ObjectiveTo discuss the experimental method and the mechanisms on treating diseases by acupuncturing the ST36(Zusanli).MethodsUsing Positron Emission Tomography(PET) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI) to obtain the experimental data about glycometabolism and cerebral blood stream,using SPM and ROI image-analytical method to obtain the visual experimental evidence when acupuncturing the ST36. ResultsThere are certain increases of glycometabolism and cerebral blood stream in ipsilateral hypothalamus and bilateral temporal lobe, when acupuncturing the ST36. Conclusions Acupuncturing the ST36 can lead to the functional changes in vegetative nerve center and temporal lobe, which is close correlated with the therapeutical effects of ST36.

Objective:To evaluate the quantity and function changes of dendritic cells ( DC) in peripheral blood of patients with repeated implantation failure ( RIF).Methods:30 patients with RIF and 15 normal controls were enrolled in this study,and the peripheral blood was collected during the mid-luteal phase.The percentage of DC subsets and the expression levels of functional molecules were assessed by flow cytometric analysis.Results:Compared with normal controls,the percentage of lin-HLA-DR+DC cells accounting for leukocytes in patients with RIF was not significantly different ( P>0.05).There were also no significant differences in the expression levels of co-stimulatory molecules ( CD80 and CD86) and immune tolerant molecules CD200 on DC cells surfaces between patients with RIF and normal controls ( all P>0.05).In addition,the percentage of CD11c+CD123-mDC accounting for DC cells was significantly increased in patients with RIF (P<0.05),however,the percentage of CD11c-CD123+pDC was similar (P>0.05). Conclusion:The percentage of mDC accounting for DC cells was significantly increased in patients with RIF, which may be one of factors affecting pregnancy outcomes.

AIMTo discuss the effect of Pitavastatin on angiogenesis in vivo and its mechanism in Klotho heterozygous deficient mice.

METHODSThe heterozygous deficient Klotho mice (kl +/-) and wild mice (kl +/+) from the same litter were used to establish the animal model of hind-limb ischemia and grouped into control and Pitavastatin group, respectively. Hind-limb blood flow was evaluated using Laser Doppler perfusion imager (LDPI) before treatment and after operation of hind-limbs. The capillaries in muscle of limbs were counted by means of CD-31 labeled immuno-fluorescence. The phosphorylation of Akt (Protein kinase B) in cells was measured by direct immunohistochemical technique. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) in muscle of limbs was assessed using Western blotting.

RESULTSAfter treatment of Pitavastatin, the blood flow in ischemic limbs of the Kl +/- and wild mice improved obviously, the ratio of blood flow area in ischemic limb to that in non-ischemic limb increased and the density of capillaries increased in ischemic limbs of the Kl +/- and wild mice. Pitavastatin enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and the expression of VEGF in ischemic limbs of the Kl +/- and wild mice.

CONCLUSIONPitavastatin has the pro-angiogenesis effect in vivo and the VEGF-p-Akt-NO pathway may be involved in the mechanism of the effect of Pitavastatin.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Heterozygote ; Ischemia ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

To observe the expression of drebrin in the distal cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurons (dCSF-CNs) of rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of sciatic nerve by immunofluorescence technique, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, sham surgery group and CCI group. The behavior of rats was scored. After choleratoxin subunit B-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (CB-HRP, 3 muL) was injected into the lateral cerebroventricle to trace dCSF-CNs, the expression of drebrin was observed in the dCSF-CNs through immunofluorescence double staining and laser scanning confocal microscopy technique. The results showed that only the pain threshold of CCI group was decreased. The dCSF-CNs were clearly displayed in three groups. No drebrin expression was observed in the control and sham groups. In CCI group, drebrin was markedly expressed in intracytoplasm. It is suggested that the technique displaying dCSF-CNs with immunofluorescence is successful and the dCSF-CNs are possibly involved in the transmission of nociceptive information under the neuropathic pain state.
Animals ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Male ; Neuralgia ; metabolism ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Neuropeptides ; metabolism ; Pain Threshold ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sciatic Nerve ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo establish a real-time quantitative PCR method for detecting the levels of the signal joint T cell receptor excision circles (sjTRECs) in murine thymocytes and spleen lymphocytes for determining the amount of naive T cells and evaluating the thymic function.

METHODSThe genomic DNA was extracted from murine thymocytes and splenocytes for PCR amplification of the target fragments. After purification of the PCR product, the recombination-activating gene 2 (RAG(2)) fragment was cloned into pGEMT-Easy vector to construct the standard plasmid. After PCR optimization, the standard curve was obtained and the samples (thymocytes and splenocytes of BALB/c and C(57)BL/6 mice) were detected for sjTRECs by real-time quantitative PCR.

RESULTSThe standard plasmid was correctly constructed, and the standard curve with high reliability was obtained. No statistical difference was observed in sjTREC contents in the T lymphocytes between the two mouse strains.

CONCLUSIONSReal-time quantitative PCR for sjTREC analysis is established successfully, which offers an important means for thymic function analysis and a reliable model establishment for study the thymus.

Animals ; Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte ; Lymphocyte Count ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Thymus Gland ; cytology ; immunology

OBJECTIVEWe investigated the effects of pitavastatin on angiogenesis and perfusion in C3H/He mice with unilateral hind limb ischemia.

METHODSC3H/He mice treated with saline (n = 15) or pitavastatin (1 mg.kg(-1).d(-1), n = 15) per gavage for 1 week underwent unilateral hind limb ischemia surgery and were treated for another 5 weeks. Hind-limb blood flow was measured by Laser Doppler perfusion imager (LDPI, ischemic/nonischemic limb, %) at baseline, immediately after ischemia and weekly thereafter for 5 weeks. Endpoints included local vessel counts by immunofluorescence, phospho-Akt positive cell counts by immunoenzyme histochemical technique, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) expression in ischemic limbs by Western blot and serum nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) by chrome dioxide Griess method.

RESULTSLower extremity perfusion was significantly improved in pitavastatin treated mice vs. controls as measured by LDPI% at 1 week post ischemia and thereafter (P < 0.05). Pitavastatin treatment was associated with significantly increased capillary count [(47 +/- 11) vs. (26 +/- 14)/per high-power field (x 200), P < 0.05] and greater percentage of phospho-Akt positive cells [(6 +/- 1) vs. (2 +/- 0)/per high-power field (x 200), P < 0.05] in ischemic limbs. Serum NOx [(77.3 +/- 21.8) vs. (52.1 +/- 11.2) mol/L, P < 0.05) and VEGF protein expression in ischemic limbs were also significantly increased in pitavastatin group than those in control group.

CONCLUSIONSPitavastatin enhances angiogenesis and perfusion in CsH/He mice with limb ischemia.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the experimental method of obtaining position emission tonogiaphy (PET) imaging evidence of changes in cerebral function by puncturing the Stomach 36 (ST36, Zusanli) acupoint.

METHODSData on changes of cerebral glycometabolism were obtained from six healthy male volunteers with positron emission tomography. Visual experimental evidence, as well as statistical parametric mapping (SPM), was gathered while puncturing the ST36 (Zusanli, right leg) acupoint.

RESULTSThere was increased glycometabolism in the hypothalamus, head of the caudate nucleus, temporal lobe, the sinistral cerebellum, postcentral gyrus, and brain stem while the acupoint ST36 was being punctured.

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture on ST36 can lead to increase in glycometabolism in the vegetative nerve centers, which is correlated with gastric function. Visual experimental evidence of ST36 acupuncturing on functional gastrointestinal disorder was obtained in our study.

Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; physiology ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Tomography, Emission-Computed

Objective To evaluate the effects of acupuncture combined with lifestyle modification for essential hypertension by Meta-analysis. Methods Clinical randomized controlled trial literature about acupuncture combined with lifestyle modification for essential hypertension in CNKI, WanFang Data, CBM, VIP, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science since establishment to February 20, 2017 were retrieved. Data extraction and quality assessment of studies were conducted by two researchers independently, and the Meta-analysis was performed by the software of RevMan5.3. Results 5 articles involving 467 patients were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with lifestyle modification had more significant effect than lifestyle modification alone in lowing SBP [SMD=-1.52(-2.40,-0.64)], in lowing DBP [SMD=-1.02(-2.01,-0.03)], total effective rates [RR=1.27(1.13, 1.43)]. Conclusion Compared with lifestyle modification alone, acupuncture combined with lifestyle modification have significant effects for patients with essential hypertension, but because of the fewer studies included, bigger heterogeneity between studies and the lower quality of included studies still exist, the results should be further verified, and clinical applications should be treated with caution.

The M1 and HA genes of H1N1 influenza virus were amplified and then cloned into the pFastBac dual donor plasmid. The recombinant pFastBac Dual-M1-HA was identified by restriction enzyme digestion. After the pFastBacdual-M1-HA was transformed into the baculovirus shuttle plasmid (bacmid) in DH10Bac competent cells, the colonies were identified by antibiotics and blue-white selection. The rBac-mid-M1-HA was verified by PCR and transfected into S f9 cells to produce recombinant baculovirus (rBac-M1-HA). Gene insertion of rBac-M1-HA was verified and the expression of M1 and HA genes was analyzed by IFA and Western-blot, demonstrating M1 and HA were co-expressed successfully. This study provides the foundation for researching the formation mechanism of influenza VLP and developing new influenza vaccines.
Animals ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; genetics ; immunology ; Spodoptera ; Transfection ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

BACKGROUNDIt is unclear whether a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) would impact the effect of catheter ablation on persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to compare the effect of catheter ablation on persistent AF with and without a history of PAF.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-three patients underwent catheter ablation of persistent AF lasting for > 1 month and were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had a history of PAF or not. Group I consisted of persistent AF patients with a history of PAF, and group II consisted of persistent AF patients without such a history. All patients received catheter ablation focused on pulmonary vein isolation and were observed for arrhythmia recurrences, which were defined as documented episodes of AF or atrial tachycardia after a blanking period of 3 months.

RESULTSOne hundred and three patients (60.9%) in group I and sixty-six patients (39.1%) in group II were successfully followed and included in analysis. There were no significant differences in clinical and echocardiographic characteristics between both groups except for a younger age and more male patients in group II. After (15.5 ± 10.7) months of follow-up, 59 (57.3%) patients in group I and 49 (74.2%) patients in group II maintained sinus rhythm free of anti-arrhythmia drugs (P = 0.025). Multivariate analyses found left atrial anteroposterior diameter (P = 0.006) and persistent AF with a history of PAF (OR 1.792, 95%CI 1.019 - 3.152; P = 0.043) as the only independent statistical predictors of arrhythmia recurrences.

CONCLUSIONThe arrhythmia recurrence rate of catheter ablation based on pulmonary vein isolation in persistent AF with a history of PAF was higher than those without a history of PAF.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Pulmonary Veins ; surgery ; Recurrence