Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of pediatric massage (tuina) for chronic cough in children. Methods: A total of 96 cases were randomized into a control group and an observation group, with 48 cases in each group. Cases in the control group received routine pediatric massage manipulations. Cases in the observation group received additional Mo-rubbing abdomen manipulation. The treatment was done 3 times a week and 12 times made up a treatment session. The cough symptom scores were evaluated before treatment and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 treatments respectively. Results: There were 8 dropouts in the observation group and 5 dropouts in the control group. Before treatment, there was no statistical difference in coughing score between the two groups (P>0.05). After 9 times of treatment, the total coughing scores were significantly reduced in both groups (both P<0.05); however, there were no statistical differences between the two groups in the score differences between before treatment and after 3, 6 and 9 times of treatment (all P>0.05). After 12 times of treatment, the total coughing scores were significantly reduced in both groups (both P<0.05), along with a statistical difference between the two groups in the score difference between before treatment and after 12 times of treatment (P<0.05). There was a statistical difference between the two groups in overall response (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 92.5％, versus 86.0％ in the control group, showing a statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusion: The routine pediatric massage manipulations alone or in combination with Mo-rubbing abdomen manipulation both can significantly improve chronic cough in children; however, the combination obtains a better effect.

Objective To investigate the change of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the skin of diabetic rats, and to explore the potential role of MMP-9/TIMP-1. Methods Diabetic rats were induced with streptozotocin (STZ). Then all rats were maintained for 6 weeks. Routine pathological examination and immnnohistochemistry were made to reveal the histological and cytological appearances. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of mRNA and protein of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the skin. Results Six weeks after STZ treatment, examination of HE-stained skin sections from normal and diabetic animals revealed that the epidermis and dermis layers were thinner in diabetic rats than those in control rats. The skin of diabetic rats showed features of atrophy such as disorganization of connective tissue fiber bundles and enlarged space between collagen fiber bundles. In contrast, thick bundles of connective tissue were observed in the dermis of normal rat skin. In normal skin, cells had a bipolar, spindle-shaped appearance in the thick collagen bundles, while in the skin of diabetic animals the interstitial cells had a rounded, shrunken and crenated appearance. The relative values of expression of MMP-9 in diabetic group were higher than those in normal group with significant difference, however, the relative values of expression of TIMP-I in diabetic group were lower than those in control group. Conclusion The changes in cutaneous histology and cytology appear earlier than skin wound. These "underlying disorders" may be associated with the imbalance of MMP-9/TIMP-1.

To investigate the role of H-fas oncogene in the early stages of human breast carcinogenesis. Methods Thirty cases of human breast cancer, 36 epithelial hyperplasia of usual type and 31 atypical hyperplasia were employed to detect H-ras gene codon 12 mutations by PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP assays, and to detect the expression of H-ras protein by immunohistochemistry method. ResultsExpression of H-ras protein were found in 73.3 % (22/30) of breast cancer and 48.4 % (15/31 ) of atypical hyperplasia. No H-ras protein expression was observed in hyperplasia of usual type. All tested sarnples of breast cancer and hyperplsia showed no mutations of H-ras gene codon 12. ConclusionOverexpression of H-ras protein is involved in early stages of breast carcinogenesis, but mutations of H-ras gene codon 12 is rarely present in the stage.

AIM:To investigate the imbalance between the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and that of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) during wound healing in diabetic rats. METHODS: Diabetic rats were induced with streptozotocin. All rats were maintained for 6 weeks. A full-thickness excisional wound was created on the back of each rat. Every group was randomly divided into 3 subgroups of 7 rats: 3 d group, 7 d group, 14 d group and animals were killed at 3rd, 7th and 14th day. Routine pathological examination, Masson′s trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry were made to calculate the score of epidermal and dermal regeneration, granulation tissue thickness, angiogenesis, matrix density, and infiltrated cells at different time points. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of mRNA and protein of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the skin at those time points. RESULTS: Six weeks after streptozotocin treatment, Three days after injury, the wound healing rate of normal rats was faster than that of diabetic rats. From 3rd to 14th day, there were a lot of fibroblast and macrophage in normal skin, while few such cells were observed in diabetic skin. The other histological scores in normal skin were higher than those in diabetic rats at 7th and 14th day. Both MMP-9 and TIMP-1 had minimally detectable levels before wounding but exhibited rapid, significantly large increases within 3 d after wounding. Subsequently, they showed a rapid decline by 14 d. The relative values of expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein in diabetic group were higher than those in normal group at different time points. However, the values of TIMP-1 mRNA and protein in diabetic group were significantly lower than those in control group. Significant difference was observed between two groups with the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1, higher in diabetic group than that in normal group. CONCLUSION: Abnormal reepithelialization, angiogenesis, inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen fibers generation, granulation tissue deposition, seem to be the basic histopathology that delays wound healing. The imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs in diabetic skin tissue before and after injury may be one of the important reasons of these alterations of histopathology.

