Objective To investigate the effect of music electroacupuncture on perifocal ferric ions and neuronal apoptosis and the brain water content in rats with acute cerebral hemorrhage and explore the mechanism of its action on acute cerebral hemorrhage.Methods One hundred and twenty-eight healthy adult male Wister rats were randomized to normal, model, electroacupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups. In each group, four time points of 6 hrs, 24 hrs, 3 days and 7 days were set up, eight rats each time point. A rat model of acute cerebral hemorrhage was made using collagenase. In the electroacupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups, point Baihui was connected to the anode and point Taiyang to the cathode, 2 voltage was used as a selection parameter and electroacupuncture lasted 30 min. Intracerebral perifocal ferric ions and neuronal apoptosis and the brain water content were measured at four time points of 6 hrs, 24 hrs, 3 days and 7 days after model making.Results Intracerebral ferric ion content was higher in the model, electroacupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups of rats than in the normal group at 6 hrsafter model making (P<0.05), lower in the electroacupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups than in the model group at 24 hrs, 3 and 7 days after model making (P<0.05) and lower in the music electroacupuncture group than in the electroacupuncture group at 3 and 7 days after model making (P<0.05). Intracerebral neuronal apoptosis was higher in the model, electroacupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups of rats than in the normal group at 6 hrs after model making (P<0.05) and lower in the music electroacupuncture group than in the electro- acupuncture group at 7 days after model making (P<0.05). The brain water content was higher in the model, electro- cupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups of rats than in the normal group at 6 and 24 hrs after model making (P<0.05), lower in the electroacupuncture and music electroacupuncture groups than in the model group at 3 days after model making (P<0.05) and lower in the music electroacupuncture group than in the electroacupuncture group at 7 days after model making (P<0.05).Conclusions Music electroacupuncture has a benign regulating effect on intracerebral perifocal ferric ions, inhibits neuronal apoptosis around hematoma in the early stage and reduces cerebral edema in rats with acute cerebral hemorrhage. Its therapeutic effect is superior to that of electroacupuncture.

Objective To observe the real-time and short-term therapeutic efficacies of fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, and compare the two treatment methods. Method Eighty-four patients with cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity were randomized into a fire-needle acupuncture group and a warm needling group, 42 cases in each group. The two groups received treatment once a day, respectively for 10 sessions. The symptoms, functions and total score were evaluated by adopting the modified Cervical Vertigo Symptoms and Functions Assessment Scale before the second treatment session and after 10 treatment sessions; the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated based on the traditional Chinese medicine symptoms scale. Result The scores after 10 treatment sessions were significantly different from that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05);before the 2nd treatment session, the improvements of the symptoms and total scores in the fire-needle acupuncture group were more significant than that in the warm needling group (P<0.05);after 10 sessions, there were significant differences in comparing the symptoms, functions and total scores between the two groups (P<0.05);the clinical control rate was 26.2%and total effective rate was 95.2%in the fire-needle acupuncture group, versus 9.5%and 90.5%in the warm needling group, and there was a significant difference in comparing the therapeutic efficacy between the two groups. Conclusion Fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling both are effective in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, while fire-needle acupuncture can improve the vertigo symptoms in a real-time manner, and its short-term therapeutic efficacy is also superior to that of warm needling.

Objective To evaluate the significance of percutaneous transhepatic cholecystoscopy ( PTCCS) in managing cholecystolitheasis. Methods From September 1999 to November 2001, eighty - six patients with symptomatic gallstones were allocated into this study. At first percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage ( PTGBD) was carried out, one week later the formed fistula was dilated by bouginage to 16-22Fr in diameter, thereafter cholecystoscope was inserted into gallbladder through the dilated fistula to extract the stones using basket or electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL). Results PTGBD was attempted successfully in 82 out of 86 cases, PTCCS was performed in 80 of them. The amount of stones ranged from 1 to 76, single stone in 28 patients, stones more than two in 52 , with stone size ranged from 5 to 32 mm, and stones greater than 15mm in 45 cases. The stones were removed only using basket in 28, and by EHL in 54 cases due to their large size. The overall stone removal rate was 97. 5 % (78/80) . Complication of peritonitis appeared in 4 cases (4. 7% ) requiring emergent surgical intervention. The follow - up period with an average of 16. 4 months, gallstones recurred in 2 cases (2.5%). Stones were assayed by intra - red spectrom-etry in 30 of 54 patients with EHL, cholesterol stone existed in 24 of them. Conclusion PTCCS is relatively a safe and effective procedure for those patients with high risk on surgical cholecystectomy, or unsuitable to receive laparoscopic cholecystectomy. If the patients were selected strictly along the rules of indication, the complication and stone recurrence can be avoided.

Objective To investigate the risk factors of recurrent common bile duct (CBD) stones after treatment with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Methods A total of 802 patients with CBD stone and with complete follow-up data were recruited to the study, among which 297 patients were accompanied with gallstone, 222 patients having undergone cholecystectomy before ERCP and 283 having no gallstones. The CBD stone recurrent frequency and the possible risk factors were calculated with uni- and multi-variate logistic regression analysis. Results The patients were followed up at a mean duration of 84. 8 months, and CBD stone re-occurred in 92 (11.5%). Both uni- and multivariate analysis showed gallstones, CBD larger than 1.5 cm, endoscopic mechanical lithotrity (EML) and angle of bile duct less than 120° were risk factors of recurrence. Multivariate analysis showed cholesterol stones, cholangeal stricture or sphincter of Oddis dysfunction (SOD) were all risk factors for reccurrence. Univariate analysis revealed that history of cholecystectomy or Billroth Ⅱ gastrectomy, stones larger than 1.5 cm and multiple stones were risk factors of recurrence. Conclusion For those with CBD stones undergoing ERCP, gallstone,common bile larger than 1. 5cm, EML and the angle of CBD less than 120° are major risk factors of recurrence. History of cholecystectomy and Billroth Ⅱ gastrectomy, SOD, large CBD stone ( ≥1.5 cm), cholesterol stone and multiple stones are also associating risk factors.

ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between ineffective esophageal motility (IEM)and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).MethodsA total of 90 GERD patients were enrolled in our study,including 62 patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) and 28 with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD).All the patients underwent gastroscopy,24-hour esophageal pH monitoring and esophageal manometry.ResultsIn the RE group 30 (48.4％) patients were diagnosed as having IEM,which was significantly higher than the NERD group (6 patients,21.4％ ) (P＜0.05).Positive esophageal acid exposure was more often seen in patients with IEM than in those with normal esophageal motility (91.7％ v.s.57.2％,P ＜0.01 ).The values of total percentage of time with pH ＜4,percentage of reflux time in supine position,long-duration episodes ( ＞5 min) and the longest reflux time and DeMeester score were significantly higher in the IEM cases than those in the normal esophageal motility cases ( P ＜ 0.01 ),so was the values of number of reflux episodes (P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionIEM is the most common esophageal dysmotility in patients with GERD and closely related to distal esophageal acid exposure and RE.

Objective To assess the feasibility of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in renal artery using the iterative reconstruction technique (iDose4) in Brilliance iCT (Philips Ltd.).Methods 90 patients (body weight 60-70 kg) supposed to undergo renal artery CTA were selected and randomly divided into three groups:A(120 kV,120 mAs),B(120 kV,60 mAs) and C(100 kV,100 mAs).CTA images from Group A were obtained using filtered back projection and those from the rest groups were generated by iDose4.Then CT number of renal artery,noise (denoted as standard deviation SD),signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of images for each group were measured and recorded.Images were post-processed using volume reformation (VR) 3D imaging and image quality were assessed in five-level grade (1-5).Results The five parameters (CT number of renal artery,SD value,SNR,CNR and VR grade) of group A and group B were statistically insignificant (P ＞ 0.05).While SD values of group C were comparable to those of group A and B,the rest four parameters of group C were apparently larger,which was statistically significant (tCT value =-12.326,tSNR =-7.136,tCNR =-7.649,ZVR =-2.690,PVR ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Image quality could still fit the diagnosis requirements using iDose4 when mAs decreased lower than 50％.The image quality increases when radiation dose is halved at 100 kVp kV.

OBJECTIVE To explore the toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticls (ZnO-NPs) on cardiac development of zebrafish embryos and rat myocardial cell lines (H9c2),as well as potential molecular mechanisms.METHODS ZnO-NPs were characterized.Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different doses of ZnO-NPs (0,0.5,2.5,5.0 and 10.0 mg· L-1) for 24 to 96 h at 4 h post fertilization (4 hpf).The embryo mortality was observed.The expressions of notochord homeobox (noto),T-box 6 (tbx16),T,brachyury homolog a(ta),and tbx6 which were related to cardiac mesoderm were investigated using real-time PCR at 17 hpf.The heart rate and number of cardiomyocytes of embryos [[Tg (cmlc2:nucdsRed)] exposed to 0,2.5 and 5 mg· L-1 ZnO-NPs were detected at 72 hpf.Rat myocardial cell lines (H9c2) were treated with ZnO-NPs (0.1,0.5,1.0,5.0 and 10.0 mg· L-1) for 24 h.Cell viability was measured with Alamar Blue method.Mitochondrial ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Cellular ATP was detected using chemiluminescence,and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was examined with Seahorse instrument.RESULTS The particle size of ZnO-NPs was (331 ±3)nm.The ZnO-NPs LC50 of zebrafish embryos at 48 hpf was 21.81 mg· L-1.The mRNA expressions of noto,ta and tbx6 were reduced after ZnO-NPs 2.5 mg· L-1 treatment at 17 hpf.The heart rate of 72 hpf zebrafish was 153 min-1 in the ZnO-NPs 5 mg· L-1 group,12.6％ lower than that in the cell vehicle group (P＜0.01),and the number of cardiomyocytes decreased by 15.5％ (P＜0.01) compared with the cell vehicle group.Reduced cell viability and mitochondrial vacuolation were observed in H9c2 after ZnO-NPs 0.5 mg· L-1 exposure.Compared with the cell vehicle group,the cell ATP decreased by 25.7％ (P＜0.05),and OCR decreased by 27.2％ (P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Low-dose ZnO-NPs exposure has effect on the cardiac development of zebrafish,mainly due to reduced heart rate and decreased number of cardiomyocytes.These changes may be related to the decreased expressions of cardiac development-related genes and the impairment of mitochondrial structure and function.

Biomacromolecules play an important role in the treatment of many diseases, but as a result of cell membrane serving as the natural barriers, only the small molecular compounds whose molecular weights are smaller than 600 Da can get through cell membrane and enter the cell. In recent years, some short peptides (the length less than 30 amino acids) are found to have the cell-penetrating function, called cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). They are able to effectively translocate segments of protein, polypeptides, nucleic acid into the cells of many mammal animals with many methods. They have high transduction efficiency and will not lead to cell damage. So, the discovery of CPPs has a very good applicable prospect in such research fields as cell-biology, gene-therapy, drug transduction in vivo, evaluation of clinical medicine and medical immunology. This paper reviews the types and characteristics of CPPs, internalization mechanisms, applications, and their existing problems.

Objective To investigate the relationship between bile amylase (BA) elevation and biliary tract disease in patients with normal pancreaticobiliary junction (NPBJ). Methods The bile juice was collected from bile duct in 202 consecutive cases who underwent therapeutic endoscopic retragrade cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for biliary diseases ( biliary bile group), and from gallbladder (GB) in 73 consecutive cases who underwent percutaneous transbepatic cholecystoscopy for extraction of GB stone ( GB bile group). In biliary bile group, in addition to the measurement of BA, the level of lipnse (n =68), bacteria culture ( n = 149 ), manometry of Oddi's sphincter ( n = 27 ) and bile duct ( n = 38) were also performed. In GB bile group, additional GB biopsy was taken in 31 cases. No patient with pancreaticobiliary maljunction, history of cholangiojejunostomy or post-endoscopic sphincterotomy was included in the study. Results In biliary bile group, BA level was elevated in 95 patients (47. 0% ), in which there was no significant difference between neoplastic and non-neoplastic cases ( 56. 9% vs. 43.7%, P > 0. 05 ), although BA was elevated in most patients with hiler cholangiocarcinoma (7/9). The level of BA was correlated with bile lipase (r =0. 561 ), but not with pressure of Oddi's sphincter or bile duct. No significant difference in positive rate of bile bacteria culture was detected between patients with normal BA level and those with elevated level. In GB bile group, BA level was elevated in 25 patients (34. 3% ), in which the frequency of GB epithelium dysplasia is 87.5%, which was significantly higher than that from patients with normal BA level ( P < 0. 001 ). Conclusion The patients with biliary tract disease and NPBJ have high incidence of reflux of pancreatic juice into bile duct. In patients with elevated BA level, there was no significant difference between incidences of neoplastic or non-neoplastic disease, while the frequency of GB epithelium dysplasia and hilar cholangiocarcinoma were higher than those from patients with normal BA level.

Biomacromolecules play an important role in the treatment of many diseases, but as a result of cell membrane serving as the natural barriers, only the small molecular compounds whose molecular weights are smaller than 600 Da can get through cell membrane and enter the cell. In recent years, some short peptides (the length less than 30 amino acids) are found to have the cell-penetrating function, called cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). They are able to effectively translocate segments of protein, polypeptides, nucleic acid into the cells of many mammal animals with many methods. They have high transduction efficiency and will not lead to cell damage. So, the discovery of CPPs has a very good applicable prospect in such research fields as cell-biology, gene-therapy, drug transduction in vivo, evaluation of clinical medicine and medical immunology. This paper reviews the types and characteristics of CPPs, internalization mechanisms, applications, and their existing problems.