Objective To apply a hand function laserimager to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on hand dysfunction after stroke. Meth-ods From January to June, 2016, 18 stroke patients with upper limb dysfunction were divided into control group (n=9) and acupuncture group (n=9). The control group received routine medication and rehabilitation, while the acupuncture group received acupuncture in addi-tion. They were assessed with modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of upper limb motor function and modified Bathel Index (MBI) before and after three-week treatment, while the region of interest (ROI) of their hands was tested with the hand func-tion laserimager. Results The scores of MAS and FMA improved after treatment in both groups (t>4.44, P<0.01), and improved in the score of MBI in the acupuncture group (t=3.95, P<0.01). The scores of MAS, FMA, and MBI improved more in the acupuncture group than in the control group (t>3.17, P<0.01). Meanwhile, the scores of ROI decreased in the affected hands after treatment (t>7.78, P<0.001), and de-creased more in the acupuncture group than in the control group (t=-2.23, P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the scores of ROI of the unaffected hands (t=-0.11, P>0.05) between groups. Conclusion The hand function laserimager, which responds to the blood perfusion of the hand, can be used as a tool to evaluate the hand function.

During the process of electroacupuncture (EA) therapy, whether there being a corrosive effect in ac- upuncture needles was observed. Acupuncture needles were inserted into a rabbit's acupoint to perform a 12-hour electrical stimulation with three types of common EA waveform; additionally two needles were put in 0.9% sodium chloride solution with 12-hour direct current. Afterwards, environmental scanning electron microscope was applied to detect the surface physical characteristics of acupuncture needles. As a result, after a 12-hour continued electri- cal stimulation with three types of common EA waveform in the rabbit, there was no corrosive effect in acupunc- ture needles; but the direct current could cause severe corrosion in acupuncture needles. It is believed that there is no corrosion effect on acupuncture needles in current EA treatment, and some accidents reported in literature may be related to quality of EA device or improper manipulation during the treatment.
Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Corrosion ; Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; Male ; Needles ; adverse effects ; Rabbits

Objective To explore the relationship between dynamic changes in ultra-micro-structural of pulmonary arteries and endogenous hydrogen sulfide in rats with left-right shunt.Methods Rats in shunt group were subjected to an abdominal aorta-inferior vena cava shunt to create an animal model of pulmonary artery structural remodeling. After 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 4 weeks and 8 weeks of experiment, the ultra-micro-morphologic changes of pulmonary arteries of rats were observed under electronic microscope and H_2S concentration in serum was evaluated by modified sulfide electrode method.Results The changes of ultra-micro-structure of pulmonary arteries were progressively exacerbated, endothelial cells became swollen and large in size on 3 days, smooth muscular cells increased in size as well as the change of endothelial cells in 1 week, and they changed from contractile phenotype to synthetic phenotype in 4 weeks.Conclusions Shunt exhibited changes of ultra-micro-structure of pulmonary arteries are accompanied by the changes of endogenous H_2S. It is suggested that endogenous H_2S might play a protective role in changes of ultra-micro-structure of pulmonary artery.

Tongue osteocartilaginous choristoma is the disease that there are well-developed bone and cartilage in the tongue. This article reported a case of tongue osteocartilaginous choristoma in the oral-cavity,which is rare.
Cartilage ; Choristoma ; Humans ; Tongue Diseases

Animals ; Carbon Radioisotopes ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; genetics ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Glucose ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Transcriptome

Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; metabolism ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of hypoxia on the human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells two pore domain potassium channels TASK-1 and the regulation of non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src in this process.

METHODSThe cultured human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs) were divided into: normal group, hypoxia 30 minute group, hypoxia 6 hours group and hypoxia 48 hour group, and hypoxia 48 hour + PP2 group, hypoxia 48 hour + PP3 group, hypoxia 48 hour + bpV group. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle, RT-PCR and Western blot technique were carried out to detect the expression changes of TASK-1 mRNA and protein in different groups.

RESULTS(1) Cell Cycle Show: Compared with normal control group, with prolonged hypoxia, the percentages of hPASMCs in S phases of cell cycle were increased. While compared with hypoxia 48 hour group, the percentages of hypoxia 48 hour + PP2 group hPASMCs in S phases of cell cycle were decreased. The expression of TASK-1 mRNA on hPASMCs in acute hypoxia 6 hour group was increased, while the expression of TASK-1 protein on hPASMCs in the acute and chronic hypoxia group was decreased, and the expression of TASK-1 mRNA on hPASMCs in the chronic hypoxia group was decreased; After pre-incubation of a potent and selective inhibitor of the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases PP2, the expression of TASK-1 mRNA and protein in hypoxia 48 hour group was increased, however after pre-incubation of the inhibitor of the Src family of protein tyrosine phosphatase bpV, the expression of TASK-1 protein in hypoxia 48 hour group was decreased.

CONCLUSIONHypoxia promotes human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation, and non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src may participate in the expression of two pore domain potassium channels TASK-1 regulated by hypoxia. Therefore, we hypothesized that TASK-1 channels and c-Src participatein the acute and chronic hypoxic human pulmonary vasoconstriction.

Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; RNA, Messenger ; Vasoconstriction ; src-Family Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effect of carbon monoxide(CO) on hydrogen sulfide(H_2S)/cystathionine-?-lyase system(CSE) in vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC) of spontaneous hypertensive rats(SHR).Methods The SHR VSMC were divided into 2 groups:experimental group(hemin was added to the culture media at a concentration of 10 ?mol/L)and control group (dimethyl sulfoxide was added to the culture media at an equal volume).The content of H_2S in the cultrue media was measured by sulfide electrode method,and the CSEmRNA level was assayed by competitive reversed transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results Compared with control group,the content of H_2S in the culture media of hemin-treated SMCs was significantly lower[(16.03? 2.14) ?mol/L vs (13.31?1.74)?mol/L],and the CSEmRNA level in hemin-treated SMCs was decreased markedly(0.17?0.04 vs 0.13?0.03).Conclusion CO can down-regulate the H_2S/CSE system in SMC of SHR.

Objective To investigate the effect of nitric oxide on hydrogen sulfide/ cystathionine-?-lyase(CSE) system in the vascular smooth muscle cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR).Methods The SHR aortic smooth muscle cells(SMCs) were divided into 2 groups: sodium nitroprusside(SNP) group and control group.The content of hydrogen sulfide in the culture media was measured by sulfide electrode method,and the CSE mRNA level was assayed by competitive reversed transcription-polymerase chain reaction((RT-PCR)).Results Compared with control group,the content of hydrogen sulfide in the culture media of SNP group was significantly higher [(16.16?3.71) ?mol/L vs(22.71?4.84) ?mol/L],and the CSE mRNA level in SMCs in SNP group was lower than that of control group.Conclusion Nitric oxide exerted complicated effect on the hydrogen sulfide/CSE system in the SHR smooth muscle cells.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2006,21(3):140-141

Objective To investigate the effect of hydrogen sulfide(H2S)on gene expression of adenosine triphosphate(ATP)-sensitive K+ channel(KATP)of aortic smooth muscle cells(ASMC)in rat.Methods Male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were used in the study.The original generation cells were obtained by modified tissue piece inoculation.The passaged cells were used.The ASMC were divided into 2 groups:H2S group of different dosages and control group.The contents of sodium hydrosulfide in the culture media of H2S group were 10-5,10-4 and 10-3 mol/L respectively,and the same volume of normal saline was added to control group.Each group was treated for 24 hours.Morphology of the cells was observed by inverted microscope and identified by immunohistochemical method employing ?-smooth muscle-actin.The expressions of SUR2B and Kir6.1 were identified by immunohistochemical SP technology.The SUR2B mRNA and Kir6.1 mRNA levels were assayed by real time fluorescence relative quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results The passaged cells developed typical growth pattern peak and valley and the 97th percent of the cells expressed the smooth muscle specific differentiation marker ?-smooth muscle-actin.SUR2B and Kir6.1 could be detected in ASMC by immunohistochemical technology.They were both located at cytoplasmic and cytomembrane but not in at nucleus.Compared with control group,SUR2B mRNA and Kir6.1 mRNA levels in H2S groups were higher than those in control group in a dosage-dependent mode.Conclusions H2S can increased the expression KATP channel SUR2B mRNA and Kir6.1 mRNA levels of ASMC.J Appl Clin Pediatr,2009,24(1):21-23