AIM: To study the efficacy and adverse reactions of carnitine on patients with acute cerebral infarction.　METHODS: One hundred and thirty-five patients with acute cerebral infarction diagnosed by CT or MRI were randomly divided into 2 groups, on the basis of conventional therapy. Sixty-eight patients in carnitine group (M37,F31; age 60 a± s 17 a) received carnitine 2-3g, iv, drip, qd for 28 d. The other 67 patients of control group (M39, F28; age 63 a±17 a) received compound salvia miltirrhiza 20 mL in dextran-40 glucose injection 500 mL, iv, drip, qd for 28 d.　RESULTS: The total effective rates of carnitine group and control group for acute cerebral infarction were 80％ and 55％, respectively (P<0.05). No adverse reactions were found.　CONCLUSION: Carnitine is safe and effective in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction.

To observe the effect of autologous stem cell transplantation in diabetic retinopathy.
●METHODS:Totally 58 cases (116 eyes) who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation were confirmed as no diabetic retinopathy (18 eyes), mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) (41 eyes), mid-level NPDR (51 eyes); severe NPDR (6 eyes) by ophthalmoscope directly or indirectly and fluorescence fundus angiography (FFA ). Follow - up was 6 - 12mo, the changes of retinopathy were observed.
●RESULTS: The total effective rate of vision and retinopathy was 84. 4%, 76. 7%. The results of severe NPDR was statistically worse than the other groups ( P <0. 05).
●CONCLUSlON: The stable blood glucose level and improved pancreatic function after autologous stem cell transplantation might be helpful in diabetic retinopathy, the long effects need to be researched further.

Dental Implants, Single-Tooth ; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported ; Esthetics ; Humans ; Maxilla

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious threat for human health, the incidence of HCC in China accounts for more than 50% worldwide. There is an urgent need to develop novel anticancer agents for the treatment of HCC patients. Here we characterized the inhibitory effect and the molecular mechanism of protopine on HCC cancer cells. The results of a CCK-8 assay indicated that protopine displays anticancer activities on HCC cells. Flow cytometry and JC-1 staining confirmed that treatment with protopine decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and induced apoptosis in HCC cells. Western blot analysis showed that protopine was able to increase protein expression in the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway; the level of cytochrome C, apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), Bax, cleaved-poly ADP-ribose polymerase (cleaved-PARP), cleaved-caspase-3, and cleaved-caspase-9 were increased while the expression of Bcl-2 was suppressed significantly. An in vivo study revealed that protopine significantly suppressed the growth of tumors in nude mice bearing HepG2 cells. Administration of protopine intraperitoneally at a concentration of 50 mg·kg^-1 inhibited tumor growth by 72.46%. Animal experiments were carried out according to the Regulation of the Animal Ethics Committee of Southwest Medical University. This study provides preliminary evidence that there is potential to develop protopine as a lead compound for the treatment of HCC.

By reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), an open reading frame of pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR1) was isolated from Panax notoginseng and named as PnPR1. Molecular and bioinformatic analyses of PnPR1 revealed that an open reading frame of 501 bp was predicted to encode a 166-amino acid protein with a deduced molecular mass of 18.1 kD. Homology analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequence of PR1 protein of Panax notoginseng had a high similarity with other higher plants had the same conservative structure domain of cysteine-rich secretory protein (CAP). The recombinant expressed plasmid pET28a(+)-PnPR1 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. The expression conditions were optimized by induction at different times, different temperatures, different IPTG concentrations and different giving times. The optimum expression condition was 0.4 mmol.L-1 IPTG at 28 degrees C for 20 h. The successful expression of PnPR1 provides some basis for protein purification and preparation of the monoclonal antibody.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Molecular Weight ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pathogenesis of acute leukemia (AL).

METHODSVEGF mRNA expression was analysed by using semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique. VEGF level of culture supernatant of the bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMNC) was detected by ELISA. The influence of culture supernatant of the BMMNC on proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cell line huECV304 in vitro was determined by MTT assay.

RESULTSThe median VEGF/beta-actin expression level of BMMNC in newly diagnosed untreated AL group was higher (0.86) than that in remission group (0.41) and normal control group (0.39) (P < 0.01, both), but was no difference from the relapse group (1.02, P > 0.05). Among the patients with newly diagnosed untreated AL, VEGF/beta-actin level in AML (1.03) was statistically higher than that in ALL (0.61) (P < 0.05). The VEGF level in 72 h culture supernatant of BMMNC was higher in newly diagnosed untreated AL group (91.48 ng/L) than in remission group (31.91 ng/L) and normal control group (28.71 ng/L) (P < 0.01). In ALL group (32.76 ng/L), the VEGF level of 72 h culture supernatant was much lower than that in AML group (173.49 ng/L) (P < 0.01). The proliferation of huECV304 cells after co-cultured with the 72 h culture supernatant of AML BMMNC with addition of anti-VEGF antibody was inhibited notably compared with culture supernatant alone (P < 0.01). However, no such result was found in ALL group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe mRNA expression and secretion of VEGF in AML cells were higher than those in ALL cells. The regulators that participated angiogenesis were different in ALL and AML patients.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Male ; Monocytes ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism ; pharmacology

Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Paragonimiasis ; diagnosis ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis

From original concept and literature of acupoint, the concept and clinical significance of ashi method is discussed, which clarifies that the essence of ashi method is to locate the acupoints by patients' sensitivity on force. The clinical application of heat-sensitive moxibustion has illustrated that positioning method of this therapy is based on the appearance of heat-sensitive moxibustion sensation. Although both types are based on patients' feeling, positioning method of heat-sensitive moxibustion stands on a new angle and uses a new method to locate acupoint. Therefore, it is believed that the positioning method of heat-sensitive moxibustion is the inheritance and development of ashi method.
Acupuncture Points ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Moxibustion ; history ; methods ; Sensation

OBJECTIVETo analyze smile features in maximum lip-dynamic in Chinese.

METHODSSixty-two Han-Chinese, travelling in Germany, with a mean age of 28.5 years were enrolled and photographed. Standardized digital photos were made to measure the height of displayed maxillary gingiva, papilla and tooth during an enjoyment smile. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney-U Test and non-parametric analysis.

RESULTSThe mean height of tooth display for the central incisors was 10 mm, with no significant difference between the gender (P > 0.05). The mean height of gingival display was 1.3 mm and the mean papilla height was 3.4 mm. There was no significant difference between the genders (P > 0.05). 31% (19/62) of the subjects belonged to high smile line type, 50% (31/62) to medium smile line type and 19% (12/62) to low smile line type.

CONCLUSIONSThe red esthetics is a paramount factor for Chinese men and women in the esthetic restoration. 81% of the Chinese studied showed various degree of gingival exposure from central incisor to the premolars, which defined the esthetic area for Chinese people. Papilla is a critical parameter for esthetic evaluation and treatment design. The ratio of high smile line in Chinese may be higher than that in Caucasian.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; Bicuspid ; anatomy & histology ; Cephalometry ; methods ; Dental Papilla ; anatomy & histology ; Esthetics, Dental ; Female ; Gingiva ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Incisor ; anatomy & histology ; Male ; Maxilla ; anatomy & histology ; Photography, Dental ; methods ; Smiling ; Young Adult

Child ; Dystonia Musculorum Deformans ; diagnosis ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male