Objective:To observe the effect of intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (iTBS) on the language use, daily communication, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels of stroke survivors with motor aphasia (PSMA).Methods:A total of 60 PSMA patients were recruited and randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, each of 30. Both groups received conventional speech training, while the treatment group additionally received daily 10-minute iTBS stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, five days per week, for two weeks. Before and after the treatment, language function and daily communication were assessed using the Chinese Rehabilitation Research Center Standard Aphasia Examination (CRRCAE) and the Communication Activities of Daily Living (CADL) scale. Serum BDNF levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:After treatment, the CRRCAE and CADL scores in the treatment group were significantly higher than among the control group. The post-treatment serum BDNF levels in the treatment and control groups were (27.03±6.91)ng/ml and (22.20±5.89)ng/ml, respectively, both significantly higher than their pre-treatment levels. The average post-treatment serum BDNF level in the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group′s average.Conclusions:iTBS stimulation with speech training can better improve the language function and daily communication ability of stroke survivors with motor aphasia. The mechanism may be related to increased serum BDNF level.

Objective:To observe the effect of intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (iTBS) on the language use, daily communication, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels of stroke survivors with motor aphasia (PSMA).Methods:A total of 60 PSMA patients were recruited and randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, each of 30. Both groups received conventional speech training, while the treatment group additionally received daily 10-minute iTBS stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, five days per week, for two weeks. Before and after the treatment, language function and daily communication were assessed using the Chinese Rehabilitation Research Center Standard Aphasia Examination (CRRCAE) and the Communication Activities of Daily Living (CADL) scale. Serum BDNF levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:After treatment, the CRRCAE and CADL scores in the treatment group were significantly higher than among the control group. The post-treatment serum BDNF levels in the treatment and control groups were (27.03±6.91)ng/ml and (22.20±5.89)ng/ml, respectively, both significantly higher than their pre-treatment levels. The average post-treatment serum BDNF level in the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group′s average.Conclusions:iTBS stimulation with speech training can better improve the language function and daily communication ability of stroke survivors with motor aphasia. The mechanism may be related to increased serum BDNF level.

Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) or CDDP combined with simvastatin has been widely used to treat patients with myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases in China. However, the effect of CDDP on hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure is unknown. We constructed a new model of heart failure induced by hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and LDL receptor (LDLR) dual deficient (ApoE^-/-LDLR^-/-) mice and investigated the effect of CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin on the heart failure. CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited heart injury by multiple actions including anti-myocardial dysfunction and anti-fibrosis. Mechanistically, both Wnt and lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) pathways were significantly activated in mice with heart injury. Conversely, CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited Wnt pathway by markedly up-regulating expression of Wnt inhibitors. While the anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress by CDDP were achieved by inhibiting KDM4A expression and activity. In addition, CDDP attenuated simvastatin-induced myolysis in skeletal muscle. Taken together, our study suggests that CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin can be an effective therapy to reduce hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure.

The loss of endothelial connective integrity and endothelial barrier dysfunction can lead to increased vascular injury, which is related to the activation of endothelial inflammasomes. There are evidences that low concentrations of aspirin can effectively prevent cardiovascular diseases. We hypothesized that low-dose aspirin could ameliorate endothelial injury by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and ultimately prevent cardiovascular diseases. Microvascular endothelial cells were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (2 μg/mL) and administrated by 0.1-2 mmol/L aspirin. The wild type mice were stimulated with LPS (100 μg/kg/day), and 1 h later treated with aspirin (12.5, 62.5, or 125 mg/kg/day) and dexamethasone (0.0182 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. Plasma and heart were harvested for measurement of ELISA and immunofluorescence analyses. We found that aspirin could inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome formation and activation in dose-dependent manner and has correlation between the NLRP3 inflammasome and the ROS/TXNIP pathway. We also found that low-concentration aspirin could inhibit the formation and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and restore the expression of the endothelial tight junction protein zonula occludens-1/2 (ZO1/2). We assume that aspirin can ameliorate the endothelial layer dysfunction by suppressing the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Objective? To explore the effect of video education combined with Teach-back on the compliance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) to exercise at home and the condition of disease activity. Methods? By convenience sampling, 80 patients with RA who were hospitalized in the Rheumatology and Immunology Department of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from March to November 2018 were included in the study. By random number table, the patients were divided into the intervention group and control group, the control group was given routine discharge instruction and the patients were taught about the functional exercise orally; on the basis of that, the intervention group was given the video education combined with Teach-back and assisted to download videos, Family Exercise Compliance Scale and Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints(DAS28) were used to evaluate the patients' compliance in functional exercise at home and disease activity condition before intervention, 1 month and 3 months after intervention. Results? Finally, 73 cases(37 cases in the control group, 36 cases in the intervention group) in two groups completed the research plan. One and 3 months after intervention, the compliance with family functional exercise of the intervention group was better than the control group from the same period with statistical significance(P＜0.05); the scores of Tender Joint Coun(t TJC28), Swollen Joint Coun(t SJC28), Patient General Health(GH) of the intervention group were all lower than the control group from the same period with statistical significance (P＜0.05), however, the scores of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate(ESR) and DAS28 didn't demonstrate obvious intervention effects (P＞0.05). Conclusions? Video education combined with Teach-back can effectively improve the compliance of RA patients with home functional exercise, help to cultivate healthy behavior, and hence reduce the number of tender joint, swelling joints, reduce the degree of pain, improve the prognosis of patients.

Objective To investigate the relationship of STAT3 with expressions of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 and with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer cells,and to explore the clinical significances.Methods The mRNA of STAT3 and the protein expressions of pSTAT3,MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 of breast cancer cells in 84 patients with breast cancer were determined by real-time RT-PCR technique and immunohistochemical method in paraffin-embedded specimensm respectively.Normal breast tissues adjacent to breast cancer were taken as controls.Results mRNA expression of STAT3 was significantly higher in breast cancer tissues than in controls (t=4.513,P＜ 0.001).Protein expressions of pSTAT3,MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were higher in breast cancer tissues than in controls (all P＜ 0.05).There were positive correlations between pSTAT3 expression and the expressions of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in breast cancer tissues (all P＜0.05).The higher levels of pSTAT3 and MMP-2 were associated with poorer differentiation and more lymph node metastasis of breast cancer (both P＜0.05).The positive expression of MMP-9 was correlated with lymph node metastasis (P＜0.05),but not with histological grading (P＞0.05).The positive expression of TIMP-1 had no associations with histological grading and lymph node metastasis (both P＞0.05).There were no significant differences in the protein expressions level of pSTAT3,MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 between different ages and different breast tumor sizes (all P＞0.05).Conclusions The increased expression of STAT3 in breast cancer cells is closely correlated with the increased expressions of MMP-2,MMP-9 and STAT3 inhibitor TIMP-1.The activation of STAT3 gene can mediate EMT by inducing the protein expressions of MMP-2,MMP-9,which promotes the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer.