[Auricular acupuncture of magnetic pellet combined with catheter balloon dilatation in treatment of post-stroke cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy on post-stroke cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction treated with auricular acupuncture of magnetic pellet combined with catheter balloon dilatation, and the effect on the adverse reaction during catheter balloon dilatation and the patients' quality of life.

Methods: A total of 106 patients with post-stroke cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction were randomly divided into an observation group (53 cases, 3 cases dropped off, 1 case excluded) and a control group (53 cases, 5 cases dropped off). The catheter balloon dilatation was provided in the control group, once a day.

Involvement of 5-HT-BDNF signaling axis in mediating synergistic antidepressant-like effects after combined administration of two oligosaccharide esters.

Potential mechanisms of depression involving herbal medicines and their specific compounds include elevated 5-HT level and downstream BDNF pathway. To identify potentially new combined therapeutic strategies, 3,6'-disinapoylsucrose (DISS) and tenuifoliside A (TFSA) have been observed to show antidepressant-like effects and its related 5-HT-BDNF pathway. We have tried to investigate whether combined administration of DISS and TFSA exerted more effective in the treatment of depression, as assessed through tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST).

Ribosome Binding Protein 1 Correlates with Prognosis and Cell Proliferation in Bladder Cancer.

Introduction: Ribosome binding protein 1 (RRBP1) is reported to be correlated with tumor formation and progression. However, the role of RRBP1 in bladder cancer is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression of RRBP1 and its influence on cell proliferation in bladder cancer.

Down-regulation of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma: Their relationship with clinicopathological parameters and prognostic significance.

Objective: C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) is a multi-functional protein involved in the apoptosis pathway of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and is related to cancer progression. The purpose of this study was to assess CHOP expression as a prognostic biomarker in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA).

Methods: The levels of CHOP mRNA and protein in GCA and matched adjacent non-cancerous tissues were evaluated by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot.

[NO3-/NO2- inhibits sulfate-reducing activity of the enrichment culture of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes from an off-shore oil reservoir at Bohai Bay, China].

Long-term injection of sulfate-rich water into oil reservoirs stimulates the proliferation of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) therein and results in production of a great amount of H2S, leading to souring in oil reservoirs and related environmental problems. In this study, we first, using modified API RP 38 medium, enriched SRP present in production water from a producing well at Bohai Bay, China, and then examined the inhibitory effects of nitrate or nitrite on sulfate reduction activity of the SRP. Results showed that the enriched SRP culture exhibited a high sulfate reduction activity as indicated by a sulfate-reducing rate of 10.

Bosentan ameliorates the expression of fibrotic related growth factors and collagen-1 in diabetic mice.

Objective: To investigate the potential beneficial effect of bosentan in ameliorating fibrotic agents in diabetic mice.

Methods: Male 6-week old C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 groups (N=20): Control group, diabetes mellitus (DM) group and DM-B group (diabetes with bosentan group). Streptozotocin (STZ) was injected as 200 mg/Kg for single dose, i.

Protection against osteoporosis by statins is linked to a reduction of oxidative stress and restoration of nitric oxide formation in aged and ovariectomized rats.

Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, have been used as a cholesterol-lowering drug to treat hyperlipidemia clinically. In recent years, accumulating evidence indicates the possible beneficial effect of statins on osteoporosis. The aim of present study was to investigate whether protection against osteoporosis by statins is linked to a reduction of oxidative stress and restoration of nitric oxide (NO) formation in aged and ovariectomized rats.