Objective: To summarize the research status of the changes in local microenvironment of acupoints caused by acupuncture, provide theoretical guidance for the initiation mechanisms of local acupuncture effect at acupoints. Methods: Using acupuncture, acupoint as key words to search China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP), PubMed and other databases, the representative articles were selected for review. Results: Acupuncture could excite afferent nerves, activate cells, and promote the release of chemical substances like neuropeptide, hormone, cytokines, etc. in the local site of acupoints. Besides, it may cause mechanical deformation of connective tissues, and change chemical ions as well as ion channels. Conclusion: The microenvironment changes around acupoints are crucial to acupuncture effect; the concept of 'acupoints network' can be used to objectively describe the local changes around the acupoints after acupuncture.

Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of RAS association domain family 1A gene (RASSF1A) methylation in patients after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) hepatectomy.Methods A total of 260 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy were enrolled.HCC tissues and tumor adjacent tissues which were 2 cm away from the tumor edge of the patients were obtained.The clinicopathological data of patients were collected.The methylation of RASSF1A in HCC tissues and corresponding tumor adjacent tissues was determined by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The correlation between the expression rate of RASSF1A methylation and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed by chi-square test.Log-rank test was performed to analyze the relation between RASSF1A methylation and overall survival rate.Univariate and multivariate Cox statistical techniques were used to identify the influence factors in the prognosis of HCC.Results Among 260 HCC tissues and corresponding tumor adjacent tissues,RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation was detected in 214 HCC tissues (82.3 ％) and 101 corresponding tumor adjacent tissues (38.8％),and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =102.824,P ＜ 0.01).There was no correlation between RASSF1A methylation and age,gender,liver cirrhosis,α-fetoprotein level,maximum diameter of tumor,Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage,hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection,smoking and alcohol drinking (all P＞0.05).The 5-year overall survival rate of patients with negative RASSF1A methylation was 93％,while that of patients with positive RASSF1A methylation was 51 ％,and the difference in overall survival rate between the two groups was statistically significant (x2 =26.556,P ＜ 0.01).Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that liver cirrhosis,BCLC stage and RASSF1A methylation were the main influence factors in the death of patients with HCC after surgery (Wald=16.767,8.791,16.286; all P＜0.01).Conclusion RASSF1A methylation is not only one of the predictive factors of survival rate in patients with HCC after hepatectomy,but also an independent prognostic factor of HCC.

The paeonol proniosomes ointment and ordinary ointment were administered to rats. Physiological saline served as perfused solution. The perfusion rate was 5 mL x L(-1) and the microdialysis samples were collected every 20 min intervals. The paeonol concentration in perfused solution was determined by HPLC. Investigation of the pharmacokinetics of paeonol proniosomes ointment and ordinary ointment by the skin-blood synchronous microdialysis coupled with HPLC is reported in this study. The results show that the recovery was (54.80 +/- 1.50)% in vitro and (54.58 +/- 4.61)% in vivo. The results showed that paeonol proniosomes ointment significantly raised the drug concentrations in skin more than the paeonol ordinary ointment. The paeono proniosomes ointment has less drugs into the blood as the ordinary ointments in blood, but its blood drug concentrations were steadier. The paeonol proniosomes ointment may be developed into a new preparation.
Acetophenones ; administration & dosage ; blood ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Animals ; Drug Delivery Systems ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Microdialysis ; Ointments ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Skin ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: There are few reports addressing the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into neurons, and the uncertainties mainly focused on the differentiated neurons had neuron morphology, but did not have neuron function. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of rat bone marrow mesenchyma stem cells (BMSCs) differentiation into neuron-like cells and glial-like cells under rat hippocampal neuron's conditional medium. METHODS: Rat BMSCs at passage 5 were divided into 4 groups. The medium of hippocampal neurons and glial cells was added in the conditioned medium group. The Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing bFGF was added in the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) group. The serum-free medium containing Neurobasal and B27 was added in the serum-free medium group. The DMEM supplemented with fetal bovine serum was added in the negative control group. 12 and 24 hours following induction, neuron specific enolase (NSE), microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were detected using immunocytochemical staining in each group. NSE, MAP-2 and GFAP expression was determined using Western-blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: 12 and 24 hours following induction, BMSCs were positive for MAP-2, GFAP and NSE in the conditioned medium, bFGF and serum-free medium groups, but negative in the negative control group. Compared with the negative control group, MAP-2 expression was significantly enhanced in the conditioned medium, bFGF and serum-free medium groups 24 hours following induction (P < 0.05), and the increased range was significantly greater in the conditioned medium group compared with other two groups (P < 0.05). No significant difference in NSE and GFAP expression was detected in the conditioned medium, bFGF and serum-free medium groups. Results suggested that hippocampal neuron conditioned medium can in vitro induce the differentiation of rat BMSCs into neuron-like cells and glial cell-like cells. Compared with the bFGF medium and serum-free medium, positive rate was greatest in the hippocampal neuron conditioned medium-induced neurons and glial cells.

