The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of "nourishing liver and kidney" acupuncture therapy on motor and cognitive deficits,and the underlying mechanism following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) via increasing the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and synaptophysin (SYN) in the hippocampus.Healthy adult male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (n=51),model group (n=51),acupuncture group (n=51) and acupuncture control group (n=51).The middle cerebral I/R model was established.Acupunctures were performed in the acupuncture group and acupuncture control group at acupoints of Taixi (K103),Taichong (ST09) of both sides,for 30 min once daily every morning.The animals in the sham operation group and model group were conventionally fed in the cage,without any intervention therapy.The rats of each group were assessed with modified neurological severity scores (mNSS).The expression of BDNF and SYN in the hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemical SP method and the synaptic structure in hippocampus area was assessed morphologically and quantitatively at the 3rd,7th and 14th day.The Morris water Maze (MWM) test was used to evaluate the rats' learning and memory abilities on the 15th day after acupuncture.The animals in the acupuncture control group and sham operation group presented no neurological deficit.In the acupuncture group,the nerve functional recovery was significantly better than that in the model group at the 7th and 14th day after modeling.The average MWM escape latency in the acupuncture group was shorter than that in the model group at the 3rd,4th and 5th day.The number of crossings of the platform quadrant in the acupuncture group was significantly more than that in the model group.At the each time point,the expression levels of BDNF and SYN in the hippocampal regions increased significantly in the model group as compared with the sham operation group and the acupuncture control group.In the acupuncture group,the expression levels of BDNF at the 7th and 14th day increased more significantly than those in the model group.In the acupuncture group,the expression levels of SYN at the each time point increased more significantly than those in the model group.The post-synaptic density (PSD) was significantly increased and the synapse cleft width was narrowed in the acupuncture group as compared with other groups.The synaptic curvatures were improved obviously in the acupuncture group in contrast to the model group.It was concluded that the "nourishing liver and kidney" acupuncture therapy has positive effects on behavioral recovery,as well as learning and memory abilities,probably by promoting the expression of BDNF and SYN,and synaptic structure reconstruction in the ipsilateral hippocampus after I/R in rats.The "nourishing liver and kidney" acupuncture therapy can promote the functional recovery in rats after cerebral ischemia injury.

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture plus rehabilitation training on upper limb functional recovery in convalescent stroke patients.Methods One hundred and three convalescent stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction were randomized to a treatment group (54 cases) and a control groups (49 cases). Both group received conventional rehabilitation training. In addition, the treatment group received along-meridian syndrome differentiation-based acupuncture and the control group, sham acupuncture. Upper limb Fugl-Meyer Assessment (U-FMA) score, the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) score, the modified Barthel Index (MBI) score and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) score were recorded in the two groups of patients before and at the end of treatment and at the 3-month follow-up.Results In the two groups there were statistically significant differences in the U-FMA score, the WMFT score and the MBI score at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up compared with before (P>0.05 orP<0.01). At the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up there were statistically significant differences in the U-FMA score, the WMFT score and the MBI score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05 orP<0.01). The scores of SF-36 items except social functioning and bodily pain had statistically significant differences within the two groups at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up compared with before and between the two groups at the end of treatment and the 3-month follow-up (P<0.01 orP<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture plus rehabilitation training can markedly improve upper limb function in stroke patients.

In order to investigate the sleep quality and influencing factors in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD),201 PD patients were enrolled and underwent extensive clinical evaluations.Subjective sleep evaluation was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI),and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).It was found that poor sleep quality (77.11％) and excessive daytime sleepiness (32.34％) were commonly seen in PD patients and positively correlated with disease severity.Then 70 out of the 201 PD patients and 70 age-and sex-matched controls underwent a polysomnographic recording.The parameters were compared between PD group and control group and the influencing factors of sleep in PD patients were analyzed.The results showed that sleep efficiency (SE) was significantly decreased (P＜0.01),and sleep latency (SL) and the arousal index (AI) were increased (P＜0.05) in the PD group as compared with those in the control group.SE and total sleep time (TST) were positively correlated with the Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stage.There was significant difference in the extent of hypopnea and hypoxemia between the PD group and the control group (P＜0.05).Our results indicate that PD patients have an overall poor sleep quality and a high prevalence of sleep disorder,which may be correlated with the disease severity.Respiratory function and oxygen supply are also affected to a certain degree in PD patients.

AIMTo investigate the effects of Angelica sinensis on the expression of Flt-1, Flk-1 mRNA after the ischemic brain injury in rats.

METHODSWistar rats randomly divided into two groups: group A rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 2 hours by suture, group B rats underwent MCAO for 2 hours meanwhile received treatment with Angelica sinensis (5g/kg). At 1 st d, 3 rd d and 7 th d after reperfusion, 36 rats( n = 18 in each group) were assessed by neurological scale and brain tissue was taken to assess the lesion ration with 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The other rats (n = 3 at different time points in each group) were decapitated at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h , 1 st d, 3 rd d, 7 th d after reperfusion. Quantitative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to examine the gene expression of Flt-1, Flk-1.

RESULTSThe neurologic deficit score of rats in group B decreased significantly compared with group A at the same time point (P < 0.05). The infarct volume of group A was significant greater than group B at the same time point after reperfusion (P < 0.01). The results of RT-PCR revealed that the gene expression of Flt-1, Flk-1 in the two groups increased from 3 h after reperfusion and reached its peak at the time of 3 rd d after reperfusion, then declined gradually. The gene expression of Flt-1, Flk-1 in the group B was significantly increased than group A at the same time point (P < 0.01). The gene expression of Flk-1 was positive correlated with Flt-1 in two groups (r = 0.957).

