Objective: To analyze and compare the features and strengths of different methods for calculating the biophysical properties of meridian points, and thus propose corresponding suggestions to fully achieve the research and application value of biophysical properties of meridian points.Methods: We searched and collected the literature on the imbalance of biophysical properties of meridian points between January 1, 2005 and March 1, 2020 in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP) and PubMed database, and then analyzed, compared, and summarized the applied methods for calculating the imbalance degree of the biophysical properties of meridian points. Results: The current methods for calculating the imbalance degree of the biophysical properties of meridian points are diverse and can be summarized as the following three: direct comparison of the measured values of the left and right namesake points, difference method, and ratio method. The low uniformity of the calculation methods has limited the promotion and application of its research results. Conclusion: In future research on the biophysical properties of meridian points, multidisciplinary cooperation in terms of imbalance degree calculation methods, detection instruments, and health data models is necessary to achieve more widely applicable scientific conclusions and more generalized experimental results.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of total flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry on the proliferation, cell cycle, and expressions of p21(Ras) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) gene in erythroleukemia cell line K562.

METHODSThe effect of total flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry on K562 cell line survival was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) reduction assay. The time- and dose-dependent manner was also observed. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM). The immunocytochemistry method was applied to quantitatively analyze the effects of flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry on changes p21(Ras) and PCNA gene expressions.

RESULTSFlavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry (20-100 μg/mL) significantly inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. After K562 cells were cultured for 48 h, total flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry had no significant effect on the apoptosis of K562 cells but showed significantly inhibition (P<0.01), indicating that total flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry could induce K562 cells arrested at G(0)/G(1) and G(2)/M phases. Compared with the control group, p21(Ras) and PCNA gene expressions were decreased significantly in K562 cells treated with total flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry (40 and 80 μg/mL, respectively) for 48 h.

CONCLUSIONThe inhibitory effect on proliferation of K562 cells was observed in the groups treated with flavonoids of Hedysarum polybotry, which might be related to cells arresting.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Oncogene Protein p21(ras) ; genetics ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; Ranunculaceae ; chemistry

Objective To lay the foundation for studying the possible pathogenesis of epilepsy and the anti-epileptic mechanism of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction through the bioinformatic analysis of target gene prediction and signal pathway of miRNA-146a-5p in hippocampus of epileptic rats. Methods Lithium-pilocarpine was used to induce seizures in rat models. The experiment rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction group, with 20 rats in each group. The method of miRNA expression profiling was used to observe the miRNA differential expression of hippocampus neuron cell of rats. The expression level of miRNA-146a-5p was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. MiRDB was used for target gene prediction of miRNA-146a-5p, and miRTarBase and DAVID were used for enrichment analysis on the GO function and KEGG signaling pathway. Results The attack times and grades of the rats in Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction group were significantly lower than those in the model group from behavioral observation. MiRNA microarray analysis showed that the expression level of miRNA-146a-5p in model group was 2.107 times normal control group (P＜0.05), and the expression level decreased to 1.377 times after treatment with Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction (P＜0.05). The results of RT-PCR was consistent with that of miRNA microarray, with statistical significance (P＜0.05). MiRNA-146a-5p target gene prediction results had 140 target genes by GO, and there were 14 annotation information of biological process (P＜0.05), 9 annotation information of cellular component (P＜0.05), 11 annotation information of molecular function (P＜0.05). Enrichment analysis of KEGG biological pathway showed that 140 target genes of miRNA-146a-5p were enriched in EB virus infection signal pathway and thyroid hormone signaling pathway (P＜0.05). Conclusion miRNA-146a-5p is closely related to the inflammatory reaction after epilepsy, and Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction can control epilepsy possibly by controlling the inflammatory reaction after epilepsy.

OBJECTIVETo compare clinical features and therapeutic response of patients with aplastic anemia with and without cytogenetic abnormalities.

METHODSClinical features of 133 patients with successful chromosomal analysis were retrospectively studied, and therapeutic response between patients with and without cytogenetic abnormalities was compared.

RESULTSCytogenetic abnormalities were found in 9 patients, which included trisomy 8 (4 cases), monosomy 7 (2 cases) and Xq- (1 case), 1q- (1 case) and 7q- (1 case). No significant difference was detected between patients with or without cytogenetic abnormalities in terms of age (50 vs. 58, P=0.337), sex ratio (male 55.56% vs. 62.10%, female 44.44% vs. 37.90%, P=0.762), or episode of acute aplastic anemia (44.44% vs. 37.10%, P=0.728). Patients with cytogenetic abnormalities had a tendency towards poorer rate of therapeutic response, which was however not significantly different from those without (55.56% vs. 79.03%, P=0.116). All of the 4 patients with +8 responded to treatment, whilst none of those with -7 or 7q- did.

CONCLUSIONNo significant difference was found between aplastic anemia patients with or without cytogenetic abnormalities in terms of clinical features and therapeutic response. Patients with trisomy 8 seem to have a favorable response towards treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Aplastic ; genetics ; therapy ; Child ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective: To study the protective effect of Astragalus Polysaccharide (APS) on DNA damage in human BM-MSCs exposed to formaldehyde and to initially explore the potential mechanism. Methods: BM-MSCs were cultured in vitro and divided into control group, formaldehyde group, and APS at 40, 100, and 400 μg/mL groups. Proliferation activity was measured by MTT assay, DNA strand breakage was detected by comet assay, DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs) was detected by KCl-SDS precipitation assay, and the mRNA and protein expression of XPA, XPC, ERCC1, RPA1 and RPA2 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Results: Compared with model group, formaldehyde-contaminated BM-MSCs were treated with APS at 40, 100, and 400 μg/mL, the cell proliferation activity was increased significantly (P < 0.01), DNA strand breakage and DPCs level were decreased significantly (P < 0.01), and the mRNA and protein expression of XPA, XPC, ERCC1, RPA1, and RPA2 were up-regulated significantly (P < 0.05, 0.01). Among them, the effect of 100 μg/mL APS group was the most obvious. Conclusion: APS can protect formaldehyde-induced BM-MSCs DNA damage, especially 100 μg/mL APS has the most obvious effect. The mechanism may be associated with the up-regulation of XPA, XPC, ERCC1, RPA1, and RPA2, which promoted the repair of DNA damage.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of left ventricular structure and function in patients with liver cirrhosis and their correlation with the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score.

METHODSA total of 89 cirrhotic patients admitted between June, 2012 and June, 2014 and 30 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. According to MELD score, the cirrhotic patients were divided into 3 groups with MELD scores ≤9, between 10 and 19, and ≥20. The parameters of the left ventricle in resting state were measured using Doppler echocardiography, including left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), left atrial diameter (LAD), ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac output (CO), mitral flow velocity, and E wave deceleration time (DT), and evaluated their relationship with MELD score.

RESULTSCompared with the control subjects, the cirrhotic patients showed significantly increased LVESD, LVEDD, IVST, LAD, CO and DT but reduced VE/VA ratio (P<0.05 or 0.01). The values of LVESD, LVEDD, IVST, LAD and DT increased gradually with MELD scores (P<0.05 or 0.01). VE/VA ratio was higher in patients with MELD score of 10-19 than in those with MELD score ≤9, and decreased significantly in those with MELD score ≥20. Of the cirrhotic patients, 55% were found to have left atrial enlargement and 44% had a VE/VA ratio ≤1; left atrial enlargement and a VE/VA ratio below 1 were more common in patients with a MELD score ≥20 than in those with lower MELD scores. The LAD, LVEDD and DT were positively correlated with MELD scores (r=0.208, 0.319 and 0.197, respectively; P<0.05 or 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe patients with liver cirrhosis can have cardiac function deficiency manifested mainly by left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in positive correlation with the severity of liver disease.

Cardiac Output ; Case-Control Studies ; End Stage Liver Disease ; physiopathology ; Heart Atria ; pathology ; Heart Ventricles ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; physiopathology ; Severity of Illness Index ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possibility of transdifferentiation of adipose mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) into hepatocytes.

METHODSHuman omentum adipose tissue was dispersed with collagenase I. Cells collected were cultured in a DMEM-F12 medium containing 2% FBS supplemented with 20 ng/ml HGF, 10 ng/ml FGF4, 1xITS and 0.1 micromol/L dexasmison. The cells of the control group were also cultured in the same kind of medium but without any cytokines serving as a control. The expression of hepatic transcriptional factors such as GATA4 and HNF1 were checked by RT-PCR. At the end of the induction, hepatocyte markers were analysed by flow cytometry, and cytokeratin expressions were examined using cyto-immunofluorescence methods.

RESULTSAMSCs grew like fibroblasts and were passaged easily. Most of the third passaged AMSCs were positive against anti-CD29, anti-CD44 antibodies, but negative for the anti-CD34 and anti-CD45 ones. The hepatic transcriptional factor was expressed gradually to higher levels during the induction time. AFP and Alb positive cells were 30.0% and 17.8% of the total cultured cells, and the rate of cells positive to the two markers was 6.9%. The inducted cells were positive for CK18 and CK19 antibodies at the end of the induction. The cells in the control group were negative when checked by these methods.

CONCLUSIONSAMSCs could be directed to differentiate into hepatocytes in vitro by a cytokine cocktail with a low concentration FBS culture system.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology

Objective: To observe the blood perfusion volume variation pattern in the body surface microcirculation at the Yuan-Primary and the Xi-Cleft points during the menstrual cycle in female college students with moderate constitution under normal physiological state of the uterus; to explore the specific laws of the body surface microcirculation at the Yuan-Primary and Xi-Cleft points in response to the uterine qi and blood changes under normal physiological conditions, and to provide the experimental basis for the specificity of acupoints reflecting the uterine function. Methods: Forty-three healthy and moderate constitution female college students with regular menstrual cycles, without dysmenorrhea and not yet giving birth were recruited. Bilateral Yuan-Primary points [Taichong (LR 3), Taibai (SP 3) and Taixi (KI 3)] and Xi-Cleft points [Zhongdu (LR 6), Diji (SP 8) and Shuiquan (KI 5)], belonging to the three yin meridians of foot and adjacent to the spinal cord segment of the uterus, were selected as the detection acupoints; the crossing point of the three yin meridians of foot [Sanyinjiao (SP 6)], the uterus-related meridian acupoint [Xuehai (SP 10)], the uterus-non-related meridian acupoint [Xuanzhong (GB 39)], and the non-meridian non-acupoint point were selected as the control points. The laser speckle blood flow imaging technique was used to monitor the blood perfusion volume in skin microcirculation at the above points at the menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases of the subjects. Results: The blood perfusion volume in the body surface microcirculation at the right Zhongdu (LR 6) at the ovulatory phase was higher than that at the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases (all P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the microcirculation blood perfusion volume at the other points among different phases (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The blood perfusion volume in the body surface microcirculation at Zhongdu (LR 6), the Xi-Cleft point of the Liver Meridian, shows a specific response to qi and blood changes in the uterus of women with moderate constitution.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy for acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 66 patients with acne vulgaris were randomized into an observation group and a control group by the random number table, with 33 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy, and the control group was treated only with auricular point sticking therapy. The treatments of both groups were performed twice a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, for 3 courses in total. The scores of skin lesions and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scores were recorded before and after treatment to assess the clinical efficacy. Results: During the trial, there were 3 cases of drop-out both in the observation group and the control group. After 3 courses of treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was 96.7％, while that of the control group was 76.7％. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The intra-group comparison showed that the scores of skin lesion and DLQI were both decreased with the increase of treatment times, that was, the scores were lower than those at the previous time point (allP<0.05). After 1, 2, and 3 courses of treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of both groups were statistically different from those of the same group before treatment (allP<0.05). At every time point during the treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking has a better curative effect than auricular point sticking therapy alone in the treatment of acne vulgaris, and has a time-effect correlation.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) in male adolescents of different ages by determining their levels in 8-17 years old boys.

METHODSWe included in this study 627 male adolescents aged 8-17 years and qualified through physical examinations. All the subjects underwent determination of FSH, LH, PRL, E2 and T with an automatic ACCESS microparticle chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer and detection of liquid quality control by immunoassay.

RESULTSFSH remained at a low level in the 8-10 years old male adolescents and increased at 11 years; the levels of LH and T were low before the age of 12 years and began to increase at 13 years; and that of E2 was low before the age of 13 years and began to rise after that, all with statistically significant differences (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIn the male adolescents, FSH, LH and T significantly increased at 11, 12 and 13 years old, respectively, which marked the beginning of sexual development.

Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Estradiol ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Prolactin ; blood ; Students ; Testosterone ; blood