Objective To compare the cervical intervertebral movements produced by posteroanterior cervical mobilization and posteroanterior cervical mobilization combined with cervical traction by using the radiographic measurement.Methods The study recruited 12 normal volunteers (6 men,6 women),aged 18 to 25 years (22.9±4.7 years),heighted (164± 7)cm and weighed (54.7 ± 7.6)kg.All the subjects were administered with posteroanterior cervical mobilization followed by posteroanterior cervical mobilization while having cervical traction,or vice versa,with an interval of 2 days in between.The X-ray films were collected before and after the treatment,using 4 static cervical lateral views.The axial displacement of posterior and anterior intervertebral separation (IVS),and the shear displacement of vertebral body as well as the rotation and displacement rate of the motion segments in the sagittal plane before and after the treatment were measured on the radiographic images and compared.Results It was shown that the posteroanterior cervical mobilization produced greater C2-C7 rotation range of motion in the sagittal plane,as compared to that by the posteroanterior mobilization while having cervical traction (P ＜ 0.05).The posteroanterior mobilization produced a significantly greater increase of anterior IVS of the C5 segment and the summation of C2-C7 posterior IVS than those by posteroanterior mobilization while having cervical traction (P ＜ 0.05).However,the posterior IVS and the posterior zygapophysial joints separation of C2-C7 produced by the posteroanterior mobilization during traction were more prominent (P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistical difference between anteroposterior displacements of the vertebral body produced by the two interventions.Comparing with the baseline,the posteroanterior mobilization caused posterior movement of the vertebral bodies of C5 to C2,while the posteroanterior cervical mobilization during traction produced posterior movement of C5 to C2 vertebral bodies and anterior movement of C6 body.Conclusion The cervical posteroanterior mobilization significantly increased the lordosis from C3 to C7,and reduced posterior IVS and zygapophysial joints separation.However,the posteroanterior mobilization during traction changed the intervertebral movements.

The effect of amygdalin joint hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on the endplate chondrocytes derived from intervertebral discs of rats induced by IL-1beta and the possible mechanism were studied and explored. Chondrocytes were obtained from endplate of one-month SD rat intervertebral discs and cultured primary endplate chondrocytes. After identification, they were divided into normal group, induced group, amygdalin group, HSYA group and combined group. CCK-8 kit was adopted to detect the proliferation of the endplate chondrocytes. FCM was measured to detect the apoptosis. Real-time PCR method was adopted to observe the mRNA expression of Aggrecan, Col 2 alpha1, Col 10 alpha1, MMP-13 and the inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta. The protein expression of Col II, Col X was tested through immunofluorescence. Compared with the normal group, the proliferation of the endplate chondrocytes decreased while the apoptosis increased (P < 0.05). With down regulation of the mRNA expressions of Aggrecan, Col 2 alpha1 and up regulation of the mRNA expressions of Col 10 alpha1, MMP-13, IL-1beta (P < 0.05), the protein expression of Col II decreased while the protein expression of Col X increased. Compared with the induced group, amygdalin group, HSYA group, the combined group could inhibit the apoptosis and promote the proliferation (P < 0.05). They could increase the mRNA expressions of Aggrecan and Col 2 alpha1 while decrease the mRNA expressions of Col 10 alpha1, MMP-13 and IL-1beta (P < 0.05). They could also enhance the protein expression of Col II while reduce the protein expression of Col X. The effect of the combined group was significantly better than that of amygdalin and HSYA. Amygdalin joint HSYA could inhibit the degeneration of the endplate chondrocytes derived from intervertebral discs of rats induced by IL-1beta and better than the single use of amygdalin or HSYA.
Amygdalin ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cells, Cultured ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Chondrocytes ; drug effects ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Drug Synergism ; Interleukin-1beta ; Intervertebral Disc ; cytology ; Quinones ; pharmacology ; Rats

Standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica is an important way to solve the "Lemons Problem" of traditional Chinese medicine market. Standards of commodity classes are also helpful to rebuild market mechanisms for "high price for good quality". The previous edition of commodity classes standards of Chinese materia medica was made 30 years ago. It is no longer adapted to the market demand. This article researched progress on standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica. It considered that biological activity is a better choice than chemical constituents for standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica. It is also considered that the key point to set standards of commodity classes is finding the influencing factors between "good quality" and "bad quality". The article also discussed the range of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica, and how to coordinate standards of pharmacopoeia and commodity classes. According to different demands, diversiform standards can be used in commodity classes of Chinese materia medica, but efficacy is considered the most important index of commodity standard. Decoction pieces can be included in standards of commodity classes of Chinese materia medica. The authors also formulated the standards of commodity classes of Notoginseng Radix as an example, and hope this study can make a positive and promotion effect on traditional Chinese medicine market related research.
China ; Drug Industry ; economics ; standards ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; economics ; standards ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; methods ; standards ; Panax notoginseng ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; economics ; methods ; standards ; Plant Roots ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reference Standards ; Research ; trends

Objective To investigate the effects of electromagnetic irradiation on activation of protein kinase C(PKC)and phosphorylation of glutamate receptor 2(GluR2)in rat cerebellum.Methods Sixty male Wistar rats were divided randomly into a control group and an electromagnetic exposure group(including 5 subgroups ob- served at different time points after the irradiation,eg.0 hour,3 hours,12 hours,24 hours and 72 hours after irradi- ation),with 10 rats in each group.All the rats in the exposure group were exposed to 90 mW/cm2 electromagnetic ir- radiation for 20 minutes,their rectal temperature was detected immediately after irradiation and the specific absorption rate(SAR)value was calculated,activation of PKC was detected with improved TaKai method,the level of cerebellar GluR2 expression and phosphorylation(ser880)was detected by using Western blot.Results Immediately(0 hour)after exposure,the rectal temperature of rats increased 2.99℃,SAR value was 8.66 W/kg.When compared to the control group,it was found that there was no significant difference between the exposure group and the control group with regard to all the parameters at 3,12,24 and 72 hours after exposure,except that the cerebellar PKC acti- vation and GluR2(ser 880)phosphorylation decreased significantly immediately after irradiation.Conclusion The electromagnetic irradiation has injurious effects on cerebellar signal pathway of for motor learning.

Objective To explore the effects of recombinant human hormone(rhGH) on the plasma total protein,plasma albmin,healing of Wound surfaces in patients with the second degree burns wound.Methods 38 pa- tients with the second degree burns wound were divided into treatment group and control group randomly.All the patients were subject general.19 patients in the treatment group were given rhGH in a dose of 0.2U/kg for 14 days beginning from postoperative 5 days.The plasma total protein concentration,plasma albumin concentration,healing rat of wound surface and scar of patients of the two group were compared.Results The plasma total protein concen- tration plasma albumin concentration of the treatment group were significantly in creased,the scar hyperplasia of the treatment group were significantly mitigated and the healing time of wound surfaces of the treatment group were sig- nificantly shortened.Conclusion rhGH is found to promote protein anabotism and shorten the healing time of wound surfaces and mitigate the scar hyperplasia patients with the second degree burns wound.

Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Large Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Histiocytic Sarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Hodgkin Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the action mechanism of a Chinese herbal mixture PC-SPES II inducing the apoptosis of androgen independent prostate adenocarcinoma cell line (PC-3).

METHODSThe growth of PC-3 was shown by MTT. Immunofluorescence staining of acridine orange (AO) and flow cytometry were used to detect the apoptosis. The expressions of the apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed with their monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies after Western blotting.

RESULTSPC-SPES II not only inhibited the growth of PC-3 cells but also induced their death. The apoptosis of PC-3 cells treated with PC-SPES II was detected by immunofluorescence staining of AO and flow cytometry, which showed the apoptotic cells to be (29.8 +/- 5.6)%, but the untreated control cells (0.06 +/- 0.014)%, (P < 0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, two antiapoptosis proteins, was decreased while Bax, a pro apoptosis protein, was elevated in the cells treated with PC-SPES II as compared with the untreated control (P < 0.01). Accordingly, the expression of the activated fragments of caspase-3 was also increased (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese herbal mixture PCSPES II can induce the apoptosis of PC-3. Its mechanism may lie in the up-regulation of Bax expression and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expressions, which induce the activated fragments of caspase-3 by mitochondria.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVEOxidative stress plays an important role in retinal pigmental epithelium (RPE) death during aging and the development of age-related macular degeneration. Although early reports indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) including H₂O₂ can trigger apoptosis at lower concentrations and necrosis at higher concentrations, the exact molecular mechanism of RPE death is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular pathways involved in RPE death induced by exogenous ROS, especially at higher concentrations.

METHODSCultured ARPE-19 cells were treated with H₂O₂ at different concentrations and cell viability was measured with the MTT assay. Cell death was morphologically studied by microscopy using APOPercentage assay and PI staining. Furthermore, the impact of oxidative stress on ARPE-19 cells was assessed by HO-1 and PARP-1 Western blotting and by the protection of antioxidant EGCG. Calcium influx was determined using the fura-2 calcium indicator and the role of intracellular calcium overload in ARPE-19 cell death was evaluated following cobalt treatment to block calcium effects.

RESULTSH₂O₂ reduced the viability of ARPE-19 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which was presented as a typical s-shaped curve. Cell death caused by high concentrations of H₂O₂ was confirmed to be programmed necrosis. Morphologically, dying ARPE-19 cells were extremely swollen and lost the integrity of their plasma membrane, positively detected with APOPercentage assay and PI staining. 24-hour treatment with 500 μmol/L H₂O₂ induced remarkable up-regulation of HO-1 and PARP-1 in ARPE-19 cells. Moreover, antioxidant treatment using EGCG effectively protected cells from H₂O₂-induced injury, increasing cell viability from 14.17%±2.31% to 85.77%±4.58%. After H₂O₂ treatment, intracellular calcium levels were highly elevated with a maximum concentration of 1200 nM. Significantly, the calcium channel inhibitor cobalt was able to blunt this calcium influx and blocked the necrotic pathway, rescuing the ARPE-19 cell from H₂O₂-induced death.

CONCLUSIONSAt high concentrations, H₂O₂ induces ARPE-19 cell death through a regulated necrotic pathway with calcium overload as a critical step in the cell death program.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; toxicity ; Necrosis ; drug therapy ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To explore the effect of L-carnosine on neuronal cell apoptosis in young rats with experimental febrile seizures(FS).Methods Forty 15-day SD rats were randomly divided into intervention group(n=30)and FS group(n=10).Warm water was used to induce 10 times FS.The intervention group was divided into E,G and H group,10 rats in each group.Intraperitoneal injection of L-carnosine(250 mg/kg)was separately given to the rats in E group,G group and H group respectively after 30,60 and 120 min of seizure.FS group were induced FS,but they were not given intervention.The rats were sacrificed at 12 hours after the last seizure.Neuronal cell apoptosis was determined by terminal eoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)in situ cell death kit.TUNEL positive cells were stained and counted as apoptosis in hippocampus and cortex.Ultrastructural changes of apoptosis neurons were observed under the electron microscope.Results The neuronal cells apoptosis count was 25.37?1.95 in FS group,12.36?1.13 in E group,17.85?2.04 in G group,and 22.69?2.69 in H group.Neuronal apoptosis of FS group was apparently higher than that of interventional groups(F=10.75 P0.05).Under the electron microscope,neuronal damage on hippocampal CA1 area and dentate gyrus of FS group and H group was obviously higher than that of E group.Conclusions Early injection of L-carnosine would not only relieve neuronal apoptosis of repeated FS,but also play a role in the protection of neuronal cells.

0.05).Conclusions Early injection of L-carnosine would not only improve cerebral oxidative phosphorylation,relieve neuronal injury of repeated FS,but play a role in the protection of neuronal cells.