Objective To observe the therapeutic efficacy of paired needling in treating insomnia with depression after cerebral stroke. Method Eighty patients with insomnia plus depression after cerebral stroke were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by paired needling at Xinshu (BL15), Juque (CV14), Ganshu (BL18), and Qimen (LR14), once a day, 20 min each session;the control group was by oral administration of Paroxetine hydrochloride tablet 20 mg, 1 tablet each time prior to sleep at night. Two treatment courses were observed in the two groups (successive 2-week treatment as a course). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was adopted to observe the two groups before treatment, after 2-week treatment, and after 4-week treatment, and the clinical efficacy was also evaluated. Result Respectively after 2-week and 4-week treatment, the PSQI scores and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores dropped significantly in the two groups compared to that before the intervention (P<0.05);the improvements of the PSQI and HAMD scores in the treatment group were more significant than that in the control group;the scores were markedly improved in the 2nd week in the treatment group and were significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05);the significant differences were maintained in the following 2 weeks;the total effective rate was respectively 90.0%(36/40) in the treatment group and 15.0%(6/40) in the control group, and the therapeutic efficacy of the treatment group was markedly superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion The results show that paired needling is safe and effective in treating insomnia with depression after cerebral stroke, and its therapeutic efficacy is superior to that of Paroxetine hydrochloride tablets.

To improve the expression of heterologous genes using baculovirus expression system, we constructed a novel shuttle vector based on the Bm-Bacmid. In the Bm-Bacmid, partial sequences of Chitinase and Cystein Protease were replaced with a tandem cassette of Cm and egfp through homologous recombination. Bombyx mori bidensovirus (BmBDV) ns1 under the control of polyhedrin promoter was inserted into the modified Bm-bacmid by transposition. For comparison, BmBDV ns1 under the control of polyhedrin promoter was also cloned in the wild type Bm-bacmid. The resulting Bm-bacmids were transfected into the cultured BmN cells to prepare recombinant virus to infect silkworms for expression of BmBDV ns1. Total proteins of hemocyte from infected silkworms were subjected to Western blotting and ELISA analysis. The yield of BmBDV NS1 1 with the modified vector was three times as much as that with the unmodified vector. The method to improve the yield of BmBDV NS1 in silkworms will facilitate the function and three-dimensional structure study of BmBDV NS1.
Animals ; Baculoviridae ; Bombyx ; virology ; Cell Line ; Chitinases ; Cysteine Proteases ; Genetic Vectors ; Insect Viruses ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Transfection

Purpose:The efficacy of evaluation of changes of tumoral uptake of 3'-deoxy-3'-[~(18)F] fluorothymidine (FLT) was comparatively analyzed with that of ~(18)F-FDG at early stage after anticancer chemotherapy.Materials and Methods:Cells derived from human lung adenocarcinoma were incubated with cisplatin (CDDP),5-fluorouracil(5-FU),doxorubicin (Dox),for 1,4,24 and 72h.The doses(CD-DP: 67 μM; 5-FU 1,540 μM;MTX: 440 μM;) were determined corresponding to a estimated 10% - 95% proliferation inhibition.The cells were allowed to recover before FLT or FDG being added into the culture media for 60 min.Cell counts,viability,estimated by MTT method,were used to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy.Results: FLT uptake was increased significantly at 1 and 4 h after treatment with 5-FU( 145 ± 12%,150 ± 14%,P <0.01).decreased at 24 h and 72 h.In contrast,FLT accumulation was significantly reduced at cytostatic concentrations of CDDP at different time.The uptake of FDG did not change significantly at early time points after treatment,but decreased at 72 h.Conclusion: The tumor cell uptake of FLT revealed specific changes depending on the auti-cancer drug used at much earlier time than FDG after chemotherpay.

