Objective To observe the effects of moxibustion on learning and memory ability and nerve cell ultrastructure in CA1 region of hippocampus of rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD);To discuss its mechanism of action to AD.Methods A total of 40 male SD mice was randomly divided into normal group, model group, moxibustion group and sham-operation group. Stereotactic injection agglutinated Aβ25-35 into bilateral hippocampus of rats in model group and moxibustion group to prepare AD models. Rats in moxibustion group were treated by moxibustion at the points which were located above 2-3 cm away from Shenshu, Zusanli and Baihui. Rats in normal group received no treatment. The learning and memory ability was detected by Morris water maze test. Morphological changes of rat nerve cell ultra structure in hippocampal CA1 region were observed by transmission electron microscope.Results In model group, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days was significantly lengthened, and the times across the platform position significantly decreased. Transmission electron microscope indicated nerve cell structures were damaged and displayed unclearly;mitochondrion swelled, even mitochondrial crista was abnormal and deformed, endoplasmic reticulum of inter organelle expanded and the deposition of lipofuscin increased. After the treatment by moxibustion, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days was shortened obviously, and the times across the platform position significantly increased. In moxibustion group, the edema of nerve cells significantly decreased;dilation of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria swelling significantly improved;golgi bodies, mitochondria and ribosomes obviously increased in comparison with the model group. Conclusion Moxibustion can improve the learning and memory impairment caused by Aβ by promoting repairing of nerve cells in brain.

This study was aimed to probe into the mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A total of 40 male 15-month-old SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, moxibustion group and sham-operation group. Stereotactic injection of agglutinated Aβ25-35 into rat’s bilateral hippocampus was used to prepare AD models. Equal amount of normal saline was injected to rat’s bilateral hippocampus in the sham-operation group. Model rats were treated by moxibustion at the distance of 2-3 cm above points of‘BL23-Shenshu’, ‘ST36-Zusanli’ and ‘GV20-Baihui’. No intervention was given to rats in the normal group. The learning and memory ability was detected by Morris water maze test. Changes on expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 of hippocampus zone were detected by immunohistochemical method. The results showed that in the model group, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days were significantly lengthened. And the times across the platform position were significantly reduced. Compared with the normal group and the sham-operation group, expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 in the hippocampus were significantly increased, and the expression of Bcl-2 was obviously decreased (P < 0.01). In the moxibustion group, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days were shortened obviously, and the times across the platform position were significantly increased. Compared with the model group, expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 were significantly reduced, and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased (P < 0.01). It was concluded that the action mechanism of AD treatment with moxibustion may be through the reducing of proapoptotic protein Bax and Caspase-3 releasing, promoting the releasing of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, so as to improve the learning and memory impairment caused by Aβ.

Objective To investigate the CT features of pulmonary sarcoidosis.Methods Ninety patients with histologically proved pulmonary sarcoidosis were retrospectively studied by using CT scans and clinical recording.Results The main CT findings of pulmonary sarcoidosis were nodules which were seen in 69 cases(76.7%),and the nodules mostly distributed around the bronchovascular bundle(n=37, 41.1%).Other abnormalities included consolidation(n=31,34.4%),ground-grass(n=39,43.3 %), thickening of bronchovascular bundle(n=30,33.3%),interlobular septal lines(n=58,64.4%), fibrosis(n=17,18.9%)including bronchial distortion(n=8,8.9%),linear shadow(n=5,5.6%), and honeycombing shadow(n=4,4.4%),air-trapping(n=3,5.3%),bronchial straitness(n=8, 8.9%),pleural thickening(n=42,46.7%),and hilar and mediastinal adenopathy(n=76,84.4%). Two or more abnormal findings co-existed in 83 cases.The pulmonary lesions co-existed with hilar and mediastinal adenopathy in 76 cases.The nodules(n=25),consolidation(n=9),ground-grass(n=11), thickening of bronehovascular bundle(n=10)were improved after therapy.Ten cases of the interlobular septal(10/22),0 of bronchial distortion(0/4),1 case of diffuse linear(1/3),and 0 case of honeycombing(0/2)were improved.Conclusion CT manifestations of pulmonary sarcoidosis are varied, but has some specific radiographic features.A correct diagnosis can be made.combined with hilar and mediastinal adenopathy.

Aim To determine potential biomarkers contributed to occurrence, development and recovery of ethanol-induced liver injury in rat and elucidate hepatoprotective effect of Yin Chen Hao Tang based on metabonomic investigation. Methods A UPLC-Q-TOF/MS based metabonomic method was developed for investigating trajectory change and inter-relationship of urinary metabolome of rats with different treatments. Results Four potential biomarkers were determined which contributed to occurrence, development and recovery of ethanol-induced liver injury in rat, and Yin Chen Hao Tang could significantly recover trajectory change in disorder. Conclusion The developed method was successfully applied to investigate ethanol-induced liver injury in rat, and also hepatoprotective effect of Yin Chen Hao Tang was elucidated.

Objective To construct a system for three dimensional face scanning and measurement. Methods The measurement system was based on the principle of triangulation and the combination of gray-code and phase-shift structured light projection. The system software was developed for Windows XP with the aid of tools such as Visual C++ and Hoops. Results A three dimensional measurement system based on structured light projection was developed. The system hardware was composed of fringe projection unit, image gathering unit, system control unit and mechanical appearance, and the system software was composed of point cloud display and editing module. The lamp house of the system was 12V, the working distance was 900 mm, the scanning time was 5.5 s and the scanning field was 500 mm×400 mm. Conclusion The three dimensional measurement system based on structured light projection is a refined machine with safe light to eyes, and the accuracy and scanning speed are suitable to face scanning.

Background Research demonstrated that alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid GluR2 (AMPA-GluR2) is associated with amblyopia.It has been shown that levodopa and cytidine diphosphate choline can improve visual function of amblyopic children,but the mechanism is unclear.Objective This study was to explore the possible effects of levodopa and cytidine diphosphate choline on amblyopia.Methods Monocular deprivation (MD) animal models were created in 60 2-week-old SD rats by monolateral eyelid suturing and observed for 31 days and reared in natural light together with 15 other matched normal healthy SD rats.The models were randomly divided into the MD group,levodopa group,cytidine diphosphate choline group and normal saline control group,with 15 rats for each group.40 mg/kg of levodopa,80 mg/kg of cytidine diphosphate choline,I ml normal saline were given to the rats,respectively,for 28 consecutive days.Expressions of the AMPA-CluR2 protein and AMPA-CluR2 mRNA in the rat visual cortex were detected by immunohistochemistry,Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.Use of the animals followed the Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results The expression values of the AMPA-GluR2 protein (AMPA-GluR2/β-actin) and AMPA-GluR2 mRNA (2-△△Ct) were significantly lower in the MD group than those of the normal control group (protein:0.32 ± 0.02 vs.0.64 ± 0.05,t =13.287,P＜0.05 ;mRNA:0.30±0.01 vs.0.84±0.03,t=38.184,P＜0.05).Those in the levodopa group were significantly increased in comparison with the normal saline solution group (protein:0.59 ±0.04 vs.0.33 ±0.03,t =11.628,P＜0.05 ; mRNA:0.71±0.06 vs.0.33 ±0.02,t =13.435,P＜0.05).The expression values of the AMPA-GluR2 protein and AMPA-GluR2 mRNA were significantly increased in the cytidine diphosphate choline group compared with the normal saline solution group (protein:0.52 ± 0.04 vs.0.33 ± 0.03,t =8.497,P ＜ 0.05 ; mRNA:0.48± 0.04 vs.0.33 ± 0.02,t =7.500,P＜0.05).Conclusions AMPA-GluR2 is associated with the plasticity of visual development.Levodopa and cytidine diphosphate choline may improve visual function by down-regulating the expression of AMPA-GluR2 in the visual cortex.

Syndrome and formulae (or prescription) are two key issues in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the premise research for material basis of TCM. However, vagueness of syndromes and complexity of formulae greatly limited the evaluation to syndromes and effective substance basis of prescription. Therefore, how to solve the evaluation of syndromes, confirming the efficacy material basis in prescription are the current hot issues of international concern. To solve these problems, establishing chinmedomics by integrated serum pharmacochemistry of TCM with metabolomics technology, that is a unique method of TCM research, made outstanding contributions in solving international concerns such as the effectiveness and security aspects of TCM. On the basis of the biological characterization of syndrome, the metabolic profiling of animal models of TCM syndrome, and related metabolic fingerprints as well as metabolic biomarkers were established to evaluate the overall effects of TCM formulae and corresponding relationship of syndrome-formulae. The active constituents were screened using the plotting of correlation between (endogenous) marker metabolites and (exogenous) serum constituents (PCMS), and is ongoing verification by further biological experiments. Correlation analysis between the ingredients in the body after oral formulae and endogenous markers in vivo can be used to clarify the active ingredients and synergistic properties. This method was successfully applied for rapid discovery of potentially bioactive components and metabolites from TCM, and through a series of studies on the chinmedomics, it proved that the established method could help to explore the effective substance for further research of TCM. As a new research approach, Chinmedomics is the best method to fit the holistic concept of TCM, and it can not only interpret the essence of syndrome but also elucidate the scientific connotation of Chinese medical formulae.
Animals ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

In order to identify Cimicifugae Rhizoma from its adulterants and to ensure its safe use, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequence of Cimicifugae Rhizoma and its adulterants were amplified and bidirectionally sequenced by DNA barcoding technology. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed by the CodonCode Aligner V3.7.1. The genetic distances were computed by MEGA 5.0. Identification analyses were performed using neighbor-joining (NJ) methods. The length of ITS2 sequence of the three origin plants of Cimicifugae Rhizoma include Cimicifuga heracleifolia, C. foetida, C. dahurica was 217, 219 and 219 bp, respectively. Their intraspecific genetic distance was much lower than the interspecific genetic distance with their closely related species. The NJ tree of ITS2 indicated that the three origin plants of Cimicifugae Rhizoma formed a monophyletic clade, Cimicifugae Rhizoma and its adulterants could be distinguished clearly. The authors proposed that ITS2 sequence was suitable for the authentication of Cimicifugae Rhizoma and its adulterants.
Base Sequence ; China ; Cimicifuga ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control ; Rhizome ; classification ; genetics

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Nickel ; toxicity ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Testis ; drug effects ; metabolism

Abdomen/surgery* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Pelvic Floor/surgery* ; Perineum/surgery* ; Proctectomy ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery*