Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive point medicinal moxibustion plus percutaneous administration of tetrandrine in treating lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Methods One hundred and twenty patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were randomized to treatment and control groups, 60 cases each. The treatment group received heat-sensitive point medicinal moxibustion plus percutaneous administration of tetrandrine and the control group, heat-sensitive point medicinal moxibustion alone. The VAS score and the JOA Score for Back Pain score were recorded in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the JOA Score for Back Pain score and the VAS score in the two groups (P<0.01). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the JOA Score for Back Pain score and the VAS score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01). The excellent and good rate was 80.0％ in the treatment group and 55.0％ in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). Conclusion Heat-sensitive point medicinal moxibustion plus percutaneous administration of tetrandrine is an effective way to treat lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

Genotypic and environmental variation in Cd, Cr, As, Ni and Pb concentrations of grains, and the relationships between these heavy metals and Fe, Zn were investigated using 9 rice genotypes grown in 6 locations for two successive years. Significant genotypic variation was detected in the five heavy metal concentrations in grains, indicating the possibility to reduce the concentration of these heavy metals in grains through breeding approach. The environmental effect varied with metal, with Pb and Ni having greater variation than the other three metals. There was significant genotype-environment (location) interaction of the concentrations of all five heavy metals in grains, suggesting the importance of cultivar choice in producing rice with low heavy metal concentrations in grains for a given location. Correlation analysis showed that Cd and As, Cr and Ni, and As and Pb concentrations in rice grains were closely associated, and that Ni concentration in grains was negatively correlated with Zn concentration.
Arsenic ; analysis ; Cadmium ; analysis ; Chromium ; analysis ; Edible Grain ; chemistry ; genetics ; Environment ; Genetic Variation ; genetics ; Genotype ; Lead ; analysis ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Nickel ; analysis ; Oryza ; chemistry ; genetics ; Soil Pollutants ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Qilin Pills combined with clomiphene on idiopathic oligoasthenospermia.

METHODSWe randomly assigned 300 patients with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia to a trial (n = 156) and a control group (n = 144) to be treated with Qilin Pills (6 g, tid) combined with clomiphene (50 mg, qd) and clomiphene alone (50 mg, qd), respectively, both for a course of 12 weeks. Before and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of medication, we determined sperm concentration, the percentages of grade a and grade a + b sperm, sperm motility, and the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone (T), followed by evaluation of the clinical efficacy of Qilin Pills with the pregnancy rate in the patients' spouses as the secondaty therapeutic indexes.

RESULTSCompared with the baseline, both groups of patients showed remarkably improved semen parameters and hormone levels after treatment (all P < 0.01). After 4, 8, and 12 weeks of medication, statistically significant differences were observed between the trial and control groups in sperm concentration ([17.06 ± 2.24] vs [15.07 ± 2.48], [22.10 ± 2.65] vs [18.11 ± 2.97], and [28.13 ± 3.59] vs [21.21 ± 3.60] x 10(6)/mL, P < 0.01), the percentage of grade a sperm ([15.03 ± 2.39] vs [13.08 ± 2.51], [21.08 ± 3.16] vs [16.04 ± 3.05], and [28.08 ± 4.70] vs [20.14 ± 4.74]%, P < 0.01), the percentage of grade a + b sperm ([30.10 ± 5.07] vs [26.21 ± 3.96], [38.08 ± 5.64] vs [30.07 ± 4.80], and [48.04 ± 6.49] vs [35.28 ± 4.77]%, P < 0.01), sperm motility ([42.04 ± 4.86] vs [40.29 ± 4.19], [52.05 ± 5.58] vs [48.03 ± 4.40], and [65.03 ± 5.13] vs [56.67 ± 4.99]%), the FSH level ([7.75 ± 1.38] vs [7.20 ± 1.17], [10.83 ± 1.23] vs [9.10 ± 1.32], and [14.22 ± 0.84] vs [12.06 ± 1.45] IU/L, P < 0.01), the LH level ([10.05 ± 1.68] vs [9.18 ± 1.54], [13.96 ± 1.68] vs [11.99 ± 1.71], and [19.01 ± 2.42] vs [15.86 ± 2.08] IU/L, P < 0.01) and the T level ([19.19 ± 192] vs [18.34 ± 1.79] [21.06 ± 1.63] vs [20.06 ± 1.56], and [24.63 ± 1.06] vs [22.03 ± 1.49] nmol/L, P < 0.01). The pregnancy rate in the patients' spouses was significantly higher in the trial than in the control group at 4, 8, and 12 weeks (1.92 vs 0.69, 4.81 vs 3.47, and 11.54 vs 8.33%, P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in drug tolerance between the two groups (P > 0.05). No obvious adverse reactions were observed.

CONCLUSIONQilin Pills combined with clomiphene can evidently improve the seminal quality and hormone level of oligoasthenospermia patients with no obvious adverse events. However, its long-term efficacy and tolerance deserve further clinical investigation.

Asthenozoospermia ; blood ; drug therapy ; Clomiphene ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fertility Agents ; therapeutic use ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Semen ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Testosterone ; blood

The study was purposed to investigate the effect of extract of Agkistrodon Halys venom on proliferation and apoptosis of K562 cells. The inhibition of K562 cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay; The morphologic changes of K562 cells was observed by microscopy; the apoptosis of K562 cells was measured by flow cytometry; the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in K562 cells was detected by Western blot. The results showed that when K562 cells were treated with 0, 1, 10, 20 microg/ml of the extraction for 48 hours, the apoptosis rates were 2.1%, 21.3%, 49.7%, 70.1%, respectively. The proliferation of K562 cells was obviously inhibited in dose-dependent manner. Typical morphologic changes significantly appeared in the extract-treated K562 cells. The extract obviously inhibited the activity of ERK in K562 cells. It is concluded that the extract of Agkistrodon Halys' venom can inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells and induce apoptosis of K562 cells.
Agkistrodon ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Complex Mixtures ; pharmacology ; Crotalid Venoms ; chemistry ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Humans ; K562 Cells

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors upgrading the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Gleason score using the specimens from preoperative prostatic biopsy and radical prostatectomy.

METHODSA total of 164 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer by biopsy underwent radical prostatectomy. We retrospectively analyzed their age, prostate volume, preoperative PSA level, PSA density (PSAD) , the time interval between biopsy and surgery, the number of positive punctures, positive surgical margin, seminal vesicle invasion, lymphatic invasion, and Gleason scores from biopsy and prostatectomy. We also determined the predictors of Gleason score upgrading by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSOf the 164 cases analyzed, 95 (57.93% ) showed a consistency between the Gleason score of preoperative prostatic biopsy and that after radical prostatectomy, 55 (33.54% ) increased and 14 (8.52%) decreased after prostatectomy as compared with preoperative biopsy. The prostate volume (P < 0.01) and biopsy score (P < 0.05) were independent predictors of Gleason score upgrading. The risk of Gleason score upgrading was 27 times higher in the patients with the prostate volume ≤ 25 ml and 9 times higher in the 25-40 ml group than in the > 60 ml group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLow Gleason score of biopsy (≤ 6) and small prostate volume (≤ 40 ml) may be the predictors of Gleason score upgrading after radical prostatectomy.

Biopsy ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Grading ; Organ Size ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; classification ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical outcome after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with double-bundle or single-bundle by meta-analysis.

METHODSRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) on differences of clinical outcomes of ACL reconstruction were retrieved in Ovid Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CBM and VIP database. Relevant journals or conference proceedings were also searched manually. Then extracted the date of KT-1000 arthrometer, pivot-shift testing, Lysholm score and IKDC final score in these researches. RevMan 5.0.23 software was used for data analyses.

RESULTSEight prospective RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The combined results of meta-analysis indicated that there was statistical difference between two operative procedures on postoperative KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side [WMD = -0.35, 95%CI (-0.61, -0.08), P = 0.01], Lysholm score [WMD = -1.91, 95%CI (-3.45, -0.37), P = 0.01]. But the difference of KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side is demonstrated to be clinically insignificant. Others indicated that there was no statistical differences with respect to IKDC final score [OR = 1.80, 95%CI (0.98, 3.31), P = 0.06], having a normal or nearly normal pivot-shift testing [OR = 1.64, 95%CI (0.85, 3.16), P = 0.14].

CONCLUSIONSDouble-bundle reconstruction does not result in clinically significant advantage when compared with single-bundle. The results do not support the theory that double-bundle reconstruction controls knee rotation better.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; surgery ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory effects of insulin on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) nuclear translocation of vascular endothelial cells induced by burn serum and its correlative mechanism.

METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured in vitro and divided into 5 groups: blank control group (BC, ordinary culture without any stimulation), normal serum control group (NS, cultured with nutrient solution containing 20% healthy human serum), burn serum stimulation group (BS, cultured with nutrient solution containing 20% burn human serum), burn serum+insulin treatment group (BI, cultured with nutrient solution containing 20% burn human serum and 1x10(-7) mol/L insulin), inhibitor pretreatment group [IP, pretreated with 50 micromol/L protein kinase B (Akt) specific inhibitor LY-294002, then cultured with the same medium as used in BI group 30 minutes later] according to the random number table. Six hours later, the injury and apoptosis of HUVECs was respectively observed by the scanning electron microscope and determined by the flow cytometry. Meanwhile, the phosphorylation of inhibitor kappa B-alpha (p-IkappaB-alpha) and Akt (p-Akt) in cytoplasm, and the content of NF-kappaB-p65 in nucleus were determined with Western blot.

