Electroacupuncture Suppresses Oxidative Stress and Ferroptosis by Activating the mTOR/SREBP1 Pathway in Ischemic Stroke.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to exert a neuroprotective effect in IS. However, its specific anti-IS mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. By constructing a rat IS (middle cerebral artery occlusion, or MCAO) model and performing EA treatment, neurological deficit score, brain water content, and cerebral infarction were evaluated. ELISA was used to measure the levels of oxidative stress-related molecules (MDA, SOD, GSH, and CAT). Ferroptosis-related proteins (GPX4, SLC7A11, TfR1, L-ferritin, and hepcidin), neurological damage-related proteins (GFAP, Iba-1, and Nestin), α7nAChR, and mTOR pathway-related proteins (mTOR, p-mTOR, and SREBP1) in the rat brain penumbra were assessed by western blotting. Following EA treatment, neurological deficit scores, brain water content, cerebral infarction area, and GFAP, Iba-1, and Nestin expression were reduced. Additionally, EA treatment decreased MDA and increased SOD, GSH, and CAT. Moreover, the rats showed elevated GPX4 and SLC7A11 and lowered TfR1, L-ferritin, and hepcidin. In contrast, a7nAChR, mTOR, p-mTOR, and SREBP1 expression were upregulated. EA treatment inhibited OS and ferroptosis to exert a neuroprotective effect in IS, which might be realized via the activation of mTOR/SREBP1 signaling.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Post-stroke Cognitive Impairment Through Inhibiting miR-135a-5p/mTOR/NLRP3 Axis-mediated Autophagy.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment is a significant challenge with limited treatment options. Electroacupuncture (EA) has shown promise in improving cognitive function after stroke. Our study explores the underlying mechanism of EA in alleviating cognitive impairment through the inhibition of autophagy. We utilized a rat model of stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to evaluate the efficacy of EA. Treatment with EA was observed to markedly improve cognitive function and reduce inflammation in MCAO rats, as evidenced by decreased neurological deficit scores, shorter latencies in the water maze test, and diminished infarct volumes. EA also attenuated tissue damage in the hippocampus and lowered the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers. Although autophagy was upregulated in MCAO rats, EA treatment suppressed this process, indicated by a reduction in autophagosome formation and alteration of autophagy-related protein expression. The protective effects of EA were reversed by the autophagy activator rapamycin. EA treatment elevated the levels of microRNA (miR)-135a-5p expression, and suppression of this elevation attenuated the remedial efficacy of EA in addressing cognitive impairment and inflammation. MiR-135a-5p targeted mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) signaling to repress autophagy. EA treatment inhibits autophagy and alleviates cognitive impairment in post-stroke rats. It exerts its beneficial effects by upregulating miR-135a-5p and targeting the mTOR/NLRP3 axis.

[Micro-needle knife in treatment of cervical vertigo and its effect on vertebral artery hemodynamics].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of micro-needle knife therapy and betahistine mesilate tablets in the treatment of cervical vertigo (CV) and the influence on the mean blood flow velocity (Vm) of vertebral artery. METHODS: A total of 200 patients with CV were randomly divided into a micro-needle knife group (100 cases, 5 cases dropped off) and a medication group (100 cases, 3 cases dropped off). In the micro-needle knife group, micro-needle knife was performed on the suboccipital triangle of the atlantoaxial segment of the posterior neck, once every other day, for a total of 7-time treatment. The medication group received oral betahistine mesilate tablets, 6 mg each time, three times a day, for 14 consecutive days. The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) scores of the two groups were observed before treatment, after treatment and during follow-up 3 months after treatment; the Vm of vertebral artery was compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the clinical effect was evaluated during follow-up. RESULTS: After treatment and during follow-up, the DHI scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.001), and those in the micro-needle knife group were lower than the medication group (P<0.001). After treatment, the Vm of bilateral vertebral arteries in both groups was higher than that before treatment (P<0.05), and that in the micro-needle knife group was higher than the medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the micro-needle knife group was 96.8% (92/95), which was higher than 67.0% (65/97) of the medication group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Micro-needle knife therapy can improve vertigo symptoms and balance dysfunction, increase the mean blood flow velocity of vertebral artery in CV patients, and its clinical efficacy is better than oral betahistine mesilate tablets.

