Objective To investigate the relationship between apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLCs) and impaired immunity by assessing the apoptosis and expression of Fas and Bcl-2 in PBLCs of patients with secondary syphilis. Methods Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to detect PBLC apoptosis as well as Fas and Bcl-2 expression in 33 patients with secondary syphilis and 30 normal controls. Results The Fas expression on PBLCs and CD4+ cells was significantly higher in patients than that in controls (P 0.05). The apoptosis levels were significantly higher in PBLCs and CD4+ cells in patients than those in controls (P 0.05). In patients group, the apoptosis levels of both PBLCs and CD4+ cells had a positive correlation with the Fas expression (r = 0.68, P

Objective:To investigate the infuluence of electroacupuncture on blood lipid and liver function in nonclcoholic fatty liver rats. Methods:Thirty-three male SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups:normal control group (n=11,fed with normal food) and non-alcoholic fatty liver model group (NAFLD) (n=23,fed with high-fat food). Eight weeks later 1 rats were randomly selected from the normal control group and 2 rats were randomly selected from the NAFLD group and were killed to undergo pathological examination of the liver. When the establishment of experimental model of NAFLD rats was confi rmed the remaining 20 NAFLD rats were sublishment into 2 equal subgroups:NAFLD control group to be fed continuously with high-fat food ,acupuncture treatment group (to fed continuously with high-fat food). Take Zusanli,Hong Leong,Sanyinjiao,Taichong points,electroacupuncture -spacing parameters,2Hz frequency,intensity 4mV to the appropriate vibrating slightly lower limb. By the end of the 12th week,all rats were killed to isolate the samples of test the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC),serum triglyceride (TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-L),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH),liver index,Valley serum ALT(ALT),Aspartate aminotransferase (AST),and liver pathology. Results:Treatment of rats --serum total cholesterol (TC),serum triglyceride (TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH),liver index,Valley serum ALT(ALT),Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly lower than those of NAFLD control group (P

This study was aimed to observe the clinical curative effect of Qing-Re Li-Shi Hua-Y u (QRLSHY) decoction combined with acupuncture in the treatment of chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) with syndrome of damp-heat and blood-stasis. A total of 120 cases were randomly divided into the acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group, TCM group, and acupuncture group, with 40 cases in each group. The TCM group was given oral administration with QRLSHY decoction. The acupuncture group was given acupuncture on SP6-Sanyinj iao and RN6-Qihai . The acupuncture combined with TCM group was given oral administration with QRLSHY decoction and acupuncture treatment. The treatment course of each group was 2 months. The ob-servation was made on clinical efficacy, clinical symptoms, body signs, changes of laboratory indexes, and relapse rate of three groups. The results showed that compared with pretreatment, the total effective rate of the acupunc-ture combined with TCM group, TCM group and the acupuncture group was obviously increased after treatment (P< 0 . 05 ) . Compared with pretreatment , the clinical symptoms and body signs such as abdominal pain , abdominal bulge, backache, leucorrhea increased, dysmenorrhea, menstrual disorders, lassitude, appendix thickening, pelvic tenderness, and pelvic mass were significantly improved in all three groups (P < 0.05). After treatment, clinical symptoms and body signs of the acupuncture treatment with TCM group had more obvious advantages than the TCM group and the acupuncture group ( P < 0 . 05 ) . Compared with pretreatment , the cervical or vaginal mucus pu-rulent secretion, vaginal wet film mirror of white blood cells, white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count of all three groups were significantly improved ( P < 0 . 05 ) . After treatment , the acupuncture combined with TCM group had more obvious advantages than the TCM group and acupuncture group ( P < 0 . 05 ) . The relapse rate of the acupuncture combined with TCM group was obviously lower than the TCM group and the acupuncture group 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months after treatment (P < 0.05). It was concluded that QRLSHY decoction combined with acupuncture had obvious clinical curative effect in the treatment of chronic PID with syndrome of damp-heat and blood-stasis. The effect was better than only use TCM or acupuncture. It is worth of promoting in the clini-cal practice .

Objective To investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Methods Thirty-three male SD rats were randomized into 2 groups:normal control group(n=11,fed with normal food)and experimental rats(n=23,fed with high-fat food).Eight weeks later,3 rats were randomly selected from the 2 groups respectively and killed to undergo pathological examination of the liver.When the establishment of experimental rats was confirmed,the remaining 20 experimental rats were divided into 2 equal subgroups:NAFLD group(fed continuously with high-fat food)and electroacupuncture treatment group(fed continuously with high-fat food and received the treatment 15 min per day,once a day for 4 weeks).Then all rats were killed to detect the serum levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG),fasting insulin(FINS)and free fatty acids(FFA),liver contents of malondialdehyde(MDA),glycerin tripalmitate(TG)and total cholesterol(TC),and the activities of liver superoxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione(GSH).Liver pathological changes was examined.Results Compared with NAFLD group,electroacupuncture reduced the serum levels of FBG,FINS and FFA(P

This study was aimed to explore the clinical efficiency of modified Xiao-Y ao (XY) powder and acupuncture in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). A total of 90 D-IBS patients were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group, with 45 patients in each group. Patients in the treatment group received acupuncture combined with modified XY powder. Patients in the control group received oral administration of montmorillonite powder, compound glutamine enteric-coated capsules, compound azintamide enteric coated tablet. Four weeks were one treatment course. After two treatment courses, the pretreatment and posttreatment symptom score, the score of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)/(HAMA), and the overall efficacy were compared. The results showed that compared with pretreatment, clinical symptoms were improved in varying degrees after treatment in both groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). HAMD and HAMA were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The treatment group had obvious advantages compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The overall efficacy of the treatment group was 91.11%, which was significantly higher than the control group of 68.89%(P < 0.05). It was concluded that modified XY powder and acupuncture can quickly relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, improve anxiety and depression. It is an effective treatment method for D-IBS.

Aim To explore the therapeutic effects of 3′-daidzein sulfonate sodium(DSS) on isolated myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and the relation of its mechanism to anti-oxidation.Methods An isolated rat myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury was made,and the injury was treated with DSS.Following the treatment,the coronary blood flow levels,left ventricular systolic pressure,and activities of enzymes(LDH,SOD,GSH-Px) were measured.Results After treatment,the isolated myocardial tissue showed an increase in the volume of perfusion and an increase in the enzymatic activities of LDH,SOD,GSH-Px in the myocardial tissue.Conclusion DSS has a therapeutic effect on isolated myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury because it enhances anti-oxidative activity in myocardial tissue.

Shanyao (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) is the one of the conventional herbs in the clinical practice, which is good at nourishing yin, and entering the lung, spleen and kidney meridian. Through analysis on all formulae contain-ing Shanyao in past dynasties, we found out the top 30 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs for the highest frequency in combination with Shanyao, among which there were 28 herbs recorded in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong's Classic of the Materia Medica) and 23 herbs were considered as the top grade medicinals. This article was focused on the analysis of the compatibility meaning and rules of Shanyao and supplementing medic-inals in order to provide scientific basis for clinical formulae and daily health cultivation so as to make good use of Shanyao.

Objective To study the survival and melanogenic potential of human melanocytes reversibly immortalized via SV40T antigen gene and Cre/loxP system in Guinea pigs. Methods The supernatants of retrovirus vector Cre-ERT2 were used to infect melanocytes which had been successfully transfected by SV40TAg gene (MCT), then the expression of Cre recombinase was induced with tamoxifen in infected cells; subsequently, the surviving cells, which were named as MCTC, were subjected to expansion culture. Guinea pigs were utilized to establish animal models of vitiligo, then MCTC and primary melanocytes were transplanted respectively into the animal models. The repigmentation at the transplanted area was observed with naked eyes successively until 3 months after the transplantation when tissue samples were obtained from implanted area and nonimplanted area of guinea pigs and subjected to Masson-Fontana silver stain and Hematoxylin-eosin stain for the analysis of melanocyte distribution and melanin deposition in epidermis. Results Repigmentation started 4 weeks after the transplantation, and dark or brown patches, which ranged in size from 0.5 to 1 cm, were observed in the implanted area 3 months after the transplantation. The repigmentation rate was of no significant difference between pigs transplanted with MCTC and those with primary melanocytes (82.5% vs 76.7%, P > 0.05). Pathological examination revealed melanin deposition in the basal layer of epidermis and some hair follicles in transplanted area. Conclusions SV40T antigen gene combined with Cre/loxP site-specific recombinase system can induce the reversible immortalization of human melanocytes, and the immortalized melanocytes have a favorable profile of biological safety and similarity in survival rate and melanogenic potential to primary melanocytes.

Objective To observe the protective effects of genistein sodium sulfonate(GSS)on mice chronic hepatic injury in-duced by carbon tetrachloride(CCl4 )and its influence on the protein expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor(α7nAChR) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)in liver tissue.Methods 60 SPF grade male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 5 groups,in-cluding the control group,model group,low and high doses GSS groups,and positive control group,12 cases in each group.Except for the control group,the other 4 groups were intra peritoneally injected by 10 % CCl4 with a volume of 0.1 mL/10 g for 6 weeks. The mice chronic liver injury was prepared.At the same time,the high and low doses DSS groups were given the different doses of GSS(0.30,0.10 mg/kg),the positive control group was given bifendate(DDB,2.5mg/kg),the control group and the model group were given the equal volume of normal saline for 6 consecutive weeks.The AST and ALT activity was detect and the ratio of ALT/AST was calculated;the Western blot method was used to detect the expression levels ofα7nAChR and IL-1βprotein in liver.Re-sults The serum levels of ALT and AST in the model group were increased obviously,and the expression level ofα7nAChR in the liver tissue was decreased,while the expression level of IL-1βwas increased;after the GSS treatment,the serum AST and ALT lev-els were significantly lower than those in the model group(P <0.05),while the expression level ofα7nAChR was increased (P <0.01)and the expression level of IL-1βwas decreased(P <0.05).Conclusion GSS might increase the expression ofα7nAChR in injured liver tissue,activates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway,thus decreases the expression of inflammatory cytokines and antagonizes the mice chronic liver injury by inhibiting the inflammatory reaction.

The anti-tumor activity of curcumin against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in vitro and the possible mechanism were investigated. After curcumin treatment, the effect of curcumin on the proliferation of prostate cancer PC-3 cells was assessed by CFSE staining. Flow cytometery (FCM) was performed to analyze the cell cycle and the induction of apoptosis of tumor cells. A luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the effects of curcumin on the activities of intracellular NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways. The results showed curcumin could effectively inhibit the proliferation of PC-3 cells in vitro (P<0.05). Cells were arrested at G(2)/M phase. After curcumin treatment, the percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly higher than in control group (P<0.05). The results of the luciferase assay revealed that curcumin selectively inhibited the activities of the NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways in PC-3 cells significantly. It was suggested that curcumin could exert anti-tumor activity against androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in vitro by inhibiting cellular proliferation and inducing apoptosis, which was probably contributed to the inhibition of transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1.