OBJECTIVETo systematically review the clinical efficacy of acupuncture on the patients with low back pain (LBP).

METHODSRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) about pure acupuncture therapy versus other treatments in treating LBP were electronically searched in PubMed, CBM, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data from January 2004 to May 2014. The observed index on the results were the changed scores of VAS, ODI, JOA and RMDQ. Two reviewers independently screened the literatures according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as the extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality. The results of Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.2 software.

RESULTSTen RCTs involved 751 patients were finally included. The results of Meta-analysis indicated that the role of pure acupuncture group in improving the VAS score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -.32, 95% CI (-1.41, -1.22); Z=27.28, P<0.00001; the role of pure acupuncture group in improving the ODI score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -5.07, 95% CI (-7.50, -2.65); Z=4.10, P<0.0001; the role of pure acupuncture group on improved JOA score was better than that of the control group and the combined effect size was RR=2.83, 95% CI (2.02, 3.63), Z=6.90, P<0.00001. The role of pure acupuncture group in improving the RMDQ score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -2.80, 95% CI (-3.49, -2.11), Z=7.95, P<0.00001.

CONCLUSIONThe result of meta-analysis demonstrates that pure acupuncture may have a favorable effect on self-reported pain and functional limitations in LBP patients.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To understand the impairment and compensation mechanism of brain function in pa-tients with non-fluent aphasia after ischemic stroke. The fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) method was used to analyze the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in the resting state between the aphasia patients and the normal controls. Methods The scans of the resting state of fMRI were performed in 17 aphasia patients and 19 age-, education-, and sex-matched healthy control subjects. The scan sequence was single-shot echo planar image,DPARSF software was used to analyze fALFF data of the aphasia patients and the healthy controls. Results Compared to the control group, the value in right superior temporal gurus, inferior parietal lob-ule, frontal lobe cortex, and postcentral gurus were significantly increased in the aphasia group. The fALFF in bilat-eral cerebellum and right thalamus were also decreased in the aphasia group. Conclusions The fALFF values in some brain region in the aphasia group were abnormal in the resting state , indicating a few pathological change of brain function in patients with non-fluent aphasia after ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVE1H-NMR technology was carried out to investigate the chemical difference between 30 batches of Cibotium baronetz decoction pieces and look for new method for quality control of C. baronetz decoction pieces.

METHODSix hundreds MHz H-NMR spectroscopy and principle component analysis (PCA) were used to discriminate between 30 batches of commercially available cibotium samples based on multi-component metabolite profiles.

RESULTSaccharide is the principle component of C. baronetz decoction pieces, and steroid and triterpene were the discriminately chemical component. Protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, cibotiumbaroside A, cibotiumbaroside B and 4-O-caffeoyl-D-glucoside could be used as the marker for controlling the quality of commercial C. baronetz decoction pieces.

CONCLUSIONPattern-recognition techniques applied to proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra of 80% methanol extraction of C. baronetz could correctly discriminate not only the quality, but also the chemical component for batches of commercial C. baronetz decoction pieces.

Benzaldehydes ; chemistry ; Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; Catechols ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; Ferns ; chemistry ; Furans ; chemistry ; Glucose ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Hydroxybenzoates ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Maltose ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Steroids ; chemistry ; Sucrose ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the proportion and mechanism of relieving asthma of drug partnership comprising herbal Ephedrae & Pheretima.

METHODTo study relaxant effect on 10 micromol x L(-1) carbachol (CCh) and 10 micromol x L(-1) histamine (His) precontracted isolated tracheal rings and lowering effect on short-circuit current (Isc) increase induced by 10 micromol x L(-1) CCh with 3 proportions of 1:1, 1:3, 1:9 extract.

RESULT1:3 proportions dose-dependently relaxed CCh-precontracted isolated tracheal rings, IC50 of 1:1, 1:3 is 7.5, 15 mg x mL(-1) respectively, 1:9 could not produce 50% inhibition effect on CCh-evoked contraction; 3 proportions also dose-dependently relaxed His-precontracted isolated tracheal rings, IC50 of 1:9, 1:3 and 1:1 is 0.19, 0.61, 1.8 mg x mL(-1) respectively. On the other hand,the orders potency of the decrease effect on CCh-evoked short circuit current increase is 1:3 > 1:1 > 1:9. The difference is not significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHerbal Ephedrae & Pheretima had tracheal muscle relaxant and epithelium ion secretion inhibition effect, its mechanism of relieving asthma involved anti-CCh and anti-His effect 1:3 was the most appropriate dosage ratio in the anti-asthmatic drug partnership.

Animals ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Asthma ; physiopathology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ephedra sinica ; chemistry ; Guinea Pigs ; Histamine Antagonists ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Materia Medica ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Muscle Relaxation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Oligochaeta ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein complex Ⅱ (gC Ⅱ ) consists of two glycoproteins, gM and gN. Although gC Ⅱ specific IgG purified from HCMV positive patient sera can neutralize HCMV, there has been no report on the generation of virus-neutralizing antibodies by immunizing with one epitope of gM. The epitope, termed MAD, was screened from random phage peptide library by subtractive strategy. The peptide sequence of MAD was highly homologous with 32~38 amino acids of HCMV gM. Mice immunized with MAD coupled with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) could produce specific antibodies against MAD, and the antibodies obtained could bind not only native HCMV particles, but also the recombinant gM30～78 peptide. ELISA analysis results showed that MAD could specifically bind HCMV-positive human serum samples. Virus-neutralizing assay results demonstrated that the antibodies against MAD could inhibit HCMV strain AD169 entering the human embryonic lung cells. The results suggested that MAD could be used as a new potential protective antigen in the development of HCMV vaccine.

Objective To explore a kind of simple and high efficient approach to differentiate human embryonic stem cells(hESCs)into neural stem cells(NSCs).Methods hESCs were cultured in bacterial culture dish filled with serum free medium to gain embryoid bodies.Then the mature embryoid bodies grew in the special medium including B27 and noggin by adherent culture to differentiate into NSCs. Results The hESCs kept floating in the bacterial culture dish and growing all the time and then formed mature embryoid bodies 7 to 10 days later.The embryoid bodies could be differentiated into highly pure (96.4%)nestin positive cells.And these cells were differentiated into all kinds of neural cells if cultured further.Conclusions This kind of method is less time-consuming,cheaper,and more efficient than those of the results in literatures reported.It affords very good source of seed cells for cell transplantation therapy in the future.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of decoction for invigorating the kidney and improving blood circulation to thrombosis and pathology on rabbit blood stasis model.

METHODThirty rabbits were ramdomly divided into normal group, model group, high dose group, low dose group and Xue Shuan Ning group. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI), fibrinogen (Fbg) and D-dimer (DD) were investigated after those rabbits had been treated. One rot was solected randomly from each group to observe pathological changes.

RESULTThere were significant differences in t-PA, PAI, Fbg and DD between normal group and other groups is very obvious (P < 0.01) . Between groups of high dose low dose Xue Shuan Ning and model, the statistical differeces were significant, as well as between groups of high dose, low dose and Xue Shuan Ning groups (P < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference between high dose group and high dose group (P > 0.05). The pathological changes in model group were most serious, those in Xue Shuan Ning were less serious. There were slight pathological changes in high dose group and low dose group.

CONCLUSIONModels ware made successfully. High dose group and low dose group have stronger effect on thrombosis than Xue Shuan Ning group.

Animals ; Blood Viscosity ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; metabolism ; Fibrinogen ; metabolism ; Hematocrit ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Plasminogen Inactivators ; blood ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Thrombosis ; blood ; pathology ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate regulation function of anodonta glucan HBP-A on chondrocytes through Wnt pathway in vitro.

METHODSRat chondrocytes were cultured and differentiated induced with IL-1beta (10 ng/ml) in vitro. Chondrocytes were divided into five groups:IL-13 group,IL-1beta + IWP-2 (5 microM,Wnt pathway inhibitor) group, IL-1beta + HBP-A (0.3 mg/ml) group and IL-1beta + IWP-2 + HBP-A group. Wnt-3a, beta-catenin (24 h,48 h,72 h) and MMP-13(72 h) genes expression were detected by Rt-PCR, while beta-catenin, MMP-13, Sox-9 and coll-II (48 h) protein expression were measured by Western-blot.

RESULTSAfter induction of IL-1beta, gene expression of Wnt-3a, beta-catenin and MMP-13 were increased,so were the protein expression of beta-catenin and MMP-13. In contrast,protein expression of Sox-9 and Coll-II were declined. Following addition of HBP-A, Wnt-3a, beta-catenin and MMP-13 were shown as induction of IL-1beta, but protein expression of Sox-9 and Coll-II were upgraded. Combining HBP-A with IWP-2 led to the lowest level in Wnt-3a, beta-catenin gene and beta-catenin protein expression and highest expression of Sox-9 protein.

CONCLUSIONHBP-A could not only delay the differentiation of chondrocytes through downgrading the signal expression of Wnt/beta-catenin,but also adjust the expression of Wnt-3a, beta-catenin and Sox-9 when combinated with the Wnt inhibitor.

Animals ; Anodonta ; chemistry ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Glucans ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Rats ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; drug effects ; Wnt3A Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the influence and significance of preoperative design of surgical approach on stem cell transplantation via stereotactic surgery. Methods Six patients with stroke in the basal ganglia region were selected. The transplantation target and transcranial approach point were designed by magnetic resonance examination before stem cell transplantation via stereotacfic surgery to guarantee that the line connecting the transplantation target and transcranial approach point could avoid the important functional areas, the ventricular system and the softening focus. Postoperative magnetic resonance examination was performed to observe whether the practical target and surgical approach coincided with the preoperative design or not. Results The practical transplantation target was coincided with the designed transplantation target, distributed around the softening focus without implanted cells in the softening focus. Surgical approach was coincided with the preoperative design and it successfully avoided the important brain functional area, ventricular system and softening focus.Conelnsion The preoperative design of surgical approach can not only ensure the cells being exactly transplanted into the reservation target and guarantee the curative effect, but also promise the surgical approach successfully avoiding the important brain functional area, ventricular system and softening focus and reduce the operative injury.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the chemotherapy effect of high-dose tamoxifen(TAM) in the patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR-1) non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Methods: A total of 108 patients with refractory NSCLC were divided at random into four groups: A,B,C,and D. Each group contained 27 patients. A,B,and C were study group, D was control group. TAM was given from the third day before chemotherapy up to 11 days dose of TAM for group A: 40 mg, tid;group B: 60 mg, tid;group C: 80 mg, tid;group D: Simple chemotherapy. The dosage and schedule of the chemotherapy regimen was just same in every group: VDS 2.5 mg/m2 d1,d8, ADM 30 mg/m2 d2, DDP 80 mg/m2 d4,d5. The therapeutic effect of each group after having been performed 3 cyeles,and treatment rested 30 days was evaluated. Results:The response rates of the A,B,C,and D group were 33.3％ (9/27),48.1％ (13/27),55.6％ (15/27),25.9％ (7/27),respectively. The response rate of group C was the highest and group D was the lowest. Compared group A,B,C with group D,A∶ D P >0.05, the difference did not reach statistical significance;B∶ D P >0.05, the difference did not reach statistical significance;C∶ D P<0.05, the difference reached statistical significance. The major side effect of chemotherapy had not difference in every group. Only four patients of group C with TAM 240 mg/d developed psychiatric symptom, and TAM was abandoned after symptom automatic extinction. Conclusions: High dose TAM can be safely administered and may inhibit MDR-1 function. The dose of TAM become positive correlation to it's effect.