Effect of moxibustion on expression of GAP-43 in sciatic nerve trunk and ventral horn of spinal cord of rats with primary sciatica and its nerve repair function / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of moxibustion at "Huantiao" (GB 30) on the expression of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the sciatic nerve trunk and ventral horn of spinal cord (L@*METHODS@#A total of 48 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and a moxibustion group, 12 rats in each group. The rat model of primary sciatic pain was established by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in the model group and the moxibustion group. On the 8th day of the experiment, moxibustion was adopted at "Huantiao" (GB 30) in the moxibustion group for 5-10 min, once a day for 14 consecutive days. Sciatic nerve function index (SFI) was measured and compared in each group at day 1, 7, 14 and 21. On the 21st day of the experiment, HE staining was used to observe the morphology of ventral horn of rat spinal cord and sciatic nerve trunk. Immunohistochemical method and real-time PCR were used to detect mRNA and protein expressions of GAP-43 in the spinal cord and sciatic nerve trunk of rats.@*RESULTS@#On day 7, 14 and 21, there was no statistical difference in SFI between the sham operation group and the normal group (@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion at "Huantiao" (GB 30) could improve the sciatic nerve function in rats with primary sciatica and its mechanism may be related to improving the expression of GAP-43 and enhancing the self-repair ability of the sciatic nerve after injury.

Effect of moxibustion on cognitive function and proteins related with apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in rats with vascular dementia / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of moxibustion on proteins related with apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in rats with vascular dementia (VD), and to explore the possible mechanism of moxibustion on improving VD.@*METHODS@#Thirty SD rats were selected from 100 rats (3 rats were excluded) and randomly divided into a normal group and a sham operation group, 15 rats in each group. The remaining 67 rats were treated with ischemia-reperfusion method at bilateral common carotid artery to establish VD model. The 45 rats with successful VD model were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion group and a medication group, 15 rats in each group. On the 7th day after successful modeling, the rats in the moxibustion group were treated with suspended moxibustion at "Guanyuan" (CV 4), "Mingmen" (GV 4) and "Dazhui" (GV 14), 15 min per acupoint, once a day; there was 1 d of rest after 6 d of moxibustion, and the treatment was given for 4 weeks. The rats in the medication group was treated with nimodipine tablets by gavage, 2 mg/kg per day, 3 times a day for 4 weeks. Before and after intervention, the Morris water maze test was used to detect the escape latency of rats in each group; after the intervention, the TUNEL method was used to detect the apoptosis rate of neurons in hippocampal CA1 area; the immunofluorescence double labeling method was used to detect the number of co-expression positive cells of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax)/NeuN in hippocampal CA1 area; the immunofluorescence single labeling method was used to detect cytochrome C (cytC) and outer mitochondrial membrane receptor Tom20 (Tom20) in hippocampal CA1 area; the Western blot method was used to detect the p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) in hippocampus.@*RESULTS@#Before intervention, compared with the normal group and the sham operation group, the escape latency in the model group, the moxibustion group and the medication group was prolonged (@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion could improve the cognitive function of VD rats, which may be related to reducing the expression of Bax, cytC, Tom20 and PUMA protein in hippocampal CA1 area, promoting the release of Bcl-2 and inhibiting the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Prognosis of 87 Adults with Ph Chromosome Negative ALL / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the factors influencing total complete remission (CR), recurrence, disease-free survival (DFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate in adults with Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the effect of subsequent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) on prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 87 adult patients with Ph negative ALL were retrospectively analyzed, the CHOP regimen plus L-asparaginase (L-Asp) was used for the induction therapy, and the CHOP+ modified Hyper-CVAD or methotrexate was set up as the consolidation chemotherapy regimen. After consolidation chemotherapy for 3-6 courses, 45 patients (51.72%) received allo-HSCT , and 42 patients (48.28%) continually received the maintained consolidation chemotherapy. The average follow up time of the surviving patients was 40.13 (3-60 months).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Out of 87 patients with PhALL one patient died (1.15%). In 86 patients who could be evaluated, 68 cases (79.67%) reached CR at the end of 1 course, 80 cases obtained CR (93.02%). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the enlargement of lever, spleen and lymphomode, WBC count≥ 100×10/L were affecting factors for total CR (P<0.05). Among 80 cases with CR, 27 cases (33.75%) relapsed, 5 years' overall survival (OS) rate and disease-free survival (DFS) rate were 47.50% and 45.00% respectively. Multivariate regression analysis yet showed that the induction chemotherapy without L-Asp, presence of CNS leukemia at diagnosis, absence of allo-HSCT and no CR after indution chemotherapy for 4 weeks were affecting factors for relapse and poor prognosis of patients (P<0.05). According to 4 prognostic factors such as presence of CNS leukemia or no, WBC count≥100×10/L or no, induction chemotherapy with L-Asp or no and CR after induction chemotherapy for 4 weeks or no, 86 patients were divided into low-risk group (without poor prognostic factor), middle-risk group (with 1 poor prognostic factor), high-risk group (with 2-4 poor prognostic factors). Statistical results showed that allo-HSCT treatment in low-risk group had no significant effect on OS and DFS (P>0.05). The rate of OS and DFS in middle and high-risk group were significantly higher than those of patients without allo-HSCT treatment (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patients with central nervous system leukemia, high white blood cell count (≥100×10/L), induction chemotherapy without L-Asp, no CR after 4 weeks of chemotherapy and absence of allo-HSCT treatment are the factors influencing the prognosis of adult patients with Ph negative ALL, so the patients with those poor prognostic factors should take active treatment of allo-HSCT.</p>

Research advances in the association between maternal intake of methyl donor nutrients during pregnancy and DNA methylation in offspring / 中国当代儿科杂志

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy plays a vital role in the health of the offspring. Methyl donor nutrients, including folate, vitamin B, choline, betaine, and methionine, directly affect DNA methylation and are closely associated with the health of the offspring. As an important part of epigenetics, DNA methylation plays an important role in the maintenance of normal cellular function, gene expression regulation, and embryonic development. Recent studies have shown that maternal nutrition may have a long-lasting effect on the health of the offspring via the changes in genomic DNA and/or methylation level in the promoter region in specific genes. Therefore, this review article focuses on the effect of maternal intake of methyl donor nutrients during pregnancy on DNA methylation, in order to explore the effect of the changed methylation status on the health of the offspring at the molecular level.

Effects of maternal folate deficiency on the methylation of insulin-like growth factor system in the offspring rats / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of maternal folate deficiency on fetal growth and development and the methylation profiles of insulin-like growth factor system in the offspring rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly assigned to two groups: a folate deficient group (n=12) and a control group (n=10). They were fed with folate deficient and normal diet respectively. Dams were mated after 2 weeks of feeding. Eight female rats from each group were pregnant. On the 20th day of gestation, the fetuses were delivered by caesarean section. Thirty-two fetal rats from each group were randomly selected and the body length and weight were measured. Eight fetal rats from each group were randomly selected and ELISA was used to measure the level of folate content, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the fetal brain and liver. Three fetal rats from each group were randomly selected and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-Seq) was used to detect the methylation level of insulin-like growth factor system in the fetal brain and liver. ELISA was used to measure the level of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the maternal serum from both groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean fetal length and weight were lower in the folate deficient group than in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the maternal serum, as well as folate content and IGFBP-3 in the fetal brain and liver were significantly lower in the folate deficient group than in the control group (P<0.05). The methylation levels of IGF-1R, IGF-2R, IGFBP-2, IGFBP-5, IGFBP-6 and IGFBP-7 in the fetal brain were higher in the folate deficient group than in the control group (P<0.05). The methylation levels of IGF-1R, IGF-2R, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 in the fetal liver were higher in the folate deficient group than in the control group. The methylation of IGF-2 gene showed a significant reduction in the folate deficient group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Maternal folate deficiency may cause retardation of growth and development of the offspring, which is possibly associated with the changes of methylation profiles of insulin-like growth factors.</p>

A follow-up on first-year growth and development of 61 very low birth weight preterm infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the physical growth and psychomotor development of very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants in the first year after birth and related influencing factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 61 VLBW preterm infants received growth and development monitoring for 12 months. Z score was used to evaluate parameters for physical growth, and Denver Development Screen Test (DDST) was used for development screening.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 61 VLBW preterm infants, 27 (44.3%) were small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, and 34 (55.7%) were appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants. During the 1-year follow-up, the median weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), height-for-age Z-score (HAZ), head circumference-for-age Z-score (HCZ), and weight-for-height Z score (WHZ) were >-1 SD in all age groups. The peaks of body mass index-for-age Z-score (BAZ) and WHZ appeared at 1 month of corrected age. At a corrected age of 40 weeks, the incidence rates of underweight, growth retardation, emaciation, microcephalus, overweight, and obesity were 15%, 16%, 11%, 13%, 20%, and 10%, respectively. Compared with those with a corrected age of 40 weeks, the infants with a corrected age of 6 months or 9-12 months had a significantly reduced incidence rate of overweight (3%) (P<0.05). Up to 1 year after birth, 15 infants (25%) had abnormal developmental quotient (DQ). The SGA group had a significantly higher incidence rate of abnormal DQ than the AGA group (P<0.05). SGA was the independent risk factor for retarded growth in the first year after birth in VLBW preterm infants.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>VLBW preterm infants experience an obvious growth deviation within 3 months of corrected age. Within the first year after birth, the proportion of infants with abnormal DQ screened by DDST is high.</p>

Advances of studies on needle retention time in acupuncture treatment / 中国针灸

Needle retention is one of the important links in clinical acupuncture, thus, ancient medical scholars emphasized its value. This paper summarizes and evaluates the recent literature about needle retention time in terms of course of disease, category of disease, patient's condition and acupuncture location. The modern researches verify and develop the knowledge of needle retention in ancient times. However, study designs of randomized controlled trial for evidence-based medicine are not many, most of which are observational studies. In the future, clinical research need to apply scientific design based on Chinese medicine theory to investigate the principles of needle retention and the optimized needle retention time. This will consequently guide the standardization and systemization of acupuncture in clinical practice.