Effects of curcumin on hippocampal Bax and Bcl-2 expression and cognitive function of a rat model of Alzheimer's disease

We tested the effects of curcumin treatment on a rat model of Alzheimer＇s disease induced by beta-amlyoid （Aβ1-40） expression. We investigated alterations in the expression of the apoptosis-related genes Bax and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus, as well as changes in the spatial memory and cognitive function of the rats. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry results showed that Bax expression was remarkably decreased and Bcl-2 expression was increased in the rat Alzheimer＇s disease model after curcumin treatment. Morris water maze results showed that the average time of escape latency was shortened in the curcumin treated model rats. Our study shows that curcumin can significantly improve spatial learning and memory functions in rats with Aβ1-40-induced Alzheimer＇s disease by modulating Bax and Bcl-2 expression.

Morphological features of allogenic nerve segment in rats after subcutaneous embedment

BACKGROUND ： Some studies demonstrate that allogenic peripheral nerve segment embedded subcutaneously significantly reduce the infiltration of lymphocyte and decrease immunological reaction.OBJECTIVE ： To observe the gross shape, optical and electron microscope results of allogenic nerve segment in rats 2 weeks after subcutaneous embedment, and compare with subcutaneous emdedment of autologous nerve segment. DESIGN ： A randomized and controlled experiment.SETTING ： Department of Orthopaedics of Fifth People＇s Hospital of Zhengzhou; Department of Orthopaedics,First Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University.MATERIALS ： Totally 30 adult healthy Wistar male rats, with body mass of （200±20） g, were enrolled. Ten rats were chosen as the donors of allogenic nerve transplantation. The other 20 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups： allogenic nerve embedment group and autologous nerve embedment group, with 10 rats in each one. JEM-1220 transmission electron microscope （Japan） and Olympus BX50 optical microscope （Japan） were used. METHODS ： This experiment was carried out at the laboratory of Orthopaedic Department, Chongqing Medical University from October 2000 to April 2002. ① Sciatic nerve of donor rats for allogenic nerve transplantation was cut off at 5 mm distant from pelvic strait.15 mm sciatic nerve segment was chosen from lateral part as graft, allogenic nerve embedment group： 15 mm sciatic nerve form the donor rats was embedded in the posterior part of right legs. Autologous nerve embedment group： 15 mm sciatic nerve segment of autologous left side was embedded in the posterior side of right legs. ② Nerve segment embedded subcutaneously was taken out at postoperative 2 weeks and performed gross observation; then 5 samples chosen randomly respectively from 2 groups and given haematoxylin-eosin staining and observation under optical microscope （×400）;The other 5 samples were made into ultrathin sections （0.5μm）and observed under transmission electron microscope（×17 000）. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ： Gross shape, optical and electron microscope results of nerve segments of rats between two groups at 2 weeks after subcutaneous embedment. RESULTS ： ① Results of gross observation： Appearance of nerve segment was similar between 2 groups. ② Results of optical observation： medullary sheath denaturation, axonotmesis, vascular engorgement, desmoplasia of adventitia and infiltration of inflammatory cells were all found in both 2 groups. Inflammatory reaction was a little more severe in the allogenic nerve embedment group than in the autologous nerve embedment groups.③Results of electron microscope ： Similar cataplasia and denaturation of medullary sheath and cataplasia of Schwann cell were all found in the 2 groups. CONCLUSION： Some inflammatory reaction occurs after allogenic nerve embedment, but the activity of Schwann cell is similar to that of peripheral nerve after autologous nerve embedment.

Effects of subcutaneous implant of peripheral nerve allograft on the regeneration of defected sciatic nerve

BAEKGROUND： Some experimental studies demonstrate that subcutaneous implant of allograft can significantly decrease lymphocyte infiltration and reduce immunological reaction. However, compared with autologous nerve grafting, what is the effect of nerve regeneration after repair？OB]EETIVE： To observe the local nervous status of the detected part of sciatic nerve repaired through subcutaneously implanting peripheral nerve allograft, and compare the effect with fresh autologous nerve grafting.DESTGN ： Contrast observation.SETTING ： Departments of Orthopaedics of Zhengzhou Fifth People＇s Hospital and First Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University.MATEREALS ： Totally 30 healthy adult Wistar male rats, with body mass of （200±20）g, were enrolled. Optical microscope （Olympus biological microscope BHS, Japan）, Electron microscope （H-600, Japan）,CM-2000 biomedical image analysis system （CM-2000,Beihang） and myoelectricity scanner （KEYPOINT, Denmark） were used in this experiment.METHODS ： This experiment was carried out in the Orthopaedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University between October 2000 and April 2002. ① Six rats were chosen as the donors for allogenic nerve grafting, and 15 mm sciatic nerve segment was chosen as graft. The other rats were randomly divided into two groups： allogenic nerve grafting group and autologous nerve grafting group, with 12 rats in each group. In the allogenic nerve grafting group, a skin incision was made on the posterior side of right thigh, and subcutaneous blunt dissection was performed prorsally a little, then allograft was implanted. Two weeks later, sciatic nerve was exposed at the posterior side of left thigh and cut respectively at 5 mm and another 10 mm away from pelvis. The donor nerve （with connective tissue veil） implanted subcutaneously on the right thigh was taken out. Sectioned connective tissue at the proximal end was trimmed and that at the distal end as done but reserved 10 mm in length, and inosculated antegradely at the nerve defect on the left side with 11/0 nylon line. Twelve rats in autologous nerve grafting group underwent a 10 mm sciatic nerve defect inci- sion on the right thigh and implant of fresh sciatic nerve from left thigh. The incision on the left thigh was repaired in situ. ②2,4,8 and 14 weeks after grafting, the nerve specimen of anastomosis segment was observed under optical microscope. Fourteen weeks after grafting, the ultrathin section of distal sciatic nerve was observed under transmission electron microscope. The number and size of regenerated axons at the cross section of anastomosis of proximal and distal sciatic nerve were analyzed with biomedical image analysis system. Neuroelectrophysiological change of in vivo sciatic nerve was detected with myoelectricity scanner.③ t test was used in the comparison of difference of measurement data.MAZN OUTCOME MEASURES ： ① Observation of anastomosis part of sciatic nerve under optical and electron microscopes in the two groups. ② Comparison of motor nerve conduction velocity, latent period and action potential peak as well as the number and size of cross-section of anastomosis part of proximal and distal sciatic nerve between two groups.RESULTS： ①Observation under optical microscope：Two weeks after grafting, neve axon of repaired region broke and medullary sheath denatured in the allogenic nerve grafting group and autologous nerve grafting group. At the same time, vascular engorgement and a little lymphocytes infiltration were found in the autologous nerve grafting group, but those were found worsened in the allogenic nerve grafting group. Four weeks after grafting, the intensity of the inflammatory reaction was similar between two groups, some collagen fibers at the proximal end proliferated; 8 weeks after grafting, the inflammatory reaction ended basically and the collagen fibers proliferated obviously in the two groups. ② Observation under electron microscope： Fourteen weeks after grafting, the structure of epineurium was in integrity and there were no obvious differences in perineurium and endonurium between two groups. A large number of myelinated nerve fibers and a few unmyelinated nerve fibers regenerated. The structure of myelin sheath was in integrity. ③The number and size of regenerated axons of anastomosis of proximal and distal sciatic nerve had no significant difference 14 weeks after grafting [（575.500±7.495） vs（585.700±11.172） axons/visual field ; （389.300±49.073） vs （407.600±0.283） axons/visual field;（6 423.830±119.911 ） vs （6 695.36± 84.287） μm^2/visual field = （ 5 980.110±74.572） vs（5 980.110±74.572） μm^2/visual field] （P 〉 0.05）. ④ Neuroelectrophysiological examination showed that there were no significant differences in motor nerve evoked potential latent pedod[（1.420±0.346）vs （1.237±0.250） ms] , motor nerve conduction velocity [（ 12.120±0.906 ） vs（13.020±0.599） m/s]and latent period of sciatic nerve [（0.500±0.380）vs （1.250±1.067） mV] of rats between two groups （P 〉 0.05）.CONCLUSTON： Although subcutaneous implant of peripheral nerve allograft has some inflammatory reactions, no obvious rejection is found. Repair results of two groups show that subcutaneous implant of allograft can promote nerve regeneration, which is similar to autologous nerve grafting.

CACA guidelines for ultrasound hyperthermia for oral and maxillofacial head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Most of the patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy are in the middle and advanced stages at diagnosis and the incidence rate is increasing in recent years.Chemotherapy alone is difficult to benefit the survival of patients with advanced oral and maxillofacial malignancy.Ultrasound hyperthermia is a new and effective treatment for malignant tumor,which is developing rapidly in addition to conventional treatment.However,at present,ultrasound hyperthermia has not been widely used in the treatment of oral and maxillofacial malignancy.Therefore,formation of a guideline on ultrasound hyperthermia for oral and maxillofacial malignancy is mandatory,in order to promote and standardize the clinical practice of ultrasound hyperthermia in this field,and improve the long-term survival rate and quality of life of patients.

Image formation of brain function in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis treated with moxibustion

OBJECTIVES:Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) technology was used to study changes to the resting state blood flow in the brains of patients with knee osteoarthritis(KOA) before and after treatment with moxibustion at the acupoint of the left Dubi(ST 35) and to probe the cerebral mechanism underlying the effect of moxibustion.METHODS:The resting state brain function of 30 patients with left KOA was scanned with fMRI before and after treatment with moxibustion.The analytic methods of fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation(fALFF) and regional homogeneity(ReHo) were used to observe changes in resting state brain function.RESULTS:The fALFF values of the right cerebrum,extra-nucleus,left cerebellum,left cerebrum and white matter of patients after moxibustion treatment were higher than before treatment,and the fALFF values of the precentral gyrus,frontal lobe and occipital lobe were lower than before treatment(P<0.05,K≥85).The ReHo values of the thalamus,extra-nucleus and parietal lobe of patients were much higher than those before moxibustion treatment,and the ReHo values of the right cerebrum,left cerebrum and frontal lobe were lower than before treatment(P<0.05,K≥85).CONCLUSION:The influence of moxibustion on obvious changes in brain regions basically conforms to the way that pain and warmth is transmitted in the body,and the activation of sensitive systems in the body may be objective evidence of channel transmission.The regulation of brain function by moxibustion is not in a single brain region but rather in a network of many brain regions.

The recommendations of Chinese Parkinson’s disease and movement disorder society consensus on therapeutic management of Parkinson’s disease

Background:Parkinson’s disease(PD)is a chronic,progressive and debilitating disease,which affects over 2.5 million people in China.PD is characterized clinically by resting tremor,muscular rigidity,bradykinesia and postural instability.As the disease progresses,additional complications can arise such as non-motor and neurobehavioral symptoms.Pharmacological treatment and surgical intervention for PD have been implemented in China.Until 10 years ago,there was lack of standardization for the management of PD in different regions and among different physicians,leading to different treatment levels in different regions and different physicians.Since then,the Chinese Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society have published three versions of guidelines for the management of PD in China,in 2006,2009 and 2014,respectively.Correspondingly,the overall level of treatment for PD in China improved.Objectives:To update the treatment guidelines based on current foreign and domestic practice guidelines and clinical evidence,and to improve the treatment options available to physicians in the management of PD.Summary:A variety of treatment recommendations in the treatment guidelines have been proposed,including physical activity and disease-modifying medication,which should be initiated at the early-stage of the disease.The principles of dosage titration should be followed to avoid acute adverse reactions to the drugs,to achieve a satisfactory clinical effect with a low dose and to reduce the incidence of long-term motor complications.Moreover,different treatment strategies should be considered at different stages of the disease.Importantly,treatment guidelines and personalized treatments should be valued equally.A set of treatment recommendations has been developed to assist physicians to improve and optimize clinical outcomes for patients with PD in China.