Objective To observe the effect of electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles (PES) combined with acupuncture on urinary dysfunction in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Sixty-two patients with SCI were randomly divided into a treatment group ( n =31 ) and a control group ( n =31 ).All subjects received routine bladder function training and a drinking water schedule for 8 weeks.In addition,the treatment group was given PES 30-40 min/d 6 times/week and acupuncture for 30 min/d,6 times/week for the 8 weeks.Residual volume of urine was evaluated using ultrasound and a daily voiding diary.Uurodynamic examinations and catheter extraction were used to assess the urinary function pre- and post-treatment. Results No significant difference was found between the two groups before treatment,but after 8 weeks of treatment the residual volume of urine detected by ultrasound and voiding frequency were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group.First desire to urinate and maximal urinary bladder capacities in the treatment group were also significant higher than in the control group.The efficacy of treatment was also sustained significantly longer in the treatment group. Conclusion PES combined with acupuncture therapy is more effective than routine bladder function training for SCI patients with urinary dysfunction.

Objective To investigate the morphological changes of whole brain gray matter in patients with postherpetic neuralgia(PHN),and evaluate the correlation between morphological changes of whole brain gray matter,visual analogue scale (VAS) and duration of PHN.Methods By using VBM-DARTEL method,firstly the 3D T1WI structure images of 17 patients with PHN and 17 normal control were preprocessed,then the segmented gray matter volume was compared between the two groups, and the correlation between difference of cerebral gray matter volume,VAS and duration of PHN were analyzed.Results Compared with the normal control, gray matter decrease in PHN group was found in bilateral orbital frontal regions(orbital gyrus,rectus gyri),left inferior frontal gyrus,left insular lobe, left caudate, right cingulate gyrus,left superior temporal gyrus, left cuneus, bilateral cerebellum posterior lobe and bilateral cerebellum anterior lobe.And gray matter increase in PHN group was found in bilateral superior frontal gyri, left middle frontal gyrus, vermis, pons.The gyrus volume change for two hemispheres was asymmetric (the left side greater than the right side).These different brain region changes in gray matter volume for patients with PHN were not correlated with VAS and duration of PHN.

Objective:To preliminarily explore the role and mechanism of diacylglycerol kinase(DGK)involved in the regulation of persistent inflammatory pain in rats.Methods:Complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA)was injected into the left soles of rats to establish the pain model,and the DGK inhibitor R59949 was given for intervention.The behav-ioral changes about pain were detected by the paw withdrawal thermal latency(PWTL)and paw withdrawal mechanical threshold(PWMT),the expressions of DGKα,DGKβ,DGKγ mRNA in the dorsal horn of spinal cord of rats were ana-lyzed by RT-qPCR,the expression changes of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6 in the spinal cord of rats were examed by Western Blot,and the expression and cell localization of DGKα was observed by immunofluorescence stai-ning.Results:Compared with control group,the PWTL and PWMT of CFA-induced rats were decreased significantly(P＜0.001),Notably,DGKα mRNA(P＜0.001)and protein(P＜0.05)expression levels were significantly elevat-ed in the spinal cord,as were the protein expressions of TNF-α and IL-6(all P＜0.001).After the model rats were treated with DGK inhibitor R59949,PWTL and PWMT decreased significantly(both P＜0.01).while the expressions of TNF-α and IL-6 in the spinal cord increased significantly(P＜0.05,P＜0.001).Immunofluorescence results showed that DGKα was expressed in spinal cord neurons of model rats.Conclusion:DGK inhibitor R59949 enhances the inflammatory pain and promotes the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in the model rats,and DGKα is involved in the regulation of inflammatory pain.

BACKGROUND:The second heart field is crucial for the development of the embryonic heart.Abnormal development of the second heart field can result in multiple cardiac malformations.After Cx43 gene knockout,reduced formation and proliferation of cells of the second heart field can be observed,but the specific reason remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:(1)To determine whether β-catenin,Smo and Cx43 were co-expressed in the second heart field and the endoderm,we observed the expression patterns of these proteins.(2)To explore whether Cx43 interacts with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway or the Shh pathway in the development of the second heart field. METHODS:Serial paraffin sections of the mouse embryos at embryonic days 10-12 were selected for immunohistochemical staining,hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence staining.The primitive gut of mouse embryos at embryonic day 11 was separated for western blot assay and co-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Cx43 and Isl1 were co-expressed in some mesenchymal cells on the ventral side of the foregut and dorsal wall of the pericardial cavity of mouse embryos at embryonic days 10-12;Isl1 positive cells increased while Cx43 positive cells increased.(2)Cx43 and β-catenin were co-expressed in the ventral part of the endoderm at embryonic days 10-12.(3)Cx43 and Smo were co-expressed in the endoderm at embryonic days 10-12.(4)The co-immunoprecipitation results confirmed that there was an interaction between Cx43 and β-catenin,which suggested that Cx43 interacted with β-catenin to participate in the development of the second heart field.

The integrated curriculums of basic medicine in Shanxi Medical University are as follows: nine basic medical courses were integrated into 10 medical modules, with additional training including PBL and TBL case discussion, clinical clerkship, flipped classroom and other non-integrated subjects etc. In order to assess the interest of students for integrated curriculum, their intrinsic motivation, as well as their comprehension and application of medical knowledge, we gave anonymous questionnaire to 149 students, 16 teachers in basic medicine, and 10 teachers in clinical medicine. Results showed that more than 90% students were willing to take the integrated curriculum and participate in PBL and TBL case discussion, and students who were unwilling to take the curriculum were less than 10%, they thought that the knowledge of new curriculum system was incoherent. The proportion of students from higher grade who were unwilling to participate in the flipped classroom was increased from 6.7% to 95.0%. Most of the teachers both in basic and clinic medicine believed that new curriculum system was helpful for students to comprehend basic medical knowledge and strengthen their discriminating ability, but did not function in improving students' practical ability. In the further reform on teaching, details like the coherence of knowledge and the content selected when self-studying should be improved.