Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of long-time needle retaining at Baihui (GV 20) in treating post-stroke cognitive impairment. Methods: A total of 60 eligible patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment were randomized into a treatment group and a control group by random digital table, 30 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by basic treatment including routine therapy in Neurology department and Western medicine rehabilitation therapy, while the treatment group was intervened by same treatment in the control group combined with long-time needle retaining at Baihui (GV 20). Mental state of patients was evaluated by National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) and mini-mental state examination (MMSE) after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: After 4-week treatment, the NIHSS score dropped in both groups, and intra-group comparisons showed statistical significances (both P<0.05), and the score in the treatment group was statistically lower than that in the control group (P<0.01); the MMSE score in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group, there was a statistical inter-group difference (P<0.01); the total effective rate was 93.3%, and the marked effective rate was 50.0% in the treatment group, versus 76.7% and 20.0% in the control group, there were significant differences in the total effective rate and the marked effective rate between the two groups (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Long-time needle retaining at Baihui (GV 20) can produce a safe valid therapeutic efficacy in treating post-stroke cognitive impairment.

In the basis of a large amount of literatures, this article sumed up the characteristics and application of eggshell membrane.

AIM:To observe the effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on calcium, sodium and potassium ion channel currents of the ischemic atrial myocytes in guinea pig by whole-cell patch clamp technique.METHODS:The guinea pig atrial myocytes were obtained by enzymolysis.Under ischemia and hypoxia condition, whole-cell patch clamp was used to observe the effects of G-CSF at various concentrations on the changes of the I-V curve, activation curve and availability of L-type calcium channel current (ICa,L) and voltage-dependent sodium channel current (INa), as well as I-V curve of delayed rectifier potassium channel current (IK).RESULTS:Under ischemic condition, the I-V curves of ICa,L were changed by acute G-CSF intervention in a dose-dependent fashion.Except for G-CSF at dose of 300 μg/kg, the other concentrations of G-CSF did not change the activation curve and availability of ICa,L, indicating that the effects of G-CSF on ICa,L were in a voltage-independent fashion.The I-V curves of ICa,L under ischemic condition were gradually approaching the normal levels by the higher dose of G-CSF, while the effect of 300 μg/kg G-CSF on ICa,L was similar to 100 μg/kg G-CSF.Acute G-CSF intervention at different doses did not change I-V curve, activation curve, and availability or steady-state availability of INa.As a part of IK, the rapid activating component (IKr) was improved by 100 μg/kg and 300 μg/kg G-CSF intervention with the similar effects, while the slowly activating component (IKs) was not changed by G-CSF.CONCLUSION:G-CSF affects ion channel electrophysiological properties of ischemic atrial myocytes in a voltage-independent but concentration-dependent manner, thus reducing the incidence of atrial arrhythmia.

Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; Animals ; Hypoxia ; Iron ; Mice ; Spleen

Objective To investigate the role of gamma secretase inhibitor-I (GSI-I) in cell proliferation and apoptosis of human glioma cell lines U87 and U251.Methods RT-PCR and fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) were employed to evaluate the expressions of Notch receptors and their target gene Hes-I in both U87 and U251 cells treated by GSI-I,respectively.Then,MTT assay was used to examine the effects of GSI-I on cell proliferation of the 2 glioma cells.Meanwhile,flow cytometry technique was also employed to detect the cell cycle changes and apoptosis induced by GSI-I treatment.Results The activity of Notch pathway was inhibited by GSI-I treatment through down-regulating the expression of Notch receptors target gene Hes-I in both U87 and U251 cells.Treatment with 2.5μmol/L GSI-I or above concentrations could significantly induce the cell cycle arrest of U87 and U251 cells and these effects were positively concentration-dependent.Flow cytometry technique showed that GSI-I inhibited the cell proliferation by inducing the cell cycle arrest of U87 cells at GI phase and inducing the apoptosis of U251 cells.Conclusion GSI-I can dramatically inhibit the cell proliferation and induce the apoptosis of U87 and U251 cells,providing a reliable evidence for clinical glioma treatment.

Adolescent ; Body Height ; drug effects ; Child ; Female ; Growth Disorders ; drug therapy ; Human Growth Hormone ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; analysis ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo detect and compare the transcriptional activities of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) promoter and enhancer and survivin promoter in different human prostate cancer cell lines, and to search for some evidence for the targeting gene therapy of human prostate cancer.

METHODSThe fragments of the PSMA promoter and enhancer and survivin promoter were amplified by PCR and inserted into pGL3-Basic. The recombinant plasmids were transiently transfected into human prostate cancer cell lines and normal Chang liver cells, and, their transcriptional activities in various cells were determined by measuring the expression of luciferase.

RESULTSThe survivin promoter exhibited a higher transcriptional activity than PSMA promoter and enhancer in tumor cell lines, and the S2pro promoter showed the highest activity, reaching one third of that of the CMV promoter.

CONCLUSIONThe survivin promoter is highly activated in prostate cancer cell lines and may serve as a new tool for the transcriptional targeting gene therapy of prostate cancer.

Antigens, Surface ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; genetics ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Plasmids ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; therapy ; Transcription Initiation Site ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transfection

The medicinal fungi, which are of great importance in traditional medicine, are facing the problems of wild resources scarcity and low concentration of bioactive compounds. Velvet family and LaeA global regulator play a vital role in secondary metabolism and developmental programs, which are found in a wide variety of fungi ranging from Chytridiomycota to Basidiomycota. This review elaborates the structures and functions between Velvet family and LaeA protein. The Velvet family which shares the Velvet protein domain, including VeA (Velvet), VelB (Velvet like B), VosA (viability of spores A) and VelC (Velvet like C), acts on the regulation function is secondary metabolism and developmental programs such as asexual and sexual development. Furthermore, the function is affected by environmental factors such as light and temperature. LaeA protein which owns S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase domain, coordinately regulates development and secondary metabolism by regulating and modifying the Velvet proteins. The regulation of LaeA is mediated by light receptor proteins. Therefore, clarifying the mechanism of Velvet and LaeA proteins in medicinal fungi will pave the way for nurturing medicinal fungi and improving production of bioactive compounds.
Fungal Proteins ; metabolism ; Fungi ; chemistry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; Genes, Regulator ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Secondary Metabolism ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo set up the HPLC fingerprint of Glycyrrhiza uralensis in decoctions prepared from various combinations of the recipe named Mahuang decoctions and study the influence of compatibility on fingerprint of G. wralensis in decoctions.

METHODThe RP-HPLC method was used, chromatography conditions were Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), the acetonitrile-1.2% acetic acid (gradient elution) as mobile phase and detective wavelength at 254 nm.

RESULTThe method is stable and reliable with a good reproducibility and provides a reference standard for the quality control of G. uralensis, it can be used to determine the fingerprint of G. aralensis in Mahuang decoctions. The result showed that 8 peaks were common in the fingerprint of G. uralensis in Mahauang decoctions. The area changes of 8 common peaks in decoctions prepared from various combinations of Mahuang decoctions were studied.

CONCLUSIONThe fingerprint of G. uralensis in Mahuang decoctions is markedly influenced by herba ephedrae and ramulus cinnamomi and semen armeniacae amarum. The areas of 7 common peaks were reduced obviously, while the relative areas of 6 common peaks were increased remarkably.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cinnamomum ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Interactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Ephedra sinica ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results

In order to discover light quality's effects on growth, photosynthesis and effective components content of Panax notoginseng, a pot experiment using 7 light qualities (red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, violet, and blue) was conducted. The growth, photosynthesis and content change of effective components were measured during plant growth. The results showed that light qualities had significant effect on plant growth, red light increased the plant height, while cyan, yellow, violet, and blue lights promoted accumulation of biomass underground, blue and yellow lights increased the photosynthesis, cyan light increased accumulation of ginsenoside Rd, yellow and cyan lights increased total effective components of individual plant.
Light ; Panax notoginseng ; growth & development ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Photosynthesis ; radiation effects ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; metabolism