OBJECTIVETo discuss the TCM pattern classification and measurable diagnosis criterion of the protracted symptoms of heroin-addiction abstinence (PSHAA).

METHODSThrough literature review and clinical study, the concept of TCM patterns and diagnostic standard were established, and a TCM pattern scale for quantitatively analysis of PSHAA was formulated. The scale were used on the clinical investigation on the abuser for 5 times on day 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 after abstinence. Then the TCM patterns of PSHAA was classified using methods of DME and quantitative diagnosis, to create a corresponding scale of diagnostic indexes referring maximum likelihood method.

RESULTS(1) The TCM patterns of PSHAA commonly seen were Toxin-stasis accumulation (TSA) with Qi-blood insufficiency, TSA with Qi-yin deficiency, TSA with Yin-deficiency and Fire-excess and TSA with Yin-Yang deficiency. (2) The retrospective and prospective verification of the scale of diagnostic indexes showed it has high sensitivity and speciality, with low rates of misdiagnosis and of missed diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONIt is feasible to develop measurable diagnosis on the TCM patterns of PASAA using DME method and measurable diagnostic methods. The scale of diagnostic indexes formulated with the maximum likelihood method of quantified diagnosis has a certain clinical practicability.

Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Heroin Dependence ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Reference Standards

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) on phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (pERK1/2) in the dorsal horn of spinal cord induced by plantar inflammation in the rat.

METHODSAll the rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control group, simple electroacupuncture group, formalin group, formalin plus ipsilateral electroacupuncture group and formalin plus contralateral electroacupuncture group. The acute inflammation animal model was made by injection of 100 microL of 4% formalin into the right posterior foot pad. Electroacupuncture was given at "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 30 min, with sparse-dense waves, frequency 2-15 Hz, and intensity 2-3 mA. One and a half hours latter, the rats were killed under anesthesia, and pERK1/2 expression in the lumbar dorsal horn were investigated with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe positive cells were rarely seen (6.45 +/- 1.05) in the superficial spinal cord in the control group; a few cells (14.07 +/- 3.19) in ipsilateral superficial spinal cord were found in the electroacupuncture group. The number of pERK1/2-positive neurons (26.57 +/- 4.93) in lamina I - II0 of the ipsilateral dorsal horn in the formalin group increased significantly. After electroacupuncture at ipsilateral Zusanli (ST 36), the number of positive cells (20.79 +/- 5.21) had a tendency to decrease, but with no statistically significant difference. However, after electroacupuncture at contralateral Zusanli (ST 36), the number of positive cells (14.75 +/- 3.03) significantly decreased as compared with the non-acupuncture group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the spinal cord dorsal horn by electroacupuncture is possibly involved in acupuncture analgesic effect.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Posterior Horn Cells ; enzymology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To establish a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model of intracranial aneurysms based on CT images for three-dimensional simulation of the hemodynamics in the aneurysms. Methods CT angiographic (CTA) images of the intracranial aneurysms were obtained using a GE Lightspeed 16-slice spiral CT with the slice thickness of 0.625 mm at the interval of 0.5 mm. The original Dicom format images were directly imported using the Mimics software. Threshold-based combined with manual segmentation of the images was carried out to acquire the region of interest including the aneurysm and parent artery, followed by 3D calculations of the images. The 3D model was remeshed and exported as an area mesh file to Ansys. The area-based file was then converted into an IGES file in Ansys, and exported to the Ansys workbench software to generate the volumetric mesh for further homodynamic study. Results A 3D finite element model of intracranial aneurysm was established, and the area mesh file could be directly introduced into Ansys software to allow homodynamic study of the aneurysm. Conclusion The application of thin-layer CT scanning and the Dicom standard allows more accurate reconstruction of the 3D finite element model of intracranial aneurysms. The Mimics software can greatly improve the efficiency ofintracranial aneurysm model reconstruction.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Circoviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; virology ; Torque teno virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo objectively assess the clinical efficacy and safety of a new Pulian Ointment (, NPLO) in treating psoriasis of blood-heat syndrome of Chinese medicine.

METHODSA total of 108 patients with psoriasis of blood-heat syndrome were equally assigned, using a randomizing digital table, to the test group treated externally with NPLO and the control group treated with placebo; the medication was done using a singleblinded method twice a day. Meanwhile, all patients received by oral intake a conventional Chinese decoction for clearing heat and cooling blood; the therapeutic course was 4 weeks for both groups. The therapeutic efficacy, changes in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and various aspects of the lesion, including scaly eruption, erythema, infiltration, size, score of itching as well as adverse reactions were observed.

RESULTSThe trial was completed in 100 patients, 51 in the test group and 49 in the control group. The remarkably effective rate was 45.10% and the total effective rate was 84.31% in the test group, which were significantly higher than those in the control group, 12.24% and 51.02%, respectively, showing a significant difference between groups (P<0.01). The test group also showed better effects in the improvement of the PASI score of the lesions and scores on erythema, infiltration, size of lesion as well as itching. No adverse event was found in either group.

CONCLUSIONNPLO is a Chinese remedy for the external treatment of psoriasis of the blood-heat syndrome with a reliable therapeutic efficacy and good safety.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ointments ; Psoriasis ; drug therapy ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo explore the combined effects of orthodontic force and inflammation on the remodelling of periodontal tissues.

METHODSThe upper first molars underwent mesial orthodontic force on 48 rats suffering experimental periodontitis and 48 rats injected lipopolysaccharide, respectively.

RESULTSThe TNF-alpha protein expression in the compressed periodontal tissues fluctuated during 0, 2, 12 hours and 2, 7, 14 days stages, the OD value got to the peak in the compressed periodontal tissues in 2 days.

CONCLUSIONThe mechanical remodelling effects were hindered due to the circumstance of acute or chronic inflammation. The research suggests that the orthodontic treatment to adult patients with periodontal inflammation should be taken carefully.

Adult ; Animals ; Humans ; Molar ; Periodontitis ; Rats ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is a receptor of tyrosine kinase that is constitutively activated in most of acute myeloid leukemia patients and seems to give an adverse prognosis. In order to explore the silencing effect of FLT3 targeted short hairpin RNA (FLT3-shRNA) on acute leukaemia cell line THP-1, three FLT3-shRNAs (shRNA1, shRNA2, shRNA3) were designed and synthesized by transcription system in vitro and then transfected into THP-1 cells. FLT3 mRNA was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, FLT3 protein was detected by Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. The results indicated that FLT3 expression was downregulated by shRNA1 and shRNA3, and shRNA1 showed stronger inhibitory effect. At 48 hours following transfection, the inhibitory rate of 25 nmol/L shRNA1 was 72.95 +/- 2.07%, lasting 72 hours. The 5 nmol/L and more concentration of FLT3 shRNA1 could downregulate FLT3 mRNA level, which displayed a quantity-effect relation; the inhibitory rate of 15 nmol/L shRNA1 was 67.53 +/- 0.66%. FLT3 protein was located on THP-1 cell membrance, its expression was downregulated obviously by shRNA1, at 72 hours following transfection the inhibitory rate of shRNA1 was 79.67 +/- 0.66%. shRNA1 showed the best inhibitory effect on FLT3 protein, the optimal time of which was 72 hours with an inhibitory rate of 79.67%. It is concluded that FLT3-shRNA1 shows a desireable FLT3-targeted inhibitory effect, which can be used for further investigation of FLT3 mechanism or FLT3 targeting treatment.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 ; genetics

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of excessive inflammation in the lung of C3H/HeN(C3H) mice following Chlamydia muridarum(Cm) airway infection.Methods:Chlamydial pneumonitis was induced in C3H and C57BL/6(C57) mice by intranasal inoculation with 1×103IFU (inclusion forming unites) of Cm strains.The expression of TLR2,TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA in the lung at different time point post-infection was measured by RT-PCR.Results:Cm infection induced Toll-like receptors expression in two strains of mice.The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA,especially TLR2 mRNA(P<0.001 or P<0.05),were significantly higher in highly susceptible C3H mice on day 7 and day 14 d post-infection compared with C57 mice.Further studies showed that the expression of MyD88 mRNA was also significantly higher in C3H mice on day 7 post-infection,and maintained high expression untill the day 14.Conclusion:Cm lung infection induced high level of TLR2,TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA expression in C3H mice,which may associate with excessive inflammation in C3H mice.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular genetic causes and their characteristics of deafness in Ningxia province, we established screening of three common hereditary deafness genes in 336 deaf and hard-of-hearing patients in this district.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were obtained from a total of 336 patients with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss in parts of special education schools in Ningxia province to extract genomic DNA. The mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA m.1555A > G mutation was screened by PCR Alw26I digestion and sequence analysis PCR and direct sequencing were used to analyze the coding region of GJB2 and exons 8 and 19 of SLC26A4. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 11.0 software. Frequencies of different GJB2 or SLC26A4 mutations were compared between Han and Hui people.

RESULTSAmong these 336 patients, seven cases (2.08%, 7/336) were found to carry mtDNA 12S rRNA m.1555A > G homozygous mutation, 45 cases (13.39%) were caused by GJB2 mutations and 28 cases (8.33%) had two mutated alleles (homozygote and compound heterozygote) of SLC26A4. In detail, 16.67% (56/336) patients carried GJB2 mutations including 11 single mutant carriers. The allele frequency of c.235delC and c.299_300delAT were 9.52% (64/672) and 2.68% (18/672), respectively, making up 81.19% (82/101) of all pathogenic mutated alleles for GJB2. The single mutant allele carriers of SLC26A4 is 32, and two types (c.919-2A > G and c.2168A > G) accounted for 95.29% (24/27) mutations, totally. We also found that statistically significant differences in c.919-2A > G and c.2168A > G frequencies between Han and Hui people (c.919-2A > G, χ(2) = 8.229, P = 0.004; c.2168A > G, χ(2) = 5.277, P = 0.022). However, there was no statistically significant difference in GJB2 mutation between Han and Hui people.

CONCLUSIONSGJB2 mutation was a primary cause for non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss in Ningxia province, and c.235delC was the most common mutant forms of GJB2. c.919-2A > G and c.2168A > G were common mutant forms of SLC26A4, their frequencies were also statistically significant differences between Han and Hui people.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; China ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEIn order to characterize the feature of stress response induced by stressor with both physical and psychological natures, the effects of water restriction performed in different experimental modes on the physiological parameters, psychological behavioral manifestations and brain c-Fos expressions were observed and compared.

METHODSFifty-eight male Wistar rats were used and randomly divided into three experimental groups (n = 18 for each) and a control group (n = 4). In control group, the rats were allowed to access drinking water freely at all experimental period. In the experimental groups the water supply to the rats was restricted. In timed water supply (TW) group, the water was supplied twice a day, 10 min for each in fixed hours every day. In empty bottle-served (EB) and water-restricted (WR) groups, the water was served only once a day for 10 min, either in the early morning or evening, and in the other time point scheduled for water supply only an empty bottle without water was provided in the EB group and nothing was given in the WR group. The quantities of drank water and eaten food, weight-gaining, and behavior score were observed every day. The serum level of corticosterone was assayed and the rats were sacrificed with fixative perfusion of 3 d, 7 d or 14 d, respectively, following water restriction (n = 6 for each time point in each group). The brain c-Fos expressions were examined with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe slow down of weight-gaining, rise of serum corticosterone level, occurrence of psychological behavioral manifestations of unpeaceful restlessness such as exploring and attacking, enhance of c-Fos expression in the subfornical organ (SFO), median preoptic nucleus (MnPO), area postrema (AP), hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), supraoptic nucleus (SON), medial (MeA) and central (CeA) amygdaloid nucleus and ventrolateral septum (LSV) were noticed in both EB and WR groups, except the nucleus of solitary tract (NTS) in which the Fos expression was decreased. The changes of Fos expression in most of nuclei in EB group began at day 3, at least persisted till day 7, and backed down at day 14, while in WR group, similar changes started at day 7 and reached its peak at day 14. In TW group, only the concentration of corticosterone at day 7 was slightly increased and the rest indexes observed were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that water restriction induces physical as well as psychological stress responses. And the water restrictions experimentally executed in different modes result in different manifestations of behavioral response and brain immediately early gene expression in discrete brain nuclei/regions.