[A case control study:the treatment of cervical vertigo with micro needle knife].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of micro needle knife therapy on cervical vertigo. METHODS: A total of 300 patients with cervical vertigo treated from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 were randomly divided into micro needle knife group (96 cases, 4 cases falling off), traditional acupuncture group (96 cases, 4 cases falling off) and oral drug group(95 cases, 5 cases falling off). The micro needle knife group was treated with micro needle knife in the local upper cervical segment once every other day for 7 times; the traditional acupuncture group was treated with traditional acupuncture once a day for 2 weeks;the oral drug group was given Merislon (betahistine mesilate tablets) orally, 6 mg each time, 3 times a day for 2 weeks. The patients were followed up before treatment, at the end of treatment and 3 months after treatment. The dizziness handicap inventory(DHI) was observed and the curative effect was evaluated according to the DHI score. RESULTS: At the end of the course of treatment and 3 months after the treatment, DHI scores of the three groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.01), and the DHI scores of micro needle knife group were lower than those of traditional acupuncture group and oral drug group at the same time point after treatment (P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in DHI scores between traditional acupuncture group and oral drug group at the same time after treatment(P< 0.05). The curative effect was evaluated according to DHI score:in micro needle knife group, 50 cases were cured, 28 cases were markedly effective, 14 cases were improved, the total effective rate was 95.83%; in traditional acupuncture group, 28 cases were cured, 26 cases were markedly effective, and 24 cases were improved, with the total effective rate of 81.25%;in oral drug group, 18 cases were cured, 20 cases were markedly effective, and 28 cases were improved, with the total effective rate of 69.47%. The total effective rate of micro needle knife group was significantly higher than that of other two groups (χ2=45.956, P=0.000). Among the cured patients in the three groups, the time required in the micro needle knife group was significantly less than that in the traditional acupuncture group and oral drug group(F=18.796, P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Micro needle knife loosening atlantoaxial soft tissue has obvious curative effect on cervical vertigo which clinical cure rate, effective rate and treatment time required for cured patients are better than traditional acupuncture and oral drug.

[Case-control study on the treatment of heel spur syndrome with modified stretching manipulation combined with needle Dao loosing].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effects of modified plantar fascia stretching manipulation combined with needle Dao loosing in the treatment of heel spur syndrome. METHODS: From September 2010 to September 2015, 115 patients diagnosed as heel spur syndrome were divided into two groups: treatment group and control group. There were 58 patients in the treatment group, including 21 males and 37 females, ranging in age from 26 to 73 years old, with the course of disease from 6 to 51 months. The patients in the treatment group were treated with modified plantar fascia stretching manipulation combined with needle Dao loosing. There were 57 patients in the control group, including 22 males and 35 females, ranging in age from 31 to 75 years old, with the course of disease from 7 to 58 months. The patients in the control group were treated with traditonal stretching manipulation combined with needle Dao loosing. The NRS scores of heel pain were evaluated at the 1st week, 1 and 3 months after treatment; and the clinical effects of the two groups were evaluated with the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure(FAAM) scale evaluation system. RESULTS: The numerical rating scale(NRS) scores were 3.89±0.96 and 2.46±0.95 in the treatment group 1 month and 3 months after treatment, which were superior to 4.52±1.21 and 4.73±1.11 in the control group; and the FAAM rates in the treatment group were (3.89±0.96)% and(2.46±0.95)% separately 1 month and 3 months after treatment, which were better than (4.52±1.21)% and (4.73±1.11)% in the control group. The total curative effects of the treatment group were better than that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The modified plantar fascia stretching manipulation combined with needle Dao loosing can locate the traction point, which has a significant effect on the patients with heel spur syndrome. Compared with traditonal stretching manipulation combined with needle Dao loosing, this modified mainpulation combined with needle knife loosing has better medium to-long term effects.

Case of Human Infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Inner Mongolia, China.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes febrile illness in humans and livestock. A 49-year-old woman was suffering from feverish symptoms, fatigue, arthralgia, general body pain, and anorexia for 2 weeks. Later, she visited the Bayannur Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Hospital in Inner Mongolia, China. Molecular-based diagnostic analysis of the patient's blood revealed that A. phagocytophilum p44 DNA was positive, but Brucella omp31, spotted fever group Rickettsia gltA, Orientia tsutsugamushi 16S rDNA, and Ehrlichia p28 were negative. The amino acid sequences of 9 A. phagocytophilum p44 clones obtained from the patient shared 44-100% similarity among them and were closely related to those of previously identified p44 clones from Canis familiaris (accession no. KJV64194) and from Ixodes persulcatus tick (no. BAN28309). Serological tests using the patient's serum showed that immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG titers to A. phagocytophilum antigens were 160 and 20, respectively, determined using indirect immunofluorescence assay, and the reaction to recombinant P44 proteins (rP44-1, rP44-18ES, and/or rP44-47) was confirmed using Western blot analysis. Thus, the results obtained in this study strongly suggest that the patient was infected with A. phagocytophilum. To our knowledge, this is the first case of human anaplasmosis infection in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.