Objective To observe the effects of scalp acupuncture on cognitive impairments after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods 42 cases of TBI were randomized into experiment group (n=23) and control group (n=19). The control group accepted cognitive training and Donepezil, and the experiment group accepted scalp acupuncture in addition for 3 months. They were assessed with event related potential P300 and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) before, 1 and 3 months after treatment. Results The results of P300 and MoCA improved significantly 3 months after treatment (P<0.001) in both groups, and improved more in the experiment group than in the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion Scalp acupuncture could improve outcomes of cognitive impairments after TBI.

Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Hematopoiesis ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Mice

Objective To investigate the expression of aquaporin-5(AQP5) in lipo-polysaccharide(LPS)-cigarette smoking inducible SD rats,and the effect of ambroxol chloride(AMB)on its expression. Methods Twenty-one SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: AMB intervention group,model group(LPS-cigarette smoking induction group) and control group.TNF-? was determined from lung homogenate supernatant,bronchial alveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and serum by ELISA.The semi-quantitation of AQP5 transcription and expression were measured by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry,respectively. Results TNF-? from lung homogenate supernatant and BALF in model group was more than AMB intervention group and control group(P

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between ceruloplasmin expression and Down syndrome (DS). MethodsDifferential protein expression in serum of six mothers with DS fetuses and six mothers with healthy fetuses was detected by two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrum,the results were confirmed by Western blot.The levels of serum ceruloplasmin in 11 mothers with DS fetuses,10 mothers with healthy fetuses,11 DS newborns and 10 healthy babies were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The difference between the two groups was compared by two-independent samples t test. ResultsTwenty-nine differential proteins were found in the serum of the mothers with DS fetuses; among which ceruloplasmin increased significantly compared with that in mothers with healthy fetuese with density ratio of 5.43 (t=2.7102,P＜0.05).Western blot results showed that the expression of ceruloplasmin in maternal serum with DS fetuses (0.95 ± 0.24) was higher than that of normal mothers (0.37±0.14) (t=2.9521,P＜0.05) ; while the expression of ceruloplasmin in DS babies' serum (0.74±0.03) was lower than that of normal newborns (0.89±0.06)(t=-2.9515,P＜0.05).The expression of ceruloplasmin in serum of mothers with DS fetuses [(346.5± 111.8) ng/ml] was higher than that of normal mothers [(248.6478.3) ng/ml] (t=2.301,P＜0.05) ; while the expression of ceruloplasmin in DS babies' serum [(166.1 ±55.0) ng/ml] was lower than that of normal newborns [(244.0±36.0) ng/ml] (t=-3.873,P＜0.01). ConclusionsAbnormal maternal and neonatal serum ceruloplasmin level might relate to DS.

