OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy and safety of prostatic arterial embolization (PAE) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH) in high-risk aged males.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about 21 high-risk BPH patients aged 77-91 (mean 80) years treated by PAE.

RESULTSPAE was successfully performed in all the 21 patients, with the operation time of 90-120 min. At 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery, the International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) were 18.3 ± 3.1, 9.8 ± 2.7, 9.4 ± 2.5, and 10.1 ± 2.2, the quality of life scores ( QOL) were 4.6 ± 1.4, 4.3 ± 1.2, 4.6 ± 1.1, and 4.9 ± 0.6, the maximum urinary flow rates ( Qmax) were (12.5 ± 2.5), (15.8 ± 2.4), (16.6 ± 2.2), and (16.3 ± 1.8) ml/s, and the postvoid residual urine volumes (PVR) were (35.0 ± 3.4), (13.0 ± 3.3), (10.0 ± 3.0), and (8.0 ± 2.5) ml, respectively, markedly improved as compared with the baseline (IPSS: 24.5 ± 3.7, QOL: 5.7 ± 1.6, Qmax: [8.3 ± 2.1] ml/s, and PVR: [98.0 ± 11.0] ml), with statistically significant differences in IPSS, QOL, Qmax, and PVR (all P < 0.05). The maximal velocity of blood flow in the prostate was obviously decreased and the prostate volumes were (74.4 ± 4.8), (42.5 ± 4.4), (38.3 ± 4.0), and (36.7 ± 3.5) cm3 at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, respectively, also significantly reduced in comparison with (84.3 ± 5.4) cm3 preoperatively (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPAE is a safe and effective option for the treatment of BPH in high-risk aged males.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arteries ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; blood supply ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; therapy ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Urination

Catheter Ablation ; Consensus Development Conferences as Topic ; Humans ; Microsurgery ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated

We summarized our accumulated clinical and teaching experiences and explored the regularity of acupuncture needling and teaching. It is of great importance in pressing hand during inserting needle. Stroking and pressing are two crucial parts which deserve more attention, and seldom useage of pressing hand should be abolished. Operating hand needs practice before inserting needle, while it should fully relaxed during inserting. Blending "touching", "stretch" "gathering" "erupting" and "advancing" in single moment, applying appropriate dynamic mode of inserting needle such as "join 3 forces as one" "3 points in a line" expertly and naturally. In addition, enough attention should be paid on "altering direction" and "shifting point". Inserting deftly and powerfully, no/slight sensation, deqi when inserting needle are the highest reflection as an acupuncturist.
Acupuncture ; education ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; China ; Humans ; Teaching

Animals ; Eye Diseases ; parasitology ; surgery ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sparganosis ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Sparganum

Objective To measure the renal tissue texture or flexibility with virtual touch quantization (VTQ) and to tentatively examine its clinical application in patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD).Methods A total of 750 patients (1500 kidneys) were performed with VTQ,including 400 cases in the control group,and 350 cases in the CKD group.A conventional ultrasound examination (two-dimensional,color Doppler) were first taken,and then the shear wave velocity (Vs) was measured which reflected the textural elastic.Results In both groups the Vs was the highest in renal cortex with significant difference (P<0.05); renal cortical region Vs in CKD group was lower than those in control group (P<0.05),while Vs of renal medulla and renal sinus had no significant difference in the two groups.The severity of renal dysfunction was increased along with a Vs decrease of renal cortex.Conclusion VTQ is helpful to assess renal function of patients with CKD.

OBJECTIVETo observe the improvement of thyroid function and changes of Akt, p-Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and para-mTOR (p-mTOR) expression in Graves' disease (GD) mice after intervened by Jiakangning Capsule (JC), and to explore possible mechanism for JC in treating GD.

METHODSGD model was established by immunizing female BALB/c mice with thyroid stimulating hormone receptor A subunit (Ad-TSHRα-289). Totally 70 successfully modeled mice were divided into the model group (n =20), the JC intervened group (n =25), the Methimazole Tablet intervened group (n =25) according to random digit table. A normal control group (n =15) and a vehicle control group (n =20, injected with Ad-null) were also set up. Mice in the JC intervened group were administered with JC suspension at the daily dose of 1. 5 g/kg by gastrogavag. Mice in the Methimazole intervened group were administered with Methimazole suspension at the daily dose of 2. 5 g/kg by gastrogavage. Equal volume of normal saline was administered to mice in the rest 3 groups by gastrogavage. All intervention lasted for 5 weeks. Six mice were selected from each group to observe pathological changes of thyroid tissues. Serum levels of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. Expression levels of Akt, p-Akt, mTOR, and p-mTOR in thyroid tissues were etermined by Western blot.

RESULTS(1) The thyroid gland in the GD model group showed proliferative changes, with enlarged follicles of various sizes. Interstitial stroma was filled with blood vessels. Structures of thyroid tissues in the JC intervened group and the Methimazole intervened group were significantly restored, and follicular hyperplasia was relieved. (2) Compared with the normal control group and the vehicle control group, levels of TRAb, T4, and T3 increased; ratios of P-Akt/β-actin, p-Akt/Akt, p-mTOR/β-actin, and p-mTOR/mTOR also increased in the model group (all P <0. 01). Compared with the model group, levels of TRAb, T4, and T3 decreased in the JC intervened group and the Methimazole intervened group (P <0. 01); ratios of p-mTOR/β-actin and pmTOR/mTOR decreased in the JC intervened group (P <0.01); ratios of P-Akt/β-actin, p-Akt/Akt, p-mTOR/β-actin, and p-mTOR/mTOR decreased in the Methimazole intervened group (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Conclusion JC could reduce thyroid hormonc levels of GD mice and lower expression levels of mTOR, and its mechanism for improving thyroid function of GD mice might be associated with this influence.

Actins ; Animals ; Capsules ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graves Disease ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Methimazole ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; Signal Transduction ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; Thyrotropin ; Thyroxine ; Triiodothyronine

To study the effect of Fuzheng Huayu recipe (FZHY) on five types of isozymes of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) of normal and liver fibrosis rats by using the cocktail probe method. Dimethylnitrosamine ( DMN) was injected to induce the liver fibrosis model. After the tail vein injection with Cocktail probe solutions prepared with five CYP450s probe substrates (phenacetin-CYP1A2, omeprazole-CYP2C9, tolbutamide-CYP2C19, dextromethorphan-CYP2D6, midazolam-CYP3A4), the plasma concentrations of the five probe substrates were determined by LC-MS/MS, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by PK solutions 2. After the oral administration with FZHY, normal rats given phenacetin, omeprazole, tolbutamide and dextromethorphan showed increase in AUC(0-t) and decrease in CL to varying degrees, indicating that FZHY obviously inhibited the activities of CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 in normal rats, but with no obvious effect on the activity of CYP3A4. After the oral administration with FZHY, liver fibrosis rats treated with CYP2C9 showed the significant increase in AUC(0-t) and significant decrease in Vd, hut with no obvious changes in the pharmacokinetic parameters of other four types of prove substances, suggesting that FZHY could significantly inhibit the activity of CYP2C9 in rats but had no effect on the activities of CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. The changes in the activity of CYP450 isozymes in liver fibrosis rats may be the reason for FZHY's different effects on CYP450 isozymes in normal and liver fibrosis rats.
Animals ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Isoenzymes ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To assess the value of integrated 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in differentiation of malignant and benign pericardial effusion. Methods 18F-FDG PET/CT were performed in 23 patients with pericardial effusion. The detected soft tissue tumor or nodulous lession in pericardium or the thickened pericardium, with the maximum standardized uptake value( SUVmax ) ≥2.5, was defined as PET/CT-positive. The invaded lession in pericardium with SUVmax ≥2.5 was also as the positive. The difference of SUVmax of benign and malignant lesions was analyzed with two-independent-sample test of nonparametric tests. The final diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy or post-operative pathology. Results The diagnosis were confirmed with 14 malignant and 9 benign lesions. The median of SUVmax was 6.0 in malignancy group and 2.2 in benign group (z= -3. 279, P =0.001 ). According to the pathology results, there were one false negative case and two false positive cases with PET/CT imaging interpretation. The sensitivity, specificity,accuracy, positive predictive value ( PPV ) and negative predictive value ( NPV ) of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosis of benignity or malignance of pericardium effusion were 92.9% ( 13/14), 7/9, 87.0% (20/23),86.7% (13/15) and 7/8, respectively. Conclusion For the patients with pericardium effusion 18F-FDG PET/CT may be a helpful modality for malignancy differentiation

Objective To study the effect of selenium on peripheral and splentic T-cell subset, apoptosis of spleen cells in fluorosis chicken and its mechanism. Methods One hundred and eighty 8-day Hailanhe chicks were randomly divided into 3 groups(each 60): ①control group: 195 mg/kg fluoride and 0.08 mg/kg of selenium; ②fluorine group : 1000 mg/kg fluoride and 0.08 mg/kg of selenium ;③selenium antagonism group : 1000 mg/kg On 30~(th), 60~(th), 90~(th) day, peripheral and splentic CD4~+, CD8~+ T-cell subset analyses underwent flow cytometry and apoptosis of spleen cells were detected by TUNEL for study subjects. Results Compared with control group, the CD4~+ T-cell subset of peripheral in fluorine group was decreased obviously in 30,60,90 days[ (35.36± 4.27)% vs (24.29 ± 2.96)%, (47.65 ± 5.42)% vs (41.62 ± 3.96)%, (49.58 ± 3.98) % vs (42.35 ± 6.03 )%, P < 0.05 or < 0.01 ], CD4~+/CD8~+ ratio also was decreased obviously [ ( 1.701 ± 0.145 )% vs (1.393 ± 0.163)%,(2.712 ± 0.345)% vs (1.781 ± 0.201)%,(2.438 ± 0.356)% vs (1.973 ± 0.229)%, P< 0.05 or < 0.01]. Compared with fluorine group, the CD4~+ T-cell subset of peripheral in selenium antagonism group [ (29.40 ± 3.38)%, (45.40 ± 6.01 )%, (46.85 ± 5.25)%, P < 0.05 or < 0.01 ] was increased obviously in 30,60,90 days,CD4~+/CD8~+ ratio in 60,90 days[(2.004 ±0.314)%,(2.211±0.229)%,all P<0.01]also was increased obviously.Compared with control group,the CD4~+ T-cell subset of spleen cells in fluorine group was decreased obviously in 30,60,90 days[(47.33±5.35)% vs(41.91±4.83)%,(49.28±5.24)% vs(41.26 ±4.56)%,(34.31±4.15)%vs(29.33±2.89)%,all P<0.01],CD4~+/CD8~+ ratio also was decreased obviously[(1.927 ±0.244)% vs(1.525 ±0.265)%,(1.847±0.224)% vs(1.640±0.198)%.(1.265±0.174)% vs(0.878±0.092)%,P<0.05 or<0.01].Compared with fluorine group,the CD4~+ T-cell subset of spleen cells in selenium antagonism group in 60,90 days[(44.87±5.43)%,(32.62±3.37)%,all P<0.05]was increased obviously,CD4~+/CD8~+ ratio in 30,60, 90 days[(1.703 ±0.201)%,(1.772±0.215)%,(0.991±0.124)%,P<0.05 or<0.01]also was increased obviously. The apoptosis ratio of spleen cells in fluorine group in 30,60,90 days[(2.31±0.36)%,(2.76±0.22)%,(3.04± 0.29)%]was higher than that in control group[(1.14±0.21)%,(1.23±0.23)%,(1.29±0.20)%,P<0.01].The apoptosis ratio of spleen cells in selenium antagonism group in 60,90 days[(2.42 ±0.32)%,(2.73±0.39)%]was lower than that in fluorine group(P<0.05 or<0.01).Conclusion A certain concentration of selenium can antagonize the immunity inhibition of fluorine by decreasing apoptosis and improving the unbalance of T-cell subset.

The morphology,cultural characteristics,physiological and biochemical properties of phosphate solubilizing strain BL-11 were studied.Combine with its 16S rDNA sequence analysis result strain BL-11 was identified as Brevibacillus laterosporus.Results showed that the phosphate solubilizing efficiency of strain BL-11was up to 10.91% when with Ca_ 3 (PO_ 3 )_ 2 as the sole phosphorus source in the medium,while the efficiency of that was up to 1.56% when with sands as the sole phosphorus source.An optimal media of BL-11 strain for solubilizing phosphate was obtained by orthogonal test.It was composed of sugar 20g/L,(NH_ 4 )_ 2 HCO_ 3 0.3g/L,MgSO_ 4 .7H_ 2 O 0.5g/L,NaCl 0.3{g/L},KCl 0.5g/L,FeSO_ 4 0.03g/L,MnSO_ 4 .H_ 2 O 0.03{g/L.}_ While other conditions were consisted of initial pH7.0-8.0,180 r/min,and 30℃.