The liver is an important organ of the body,with an extraordinary capacity for responding to physical or chemical injuries by regenerating. The mechanisms behind liver regeneration are very complicated as hundreds of substances are involved.However,most of them are not liver-specific,such as HGF,EGF etc. We recently isolated a pure protein with hepatic stimulatory activity from the extract of a weanling calf liver and named its hepatopoietin Cn (HPPCn).This paper,with reference to our own work, mainly reviews the development and bioactivity about hepatic stimulator substance(HSS),augmenter of liver regeneration(ALR),hepassocin(HPS) and HPPCn,which are liver-specific biologically active peptides.

OBJECTIVETo systematically evaluate acupuncture as a treatment for male infertility.

METHODSWe searched Chi na Biology Medical Database (CBM), Wan Fang Medical Information System, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Information Resource System (VIP), and PubMed for published literature on acupuncture as a treatment for male infertility on May 1 2014. Based on the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA), we evaluated the quality of the reports, conducted meta-analysis on the identified studies via RevMan5.2, and assessed the quality of the evidence in the literature by Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE).

RESULTSA total of 12 studies involving 2,177 patients were included, the quality of which was evaluated as mediocre. With regard to the cure rate, acupuncture was comparable to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) (P > 0.05) but better than Western medicine (RR = 4.00, 95% CI 1.63 to 9.82, P < 0.01) while acupuncture + TCM was better than either TCM (RR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.60, P < 0.01) or Western medicine used alone (RR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.51 to 4.93, P < 0.01), and acupuncture + Western medicine was better than Western medicine alone (RR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.02, P = 0.01). The combined use of acupuncture, ear pressure, TCM, and Western medicine showed a higher cure rate than the combination of TCM and Western medicine (RR = 3.45, 95% CI 2.90 to 4.11, P < 0.01). In therapeutic effectiveness, acupuncture was comparable to TCM (P > 0.05) but superior to Western medicine (RR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.71, P < 0.01), acupuncture + TCM was superior to either TCM (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.23, P < 0.01) or Western medicine alone (RR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.67, P < 0.01), and acupuncture + Western medicine was superior to Western medicine alone (RR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.49, P = 0.01). In improving sperm concentration, acupuncture was as effective as TCM (P > 0.05) and sham acupuncture (P > 0.05) but outdid Western medicine (RR = 27.00, 95% CI 24.27 to 29.73, P < 0.01) and acupuncture + TCM outdid either TCM (RR = 14.65, 95% CI 7.58 to 21.72, P < 0.01) or Western medicine alone (RR = 1.04, 95% CI--1.43 to 3.51, P > 0.05). In improving grade a sperm, acupuncture exhibited a similar effect to TCM (P > 0.05) and sham acupuncture (P > 0.05), and acupuncture + TCM was more effective than TCM alone (RR = 7.78, 95% CI 3.51 to 12.23, P < 0.01) but equally effective as Western medicine (P > 0.05). In elevating the level of grade a + b sperm, acupuncture + TCM excelled either TCM (RR = 11.00, 95%, CI 3.17 to 18.82, P < 0.01) or Western medicine alone (RR = 12.22, 95% CI 6.87 to 17.57, P < 0. 01), while acupuncture produced a comparable effect with sham acupuncture (P > 0.05). As for the quality of the included studies, only 3 conclusions of the 23 meta-analyses were assessed to be of average quality, while the others of poor or extremely poor quality. Therefore, the recommendation grade of the conclusions was low.

CONCLUSIONFor the treatment of male infertility, acupuncture is reported to be equally effective as TMC and more effective than Western medicine, and its effectiveness is enhanced when applied in combination with either TCM or Western medicine. Acupuncture is distinctively efficacious in improving sperm quality. Nevertheless, the overall quality of the included studies is low.

Acupuncture Therapy ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; therapy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective：This study was designed to establish and optimize the research methods for proteome,and to analyze the proteome components of human lung squamous carcinoma cell line NCI H520. Methods： A series of methods, including immobilized pH gradient two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(2DE), silver staining, PDQuest 2DE analysis software, peptide mass fingerprint based on matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flying mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) and SWISS PROT database searching, were used to separate and indentify the proteome of human lung squarmous carcinoma cell line NCI H520. Results： The good 2DE pattern including resolution and reproducibility was obtained. After silver staining, the 2DE image analysis by PDQuest 2DE software had detected average of 1146± 116 spots, and 851± 95 spots were matched. The average matching rate was 73.3％ . There had a good reproducibility of spot position in 2DE map, with average deviation in IEF direction of 1.52± 0.22 mm， while in SDS PAGE direction it was 1.97± 0.13 mm. Sixty spots were incised from silver staining gel randomly and digested in gel by TPCKtrypsin. Fifty four peptide mass fingerprints (PMF) maps were obtained by MALDI TOF MS. The typic peptide masses were searched in the SWISS PROT database by PeptIdent software. Forty four proteins were preliminarily identified. Some of them were cell cycle related proteins such as Cyclin H, some were signal transduction related proteins such as mitogen activated protein kinase, protein kinase C and receptor protein tyrosine kinase ERBB 2, some were oncogene related proteins such as Ras related protein RAB 36, etc. Conclusions： The main proteome research system including IPG 2DE, image analysis, MALDI TOF MS derived PMFs and database searching has been established. The data of NCI H520 obtained by above methods will be useful for the establishment of human lung squamous cell proteome database.

OBJECTIVETo investigate clinical effects and advantages of Wiltse paraspinal approach to thoracolumbar burst fractures.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to June 2010, the data of 53 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures with no obviously nerve injury were retrospectively analyzed, including 43 males and 10 females with an average age of 41 years ( ranged, 19 to 62 years). For segmental distribution, 6 cases were T11, 11 cases were T12, 22 cases were L1 and 14 cases were L2. Among them, 28 cases were treated with Wiltse paraspinal approach, and 25 cases with postmiddle approach. The operation time, blood loss, postoperative drainage,VAS score of back, Cobb angle of injured cord, changes of collapse of vertebral and median sagittal diameter of injured vertebral were observed.

RESULTSCompared with two methods, there were advantages in improving operation time, blood loss, postoperative drainage and VAS score of back, but there were no significant differences in improving Cobb angle of injuried cord, changes of collapse of vertebral and median sagittal diameter of injuried vertebral.

CONCLUSIONWiltse paraspinal approach to thoracolumbar burst fractures can achieve the same reduction with postmiddle approach,and has advantages of minimally invasive, less blood, simple operation and rapid recovery, and worth popularizing.

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo examine the neuroprotective effects of a novel manganese porphyrin, manganese (III) meso-tetrakis (N,N'-diethylimidazolium-2-yl) porphyrin (MnTDM), in the mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by paraquat (PQ).

METHODSMale C57BL/6 mice were subcutaneously injected with either saline or PQ at 2-day intervals for a total of 10 doses, MnTDM was subcutaneously injected with the PQ 2 h before treatment. Performance on the pole and swim test were measured 7 days after the last injection and animals were sacrificed one day later. Levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites in the striatum were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with an electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD). Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method was used to assay the lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), and the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive neurons was estimated using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSPretreatment with MnTDM significantly attenuated PQ-impaired behavioral performance, depleted dopamine content in striata, increased MDA, and dopaminergic neuron loss in the substantia nigra.

CONCLUSIONSOxidative stress plays an important role in PQ-induced neurotoxicity which can be potentially prevented by manganese porphyrin. These findings also propose a possible therapeutical strategy for neurodegenerative disorders associated with oxidative stress such as PD.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; therapeutic use ; Antiparkinson Agents ; therapeutic use ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Catalysis ; Corpus Striatum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Metalloporphyrins ; therapeutic use ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Paraquat ; Parkinson Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Substantia Nigra ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the association between two single nucleotide polymorphisms located in the promoter of transforming growth factor-β1 receptor 2 (TGFBR2) gene and hypertension in Han Chinese population.

METHODSThe subjects were recruited from the population of cluster sampling survey for essential hypertension (EH) in two townships of Yixing city, Jiangsu province in 2009. Overall, 2012 patients with hypertension and 2116 age (± 2 years) and sex-matched unrelated controls were selected. Epidemiological data, physical measurements results and serum glucose and lipid biomarker were collected and detected. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis were applied and two tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNP) in 5' upstream of TGFBR2 gene (rs6785358, -3779A/G; rs764522, -1444C/G) were selected for genotyping and analyzing for the association with hypertension.

RESULTSThe frequencies of AA, AG, GG in case and control of rs6785358 were 1455 (72.3%), 517 (25.7%), 40 (2.0%) and 1582 (74.8%), 490 (23.2%), 43 (2.0%) respectively, and CC, CG, GG of rs764522 were 1524 (75.7%), 464 (23.1%), 24 (1.2%) and 1654 (78.2%), 436 (20.6%), 26 (1.2%) respectively. SNP rs764522 was significantly associated with EH and OR (95%CI) were 1.17 (1.01 - 1.36) (P < 0.05) in dominant model after adjustment for confounding factors such as age, sex, glucose, lipids, smoking and alcohol drinking. Further stratification analysis by age, sex, smoking and alcohol drinking indicated that individuals carrying G allele (CG/GG genotype) of SNP rs764522 had higher susceptibility to EH than CC genotype (OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.01 - 1.45) (P < 0.05) in ≥ 55 years group. No statistical significance was detected in the distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies for SNP rs6785358 between cases and controls (P > 0.05). Haplotype analysis showed that no significant frequency difference of haplotype structured by rs6785358 and rs764522 was found between cases and controls (P > 0.05), and no significant blood pressure change was found between genotype variations of rs6785358 and rs764522 (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNP rs764522 of TGFBR2 gene is associated with increased risk of EH in elderly Han Chinese population.

Aged ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the reliability of two ELISA kits for detecting IgM antibody against hepatitis E virus (HEV).

METHODSSerum samples from 92 healthy subjects, 71 cases suspected of hepatitis E, 55 patients with confirmed diagnosis of acute hepatitis E, 50 individuals with rheumatoid factor (RF) positive and 54 persons with anti-HAV IgM positive were detected with three hepatitis E diagnostic kits. MP-IgM (MP, Singapore), Wantai-IgM and anti-HEV IgG (Wantai, China). HEV RNA was analyzed with RT-PCR in 52 of 71 cases suspected of hepatitis E.

RESULTSIn healthy subjects,cases suspected of hepatitis E and confirmed acute hepatitis E, the concordance between the two anti-HEV IgM reagents was 73.39% (160/218) and the significant differences in the positive rates of two assays were not observed [46.79% (102/218) vs 44.04% (96/218), chi2 = 0.62, P > 0.05]. Of 71 patients suspected of hepatitis E, the sensitivity for diagnosing acute hepatitis E of Wantai-IgM and MP-IgM were 83.08% (54/65) and 78.46% (51/65) (chi2 = 0.16, P > 0.05), respectively. Among those suspected of hepatitis E with HEV RNA positive, the sensitivity of Wantai-IgM was obviously higher than that of MP-IgM [(97.14%, 34/35) vs (74.29%, 26/35), chi2 = 4.9, P < 0.05]. 48 of 55 patients (87.27%) with confirmed diagnosis of hepatitis E were Wantai-IgM positive while 37 (67.27%) was MP-IgM positive (chi2 = 4.0, P < 0.05). The specificity of Wantai-IgM was higher than MP-IgM [100.00% (202/202) vs 89. 11% (180/202), chi2 = 20.05, P < 0.005]. RF and anti-HAV IgM might cause MP-IgM false positive without interference on Wantai-IgM.

CONCLUSIONWantai-IgM should be a good ELISA kit for the diagnosis of acute hepatitis E.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Female ; Hepatitis E ; diagnosis ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVETo establish a mice model of aminoglycoside antibiotics (AmAn) induced ototoxicity. Then to investigate the sensitivity of AmAn induced ototoxicity in three mouse strains and effect of kanamycin on the expression of Na-K-2Cl co-transporter-1 (NKCC1) in stria vascularis.

METHODSC57BL/ 6J, CBA/CaJ, NKCC1 +/- mice (each of twenty-four) were randomly divided into four experimental groups A, B, C and D (A kanamycin alone, B kanamycin plus 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoate, C 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoate alone, D control group). Mice were injected with kanamycin or/and 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoate for 14 days. Auditory function was measured by auditory brainstem response (ABR) and morphology of cochlea was observed by succinate dehydrogenase staining. Expression of NKCC1 was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSMice in group A developed significant ABR threshold shifts (P < 0.01), which were accompanied by out hair cells loss. Mice in group B significantly attenuated ABR threshold shifts with out hair cells loss (P <0.01). The immunostaining of NKCC1 in stria vascularis was attenuated significantly in group A compared with group D (P < 0.01) while the immunostaining in group B was enhanced than which in group A (P < 0.01). CBA/CaJ mice has the highest sensitivity to AmAn in three mouse strains.

CONCLUSIONSAn mouse model of AmAn induced ototoxicity could be established by administration of kanamycin. Kanamycin could inhibit the expression of NKCC1 in stria vascularis. 2, 3-dihydroxybenzoate could attenuate AmAn induced ototoxicity maybe by enhancing the expression of NKCC1. Mice that had the characteristic of presbycusis didn't show additional sensitivity of AmAn induced ototoxicity.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; toxicity ; Blood Vessels ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cochlea ; blood supply ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Kanamycin ; toxicity ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred CBA ; Parabens ; toxicity ; Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters ; metabolism ; Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 2