Acupuncture Points ; Bloodletting ; Chalazion ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Punctures

Objective To investigate the changes of cerebral regional glucose metabolism and regional homogeneity (ReHo) and their relation in patients with major depression disorder (MDD) using 18F-FDG PET/CT and functional MRI (fMRI).Methods A total of 18 MDD patients (6 males,12 females,age:(33.00±7.59) years) and 17 healthy controls (6 males,11 females,age:(34.59±8.96) years) underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and fMRI.The changes of glucose metabolism on PET and ReHo on fMRI were analyzed individually by SPM and ReHo fMRI 1.0 software.Pearson correlation analysis was used.Results Compared with the glucose metabolism of control subjects,those of MDD patients decreased in the bilateral superior,middle and inferior frontal gyri,bilateral superior and middle temporal gyri,bilateral anterior cingulate cortices,bilateral putamina and caudate nuclei and the left pallidum.Meanwhile the glucose metabolism increased in the bilateral hippocampi and the left thalamus.The ReHo in MDD patients decreased in bilateral superior and middle frontal gyri,left pallidum,bilateral putamina,left anterior cingulate cortex,whereas increased ReHo was found in right hippocampus and right thalamus.The SUV of bilateral superior,middle and inferior frontal gyri,bilateral superior and middle temporal gyri,bilateral putamina,left caudate,left pallidum,left anterior cingulate cortex,bilateral hippocampi and bilateral thalami were correlated with ReHo (r =0.51-0.83,all P＜0.05).However,no correlation was found between the SUV and ReHo in right caudate and anterior cingulate cortex (r=0.41,0.37; both P＞0.05).Conclusion There may be relative characteristic models of abnormal cerebral metabolism and cerebral dysfunction impairment in MDD patients,and the changes of cerebral regional glucose metabolism may be correlated with the changes of ReHo.

Objective To investigate the effect of tripterygium glycosides on the resistance to immune rejection after allogeneic islet transplantation in mice.Methods Twenty C57BL/6 mice were treated with STZ diabetes mellitus and transplanted the islets from Balb/c mice donor,then recipient mice were randomly divided into two groups:triptolide group and model control group(n=10),and were intraperitoneal injected with tripterygium glycoside solutin and equivalent solvent of 5 mg·kg-1·d-1 for 14 days.Blood glucose and body weight were measured within 4 weeks after transplantation.Two weeks later,two groups of grafted islets were stained by HE staining and immunohistochemical staining,the expression of IL-2 protein were detected by Western blotting.Results The level of blood glucose were decreased to normal in the triptolide group and model control group after islet transplantation,but blood glucose gradually increased in the model control group after two weeks.Compared with the model control group,the inflammatory cells were less infiltrated and the immunohistochemical staining of insulin was deeper in the triptolide group.The expression of IL-2 in the triptolide group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Tripterygium glucoside could significantly decrease the inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammation factor expression in the allogeneic islet recipients to reduce the immune rejection and improve graft survival.

ObjectiveTo report the results of preventive control program of severe thalassemias in Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province from 1998 to 2010.MethodsAs the guide centre of marriage and childbearing and the greatest maternity hospital in Zhuhai City of Guangdong Province,Zhuhai Municipal Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital constructed the genetic screening network for thalassemias testing and referred for follow-up and for genetic counseling.The couples for premarital medical examination or regular healthcare examination in pregnancy were enrolled to this preventive control program.A conventional strategy of screening for heterozygote was used to identify the α- and β-thalassemia traits in women and their spouses according to the standard procedures of hematological phenotype analysis which was recommended by Thalassemia International Federation (T IF).Then those suspected couples at risk were diagnosed for α- and β-thalassemia by PCR-based DNA assays.The couples at risk for severe thalassemias were counseled and offered prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy in case of an affected fetus in the rights of consent and of option voluntarily.ResultsFrom January 1998 to December 2010,85 522 brides and grooms-to-be for premarital screening and 41 503 pregnant women in addition to 14 141 partners for prenatal screening were recorded,the covering rates of premarital screening and prenatal screening in the city were 92.698％ (from 1998 to 2003) and 27.667％ (from 2004 to 2010),respectively.Totally 10 726 cases were found to be the carriers of thalassemias,with 7393 for o-thalassemia (5.237％,7 393/141 166) and 3333 for β-thalassemia (2.361％,3 333/141 166).A total of 257 couples at-risk for severe thalassemias were detected including 190 for α-thalassemia and 67 for β-thalassemia.Among them,251 (97.7％,251/257) couples were performed prenatal diagnosis.During the preventive control program,a total of 72 fetuses with severe thalassemias including hemoglobin H disease were voluntarily terminated.In Zhuhai City,the average annual birth rate of fetuses with severe thalassemia was declined by 32.9％ (49/149).ConclusionsThis study has reduced effectively birth rate of perinatal infants with severe thalassemias in Zhuhai City by genetic screening and prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia in the large population of 13 years.Our summary comes out of technical proposals for prenatal screening and diagnosis,which could be take example by preventative control of thalassemia in other regions of China where are prevalent.

