Anatomic Study of Vascular Supply of the External Ear Using CT Angiography in Congenital Microtia.

BACKGROUND: The morphology of the arteries of the external ear on the affected side of congenital microtia differs from normal. The present study aimed to use computed tomography angiography (CTA) to describe the anatomic variations of arteries in microtia and provide theoretical guidance for the first stage of autologous auricular reconstruction by the 2-stage method. METHODS: Ten patients with unilateral microtia from May 2021 to August 2021 were included. Computed tomography angiography and 3-dimensional reconstruction were used to analyze the supply and branches of the main arteries of the auricle. The number of the superficial temporal artery (STA) and posterior auricular artery (PAA) branches to the auricle, vessel diameter, and the presence or absence of the STA and PAA branches were documented. The skin flap and incision were designed combined with the anatomic of auricular arteries. RESULTS: The blood supply of the auricle mainly came from the STA and PAA. The STA's preauricular branch and PAA's posterior auricular branch were absent to varying degrees, and the middle branch was more prominent. The average diameter of the STA on the healthy auricle was 3.07±0.96 mm, and the average diameter of the PAA was 1.72±0.50 mm. The average diameter of the STA on the microtia auricle was 2.65±0.42 mm, and the average diameter of the PAA was 1.53±0.67 mm. There was a statistically significant difference in the diameter of STA between the healthy auricle and the microtia auricle (P=0.006). However, there was no significant difference in the diameter of the PAA between the healthy auricle and the microtia auricle (P=0.112). The skin flap and incision were designed and combined with the preoperative CTA images, and no flap necrosis was observed in all patients. CONCLUSION: The vascular distribution of arteries in microtia patients was clearly and accurately assessed by CTA. In our experience, the data and detailed imaging were useful in designing skin flaps and incisions during the first stage of autologous auricular reconstruction by the 2-stage method.

lncRNA SYTL5-OT4 promotes vessel co-option by inhibiting the autophagic degradation of ASCT2.

AIMS: Vessel co-option is responsible for tumor resistance to antiangiogenic therapies (AATs) in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM). However, the mechanisms underlying vessel co-option remain largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the roles of a novel lncRNA SYTL5-OT4 and Alanine-Serine-Cysteine Transporter 2 (ASCT2) in vessel co-option-mediated AAT resistance. METHODS: SYTL5-OT4 was identified by RNA-sequencing and verified by RT-qPCR and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization assays. The effects of SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 on tumor cells were investigated by gain- and loss-of-function experiments, and those of SYTL5-OT4 on ASCT2 expression were analyzed by RNA immunoprecipitation and co-immunoprecipitation assays. The roles of SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 in vessel co-option were detected by histological, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence analyses. RESULTS: The expression of SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 was higher in patients with AAT-resistant CRCLM. SYTL5-OT4 enhanced the expression of ASCT2 by inhibiting its autophagic degradation. SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 promoted vessel co-option by increasing the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells. Combination therapy of ASCT2 inhibitor and antiangiogenic agents overcame vessel co-option-mediated AAT resistance in CRCLM. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the crucial roles of lncRNA and glutamine metabolism in vessel co-option and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with AAT-resistant CRCLM.

Exosomal IRF1-loaded rat adipose-derived stem cell sheet contributes to wound healing in the diabetic foot ulcers.

BACKGROUND: Cell-based therapy has been recognized as a novel technique for the management of diabetic foot ulcers, and cell-sheet engineering leads to improved efficacy in cell transplantation. This study aims to explore the possible molecular mechanism of the rat adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) sheet loaded with exosomal interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) in foot wound healing. METHODS: Rats were rendered diabetic with streptozotocin, followed by measurement of miR-16-5p expression in wound tissues. Relationship between IRF1, microRNA (miR)-16-5p, and trans-acting transcription factor 5 (SP5) was analyzed using luciferase activity, RNA pull-down, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. IRF1 was overexpressed in rat ASCs (rASCs) or loaded onto the rASC sheet, and then exosomes were extracted from rASCs. Accordingly, we assessed the effects of IRF1-exosome or IRF1-rASC sheet on the proliferation and migration of the fibroblasts along with endothelial cell angiogenesis. RESULTS: miR-16-5p was poorly expressed in the wound tissues of diabetic rats. Overexpression of miR-16-5p promoted fibroblast proliferation and migration as well as endothelial cell angiogenesis, thus expediting wound healing. IRF1 was an upstream transcription factor that could bind to the miR-16-5p promoter and increase its expression. In addition, SP5 was a downstream target gene of miR-16-5p. IRF1-exosome from rASCs or the IRF1-rASC sheet facilitated the foot wound healing in diabetic rats through miR-16-5p-dependent inhibition of SP5. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that exosomal IRF1-loaded rASC sheet regulates miR-16-5p/SP5 axis to facilitate wound healing in diabetic rats, which aids in development of stem cell-based therapeutic strategies for diabetic foot wounds.

