[Effect of scalp acupuncture on cognitive function and self-care ability of daily life in patients with traumatic brain injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of scalp acupuncture on cognitive dysfunction of traumatic brain injury. METHODS: Seventy patients with cognitive dysfunction of traumatic brain injury were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 35 cases in each group. After treatment, 5 cases dropped off in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with cognitive training; the patients in the observation group were treated with cognitive training and scalp acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Zhisanzhen and Niesanzhen, and the needles were retained for 6 h. The two groups were treated once a day, 6 times a week; one-month treatment was taken as one course, and 3 continuous courses were given. The scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), activity of daily living (ADL) and functional independence measure (FIM) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the MMSE and MoCA scores in the observation group, and ADL and FIM scores in the two groups were significantly increased after treatment (P<0.05), and the improvement of each index in the observation group was more significant than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Scalp acupuncture could improve cognitive function and self-care ability of daily life in patients with traumatic brain injury.

Transcriptional profile of the Shigella flexneri response to an alkaloid: berberine.

Berberine, a natural isoquinoline alkaloid found in many medicinal herbs, has been shown to be active against a variety of microbial infections. To examine the potential effects of berberine on Shigella flexneri, a whole-genome DNA microarray was constructed and a transcriptome analysis of the cellular responses of S. flexneri when exposed to berberine chloride (BC) was performed. Our data revealed that BC upregulated a group of genes involved in DNA replication, repair and division. Intriguingly, the expression of many genes related to cell envelope biogenesis was increased. In addition, many genes involved in cell secretion, nucleotide metabolism, translation, fatty acid metabolism and the virulence system were also induced by the drug. However, more genes from the functional classes of carbohydrate metabolism, energy production and conversion as well as amino acid metabolism were significantly repressed than were induced. These results provide a comprehensive view of the changes in gene expression when S. flexneri was exposed to BC, and shed light on its complicated effects on this pathogen.