Objective To explore changes of brain function among patients with partial epilepsy in resting state by using the blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques.Methods fMRI scanning was performed in resting state among 60 patients with partial epilepsy and 60 gender,age and educational levels matched normal controls.The functional connectivity analysis was applied to calculate the default mode network ( DMN ) functional connectivity in resting-state fMRI.SPM5 was used to analyze differences in functional connectivity between the two groups( P ＜0.001,cluster ＞50).Results Left precuneus and adjacent posterior cingulate cortex ( Pcu/PCC),angular gyrus,and cingulate gyrus were involved in the DMN of epileptic patients.By contrast,the DMN of controls included left Pcu/PCC,right angular gyrus,bilateral medial frontal lobe and temporal lobe.Compared with normal controls,patients with partial epilepsy showed a significantly decrease in functional connectivity of DMN region such as left inferior parietal lobule,supramarginal gyrus,parahippocampa gyrus and superior temporal gyrus,and bilateral uncus,while no regions were found increased functional connectivity in patients group.Conclusions Patients with partial epilepsy show abnormal changes in functional connectivity of DMN in resting state by fMR],which may associate with the potential pathophysiological mechanisms of epilepsy.The findings demonstrate that the resting-state fMRI might detect the extensive changes of brain function in partial epilepsy with negative results of conventional MRI,suggestive of fMRI as an effective and non-invasive method to explore brain function in epilepsy.

OBJECTIVETo search for a more effective penetration needling method for peripheral facial paralysis.

METHODSThe patients were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to visiting sequence. The treatment group of 50 cases were treated with Yangbai (GB 14)-through-Touwei (ST 8), Yangbai (a little above the original point)-through-Shangxing (GV 23), Sizhukong (TE 23)-through-Yuyao (EX-HN 4), Qianzheng-through-Yingxiang (LI 20), Dicang (ST 4)-through-Jiache (ST 6) and Jiache-through-Yingxiang, at an angle about 45 degrees between the penetration needling direction and local paralysis muscle bundle, and the control group (n=45) with Yangbai-through-Yuyao, Zanzhu (BL 2)-through-Yuyao, Dicang-through-Jiache, Jiache-through-Dicang, Qianzheng-through-Dicang, Sibai (ST 2)-through-Yingxiang.

RESULTSThe cured rate and the cured and markedly effective rate were 76.0% and 92.0% in the treatment group, and 55.6% and 75.6% in the control group respectively, with significant differences between the two groups in the cured rate, the cured and markedly effective rate and the therapeutic times for cure.

CONCLUSIONThe penetration needling method at an angle about 45 degrees between the penetration needling and paralysis muscle bundle is more beneficial to recovery of facial paralysis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Facial Paralysis ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

To investigate the protective effects and possible mechanism of Mycelium of Hirsutella hepiali Chen et Shen (MHCS) on metabolic syndromes, free fatty acid and MHCS-treated hepatocytes were used for detecting autophagy-related LC3, p62 and lipid accumulation. Moreover, high fat diet fed mice were used to establish metabolic syndromes model. 50-weeks age mice were randomly divided into: control group, model group and MHCS group. At 80-weeks age, 15 mice were randomly chosen from each group separately for examining oral glucose tolerance, serum insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), hepatic LC3, p62, p-NF-kappaB p65, NF-kappaB p65, IL-6 and CXCL-8. Moreover, insulin resistance index (IRI) was calculated. Hepatic pathological changes, including vacuoles, lipids accumulation and fibrosis were observed. Remaining mice were fed with diet separately to 110 weeks-age for statistics of mortality. MHCS promoted autophagy of free fatty acid treated hepatocytes. Mice fed with high fat plus MHCS diet exhibited improved oral glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, hepatic pathology, inflammation, mortality and activated autophagy. The protective effects of MHCS against metabolic syndroms might be through the activation of hepatic autophagy.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hypocreales ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Mycelium ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

Autophagy is an active research area in the biomedical field as its role has been identified in many physiological and pathological processes. Accordingly, there is a growing demand to identify, quantify and manipulate the process accurately. Meanwhile, there is great interest in identifying compounds that modulate autophagy because they may have applications in the treatment of a variety of autophagy-related diseases. In this review, we summarize the current status of autophagy screening systems to facilitate identification of autophagy modulators.
Autophagy ; Humans

