OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Dazhui" (GV 14) on Wnt-β-catenin signal pathway in annulus fibrosus cells in intervertebral disc in rats with cervical spondylosis.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomized into a control group, a model group, an EA group and a medication group, 10 rats in each one. Rats in the control group were treated with sham operation, only incision on local skin; rats in the remaining groups were made into cervical spondylosis models. After model establishment, rats in the control group and model group received fixed treatment under identical condition; rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Dazhui" (GV 14), 30 min per treatment; rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of meloxicam tablets. Treatments were both given once a day, and 14 days were taken as one session; there was an interval of 2 days between two sessions, and totally two sessions were given. After the treatments, immunohistochemistry was applied to measure the expression of Wnt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and Axin in annulus fibrosus cells; western blot was used to test the expression of P-β-catenin.

RESULTSIn the control group, there were more positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were intensively distributed, deeply colored, and strongly positive; In the model group, there were less positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were sparsely distributed and weakly positive. The expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the model group was less than that in the control group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the EA group and medication group was higher than that in the model group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin was not significantly different between EA group and medication group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA could delay the degeneration of intervertebral disc, which may be related to EA inhibiting signal pathway of Wnt-β-catenin.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Spondylosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To observe the photocoagulation treatment effect of using 532 semiconductor laser in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy .Methods A total of 50 cases(95 eyes) of nonproliferative and proliferative dia betic retinopathy received local retinal photocoagulation ,grid photocoagulation or panretinal photocoagulation treatment carried out by 532 semiconductor laser .We observed visual acuity ,slit lamp biomicroscopy ,intraocular pressure ,oph-thalmoscopy,fundus fluorescence angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT).These patients were followed up for 6 months after laser treatment .Results Among the 95 eyes,visual acuity was improved in 36 eyes (37.9%),unchanged in 52 eyes(54.7%) and decreased in 7 eyes(7.4%).Among the 26 eyes with clinical signifi-cant macular edema ( CSME ) , macular edema was resolved completely or partly resolved after photocoagulation . Conclusion Photocoagulation with 532 semiconductor laser in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy was safe and ef-fective.

Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Cholinergic Agonists ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; physiology ; Pyloric Antrum ; physiology ; Receptor, Muscarinic M3 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the clinical manifestation of hMPV in infants and young chil-dren presented with acute respiratory tract infection and to identify the molecular character. Methods Na-sopharyngeal aspirates were taken from 310 hospitalized pediatric patients from February to May in 2006, March to April in 2008, and September 2008 to February 2009, and the N gene fragments of hMPV were de-tected by nested PCR amplification. Phylogenetic analysis of 17 strains hMPV N genes was performed. The clinical materials of patients were collected and analyzed. All hMPV-positive samples were examined by multi-PCR for other respiratory viruses. Results Of 310 pediatric patients, 20 (6.5%) were positive for hMPV. The median age of hMPV infected children was 15.0 months(from 16 days to 9 years old), 90% (18/20)of the cases were under 2 years, and 60% were male. Phylogenetic analysis of 17 N gene fragments showed that 11 hMPV strains were A2b subtype. 20 hMPV-positive children were subjected to pneumonia, accounting for 7.1% (20/282) among all pneumonia subjects in this study. The common clinical manifesta-tions of hMPV infected patients were cough, wheezing, shortness of breath and fever. 35% (7/20) needed intensive care, 15% (3/20) were given oxygen therapy. The median length of hospital stay was (11.9 ±4.8) d. No significant seasonal distribution of hMPV was displayed. Two patients were coinfected with ade-novirus and rhinovirus respectively. Conclusion hMPV was an important respiratory pathogen in young children subjected to pneumonia in Tianjin. Three subtypes(A2a/A2b, B1, B2) were prevalent in Tianjin, and A2b was the predominant subtype. No significant difference of clinical characters was observed between A and B type hMPV infected patients.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Reproduction ; physiology ; Social Behavior ; Tupaiidae ; physiology

Objective To investigate the current status of uncertainty in illness in cardiac valvular surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass and analyze its influential factor,and provide reference for effective intervention.Methods A total of 208 cardiac valvular surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass were recruited from 4 cardiovascular surgery in Guangdong and were investigated with the self-designed questionnaire,Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS),Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC),Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ),in the preoperative day and the day before discharge.The data were analyzed by single-factor and multiple-factor analysis.Results The average score of uncertainty in illness in cardiac valvular surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass was 99.09±11.41,and 92.3％ of patients got a moderate uncertainty in illness level in the preoperative day.The average score of uncertainty in illness in the patients was 90.33± 10.32,and 91.8％ of patients got a moderate uncertainty in illness level in the day before discharge.Multiple linear regression indicated that,age,cardiac valvular disease types,number of cardiac valvular surgery,optimism and yield were the protective factors of uncertainty in illness level.Average monthly household income,self-improvement,scores of resilience and confront coping were the risk factors of uncertainty in illness level.Conclusion The level of uncertainty in illness in cardiac valvular surgery patients with cardiopulmonary bypass is moderate.Age,average monthly household income,cardiac valvular disease types,number of cardiac valvular surgery,resilience and coping style are factors influencing uncertainty in illness level of patients.

Background Our previous study demonstrated that epigallocateehin-gallate(EGCG),an active ingredient of green tea,has protective effect on optical nerve after optic nerve crush.Astrocyte was proved to play key role in the repair of nerve tissue,but the influence of EGCG on astrocyte is unclear.Glial flbrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a special marker for astrocyte. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of EGCG on the expression of GFAP in optic nerve tissue after optic nerve crush. Methods Seventy-two clean Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group,sham+EGCG group,optic nerve crush+normal saline group(vehicle group),optic nerve crush+EGCG group.Optic nerve crush models were established by clamping optical nerve for 60 seconds by minitype optic nerve clipper with the force of 40 gram.Only ocular tissue was cut in the rats in sham group.Normal saline solution or EGCG(25 mg/kg)was intraperitoneally injected daily for 5 days consecutively and orally administered(2 mg/kg)daily afterwards.The expression of GFAP in optic nerve was detected by immunohistochemistry and quantified by Western blotting analysis on day 7,14 and 28 after modeling. Results lmmunochemistry showed that GFAP were weakly expressed in the rats of both normal group and sham+EGCG group with the sliSht brown staining in optic nerve tissue.The deeply brown staining for GFAP was seen in vehicle group,and the staining intensity weakened in optic nerve crush+EGCG group compared to vehicle group on days 7,14 and 28 after modeling.Western blotting analysis revealed that the expression level of GFAP in rat optic nerve tissue of vehicle group was significantly enhanced in comparison with normal control group(P＜0.01).On day 7 and 14 after optic nerve modeling,the expression levels of GFAP were evidently decreased in optic nerve crush+EGCG group in comparison with vehicle group(P＜0.05).However,on day 28 after modeling,no significant difference wag found in the expression levels of GFAP between vehicle group and optic nerve erush+EGCG group(P＞0.05). Conclusion EGCG down-regulates optic nerve crush-induced of GFAP in the optic nerve and therefore attenuates the activity of astrocytes,suggesting that EGCG might reduce the formation of glial scar.

Background Researches demonstrated that epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG) can protect retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) against damage induced by retinal ischemia-reperfusion and optic nerve crush(ONC),but the effect of EGCG on lateral geniculate nucleus(LGN) was under study.Objective This study was designed to detect neuroprotective effect of EGCG on LGN in the rat model with ONC.Methods Forty-eight 7-week-old female clean Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group,sham operation+EGCG group,ONC+normal saline(NS) group and ONC+EGCG group.ONC models were created by clamping the optical nerve for 60 seconds with the clipper with the force of 40 grams in the right eyes of 24 rats.The EGCG solution(25mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected from 2 days before operation daily for 5 consecutively days and orally administered(2mg/kg) after that,and NS was used in the same way for ONC+NS group.Four weeks after ONC,the brain tissue of the rats was obtained,and the neurons of dorsal LGN(dLGN) were counted by Nissl staining under the light microscopy.The expression of neurofilament triplet L(NF-L) was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.Meanwhile,the neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS) positive cells were counted.Results Compared with normal control group,no significant differences were found in neuron number both between sham operation+EGCG group or ipsilateral LGN of operative eyes in ONC+normal saline group and ONC+EGCG group(P=0.906,0.561,0.794,0.646 respectively) in 4 weeks after ONC,but loss of neurons in contralateral LGN in both ONC+normal saline group and ONC+EGCG group were observed(P=0.000,0.015 respectively).However,compared with ONC+normal saline group,the density of neurons in ONC+EGCG group was higher(P=0.007).Moreover,a higher expression level of NF-L protein was seen in ONC+EGCG group compared with ONC+normal saline group at contralateral LGN of operative eyes(P=0.002).Concerning the number of nNOS positive cells in LGN,there was no significant difference among normal control group,sham operation+EGCG group and ONC+EGCG group(P＞0.05).The number of nNOS positive cells in the contralateral LGN of operative eyes of ONC+normal saline group was higher than that of ONC+EGCG group(P=0.000).Conclusion EGCG plays the protective effect on LGN after ONC in rats through mediating the expression of nNOS.

BackgroundDiabetic retinopathy (DR) associated with this disease closely approximates the oxidative damage inflicted on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells by high glucose,in recent years,people devote themselves to the protection of RPE cells extensively.ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of pancreatic β MIN-6 cells on retinal pigment epithelial(RPE) cells from high glucose-induced damage.MethodsRPE cells were incubated with normal medium for 4 d and divided into 3 groups:normal glucose group,high glucose group and MIN-6 cells group.RPE cell were exposed with 5 mmol/L normal glucose in normal glucose group,exposed with 30 mmol/L high glucose in high glucose group,and exposed with 5 × 104 MIN-6 cells and 30 mmol/L high glucose in MIN-6 cells group.After 24 h,cell viability of RPE cells was determined by MTT cell viability assay.Results More than 95％ cells showed the brown staining by ABC method.After incubation for another 24 hours,the A550 value was 0.44±0.02,0.30±0.01 and 0.41±0.01 in the normal glucose group,high glucose group and MIN-6 cells group respectively with a significant difference among these three groups (F =19.94,P＜ 0.01 ).The A55o value was significantly higher in the normal glucose group and the MIN-6 cells group compared with the high glaucose group (t =6.85,5.62,P＜0.01 ).The survival rate of RPE cells in the normal glucose group was(97.5±3.3 )％,and that in the high glucose group was ( 68.2 ± 4.5 ) ％,showing significant difference between them ( t =11.30,P＜0.01 ).ConclusionsHigh glucose-induced damage of RPE cells is abrogated,and MIN-6 cells can protect RPE cells from high glucose-induced damage.

Antipsychotic Agents ; poisoning ; Clozapine ; blood ; poisoning ; Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Treatment Outcome