Analysis on Blood Pressure Variability and Its Influencing Factors of Hypertensive Patients with Different TCM Syndromes / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To investigate the TCM syndrome type distribution of hypertensive patients; To analyze the correlation of blood pressure variability (BPV) parameters and its influence factors. Methods The data of 515 hypertensive patients including demographic information, laboratory test parameters, risk factors and clinical symptoms were collected for correlation analysis and the patients were divided to different TCM syndromes. BPV parameters of 515 hypertensive patients were acquired by 24 h ambulatory blood pressure, then our study analyzed and compared the differents of 24 h MSBP, 24 h MDBP, 24 h MSCV, 24 h MDCV, DMSBP, DMDBP, DMSCV, DMDCV, NMSBP, NMDBP, NMSCV, NMDCV between different TCM syndromes. Results There were 160 cases with hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency syndrome, 136 cases with turbid phlegm and blood stasis syndrome, 83 cases with overabundant liver-fire syndrome, 69 cases with deficiency of kidney qi, and 67 cases with abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome. The difference of gender and age was statistically significant between different TCM syndromes (P<0.05). Compared with the group of hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency syndrome, the level of 24 h MSBP, 24 h MDBP, DMSBP, DMDBP, NMSBP, NMDBP, 24 h MSCV, 24 h MDCV, DMSCV, DMDCV, NMSCV and NMDCV had statistical significance in the groups of turbid phlegm and blood stasis syndrome, overabundant liver-fire syndrome, deficiency of kidney qi and abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the factors including gender (female), insomnia (time<6 h), sodium salt intake, emotion and educational level were positively correlated to hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency, and other factors including gender (female), age, sodium salt intake and educational level positively correlated with turbid phlegm and blood stasis syndrome. And the study also showed that age, sodium salt intake, family history of hypertension and educational level were positively correlated to abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome. Conclusion The BPV parameters and blood pressure are significantly increased d in the group of hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency than other groups, but decrease in the group of abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome. Hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency syndrome, abundant phlegm-dampness syndrome and turbid phlegm and blood stasis syndrome are closely related to the influencing factors that lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Construction of sRNA-deficient and-overexpressing strains of Yersinia pestis / 军事医学

Objective To construct small RNA deletion and overexpression strains with a length of less than 100 nt in Yersinia pestis.Methods Deletion mutants of the target sRNAs were constructed by increasing the length of homologous regions.Meanwhile, the high copy plasmid pBAD/HisA was modified into an inducible transcriptional vector as an sRNA-overexpression plasmid by using QuikChange lightning site-directed mutagenesis kit .The presence , size, and transcription-al initiation sites of the indicated sRNA were predicted by transcriptome sequencing , primer extension , and previous stud-ies.The full-length DNA fragments of target sRNAs were transformed into the transcriptional vector .The overexpressing strains of sRNAs were identified by Northern Blot .Results and Conclusion Four sRNAs deletion mutants of sR01, sR02, sR03 and HmsA and three sRNAs overexpression mutants MicF , HmsA and CpxQ were successfully constructed .A method of construction of sRNA deficient and overexpressing strains of Y.pestis has been quickly and efficiently established by λ-Red homologous recombination technology and QuikChange ? lightning site-directed mutagenesis kit.

Therapeutic effect of acupuncture combining standard swallowing training for post-stroke dysphagia: A prospective cohort study / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combining standard swallowing training for patients with dysphagia after stroke.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 105 consecutively admitted patients with post-stroke dysphagia in the Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine were included: 50 patients from the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation received standard swallowing training and acupuncture treatment (acupuncture group); 55 patients from the Department of Neurology received standard swallowing training only (control group). Participants in both groups received 5-day therapy per week for a 4-week period. The primary outcome measures included the scores of Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) and the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA); the secondary outcome measure was the Royal Brisbane Hospital Outcome Measure for Swallowing (RBHOMS), all of which were assessed before and after the 4-week treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 98 subjects completed the study (45 in the acupuncture group and 53 in the control group). Significant differences were seen in VFSS, SSA and RBHOMS scores in each group after 4-week treatment as compared with before treatment (P<0.01). Comparison between the groups after 4-week treatment showed that the VFSS P=0.007) and SSA scores (P=0.000) were more significantly improved in the acupuncture group than the control group. However, there was no statistical difference (P=0.710) between the acupuncture and the control groups in RBHOMS scores.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Acupuncture combined with the standard swallowing training was an effective therapy for post-stroke dysphagia, and acupuncture therapy is worth further investigation in the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia.</p>

Effects of decitabine on proliferation and apoptosis of NB4 and K562 cells / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of decitabine (DAC) on proliferation and apoptosis of leukemia NB4 and K562 cells. The proliferation inhibition of DAC on NB4 and K562 cells was detected by Trypan blue staining. After treatment of DAC at different concentrations, the changes of cell cycle and CD11b expression was determined by flow cytometry. The cell morphological changes were observed by Wright's staining. The DNA ladder was used to detect cell apoptosis. The results indicated that DAC significantly inhibited the proliferation of NB4 and K562 cells in dose-and time-dependent manner. The median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of DAC-treated NB4 and K562 cells for 72 h was 0.113 µmol/L and 0.138 µmol/L, respectively. After treating these two cell lines with DAC at different concentration for 72 h, the cell ratio in G0/G1 phase significantly increased, while the cell ratio in S phase obviously decreased in 0.15 µmol/L DAC group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of myeloid differentiation antigen CD11b of both cell lines significantly increased in contrast to the control group (P < 0.05). The cell morphology detected by Wright's staining displayed partial differentiation and apoptosis after treating NB4 and K562 cells with DAC for 48 h. Typical apoptotic DNA ladder was observed in 0.15 µmol/L DAC group at 48 h. It is concluded that DAC can inhibit NB4 and K562 cell proliferation, induce cell differentiation and apoptosis, but more obviously for NB4 cells.

Construction of a eukaryotic expression vector harboring the small interfering RNA targeting HCMV-IE1 gene and its gene silencing efficiency / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of RNA interference targeting human cytomegalovirus immediate early gene 1 (HCMV- IE1) on the gene expression in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to the sequence of HCMV-IE1 gene, the small interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences were designed and introduced into the eukaryotic expression vector containing the U6 promoter. After verification by sequence analysis, the recombinant eukaryotic plasmid (pHCMV-IE1i) was transfected into HEL HCMVAD169 cells. The effectiveness of HCMV-IE1 gene silencing was investigated by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sequence analysis confirmed successful construction of the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pHCMV-IE1i. The expression of HCMV-IE1 was effectively suppressed by pHCMV-IE1i transfection in HEL cells as shown by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry (P < 0.05) and RT-PCR (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of HCMV-IE1 can be effectively suppressed by RNA interference technique in vitro, which provides experimental data for prevention and treatment of HCMV infection.</p>

Cryoablation for prostate cancer induces tumor-specific immune response / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the anti-tumor immune response to percutaneous cryoablation in patients with local prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We treated 10 patients with local prostate cancer by percutaneous cryoablation, collected the blood samples before and 2 weeks after the treatment and isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Protein lysates were made by biopsy from autologous prostate cancer or non-cancer tissues. The levels of serum TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL4 and IL-10 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the Th1/Th2 ratio was calculated by the IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio. The number of IFN-gamma + T cells under the stimulation of different protein lysates was counted by enzyme link immunol spot (ELISPOT). And the cytolytic activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) was detected by LDH assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with pre-treatment, the levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, the Th1/ Th2 ratio and the number of IFN-gamma + T cells induced by tumor protein lysates in PBMCs were increased significantly after cryosurgery (P < 0.01), while the levels of IL4 and IL-10 decreased slightly, and the non-tumor protein lysates induced no obvious changes in the number of IFN-gamma T cells. The cytolytic activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes against human prostate cancer cells LNCaP was markedly increased, but not that against renal cancer cells GRC-1. One case of recurrence was found during the 3-6 months follow-up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Percutaneous cryoablation for prostate cancer could induce a tumor-specific immune response.</p>

Mechanism of oligochitosan-induced macrophage activation / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the mechanism of oligochitosan-induced macrophage activation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Oligochitosan was chemically modified with fluorophore 2-aminoacridone (2-AMAC). The cellular events of 2-AMAC-oligochitosan-macrophage interaction were analyzed with confocal laser microscopy and the fluorescence intensity of cells was analyzed by BD LSR flow cytometer. The mechanism of oligochitosan uptake by macrophages was studied by competitive inhibition test and the effect of calcium, trypsin and colchicine on oligochitosan recognition and internalization were also determined. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the level of TNF-alpha secretion.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Macrophage could bind and uptake oligochitosan, which was dependent on the temperature: the uptake proceeded rapidly at 37 degrees C and at 4 degrees C macrophage could only bind oligochitosan. EDTA decreased oligochitosan uptake. Trypsin treatment significantly reduced the internalization, and uptake was recovered by trypsin termination. Colchicine significantly inhibited the internalization process and was dose dependent. 0.1 mol/L mannose inhibited TNF-alpha expression induced by oligochitosan.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Macrophage could uptake oligochitosan via mannose receptor mediated pinocytosis. Mannose receptor is crucial for the oligochitosan-induced macrophages activation.</p>