Objective:To study the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE),extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),and the changes of atrial fibrosis in patients with rheumatic heart disease(RHD) and atrial fibrillation(AF) treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI).Methods:Atrial tissues were obtained from the right appendage during open surgery in 35 patients with RHD.The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 were semi-qualified by reverse transcription-ploymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and normalized to the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH).Western blotting analysis was employed to examine the expressions of ACE and phosphorylated ERK(pERK).Atrial collagen volume fraction(CVF) was detected by Masson's stain.Results:The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 or the protein of ACE and pERK were significantly increased,and CVF was significantly increased in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation(CAF) compared with sinus rhythm group(SR)( P 0.05).Conclusion:The expressions of ACE,ERK2 and pERK increase,and fibrosis is more severe in RHD patients with CAF as compared with those with SR.Compared with CAF patients treated without ACEI,the expressions of ERK2 and pERK significantly decrease( P 0.05)in CAF patients treated with ACEI.This suggests that the increasing expression of ERK2 and pERK resulting from local renal angiotensin-converting enzyme system activation mediates the development of atrial fibrosis,and ACEI may contribute to lesser atrial fibrosis in RHD patients with AF.

According to the sera aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) can be classified into two types as AQP4 antibody positive (AQP4+) and negative (AQP4-). However, the NMO patients with AQP4- are prone to delayed treatment, and may have a different pathogenesis compared to that in patients with AQP4+. Scientific researches and the clinical trials on NMO with AQP4- will deepen the understanding of NMO pathogenesis and help to make an early accurate diagnosis and rational therapy for NMO with AQP4-. This review aims to summarize the progress in clinic diagnosis for NMO patients with AQP4-.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood pressure of the pulmonary circulation. PH progresses rapidly to right ventricular (RV) failure and even death without treatment. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an accurate and reproducible tool for the assessment of RV morphology and function, which plays an important role in the prognosis of patients with PH. The aim of this study is to review the clinical application and research progress of CMR in evaluation of PH.

Acupuncture scientization was a consensus of most of acupuncture scholars who had long-term perspectives in the 20th century, among them Ms. ZHULian was the important one. Ms. ZHU Lian built a systemic new acupuncture" academic structure in practice and theory aspects. At the same time, as the main architect of Institute of Acupuncture-moxibustion of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ms. ZHU Lian was the first one who began to carry out the acupuncture clinical trail and laboratory experiment in modern way, which meant "acupuncture therapy" was transformed into "acupuncture science" by Ms. ZHULian's endeavor.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; standards ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; standards ; China ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Science ; history

The acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is divided into four categories, including theoretical literature, acupuncture channels and acupoints drawing literature, translations, and teaching materials and medical cases. It is found that the theoretical literature focuses on inheriting the traditional theories as well as combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The drawings are becoming more and more precise, and in these drawing works anatomy begins to appear at that time. Translations are the achievements of communication between TCM and Western medicine, which promote the scientization of acupuncture greatly. Teaching materials are also influenced by Western medicine, presenting a rough frame of modern acupuncture disciplinary system. As important clinic data, medical cases have great clinical value. Overall, acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is widely published, which is influenced greatly by the Western medicine and presents a significant tendency of scientization.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; Books ; history ; China ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Translations

ObjectiveTo explore the expressions of EGFR and Ki-67 in vulvar dystrophy and their clinical significance MethodsTissue specimens were collected from 160 patients with vulvar dystrophy.Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of EGFR and Ki-67 in these specimens.The expression levels of EGFR and Ki-67 were compared among different pathological subtypes of vulvar dystrophy,and the relationship of these expressions with clinical pathological characteristics was assessed.ResultsNo significant differences were observed in the expressions of EGFR or Ki-67 between vulvar dystrophy of squamous cell hyperplasia type,lichen sclerosus type and mixed type(P ＞ 0.05).The expression level of EGFR was positively correlated with that of Ki-67 in vulvar dystrophy (r =0.66,P ＜ 0.05).There was a significant difference in the expression rate of EGFR and Ki-67 between patients with different courses of vulvar dystrophy(both P ＜0.05),but not between patients with different age at onset of vulvar dystrophy(both P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The expressions of EGFR and Ki-67 are different among patients with different courses of vulvar dystrophy.

Melanoma antigen A is a kind of rumor-associated antigen,which expresses in various types of hunman malignant tumor tissues especially in melanoma.Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a kind of malignant epithelial tumor with high incidence which occurs in liver.Searching for effective diagnosis and treatment methods of it become a pressing task.It is confirmed that MAGE-A gene is highly expressed in HCC tissues which has great significance to the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis for HCC.

