Effect of timing of acupuncture on limb dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction: a multicenter prospective cohort pilot study / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at different timings in acute stage for limb dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction.@*METHODS@#A total of 101 patients with cerebral infarction limb dysfunction were divided into an early exposure group (@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, the mRS grade at 30 and 60 days after onset in the early exposure group was improved (@*CONCLUSION@#The timing of acupuncture is an independent factor affecting the disability status and limb motor dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction, and the effect of early intervention may be better than late intervention.

Detection of Exosomal PML-RARA Fusion Gene Expression Level by Droplet Digital PCR / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish a method for detecting the exosomal PML-RARA fusion gene expression by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR).@*METHODS@#By using Taqman probe-based ddPCR technique, the method that able to detect both long and short isoforms of PML-RARA fusion gene transcripts was established. RNA from PML-RARA negative cell line HL-60 as negative control was used to set the limit of blank (LOB), while the RNA from PML-RARA positive cell line NB4 and the recombinant plasmid pSG5-PML-RARA(S) were used to set the limit of detection (LOD) for long and short PML-RARA transcripts, respectively. Furtherly, the expression of exosomal PML-RARA fusion gene in NB4 cell culture supernatant and serum of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) was analyzed by ddPCR technique.@*RESULTS@#The LOB of ddPCR assay for long and short PML-RARA transcripts were 0.0725 and 0.083 copies per microliter of PCR reaction system, respectively, while the LOD of long and short PML-RARA transcripts were 0.19 and 0.21 copies per microliter of PCR reaction system, respectively. In addition, the expression of exosomal PML-RARA fusion gene derived from both NB4 cell culture supernatant and serum of APL patients was successfully detected.@*CONCLUSION@#A ddPCR-based technique for detecting fusion gene transcripts has been established, which can be used to analyze absolute quantification in the minimal quantity of PML-RARA transcripts derived from exosomes. It suggests the possibility of this technique to non-invasively and dynamicly monitore the exosomal PML-RARA transcripts from APL patients' serum.

Effect of M8046 on expression of COX-2/PGE2 in spinal cord and DRG in rats with neuropathic pain / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonist-M8046 on the behavior and the cyclooxygenase-2/prostaglandin E2( COX-2/PGE2) expression in spinal cord dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in chronic constrictive injury (CCI) rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and forty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, 36 rats in each group: Sham operation group (Sham), chronic constrictive group (CCI), M8046 treated group (M8046) and solvent controlled group (Sc). M8046 3 mg/(kg x d) intraperitoneal injection was given after operation in group M8046. Paw thennal withdrawal (PTWL) and paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) of rats were measured on 2 pre-operative and 1, 3, 7, 10, 14 post-operative days. The spinal cord and L15 DRG of the operated side was removed at 3, 7, 14 days after surgery. The change of COX-2 and PGE2 expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining and ELISA separately.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PTWL and PMWT in CCI group were significantly lower than those in Sham group on every post-operative day (P < 0.05). PTWL and PMWT in M8046 group were significantly higher than those in CCI group on 7, 10, 14 post-operative day (P < 0.05). In spinal dorsal horn, the level of COX-2 and PGE2 expression in CCI group was significantly higher than that in Sham group (P < 0.05). M8046 could significantly attenuate the activation of COX-2 and PGE2 induced by CCI (P < 0.05). The expression of COX-2 and PGE2 in DRG was similar to that in spinal dorsal horn.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The effects of M8046 ameliorate the CCI-induced neuropathic pain may be related to attenuate the expression of COX-2 and PGE2 in spinal cord and DRG.</p>