OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in clinical efficacy on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) between electroacupuncture (EA) and dyne-35 and to explore the effect mechanism.

METHODSSixty-five patients were randomized into an EA group (33 cases) and a western medication group (32 cases). In the EA group, the selected acupoints were Danzhong (CV 17), Qimen (LR 14), Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36) and Taichong (LR 3), etc. After the arrival of qi, electric stimulation was attached to the acupoints for 30 min. The treatment was given 3 times a week. In the western medication group, dyne-35 was prescribed on the 5th day of natural menstruation or withdrawal bleeding, one tablet a day, continuously for 21 days. The treatment cycle was 3 months in the two groups. The menstrual condition, body mass, body mass index (BMI), serum testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH/FSH were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. The clinical efficacy was assessed in the two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 90.6% (29/32) in the EA group and was 93.3% (28/30) in the western medication group. The efficacy was similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, the levels of LH and LH/FSH were all reduced significantly in the two groups (all P < 0.01). After treatment, T level in serum was reduced apparently in the western medication group (P < 0.05). Before and after treatment, the differences in body mass and BMI in the EA group were more significant than those in the western medication group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA is the effective method for PCOS, similar to that of dyne-35. The effect of it for weight loss is superior to dyne-35 and no apparent adverse reactions happen. The effect mechanism of EA is related to the regulation of serum sexual hormone levels and their ratio, as well as to the regulation of body lipid metabolism.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Cyproterone Acetate ; administration & dosage ; Drug Combinations ; Electroacupuncture ; Ethinyl Estradiol ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Young Adult

Aim The effects of midazolam on the whole-cell sodium currents in rat sympathetic neurons were studied to explore the mechanisms where by midazolam mediates hypotension. Methods Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on enzymatically isolated rat superior cervical sympathetic neurons. Results Midazolam dose-dependently blocked the whole-cell sodium currents evoked by a voltage step to 0 mV from a holding potential of -80 mV with a mean drug concentration required to produce 50% current inhibition (IC50) values of 18.35 ?mol?L-1; Clinically relevant concentration of midazolam(0.3 ?mol?L-1) reduced sodium peak currents by 19.98%(P

Objective To study the effect of local mild hypothermia on the expression of matrix metallopro- teinases-2/9 (MMP-2/9) and brain edema in experimental intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rat. Methods One hundred and forty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normothermia sham-operation (NSO) group ( n = 15 ), a normothermia intracerebral hemorrhage (NICH) group (n = 75 ) and a mild hypotbermia intracerebral hemor- rhage (MHICH) group (n = 75). Autologous arterial blood was stereotaxically injected into the right caudate nucleus of the rats of the NICH and MHICH groups to make intracerebral hemorrhage model. The rats in the MHICH group were then subjected to 4 hours of local mild hypothermia, while those in the NICH group were under the room temper- ature. The brain water content, permeability of brain-blood barrier (BBB) and expressions of MMP-2/9 were meas- ured by immunohistochemistry method at 6 h, 24 h, 72 h, 5 d and 7 d after operation. Results In NICH group, the brain water content, permeability of BBB and expression of MMP-9 all began to increase at 6 h and peaked at 3 d after injection of blood and still higher than the NSO group at 7 d. The expression of MMP-2 only began to increase little at 24 h and peaked at 5 d after operation and remained highly expressed at 7 d. In the MHICH group, the chan- ges of brain water content, permeability of BBB and expression of MMP-9 were similar to those of the NICH group, but the extent of changes was significantly lower at the every time point. In NICH group and MHICH group, MMP-9 expression was positively correlated with both the brain water content and the permeability of BBB, but MMP-2 ex- pression was not correlated with them. Conclusion Mild hypothermia might protect BBB against injury caused by ICH and relieve brain edema and inflammation reaction through inhibiting the expression of MMP-2/9.

Aim To investigate the age-related changes of TrkB mRNA in hippocampal formation of aged rats,and the effects of ginsenosides(GS),and provide reliable experimental evidence for anti-aging.Methods 24 Wistar female rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Young,aged and GS group(fed with GS from 17 to 27 months).In situ hybridization(ISH) method was applied into qualifying and quantitating the TrkB mRNA expression in hippocampal formation.Results TrkB mRNA expression in aged CA3,CA1 and dentate gyrus decreased by 24.2%,13.4% and 50.6%(P