Aim The aim of this work was to study the effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on human Leukemia cell line HL 60, and investgate the mechanisms of its antitumor effect. Methods HL 60 cells growth inhibition was measured by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was inspected by flow cytometry,TUNEL assay and acridine orange fluorescent staining methods. The protein levels of Bcl 2, Bax were determined using immunohistochemical technique. Results MTT assay showed that DADS significantly inhibited the growth of HL 60 cells. After 24 hours of exposure to DADS, Partial cells presented characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis under the electron microscope, including cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation, and formation of apoptotic bodies. Some typical subdiploid peaks before G 0/G 1 phase were observed. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the apoptosis rates were increased and the TUNEL assay showed the apoptosis index increased in occordance with increase of concentration of DADS. SP immunohistochemistry revealed that the Bax expression was increased while Bcl 2 expressed was decreased. Conclusion Diallyl disulfide could significantly induce apoptosis of human Leukemia cell HL 60, Apoptosis of tumor cells is closely associated with down regulation of the ratio of bcl 2/bax.

Objective To observe the effect of the health education and skills training for caregivers on health status of stroke patients and their family caregivers. Methods Hospitalized stroke patients were divided into the intervention group (n=38) and the control group (n= 36). Both groups received rehabilitation training for 1 month in hospital. The family caregivers of intervention group received Timing It Right education and skills training in addition. All the patients were assessed with the European Stroke Scale (ESS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), simple Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), modified Barthel Index (MBI), and the caregivers were assessed with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) before and 3 months after intervention. Results The scores of ESS, FMA, MBI improved more in intervention group than in the control group after intervention (P<0.05), as well as their caregivers in the items of playing a useful part, under stress, overcoming difficulties, enjoying normal activities, facing up to problems, feeling unhappy and depressed, lossing confidence, thinking of self as worth of GHQ-12 (P<0.05). Conclusion Health education and skills training for family caregivers can improve the health of caregivers, and further improve the function outcome of stroke patients.

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of social isolation on the cognition and expression of 5-HT2C receptor(5-HT2CR) and adenosine deaminase that act on RNA 1(ADAR1) in BALB/c mice.MethodsThe healthy BALB/c mice were isolated for 2,4,and 8 weeks individually since postnatal 21 days respectively to set up isolation mice model,the same age mice without isolation were regarded as control group.The new object location and the new object recognition tests were used to measure the spatial and non-spatial cognitive function,and western blot was used to measure the protein expression of 5-HT2CR and ADAR1.ResultsThe new object location test showed that the spatial discrimination index (DI) of BALB/c mice isolated for 2 weeks was decreased significantly compared with the control group(control group was (0.075±0.340),isolation group was (-0.653±0.308),P<0.05),and no obvious difference was found for the group isolated for 4 and 8 weeks.The new object recognition test showed that the non-spatial DI of BALB/c mice isolated for 2 and 4 weeks were decreased significantly compared with the control group(control 2 weeks group was (0.088±0.210),isolation 2 weeks group was (-0.945±0.194),P<0.05;control 4 weeks group was (0.105±0.267),isolation 4 weeks group was (-0.506±0.215),P<0.05),and no obvious difference was found for the group isolated for 8 weeks.Compared with the control group the expression of 5-HT2CR and ADAR1 in the hippocampus were decreased significantly for the group isolated for 2 weeks.(5-HT2CR:control group was (1.025±0.144),isolation group was (0.891±0.026),P<0.05.ADAR1: control group was (0.839±0.120),isolation group was (0.629±0.094),P<0.05).ConclusionsTwo week social isolation results in the decrease of spatial and non-spatial cognitive function in BALB/c mice,in the meanwhile,social isolation stress results in the obvious decrease of 5-HT2C receptor and ADAR1 protein expression in the hippocampus of BALB/c mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and their association with Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1). METHOD: The expressions of MMP-9, IL-8 and LMP-1 were immunohistochemical studied in 53 nasopharyngeal carcinoma sections. We statistically analyzed the correlation of these data and also the relationship between the clinical features and the experimental data of these patients. RESULT: The positive expression rate of MMP-9, IL-8 and LMP-1 were all 66.04% (35/53) and their average expression score were (33.19 +/- 29.73)%, (33.46 +/- 30.23)%, (35.49 +/- 29.63)% respectively. The expressions of MMP-9 and IL-8 both showed positive correlation with the expression of LMP-1 (r = 0.792, 0.786 respectively). The expressions of MMP-9, IL-8 and LMP-1 showed significant relationship with lymph nodes metastasis (P < 0.05), but no-significant association with age, gender, pathological classification, and clinical stage. CONCLUSION The expressions of MMP-9, IL-8 and LMP-1 were significantly associated with neck lymph nodes metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The correlation between LMP-1 and MMP-9, IL-8 showed LMP-1 might enhance neck lymph nodes metastasis by up-regulating the expressions of MMP-9 and IL-8.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neck ; Prognosis ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; metabolism ; Young Adult

The link between nonresolving inflammation and cancer is well documented. On the one hand, epidemiologic evidence supports that approximately 25% of all human cancer worldwide is caused by nonresolving inflammation. On the other hand, inflammatory cells are found in the microenvironment of most, if not all, tumors. In the tumor micro-environment, inflammatory cells and molecules influence almost every aspect of cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in the initiation and progression of nonresolving inflammation-related cancer by regulating the key genes and related signaling pathways. Further investigation into the molecular mechanisms by which miRNAs carry out their functions will be of great value in the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of tumors.
Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Inflammation ; complications ; genetics ; immunology ; Inflammation Mediators ; immunology ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Neoplasms ; etiology ; genetics ; Tumor Microenvironment

OBJECTIVETo identify secondary mutations associated with deafness in a Chinese family affected with deafness.

METHODSThe family has been subjected to clinical and molecular analyses, in addition with measurement of reactive oxygen species and doubling time after establishment of immortalized lymphocyte cell lines.

RESULTSThe results showed that the hearing loss level and audiometric configuration were discrepant among the family members with maternally transmitted hearing loss. The penetrance of hearing loss in this family was respectively 66.7% and 44.4% when aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss was included or excluded. Analysis of whole mitochondrial genome has found 33 variants as previously reported polymorphisms, except for a 12s rRNA A1555G mutation and a tRNA(Thr)T15943C mutation. Haplotype evolutionary tree has verified that this family belonged to East-Asian haplogroup F. 15943 position was located on the T-stem of the tRNA(Thr), which has destroyed the extremely conserved T-A base pair when T changed to C at this position. However, functional experiments indicated that the population doubling time in special galactose and glucose were longer, whilst the level of reactive oxygen species has increased. Compared with the control cell line groups and a family only carrying the 12s rRNA A1555G mutation, all of the three groups belonged to the same haplogroup.

CONCLUSIONMitochondrial tRNA(Thr)T15943C mutation may act as a potential modifying factor and interact with 12s rRNA A1555G mutation, and thereby enhance the penetrance and expression of deafness.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Deafness ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Point Mutation ; RNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; RNA, Transfer, Thr ; genetics ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the effect of depression on loneliness in medical students',and the mediating effects of introverted personality and social support.Methods EPQ,UCLA,SSRS,and POMS questionnaire were used,and surveyed data was collected from Dalian Medical University medical students.Results The scores of depressive mood,introverted personality,social support and loneliness were (17.77±4.45),(11.97±5.21),(34.52±6.15) and (38.02±6.36).Depression was positively related to loneliness and introverted personality (r=0.286,0.508,P＜0.01),and social support was negatively related to loneliness (r =-0.443,P＜0.01).Introverted personality was positively related to loneliness(r=0.401,P＜0.01).The total effect value was 0.670.The mediating effect of introversion as mediator variable was 0.221,accounting for 33％ of the total effect.Social support as intermediary variable,intermediary effect value was 0.449,accounting for 67％ of the total effect.Standard value of mediating effect between depression and introverted personality showed as 0.508 (95％CI=0.475-0.725,P＜0.0i),standard value of mediating effect between depression and social support showed as-0.150 (95％CI=0.989-1.469,P＜0.01),introverted personality was the mediating variant of depression and loneliness,standard value of mediating effect was 0.156 (95％ CI=0.080-0.232,P＜0.01),social support was the mediating variant of depression and loneliness,standard value of mediating effect was 0.317 (95％ CI=0.177-0.457,P＜0.01).Conclusions Introverted personality and social support play an intermediary role between depression and loneliness.