[Facial nerve function index evaluation on deviation of the mouth in intractable facial palsy treated with sticking needle and traction method on three points of the mouth].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the effective acupuncture technique for deviation of the mouth in intractable facial palsy. METHODS: One hundred and one cases of intractable facial palsy were randomly divided into an observation group (48 cases) and a control group (53 cases). Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sibai (ST 2), Jiache (ST 6) and Qianzheng (Extra) on the affected side were punctured in two groups. Additionally, three acupoints of the mouth were supplemented, named Dicang (ST 4), Kouheliao (LI 19) and Jiachengjiang (Extra) were added, and the sticking needle and traction method was adopted on them in observation group. the routine needling technique was applied in control group. The treatment was given once a day and 10-day treatment made one session. The changes in facial nerve function index (FNFI) were observed in 2 sessions of treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, FNFI in two groups increased significantly (both P < 0.01), but the improvement in observation group was better than that in control group (P < 0.01). In observation group, the basic recovery rate of FNFI was 87.5% (42/48), which was higher than that (67.9%, 36/53) in control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The sticking needle and traction method o three points is the quite effective approach in the treatment of deviation of the mouth in intractable facial palsy.

[Epidemiological study of the effects of smoking cigarette on thyroid gland].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on thyroid gland volume, thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies in the areas with different iodine intakes. METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological study in Panshan (mild iodine-deficient area), Zhangwu (more than adequate iodine intake area) and Huanghua (iodine-excessive area) was conducted in 3761 subjects in 1999.80.2 % of them were followed up in 2004. Questionnaires, thyroid function, thyroid autoantibodies, urinary iodine concentration,and thyroid B ultrasound were performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of goiter was higher in smokers than in non-smokers (15.1% vs. 11.5%, P< 0.05). The average thyroid volume was higher in smokers with phenomenon more obvious in Panshan and Huanghua areas. Data from logistic analysis showed that smoking cigarette was an independent risk factor of goiter. There was no difference in serum TSH and Tg level between smokers and non-smokers. The positive rate of TPOAb (>100 IU/ml) was higher in smokers than in non-smokers(10.8% vs. 9.0 % , P <0.05) and was especially obvious in Huanghua area. Smoking was a independent risk factor of increasing positive rate of TPOAb. During the prospective observation,it was found that the incidence of positive TPOAb(>,100 IU/ml) was 7.4% in the subjects that were from non-smokers turning to smokers and 2.9% in those whose smoking behavior did not change. Logistic analysis indicated that the shifting from non-smoking to smoking was independent risk factor for the increase on high incidence of positive TPOAb. CONCLUSION: Smoking cigarette was a independent risk factor of goiter. Smoking was also a risk factor of increasing TPOAb positive rate. Shifting from not smoking to smoking was an independent risk factor of increasing high incidence of positive TPOAb.

Differential effects of forced swim-stress on the corticotropin-releasing hormone and vasopressin gene transcription in the parvocellular division of the paraventricular nucleus of rat hypothalamus.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and vasopressin (AVP) colocalize in the parvocellular division of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). We examined the effect of forced swim-stress on the CRH and AVP primary transcript (hnRNA) levels in the rat PVN by semi-quantitative in situ hybridization. CRH hnRNA increased markedly following 10-min swim-stress and returned to the basal level by 2 h. AVP hnRNA in the parvocellular division of the PVN, where AVP colocalizes with CRH, did not change significantly immediately after the swim-stress, but it did increase significantly 2 h after the stress. Pretreatment with dexamethasone abolished the increases in CRH and AVP hnRNA levels after the swim-stress. The present results demonstrate the differential effects of forced swim-stress on the CRH and AVP gene transcription in the parvocellular PVN, confirming the diverse response of the dual peptide-containing system in the face of acute stressful events.