Lead level in foremilk and neurobehavioral development of neonates

BACKGROUND： Recently, it has been reported that blood lead level lower than 24 μ mol/L can lead to learning and cognitive deficits. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the relationship of lead level in foremilk and early neurobehavioral development of neonates taking lead level in foremilk as lead exposure index. DESIGN： A controlled observation. SETTING： Maternal and Child Health Center, Shanxi Children＇s Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： Totally 128 neonates of full-term normal delivery, 76 male and 52 female, from Shanxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Center and Jiexiu Maternal and Child Health Center were involved in this study. All the involved neonates had no peripartal ischemic/hypoxic history. The corresponding puerperants were aged （27 ±5 ）years. They had no various acute and chronic diseases during pregnancy, and family history of neurological disease as well as occupational lead exposure. Informed consents of detected items were obtained from the puerperants. METHODS： ①Determination of lead level in foremilk- Altogether 128 foremilk samples, 1 mL each, were collected between January and February 2005. The same amount of violet acid was added to each sample. After foremilk was fully dissolved, 0.2 mL solution was taken for determining lead level with atomic absorption spectrometer in graphite stove. The determined process strictly followed the internal quantity control of laboratory and was involved in the blind quality control of Institute of Environmental Health of Chinese Academy. ②Participants grouping： Totally 128 neonates were involved, and the normal reference value of lead level of foremilk was 0.06 - 0.48 μ mol/L. The involved neonates were assigned into high-level lead group （≥ 0.24 μ mol/L, n =60） and low-level lead group （〈 0.24 μ mol/L, n =68）. ③Assessment of neurobehavioral development of neonates： Neurobehavioral development level of neonates who was born 24 to 72 hours was assessed with 20-item neonatal neurobehavioral determination method, which involved behavioral ability （6 items）, passive muscular tension （4 items）, active muscular tension （4 items）, primitive reflection （3 items） and general evaluation （3 items）. Each above-mentioned scoring had 3 scales （0,1 and 2 points）. The full mark of 20 items was 40 points. Neurological behaviors of neonates might be unabnormal when scoring was 〈 35 points. OUTCOME MEASURES： Assessment results of neurobehavioral development of neonates in high- and low-level lead neonates. RESULTS： After lead-level determination, the involved neonates in two groups participated in the final analysis. Neurobehavioral total scores of neonates of high-level lead group were lower than those in the low-level lead group [ （35.9±1.3 ） points vs. （37.7 ±1.4） points, P 〈 0.01 ]. The scores of neonatal erection in high-level lead group were lower than those in low-level lead group [ （ 1.4±0.4） points vs. （ 1.8 ±0.5 ） points, P 〈0.01], and time for head erection of neonates in the high-level lead group was shortened as compared with that in the low-level lead group [ （1.8±1.7） minutesvs. （3.3±2.2） minutes, P〈0.01]. CONCLUSION： 0.24 μ mol/L lead level in foremilk has certain relationship with neurobehavioral development. The main influenced manifestations are shortened duration of neonatal head erection and actively contracted extensor, i.e. cervical curved ability is weakened.

Electroacupuncture effect on neurological behavior and tyrosine kinase-JAK2 in rats with focal cerebral ischemia

OBJECTIVE:Electroacupuncture effect on neurological behavior and the expression of tyrosine kinase Janus kinase 2(JAK 2) of ischemic cortex in rats with the focal cerebral ischemia were investigated in this study.METHODS:The model of focal cerebral ischemia was established by the heat-coagulation induced the occlusion of the middle cerebral artery.The electro-acupuncture was applied on Baihui(GV 20) and Dazhui(GV 14),and AG490 was applied by intracerebroventricular infusion.The expressions of JAK2 mRNA and phospharylatedJAK2(p-JAK2) in the ischemic cortex were observed by in situ hybridization and western blotting.RESULTS:The expressions of JAK2 mRNA and p-JAK2 were rarely found in sham surgery group.In model group,the expression of JAK2 mRNA and JAK2 phosphorylation had increased.After 1 day of cerebral ischemia,the expression had reached its peak.After cerebral ischemia,the expressions of JAK2 mRNA and p-JAK2 were consistent with the neurological deficit score.Electroacupuncture treatment and AG490 intervention were able to improve the neurological deficit score after cerebral ischemia,and down-regulate the expressions of JAK2 mRNAand JAK2 phosphorylation.CONCLUSION:After cerebral ischemia,the excessive expressions of JAK2 and the JAK2 phosphorylation would be one of mechanisms by which the brain injury got worse.The therapy of electro-acupuncture could reduce the expression of JAK2,and inhibit JAK2 phosphorylated activation,so as to block the abnormal activation of signal transduction pathway which was induced by JAK2.

Clinical study on acupoint massage in improving cognitive function and sleep quality of elderly patients with hypertension

Objective：To investigate the effects of acupoint massage on cognitive function and sleep quality in elderly patients with hypertension. Methods：A total of 68 elderly patients with hypertension were enrolled, and their ages were all over 60 years old. They were divided into a control group and a treatment group by simple random method, with 34 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were treated by routine psychological health guidance and sleep knowledge education, while patients in the treatment group were treated by acupoint massage on the base of the interventions given to the control group. Both of their treatment courses were 3 months. Pittsburgh sleep quality index （PSQI） scores and mini-mental state examination （MMSE） scores before and after treatment were recorded and compared. Results：Two groups’ PSQI scores before treatment had no significant difference （P〉0.05）. After 3 months of treatment, their PSQI scores were statistically different （P〈0.05）. There was also no between-group statistical difference in MMSE score before treatment （P〉0.05）, but there was a significant difference after treatment （P〈0.05）. Conclusion：Acupoint massage for elderly patients with primary hypertension can improve their sleep quality and enhance their cognitive function, thus it is worthy of being applied in clinical nursing work.