Stem cells are characterized by the ability to renew themselves and differentiate into a di-verse range of specialized cell types.Bmi1 gene has been determined to play critical roles in the self-renewal of stem cells.Many of the tumor originated in stem cells.Enhanced self-renewal capability in stem/progenitor cells changes its biological characteristic and drives tumor initiation

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of ginger-partitioned moxibustion in improving blood flow velocity in lower limbs of post-stroke patients.Methods Ninety post-stroke patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 45 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by ginger-partitioned moxibustion, while the control group was by conventional acupuncture. Before and after intervention, the blood flow velocity in lower limbs, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) were evaluated.Results After 4-week treatment, the maximum blood flow velocity (Vmax) was significantly changed in the treatment group (P<0.05), and there was a significant difference in comparing the Vmax between the two groups after intervention (P<0.05); the NIHSS and MBI scores were significantly changed after intervention in the treatment group (P<0.05), and there was a significant difference in comparing MBI score between the two groups after intervention (P<0.05).Conclusions Ginger-partitioned moxibustion can accelerate the blood flow velocity in lower limbs of the post-stroke patients, improve blood circulation and the activities of life.

Objective To explore the relationship of glucagon in many phases with insulin and blood glucose in patients with insulin resistance syndrome,and to provide theory and practice support for the treatment of insulin resistance syndrome.Methods Totally 93 patients with insulin resistance syndrome (observation group),107 patients with type 2 diabetes (diabetes group) and 80 patients without diabetes (non-diabetes group) in our hospital from July 2008 to October 2011 were selected.The general information were collected.Patients with stable blood glucose stopped taking anti-diabetic drug for 10 hours.The fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,and fasting glucagon were tested.Then patients took 75 g glucose,blood glucose,insulin and glucagon were respectively tested after 30 and 120 minutes.Data were processed by SPSS 17.0 software,and P＜0.05 was considered as being statistically significant.Results The levels of fasting glucose,early phase glucose and late phase glucose were lower in observation group than in diabetes group,but higher than in non-diabetic group,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).The levels of fasting insulin,the early phase insulin,and late phase insulin were higher in observation group than in diabetes group and non-diabetic group,and the differences were statistically significant (both P＜0.05).The insulin levels in observation group and diabetes group were lowest after fasting and were highest at 120 minutes after the oral glucose load,but the insulin levels were highest at 30 minutes and decreased at 120 minutes after the oral glucose load in non diabetic group.The differences in fasting glucagon,early phase glucagon and late phase glucagon among three groups were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).The glucagon levels in observation group and diabetes group were lowest after fasting and highest at 120 minutes after the oral glucose load,but the glucagon levels in non-diabetic group were highest after fasting and were lowest at 120 minutes after the oral glucose load.There were positive correlations between glucagon and glucose in 3 phases in observation group (r=0.65,0.63,0.67,respectively,all P＜0.05).Conclusions Glucagon and glucose in different phases are positively correlated in patients with insulin resistance syndrome,and blood glucose can be controlled by improving glucagon secretion.

Objective To study the effects of sibutramine on the human-ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) current in HEK293 cell line that overexpresses hERG potassium channels. Methods HEK293 cell line that overexpresses hERG potassium channels was constructed. Whole cell patch clamp techniques were employed to investigate the effects of sibutratime on Iherg in the cell line. Results Sibutramine reduced hERG current in a concentration-dependent manner:the inhibition rate was (8.82?2.32)%,(26.7?5.78)%,(44.93?4.60)% and (85.22?3.37)% at the dose of 3,10,30 and 100 ?mol/L. IC50 value was 32.66 ?mol/L (n=8). Ⅰ-Ⅴ relationship was inhibited by sibutramine (3,10,30 and 100 ?mol/L) at membrane potentials from -10 mV to +60 mV (step) and from 0 mV to +60 mV (tail) (n=8). Conclusion Sibutramine significantly inhibited Iherg in HEK293 cell line that overexpresses hERG potassium channels in a concentration-dependent manner,which may be a major mechanism of causing QT interval prolongation.

The validity of (99m)Tc-YIGSR, a novel receptor radio-tracer, in imaging the Ehrlich ascites tumor was evaluated. YIGSR, a pentapeptide of laminin, was labeled with (99m)Tc by using a bifunctional chelator S-Acetly-NH(3)-MAG(3). The MIBI was labeled with (99m)Tc by following the kit instruction. The mice of tumor group were intravenously injected 1-2 mCi of (99m)Tc-YIGSR or (99m)Tc-MIBI via caudal vein, immobilized and imaged under a Gamma camera. The same procedure was performed in mice of blockade group, in which the unlabeled YIGSR was previously injected to block the receptor-recognition sites, and inflammation group serving as control. The reverse-phase Sep-Pak C(18) chromatogram was found to have an essentially complete conjugation between YIGSR and S-Acetly-NH(3)-MAG(3). The conjugated YIGSR could be radio-labeled successfully with (99m)Tc at room temperature and neutral pH, with a radio-labeling yield of 62%. Without the chelator S-Acetly-NH(3)-MAG(3), the YIGSR was labeled with (99m)Tc at an efficiency of 4%. The imagological study revealed obvious tumor accumulation of (99m)Tc-YIGSR 15 min after the injection, and the uptake peaked after 3 h with a tumor-to-muscle ratio (T/M) of 11.36. The radio-tracer was slowly cleared up and resulted in a T/M of 3.01 at the 8th h after the injection. As for blocked group, the tumor uptake of radiotracer was significantly lower, with the highest T/M being 4.61 after 3 h and 0.89 after 8 h. The T/M was 3.72 at the 3rd h and 1.29 at the 8th h after the (99m)Tc-YIGSR injection in the inflammatory group. The T/M was significantly higher in tumor group than in inflammatory group or control group (P<0.001). In the 99mTc-MIBI group, the T/M was 1.40 at the 3rd h and 0.55 at the 8th h after the injection, which showed a significant difference as compared with (99m)Tc-YIGSR (P<0.001). It is concluded that YIGSR can be successfully radiolabelled by using S-Acetly-NH(3)-MAG(3). (99m)Tc-YIGSR has many advantages in tumor imaging, such as quick and clear visualization, high sensitivity and specificity, and satisfactory target/non-target ratio (N/NT). It promises to be tumor radio-tracer.
Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor/*radionuclide imaging ; Radioactive Tracers ; Radiopharmaceuticals/*diagnostic use ; Receptors, Laminin/*metabolism ; Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide/*diagnostic use ; Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi/*diagnostic use

Objective To observe the regularities of distribution of TCM syndrome types and correlation between TCM syndrome types and cardiovascular prognosis risk factors of elderly hypertensive patients in three different urban and rural communities.Methods Totally 299 elderly hypertensive patients who conformed to the hypertensive diagnostic criteria from 896 respondents which participated in the health monitoring questionnaire drafted by health management team of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences were screened. The syndrome types were differentiated according to Guiding Principle of Clinical Research on New Drugs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (for Trial Implementation). The levels of some risk indicators, such as blood glucose, blood lipid, CREA, ET, Hcy and mALB were measured by radioimmunoassay, enzymatic cycling assay and other methods. Age, gender, BMI and pulse pressure were recorded.Results The TCM syndrome types of 299 elderly hypertensive patients were deficiency of yin and yang type (74 cases), hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency type (65 cases), blood stasis syndrome type (62 cases), stagnation of phlegm-dampness type (61 cases), hyperactivity of liver-fire type (37 cases). Single factor analysis showed that there existed statistical significance among BMI, FBG, GHbA1c, CREA, TC, LDL-C, ET, Hcy and mALB in the 5 TCM syndromes (P<0.05,P<0.01), and the statistical significance was more apparent in the stagnation of phlegm-dampness type, blood stasis syndrome type and hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency type. Discriminant analysis showed BMI and Hcy have certain reference value for the diagnosis of TCM syndrome types in elderly hypertensive patients. Binary-Logistic regression analysis showed that the course of disease had a positive correlation with syndrome of deficiency of yin and yang.Conclusion Compared with other types of elderly hepertensive patients, stagnation of phlegm-dampness type and blood stasis syndrome type are more closely related to hypertension cardiovascular prognosis risk factors.

Objective To evaluate modified shortened scope for ERCP procedure in swine animal model.Methods A total of 17 male pigs were divided into the conventional endoscope group (shortened scope used on human,n =8) and the modified endoscope group (modified shortened scope,n =9).The success rates,time of access to the pylorus,biliary or pancreatic orifice,the cannulation time of biliary or pancreatic duct,the stenting time of biliary or pancreatic duct,the total time of procedure and the X-ray exposure time were compared between the two groups.Results The success rates were 2/8 and 9/9 in the conventional endoscope group and the modified endoscope group,respectively(P =0.002).There were significantly differences of the cannulation time of biliary duct(180.00 ± 37.89 s VS 55.22 ± 11.56 s,P =0.000),cannulation time of pancreatic duct(55.22 ± 11.56 s VS 56.56 ±29.19 s,P =0.015),the time of access to pancreatic orifice(21.50 ±7.33 min VS4.67 ±2.63 min,P =0.000) and the total time of procedure(55.13 ±5.64 min VS 31.67 ±8.25 min,P =0.000) between the two groups.There were no significant differences in the time of passing through the pylorus,the time of finding biliary orifice,the stenting time of biliary or pancreatic duct or the X-ray exposure time between the two groups.Conclusion The modified shortened scope can improve the success rate of short scope position,facilitate locating biliary or pancreatic orifice,improve the success rate of pancreatic duct cannulation and shorten the cannulation time of biliary or pancreatic duct and the total operation time.

Objective To analyze the compatibility laws of homologous Chinese medicine of medicine and food in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods We screened the clinical literature for the treatment of AD during 1988-2012 in TCM Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Database, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang database. The nature, flavor, channel tropism, high frequency drug pair and compatibility laws of Chinese medicine and homologous Chinese medicine of medicine and food in prevention and treatment of AD were analyzed by frequency statistics and association rules. Results Two hundred and twenty-two clinical literatures were included. The top five frequently-used homologous Chinese medicines of medicine and food were Poria, Fructus Lycii, Fructus Alpiniae Oxyphyllae, Semen Persicae, and Rhizoma Dioscoreae. The top five frequently-used medicine were Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii, Radix Polygalae, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, and Radix Angelicae Sinensis. The top five frequently-used drug pairs of homologous Chinese medicine of medicine and food were Rhizoma Dioscoreae→Poria, Poria→Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Rhizoma Dioscoreae→Fructus Lycii, Fructus Lycii→Fructus Alpiniae Oxyphyllae, and Fructus Lycii→Poria. The top five frequently-used drug pairs were Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii→Radix Polygalae, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae→Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong→Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae→Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, and Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii→Radix Astragali Seu Hedysari. Conclusion The commonly used homologous Chinese medicine of medicine and food in preventing and treating AD are tonic herbs with mild nature.

BACKGROUND:There are a variety of methods for establishing osteoarthritis animal model, and different methods and different animals have their own characteristics.
OBJECTIVE:To review the status of the research on osteoarthritis animal models.
METHODS:The relevant articles to the osteoarthritis animal models were searched in Medline database from January 2002 to October 2011, with the key words of“animal model, osteoarthritis”in English by the computer. Similarly, Chinese Journal Ful-text Database was retrieved for related articles published in Chinese from January 2002 to October 2011, with the key words of“animal model, osteoarthritis, research development”in Chinese. Total y 423 relevant articles were col ected and 128 of them conformed the standard. At last 40 articles were included to review after ful-text reading.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The artificial induced animal models are the principal means to establish animal models of osteoarthritis and they have been widely used in the study of osteoarthritis pathogenesis, drug efficacy, cartilage physiology and pathology. Spontaneous osteoarthritis animal models have great advantages in the study addressing the initial mechanism of osteoarthritis, the biochemical changes of articular cartilage and the comparison of prevention and cure effects. Transgenic animal models have great application prospects on studying cartilage repairing mechanisms and testing a gene to prevent, delay or reversal the morphological changes. Accordingly the choice of models should be based on research needs.

Objective To measure the length between the bifurcation of abdominal aorta to the femoral artery puncture point in adult women.Methods 127 patients were enrolled in the study.Femoral artery puncture using of the roberts uterine catheter (RUC) for the diagnosis and treatment of obstetrics and gynecologic disease was conducted.When the RUC bending vertex code located at the bifurcation above, fingers fixed femoral artery puncture point at the mouth of the catheter's sheath and evacuate the catheter and measure the code to the fixed position.Results In this group, the length of the bifurcation of abdominal aorta to the femoral artery puncture point was 24.38-25.33 cm.There was no significant difference in the length with patient age (P>0.05), but there were statistical significances with the patients height and weight(P<0.05).Conclusion The length of adult women abdominal aortic bifurcation to the femoral artery puncture point has no significant difference with patient age.The individual height and weight are very much significant.The length estimation can be done according to the patient's height and weight for low abdominal aortic catheter,on clinic for avording X-ray irradiation or no X-ray equipment condition.