Design of moxibustion device for experimental rabbits / 中国针灸

An experimental device is designed to solve the problem of fixing rabbits and providing moxibustion treatment at the same time. The device includes a rabbit fixing box and a moxibustion shelf. The rabbit fixing box and the moxibustion shelf are detachable, and could be used for moxibustion at the chest-back and abdomen of rabbits. A moxibustion device is placed on the moxibustion shelf. The moxibustion device can be moved forward, backward, leftward, rightward, upward and downward on the moxibustion shelf. It meets the requirements of moxibustion at multiple meridians or acupoints on the chest-back and abdomen at the same time. The moxibustion device is equipped with moxa cone or stick, which not only ensures the full burning of moxa, but also prevents the falling of moxa from hurting rabbits. In conclusion, the device has novel and unique structure, is safe and reliable, and easy to operate. It is an innovation in the experimental device of moxibustion, which could promote the animal experiment of moxibustion.

Clinical study on "Jin's three-needling" in treatment of generalized anxiety disorder / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical effect of "Jin's three-needling" in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-eight patients with generalized anxiety were randomly assigned to two groups equally, the medication group treated with anti-anxiety drugs and the acupuncture group with "Jin's three-needling". The treatment course was 6 weeks. The clinical effects were evaluated with Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), clinical global impression (CGI), and treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) before treatment and at the end of 2nd, 4th, 6th week of the treatment course. The concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in platelet, and plasma levels of corticosterone (CS) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were measured with high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED) method before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The clinical effects in the two groups were equivalent, while the adverse reaction found in the acupuncture group was less than that in the medication group (P < 0.05). The platelet concentration of 5-HT and plasma ACTH level decreased significantly in both groups after treatment with insignificant difference between the group (P < 0.05). The plasma CS level had no obvious change in the two groups after treatment as compared with that before treatment respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>"Jin's three-needling" shows similar curative effect on generalized anxiety to routine Western medicine but with less adverse reaction, which may be realized through regulating the platelet 5-HT concentration and plasma ACTH level.</p>

Expression of TEIF protein in soft tissue tumors and its significance / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the expression of TEIF protein in human tumors of soft tissue and its significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Anti-TEIF polyclonal antibody was generated by immunization of E.coli expressed His-TEIF protein. The expression of TEIF in 166 cases of sarcomas and 28 case benign tumors or tumor-like lesions of soft tissue arranged in tissue chip was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Polyclonal antibody obtained from immunized rabbit was verified in Western blot to prove its specific reactivity with native TEIF protein. The immunohistochemical staining of TEIF showed that about 58% (97/166) of sarcomas were positive and significantly different from that of benign tumors or tumor-like lesions (11%, 3/28). The positive staining was predominantly in synovial sarcoma 94% (16/17), primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) 91% (21/23), both of which were significantly higher than 43% (6/14) of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, 38% (6/16) of myxofibrosarcoma, 36% (8/22) of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, 32% (6/19) of liposarcoma, (P < 0.05, respectively), but not higher than 75% (15/20) of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, 70% (7/10) of rhabdomyosarcoma or 64% (9/14) of leiomyosarcoma. Meanwhile, strong positive staining of TEIF (>or= 2+) was frequently observed in PNET (83%, 19/23) and synovial sarcoma (76%, 13/17). With respect to FNCLCC grading, 19 cases of grade I sarcoma TEIF was 32% (6/19) and strong positive was 11% (2/19), 44 cases of grade II sarcoma was 48% (21/44) and 32% (14/44), and 70 of grade III was 84% (59/70) and 70% (49/70). The rate of either positive or strong positive in grade III sarcoma was significantly different from that of either grade I or II (P < 0.05), but no difference between the latter two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>TEIF protein could be detected in large part of soft tissue sarcomas, and it not only over-expressed in most of PNET, synovial sarcomas, but also correlated with histological grading.</p>

Enhanced expression of halp gene confers cellular resistance to H2O2 induced senescence / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the H2O2-induced expression of human histone acetyltransferase-like protein (hALP), a telomerase regulation-associated gene, and its effects on the stress-triggered cellular senescence.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The induced expression of hALP was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunofluorescent histochemistry after treatment of HeLa cells by H2O2. The effects of hALP expression on cellular responses to H2O2 were analyzed by MTT, flowcytometry, and SA-beta-gal staining, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>hALP mRNA could be dose-dependently induced by treatments of 0.2-1.6 mmol/L H2O2, and the induction could be observed after 6 hours and kept for 36 hours in the presence of 0.4 mmol/L H2O2. Meanwhile, the immunofluorescent staining showed marked stronger nuclear intensity of hALP protein in H2O2-treated HeLa cells. In the treatment of H2O2, the ectopic expression of hALP enhanced continuous growth and overcame G2/M arrest as well as decreased senescence-associated beta-gal staining. On the contrary, the transfected clones with antisense or blank vector and original He-La cells presented growth suppression, G2/M delay and higher percentage of SA-beta-gal activities in the presence of H2O2.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of hALP could be up-regulated by treatment of H2O2, and elevated expression could enhance cellular resistance to H2O2-induced cellular senescence. The data might be of references to elucidation of basic biological function of hALP gene and its associated telomerase activity.</p>

An analysis of induced expression and function of telomerase-regulation associated hALP gene on genotoxic agents / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To confirm the responses and function of hALP, a telomerase-regulation associated gene, in DNA damage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HeLa and Hep2 cells were treated by genotoxic agents H2O2 and cisplatin, and the induced expression of hALP was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and immunofluorescent histochemistry. The alterations in transcriptional activity of hALP promoter were estimated by luciferase reporter assays. The effects of genotoxic agents on cells in different status of hALP expression were analyzed by MTT method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of hALP mRNA could be increased when treated by 0.2 - 1.6 mmol/L H2O2 and reach a peak in concentration of 0.4 mmol/L. The induction could be observed after 6 h in the treatment of 0.4 mmol/L H2O2 and the higher level can be retained for 36 h. Similarly, cisplatin induced hALP mRNA expression is also dose and time dependent. The immunofluorescent staining showed that the treatment of 0.2 or 0.4 mmol/L H2O2, 0.2 or 0.5 micromol/L cisplatin increased the intensity of hALP protein in cellular nuclei. The luciferase assays demonstrated that both H2O2 and cisplatin could up-regulate hALP promoter activity through its upstream - 705 - +20 nt region. In cell survivor assay, the HeLa cells expressing sense hALP gene could grow continuously in the presence of 0.4 mmol/L H2O2 or 0. 5 micromol/L cisplatin while cells with antisense hALP or control cells were slower in growth.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of hALP gene could be up-regulated by DNA damage through activating transcription of its promoter, and increase cellular resistance to genotoxic agents.</p>