Effect of acupuncture on pain-emotion related brain regions in patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type: a fMRI study / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of functional connectivity of brain pain-emotion regulation region in patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).@*METHODS@#Thirty-two subjects were selected. Of them, 16 patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type were divided into an observation group and 16 healthy subjects into a control group. The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Tianzhu (BL 10), Jingbailao (EX-HN 15), Jianzhongshu (SI 15) and @*RESULTS@#In the observation group, the VAS score was (1.94±1.12) after the treatment, which was lower than (5.62±1.20) before treatment (@*CONCLUSION@#Pain involves the formation and expression of "pain-emotion-cognition". Acupuncture can systematically regulate the brain functional connections between cognitive regions such as dorsal prefrontal lobe and anterior cingulate gyrus and emotional regions such as insula and VTA in patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type, suggesting that acupuncture has a multi-dimensional and comprehensive regulation effect on pain.

Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α is associated with lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the association between hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression and lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).@*METHODS@#Tumor specimens from 125 patients with histologically-proven, surgically-treated OSCC were examined by immunohistochemical staining for expression of HIF-1α. The patients were divided into two groups by the expression of HIF-1α, high expression of HIF -1α group (H-group) and low expression of HIF-1α group (L-group). The main assessment parameters were lymph node metastasis rate and disease-specific survival (DSS). The lymph node metastasis rate and clinicopathologic features were compared using Mann-Whitney test. The Kaplan-Meier curve was generated for each group and compared using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard models were utilized for multivariate analyses of HIF-1α expression and other baseline factors with DSS. All calculations and analyses were performed using the SPSS 17.0 software package.@*RESULTS@#The protein expression levels of HIF-1α were up-regulated in OSCC and two patients were unable to evaluate. There were 48 patients in L-group and 75 patients in H-group. Lymph node metastasis rate was 37.5% (18/48) for L-group and 58.7% (44/75) for H-group (P=0.027). Expression of HIF-1α was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. The patients of L-group had a significantly better DSS than the patients of H-group (70.8% vs. 46.7%, P=0.005), while the patients of L-group had a significantly better disease-free survival (DFS) than the patients of H-group (60.4% vs. 36.0%, P=0.009) by Kaplan-Meier method. A multivariate survival analysis also showed that HIF-1α expression (HR=2.164, 95%CI: 1.150-4.074, P=0.017) and T-stage (HR=1.387, 95%CI: 1.066-1.804, P=0.015) both were the independent factors associated with prognosis.@*CONCLUSION@#HIF-1α expression is significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis in OSCC. HIF-1α expression is an independent predictive factor for prognosis of OSCC patients, and may serve as a potential biomarker for molecular diagnosis and targeted therapy in future.

Evaluation of Glycosaminoglycan in the Lumbar Disc Using Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer MR at 3.0 Tesla: Reproducibility and Correlation with Disc Degeneration / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study aims to explore the clinical applicability and relevance of glycosaminoglycan Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (gagCEST) for intervertebral disc.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>25 subjects ranging in age from 24 yrs to 74 yrs were enrolled. gagCEST was acquired using a single-slice TSE sequence on a 3T. Saturation used a continuous rectangular RF pulse with B1=0.8 µT and a fixed duration time=1100 ms. Sagittal image was obtained firstly without saturation pulse, and then saturated images were acquired at 52 offsets ranging from ±0.125 to ±7 parts per million (ppm). MR T2 relaxivity map was acquired at the identical location. Six subjects were scanned twice to assess scan-rescan reproducibility.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>GagCEST intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of six subjects was 0.759 for nucleus pulposus (NP) and 0.508 for annulus fibrosus (AF). Bland-Altman plots showed NP had a mean difference of 0.10% (95% limits of agreement: -3.02% to 3.22%); while that of AF was 0.34% (95% limits of agreement: -2.28% to 2.95%). For the 25 subjects, gag CEST in NP decreased as disc degeneration increased, with a similar trend to T2 relaxivity. Gag CEST of AF showed a better correlation with disc degeneration than T2 relaxivity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GagCEST in NP and AF decreased as disc degeneration increased, while gagCEST in AF showed a better correlation than T2 relaxivity.</p>

Characteristics of rat lumbar vertebral body bone mineral density and differential segmental responses to sex hormone deficiency: a clinical multidetector computed tomography study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate sex hormone deficiency related osteoporosis and efficacy of different therapies.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Orchiectomized and ovariectomized rat models are used to investigate sex hormone deficiency related osteoporosis and efficacy of different therapies. A rat vertebral body can be longitudinally divided into central portion, which contain more trabecular bone, and para-endplate portions which contain more compact bone. In matured male and female Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rat lumbar spines, we investigated baseline bone mineral density (BMD) characteristics and the differential segmental responses in bone loss within the lumbar vertebral body post gonadal surgery with clinical multidetector computed tomography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Para-endplate sections had a higher BMD than central sections. The cephalad para-endplate sections had a higher BMD than the caudad para-endplate sections. Eight weeks after gonadal removal, there was more bone loss in central sections than para-endplate sections. The relative difference of bone loss between para-endplate and central sections was more apparent in male rats than in female rats. There was more bone loss in caudad sections than cephalad sections; this lead to a further increase of BMD difference between caudad para-endplate sections and cephalad para-endplate sections post gonadal surgery.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The approach described in this study provided a consistent way to study BMD change within predominantly compact bone portion and trabecular bone portion of the vertebral body.</p>

A preliminary study of murine hemangioma model by delivery of recombinant adeno-associated virus mediated human vascular endothelial growth factor-121 gene / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the feasibility of establishing a murine hemangioma model with injection of recombinant adeo-associated virus mediated human vascular endothelial growth factor-121 (rAAV-hVEGF(121)) gene.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>rAAV-hVEGF(121) was constructed, identified and then implanted to the left back ear of each mouse (1.0 x 10(11)VG in 50 microl per mouse and 10 nude mice received the injection), the rights served as controls with an injection of the same volume of phosphate buffered solution (PBS). The skin color and swelling of left back ear were observed every other day. Histological examination was carried out after mice were sacrificed 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 weeks after injection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rAAV-hVEGF(121) was correctly constructed and confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis, polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing analysis. The skin of left back ear became red 2 weeks after injection and gradually exhibited a red lump which was at its utmost 12 weeks after injection. Such phenomena were not observed in right back ear. Histological examinations showed aggregates of endothelial cells by 2 weeks and at 8 weeks the swollen tissue contained many cysts filled with a mass of red cells. CD-34 staining suggested most of the newly-formed cells were endothelial cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A hemangioma model was established in mice with injection of recombinant rAAV-hVEGF(121) gene.</p>

Bone formation in vitro and in vivo by human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To culture and study the osteogenic characteristics of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>hBMMSCs were separated and cultured from human iliac crest marrow. Growth kinetics of hBMMSCs was studied by growth curve. Under the osteoinductive culture, osteogenic differentiation of hBMMSCs was tested by alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Osteogenic functions of hBMMSCs in vitro and in vivo were also respectively detected by von Kossa stain and by transplanting hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate ceramics (HA/TCP) with hBMMSCs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>hBMMSCs were cultured successfully. The growth curve of the second passage of BMMSCs indicated that the time of population doublings was about 3.5 days. The results of ALP stain were evident by the significant increase in ALP activity after hBMMSCs cultured in osteoinductive medium. Some mineralized nodules were detected by von Kossa stain at nineteenth day of osteoinductive culture. In vivo assay, histological evalution showed bone formation in 3 months after grafts of HA/TCP with hBMMSCs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Osteoinductive solution can induce hBMMSCs to differentiate osteogenetic cell lines. Mineralized nodules and bone formation were found in vitro and in vivo assay. The results demonstrate that hBMMSCs have the potential for osteogenesis.</p>