Fifteen morphologically and structurally complete sacrum specimens of normotrophic adult females were choosen. Distances between posterior sacral foramina and median sacral crest,and between the cores of adjacent posterior sacral foramina were measured. Then statistical analysis was done so as to provide objective anatomical evidence for the surface localization of Baliao points. The average distance between Shangliao (BL 31) and median sacral crest was (2.08 ± 0.19) cm; and the average distance between Ciliao (BL 32) and median sacral crest was (1.75 ± 0.12) cm; Zhongliao (BL 33), (1.59 ± 0.15) cm; Xialiao (BL 34), (1.56 ± 0.15) cm. And the distance of S₁-S₂ was (2.36 ± 0.31) cm averagely; S₂-S₃, (1.98 ± 0.23) cm; S₃-S₄, (1.71 ± 0.18) cm. It is considered that to locate Baliao points, Ciliao (BL 32) needs to be ascertained firstly.
Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Meridians ; Sacrum ; anatomy & histology

AIM:To develop a HPLC method for determining scutellarin and geniposide in Yinshanlian Granules(Herba Artemisiae scopariae,Herba Scutellariae barbatae, Fructus Gardemiae,etc). METHODS: The analysis was performed on Diamonsil C_(18)(200 mm?4.6 mm,5 ?m) with mixture of acetonitrile(A) and 0.1% phosphoric acid solution as mobile phase in gradient mode.The concentration of solvent A were 5%,33%,5% and 5% at 0,30,31 and 35 min,respectively.The detection wavelength was set at 240 nm and the column temperature was at 30 ℃.(RESULTS:)The linear calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range of 0.032-0.288 mg/mL for scutellarin and 0.009 6-0.086 4 mg/mL for geniposide.The average recoveries of scutellarin and geniposide were 100.6%(RSD=0.80%,n=9),102.6%(RSD=1.1%,n=9),respectively.CONCLUSION: The method is quick,simple,and reproducible,which can be used to control the quality of Yinshanlian Granules.

Objective To design a new experimental facility to induce rat diffuse axonal injury model. Methods Rat diffuse axonal injury was induced by a new experimental facility,which was developed to let the rat head spin 90 degree at the moment to cause shearing injury.Vital sign and behavior of rat were measured simultaneously.The rats were sacrificed at 2 h,6 h,12 h,24 h,36 h,72 h and 10 d after injury,respectively,and the brain tissues were removed to prepare paraffin section.Then silver staining and HE staining were conducted to investigate changes of axonal fibers. Results There were unconsciousness,respiratory rhythm disturbance and hyporeflexia of pupil light reflex immediately after injury,and reactiveness decrease and activity retardation still existed even after resuming consciousness.At anatomical scene,subarachnoid hemorrhage or cerebroventricular haemorrhage were widespread.At an early stage,there were swelling,collapse,and axonal retraction ball formation at cortico-medulla junction,callosum,brainstem,and cerebellar white matter under microscope.But at the later stage,gitter cell proliferation and nest-like aggregation were major pathophysiological changes at focal brain tissue. Conclusion The new experimental facility is suit able to be used to induce rat diffuse axonal injury,since it is convenient,controlable,and precise.

Objective:To observe the changes of cognition and gait dysfunction in postnatal rats with cerebral palsy and the possible mechanism.Method:An improved Philips method was used and the model of cerebral palsy was induced.Fifty four Wistar rats aged 14 d with cerebral palsy were randomly divided into 3 groups,cerebral palsy control group(CM,n=18),VB6 treated group(CM+VB6,n=18)and sham surgery group(CS).Morris water maze test(MWMT)was used to detect the change of cognition func-tion including the escape latency(EL)and swimming distance(SD).Footprint pattern test(FPT)was used to detect the changes of gaits inctuding the left/right stride length(LSL,RSL),front-base width(FBW),hind-base width(HBW),distance from left/right front footprint/hind footprint overlap(DLFHFO,DRFHFO).Results:MWMT:EL and SD of CM+VB6 were shorter than CM's from D 12(P 0.05).FPT:LSL and RSL were longer from D 5,and HBW and DRFHFO were shorter from D 7compared with those in CM+VB6 and CM group(P

