Objective:To observe the clinical effect of electroacupuncture(EA)combined with exercise therapy on balance function in patients with knee osteoarthritis(KOA). Methods:Seventy patients with KOA were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,with 35 cases in each group.The treatment group was treated with EA combined with exercise therapy.EA was applied to Dubi(ST35),Neixiyan(EX-LE4),Xuehai(SP10),Liangqiu(ST34),Yanglingquan(GB34),and Zusanli(ST 36).Exercise therapy(muscle strength training and knee mobility training)was applied after EA.The control group only received the same exercise therapy as the treatment group.The two groups were treated with the same course of treatment,3 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks,12 times in total,and followed up for 1 month.The Pro-Kin254P balance test system was used to measure the balance function parameters at 4 time points,including before treatment,after 1 session of treatment,after 12 sessions of treatment,and at 1-month follow-up after treatment.The visual analog scale(VAS)and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index(WOMAC)scores were recorded. Results:The markedly effective rate and total effective rate in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group(P<0.01).The Romberg area,Romberg length,and VAS scores of the two groups decreased significantly after 1 session of treatment,12 sessions of treatment,and 1 month after treatment,and the differences between different time points in the same group were statistically significant(P<0.01).There were significant differences between the two groups at the same time point(P<0.05).The total WOMAC scores of the two groups after 1 session of treatment,12 sessions of treatment,and 1 month after treatment decreased significantly,and there were significant differences between different time points in the same group(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference between the two groups at the same time point(P>0.05). Conclusion:EA combined with exercise therapy or exercise therapy alone can enhance the balance function,relieve joint pain,and improve joint function in patients with KOA.EA combined with exercise therapy is superior to exercise therapy alone in improving balance function and pain,but the two treatment protocols have similar effects in improving joint function.

A rapid and accurate method of DNA typing for HLA was established to compensate the unsatisfactory serological typing for HLA before transplantation. DNA typing for HLA using by reverse polymerase chain reaction with sequence-spcific oligo probe (reverse PCR-SSOP) could detect HLA-A(*0101 - 8001) and B(*07021 - 8201). The results showed that HLA-AB alleles were successfully analysed in 60 matching subjects and 16 control DNAs from UCLA by reverse PCR-SSOP without false negtive and false positive results. The results were concordance with those of UCLA. The error rate of serological typing was 6.4% for HLA-A and 7.4% for HLA-B. The serological typing missed HLA-A24 and HLA-B46 for two patients with leukemia respectively. Our results suggest that DNA typing for HLA by reverse PCR-SSOP has proved to be a high-resolution, high-specificity, rapid and accurate technique, suitable for clinical application with a greater precision than serological typing.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) is a family of microbially synthesized polyesters consisting of various 3-hydroxyalkanoate monomers. Aeromonas hydrophila 4AK4 could be able to synthesize PHA copolymer consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-HB) and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3-HHx). No data has been reported about the ability to synthesize the PHA with other monomers in A. hydrophila. In this study, propionic acid, valeric acid, heptanoic acid, nonanoic acid and undecanoic acid were used together with gluconate to find out whether A. hydrophila 4AK4 could synthesize the PHA consisting of odd carbon atom number monomers. The result showed that A. hydrophila 4AK4 could not growth when supplied with propionic acid, valeric acid, heptanoic acid and nonanoic acid and only undecanoic acid could be used to synthesize PHA. Wild type and recombinant A. hydrophila 4AK4 harboring phaA (beta-ketothiolase) and phaB (acetoacetyl-CoA reductase) were cultivated with undecanoic acid and glucose or undecanoic acid and gluconate served as carbon sources. PHA consisting of 3-HB and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3-HV) could be produced by both wild type and recombinant A. hydrophila 4AK4 and the latter could produce PHA with more 3-HB monomer. When the ratio of glucose or gluconate to undecanoic acid was 1:1, the cell dry weight (CDW) of A. hydrophila 4AK4 reached 1.14 g/L and PHA content was 60% of the CDW after cultivation for 24 h. When lauric acid and undecanoic acid were served as co-substrate, A. hydrophila 4AK4 could produce copolyester consisting of 3-HB, 3-HV and 3-HHx. Along with the increase of undecanoic acid proportion in the mixed carbon source, the 3-HV content of copolymer was increased while the 3-HB and 3-HHx content were decreased. In all cases, the CDW decreased along with the increase of undecanoic acid concentration, which indicated that undecanoic acid was not very good for A. hydrophila 4AK4 growth.
Aeromonas hydrophila ; metabolism ; Fatty Acids ; metabolism ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Lauric Acids ; metabolism ; Pentanoic Acids ; metabolism ; Polyhydroxyalkanoates ; biosynthesis

