Objective To explore the effect of acupuncture on ankle varus after stroke. Methods 61 stroke patients with ankle varus were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (n=30) was treated with exercise and function electrical stimulation (FES), while the observation group (n=31) was treated with acupuncture in addition. Clinical Spasticity Index (CSI), Simplified Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), modified Barthel Index (MBI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Holden Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) were applied to assess ankle spasticity, lower limb motor function, the activities of daily living (ADL), balance function and walking ability respectively before and 8 weeks after treatment. Results Compared with pre-treatment, two groups improved in the ankle spasticity, lower limb motor function,ADL, balance function and walking ability 8 weeks after treatment (P<0.05), and the observation group was better than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture can facilitate to improve the ankle spasticity, lower limb motor function, ADL, balance function and walking ability for stroke patients ankle varus.

This article introduces the details in technology transfer in the Johns Hopkins University (JHU),such as the scope of intellectual property,disciplines and the transfer domains,procedures,items,human resources,faculties motivation measures,categories of license.We also tried to find common contents in its technology transfer works and hoped to provide information to help on the medical science transfer in China.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate a new type of diatomite-based machinable ceramic biocompatibility by studying its induced apoptosis on L929 cell in contrasted with other prosthodontics materials.

METHODSCell line was treated with extracting liquid containing different concentrations of diatomite-based machinable ceramic and other materials. Flow cytometry tested cell cycle progression and induced cell apoptosis. Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis staining kit quantitative detected cell death patterns. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSThe experimental groups had no special influence on cell cycle. Apoptosis rates of the new ceramic closed to the negative group (P > 0.05). The apoptosis rate of resin was the highest, and the cell necrosis level of resin was increased, which had significant difference to the new ceramic (P < 0.05). The Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA levels of the new ceramic and the negative group were closed to each other, which had no statistical significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe new diatomite-based machinable ceramic has no apparent cytotoxicity, which is consistent with the clinical application of the basic requirements of biocompatibility.

Animals ; Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line ; Dental Materials ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; analogs & derivatives ; Mice ; Necrosis

Craniofacial Dysostosis ; Humans ; Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of curcumin (Cur) on radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2 and its mechanism.

METHODThe effect of curcumin on radiosensitivity was determined by the clone formation assay. The cell survival curve was fitted by Graph prism 6. 0. The changes in cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The differential expression of long non-coding RNA was detected by gene chip technology. Part of differentially expressed genes was verified by Real-time PCR.

RESULTAfter 10 micro mol L-1 Cur had worked for 24 h, its sensitization enhancement ratio was 1. 03, indicating that low concentration of curcumin could increase the radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells; FCM displayed a significant increase of G2 phase cells and significant decrease of S phase cells in the Cur combined radiation group. In the Cur group, the GUCY2GP, H2BFXP, LINC00623 IncRNA were significantly up-regulated and ZRANB2-AS2 LOC100506835, FLJ36000 IncRNA were significantly down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONCur has radiosensitizing effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the changes in the cell cycle distribution and the expression of long non-coding IncRNA.

Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; genetics ; Radiation Tolerance ; drug effects

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Child ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septum ; surgery ; Humans ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDThe conventional procedure for screening bioactive components from traditional Chinese medicine is time-consuming, expensive and low efficient. Therefore, some alternative strategies are needed urgently. A novel method for screening anti-platelet aggregation components from oleoresins was developed using chicken thrombocyte extract and high performance liquid chromatography.

METHODSThe anti-platelet aggregation components of oleoresins were combined with receptors, channels and enzymes of chicken thrombocytes under physiological environment. Unbound substances were washed away and bound compounds were eluted using specific phosphate buffered solution (PBS). Compounds released from target sites were collected and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and LC-MS. The activity of three compounds which were screened from this model was confirmed using platelet aggregation pharmacology in vivo.

RESULTSThere were four typical compounds that bound to the thrombocytes: 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 6-shogaol and 10-gingerol, and all had shown anti-platelet aggregation activities. Eight-gingerol displayed the best anti-platelet aggregation effect.

CONCLUSIONSChicken thrombocyte extract can be used to isolate chemicals that are ligands of the receptor or other bio-targets on the platelet. This may therefore be a simple and efficient method to screen for anti-platelet aggregation compounds from traditional Chinese medicine.

Animals ; Catechols ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Chickens ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fatty Alcohols ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism

Objective To explore the effect of action observation therapy (AOT) on upper limb function in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy,and the better program. Methods From March to November,2017,45 children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to control group and AOT group.The control group was further divided into group A(n=11)and group B(n=11), and received conventional rehabilitation treatment and scenic-observation therapy, 20 minutes every time for group A,and 30 minutes every time for group B.AOT group was further divided into group C(n=10)and group D (n=11), and received AOT in addition, 20 minutes every time for group C, and 30 minutes every time for group D,five times each week for twelve weeks for all the groups.Before treatment,eight and twelve weeks af-ter treatment, they were assessed with hand grip strength, Upper Extremities Functions Test (UEFT), and Wee Functional Independence Measure(WeeFIM). Results After treatment,the hand grip strength and the score of UEFT were better in group D than in groups B and C(P<0.05),and were better at twelve weeks than at eight weeks(P<0.05).No significant difference was found in the score of WeeFIM among groups after treatment(P>0.05). Conclusion AOT could improve upper limp function in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy,and it's more ef-fective after more training.

Objective To study the inhibitory effect of Tilianin on non -small cell lung cancer cell lines (A549) and the associated mechanisms.Methods The control group and 10,20,40,80 and 160 μmol· L-1 experimental group were treated with 0,10,20,40,80 and 160 μ mol· L-1Tilianin for 24 h,cell proliferation and toxicity test kit (CCK8) was used to observe the proliferation of A549 cells.The apoptosis of A549 cells in each group was detected by flow cytometry.In the hypoxia model group,A549 cells were cultured in hypoxic incubator for 4 h.In the hypoxia experimental group of 10,20 and 40 μmol · L-1Tilianin,A549 cells were pretreated with 10,20 and 40 μmol · L-1Tilianin for 4 h,and then cultured in hypoxic incubator for 4 h.Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the gene expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and HIF-1α (HIF-1α).The protein expressions of VEGF-A,HIF-1α and p-Akt were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with control group,Tilianin significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549 in a dose -dependent manner.The inhibitory rates of proliferation of 10,20,40,80 and 160 μmol · L-1 experimental groups were (5.83 ±1.67)％,(6.77 ±0.87)％,(12.26 ±0.23)％,(22.97 ±0.50)％ and (46.24±1.44)％,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.05).The apoptosis rates of 10,20,40,80 and 160 μmol · L-1Tilianin were (6.80 ±0.62)％,(14.70 ±1.36)％,(24.76 ±4.37)％,(39.26±6.42)％ and (62.31 ±1.79)％,respectively,compared with the control group,the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).In the hypoxia model group,the gene expression of HIF-1α was 4.30 ± 0.26,VEGF expression was 6.02 ± 0.53,compared with the control group,the differences was statistically significant (P ＜0.05).In 10,20,40 μmol · L-1Tilianin hypoxia experiment group,the gene expression of VEGF were 4.73 ±0.20,2.31 ±0.09 and 1.47 ±0.16,respectively.The expression of HIF-1α were 3.01 ± 0.11,1.81 ± 0.13 and 1.03 ± 0.16.Compared with hypoxia model group,the differences was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).The expression of p-AKT protein in hypoxic model group was (106.47 ± 2.08)％,the expression of HIF-1αwas (204.31 ± 8.35)％,the expression of VEGF-A was 212.30 ±4.80.The expression of p-AKT protein in 10,20,40 μmol · L-1 hypoxic experimental group were (87.51 ±2.72)％,(75.18 ± 1.67)％ and (32.40 ± 0.86)％,the protein expression levels of HIF-1α were (182.54 ± 6.42),(90.95 ± 2.76)％,(15.03 ± 4.21)％,the protein expression of VEGF-A were (156.38 ± 5.12) ％,(79.62 ± 2.84) ％ and (13.72 ± 4.64) ％,with significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Tilianin has the effect of inhibiting the proliferation and inducing apoptosis of A549 in vitro through AKT / HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the segmental myocardium of left ventricular wall in patients with myocardial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by TDI-Q, explore whether the segmental myocardium contractile function is changed or not and determine the myocardial mechanics parameters variation. Methods Thirty-two healthy volunteers and twenty-one patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were included and the standard dynamic two-dimensional tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) of mitral, papillary muscle and apical short axis view were collected in three consecutive cardiac cycles. The mechanical parameters variation and characteristics of systolic radial peak displacement (RD) and time to peak in left ventricle subendocardial, mid-myocardium and epicardial myocardium at different level and segment were analyzed.Results In healthy control group, at left ventricular basal, apical and papillary muscle level, there was no significant difference for time to peak and systolic radial peak displacement (F=0.74, 1.28 and 1.79, all P>0.05). In patients with HCM, time to peak of systolic RD at left ventricular different level was asynchronous. Time to peak of RD in septum at papillary muscle levels and apical lateral wall were longer than those of other segments. In healthy control group, except for apical inferior and lateral wall, RD of subendocardial myocardium was significantly greater than that of epicardial myocardium at different segments (t=-1.903, 4.574,-3.552,-2.614,-1.728,-1.790,-1.836,-2.794 and 2.733, all P<0.05 ). In patients with HCM, RD of subendocardial myocardium was significantly greater than that of epicardial myocardium in posterior wall, septum at basal level and in inferior wall, posterior wall and lateral wall at papillary muscle level (t=-2.305,-2.148, 3.550,-1.182 and-3.602, all P < 0.05). At the same segment, transmural RD of subendocardial and subepicardial myocardium in healthy subjects were greater than that in patients with HCM. In inferior wall, posterior wall, lateral wall and septum at basal level, in inferior wall, posterior wall and septum at papillary muscle level, and in lateral wall and septum at apical level, differences of transmural RD were statistically significant (t=-3.787,-2.983,-4.325,-6.972,-2.352, 2.823,-3.274,-1.338 and-2.857, all P<0.05). Conclusions In patients with HCM, synchrony of left ventricular motion at different level was abnormal and transmural RD of endocardial and epicardial myocardium was decreased, which suggested regional systolic dysfunction. Ultrasound assessment of left ventricular segmental transmural mechanics can further reveal left ventricular mechanical characteristics in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.