This study was aimed to observe the clinical effect of Du-Huo Ji-Sheng (DHJS) decoction with low frequency ultrasonics in treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by evaluating the visual analogue scale (VAS), Lysholm score and the expression levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3). A total of 60 KOA outpatients were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group, with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group were treated with DHJS decoction and low frequency ultrasonics therapy, while patients in the control group were treated with ibuprofen and low frequency ultrasonics. The treatment was given once a day for two weeks. The pretreatment and posttreatment VAS, Lysholm score and expression levels of TGF-β and MMP-3, which were detected by ELISA, were recorded. The results showed that compared with the control group, DHJS decoction with low frequency ultrasonics therapy could alleviate pain as well as improve the activity of joint function among KOA patients. It could also increase the content of TGF-βin serum, and suppress the level of MMP-3. It was concluded that low frequency ultrasonics could enhance the transdermal absorption of DHJS decoction, relieve the clinical symptoms of KOA patients.

Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) is an exciting growing field in cardiovascular medicine.With the sophisticated improvement of biomedical engineering,development of PPVI offers people a new way of less invasive techniques to treat these groups of patients with pulmonary valvular regurgitation over the past several years.New stent designs and operative and interventional hybrid approaches are under investigation.This nonsurgical approach has been proven to be feasible and holdpromise,although many obstacles still exist.At the present time,PPVI has been widely used in clinical in the United States and European countries,but in our country,only a small number of cases reports have been published.With wider application and development of PPVI,cumulative experiences and long-term follow-up of PPVI therapies,better criteria will be established for patient election.Complications will be reduced and safer and more effective treatment results will be achieved.PPVI therapies will be applied to a larger subset of patients and become an important alternative to future conventional pulmonary valve replacement.

Circulatory support devices play important roles in maintaining the hemodynamic stability in patients with cardiac insufficiency.Percutaneous circulatory support devices have been developed rapidly,as they avoid cardiac surgery and are easy to be inserted.This article reviews recent advances in the research of percutaneous circulatory support devices.

Objective To compare the clinical effects of different concentrations of low volumn of ropivacaine during MED. Methods 150 patients performed MED were randomly divided into three groups: in the first group (n=50) 0.8% ropivacaine was used, in the second group (n=61) 0.6% Ropivacaine was used and in the third group 0.4% Ropivacaine was used. First epidural needle was introduced into the epidural space. Then edpidual catheter was introduced into the epidural space and 5ml of 2% lidocaine was injected. After anesthesia planum was obtained, 5ml of ropivacained in different concentrations was iniected through the epidural catheter in different groups. The react time, the resume time and the separate anaesthesia among three groups were compared Results The blockade of sensory nerve was faster than that of motor nerve, and persistent time of sensory nerve was longer than that of motor nerve. Group two had more remarkable separate sensory and motor blockade than group one and group three (P

After 160 cases of chronic type Ⅲ prostatitis were divided into the treatment group (n= 80) and control group (n = 80), in the treatment group, first Zhibian (BL 54) was punctured toward Shuidao (ST 28) and then Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Shuidao (ST 28)Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Sishencong (Ex-HN 1), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taichong (LR 3) were punctured, and at the same time, digital computerized microwave apparatus was inserted into the anus for microwave treatment. Afterward, moritatherapy was applied for psychological consultation for the patients. In the control group, compound sinomin and Phenoxybenzamine Hydrochloride Tablets were used orally. The results showed that the therapeutic effects were respectively 92.5% and 68.8% in two groups, with statistic significance (P ＜ 0.01).

AIM: To evaluate the relationships between maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels and middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) in pregnancies with fetal anaemia and to compare the sensitivities of MSAFP and MCA-PSV for the predicting the risk of fetal anaemia. METHODS: Fifty-five measurements of MSAFP and MCA-PSV were carried out in 32 women at risk of fetal anaemia (4 cases of alloimmunisation, 11 cases of thalassemia, 10 cases of parvovirus infection and 7 cases of placental chorioangioma). The relationship between MSAFP and MCA-PSV was studied, and 19 fetal blood samples, in which MCA-PSV measurements were abnormal, were taken and the fetal heamoglobin were tested in order to evaluate the correlation of MSAFP and MCA-PSV. RESULTS: A correlation between MSAFP and MCA-PSV (n=55, r=0.57, P<0.01) was observed, in which 15 cases of fetal anaemia and 4 cases false positive (non-anaemia) were detected among the 19 fetal blood samples. The MSAFP levels of 4 false-positive cases were normal. The MSAFP levels in 15 fetal anaemia cases were higher than those in non-anaemia. The elevation of MSAFP level was 15-20 d earlier than that of MCA-PSV in the cases of alloimmunisation and thalassemia, and it was 10-12 d later in the cases of parvovirus infection and placental chorioangioma significantly (P<0.05). Both MSAFP (r=-0.87) and MCA-PSV (r=-0.67) were significantly correlated with fetal heamoglobin level. CONCLUSION: The MSAFP level is significantly correlated with both MCA-PSV measurements and fetal haemoglobin. The time and process of the elevations of MSAFP indicate that MSAFP is more sensitive than MCA-PSV to predict and monitor the pregnancies at the risk of fetal anaemia.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Calcitriol soft capsules combined with Telmisartan tab-lets in the treatment of early diabetic nephropathy(DN),and the effect on the levels of inflammatory factors. METHODS:Totally 110 patients with early DN were randomly divided into observation group and control group. The control group was orally given Telmisartan tablets with the initial dose of 40 mg,qd,and the maximum dose was 80 mg,qd;the observation group was orally giv-en Calcitriol soft capsules 0.25μg based on the treatment of control group,qd. The course was 1 month. The clinical data was com-pared,including the clinical efficacy and 24 h urinary protein,serum creatinine(Scr),urinary albumin excretion rate(UAER),se-rum C reactive protein (CRP),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) before and after treatment. The adverse reactions were observed. RESULTS:After treatment,the total effective rate in observation group was significantly higher than con-trol group,with significant difference (P<0.05);the 24 h urinary protein,Scr,UAER,and levels of CRP,TNF-α and IL-6 in observation group were significantly lower than control group and before treatment,with significant differences(P<0.01 or P<0.05). There were no obvious adverse reactions in 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS:Calcitriol soft capsules combined with Telmisartan tablets has better efficacy than only Telmisartan tablets in the treatment of DN,and can more effectively improve the levels of CR, TNF-αand IL-6,which is helpful to delay progression of patients.

[Objective]To compare spontaneous correction of the unfused thoracic curves after selective anterior versus posterior fusion in Lenke5 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis(AIS). [Method]A total of 72 Lenke5 AIS patients were rescruited from May 1997 to October 2005.Out of them,40 received selective anterior fusion(group A) and 32 received selective posterior fusion(group B).All had a minimum of 2-year follow-up.[Result] No complication were found in both groups at the latest follow-up.The thoracic curve was corrected from 30? to 16? for group A,33? to 18? for group B.Both groups had a better spontaneous correction of the unfused thoracic curves.The correction rate had no significant difference between groups.However,the thoracic curve was increased in four patients(2 in each group;group C),which resulted in trunk imbalance.The thoracolumbar/lumbar thoracic(TL/L:T) Cobb's ratio averaged 1.09 in the four patients whereas 1.59 in other 68 patients(group D).The flexibility of the thoracic curve had significant difference in group C and D(34.2% vs 57.3%).[Conclusion]Both of the surgical treatments can get a better spontaneous correction of the unfused thoracic curves.It is important to evaluate the.thoracolumbar/lumbar–thoracic(TL/L:T) Cobb's ratio and the flexibility of the thoracic curve before selective fusion.

Objective To study the effects of short-term and long-term exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field(ELFEMF)on Morris learning and memory among rats. Methods Both younger(2-3 months old)and adult(18 months old)male SD rats were exposed to 50 Hz uniform ELFEMF with continuously adjusted intensities(0.1,1.2,1.6 mT) developed by Helmholtz coil pair for 10 days to 8 months. The levels of escape latency and the crossing annulus coefficients reflecting the behavioral changes in place navigation ability and spatial probe ability were examined by Morris water maze after exposure to ELFEMF among rats. Results The escape latency was shortened and the crossing annulus coefficients were increased compared with those of control group when the younger rats were exposed to 0.1,1.2 and 1.6 mT ELFEMF for 10 days respectively,and only revealed significant differences in 1.2 and 1.6 mT ELFEMF exposure groups compared with those of control group. In the younger rats of 1.6 mT ELFEMF exposure group with 10-day exposure ,their escape latencies were prolonged and the crossing annulus coefficients were decreased gradually and showed no significant differences compared with those of control group after the 30-day blank exposure period without ELFEMF.The younger rats of 1.2 mT ELFEMF exposure group showed significantly longer escape latency and lower crossing annulus coefficient compared those of control group after continuous 90-day exposure to 1.2 mT ELFEMF. The escape latency of adult rats in 0.1 mT ELFEMF exposure group showed no significant difference after 10-day exposure,was prolonged after 4-month exposure,and was significantly prolonged further more after 8-month exposure. Conclusion The learning and memory ability could be promoted by short-term ELFEMF exposure and impaired by long-term ELFEMF exposure for the young rats,and could be obviously inhibited by long-term ELFEMF exposure for the adult rats.

Objective To investigate the effect of 50Hz magnetic field on the monoamine neurotransmitters contents in the hippocampus of rats. Methods 32 male SD rats were divided into 4 groups, exposed to 50 Hz magnetic field at the density of 0, 0.1, 1.2, and 1.6 mT, 2 h a day for a certain time. The contents of NE, E, DA and 5-HT were measured by HPLC. Results The contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in hippocampus were increased when the young rats were exposed to 1.2 and 1.6 mT for 10 days, the changes of monoamine neurotransmitters in 0.1 mT exposed group was not significant. The increase in monoamine neurotransmitters was disappeared when the 1.6 mT exposed group stop being exposed to the magnetic field for 30 days, while the monoamine neurotransmitters contents were decreased when the young rats were continuously exposed to 1.2 mT for 90 days. The contents of NE, DA and 5-HT, except E, in the old rats were decreased significantly when exposed to 0.1 mT intensity for 8 months. Conclusion Magnetic field exposure may affect the monoamine neurotransmitters content in the hippocampus, which may be responsible for the changes of learning and memory of rats induced by 50 Hz magnetic field exposure.