Objective To investigate the effect of the time factor on acupuncture effects by observing the changes of nitric oxide (NO) content at the acupuncture points in different times. Method The experimental study was done on 20 cases of healthy volunteers who provide informed consent. Among 10 cases of acupuncture group, 5 cases were male, 5 cases were female. Among 10 cases of non-acupuncture group, 5 cases were male, 5 cases were female. The age was around 25 to 45 years. Jianshi on Pericardium Meridian of Hand Jueyin and Weizhong on Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang was acupunctured. "Active"/"silent" time of points were projected with Ziwuliuzhu Najia method. Acupuncture was done at the points "active"/"silent" respectively. The changes of NO content at the body points were detected. The difference of acupuncture in different time at the body points was compared. Result NO content in acupuncture group was higher at the "active" than at the "silent", while there was no significant difference at non-acupuncture group. NO content was higher in acupuncture group than that in non-acupuncture group. Conclusion NO content at the points can be increased by acupuncture. Effect of acupuncture at acupoints "active" was more significant than at acupoints "silent". It was proved that the therapeutic effect of acupuncture can be increased by using time acupuncture.

BACKGROUND:The relationship between placing time after stem cel preparation and cel survival is the basis of safety and effectiveness for the clinical application. OBJECTIVE: To observe effects of different preservation solutions and different storage time on survival rate of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cels, and to provide important evidence for identifying effectiveness of stem cels. METHODS:Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cels were selected to prepare stem cel preparation, which was preserved in physiological saline, medium, medium+physiological saline, physiological saline containing epidermal growth factor, and medium containing low molecular heparin calcium suspension. Cold closet was selected for imitating celular transport conditions. Samples were obtained at 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 hours. Total cel number and cel survival rate were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The difference in cel number and survival rate was not great within 24 hours in each group. Twenty-four hours later, total cel number and survival rate were better in the medium and medium containing low molecular heparin calcium groups than in the physiological saline containing epidermal growth factor, physiological saline, and medium+physiological saline groups. These findings suggest that after stem cel preparation, the cel survival rate can reach more than 90% within 24 hours under refrigerated transport conditions. Nutritional ingredients and proper pH value of preservation solution can make the cel survival rate increased greatly.

Objective To study the protective effect of phenethyl alcohol glycosides extracted from Herba Cistan-chis on human sperm DNA with oxidative damage by Raman spectroscopy. Methods The human sperm model of oxidative damage was induced with Fenton’s reagent in vitro. After co-cultured with the phenethyl alcohol gly-cosides extracted from Herba Cistanchis ( in the dosage of 0.1, 0.01 and 0.001 μg/mL) , the changes of the sperm nuclear DNA were observed by using confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy. Results The intensity and peaks of the Raman spectra of the human sperm nuclei treated by Fenton’s reagent were changed significantly, and then the changes of intensity and peaks were inhibited after treatment with phenethyl alcohol glycosides of Herba Cistanchis, the inhibition being dose-dependent. Conclusion The phenylethyl alcohol glycosides ex-tracted from Herba Cistanchis have protective effect on human sperm DNA with oxidative damage.

The physiological mechanism underlying the acupoint sensitization was evaluated systemically by using the method of electric physiology at spinal cord, medulla, and thalamus levels; the dynamic change of acupoint from the relative "silence" to the relative "activation" function was explained through the study on the dynamic process of acupoint sensitization; the biological process of the therapeutic effect of acupoint stimulation was illuminated through the research of the central mechanism underlining the dose effect relationship between the sensitive acupoint and the related brain area, thus scientific evidence for the functional link between the acupoint and internal organs as well as the nature of the acupoint were provided.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Sensation ; Viscera ; innervation ; physiology ; Visceral Afferents ; physiology

BACKGROUND:Stem celltumorigenicity is a practical issue concerning stability in the clinical application of stem cells. Therefore, it is particularly important to clear whether stem cells have tumorigenic ability or not. Nude mice occupy an increasingly important position in oncology, immunology, and safety evaluation of drugs and biological products.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the tumorigenicity of neural stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells in Balb/c nude immunodeficient mice.
METHODS:Balb/c nude mice were randomly divided into control group, negative group, positive group, neural stem cellgroup and mesenchymal stem cellgroup. HepG-2 cells, RPE cells, passage 4 neural stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice from different groups, respectively. After 12 weeks of injection, anatomical observation was performed to detect the tumor formation in the transplantation site. Meanwhile, soft agar colony formation assay was applied to investigate neural stem celland mesenchymal stem cellclone in vitro.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After 12 weeks of injection, the tumorigenicity study results showed that no tumor developed in the transplantation site in the control group, negative group, neural stem cellgroup and mesenchymal stem cellgroup. Histopathologic examinations also showed no abnormality in these groups. Soft agar colony formation assay showed in soft agar resistance medium, neural stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells did not exhibit clone ability. These findings indicate that neural stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells undergoing short-term passages have no tumorigenic growth.

BACKGROUND:Stem cells expansion technology in vitro is affected by the microenvironment of the culture system. So, to find an effective method is particularly important to promote celladherent and growth. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of different culture media on cellexpansion. METHODS:Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells at a density of 5.0×104 cells/cm2 were inoculated into Corning? polystyrene culture dishes coated with or without poly-L-ornithine and Corning? cellBIND culture dishes. celladhesion and proliferation were observed, and expressions of celladhesion proteins and cellmarkers were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:celladhesion was promoted when cells were cultured in Corning? cellBIND? Surface medium coated with poly-L-ornithine for 24 hours, and the cultured cells grew at the logarithmic phase. The cellproliferation was also enhanced, and the cells expressed celladhesion protein but not the cellmarkers of CD73, CD90, CD105. Corning? cellBIND? Surface medium was superior to Corning? polystyrene culture medium in the improvement of celladhesion and proliferation. Additional y, both of these two media showed no influence on cellphenotype. These findings indicate that Corning? cellBIND? Surface medium can promote celladhesion and proliferation, but shows no effects on cyclin and cellphenotype. This medium coated with poly-L-ornithine can further accelerate celladhesion and proliferation, and stably express cellphenotype of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of epididymal hypofunction of rats with varicocele (VC) by observing the changes in the epididymal index, motility of epididymal sperm, expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) and the tumor suppressor protein p53, and epididymal epithelial cells.

METHODSNinety SD rats were equally randomized to a VC model (A), a sham operation (B), and a normal control group (C). At 49 days after surgery, all the rats were executed after weighing. Then the volume of the left epididymis was obtained, the epididymal sperm motility was detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), the expressions of HIF-1 alpha and p53 in the epididymal tissue were determined by Western-blot, and the epididymal epithelial cells were observed by HE staining.

RESULTSVC models were successfully established in 27 of the rats. One-way ANOVA test showed no statistically significant differences in the epididymis index among groups A ([40.53 +/- 1.76] x 10 (-5)) , B ([43.31 1.58] x 10( -5)) , and C ( [44. 10 +/- 2.62] x 10 -5) (P > 0.05). Sperm motility and the percentage of progressively motile sperm were significantly lower in group A ([71.86 +/- 5.07]% and [42. 26 +/-4.45]%) than in B ([78.51 4.50]% and [49.08 +/-4. 19]% ) and C ( [79.24 +/- 2.70] % and [52. 23+/- 2. 23] % ) (both P <0.05) , while the expressions of HTF-1 a and p53 were remarkably higher in A (1.74 +/- 0. 16 and 1.71 +/- 0. 11) than in B (0.32 +/- 0. 08 and 0.56 +/- 0.13) and C (0.12 +/- 0. 03 and 0.25 +/-0.06) (both P < 0.05). The epididymal epithelial cells in group A were obviously decreased in number and arranged in loose and disorderly patterns as compared with those in B and C.

CONCLUSIONVaricocele can cause hypoxia in the epididymal tissue, which in turn may lead to epididymal hypofunction.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epididymis ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sperm Motility ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Varicocele ; metabolism

An HPLC fingerprint of pomegranate peel was established. Using chromatographic conditions, we compared the chemical composition of pomegranate peel, inside and seeds, and simultaneously determined the contents of gallic acid and ellagic acid. By comparison, we found that there were no significant differences between pomegranate peel and inside, but there was a big difference between pomegranate seeds and another two. The contents of gallic acid and ellagic acid of pomegranate peel respectively were 0.33%, 0.59%, while in pomegranate inside the result respectively were 0.52%, 0.38%. Content of ellagic acid from pomegranate seeds was only 0.01%. By study, we thought that when pomegranate peel was processed, pomegranate seeds should be removed, while pomegranate inside could be retained on the premise of full drying.
Ellagic Acid ; analysis ; Gallic Acid ; analysis ; Punicaceae ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) and its receptor in the development of hypertrophic scar. MethodsThe expression of PDGF and its receptor were detected in biopsy specimens of 9 pieces of normal skin, 7 pieces of granulation tissue of burn wound and 34 pieces of hypertrophic scar by immunohistochemical staining using specific polyclonal antibodies.ResultsPDGF and its receptor markedly increased in granulation tissue and hypertrophic scars, reaching the peak in the hypertrophic scars within 6 months and then decreased after the peak, whereas PDGF and its receptor expressed weakly in only a few normal skin specimens, and the differences were significant(P<0.05).ConclusionsThe increasing expression of PDGF and its receptor may be related to the development of hypertrophic scar.

OBJECTIVETo explore clinical effects of internal fixation in treating displaced clavicle fracture combined with coracoid process.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to July 2012, 9 patients with displaced clavicle fracture combined with coracoid process were treated by internal fixation. Among them, there were 6 males and 3 females with an average age of 40.1 (ranged from 20 to 57) years old. According to Eyres classification: 3 cases were type II B, 1 case was type II A, 3 cases were type III B, and 2 cases were type V A. All patients had history of injury, and diagnosed as coracoid fracture X-ray and CT before operation. Herscovici criteria was used to evaluate function of shoulders joint after operation.

RESULTSSeven of 9 patients were followed up from 6 to 18 (averaged 11) months. The incisions were healed at stage I, coracoid process obtained bony healing, and reduction of acromioclavicular joint well. According to Herscovici criteria, 6 patients got excellent results and 1 in good.

CONCLUSIONInternal fixation for the treatment of displaced clavicle fracture combined with coracoid process could restore physiological anatomical position of coracoid process, and benefit for recovery of limb function.

Adult ; Clavicle ; injuries ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recovery of Function ; Scapula ; injuries ; Shoulder Joint ; injuries