OBJECTIVE To explore kinetic features and its underlying mechanism of the positive inotropic effect of liguzinediol(LZDO)in rats. METHODS ①An In vivo study was made to record the effect of LZDO 20 mg · kg-1 injected for 30 consecutive min from the left external jugular vein on pressure-volume relationships. ②Ex vivo study was used to record the antagonistic effect of LZDO on reduced contractility induced by caffeine. Caffeine and LZDO were perfused as follows:normal perfusion solution, caffeine 0.5 mmol · L-1,and then caffeine 0.5 mmol · L-1+LZDO 100 μmol · L-1. ③ Ca2+ transient from cardiomyocyte sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was measured to analyze the effect of LZDO on Ca2 +release blocked by thapsigargin. Thapsigargin and LZDO were perfused as follows:normal perfusion solution,thapsigargin 2 μmol · L-1,and then thapsigargin 2 μmol · L-1+LZDO 100 μmol · L-1.④The SR vesicles were prepared and the effect of LZDO(1,10 and 100μmol·L-1)on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase(SERCA2a)activity was determined according to the ultramicro-Ca2+-ATP enzyme kit. RESULTS ① LZDO 20 mg · kg- 1 significantly reduced the end-systolic volume (Ves) and enhanced the end-systolic pressure (Pes),stroke volume (SV),ejection fraction (EF),cardiac output(CO),peak rate of rise of left ventricular pressure(+dp/dtmax)and stroke work(SW)(P<0.05). However,LZDO 20 mg · kg-1 did not significantly change the heart rate(HR )or the end-diastolic volume (Ved). ② Caffeine 0.5 mmol · L- 1 significantly enhanced HR,left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP ),and+dp∶dtmax at 5 min after caffeine and decreased at 30 min. However,LZDO 100μmol·L-1 restored the reduced HR,LVDP,and+dp/dtmax induced by caffeine at 30 min(P<0.05).③Thapsigargin 2μmol·L-1 significantly reduced the SR Ca2+transient from perfusion solution group(100±5)%to(51± 5)%(P<0.05) and LZDO 100 μmol · L-1 failed to restore the decreased Ca2+ transient〔(49 ± 4)%〕. Normalized Ca2+transients were reduced by thapsigargin 2μmol·L-1 and thapsigargin 2μmol·L-1+LZDO 100 μmol · L-1. ④ LZDO(10 and 100 μmol · L-1)significantly increased the activities of SERCA2a in perfusion solution group 0.98±0.10 to 1.17±0.20 and (1.43±0.09)μmol Pi·g-1·h-1,respectively(P<0.05). CONCLUSION LZDO can enhance SR Ca2+ gradient by activating the SERCA2a and might be developed to serve as a potential positive inotropic agent in clinical settings.

Objective To compare the clinical outcome between open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and standard laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (SLRP).Methods From January,2008 to December,2014,643 cases of RRP and 161 cases of SLRP were retrospectively reviewed.No significant difference was found in age,body mass index,preoperative prostate specific antigen and pathological results of biopsy between the 2 groups (P ＞ 0.05).The operating time,blood loss,transfusion rate,hospital stay,positive surgical margin rate,urine leakage rate,urethra stricture rate,urinary continence recovery at 6 months and 12 months,2-year biochemical recurrence and median biochemical recurrence of the 2 groups were compared.Results The mean operating time was 131.6 ± 34.5 min in RRP group while 171.3 ±35.1 min in SLRP group (P =0.000).The blood loss was 385 ± 142 ml in RRP group and 194±87 ml in SLRP group (P =0.000),respectively.For the transfusion rate,the RRP group was 3.4％ (22/643) while the SLRP group was 2.5 ％ (4/161),there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P =0.548).The urine leakage rates were 12.8％ (82/643) in RRP group and 6.2％ (10/161) in SLRP group (P =0.020).The average hospital stay in SLRP group was 6.7 ± 1.5 d,which was significantly shorter than 7.5 ± 1.3 d in RRP group (P =0.000).A pad-free continence was achieved in 68.7％ (442/643) of the cases in RRP group and in 78.9％ (127/161) of the cases in SLRP group at 6 months after surgery (P =0.011).However,there was no significant difference in pad-free continence between the 2 groups at 12 months after surgery (P =0.376).In RRP group,complete continent rate was 94.6％ (608/643),while in SLRP group,it was 96.3％ (155/161).For the positive surgical margin rate,early biochemical recurrence rate and median biochemical recurrence free survival time,no significant difference was found between the 2 groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Compared to classical RRP,the blood loss during the surgery,urine leakage rate and hospital stay could be significantly reduced in SLRP.Although the patients undergone SLRP could get quicker urinary continence recovery at 6 months after surgery,the urinary continence recovery at 12 months is identical between the 2 groups.RRP and SLRP could achieve nearly the same oncologic outcome.

By applying the methods of inter—element meter andmean line,decoction solution of 110 recipes were anal-ysed for the characteristics of distribution of inorganicelements.In those recipes containing more warm-heat drugs,the contents of most elements were higherthan the line of average value,while those with morecool—cold drugs,lower than the mean line,suggest-ing that the distribution value of inorganic elementsmay be a determining factor responsible for the cold-heat quality of a recipe.

BACKGROUND: Enteral immunonutrition (EIN) refers to addition of some specific nutrients in enteral nutrition (EN), which can help to increase the immune function, and reduce the inflammatory reaction and septic complications. This study aimed to determine whether EIN can improve the immune function in multiple trauma patients. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with multiple trauma who had been admitted to the general ICU of Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, from March 2007 to May 2008, were randomly divided into two groups: an enteral immunonutrition group (EIN group, n=16) and an enteral nutrition group (EN group, n=16). EIN suspension (RuiNeng produced by Sino-Swed Co., Ltd) and ordinary nutrition liquid (RuiSu produced by Sino-Swed Co., Ltd) were given to patients of the EIN group and EN group respectively for at least for 14 days. Peripheral blood lymphocyte count (TLC), immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgA), and T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4 / CD8) were detected on the 1st day after grouping, and the 7th day and 14th day after nutritional support. RESULTS: TLC, IgG, IgM, IgA, CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly higher in the EIN group on the 7th and 14th day than that on the 1st day (P<0.05), and continually increased with a prolonged time of EIN. The parameters of immune function in the EN group on the 7th day didn't change significantly compared with those on the 1st day after grouping; on the 14 th day, TLC, IgG, IgM, IgA, CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly higher than those on the 1st day after grouping (P<0.05), but were significantly lower than those in the EIN group on the 14th day (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with the general formula EN, EIN is more helpful for the recovery of humoral and cellular immune function in the early post-multitraumatic phase.

Abstract: The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique is a technique for the specific and efficient amplification of target fragments at a constant temperature using two pairs of specially designed primers and a strand displacement activity DNA polymerase. LAMP technique is a simple, rapid, specific, sensitive and cost-effective nucleic acid amplification method, and therefore has a promising future in the field rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and grassroots applications. In this review, the basic principles and characteristics of the LAMP technique, the main molecular markers for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, and the use of different molecular markers and various types of novel techniques in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and drug-resistant tuberculosis were described. The LAMP technique has been widely used in the diagnosis of tuberculosis with high sensitivity and specificity, but the technique still has some shortcomings. This paper reviews the progress of its application in tuberculosis in recent years and provides an outlook on its development, with a view to providing a rational research direction for rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in a resource-limited environment.

Objective To study the CT and MRI findings of ectopic pituitary adenoma in the sphenoid sinus and evaluate their clinical significance. Methods All 8 cases of ectopic pituitary adenoma occurring in the sphenoid sinus were verified by pathology. CT and MRI findings were analyzed retrospectively. Results The lesions occurring in the sphenoid sinus showed no continuity to the intrasellar pituitary gland. The lesions with a well-defined margin showed an oval shape in 3 cases, and an irregular shape in 5 cases. The maximum diameter of the lesions ranged from 20 to 46 mm. On non-enhanced CT, lesion appeared as an isointense mass in 7 cases and a slight hypointense mass in one case. Two cases showed relatively homogeneous moderate enhancement on enhanced CT. The lesions resulted in adjacent bony displacement, remodeling and sclerosis of varying degree. In addition, 5 cases displayed local bony invasion. The bony sellar floor was observed to be intact in 3 cases while bony destruction was displayed in 5 cases. On MR T1WI, ectopic pituitary adenoma revealed isointense signal compared to gray matter in 6 cases and slight hypointense signal in 2 cases. On T2 WI, the lesions showed slight hyperintense singal in 2 cases and isointense signal in 6 cases. The signal of these lesions was inhomogeneous. The stippled and thinly stripped hypointense signal on T1WI and hyperintense signal on T2WI corresponded to the enlarged gland lumen of ectopic pituitary adenoma histopathologically. MR imaging demonstrated mild to moderate inhomogeneous enhancement. A cribriform-like pattern was found on enhanced T1 WI in all of these cases. The time-intensity curve (TIC) of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MR imaging showed rapidly enhancing and slow washout pattern in 2 cases. The Lesions were found to associate with empty sella in 5 cases, encase adjacent cavernous sinus in 5 cases, and invade the clivus in 4 cases. Conclusions Scattered hyperintense bubbles and strips on MR T2WI and cribriform-like appearance on enhanced T1WI were typical manifestations of ectopic pituitary adenoma in the sphenoid sinus. Combined findings of CT and MRI can provide us with more comprehensive information in both diagnosis and therapy.