Objective:To assess the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) at Houxi (SI 3) in treating acute lumbar sprain. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving EA at Houxi (SI 3) for acute lumbar sprain were retrieved from PubMed (1966-2014), EMBASE (1980-2014), Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2014), CQVIP Database (1989-2014), Wanfang Digital Journal (1998-2014), the Chinese Biological Medical Literature Database (CBM, 1978-2014), and China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI, 1979-2014). The collection of data also adopted hand-search of the relevant journals from the Library of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All of the data were first evaluated and extracted by two reviewers independently with a specially designed form. Then, the available data were analyzed by the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.2.0 software. Results:A total of 6 trials involving 1 288 patients were eligible. Meta-analysis showed that the total effectiveness rate in the EA group was significantly different when compared with Nimesulide [RR=1.33; 95% CI (1.19 to 1.49)] and Mobic [RR=1.08; 95% CI (1.03 to 1.14)], but similar to that of acupuncture at Yaotongdian (EX-UE 7) [RR=71.09; 95% CI (1.00 to 1.19)] and Diclofenac Sodium [RR=1.08; (95% CI 0.96 to 1.21)]. The recovery rate in the EA group was significantly different when compared with Mobic [RR=1.67; (95% CI 1.45 to 1.92)] and Nimesulid [RR=1.37; (95% CI 1.15 to 1.62)], but similar to that of acupuncture at Yaotongdian [(RR=1.35; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.84)] and Diclofenac Sodium [(RR=1.19; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.61)]. Conclusion:Up to the search date, there are few high quality RCTs to evaluate the clinical efficacy of EA at Houxi (SI 3) for acute lumbar sprain, especially studies in English. Yet EA at Houxi (SI 3) still appeared to be an efficacious method for acute lumbar sprain, despite several inherent defects of the included studies. Further large scale trials are required to define the role of EA at Houxi (SI 3) in the treatment of this disease.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of herbs by internal and external administration combined with semiconductor laser irradiation in the treatment of chronic eczema.Methods Eighty-six patients with chronic eczema were divided into the herb group and the laser group by the randomized digital table,43 patients in each group.The patients in the herb group received oral administration with Chinese herbs together with application of herbs on the affected foci.The patients in the laser group received the same treatment as in the herb group and meanwhile treated with additional semiconductor laser therapy.The clinical effects were evaluated according to their itch degree and skin lesions.Result The cure rate and total effective rate were both significantly higher in the laser group than those in the herb group(P<0.05).Conclusion Compared with herbal internal and external administration only,the clinical efficacy of herbal internal and external administration combined with semiconductor laser irradiation is more effective in the treatment of chronic eczema.

BACKGROUND: There is no effective method to identify liver cancer stem cells until now, which has become one of the major challenges in this field. OBJECTIVE: To explore a more effective and suitable way for the identification of liver cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. METHODS: Firstly, the single cell separation technique was used to obtain single cells, which were seeded into 96-wel plates one by one. Secondly, cell sublines derived from single cell colonies (tumorigenic colonies) were selected and obtained. At last, the cells from these clones were transplanted into the forelimb armpits of nude mice to observe the tumorigenic ability. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The number of holes of single cells obtained was 371 by the single cell separation technique, and the success rate was 96.4%. According to the growth of cell clone, tumorigenic colonies were selected to be transplanted to the forelimb armpits of nude mice, and the tumor formation rate of the colonies was 100%. The identification model of single-cell-transplant-tumorigenic-test for liver cancer stem cells is confirmed to be preliminarily established, which lays the technology and methodological basis for the follow-up research.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of meridian differentiation-based point selection plus qi-guiding acupuncture in treating lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.MethodFive hundred and forty-nine patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were randomly allocated, using a random number table, to two groups. The treatment group of 280 patients received qi-guiding acupuncture at points selected according to meridian differentiation and the control group, electroacupuncture at points selected according to meridian differentiation.ResultThe total efficacy rate was 87.5% in the treatment group and 86.6% in the control group; there was no statistically significantdifference between the two groups (P>0.05). The cure rate was 51.8% in the treatment group and41.6% in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). ConclusionThe total efficacy rate of qi-guiding acupuncture at points selected according to meridian differentiation for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is similar to that of electroacupuncture at points selected according to meridian differentiation, but the cure rate of the former is higher thanthat of the latter.

Objective: To observe the efficacy of acupoint selection by meridian differentiation plus qi-guiding needling in treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH).
Methods: By using the random number table, 549 patients with LDH were randomized into two groups. Two hundred and eighty participants in the observation group were intervened by selecting acupoints by meridian differentiation associated with qi-guiding needling method, and the other 269 participants in the control group were by selecting acupoints by meridian differentiation plus electroacupuncture. At the end of intervention, the changes of conduction velocities of the common peroneal nerve, superficial peroneal nerve, and tibial nerve were observed, and the therapeutic efficacies were compared.
Results: The total effective rate was 87.5% in the observation group versus 86.6% in the control group, and the difference was statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The recovery rate was 51.8% in the observation group versus 37.2% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Selecting acupoints by meridian differentiation associated with qi-guiding needling can produce a similar total effective rate to selecting acupoints by meridian differentiation plus electroacupuncture, while its recovery rate is comparatively higher.