CONCLUSIONThe increasing amount of Flt-1, Flk-1 expression was enhanced by Angelica sinensis following transient interruption of cerebral blood flow in rats.

Angelica sinensis ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 ; metabolism

The effect of combined low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF rTMS) and virtual reality (VR) training in patients after stroke was assessed. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 112 patients with hemiplegia after stroke were randomly divided into two groups: experimental and control. In experimental group, the patients received LF rTMS and VR training treatment, and those in control group received sham rTMS and VR training treatment. Participants in both groups received therapy of 6 days per week for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint including the upper limb motor function test of Fugl-meyer assessment (U-FMA) and wolf motor function test (WMFT), and the secondary endpoint including modified Barthel index (MBI) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) were assessed before and 4 weeks after treatment. Totally, 108 subjects completed the study (55 in experimental group and 53 in control group respectively). After 4-week treatment, the U-FMA scores [mean difference of 13.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.6 to 22.7, P<0.01], WMFT scores (mean difference of 2.9, 95% CI 2.7 to 12.3, P<0.01), and MBI scores (mean difference 16.1, 95% CI 3.8 to 9.4, P<0.05) were significantly increased in the experimental group as compared with the control group. The results suggested the combined use of LF rTMS with VR training could effectively improve the upper limb function, the living activity, and the quality of life in patients with hemiplegia following subacute stroke, which may provide a better rehabilitation treatment for subacute stroke.
Aged ; Arm ; physiopathology ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Objective:To investigate the relationship between nutritional status and cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD),and to provide rationale for clinicians in nutrition intervention of AD patients.Methods:Sixty cases of elderly AD patients and 50 cases with normal elderly control were enrolled from the neurological department.Nutritional status and cognitive function were assessed using the laboratory parameters,mini nutritional assessment method (short-form Mini-Nutritional fine assessment,MNA-SF) and MMSE (Mini-Mental State,Examination,MMSE) survey.Results:Compared with control group,the AD group had significantly different laboratory index and MNA-SF score (P ＜ 0.05).MNA-SF scores were positively correlated with MMSE scores in patients with AD (r =0.59,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:The incidence of malnutrition in AD patients is high,and it is related to their cognitive function.The nutritional knowledge should be strengthened among doctors and nurses treating patients with AD.

Objective To understand the awareness of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and characteristics of sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Changsha City. Methods By a snowball sampling method, volunteers were recruited in two social public welfare organizations in Changsha (Qingcai and Zhongda Sunshine) and interviewed by anonymous electronic questionnaires. Data were analyzed using software SPSS 19.0. Results Among 150 MSM, the overall awareness rate of HIV/ AIDS-related knowledge was 86.0% (129/150). For different demographic characteristics, higher age group, higher education level and higher income groups had significantly higher rates of awareness about HIV/AIDS related knowledge, compared with the reference groups, respectively. For the sexual behaviors, 32.7% of the investigated MSM population had their first MSM sexual intercourse at age of <18 years old, the rate of ≥18 years old group was significantly higher than the <18 years old group (2=4.315, P=0.038), 46.7% of the MSM population had more than 1 sexual partner during the past six months, the ratio of MSM used condoms in the sexual intercourse occasionally or never was 29.3% and 6.7%, respectively. Conclusions Young age, relatively low educational level and low income MSM in Changsha had a relative low awareness of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge. MSM in Changsha City had first MSM sexual intercourse at a very younger age. There is an urgent need to take well-targeted measures to improve the HIV/AIDS-related knowledge with special MSM population, and develop effective intervention measures for the high-risk sexual behaviors among MSM.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical features of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN).

METHODSAccording to the 2004 modified terminology of International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Diseases (ISSVD), the cases were diagnosed as VIN from patients who had performed vulvar biopsy in Beijing Wuzhou Women's Hospital from February 2009 to December 2011, which were reclassified as usual VIN and differentiated VIN. The clinical and pathological studies were conducted respectively. MaxVision immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of Ki-67, p16 and p53 proteins.

RESULTSThere were 20 cases of VIN in 237 patients, and the incidence of VIN was 8.4% in all of contemporary vulvar biopsy. In 17 cases of usual VIN, mean age was 29.6 years, the lesion typically presented with atypical cells involving almost all layers of the epithelium, which was equivalent to the high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia of cervix. Immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 and p16 was strongly positive in usual VIN. High risk human papillomavirus (HPV) detection was also positive. The incidence of differentiated VIN was less than usual VIN, and there were only 3 cases in this study. In differentiated VIN, patients aged over 50 years, with mean of 53.7 years, and the lesion most commonly presented with lichen sclerosis background. There were epithelial thickening and extending, and parakeratosis, and atypia was strictly confined to the basal and parabasal layers of the epithelium where the cells enlarged with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, presented with prominent nucleoli, increased cellularity and abnormal keratinization. In differentiated VIN, p53 was strongly positive, Ki-67 and p16 immunohistochemical expression was confined to the basal layer only.

CONCLUSIONSVIN is a precursor of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. The modified terminology of ISSVD classifies VIN as high-grade lesions. Definitive pathological diagnosis of VIN plays an important role in its timely treatment and the prevention of vulvar carcinoma.

Adult ; Carcinoma in Situ ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Papillomavirus Infections ; pathology ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Vulvar Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Young Adult