Background Recently,there were many studies on corneal innervations during mammalian development.However,there were fewer studies on discussing corneal innervations before and after mouse eye openings.Objective The present study was to investigate the change in the regulation of corneal nerve fiber length and density before and after mouse eye openings to offer a basis for clinical research in human.Methods Thirty SPF C57BL/6 mice were divided into postnatal 1 day(P1 d),P7 d,P13 d(1 day before eye opening),P14 d(eye halfopened),P17 d(1 day after eye opening)and P23 d(7 day after eye opening)groups,with 5 mice and 10 eyes for each group.Entire corneal stretches were prepared and immunostaining with an anti-neuron-specific β-Ⅲ tubulin antibody was performed to label the corneal nerve fibers.Confocal microscopic pictures from the corneal dorsal-nasal region (DN),dorsal-temporal(DT),ventral-nasal region(VN)and ventral-temporal(VT)were taken using Delta Vision Core.From these pictures,the mouse corneal area,total length and density of nerve fibers in the 4 regions were calculated.The use of the animals complied with Statement of ARVO.Results Corneal areas of P1 d,P7d,P13 d,P14 d,P17 d and P23 d mice were(0.404±0.007),(1.362±0.154),(1.573±0.080),(1.603±0.046),(1.847±0.052),(2.445±0.798)mm2,respectively ; the total lengths of nerve fibers were(3.718±1.044),(19.065±3.350),(23.687±0.907),(27.309±2.477),(31.989±3.976),(41.214±1.573)mm,respectively ; the densities of nerve fibers were(9.592±1.138),(14.506±1.908),(15.088±1.241),(16.772±1.897),(16.821±2.102),(17.660±1.216)mm/mm2,respectively,all showing significant increases with age(F =22.906,P =0.000 ; F =0.424,P =0.000 ; F =2.375,P=0.000).A positive correlation of the increasing corneal areas and increasing lengths of nerve fibers was found(r=0.983,P＜0.01).Nerve fiber densities in the four corneal regions significantly increased with age(DN region:F =0.159,P =0.000 ; DT region:F =2.1 72,P =0.001 ; VN region:F =1.998,P =0.000 ; VT region:F=2.352,P=0.000).From P13 d to P14 d,the corneal nerve fiber densities in the DN region decreased by 6.0％ without significant difference(t =0.589,P =0.572); and the corneal nerve fiber densities in the DT region,VN region and VT region decreased by 4.6％,5.5％ and 0.1％,respectively,without significant difference from P14 d to P17 d(t=0.549,P=0.596;t=0.701,P=0.501 ;t=-0.100,P=0.919).Conclusions The development of nerve fibers in the whole cornea or the four corneal regions is influenced by eye opening in mouse to various extents.From P13 d to P14 d,the corneal nerve fiber densities in the DN region decreased by 6.0％ without significant difference.From P14 d to P17 d,the corneal nerve fiber densities in the DT region,VN region and VT region decrease by 4.6％,5.5％ and 0.1％,respectively,without significant difference.Afterwards,the growth of nerve fibers increased in pace and the growth rate is recovered.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture massage for primary dysmenorrhea and its influence on prostaglandin F2alpha level in menstrual fluid.

METHODSNinety patients with primary dysmenorrhea were assigned equally to the acupuncture group, the massage group and the control group (oral administrated with Somiton tablet). The treatment course was 3 menstrual cycles. The effect in relieving menalgia was evaluated using numerical rating scale (NRS) before and after treatment and change of PGF2alpha content in menstrual fluid was tested as well.

RESULTSThe NRS score was 0.60 +/- 0.67 in the acupuncture group and 0.53 +/- 0.63 in the massage group respectively, significantly lower than that in the control group, which was 2.30 +/- 1.73 (P < 0.01). The PGF2alpha level after treatment was significantly lower in the acupuncture group (176.58 +/- 17.85 ng/L) and the massage group (171.32 +/- 17.15 ng/L) than that in the control group (220.56 +/- 54.47 ng/L), respectively (P <0.01). There showed no difference in the two aspects between the acupuncture group and the massage group (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and massage has a reliable therapeutic effect on primary dysmenorrhea, which is superior to that of Somiton tablet, and its mechanism might be exerted by regulating PGF2alpha level in menstrual fluid.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Decidua ; metabolism ; Dinoprost ; metabolism ; Dysmenorrhea ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Massage

Objective To evaluate the value of differential diagnosis on congenital biliary atresia(BA) and infantile hepatitis syndrome(IHS) by technetium-99m-diethyl-iminodiacetic acid(99Tcm-EHIDA)hepatobiliary scintigraphy with phenobarbitol sodium.Methods Fifty-eight infants with persistent jaundice were taken phenobarbitol sodium[5 mg/(kg?d)] ,bid ?7 d).Those who had not bowel and gallbladders radioactivity within 24 hours were diagnosed as the diagnostic criterion of BA.Those with bowel and gallbladders radioactivity within 24 hours were diagnosed as the diagnostic criterion of IHS,who then received 99Tcm-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) instrument.The results of all children were analyzed and compared with pathology and clinical follow up results.Results 99Tcm-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy correctly diagnosed 24 infants with last diagnosis BA and 29 infants with last diagnosis IHS,5 neonates false positive in all 34 IHS patients.The sensitivity in the diagnosis of BA was 100%,the specificity and accuracy were 85.3% and 91.4%,restectively.The sensitivity was 85.3% in the diagnosis of IHS;the specificity and accuracy were 100% and 91.4%,respectively.Conclusions 99Tcm-EHIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy with phenobarbitol sodium can accurately differentiate BA and HIS at early stage.

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical curative effect of thoracolumbar burst fracture treated by the posterior unilateral approach corpectomy fusion screw-rod fixation and anterior corpectomy bone fusion screw plate fixation.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to May 2014,36 cases of thoracolumbar burst fracture underwent operation of decompression, fusion, and internal fixation was retrospective analyzed. Among them, 16 patients were treated through posterior approach as posterior group, including 13 males and 3 females aged from 37 to 62 years old; 9 cases caused by falling injury, 3 cases by traffic accident injury,4 cases by heavy aboved;the injury segment was on T₁₂ in 2 cases, L₁ in 5 cases, L₂ in 7 cases, L₃ in 2 cases; according ASIA grade, 3 cases were grade A, 2 cases were grade B, 2 cases were grade C, 5 cases were grade D, 4 cases were grade E; the time between injury and operation ranged from 5 to 15 days. Other 20 patients were treated through anterior-lateral approach as anterior-lateral group, including 15 males and 5 females with age from 27 to 62 years old; 12 cases caused by falling injury, 4 cases by traffic accident injury, 4 cases by heavy aboved; the injury segment was on T₁₂ in 2 cases, L₁, in 7 cases, L₂ in 9 cases, L₃ in 2 cases; for ASIA grade: 4 cases were grade A, 2 cases were grade B, 4 cases were grade C, 6 cases were grade D, 4 cases were grade E; the time between injury and operation ranged from 4 to 12 days. The operation time, bleeding during operation and postoperative drainage volume were observed in two groups,and the changes of nerve function of ASIA grade, clinical efficacy,improved degree of thoracic and lumbar lordosis,and bony fusion were compared between two groups.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 12 to 24 months with an average of (15.8 ± 3.3) months. The operation time, bleeding during operation, and postoperative drainage volume had no significant different between two groups (P > 0.05). As compared with preoperative, ASIA grade of two groups at last follow-up had statistically significantly different (P < 0.01), the neural function of two groups after operation was recovered for different extent. The JOA score of two groups was compared between last follow-up and preoperative, the difference had statistically significant (P < 0.01), the two groups showed good clinical effect. The clinical results of ASIA grade, JOA score and RIS had no significant differences between two groups. All patients of two groups were obtained fusion. Thoracic and lumbar lordosis angle improvement degree had no significant difference between two groups ,it bad significant difference had statistical significance compared with preoperative, the two approaches could effectively restore the spinal sequence.

CONCLUSIONFor patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture just treated by anterior decompression and reconstruction of anterior column, according to the degree of operation performer' skill proficiency and the patient' condition to choose, but for patients must performed the spinal canal decompression anterior and posterior, the three column-reconstruction to required anterior-posterior approach, the posterior unilateral approach corpectomy fusion screw-rod fixation obviously shorten operation time, reduce the operation wound, it is worth the clinical promotion.

Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery

Arrival of qi, an important component of traditional theory of acupuncture and moxibustion, is the key factor in determining clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture. The authors summarize the indication of qi-arrival, correlativity of qi-arrival with clinical therapeutic effect and its action mechanism through reviewing modern clinical research. At present, there is more subjective in the study on qi-arrival, so the key problem in research on qi-arrival is how the qi-arrival state is measured by an objective quantization standard. The cerebral function imaging, a new technique, may be used in objectification research on qi-arrival.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Qi ; Research

Objective To evaluate the effect of myocardial viability on left ventricular function after elective revascularization in patients with myocardial infarction by 99Tcm-MIBI and 18F-FDG dual-isotope simultaneous acquisition (DISA) myocardial perfusion-metabolic imaging. Methods Ninety-one patients clinically confirmed of myocardial infarction underwent DISA imaging. Based on the results of echocardiography, the patients were divided into heart failure group (group A) and normal cardiac function group (group B). After PCI, left ventricular function was measured by echocardiography in 1, 3 and 6 months. The t-test and χ2-test were used to compare the difference between the two groups using SPSS 13.0. Results The average number of diseased segments by myocardial perfusion imaging was 9.8±3.5 and 5.4±2.6 in groups A and B, respectively (t=6.87, P<0.01). The average number of diseased segments by myocardial metabolic imaging was 7.5±3.4 and 4.6±2.8 in groups A and B, respectively (t=4.46, P<0.01). There were 173 segments with viable myocardium (173/458: 37.8%) in group A and 188 segments with viable myocardium (188/307: 61.2%) in group B (χ2=40.61, P<0.001). The summed perfusion score (SPS), summed metabolism score (SMS) and summed difference score (SDS=SMS-SPS) were 28.43±11.86 vs 21.36±9.54, 20.17±8.52 vs 15.19±5.74 and 0.39±3.17 vs -12.72±4.55, respectively in groups A and B (t=3.15, P<0.01; t=3.32, P<0.01; t=15.59, P<0.01). The mean change of LVEF (ΔLVEF) and the mean change of left ventricular end-diastole dimension (ΔLVEDd) of the patients with more than 4 viable myocardial segments in group A were significantly more than those in group B( (12.81±2.62)% vs (5.90±1.91)%, t=16.33, P<0.001; (-13.13±4.20) mm vs (-7.75±2.31) mm, t=6.86, P<0.001). However, the ΔLVEF and ΔLVEDd of the patients with less than 4 viable myocardial segments in group A were significantly less than those in group B (t=3.25, P<0.01; t=4.92, P<0.001). Conclusion The amount of viable myocardium in infarct myocardium is an important factor for left ventricular function recovery after elective revascularization.

OBJECTIVETo study the association of the changes of serum insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor binding proteins(IGFBPs), body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference ratio(WHR) with the genesis of colorectal cancer.

METHODSSera from 244 colorectal cancer patients before operation, 371 patients after operation and 150 healthy subjects were assayed for insulin, leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. SPSS 13.0 statistics software was applied to analyze the data.

RESULTSThe serum levels of insulin, IGF-1 and the ratio of IGF-1/ IGFBP-3 in colorectal cancer patients before and after surgical treatment were significantly higher than those in controls. The serum levels of IGFBP-3 in patients before and after operation were significantly lower than those in controls, and the differences were significant(P=0.015,P=0.001, respectively). The BMI in colorectal carcinoma patients was not significantly different to the healthy controls(P>0.05). The WHR in colorectal carcinoma patients was higher than that in healthy subjects, and the difference was significant(P=0.003, P=0.035 respectively). The WHR in colon cancer patients was different to that in rectal cancer patients(P=0.046). The WHR and BMI in colon carcinoma patients were positively correlated with the serum insulin level and the value of IGF/IGFBP3. The WHR and BMI were negatively correlated with IGFBP3. The WHR and BMI were not correlated with IGF-1 and IGFBP1.

CONCLUSIONSThe serum insulin, IGF-1 levels and the value of IGF-1/IGFBP-3 are significantly increased in colorectal cancer patients, and serum IGFBP-3 level is markedly decreased, which may be related to the genesis of colorectal cancer, but are not correlated with the progress and improvement of colorectal cancer. Central adipositas may be a risk factor for the genesis of colon cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Waist-Hip Ratio

Objective To evaluate the protective effect of Yersinia pestis capsular antigen F1 and recombinant rV270 on mice after immunization with them.Methods According to body weight,40 female Balb/c mice aged 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into four experimental groups(Fl-10 μg + aluminum adjuvant,F1-20 μg + aluminum adjuvant,rV-10 μg + aluminum adjuvant,and rV-20 μg + aluminum adjuvant) and a control group,8 in each group.Mice in experimental groups were immunized with the natural antigen F1 and recombinant antigen rV270 adsorbed to 25％ aluminum adjuvant and the control group was immunized with the same amount of aluminum adjuvant.Each mouse was immunized at the hind leg muscle with 100 ml immunizing agent,then a booster immunization was done once on the 21st day after the first immunization.The blood of all mice was collected on the 8th week after the first immunization,serum antibody titers were detected by ELISA and the data of antibody titers were analyzed by t test for comparison between groups.At the same time the mice were injected subcutaneously with 2000-fold LD50 of Yersinia pestis virulent strain 141,after 14 days,the protective effect of immunization was analyzed.Results The control group did not produce antibody.Antibody geometric mean titers (GMT) of the F1-10 mg + aluminum adjuvant and F1-20 mg + aluminum adjuvant groups were 1 ∶ 30443.9,and 1 ∶21527.8,respectively,and compared between the two groups,the difference was not statistically significant (t =1.1282,P ＞ 0.05).The GMTs of the rV-10 μg + aluminum adjuvant and rV-20 μg + aluminum adjuvant groups were 1 ∶ 13957.3 and 1 ∶18100.9,respectively,and compared between the two groups,the difference was not statistically significant(t =0.9408,P ＞ 0.05 ).After subcutaneous injection with Yersinia pestis virulent strain 141,all mice died in the control group but all survived in the experimental group.Conclusion The immune activity of natural antigen F1 and recombinant rV270 is high,which can be used as the main component of subunit vaccine in the plague subunit vaccine study.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of stomatin like protein-2 (SLP-2) at mRNA and protein levels in two kinds of malignant epithelial tumors, including laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and invasive breast cancer, and to study the relations of SLP-2 expression and clinicopathologic parameters with the prognosis.

METHODSRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of SLP-2 mRNA and protein in LSCC and their normal counterparts (46 and 10 pair, respectively). Immunohistochemistry was carried on tissue array constructed from LSCC (104 cases) and breast cancer (263 cases), respectively. The association between SLP-2 expression and clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed.

RESULTSLSCC showed a higher expression of SLP-2 than that of their normal counterparts (negative expression) at mRNA (83%, 38/46) and protein (7/10) level. Immunohistochemical analysis of LSCC showed that compared with negative expression in normal laryngeal epithelium (0/20), a higher SLP-2 expression was detected in LSCC (36/104, P=0.000) and associated with the advanced clinical stage (P<0.01) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.003). Immunohistochemical study of invasive breast cancer demonstrated that compared with negative expression in normal breast tissue (0/10), more than one half of the cases showed a high SLP-2 expression (52.5%, 138/263, P=0.000) in breast cancer, which correlated with the tumor size (P=0.020), lymph node metastasis (P<0.01), advanced clinical stage (P<0.01), distant metastasis (P=0.002) and HER2/neu protein expression (P=0.037). Survival analysis showed a shorter overall survival probability in patients with a high SLP-2 expression. It was considered that lymph node metastasis, positive HER2/neu expression, and high-level SLP-2 expression may act as the independent prognostic factors for those tumors.

CONCLUSIONSA high expression level of SLP-2 may be associating with the development of invasion and metastasis in LSCC and breast cancer, and SLP-2 is also considered working as an independent factor indicating a poor prognosis clinically in breast cancer.

Adult ; Blood Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Survival Analysis

Needle retention is one of the important links in clinical acupuncture, thus, ancient medical scholars emphasized its value. This paper summarizes and evaluates the recent literature about needle retention time in terms of course of disease, category of disease, patient's condition and acupuncture location. The modern researches verify and develop the knowledge of needle retention in ancient times. However, study designs of randomized controlled trial for evidence-based medicine are not many, most of which are observational studies. In the future, clinical research need to apply scientific design based on Chinese medicine theory to investigate the principles of needle retention and the optimized needle retention time. This will consequently guide the standardization and systemization of acupuncture in clinical practice.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Time Factors