ObjectiveTo observe the effect of acupoints stimulation with silver spike point therapy on insomnia.Methods60 patients with insomnia were randomly divided into the trial group and control group with 30 cases in each group. Patients of the trial group were treated by acupoints stimulation with silver spike point therapy and patients of control group were treated only with Clonopin. All patients of two groups were tested with Self-Rating Scale of Sleep (SRSS) before and after treatment.ResultsThe curative effect rate of the trial group was 86.6%; that of the control group was 60%; the curative effect of the trial group was superior to the control group (P<0.05). SRSS difference of the trial group pre-and post-treatment was 12.79±3.20; that of the control group was 10.1±3.89. There was also a significant difference between two groups (P<0.01).ConclusionThe silver spike point therapy has the better curative effect on insomnia than Clonopin.

Objective To evaluate the potential utility of temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) in detecting homoplasmic and heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations in patients with cancers. Methods The entire mtDNA of tumor and corresponding normal tissues from total 117 patients were amplified by PCR, and the somatic mutations were screened by TTGE. DNA fragments showing different band patterns in normal and tumor tissues in TTGE were sequened to identify the exact mutations. Results 160 fragments harbouring mtDNA mutations were found by TTGE in total 3 654 fragments. Compared with the direct squencing results, the sensitivity and specificity of TTGE in mutation detection were 96.27% and 94.05% respectively. Conclusion TTGE is an effective method for screening acquired homoplasmic mitochondrial gene mutation and its different percentage.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Objective:To investigate the remodeling of alveolar bone and the changes of roots after an-terior retraction with maximum anchorage by analyzing CBCT data from adult cases.Methods:The sam-ple comprised 48 incisors and 24 canines from 12 patients (18 to 40 years of age)with problems of ma-xillary protrusion or upper arch protrusion.CBCT scans were exposed before and after treatment,and la-teral cephalometric images as well as multiple planar reconstruction images were reconstructed.Tracing superimpositions of sagittal sections and three-dimensional reconstructions were done for qualitative analy-sis.For all maxillary anterior teeth,changes of root length,alveolar bone height and labial-palatal thick-nesses at different levels were evaluated.The average of measurements taken by the same tester in three times was processed by SPSS 17.0 statistical package.Results:In 6 of the 12 cases,alveolar thickness became thinner on labial side [apical area:(-0.64 ±1.18)mm]while thicker on palatal side [apical area:(0.93 ±2.0)mm]and the root length decreased[(-0.95 ±0.79)mm].In the other 6 cases, the incisors’alveolar bone became thicker on labial side [apical area:(2.12 ±1.46)mm]while thin-ner on palatal side [apical area:(-2.88 ±0.58)mm]and the loss of root length was obvious[(-2.12 ± 1.43)mm].In all the 12 cases,the canines’alveolar bone became thinner on labial side especially on the apical level [(-0.27 ±1.86)mm]while greatly thicker on palatal side [apical area:(6.40 ± 6.00)mm]and the root resorption was slight [(-1.12 ±1.19)mm].For all the anterior teeth,the height of alveolar bone reduced around them after retraction.Conclusion:When the root apical moved more palatally,more root resorption would occur and the alveolar bone would get thicker on labial side but thinner on palatal side and thinner as a whole after anterior retraction with maximum anchorage.In the vertical direction,the height of the alveolar bone generally decreased on all sides and decreased the most on the palatal side.

Kidney ; growth & development ; injuries ; Regeneration ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Wound Healing

Objective To investigate the effects of nephroblastoma over-expressed protein (CCN3) on the formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in human mesangial cells (HMCs) and its underlying signal transduction mechanism related with microRNA-29(miRNA-29).Methods HMCs were pretreated with different doses of exogenous CCN3 (5 μg/L,50 μg/L and 500 μg/L) or transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)-CCN3 before exposed to TGF-β1(2 μg/L),to observe the expression of fibronectin (FN),type I collagen (COL I) and miRNA-29a,b and c.The mimics or inhibitor of the miRNA-29a were transfected into HMCs to analyze whether miRNA-29a affect CCN3.The expressions of FN mRNA,COL I mRNA and miRNA-29 family were detected by real time PCR.The protein expressions of FN and COL I were detected by Western blotting and cell immunofluorescence.Results (1) Compared with the normal control group,the expressions of FN and COL I were up-regulated in TGF-β1 group,while the expressions of miRNA-29a,b,c were down-regulated in TGF-β1 group (all P ＜ 0.05).(2) Compared with the TGF-β1 group,the expressions of FN and COL I were decreased when pretreated with the different doses of exogenous of CCN3 or transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)-CCN3 (all P ＜ 0.05).Meanwhile,the expression of miRNA-29a was significantly increased when pretreated with 50 μg/L and 500 μg/L CCN3 or transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)-CCN3 (all P ＜ 0.05);whereas miRNA-29b and c had no statistical difference (all P ＞ 0.05).(3) Compared with TGF-β1+CCN3 group,the expressions of FN and COL I were decreased in CCN3+TGF-β1+miRNA-29a mimics group (all P ＜ 0.05),whereas the expressions of FN and COL I in CCN3+TGF-β1+miRNA-29a inhibitors group were increased (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions CCN3 reduces the TGF-β1-induced production of ECM by the up-regulation of miRNA-29a.

Objective To observe the expression of zinc finger protein A20(A20), NF-κB and related inflammatory factors before and after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates degeneration of rabbit intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells.Methods The normal and degenerative nucleus pulposus cells were isolated and cultured, then divided into normal group,degenerative group,LPS stimulation group and NF-κB inhibition group.HE staining observe the morphological changes of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus,immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of A20,NF-κB/p65 and COL-Ⅱ.Real-time PCR was employed to analyze the expression of A20,IL-1β,TNF-α,NF-κB and COL-Ⅱ,Western blot was used to observe the A20 protein,p65 and COL-Ⅱexpression in the four groups, and TNF-α, IL-1β in cell supernatant was determined by ELISA.Results The number of nucleuspulposus cells significantly decreased, aggregation occured in the degenerative group.COL-Ⅱ was obvious lower and A20, p65 significantly higher than that in normal group by immunohistochemical staining.Compared with the normal group,A20,TNF-α,IL-1β,p65 expression was significantly increased and COL-Ⅱ decreased in the mRNA and protein levels in degenerative group.Above indexes changed more significant in LPS stimulation group than in degenerative group.The expression of A20, TNF-α, IL-1β, p65 in the NF-κB inhibitor group was lower than that in the LPS group, and the expression of type Ⅱ collagen increased(P<0.05).Conclusions Intervertebral disc inflammatory response is closely related to the development of intervertebral disc degeneration, A20 may play an important role.

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on uterine prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in rats with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) and to discuss the possible mechanism in EA intervening PD. Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, an EA group and an ibuprofen group, with 10 rats in each group. The PD model was established using estradiol benzoate combined with oxytocin in the model group, EA group and ibuprofen group. At the same time of modeling, rats in the EA group were given EA at Guanyuan (CV 4) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) once a day for 20 min each time for 10 consecutive days. Ibuprofen was intragastrically administered once a day for 10 consecutive days in the ibuprofen group. The same amount of normal saline was intragastrically administered once a day for 10 consecutive days in the blank group and model group. The number of writhing of rats in each group within 30 min was compared on the 11th day just after the interventions. The uterine homogenate supernatant was separated and the PGF2α level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot was applied for the detection of the expression levels of COX-2, phospho-NF-κB p65 and NF-κB p65 proteins in uterine tissues. Results: Compared with the blank group, the number of writhing in the model group increased significantly (P<0.01), and the expression levels of PGF2α, COX-2, phospho-NF-κB p65 and NF-κB p65 proteins in uterine tissues were significantly increased (all P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the number of writhing in the EA group and ibuprofen group were significantly reduced (both P<0.01), and the expression levels of PGF2α and COX-2 protein in uterine tissues were significantly reduced (both P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the phospho-NF-κB p65 level in uterine tissues in the EA group was significantly reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the ibuprofen group, the phospho-NF-κB p65 level in the EA group was significantly reduced (P<0.01). Conclusion: The mechanism of EA for PD rats may be related to inhibiting the phosphorylation of NF-κB and reducing the levels of COX-2 and PGF2α in uterine tissues.

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has greatly changed the pattern and natural history of ocular diseases of HIV-infected patients, resulting from the immune recovery and reduction of opportunistic infections. However, ophthalmic complica-tion continues to be concern in AIDS even in the HAART era, especially in developing areas, where absolute majority of HIV-positive patients live. Lack of test facilities and experience, poor conditions of hygiene, different microbiological environment, absence of effective treatment etc., characterize the ophthalmic manifestation of HIV-infected patients in developing countries from that in developed regions and thus pose a great challenge to the ophthalmic treatment in developing area. Not only varied from region to region, ocular complications are distinctive between adults and children. At the same time, the side effects due to the application of HAART pose their own risks of ocular complication and should, therefore, be given more research attention.