Objective To investigate the correlation between CT perfusion parameters of pulmonary carcinoma and standardized uptake values(SUV)derived from ~(18)F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography(~8F-FDG PET)and tumor microvessel density(MVD),and to determine the validity of CT perfusion in assessing tumor angiagenic activity of pulmonary carcinoma.Methods Fifty patients(mean age 57.5,17 females)with pulmonary carcinoma underwent CT perfusion using 16-slice helical CT.Blood flow(BF,ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1)),blood volume(BV,ml?100g~(-1)),mean transmit time(MTF,s)and permeability surface area product(PS,ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1))were analyzed.SUV of PET was calculated in 14 patients.The CD34 immunohistochemical staining was used for tumor microvessel counting.CT perfusion parameters of pulmonary carcinoma were correlatively studied with SUV and tumor MVD.Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the association between CT perfusion parameters and SUV and MVD.Results The average values of BF,BV,MTT and PS were 97.30 ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1), 8.86 ml?100g~(-1),6.75 s and 34.52 ml?100g~(-1)?min~(-1),respectively.The average value of MVD was 61.82/FOV.The mean value of SUV was 5.96.There was positive correlation between BF and SUV(r= 0.727,P

Objective To observe non-displaceable binding potential (BPND) changes of striatal dopamine D2 receptors(SDDR) in patients with first-episode major depressive disorder (MDD) using 11C-Raclopride PET/CT,and to analyze the relationship between BPND and Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAM-D).Methods From December 2014 to December 2015,patients with first-episode MDD and age/gender-matched healthy controls underwent brain MRI and 11C-Raclopride PET/CT in this prospective study.BPND of bilateral SDDR was calculated by molecular imaging and kinetic analysis toolbox (MIAKAT).BPND changes of bilateral SDDR and their relationship with HAM-D score were analyzed.Paired t test,two-sample t test and Pearson correlation analysis were used.Results A total of 20 MDD patients (8 males,12 females,average age: (32.80±9.76) years) and 20 healthy controls (9 males,11 females,average age:(29.25±6.93) years) were enrolled in this study.The 11C-Raclopride uptake in brain tissue of the MDD group and control group were mainly distributed in bilateral striatum,and very few 11C-Raclopride was distributed in bilateral cerebral cortex and cerebellum.In MDD group,the BPND level of bilateral SDDR had no statistical differences(t values: 0.69,0.35,both P>0.05),and similar results were found in the control group(t values: 0.28,0.24,both P>0.05).Compared with the control group,however,the MDD group had lower BPND level of bilateral SDDR(t values: 3.13-4.41,all P<0.05).The BPND of bilateral caudate nucleus and/or putamen D2 receptors was correlated with HAM-D total score,anxiety/somatization factor score,cognitive impairment factor score,retardation factor score and sleep disturbance factor score(r values: from-0.688 to-0.453,all P<0.05).Conclusions The binding potential of SDDR in patients with first-episode MDD is declined,and the BPND level of SDDR is correlated with symptoms of depression.The abnormality of SDDR may be an important molecular mechanism of the abnormality of midbrain-striatal dopamine reward circuits in MDD patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Hedgehog-Gli1 signaling pathway on proliferation, apoptosis and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in vitro.

METHODSThe expression of Shh, Smo, Ptc and Gli-1 in HSC-T6 cells was analyzed by RT-PCR. HSC-T6 cells were incubated with various concentration of cyclopamine (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mumol/L) for 24 hours, cell viability was checked by MTT colorimetric assay, cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, apoptosis was assayed by agarose electrophoresis of DNA and PI-Annexin V fluorescent staining, and the mRNA levels of Gli-1, TGF beta 1, PDGF and Bcl-2 were quantified by real-time RT-PCR.

