This article carefully presented the theoretical origin, clinical applications, operation and cautions of turtle-like moxibustion (direct moxibustion in nature, manifested by wheat-sized moxibustion), for promoting this method in clinic.

This study investigated the correlation between surfactant protein-A (SP-A) polymorphism and the susceptibility of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Xinjiang Uighurs. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 194 COPD smokers and 201 healthy smokers of Uighur who were hospitalized in or paid a visit to one of the four Xinjiang-based hospitals involved in the study, from March 2009 to December 2010. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were studied at aa62 (CCA/CCG rs1136451) and aa219 (CGG/TGG, rs4253527) in SP-A. Genotypes were determined by using the TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Our results showed that genotype frequencies were different between the COPD and normal smokers in aa62 (x (2)=6.852, P=0.033). There were also significant differences in allele genotype frequencies between the COPD and the control and allele G might decrease the risk COPD (x (2)=6.545, P=0.011; OR=0.663; 95% CI: 0.484-0.909). The result suggested that polymorphism of aa62 (CCA/CCG, rs1136451) of SP-A may be associated with the susceptibility to COPD in Xinjiang Uighurs.

Objective To investigate the role of dual-source parallel radio frequence (RF) and single-source excitation in liver imaging at 3.0 T MR.Methods This study was a retrospective analysis.One hundred and seven subjects underwent a 3.0 T TX MR scanning including axial spectrally selective attenuated inversion recovery (SPAIR) T2WI,axial DWI and coronal balanced-fast field echo( Balanced FFE).Each sequence was carried out with both single-source and dual-source RF excitation.Student＇s t test was used to compare the differences between single-source and dual-source RF excitation in the image uniformity,signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to determine whether there was difference between conventional and parallel transmission in the score of image quality.Reader agreement was assessed using the Cohen＇s Kappa test.Results For the image uniformity,there was significant difference between single-source and dual-source excitation (418.40 ± 66.75 for single-source vs.416.26 ± 50.61 for dual-source,t =2.524,P ＜ 0.05 ).There also existed significant difference between single-source and dual-source excitation in SNR and CNR,respectively.The SNR and CNR of parallel transmission (22.03 + 12.16 and 18.33 ± 10.01,respectively) were both higher than those of single transmission (20.36 ± 11.21 and 15.22 ± 8.95,respectively) ( t =- 2.630,P ＜ 0.05 for SNR and t =- 4.238,P ＜ 0.05 for CNR).Image quality comparisons revealed significantly better results with dual-source than single-source RF excitation at SPAIR T2 WI ( 1.40 + 0.42 vs.1.81 ± 0.27 ),DWI ( 1.08 ± 0.40 vs.1.63 ± 0.36 ) and Balanced FFE sequence ( 0.95 ± 0.45 vs.1.65 ± 0.37,Z =- 5.894,- 5.801 and - 6.985,respectively,P ＜ 0.01 ).In the comparison of image quality,the agreement between the two readers was very good ( Kappa ＞ 0.8,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusion Dual-source parallel RF excitation MR imaging in liver enables reducing dielectric shading,improving homogeneity of the RF magnetic induction field,and increasing SNR and CNR at 3.0 T.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibition effects of Tianshen Yizhi Recipe (TSYZR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on decreased expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and the neurotoxicity as well as lipid peroxidation induced by beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. METHODS: The SH-SY5Y cells were treated by a certain concentration of TSYZR, and then exposed to Abeta(25-35). Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium reduction assay was carried out to understand the influences of the drugs on cellular viability. Expressions of nAChR subunits (alpha3 and alpha7) at protein and mRNA levels were detected by Western-blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Lipid peroxidation was measured by thiobarbituric acid to observe the capacity of antioxidant of the drugs. RESULTS: TSYZR at a safe concentration could increase alpha7 protein in the cells, inhibit decreased expressions of alpha3 and alpha7 nAChR subunit proteins, prevent lower expression of alpha7 mRNA in SH-SY5Y cells induced by Abeta, reduce the neurotoxicity and lipid peroxidation resulting from Abeta, but had no significant effect on the lower expression of alpha3 mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: TSYZR can up-regulate the expression of alpha7 nAChR subunit protein and prevent decreased expressions of nAChRs and neurotoxicity as well as lipid peroxidation induced by Abeta. This drug may play an important therapeutic role in treatment of Alzheimer disease.

This study investigated the correlation between surfactant protein-A (SP-A) polymorphism and the susceptibility of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Xinjiang Uighurs.Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 194 COPD smokers and 201 healthy smokers of Uighur who were hospitalized in or paid a visit to one of the four Xinjiang-based hospitals involved in the study,from March 2009 to December 2010.Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were studied at aa62 (CCA/CCG rs 1136451) and aa219 (CGG/rGG,rs4253527) in SP-A.Genotypes were determined by using the TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Our results showed that genotype frequencies were different between the COPD and normal smokers in aa62 (x2=6.852,P=0.033).There were also significant differences in allele genotype frequencies between the COPD and the control and allele G might decrease the risk COPD (x2=6.545,P=0.011; OR=0.663; 95％ CI:0.484-0.909).The result suggested that polymorphism of aa62 (CCA/CCG,rs1136451) of SP-A may be associated with the susceptibility to COPD in Xinjiang Uighurs.

We describe a case of fetal sacrococcygeal teratoma detected by ultrasound at 14 gestational weeks. The tumor was classified as "type Ⅰ" by ultrasonography combined with MRI. The cystic part accounted for over 60% of the mass before 26 weeks and ruptured spontaneously at 28 weeks. The size of the tumor was 12.8 cm×9.7 cm×12.3 cm at 36 +5 gestational weeks. A female newborn was born through cesarean section at 37 weeks of gestation and had the tumor removed surgically on the postnatal day 4. Postoperative follow-up showed that the neonate had a good prognosis without physiological dysfunction.

We describe a rare case of fetal mediastinal capillary hemangioma presenting as pleural effusion and a huge pleural occupying lesion during late pregnancy. The patient was admitted at 36 +3 weeks of gestation, with a fetal chest occupying lesion for 11 days. Routine prenatal ultrasound and MRI indicated right pleural effusion and a huge chest occupying lesion in the fetus. The woman was administered oxytocin and delivered a live baby boy at 36 +5 weeks of gestation. The baby was diagnosed as mediastinal hemangioma by postnatal CT, angiography and 3D reconstruction and was discharged after oral propranolol treatment. However, he was readmitted one month after birth due to "pneumonia and tachypnea". After multidisciplinary consultation, the baby underwent a right-side thoracic mediastinal mass resection, and a mediastinal capillary hemangioma was confirmed by pathology. The child continued taking propranolol orally and received regular follow-up and rehabilitation after the operation up to 7 months old, by which time no obvious abnormalities were found.