RESULTS(1) Compared with those in BC group, HUVECs in BS group shrank obviously with irregular nuclear structure, and intercellular links jagged or vanished. Slight change was observed in HUVECs structure in NS and BI groups, with the cell ductility and nuclear structure much better than those in BS group. (2) The apoptosis rates of HUVECs in BS group [(28.5+/-2.3)%], BI group [(22.3+/-1.8)%], and IP group [(29.7+/-2.4)%] were all obviously higher than that in BC group [(15.7+/-2.2)%, F=14.288, P<0.05 or P<0.01]. There was no significant statistical difference between NS group [(17.0+/-2.5)%] and BC group in apoptosis rate (F=14.288, P>0.05). The apoptosis rate of HUVECs in BI group was obviously lower than that in BS group (F=14.288, P<0.05). (3) Compared with those in BC group, the protein expressions of p-IkappaB-alpha in cytoplasm and NF-kappaB-p65 in nucleus were up-regulated, and the protein expression of p-Akt in cytoplasm was down-regulated in BS and IP groups. The expression levels of the three proteins in NS and BI groups were close to those in BC group.

CONCLUSIONSInsulin could inhibit the IkappaB phosphorylation, and then restrict NF-kappaB nuclear translocation and improve the vascular endothelial cells function accordingly through regulating phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/Akt pathway.

Apoptosis ; Burns ; blood ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Serum ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism and the accelerating effect of rhEGF and rhbFGF on wound healing.

METHODSTwelve New Zealand rabbits with 72 incised wounds on ventral side of 24 ears were randomly divided into two therapeutic groups (rhEGF of 10 ug/cm(2) and rhbFGF of 100 AU/cm(2)) and a control group (1% silver sulfadiazine cream, SD-Ag). The general conditions of the wound healing was observed grossly. Biopsies were harvested at different time points for the pathomorphological examination, the electron microscopic examination, and for assessment of integrin beta1 mRNA expression by in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe expressions of integrin beta 1 mRNA in two therapeutic groups were significantly higher than that of control group. The quality of the wound healing was improved in therapeutic group with its healing time shortened when compared with that in control group (P < 0.05). There was an obvious difference in the number of fibroblasts and capillary gemmules between the therapeutic and control groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe wound healing and quality could be improved by both rhEGF and rhbFGF, but rhbFGF seemed better to be employed during the early and middle stages of the wound repair for the growth of granulation tissue, while rhEGF should be applied at the late stage of wound repair to accelerate the re-epithelialization of the wound. Combined application of rhEGF with rhbFGF according to time effect could be more beneficial to the wound repair.

Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; pharmacology ; Integrin beta1 ; genetics ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDThe use of transanastomotic stents for Roux-en-Y hepatojejunostomy (RYHJ) in liver transplantation (LT) remains controversial. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the role of transanastomotic stent for RYHJ in LT.

METHODSRYHJ for biliary reconstruction in LT was performed in 52 patients. Twenty-five patients had bile duct reconstruction by RYHJ with transanastomotic stents (S group), while 27 patients underwent the same procedure without transanastomotic stents (non-S group). The two groups were compared in terms of post-LT biliary complications and survival.

RESULTSThe incidences of bile leakage, anastomotic stricture, non-anastomotic stricture, biliary sludge/lithiasis and biliary infection were 12% (3/25), 9.5% (2/21), 23.5% (4/17), 11.8% (2/17), and 24% (6/25), respectively in the S group, and 0, 0, 20.0% (5/25), 10.0% (2/20), and 16.7% (4/24), respectively in the non-S group. One and three year survival rates were 48.0% (12/25) and 34.0% (8/23), respectively, in the S group and 57.7% (15/26) and 38.9% (7/18), respectively, in the non-S group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the incidence of various biliary complications and survival (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe routine use of transanastomotic stents is not necessary for RYHJ for biliary reconstruction in LT.

Adult ; Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in the stems of Schisandra propinqua and evaluate their effects on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro by MTT assay.

METHODThe compounds were isolated and purified by various column chromatographic techniques and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis (ESI-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR).

RESULTFive compounds were isolated and identified as galgravin (1), veraguensin (2), octadecanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl ester (3), hexadecanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropy ester (4), tetracosanoic acid 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl ester (5).

CONCLUSIONAll the compounds were isolated for the first time from the plant. 1, 2, 5 showed inhibiting effects on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMCs) proliferation in vitro.

Furans ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Schisandra ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization