Epigallocatechin-3-gallate treatment to promote neuroprotection and functional recovery after nervous system injury

Traumatic spinal cord injury （SCI） causes motor paralysis, sensory anesthesia and autonomic dysfunction below the le- sion site and additionally some SCI patients refer neuropathic pain together with these signs and symptoms. Clinical and experimental studies have revealed the main pathological changes of injured spinal cord implicated in all these signs and symptoms, including neuropathic pain. After few hours of traumatic SCI, it is usual to observe broken blood brain barrier with plasma and blood cells extravasation, cell necrosis, disruption of ascending and descending spinal cord pathways and increased potassium and glutamate. Glutamate contributes to excitotoxicity of neurons whereas potassium facilitates ectopic depolarization of survival neurons and activation of resident microglia.

Clinical Study on Evaluation of Autonomic Nervous Dysfunction Based on Imaging Urodynamic Examination with Slow Filling and Synchronous Blood Pressure Monitoring in the Patients with Cervicothoracic Spinal Cord Injury

Objective: Explore the rule of autonomic nervous dysfunction in the patients with urination disorder after high level spinal cord injury, and seek a safe, objective and accurate method to evaluate autonomic nervous function. Patients and Method: 48 patients with dysuria after cervicothoracic SCI were selected. Before, during and after imaging urodynamic examination with slow filling in supine position, blood pressure and ECG were monitored simultaneously. The symptoms of sweating, shivering, headache, flushing and chills were observed and recorded. The study of the relationship among the changes of blood pressure, heart rate and urodynamic indexes and the above symptoms was analyzed. Results: They were divided into three groups: group A (no obvious abnormality), group B (hyperactivity) and group C (hypoactivity) according to their BP, HR and existing the symptoms or not. Conclusion: The incidence of autonomic dysfunction in the high level SCI patients with dysuria was very high (79.17%), most of them were hyperactivity, and a few were low function. The changes of SBP and DBP in the hypoactivity group all appeared an increasing and then declining trend, while the change of HR in the low function one was lower than normal and decreased continuously. The main inducements of AD are neurogenic detrusor overactivity, detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, elevated abdominal pressure and abnormal bladder sensitivity. The asymptomatic patients had a higher occurrence rate (43.75%). Only by imaging urodynamic examination with slow filling and synchronous blood pressure monitoring, can autonomic nervous function of the patients be evaluated safely, objectively, early and accurately.

Diet and Rat Strain as Factors in Nervous System Function and Influence of Confounders

The necessity for understanding normal human cognitive processes and behavior, and themechanisrns which result in dysfunction in these processes are dependant on utilization of a suitable animal model. In order to develop pharmaceutical agents to alleviate mental disturbances and enable the individual to cope within the norms of society, it is incumbent upon investigators to choose a species in which pharmacokinetic principles are established and resemble those of hurnans. The choice of rats in cognition research studies has specific advantages in that these anirnals possess similar pharrnacodynamic parameters to hurnans. Further advantages include availability, low cost, ease of breeding, maintenance and an extensive literature database which enable comparisons to present findings. However, there are substantial differences in the perforrnance of various rat strains in tasks of learning, memory, attention, and responses to stress or drugs. In addition to rat strain, quantity of thed also exerts profound consequences on animal behavior. The aim of this review is to demonstrate that there are differences in the central nervous systern responsivencess of rat strains to chemicals and these could be related to factors such as source of supplier, type and quantity of feed, or season of the year. It is also evident that the genotype differs amongst strains and this may be responsible for the observed differences in CNS sensitivity to chemicals. Strain differences must be identified and taken into consideration in interpretation of assessrnent of neurobehavioural functions. It is also incumbent upon the investigators to utilize healthy (diet-controlled) animal models.

Studies on Plasma Norepinephrine and EpinephrineContents and Vegetative Nervous SystemFunction in Various Liver Syndrome

Objective: To study the characteristics of plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) contents alternation and vegetative nervous function disturbance in patients with various Liver Syndrome of TCM.Methods: Subjects were selected on the principle of combination of disease diagnosis and Syndrome Differentiation. Plasma NE and E contents were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrochemical detector. The vegetative nervous function were assessed by comprehensive analysis of sympathetic and parasympathetic hyperfunction symptoms, physiologic indexes and physical loading tests.Results: Patients of Liver Excess Syndrome had an elevated plasma NE and E contents and those with the vegetative nervous system disturbance mainly hypersympathetic. On the contrary, patients of Liver Deficiency Syndrome had lowered plasma NE and E contents and those with the vegetative nervous system disturbance mainly hyper-parasympathetic.Conclusion: Plasma NE and E contents and vegetative nervous function disturbance can be taken as the auxiliary laboratory diagnostic indexes for Syndrome Differentiation of Liver Excess and Liver Deficiency.

Evolution and restoration of structures and functions of the human central nervous system—A review

Clinical translational science:Clinical translational science(CTS)is a new discipline bridging laboratory discoveries and clinical applications.It is normally funded by research grants instead of investment major pharmaceutical companies.It is patient-and populationor community-oriented.Repair of the human

Evaluation of the Health Status of Six Volunteers from the Mars 500 Project Using Pulse Analysis

Objective：To comprehensively evaluate the health status of 6 volunteers from the Mars 500Project through analyzing their pulse graphs and determining the changes in cardiovascular function,degree of fatigue and autonomic nervous function.Methods：Six volunteers were recruited;all were male aged 26–38years（average 31.83±4.96 years）.Characteristic parameters reflecting the status of cardiovascular functions were extracted,which included left ventricular contraction,vascular elasticity and peripheral resistance.The degree of fatigue was determined depending on the difference between the calendar age and biological age,which was calculated through the analysis of blood pressure value and characteristic parameters.Based on the values of pulse height variation and pulse time variation on a 30-s pulse graph,autonomic nervous function was evaluated.All parameters examined were marked on an equilateral polygon to form an irregular polygon of the actual figure,then health status was evaluated based on the coverage area of the actual figure.Results：The results demonstrated：（1）volunteers developed weakened pulse power,increased vascular tension and peripheral resistance,and slight decreased ventricular systolic function;（2）the degree of fatigue was basically mild or moderate;and（3）autonomic nervous function was excited but generally balanced.Conclusions：These volunteers were in the state of sub-health.According to Chinese medicine theories,such symptoms are mainly caused by the weakening of healthy qi,Gan（Liver）failing in free coursing,and disharmony between Gan and Wei（Stomach）,which manifests as a weak and string-like pulse.