Increased Range of Motion and Decreased Strength of the Thumb in Massage Practitioners with Thumb Pain

The purpose of this study was to compare the range of motion (ROM) and strength of the metacarpophalangeal (MP) and interphalangeal (IP) joints among massage practitioners with and without thumb pain and control subjects. Sixteen massage practitioners with thumb pain, 16 practitioners without thumb pain, and 16 control subjects participated in this study. ROM of flexion, extension, and abduction in the MP joint; ROM of flexion and extension in the IP joint of the thumb; strength of the flexor pollicis brevis (FPB), extensor pollicis brevis (EPB), abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis longus (FPL), and extensor pollicis longus measured in all subjects. ROM of extension and abduction in the MP joint were significantly increased in massage practitioners with and without thumb pain compared with control subjects. ROM of extension in the IP joint was significantly increased in massage practitioners with thumb pain compared with those without thumb pain. The strength of the EPB and FPL muscle was significantly decreased in massage practitioners with thumb pain compared with those without thumb pain and control subjects, respectively. In addition, there was significantly increased EPB/FPB strength in massage practitioners without thumb pain compared to those with thumb pain and control subjects.     

Low-dose-rate radiation exposure leads to testicular damage with decreases in DNMT1 and HDAC1 in the murine testis

This study examined the effects of continuous low-dose-rate radiation exposure (3.49 mGy/h) of gamma rays on mice testicles. C57BL/6 mice were divided into sham and radiation groups (n = 8 each), and were exposed to either sham irradiation or 2 Gy for 21 days, 0.2 Gy for 2 days, or 0.02 Gy for 6 h of low-dose-rate irradiation. Testicular weight, seminiferous tubular diameter, and seminiferous epithelial depth were significantly decreased in the mice irradiated with 2 Gy at 1 and 9 days after exposure. Moreover, the low-dose-rate radiation exposure induced an increase in malondialdehyde levels, and a decrease in superoxide dismutase activity in the testis of mice irradiated with 2 Gy at 1 and 9 days after exposure. The sperm count and motility in the epididymis also decreased in mice irradiated with 2 Gy at 1 and 9 days after exposure, whereas there was no significant effect on the proportion of abnormal sperm. The expressions of DNA methlytransferases-1 and histone deacetylases 1 in testes irradiated with 2 Gy were significantly decreased compared with the sham group. In conclusion, the damage exerted on the testes and epididymis largely depended on the total dose of low-dose-rate radiation.     

Low and high linear energy transfer radiation sensitization of HCC cells by metformin

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of metformin as a radiosensitizer for use in combination therapy for human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Three human HCC cell lines (Huh7, HepG2, Hep3B) and a normal human hepatocyte cell line were treated with metformin alone or with radiation followed by metformin. In vitro tests were evaluated by clonogenic survival assay, FACS analysis, western blotting, immunofluorescence and comet assay. Metformin significantly enhanced radiation efficacy under high and low Linear Energy Transfer (LET) radiation conditions in vitro. In combination with radiation, metformin abrogated G2/M arrest and increased the cell population in the sub-G1 phase and the ROS level, ultimately increasing HCC cellular apoptosis. Metformin inhibits the repair of DNA damage caused by radiation. The radiosensitizing effects of metformin are much higher in neutron (high LET)-irradiated cell lines than in γ (low LET)-irradiated cell lines. Metformin only had a moderate effect in normal hepatocytes. Metformin enhances the radiosensitivity of HCC, suggesting it may have clinical utility in combination cancer treatment with high-LET radiation.     

Nitric oxide expression in airway epithelial cells in response to tubercle bacilli stimulation

Abstract In order to investigate the role of airway epithelial cells in pulmonary tuberculosis, inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production were studied in A549 cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from normal volunteers were separated and cultured for 24h with LPS or tubercle bacilli (H37Rv, H37Ra). Thereafter, A549 cells were stimulated for another 24h with culture supernatant fluids of PBMC. iNOS messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was measured with Northern blot analysis and NO production was measured with the Griess reaction, which can measure nitrite concentration. iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were minimal in the control cells. iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were significantly increased with LPS ( P < 0.05) or tubercle bacilli ( P < 0.01) stimulation. However, there was no difference in iNOS mRNA expression and NO production between H37Rv and H37Ra stimulations. Interestingly, iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were greater in A549 cells stimulated with tubercle bacilli-conditioned media than in the cells stimulated with LPS-conditioned media. IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interferon gamma concentrations were increased in culture supernatant fluids of PBMC stimulated with tubercle bacilli. These findings suggest that airway epithelial cells may play a certain role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis by producing NO. However, the role of airway epithelial cells, regarding the virulence of tubercle bacilli, was not clear in this study.     

LATE ONSET HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE AS A CAUSE OF DEMENTIA: WHERE SHOULD THE CLINICIAN'S INDEX OF SUSPICION LIE?

