OBJECTIVETo compare clinically therapeutic effects of warming needle moxibustion and simple acupuncture on knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases conformed with the diagnostic criteria of knee osteoarthritis with TCM kidney-yang deficiency and cold syndrome were randomly divided into a warming needle moxibustion group and a simple acupuncture group. Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and others were selected in the two groups. Their therapeutic effects were assessed with joint pain scale, knee osteoarthritis severity index scale and cold syndrome differentiation factors.

RESULTSBoth warming needle moxibustion and simple acupuncture could alleviate pain of knee osteoarthritis, improve dysfunction of the knee joint, reduce symptoms. The clinically basic cured rate and the total effective rate were 32.1% and 96.4% in the warming needle moxibustion group, which were better than 7.4% and 92.6% in the simple acupuncture group.

CONCLUSIONWarming needle moxibustion is an effective therapy for knee osteoarthritis with kidney-yang deficiency and cold type.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Needles ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; therapy ; Yang Deficiency

OBJECTIVETo investigate the toxic effects of n-hexane on the Ganod of female mice.

METHODSn-Hexane was administered to four groups of mice by inhalation at doses of 0, 3.0, 15.1, and 75.8 mL/m3 respectivelyfor five weeks. Each group consisted of 10 mice, of which half were injected in first with 10 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) on the 33rd days, and then with 10 IU of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) 48 hrs later. After the treatment, mouse sera were sampled and ovulating hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassays (ECLIA). In each group, the right ovaries of the non-super-ovulated mice were stained with hematoxylin and eosin while ovaries on the left side were prepared with the TUNEL method in order to detect apoptotic cells.

RESULTSThe duration of the diestrus stage decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the 75.8 mL/m3 group. All super-ovulated mice in each treatment group produced fewer eggs than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The number of follicles in ovaries in the 75.8 mL/m3 group was smaller compared with the control group (P < 0.05).The serum P4 levels in each treatment group were lower than those in the control group (F = 6.196, P < 0.01). The cell apoptotic rate in the 75.8 mL/m3 group was higher (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONn-Hexane may have directly mediated via alterations hormone secretion and promoted granulosal cell apoptotic, which may be one of the important mechanisms for n-hexane induced mouse ovary impairment.

Animals ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; metabolism ; Hexanes ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Inhalation Exposure ; Mice ; Ovary ; drug effects

PURPOSE: Urinary catheterization is a common technique in clinical practice. There is, however, no consensus on management prior to removal of the indwelling catheter for short-term patients. This systematic review examined the necessity of clamping before removal of an indwelling urinary catheter in short-term patients. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted using eight databases and predetermined keywords-guided searches. Some 2,515 studies were evaluated. Ten studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. RESULTS: The quality of the studies was assessed using the Jadad scoring system. Only 40.0% of studies were rated as high quality. This review found that catheter clamping prior to removal was not necessary for the short-term patient. When made a comparison with the unclamping group, there was no significant difference in recatheterization risk, risk of urine retention, patients' subjective perceptions and rate of urinary tract infection. CONCLUSIONS: This review indicated that bladder training by clamping prior to removal of urinary catheters is not necessary in short-term catheter patients. In addition, clamping carries the risk of complications such as prolonging urinary catheter retention and urinary tract injury. Further investigation requires higher quality methodologies and more diverse study designs.
Attitude to Health ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Constriction ; Device Removal ; Humans ; Patient Education as Topic/methods ; Perception ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Retreatment ; Urinary Catheterization/*methods ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Retention/psychology ; Urinary Tract Infections/therapy ; Urination/physiology

OBJECTIVETo comprehend the abnormalities of JAK2, c-mp, EPOR, MPW515L/K and TET2 genes in patients with familial myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) and their relatives, and to explore mechanism of MPN pathogenesis.

METHODSThe complete blood counts of 2 brothers diagnosed with MPN in out hospital and their family members (15 persons in together) were performed, and bone marrow (BM) examinations in patients with abnormal blood count were performed PCR, DNA sequencing were used to evaluate the expression of related genes.

RESULTSThe elder brother was diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET), the younger one was polycythemia vera (PV), and others had no clinical manifestation. The third MPN patient was diagnosed based on the blood count and BM examination. The PCR and sequencing results showed that there was JAK2V617F mutation in 3 patients, the elder brother was homozygous, the younger and their father were heterozygous. There were no BCR/ABL fusion gene and c-mp, EPOR, MPW515L/K, TET2 gene mutation in any member. By sequencing the full-length cDNA of familia JAK2 gene, we found that G380A heterozygous mutation was detected in 2 patients, which changed glycine at 127 into aspartic acid, C489T mutation was detected in 13 patients, G2490A mutation in 14, but both of them were synonymous mutations.

CONCLUSIONSJAK2V617F is one of the important indicators to diagnose MPN. The JAK2V617F mutation of this family involves two generations. For newly diagnosed MPN patients, their family members should consider screening, so some familial patients can be diagnosed as early as possible. Gene mutation besides JAK2V627F can be detected by sequencing the full-length of JAK2 gene.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Janus Kinase 2 ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; genetics ; Polycythemia Vera ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sibling Relations ; Thrombocythemia, Essential ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo develop a novel dual-modified vaccine, the superantigen-linked intestine-carcinoma cells expressing membrane-bound heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and further examine its anticancer therapeutic effect.

METHODSThe pre-established intestine carcinoma CT26 line expressing membrane-bound heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was amplified and incubated with superantigen fusion protein, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) fused with transmembrane sequence (SEA-TM), thereby the dual-modified vaccine was prepared after inactivation. The anticancer efficacy of the vaccine was examined.

