Clinical observations on acupuncture treatment of peripheral facial paralysis aided by infra-red thermography--a preliminary report

We have carried out clinical observations on 34 patients with peripheral facial paralysis treated by acupuncture therapy prescribed according to selection of treatment regimen on the basis of facial thermogram and temperature. A comparison was made with a control group of 97 patients who received conventional acupuncture therapy only. It was found that 1) The cure rate in the group of selecting acupoints by thermogram (hereinafter referred to as the thermography--aided treatment group) was 67.65%, with a marked improvement rate of 26.40%; while the cure rate of the conventional acupuncture treatment group (hereinafter called the conventional treatment group) was 46.39%, the marked improvement rate being 29.90%, indicating a significant difference in therapeutic efficacy between the two groups (P less than 0.02). 2) The average duration of acupuncture therapy for the thermography aided treatment group was 6.02 weeks, whereas that for the conventional treatment group, 24 weeks. There was also a significant difference between the two groups (P less than 0.01). And 3) During the entire therapeutic course, 25.2 sessions of treatment were given on the average in the thermography--aided treatment group, and 78.8 sessions in the conventional treatment group, showing a very significant difference (P less than 0.001). The present thermography--aided method exhibits advantages over the conventional one in enhancing the cure rate and shortening the duration of treatment, which is worthy to be popularized in clinical practice. And it is also of certain significance in standardization and scientification of acupuncture therapy.

Corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactivity (CRF-LI) in horizontal cells of the developing rat retina

This study describes a phenomenon of transient expression of corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactivity (CRF-LI) in immature horizontal cells of the developing rat retina. These cells could be distinguished from those destined to become CRF-LI amacrine cells in the adult by their location within the outer portion of the neuroblastic layer (NBL) and by their ontogenetic pattern. Upon initial detection on postnatal day 3 (PD-3), faint CRF-LI cellular profiles were found in the outer portion of the NBL, limited to the central region of the retina. Subsequently, on PD-5, these profiles began to appear in the periphery, forming a single horizontal row along the outermost aspect of the developing inner nuclear layer (INL), concomitant with the establishment of the outer plexiform layer (OPL). The results of our birth-dating study combining immunohistochemistry and [3H]-thymidine autoradiography indicated that these cells were generated between embryonic day 14 and 18. These findings are consistent with them being horizontal cells. Between PD-7 and PD-9, CRF-LI in horizontal cells began to diminish progressively following a center-to-periphery gradient such that only sporadic, faintly immunoreactive patches of cells could be seen by the time of eye opening (PD-15). Around PD-19, it declined to levels below immunohistochemical detection. However, when rats were reared in complete darkness beginning at birth until PD-21, the period of CRF-LI expression in horizontal cells was prolonged and persisted throughout the first three postnatal weeks of development.

Anticardiolipin antibodies: a study of frequency in TIA and stroke

We undertook a prospective study of consecutive patients to determine the frequency of elevated IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies in transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke and found elevated IgG antibodies in 8.2% (9 of 110) and IgM in 9.1% (10 of 110), only the former being significantly greater than in a healthy control population. We suggest that anticardiolipin screening be concentrated on the young.

Use of ascorbic acid to prevent the decline in eggshell quality observed with saline drinking water

Three experiments were carried out to determine the value of ascorbic acid in overcoming the poor eggshell quality problem associated with the use of saline drinking water. Laying hens were supplied with either town water or town water supplemented with NaCl, ascorbic acid, or a combination of NaCl and ascorbic acid. Supplementing the drinking water lf laying hens with NaCl (2 g/L) significantly increased the incidence of eggshell defects and significantly decreased eggshell quality. Simultaneous supplementation of the saline drinking water with ascorbic acid (1 g/L) prevented these detrimental effects. This response to ascorbic acid was dependent upon concentration. Ascorbic acid acted as a preventive rather than a remedial treatment: hens producing eggs with defective shells as a result of receiving saline drinking water failed to show any improvement in eggshell quality or any reduction in the incidence of eggshell defects when the saline water was supplemented with ascorbic acid.

Reproductive performance of artificially inseminated hens receiving saline drinking water

Laying hens were selected at random and placed in individual cages in a commercial type layer shed. One hundred hens received town water and one hundred received town water supplemented with 2 g NaCl/L. Half the hens on each water treatment were inseminated every 7 days with mixed semen collected from six cockerels of a commercial table egg strain maintained on town water. The remaining hens were inseminated with semen from six cockerels receiving town water supplemented with 2 g NaCl/L. Eggs were collected and stored at 12 C over a 7-day period before eggs with defective shells were identified and removed. All remaining eggs were incubated and candled at 7 and 18 days of incubation to detect infertile eggs and embryonic deaths. Data from six consecutive hatches were analyzed. The incidence of eggs with defective shells doubled in hens receiving the saline drinking water. These hens had a significantly (twofold) higher incidence of embryonic deaths and a significantly lower (13%) hatchability of fertile eggs. For every 100 eggs laid the numbers of settable eggs and chicks hatched were significantly reduced in hens receiving the saline drinking water. The saline water reduced the numbers hatched by 20% for every 100 eggs laid. The water treatment given to the cockerels had little effect on reproductive performance.

Descending adrenergic input to the primate spinal cord and its possible role in modulation of spinothalamic cells

The present study focuses on 3 different aspects of the descending adrenergic system in the primate: (1) the distribution of adrenergic fibers and terminals in the spinal cord, (2) the source of this input and (3) the possible physiological effects of this system on spinal nociceptive processing. Antibodies to the enzyme phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) were employed to map the distribution of epinephrine-containing axonal profiles in the primate spinal cord. Smooth longitudinally oriented fibers were localized to the outer edge of the lateral funiculus. PNMT-containing axonal enlargements were distributed to the superficial dorsal horn, intermediate gray matter and the region surrounding the central canal at all spinal cord levels. PNMT-immunostained profiles were also observed in the intermediolateral cell column. A double labeling study employing retrograde transport of HRP from the spinal cord and PNMT immunohistochemistry identified a small population of HRP-PNMT-labeled neurons in the 'C1' region at the levels of the medulla and ponto-medullary junction. Thus, these cells are a probable source of adrenergic input to the spinal cord. Electrophysiological studies demonstrated that iontophoresis of epinephrine onto identified primate spinothalamic tract neurons in the lumbar dorsal horn resulted in inhibition of the glutamate-induced firing of these cells. The data from these studies support the hypothesis that adrenergic (PNMT-containing) cells in the caudal brainstem project to all levels of the cord and may contribute to descending modulation of nociceptive processing at these levels.

Noradrenergic innervation of somatosensory thalamus and spinal cord

Monoamine systems have been shown to be an important part of an endogenous analgesic system of the central nervous system. Some aspects of the anatomical basis of monoamine modulation of nociceptive input were investigated in these studies. Two sites examined where monoamine systems are known to impinge on the pain transmission system included the grey matter of the somatosensory thalamus and the spinal cord. In particular, the connections of noradrenergic systems with these regions were emphasized. In the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus the presence of a sparse innervation by both noradrenergic and serotonergic fibers was confirmed by electron microscopy. Boutons containing markers for either serotonin or norepinephrine were observed contacting dendrites and somata in this region. The origins of these projections were determined, by retrograde transport studies, to be primarily in the locus coeruleus and the dorsal raphe. Also examined was noradrenergic innervation of the spinothalamic tract neurons which relay information related to pain from the spinal cord. Some catecholamine boutons were observed to contact spinothalamic neurons directly. These included spinothalamic tract neurons of the wide dynamic range and the high threshold category. The presence of noradrenergic elements in the somatosensory thalamus and, in particular, the direct connection with spinothalamic tract neurons at the level of the spinal cord clearly provides an anatomical substrate for influencing sensory mechanisms related to pain.

In vivo mechanisms of myocardial functional stability during physiological interventions

Metabolic regulatory mechanisms are designed to maintain stable myocardial function during extremes in physiological insult; they can now be studied in vivo and may provide insight into mechanisms of altered myocardial functional decompensation during disease processes. To determine mechanisms of myocardial stability during hypoxia and acute pressure loading, creatine kinase (CK) kinetics (forward rate constant, Kf, and flux of phosphocreatine, PCr, to adenosine triphosphate, ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) redox state were determined with 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and NADH fluorometry, respectively, and correlated with heart work (heart rate x systolic blood pressure, HR x SBP), cardiac output (CO) and O2 consumption (MVO2) in 15 anesthetized open chest dogs. Hypoxia (PaO2 of 30-35 mm Hg) was produced in 6 dogs with an inspired O2/N2 of 200/3,000. Cardiac loading was produced in 9 dogs by administration of norepinephrine (NE, 1 micrograms/kg/min). Each dog acted as its own control. Baseline NADH fluorometry, 31P-NMR saturation transfer and cardiac function measurements were performed simultaneously in each dog, after which the experimental interventions were made. Similar increases in HR x SBP, CO, and MVO2 which occurred during both interventions were associated with different bioenergetic responses. During NE infusion, the Kf of CK increased from control; during hypoxia, the Kf decreased from control (p less than 0.05). Flux of PCr----ATP was significantly lower during hypoxia than during NE infusion (p less than 0.05). PCr was decreased significantly during NE infusion (p less than 0.05). In addition, NADH redox state increased (from baseline of 100%) during hypoxia (140 +/- 10%) and decreased during NE infusion (78 +/- 6%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Simultaneous determination of brucine and strychnine in semen Strychni by dual wavelength spectrophotometry and studies on processing principles of semen Strychni]

The paper reports the experimental result of the simultaneous quantitative determination of strychnine (ST) and brucine(BR) in Semen Strychni by dual wavelength spectrophotometry. The result shows that there are some deviations in the official method, because the wavelength combination might not have been chosen rightly and the correct coefficient is inconsistent with the facts. We have made a study of the thermal stability of ST and BR, too. On this basis a baking principle for Semen strychni is spelt out.

Microtubule dynamics in living dividing plant cells: confocal imaging of microinjected fluorescent brain tubulin

Carboxyfluorescein-labeled brain tubulin has been microinjected into stamen hair cells of Tradescantia, and its distribution during mitosis and cytokinesis was examined using confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy. The results show that brain tubulin incorporates into plant microtubules and is utilized throughout mitosis and cytokinesis. Microtubule structures that incorporate brain tubulin include the preprophase band, the perinuclear sheath at late prophase, the kinetochore fibers during prometaphase, metaphase, and anaphase, the interzone spindle during anaphase, and finally the phragmoplast during late anaphase and telophase. All of these microtubule-containing structures and, notably, their transitions from one to another have been observed in single live cells progressing through mitosis and cytokinesis.

Regulation of mRNA expression of 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroid dehydrogenase in porcine granulosa cells in culture: a role for the protein kinase-C pathway

We studied the effect of the tumor-promoting phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which activates protein kinase-C, on porcine granulosa cells in culture. PMA as well as cholera toxin, forskolin, and hCG increased cAMP accumulation. PMA further augmented the elevation in cAMP accumulation induced by cholera toxin, forskolin, and hCG. In the same cell culture model, hCG induced a time-dependent increase in the 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroid dehydrogenase (3 beta HSD) mRNA levels with a maximal 3-fold stimulation obtained at 8-16 h of incubation with 1 IU hCG/ml. PMA inhibited the increase in 3 beta HSD mRNA levels induced by hCG in a dose-dependent manner. The phorbol ester also inhibited the increase in 3 beta HSD mRNA levels stimulated by LH as well as cholera toxin and forskolin and the cAMP analogs (Bu)2cAMP and 8-bromo-cAMP. Activation of protein kinase-C by mezerein similarly inhibited hCG stimulation of 3 beta HSD mRNA levels. The present data indicate that activation of the protein kinase-C pathway induces generation of cAMP, but causes a near-complete inhibition of the stimulatory effects of hCG, LH, forskolin, cholera toxin, and cAMP analogs on 3 beta HSD mRNA levels in porcine granulosa cells in culture.

Direct catecholaminergic innervation of primate spinothalamic tract neurons

Catecholaminergic axonal varicosities identified by immunocytochemical staining for dopamine-beta-hydroxylase were observed at the light microscopic level apposing the somata of retrogradely labeled spinothalamic tract neurons in the monkey spinal cord. Three retrogradely labeled and two intracellularly labeled spinothalamic neurons were serially sectioned and examined at selected intervals at the electron microscopic level. Electron microscopic study revealed that axonal boutons directly contacted the somata and/or dendrites of lamina I, IV, and V spinothalamic tract neurons. All of the profiles apposing one of the retrogradely labeled lamina I spinothalamic tract neurons were categorized from eight planes of section spaced at 1-micron intervals. Of the 305 profiles counted that were adjacent to this soma, 17 (5.6%) stained positively for dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. Of these 17 appositions, three were followed in serial sections to confirm that they had synaptic thickenings and alignment of vesicles along the membrane contacting the spinothalamic tract soma. Catecholaminergic boutons were observed apposing the somata and dendrites of intracellularly filled STT cells characterized as high threshold and wide dynamic range neurons. These observations clearly indicate a direct innervation of spinothalamic tract neurons by catecholaminergic neurons, providing anatomical data to support previous physiological findings demonstrating that catecholamines modulate nociceptive transmission.

Role of endothelin in the pathogenesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive and 2 kidneys 1 clip rats

The plasma endothelin (ET) level in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and 2K1C hypertension animal models and its vasoconstrictive effect on renal and tail arteries were studied. The results demonstrated that there was no difference in plasma ET level between the hypertensive groups SHR, 2K1C, normotensive control groups Wistar Kyot (WKY) and Sprague Dawley (SD), while the vasoconstrictive effect of ET in SHR was more dominant than in WKY. The EC50 of the renal and tail arteries in SHR (0.8912 +/- 0.1662 x 10(-8) M, 0.6103 +/- 0.0878 x 10(-8) M) was apparently lower than that in WKY (1.77 +/- 0.2991 x 10(-8) M, 1.2267 +/- 0.2502 x 10(-8) M, P less than 0.05), but no difference was found in 2K1C and SD rats. The four groups of animals exhibited no difference of such effects as response to norepine-phrine (NA). The findings suggested that the increased arteriole sensitivity to ET be an important factor in the pathogenesis of hypertension in SHR.

[Tumour necrotic factor (TNF) in the pathogenesis of liver necrosis in viral hepatitis and strategy for its prevention and treatment]

We determined serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBM) TNF activity in 8 healthy donors and 47 patients with hepatitis by using 3H-thymidine release method of Maennel et al. The serum TNF levels were significantly increased in chronic active hepatitis and subacute hepatic failure (13.8 +/- 6.3, and 19.4 +/- 3.9). Patients with serum bilirubin more than 10 mg/ml showed a higher serum TNF level than those with lower serum bilirubin. A significant elevation of TNF level was also observed in patients with positive endotoxemia or concurrent bacterial or viral infections. Experimental liver injury in Wistar rats induced by galactosamine (GLN) and LPS produced marked increase of serum TNF level and submassive liver necrosis. It is noteworthy that normal serum TNF and markedly ameliorated liver injury were observed in rats that received combined treatment with GLN, LPS and hepatopoietin (HPN), a low molecular peptide extracted from suckling porcine liver. In vitro, HPN also significantly suppressed TNF activity when it was co-incubated with PBM and LPS. An encouraging result was observed in preliminary clinical trial of HPN for the treatment of subacute liver failure. It suggests that Serum TNF appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of liver injury from viral hepatitis and HPN seems to be a protection in liver injury against TNF activity.

Effects of the heat-tonification method on the surface temperature of the body observed by infra-red thermography

With the infra-red thermography, 73 tests of the effect of Heat-Tonification maneuvers on body surface temperature were made. The experiments showed that application of Heat-Tonification produced marked elevation of temperature at the site of puncture, over the face and the front of the neck. The differences between pre- and post-needling temperatures were statistically significant (P less than 0.02 and P less than 0.01). Furthermore, 44.8% of the tests showed elevation of temperature over the trunk and extremities, and the distribution of temperature elevation followed the course of the meridians mostly. The findings demonstrated that the Heat-Tonification method mobilized Qi and activated Blood through influence over the vegetative nervous system that led to readjustment of blood circulation.

[A comparative study of the intelligence of younger children in Guizhou city, the countryside and areas of Miao]

This essay sums up the experience of China-wechsler young child scale of intelligence (C-WYCST) to test the intelligence of the normal younger children living in Guizhou city, the countryside (Han and Miao). Primarily, we make clear the general information concerning the mental development by testing 1057 aged from 3 and 10 months to 6 and 10 months among them. The essay also demonstrates the importance of cultivating the younger children intelligence, especially to further the cultivation of the countries and the minority nationalities younger children in our prorinee.