AIM: To study the anti ageing effect of elk antlers ethanolic fluidextract. METHODS: The subacute ageing model mice induced by D galactose was established and was given elk antlers ethanolic fluidextract for 30 days. SOD and MDA activity of the blood in the mice was determined at the end of experiment. The anti stress action and the immunomodulation were measured by determining the surviving time under hypoxic condition and swimming time and by determining the immune organ index, respectively. RESULTS: Elk antlers ethanolic fluidextract could raise SOD activity and reduce MDA content of the blood in subacute ageing model mice. It could prolong the surviving time under hypoxic conditon and swimming time in mice. It could also increase spleen index and reduce thymus index in mice. CONCLUSION: Elk antlers ethanolic fluidextract has anti oxidation action. It can strengthen the ability to bear hypoxic condition and tiredness in mice.It has certain action to regulate immune function.

OBJECTIVETo explore the cerebral function laterality of acupuncture at left and right Hegu (LI 4) by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and provide objective evidences for side selection of Hegu (LI 4) in the clinical application.

METHODSEighty healthy volunteers were randomly divided into a left-acupoint group and a right-acupoint group, and they were treated with acupuncture at left Hegu (LI 4) and right Hegu (LI 4) respectively. After the arrival of qi, the task-state fMRI data in both groups was collected, and analysis of functional neuroimages (AFNI) software was used to perform intra-group and between-group comparisons. After acupuncture, acupuncture feelings were recorded and MGH acupuncture sensation scale (MASS) was recorded.

RESULTSThe difference of MASS between the two groups was not significant (P>0. 05). The result of left-acupoint group showed an increased signal on right cerebral hemisphere, while the right-acupoint group showed extensive signal changes in both cerebral hemispheres. The analysis between left-acupoint group and retroflex right-acupoint group showed differences in brain areas.

CONCLUSIONSThe central effect of acupuncture at left and right Hegu (LI 4) is dissymmetry, indicating right hemisphere laterality. The right lobus insularis and cingulate gyrus may be the key regions in the acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4).

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Sensation ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the value of the 7-joint ultrasound score (US7) in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with Chinese and western medicine.Methods A total of 160 RA patients were divided into 2 groups based on different methods of treatment,including Yi Shen Qing Luo (YSQL) group and western medicine group.The patients were examined by grey scale ultrasound (GSUS) and power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) with US7 at baseline and after 3 and 6 months later.There were 7 related joints and 5 single factors for scoring in US7 system.The joints included the wrist joints,the second/third metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP Ⅱ/Ⅲ),the second/third proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP Ⅱ / Ⅲ) and the second/fifth metatarsophalangeal joints (MTP Ⅱ/Ⅴ).And the factors included synovitis of GSUS,synovitis of PDUS,myotenositis/tenosynovitis of GSUS,myotenositis/tenosynovitis of PDUS and bone erosion (ES).Meanwhile,the laboratory index included C-reactive protein (C-RP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were examined.And the clinical indexes as disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) were evaluated.Results The statistical differences of synovitis of GSUS,synovitis of PDUS,myotenositis/tenosynovitis of GSUS and myotenositis/tenosynovitis of PDUS scores in US7 system were found in both 2 groups at baseline,3 months and 6 months after treatment (all P＜0.01).There was no statistical difference of ES before and after treatment in all cases (P＞0.05).The factors of US7 were positively correlated with DAS28,C-RP and ESR in different extent.Condusion US7 is a viable tool for examining patients with RA.

Objective To investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on dysphagia after stroke.Methods 40 patients with dysphagia after stroke were divided into control group and research group randomly.Both groups were treated with rehabilitation training and medicine.Research group was managed with electrical stimulation in addition.They were assessed with the classification of dysphagia.Results Dysphagia was reduced in both groups,but was better in the research group than in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Electrical stimulation can improve the recovery of deglutition.

