Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion plus medications on senile osteoporosis (SOP), and to explore the related mechanisms. Methods: A total of 70 elderly participants with osteoporosis were randomly divided into an observation group and control group, with 35 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional drugs, and the observation group was treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion on the basis of the conventional drugs. Both groups were treated for 3 months. Before and after treatment, assessed the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, determined the bone mineral density of the participants' lumbar spine (L2-L4) and left femoral neck, and detected the participants' serum bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels. Results: After treatment, the VAS scores of both groups were lower than before treatment (both P<0.05), and the VAS score of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the bone mineral density values of the lumbar spine and left femoral neck in both groups were significantly higher than before treatment (both P<0.05), and the bone mineral density values of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the ODI scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment (both P<0.05), and the ODI score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum BMP-2 and OPG levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Heat-sensitive moxibustion plus medications for SOP can significantly relieve patients' pain, improve dysfunction, and increase bone density, which may be related to the improvement of the serum BMP-2 and OPG levels.

With the concept of vascular cognitive impairment has been deeply recognized and the thorough studies of its pathogenesis,study reports on vascular cognitive impairment have been increasing in recent years.This article reviews the molecular mechanism and genetics of vascular cognitive impairment.

Child ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; blood ; therapy ; Splenic Artery

The enzymatic degumming of ramie bast fibers is a kind of method with high performance, superior quality, free from pollution that directly makes use of the extra cellular enzyme or zymin produced in the fermentation process of microorganisms to degrade the gum. So far, many investigations regarding this aspect have been conducted at home and abroad, and screened various strains including aerobic bacteria and anaerobic bacteria. Comparison with the chemical degumming, the enzymatic degumming shows the advantage of improving the quality of refined dried-ramie, significantly lowering the pollution of the environment, and isone of the main development directions in the future. At the same time, if the degumming technology is extensively applied into industrialization production, the dosage of enzymes will prodigiously increase, which will promote the development of the industry on enzymes.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus associated with important human diseases, including infectious mononucleosis syndrome, malignant lymphoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The mechanism of EBV entry into host cells remains a subject of intensive research. After decades of study, researchers have identified several key proteins and different patterns of EBV intrusion into host cells. The viral surface glycoproteins, gp350/220, gp42, gB, gH, and gL, are involved in interactions with the CR2 receptor on the surface of B lymphocytes during viral entry. However, the majority of epithelial cells lack CR2 receptor expression, which makes viral invasion much more complex than in B lymphocytes. Three different models have been proposed to explain how EBV enters epithelial cells: (1) "transfer of infection", mediated by B lymphocytes or Langerhans cells; (2) EBV utilizes its own proteins during the process of fusion with the cell membrane; and (3) progeny virions arising from EBV-infected epithelial cells cross lateral membranes into adjacent epithelial cells. This review will discuss the relevant mechanism of viral entry into B lymphocytes and epithelial cells during EBV infection.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; virology ; Epithelial Cells ; virology ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Internalization

Objective To investigate changes in CD_4~+ CD_(28)~(null)T cell numbers of peripheral blood and the expression of perforin in patients with coronary heart disease.Methods Sixty-eight patients with acute coronary syndromes,56 with stable angina and 65 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study.CD_4~+ CD_(28)~(null)T lymphocytes were measured by flow cytometric analysis.Results The numbers of CD_4~+ CD_(28)~(null)T lymphocytes in patients with acute coronary syndromes were higher than those in patients with stable angina and in the control subjects(11.6 % vs 2.84% and 0.59%,P

Objective To investigate the effect of apolipoprotein E gene knock-out(ApoE KO) and high-fat diet on morphology and the expression of mortalin in hippocampal CA_3 neurons of mice, and to explore the impact of these factors on memory and Alzheimer's disease.Methods Ten wild-type and 10 ApoE KO mice were fed with common chow as the control group and the KO group respectively while 10 ApoE KO mice were fed with high fat diet.Twelve weeks later, the weight and the lid of these mice were measured.The brain tissues were observed using HE staining, nissl staining, protargol staining,immunohistochemistry staining and image analysis by computer.Results In the ApoE KO group, weight,total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher than those in the control group,and these changes were more significant in ApoE KO high-fat diet group.The nissl was higher in the ApoE KO group (0.301±0.031) and in ApoE KO high-fat diet group (0.261±0.020) than those in the control group (0.341±0.035, F=18.068, P<0.05).The mortalin in the ApoE KO group (0.322±0.060) and in ApoE KO high-fat diet group (0.391±0.041) were higher than the control group (0.256±0.061, F=15.230, P < 0.05).Conclusions ApoE KO and high-fat diet can reduce nissl, and improve the expression of mortalin.This protein may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVETo verify the regulatory effects of acupuncture on exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at stable phase.

METHODSThirty cases of COPD were randomly divided into a treatment group (16 cases) and a placebo group (14 cases). Based on specified aerobic exercise, acupuncture was applied in the treatment group and placebo acupuncture was used in the placebo group. The acupoints included Danzhong (CV 17), Rugen (ST 18), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25) and so on. The needle did not penetrate into the skin for the placebo group. The treatment was required for 2 to 3 times per week for totally 5 weeks. The indices of exercise tolerance, including 6-min walking distance (6-MWD), exercise time, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC), maximum ventilatory volume (MVV), St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) were observed in two groups before and after treatment.

RESULTS(1) Exercise tolerance: the differences of 6-MWD and exercise time were statistically significant between groups, which were more superior in the treatment group (both P<0.01); the VO2max was significantly increased after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05), but there was no difference between two groups (P>0.05). (2) Pulmonary ventilation function: the differences of FEV1%, FEV1/FVC and MVV% were statistically significant between groups, which were more superior in the treatment group (P<0.05, P<0.01); (3) SGRQ: the SGRQ was significantly improved after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05), but there was no difference between two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture could improve the exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable phase, and shorten the onset time of aerobic exercise. Besides, acupuncture combined with aerobic exercise could effectively improve the pulmonary function.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Exercise Tolerance ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; physiopathology ; therapy

Nitrites play multiple characteristic functions in invasion and metastasis of hepatic cancer cells, but the exact mechanism is not yet known. Cancer cells can maintain the malignant characteristics via clearance of excess mitochondria by mitophagy. The purpose of this article was to determine the roles of nitrite, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hypoxia inducing factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 α) in mitophagy of hepatic cancer cells. After exposure of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells to a serial concentrations of sodium nitrite for 24 h under normal oxygen, the maximal cell vitality was increased by 16 mg x (-1) sodium nitrite. In addition, the potentials of migration and invasion for SMMC-7721 cells were increased significantly at the same time. Furthermore, sodium nitrite exposure displayed an increase of stress fibers, lamellipodum and perinuclear mitochondrial distribution by cell staining with Actin-Tracker Green and Mito-Tracker Red, which was reversed by N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a reactive oxygen scavenger). DCFH-DA staining with fluorescent microscopy showed that the intracellular level of ROS concentration was increased by the sodium nitrite treatment. LC3 immunostaining and Western blot results showed that sodium nitrite enhanced cell autophagy flux. Under the transmission electron microscopy (TEM), more autolysosomes formed after sodium nitrite treatment and NAC could prevent autophagosome degradation. RT-PCR results indicated that the expression levels of COX I and COXIV mRNA were decreased significantly after sodium nitrite treatment. Meanwhile, laser scanning confocal microscopy showed that sodium nitrite significantly reduced mitochondrial mass detected by Mito-Tracker Green staining. The expression levels of HIF-1α, Beclin-1 and Bnip3 (mitophagy marker molecular) increased remarkably after sodium nitrite treatment, which were reversed by NAC. Our results demonstrated that sodium nitrite (16 mg x L(-1)) increased the potentials of invasion and migration of hepatic cancer SMMC-7721 cells through induction of ROS and HIF-1α mediated mitophagy.
Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Autophagy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Mitochondrial Degradation ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Nitrites ; metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Sodium Nitrite ; pharmacology

Channels from the TRP superfamily have essential roles in a wide variety of sensory transductions, especially in mechano-sensation, such as hearing, touch and mechanical pain. TRP channels are also implicated in major channelopathies, including deafness, chronic pain, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and ventricular hypertrophy. As the leading candidates for mechano-sensitive channels, some TRP channels appear to be mechano-receptor, which can be activated by mechanical forces directly, such as C. elegans TRPN homolog TRP-4; whereas others may act as signal modulators, receiving and amplifying signals indirectly. This review is to introduce the function of TRPs in mechano-sensory transduction and to discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Animals ; Humans ; Neural Conduction ; Sensation ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Transient Receptor Potential Channels ; metabolism ; physiology