Objective To observe and compare the regulating effect between electroacupuncture and sham electroacupuncture on the symptoms of menopausal transition and levels of estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), for evaluating the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture in mitigating the relevant symptoms of menopausal transition. Method Thirty eligible subjects with menopausal transition were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 15 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by electroacupuncture at the ordinary acupoints, while the control group was by electroacupuncture at non-meridian points. The E2, FSH, and LH contents were detected after intervention and at the 20th week during the follow-up study, the flush score and Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) were evaluated respectively after 4-week and 8-week treatment and at the 20th week and 32nd week during the follow-up study, and the safety of electroacupuncture was also estimated.Result The flush and MRS scores were significantly changed after 4-week and 8-week treatment and at the 20th week and 32nd week during the follow-up study in both groups compared to that before the treatment in the same group (P<0.01,P<0.05). There was a significant difference in comparing the changes of MRS score after 8-week treatment between the two groups (P<0.01). There were significant differences in comparing the changes of flushing scores between the two groups after 8-week treatment and at the 20th week and 32nd week during the follow-up study (P<0.01). The serum levels of E2, FSH, and LH were significantly changed in the treatment group after 8-week treatment (P<0.05). There were significant differences in comparing the changes of FSH and LH levels between the two groups after 8-week treatment (P<0.05). The difference in comparing the change of serum E2 level between the two groups at the 20th week during the follow-up study was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture can improve the flushing intensity and produce a benign regulation on the relevant hormone levels in menopausal transition, though this regulation is insignificant when the treatment terminates.

Objective To study the clinic features and prognosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA)-associated iridocyclitis.Methods Ten cases of JRA -associated iridocyclitis choosed from 107 cases with JRA were reviewed and analysed.Results Polyarticular( n =9) and pauciarticular( n =1) were observed among JRA -associated iridocyclitis.Four were acute cases and all were recovered.Secondary glaucoma ( n =1) and ablepsia( n =1) were find in the chronic cases of 6,respectively.Conclusions Iridocyclitis is a common complication of JRA. Most of them are polyarticular group. The acute cases have better results compared to the chronic cases which often have more complications such as glaucoma,cataract, et al .

The PDB culture medium was selected to ferment the endophyte strain, and the secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi Penicillium polonicum were studied. Combined application of Sephadex LH-20, ODS and HPLC chromatographies over the ethyl acetate extract of the fermented culture led to the isolation of 6 compounds. By spectral methods, the structures were elucidated as [3, 5-dihydroxy-2-(7-hydroxy-octanoyl)]-ethylphenylacetate (1), (3, 5-dihydroxy-2- octanoyl)-ethyl phenylacetate (2), (5, 7-di- hydroxy-9-heptyl)-isobenzo pyran-3-one (3), 3-(hydroxymethyl) 4-(1E)-1- propen-1-yl-(1R, 2S, 5R, 6S)-7-oxabicyclo [4.1.0] hept-3-ene-2, 5-diol (4), (E)-2-methoxy-3-(prop-1-enyl) phenol (5) and p-hydroxylphenylethanol (6).
Biological Factors ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Fabaceae ; microbiology ; Fermentation ; Penicillium ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Secondary Metabolism

ObjectiveTo study the neuron protection mechanism of Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis extract for the MPTP-induced PD mice.MethodsC57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis extract group and madopar group, and injected with MPTP in abdominal cavity. Behavior test was used to detect grabbing capacity and body movement coordination capacity: three biochemical indexes (SOD, MDA, GSH-Px) were detected by biochemical process and the activity of two immune enzyme-linked indexes (IL-1β, IL-6) were detected by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay.ResultsCompared with the control group, the autonomic activity numbers of mice increased and climbing pole time decreased in the model group (P<0.05), enzymatic activity of SOD and GSH-Px decreased significantly and the contents of MDA, IL-1β and IL-6 increased obviously (P<0.01). Compared with model group, the autonomic activity numbers of mice increased and climbing pole time decreased in the Uncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis extract group and madopar group (P<0.05). Enzymatic activity of SOD and GSH-Px increased and the contents of MDA and IL-1β and IL-6 decreased (P<0.05,P<0.01).ConclusionUncariae Ramulus Cum Uncis extract can reduce neuronic apoptosis PD mice, whose therapeutic action may be realized through eliminating oxygen free radicals, improving oxidation resistance and reducing inflammatory reactions.

Taurine is one of the extremely important amino acids in the body,and is also the most abundant free amino acids in the central nervous system(CNS).Taurine as a conditional essential amino acids exerts a wide range of physiological and pharmacological effects.Taurine,especially as a neurotransmitter in the developing CNS,can maintain the structural integrity of the membrane,regulate calcium transport and calcium homeostasis,also as nutritional factors,osmolyte,neuromodulator,neuroprotective agents,plays an important role.In this paper,physiological and biochemical properties of taurine,source and distribution in vivo,synthesis and metabolism,absorption and transport,and its protective effect on the CNS are reviewed.

Electrochemiluminescence was used to determine thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies in 140 pregnant women,who were then divided into normal group (n =117) and subclinical hypothyroidism group (n =23) based on the thyroid function.The urine iodine level in the pregnant women was detected by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometric method.The awareness of past history of thyroid disease among the subjects with thyroid dysfunctions were investigated.The results showed that the prevalences of iodine deficiency were 50％ and 57％ in the normal group and the subclinical hypothyroidism group,respectively.The state of iodine level was not related to thyroid function.The levels of serum thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibody were markedly related to serum TSH(P＜0.01),so was the level of serum TPOAb related to serum FT4 (P＜0.05).Among the subclinical hypothyroidism women,70％ did not undergo thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies screening before pregnancy,8.7％ denied past history of thyroid disease,and 21.7％ suffered from hypothyroidism before pregnancy.Therefore,we advocate the screening of urine iodine and thyroid autoantibodies before or during the first trimester of pregnancy,aiming to correct iodine deficiency,avoid supplementing too much iodine,improve the outcome of perinatal stage,and reduce all the negative effects on the offsprings.

Objective To investigate the association of the two single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) rs1386494 and G1463A of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene with depression in Yunnan Han population. Methods A case-control study Was designed by collecting 102 patients and 102 controls.Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms(PCR-RFLP)technique Was used to detect the rs1386494 and G1463A polymorphisms.All patients were evaluated with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HAMD),and scores were compared according to different genotype.Results 1.There were differences in genotype and allele frequency of rsl386494 in Yunnan Han population(X~2=4.300,P=0.038;X~2=4.067,P=0.044).The A allele frequency of rsl386494 in controls Was higher than in patients(P=0.044).2.No genotype of G1463A polymorphism was observed in all samples.3.No significant association genotype of rsl386494 with scores of HAMD Was observed(F=2.461,P=0.120).Conclusion The polymorphism of rsl386494 may be associated with the vulnerability of Yunnan Han population,and the A allele maybe the protective gene for depression.

Purpose:To study the influence of treatment with high dose progesterone on telomerase activity in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma.Methods:20 patients were treated for adenocarcinoma of endometrium with high dose progesterone and the change of telomerase activity in tumor tissue was examined by PCR-TRAP ELISA before and after treatment.Results:The average A value of tumor telomerase before and after treatment were 0.3636(0～1.11) and 0.1134 (0～0.556),respectively.It shows that telomerase activity in tumor was decreased by treatment with progesterone (P

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of prenatal taurine supplementation on the Rho-ROCK signaling pathway activity and synaptophysin (Syp) expression in brain tissues of rats with intrauterine growth restriction.MethodsEighteen pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, fetal growth restriction (FGR) group and taurine group, with six rats in each group. Low-protein diet was given in FGR and taurine groups to establish an FGR model. Taurine 300 mg/(kg·d) was supplemented from gestational day 12 until delivery in taurine group. The mRNA expression levels of neurite growth inhibitor-A(Nogo-A), neurite growth inhibitor receptor (NgR), Rho-A and ROCKⅡin fetal rat brain were detected using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (n=24), which are the key signaling molecules of the Rho-ROCK signal pathway. The protein expression levels of Nogo-A and NgR were detected by Western blot (n=12). The mean optical density in Nogo-A, NgR and Syp was determined by immunohistochemistry (n=18). One-way analysis of variance and LSD-t test were used for statistical analysis.Results(1) Expression of mRNA: the expression levels of Nogo-A, NgR, Rho-A and ROCKⅡ mRNA in fetal rat brain were 4.09±1.34, 3.01±0.77, 39.89±7.71 and 7.82±1.83, respectively in FGR group, and were significantly higher than in control group (1.00±0.13, 1.00±0.10, 1.02±0.30 and 1.00±0.10) (t=4.735, 5.204, 7.682 and 10.675, allP<0.05). The expressions in taurine group (1.07±0.30, 1.20±0.27, 5.36±0.41 and 1.89±0.43) were significantly lower than in FGR group (t=4.645, 4.690, 6.687 and 9.485, allP<0.05), and there was no statistical difference between taurine group and control group (allP>0.05). (2) Expression of protein by Western blot: the expressions of Nogo-A and NgR protein in fetal rat brain were 1.51±0.09 and 0.31±0.05 in FGR group, 0.82±0.06 and 0.06±0.01 in taurine group, and 1.04±0.10 and 0.09±0.12 in control group. The expression was significantly higher in FGR group than in control group (t=9.644 and 5.285, bothP<0.05). The expression was significantly lower in taurine group than in FGR group (t=14.163 and 5.825, bothP<0.05), and there was no statistical difference between taurine group and control group (allP>0.05). (3) Positive expression of protein: the positive expressions of Nogo-A and NgR protein in fetal rat brain were 0.28±0.06 and 0.11±0.02 in FGR group, 0.10±0.02 and 0.04±0.01 in taurine group, and 0.07±0.01 and 0.04±0.01 in control group. The expression was significantly higher in FGR group than in control group (t=9.778 and 7.645, bothP<0.05). The expression in taurine group was significantly lower than in FGR group (t=8.679 and 7.413, bothP<0.05), and there was no statistical difference between taurine group and control group (bothP>0.05). The positive expression of Syp protein in fetal rat brain was 0.08±0.01 in FGR group, and was significantly lower than in control group (0.16±0.04,t=4.600,P<0.05). The expression in taurine group (0.14±0.36) was significantly higher than in FGR group (t=3.181,P<0.05), and there was no statistical difference between taurine group and control group (P>0.05).ConclusionsPrenatal taurine supplementation can improve neural axon development via down-regulating the expressions of the key molecules of Rho-ROCK signal pathway in fetal rat brain tissue.

Aim To observe the effects of Ginsenoside on left ventricular remodeling after pressure-overload hypertrophy in rats.Methods After stenosis of the ascending aortic artery,20 survived female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two groups:hypertrophy control(n=10)and Ginsenoside(100 mg?kg?d-1,n=10);sham operated rats(n=10)were selected randomly as nonstenosis control.Four weeks after the operation,the LVPW,IVS and LVDD of each rat were detected by echocardiogram.Myocardial cell and interstitial tissue were observed by immunofluorescence double staining.Results Compared with those in hypertrophy group,the LVPW and IVS in Ginsenoside group were all significantly decreased(P