Morbidity of myocardial infarction is increasing.Owing to the lack of replacement of necrotic cardiac myocytes,the therapeutic methods today are not sufficient to prevent left ventricular remodeling.However,the current insights into stem cell have opened up new perspectives for the infracted heart.Varied stem cells,including embryonic or foetal stem cells,myoblasts,and bone marrow stem cells,have been used for(cellular cardiomyoplasty.The review discusses recent animal experimental data and the clinical potential of varied stem cells.

Objective To investigate the effects of ramipril on nitric oxide(NO) concentration and endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS) activation in lung of rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension induced by monocrotaline(MCT).Methods Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group,MCT group and ramipril group.Rats in MCT group and ramipril group were subcutaneously injected with 60mg/kg of MCT.Then the rats in ramipril group received ramipril gavage and rats in MCT group received normal saline gavage for 4 weeks,respectively.Rats in control group were subcutaneously injected with normal saline first and then received normal saline gavage for 4 weeks.Right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP) and right ventricle hypertrophy index(RVHI) were measured.The ratio of arteriol wall thickness/vascular external diameter(WT%) and wall area percentage(WA%) were evaluated.NO concentration in lung was determined.eNOS,P-Ser1177-eNOS and Akt phosphorylation were analyzed by Western blotting.Results The RVSP,RVHI,WT%,WA% were significantly increased,and NO concentration,the level of eNOS,P-Ser1177-eNOS,the state of Akt phosphorylation were significantly decreased in MCT group compared with that in control group(P

Objective:To investigate the effect of alendronate(ALN) solution on the healing of replanted dog teeth after extended dry time. Methods:The first, second incisor and first premolar in maxilla and the second, third incisor and first premolar in mandible in two mature mongrel dogs were used for the test. The right tested teeth were included in experimental group, and the left in control. Firstly, all tested teeth were endodontically treated. Seven days later, they were extracted, then naturally dried for 60 min. The teeth in experimental group were soaked for 5 min in a 1 mmol/L solution of ALN before replantation. The teeth in control group were not treated with any other methods before replatation. Bone masses including teeth were taken out 3 monthes after replantation. The samples were examined histologically.Results:The average percentage of cementum healing in experimental group was higher than that in control group(P

[Objective] To explore the genetic mechanism of acupoint catgut embedment in inhibiting hippocampal neuron apoptosis in rats with status epileticus (SE). [Methods] Forty SD rats were randomized into 5 groups: blank control (A), model (B), dilantin (C), routine acupuncture (D) and acupoint catgut embedment (E). Rat models of SE were established by intra-abdominal injection of penicillin. With immunohistochemical method, the expressions of apoptosisrelated genes of c-jun and bcl-2 were observed in the vulnerable neurons of the hippocampus 24 hours after modeling. [Results] Compared with SE model group, the expression of c-jun was decreased and the expression of bcl-2 was increased in group C, D and E 24 hours after modeling; c-jun expression was positively related with the apoptotic index (AI) and bcl-2 expression was negatively related; the effects in group E much differed from those in model group. [Conclusion] The possible mechanism of the acupoint catgut embedment in treating epilepsy is related to the inhibition of the hippocampal neuron apoptosis by prohibiting the expression of c-jun and promoting the expression of bcl-2.

To meet community demands with optimal Chinese and conventional medical treatment, the University of Hong Kong is promoting integrative medicine by developing Chinese medicine programmes that train students of both Western and Chinese medicine. The programmes emphasize multi-disciplinary training and interaction between the two therapeutic approaches, enabling students to establish reliable, consistent, and respectful mutual cooperation in their future careers.

0.05).The inflammatory resorption of root in experimental group was lower than that in the control(P

AIM: To explore the expression of caspase -3 (cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase) in the neonatal rat cerebral cortex a nd hippocampal after hypoxia-ischemia. METHODS: Sham and hypoxia-ischemia (HI) groups were set up. The neonatal HI procedure was performed in 7-day-old rat pups. The double-lateral co rtex and hippocampal was subjected to pathological assessment, immunohistochemic al staining with caspase-3 antibody and half-quantitative reverse transcription and polymerization chain reaction (RT-PCR) to measure the change in caspase-3 pr otein and mRNA expression. RESULTS: Caspase-3 mRNA in ipsilateral cerebral cortex and hippo campal increased immediately after HI followed by a partial recovery. Thereafter caspase-3 mRNA and protein simultaneously increased with a maximum reached at 2 4-48 h after HI. CONCLUSION: Caspase-3 may play a key role in the development of apoptotic hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) in immature rats. Neuroprotective medicine should be used before 24-48 h after HI.

Objective To investigate a method to detect the sentinel lymph nodes(SN) of thyroid papillary carcinoma and its predictive value for cervical metastasis of carcinoma. Methods Intraoperative methylene blue dye mapping was performed in 24 cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma. The coincidence rate of frozen section pathology and routine section pathology of SN was observed,and the predictive value of SN for (metastasis) of the cervical lymph nodes was noted. Results SN was successfully detected in 21(87.5%) of 24 cases. The average number of SN was 3 nodes. There was one false negative case, the false negative rate was 4.8%(1/24), and no false positive cases were found. The predictive value of sentinel lymph nodes to (cervical) lymph node metastasis was 83.3%.Conclusions Methylene blue staining to identify sentinel lymph nodes could accurately predict the status of cervical lymph node metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma.

BACKGROUND:Currently, there is no uniform, standardized approach to isolate, purify and proliferate bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Chlormethylbenzamido-1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine (CM-Dil) is a stable, reliable, high marking and simple marker.
OBJECTIVE:To develop the methods for isolation, culture and identification of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro.
METHODS:Two male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 50-100 g were taken to col ect the bilateral femur and tibia bone marrow under sterile conditions, and then, primary bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured using bone marrow adherent separation and density gradient centrifugation. cells were amplified and purified through timely and repeated passage, and labeled at the third generation with fluorescent dyes CM-Dil in vitro as a source of donor cells.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cultured successful y in vitro using bone marrow adherent separation and density gradient centrifugation separation methods, but the former was superior to the latter in the number of cultured cells significantly, while the two methods were not different significantly in terms of cellviability and proliferation. Flow cytometry results showed that the positive rates of cultured cells were 17.5%for CD34, 97.9%for CD44, and 91%for CD90. CM-Dil can label bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells successful y, which is a stable, reliable, high marking and simple marker.

For thousands of years, moxibustion has been used for various diseases in China and other Asian countries. Despite the recent surge in Chinese herbal studies, few randomized controlled trials have been conducted on this modality, possibly due to the lacking of suitable double blinding methodology. This is a review of extant sham moxa devices and an introduction to a recently developed device that needs further validation.