Objective:To study the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE),extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),and the changes of atrial fibrosis in patients with rheumatic heart disease(RHD) and atrial fibrillation(AF) treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI).Methods:Atrial tissues were obtained from the right appendage during open surgery in 35 patients with RHD.The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 were semi-qualified by reverse transcription-ploymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and normalized to the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH).Western blotting analysis was employed to examine the expressions of ACE and phosphorylated ERK(pERK).Atrial collagen volume fraction(CVF) was detected by Masson's stain.Results:The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 or the protein of ACE and pERK were significantly increased,and CVF was significantly increased in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation(CAF) compared with sinus rhythm group(SR)( P 0.05).Conclusion:The expressions of ACE,ERK2 and pERK increase,and fibrosis is more severe in RHD patients with CAF as compared with those with SR.Compared with CAF patients treated without ACEI,the expressions of ERK2 and pERK significantly decrease( P 0.05)in CAF patients treated with ACEI.This suggests that the increasing expression of ERK2 and pERK resulting from local renal angiotensin-converting enzyme system activation mediates the development of atrial fibrosis,and ACEI may contribute to lesser atrial fibrosis in RHD patients with AF.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood pressure of the pulmonary circulation. PH progresses rapidly to right ventricular (RV) failure and even death without treatment. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an accurate and reproducible tool for the assessment of RV morphology and function, which plays an important role in the prognosis of patients with PH. The aim of this study is to review the clinical application and research progress of CMR in evaluation of PH.

According to the sera aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) can be classified into two types as AQP4 antibody positive (AQP4+) and negative (AQP4-). However, the NMO patients with AQP4- are prone to delayed treatment, and may have a different pathogenesis compared to that in patients with AQP4+. Scientific researches and the clinical trials on NMO with AQP4- will deepen the understanding of NMO pathogenesis and help to make an early accurate diagnosis and rational therapy for NMO with AQP4-. This review aims to summarize the progress in clinic diagnosis for NMO patients with AQP4-.

The acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is divided into four categories, including theoretical literature, acupuncture channels and acupoints drawing literature, translations, and teaching materials and medical cases. It is found that the theoretical literature focuses on inheriting the traditional theories as well as combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The drawings are becoming more and more precise, and in these drawing works anatomy begins to appear at that time. Translations are the achievements of communication between TCM and Western medicine, which promote the scientization of acupuncture greatly. Teaching materials are also influenced by Western medicine, presenting a rough frame of modern acupuncture disciplinary system. As important clinic data, medical cases have great clinical value. Overall, acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is widely published, which is influenced greatly by the Western medicine and presents a significant tendency of scientization.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; Books ; history ; China ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Translations

BACKGROUND: The coating induced by conventional simulated body fluid (SBF) and 1.5-folds SBF as biomimetic method has the shortcomings of slowly growth with weeks or months growth cycle. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Ti-6Al-4V alloy surface deposition of hydroxyapatite coating induced by 3-folds SBF. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: In vitro biological analysis. The experiment was performed at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences from November 2008 to March 2009. MATERIALS: Ti-6A1-4V alloy was supported by Boda Metel Materials Co., Ltd. METHODS: The pretreated Ti-6Al-4V alloy was immersed in 37 'C 3-folds SBF. The SBF was replaced every 24 hours for 3 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The morphology, phase and elemental composition of calcium phosphate coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analysis. RESULTS: The scanning electron microscopy exhibited that the surface of Ti-6A1 -4V alloy was covered with deposited film with granular crystal on local areas at day 1 after immersion. The deposited film covered surface of Ti-6A1-4V alloy at day 3 after immersion, and granular or scale-shaped crystal could be seen. The crystal deposition displayed sustained growth with certain area as center. The product comprised Ca, P, O, C elements without Al, V. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that the main component of the coating was hydroxyapatite. CONCLUSION: The 3-folds SBF can accelerate the deposition as well as shorten formation duration of hydroxyapatite coating on Ti-6A1-4V alloy.

Objective To explore the clinical value of combined detection of serum human epididymal secretory protein E4 (HF4) and CA125 in the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma.Methods From Jan 2010 to Apr 2011,the serum specimens were collected from124 cases of endometrial carcinoma,97 cases of benign disease of uterus and 109 cases of healthy women.HE4 levels in the serum were detected by ELISA,and CA125 levels in the serum were detected by the electro- ehemiluminescent immunoassay.Those results were shown with median level.Accuracy of the diagnosis was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC-AUC ).ResultsThe median levels of HE4 and CA125 were 78.09 pmol/L and 33.43 kU/L in serum of endometrial carcinoma group.The median levels of HE4 and CA125 were 46.37 pmol/L and 18.26 kU/L in serum of benign disease of uterus group.The median levels of HE4 and CA125 were 31.75 pmol/L and 12.64 kU/L in serum of healthy women group.The HE4 and CA125 levels in serum of endometrial carcinoma group were significantly higher than those of benign disease of uterus group or healthy women group ( all P ＜ 0.05 ).Compared with that benign disease of uterus group,the ROC-AUC of HE4 and CA125 in endometrial carcinoma group were 0.913 and 0.801,respectively.When the specificity was 95.0％,the sensitivities of HE4,CA125,and combined detection of HF4 and CA125 in endometrial carcinoma group were 41.1％,22.6％ and 46.0％,respectively.The positive rates of HE4 and CA125 were 31％ (27/86) and 12％ (10/86) in stage Ⅰ - Ⅱ of endometrial carcinoma,while the positive rates were 63％ (24/38) and 47％ (18/38) in stage Ⅲ -Ⅳ of endometrial carcinoma,in which there were significant difference between patients in stage Ⅲ - Ⅳ and stage Ⅰ - Ⅱ (P ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsThe combined detection of serum HE4 and CA125 is helpful to the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma.The sensitivity,specificity and early diagnosis of HE4 are better than that of CA125.The positive rates of HF4 and CA125 in endometrial carcinoma are related to the clinical staging.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is preoperative chemotherapy.It can minish burthen of tumor,lower the clinical stage,increase resection rate of cancer and improve therapeutic efficacy.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer,as a relatively latest concept,has been applied in clinic more and more.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy in treatment on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) by Chinese medicine lavipeditum of blood-activating and Qufengchushi with mecobalamin tablets. Methods 65 diabetic patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. The two groups were both undertaking the diabetes diet control, exercise, diabetes education and maintaining previous hypoglycemic program. The patients with hypertension could take nifedipine GITS. Patients in control group only received mecobalamin tablet. Patients in treatment group received the same medication and also lavipeditum with Blood-activating and Qufengchushi traditional Chinese medicine for 12 weeks. Clinical symptom score, Toronto clinical score, motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) and sensory conduction velocity (SNCV) of median nerve and peroneal nerve were performed before and after the study. Results After treatment, the mean values for clinical symptom score, Toronto clinical score, MNCV and SNCV of median nerve and peroneal nerve of the tweo groups were all significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The values for TCM clinical syndromes in treatment group was 81.81% (27/33), and that in the control group was 65.62% (21/32), with significant difference (P<0.05). The values for western medcine clinical syndromes in treatment group was 84.84% (28/33), and that in the control group was 62.50%(20/32), with significant difference (P <0.05). Conclusion Chinese medicine lavipeditum of Blood-activating and Qufengchushi with mecobalamin tablets is safet and effective in treating DPN.

Objective To explore the resilience traits of male juvenile delinquents with high traumatic experiences and the relationship on resilience and personality,family environment.Methods 147 male juvenile delinquents selected by self-made traumatic experience questionnaire were surveyed with the Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescent,Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Family Environment Scale.The data were statistically analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis and stepwise Regression Analysis.Results The total scores of resilience in male juvenile delinquents with high trauma experiences were (75.98 ± 14.03).Besides the scores of goal planning (3.47±4.23),the scores of affect control(1.94±2.85),positive thinking(2.31±3.47),family support(1.89±3.84)and help seeking (2.92±3.38)were all below 3.Differences of goal planning,positive thinking,family support had been found in male juvenile delinquents with high trauma experiences on the factors including educational level,rural or urban family,whether only-child family,whether single-parent family.The delinquents' resilience was correlated with their personality(r=-0.357-0.175) and family environment (r=-0.185-0.272) in several dimensions (P ＜0.05).Neuroticism,family conflict and psychoticism predicted resilience negatively (β=-2.354,-0.135,-0.194,P＜0.05).Family cohesion predicted resilience positively(β=1.389,P＜0.001).Conclusion The resilience of male juvenile delinquents with high traumatic experiences is poor and personality,and family environment has significant influences on their resiliences.

Objective To evaluate the role of procalcitonin (PCT) in the diagnosis and treatment of infective endocarditis (IE).Methods It was a retrospective study of 20 cases diagnosed as IE with positive culture between June 2010 and June 2012 of First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University,Department of Infectious Diseases.Results The concentration of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and PCT in the dead group recorded on the first day and the fifth day in the treatment was significant higher than the survival group.The decreased degree of CRP and PCT concentration after treatment in the dead group was much deeper than the survival group.Moreover,the concentration of CRP and PCT in Staphylococcus aureus IE and negative bacilli IE were significant higher than Streptococcus viridans IE or Enterococcus faecalis IE,which was commonly above 2 μg/ml level.Conclusions Serum procalcitonin,lined with CRP,has the similar significance in the assessment of infective endocarditis severity,however,PCT is slightly better than CRP in assessing prognosis.The concentration of procalcitonin has implications to the strains of IE pathogen,in the mean time,it' s beneficial to guide the early use of antibiotics.