To further evaluate the effect of miR-217 in the proliferation of mouse adult pancreatic stem cells, we firstly transfected adult pancreatic stem cells with miR-217 mimics and studied the effect of miR-217 on proliferation through Western blot and immunofluorescence. Results showed that during the proliferation of adult pancreatic stem cells, miR-217 inhibited the protein expression of Ki-67 and Cyclin D1, which are related to cell propagation. As well as that, to investigate the target genes of miR-217 and their conserved sites bound by the seed region of miR-217, we used bioinformatic algorithms to find a potential target of miR-217 and verified by dual-luciferase activity assay. Surprisingly, dual-luciferase activity assay revealed that miR-217 could decrease PMIR-REPORT-Sirt1-3′UTR luciferase activity and Sirt1 is a direct target of miR-217. Finally, we verified the function of Sirt1 in the proliferation of pancreatic stem cells. Overexpression of miR-217 in pancreatic stem cells inhibited the level of Sirt1 in protein level but not in mRNA level. Furthermore, activator of Sirt1 played positive effect on colony formation ability and cell proliferation and inhibitor of Sirt1 showed the opposite function. In conclusion, miR-217 inhibits the proliferation of mouse adult pancreatic stem cells through Sirt1 and decreased expression of miR-217 to contribute to the pancreatic stem cells development.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion in Crohn disease (CD) treatment by observing the effect of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion on protein expressions of colonic M2 macrophage marker CD206, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) 2. Methods: Twenty-six specific pathogen free male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group and a herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group. The CD model was prepared by enema with the mixture of 5％ (W/V) 2,4,6- trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) and 50％ ethanol at 2:1 (volume ratio). After the model was successfully prepared, rats in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group received herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion at Qihai (CV 6) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of rat colon; immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression of colonic CD206 protein; Western blot, immunofluorescence, and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) technologies were used to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of colonic AMPK and TSC2. Results: Compared with the normal group, rats in the model group showed damaged colonic mucosa, missing of the epithelial layer, thickened submucosa, vascular proliferation, massive infiltration of monocytes and lymphocytes, and cracked ulcers that reached the muscle layer. Rats in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group showed reduced intestinal inflammation and healing intestinal epithelium ulcers. Compared with the normal group, rat colonic CD206 protein expression, and the protein and mRNA expressions of colonic AMPK and TSC2 were decreased in the model group (all P<0.01); compared with the model group, rat colonic CD206 protein expression was increased (P<0.01), as well as the protein and mRNA expressions of AMPK and TSC2 in the herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion can reduce intestinal inflammation in CD rats, increase colonic CD206 protein expression, and up-regulate the protein and mRNA expressions of colonic AMPK and TSC2.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the vasorelaxation effect of crocetin (CCT) and its mechanism.

METHODSIsolated aortic rings from Sprague-Dawley rats were mounted in the organ bath system. The tension of the aorta was recorded.

RESULTCCT significantly provoked concentration-dependent relaxation in both endothelium-intact and-denuded aortic rings pre-constricted by phenylephrine (10⁻⁵ mol/L), and the vasorelaxation in endothelium-intact aortic rings was stronger than that in endothelium-denuded ones. CCT had no significant effects on aortic rings pre-constricted with KCl (6 × 10⁻² mol/L). Pretreatment with eith L-NAME (10⁻⁴ mol/L), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), or indomethacin (10⁻⁵ mol/L), an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase, for 30 min significantly attenuated the relaxation of endothelium-intact aortic rings induced by CCT. Besides, both tetraethylammonium (a Ca²(+)-activated K(+) channel inhibitor, 5 × 10⁻³ mol/L) and 4-aminopyridine (a voltage-sensitive K(+) channel inhibitor, 10⁻³ mol/L), but not the ATP-sensitive K(+) channel inhibitor glibenclamide (3 × 10⁻⁶ mol/L), significantly attenuated CCT-induced relaxation in endothelium-denuded aortic rings.

CONCLUSIONCCT had partial endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aortas, which may be mediated by activating the endothelial NOS-NO and cyclooxygenase-prostacyclin pathways. The endothelium-independent relaxation in rat aortas induced by CCT may be mediated by Ca²(+)-activated K(+) channels and voltage-sensitive K(+) channels.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Carotenoids ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Phenylephrine ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genetic polymorphism of HLA-DRB1 locus in Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Han population and analyze the characteristic of the allele frequency distribution in comparison with that of other populations.

METHODSThe technique of polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) and reverse polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) was adopted in genotyping a sample of 626 unrelated healthy individuals collected from a Chinese Han population in Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area. HLA-DRB1*0101-1001, DRB3, DRB4 and DRB5 were detected. The allele frequency of HLA-DRB1 was calculated, and the allele frequency distribution of HLA-DRB1 in this population was compared with the results from other populations.

RESULTSHLA-DRB1*0101, 0301, 0701, 09012, 1001, 1201, 1202, 1301/02, 1303/04, 1401/04/05, 1402/03/1305, 1501/02, 16021 and 04xx, 08xx were detected in Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Han population. The common HLA-DRB1*allele included 09012(17.97%), 04xx(12.53%), 1202(11.42%) and 1501/02(11.02%). The polymorphism information content is 0.9024, and expected heterozygosity is 0.9634 in Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Han population.

CONCLUSIONThe HLA-DRB1 distribution of Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Han population shares some genetic characteristic with other Han populations, but it exhibits its own characteristic, suggesting the intermediate state of this population between the southern and northern Han populations. The polymorphism of HLA-DRB1 of Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Han population is the most abundant one in this study.

China ; Gene Frequency ; Genetics, Population ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

BACKGROUND: Acute liver failure (ALF) caused by viral and non-viral hepatitis is often accompanied with severe metabolic disorders, the accumulation of toxic substances and continuous release and accumulation of a large number of endogenous toxins and inflammatory mediators. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of various combined non-biological artificial liver treatments for patients with acute liver failure (ALF) complicated by multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). METHODS: Thirty-one patients with mid- or late-stage liver failure complicated by MODS (score 4) were randomly divided into three treatment groups: plasmapheresis (PE) combined with hemoperfusion (HP) and continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), PE+CVVHDF, and HP+CVVHDF, respectively. Heart rate (HR) before and after treatment, mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory index (PaO2/FiO2), hepatic function, platelet count, and blood coagulation were determined. RESULTS: Signifi cant improvement was observed in HR, MAP, PaO2/FiO2, total bilirubin (TBIL) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after treatment (P<0.05). TBIL and ALT decreased more signifi cantly after treatment in the PE+CVVHDF and PE+HP+CVVHDF groups (P<0.01). Prothrombin time (PT) and albumin were signifi cantly improved only in the PE+CVVHDF and PE+HP+CVVHDF groups (P<0.05). TBIL decreased more significantly in the PE+HP+CVVHDF group than in the HP+CVVHDF and PE+CVVHDF groups (P<0.05). The survival rate of the patients was 58.1％ (18/31), viral survival rate 36.4％ (4/11), and non-viral survival rate 70％ (14/20). CONCLUSION: Liver function was relatively improved after treatment, but PE+HP+CVVHDF was more efficient for the removal of toxic metabolites, especially bilirubin. The survival rate was significantly higher in the patients with non-viral liver failure than in those with viral liver failure.

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1 MMP/MMP 14) plays crucial roles in tumor cell growth, invasion, and angiogenesis. To clarify whether the endogenously expressed MT1-MMP in metastatic human ovarian carcinoma cell lines SKOV3 plays a critical role in tumor cell invasiveness, antisense MT1-MMP cloned in eukaryotic expression vector pMMP14as was transferred into SKOV3 cells. 48h after transfection, decreased expression of endogenous MT1-MMP protein was detected in pMMP14as transfected SKOV3 cells and the activation of pro MMP2was inhibited markedly. The mean percentage of invasive cells was (62. 50 ±5. 30) % in pMMP14as-transfected cells, which was obviously less than that (97.20±6.90) % in the control.Thus, antisense MT1 MMP effectively inhibited the endogenous MT1 MMP expression and the invasiveness in SKOV3 cells, suggesting that MT1-MMP may be a therapeutic target molecule for human invasive ovarian cancers.

OBJECTIVETo further study the characteristics of drugs with neutral property in two-way application and conditioned dominance by observing the action characteristic of 10 traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property in hemorheological indicators of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome and cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats.

METHODThe model of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats was established by injecting carrageenan and dry yeast, while the model of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats was established by body freezing. Subsequently, 10 traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property, 5 traditional Chinese medicines with heat property and 5 traditional Chinese medicines with cold property were selected for intervention to observe the changes in such indicators as whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity and hematocrit and analyze the action characteristics of drugs with neutral property.

RESULTANOVA showed that among six of the 10 traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property, including Typhae Pollen, Sarcandrae Herba and Sappan lignum, could obviously increase the hemorheological indicators of both heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome and cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats; five traditional Chinese medicines with cold property, such as Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Leonuri Herba, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, could significantly ameliorate the hemorheological indicators of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), and Salvia Miltiorrhiza Radix et Rhizoma alone could ameliorate the hemorheological indicators of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats (P < 0.05); all of the five traditional Chinese medicines with heat property could significantly ameliorate the hemorheological indicators of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats (P < 0.01), among which Carthami Flos and Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma could significantly ameliorate the hemorheological indicators of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rats. According to the average high-shear blood viscosity analysis, drugs with neutral property showed similar action characteristics to those with cold property in ameliorating hemorheology indicators of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rat and better effect than those with heat property in reducing whole blood viscosity; and traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property have the similar action characteristics to those with heat property in improving the hemorheology indicators of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome rat and better effect than those with heat property in reducing whole blood viscosity.

CONCLUSIONUnder the condition of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property show the similar action characteristics to those with cold property; but under the condition of cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property show the similar action characteristics to those with heat property. This indicates that traditional Chinese medicines with neutral property show both heat and cold properties under he conditions of heat stagnation and blood stasis syndrome and cold stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.

Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hemorheology ; drug effects ; Homeostasis ; drug effects ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thrombosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology