Clinical observation on the inflammatory indexes in septic gastrointestinal dysfunction treated with acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effect on the inflammatory indexes of septic gastrointestinal dysfunction treated with acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2).@*METHODS@#A total of 118 patients of septic gastrointestinal dysfunction were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 59 cases in each one. In the control group, mosapride citrate was prescribed for oral administration, 5 mg each time, 3 times a day, bifidobacterium triple viable capsules, 420 mg each time, twice a day, intravenous drip with omeprazole, 40 mg, twice a day. Additionally, the antibiotics and the symptomatic treatment were selected rationally for maintaining the functions of the important organs, e.g. heart, lung, brain and kidney, and water-electrolyte balance. In the observation group, on the routine management as the control group, acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2, T-T) was added, the needles were retained for 30 min in each treatment, once a day, 10 days as one course and 1 course was required. Separately, on the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th days of treatment, the white blood cell (WBC) count, the levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were observed, the enteral nutrition feeding dose and gastrointestinal dysfunction score before and after treatment as well as the clinical effect were assessed in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#The differences were not significant in the indexes mentioned above on 1st and 3rd days of treatment between the two groups (>0.05). On the 6th and 10th days of treatment, regarding the gastrointestinal dysfunction score and inflammatory indexes count, the results in the observation group were lower than the control group (all <0.05), and feeding dose in the observation group was higher than the control group (<0.05). After treatment, the gastrointestinal dysfunction scores and inflammatory indexes count were all reduced and feeding dose was increased as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (all <0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate was 91.5% (54/59) in the observation group, higher than 76.3% (45/59) in the control group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points achieves the satisfactory effect on septic gastrointestinal dysfunction and reduces the inflammatory indexes count.

Genotype Analysis of Patients with Thalassemia in Sanya Area of Hainan Province in China / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the frequency and spectrum of thalassemia gene mutations of the population in Sanya area of Hainan province in China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The type and frequency of gene mutation in 1060 patients with suspected thalassemia were analyzed by Gap-PCR and reverse dot blot (RDB).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The detection on mutation of thalassemia gene were found in 539 suspected thalassemia patients, the total detected rate was 50.85% (539/1060), out of them 330 (31.13%) were diagnosed with α-thalassemia, 162 (15.28%) with β-thalassemia, and 47 (4.43%) as carriers of both α and β-thalassemia. In α-thalassemia patients, genotype were as follows in proper order--SEA/αα (9.25%)、-α /αα (5.94%)，HbH (5.56%)，-α /αα (5.00%)，-α /-α (2.36%)，-α /-α (1.70%), and -α/-α(1.32%). In β-thalassemia patients, there were 9 gene mutations: CD41-42 (9.8%), CD17 (1.32%), 654 (1.23%), CD71-72 (1.23%), IVS-II-654 (1.04%), -28 (0.37%), CD43 (0.19%), -29 (0.18%) and βE (0.09%). In the α and β composite thalassemia there were 12 genotypes. The -α/αα was the most common genotype co-existed with β-thalassemia (1.70%), followed by the -α /αα genotype (0.94%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The data of this study provide the frequency and the spectrum of thalassemia gene mutations in the sanya area of Hainan province, which can contribute to set up the strategies for the prevention and control of thalassemia in this area.</p>

Long-term Levodopa Treatment Accelerates the Circadian Rhythm Dysfunction in a 6-hydroxydopamine Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with long-term levodopa (L-DOPA) treatment are suffering from severe circadian dysfunction. However, it is hard to distinguish that the circadian disturbance in patients is due to the disease progression itself, or is affected by L-DOPA replacement therapy. This study was to investigate the role of L-DOPA on the circadian dysfunction in a rat model of PD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rat model of PD was constructed by a bilateral striatal injection with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), followed by administration of saline or 25 mg/kg L-DOPA for 21 consecutive days. Rotarod test, footprint test, and open-field test were carried out to evaluate the motor function. Striatum, suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), liver, and plasma were collected at 6:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 24:00. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the expression of clock genes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the secretion level of cortisol and melatonin. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure the neurotransmitters. Analysis of variance was used for data analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>L-DOPA alleviated the motor deficits induced by 6-OHDA lesions in the footprint and open-field test ( P < 0.01, P < 0.001, respectively). After L-DOPA treatment, Bmal1 decreased in the SCN compared with 6-OHDA group at 12:00 ( P < 0.01) and 24:00 ( P < 0.001). In the striatum, the expression of Bmal1, Rorα was lower than that in the 6-OHDA group at 18:00 (P < 0.05) and L-DOPA seemed to delay the peak of Per2 to 24:00. In liver, L-DOPA did not affect the rhythmicity and expression of these clock genes (P > 0.05). In addition, the cortisol secretion was increased (P > 0.05), but melatonin was further inhibited after L-DOPA treatment at 6:00 (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In the circadian system of advanced PD rat models, circadian dysfunction is not only contributed by the degeneration of the disease itself but also long-term L-DOPA therapy may further aggravate it.</p>

Role of TWIST in the apoptosis of Hep-2 cells induced by paclitaxel / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between the expression of transcription factor TWIST and apoptosis of Hep-2 cells induced by paclitaxel.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Morphological changes of Hep-2 cells were observed by reserved microscopy and acridine orange cytochemistry staining. Viability of Hep-2 cells treated with various concentrations of paclitaxel was detected by MTT assay. Apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. The expressions of transcription factor TWIST at both mRNA and protein level in response to paclitaxel at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h were then examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Typical morphological changes of apoptotic cells, i.e., cellular rounding-up, cytoplasmic contraction, chromatin condensation and, particularly, apoptotic body, the main morphological characteristic of apoptosis, were observed by reserved microscopy and acridine orange cytochemistry staining. The cell surviving rates significantly decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner as evidenced by MTT assay (P < 0.05). Percent of apoptosis after 24 h, 48 h or 72 h paclitaxel-treatment was (22.6 +/- 5.3)%, (38.7 +/- 7.9)% and (52.4 +/- 14.3)%, respectively, whereas the percent of control was (9.85 +/- 5.83)%. There existed a statistically significant difference between treatment and control (F = 12.621, P < 0.05). The expression of TWIST at both mRNA and protein levels for 24 h, 48 h or 72 h in the paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of Hep-2 cells were decreased by 16.7%, 46.8%, 76.9% (F = 10.407, P < 0.05) and 16.4%, 33.6%, 69.6% (F = 18.013, P < 0.05) respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>TWIST, which is significantly decreased in expression in response to paclitaxel in Hep-2 cells, may play a pivotal role in paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of Hep-2 cells.</p>

Emodin induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cell LNCaP / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To elucidate effects and mechanisms of emodin in prostate cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Viability of emodin-treated LNCaP cells and PC-3 cells was measured by MTT assay. Following emodin treatments, DNA fragmentation was assayed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Apoptosis rate and the expression of Fas and FasL were assayed by flow cytometric analysis. The mRNA expression levels of androgen receptor (AR), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), p53, p21, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, -8, -9 and Fas were detected by RT-PCR, and the protein expression levels of AR, p53 and p21 were detected by Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In contrast to PC-3, emodin caused a marked increase in apoptosis and a decrease in cell proliferation in LNCaP cells. The expression of AR and PSA was decreased and the expression of p53 and p21 was increased as the emodin concentrations were increased. In the same time, emodin induced apoptosis of LNCaP cells through the upregulation of caspase-3 and -9, as well as the increase of Bax /Bcl-2 ratio. However, it did not involve modulation of Fas or caspase-8 protein expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP, emodin inhibites the proliferation by AR and p53-p21 pathways, and induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway.</p>

Establishment of Rat Models with Alzheimer's Disease Induced by ?-Amyloid Protein and Effects of Nicotine on the Animal Models / 上海第二医科大学学报

Objective To establish rat models with Alzheimer's disease(AD) induced by ?-amyloid,and to observe the effects of nicotine on learning and memorizing ability of the rats. Methods Aggregated A?1-40 was injected into the bilateral basal forebrain of the rats.Learning and memorizing ability of the rats were inspected through Morris water maze test.The effects of nicotine on learning and memorizing ability of the rats induced by ?-amyloid peptide were observed. Results The learning and memorizing ability of AD animal models injected aggregated(A?1-40) for 2 weeks decreased(P

Effects of 9-cis retinoic acid on human homeobox gene NKX3.1 expression in prostate cancer cell line LNCaP / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the regulatory effects of 9-cis retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of human homeobox gene NKX3.1 in prostate cancer cell line LNCaP.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Flow cytometry, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to evaluate the effects of 9-cis RA on NKX3.1 expression and cell cycle of LNCaP cells. To identify a regulatory region within the NKX3.1 promoter contributing to the regulation induced by 9-cis RA, we have constructed an NKX3.1 promoter-reporter plasmid, pGL3-1040bp, and its 5'-deletion mutants, which were transfected into LNCaP cells with treatment of 9-cis RA in indicated concentrations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>With the treatment of 9-cis RA, the NKX3.1 promoter activity was increased in reporter gene assay and NKX3.1 expression was enhanced at both mRNA and protein levels in LNCaP cells. We found that the region between -936 and -921 in the upstream of NKX3.1 gene involved the inducible regulation by 9-cis RA treatment. In flow cytometry, 9-cis RA treatment caused accumulation of cells in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle and a fewer cells pass through to G(2)/M.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our results demonstrated that 9-cis RA as a differentiating agent can arrest prostate cancer cells in G(1) phase and reduce cell mitosis, and upregulate the expression of human homeobox gene NKX3.1, which is thought to play an important role in prostate differentiation and to act as a tumor suppressor gene in the prostate.</p>

Alterations of protein phosphatase-2A in peripheral lymphocytes in mild cognition impairment and Alzheimer's disease / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To explore the alterations of protein phosphatase-2A (PP-2A) in lymphocytes in mild cognition impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods The activity PP-2A of was measured by ~(32)p liquid seintillography for incorporated radioactivity in control group(n=11) , the MCI group(n=11),and the AD group(n=11).The expression of PP-2A was determined by Western blot.Results In the control group,the activity of PP-2A (1.01?0.09) and the expression of PP-2A (0.96?0.07) were high while in the MCI group,the activity of PP-2A (0.71?0.12) and the expression of PP-2A (0.80?0.05) were decreased (both P

Effect of verapamil on electrobiological activity and seizure behavior in phenytoin-carbamazepine resistant rats / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To invesgate the effect of P-glycoprotein(PGP)inhibitor,verapamil,on electrobiological activity and seizure behavior in phenytoin-carbamazepine(PHT-CBZ)resistant rats.Methods The model of medically intractable epilepsy was established by kindling of amygdale. Verapamil was applied to PHT-CBZ resistant rats,followed by the observation on after discharge threshold (ADT),after discharge duration(ADD)and seizure activity.Results Compared with the control group, the ADT was higher in PHT-CBZ resistant rats peritoneally injected with verapamil((238.0?32.2)?A vs (177.0?23.3)?A,P