Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is a common cause of ischemic stroke. The evaluation of its structure and function is of great significance for formulating clinical intervention strategies. The indications for endovascular treatment of ICAS lesions in the past were mainly based on the degree of luminal stenosis showed by cerebral angiography, which had certain limitations. The translesional pressure ratio (PR), as an important indicator for functional assessment after arterial stenosis, has gradually received attention in the evaluation of ICAS lesions in recent years. This article reviews the evaluation methods and clinical significance of PR in ICAS lesions.

Objective To observe the curative effect of pricking bloodletting combined with acupuncture on patients with piriformis injury syndrome.Methods A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted, 84 patients with piriformis injury syndrome admitted to the Department of Acupuncture and Massage in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from May 2011 to May 2014 were enrolled, and they were divided into observation group and control group by random number table, each group being 42 cases. The patients in the observation group were treated with bloodletting once a week (after bloodletting no other treatment was given), and then once a day of acupuncture was performed for 4 days in a week, completing one therapeutic course; while in the control group, the patient was treated with routine acupuncture once a day for 5 days in a week, finishing one therapeutic course. The interval between two therapeutic courses was 2 days, two courses were carried out, and afterwards the clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated in the two groups. The changes of visual analogue scale (VAS) of two groups before and after treatment and the therapeutic effects were observed.Results The VAS score of the two groups after treatment was lower than that before treatment, and the degree of decrease of VAS score in the observation group was significantly lower than that of thecontrol group (1.50±1.35 vs. 2.69±1.68,P < 0.01); the total effective rate in the observation group was obviously higher than that in the control group [100.00% (42/42) vs. 69.05% (29/42),P < 0.01].Conclusion Pricking bloodletting combined with acupuncture therapy for treatment of piriformis injury syndrome can shorten the course of treatment.

Objective To evaluate the role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in sevoflurane-induced reduction of airway injury in asthmatic mice.Methods Forty SPF female C57BL/6 mice,aged 6-8 weeks,weighing 20-25 g,were divided into 4 groups (n=10 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),asthma group (group A),asthma plus sevoflurane group (group A+S) and asthma plus sevoflurane plus zinc protoporphyrin group (group A+S+Z).The mice were sensitized and repeatedly challenged with ovalbumin to establish the asthma model.In group A+S,3％ sevoflurane was inhaled for 1 h after every challenge.In group A+S+Z,zinc protoporphyrin 10 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected after every challenge and before sevoflurane inhalation.The airway responsiveness were assessed at 24 h af=ter the last challenge.The bronchoalvelor lavage fluid (BALF) was collected for determination of cell type and count and concentrations of interleukin-13 (IL-13) and IL-33 (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).The right lung tissues were obtained for measurement of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity,contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) and expression of HO-1 (by Western blot).Lung tissues were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and inflammatory cell infiltration was assessed and scored.Results Compared with group C,the airway responsiveness,inflammatory cell count and concentrations of IL-13 and IL-33 in BALF,and MDA content and infiltration score in lung tissues were significantly increased,the SOD activity and GSH content were decreased,and the expression of HO-1 was upregulated in group A (P＜0.05).Compared with group A,the airway responsiveness,inflammatory cell count and concentrations of IL-13 and IL-33 in BALF,and MDA content and infiltration score in lung tissues were significantly decreased,the SOD activity and GSH content were increased,and the expression of HO-1 was up-regulated in group A+S (P＜0.05),and the expression of HO-1 was down-regulated (P＜ 0.05),and no significant change was found in the other parameters mentioned above in group A+S+Z (P＞ 0.05).Compared with group A+S,the airway responsiveness,inflammatory cell count and concentrations of IL-13 and IL-33 in BALF,and MDA content and infiltration score in lung tissues were significantly increased,the SOD activity and GSH content were decreased,and the expression of HO-1 was down-regulated in group A+S+Z (P＜0.05).Conclusion HO-1 is involved in the pathophysiological mechanism by which sevoflurane attenuates airway injury in asthmatic mice.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of Cefoselis sulfate and Cefepime on the stroke-associated pneumonia in elderly patients.Methods 96 cases of stroke-associated pneumonia with positive pathogen were divided into two groups treated with Cefoselis versus Cefepime respectively.Body temperature,leukocyte count,arterial partial oxygen pressure,the serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and bacterial clearance rate were observed before and after the treatment.The cefoselis sulfate group (n =48) or the cefepime group (n =48) was treated with 2.0 g Cefoselis sulfate or 2.0 g Cefepime every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days.Results In post-treatment versus pretreatment,both two groups showed that clinical symptoms and inflammatory indicators were improved,and the patient's body temperature,white blood cell count and neutrophil cell count,hs-CRP and arterial partial oxygen pressure were significantly decreased (all P＜0.05).Arterial partial oxygen pressure was better in post-versus pre-treatment (P＜0.05).The total effective rate was 87.5％ in Cefoselis sulfate group and 83.3％ in cefepime group (P ＞ 0.05).The bacterial clearance rate was higher (89.6％) in Cefoselis sulfate groups than in cefepime groups (67.9％) (P＜0.05).In posttreatments of Cefoselis sulfate groups versus Cefepime groups,white blood cell count and neutrophil cell count,hs-CRP and arterial partial oxygen pressure showed no statistically significant differences (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Compared with Cefepime,Cefoselis has the similar anti-infection efficacy in the treatment of stroke-associated pneumonia.While,the bacterial clearance rate and the total effective rate are better in cefoselis group than in Cefepime group.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with acupoint injection for treatment of patients with intractable hiccups and to seek its standard therapeutic regimen. Methods A prospective study was conducted. Eighty-six patients with intractable hiccups in various clinical departments in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University met the inclusion criteria of this study were selected,and according to the different treatment options they were divided into observation group and control group with 43 cases in each group. In the observation group,on the basis of treatment for their primary diseases,the rules of soothing the chest oppression and regulating the flow of qi(Kuanxiong Liqi)and regulating the stomach and sending down abnormally ascending qi(Hewei Jiangni)were followed in treatment,and acupuncture was carried out at Danzhong,Neiguan(double=bilateral acupoints),Zusanli(double),Sanyinjiao(double),Taichong(double)with the needle staying for 20 minutes each time,1 mL metoclopramide injection was injected at each of the bilateral Zusanli acupoints,once a day. In the control group,the patients received intramuscular injection of 10 mg metoclopramide once a day. Both groups were treated for consecutive 7 days. After treatment for 3 days and 5 days,the clinical efficacy was observed,and before treatment and after treatment for 3,5,7 days,the changes of hiccups frequency and persistent duration were investigated. Results Compared with the control group,the total effective rates in observation group on the 3rd and 5th day after treatment were significantly increased〔3 days:88.4%(38/43)vs. 51.2%(22/43),5 days:95.3%(41/43)vs. 62.8%(27/43),both P<0.01〕. With the prolongation of therapy,the hiccups frequency was gradually decreased and the persistent duration of hiccup was gradually shortened,reaching the lowest degree on the 7th day after treatment,and the changes were more significant in the observation group〔hiccups frequency(times/day):0.57±0.08 vs. 2.04±1.78,hiccup duration time(minutes/time):1.07±0.68 vs. 9.23±5.69,both P<0.05〕. Conclusion The therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with acupoint injection for treatment of patients with intractable hiccups are superior to signal western medicine therapy.