Objective:To investigate the analgesic time-effect characteristics and changes in concentrations of rabbit's hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NE) caused by buccal acupuncture in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rabbits,and to reveal the analgesic central mechanism of buccal acupuncture,thereby providing a theoretical basis for the treatment of pain by buccal acupuncture.Methods:Forty rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group,a body acupuncture group,and a buccal acupuncture group,with 10 rabbits in each group.No model was established in the normal group,while equal dose of normal saline was injected at the matched site and time point;rabbits in other groups were subjected to the establishment of RA models using egg protein.From the 27th day of the experiment,rabbits in each group received the designated intervention.Rabbits in the normal group and the model group were fixed for 30 min every day using the same method as those in the other groups.In the acupuncture group,Dubi (ST 35) and Zusanli (ST 36) on bilateral hind limbs were selected.Perpendicular needling (using the needles with 0.25 mm in diameter and 25 mm in length) was performed with twirling manipulation for 15 s at intervals of 5 min.The needles were retained for 30 min and acupuncture was performed once a day.In the buccal acupuncture group,the knee point in the buccal acupuncture and needles with a diameter of 0.25 mm and a length of 15 mm were selected.Oblique needling was performed with twirling manipulation for 15 s at intervals of 5 min.The needles were retained for 30 min and acupuncture was performed once a day.The thermal pain thresholds at the 0,5,15,30,60,120 and 240 min after the 1st and 10th acupuncture therapy were measured with a PL-200 thermal-inducing pain meter.After the 10th acupuncture therapy,rabbit's hypothalamus was removed,and the 5-HT and NE concentrations in the hypothalamus at the peak point of the acupuncture pain threshold curve were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results:The analgesic effect was obvious at 5 min after buccal acupuncture started,peaked at 30 min,and decreased to the lowest value at 240 min.Rabbits in the body acupuncture group began to show significant analgesic effect at 15 min,which was peaked at 30 min,and began to decline at 60 min.The pain threshold at 240 min was still higher than that at 0 min.Compared with the model group,the concentrations of hypothalamic 5-HT in the buccal acupuncture group and the body acupuncture group was significantly increased,and the between-group differences were statistically significant (both P＜0.05).The NE/5-HT ratios in hypothalamus in the buccal acupuncture group and the body acupuncture group were significantly lower than the ratio in the model group,and the differences were statistically significant (both P＜0.05);difference in the decrease was statistically significant between the buccal acupuncture group and the body acupuncture group (P＜0.05).Conclusion:The analgesic effect of buccal acupuncture shows an obvious time-dependent curve.It is characterized by rapid onset of pain relief,rapid increase and decline in pain threshold.5-HT and NE levels in rabbit's hypothalamus can be affected by buccal acupuncture,with increased 5-HT concentration and reduced NE/5-HT ratio.

BACKGROUNDThe mortality and disability associated with progressing ischemic stroke are much higher than general ischemic stroke. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors for progressing ischemic stroke in the Han population of northeast China.

METHODSA total of 2511 patients with ischemic stroke within 24 hours admitted to Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University were studied, from November 2007 to May 2009. All of the patients were classified into the progressing or non-progressing group according to the scores of the Scandinavian Neurological Stroke Scale. Fifteen putative risk factors were evaluated. The influence of risk factors for progressing ischemic stroke was analyzed with the simple Logistic analysis, the multiple Logistic analysis, and the stepwise Logistic regression model. All the statistical analysis was performed by SAS 9.1.

RESULTSTotally 359 (14.3%) patients met the criteria for progressing ischemic stroke. The Logistic analysis showed that age, family stroke history, smoking history, hypertension on admission, a drop in blood pressure after admission to the hospital, high serum glucose on admission, and fever were related to progressing ischemic stroke in the Han population of northeast China.

CONCLUSIONPeople of the ischemic stroke with these factors are more likely to develop progressing ischemic stroke.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and safety of Naoxintong capsule treatment of stroke recovery with Qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome (cerebral infarction), and to compared the non-inferiority analysis with the positive drug Tongxinluo capsule.

METHODTaking Tongxinluo capsules as control, randomized, double-blind, controlled, multi-center clinical experiments were studied. The evaluating indexes included the decrease of integral value of stroke patients, changes in traditional Chinese medicine, the improvement of the patient viability status (disability level), Chinese stroke scale (CSS), activities of daily living (DAL) scale and barthel index (BI ) points.

RESULTThe total effect of the two groups, Chinese and other symptoms, showed no significant statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONNaoxintong capsule stroke recovery, with Qi-deficiency and blood-stasis syndrome (cerebral infarction) has a therapeutic effect, and more secure.

Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Aged ; Capsules ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Stroke ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT)findings of ACTH-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia ( AIMAH ).Methods The un-enhanced and contrast-enhanced MDCT features in 24 patients ( 14 males and 10 females) with clinically confirmed AIMAH were retrospectively assessed for the morphology and enhancement patterns.ResultsThe adrenal glands were involved bilaterally in all of the 24 cases( 100％ ).24 patients had massively enlarged multinodular adrenal glands.Nodules were( 1.79 ± 1.02) cm (0.50 ～ 3.85 cm),which usually distorted and completely obscured the normal adrenal glands.The enlarged adrenal glands were still retained the adreniform contour,showed characteristic ginger-like.22 of the 24 ( 91.7 ％ ) hyperplastic nodular glands demonstrated mild homogeneous enhancement.Calcification was revealed in 1 adrenals ( 1/24,4.2％ ).Conclusion MDCT reveals the characteristic morphology and CT attenuation in AIMAH.Combined with its clinical presentation and biochemical findings,AIMAH is able to be diagnosed with high specificity and accuracy on MDCT.

Our previous data demonstrate that impairment of arterial baroreceptor reflex (ABR) plays an independent role in hypertension target organ damage. To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the dysfunction of ABR associated organ damage, sinoaortic denervated (SAD) rats were used as an animal model of ABR dysfunction. Twenty-four-hour continuous blood pressure (SBP and DBP), blood pressure variability (BPV), heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) were measured in conscious and unrestrained rats. Angiotensin II (Ang II) in plasma, heart and kidney was assayed by raio-immunological assay (RIA) 1 or 18 weeks after denervation. In short-term SAD rats, twenty-four-hour mean SBP and DBP increased compared with that of sham-operated rats and long-term SAD rats. No significant difference in SBP, DBP or HR was found between long-term SAD rats and sham-operated ones. Compared with the sham-operated rats, long-term SAD rats had elevated BPV. No significant change in Ang II levels of caridiac and renal tissues was found in short-term SAD rats. In long-term SAD rats, Ang II level of plasma was not increased while the Ang II content in the heart and kidney increased. Ang II contents of plasma and tissues in long-term SAD rats exposed to chronic stress were higher than those in the control rats. These results show (1) in short-term SAD rats blood pressure increased, while in long-term SAD rats 24 h mean blood pressure did not increase, although BPV elevated in long-term SAD rats; (2) in long-term SAD rats, secretion of Ang II in cardiac and renal tissues was enhanced and more Ang II released when the animals were exposed to chronic stress. These results suggest that elevated BPV and secretion of Ang II may be related to the development of organ damage induced by ABR dysfunction.
Angiotensin II ; blood ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aorta ; innervation ; metabolism ; Autonomic Denervation ; Baroreflex ; physiology ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Carotid Sinus ; innervation ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study the genetic basis in the patients with clinical diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy(SMA) but without survival motor neuron telomeric copy (SMN-T) deletion; the relationship between the SMN-C (centromeric) copies and the phenotype; and the distribution of SMN-C and SMN-T copies in the SMA patients, the carriers and the controls.

METHODSQuantitative PCR analysis of SMN-T and SMN-C copies were carried out in 45 patients, 25 consanguineous and 33 control individuals. The patients were identified by clinical manifestation and muscular pathology. Two internal standards of SMN-T and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) were constructed. Nonradioactive and nonfluorescence-labelling competitive PCR were used. The numbers of SMN-T and SMN-C copies were determined by calculating the ratios of SMN-T/CFTR and SMN-C/CFTR.

RESULTSQuantitation of SMN-T gene copies in SMA patients revealed that nine cases of type I-III were homozygously deleted. Two cases of type III had only one copy and four cases of type III had two copies. SMA IV and other type cases had two copies. Nine cases of consanguineous individuals had one copy, but other 16 had two copies. All of the normal individuals had two copies. Analysis of SMN-C copies showed that SMA I had < or = 2 copies, II-III had < or = 3 copies, SMA IV and others had 0-3 copies, the consanguineous individuals and normal individuals had 0-3 copies.

CONCLUSIONThe number of copies determined by PCR quantitative assay of SMN-T is in accordance with the result of PCR qualitative assay of homozygous deletion. Quantitative assay of the number of copies can find out the cases and the carriers of heterozygous deletion. The SMA phenotype is related to the number of copies of SMN-C; the smaller the number of copies the patient has, the severer the patient's phenotype will be. The pathogenesis of SMA IV and other types of SMA may not relate to SMN gene.

Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein ; Gene Dosage ; Humans ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; genetics ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; SMN Complex Proteins

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and side effects,with regard to glucocorticoid-induced ocular hypertension,glaucoma or cataract in children with primary nephrotic syndrome.Methods:Clinical data were collected and analyzed from 71 cases of primary nephrotic syndrome with glucocorticoid-induced ocular hypertension,glaucoma or cataract from Jun.2014 to Jun.2016.These children were hospitalized in Peking University First Hospital.Results:Totally 1 580 children with primary nephrotic syndrome were collected,glucocorticoid-induced complications in eyes were found in 71 cases,and the incidence was 4.5％.There were 66 cases with ocular hypertension,2 cases with glucocorticoid glaucoma,2 cases with glucocorticoid glaucoma combined with cataract,1 case with high intraocular pressure combined with cataract.There were 41 boys and 30 girls with eye-related side effects caused by glucocorticoid.The average age of onset of glucocorticoid-induced eye adverse reactions in children with primary nephrotic syndrome in our research were 8 (2,16) years.The average duration or interval time from glucocorticoid medication use to eye adverse effects was 157 (6,420) days.No statistical significance was found in intraocular pressure between different genders,types of glucocorticoid,different route of glucocorticoid and whether methylprednisolone pulse treatment (P ＞ 0.05).There was no significant correlation between age,body mass index,blood pressure,cumulative dosage,duration time of glucocorticoid,mean daily dosage and glucocorticoid-induced ocular hypertension (P ＞ 0.05).The ocular hypertension was controlled after treatment.Conclusion:Children with nephrotic syndrome after treatment of glucocorticoid are susceptible to ocular complications,and the occurrence of ocular hypertension is closely related to glucocorticoid susceptibility of the nephrotic children.Regular eye monitor is indispensable for the children suffering from primary nephrotic syndrome.

AIMTo study the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on obese MSG mice with insulin resistance.

METHODSAbout four months old, obese MSG mice with insulin resistance were divided into control, CLA and rosiglitazone groups and drugs were administrated ig once a day. Body weights were recorded regularly, insulin and glucose tolerance were tested. In addition, serum insulin and TNF-alpha concentrations in serum and fat tissues were determined.

RESULTSCLA was shown to reduce the body weight and fat weight in MSG mice, but can not improve the abnormal insulin and glucose tolerance in these mice. Indeed, the serum insulin and TNF-alpha concentrations in the fat tissues of the group treated with CLA were higher than those in the models and the insulin sensitivity index was significantly lower than that in the model mice.

CONCLUSIONCLA can reduce the body weight of MSG mice, but can not improve the insulin resistance in these mice.

Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Linoleic Acids, Conjugated ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Obesity ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Sodium Glutamate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo study the epidemiological characteristics of diabetes mellitus and awareness rate in Zhejiang adults.MethodA total of 17 437 adults from 15 counties were randomly selected with stratified multi-stage cluster sampling method from July to November,2010.Each participant was required to complete a set of standardized questionnaire,physical examination,and blood specimen collection.ResultsThe overall standardized rate of diabetes mellitus was 5.94％ ( crude prevalence 8.80％ ).It was increased by 96.67％ during past 8 years,as compared with the prevalence 3.02％ in 2002.The standardized rate of diabetes mellitus of the urban and rural area were 7.52％ and 5.19％ ( crude prevalence 11.33％ and 7.09％ ),respectively.The standardized rate of diabetes mellitus in the urban was higher than rural ( u =6.58,P＜0.05 ).The standardized rate of diabetes mellitus of the male and the female were 5.74％ and 6.15％ ( crude prevalence 8.36％ and 9.13％ ),respectively,without significant difference ( u =1.39,P＞0.05 ).The awareness rate of diabetes mellitus was 59.19％ ( 56.66％ in male and 61.23 ％ in female,x2 =3.26,P＞0.05 ).The awareness rate of the urban was higher than the rural (63.47％ vs 54.69％,x2=12.20,P＜0.01 ).ConclusionThe prevalence of diabetes mellitus showed a rapidly rising trend in Zhejiang province.The effective intervention should be taken at its early stage.

Low expression of ID4 gene is tightly related with carcinogenesis and high expression shows a definite anti-leukemia effect, though little expression in some leukemia cells. The main purpose of this preliminary work was to analyze the construction of ID4 gene promoter and to predict the cis elements in the ID4 promoter region by scanning the drug candidate with bioinformatics method. All these work are the primary part for finding effective drugs in the treatment of leukemia via the way of ID4 expression regulation. According to the data in GenBank and Internet platform, the 5'-untranslated sequence just upstream of ID4 ORF was virtually cloned. TESS, Genomatix and GenBank databank were used to analyze the cis elements in this area. RSA was used to find the distribution patterns for all these possible elements. SAGE and GEO datasets were used to find active substances which have the effect on the ID4 expression. The rsults indicated that ID4 had a type II promoter with a typical TATA box-45 bp upstream the transcriptional original site. There were a lot of various cis elements in the 5'-untranslated region upstream, including both positive element candidates such as Sp1, c-Myb, abaA, GR, ER, Zeste and C/EBPalpha and negative element candidates such as CCAAT-binding factor, GCF, WT1-KTS, HiNF-C and EGR2. It is concluded that estrogen, dexamethasone, thyroid hormone and follicle stimulating hormone may participate in the regulation of ID4 gene expression in both positive and negative manners.
5' Untranslated Regions ; genetics ; Animals ; Computational Biology ; methods ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Estrogens ; pharmacology ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Differentiation Proteins ; metabolism ; Leukemia ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; TATA Box ; genetics