Objective The aim of this article is to study the clinical features, image, electroencephalogram and gene mutation of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with MELAS and to improve understanding of the disease. Methods Clinical data was collected from 12 MELAS cases. Their clinical symptoms, head imageological result,electroencephalo-gram and gene mutation were analyzed. Results The average onset age was 28 years old. The main manifestations of 12 patients were epilepsy(66.7%), stroke-like episodes(50.0%), mental behavious disorder and decrease of perceive (41.7%),diabetes or abnormal glucose tolerance(41.7%), hearing impairment(41.7%). The imaging results showed long T1, long T2 and high signals on DWI. The nidus involved occipital lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe most. Five of six cases undergoing MRS imaging had large lactate peak at 1.33 ppm. There were 9 cases carrying mtDNA A3243G muta-tion. Conclusion The clinical presentation of MELAS is highly variable without any obvious specificity on MRI and EEG. Large lactate peak on MRS may indicate the disease. Most patients carry A3243G mutation.

OBJECTIVETo explore the optimized rehabilitation program in the treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia at the recovery stage.

METHODSBased on the randomized controlled principle, 60 patients were randomized into an rehabilita tion + massage group (group A) and an rehabilitation + acupuncture group (group B), 30 cases in each one. Bobath sport therapy and functional training were adopted in the two groups. In the group A, the massage therapy was added. The rolling method and palm-rubbing method were used on the affected side, the pressing, kneading and plucking methods were applied to Jianliao (LI 15), Jianzhen (SI 9), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), Chengshan (BL 57), Zusanli (ST 36) and the other acu points; and the nipping method was adopted at the twelve Jing-well points. In the group B, acupuncture was applied to Baihui (BL 20), Jianliao (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli (LI 10), Huantiao (GB 30), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Jiexi (ST 41) and the other acupoints. The treatment was given once a day, 5 treatments a week in the two groups. The efficacy was evaluated in 3 weeks. Fugl-Meyer scale, Barthel index (BI) score, modified Rankin scale and stroke-specific quality of life (SS-QOL) were used to assess the limb motor function, the activity of daily life (ADL), independent activity of life and the quality of life of the patients in the two groups before and after treatment. Based on the total cost and benefit, the health economics evaluation was conducted in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTSThe treatments all improved the limb motor function (group A: 26.00 (22) vs 37.00 (33); group B: 30.50 (21) vs 39.50 (36)), the independent activity of life, ADL (group A: 43.50 +/- 22.25 vs 57.50 +/- 22.25; group B: 52.83 +/- 16.59 vs 66.67 +/- 12.82) and the quality of life (group A: 122.23 +/- 30.00 vs 145.50 +/- 28.14; group B: 132.43 +/- 23.87 vs 151.47 +/- 22.37) in the patients of the two groups. The differences in all the indices were significant statistically before and after treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05). Above indices after treatment were not different obviously between the two groups (all P>0.05). In terms of health economics, the expense was decreased by RMB 688.48 while BI was increased by every 5 score in group A in comparison with the group B.

CONCLUSIONBoth the rehabilitation and massage therapy and the rehabilitation and acupuncture therapy improve the limb motor function and the quality of life in the patients of post-stroke hemiplegia. The therapeutic efficacies are similar between the two therapeutic programs. The program of rehabilitation and massage is more economical in the aspects of ADL improvement, being advantageous at simple operation and low cost.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Middle Aged ; Motor Activity ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To establish the quality standard for Haijinhuwei powder. Methods Corydalis Rhizoma, Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, Angelicae Sinensis Radix were identified by TLC. The content of tetrahydropalmatine was determined by HPLC. Results TLC spots were clear and specific.There was a good linear relationship between peak area and concentration of tetrahydropalmatine at the range of 10.78-107.8μg.mL-1(r=0.999 9).The average recovery rate was 96.57% and RSD was 1.40%(n=6). Conclusion All these results indicated that the developed TLC-HPLC method was proved to be reliable, accurate and specific, which could be used for the quality control of Haijinhuwei powder.

Objective To evaluate the role of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in sevoflurane-induced inhibition of apoptosis induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation and restoration (OGD/ R) in rat neurons.Methods Cortical neurons isolated from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats born within 24 h, were cultured primarily and seeded in 6-well plates (2 ml/well) at a density of 1 × 106 cells/ml.The neurons were randomly divided into 5 groups (n =72 each) using a random number table: control group (group C), OGD/R group (group O), mPTP opener group (group A), mPTP opener + sevoflurane group (group AS) , and sevoflurane group (group Sev).The cells were cultured in normal culture medium in group C, and the cells were subjected to OGD for 90 min followed by restoration of O2-glucose supply for 24 h in the other groups.In A and AS groups, mPTP opener atractyloside 20 μmol/L was added immediately after OGD.In Sev and AS groups, the cells were post-conditioned with 2％ sevoflurane for 1 h immediately after OGD.The neurons were collected at 24 h of OGD in O and A groups, or at 23 h of OGD in Sev and AS groups.Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining was performed to count apoptotic neurons, apoptotic rate was calculated, and cell survival rate was measured using MTT assay.The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was measured by using JC-1 fluorescence probe as indicator.The opening of mPTP was determined through assessing the changes of mitochondrial optical density (△OD540 of mPTP).The expression of pro-apoptotic factors Bid, Bim, Puma protein and mRNA was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot.Results Compared with group C, apoptotic rate was significantly increased, cell survival rate and MMP were decreased, the opening of mPTP was increased, and the expression of Bid, Bim, Puma protein and mRNA was up-regulated in the other groups.Compared with group O, apoptotic rate was significantly decreased, cell survival rate and MMP were increased, the opening of mPTP was decreased, and the expression of Bid, Bim, Puma protein and mRNA was down-regulated in Sev group.Compared with group Sev, apoptotic rate was significantly increased,cell survival rate and MMP were decreased, the opening of mPTP was increased, and the expression of Bid, Bim, Puma protein and mRNA was up-regulated in A and As groups.Compared with group A, apoptotic rate was significantly decreased, cell survival rate and MMP were increased, the opening of mPTP was decreased, and the expression of Bid, Bim, Puma protein and mRNA was down-regulated in group AS.Conclusion Sevoflurane mitigates OGD/R-induced apoptosis in rat neurons through inhibiting mPTP opening.

Objective To identify and analyze the plasmid (pR_ ST98 ) encoding multi-resistance to anti-microbial agents in S.typhi presenting the Salmonella plasmid virulence gene (spv).Methods Plasmid pR_ ST98 ,which could mediate virulence to its host bacteria, was used as the templete. The spv-specific PCR and Southern blot were employed to identify the spv virulence gene on this plasmid. The amplified spv fragments (spvR and spvB) were cloned into pGEM-T EASY.Then the DNA sequences were analysed. Results The date of PCR and Southern blot showed that spv,which had been found in other pathogenetic Salmonella spp. except S. typhi was also presented on pR_ ST98 . The ORF of spvR and spvB of pR_ ST98 were 894bp and 1 776bp respectively. They had more than 99% homologus with that of spvR and spvB on virulence plasmid in S.typhmurium.Conclusion From the results of PCR,Southern blot and nuclei acid sequencing, we concluded that this is the first report of revealing a mosaic-like plasmid carrying genes encoding not only drug resistance but also virulence in S.typhi.

Objective To investigate the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) after cerebral infarction and treatment with curcumin combined with electroacupuncture.Methods Middle cerebral artery occlusion was successfully introduced to simulate cerebral infarction in 60 healthy,male Wistar rats.They were then randomly divided into a control group,an electroacupuncture group,a curcumin group and a curcumin combined with electroacupuncture group (the observation group),each of 15.After the modeling,the four groups were given the planned interventions for 2 weeks,with the control group receiving no intervention.All of the rats were sacrificed after neurobehavioral scoring and immunological staining of brain tissue from the infarction area was used to detect the expression of BDNF and NGF.Results The average Bederson score in the observation group was significantly lower than those of the other groups.Cells expressing BDNF and NGF were significantly more numerous in the observation group than in the other three groups.Conclusion Curcumin combined with electroacupuncture can significantly improve the expression of BDNF and NGF in the infarcted area,and this may play a neuroprotective role.