Objective: To investigate the community promotion feasibility of superficial needling plus club swing for post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint. Methods:A total of 180 cases (duration <1.5 years) with post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint were recruited from three community health centers in Changning District, 60 from each community. They were randomly allocated into an observation group (n=90) and a control group (n=90). Patients in both groups received standard internal and rehabilitation care. Patients in the observation group received additional superficial needling plus club swing. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was conducted before and 60 d after the treatment to evaluate the severity of shoulder pain. The active movement of the shoulder joint and activities of daily living (ADL) were also observed. Results:There were no between-group statistical differences before the treatment (allP>0.05). After a 60-day treatment, the shoulder pain severity, active range of motion of the shoulder joint and ADL in the observation group were significantly improved than those in the control group (allP<0.01). In addition, no adverse events were reported by participants in the observation group. Conclusion:Superficial needling plus club swing plays a positive role in improving post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint. This safe, reliable and economical therapy has good patient compliance and is suitable for community promotion.

BACKGROUND:Until now, little has been reported on establishment of pancreatic stem cell strains and lines,and the purification of pancreatic stem cells is difficult since the cell line establish rate is low.OBJECTIVE:To explore a more rational and effective technique of in vitro separation and continuous passage of pancreatic stem cells, with the hope to establish cell strains and even cell lines and to lay the foundation for the follow-up study of pancreatic stem cells in the treatment of diabetes.METHODS:Firstly, Percoll discontinuous density gradient centrifugation method was applied to separate the mouse pancreatic endocrine portion from the exocrine portion, then to obtain cell strains with highly proliferative ability and low differentiation from pancreatic endocrine portion-the islet. We used mouse embryonic fibroblasts treated with mitomycin C as a feeder layer, for in vitro continuous culture of islet-derived pancreatic stem cells under feeder layer conditions until they were transferred to the 30th passage to establish cell lines. Then pancreatic stem cell line derived from pancreatic islet was detected and identified by a series of tests including growth characteristic test, morphological observation, related molecular marker identification and differentiation characteristic identification.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the continuous process of passage, pancreatic stem cells showed active proliferative ability, and maintained the typical morphological characteristics of stem cells and expression of pancreatic stem cell marker-Nestin. After induction, pancreatic stem cells showed insulin gene expression,reflecting their differentiation potential. Therefore, under the condition of feeder layer, the pancreatic stem cell line derived from Kunming mice was successfully established and the related identification was completed,which lays the foundation for the following research.

Objective To analyze the clinical features of the patients with meningitis caused by the Campylobacterfetus.Methods The clinical data of one case of meningitis caused by the Campylobacter fetus in Tianjin Haihe Hospital in September 2016 were analyzed and the literature was reviewed.In the PubMed database with “ Campylobacter fetus,meningitis” as keyword,we retrieved 51 English literature,from 1962 to 2016,excluding infant infection and non infection meningitis.Results Finally 17 articles,20 patients,were retrieved.With these patients,a total of 21 patients were analyzed.There were 19 male cases,two female cases,average age being 47 years (23-84 years).The clinical manifestations were fever,headache,some patients with altered consciousness,increased white blood cells and protein in cerebrospinal fluid,normal or decreased glucose.Antibiotic treatment was effective,and the prognosis was good.No specific clinical fetures were found.Alcoholism,diabetes and immunodeficiency were independent risk factors of the disease.Positive cerebrospinal fluid and blood cultures can help to diagnose the disease.Conclusions Campylobacter fetus caused meningitis in clinic is extremely rare,and its clinical manifestations are nonspecific.Antibiotic therapy is effective,and the prognosis is good.

Edge detection is an absolutely necessary step in medical image processing, and the use of differential operators to detect edge is one of the most common and effective methods. In this paper are analyzed the frequency features of the Roberts operator, Prewitt operator, Sobel operator and Laplacian operator from the viewpoint of frequency domain, and it is proposed that the frequency features of the differential operators should be considered when differential operator is being used and/or constructed. Because edge detection operator is sensitive to the edge type, the appropriate operator should be adopted in different edge type detection. Finally, the importance and necessity of selecting edge detection operator are validated in the MRI image edge processing.
Algorithms ; Brain ; pathology ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods

Objective To explore MRI features in diagnosis of placenta accrete(PA).Methods MRI images of 19 patients with PA and 14 normal subjects were reviewed retrospectively.MRI features of the placenta and adjacent structures were analyzed and compared.Results Compared to the MRI findings of the normal subjects,abnormal uterine bulging,heterogeneous signal intensity of the placenta,and hypo-intensity intraplacental bands on T2WI were significantly higher in the patients with placenta accrete (P= 0.000,P=0.003 and P=0.015,respectively).The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value and accuracy of the three features diagnosing placenta accrete were 78.95%,85.71%,88.24%,75.00%,81.82%;84.21%,71.43%,80.00%, 76.92%,78.79%;73.68%,71.43%,77.78%,66.67% and 72.73%,respectively.Conclusion MRI has important value in diagnosing PA.The MRI features of abnormal uterine bulging,heterogeneous signal intensity within the placenta,and hypo-intensity intraplacental bands on T2WI are useful for diagnosis.