Objective:To explore the effect of group psychotherapy on damage of theory of mind (TOM) in patients with early-onset schizophrenia.Methods:Totally 60 patients with early-onset schizophrenia were included and divided into the intervention group (n ＝ 30) and the health education group (n ＝ 30).The patients in the intervention group were offered 10 twice a week 2-hour sessions of group psychotherapy,and those in the control were offered group health education twice a week.All participants completed baseline measures and post-intervention measures with the Eye Emotion Recognition and Theory of mind Picture-sequencing Task (TOM-PST).Results:Totally 23 patients in the intervention group and 29 patients in the health education group finished the post-intervention measures.After 5-week intervention,subscores of sad and fear and total score of emotion recognition,total score of TOM-PST,understanding first order error belief,second order error belief,third order error belief,sense of reality,detecting fraud compared to baseline had statistically significant difference in intervention group.In health education group,subscores of joy emotion recognition,understanding first order error belief,third order error belief,total score of TOM-PST compared to baseline had statstically significant difference.The patients with group psychotherapy got higher scores of total score of TOM-PST and understanding second order error belief and third order error belief than the health education group after 5-week intervention (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:This study suggests the group psychotherapy could partially improve theory of mind with early-onset schizophrenia,and promote the recovery of social cognition.

Objective To investigate the relationship between promoter hypermethylation of secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP) gene and acute leukemia (AL). Methods We examined the promoter methylation starus of SFRP1, 2, 4 and 5 in primary or relapsed AL patients, cell lines ( HL60,NB4, Molt-4 and Jurkat) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy people with methylationspecific PCR (MSP). Results None of the normal mononuclear cells showed methylation of any SFRP genes. The frequencies of aberrant methylation among the samples were 33.9% (20/59) for SFRP1,23.7%(14/59) for SFRP2, 6. 8% (4/59) for SFRP4 and 10. 2% (6/59) for SFRP5 in acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), and 39.3% (11/28) for SFRP1, 28.6% (8/28) for SFRP2, 25.0% (7/28) for SFRP4 and 32. 1% (9/28) for SFRP5 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Hypermethylation of SFRP1, 2, 5genes were present in the 4 AL cell lines. SFRP4 was methylated in NB4, Molt-4 and Jurkat cell lines.However, methylation and unmethylation of SFRP4 were both detected in HL60. Conclusions Hypermethylation of SFRP genes is a common event in the evolution of AL. Methylation of SFRP genes might serve as potential independent biomarkers for early detection of AL.

Background and purpose:The human oncogene B-cell-speciifc moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (Bmi-1) is an important member of the polycomb group family, and it regulates cell proliferation and senescence via INK4a/ARF locus. This study investigated the effects of Bmi-1-siRNA on the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cell line SPC-A1 cells with INK4a/ARF locus and clarify the mechanism of Bmi-1-mediated effect on proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Methods:In this study, we chose the most efifcient siRNA chain the pGeneshl-2-Bmi-1 sense-1 and inserted into a pSUPER-retro-neo retroviral vector. The packaged si-Bmi-1 pSUPERret-ro-neo retroviral vector was stably transfected into lung adenocarcinoma SPC-A1 cell line. The stably transfected cells were cultured and passed. After transfection, the levels of Bmi-1 mRNA and protein expression of SPC-A1 cells were analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. Trypan blue, MTT and plate colony forming assay were performed to observe the proliferation capibility of SPC-A1 cells and evaluate the cloning forming ability in vitro. The potency of tumorigenesis was observed in nude mouse through hypodermic inoculation of SPC-A1 cells. Cell cycle distribu-tion was analyzed by lfow cytometry (FCM) in SPC-A1 cells. The expression levels of proliferation proteins including p16INK4a, p53, Cyclin D1, PTEN, Akt and Ser473p-Akt were analyzed by Western blot. Results:The mRNA and protein expression levels of Bmi-1 were signiifcantly reduced in SPC-A1-Bmi-1-siRNA cells transfected with pSUPER-retro-neo retroviral vector. Knockdown of Bmi-1 could inhibit the growth, colony formation in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo of SPC-A1 cells (P<0.01). The transfected SPC-A1 cells were arrested in G1 phase [(64.6±1.2)%, P<0.05]. Compared with two control groups, p16INK4a, p53 and Akt were not affected (P>0.05), while Cyclin D1 and Ser473p-Akt were downregulated (P<0.01) and PTEN was up-regulated (P<0.01) in the SPC-A1-Bmi-1-siRNA cells. SPC-A1-Bmi-1-siRNA cells were treated with various concentrations of PTEN inhibitor to determine expression levels of PTEN, Bmi-1 and Ser473p-Akt protein. Ablation of PTEN rescued Bmi-1 and Ser473p-Akt expression in SPC-A1-Bmi-1-siRNA cells. Conclusion:Knockdown of Bmi-1 gene can arrest the proliferation of SPC-A1 cells through G0/G1 phase arrest by inhibiting Cyclin D1 expression indirectly, which may be not associated with p16INK4a signaling pathway.

Background and purpose:The pro-oncogene Bmi-1 is a member of the polycomb-group family, can regulation of the proliferation and self-renewal of normal and tumor stem cells. In recent years, Bmi-1 has been found that it is overexpressed in varieties of human malignant tumors. The study aimed to observe the effects of Bmi-1-siRNA on the growth capacity of lung cancer cell line A549 in vivo and in vivo, and explore its mechanism. Methods:The most effective one as a target sequence was chosen from four Bmi-1 siRNA sequences which were designed by our lab, and one random sequence was chosen as a negative control. In short, the chemically synthesized siRNA and control sequences were connected to a retrovirus expressing vector, pSUPERretro-Neo plasmid, and then transfected into A549 cells. The stably transfected cells were cultured and passed. The level of mRNA and protein of Bmi-1 in A549 cells were assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. The proliferations of A549 cells in vivo was analyzed with MTT, trypan blue exclusion and plate colony forming methods. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis. The potency of tumorigenesis was observed in nude mouse through hypodermic inoculation of A549 cells. The expressions of cyclin D, p21/27, p-AKT and PTEN were analyzed by Western blot. Results:Compared to A549-ctr and A549-wt cells, Bmi-1 mRNA and protein levels all signiifcantly reduced in A549-Bmi-1-siRNA cells. Bmi-1-siRNA inhibited the growth, colony formation in vitro and tumorigenesis in vitro of A549 cells, and the interference cells cell cycle arrested in G1 phase. In A549-Bmi-1-siRNA cells, p-AKT and cyclinD1 expression were down-regulated while p21/p27 and PTEN were up-regulated. Conclusion:Silencing Bmi-1 gene inhibits the proliferation of A549 cells through G1 phase arrest, which involves the downregulation of cyclin D/p-AKT and upregulation of p21/p27/PTEN.

Objective To investigate the inhibition of proliferation and the regulation of histone acetylation modification in Jurkat cells treated by sodium valproate(VPA). Methods Jurkat cells were treated with VPA.Cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay, and cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). mRNA of HDAC1 was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and protein expression of HDAC1 and acetylation of histone H3, H4 was examined by Western blotting. Results VPA inhibited the proliferation of Jurkat cells in concentration-and time-dependent manners. After exposure to VPA in different concentrations for 48h,cell cycle was arrested obviously at G0/G1 phase (P <0.05), and with increasing concentration, the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells was increased and that of S phase were decreased. HDAC1 mRNA expression were inhibited with the increasing concentration of VPA. The protein level of HDAC1 was down-regulated, while acetylation of histone H3、H4 was up-regulated in Jurkat cells by VPA. Conclusion VPA can inhibit proliferation of Jurkat cells and induce G0/G1 phase arrest. The mechanism may be that VPA increase acetylation of histone H3/H4 by inhibiting expressions of HDAC1 gene.

BACKGROUNDElevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been found to be a feature of tumors recently. In this study, the expression and significance of COX-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were explored in the cancer tissues of patients with lung cancer.

METHODSExpression of COX-2 and VEGF in cancer tissues of 126 lung cancer patients were detected by tissue chip and immunohistochemical methods. The relationships among COX-2 expression, survival time and the biology beha- vior of lung cancer were analyzed by retrospective cohort study.

RESULTSExpression of COX-2 was positive in 86 cases (68.25%). The correlation between COX-2 expression and some biology behaviors of lung cancer (T stage, N stage and P-TNM stage) was significant in statistics (P < 0.05). High expression of VEGF was also found in cancer tissues (98/126, 77.78%). The correlation between COX-2 expression and VEGF expression was significant in statistics (Chi-Square=6.72, P < 0.05). The survival time of patients with positive COX-2 expression and VEGF expression was significantly shorter than that without expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHigh COX-2 and VEGF expressions are detected in lung cancer tissue. Each of them is suggested to be an independent predictor of survival in survival analysis. COX-2 and VEGF are significant poor prognostic factors in the surgically resected lung cancer.