OBJECTIVETo observe the immediate antihypertensive effect of guasha combined with bleeding therapy for mild (grade I) hypertension.

METHODSThirty patients with mild (grade I) hypertension and 30 cases with normal blood pressure were compared. Areas and acupoints in governor vessel, meridian of foot-taiyang, meridian of hand-yangming and meridian of foot-yangming were scraped for 3 times, which was followed by bleeding therapy. The blood pressures after each guasha and bleeding therapy were recorded as well as the skin temperature in Dazhui (GV 14) after each guasha. The treatment was given once a week and totally 4 treatments were given.

RESULTSThere were significant antihypertensive effects after the first guasha, the second guasha and the third guasha and bleeding therapy (all P<0.01), in which guasha combined with bleeding therapy had the most significant antihypertensive effect (P<0.01). The skin temperature in Dazhui (GV 14) was obviously increased after three times of guasha (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONGuasha or combined with bleeding therapy has better antihypertensive effect for mild hypertension, which is likely to be related with warming stimulation on meridians and acupoints.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged

The ketoreductase (KR) domain in the first extending module of the polyketide synthase (PKS) catalyzes the reductions of both an α-keto group and a β-keto group in the biosynthesis of bacillaene, suggesting the intrinsic substrate promiscuity. In order to further investigate the substrate specificity, the KR domain (BacKR1) was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli. In vitro enzymatic analysis showed that only one of the four diastereomers was formed in the reduction of the racemic (±)-2-methyl-3-oxopentanoyl-N-acetylcysteamine thioester catalyzed by BacKR1. In addition, BacKR1 was revealed to catalyze the reductions of cyclohexanone and p-chloroacetophenone, indicating the potential of KR domians of PKSs as biocatalysts.
Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Catalysis ; Cyclohexanones ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; enzymology ; Polyketide Synthases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Substrate Specificity ; omega-Chloroacetophenone ; metabolism

In this study, the effects of blood glucose and blood pressure on the compliance of large and small arteries were investigated. The results showed that arterial compliances of both large and small arteries were decreased in patients with diabetes mellitus. In non-diabetic patients with well controlled blood pressure, the compliance of small arteries was markedly improved. These results suggested that both blood glucose and blood pressure affected arterial compliance.

BACKGROUND: Group pre-test has confirmed that amnion endothelial cell conditioned medium can induce human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells into dopaminergic neuron-like cells. In this process, neurotrophic factors and their receptors may play an important role. OBJECTIVE: To study the function of neurotrophic factors secreted by amniotic epithelial cells in the differentiation of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells into neurons.METHODS: P1 human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells at 2×10~8 /L were incubated and assigned to 3 group. Control group was added with HG-DMEM medium. Induction group received human amniotic epithelial cell medium. Blocking agent group underwent blocking agent K252a fluid, and the incubated was conducted at 36 ℃ for 40 minutes, and then amniotic epithelial cell medium was added. Immunofluorescence chemistry was used to determine neuron specific enolase and dopamine transporter expression in human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to detect neuron specific enolase, dopamine transporter and tyrosine hydroxylase expression in human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were observed in human amniotic supernatant. P1 human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells expressed Trka and Trkb. Forty-eight hours following induction, compared with the control group, positive expression of neuron specific enolase and dopamine transporter was significantly increased in the induction and blocking agent groups (P < 0.05), especially in the induction group (P < 0.05). Neuron specific enolase, dopamine transporter and tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA levels were significantly greater in the induction and blocking agent groups compared with the control group (P < 0.01), and each gene mRNA levels were significantly greater in the induction group than in the blocking agent group (P < 0.01). Results verified that neurotrophic factor in the human amniotic epithelial cells plays important effects on differentiation of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells into neurons. The promotion effects are mediated by activating Trk receptor.

The aim of this paper is to report the study on gene silencing efficiency of siRNA targeted against mouse VEGFR2 (siVEGFR2) in vitro mediated by polyethyleneimine (PEI) and its anti-tumor effect in vivo. CY3-labeled siRNA was compounded into PEI and transfected into MS1 cells. Confocal microscopy was used to image the subcellular distribution of siRNA in MS1 cells. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate VEGFR2 gene silencing induced by siVEGFR2/PEI complexes. A tumor-bearing nude mice model was established to compare the anti-tumor effect after delivered by local and systemic routes. siVEGFR2/PEI complex-transfected cells exhibited much fluorescence in cytoplasm with no evidence of nuclear accumulation. The expression levels of VEGFR2 mRNA and protein in PEI-transfected cells were significantly down-regulated compared with that in blank group, the silencing efficiency were 28.2% and 23.6% respectively. The tumor sizes in mice intratumorally injected with siVEGFR2/PEI complexes (189.429 +/- 17.562 mm3) were reduced definitely compared to that in mice injected with siVEGFR2/PEI complexes via vein route (315.507 +/- 20.491 mm3), or to saline groups (365.844 +/- 20.713 mm3). The study demonstrated that PEI could effectively transfect siRNA into cells and silence the VEGFR2 gene expression. Intratumoral delivery is more suitable for non-targeted modified PEI/siRNA complexes to inhibit the tumor growth in vivo. The present data lay a solid foundation to further study on the gene silencing mechanism for PEI-medicated RNAi and its anti-tumor efficiency in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Having breakfast everyday is a behavior promoting health recommended WHO, while it is easy to be ignored.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the breakfast habits of pupils in Beijing and Shanghai so as to provide a scientific basis for further studying the problems in having breakfast among the pupils, drafting and developing "nutritious breakfast program for students".DESIGN: Stratified and cluster sampling and investigation study were used based on the pupils.SETTING: Institute of health for child of two universities.SUBJECTS: A total of 8688 six to eleven years old Beijing and Shanghai pupils were involved from March 2002 to June 2002. Among them 4692 pupils came from Beijing. There were 4637 valid questionnaires, 2386 of which were from male pupils and 2251 from female pupiIs. Among the total subjects, there were 4300 Shanghai pupils, and 4051 questionnaires were valid, of which 2031 were from the male pupils and 2020 from female students.METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted. The content of the questionnaire included the general conditions of the family, dietary preferences, food for breakfast, consumption of the milk food and so on.RESULTS: The results showed that about 25.8% boys and 21.6% girls in Beijing did not eat breakfast regularly; similarly, the percentage was about 11.4% for boys and 13.3% for girls in Shanghai. The reasons for not having breakfast included the following: They had no appetite, or had no enough time for it, or the parents were too busy to prepare in the mornings. For those of them who eat breakfasts, the nutrients of their breakfast usually were not adequate. 55% of the students had their breakfast prepared by their mothers. As for the eating sites, students mainly ate at home; the next was having it on the way to school or eating at the roadside luncheonettes. The cost of breakfast was 2 - 3 yuan. The breakfast behaviors of the pupils were closely related with the behaviors of their mothers( r = 0. 4333, P < 0.01 ).CONCLUSION: It is suggested that quality of breakfast of the pupils need to be improved. The behaviors of the parents influence their children in breakfast habits.

Objective To analyze preoperative CT findings of chronic suppurative otitis media and to evaluate clinical effect of CT in diagnosing and choosing operation approach.Methods CT findings of 101 ears with chronic suppurative otitis media confirmed by surgery were analysed retrospectively and compared with the findings in the operation.Including mastoid,epitympanum,tympanic antrum,ossicular chain and tympanic mucosa disease.Results All 101 cases who underwent surgery for chronic otitis media had perforation of tympanic membrane in pars tensa.In these cases,39 cases with no soft tissue mass image in preoperative CT images underwent tympanoplasty,62 patients who had the whole and part density mass image in mastoid cavity and antrum underwent tympanoplasty(45 cases) and mastoidectomy(17 cases) respectively.Compared with findings in the operation,CT provided limited information in detecting ossicular chain and tympanic mucosa disease.Dry ear rate was 93.06% at 3 months after operation.Conclusion Preoperative CT have limitation in detecting ossicular chain and tympanic mucosa disease.The choices of surgery method should based on CT images and clinical manifestation.For some patients with chronic suppurative otitis media,the high-resolution CT with 3D reconstruction technique processing is needed in order to display complicated anatomy and pathological changes of ossicular chain.

Objective:To explore value of pulsed wave (PW) and tissue synchronization imaging (TSI) evaluate cardi-ac systolic synchronization in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) .Methods:A total of 50 ICM patients were enrolled as ICM group and 35 healthy volunteers without organic heart disease were regarded as healthy control group ,PW was used to measure mitral diastolic blood flow duration/RR interval (LVFT/RR) to evaluate synchroni-zation of left atrial and left ventricular synchronization ;interventricular mechanical delay (IVMD) was measured to evaluate left and right ventricular synchronization ;TSI software was used to measure mitral annular mean systolic peak velocity (LV-Sm) ,systolic time to peak (Ts) and Ts standard deviation (Ts-SD) of all segments in order to e-valuate left ventricular systolic synchronization .Results:Compared with healthy control group ,there were signifi-cant reductions in LVFT/RR [ (44.74 ± 1.58)% vs .(41.08 ± 4.65)% ] and LV-Sm [ (9.72 ± 0.53) ms vs .(4.09 ± 1.06) ms] ,and significant rise in IVMD [ (15.51 ± 5.52) ms vs .(41.96 ± 4.20) ms] and Ts-SD [ (16.47 ± 4.16) ms vs .(34.13 ± 11.68) ms] in ICM group , P<0.01 all;Ts of anterior wall ,inferior wall et .6 positions were significantly longer ,and its synchronization significantly reduced , P<0. 05 all ,percentages of the most de-layed systolic part of left ventricle were no significant differences between two groups (P> 0.05) .Conclusion:Compared with healthy control group ,left ventricular total systolic function ,left atrial&ventricular ,left&right ventricular synchronization and systolic synchronization within left ventricular significantly reduce in ICM patients .

Vertebral artery hypoplasia is a congenital vessel variation. Its incidence is from 1. 9 to 26. 5% . In recent years, studies have shown that vertebral artery hypoplasia may be a potential risk factor for posterior circulation infarction, especialy when it coexists with other cerebrovascular risk factors. Vertebral artery hypoplasia may also cause regional hypoperfusion and complex neurovascular regulation, and it also has a certaln link with migralne.

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and normal laryngeal mucosa (NLM), and to analysize the relationship between the expression and the clinicopathologic parameters of LSCC. METHOD: Immunohistochemical technique (Envision) was used to detect the expression of DNA-PK in 64 cases of LSCC and 15 cases of NLM. To investigate an investigation was conducted on the relationship between the expression and clinico-pathological features of LSCC. RESULT: DNA-PK was lowly expressed in NLM and highly expressed in LSCC,the positive rate of DNA-PK expression was 26.67% (4/15), 78.13% (50/64), respectively, and there was significant different difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Its expression was correlated with the level of histodifferentiation (P < 0.05), but not with TNM stages and neck lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION DNA-PK may be involved in disease development of LSCC.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; enzymology ; pathology ; DNA-Activated Protein Kinase ; metabolism ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Humans ; Laryngeal Mucosa ; enzymology ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Larynx ; enzymology ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck