Objective:To investigate whether the habenula takes part in the depressor effect of losartan.Methods:Arterial blood pressure,heart rate and the unit dischargings of habenular neurons in rat were recorded simultaneously.Results:Arterial blood pressure was apparently decreased by 10 mg/kg losartan intraperitoneally(ip),but heart rate did not change;63.64% (21/33) unit dischargings of habenular neurons was increased in the rate of discharges.Conclusion:The depressor effect of losartan (ip) may be involved in the excitation of habenular neurons by lsoartan(ip).

0.05 as compared with those in the healthy): RI and PI decreased in the sequence of follicular phase,early luteal phase and middle luteal phase,and then rose up in the late luteal phase(P

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effective differences between pricking blood combined with moxibustion and west medication for acute gouty arthritis.

METHODSForty patients with acute gouty arthritis were randomly divided into a pricking blood combined with moxibustion group (a combination group) and a western medication group, 20 cases in each one. In the combination group, pricking blood was used at the most painful points of the red turgid and painful joint once three days, total 3 times; moxibustion was applied at the same joint for 15-20 min, once a day. The moxibustion was adopted for 10 days. In the western medication group, 0. 3 g ibuprofen was prescribed orally twice a day for 10 days. The changes of uric acid (UA), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and the joint syndrome and symptom score before and after: treatment were observed. Results In the two groups, the UA, the hs-CRP, the ESR and the joint syndrome and symptom scores were lower than those before treatment (all P<0. 05). After treatment, the UA, the ESR and the joint syndrome and symptom scores in the combination group were declined more apparently than those in the western medication group (all P<0. 05). The total effective rate in the combination group was 85. 0% (17/20) which was better than 75. 0% (15/20) in the western medication group (P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONPricking blood combined with moxibustion could improve the joint symptoms more effectively and the effect is better than ibuprofen orally.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Gouty ; therapy ; Bloodletting ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy of moxibustion on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the patients and the impacts on the inflammatory indices.

METHODSForty RA patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 20 cases in each one. In the control group, diclofenac sodium sustained release tablets were used, 0.3 g each time, twice a day; methotrexate tablets were used, 10 mg each time, once a week; folic acid was used, 5 mg each time, once a week. In the observation group, on the basis of the treatment as the control group, moxibustion was added specially on the swelling and painful joints, once a day, 15-20 min each time till: the local skin turned slightly red. The treatment was given once a day, at the interval of 1 day after every 6 treatments. In the two groups, the efficacy was observed after 30-day treatment. Before and after treatment, the rheumatoid factor (RF), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), disease activity score-28 (DAS-28) and the score of joint symptom and physical signs were observed.

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, the levels of RF, hs-CRP, ESR, DAS-28 and the symptom scale score were all reduced in the RA patients of the two groups after treatment (all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of RF, hs-CRP, ESR, DAS-28 and the symptom scale score in the observation group were improved much apparently (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 85.0% (17/20) in the observation group and was 80.0% (16/20) in the control group. The total effective rate in the observation group was apparently better than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion as supplement relieves the joint symptoms, reduces the inflammatory reactive indices and improves the clinical efficacy in the RA patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; therapy ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Rheumatoid Factor ; blood ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: At present, common therapies of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (N-CPAP). The effective rate of surgical treatment was 50% and the prostecdtive efficacy is decreased gradually. As to treatment with breathing machine, some of the patients can not adapt to it.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of auricular acupoint pressing therapy on clinical indexes of patients with OSAS and its clinical effect,and analyze the possible mechanism.DESIGN: Randomized control observation.SETTING: Department of Acupuncture and Department of Respiration,Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five outpatients with OSAS between April 2001 and April 2004, who were diagnosed as OSAS in the room of sleep-monitoring of Department of Respiration, were selected from the Clinic of Respiration, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, including 44 males and one female. All subjects were randomly divided into treatment group (n=30) and control group (n=15).METHODS: ①Patients in the treatment group were treated by auricular acupoint pressing therapy, acupoint-locating: shenmen, sympathesis, subcortex, heart, lung, spleen, kidney, anterior ear lobe. Each acupoint was pressed about 10-20 times with 3-5 times every day and 10 days as onecourse. Patients in the control group were treated with placebo and orally took 100 mg of Vitamin C three times a day. Patients in both groups were detected by 7hour nocturnal polysomnography before treatment and 10 days after the treatment, and the curative effects were evaluated.②Criteria of the curative effects on clinical symptoms: Effective: clinical symptoms such as dizzy,somnolence, oppressed chest and obstructing etc. were significantly ameliorated with nocturnal times decreased from 4-5 times to once or none and awake times decreased from 4-5 to once or none. Valid: clinical symptoms were improved. Invalid: no amelioration was found in clinicalsymptoms.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes of clinical symptoms before and after the treatment and hypopnea index (HI), apnea index (AI), apnea hypopnea index (AHI), minimum blood oxygen saturation as well as the longest apnea time detected by polysomnography were observed.RESULTS: A total of 45 patients with OSAS were involved in the analysis of results, and no one withdrew from the study.①The clinical symptoms in auricular acupoint treatment group were significantly ameliorated than control group. In the treatment group, 17 patients were effective (56.7%), 12 patients were valid and one patient was invalid. The clinical symptoms in the control group were not improved before and after the treatment, and there were significant differences between the treatment group and control group (P ＜ 0.05). ②Comparison in each inspecting indexes by polysomnogram: those in the auricular pressing therapy group were remarkably different from those in the control group after treatment (P ＜ 0.001). There was no significant difference in all indexes of the control group between and after the treatment (P ＞ 0.05).③The differences in AI, HI, AHI, minimum blood oxygen saturation as well as the longest apnea time of the auricular pressing treatment group after the treatment were markedly different from those before treatment [(65.25±7.44), (53.69±10.80) times/hour; (72.40±7.92), (59.22±10.55) times/hour; (9.46±2.6), (6.5±2.9) times/hour; (73.3±4.8)%,(77.67±3.78)%; (90.16±33), (45.33±24.69) s,P ＜ 0.001]. Among them, the maximum decrease of AI was 19.3 times/hour, the maximum decrease of AHI was 17.8 times/hour, the maximum decrease of HI was 12.9 times/hour and the maximum increase of blood oxygen saturation was 7% CONCLUSION: Auricular acupoint pressing therapy, in the treatment of OSAS, can significantly ameliorate the AI, HI; AHI, minimum blood oxygen saturation as well as the longest apnea time with better curative effects.

Background Juvenile Graves ophthalmopathy has a low prevalence and few relevant studies.Analyzing and reviewing the clinical features and therapeutic effectiveness of juvenile Graves ophthalmopathy is helpful to its diagnosis and management.Objective This study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of Graves ophthalmopathy and its management in children and adolescents.Methods The clinical data of 54 eyes from 29 patients with Graves ophthalmopathy who were diagnosed in Shanghai Changzheng Hospital from January 2007 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.The ocular manifestations,thyroid function,CT or MRI testing results were collected,and the activity of Graves ophthalmopathy was scored based on the criteria of CAS.Artificial tears was topically administered in 44 eyes with CAS ≤ 2.In the eyes with CAS ≥ 3,corticosteroids drug was systemically used in 3 patients,and orbital decompression surgery and excision of Müller muscle were performed in 3 eyes of 2 patients respectively.The follow-up was carried out for 1.5-6 years.The treatment outcomes were evaluated according to the reduction of exophthalnos and the improvement of upper eyelid retraction.Results The patients were 5-18 years old with an average age of 12.9 years old.Out of 29 Graves ophthalmopathy patients,5 males and 24 females were included.The initial clinical manifestations were proptosis,eyelid retraction and swelling,and accompanied by conjunctival congestion and hypophasis.The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was ≥ 0.8 in all the eyes.CAS scores wcre 0-2 in 48 eyes of 26 patients and ≥ 3 (active Graves ophthalmopathy) in 6 eyes of 3 patients.The increase of orbital adipose volume was exhibited in all the eyes and the enlargement of extraocular muscle was revealed in parts of eyes by CT/MRI.Laboratory examination showed normal thyroid function in 12 patients (41.4％),hyperthyreosis in 15 patients (51.7％) and hypothyroidism in 2 patients (6.9％).The ocular symptom was improved in 20 eyes of 11 patients (37.9％),stabilized in 29 eyes of 16 patients (55.2％) and worsen in4 eyes of 2 patients (6.9％) in following-up duration.Conclusions Graves ophthalmopathy occurs much more in female than in male.The clinical manifestations are mild,with low activity and good prognosis in children and adolescents Graves ophthalmopathy.

Objective We conducted a survey on the awareness rate of stroke in Yangquan residents and analyzed factors affecting awareness to provide basic information for Yangquan residents to prevent and treat stroke in Shanxi.MethodsA questionnaire regarding awareness and basic knowledge of stroke was used in this study and applied to Yangquan residents.A cluster stratified sample of 7983 residents were questionnaired by cross-sectional method.Results7921 returned copies were valid.The awareness rate of stroke in 7921 selected Yangquan residents was 30.14％ (2387/7921). Upon the occurrence of stroke,the awareness rates of the way to see a doctor,the right department to look for medical care and test manners to diagnose the illness as stroke were relatively high in these investigated people,which were 74.03％ (5864/7921),78.17％ (6192/7921) and 84.04％ (6657/7921),respectively.However,the number of people who knew characteristic symptoms and complications of stoke,risk factors that cause stroke and how to treat stroke was 2021 (25.51％),841 ( 10.62％ ),and 902 ( 11.39％ ),respectively,which was relatively low. After multivariate analysis,the awareness rate of stroke in Yangquan residents was positively correlated with an education degree.ConclusionsYangquan residents know little about stroke.Therefore,it is necessary to increase the level of their knowledge regarding stroke by extended propaganda and encourage them to live a healthy life to be able to treat stoke in time and to reduce the possibility of stroke occurring.

A total of 192 patients with sepsis were tested by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for a preliminary diagnosis of whether or not there was sepsis associated encephalopathy (SAE) according to their test results.SAE was diagnosed or excluded after consultations and comprehensive analysis on the basis of clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination results.The scores of the patients in this group were (25.7 ± 3.3) points.The sensitivity of MoCA for screening SAE was 0.776 and its specificity 0.963.The rate of diagnostic coincidence between MoCA and comprehensive analysis for SAE was 0.880.The diagnostic concordance between two diagnostic methods of SAE was excellent (kappa value =0.753 ± 0.048,P =0.000).The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of MoCA for screening SAE was 0.929 ± 0.019 (P =0.000) ; the optimal cutoff value was 25.5 points; and its sensitivity was 0.779 and specificity 0.962.And negative correlations existed between score of MoCA and age,disease course and co-existing shock or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (P ＜ 0.05).

100 cases of gastritis verrucosa were classified into acute stage and chronic active stage according to the morpnological and histological characteristics.The CP positive rates in the above two stages were 97% and 68.7%,respectively,while that of the erosion area and the surrounding intact mucosa ' were 83.0% and 45.0%,respectively.The amount of CP was directly related to the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and erosion.So VG was closely related to CP infection.In the chronic active stage,the detection rates of the Ig coated CP in the tissue section,serum IgA,IgG,and gastric juice IgA were all higher than those in the acute stage (P

To prepare the polyclonal antibody against the 3D polymerase of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV), the 3D polymerase gene of this virus was amplified by PCR and doubly digested with BamH I and Nde I. Then, it were cloned into expression vector pET-30a(+) to obtain the recombinant plasmid pET-3D and this plasmid was transformed to E.coli BL21(DE3) with induction by IPTG.The target protein was identified and purified with SDS+PAGE, and the inclusion bodies were extracted. The purified target protein was used as antigen to immunize New Zealand rabbits to prepare the polyclonal antibody against 3D polymerase of FMDV, which was then characterized by indirect ELISA and Western blotting. As demonstrated by SDS-PAGE, the target protein with a molecular weight at 46 ku was expressed. The polyclonal antibody showed high affinity and obvious specificity and its titer was above 1:8 000. This polyclonal antibody may lay a foundation for the further studies on the biological functions and epitopes of the 3D polymerase of FMDV.