OBJECTIVETo compare differences of therapeutic effect between acupuncture method of tonifying-qi and dredging-meridian and conventional acupuncture method.

METHODSSeventy cases of blepharospasm were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 35 cases in each one. Cuanzhu (BL 2), Yuwei (Extra) through Yuyao (EX-HN 4), Xinming 1 (Extra), Sibai (ST 2) and Yintang (GV 29) were selected as main acupoints. The acupuncture method of tonifying-qi and dredging-meridian was applied in the observation group, which was an acupuncture manipulation that could achieve strong needling sensation of qi arrival combined with electric-impulse stimulation. The conventional acupuncture method was applied in the control group. The treatment was given once every other day, 10 times as a session for continuous three sessions in both groups. The severity of blepharospasm was compared before and after treatment in two groups and clinical therapeutic effect was assessed. Follow-up visit was performed after half a year to observe the recurrence rate.

RESULTSThe cured and markedly effective rate was 77.1% (27/35) in the observation group, which was superior to 51.4% (18/35) in the control group (P < 0.05). Among cured and markedly effective patients in both groups, the recurrence rate was 20.0% (4/20) in the observation group, which was inferior to 54.5% (6/11) in the control group (P < 0.05) in the follow-up visit.

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture method of tonifying-qi and dredging-meridian could effectively improve severity of blepharospasm, which has superior short-term and long-term effects to conventional acupuncture method.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Blepharospasm ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To evaluate the surgical treatment and CT diagnosis of retroperitoneal paraganglioma.Methods Clinical data,CT image and surgical treatment of 17 cases diagnosed as retroperitoneal paraganglioma were analyzed retrospectively.Results In CT scan,tumors were singular and located around the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava in 13 cases,while in the other 4 cases tumors were located in the lower abdomen and pelvic cavity.The masses were oval shaped,varied in size and the margins were clear.Most mass had integral capsule.The density were uneven and the low density area didn't have enhancement in contrast enhancement CT.All of the 17 patients received complete tumor resection in which 13 cases were pathologically diagnosed as benign,4 cases was boundary or low malignant and 3 cases received second operation for recurrence.Conclusion CT is helpful in diagnosis and locating retroperitoneal paraganglioma.Surgical resection is effective and satisfactory.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on GSKbeta/IDE signal transduction pathway and Abeta protein secretion in hippocampal neurons of high glucose-treated rats.

METHODHippocampal neurons of 24 h-old newly born SD rats were primarily cultured, inoculated in culture medium under different conditions, and then divided into the normal group, the high glucose group, the LiCl group and the Rb1 group. After being cultured for 72 h, the expressions of their phosphorylated GSK3beta, total GSK3beta and IDE protein were detected by Western blotting analysis. The mRNA expressions of GSK3beta and IDE were determined by RT-PCR. The ELISA assay was used to detect the secretion of Abeta protein in cell supernatant.

RESULTCompared with the normal group, the high glucose group showed increase in the p/tGSK3beta protein ratio and the secretion of Abeta protein and decrease in IDE protein and mRNA (P < 0.05). Compared with the high glucose group, both Rb1 and LiCl groups showed decrease in the p/tGSK3beta protein ratio and the expression of Abeta protein and increase in IDE protein and mRNA expression (P < 0.05). Compared with the LiCl group, the Rb1 group showed no significant difference in the expressions of p/tGSK3beta protein, IDE protein, mRNA and Abeta protein expression. In addition, the GSK3beta mRNA expression of the four groups had no significant difference.

CONCLUSIONGinsenoside Rb1 may reduce the secretion of Abeta protein in hippocampal neurons by reducing the phosphorylation of GSK3beta, down-regulating the ratio of pGSK3beta/GSK3beta and upregulating the expression of IDE.

Amyloid beta-Peptides ; genetics ; metabolism ; secretion ; Animals ; Dietary Carbohydrates ; adverse effects ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Glucose ; adverse effects ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Insulysin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; secretion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns, Inhalation ; etiology ; therapy ; Explosions ; Female ; Gases ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Adult ; Burns ; etiology ; mortality ; China ; epidemiology ; Coal Mining ; Explosions ; Female ; Gases ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective: To analyze the circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and circulating endothelial precursors (CEPs) in peripheral blood of tumor patients. Methods: CECs and CEPs were enumerated in 57 tumor patients and 15 healthy controls by 3-color flow cytometry. The serum level of angiogenesis related cytokines(VEGF, bFGF)was determined by ELISA method. Results: In tumor patients, mean value of CECs and CEPs was (0.378?0.047)% and (0.059?0.013)% respectively. The serum level of VEGF and bFGF were (295.58?59.56) ng/L and (28.73?7.40) ng/L. The amount of CECs/CEPs positively correlated with the serum level of VEGF and bFGF. Conclusions: The CECs/CEPs and serum level of VEGF and bFGF of tumor patients was higher than those of normal controls. VEGF and bFGF may participate into the course of endothelial progenitors mobilization.

Objective To study the assessment value of serum protein C activity ( PC∶A) test in the patient′s condition and prognosis in bronchial asthma.Methods 202 bronchial asthma patients were selected from the Tianjin medical university general hospital from 2010 to 2012 for this retrospective cohort study, 77 males and 125 females with a mean age of 41.2 ±11.4 years.the level of PC∶A were analysed by IL ACL TOP 700 coagulation analyzer.Receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC) was used to analyze the diagnosis performance of PC∶A, χ2 test was used to analyze the relevance between PC∶A and clinical pathological factors , Cox regression analysis model was used to evaluate the effect on prognosis , Kaplan-Meier curve to implement survival analysis.Results The elevels of PC∶A were:control group ( 102.2 ± 13.6)%, intermittent attack group (104.8 ±11.9)%, mild persistent group (136.3 ±15.8)%, moderate persistent group ( 129.0 ±13.5 )% and severe persistent ( 126.8 ±14.7 )% respectively , and there was significantly difference among the all groups ( F =7.15, P <0.01 ).Compared the control group and intermittent attack group with other groups , the PC∶A level was higher in mild persistent group ( q=16.83, q=15.54, P<0.05), moderate persistent group (q=19.94,q=12.15, P<0.05), and severe persistent group(q=11.37,q=10.66, P<0.05).The PC∶A level was lower in moderate and severe persistent group than mild persistent group ( q =3.82, q =4.30, P <0.05 ).After undergoing regular treatment for six months, the PC∶A level was higher in partly controlled group and uncontrolled group than complete controlled group (q=12.45, q=9.91,P<0.05).The optimum cut-off point of PC∶A (after undergoing regular treatment for six months ) for asthma condition with uncontrolled was 118.0%, the area under ROC curve was 0.892 ( 95% confidence interval:0.851-0.936 ).The χ2 test results showed that there was the relevance between the serum PC∶A level and the eosinocyte , total serum IgE , complicated allergic rhinitis and lung function ( FEV1%) ( P<0.01 ).The Cox analysis and survival analysis showed that the serum PC∶A level ( after undergoing regular treatment for six months ) was the independent assessment parameter for asthma acute attack in 7th-12th month, the cumulative probability of acute attack was increased obviously in the patients who with PC∶A level over the cut-off value.Conclusions The serum PC∶A level was increased obviously in asthma patients , and was related to patient′s condition, level of asthma control and severe attacks risk , which could be used as an effective indicator for assessment of disease progression and asthma control in asthma patients.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can infect the roots of Cercidiphyllaceae and form arbuscular mycorrhizae.Infection rate is from 12% to 30%,but infection strength is weak.4 species of Acaulospora and 11 species of Glomus were isolated and identified,including Acaulospora tuberculata,A.spinosa,A.foveata,A.denticulate,Glomus geosporum,G.clarum,G.constrictum,G.monosporum,G.laroideum,G.versifome,G.microcarpum,G.mosseae,G.hoi,G.halonatum and G.reticulatum.Among them,G.cercidiphyllorum is advantage species.So AMF may be a potent resource of biology which can stimulate the growth of Panax notoginseng.

Objective:For developing the study of MUC1/Y vaccine,constructed th eukaryotic expression vectors expressing MUC1/Y.Used it to modify the DC inducint CTL in order to treat the gastrointestinal cancers.Methods:Obtained the MCU1/Y cDNA full length cloned it into pIRES2 EGFP that expressing green fluorescence protein and pcDAN3 1+ respectively.Selected 8 cases of gastrointestinal cancer whose HLA phenotype was A2,inducing DC using rhIL 4 combined with GM CSF in vitro.Transfected DC with pcDAN3.1 MUC1/Y then co cultured DC with T cell to induce CTL (named as T pcDAN3 1 MUC1/Y).At the same time,used pIRES2 EGFP MUC1/Y to detect transfection efficiency.SW620 (HLA A2+,MUC1/Y+),the gastric cancer cell line was used as specific target cell;Lovo(HLA A2 ,MUC1/Y+)and Raji(HLA A2 ,MUC1/Y )were used as unspecific target cells.The cytolytic of specific CTL was measured by LDH releasing assay.The apoptosis of target cells were detected by ANNEXIN V FITC kit.The ability of IFN ? releasing of T cells was measured by ELISA.Results:The transfection efficiency of plasmid was about 8%.There was significant difference between the cytolytic activity of T pcDNA3 1 MUC1/Y to SW620,Lovo and Raji.The cytolytic activity was about (42 8?6 15),(27 26?1 96)% and (22 73?2 15)% respectively.Compared with T IL 2)CTL induced by PBMC stimulated of IL 2(100 U/ml)) and T pcDNA3 1(CTL induced by DC transfected by pcDNA3 1+),the cytolytic activity of T pcDNA3 1 MUC1/Y against SW620 cell line showed a significant increase.The results of ANNEXIN V-FITC experimences showed that T pcDNA3 1 MUC1/Y could induce apoptosis of specific target cell.Conclusion:The expressing of MUC1/Y mRNA has important sense in gastrointestinal cancer.Constructed eukaryotic vector pIRES2 EGFP MUC1/Y that contains full length MUC1/Y cDNA could be used to study the transfection efficiency and select the positive clone;pcDAN3 1 MYC1/Y could induce powerful CTL immunoresponse.

Objective To determine the effect of suppressing TrkA expression on pancreatic cancer chemosensitivity to gemcitabine and further disclose the role of PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathway in pancreatic cancer chemoresistance. Methods Human pancreatic cancer cell lines PANC-1, MIA-PaCa-2 and ASPC-1 were studied. The expression and kinase activity of TrkA were determined by Western blot analysis and in vitro kinase assay, respectively. RNA interference was used to suppress TrkA expression. Gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity was determined by tetrazolium reduction assay and caspase profiling was performed. The effect of TrkA-specific siRNA on PI3K/Akt activity was also quantified. Results TrkA expression and kinase activity in cell lines were directly correlated with gemcitabine chemoresistance. TrkA-specific siRNA suppressed TrkA expression and kinase activity, and furthermore increased gemcitabine-induced, caspase-mediated apoptosis. PI3K/Akt activity was decreased by suppression of TrkA expression. Conclusion TrkA is a determinant of pancreatic adenocarcinoma chemoresistance and PI3K/Akt is a key signaling component by which NGF activation of the TrkA signal transduction pathway protects pancreatic cancer cells from chemotherapy-induced cell death.