RESULTSThe laser confocal microscopy and flow cytometry showed that there co-existed much HSP70 and SEA on the vaccine membrane surface. Both of the single-modified vaccines, the SEA-linked vaccine and membrane-bound-HSP70-expressing one, displayed marked tumor suppression, a prolonged survival period, augmented lymphocyte proliferation and higher NK and CTL activity in the vaccinated mice when compared with its counterpart. Furthermore, the dually modified vaccine induced lymphocyte proliferation most intensively, generated the highest NK and CTL activity as well as the strongest tumor rejection in the vaccinated mice. The survival period of the mice was further prolonged.

CONCLUSIONA new vaccine, SEA-linked and membrane-bound-HSP70-expressing intestine-carcinoma cells can induce more potent anticancer immunity and produce better therapeutic efficacy.

Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Enterotoxins ; immunology ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Superantigens ; immunology ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo develop a new vaccine expressing membrane-bound heat shock protein 70 (mbHSP70) and further study its antitumor therapeutic effect.

METHODThe pre- established vector expressing mbHSP70 was transfected into CT26 cells of colorectal cancer. After the CT26 cells were incubated with 900 microg/ml G418, the sub-clones resistant to G418 were harvested and the HSP70 positive clones were selected by limiting dilution. The clones were amplified and inactivated, thereby the vaccine expressing mbHSP70 was prepared. Lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by the vaccines, NK and CTL activity was observed. The antitumor efficacy of vaccine was observed in BALB/c mice model with colorectal cancer.

RESULTSThe laser confocal microscopy and flow cytometry showed that there existed much HSP70 on the vaccine membrane surface. The HSP70 gene-modified vaccine displayed augmented lymphocyte proliferation and higher NK and CTL activity in vitro,and marked tumor suppression and prolonged survival time of the vaccinated micein vivo, when compared with its counterpart. Furthermore, mbHSP70-expression vaccine elicited lymphocyte proliferation most intensively, generated the highest NK and CTL activity as well as the strongest antitumor effect, and prolonged survival time of the vaccinated mice.

CONCLUSIONA new vaccine expressing mbHSP70 has more potent antitumor immunity and better therapeutic efficacy than HSP70 gene-modified vaccine did.

Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Cell Membrane ; immunology ; metabolism ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; immunology ; Immunotherapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; therapy ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo summarize the characters of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) and to evaluate the therapeutic effect of drug therapy combined with surgery.

METHODSFrom 2004 to 2010, 59 cases with KMS, who underwent drug therapy and surgery, were retrospectively studied. The average age of the patients, including 33 male and 26 female (male/female, 1.269/1), was 2.9 months (range, 7 days-2.5 years). 28 cases with maxillofacial lesions were treated with the ligation of external carotid artery and injection of carbonyldiamide and methylprednisolone. 31 cases with lesions at trunks and extremities were treated by excision of lesions. All the patients were followed up for 2.8 years (range, 6.5 months -7.3 years). Therapeutic outcomes were assessed by evaluating platelet counts,size of lesion, function of trunk and limb.

RESULTS58 cases were cured except for one dead case. Emergency operation was given in 4 cases, and selective operation was performed in other cases (55 cases). The thrombocyte count, hemoglobin and blood coagulation function returned to normal within 1-2 weeks. The mental condition, appetite, body weight,sleeping were greatly improved one week after treatment. The size of the lesions decreased gradually after the management of ligation of external carotid artery including 18 cases within 6-12 months and 10 cases within 13-24 months. Long term follow-up studies indicated that there was no recurrent case, and the weight, height, immunity of the patients with good function activities were in keeping with the normal counterparts.

CONCLUSIONSThe drug combined with surgery therapy is a very reliable management with high curative rate, short disease period and minimum side-effect.

Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome ; drug therapy ; surgery ; therapy ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVEImmortalized cell lines of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) with Parkinson disease symptoms were established in order to provide experimental material for future study.

METHODSThe immortalized cell lines were constructed by using Epstein Barr virus and cyclosporine A. Microsatellite markers were detected to see whether there is any change between the cell lines and the original blood samples, and the genetic stability of the cell lines were evaluated.

RESULTSTwenty-five immortalized cell lines were established successfully from the family and the microsatellite markers were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONThe karyotypes of the immortal cell lines were normal and the cell lines were genetically stable.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Transformation, Viral ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; physiology ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Pedigree ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at five mental points and moving cupping on the Hechelu of the back on fibromyalgia syndrome (FS).

METHODSSixty-six cases who conformed to the criteria were randomly divided into the treatment group treated with acupuncture at five mental points, moving cupping on the Hechelu of the back and amitriptyline, and the control group treated with amitriptyline. Clinical therapeutic effects were assessed with McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and HAMD depression scale.

RESULTSThe therapeutic effect of the treatment group was better than that of the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCombination of acupuncture with cupping therapy is an effective therapy for fibromyalgia syndrome.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Biomedical Research ; Fibromyalgia ; Humans ; Pain Measurement

OBJECTIVETo explore a flow cytometry (FCM)-based method for discriminating aneugen- or clastogen-induced micronuclei.

METHODSCells were stained with anti-CD71-FITC and PI, and the PI fluorescent signal intensity of micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) in the peripheral blood of NIH mouse treated with COL or CP was detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe ratio of the median of the intensity of MN-RET fluorescent signals to that of nucleated cell was low in the cyclophosphamide treated mouse, while the median was high in the colchicine treated mouse.

CONCLUSIONThe flow cytometry-based micronucleus assay can be used to discriminate primarily smaller MN induced by the clastogen exposure from the larger MN induced by an aneugen.

Animals ; Colchicine ; toxicity ; Cyclophosphamide ; toxicity ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Male ; Mice ; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective ; Mutagens ; toxicity ; Reticulocytes ; drug effects ; ultrastructure