Animals ; Carotid Arteries ; surgery ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; etiology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microsurgery ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of acupuncture along affected meridian on the mem- brane metallo-endopeptidase (MME) gene expression of migraine patients without aura (MO) of Gan-yang hyperactivity syndrome (GYHS).

METHODSTotally 20 MO patients of GYHS were randomly assigned to the acupoint group (acupuncture along affected meridian) and the non-acupoint group, 10 cases in each group. Needling was performed once per day for 10 consecutive days. Gene chip technology was used to obtain two sets of gene expression profiles and analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO).

RESULTSIn the acupoint group, MME gene expression decreased after needling (P = 0.0023).That gene was rich in the beta-amyloid metabolic process (P = 3.16E-05) and the peptide metabolic process (P = 0.009612). Its expression was not seen in the non-acupoint group.

CONCLUSIONThe effect of point selection along affected meridian could be achieved possibly by regulating the MME gene expression.

Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Endrin ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Humans ; Meridians ; Migraine Disorders ; therapy ; Syndrome

Objective:To observe the changes of plasma oxytocin (OT), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and anxiety after exercise intervention in male opioids-dependent patients.Methods:Forty-five male opioids addicts who met the inclusion criteria and voluntarily participated in exercise rehabilitation were enrolled.According to stratified random sampling, all subjects were divided into exercise group ( n=22) and control group( n=23). Exercise group attended aerobic exercise combined with resistance training intervention, 5 times per week for 8 weeks.Aerobic exercise was mainly treadmill and elliptical, while resistance training was based on strength and endurance training.Subjects completed self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Chinese perceived stress perception scale (CPSS) before and after intervention, as well as physical fitness tests. Besides, plasma OT and AVP levels were detected.Independent sample t-test, paired sample t-test, and Chi-square test were conducted by using SPSS 20.0 software. Results:Before the intervention, there were no significant differences between the two groups in demography, drug history, SAS, CPSS, plasma OT and AVP(all P>0.05). The overall anxiety detection rate was 66.67%, the scores of SAS and CPSS were both higher than the Chinese norm, and the difference was significant(both P<0.01) . After the intervention, the levels of plasma AVP, the scores of SAS and CPSS in the exercise group (AVP(19.57±2.23)pg/ml, SAS(50.17±10.09), CPSS(36.59±6.36)) were significantly lower than those in the control group (AVP(22.53±2.56)pg/ml, SAS(57.12±12.00), CPSS(43.09±5.57), all P<0.05), and plasma OT((61.98±5.27) pg/ml) was significantly higher than that in the control group ((54.64±7.62) pg/ml)( P<0.01). Compared with baseline, maximal oxygen uptake(VO 2max), 1 min push-ups and sitting body flexion increased significantly in the exercise group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Opioids drug addicts were prone to excessive stress and anxiety and other negative emotions in the process of drug withdrawal. Eight-week aerobic combined with resistance exercise changed the plasma OT and AVP levels of opioids addicts, effectively alleviated the perceived stress, improved the anxiety state and their health related fitness level.

This paper is discussed about course system construction of Microbiology, teaching method, in- struction means and experimental teaching mode. Teaching practice indicated that reform the pattern of Mi- crobiology educational mode can stimulate students’ interest in studying the course, cultivate their inde- pendent ability to solve questions, develop their creative thinking. It is an important way to train high-caliber talents.

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and optimal condition of isolation,purification and expansion of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) derived from human umbilical cord blood in vtro.MethodsHuman umbilical cord blood(HUCB) was collected from full term deliveries scheduled,all samples were obtained sterilely with 20 U/ml preservative free heparin.The cord mononuclear cells were isolated with lymphocyte separation medium(density 1.077 g/ml),purified and expanded with MesencultTM medium and acidic environment to produce adherent layer.The surface antigen expression of MSCs was detected with flow cytometry.ResultsThe HUCB-derived mononuclear cells,when seeded in specific medium,gave rise to adherent cells,which exhibited either an osteoclast or mesenchymal-like phenotype.After passage 3,these cells were able to be purified and expanded.6.6×105 primary MSCs reached a number of 9.9×10<>sup8 after 10 expanded passage.Flow cytometry showed that MSCs did not express antigens CD34,CD11a and CD11b,but express strongly CD29 and weakly CD71,which was identical to human bone marrow-derived MSCs.ConclusionMSCs in HUCB can be cultured and expanded in vitro,and could be a source of stem cells for experimental and clinical application.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of acupuncture on quality of life (QOL) in post-ischemic stroke patients with dysphagia.

METHODSSixty-six patients with dysphagia were randomly assigned to 3 groups, the 23 patients in the electro-acupuncture (EA) group treated by EA, 18 in the control group received rehabilitation training combined with acupoint percutaneous electric stimulation, and 25 in the acupoint token puncturing (TP) group received rehabilitation training combined with acupoint TP, once every day for 20 days in total. Changes in QOL scale specified for dysphagia of patients before and after treatment were compared.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 69.6% in the EA group, 50.0% in the control group and 64.0% in the TP group with insignificant difference among them (P > 0.05), but the improvements dealing with patients' general condition, time for taking food, frequency of uneasiness, emotion, appetite, social intercourse ability, fatigue, sleep and mental health, etc. in the EA group were superior to those in the other two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture could improve the QOL of patients with dysphagia after ischemic stroke.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Deglutition Disorders ; complications ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ischemia ; complications ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Quality of Life ; Stroke ; complications ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Besides its role in desensitization and internalization of receptors, β-arrestin2 facilitates G protein-independent signaling through its ability to scaffold various signaling molecules. β-arrestin2 is widely distributed in the central nervous system, and mediates signal transduction of brain circuit. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of β-arrestin2 in reward behaviors induced by cocaine. We assessed the conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by low (10 mg/kg), moderate (20 mg/kg) and high (30 mg/kg) doses of cocaine in Arrb2(-/-) mice and Arrb2(+/+) controls. In the Arrb2(-/-) mice, moderate and high, but not low, dose of cocaine induced pronounced increases of CPP scores, which were higher than those in the Arrb2(+/+) mice. Moreover, cocaine-induced locomotor activity was significantly lower in Arrb2(-/-) mice than that of Arrb2(+/+) littermate controls. Taken together, our results suggest a potential role of β-arrestin2 in the cocaine-induced rewarding behaviors.
Animals ; Arrestins ; physiology ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Cocaine ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Motor Activity ; drug effects ; Reward ; beta-Arrestin 2 ; beta-Arrestins

Background Stromal cell-derived factor-1_?(SDF-1_?)has been demonstrated to be essential for stern cell mobilization/homing.Recent evidence indicates that SDF-1_? has been expressed in injured carotid arter- ies.Besides,high SDF-1_? plasma levels are clinically associated with stable coronary artery disease.Objective To investigate whether SDF 1 involves in mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells(EPC)and reendothelialization after vascular injury.Methods SDF-1_? was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot in carotid arteries of mice at different time points after wire-induced injury.SDF-1_? determination in peripheral blood samples and BM was per- formed by SDF-1_? enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)kit.EPC in peripheral blood collected at different time points after vascular injury were quantified by flow cytornetry.In subgroup,blocking SDF-1 rnonoclonal anti- body was injected,peripheral blood EPC were quantified after vascular injury and reendothelialization of injured ar- teries was determined 14 days later.Results Expression of SDF-1_? was evident at day 1,and peaked at day 3 after arterial injury.A rise in plasmatic concentration of SDF-1_? and a significant reduction of SDF-1_? in bone marrow concentration was noticed at all time points following injury.The amount of circulating EPC was increased shortly after induction of vascular injury and persisted up to 7 days(P

Objective To investigate the characteristics of clinical and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging(CMR) of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular(ALVC) involvement. Methods Ten cases of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular involvement and sixteen randomly chosen cases of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with right ventricular (ARVC) involvement were enrolled in this study. Clinical symptoms, cardiac electrophysiological changes as well as the cardiac morpharage, ventricular functions and delayed enhancement of myocardium assessed by CMR were compared between the two groups. The size of heart chambers, global ventricular functions and the fat/fibrosis infiltration were evaluated by turbo fast spin echo, ture FISP cine and delayed enhancement. These were statistically analyzed by independent samples t test, respectively.Results There was no significant difference in age and gender between two groups. All the patients in two groups presented non-specific clinical manifestations with no significant differences (P>0.05) except for short of breath(P=0.034). The end-diastolic diameter of left ventricular, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, left and right ejection fraction in ALVC and ARVC group were (64.2±7.7), (49.2±5.9) mm(t=5.551,P<0.001), (113.9±24.0), (69.2± 30.0) ml/m2(t=3.962, P<0.001), (38.5±3.1)%, (56.0±8.4)%(t=-6.733,P<0.001), (42.0±5.5)%, (18.0±7.3)%(t=8.817, P<0.001) respectively. An medium of 11 and 14 segments of fat or fat/fibrosis were found in intramural wall of the LV myocardiumin patients with ALVC,while only 0 segment(all P<0.001)was found in patients with ARVC.Conclusions The clinical manifestations of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular involvement was similar to ARVC, however, with regarding to cardiac morphological, functional and myocardial lesions, these two diseases have different characteristics in CMR features.“one-stop-shop”MRI examination has high value in the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy with Left ventricular involvement.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of platelet derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFR-β) transfected endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on vascular regeneration.

METHODSSpleen-derived mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated using density gradient centrifugation and induced with special culture medium. EPCs transfection was performed with Lipofectamine(TM) 2000 reagent according to the instruction manual. Carotid artery injury was induced in splenectomized mice. EPCs were injected by tail vein immediately and at 24 h after endothelial injury of the carotid artery. Evans blue staining was performed to evaluate reendothelialization at 7 days after endothelial injury of the carotid artery.

RESULTSMost adherent cells were LDL and UEA-I double positive. Laser scanning confocal microscopy showed that transfection efficiency was about 50%-60%. The reendothelialized area in the PDGFR-β-EPCs group was significantly larger than that in EGFP-EPCs group.

CONCLUSIONTransplantation of PDGFR-β over-expressed EPCs can promote reendothelialization in the early phase after carotid artery injury.

Animals ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; pathology ; surgery ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; transplantation ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Regeneration ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism