ABSTRACT
The acute effect of acupuncture on Alzheimer's disease, i.e., on brain activation during treatment, has been reported. However, the effect of long-term acupuncture on brain activation in Alzheimer's disease is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we performed long-term needling at Zusanli (ST36) or a sham point (1.5 mm lateral to ST36) in a rat Alzheimer's disease model, for 30 minutes, once per day, for 30 days. The rats underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scanning. Positron emission tomography images were processed with SPM2. The brain areas activated after needling at ST36 included the left hippocampus, the left orbital cortex, the left infralimbic cortex, the left olfactory cortex, the left cerebellum and the left pons. In the sham-point group, the activated regions were similar to those in the ST36 group. However, the ST36 group showed greater activation in the cerebellum and pons than the sham-point group. These findings suggest that long-term acupuncture treatment has targeted regulatory effects on multiple brain regions in rats with Alzheimer's disease.
ABSTRACT
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) share common risk factors. We assessed renal function and the prevalence of CKD in patients with PAD and investigated the characteristics of the risk factors for CKD in this population. Renal function of 421 patients with PAD was evaluated. Among the participants, 194 (46.1%) patients had decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The prevalence of CKD was much higher among patients with PAD. Hypertension (odds ratios [ORs] 2.156, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.413-3.289, P < .001), serum uric acid (OR 3.794, 95% CI 2.220-6.450, P < .001), and dyslipidemia (OR 1.755, 95% CI 1.123-2.745, P = .014) were significantly associated with CKD and the independent risk factors for CKD in patients with PAD. CKD is common and has a high prevalence in a population with PAD. Patients with PAD may be considered as a high-risk population for CKD. Recognition and modification of risk factors for CKD might beneficially decrease CKD incidence and improve prognosis in patients with PAD.
Subject(s)
Glomerular Filtration Rate/physiology , Hypertension/epidemiology , Peripheral Arterial Disease/epidemiology , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/epidemiology , Adult , Aged , Ankle Brachial Index , Female , Humans , Hypertension/complications , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Peripheral Arterial Disease/complications , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
AIM: To reveal the classification of lymphocytes and expression of cytokines infiltrating in HCC, and investigate the significance of changes of immune microenvironment in HCC. METHODS: 76 tumor and non-tumor tissues of HCC were collected to detect the amount of immune cells in the tissues by FCM and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Th1/Th2 cytokines in tissues were detected by Cytometric bead array (CBA), and TGF-1, VEGF detected by ELISA. RESULTS: There were more CD3(+); T cells, CD4(+); Th cells, Treg cells, and CD45RO(+); memory T cells in tumors than in non-tumor tissues. On the contrary there were less CD8(+); CTLs in tumors. There was negative correlation between Treg and Th or CTL cells. CD69, which is the early activating factor, expressed less on CD3(+); T cells and NK cells in tumors than non-tumor tissues. Whereas HLA-DR, which is the late activating factor, expressed more on CD3(+); T cells in tumors than non-tumor tissues. More IL-10, TGF-1 and VEGF were secreted in tumors than non-tumor tissues. CONCLUSION: Along with the decrease of effective immune cells and increase of suppressor immune cells and cytokines, the lymphocytes infiltrating in the tumor were immune incompitence, which contributed to the tumorigenesis.