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (electrochemiluminescence, ECL) generates species at electrode surfaces, which undergoes electron-transfer reactions and forms excited states to emit light. It has be-come a very powerful analytical technique and has been widely used in such as clinical testing, bio-warfare agent detection, and pharmaceutical analysis. This review focuses on the current trends of molecular recognition-based biosensing methods for pharmaceutical analysis since 2010. It introduces a background of ECL and presents the recent ECL developments in ECL immunoassay (ECLIA), im-munosensors, enzyme-based biosensors, aptamer-based biosensors, and molecularly imprinted poly-mers (MIP)-based sensors. At last, the future perspective for these analytical methods is briefly discussed.

Objective To observe the relationship between serum level of H-FABP before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods A total of 104 cases were recruited in this study. PCI was performed 12 h after onset. The concentration of H-FABP was detected before operation. Gensini score system was used to calculate the integral of all patients after coronary angiography. According to Gensini score, patients were divided into three groups, 34 cases in group A (8≤Gensini scores<41), 34 cases in group B (41≤Gensini scores<64) and 36 cases in group C (Gensini scores≥64). Indicators were analyzed statistically including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), smoking history, H-FABP, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), fasting blood sugar, diabetes (DM) and hypertension. The patients were followed up for 12 months after operation. According to the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), patients were divided into MACE group and non-MACE group. The related factors of two groups were statistically analyzed. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of MACE for patients with STEMI after emergency PCI. Results There is a gradually increasing tendency in total cholesterol levels among three A, B and C groups (P<0.05). LVEF values were lower in B group and C group than that of A group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in levels of SBP, DBP, H-FABP, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, fasting plasma glucose and smoking history, DM, and hypertension between three groups (P>0.05). In 12-month follow-up, the proportion of STEM combined with DM, the time from onset to PCI, the level of TC, the level of H-FABP before operation and Gensini score were significantly higher in MACE group than those of non-MACE group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that STEM combined with DM, higher serum level of H-FABP before operation were risk factors of MACE in 12-month after operation (P<0.05). Conclusion For patients with acute STEM combined with diabetes and elevated preoperative serum level of H-FABP, be alert to the occurrence of MACE in 12-month after PCI.

Objective To determine clinical characteristics and the effects of drug-eluting stents on the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events during percuteneous coronary artery interventional(PCI)and long- term outcomes in patients with chronic renal insufficiency(CRI).Methods Nine hundreds and seventy three patients with angiographically-documented coronary artery disease(lumen inner diameter narrowing＞50%), included 516 patients complicated with experienced renal impairment(CRI group)and 457 with normal renal function(control group).Baseline clinical data and coronary angiographic features were recorded.Results Comparing with control group,patients in CRI group were older with higher incidence of hypertension or diabetes and simultaneously complicated by reduced left ventricular ejection fraction,and more complex coronary lesions(type C).During follow-up(mean 17 months),the mortality was significantly higher in CRI than in control group(6.2% vs 3.3%,P＜0.05),but the former with CRI was significantly lower by using drug-eluting stents in comparing with bare-metal stents(4.1% vs 8.5%,P＜0.05).Conclusion Patients with CRI often complicated with severe coronary artery disease,the mortality after PCI would be significantly reduced by using drug-eluting stents.

ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of 1-methyl-tryptophan (1-MT) on transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.MethodsHuman hepatocellular carcinoma subcutaneous tumor models were established in mice,and the mice were divided into hepG2 group,empty plasmid group,indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) saline group,IDO) 5-fluoropyrimidine (5-FU) group,IDO 1-MT group,and the group combining IDO 1-MT with 5-FU treatment (n=8 in each group).The tumor growth,tumor volume and pathological examination were observed and the expression of IDO in tumor tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry.ResultsCompared with hepG2 and the empty vector saline groups,IDO saline group had bigger tumor,faster growth,and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Compared with IDO saline group,5-FU group,1-MT group and combination treatment groups showed smaller tumor volume and weight,and the tumor inhibitory rates were 86.54％,79.95％,94.46％,respectively.There were significant differences between these groups (P＜0.05).However,there were no significant differences in tumor volumes between 5-FU group and 1-MT group (P＞0.05).HE pathological observation of ceils in each treatment group showed reduced density,increased necrotic area and significant decrease in peripheral blood alpha-fetoprotein (P＜0.05).ConclusionsIDO can promote the growth of liver cancer cells involved in immune escape.1-MT can inhibit the transplanted tumor growth in mice,and therefore may enhance the chemotherapeutic efficacy.