OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Dragon' s blood extract on proliferation and secret extracellular matrix function of fibroblasts in vitro.

METHODSDragon' s blood was extracted by chloroform, acetoacetic ester, alcohol. Human fibroblast were cultured in vitro in media containing gradient dilutions of Dragon' s blood extracts (0.002, 0.02, 0.2, 2, 20 mg/ml) , which was followed by cell proliferation assessed with MTT assay on 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 h. Under the optimal concentration, the cell growth curves were drawn and the flow cytometry (FCM) was used to determine the changes of cell cycle. On 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 h, the concentration of hyaluronic acid in the supernatant of fibroblast culture was measured by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTS0.2-2 mg/ml Dragon' s blood extracts enhanced the proliferation of fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. 2 mg/ml was the optimal dilution of Dragon's blood extract, and it increased the ratio of S cells in cell cycle [(25.80 ± 3.10)%] than control group [(7.50 ± 0.70)%, P < 0.01]. From 12 h to 72 h, in 2 mg/ml Dragon's blood group, concentration of Hyaluronic acid secreted by fibroblasts gradually increased, but were less than control (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSDragon's blood acetoacetic ester extract improved the proliferation of cultured human fibroblasts in vitro, might be beneficial to promote wound healing.

Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; secretion ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; analysis ; secretion ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Resins, Plant ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND:Dragon’s blood is the main ingredient of traditional medicine prescription for promoting granulation, which has been used in clinical treatment of a variety of refractory wounds and achieved the exact effects. But the Dragon’s blood effect on colagen secretion from normal fibroblasts has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Dragon’s blood extract on the proliferation and secret function of fibroblastsin vitro. METHODS: Dragon’s blood was extracted by extracts chloroform, acetoacetic ester, and alcohol in turn. Normal human fibroblasts were respectively cultured in Dragon’s blood extracts of chloroform, acetoacetic ester, and alcohol, DMEM containing 1% dimethyl sulfoxide, and normal culture medium. Then, the fibroblasts were cultured in vitro in different media containing gradient dilutions of Dragon’s blood extracts (0.002, 0.02, 0.2, 2, 20 g/L), which was folowed by cel proliferation determination assessed with MTT assay. Under the optimal concentration, the cel growth curves were drawn and the flow cytometry was used to determine the changes of cel cycle. The concentration of procolagen type III in the supernatant of the fibroblast culture systems was measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:0.2 g/L-2 g/L dilution of Dragon’s blood extracted by acetoacetic ester enhanced the proliferation of fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. The 2 g/L was the optimal dilution of Dragon’s blood extracted by acetoacetic ester, and it increased the ratio of S cels in cel cycle than control group and decreased procolagen type III. These findings indicate that Dragon’s blood acetoacetic ester extract can improve the proliferation of cultured human fibroblastsin vitro, and decrease the secretion of procolagen type III of fibroblasts, and it can be beneficial to improve wound healing and inhibit hypertrophic scar.

OBJECTIVETo study coronary artery stenosis, myocardial ischemia, and left ventricular dysfunction in dual source computed tomography (DSCT) coronary artery angiography.

METHODSTotally 32 patients underwent both DSCT and X-ray coronary angiography within one week to detect coronary artery stenosis separately. Meanwhile, the values of left ventricular myocardial mass (LVMM) , left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) , and left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) were calculated using cardiac function software in DSCT. Electrocardiography was carried out to diagnose myocardial ischemia. The coronary artery stenosis, values of LVMM, LVEF, and LVSV, and myocardial ischemia were compared.

RESULTSThe results of DSCT and X-ray coronary angiography were not significantly different. LVMM, LVEF, LVSV, and myocardial ischemia were significantly different between two- or three-branch groups or between middle or severe groups (both P<0.05) . However, no such significant difference was observed between single and two branch groups and between mild and middle groups. There were no statistically different findings for LVEF and LVSV, but there was statistical deference between LVMM and myocardial ischemia (P<0.05) . For single branch and middle to severe stenosis in left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, right coronary artery, left circumflex coronary artery, only the values of LVMM,LVEF,and LVSV in LAD group showed significant difference (P<0.05) .

CONCLUSIONSMore stenotic branches and severer stenosis in coronary artery often are associated with higher incidence of myocardial ischemia and severer left ventricular dysfunction. The stenosis of LAD coronary artery has especially severe impact on cardiac functions. LVMM is a sensitive indicator for myocardial ischemia in coronary artery stenosis.

Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Coronary Stenosis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

Objective To explore the morphological features of temporal lobe of healthy Chinese Han adults on the high-resolution MRI and provide morphological data of temporal lobe for the construction of database for Chinese Standard Brain.Methods This is a clinical multi-center study.Three hundred healthy Chinese volunteers (male 150, and female 150) recruited from 15 hospitals were divided equally into five groups according to their age, i.e., 18-30 ( Group A ), 31-40 ( Group B ), 41-50 ( Group C ), 51-60(Group D), 61-70( Group E).All subjects were scanned using T1WI 3D MPRAGE sequence and volumes of standardized temporal lobe were collected.The bilateral volumes of standardized temporal lobe were compared by variance analysis between male and female subjects and among five age groups.Results The mean volumes of left and right temporal lobe were (97 126±15 703) mm3 and (97 015±15 545) mm3 respectively for men, and (95 123±14 564) mm3 and (96 423±13 407) mm3 for women.The difference temporal lobe volume between male and female wasn't significant on the same side (F = 1.336, 0.127 ,P =0.249, 0.722).The left temporal lobe volumes of Group A-E were (93 873±13 351 ), (95 566±11 964), (10 1890±14 511 ), (93 972±14 050) and (95 636±19 864)mm3 respectively, and those on the right side were (93 409±10 984), (98 158±16 392), (102 079±15 112), (95 448±11 123 ) and (94 658±16 928) mm3.There were significant differences among 5 groups between left and right temporal lobe volume( F = 2.940, 3.514, P = 0.021, 0.008 ).Further pairwise comparison revealed that left and right temporal lobe volume in Group C is higher than those of Group A and D(P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the other groups ( P > 0.05 ).Conclusion High-resolution MRI could offer detailed images and precise morphological data of temporal lobe, which provides morphological data of temporal lobe for the construction of database for Chinese Standard Brain.

OBJECTIVETo study whether acupressure could relieve urinary retention after radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer patients.

METHODSA randomized controlled prospective double-blinded trial was carried out in 107 urinary retention patients undergoing grade III radical hysterectomy. They were assigned to Group A (positive acupoints, 40 cases), Group B (negative acupoints, 32 cases) , and Group C (with no acupoints, 35 cases). All patients received protective 115 000 potassium permanganate sitz bath, 15 - 20 min each time, 3 times per day. Patients in Group A received acupressure at positive points [liniao point and Qihai (RN6)] combined points by syndrome typing [Guanyuan (RN4) , Zhongji (RN3) , Shenshu (BL23) , Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Taixi (K13)]. Patients in Group B received negative acupressure at sham-acupoints (for adjusting gastrointestinal functions). Patients in Group C only received conventional sitz bath. All medication was performed 3 times per day, 7 days as one therapeutic course, 21 days in total. The residual urine volume was detected. The recovery time for bladder function was recorded. The average residual urine volume was also recorded at day 7, 14, and 21.

RESULTSCompared with Group B and C, the time for ureter retention was shortened for mild and severe CKD patients in Group A (P <0. 01). The residual urine volume was also lessened for mild and severe CKD patients in Group A at day 7, 14, and 21 (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONCervical cancer patients could relieve urinary retention by self-acupressure after radical hysterectomy.

Acupressure ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Prospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Retention ; therapy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; therapy

Purpose Dual-energy coronary artery CT angiography (CTA) is a very promising one-stop examine, but the radiation dose is too high to hinder the development of the technology. The aim of this article is to explore the feasibility of low tube current combined with sonogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) technology in dual energy coronary artery CTA scan. Materials and Methods One hundred and twenty patients were randomly divided into four groups according to the tube current of A ball:conventional group (180 mAs) and low-dose groups (150 mAs, 120 mAs, 90 mAs). The SAFIRE 3 reconstruction method was used in the low-dose groups. The differences of mean CT values, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), image quality score and effective dose (ED) of the four groups were compared. Results The coronary artery segment display and the mean CT value of the four groups showed no statistic difference (P>0.05), while the image quality score, noise, SNR, and CNR showed statistic difference (P<0.05). The image quality score, SNR, and CNR was highest in the 150 mAs group, but noise was the lowest. There were no statistic difference of the image quality score, SNR, and CNR between the 180 mAs group and 90 mAs group (P>0.05). The ED was (5.50±1.47) mSv, (4.55±1.16) mSv, (3.41±0.77) mSv and (2.44±0.67) mSv, respectively for the four groups, and there was statistical difference (P<0.05). ED of 90 mAs group decreased 55.62% than that of 180 mAs group. Conclusion Coronary artery CTA using 90 mAs combined with SAFIRE can significantly reduce the radiation dose without losing image quality, thus it has a good prospect of clinical application.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of the silkworm eroded dissolving method induced by micro-needle (the combined therapy of traditional Chinese and Western medicines including micro-needle guiding,external application of herbal membrane and anti-scar cream) for treatment of facial small area scar in early stage,and to explore a simple and effective therapy for facial scar.Methods Total 100 patients with facial small hyperplastic scar within 6 months after acute trauma healing were divided randomly into two groups with 50 cases each.The cases in treatment group were micro-needle acpunctured densely into scar,and then herbal membrane and anti-scar cream were applied.The cases in control group were treated similar to the treatment group except acpuncture.All cases in the two groups were treated for 3 months and followed-up for 6 months.Short-term efficacy,long-term efficacy,complications,safety and patient satisfaction were analyzed.Results There was no significant difference between treatment group and control group after treatment for one month,and significant difference was found after treatment for 2,3 months (P＜0.05).The earlier treatment after wound healing,the better efficacy.After treatment for three months most of scar showed no longer hyperplasia,and became soft gradully.Conclusions The combined therapy of micro-needle guiding,external application of herbal membrane and anti-scar cream for treatment of early facial small area scar demonstrates stable effects and high satisfactory rate of patients,the scar softens rapidly,and no obvious side effect occurs.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of combined therapy of traditional Chinese and Western medicine (heparin sodium cream massage, induced treatment by micro-needle, and external application of herbal membrane) and micro-explosion method for facial pigmentation after trauma, and to explore an effective and safety therapy for skin-whitening and anti-freckle. Methods A total of 100 cases with pigmentation on face were divided randomly into two groups with 50 cases each: the cases in treatment group were massaged with heparin sodium cream, needled skin pigmentation spot densely by micro-needle and applied with herbal membrane; the cases in control group only were massaged with heparin sodium cream, and applied with herbal membrane, without needling on skin. Short-term efficacy, long-term efficacy, safety and satisfaction of patients were observed. Results These cases were followed-up for 3-6 months. There was no significant difference between treatment group and control group after treatment for 15 days, and then significant difference was found after 1, 2 and 3 months (P<0. 05). There was no side effect after treatment for 6 months, and all cases were satisfactory. Conclusions There is rapid regression of pigmentation, with stable effect and without recurrence and obvious side effect, and the satisfactory rate of patients is high after treated by combined therapy of herbal membrane external application, heparin sodium cream massage and induced treatment by micro-needle.

Objective To investigate the rule of the cerebral tissues aquaporin-4(AQP-4) expression in acute and chronic hepatic failure mice.To study the molecular biologic mechanism of the diffusion weighted imaging(DWI).Methods Sixty five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups randomly,including acute(n=25),chronic hepatic failure(n=25)and control group(n=15). Thioacetamide(TAA)intraperitoneal injection produces the acute and chronic hepatic failure models.All rats in groups were examined with MR DWI.We Observed the distribution of abnormal signal on DWI.The DWI single values of top and lateral cortex of parietal lobe,peripheral region of lateral ventricle in the highest hyperintensity section of brain were measured.Blood ammonia values were examined.The pathologic and immuno-histochemistry and RT-PCR examination for brain specimen were performed.All date were analyzed with statistical methods.Results The mean values of blood ammonia were significantly different (P0.05).Conclusions Increase of the blood ammonia was the main cause for the brain energy metabolic abnormality and AQP-4 mRNA and protein expression.The hyperammonemia was the key factor in the occurrence and development of the hepatic brain edema.The abnormal findings in DWI signal could reflect the range and degree of the brain edema and AQP-4 protein expression.

To prepare anti-mouse uteroglobin binding protein (mUGBP) polyclonal antibody, two polypeptides were synthesized based on the bioinformatics analysis of mUGBP, and New Zealand white rabbits were immunized separately with each peptide coupled with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The data indicate that a 13-amino acid polypeptide (positions 221st-233rd) was able to generate anti-peptide antibodies. The titer of the antisera detected with ELISA was 1:10(8). The antisera were then purified with immuno-affinity chromatography to obtain antibodies. Western blot analysis of mUGBP expressed as a fusion protein with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) was performed on the cell lysates of COS-1 cells with the purified antisera, suggesting that the antisera specifically recognized UGBP. By immunohistochemistry and indirect immunofluorescence analysis, we examined the expression of UGBP in the lung tissues from a patient undergoing surgical lung resection for a tumor and from normal mouse lung tissue, and found for the first time that UGBP protein was widely expressed in both mouse and human lung tissue with the most abundant expression in bronchial epithelial cells. These results suggest that the antigen epitopes of mUGBP are well predicted by using bioinformatics analysis. We have obtained anti-mUGBP polyclonal antibody, which will be useful for further investigation.
Animals ; Antibodies ; chemistry ; COS Cells ; Carrier Proteins ; chemistry ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Computational Biology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hemocyanins ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; Uteroglobin