Our experience with two genetically confirmed cases of late onset Huntington's disease (HD) in a longitudinal dementia research study suggested that clinical misdiagnosis can easily occur. We therefore undertook genetic testing for HD in a further 84 elderly subjects, 81 of whom had come to postmortem; 75 subjects had dementia and nine were normal controls. A quarter of the demented group had demonstrated extrapyramidal symptoms in life but in none had HD formed part of the differential diagnosis. Although no genetically confirmed cases were found in this second group, the original cases serve as a reminder that late onset HD is a cause of dementia. Genetic confirmation should be sought when the condition forms part of the final differential diagnosis. Further studies conducted in the routine clinical setting are now required since it is in this environment that late onset HD is likely to be misdiagnosed in favour of other forms of dementia.     

Pacemaker Upgrade for Recurrent Pacemaker Syndrome Using a Redundant Contralateral Electrode in a Patient with Bilateral Venous Stenoses

Following His-bundle ablation and VVIR pacemaker implantation, severe Pacemaker syndrome developed and was treated with DDDR pacing in a 70-year-old woman. Due to bilateral subclavian vein stenosis, DDDR pacing could not be maintained and an unusual method of restoring atrioventricular synchrony is described using the contralateral redundant atrial electrode connected to the ipsilateral dual chamber pacemaker and ventricular electrode.     

《伤寒杂病论》中的病证与经络的传承关系

从经络学说角度来探讨《伤寒杂病论》中蓄血、脾约、小便不利、消渴等4个病证,可以窥见中医理论渊源与经络学说密切相关。     

小球藻提取物对大鼠急性肝损伤的保护作用

目的 利用四氯化碳诱导大鼠急性肝损伤模型,研究小球藻提取物对急性肝损伤的保护作用.方法利用四氯化碳诱导大鼠急性肝损伤,测定大鼠血清中丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)活性,肝组织中谷胱甘肽(GSH)、丙二醛(MDA)水平及谷胱甘肽过氧化酶(GSH-Px)活性,分析小球藻提取物对上述指标的影响.结果小球藻提取物显著降低大鼠血清中ALT,AST以及肝组织中MDA值并促进肝组织中GSH-Px活性及GSH含量的升高.结论小球藻提取物对四氯化碳所致大鼠急性肝损伤具有明显的防治作用.     

吉非罗齐对实验性糖尿病大鼠的降糖作用及其机制研究

 目的观察吉非罗齐(gemfibrozil,Gem)对实验性2型糖尿病(type 2 diabetes mellitus,T2DM)大鼠的降糖、降脂作用及其可能机制。方法采用高糖高脂膳食4周诱导大鼠胰岛素抵抗后,腹腔注射亚致病剂量链脲佐菌素(streptozotocin,STZ)的方法制备T2DM模型,并观察Gem对其血脂、血糖代谢的影响及其可能机制。结果连续灌胃给药8周后,Gem显著降低实验性糖尿病大鼠的空腹血糖(fasting blood glucose,FBG)和三酰甘油(triglyceride,TG)、总胆固醇(totalcholesterol,TC)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDL-C)及游离脂肪酸含量(nonesterified fatty acid,NEFA)(P<0.05或P<0.01),显著增高实验性糖尿病大鼠血清SOD活力(superoxide dismutase,SOD),降低模型组大鼠MDA(maleic dialdehyde,MDA)含量(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论Gem不仅对实验性T2DM大鼠血脂具有良好的调节作用,还能改善实验性T2DM大鼠的血糖代谢,显著降低FBG。     

补肾中药对骨质疏松症大鼠下丘脑BMP-4、Smad6 mRNA及蛋白表达的影响

目的探索肾虚骨质疏松症的病理机制,研究补肾中药对肾虚骨质疏松大鼠防治作用的机理。方法实验采用去双侧卵巢的方法,建立肾虚骨质疏松症模型。补肾中药复方（高、中、低）剂量对实验大鼠治疗12周,以骨疏康颗粒、盖天力牡蛎钙作为阳性对照药,并设正常对照组和模型空白组。用RT-PCR法、Western印迹法检测肾虚骨质疏松症大鼠下丘脑组织中BMP-4、Smad6 mRNA和蛋白表达。结果①与正常组比较,模型空白组大鼠下丘脑组织中的BMP-4 mRNA和蛋白表达水平明显增强;Smad6 mRNA和蛋白表达水平明显降低。②与模型空白组比较,补肾中药组对模型大鼠下丘脑组织中的BMP-4 mRNA和蛋白表达明显降低;而Smad6 mRNA和蛋白表达明显增强。结论肾虚骨质疏松症的病理机制为肾精不足,骨髓、脑髓失养,表现在下丘脑-垂体-靶腺轴的调控失常,包括下丘脑组织的细胞因子及其信号传导通路的异常。