OBJECTIVETo elucidate the long-term effect of repeated febrile convulsions (FC) on seizure susceptibility in immature rats.

METHODSWarm-water-immersion rat FC model was developed with SD rats 22 days of age, 15 attacks of seizures were induced in the rats every other day, and some of the rats were left un-stimulated for 3 months, then were re-stimulated. Seizure phenomenon was observed, including the latency and the duration of seizures and the temperature of rats. Hippocampal neuron loss and mossy fiber sprouting were detected by thionine staining and Timm staining.

RESULTSAfter the 15th bath, the latency, the duration of seizures, and the temperature of rats were respectively (4.3 +/- 0.8) min, (5.5 +/- 2.9) min, (42.2 +/- 0.7) degrees C. Three months later, on re-stimulation, in 14 of 19 rats with previous FC experience seizures occurred while in only one of 13 non-FC rats seizure occurred and lasted for 8.5 min. Three months later, the latency, the duration of seizures, and the temperature of rats were respectively (5.4 +/- 0.6) min, (19.3 +/- 5.1) min, and (42.4 +/- 0.4) degrees C (4 rats with status epileptics were not included). The incidence of seizures on re-stimulation in rats of FC group (74%) was significantly higher than that in non-FC group (8%) (chi(2) = 13.50, P < 0.01), and the duration of seizures [(19.3 +/- 5.1) min] was significantly longer than those induced in early life [(5.5 +/- 2.9) min] (t = 10.49, P < 0.01). After the 15th bath, no significant change was demonstrated in rats of different groups. While 3 months later, prominent neuron loss was observed in hippocampal CA(3) region in rats with previous FC experience (P < 0.01). Significant mossy fiber sprouting phenomenon was detected after the 15th bath and 3 months later (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRepeated FC in early life enhances long term susceptibility of rats to seizure.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Susceptibility ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures ; pathology ; Seizures, Febrile ; pathology ; Time Factors

Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Eczema ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Low-Level Light Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Urticaria ; radiotherapy ; therapy

Purpose: Despite the high prevalence of postdialysis fatigue (PDF) in maintenance hemodialysis patients, no meta-analysis on the prevalence and risk factors of PDF has yet been published. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of PDF and explore its related factors. Methods: PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the four Chinese databases (National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], Chinese Biomedical Literature database [SinoMed], Wanfang Digital Periodicals [WANFANG], and Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals [VIP] database) were searched from inception up to July 2022. This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The articles were independently searched by two reviewers, and the relevant data were extracted. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Thirteen articles with 2,118 participants were included. The pooled prevalence was 60.0%. The meta-analysis results revealed that the ultrafiltration volume, mean arterial pressure after dialysis, and good sleep quality were potentially associated with PDF, whereas only good sleep quality (odds ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.19e0.30) was significantly associated with PDF. Conclusion PDF is common in maintenance hemodialysis patients, which is related to the ultrafiltration volume, sleep quality, and mean arterial pressure after dialysis. However, the mechanism underlying the risk factors and PDF remains unknown. Further research is warranted to investigate the risk factors, intervention, treatment, and mechanism in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVETo characterize the variation in V3 loop of HIV-1 B'strains circulating in Chinese blood donors.

METHODSThe c2-c3 regions of the HIV envelop gene were amplified by nest-PCR from 32 HIV-1-infected blood donors in He Nan province in China. The BIOEDIT and MEGA software are used to analyze the sequences of V3 loop.

RESULTSThere are five types of central motifs of the 32 samples, in which GPGR and GPGQ are most common. More variations associated with T tropic/SI phenotype can be seen in AIDS group.

CONCLUSIONThe V3 tip motifs of HIV-1B' strains circulating in Chinese blood donors are various, the different characterization of V3 loop between AIDS and asymptomatic patients indicates different biological phenotype and pathogenesis which warrant additional investigation.

Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acid Motifs ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Blood Donors ; China ; Female ; Genetic Variation ; genetics ; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 ; analysis ; chemistry ; genetics ; HIV Infections ; blood ; virology ; HIV-1 ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligopeptides ; chemistry ; Phenotype

The feasibility of the case-based learning (CBL) of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Techniques is discussed in the aspects of the connotation application, implementation process and effect evaluation of CBL in teaching this course. The result shows that compared with the traditional teaching model, CBL achieves the same effects on the mastery of theoretic knowledge on the techniques of acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping for the undergraduates. Moreover, CBL presentes the obvious advantages on the improvements of the ability of the manipulation selection based on the clinical symptoms and the practical manipulative skills of the students. Hence, CBL is deserved to be promoted as an experimental unit in the professional technique courses of acupuncture-moxibustion.
Acupuncture ; education ; methods ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Learning ; Moxibustion ; Students ; Teaching

Objective:To observe the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM)on pacing parameters and postoperative com-plications in patients With implantation of permanent artificial cardiac pacemaker.Methods:A total of 80 patients With sick sinus syndrome,Who received implantation of permanent artificial cardiac pacemaker from Jun 2008 to Jun 2011,Were enrolled.According to complicated With DM or not,they Were divided into DM group (n=40)and non-DM control group (n=40).Pacing parameters and postoperative complications Were compared betWeen tWo groups.Results:There Were no significant difference in atrial and ventricular pacing threshold,sensing and of pace-maker impedance in baseline betWeen tWo groups (P>0.05).All parameters of pacemaker increased in tWo groups after implantation 12 months;compared With non-DM control group,there Were significant increase in pacing threshold [atrial:(0.59±0.23)V vs.(0.67±0.25)V,ventricular:(0.47±0.28)V vs.(0.54±0.35)V],sens-ing [atrial:(2.33±1.16)mV vs.(2.92±1.36)mV,ventricular:(12.21±4.82)mV vs.(12.77±5.36)mV], impedance [atrial:(537.12±115.32)Ωvs.(662.48±235.26)Ω,ventricular:(602.48±222.46)Ωvs.(762.41± 235.38)Ω]of pacemaker in DM group,P<0.05 or <0.01;and incidence rate of postoperative complications (12.5%)in DM group Was significantly higher than that of non-DM control group (5%),P<0.05.Conclusion:Electrocardiographic reconstruction is more severe in SSS patients complicated DM,in these patients postoperative complication incidence significantly elevates.

OBJECTIVETo study the methylation status of p73 gene promoter in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and explore its significance with clinical prognosis.

METHODSMethylation of p73 promoter was detected in bone marrow cells from 135 MDS patients and 13 healthy controls by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). The results of MSP were confirmed by bisulfite sequencing. The expression of p73 mRNA was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Primary bone marrow cells from MDS patients were treated with decitabine, the changes of p73 methylation status and p73 mRNA expression were measured. The role of p73 methylation in the prognosis of MDS and the correlated clinical data were explored.

RESULTSp73 hypermethylation was present in 37.04% of MDS cases and patients with high risk MDS (RAEB-1 and RAEB-2) exhibited a significantly higher frequency of p73 methylation than that of low risk MDS (58.8% vs 29.7%, P = 0.002). The expression of p73 mRNA in the methylated group was decreased compared to that of the unmethylated group (P = 0.032). Decitabine treatment decreased the level of p73 methylation and increased the level of p73 transcripts. Patients with p73 methylation progressed rapidly to AML (P < 0.001) and had shorter survival (P = 0.002) than those who did not have p73 methylation. In the multivariate Cox regression model, BM blast and p73 methylation status emerged as independent prognostic factor for overall survival and leukemia free survival.

CONCLUSIONp73 gene methylation is common in patients with MDS and may indicate poor prognosis. p73 may be a therapeutic target in MDS.

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; DNA Methylation ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Prognosis ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Tumor Protein p73 ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics

AIM: To compare the protective effects of tongxinluo, a Chinese medicine, and carvedilol and valsartan on myocardium microvascular endothelial function and integrity after late reperfusion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rabbits. METHODS: Forty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned to the following groups: (1) sham operated rabbits; (2) ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) controls; (3) tongxinluo (1.0 g?kg~ -1?d~ -1); (4) carvedilol (5 mg?kg~ -1?d~ -1); (5) valsartan (10 mg?kg~ -1?d~ -1) and (6) ticlopidine + aspirine (30 and 20 mg?kg~ -1?d~ -1, respectively) groups. After 3 d of drug treatment, the left coronary artery in the rabbit was ligated for 2 h and loosed subsequently for another 2 h. The serum levels of nitric oxide (NO_2~-/NO_3~-) and endothelin (ET) at baseline before AMI, 2 h after both AMI and reperfusion were examined. Also, the number of circulating endothelial cells (CEC), MI size and percentage myocardium focal bleeding incidence were determined 2 h after reperfusion. RESULTS: (1) The baseline level of NO_2~-/NO_3~- was significantly higher in tongxinluo group than that in other groups (all P

Background Enamel demineralization occurs frequently during orthodontic treatment. In this study, we evaluated the changes of the density of mutans streptococcus (MS) in plaque after bracket bonding and using fluoride adhesive on maxillary incisors by real time fluorescence-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-FQ PCR).Methods The study was designed as a self-paired test. Brackets were bonded with fluoride adhesive on the left side, while non-fluoride adhesive on the right side for each patient. Plaque samples were taken from the surfaces around the brackets of four maxillary incisors before brackets bonding and after the bonding 4 weeks later. The amount of MS was measured by RT-FQ PCR. The data obtained were analyzed statistically using the SPSS 11.5 version and the alpha level was set at 0.05 (2-tailed).Results The amount of MS in plaque increased significantly after bracket bonding (P<0.01), whereas no significant differences were observed among four maxillary incisors both before and after brackets bonding (P>0.05), and among the incisors using and not using fluoride adhesive (P>0.05).Conclusions The increase of the density of MS in plaque after bracket bonding is one of the etiological factors for enamel demineralization in orthodontic patients. The result of this study did not support what we observed clinically that the incidence of enamel demineralization for lateral incisors was higher than that for central incisors. Using fluoride adhesive for bonding did not affect the amount of MS in plaque in our study. Further study is needed.

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of behavior, pathological change of the spinal cord,and expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (NGF) on rats with spinal cord injury in order to explore the optimal time of BMSCs transplantation.

METHODSEighty health SD rats were randomly divided into 8 groups (group A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H), 10 rats in each group. According to the modified Allen method,the rat model of spinal cord injury was built. Group A as non-injured group only exposed the spinal cord but not result in blast injury. BMSCs of vitro culture were respectively infunded the region of spinal cord injury in group C, D, E, F, G, H (as transplantation groups) at the 0 h, 6 h, 24 h,3 d,5 d,7 d after model made. Group B as single model group was infunded the equal cell culture fluid. BBB score was used to evaluate the function of spinal cord at the 1st,2nd and 4th weeks after injury. The morphological changes of the tissue of spinal cord injury were observed by HE stain and the expression of BDNF and NGF were detected by Elisa method at the 4th weeks after BMSCs transplantation.

RESULTSIn non-injured group,BBB score was highest than that of other 7 groups at the 1st, 2nd and 4th weeks after injury (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in BBB score between single model group and transplantation groups at the 1st week after BMSCs transplantation (P>0.05). BBB score in transplantation groups were higher than that of single model group at the 2nd and 4th weeks after BMSCs transplantation (P<0.05). At the 2nd week after injury, BBB score from high to low was group F,E,G,D,H,C,but there was no significant difference among the groups (P>0.05). At the 4th week after injury,there was significant differences in BBB score between group F and other transplantation groups (group C,D,E,G,H)(P0.05). The levels of BDNF and NGF in group F was highest at the 4th week after BMSCs transplantation (P<0.05). In non-injured group,HE staining showed the struction of spinal cord was clear and complete,no neutrophil was found. But in other 7 groups,HE staining showed obviously oedema at local tissue,juncture of gray and white matter was undefined,and different gliocyte proliferation and inflammatory cell infiltrate cound be found.

CONCLUSIONAllogeneic BMSCs transplantation is effective to stimulate the recovery of spinal cord function in rats with spinal cord injury,and the optimal time of BMSCs transplantation maybe at the 3 d after injury.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Nerve Growth Factor ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Transplantation, Homologous