RESULTSRT-PCR indicated that the components of the Hedgehog-Gli1 signaling pathway were expressed in HSC-T6 cells. MTT assay indicated that cyclopamine inhibited cell viability in a concentration dependant manner (F = 636.81, P less than 0.01). Flow cytometry indicated that cells were piled up at G0/G1 phase in cyclopamine treated cells (65.08%+/-1.50%) as compared to control cells (55.41%+/-2.54%, t = -8.05, P less than 0.01). Cyclopamine treatment resulted in apoptosis as indicated by DNA fragmentation and PI-Annexin V staining. The mRNA levels of Gli-1, TGF beta 1, PDGF and Bcl-2 in cyclopamine treated cells were significantly lower than that in control cells (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCyclopamine may inhibit the Hedgehog-Gli1 signaling, and hence repress proliferation and promote apoptosis in hepatic stellate cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Hedgehog Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Veratrum Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Zinc Finger Protein GLI1

It is unanimously accepted that stroke is a highly heterogeneous disorder.Different subtypes of ischemic stroke may have different risk factors,clinical features,and prognoses.The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors,clinical characteristics,and prognoses of different subtypes of ischemic stroke defined by the Trial of ORG10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria.We prospectively analyzed the data from 530 consecutive patients who were admitted to our hospital with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days of stroke onset during the study period.Standardized data assessment was used and the cause of ischemic stroke was classified according to the TOAST criteria.Patients were followed up till 30 and 90 days after stroke onset.It was found that large-artery atherosclerosis was the most frequent etiology of stroke (37.4％),and showed the highest male preponderance,the highest prevalence of previous transient ischemic attack,and the longest hospital stay among all subtypes.Small artery disease (36.4％) was associated with higher body mass index,higher plasma triglycerides,and lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than cardioembolism.Cardioembolism (7.7％),which was particularly common in the elderly (i.e.,individuals aged 65 years and older),showed the highest female preponderance,the highest prevalence of atrial fibrillation,the earliest presentation to hospital after stroke onset,the most severe symptoms on admission,the maximum complications associated with an adverse outcome,and the highest rate of stroke recurrence and mortality.Our results suggest that ischemic stroke should be regarded as a highly heterogeneous disorder.Studies involving risk factors,clinical features,and prognoses of ischemic stroke should differentiate between etiologic stroke subtypes.

Ligustrazine, one of the major effective components of the Chinese traditional medicinal herb Ligusticum Chuanxiong Hort, has been reported plenty of biological activities, such as protect cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, neuroprotection and anti-tumor, et al. Because of its remarkable effects, studies on structural modification of ligustrazine have attracted much attention. Ligustrazine synthetic derivatives reported in recent decades are mainly derived from four primary intermediates (TMP-COOH, TMP-OH, TMP-NH2, HO-TMP-OH). To explore the neuroprotection activitiy of ligustrazine intermediates, six ligustrazine intermediates (2, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13) were synthesized and their protective effects against CoCl2-induced neurotoxicity in differentiated PC12 cells were studied. The target compounds were prepared via different chemical methods, including oxidation, substitution, esterification and amidation without changing the structure nucleus of ligustrazine. Compared with TMP (EC50 = 56.03 micromol x L(-1)), four compounds (2, 5, 12 and 13) exhibited higher activity (EC50 < 50 micromol x L(-1)) respectively, of which, compound 2 displayed the highest protective effect against the damaged PC12 cells (EC50 = 32.86 micromol x L(-1)), but target compounds 8 and 11 appeared lower activity (EC50 > 70 micromol x L(-1)). By structure-activity relationships analysis, the introduction of carboxyl, amino to the side chain of ligustrazine and appropriately increase the proportion of ligustrazine may contribute to enhance its neuroprotective activity, which provides a reference for the design, synthesis and activity screening of relevant series of ligustrazine derivatives in the future.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic ; Cobalt ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Neuroprotective Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Neurotoxins ; toxicity ; PC12 Cells ; Pyrazines ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo compare clinical therapeutic effects of abdominal acupuncture and traditional acupuncture on cervical spondylosis (CS).

METHODSSixty-two cases of neck or nerve-root type CS were randomly divided into an observation group (n=32) treated by abdominal acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4) and others, and a control group (n=30) treated by traditional acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2), etc.. Simplified McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and clinical therapeutic effects were served as the objective indexes. Their clinical therapeutic effects were compared after the first session of treatment, at the end of therapeutic course and 3 months after the end of treatment.

RESULTSThe two groups had a same effective rate of 100.0%. All items of MPQ in these two groups after treatment and 3 months after the end of treatment significantly improved, and in the observation group the differences in the PRI feeling score before and after the first treatment, and the difference of the total PRI scores after the first treatment, at the end of therapeutic course and 3 months after the end of treatment significantly improved as compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture can better reduce the pain of the patient caused by CS, with transient pain-alleviating effect, but whether or not the clinical therapeutic effect of abdominal acupuncture is better than the traditional acupuncture still can not be proved.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Osteophytosis ; therapy