Moxibustion Regulates Gastrointestinal Motility via HCN1 in Functional Dyspepsia Rats.

BACKGROUND Moxibustion therapy has been found to ameliorate clinical symptoms of functional dyspepsia (FD). We aimed to examine the regulatory effect of moxibustion on the gastrointestinal (GI) motility in FD and explore the underlying mechanism based on the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel 1 (HCN1). MATERIAL AND METHODS Moxibustion therapy was used in FD rats induced by using classic tail-pinch and irregular feeding.

Hydrogel-coated needles prevent puncture site bleeding.

Introduction: Incomplete hemostasis after vascular cannulation can cause a hematoma or pseudoaneurysm. We hypothesized that a hydrogel-coated needle would effectively and rapidly stop bleeding after vascular cannulation.

Methods: A hydrogel composed of sodium alginate, hyaluronic acid, and calcium carbonate was coated onto the surface of suture needles.

Hyaluronic acid-heparin conjugated decellularized human great saphenous vein patches decrease neointimal thickness.

Although the science of implantable materials has advanced therapeutic options in vascular surgery, graft failure is still a problem in need of a durable solution. With the development of coating and decellularization techniques, coated prosthetic grafts have become an option; however, whether decellularized human saphenous vein can be conjugated and implanted is not known. Human great saphenous vein (GSV) was harvested and decellularized and hyaluronic acid (HA)-heparin was conjugated to the GSV; water contact angles (WCA), morphology, and sulfur element change were measured before and after heparin bonding.

Metabolically healthy obesity is associated with longitudinal changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in Chinese adults.

Purpose: Whether metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) is associated with longitudinal changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) remains unclear.

Methods: MHO was defined as participants with overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 24.0 kg/m, n = 2921), free of history of metabolic diseases, and without abnormalities of blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, lipid profile, carotid artery and liver ultrasonographic findings at baseline.

Overexpression of the mitochondrial chaperone tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 is associated with the poor prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein-1 (TRAP-1), a mitochondrial chaperone, contributes significantly to the progression of cancer. However, the understanding of its involvement in the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains limited. The aim of the present study was to assess the significance of TRAP-1 expression in CRC.

Quality of life and self-care in elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases: The effect of a Traditional Chinese Medicine health educational intervention.

Aims: To explore the effects of a Traditional Chinese Medicine health educational intervention on the quality of life and self-care agency of elderly patients living with chronic cardiovascular disease.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The secondary prevention and treatment for chronic cardiovascular disease emphasize the importance of lifestyle modification.

The soy-derived peptide Vglycin inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Vglycin, a novel natural polypeptide isolated from pea seeds, possesses antidiabetic properties. Our previous studies have shown that Vglycin can induce the differentiation of human colon adenocarcinoma cells. We aimed to determine the anticancer activity of Vglycin against colon cancer cells and to elucidate related apoptosis-inducing mechanisms.

Two variants on T2DM susceptible gene HHEX are associated with CRC risk in a Chinese population.

Increasing amounts of evidence has demonstrated that T2DM (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) patients have increased susceptibility to CRC (colorectal cancer). As HHEX is a recognized susceptibility gene in T2DM, this work was focused on two SNPs in HHEX, rs1111875 and rs7923837, to study their association with CRC. T2DM patients without CRC (T2DM-only, n=300), T2DM with CRC (T2DM/CRC, n=135), cancer-free controls (Control, n=570), and CRC without T2DM (CRC-only, n=642) cases were enrolled.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of microRNA-107 in human non small cell lung cancer.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs which can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in human cancers. Researchers have found that the expression level of miR-107 was decreased in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and cell lines, however, its clinicopathological and prognostic significance in NSCLC has not been investigated.

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression of miR-107 in 137 pairs of fresh NSCLC and matched adjacent normal tissue specimens.

The meaning of life and health experience for the Chinese elderly with chronic illness: a qualitative study from positive health philosophy.

Ageing and the concurrent prevalence of chronic disease in older adults produce a great burden and challenge for family, society and individuals. There is a definite need to build the science about caring for older Chinese adults from their perspective to inform health-care professionals. The aim of the study was to investigate the meaning of life and health experience of Chinese elderly with chronic illness and identify health potential from a positive perspective.

The miRNA let-7a1 inhibits the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) in prostate cancer PC-3 cells.

Reduced microRNA (miRNA) let-7a expression and the activation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) signalling are both involved in prostate cancer and progression. In the present study, we demonstrated that the growth inhibitory effect of let-7a1 is directly related to targeting IGF1R gene expression in PC-3 cells. TargetScan predicted three potential target sites (T1, T2 and T3) of let-7a in the 3' untranslational region (3' UTR) of IGF1R mRNA.

The inhibitory effects of NKX3.1 on IGF-1R expression and its signalling pathway in human prostatic carcinoma PC3 cells.

NKX3.1, which is a prostate-specific homeobox gene, plays an important role in prostate cancer and usually functions as a tumour suppressor gene. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of NKX3.

Endoscopic expand transnasal approach to the suprasellar region: anatomical study and clinical considerations.

Background: The expanded endonasal approach (EEA) is used sparingly by surgeons for resection of lesions in the ventrocranial base. Herein, we examined the anatomy of the ventrocranial base by endoscopy and comment on the use of EEA in clinical practice.

Methods: Twenty artery-injected adult cadaveric heads were studied under surgical conditions using the endoscopic EEA.

Identification of Sp1-elements in the promoter region of human homeobox gene NKX3.1.

NKX3.1 is a prostate-specific homeobox gene related strongly to prostate development and prostate cancer. However, little is known about the mechanism for regulation of NKX3.

Inhibition of beta-amyloid precursor protein gene in SK-N-SH cells by piperlonguminine/dihydropiperlonguminine components separated from Chinese herbal medicine Futokadsura stem.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive and memory decline. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a transmembrane protein, it has been known to play an important role in AD pathogenesis. Previous studies have shown that a Chinese herb Futokadsura stem can selectively inhibit the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene.

Gum mastic increases maspin expression in prostate cancer cells.

Aim: To study whether gum mastic, a natural resin, can regulate maspin expression in prostate cancer cells, and further investigate the mechanisms involved in this regulatory system.

Methods: RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect maspin expression at the transcriptional and translational levels. Reporter gene assay was used to investigate the effect of gum mastic on the maspin promoter.

Curcumin downregulates homeobox gene NKX3.1 in prostate cancer cell LNCaP.

Aim: To elucidate the effect and the mechanisms of curcumin on the expression of the human homeobox gene NKX3.1 in the prostate cancer cell LNCaP.

Methods: The expression change of NKX3.

[Up-regulates the expression of maspin gene in prostate cancer cell line LNCaP].

Aim: To study the effect of curcumin on the apoptosis of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and regulation of expression of maspin gene.

Methods: MTT and DNA electrophoresis were used to examine the cell growth and apoptosis of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP after treated with different doses of curcumin. The expression of maspin gene at transcription level and translation level was also detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting.

[The roles of c-Jun and CBP in the inhibitory effect of quercetin on prostate cancer cells].

Aim: To further uncover the possible mechanism of quercetin-mediated inhibitory effect on prostate cancer cells.

Methods: The cell extracts treated with quercetin or without treatment were used for checking protein expression levels of c-Jun and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) by Western blotting assay. Regulatory effects of c-Jun and CBP on the function of androgen receptor (AR) were examined by cotransfection experiment.

Effects of 9-cis retinoic acid on human homeobox gene NKX3.1 expression in prostate cancer cell line LNCaP.

Aim: To study the regulatory effects of 9-cis retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of human homeobox gene NKX3.1 in prostate cancer cell line LNCaP.

Methods: Flow cytometry, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to evaluate the effects of 9-cis RA on NKX3.

Gum mastic inhibits the expression and function of the androgen receptor in prostate cancer cells.

Accumulating evidence suggests that the androgen receptor (AR) may play an important role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. To find new, useful compounds that effectively may attenuate the function of AR in prostate cancer cells, the authors investigated the effect of gum mastic, a natural resin, on AR activity. An androgen-responsive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP was used as a model for this study.

Identification of androgen-responsive element ARE and Sp1 element in the maspin promoter.

Maspin is a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) with tumor-suppressing function in mammary gland. It is down-regulated in primary prostate cancer cells and lost in metastatic cells. To better understand the transcriptional regulation of maspin gene, the 860bp (-765 approximately +95) of its promoter sequence was amplified by PCR from the human genomic DNA.

Identification of a positive Cis-element upstream of human NKX3.1 gene.

NKX3.1 is a prostate-specific homeobox gene related to prostate development and prostate cancer. In this work, we aimed to identify precisely the functional cis-element in the 197 bp region (from -1032 to -836 bp) of the NKX3.

Up-regulation of NKX3.1 expression and inhibition of LNCaP cell proliferation induced by an inhibitory element decoy.

NKX3.1 is an androgen-regulated prostate-specific homeobox gene that is thought to play an important role in prostate development and cancerogenesis. NKX3.