissected out at 0 h, 2 h, 16 h, 24 h, 36 h, 72 h and 7 d after the last time of ischemia to assay its NOS activity and NO_2-/NO_3- content. RESULTS: The NOS activity and NO_2-/NO_3- content began to increase at 16 h, peaked at 24 h and decreased to basal level at 36 h of reperfusion after CIP. The duration of the up-regulation of NOS activity and NO_2-/NO_3- content was much shorter than that of BIT, which usually takes place 1-7 d after CIP. The pattern of upregulation of the NOS activity and NO_2-/NO_3- content was similar to the CIP group, but the maximum (24 h) was much more than that in CIP group (P