Objective To explore disinfection efficacy of anerdian using swab and spray disinfection methods.Methods Hands of 30 subjects were randomly divided into the swab group and the spray group.The samples of before and after disinfection in each group were collected separately and observed their disinfection effect.Results The number of bacteria showed no significant difference between the two groups.The passing rate of disinfection reached 100％.The time of disinfection in the spray group was (2.58±0.32)s,significantly less than that in the swab group,(12.26±1.48)s,however,the drying time in the spray group was (42.37±1.79)s,significant longer than that in the swab group,(26.24±1.46)s.A subject hand disinfection used 0.5ml 0.2％ anerdian in the spray group,and 0.75ml 0.2％ anerdian and two cotton buds was used in the swab group.Conclusions There is identical disinfection efficacy between spray and swab methods.Spray disinfection method has short operating time,less use of disinfectant without using cotton buds,it is able to replace swab disinfection and will play an important role to reduce medical waste and health care costs.

Objective To describe the MRI features of vanishing white matter disease (VWM).Methods Ten patients diagnosed as VWM between 2008-2013 were enrolled,with the mean age of(40 ±23)months.The clinical materials and MR images of them were reviewed retrospectively.The findings of MRI were analyzed by two experienced neuroradiologists in this study,including the location (cerebrum,cerebellum,brainstem,corpus callosum and internal/external capsule),size and signal intensity of the lesions,as well as the presence of cystic degeneration,cerebrum atrophy and the abnormal signal of the basal nuclei.Results MRI of brain typically showed extensive abnormal signal in the cerebral central white matter (10/10) and the focal lesion in subcortical white matter (9/10).The involvement of U-fibers was present in 7 cases.Cystic degeneration of the affected white matter was found in 7 cases.Abnormal signal also appeared in the white matter of posterior limb of the internal capsule (8/10),the external capsule (7/10),the inner rim (the callosal-septal interface) of the corpus callosum (8/10).The lesions of the thalamus and globus pallidus were detected in 2 cases.The white matter of the brainstem and cerebellum were involved in 6 and 7 cases respectively.Conclusion VWM typically shows a diffuse and symmetrical abnormal signal in the cerebral white matter with cystic degeneration on MRI,which is usually diagnostic.

Objective To explore the unique relationship between Willis circle and cerebral watershed infarction in a Chinese population. Methods A retrospective analysis of cerebral CT angiography was conducted in 471 non-cere?bral watershed infarctions and 93 MRI-diagnosed cerebral watershed infarctions (CWI)(including External CWI and In?ternal CWI)in Department of Neurology of our hospital and compare the related variations and types of Willis circle be?tween these groups. Results Compared with non-cerebral watershed infarctions, the prevalence of Uni-FTP (short for“fetal type of the Posterior cerebral artery”) in E-CWI (36.4%, P<0.05) and Bi-FTP in I-CWI (0%, P<0.05) was signifi?cantly higher in cerebral watershed infarctions. Conclusion FTP is probably an unique risk factor in Chinese patients with CWI.

Armillariella tabescens EJLY2098 was capable of secreting p-mannanase by konjac inducement. A 34 orthogonal design was applied to determine the optimum medium of inducing mannanase by Armillariella tabescens EJLY2098. The results suggested that Armillariella tabescens EJLY2098 secreted the high-activity enzyme in the optimum medium, which was composed of 2% konjac, 1% peptone, 25% potato juice,0.3% KH2PO4,15% MgSO4?7H2O, 0.01% VitB1. Purified by DEAE-anion exchange chromatography, two eluting peaks (P1 and P2) with the p-mannanase activity were obtained, and one of them (named?-mannanase P2) was a single band by the SDS-PAGE, and the molecular weight of?-mannanase P2 was 78. 9kDa. The isoelectric point of?-mannanase P2 was estimated to be 4.0-4. 1. The optimum activity for the enzyme was found at 60℃and pH4. 0 - 6. 0, and the enzyme was stable between pH4. 5 - 6. 0. The activity of?-mannanase P2 were enhanced by Na+ and Ba2+ . This?-mannanase can be used in feed industy. a new fungi secreting?-mannanase was obtained, providing an important base for cloning mannanase gene and constructing recombin microbe expressing?-mannanase .

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Selenomethionine ; pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured