Cervical Interferential Current Transcutaneous Electrical Sensory Stimulation for Patients with Dysphagia and Dementia in Nursing Homes.

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the efficacy of interferential current transcutaneous electrical sensory stimulation (IFC-TESS) in patients with dementia who were being treated for dysphagia in nursing homes under normal living conditions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study recruited 54 nursing home residents (13 males, 41 females; mean age, 84.5 ± 10.7 years) with dysphagia and dementia. IFC-TESS was performed with Gentle Stim® (Careido Co. Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan) for 15 minutes. Two sessions per day were administered 5 days per week, for 3 weeks. The outcomes included the improvement of the patients' cough reflexes and nutritional states across the 3 weeks of intervention; the former was evaluated with the cough test based on the changes in cough latency time and cough frequency, while the latter was assessed based on changes in the functional oral intake scale (FOIS) score and oral calorie intake. RESULTS: The cough latency times before and after the 3-week intervention were 15.8 (7.0-60.0) and 6.7 (3.6-30.7) s/min, respectively; the cough frequencies were 5.0 (0.0-5.0) and 5.0 (5.0-5.0) t/min, respectively; the FOIS scores were 5.0 (5.0-6.0) and 5.0 (5.0-6.0), respectively; and oral calorie intakes were 1300.0 (862.5-1420.0) and 1300.0 (1005.0-1462.5) kcal/day, respectively. All parameters significantly improved across the intervention (p < 0.05). When the results were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, mini nutritional assessment results, Barthel index, and mini-mental state examination scores, IFC-TESS improved the cough reflex and oral calorie intake in older nursing home residents with dementia. CONCLUSION: Cervical IFC-TESS can improve the cough reflexes and nutritional states of patients with dysphagia and dementia in nursing homes. As it has previously been difficult to perform active rehabilitation with dementia patients, IFC-TESS may be effective and practicable for the rehabilitation of this patient population.

[Effects on female depression treated with the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effects and safety on female depression treated with the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy. METHODS: A total of 120 female patients with depression were randomized into an electroacupuncture (EA) group, an acupuncture group, a five-element music therapy group and a group of the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy (combined therapy group), 30 cases in each one. In the EA group, the electric stimulation of acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taichong (LR 3), with disperse-dense wave, 10 Hz/50 Hz, and 0.5 ms in wavelength. The needles were retained for 30 min. In the acupuncture group, the acupoints were same as the EA group, but without electric stimulation. In the five-element music therapy group, the music of Jiao tune was adopted in the treatment. In the combined therapy group, the acupuncture treatment and the five-element music therapy were same as the acupuncture group and the five-element music therapy group, in which the music therapy was followed after acupuncture treatment. The treatment was given once a day, at 2 days of interval after every 5 treatments in a week, totally for 8 weeks. The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) before and after treatment and the treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) after treatment were observed in each group. The clinical effects and safety were compared among the groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 86.7% (26/30) in the combined therapy group, better than 66.7% (20/30) in the EA group, 63.3% (19/30) in the acupuncture group and 53.3% (16/30) in the five-element music therapy group (P<0.01, P<0.05). After treatment, HAMD and HAMA scores were all reduced obviously in the patients of the 4 groups (all P<0.01), and the scores in the combined therapy group were lower than the other 3 groups (all P<0.01). The TESS score in the combined therapy group was lower than the other 3 groups (all P<0.01) and the score in the five-element music therapy group was lower than the EA group and the acupuncture group (both P<0.01). CONCLUSION: In the female patients, the combined treatment with acupuncture and the five-element music therapy obviously reduces the severity of depression and anxiety, as well as the adverse reactions. The effects are better than the simple application of EA, acupuncture or music therapy.

Effects on female depression treated with the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effects and safety on female depression treated with the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy.@*METHODS@#A total of 120 female patients with depression were randomized into an electroacupuncture (EA) group, an acupuncture group, a five-element music therapy group and a group of the combined therapy of acupuncture and the five-element music therapy (combined therapy group), 30 cases in each one. In the EA group, the electric stimulation of acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taichong (LR 3), with disperse-dense wave, 10 Hz/50 Hz, and 0.5 ms in wavelength. The needles were retained for 30 min. In the acupuncture group, the acupoints were same as the EA group, but without electric stimulation. In the five-element music therapy group, the music of tune was adopted in the treatment. In the combined therapy group, the acupuncture treatment and the five-element music therapy were same as the acupuncture group and the five-element music therapy group, in which the music therapy was followed after acupuncture treatment. The treatment was given once a day, at 2 days of interval after every 5 treatments in a week, totally for 8 weeks. The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) before and after treatment and the treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) after treatment were observed in each group. The clinical effects and safety were compared among the groups.@*RESULTS@#The total effective rate was 86.7% (26/30) in the combined therapy group, better than 66.7% (20/30) in the EA group, 63.3% (19/30) in the acupuncture group and 53.3% (16/30) in the five-element music therapy group (<0.01, <0.05). After treatment, HAMD and HAMA scores were all reduced obviously in the patients of the 4 groups (all <0.01), and the scores in the combined therapy group were lower than the other 3 groups (all <0.01). The TESS score in the combined therapy group was lower than the other 3 groups (all <0.01) and the score in the five-element music therapy group was lower than the EA group and the acupuncture group (both <0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#In the female patients, the combined treatment with acupuncture and the five-element music therapy obviously reduces the severity of depression and anxiety, as well as the adverse reactions. The effects are better than the simple application of EA, acupuncture or music therapy.

Novel polymorphisms in UTR and coding region of inducible heat shock protein 70.1 gene in tropically adapted Indian zebu cattle (Bos indicus) and riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Due to evolutionary divergence, cattle (taurine, and indicine) and buffalo are speculated to have different responses to heat stress condition. Variation in candidate genes associated with a heat-shock response may provide an insight into the dissimilarity and suggest targets for intervention. The present work was undertaken to characterize one of the inducible heat shock protein genes promoter and coding regions in diverse breeds of Indian zebu cattle and buffaloes. The genomic DNA from a panel of 117 unrelated animals representing 14 diversified native cattle breeds and 6 buffalo breeds were utilized to determine the complete sequence and gene diversity of HSP70.1 gene. The coding region of HSP70.1 gene in Indian zebu cattle, Bos taurus and buffalo was similar in length (1,926 bp) encoding a HSP70 protein of 641 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight (Mw) of 70.26 kDa. However buffalo had a longer 5' and 3' untranslated region (UTR) of 204 and 293 nucleotides respectively, in comparison to Indian zebu cattle and Bos taurus wherein length of 5' and 3'-UTR was 172 and 286 nucleotides, respectively. The increased length of buffalo HSP70.1 gene compared to indicine and taurine gene was due to two insertions each in 5' and 3'-UTR. Comparative sequence analysis of cattle (taurine and indicine) and buffalo HSP70.1 gene revealed a total of 54 gene variations (50 SNPs and 4 INDELs) among the three species in the HSP70.1 gene. The minor allele frequencies of these nucleotide variations varied from 0.03 to 0.5 with an average of 0.26. Among the 14 B. indicus cattle breeds studied, a total of 19 polymorphic sites were identified: 4 in the 5'-UTR and 15 in the coding region (of these 2 were non-synonymous). Analysis among buffalo breeds revealed 15 SNPs throughout the gene: 6 at the 5' flanking region and 9 in the coding region. In bubaline 5'-UTR, 2 additional putative transcription factor binding sites (Elk-1 and C-Re1) were identified, other than three common sites (CP2, HSE and Pax-4) observed across all the analyzed animals. No polymorphism was found within the 3'-UTR of Indian cattle or buffalo as it was found to be monomorphic. The promoter sequences generated in 117 individuals showed a rich array of sequence elements known to be involved in transcription regulation. A total of 11 nucleotide changes were observed in the promoter sequence across the analyzed species, 3 of these changes were located within the potential transcription factor binding domains. We also identified 4 microsatellite markers within the buffalo HSP70.1 gene and 3 microsatellites within bovine HSP70.1. The present study identified several distinct changes across indicine, taurine and bubaline HSP70.1 genes that could further be evaluated as molecular markers for thermotolerance.

Observation on the Therapeutic Effect of Electroacupuncture Combined with Small Dose of Clozapine in Clinical Treatment of Refractory Schizophrenia / 针刺研究

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) in combination with small dose of clozapine on clinical symptoms of refractory schizophrenia patients so as to evaluate its validity and security.Methods Eighty schizophrenia patients were randomized into medication group and EA+medication group(n=40/group).Patients of medication group were treated with conventional oral administration of clozapine(50-100 mg/d to 200-500 mg/d,for 8 weeks) and those of EA+ medication group treated by EA of Baihui(GV 20) and bilateral Taiyang(EX-HN 5) and oral administration of clozapine(50 mg/d to 100-150 mg/d).EA was given to the patients,3 times a week for 8 weeks.Scores of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale(PANSS) and the Untoward Effect Symptom Scale(TESS) were used to assess the therapeutic effect.Results Following treatment,PANSS scores for positive symptoms and the common psychiatric symptoms of the medication and EA+medication groups all decreased evidently from the 2rd week on(P0.05).But TESS score of EA+medication group was evidently lower than that of medication group(P

Acupuncture Treatment for Refractory Auditory Hallucination in Schizophrenia Patients——A Report of 50 Cases / 中医杂志

Objective To observe the effect and safety of acupuncture treatment on refractory auditory hallucination in schizophrenia patients. Methods The 100 patients clinically diagnosed as refractory auditory hallucination of schizophrenia were randomized into test group and control group with 50 in each. The control group was treated with risperidone alone while the test group was treated with acupuncture on the basis of TCM syndrome differentiation in addition to risperidone. One month was one course,totally 3 courses of treatment was given. The clinical effect of both groups was observed. The effect in different courses of disease and the effect in different syndromes of the test group were compared respectively. Before and after treatment the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS),specific auditory hallucination scale(SAHS),and treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) were adopted to score the patients of both groups. Results In the test group,there were 3 cases lost,the total effective rate was 72.34%; while in the control group,there was 1 case lost,the total effective rate was 38.78%,the difference being significant (P 0.05). The difference in BPRS and SHRS scores at the same period of time after 2nd and 3rd courses of treatment of the two groups was significant (P