The emerging role of circular RNAs in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and the most common movement disorder. It involves a gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Although many studies have been conducted, the underlying molecular pathways of PD remain largely unknown. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of non-coding RNAs with a covalently closed loop structure, are common in the brain. They are stable, conserved molecules that are widely expressed in eukaryotes in tissue-, cell-, and development-specific patterns. Many circRNAs have recently been identified in nervous system diseases, and some circRNA expression profiles have been linked to PD. Given that recent research has indicated the essential roles of various circRNAs in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, the identification of individual circRNAs may be a promising strategy for finding new treatment targets for PD. Moreover, the search for circRNAs with high specificity and sensitivity will open up new avenues for the early diagnosis and treatment of PD. Herein, we address the biogenesis, properties, and roles of circRNAs and review their potential utility as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in PD.

The Potential Circular RNAs Biomarker Panel and Regulatory Networks of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. It has been reported that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in several neurological diseases. However, the role and regulatory networks of circRNAs in PD are still largely unclear. In this study, we first compared the global expression level of circRNAs from patients with PD and controls using microarray, then the candidate circRNAs were validated in another PD cohort. The possible functions of these candidate circRNAs were analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) analyses and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses, and the regulatory networks of these candidate circRNAs were constructed through circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and transcription factor-circRNA networks. The results indicated that hsa_circRNA_101275, hsa_circRNA_103730, and hsa_circRNA_038416 were significantly more highly expressed in patients with PD, while hsa_circRNA_102850 was lower expressed in patients with PD when compared with controls. A circRNA panel combining the four differentially expressed circRNA showed a high diagnostic ability to distinguish patients with PD from controls (AUC = 0.938). Furthermore, GO and KEGG analysis showed these candidate circRNAs were enriched in PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. We established circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks and identified 10 hub genes (ESR1, PTEN, SHC1, IGF1R, SMAD2, KRAS, MDM2, HIF1A, BMP4, and ACVR2B) were closely related to PD by using PPI network analysis. Besides, these circRNAs were predicted to be regulated through tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-relevant transcription factors such as GATA2 and GATA3. In conclusion, our results suggest that the circRNA panel and the established circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulation networks might provide potential novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PD.

Soluble microneedle patch with photothermal and NO-release properties for painless and precise treatment of ischemic perforator flaps.

Skin necrosis is the most serious complication of flap plastic surgery, which means the failure of the operation. Systemic administration rarely benefits the local area and can lead to side effects, while topical administration has poor permeability due to the skin barrier function. Currently, few of these common medical interventions can totally respond to the blood supply of the skin after surgery. Herein, a soluble microneedle (MN) patch made of hyaluronic acid was used to target the ischemic area in a painless and precise manner for transdermal drug delivery. Based on the important role of nitric oxide (NO) in angiogenesis, the thermosensitive NO donor (BNN6) and gold nanorods (GNRs) acting as photothermal agents were introduced into the microneedles (MNs). The hyperthermia induced by GNRs under near infrared (NIR, 808 nm) irradiation could enhance the penetration of drugs and facilitate NO release from BNN6. A series of corresponding experiments proved that the system played a significant promotion role in vascular regeneration, providing a painless, precise and NO-assisted treatment method for the ischemic perforator flaps.

Study of a Polyamine Inhibitor Used for Shale Water-Based Drilling Fluid.