BACKGROUND: Primary hypertension is in the category of "dizziness"and "dementia" in Chinese medicine. It is discovered in recent years that vascular dangerous factors, like hypertension affect the risk constitution of Alzheimer disease.OBJECTIVE: To probe into relationship between cognition and syndrome differentiation of primary hypertension.DESIGN: Case-control analysis was designed.SETTING: Jiangsu Staff University of Medical Science and Yangzhou Wenhe Hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 90 cases of primary hypertension were employed from May to June 2000. They were from some city in the north of Jiangsu province, graduated from middle school and cooperated with the investigation. Totally 30 cases were collected from physical-check group and taken in the control.METHODS: The cases of primary hypertension were differentiated as excess-syndrome group (excessive phlegm and damp and hyperactivity of liver yang), deficiency-syndrome group (yin deficiency of liver and kidney and deficiency of yin and yang), excess within deficiency group (complicated with blood stasis and with turbid phlegm) and the control group. Neuropsychological method was used to evaluate the cognition.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Indexes of neuropsychology: Fuld object-memory Evaluation (FOM), rapid verbal retrieve (RVR), block design WISE (BD), digit span WISE (DS), Hachinski ischemic score (HACH), mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activity of daily living scale among groups.RESULTS: The data of 90 cases of primary hypertension and 30 cases in physical-check group entered result analysis. Compared with the control group, significant difference was not indicated in every statistical index in excess-syndrome group (P ＞ 0.05). In deficiency-syndrome group, except MMSE and ADL, the rest observed indexes indicated statistical difference.In excess within deficiency group, statistical difference presented in every observed index (P ＜ 0.01), in which the results in the complication of turbid phlegm was worse than blood stasis (FOM was 11.3±3.7,13.5±2.5 respectively; DS was 6.4±3.9,8.3±3.5, respectively)CONCLUSION: Primary hypertension affects mental state of patient, in which, cognition is declined mildly in deficiency-syndrome group. Dementia symptoms present in excess within deficiency group which is severe in phlegm type compared with blood stasis type. Differentiation of syndromes in Chinese medicine integrated with neuropsychological assessment benefits early discovery and diagnosis of dementia.

Objective To evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine on inflammatory responses in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).Methods Thirty ASA physical status Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients of both sexes,aged 45-64 yr,weighing 50-80 kg,scheduled for elective cardiac valve replacement with CPB,were equally and randomly divided into 2 groups using a random number table:control group (group C) and dexmedetomidine group (group D).Anesthesia was induced with iv injection of midazolam,sufentanil,etomidate and rocuronium.The patients were endotracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated.A loading dose of dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg was injected intravenously over 10 min after induction,followed by continuous infusion at 0.05 μg· kg-1 · h-1 until the end of operation in group D.While the equal volume of normal saline was given in group C.Anesthesia was maintained with inhalation of sevoflurane,iv infusion of sufentanil and intermittent iv boluses of rocuronium.Before induction (T0),at 10 min after termination of CPB (T1),at the end of operation (T2),and at 6 and 24 h after operation (T3,4),the jugular bulb venous blood samples were taken for determination of serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-apha (TNF-α),interleukin-6 (IL-6),S100β protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE).Results Compared with group C,the serum TNF-α concentrations at T1 4,IL-6 concentrations at T24,S100β protein concentration at T3,4 and NSE concentration at T1,2 were significantly decreased in group D (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Dexmedetomidine infused at 0.05 μg· kg-1 · h-1 after a loading dose of 1 tg/kg can reduce inflammatory responses,thus reducing cerebral injury in patients undcrgoing cardiac valve replacement with CPB.

This study was aimed to observe the therapeutic effect of Bushen Tiaogan of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs combined with clomiphene citrate therapy of promoting small follicular development. A total of 70 small follicle ovulation infertility cases were randomly divided into the control group of 35 cases with the treatment of clomiphene citrate of 50 to 100 mg for 5 days, and 35 cases in the treatment group with TCM herbal medicine of Radix Polygoni Multiflori, Lycium c hinense , eucommia, bupleurum root, turmeric, Fructus aurantii to nourish the kidney and regulate the liver. The clinical efficacy and maximum follicular diameter (MFD) were observed. The results showed that the cycle pregnancy rate in the treatment group was 43 . 59%, and 35 . 13% in the control group. The curative effect of treatment group was obviously superior to the control group. There was statistical significance in the curative effect ( P < 0 . 05 ) . The incidence of LUFS was 7 . 69% in the treatment group , and 29 . 73% in the control group . There was statistical significance ( P < 0 . 01 ) . The MFD value ( 18-28 mm ) in the ovulation cycle, the cycle pregnancy rate was 44.44% in the control group and 55.17% in the treatment group. There was statistical significance difference ( P < 0 . 05 ) . The early abortion rate was 18 . 75% in the control group and 6.25% in the treatment group. There was statistical significance difference (P < 0.01). It was con-cluded that Bushen Shugan Y angyin TCM herbs combined with clomiphene citrate can promote small follicular development with obvious clinical curative effect .