In order to understand metabolic functions essential for methane assimilation, we investigate dribulose monophosphate pathway and adjacent pathways in gammaproteobacterial Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z by using combined approaches of RNA-seq, LC-MS, and 13C-labeled techniques. The absolute quantification of metabolome showed that the concentrations of intermediates, such as glucose-6-phosphate and 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-phosphogluconate, involved in Entner-Doudoroff (EDD) pathway were (150.95 +/- 28.75) micromol/L and below the limit of detection of mass spectrometry. In contrast, fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate/dihydroxyacetone and phosphoenolpyruvate in Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) pathway had significantly higher concentrations with (1 142.02 +/- 302.88) micromol/L, (1 866.76 +/- 388.55) micromol/L and (3 067.57 +/- 898.13) micromol/L, respectively. 13C-labeling experiment further indicated that the enrichment of [3-13C1]-pyruvate involved in EMP pathway was 4-6 fold higher than [1,13C1]-pyruvate in EDD pathway in a dynamic course. Moreover, gene expression profile showed that the expression levels of genes in EMP pathway (e.g. fbaA, tpiA, gap and pykA) were 2 479.2, 2 493.9, 2 274.6 and 1 846.0, respectively, but gene expressionlevels in EDD pathway (e.g. pgi, eda and edd) were only 263.8, 341.2 and 225.4, respectively. Overall our current results demonstrated that EMP pathway was the main route for methane assimilation in M. alcaliphilum 20Z. This discovery challenged our understanding of methane assimilation pathway in gammaproteobacterial methanotrophic bacteria, and further provided an important insight for efficient methane biocatalysis in the future.
Glycolysis ; Industrial Microbiology ; Methane ; metabolism ; Methylococcaceae ; metabolism ; Pyruvic Acid ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid arteriostenosis and atheromatous plaques with cerebral in-farction.Methods Cervical spiral CT angiography of 56 cases with cerebral infarction and 49 cases without cerebral infarction were retrospectively analysed .The difference between the two groups was compared with regard to the distribution ,nature of plaques and the degree of carotid artery stenosis.Results Of 56 patients with cerebral infarction,126 atheromatous plaques were detected in 42 patients,of which 39 were soft,34 were calcified,53 exhibited a combined nature of both calcified and soft plaque and 7 cases were plaque ulcerations (soft plaque and mixed plaque accounted for about 73%).Plaque location for carotid artery was in the bifurcation. 102 carotid arteries stenosis were found in 38 patients,which included mild stenosis in 29,moderate in 40,severe in 27 and occlusion in 6(moderate and severe stenosis accounted for about 65.7%).In the control group,28 plaques were detected in 1 1 cases,of which 6 were soft,13 were calcified and 9 exhibited a combined nature of both calcified and soft plaque.1 1 carotid arteries stenosis were found in 7 patients,included mild stenosis in 10,moderate in 1.A significant difference (P <0.05)in carotid arteriostenosis and ath-eromatous plaques between the two groups was found.Conclusion Carotid plaques and stenosis are important risk factors of cerebral infarction.Multi-slice spiral CT angiography(MSCTA)has important value in analysis of carotid artery stenosis and atheroderotic plaques.

