Objective This paper is to explore the relationship between the placement of the bone oscillator and bone-conducted thresholds to ASSR stimuli in adults with normal hearing and to investigate the amplitude and the threshold differences to bone-conducted auditory steady-state responses (BC-ASSR) stimuli between single - and multiple-stimulus conditions. Methods Two groups of subjects were selected with 0. 5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz brief tones repeated at the rate of 77, 87, 93 and 101 Hz using a B-71 bone oscillator either in single- or multiple ted no significant differences between mastoid and behind-the-ear placements. The mean and standard deviations of bone-conducted behavioral thresholds to ASSR stimuli at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz were 62.6±4.8,47.1±4.8,46.8cant difference between the two conditions while the mean and standard deviations of BC-ASSR thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz were 96.7±9.7,70.3±11.6,60.6±7.4,52.8±7.2 dB re: 1μN (ppe), respectively. Conclusion The behavioral bone-conducted thresholds to ASSR stimuli with mastoid and behind-the-ear placemen yielded no significant differences. When the stimuli intensity was 50 dB nHL, the amplitudes in single-stimulus condition were significantly higher than those to multiple-stimulus condition. There were no significant differences for BC-ASSR thresholds between single- and multiple-stimulus condition.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of highly conserved small noncoding single stranded RNAs.They participate in the regulation of target genes through the degradation of mRNA and/or inhibition of translation.As the most abundant miRNAs in the central nervous system,miRNA-124 (miR-124) has been widely given attention in recent years.The recent research suggests that miR-124 is closely associated with ischemic cerebral injury,but its specific regulation mechanism remains unclear.This article reviews the roles of miR-124 in ischemic cerebral injury.

Objective To observe the real-time and short-term therapeutic efficacies of fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, and compare the two treatment methods. Method Eighty-four patients with cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity were randomized into a fire-needle acupuncture group and a warm needling group, 42 cases in each group. The two groups received treatment once a day, respectively for 10 sessions. The symptoms, functions and total score were evaluated by adopting the modified Cervical Vertigo Symptoms and Functions Assessment Scale before the second treatment session and after 10 treatment sessions; the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated based on the traditional Chinese medicine symptoms scale. Result The scores after 10 treatment sessions were significantly different from that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05);before the 2nd treatment session, the improvements of the symptoms and total scores in the fire-needle acupuncture group were more significant than that in the warm needling group (P<0.05);after 10 sessions, there were significant differences in comparing the symptoms, functions and total scores between the two groups (P<0.05);the clinical control rate was 26.2%and total effective rate was 95.2%in the fire-needle acupuncture group, versus 9.5%and 90.5%in the warm needling group, and there was a significant difference in comparing the therapeutic efficacy between the two groups. Conclusion Fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling both are effective in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, while fire-needle acupuncture can improve the vertigo symptoms in a real-time manner, and its short-term therapeutic efficacy is also superior to that of warm needling.

The microRNA let-7 family,functioning as a tumor suppressor,has emerged as a regulator of stem cell differentiation and tumor repression.The RNA-binding protein lin28 is a stem cell pluripotency factor,which contributes to the maintenance of stem cell characteristics and promoting cell malignant transformation.lin28 can block the maturity of let-7 by combining with the precursors of let-7 family miRNAs,which is itself able to repress lin28 by binding to the 3'-UTR of lin28 transcripts,thus forming a feedback loop.The double-negative feedback loop comprising lin28 and let-7 is involved in several biological processes such as differentiation of stem cell,tumorigenesis,invasion and metastasis,drug resistance and relapse,which couldbe a potential target for cancer therapy.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of telbivudine in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients by comparing the efficacy of initial telbivudine therapy in treatment-naive patients with sequential telbivudine therapy in patients with poor response to adefovir.Methods A total of 90 HBeAg-positive CHB patients were assigned to receive sequential telbivudine therapy following poor response to adefovir dipivoxil (n=45),or initial telbivudine therapy in antiviral treatment-naive patients (n=45).All patients were treated with telbivudine 600 mg daily for 104 weeks.The efficacy was evaluated in terms of liver function tests,serum HBV markers,HBV DNA and antiviral drug resistance.Results Telbivudine showed good overall efficacy after treatment for 104 weeks in terms of alanine aminotransferase normalization rate (91.1％),HBV DNA negative conversion rate (80.0％),HBeAg loss rate (57.8％),and HBeAg/HBeAb seroconversion rate (30.0％).The HBV DNA negative conversion rate in initial treatment group was significantly higher than that in sequential treatment group (P＜0.05).However,among the patients with early response,the efficacy did not show significant difference between groups (P＞0.05).The patients with early response showed significantly better efficacy than those without early response,in terms of higher HBV DNA negative conversion rate,higher HBeAg loss rate and HBeAg/ HBeAb seroconversion rate (P＜0.000 1 or P＜0.05),but lower virological breakthrough rate (P＜0.05).Conclusions Telbivudine has shown reliable efficacy in CHB patients.Initial telbivudine therapy is better than sequential therapy in CHB patients with poor response to adefovir.However,for patients with early response to telbivudine,no statistical difference is found between initial and sequential therapy in long-term treatment efficacy (104 weeks).The patients receiving sequential telbivudine therapy should be monitored closely for early antiviral response to optimize treatment.

Objective To investigate the effect of the serum ferritin,folic acid and its clinical efficacy by Chinese angelica Astragalus decoction combined with Iron Sucrose Injection in the treatment of the anemia patients with chronic renal failure.Methods 66 anemia patients with chronic renal failure were selected and randomly divided into the control group and the experiment group with 33 cases in each group.The control group were treated by Venofer and the experiment group were treated on the base of the control group with Chinese angelica and Astragalus Decoction.The clinical curative effect before and after treatment,serum ferritin,folic acid(SF),serum creatinine(Scr),urea nitrogen(BUN),creatinine clearance rate(Ccr),blood uric acid(UA),cholesterol(TC),total cholesterol(TG),high density lipoprotein(HDL-C)were compared after 6 months of treatment and the adverse reaction conditions was compared during the treatment between two groups.Results The effective rate of treatment in the control group was 69.70％lower than that in the observation group,the effective rate was 90.91％,with statistical significance(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the SF and folic acid levels were lower,the Scr and BUN levels were lower,the Ccr and UA levels were higher,the TC and TG levelswere lower,the HDL-C level was higher,with statistical significance(P<0.05).Conclusion Angelica Astragalus decoction combined with Iron Sucrose Injection in the treatment of chronic renal failure patients with anemia effect is significant,can effectively reduce the level of serum ferritin and folic acid,the clinical effect is better.

Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Depression, Postpartum ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To compare the effects of propofol,nidazolarm versus etomidate combined with sufentanil for anesthesia induction on intraocular pressure.Methods Forty-five ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients,aged 20-40 yr,scheduled for surgery under general surgery,were randomly divided into 3 groups(n =15 each):propofol group(group P); midazolam group(group M)and etomidate group(group E).Anesthesia was induced with iv injection of propofol 2 mg/kg,midazolam 0.2 mg/kg,and etomidate 0.3 mg/kg in P,M and E groups respectively,and then with iv injection of sufentanil 0.2 μg/kg and cisatracurium 0.2 mg/kg in all the groups.The patients were then tracheal intubated.Intraocular pressure(IOP)and MAP were recorded at 1 m in before induction of anesthesia (T0),before intubation(T1),and at 0,1 and 2 min after intubation(T2-4).Results Compared with group P,the incidence of intraocujar hypotension was significantly decreased in group M(P ＜ 0.01).Compared with group E,the incidence of intraocular hypertension was significantly decreased in P and M groups(P ＜ 0.05),The correlation coefficient between MAP and IOP was 0.831,0.889 or 0.806 in group P,M or E respectively(P ＜0.05),and there was no significant difference in the correlation coefficient among the three groups(P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Midazolam combined with sufentanil for anesthesia induction exerts less influence on lOP and the degree of MAP fluctuations is a major factor contributing to the change in IOP.

Objective To evaluate the effect of sildenafil on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in lung tissues of rats with pulmonary hypertension.Methods Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 8 weeks,weighing 180-220 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),pulmonary hypertension group (group PH),and sildenafil group (group S).Sildenafil 50 mg/kg was injected through a gastric tube into stomach once a day for 35 consecutive days starting from 1 day after lelf pneumonectomy in group S.Pulmonary hypertension was induced by left pneumonectomy and subcutaneous monocrotaline injected at 7 days after operation in PH and S groups.At 35 days after operation,mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP),relative medial thickness of pulmonary artery (RMT),right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP),and muscularization of small pulmonary arteries were measured in the lung.The ratio of the right ventricular weight to the sum of the weights of the left ventricle and septum (RV/(LV + S)) was calculated.The expression of TNF-α mRNA and protein was determined using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis,respectively.Results Compared with group C,mPAP,RVSP,muscularization of small pulmonary arteries,RMT and RV/(LV + S) ratio were significantly increased,and the expression of TNF-α mRNA and protein was upregulated in group PH,and RVSP,muscularization of small pulmonary arteries and RV/(LV + S) ratio were increased in group S.Compared with group PH,mPAP,RVSP,muscularization of small pulmonary arteries,RMT and RV/(LV + S) ratio were significantly decreased,and the expression of TNF-α mRNA and protein was downregulated in group S.Conclusion Sildenafil can down-regulate the expression of TNF-α in lung tissues of rats with pulmonary hypertension,inhibit reconstruction of pulmonary artery,and decrease the pulmonary arterial pressure.

BACKGROUND:Thrombogenesis is the most common cause of failure in the implantation of tissue engineered small-caliber vesselgrafts.And immobilizing heparin onto the surfaces of vascular scaffoidgrafts is often applied to improve their blood compatibility and patency.OBJECTIVES:To investigate the small intestinal submucosa(SIS)surface after heparinizadon with hypothermic plasma technique,to ireprove the blood compatibility of SIS and to explore the possibility for the construction of small-caliber vascular grafts with modified SIS seaffolds in vivo.DESIGN:Single exponent study.SETTING:Department of Orthopaedics,the Six People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University;ShanghaiInstitute for Microsurgery of Extremities.MATERIALS:This study was performed in the Shahghai Institute for Microsurgery of Extremities from January to October 2006.The jejuna were taken from farm pigs.METHODS:The SIS surface of pigswere processed by argon plasma(20mL/min)technique at different time periods(0,2,4,6,8,10,12,and 14 s),which were then immediately immerged in heparin sodium solution for 24 hours.Dogs were divided into two groups.The SIS films were sewn into a 3-mm diameter tube and implanted into the defect of a canine femoral by anastomosis as a vascular graft.The observation lasted for 6 weeks.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The surface morphologies of SIS were observed under scanning electron microscope(SEM).The antithrombogenicity of SIS films was tested by water contact angle,blood coagulation time and platelet adherence observation by SEM.The efficiency of the SIS graft was evaluated by the patency in the circulation of blood with colour doppler detection and histology.RESULTS:Heparinized SIS showed great different surface morphology comparing with untreated SIS.Untreated SIS surface looked like wrinkled film,but on heparinized SIS surface spread with uniform micro-dots,which looked like a layer of heparin adhesion.Water contact angle decreased with the increase of plasma irradiation time.Prothrombin time (PT),partial thromboplastin time(APTT),and thrombin time(TT)of the SIS films modified with heparin were prolonged.Platelets adhered much more on untreated SIS film than on heparinized SIS film.Vascular graft from SIS embolized in the lumina completely at day 3 after anastomosis.Heparinized SIS graft kept patency for six weeks,and the inner surface of graft was covered with full endothelial cells.CONCLUSION:Hydrophilicity and antithrombogenicity of heparinized SIS are increased obviously after hypothermia plasma treatment.