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05 November 2013, Volume 8 Issue 31 Previous Issue    Next Issue

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Normobaric oxygen for cerebral ischemic injury Chunhua Chen, Haimeng Cui, Zihe Li, Ruifeng Wang, Changman Zhou 2013, 8 (31):  2885-2894.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.001 Abstract ( 278 )   PDF (454KB) ( 1235 )   Save Oxygen inhalation has been shown to increase oxygen supply to tissues after cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion injury, protecting injured neural cells. However, hyperbaric oxygen may aggravate oxi-dative stress. By contrast, normobaric oxygen has the rapid and non-invasive characteristics and may have therapeutic effects on ischemic/hypoxic disease. Rats inhaled normobaric oxygen (95% O2) for 6 consecutive days, and then a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia was established. Nissl and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining revealed that normobaric oxygen pretreat-ment improved neurological deficits and reduced infarct volume. Immunohistochemical staining and western blot assay revealed that the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, Notch-1, vascular endothelial growth factor and erythropoietin were increased. Behavioral studies also verified that neurological deficit scores increased. The hypoxia-inducible factor inhibitor 2-methoxyestradiol treatment at 1 hour before administration of normobaric oxygen could suppress the protective effect of normobaric oxygen. Given these observations, normobaric oxygen pretreatment may alleviate cerebral ischemic injury via the hypoxia-inducible factor signal pathway. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Hypoxic preconditioning stimulates angiogenesis in ischemic penumbra after acute cerebral infarction Sijie Li, Yanbo Zhang, Guo Shao, Mingfeng Yang, Jingzhong Niu, Guowei Lv, Xunming Ji 2013, 8 (31):  2895-2903.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.002 Abstract ( 266 )   PDF (219KB) ( 1580 )   Save Previous studies have demonstrated the protective effect of hypoxic preconditioning on acute cer-ebral infarction, but the mechanisms underlying this protection remain unclear. To investigate the protective mechanisms of hypoxic preconditioning in relation to its effects on angiogenesis, we in-duced a photochemical model of cerebral infarction in an inbred line of mice (BALB/c). Mice were then exposed to hypoxic preconditioning 30 minutes prior to model establishment. Results showed significantly increased vascular endothelial growth factor and CD31 expression in the ischemic penumbra at 24 and 72 hours post infarction, mainly in neurons and vascular endothelial cells. Hy-Hypoxic preconditioning increased vascular endothelial growth factor and CD31 expression in the ischemic penumbra and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor was positively related to that of CD31. Moreover, hypoxic preconditioning reduced the infarct volume and improved neu-rological function in mice. These findings indicate that the protective role of hypoxic preconditioning in acute cerebral infarction may possibly be due to an increase in expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and CD31 in the ischemic penumbra, which promoted angiogenesis. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Hypoxic preconditioning stimulates angiogenesis in ischemic penumbra after acute cerebral infarction Xiao Bao, Yurong Mao, Qiang Lin, Yunhai Qiu, Shaozhen Chen, Le Li, Ryan S. Cates, Shufeng Zhou, Dongfeng Huang 2013, 8 (31):  2904-2913.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.003 Abstract ( 200 )   PDF (540KB) ( 4289 )   Save null References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Contralateral needling at unblocked collaterals for hemiplegia following acute ischemic stroke Huanmin Gao, Xugang Li, Xia Gao, Benxu Ma 2013, 8 (31):  2914-2922.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.004 Abstract ( 224 )   PDF (182KB) ( 1550 )   Save Hemiplegia caused by stroke indicates dysfunction of the network between the brain and limbs, namely collateral shock in the brain. Contralateral needling is the insertion of needles into acupoints on the relative healthy side of the body to treat diseases such as apoplexy. However, there is little well-designed and controlled clinical evidence for this practice. This study investigated whether contralateral needling could treat hemiplegia after acute ischemic stroke in 106 randomly selected patients with acute ischemic stroke. These patients were randomly assigned to three groups: 45 in the contralateral needling group, receiving acupuncture on the unaffected limbs; 45 in the conven-tional acupuncture group, receiving acupuncture on the hemiplegic limbs; and 16 in the control group, receiving routine treatments without acupuncture. Acupuncture at acupoints Chize (LU5) in the upper limb and Jianliao (TE14) in the lower limb was performed for 45 minutes daily for 30 consecutive days. The therapeutic effective rate, Neurological Deficit Score, Modified Barthel Index and Fugl-Meyer Assessment were evaluated. The therapeutic effective rate of contralateral nee-dling was higher than that of conventional acupuncture (46.67% vs. 31.11%, P < 0.05). The neuro-logical deficit score of contralateral needling was significantly decreased compared with conven-tional acupuncture (P < 0.01). The Modified Barthel Index and Fugl-Meyer Assessment score of contralateral needling increased more significantly than those of conventional acupuncture (both P < 0.01). The present findings suggest that contralateral needling unblocks collaterals and might be more effective than conventional acupuncture in the treatment of hemiplegia following acute is-chemic stroke. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Synergistic effects of elevated homocysteine level and abnormal blood lipids on the onset of stroke Lu Hao, Liming Chen, Xiaoyong Sai, Zhefeng Liu, Guang Yang, Rongzeng Yan, Lili Wang, Caiyun Fu, Xuan Xu, Zhenzhen Cheng, Qiang Wu, Shuzhang Li 2013, 8 (31):  2923-2931.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.005 Abstract ( 226 )   PDF (184KB) ( 1223 )   Save Hyperhomocysteinemia and abnormal blood lipids are independent risk factors for stroke. However, whether both factors exert a synergistic effect in the onset of stroke remains unclear. The present study is a retrospective analysis of 2 089 cases of stroke and 2 089 control cases of simple inter-vertebral disk protrusion using a paired multivariate logistic regression method. Adjusting for known confounding variables including the patients’ age, gender, smoking status, alcohol consumption status, patient and family medical history, and clinical biochemical indices, elevated homocysteine level was related to the onset of stroke. Patients with elevated homocysteine levels and abnormal blood lipids showed a 40.9 % increase in the risk for stroke compared to patients with normal homocysteine levels and blood lipids (odds ratio 1.409; 95% confidence interval 1.127–1.761). These results indicate that elevated homocysteine and abnormal blood lipids exert synergistic ef-fects in the onset of stroke. Patients with elevated homocysteine levels and abnormal blood lipids are predisposed to stroke. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Acute high-altitude hypoxic brain injury: identification of ten differential proteins Jianyu Li, Yuting Qi, Hui Liu, Ying Cui, Li Zhang, Haiying Gong, Yaxiao Li, Lingzhi Li, Yongliang Zhang 2013, 8 (31):  2932-2941.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.006 Abstract ( 339 )   PDF (690KB) ( 1586 )   Save null References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Apparent diffusion coefficient evaluation for secondary changes in the cerebellum of rats after middle cerebral artery occlusion Yunjun Yang, Lingyun Gao, Jun Fu, Jun Zhang, Yuxin Li, Bo Yin, Weijian Chen, Daoying Geng 2013, 8 (31):  2942-2950.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.007 Abstract ( 178 )   PDF (468KB) ( 1319 )   Save Supratentorial cerebral infarction can cause functional inhibition of remote regions such as the cerebellum, which may be relevant to diaschisis. This phenomenon is often analyzed using positron emission tomography and single photon emission CT. However, these methods are expensive and radioactive. Thus, the present study quantified the changes of infarction core and remote regions after unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion using apparent diffusion coefficient values. Diffu-sion-weighted imaging showed that the area of infarction core gradually increased to involve the cerebral cortex with increasing infarction time. Diffusion weighted imaging signals were initially in-creased and then stabilized by 24 hours. With increasing infarction time, the apparent diffusion co-efficient value in the infarction core and remote bilateral cerebellum both gradually decreased, and then slightly increased 3–24 hours after infarction. Apparent diffusion coefficient values at remote regions (cerebellum) varied along with the change of supratentorial infarction core, suggesting that the phenomenon of diaschisis existed at the remote regions. Thus, apparent diffusion coefficient values and diffusion weighted imaging can be used to detect early diaschisis. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Characteristics of diffusion-tensor imaging for healthy adult rhesus monkey brains Xinxiang Zhao, Jun Pu, Yaodong Fan, Xiaoqun Niu, Danping Yu, Yanglin Zhang 2013, 8 (31):  2951-2961.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.008 Abstract ( 298 )   PDF (259KB) ( 1442 )   Save Diffusion-tensor imaging can be used to observe the microstructure of brain tissue. Fractional ani-sotropy reflects the integrity of white matter fibers. Fractional anisotropy of a young adult brain is low in gray matter, high in white matter, and highest in the splenium of the corpus callosum. Thus, we selected the anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule, head of the caudate nucleus, semioval center, thalamus, and corpus callosum (splenium and genu) as regions of interest when using diffusion-tensor imaging to observe fractional anisotropy of major white matter fiber tracts and the deep gray matter of healthy rhesus monkeys aged 4–8 years. Results showed no laterality dif-ferences in fractional anisotropy values. Fractional anisotropy values were low in the head of cau-date nucleus and thalamus in gray matter. Fractional anisotropy values were highest in the splenium of corpus callosum in the white matter, followed by genu of the corpus callosum and the posterior limb of the internal capsule. Fractional anisotropy values were lowest in the semioval center and posterior limb of internal capsule. These results suggest that fractional anisotropy values in major white matter fibers and the deep gray matter of 4–8-year-old rhesus monkeys are similar to those of healthy young people. Related Articles | Metrics

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Antidepressants for bipolar disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, controlled trials Yingli Zhang, Huan Yang, Shichang Yang, Wei Liang, Ping Dai, Changhong Wang, Yalin Zhang 2013, 8 (31):  2962-2974.  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.31.009 Abstract ( 246 )   PDF (274KB) ( 1621 )   Save null References | Related Articles | Metrics