Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at phenomaxillary ganglia in treating dry eye syndrome (DES). Methods Totally 148 DES patients were randomized into a treatment group of 72 cases and a control group of 76 cases. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture at phenomaxillary ganglia plus Jingming (BL 1), Sibai (ST 2), and Taiyang (EX-HN 5), while the control group was by using eye drops of artificial tears. The DES symptoms score and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared. Results The total effective rate was 90.3%in the treatment group versus 68.4%in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The DES and VAS scores were significantly changed after intervention in both groups (P<0.01). The changes of DES and VAS scores in the treatment group after intervention were significantly different from those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Acupuncture at phenomaxillary ganglia can go deep and directly reach the affected area, and thus is an effective method in treating DES.

Objective To study the role of deferoxamine(DFO)on regulating hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α)expression after hypoxia-ischemia brain damage(HIBD)in neonatal rats,to explore the therapeutic strategy for HIBD. Methods Postnatal day 10 SD rats were divided into four groups: hypoxia-ischemia(HI)group,DFO-treated group,normal saline(NS)-treated group,and sham operation group. HIBD model was established by the ligation of right common carotid artery following the inhalation of nitrogen-oxygen mixtures containing 92% nitrogen and 8% oxygen. DFO-treated group and NS-treated group were treated by intraperitoneal injection of DFO or NS respectively. The brains were collected at 4 h,8 h,and 24 h after hypoxia. HIF-1α protein expression was detected by Western blot analysis,and HIF-1α mRNA expression was detected by using RT-PCR at each time point. Results The synthetic level of HIF-1α protein increased significantly at 4 h,peaked at 8 h,and decreased at 24 h after HI in HI group,as well as NS-treated group. However,in DFO-treated group HIF-1α protein was peaked at 4 h,maintained higher level at 8 h and 24 h after HI. The level of HIF-1α protein was much higher in HI and DFO-treated groups than those in sham controls(P ＜ 0.05). The synthetic level of HIF-1α protein were higher in DFO-treated groups than those in HI groups at each time point(P ＜ 0.05). HIF-1α mRNA expression was higher in DFO-treated groups than those in HI groups at each time point. Conclusions DFO upregulate HIF-1α protein and mRNA expression in neonatal rats with HIBD. The peak of HIF-1α protein expression are also more advanced and lasted longer after DFO-treatment.

Objective To investigate the situation of oxygen supplement and the incidence and clinical characteristics of long-term oxygen inhalation newborns in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU).Methods The records of oxygen supplement and the related clinical data of 12 155 neonates admitted in our NICU from Oct 2009 to May 2011 were collected and retrospectively analyzed.The results were compared with the data from a survey on 19 hospitals in China which reported by other authors.Results In 12 155 newborns,4 951 were full term,7 204 were preterm.One hundred and two patients (0.84％,102/12 155 ) accepted oxygen for more than 28 days.Among them,88 were preterm,14 were full term,with the average gestational age (31.16 ±3.70) weeks,the average birth weight (1.60 ±0.68) kg and the mean oxygen supplement period (40.60 ± 12.25) d.Finally,98 were cured or improved,4 died.The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in 7 204 preterm infants was 1.22％ ( 88/7 204) according to the standard of continuous oxygen supply more than 28 days after birth.The incidence of BPD in preterm infants less than 32 weeks was 4.92％ (68/1 381 ) according to the standard of continuous oxygen supply more than 28 days after birth,while the rate was only 2.10％ (29/1 381 ) according to the standard of continuous oxygen supply more than 36 weeks postmenstrual age.The rates of BPD according to the two different standards were significantly different ( x2 =16.251,P ＜0.001 ).There were significant differences in the rate of supply oxygen( x2 =119.99) and supply oxygen time( F =109.27 ) among different gestational age groups in overall the 5 499 neonates ( P ＜0.001 ),but no significant differences in the average time of oxygen supply and mechanical ventilation among different gestational age groups in infants with long-term oxygen dependence ( P ＞ 0.05 ).There were significant differences in rates of pulmonary surfactant therapy,heart failure,retinopathy of prematurity,congenital heart disease,other congenital malformation and mortality among different gestational age groups in long-term oxygen dependence infants (x2 =8.789,13.538,23.176,7.778,8.842,8.246,P ＜ 0.05 ).As compared with the data from 19 hospitals,the corrected rate of long-term oxygen supplement in preterm infants in our hospital was obviously lower[0.99％ (71/7204) vsl.54％ (190/12 351),P ＜0.001].Conclusion Theincidence of BPD in our NICU is low.Lower gestational age,immature lung and secondary lung injury may be the mainly cause of neonatal long-term oxygen dependence,but some factors such as congenital heart disease,congenital malformations should be considered in more mature infants.The most appropriate standard for BPD still remains to be discussed.

Objective To investigate the effect of Yanghe decoction serum on the proliferation of breast cancer stem cells HMLER90hi and its mechanism. Methods Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into low,medium and high dose groups containing drug serum and control group, in order to prepare the Yanghe decoction serum and blank serum. After 24 hours of drug intervention,the effects of each group on the proliferation of HMLER90hi cells at 24 h,48 h,and 72 h were detected by MTT assay. The expression of EphA4 and p50 mRNA in each group were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results Compared with the blank control group,the cell proliferation activity of each dose group of Yanghe decoction significantly decreased at 24 h (0.818 ± 0.061, 0.706 ± 0.073, 0.587 ± 0.052 vs. 0.928 ± 0.075), 48h (0.760 ± 0.047, 0.638 ± 0.056, 0.510 ± 0.059 vs. 0.973 ± 0.095), and 72 h (0.672 ± 0.102, 0.508 ± 0.092, 0.448 ± 0.048vs.1.023 ± 0.099) (P<0.05 orP<0.01), respectively. After 24 h of drug intervention, compared with the control group, the expression of EphA4 mRNA (0.54 ± 0.07, 0.54 ± 0.07, 0.33 ± 0.04 vs.0.68 ± 0.09) significantly decreased, and p50 mRNA (0.69 ± 0.10, 0.54 ± 0.08, 0.41 ± 0.06vs. 0.85 ± 0.13) significantly decreased in each dose group of Yanghe decoction (P<0.05 orP<0.01).ConclusionsTheYanghe decoction can inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer stem cell HMLER90hi,and its mechanism may be related to its inhibition of the conduction of the juxtacrine pathway of monocyte macrophage.

Objective:To investigate the role and molecular mechanism of death receptor 5 (DR5) in early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), as well as the neuroprotective effect of soluble DR5 (sDR5) on SAH.Methods:Experiment 1: SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group ( n=6) and SAH group (SAH model was established by carotid artery puncture, n=30), and the SAH group was further subdivided into post-SAH (6 h) group, post-SAH (12 h) group, post-SAH (24 h) group, post-SAH (48 h) group and post-SAH (72 h) group ( n=6); Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and DR5; immunofluorescent DR5 and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) double staining was used to evaluate the DR5 expression in neurons. Experiment 2: SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, SAH group, Trail group (injected Trail agonist dordaviprone), and Trail+sDR5 group (injected dordaviprone+sDR5, n=6); at the 24 th h of successfully constructed SAH model, the caspase family protein levels were detected by Western blotting, and Tunel staining and immunofluorescent DR5 and Caspase-3 double staining were performed. Experiment 3: SD rats were divided into sham-operated group, SAH group, Trail group and Trail+sDR5 group ( n=6); long-term motor functions, by modified Gracia score, forelimb placement experiment, rotarod test and misstep experiment, were evaluated 5, 7 and 12 d after successfully constructed SAH model; and long-term learning and memory functions were detected by water maze experiment 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21 d after successfully constructed SAH model. Results:(1) Result of Experiment 1: the expressions of TNF-α and DR5 in sham-operated group, post-SAH (6 h) group, post-SAH (12 h) group, post-SAH (24 h) group, post-SAH (48 h) group and post-SAH (72 h) group were statistically different ( F=837.992, P<0.001; F=503.942, P<0.001), and these expressions peaked 24 h after SAH; immunofluorescent DR5 and NeuN double staining showed that DR5 was located in neurons after SAH. (2) Result of Experiment 2: compared with the SAH group and Trail group, the Trail+sDR5 group had significantly decreased levels of activated caspase-8, tBid and activated caspase-3, significantly decreased numbers of Tunel positive cells and DR5 and activated caspase-3 co-marked positive cells ( P<0.05). (3) Result of Experiment 3: compared with the SAH group and Trail group, the Trail+sDR5 group had significantly increased Garcia scores, decreased failure rate in forelimb placement experiment, prolonged duration of stick rotation, and decreased foot fault rate ( P<0.05), suggesting that sDR5 could improve the long-term motor function deficit after SAH; water maze experiment showed that 21 d after SAH, compared with the SAH group and Trail group, Trail+sDR5 group had significantly increased proportion of escape time in the original platform quadrat in total escape time and increased proportion of movement path in the original platform quadrat in total movement path after platform removal ( P<0.05), suggesting that sDR5 could improve long-term learning and memory impairment after SAH. Conclusion:The sDR5 can inhibit DR5-Trail-mediated neuronal apoptosis and improve long-term neurological functional deficits after SAH.

Objective:To investigate whether it is by regulating interleukin 1β ( IL-1β) gene expression that androgen receptor (AR) in macrophages affects hyperphosphate-induced vascular smooth muscle cell calcification. Methods:The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiment was used to determine whether AR was bound to the androgen receptor element (ARE) sequence of IL-1β promoter in THP-1 cells. Whether the AR regulated IL-1β gene expression was detected by luciferase assay experiments. AR of THP-1 cells was silenced and transfected by lentivirus with vector or shRNA. Flow cytometry was used to select positive transfected cells THP-1ARsc (control) and THP-1ARsi (AR silencing) with fluorescent markers. Western blotting was used to detect AR protein levels of THP-1ARsc (control) and THP-1ARsi cells (AR silencing in monocytes). Macrophages MФARsc (control) or MФARsi (AR silencing) were induced by 50 ng/ml phorbol ester. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect IL-1β expression levels of MФARsc or MФARsi conditioned medium. The human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) were cultured in MФARsc or MФARsi conditioned medium with phosphate (2.5 mmol/L final concentration of sodium dihydrogen phosphate), and Alizarin red S staining was used to analyze HASMC calcification degree. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of RUNX2 (osteoblast marker) and SM22α (HASMC marker), and neutralization assay was performed to test IL-1β-mediating effect of macrophages AR on HASMC calcification. Results:AR was bound to ARE sequence of IL-1β promoter and regulated IL-1β gene expression. The expression level of IL-1β protein in conditioned medium of MФARsi cells decreased significantly compared to MФARsc cells ( P<0.001). Compared with MФARsc conditioned medium group, HASMC calcium deposition in MФARsi conditioned medium group decreased significantly, RUNX2 protein decreased and SM22α protein increased (all P<0.05). The degree of HASMC calcification in the MФARsi conditioned medium+IgG antibody group decreased than that in the MФARsc conditioned medium+IgG antibody group significantly, and the degree of HASMC calcification in the MФARsc conditioned medium+IL-1β antibody group decreased significantly than that in the MФARsc conditioned medium+IgG antibody group; while the degree of HASMC calcification in the MФARsi conditioned medium+IgG antibody group and MФARsi conditioned medium+IL-1β antibody group decreased than that in the MФARsc conditioned medium+IL-1β antibody group (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Macrophage AR regulates IL-1β expression by binding to ARE sequence within IL-1β promoter, and IL-1β mediates the effect of macrophage AR on hyperphosphate-induced HASMC calcification.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of SIMI mouthguard paint(test group) in the treatment of enamel demineralization during orthodontic therapy with fixed applince.Methods:152 cases underwent orthodontic therapy with fixed applince were included in a randomized,open,positive control trial,and were treated by SIMI and Duraphant fluoride toothpast (control group) respectively(n =76).The enamel opaque spot was observed before and 3 months after using the products.The oral mucosa reactions,asthma attacks or stomach nausea and other adverse events were recorded.Results:150 cases (n =75) completed the trial.The results showed that the test group was non-inferior compared with the control group.No adverse event was found in both groups.Conclusion:SIMI mouthguard paint is effective in control of enamel demineralization during orthodontic therapy with fixed applince.