OBJECTIVETo observe clinical efficacy of plum-blossom needle for follicular maldevelopment (FM).

METHODSFifty cases of FM were randomly divided into a plum-blossom needle group and a medication group, 25 cases in each one. In the plum-blossom needle group, the plum-blossom needle was applied along Thoroughfare, Conception, Governor and Belt Vessel as well as at Pishu (BL 20), Weishu (BL 21), Shenshu (BL 23), Luanchao (Extra), Zigong (EX-CA 1) during the follicular growth phase, once every other day. In the medication group, clomifene (CC) was prescribed for oral administration and human choriogonadotropin (HCG) was given by intramuscular injection, once each day. For both groups, one menstrual cycle constituted one course. After two courses of treatment, follicular development condition, the changes of endometrial thickness and morphology, ovarian resistent index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI), rate of ovulation and pregnancy were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the average diameters of the biggest follicle increased in both groups, while the endometrial thickness and morphology in the plum-blossom needle group were superior to those in the medication group (all P < 0.05). Ovarian RI and PI during mature follicular phase in the plum-blossom needle group were inferior to those in the medication group (both P < 0.05). The differences in ovulation and pregnancy rate were not significant statistically between the two groups (both P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe plum-blossom needle therapy based on regulating Thoroughfare, Conception, Governor and Belt Vessel could improve the ovarian blood perfusion, promote the follicular growth, increase the ovulation rate of mature follicle and avoid the out-of-sync between growth of follicle and endometrium during the treatment of western medication.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Clomiphene ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Needles ; Ovarian Diseases ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Ovarian Follicle ; growth & development ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of color doppler flow image (CDFI) and three-dimension color power angiography(3D-CPA) in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Methods A total of 62 pathologically confirmed thyroid nodules of 30 patients were analyzed. All the patients underwent ultrasound examination and operation in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between January, 2008 and May, 2009. Both CDFI and 3D-CPA were performed before the operation. All the nodules were divided into three groups including nodular goiters, thyroid adenomas and thyroid cancers according to the pathological results. The hemodynamic features and the vascular morphology characteristics of nodules in different groups were compared. Results 3D-CPA showed that blood vessels of nodular goiters commonly distributed surrounding the mass and the inner vessels were thin and regular, thyroid adenomas were bulb-shaped and netted structure, and malignant thyroid nodules displayed distorted and irregular distributed vessels. Peak systolic velocity (PSV)of the three groups were (39.43±11.17a), (46.39±12.98) and (65.17±9.23)cm/s, respectively. Resistance index(RI) of the three groups were (0.32±0.08), (0.41±0.06) and (0.69±0.07)cm/s, respectively. Both PSV and RI in malignant thyroid nodules were higher than in nodular goiters and in thyroid adenomas and the difference were statistical significant (all P < 0.05). The blood flow grade of malignant nodules was also higher in malignant nodules than in other two groups(χ2 = 17.11, 12.79, 23.05, 15.41, P< 0.01). Conclusions CDFI and 3D-CPA could visually demonstrate the characteristic and distribution of the inner and outer blood vessels, display the vessels structures, and they are benefit the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of miR-23a and metastasis suppressor 1 (MTSS1) and their clinical significance in colon carcinoma.

METHODSA total of 92 cases of colon carcinomas were collected with both the tumor and paired normal tissue samples for the study. The miR-23a targeting MTSS1 was evaluated by luciferase reporter vector. Cell invasion potential was evaluated by trans-well invasion assay. In-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used to detect miR-23a and MTSS1 expression.

RESULTSMiR-23a downregulated the expression of MTSS protein and enhanced the invasiveness of colon carcinoma. The expression rates of miR-23a and MTSS1 were 87.0% (80/92) and 17.4% (16/92) in colon carcinoma cases, respectively (P < 0.01). The up-regulation of miR-23a expression was associated with an advanced clinical stage (P = 0.029) and depth of invasion (P = 0.000). The expression of miR-23a was higher in the tumors with lymph node metastasis than those without (P = 0.041). Down-regulation of MTSS1 expression was associated with an advanced clinical stage (P = 0.027) and depth of invasion (P = 0.017). The expression of MTSS1 was lower in the tumors with lymph node metastasis than those without (P = 0.009). The expression of miR-23a had significantly negative correlation with that of MTSS1 (r = -0.594, P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONSMiR-23a expression promotes colon carcinoma cell growth, invasion and metastasis through inhibition of MTSS gene. Both the low expression of MTSS1 and high expression of miR-23a may serve as important biological markers for the malignant phenotypes of colon cancer, such as invasion and metastasis.

Adult ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; Microfilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Staging

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of genetic diagnosis of Down's syndrome (DS) using short tandem repeat (STR), and to develop a rapid and accurate method for diagnosing DS.

METHODSQuantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) was used to amplify STR loci D21S11, D21S1440 and Penta D of 719 samples. Three hundred and eighty-nine samples were peripheral blood, 282 were amniotic fluid, 48 were chorionic villous samples. The products were analyzed using eleterophoresis to detect DS.

RESULTSAmong 652 samples with a normal karyotype, 635 showed 2 bands with a 1:1 ratio or a single band. The remaining 17 samples showed 3 bands, and were regarded as false positive results. For 67 DS samples, 53 showed 3 bands/peaks with a 1:1:1 ratio and 14 showed 2 bands/peaks with a 2:1 ratio. The sensitivity and specificity of STR loci D21S11, D21S1440 and Penta D were 76.12% and 98.62%, 71.64% and 98.93%, 89.55% and 99.85%, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity of 3 STR loci were 100% (67/67) and 97.39% (635/652), respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompared with conventional method, author's method is simpler, more stable and rapid, and can be used for large-scale prenatal screening of DS.

Amniotic Fluid ; chemistry ; Chorionic Villi ; chemistry ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Naohuandan (NHD) in treating senile dementia (SD).

METHODSClinical study: Fifty-eight patients with SD, whose diagnosis conforms to the Diagnostic Standard of DSM-IV issued by American Association of Psychiatry, were enrolled and randomly assigned into two groups. The 30 patients in the treated group were treated with NHD, 4 capsules each time, 3 times daily. The 28 patients in the control group were treated with Piracetam, 1.6 g each time, 3 times daily. The therapeutic course for both groups was 3 months. The therapeutic efficacy was estimated and compared by comprehensive scores of memory and cognition, scores of Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Experimental study: Rats were divided into the control group, the model group and the high-dosage and low-dosage NHD treated groups. The protective effect of NHD on the per-oxidative damage of hippocampal neurons in beta-amyloid protein induced SD model was observed and the related criteria were determined.

RESULTSClinical study showed that both NHD and Piracetam could improve the clinical symptoms of patients, the two medicines showing insignificant difference in total effective rate. But NHD was better in elevating MMSE score and lowering ADL score in patients than Piracetam (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Experimental study showed that (1) 24 and 72 hrs after modeling, the activity of SOD and GSH were lower and the level of MDA higher in the model group than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the model group at the corresponding time points, in the high-dosage NHD group, SOD and GSH were higher, MDA was lower (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); but in the low-dosage NHD group, SOD at the 72nd hr was higher (P < 0.05) and MDA at 24th and 72nd hrs was lower (P < 0.01). And most of the criteria in the high-dosage NHD group was improved better than that in the low-dosage NHD group. (2) The survival rates of neurons in various groups were not different significantly (P > 0.05) 24 hrs after modeling, but that in the high-dosage NHD group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P < 0.01) and in the low-dosage NHD group 72 hrs after modeling (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNHD is an effective Chinese herbal preparation for treatment of SD, and its mechanism is related with its inhibition on peroxidative injury and protection on neurons.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo ascertain extraction technology condition for extract and flavonoids from Chrysanthum morifoliwn.

METHODThe optimizing ultrasonic extraction condition on the basis of extractive yield and flavonoids were determined by orthogonal design.

RESULTThe order of factors which affected the flavonoid extraction was extraction times > ethanol concentration > ultrasonic time > solvent quantity.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum ultrasonic extractions are A2B3C3D3. Compared with traditional extraction, ultraction method is timesaving, simple to operate, stable and need not be heated.

Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To observe the inductive efficiency of deriving hematopoietic cells from human embryonic stem (hES) cells co-cultured with human yolk sac stromal cells, fetal liver stromal cells or fetal bone marrow stromal cells,in order to discuss the effect of the different hemopoietic microenvironment on hemopoietic cytogenesis. METHODS: We used two-step method to induce the hES cells into the hematopoietic cells. In the first step the hES cells were co-cultured with cytokines by formation of the day 5 embryoid bodies (5d EBs). In the second step the 5d EB cells were induced into the hematopoietic cells by co-culturing with human yolk sac stromal cells, fetal liver stromal cells or fetal bone marrow stromal cells for 10 days. The inductive efficiencies of deriving hematopoietic cells from hES cells co-cultured with the different hemopoietic microenvironment were reflected by the expression levels of flk, CD34 and CD45 antigen. RESULTS: Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the population of the cells co-cultured with human yolk sac stromal cells contained flk (1.80%+/-0.56%), CD34 (1.30%+/-0.14%) or CD45 (1.05%+/-0.63%) positive cells; the population of the cells co-cultured with human fetal liver stromal cells contained flk (34.00%+/-25.45%), CD34 (38.40%+/-24.80%) or CD45 (72.60%+/-25.70%) positive cells; the population of the cells co-cultured with human fetal bone marrow stromal cells contained flk (2.50%+/-1.48%), CD34 (3.20%+/-0.56%) or CD45 (1.65%+/-0.21%) positive cells. Compared with spontaneous differentiation of EBs, all of the three stromal cells could induce EBs into the hematopoietic cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The inductive efficiency of deriving hematopoietic cells from EBs co-cultured with human fetal liver stromal cells was higher than EBs co-cultured with human yolk sac stromal cells and fetal bone marrow stromal cells.
Antigens, CD34 ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cellular Microenvironment ; Coculture Techniques ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Fetus ; cytology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; cytology ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Yolk Sac ; cytology

BACKGROUNDDiabetic nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to explore whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation could attenuate diabetic nephropathy in experimental diabetic rats.

METHODSSprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg). Diabetic rats were randomized to four groups: diabetes control group (DC), ciclosporin A group (CsA), MSC group, and MSC + CsA group (MSCA). Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were cultured, identified and labeled by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) in vitro. Then they were transplanted to diabetic rats via introcardiac infusion. Ciclosporin A was administered daily at 5 mg/kg. At 1, 2, 4, 8 weeks after transplantation, random blood glucose, urine albumin/creatinine ratio (Alb/Cr), endogenous creatinine clearance rate and renal mass index were tested. Renal morphology and labeled cells were examined.

RESULTSCultured MSCs expressed mesenchymal cell phenotype, and could be multidifferentiated to osteogenic and adipogenic cells. Labeled MSCs could be detected in the kidney of nephropathic rats, mainly in renal interstitium, but they did not propagate after engrafting in kidney. Over the course of the experiment, MSCA group showed a significant decrease in blood glucose compared with MSC group, CsA group and DC group (P < 0.05, respectively). The Alb/Cr in MSCA group and MSC group were significantly lower than CsA group and DC group (P < 0.05). And the Alb/Cr in MSCA group showed a significant decrease compared with MSC group (0.74 vs 0.84, P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in renal mass index between the MSCA group and DC group (5.66 vs 6.37, P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in creatinine clearance rate among 4 groups (P > 0.05). Treatment with MSC + CsA significantly ameliorated the morphology of diabetic kidney.

CONCLUSIONMSC could mildly ameliorate diabetic nephropathy by decreasing blood glucose, Alb/Cr ratio and renal mass index.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; blood ; metabolism ; therapy ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Microscopy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo explore the dose-effect relationship between lead exposure and nerve conduction velocity, and to assess risk characteristics of nerve conduction velocity induced by lead exposure.

METHODSThe external dose, internal dose (blood lead, urine lead) and the conduction velocity of peripheral nerve were examined. The benchmark dose of a population exposed to occupational lead was estimated to develop risk assessment of nerve conduction velocity in worker exposed to lead by use of BMDS (version 1.3.3). The BMDL in terms of blood lead and urine lead was calculated.

RESULTSThere was correlation between blood lead and urine lead. The sense nerve conduction velocity was decreased significantly in the group of lead exposure workers (P < 0.05). The BMDLs-05 for median nerve conduct velocity, ulnar nerve conduction velocity, and superficial peroneal nerve conduction velocity in terms of blood lead were 456.99, 332.36 and 468.38 microg/L respectively; the BMDLs-05 in terms of urine lead were 14.1, 9.2 and 13.6 microg/gCr respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe internal dose is the better index to reflect the level of lead exposure. Blood lead is identified as a specific and sensitive biomarker for sense nerve conduction velocity reduction. Ulnar nerve conduction velocity can be used as highly sensitive biomarkers to screen the high risk population of lead exposure.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lead ; adverse effects ; blood ; Lead Poisoning ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction ; drug effects ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

To explore the clinical features, risk factors an d treatment of retinoic acid syndrome (RAS) in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treated with retinoic acid, the clinical and laboratory data of 11 APL patients with RAS were retrospectively analysed. The results showed that earlier and more common symptoms of RAS were successively dyspnea (11/11), fever (10/11) and hydrothorax (6/11). Higher WBC count (> or = 15.0 x 10(9)/L) in the course of treatment of all-trans retinoic acid susceptible to develop RAS (9/11). The RAS patients were treated with dexamethasone without discontinuing the treatment of retinoic acid, complete remission was achieved in 10 cases and one patient died from disseminated intravascular coagulation. It is concluded that the identification and dexamethasone treatment of RAS in earlier period are extremely important for obtaining better clinical curative effect, and it does not influence therapeutic effect of continuing application of retinoic acid.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Dyspnea ; etiology ; Female ; Fever ; etiology ; Humans ; Hydrothorax ; etiology ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Syndrome ; Tretinoin ; adverse effects