Objective:To study whether the orientation behavior of rats is affected by multi-sensory information.Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:the audio-visual integration group and pure audio group.The orientation behaviors of rats were observed after given single modal and multi-modal sensory cues with spatial disparities.Results:We found that when the temporal and spatial audio cues were coincident to a target visual cue,the rats had a markedly reduced reaction time and increased success rate in orientation behaviors;there was an obvious audio-visual integration effect.The integration effect was more obvious when the intensity of target visual cue was weak,with the enhancement efficiency being(87.3?8.5)%, significantly higher than that when the intensity of target visual cue was stronger(27.6%,P

Child ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis ; complications ; Male ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; etiology ; Prognosis

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Hypercapnia ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; pathology ; NF-kappa B ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; metabolism ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

Lu Dangshen, a traditional authentic medicinal material of Codonopsis Radix is mainly produced in Shangdang (Changzhi) area of Shanxi Province. Baitiao Dangshen is mainly produced in Gansu Province. Codonopsis Radix contains many kinds of components such as phenylpropanoids, polyalkynes, alkaloids, terpenes, fatty acids, flavonoids, and so on. At present, the effect of producing areas on its chemical compositions has not been systematically studied. This study analyzed the differences of metabolites among Codonopsis pilosula from different producing areas by UPLC-HRMS. PCA, OPLS-DA coupled with Thermo mzcloud online and local databases were used to compare the overall differences of metabolites among Codonopsis pilosula from different producing areas, and the chemical constituents were identified to further screen and find out the different metabolites and analyze the metabolic pathways by information retrieval in HMDB, PubChem, Chemspider and KEGG databases. The results showed that 72 differential metabolites were identified in this study. There were 15 kinds of up-regulated and 57 kinds of down-regulated metabolites of Lu Dangshen compared with Baitiao Dangshen. The top 30 metabolic pathways were analyzed by KEGG enrichment, and the most important metabolic pathways were phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which was demonstrated that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and related intermediate metabolites could be used as the characteristics of distinguishing Lu Dangshen from different habitats of Codonopsis pilosula. The present study provided a basis for analyzing the influence of producing areas on the chemical components of Codonopsis pilosula and reasonably evaluating the quality of Codonopsis Radix, and also provided a new idea for expounding the authenticity of Lu Dangshen.

OBJECTIVETo prepare a platinum microcoil coated with polymers and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and evaluate its surface characteristics and property of sustained VEGF release.

METHODSThe surface of the platinum microcoils (GDC) were modified by coating P(DLLA-co-TMC) copolymer and immobilizing heparin on the surface of GDC. VEGF was then loaded onto the surface of GDC and the controlled release of VEGF within GDC was achieved. The morphology was observed by scanning electron microscope, and the sustained release of VEGF was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSPlatinum coils were prepared by successive deposition of P(DLLA-co-TMC) copolymer and anionic heparin, and VEGF was immobilized through affinity interaction with heparin. The accumulative release of VEGF increased obviously during the entire testing period without burst release.

CONCLUSIONThe use of P(DLLA-co-TMC) copolymer allows immobilization of VEGF on the platinum coils for controlled VEGF release, and improves the biological property of the coils.

Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; pharmacology ; Platinum ; chemistry ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDAcute lung injury (ALI) is a serious and common condition for which there are currently no specific strategies for treatment. Recent studies have suggested that bone marrow-derived multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may have therapeutic applications in multiple clinical disorders. We explored the biological effects of MSCs during endotoxin-induced ALI and the mechanisms involved.

METHODSMSCs were isolated from male rat bone marrow and the ALI model was induced by intravenous endotoxin injection. Female rats were sacrificed at 6 hours, 24 hours, 4 days, 1 week and 3 weeks post-injection of MSCs or saline and the lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and serum were harvested for analysis. We further evaluated the survival of the rats and examined the effects of endotoxin-induced injury on the interaction between alveolar macrophages (AMs) and MSCs in ex vivo.

RESULTSThere was a significant decrease in numbers of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P < 0.05), and myeloperoxidase activity in the lung (P < 0.01), and of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum (P < 0.05) in the MSC treated rats at 4 days. Furthermore, MSC treated rats exhibited improved survival, lower lung injury score, higher concentration of IL-10 in the serum and a reduced hydroxyproline content, but these differences were not statistically significant. Moreover, co-cultures of MSCs and AMs had significantly reduced levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α and significantly increased levels of IL-10 (P < 0.05) in the culture supernatants.

CONCLUSIONSTreatment with intravenous injection of bone marrow-derived MSCs have beneficial effects on endotoxin-induced ALI in rats. The beneficial effect might be achieved through the engraftment of differentiated MSCs in the lungs and appears derive more from their capacity to secrete soluble factors that modulate immune responses.

Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; therapy ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Endotoxins ; toxicity ; Female ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Macrophages, Alveolar ; cytology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar