Objective:To study the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Pericardium Meridian on the heart function of volunteers with acute hypoxia, and to provide scientific evidence for the acupoints selection along the affected meridian in acupuncture-moxibustion therapy. Methods:Based on a self-control design, eighteen healthy volunteers were recruited in the study. Points from the Pericardium Meridian [Neiguan (PC 6), Ximen (PC 4), Quze (PC 3) and Tianquan (PC 2)], non-Pericardium Meridian point [Shousanli (LI 10)], non-meridian and non-acupoint points [1.0-1.5 cm lateral to Neiguan (PC 6) and Ximen (PC 4), respectively on both sides], and a blank control (only inhaling low-oxygen gas without EA stimulation) were selected to observe, once every week, 10 sessions in total, and only 1 acupoint was observed once. The volunteers inhaled low-oxygen gas mixture (10.8% O2 and 89.2% N2) for 30 min to imitate acute hypoxia. EA was conducted when the gas mixture was inhaled for 10 min and then lasted for 20 min; meanwhile, hemodynamic indexes such as cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), left cardiac work (LCW), left cardiac work index (LCWI) and heart rate (HR) were recorded on a hemodynamic monitor. Results:EA at the acupoints of Pericardium Meridian significantly down-regulated the increased CO/CI, LCW/LCWI, and HR (P<0.05), and significantly up-regulated the decreased SVR/SVRI in hypoxia (P<0.05); EA at other meridian acupoints or at non-meridian and non-acupoint points didn't produce such effects. Conclusion: EA at the Pericardium Meridian can obviously improve the cardiac hyper-activation caused by acute hypoxia in healthy volunteers.

Objective To apply MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to quantitatively analyze cervical spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (CSCIWORA). Methods 15 patients with CSCIWORA and 20 healthy controls were scanned with MRI of conventional scans and DTI. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured. Results FA and ADC of the patients were (0.475±0.109) and (1.438±0.252)×10-3 mm2/s, respectively. Whereas, they were (0.604±0.096) and (1.371±0.280)×10-3 mm2/s in the controls. Compared with the controls, the FA was less (P<0.05) in the patients, but the ADC was not significantly different (P=0.267). The fiber tracking (FT) showed the abnormality of white matter fiber tracts of cervical spinal cord in the patients. Conclusion DTI can detect the CSCIWORA, and FT can directly display the injuries of white matter fiber tracts of cervical spinal cord, which provide more information to evaluate the clinical severity of CSCIWORA.

Animals ; Chicory ; Fibronectins ; metabolism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Smad3 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; metabolism ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

· AIM: To summarize the clinical features of Chinese primary congenital glaucoma and to investigate the discrepancies of the clinical features between the Chinese and Indian patients.congenital glaucoma patients were reviewed. The clinical features were summarized as several quantifiable clinical parameters and the severity of the disease was evaluated. Both the quantified clinical features and severity were statistically compared with those of the Indian patients, which were cited from the previous published articles.included in the study. In Chinese patients, sex ratio (male to female )was about 2:1, family history was presented in 3 patients (7.5%) and consanguinity was found in one patient (2.5%). The main symptoms and signs observed in Chinese patients spanned a wide spectrum of manifestations. The most frequent signs noted on the initial examination were enlarged eyeball (42.5%) and decreased visual acuity (35.0%). Compared with Indian patients, Chinese patients had a later onset, a delayed diagnosis, more severe corneal changes and more severe optic nerve damages (P＜0.01). The combined tabeculectomy and trabeculotomy operation was preferred by both Chinese and Indian doctors whereas a higher proportion of Indian patients received the combined operation (P＜0.01). The proportions of the severity grade were different between Chinese and Indian patients. Most Chinese patients were in the severe grade while most Indian patients were in the very severe grade (P＜0.01).patients were sporadic and non-consanguineous.Compared with Indian patients, Chinese patients had a relative later onset, a delayed diagnosis and treatment.More attempts are needed in Chinese PCG prevention and treatment.

We predicted the anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) active components and mechanism of Salvia miltiorrhiza based on network pharmacology. The active components of S. miltiorrhiza were obtained through TCMSP, PubChem database and literature research. The potential targets of the active components and HBV infection were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction and GeneCards databases, respectively. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by String database. Cytoscape software was adopted to construct a visual network of active component-disease target and perform topological analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using DAVID platform. The molecular docking of key components and core targets was carried out by AutoDock Vina software. We screened out a total of 38 active components and 178 disease-component overlapping targets. Enrichment analyses obtained 405 related GO items and 68 signaling pathways, such as T/B cell receptor signaling pathways, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and mTOR signaling pathway. According to the results of molecular docking, most characteristic components of S. miltiorrhiza (miltionone Ⅱ, miltirone, protocatechuic acid, lithospermic acid, protocatechualdehyde) showed good affinity with the key targets (PIK3CA, APP, STAT3,AKT1 and mTOR). Furthermore, the anti-HBV activity of lithospermic acid, the representative active component of S. miltiorrhiza, and its regulation on PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways were investigated in an HBV replicating mouse model. Animal welfare and experimental procedures follow the regulations of the Animal Ethics and Welfare Committee of Hubei University. The results showed that lithospermic acid significantly inhibited HBV DNA replication, reduced serum HBsAg and HBeAg levels, and decreased the phosphorylation protein expression levels of AKT and mTOR in liver, indicating that lithospermic acid might exert the anti-HBV activity by regulating PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathways.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and the clinical value of external use of jiuyi Powder (JP) in treating plasma cell mastitis using partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA).

METHODSTotally 50 patients with plasma cell mastitis treated by external use of JP were observed and biochemical examinations of blood and urine detected before application, at day 4 after application, at day 1 and 14 after discontinuation. Blood mercury and urinary mercury were detected before application, at day 1, 4, and 7 after application, at day 1 and 14 after discontinuation. Urinary mercury was also detected at 28 after discontinuation and 3 months after discontinuation. The information of wound, days of external application and the total dosage of external application were recorded before application, at day 1, 4, and 7 after application, as well as at day 1 after discontinuation. Then a discriminant model covering potential safety factors was set up by PLSDA after screening safety indices with important effects. The applicability of the model was assessed using area under ROC curve. Potential safety factors were assessed using variable importance in the projection (VIP).

RESULTSUrinary β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), 24 h urinary protein, and urinary α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) were greatly affected by external use of JP in treating plasma cell mastitis. The accuracy rate of PLSDA discriminate model was 74. 00%. The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under ROC curve was 0. 7826, 0. 7037, and 0. 8084, respectively. Three factors with greater effect on the potential safety were screened as follows: pre-application volume of the sore cavity, days of external application, and the total dosage of external application.

CONCLUSIONSPLSDA method could be used in analyzing bioinformation of clinical Chinese medicine. Urinary β2-MG and urinary NAG were two main safety monitoring indices. Days of external application and the total dosage of external application were main factors influencing blood mercury and urine mercury. A safety classification simulation model of treating plasma cell mastitis by external therapy of JP was established by the two factors, which could be used to assess the safety of external application of JP to some extent.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; Alpha-Globulins ; Discriminant Analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Mastitis ; drug therapy ; Plasma Cells ; ROC Curve ; Safety

The paper is aimed to establish a methods for identication of pearl powder and conch powder from different origins. Hermetic aluminum pan was used to encapsulate samples. The optimal testing conditions were: heating rate 10 degrees C x min(-1), sample weight 3 mg and nitrogen gas flow rate 40 mL x min(-1). The enthalpy values of pearl powder and conch powder was obvious different. Identication of pearl powder and conch powder by DSC is a practical method for its accuracy, convenience and practificality.
Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; methods ; China ; Discriminant Analysis ; Pinctada ; chemistry ; classification ; Powders ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the association between adiponectin and small dense low-density lipoprotein (sLDL-c) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Furthermore, we sought to determine the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs1501299 (+276G/T), rs266729 (-11365C/G) and the incidence of CAD.

METHODSConsecutive subjects with chest discomfort were examined by coronary angiography and divided into non-CAD [n = 250, 147 male, mean age (60.26 ± 7.52) years] and CAD [n = 267, 153 male, mean age (60.79 ± 9.63) years] groups. Blood samples were collected from all participants following an overnight fasting for at least 12 hours. Plasma adiponectin levels were measured by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The serum levels of sLDL-C and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) were determined by ELISA. Genotypes in rs1501299 and rs266729 of the adiponectin were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS1. The adiponectin levels were significantly lower [(306.17 ± 74.52) mg/L vs. (321.78 ± 86.28) mg/L], whereas sLDL-C and ox-LDL levels were significantly higher [(276.30 ± 45.55) ng/L vs. (249.00 ± 32.02) ng/L and (545.06 ± 115.46) µg/L vs. (497.74 ± 106.09) µg/L, P < 0.05] in CAD group than non-CAD group. 2. Adiponectin level was negatively associated with sLDL-C, whereas sLDL-C positively correlated with ox-LDL in all subjects. 3. Genotype distribution and allele frequencies of rs1501299 and rs266729 were similar between CAD and non-CAD subjects and not related to the serum levels of adiponectin, sLDL-C and ox-LDL.

CONCLUSIONSReduced adiponectin and increased sLDL-C were independent risk factors for coronary artery disease. Genetic polymorphisms in rs1501299 and rs266729 were not linked with coronary artery disease.

Adiponectin ; blood ; genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of the present study was to identify the relationship between the plasma level of adiponectin and in-stent restenosis of patients with coronary heart disease after coronary stenting.

METHODThe study population comprised 119 individuals (92 men) who underwent stent implantation, including 65 subjects without in-stent restenosis (group A) and 54 patients with in-stent restenosis (group B). The level of plasma adiponectin was measured using ELISA. Coronary angiography was performed immediately before and after implanting stent and 9 - 12 months later.

RESULTSBaseline characteristics including drug use after PCI were similar between the groups. The rate of implanting bare metal stent is 8 (12.31%) and 6 (11.11%), TAXUS drug-eluting stent is 11 (16.92%) and 10 (18.52%) and CYPHER drug-eluting stent is 46 (70.77%) and 38 (70.37%) respectively (all P > 0.05). Plasma level of adiponectin in patient of group A was significantly higher than that in group B [(15.16 +/- 5.02) mg/L vs. (10.01 +/- 4.93) mg/L, P < 0.05]. The quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) showed that lesion length was similar between groups [(15.82 +/- 6.67) mm vs. (13.40 +/- 4.20) mm, P > 0.05], minimum lumen diameter (MLD) and stenosis rate were also similar before and after implanting stent (P > 0.05) and acute gain was (1.48 +/- 0.65) mm vs. (1.19 +/- 0.37) mm (P > 0.05). MLD was higher in group A than that in group B [(2.55 +/- 0.53) mm vs. (0.57 +/- 0.60) mm, P < 0.01] at 9 - 12 months follow up. Restenosis rate [(24.2 +/- 11.2)% vs.(81.0 +/- 19.1)%, P < 0.01] and late lumen loss [(0.50 +/- 0.34) mm vs. (1.60 +/- 0.54) mm, P < 0.01] were lower in group A than in group B.

CONCLUSIONSThe lower plasma adiponectin level might be associated with in-stent restenosis after coronary stenting.

Adiponectin ; blood ; Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Restenosis ; blood ; pathology ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome