OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with western medicine for treatment of essential tremor.

METHODSSixty cases of essential tremor were randomly divided into two groups, 30 cases in each group. The combined acupuncture and medication group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Taixi (KI 3), etc. and oral administration of Propranolol; the medication group was treated with oral administration of Propranolol only. The comprehensive effects and the scores of tremor were observed after 30 days of treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 90.0% (27/30) in the combined acupuncture and medication group was obviously higher than that of 56.7% (17/30) in the medication group (P < 0.01), the tremor score of the combined acupuncture and medication group was obviously better than that of the medication group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combined with oral administration of Propranolol has better therapeutic effect on essential tremor than that of oral administration of Propranolol only.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Essential Tremor ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Propranolol ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To measure osteoporosis knowledge,belief and self-efficacy of elderly patients with vertebral fracture,and to provide the basis for reducing the incidence of refracture.Methods Totally 72 patients were recruited from an upper first-class hospital in suzhou by using the convenience sampling method.They were measured with the self-designed general information questionnaire,Osteoporosis Knowledge Tests (OKT),Osteopomsis Health Belief scale (OHBS) and Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Scale (OSES).Results The total score of knowledge was (1 1.06±6.71),the factor scores of risk factors,exercise and calcium intake were(4.13±2.82),(2.90±2.54),(4.04±2.54).The average score of OHBS was (141.82± 13.00).The total score of self-efficacy was (79.49±35.15).Conclusions Health education for elderly patients with vertebral fractures needs to be improved,and to reduce the occurrence of refracture according to different groups of targeted education.

The yeast Sacchromyces cerevisiae is most widely used for producing bioethanol in alcoholic industry due to its higher ethanol yield and fermentation rate. However, the toxic effect of accumulated ethanol is one of the main factors, which limit high ethanol production. Thus, investigating the mechanisms of yeast ethanol tolerance will provide the basis for solving the industrial problem. This article reviewed the mechanisms of Sacchromyces cerevisiae ethanol tolerance focusing on its cell physiological behaviors, structure and biochemical composition, as well as its genetic basis.

The water-soluble polypeptide drug oxytocin was encapsulated in liposomes by reverse-phase evaporation vesicle method to obtain oxytocin loaded liposomes (OT@LPs) which was further modified with cationic cell penetrating peptide—arginine octamer (R8) to get R8 modified oxytocin loaded liposomes (OT@LPs-R8) which showed enhanced mucoadhesive. The brain targeting efficiency was evaluated preliminarily after nasal administration. OT@LPs-R8 showed a round shape with a particle size distribution of 110.2 ± 7.3 nm, a surface potential as high as +18 mV, a drug loading (62.17 ± 1.88) %, an encapsulation rate (5.85 ± 0.72) %, and stood stable in nasal mucus. After nasal administration, it could significantly prolong the retention and enhance the distribution in the brain with no irritation to the nasal mucosa. The animal experiment in line with the regulations of the Department of Laboratory Animal Science of Fudan University on the ethics of animal experiments had been carried out after passing the review of the Animal Ethics Committee of Fudan University. The results showed nasal administration of OT@LPs-R8 could promote oxytocin directly into the brain from the nose which expected to become a new carrier for delivery of oxytocin to the brain.

Objective To investigatethe role of NF-κB played in the process of the cord blood monocytes differentiating into dendritic cells(DCs)induced by astragalus polysaccharide(APS)and to explore the signal transduction pathway involved in this process.Methods Umbilica]cord blood was collected in aseptic conditions.The cord blood monocytes were obtained by density gradient centrifugation and were divided into three groups afterwards.In the control group.cells were cultivated in the RPMI 1640 complete medium.In the APS group.cells were cultivated in the RPMI 1640 complete medium containing 100 mg/L APS.In the PDTC group:cells were treated with 10 μmol/L disulfide carbamate(PDTC).NF-κB inhibitor in 30 min followed by cultivalion in the RPMI 1640 complete medium containing 100 mg/L APS.,The morphological changes were observed during the process of cultivation by the optical microscope and transmission electron microscopy.Cells were collected 12 d later and the cellular immunophenotyping was assayed by FCM.,The activation and migration of NF-κB fluorescence in the cells was examined by the immunoflouresce microscopy.Results (1)Cells in the control group grown up without cluster forformation and were found fusiform and macrophage-like in 12 d.Cells in the APS group grown up in clnstem,and morphological changes were found from the circular shape to a typical dendritic cells-like shape.Cells in the inhibitor group grown up slowly and without cluster formation,and cell morphdogy had no significant change.(2)The expression of DCs-specific antigen CD80,CD83 and CD86 in the APS group was higher than that in the control group and inhibitom group(P<0.01).The expression of those antigen in the control group and PDTC group was similar and had no statistically significance(P>0.05).(3)NF-κB fluorescence in the nuclei was examined by the immunoflourescence microscopy and was much higher in the APS group than that in khe other groups,especially in 72 h with the activation rate of NF-κB (75.20±7.37)%,while(13.20±3.46)% of PDTC group and(8.20 ±1.92)%,respectively(P<0.01).Conclusion Astragalus polysaccharide can induce the differentiation of umbilical cord blood cells into DCs,and NF-κB is the key component of the signal transduction pathway involved in this process.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of acitretin on the expression of signaling pathway-related genes in an epidermal squamous-cell carcinoma cell line.

METHODSThe mRNA expression levels of STAT3, cyclin D1 and p42/44MAPK were detected in a human epidermal carcinoma cell line A431 by RT-PCR. Their expressions at protein level were studied by Western blot. The expression levels were studied in cells treated with or without 10(-5) mol/L acitretin at different time intervals.

RESULTS(1) Acitretin could significantly inhibit the expression of STAT3 and cyclin D1 mRNA in a time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The STAT3 and cyclin D1 protein expression levels were down-regulated. Acitretin could also down-regulate the p42/4MAPK mRNA expression. (2) After incubation with acitretin, the mRNA level of cyclin D1 cells was positively correlated with that of STAT3 (P < 0.05). The cyclin D1 protein level was also positively correlated with that of STAT3 (P < 0.05). However there was no correlation of mRNA levels between cyclin D1 and p42/44MAPK.

CONCLUSIONRegulation of the Jak/STAT3 signaling pathway may play an important role in the effect of acitretin on epidermal squamous-cell carcinoma cells. The abnormal expression of STAT3 can be regarded as a prerequisite for acitretin treatment effect.

Acitretin ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclin D1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Signal Transduction

B7-1 Antigen ; genetics ; immunology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; immunology ; Enterotoxins ; genetics ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The arrenotokous toxicity of triptolide was evaluated, and the rate of sperm abnormality, the changes of the lipid peroxide, the enzyme activity and the hormone in male rats were observed. With the negative and positive control group, the healthy rats were respectively given by gavage triptolide suspension at the dose of 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 mg x kg(-1) for 30 days. Then the rats were killed for the measurement of the indicators in testis and serum, as well as the study on the sperm abnormality. The results showed that the positive control group had significant difference, compared with the negative control group. The content of SOD, LDH, G-6-PD, Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca+ -Mg+ -ATPase decreased significantly in 0.05 mg x kg(-1) group, and reduced more obviously with exposure to the dose of 0.1 mg x kg(-1). The levels of GSH-Px and beta-G showed a significant decrease in the testis of rats only at the dose of 0.1 mg x kg(-1). Nevertheless, the MDA levels, the FSH levels and the LH levels showed no significant difference. The deformity rate of sperm increased significantly in 0.05 mg x kg(-1) group and 0.1 mg x kg(-1) group. The results indicated the triptolide had the effect of the lipid peroxidation to damage Spermatogenic cells, Sertolis cells and Leydig cells. At the same time, the triptolide interfered not only with the energy supply process of aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis,but also with the energy utilization in testis by affecting the activities of testis marker enzymes, and produced a damage chain of the male reproductive system
Animals ; Diterpenes ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Epoxy Compounds ; toxicity ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Phenanthrenes ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; abnormalities ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Testis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; toxicity

In order to study the constituents and pharmacology of Tripterygium plants (Tripterygium willfordii Hook.f), a variety of chromatography methods were used. Four compounds were isolated from Tripterygium plant and their structures were elucidated by UV, IR, MS, HR-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and 2D-NMR techniques. The isolated compounds were named as triptonide (1), neo-triptetraolide (2), 2alpha-hydroxytriptonide (3), and 15-hydroxytriptonide (4), separately. Compounds 3, 4 belong to new diterpenoids, which can inhibit the growth of K562 cells (leukemia cells) and HL60 cells (acute myeloid leukemia cells).
Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Flow Cytometry* ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes*