Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) technology has significant advantages in quantification due to its simple sample processing and high reproducibility. Two-dimensional qNMR analysis, which can solve the quantification problem of different components in complex systems, has gradually been applied in medicine, food, metabonomics, chemical engineering, and other fields. This paper reviews the analysis methods, influencing factors, experimental optimization, application fields, and other aspects of qNMR to promote its wide and effective application.

Objective To investigate the complications associated with wearing soft corneal contact lens. Methods This study involved 120 patients (205 eyes) wearing soft corneal contact lens from January 2004 to February 2005. The examination included eyesight, slit lamp, corneal fluorescein staining, break-up time of tear film before final diagnosis. Results There were 30 eyes of simple conjunctival congestion, 42 eyes of macropapillary conjunctivitis, 86 eyes of xerophthalmia, 62 eyes of keratopathy and 21 eyes of ciliary congestion and forming of new vessels. Conclusions Many complications such as simple conjunctival congestion, macropapillary conjunctivitis, xerophthalmia et al will be caused by wearing soft corneal contact lens. This indicates that wearing soft corneal contact lens should be strictly controlled and patients should be followed-up regularly.

Objective To investigate the role of Stat1 in pathological process of nerve cells apoptosis induced by diffuse axonal injury (DAI) on rats. MethodsThe DAI model was established by using an injury model adapted from Marmarou et al. in 1994. All animals were divided into three groups, including control group, mock group and test group sacrificed on 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 120 and 240 hours post injury (hpi). The paraffin-embedded sections of brain tissue were processed for HE staining and Bielschowsky’s silver method. Cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry and the expression of bax and bcl-2 were analyzed by RT-PCR. And Phospho-Ser727 Stat1 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in different brain regions. ResultsThere was no brain contusion within HE staining, however, waving and enlargement of axons were observed within Bielschowsky’s silver method. The apoptotic rate of brain cells as well as PCR products ratio of bax to bcl-2 was highest at 24 hpi and decreased with time. An up-regulation of Phospho-Ser727 Stat1 at 6 hpi was discernible, and then reached the top at 24 hpi in cortex, cerebellum, brain stem and corpus callosum, and at 12 hpi in hippocampus. This increase was associated with the nerve cells apoptosis, r=0.921. In addition, the Phospho-Ser727 Stat1 positive cells were neurons and glial cells assessed from morphous. ConclusionsOur data indicate that Stat1 may contribute to the apoptosis of DAI on rats. In addition, the expression of Phospho-Ser727 Stat1 in glial cells suggested that glial cells may play an important role in the pathogenic mechanism of DAI.

Objective · To investigate the effects of ox-LDL on the proliferation of rat theca cells and expression of LXR-α and StAR, two genes associated with androgen biosynthesis. Methods · The expression of LXR-α in the ovarian tissue of rats was determined by immunohistochemistry. Primary theca cells were isolated and collected from rat ovary and cultured in vitro. Furthermore, the theca cells were treated with 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, 300 and 400 mg/L ox-LDL, respectively. The variations in LXR-α mRNA were identified using real-time PCR. MTT assay was performed to detect cell viability. The expression of LXR-α and StAR was measured by Western blotting analysis. Results · The effect of ox-LDL on the proliferation of rat theca cells and the levels of LXR-α and StAR in theca cells was in a concentration-dependent manner. Following exposure to various concentration of ox-LDL for 24 h, the proliferation of theca cells was induced by low concentration of ox-LDL (25-150 mg/L), and 100 mg/L ox-LDL showed the most significant inducing effect. Moreover, the cell survival rate was diminished considerably following with ox-LDL concentration increasing, especially lowered by 400 mg/L ox-LDL. The mRNA level of LXR-α was increased with low concentration of ox-LDL (25-150 mg/L) and the impact of ox-LDL on the induced expression of LXR-α mRNA was considerably distinct at the concentration of 150 mg/L. On the other hand, the expression of LXR-α mRNA was reduced with high concentration of ox-LDL, and the impact of 400 mg/L ox-LDLwas substantially distinct. The protein expression levels of LXR-α and StAR were increased with 150 mg/L ox-LDL, but StAR protein level in 150 mg/L ox-LDL group revealed no significant difference when compared with control group. The expression of LXR-α and StAR protein was significantly inhibited with 400 mg/L ox-LDL in the rat theca cells. Conclusion · Low concentrations of ox-LDL can induce the proliferation of theca cells, and promote the expression of StAR and LXR-α. Whereas, high concentrations of ox-LDL can reduce the cell viability and inhibit the expression of StAR and LXR-α.