Here, we report a water-soluble shale inhibitor for inhibiting shale hydrate formation. The copolymer denoted as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was synthesized via triethanolamine, two maleic anhydrides, and glacial acetic acid. The infrared (IR) and gas chromatography (GC) results indicated that TGA is a low molecular weight polymer inhibitor (IR) and is the most commonly used method to identify compounds and molecular structures qualitatively. It is mainly used to study the molecular structure of organic substances and conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic compounds. The main function of GC is for polymer molecular weight analysis. With the aid of shale rolling recovery experiments, particle size distribution experiments, triaxial stress experiment methods, bentonite slurry rate inhibition experiments, and thermogravimetric experiments to evaluate TGA inhibition characteristics, the inhibition effect of TGA is better than that of the traditional inorganic salt inhibitor KCl, polymer amine inhibitor UHIB, and organic cationic shale inhibitor NW-1. When the mass fraction is 0.2%, the cutting recovery rate increases from 18.3 to 94.1%. The compressive strength of the shale core after adding 1% TGA inhibitor is 177.9 MPa, which is close to the original core compressive strength of 186.5. The wet sodium montmorillonite crystal layer spacing after treatment with 0.5%, 1.5%, and 3% TGA aqueous solution is 1.38, 1.35, and 1.35 nm, respectively, and the sodium montmorillonite crystal layer spacing after diesel treatment is 1.34 nm, indicating that the inhibitory effect of TGA on sodium montmorillonite is equivalent to that of diesel and that TGA can effectively inhibit the hydration and dispersion of sodium montmorillonite. At the same time, the crystal layer spacing and the weight loss rate of sodium montmorillonite modified by TGA inhibitors did not change significantly after adsorption of deionized water, which proved that TGA inhibitors could be adsorbed in the crystal layer space of sodium montmorillonite to inhibit hydration and dispersion of sodium montmorillonite. Field test results show that TGA can significantly improve the inhibition performance of the field drilling fluid, and the effect is better than the strong conventional inhibition water-based drilling fluid system, which solves the problems of wellbore instability and considerable friction in horizontal shale sections and provides a new idea and method for efficient shale gas drilling.

Extracellular vesicle-enclosed miR-486-5p mediates wound healing with adipose-derived stem cells by promoting angiogenesis.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) are said to have a pivotal role in wound healing. Specifically, ASC-secreted extracellular vesicles (EV) carry diverse cargos such as microRNAs (miRNAs) to participate in the ASC-based therapies. Considering its effects, we aimed to investigate the role of ASC-EVs in the cutaneous wound healing accompanied with the study on the specific cargo-medicated effects on wound healing. Two full-thickness excisional skin wounds were created on mouse dorsum, and wound healing was recorded at the indicated time points followed by histological analysis and immunofluorescence staining for CD31 and α-SMA. Human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) were co-cultured with EVs isolated from ASC (ASC-EVs), respectively, followed by the evaluation of their viability and mobility using CCK-8, scratch test and transwell migration assays. Matrigel-based angiogenesis assays were performed to evaluate vessel-like tube formation by HMECs in vitro. ASC-EVs accelerated the healing of full-thickness skin wounds, increased re-epithelialization and reduced scar thickness whilst enhanced collagen synthesis and angiogenesis in murine models. However, miR-486-5p antagomir abrogated the ASC-EVs-induced effects. Intriguingly, miR-486-5p was found to be highly enriched in ASC-EVs, exhibiting an increase in viability and mobility of HSFs and HMECs and enhanced the angiogenic activities of HMECs. Notably, we also demonstrated that ASC-EVs-secreted miR-486-5p achieved the aforesaid effects through its target gene Sp5. Hence, our results suggest that miR-486-5p released by ASC-EVs could be a critical mediator to develop an ASC-based therapeutic strategy for wound healing.

[Clinical application of modified kite flap in treatment of divided nevus of lateral canthus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of modified kite flap in repair of soft tissue defect after divided nevus of lateral canthus excision. METHODS: Between October 2010 and April 2018, 20 children (20 eyes) with divided nevus of lateral canthus were admitted. There were 13 boys and 7 girls, with an average age of 7.9 years (mean, 4-14 years). There were 11 cases of moderate range lesions (maximum diameter, 1.5-2.0 cm) and 9 cases of small range lesions (maximum diameter, <1.5 cm). After excising the divided nevus of lateral canthus, the area of soft tissue defect ranged from 0.72 to 3.23 cm2。The modified kite flap was used to reconstruct the structure and shape of lateral canthus. RESULTS: There were 16 cases of mixed nevus and 4 cases of intradermal nevus. The flaps survived and the incisions healed by the first intention. The patients were followed up 12-22 months (mean, 13.6 months). There was no malformation, valgus, exposure keratitis, or obvious scar. No malignant transformation occurred or nevus recurred during follow-up. At last follow-up, the effectiveness was rated as excellent in 16 cases, good in 3 cases, and poor in 1 case. CONCLUSION: The modified kite flap can repair the soft tissue defect after excising the divided nevus of lateral canthus, and obtain the good appearance and function of lateral canthus.

[The application of modified rhomboid flap in repairing facial skin and soft tissue defect].

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of modified rhomboid flap for repairing facial skin and soft tissue defect. Methods: Between January 2016 and May 2018, 23 patients with facial skin and soft defect were repaired by the modified rhomboid flap. There were 10 males and 13 females with the median age of 27 years (range, 11-72 years). The primary tumor included pigmented nevus in 18 cases, basal cell carcinoma in 4 cases, and squamous cell carcinoma in 1 case. The defect location was nose in 8 cases, cheek in 4 cases, malar in 6 cases, forehead in 2 cases, and upper lip in 3 cases. The defect ranged from 0.8 cm×0.8 cm to 3.9 cm×3.9 cm. According to the location and size of facial tumors, the resection area of square lesions was designed. According to the mobility of surrounding tissues and the direction of dermatoglyphic lines, the rhomboid flaps with an angle of 45-60° was designed to repair the defect by tension-free rotation. Results: All the flaps survived and the incision healed by first intension. All patients were followed up 3-15 months (mean, 7.3 months). During follow-up, no tumor reoccurred; the color and texture of the flaps were similar with surrounding tissue. There was no obvious scar hyperplasia, nor traction of adjacent normal tissues, and patients were satisfied with the appearance. Conclusion: The application of modified rhomboid flaps in repairing facial skin and soft tissue defects caused by resection of round facial tumor has the advantages of flexible design, simple manipulation, and less trauma.

[Effects of task probability on context processing: spatiotemporal analysis of event-related potential].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of task probability on context processing using AX-type continuous performance test (AX-CPT) and event-related potential (ERP). METHODS: We set 3 groups of complementary probabilities (AX/AY: 0.55/0.15, 0.35/0.35, and 0.15/0.55) for AX task and AY task and kept the probability 0.15 for both BX and BY tasks. Eighteen subjects were asked to press the button only when the go-probe (X: green "<<<" or ">>>") followed the go-cue (A: blue "ooo") and withdraw response when the go-probe or a nogo-probe (Y: red "<<<" or ">>>") followed the nogo-cue (B: blue "xxx"). RESULTS: As the task probability increased, the reaction time of AX task was shortened and the rate of false alarm of BX task increased significantly. The probability effects of ERP revealed by statistical parametric mapping occurred in many regions during both cue and probe stages: cue A in the parietal central (300-350 ms) and the left occipital area (450-500 ms); cue B in the right frontal pole (350-500 ms) and the left frontal pole (750-950 ms); AX probe in the right frontoparietal area (200-250 ms), the left frontal pole, the right dorsal prefrontal and bilateral parietal region (300-400 ms), and the bilateral occipital area and parietal region (400-650 ms); AY probe in the fronto-central area (350-500 ms) - the P3 effect; BX probe in the right temporal and the left occipital areas (300-350 ms); BY probe in the left temporal area (150-250 ms). CONCLUSION: The task probability not only influences both the encoding of go-cue and expectancy of nogo-cue but also modulates the neural assemblies of probe processing differentially.

Intraoral curved ostectomy for prominent mandibular angle by grinding, contiguous drilling, and chiseling.

There are several surgical techniques for mandibuloplasty, for example, ostectomy of the lateral cortex around the mandibular angle, angle-splitting ostectomy, sagittal split ramus ostectomy, multistage osteotomy of the mandibular angle. These techniques all have achieved excellent aesthetic results, but they require a high level of skill and are time consuming. From July 1995 to June 2010, a total of 1006 patients underwent intraoral curved ostectomy for prominent mandibular angle by grinding, contiguous drilling, and chiseling in our department. A round bur was used to reduce the outer cortex thickness of the mandible body. The ostectomy line on the mandibular angle was penetrated contiguously using a long-shaft bur drill. A curved-headed chisel approximately 10 mm in width was hammered to separate the redundant mandibular angle. Concurrent procedures such as reduction malarplasty and genioplasty were performed in patients with protrusion of the malar bone and microgenia. A total of 992 patients were satisfied with the final facial contour. The square-shaped appearance was converted to an ovoid, slender, and feminine facial contour from the frontal view. Ninety-three patients underwent postoperative complications. Among the 93 cases, there were 14 patients who were unsatisfied with the final results. The average operative time was 42 minutes for ostectomy of prominent mandibular angle. Intraoral curved ostectomy for prominent mandibular angle by grinding, contiguous drilling, and chiseling is an appropriate technique for correcting lower facial contour. The surgical technique is not complex, and the ostectomy is easy to manipulate. The operation consumes less time. Complications of various degrees are relatively lower, and most of them can be treated effectively. Both surgeons and most of the patients are satisfied with the results.

Exceedingly expanded retroauricular flaps for microtia reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The authors propose here a new strategy to obtain exceedingly expanded retroauricular mastoid skin for sufficient coverage of the three-dimensional autogenous costal cartilage framework generally used in auricular reconstruction surgery. From February 2000 to September 2009, 42 microtia reconstructions were performed using this new strategy. METHODS: Auricular reconstruction was performed in three surgical stages. In the first stage, a 50-ml kidney-shaped expander was inserted subcutaneously in the retroauricular mastoid region. From 5 to 8 ml saline was then injected into the expander every 4 days until the final volume of the expander reached 100-120 ml. In the second stage, we divided the expanded mastoid skin into a superior two-third region (flap A) and an inferior one-third region (flap B, rotation flap). Autogenous costal cartilage framework was then enveloped by these expanded flaps. Tragus construction and conchal excavation was performed in the third stage. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 6 months to 4 years after reconstruction. A total of 36 cases reported to be satisfied with the appearance of good shape, accurate size, right orientation, and duplication of well-detailed structures. Further revision was requested by six of the total. Complications in this series includes one case of haematoma, two cases of partial evection of the expanded skin and two cases of partial skin necrosis of the helix. All the complications were treated appropriately. CONCLUSION: Exceeding expansion can provide sufficient retroauricular non-hair-bearing skin tissues for draping the auricular cartilage framework. Skin grafts and retroauricular fascial flap are not needed any more. Patients are usually satisfied with their reconstructive auricles as regards the size, location, projection, convolution, skin-colour matching, etc. Exceedingly expanded retroauricular flaps are the appropriate envelope for the auricular cartilage framework.

[Lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion treated with Santong tuina therapy: a multi-central randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference in the efficacy on lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion (LIDP) between Santong tuina therapy and conventional tuina therapy. METHODS: Multi-central, random and controlled clinical trial was carried out. One hundred and twenty cases of LIDP were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in each one. In observation group, Santong tuina therapy was used. In control group, conventional tuina therapy was adopted. The clinical efficacy was observed in two groups, and lumbar vertebral function was scaled before and after treatment in two groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 95.0% (57/60) in observation group and was 96.7% (58/60) in control group, without significant statistical difference in comparison (P > 0.05). The cured and markedly effective rate was 81.7% (49/60) in observation group and was 63.3% (38/60) in control group, indicating significant statistical difference in comparison (P < 0.05). The self-comparison of lumbar vertebral function before and after treatment presented statistical significance in either observation group (12.25 +/- 3.15, 25.56 +/- 5.27) or control group (13.32 +/- 3.26, 20.46 +/- 4.25, both P < 0.05); additionally, there was significant difference in the comparison between groups after treatment (P < 0.05). The therapy adopted in observation group improved lumbar vertebral function much significantly. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of LIDP, Santong tuina therapy achieves much better clinical efficacy as compared with conventional tuina therapy.

Surgical softening of the nasolabial folds by liposuction and severing of the cutaneous insertions of the mimetic muscles.

BACKGROUND: A surgical technique was developed to soften the nasolabial folds by liposuction and severing of the cutaneous insertions of the mimetic muscles. This procedure was used for 11 patients from September 2006 to June 2009. METHODS: With the patients under local tumescent anesthesia, extraoral incisions were made in nine cases and intraoral incisions in two cases. Liposuction was performed superior and lateral to the nasolabial fold using an order-made one-hole 2.5-mm cannula. After liposuction, the fibrae septa and the cutaneous insertions of the mimetic muscles in the nasolabial region were severed by a sharp-edge eye scissors. Compressive dressings were maintained for 3 days. RESULTS: All the patients, followed up from 3 months to 3 years, were satisfied with the aesthetic results. Both the depth and the length of the nasolabial folds were decreased conspicuously. The most obvious change was improvement in the lateral part of the nasolabial folds. The extraoral scars were almost imperceptible. Severe complications were not observed in this series. CONCLUSION: Surgical softening of the nasolabial folds by liposuction and severing of the cutaneous insertions of the mimetic muscles is especially suitable for 40- to 60-year-old women with aging faces who are unwilling to undergo a face-lift. The procedure is simple, and the anatomic causes for deepening of the nasolabial folds can be corrected. Patients usually are satisfied with the final postoperative results.

Refinement of the correction of orbital hypertelorism.

The objective of this article was to explore the effect of paraorbital soft-tissue expansion before orbital osteotomies and medial translocation by combined intracranial-extracranial approach. Tissue expansion was implanted in the zygomatic and temporal region 3 weeks before traditional operation in 2 cases of severe orbital hypertelorism. The measurements of interorbital and intercanthal distance were studied preoperatively and postoperatively by three-dimensional computed tomography. The interorbital distance of the 2 patients decreased from 4.4 and 3.2 cm to 2.0 and 1.4 cm, respectively. The intercanthal distance decreased from 6.7 and 4.8 cm to 5.0 and 3.8 cm, respectively. The paraorbital soft-tissue-expansion technique may be an effective technique for the stability of the corrected orbital framework and the prevention of reoccurrence in severe cases of orbital hypertelorism.

[Effect of botulinum toxin type A injection into the masseter muscle on mandibular development in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injection into the masseter muscle on mandibular development in rats. METHODS: 12 28-day-old Wistar rats were divided into two groups as Botox group (n= 6) and control group (n = 6) which received anesthesia only. In Botox group, Botox was injected into the right masseter muscle, while only sterile saline into the left muscle. When the rats were 75-day-old, CT scan and 3D reconstruction were performed for cephalometry. The masseter muscles at both sides were weighed. Histologic study of masseter muscle and mandible was also performed. RESULTS: The weight of right masseter muscle was (0.4575 +/- 0.0940) g in Botox group, and (0.8899 +/- 0.1030) g in control group (< 0.05). The mandibular height II and III was (10.8 +/- 0.8) mm and (9.5 +/- 0.6) mm in Botox group and (12.5 +/- 0.6) mm and (10.7 +/- 0.4) mm in control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The intergonial distance was (11.6 +/- 0.6) mm and (12.4 +/- 0. 6) mm in Botox and control group, respectively (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: When the rats receive Botox injection into the masseter muscle at young age, the grown-up rats have a decreased mandibular height, but the mandibular length and intergonial distance are not affected.

[Effects of different acupuncture treatment on mean blood flow velocity of middle cerebral artery on the affected side and rehabilitation of hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of two different acupuncture treatment on cerebral blood flow velocity and early rehabilitation of hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction. METHODS: Eighty patients were randomly divided into an alternate acupuncture group (n = 40) and a routine acupuncture group (n = 40). Both of the groups were treated with routine neurology medicine and application of good limb position combined with acupuncture. The patients in the alternate acupuncture group were treated by opposing needling and non-opposing needling, i. e. acupuncture at acupoints on both the healthy and affected sides alternately, twice each day, respectively. The routine acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture at the affected side, once daily. Scores of Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) were evaluated before and after treatment in the two groups, and the mean blood flow velocity of middle cerebral artery (MCA) on the affected side was monitored during two different acupuncture treatment by using Transcranial Doppler (TCD). RESULTS: The cured and markedly effective rate was 65.0% in the alternate acupuncture group and 37.5% in the routine acupuncture group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). After treatment, the SSS score in the alternate acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.01). The mean blood flow velocity of MCA during two different acupuncture treatment was both decreased significantly (both P < 0.05) and the mean blood flow velocity of MCA before the last treatment was decreased significantly in the alternate acupuncture group than those in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of the alternate acupuncture program for hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction is superior to that of the routine acupuncture program. It is suggested that the mechanism of acupuncture in treating hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction is to dilate cerebral blood vessels and improve cerebral perfusion.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of Jingjin therapy on migraine].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effect of Jingjin therapy on migraine and search for an ideal way for non-medical treatment of migraine. METHODS: One hundred cases of migraine were randomly divided into a observation group and a control group, 50 cases in each group. The observation group were treated with Jingjin therapy, and the control group with oral administration of Nimodipine. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 100.0% in the observation group and 70.0% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The therapeutic effect for attacking times, attacking lasting time, headache index and accompanied symptoms in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Jingjin therapy has an obvious therapeutic effect on migraine.