Objective To discuss the clinical effect of combination therapy under the theory of "treating soft tissue for bone disease" on knee osteoarthritis.Methods The 160 cases were randomly divided into control group(80 cases) and experimental group(80 cases).The control group was treated by diclofenac sodium sustained release capsules(per os) and sodium hyaluronate(intra-joint injection).The experimental group was treated by traction,steaming and washing,massage,needle-knife therapy,manipulation on soft tissues for loosening the joint,and orthepedic insoles.The course of treatment was 3 weeks.The effect was evaluated according to Lysholm Score,knee movement and subjective satisfaction after the follow-up for 6 months.Results Of the 154 cases completed the study(control group 75 cases and experimental group 79 cases),the Lysholm Score and knee movement had a very significant improvement(P

BACKGROUND:Adult cardiomyocytes show no regenerative ability, and celltherapy for myocardial regeneration and repair may improve myocardial ischemic injury function. OBJECTIVE:To confirm the effect and reveal the mechanism of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS:BMSCs were isolated, cultured from bone marrow of Sprague-Dawley rats using density gradient centrifugation. AMI models were produced in 20 rats by ligating the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, and randomly divided into model group and BMSCs group. In the BMSCs group, cells were subsequently injected with a sterile microinjection via the tail vein. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Six months postoperatively, the cardiac function was improved, the vessel density was increased, the percentage of apoptotic cells was decreased in the BMSCs group than that in the model group;the expression levels of inflammatory factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor, von Wil ebrand factor, transforming growth factor 3β, and interleukin-1βmRNA were significantly improved in the BMSCs group than that in the model group. These results showed that BMSCs can protect the myocardium from AMI by regulating the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors.

Objective To develop a phenylketonuria (PKU) screening method based on a compact disk (CD) type microfluidic chip capable of generating reciprocating flow within the microchannels that facilitate rapid DNA hybridization. Methods This microfluidic device consists of a two-layer structure: a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) top layer containing 12 DNA hybridization microchannels, and a bottom glass layer with immobilized hydrogel conjugated DNA arrays. The DNA arrays included R243Q, V245V and the blank control probes. When the CD device was spun, the PCR products were driven into the hybridization channel by centrifugal force. When the rotation of the CD device was stopped, capillary force pulled the PCR products solution to flow back to the channel. After the on-chip hybridization, the hybridization signals were captured on a fluorescence microscope. The specificity, detection limitation and reproducibility of this device were evaluated. Thirty DNA samples from pregnant women with suspected PKU were detected by this device.Then the results were compared with DNA sequencing results. Results With the compact disk type microfluidic chip, the hybridization time could be reduced to 15 min, sample consume could be as low as 1. 5 μl and the detection limitation was 0. 7 ng/μl. With the chip based method, samples of PKU patients and healthy controls were detected and the results were consistent with DNA sequencing results. Five different batches of chips and five micro-channels of each chip were selected to test one PKU patients with V245V mutation. All the results were positive, indicating good reproducibility. Four cases of V245V mutation and 1 case of R243Q mutation were found in 30 suspected PKU carried pregnant women. Conclusion The compact disk microfluidic device has advantages of simple, rapid and highly sensitive, thus is well suited to PKU screening.

Activation of the heart normally begins in the sinoatrial node (SAN). Electrical impulses spontaneously released by SAN pacemaker cells (SANPCs) trigger the contraction of the heart. However, the cellular nature of SANPCs remains controversial. Here, we report that SANPCs exhibit glutamatergic neuron-like properties. By comparing the single-cell transcriptome of SANPCs with that of cells from primary visual cortex in mouse, we found that SANPCs co-clustered with cortical neurons. Tissue and cellular imaging confirmed that SANPCs contained key elements of glutamatergic neurotransmitter system, expressing genes encoding glutamate synthesis pathway (Gls), ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (Grina, Gria3, Grm1 and Grm5), and glutamate transporters (Slc17a7). SANPCs highly expressed cell markers of glutamatergic neurons (Snap25 and Slc17a7), whereas Gad1, a marker of GABAergic neurons, was negative. Functional studies revealed that inhibition of glutamate receptors or transporters reduced spontaneous pacing frequency of isolated SAN tissues and spontaneous Ca