Objective To research the effects of short-term intensive insulin treatment on regaining the sensitivity of sulfonylureas in diabetes patients. Methods Thirty patients from outpatient and emergency department,including 12 male and 18 female,who took regular-dose sulfonylureas but was high blood glucose level,were selected to suspend the sulfonylureas treatment and were given the BIAsp30 to control the blood glucose level for three months,then they were stopped the BIAsp30 and took the same sulfonylureas used before.Results The average fasting blood glucose(FBG) was(9.4?7.5)mmol/L and the average postprandial 2 h blood glucose(PG2h)(or random blood glucose) was(14.2?7.2)mmol/L in 3 months before stopping the sulfonylureas.The average FBG was(5.7?0.7)mmol/L and PG2h was(7.2?1.4)mmol/L at the beginning of the insulin getting the blood glucose under control.The average FBG was(6.0?0.8)mmol/L and PG2h was (7.8?1.2)mmol/L during the insulin treatment.The average FBG was(6.1?0.6)mmol/L and PG2 h was(7.7?1.3)mmol/L at the end of the insulin treatment.The average FBG was(6.5?0.5)mmol/L and PG2h was(8.1?(0.8))mmol/L when continuing the sulfonylureas treatment in one months.It increased significantly to compare the blood glucose before the treatment of insulin to that after the treatment of insulin(P

0.05. Conclusion The tumour chemosensitivity test in vitro gave some prediction and guidances for the clinic chemotherapy,and it could discover the drug resisting cases.The combined chemotherapy should be selected for gastric carcino- ma patients.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of external obturation with cotton ball in treatment of digestive tract lip shape fistula. Methods A prospevtive randomixed controllde study was conducted in 30 patients with digestive tract lip shape fistula admitted from January 2001 to November 2007,which were divided into experimental group ( 15 patienets) and control griup ( 15 patjients). The control group received traditional fistula mouth continuous drainage,with fastomg or part enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition. The experimernal group received external obturatiion with cotton ball,with controling spills of oineteatinal fluid and resuming normal eating and activetes, The patients general information, fistuala mouth sixe, volume, weight, albumin, determinstic operation time, postoperative complications, hospital, signficantly reduced fistula, flow, postoperative compared between the two groups. Results Compared with the control group , significantly redced fistula, flow, postoperative complivations and cost, increased wdighe and albumin,as well as shortened operation time and hospital stay were found oin the experimetal grou. Conclusin External obturation with cotton ball is safe effective methde in treatment of digestive tract lip shape fistula, obviusly shortening the course of disease, redcing patients'cost and pain, and rapidly improving patients nutritional status.

The cupping spot is considered as one kind of skin change due to cupping treatment. With literature regarding cupping spot, the influencing factors and value of cupping spot in clinical diagnosis and treatment were analyzed, which could make a further exploration on the action mechanism of cupping treatment. The literature showed that the formation of cupping spot was related with cupping temperature, pressure, cup-retaining time, cupping area, individual difference and health condition, etc; cupping spot had the ability to assist diagnosis, prevent disease, cure disease and evaluate clinical efficacy. Previous studies on cupping spot have already made some progress, and played a positive significance on finding cupping rule and studying its mechanism. However, the research for this area is still in the primary stage, which needed deeper study to reveal scientific connotations of cupping spot.
Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Skin ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply

Objective To study the neuroprotective effect of erythropoietin(EPO) on neonatal rats model with hypoxia-ischemia encephalopathy(HIE).Methods HIE was induced in rats on 7th day of postnatal age by ligation of right common carotid artery,followed by 2 h of hypoxia(80 mL/L O2).The subjects were divided into sham-operated group,control group and EPO group.EPO 4 000 U/(kg?day) was injected daily from day 2 pre-surgery for 9 to 16 days and PBS was injected in the control group.The neuroprotective effect of EPO on HIE model was detected by brain weight,the difference in weights between the ipsilateral(right) and contralateral(left) brain and the function test.In vitro study,the neural progenitor cell line C17.2 under gone apoptosis following an ischemia-like metabolic inhibition.The effect of EPO on the cell line ischemia modle 17.2 was evaluated by detecting Annexin V with flow cytometry.Results The signi-ficant and sustained brain injury in the hypoxia-ischemia and vehicle-treated group was observed and measured by reduction in relative weights of ipsilateral to contralateral and compromised sensorimotor functions in response to postural reflex test,compared with those of sham-operated animals(Pa

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between Cystatin C levels change and the clinical outcomes of critically ill patients.METHODS: There were altogether 4642 patients in intensive care unit(ICU)of West China Hospital of Sichuan university from 28 th August 2009 to 16 th April 2010,and their general conditions were recorded,including sex,age,and being with or without diabetes mellitus;then the database was established accordingly.The patients were divided into four groups according to the change of Cys C values in ICU:high increase(>1 mg/L),slight increase(≤1 mg/L),high decrease(>1 mg/L)and slight decrease(≤1 mg/L).The difference in 30-day mortality in patients were compared.The patients were followed up for 8 years.RESULTS: One thousand and thirty-six patients were included in this study,272 cases died within 30 days,with the highest in patients of the group with high increase of Cystatin C(77.9%),followed the high-decrease group(33.3%);the mortality rate of group with slight decrease was the lowest among the four groups(16.5%).The 8-year survival of 764 patients who did not die within 30 days was 54.58%.CONCLUSION: The change of Cystatin C value is closely related to the 30-day mortality of critically ill patients.The lowest 30-day mortality of critically ill patients is the group with slight decrease of Cystatin C.