Objective To modify the methods of operation and establishment of cerebral ischemia rat models made by thread occlusion. Method We randomly divided 120 male SD rats into a common group (n = 50), an improvement group (n = 60) and a sham-operated group (n - 10). Rats in the common and improvement groups were made into models using the common and improvement methods separately. All models were evaluated on the basis of physical sign indices and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The TTC staining results were taken as gold standards. Then, we compared the achievement ratios of the two groups, and computed the sensitivity and specificity of every physical sign index based on these standards. The χ~2 or correction χ~2 test was used to compare the ratios. Results (1) The achievement ratio in the improvement group was significantly higher than that in the common group (71.67% vs. 52.00%, P = 0.034). (2) The sensitivity of evaluation for both common and improvement methods was 98.55%. However, the specificity of evaluation for the improvement method was significantly higher than that for the common method (100.00% vs. 40.00%, P =0.000). Conclusions The establishment achievement ratio and evaluation correctness of models are obviously elevated by modification of the operation and establishment methods.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangiopericytoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hemangiosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leiomyosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rhabdoid Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Urinary Bladder ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To measure the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in acral malignant melanoma (MM) tissue and to investigate its relationship with the stem cell factor (SCF)/c-kit pathway.Methods Immunohistochemical staining was performed to measure the expression of HIF-1α in tissue specimens from lesions of 93 patients with acral MM,21 with non-acral MM,39 with acral melanocytic nevi,and from the normal acral skin of 15 healthy human controls.Meanwhile,the expression of c-kit was detected by immunohistochemical staining in the 93 acral MM tissue specimens.Statistical comparisons were carried out by chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test.The relationship of HIF-1α expression with c-kit expression as well as tumor progression and staging was assessed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression rate of HIF-1α was 87.10％ (81/93) in acral MM specimens,90.48％ (19/21) in non-acral MM specimens,15.38％ (6/39) in acral melanocytic nevus specimens,but 0 (0/15) in the normal acral skin specimens.The expression of HIF-1α was significantly higher in acral MM lesions than in normal acral skin and acral melanocytic nevus lesions (both P ＜ 0.01),and significantly different between acral MM and non-acral MM lesions (P ＜ 0.01).Moreover,HIF-1α expression was positively correlated with Clark level and Breslow depth of melanoma (rs =0.442,0.368,respectively,both P ＜ 0.01),with the progression of acral MM (from in situ to aggressive and metastatic MM) (rs =0.420,P ＜ 0.01),and with the expression of c-kit (rs =0.307,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions HIF-1α is highly expressed in acral MM,positively correlated with the staging,progression and aggression of MM,and co-expressed with c-kit in acral MM tissue,suggesting that both HIF-1α and c-kit take part in the pathogenesis of acral MM.

Objective To evaluate the image quality of 64-multi detector computed tomography (MDCT)and the clinical accuracy in detecting coronary artery lesions.Methods One hundred and five patients were studied by MDCT.The results were compared with invasive coronary angiography(ICA). Patients were excluded for atrial fibrillation,but not for high heart rate,coronary calcification,or obesity. MDCT was analyzed with regard to image quality and presence of coronary artery lesions.Results The data evaluation of the image quality was based on a total of 1365 segments(13 coronary segments for each patient),of which 1144 segments were considered to have diagnostic image quality,but 221 segments (16.2%)could not be sufficiently evaluated because of severe calcifications(153 segments)and motion artifacts(68 segments).The median calcium score[Agatston score equivalent(ASE)]was 154(range 0—1983).87 of the 105 patients had an ASE of less than 1,000[median 105(range 0—994)],and 18 patients had an ASE greater than 1000[median 1477(range 1115—1983)].For detecting lesions with 50% or greater narrowing(without any exclusion criteria),the overall sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value were 85.7%,97.9%,93.0%,and 95.5%,respectively. When limiting the number of patients to those with a calcium score of less than 1000 ASE,the threshold- corrected sensitivity for lesions with 50% or greater narrowing was 96.0%;specificity,98.9%;positive predictive value,95.3%;and negative predictive value,99.0%.Conclusion Our results indicate high quantitative and qualitative diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice MSCT in comparison to QCA in a broad spectrum of patients.

Four strains of aerobic denitrifying bacteria were isolated from biomembrane of the laboratory biofilter by selective medium. The denitrifying rates of these four strains were found more than 80% under aerobic condition for 40 hours. The denitrifying rate of A1 was highest, which was 99.05%. When measuring the course of nitrogen element changing, it is found that they accumulated nitrite expect the strain A1. The strain A1 was gram positive and spherical. It is identified as Pseudomonas putida based on its biochemical and morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences(genbank accession NO.DQ836052.1). For the strain A1, the optimum beginning pH was 7.0 around, and the optimum tempera- ture was 30 ℃ around, The change of DO did not influence the effect of denitrification when it was more than 2.0 mg/L.

0.05).After treatment,in neuromus- cular electric stimulation therapy group and ice-massage therapy group,SSA scores and degrade of SaO_2 were improved. There was significant difference between before and after treatment(P