Objective To study changes of trigemino-cervical reflex (TCR) in patients with Kennedy's disease (KD). Methods The parameters of TCR were analyzed among patients with KD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy controls. Results The parameters of ipsilateral P19, N31, A and contralateral P19, N31, A among patients with KD were (23.91±4.84), (35.45±4.76) ms, 1.24± 0.33 and (24.34±4.82), (36.20±4.91) ms, 1.19±0.25, respectively. Compared with the healthy controls((18.37±2.16), (28.50±1.56) ms, 1.90±0.43; (18. 72±2. 18), (29. 19±1.43) ms, 1.84 ± 0. 40), the difference in each parameter was significant (ipsilateral : t = 5.77, 8. 19, -6. 64; contralateral:5.05, 7.62, -7.77, all P<0.01). Conclusion The parameters of TCR were abnormal in KD patients, indicating that the trigeminal nerves and the bulbar may be involved in the disease.

AIM: To search for new candidate partners of human cell division cycle gene 14A (hCDC 14A) and explore their functional relationships.METHODS: Yeast two-hybrid screening was employed to find hCDC 14A new partners. Physical interaction between two proteins was verified using Pulldown and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Subcellular localizations were revealed by immunofluorescence. In vivo ubiquitination test implied their potential functional relationship.RESULTS: BRAP2 (BRCA1 associated protein 2) was found to be a new candidate partner of hCDC 14A. hCDC 14A was modified by ubiquitination, and BRAP2 increased this modification in vivo. As expected, hCDC 14A and BRAP2 co-localized on mitotic spindles in HeLa cells.CONCLUSION: BRAP2 may be an ubiquitin E3 ligase of hCDC 14A.

Objective: To investigate the value of the trigeminocervical response (TCR) for revealing bulbar involvement in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Methods: Thirty patients with SBMA and 30 healthy male controls were included in this study. In all of the normal controls, stimulation of the infraorbital nerve on one side produced bilateral short latency waves consisting of a positive/negative wave, p19/n31, the mean latency of which was measured. The mean square root of the ratio between the amplitude of p19/n31 and the mean rectifi ed surface electromyography (EMG) activity preceding the stimulus, the A value, was estimated. The parameters of the TCR were compared between the two groups. Results: Among the patients with SBMA, 21 (70.0%) had delayed latencies of p19/n31 (P < 0.01) and all (100%) had reduced A values (P < 0.01) relative to the normal controls. Conclusions: All parameters of the TCR were signifi cantly different between the patients with SBMA and the normal controls. T

Purpose To investigate the expressions of PKCζ, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in breast cancer and the relationship with the inva-sion and metastasis of breast cancer. Methods The expression of PKCζ, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in 100 cases with breast cancer was as-sessed with immunohistochemistry PV 9000 method. PKCζ-siRNA was transfected into MDA-MB-231 cell lines, called siPKCζ/MDA-MB-231. While siRNA construct containing a scrambled sequence was transfected into MDA-MB-231 cells to generate control cells, which were designated as Scr/MDA231 cells. Western blotting was used to measure the expression of PKCζ in transfected cells, and the Transwell invasion assay was used to detect the invasion ability in vitro. The content of MMP-2, MMP-9 were measured by ELISA. Results The expression rates of PKCζ, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in breast cancer tissues were 62.5%, 37.5% and 32.5%, and there were significant differences among them (P<0.05). The expression of PKCζwas much higher than those in the normal breast tissues nearby. The expression of PKC protein was assoiated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis (P<0.01), but was not correla-ted with other clinicopathologic parameters, such as age, tumor size, histological type, ER, PR, and so on (P>0.05). The expres-sion of PKCζ, MMP-2 and MMP-9 were lower in siPKCζ/ MDA-MB-231 group than those in scr/ MDA-MB-231 group, and the in vitro invasion ability was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusions PKCζ can promote the invasion and metastasis of breast canc-er, and correlated with the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9(P<0.05).

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of different drug dosage to activate blood circulation and to nourish Qi on cardiac function and structure of heart failure rats after acute myocardial infarction.

METHODThe congestive heart failure post cardiac infarction rats models subjected to left coronary occlusion were made and given different dosage of drug of Huoxue Yiqi and captopril (positive control) from 4 weeks to 8 weeks after operation. The cardiac function before and after using drugs were observed by impedance methods.

RESULTTreated by different dosage of drug of Huoxue Yiqi and captopil, cardiac function of heart failure rats after acute myocardial infarction improved, SV, CO, CI(P < 0.01); at the same time, prescription of Huoxue Yiqi and Qixue could improve the model rats' heart coefficient, VS SHAM(P > 0.05), but prescription of Yiqi Huoxue and captopril could not improve it.

CONCLUSIONDrug to activate blood circulation and to increase qi can treat heart failure rats after acute myocardial infarction, through improving their function and structure. At the same time, more dosage of drug to activate blood circulation and to increase qi(Huoxue/Yiqi drug) may improve the model rats' heart coefficient.

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Heart Failure ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of combination of different points on glucose metabolism in the patient of cerebral infarction.

METHODSNeiguan (PC 6), Shuigou (GV 26), Fengchi (GB 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Taichong (LR 3) were selected for the Xingnao Kaiqiao group (n =7), and Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Xuanzhong (GB 39) for the routine acupuncture group (n = 5). PET-CT was used to observe the local cerebral glucose metabolism.

RESULTSThe cerebral regions activated in the the Xingnao Kaiqiao group included infarction center, gyrus temporalis superior, thalamus, gyrus temporalis inferior, gyrus rectus, insula, lateral occipital lobe, parietal lobe and cerebellum, and in the routine acupuncture group included gyrus frontalis inferior, caudate nucleus, cingulated gyrus, hippocampus, precuneus and parietal lobe.

CONCLUSIONPET is very suitable for exploring acupuncture mechanisms in treatment of cerebral infarction, and further shows the specificity of acupoints-brain functional region.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Brain ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography

From the three perspectives, skin stress response, medication-acupoint effect and neuroendocrine-immune system, this article discussed the action mechanism of vesiculation moxibustion therapy, to provide scientific evidence for the development of this therapy and to enhance its therapeutic efficacy.

Urine samples from 72 patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) were analyzed and compared to those from 33 diabetic patients without albuminuria and 29 normal controls,using SELDI-TOF-MS (surface enhanced laser desorptiort/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry) and Biomarker Patterns Software,to identify differences in protein profile,generate a tree analysis pattern and evaluate the validity of the decision tree.The intensities of 6 peaks detected appeared upregulated,while 11 peaks downregulated,in DN group as compared to nonDN groups more than 2 folds (P

BACKGROUNDOculomotor palsy is a common complication in patients with posterior communicating aneurysm. This study was conducted to investigate the postoperative recovery of patients with posterior communicating aneurysm complicated with oculomotor palsy and to analyze the factors influencing length of recovery.

METHODSFrom 2000 to 2006, 148 patients with posterior communicating aneurysm were treated at our hospital, with 74 of them having concurrent unilateral oculomotor palsy. All of the patients underwent craniotomy after the diagnosis by means of whole-brain digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The patients were divided into two groups for observation of postoperative recovery during the follow-up period. Patients in group A were treated with simple pedicle clipping of the aneurysm while patients in group B were treated with pedicle clipping of the aneurysm and decompression of the oculomotor nerve.

RESULTSOf the 40 patients in group A, 20 underwent surgery within 14 days and completely recovered from oculomotor palsy in 10 - 40 days. Fourteen patients underwent surgery within 14 - 30 days, of whom 12 completely recovered within 30 - 90 days and 2 cases recovered incompletely. The remaining six patients underwent surgery after more than 30 days; of these, four patients recovered completely and two recovered incompletely. Of the 34 cases in group B, 15 underwent surgery within 14 days and completely recovered from oculomotor palsy in 10 - 40 days. Sixteen patients underwent surgery in 14 - 30 days, of whom 14 completely recovered in 30 - 90 days and 2 recovered incompletely. The remaining three patients underwent surgery after more than 30 days, of whom two patients recovered completely and one recovered incompletely.

CONCLUSIONSEarly diagnosis and surgical treatment of patients with unilateral oculomotor palsy induced by posterior communicating aneurysm are important to full postoperative recovery of the oculomotor nerve. No correlation was found, however, between decompression of the oculomotor nerve, such as excision or puncture of the aneurysm, and postoperative recovery time.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmoplegia ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To observe the effects of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on body mass,lipid metabolism,serum leptin and mRNA and protein expressions of hypothalamic leptin receptor(LepR)-mediated Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)pathway in rats with diet-induced obesity(DIO).Methods Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into 10 in normal group and 30 in modeling group.A high-fat diet was used to establish the DIO rat model.After successful modeling,the modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group,the acupoint catgut embedding group and the acupoint catgut embedding + AG490(JAK2/STAT3 pathway blocker)group,with 10 rats in each group.The acupoint catgut embedding group and the acupoint catgut embedding + AG490 group were embedded on day(s)1,8,15 and 22 after successful modeling,the acupoints were selected from the Zhongwan(RN12),Shuidao(ST28),Tianshu(ST25),Pishu(BL20),Weishu(BL21),Sanjiaoshu(BL22)with a total of 4 treatments,and the acupoint catgut embedding + AG490 group was injected intraperitoneally with 1 mg/kg of AG490 every day during the treatment period;the normal group and the model group were only grasped and fixed.Body mass was measured before and after treatment.Lipid metabolism indexes of triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),and serum leptin levels were measured after treatment,and the mRNA expressions of hypothalamus LepR,JAK2 and STAT3 were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR),and the protein expressions of hypothalamus LepR,JAK2 and STAT3 were detected by Western Blot.Results Before treatment,compared with the normal group,the body mass of the model group,the acupoint catgut embedding group,and the acupoint catgut embedding+AG490 group were all elevated(P＜0.01),and compared with the model group,there was no significant difference in the body mass between the acupoint catgut embedding group and the acupoint catgut embedding+AG490 group(P＞0.05).After treatment,compared with the normal group,body mass,leptin and TG,TC,LDL-C levels were increased,and mRNA and protein expression levels of LepR,JAK2,STAT3 were decreased in the model group(all P＜0.01);compared with the model group,body mass,leptin and TG,TC,LDL-C levels were decreased in the acupoint catgut embedding group,and mRNA and protein levels of LepR,JAK2,STAT3 were increased in the acupoint catgut embedding + AG490 group(all P＜0.01);compared with the acupoint catgut embedding + AG490 group,the body mass,leptin and TG,TC,LDL-C levels were decreased,and mRNA and protein levels of LepR,JAK2,STAT3 were increased in the acupoint catgut embedding group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion Acupoint catgut embedding has a good effect on weight loss and lipid reduction in DIO rats,and its central mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of serum leptin level and activation of hypothalamic LepR-mediated JAK2/STAT3 pathway.