The information concerning the treatment of Bi condition in 93 ancient medical books has been statistically analyzed through computer. The results showed that there were a total of 149 items of literature and 102 acupoints (276 times in frequency) in association with Bi condition. The common acupoints are Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Fengshi (GB 31), diseased foci, Quchi (LI 11), Weizhong (BL 40), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Yangfu (GB 38), et al. The common meridians are Gallbladder Meridian,Bladder Meridian, Large Intestine Meridian, Stomach Meridian, Lung Meridian, Liver Meridian and Triple Energizer Meridian. The common parts are the lateral aspect of leg, arm, and foot, the medial aspect of foot, the lateral aspect of hand, the medial aspect of arm, and head. The common acupuncture techniques and their frequencies are moxibustion (54), needling (9), blood-letting (9), fire needling (2), ironing (2) and compression (1). Statistical analysis on the above information showed in the ancient times in treating Bi condition with acupuncture, selecting acupoints are according to meridian distribution, the body parts and syndrome differentiation.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA-HOTAIR in prostate cancer cells and its effects on the growth and metastasis of the cells.

METHODSUsing quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), we determined the relative expression of HOTAIR in the normal human prostate epithelial cell line RWPE-I and prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and DU145. We detected the effects of HOTAIR on the cell cycle and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells by RNA interference, flow cytometry, and Transwell mitration assay.

RESULTSThe expressions of HOTAIR in the PC3 and DU145 cells were increased 3.2 and 5.7 times, respectively, as compared with that in the normal RWPE-1 cells. After si-HOTAIR interference, the prostate cancer cells were arrested in the G2 phase and downregulated in the G1 phase. The invasive ability of the prostate cancer cells was evidently inhibited, with the inhibition rates of 32% and 44% of the PC3 cells and 43% and 34% of the DU145 cells for si-HOTAIR1 and si-HOTAIR2, respectively.

CONCLUSIONIncRNA HOTAIR is highly expressed in prostate cancer, which is associated with the growth and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells. HOTAIR is potentially a novel marker for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer.

Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Division ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; G1 Phase ; G2 Phase ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; metabolism ; RNA, Untranslated ; metabolism

BackgroundThe quest to look for seed cells is a hot spot of cornea transplant research in solving the problem of the lack of donor. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) have been successfully induced into retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) in vivo,but the successful induction of BMSCs into corneal endothelial cells has not been reported.Objective This experiment was to study the transplantation of BMSCs on corneal endothelial surface using the splitting Descemet's membrane. MethodsFour healthy adult rhesus monkeys were divided into the experimental group ( 3 monkeys) and control group ( 1 monkey). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from bone marrow by density gradient centrifugation combined with adhering means. The cultured cells were identified by flow cytometry and its ability to differentiate was determined by allowing them to differentiate into adipocytes in vitro and labeled by 5-bromodeoxyuridine ( BrdU ) for subsequent identification. Corneal grafts of 7 mm in size with tearing of the Descemet' s membrane were prepared in the experimental group and control group. After labeling by 5-bromodeoxyuridine( BrdU ) ,cultured cells were transplanted onto the endothelial surface of cornea grafts in the experimental group, but no cultured cells were seeded in the graft of the control group. The corneal grafts were then sutured in situ, and were removed 1,2 or 3 months after operation to examine the distribution and connection between transplanted cells and their morphologic changes under the electron microscope. Results High purity MSCs were harvested by density gradient centrifugation combined with adhering method. Cultured cells reached confluency after 12 to 16 days, presenting with a spindle shape and parallel or swirling arrangement. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 94.26％ of cells were positive for CD29,7. 51％ for CD34 and 4. 02％ for CD45. Larger nuclei filled with plastosomes, golgiosomes and rough endoplasmic reticula were found on the graft under the transmission electron microscope( TEM ). After 3 weeks, MSCs were differentiated into adipocytes where Oil Red O staining resulted in an orange-red staining in the cytoplasm and blue staining in the nuclei. The transplanted cells attached loosely on the endothelial surface of the corneal graft and came in contact with each other in one month. The shape of the cells appeared as spindle-shaped and polygonal after 2 months and became tightly packed after 3 months. The positive cells retained the BrdU label and presented with brown nuclei. No endothelia cells grew in the cornea graft in the control group, with an absence of BrdU labeling. Conclusions Mesenchymal stem cells can be transplanted onto the corneal endothelial surface successfully and form a monolayer using the centrifugation method, and present with good survival and proliferation ability.

Adolescent ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Sturge-Weber Syndrome ; pathology

The rapid development of computer technology, molecular pharmacology and molecular biology extremely promoted the extensive and successful application of virtual screening technique (VST) in pharmaceutical exploitation. Based on plentiful literature and their own previous work, the authors elaborated the principles, methodology and strategy of VST systematically, gave a retrospection on the application of VST in the field of TCM in the last several years, and supposed that along with deepening of understanding, VST would play a greater role in TCM.
Computational Biology ; Computer Simulation ; Drug Design ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Software ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective: After establishing standard multi-modal therapy, prognosis of refractory and metastatic high-grade osteosarcoma remains dismal and unchanged over the last decades. Early clinical intervention to newly detected metastatic lesions is crucial and effective for better prognosis. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is one of the oldest remedies used in traditional oriental medicine and is recently rediscovered as an immunomodulator due to its activity against other solid tumors. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of ATO combined with first-line chemotherapy in treating pulmonary metastatic osteosarcoma patients with long-term follow-up in our institution.Methods: Osteosarcoma patients with pulmonary metastasis were intravenously administered with ATO (5-10 mg) daily combined with first-line chemotherapy for their treatment. A total of 119 patients were finally enrolled; 65 presented metastasis, and 54 relapsed with lung metastasis. Results: Two-year and five-year overall survival (OS) rates for these patients reached 52.6% and 30.9%, respectively. Only 20 cases underwent thoracotomies (16.8%). Our five-year OS was nearly similar to that of other institutions (37% in Rizzoli, Italy). We observed that combined with bone metastasis, bilateral metastasis, and >3 pulmonary nodules, incomplete resection of pulmonary lesions deteriorated the disease and significantly influenced survival as compared with all other parameters. Conclusion:Combined with conventional chemotherapy, ATO may be effective and well-tolerated as new therapeutic option for patients with nonresectable pulmonary metastatic osteosarcoma. Lung metastasectomy should be strictly selected only for populations who benefit from this treatment.

Objective To investigate the age-associated changes of ultrastructure,mRNA and protein expressions of H+-K+-ATPase in elderly gastric parietal cell. Methods Fifty patients with relative normal stomach without gastroduodenal diseases were enrolled,including younger group (aged 20-59 years,n=19) and elderly group (aged≥60 years,n=31).Furthermore,the elderly group was divided into 3 subgroups:60-69 years old (n =11 ),70-79 years old (n=10 ),above 80 years old (n =10).The ultrastructure of gastric parietal cell was observed under electron microscope.The expression of H+-K+-ATPase α subunit mRNA and H+-K+-ATPase β subunit protein were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western-blot,respectively.The ageing-associated changes of all these data were respectively compared. Results No significant difference was showed in the morphology of gastric parietal cell and acid-secretion-associated organelles among all the groups.The average ratio Am to Ac (Am means the area of mitochondria,Ac means the area of cytoplasm) of gastric parietal cell and the average At to Ac ratio (At means the area of secretory canaliculi and tubulovesicular system )between younger group and elderly group had no significant difference[(48.4±7.5) ％ vs.(50.6±7.6) ％,t=-0.775,P=0.444; (13.8±4.1) ％ vs.(12.2±4.7) ％,t=0.984,P=0.332].Meanwhile,there were no distinctions in the expression of H+-K+ -ATPase α subunit mRNA and H+-K+-ATPase protein among all elderly subgroups(F=1.522,2.32,P=0.24,0.114).However,the mRNA expression of H+-K+-ATPase a subunit was higher in the elderly group than in the younger group(t=-3.682,P=0.001).Furthermore,the expression of H+ -K+ -ATPase protein in the elderly group was increased as compared with younger group(t=-3.389,P=0.004). Conclusions Acidsecretion-associated organelles of human gastric parietal cell have no degeneration and the expression of H + -K+-ATPase is in trend of increase with aging,indicating that healthy elderly people have the basis of ultrastructure and molecular biology to maintain well function of acid secretion.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Eye Movements ; Humans ; Male ; Miller Fisher Syndrome ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the inhibitory effect of gefitineb on the proliferation and its inducing effect on the apoptosis of mouse I-10 Leydig testicular cancer cells in vitro.

METHODSWe treated I-10 Leydig testicular cancer cells of mice with gefitineb at 0, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 µmol/L. Then we determined the inhibitory effect of gefitineb on the growth of the cells by MTT, detected their early and late apoptosis by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide double staining and Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining, respectively, and observed the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2, Bax and caspase 3/9 by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, gefitineb significantly inhibited the proliferation of the I-10 cells at 10 and 20 µmol/L (P < 0.05). The survival rate of the cells was (32.4 ± 2.8)% (P < 0.01) and their early and late apoptosis rates were (26.7 ± 4.2)% and (59.33 ± 10.2)% in the 40 µmol/L group, significantly different from those in the control (P < 0.05 and P <0.01). In comparison with the blank control group, gefitineb at 10, 20, and 40 µmol/L increased the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax by (41.9 ± 7.1), (60.1 ± 9.8), and (69.0 ± 11.3)% (all P < 0.05), decreased that of apoptosis-inhibitory protein Bcl-2 by (50.3 ± 8.9), (63.9 ± 6.9), and (88.7 ± 13.9)% (all P < 0.05), and elevated that of the cleft proteins caspase-3 by (69.0 ± 6.9)% (P < 0.05), (71.5 ± 8.1)% (P < 0.05), and (110.9 ± 14.2)% (P < 0.01) and caspase-9 by (51.8 ± 4.9), (54.7 ± 6.7), and (43.8 ± 11.8)% (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGefitineb can increase the cytotoxicity of I-10 Leydig testicular cancer cells of mice and induce their apoptosis via the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; Leydig Cell Tumor ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Quinazolines ; pharmacology ; Testicular Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) as main with warming-removing obstruction needling method and routine acupuncture on sudden tinnitus and deafness.

METHODSSixty-two cases were randomly divided into a warming-removing obstruction needling method group (n=32) and a routine acupuncture group (n=30). The warming-removing obstruction needling method group were treated with acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) as main point with warming-removing obstruction needling method, in combination with local, distant points of ear with twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing method used; and the routine acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at local and distant points of ear with twirling uniform reinforcing-reducing method adopted. After treatment for 3 courses, their therapeutic effects were compared and followed-up.

RESULTSThe cured-markedly effective rate, the effective rate and the recurrence rate were 90.6%, 96.9% and 3.4% in the war ming-removing obstruction needling method group, and 60.0%, 80.0% and 22.2% in the routine acupuncture group, with a very significant difference in the cured-markedly effective rate (P<0.01) and with a significant difference in the effective rate and the recurrence rate (P<0.05) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of the warming-removing obstruction needling method group is significantly better than that of the routine acupuncture group with lower recurrence rate after cure.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Tinnitus ; therapy