Objective To identify PDZ domain containing proteins interacting with PTEN and its characterization with NHERF-1 by proteomic analysis. Methods The interactions between PTEN and PDZ domain containing proteins were screened with PDZ protein array, and the novel one was then identified with GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assay. Results Using a PDZ protein array, we proved PTEN binding with NHERF-1. The interaction of PTEN and NHERF-1 was further characterized by GST pull down assay, and we demonstrated that PTEN associated with NHERF-1 via the binding of PTEN carboxyl-terminal with the PDZ domain 1 (PDZ1) of NHERF-1. The last four amino acids (I-T-K-V) of the PTEN were the key determinants of this interaction as mutation of any of the four amino acids to alanine resulted in markedly reducing association of PTEN with NHERF-1. In addition, the full-length of PTEN robustly associated with NHERF-1 was also determined by co-immunoprecipitation experiment in cos-7 cells. Conclusion PTEN/NHERF-1 association was mediated via the binding of PTEN carboxyl-terminal]with the PDZ1 of NHERF-1, and the last four amino acids of the PTEN carboxyl-terminal were important for PTEN/NHERF-1 interaction.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of increasing of the level of kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1)in culture supernatant of human kidney cells(HKC)induced by cyclosporine A(CsA),and to clarify the relationships between the expression levels of KIM-1 and p38 MAPK pathway and ERK1/2MAPK pathway in HKC. Methods The HKC at logarithmic growth phase were randomly divided into control group, CsA control group, CsA + p38 kinase inhibitor group, p38 kinase inhibitor group, CsA + ERK1/2 inhibitor group and ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor group.The inhibitory rates of proliferation of HKC in various groups were detected by MTT assay, and the expression levels of KIM-1 in HKC supernatant in various groups were detected by ELISA;the survival rates,apopototic rates and necrotic rates of the HKC in various groups were detected by flow cytometry. Results Compared with control group,the expression level of KIM-1 protein in the supernatant of HKC in CsA control group was significantly increased (P<0.05),and the survival rate was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the apoptotic rate and the necrotic rate were significantly increased (P<0.05 ). Compared with control group,the survival rates, the apoptotic rates and the necrosis rates of cells in p38 kinase inhibitor group and ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor group had no significant differences(P>0.05).Compared with CsA control group,the expression levels of KIM-1 protein in CsA+ p38 kinase inhibitor group and CsA+ ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor group were significantly decreased (P<0.05),and the survival rate was significantly increased (P<0.05),while the apoptotic rate and the necrotic rate were significantly decreased (P<0.05).Conclusion p38 MAPK pathway and ERK1/2MAPK pathway are involved in the process of up-regulation of the KIM-1 level in HKC culture supernatant induced by CsA,and the expression of KIM-1 may become the biochemical marker of clinical monitoring of CsA nephrotoxicity.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis in Shanghai.Methods Five hundred postmenopausal community-dwelling women aged 45-80 years were recruited. The case-control study was performed from June 2008 to September 2008.A total number of 250 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis identified with their bone mineral density (BMD) were selected as case group, and 250 non-osteoporosis women were selected as control group. BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorption (DEXA). Results Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, eduction level, occupation, years since menopause, BMI, use of calcium,historyofnon-violencefracture,fall,diabetesmellitus,chronicgastricdiseases, gastrointestinal resection and diarrhea were related to osteoporosis.Multiple logistic regression showed that age, years since menopause and nutritional status were the risk factors for osteoporosis. ConclusionsThe occurrence of osteoporosis is related with many factors in postmenopausal women in Shanghai, and women with early menopause, low BMI and older age should pay more attention to the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Objective: To investigate the sonographic characteristics of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC) and the preoperative prediction value for cervical lymphatic metastasis of PTMC. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-eight PTMC patients who were confirmed by pathology and accepted partly or totally thyroidectomy and neck dissection were collected to analyze the sonographic characteristics, all patients were classified according to multifocal carcinoma nodules and solitary carcinoma nodules; cervical lymphatic metastasis or not; the maximum diameter of carcinoma nodules. Univariate analysis and Logistic regression analysis were used. Results: Compared with solitary PTMC, multifocal PTMC was prone to emerge blood flow signals, heterogeneity, cervical lymphatic metastasis(all P<0.05). By univariate analysis, the risk factors of cervical lymphatic metastasis in PTMC were multifocal lesions and the total maximum diameter >1 cm, irregular edge, irregular shape, microcalcification, capsular invasion(all P<0.05). With Logistic regression analysis, the independent risk factors of cervical lymphatic metastasis in PTMC were multifocality and capsular invasion. Combining multifocality and capsular invasion, which area under the ROC(AUC) was 0.807. Conclusions Combining multifocality and capsular invasion significantly improves the risk of cervical lymphatic metastasis in PTMC by ultrasonography.