Based on research of the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and the related public websites of acupuncture educational institutions, the first hand information was studied, summarized and sorted on the status quo of the educational qualification or the relative authentication of education programs of ACAOM as well as the status of professional qualification and examination of NCCAOM. The education curriculum of the Master degree of Acupuncture, Master degree of Oriental Medicine Science as well as the Doctor degree of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine were also introduced in this article including student enrollment and graduation in recent years. The developing tendency of the federal unified acupuncture education, management, professional qualification and examination system of U. S. A. were discussed and analyzed as well.
Acupuncture ; education ; manpower ; organization & administration ; Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; Certification ; Humans ; United States

AIM: This paper, starting from the perspective of "human beings' living world", tries to reveal the historical epoch premise of mental health and redefines the criteria of mental health by "harmonization of human beings'relationships".METHODS: Sorting out the criteria of mental health by studying a large numbers of literatures.RESULTS: Four kinds of harmonious relationships in human beings' living world are disclosed, namely, the symbiosis of man and nature, the interaction between man and man, the integration of human beings and their egos, and the signification of mental health by inosculating man and "god".CONCLUSION: Grasping the real philosophical connotation of mental health to focus on human beings' realistic life quality through "the fashion of man".

"Omics" and bioinformatics have brought new ideas to the study of traditional Chinese medicine. This study used metabonomics and network pharmacology to investigate the pharmacodynamic basis and regulation of Qishen Yiqi dropping pill (QDP) improving cardiac energy metabolism in rats with heart failure (HF). ¹H NMR metabonomics analysis showed that eight metabolites, including carnitine, glutamine, creatine, proline, homocitrulline, lactic acid, taurine and alanine appeared significant callback after QDP treatment for HF. The results indicate that QDP regulates the metabolism of carbohydrate, lipid, ATP and protein. The animal experiment was conducted in accordance with the regulations of the Ethics Committee for Experimental Animal Management and Animal Welfare of Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. A "drug-component-target-disease" network was established using network pharmacology, and the "component-target" sub-network related to the above energy metabolism processes was extracted by combining metabonomics results. Results revealed 79 chemical compounds and 47 potential targets of QDP involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, and identified key chemical components including ursolic acid, notoginsenoside G, ginsenoside-Rh1, and core targets such as INS, PPARG, and AKT1. The results also demonstrated the complex multi-target and multi-component relationship between QDP and HF from the perspective of energy metabolism. The molecular docking technique verified a strong interaction between some targets and chemical compounds, with affinities less than -5 kcal·mol^-1. The results of this study provide useful information for the clinical application, development, and utilization of QDP.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Zhenqing Recipe (ZQR) on non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), and the expression of hepatic salt-inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) and sterol-regulatory element binding protein-ic (SREBP-lc) in type 2 diabetes rats.

METHODSA rat model of type 2 diabetes was established by high fat/sucrose diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of small dose streptozotocin (STZ) . Modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group, the ZQR group, and the metformin group, 8 in each group. Eight rats were recruited as a normal control group. ZQR at the daily dose of 12 g crude drugs/kg was administered to rats in the ZQR group by gastrogavage. Metformin suspension at the daily dose of 150 mg/kg was administered to rats in the metformin group by gastrogavage. Equal volume of distilled water was administered to rats in the normal control group and the model group. All medication lasted for 12 weeks. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), free fatty acid (FFA), serum triglyceride (TG), serum total cholesterol (TC), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected. The body weight and wet liver weight were weighed, and the liver weight index calculated. The liver TG content was measured. The pathological changes of liver and the expression of SIK1 were observed by HE staining and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 and SREBP-1c were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, FBG, FFA, TG, TC, ALT, AST, liver weight index, and liver TG contents significantly increased (P < 0.01); liver steatosis was severe, the mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 obviously decreased (P < 0.01); mRNA and protein expression of SREBP-1c increased (P < 0.01). After drug therapy, compared with the model group, FBG, FFA, TG, TC, ALT, AST, and liver weight index significantly decreased, liver TG contents significantly decreased, the mRNA and protein expression of SIK1 obviously increased, while mRNA and protein expression of SREBP-1c obviously decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the ZQR group and the metformin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and the pathological changes were also improved. All the indices were improved more in the ZQR group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn this experiment, we found that the expression of SIK1 decreased in NAFL rats with type 2 diabetes. ZQR could alleviate lesion of NAFL type 2 diabetes rats possibly by up-regulating hepatic SIK1 expression at mRNA and protein levels.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver ; complications ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 ; metabolism

Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Risk Assessment

Acupuncture Therapy ; Diaphragm ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Paralysis ; pathology ; therapy