This article introduces the principle, structure and components of a visualization system for carrying out minimally invasive surgical abortion. Without altering the current surgical approach or increasing the surgical difficulty, the surgical system integrated a mini-CMOS image sensor and LED light and a visual device to allow fixed-point removal of the fetus or embryo in the minimally invasive surgery.
Abortion, Induced ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate therapeutic effects of balance acupuncture on scapulohumeral periarthritis (SP)and the mechanisms.

METHODSThirty male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a blank group (group B), a model group (group M) and a balance acupuncture group (group BA) with 10 rabbits in each group. SP model was established by using persistent mechanical strain and ice compress. Balance acupuncture at "Jiantong" point was applied in the animals in group BA, but not in the rabbits of the other two groups. Joint movement and pathological changes in tissues around the affected shoulder joint were observed, and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in plasma and the affected surrounding tissues, and DNA contents in tendon of supraspinatus muscle were measured.

RESULTSThe content of plasma 5-HT in group BA [(18.16 +/- 4.44) ng/mL] was significantly lower than that in group M [(23.28 +/- 5.89) ng/mL] (P < 0.05), but without obvious difference in IL-1beta content between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with group M, the contents of IL-1beta, 5-HT in affected surrounding tissues, and DNA expression in tendon of supraspinatus muscle were significantly lowered to va rious extent in group BA (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBalance acupuncture can effectively improve local and systemic pathological situation induced by SP by way of reducing pain-producing factors, inflammatory factors and DNA expression to alleviate local organization and adhesions in rabbits with experimental SP.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; blood ; Male ; Periarthritis ; blood ; immunology ; therapy ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Serotonin ; blood ; Shoulder Pain ; blood ; immunology ; therapy

Polyamides, containing N-methylpyrrole (Py) and N-methyl-imidazole (Im) amino acids, are synthetic oligomers programmed to read the DNA double helix in the minor groove with high affinities and sequence specificities resulting in modulation of gene expression. They are cell permeable, stable and have no cytotoxicity, which provide a promising tool of gene regulation. We describe here recent advances in the field of DNA binding polyamides, including pairing rules, specifities and affinities to DNA, synthesis methods, cellular and nuclear uptake properties, gene regulation and effectiveness in vivo. The potential problems and difficulties in future research are also discussed.
Animals ; Base Pairing ; DNA ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA Footprinting ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Imidazoles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Nylons ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Pyrroles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo detect serum HER-2 oncoprotein levels in patients with operable and metastatic breast cancers, and to study the correlations between serum HER-2 level and lymph node status as well as other clinical parameters.

METHODSA total of 120 women were studied consisting of 10 healthy volunteers, 31 benign breast disease, 53 operable breast cancer, and 26 metastatic breast cancer patients. The levels of serum HER-2 were measured using an enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe mean serum HER-2 levels were 9.6 +/- 1.5 ng/mL in healthy volunteers, 11.9 +/- 1.6 ng/mL in benign breast disease, 13.2 +/- 4.2 ng/mL in operable breast cancer, and 30.5 +/- 30.8 ng/mL in metastatic breast cancer patients. The former is much lower than the latter three (P = 0.02, 0.001, 0.03, respectively). If using 15 ng/mL as a normal baseline, elevated serum HER-2 levels were observed in none of the healthy volunteers as well as patients with benign disease, but in 18.9% (10/53) operable breast cancer patients and 61.5% (16/26) metastatic patients. In patients with operable breast cancer, there was a positive correlation between serum concentrations of HER-2 and the size of primary tumor (P < 0.05), whereas there was no correlation between serum concentration and axillary lymph node or estrogen receptor status. In patients with metastatic disease, there was no correlation with site of metastases (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSerum HER-2 level was strongly correlated with tumor loads and clinical stages, thus acting as a promising predictor of cancer recurrence in breast cancer patients.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Breast Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; secondary ; Lung Neoplasms ; chemistry ; secondary ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; blood ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo understand the epidemiological, clinical and etiological characteristics of an Echovirus type 6 meningitis outbreak in Jinzhai county, Liu'an city in Anhui, and to find out the proper way in controlling the aseptic meningitis outbreak.

METHODSA surveillance system for aseptic meningitis was established in Jinzhai to confirm the case definition. Stool or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from some cases were collected for entero-viruses isolation and identification. Case-control study was conducted. The case group involved patients while the controls would include: patients' classmate with same gender and the age difference was not over one year. Neutralization antibody in serum specimens were collected and tested in cases and in healthy people.

RESULTS105 cases were distributed in 17 of the 30 towns in Jinzhai county while 41.0% of the cases were in Banzhuyuan town with an incidence rate of 203/10(5). Cases were clustered by school and classroom with age ranging from 3 to 15 years old and the highest as 10.9/10(5) in the 6 to 10 group. The incidence in males was 24.2/10(5) compared to 8.4/10(5) in females. The main clinic characteristics of cases were: fever, headache and vomiting. Echovirus type 6 from 25 of the 72 CSF samples (35%) was isolated. When comparing the cases group with control group, the OR of drinking home-made beverages was 4.1 (95% CI: 1.4-12.0), especially the beverages sacked by plastic bag: 3.3 (95% CI: 1.3-8.8). 6 out of 7 workers engaging in producing home-made beverages were detected to have carried Echovirus type 6 from their stool specimens. The Echovirus type 6 neutralization antibody positive rate in cases (73.5%) was significantly higher than that in 100 healthy people (46.0%) (X2 = 12. 526, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONThis episode of meningitis outbreak was caused by Echovirus type 6. The proportion of drinking home-made beverages, especially the beverages sacked by plastic bag in cases group was higher than in control group.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Echovirus 6, Human ; pathogenicity ; Echovirus Infections ; epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meningitis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ; virology ; Prejudice

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Congresses as Topic ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans

China ; Congresses as Topic ; Humans ; Indonesia ; Liver Diseases ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Societies, Medical

In this study, we propose that diprophylline exerts bidirectional modulation (BM) on the isolated rat jejunal segment depending on its contractile state. The results supported the hypothesis. Diprophylline (20 microM) exerted stimulatory effects on the contractility of jejunal segment in six low contractile states while inhibitory effects in six high contractile states, showing the characteristics of BM. Diprophylline-induced stimulatory effect was significantly blocked by atropine, indicating the correlation with cholinergic activation. Diprophylline-induced inhibitory effect was partially blocked by phentolamine, propranolol, and L-N-Nitro-Arginine respectively, indicating their correlation with sympathetic activation and nitric oxide-mediated relaxing mechanisms. Diprophylline-induced BM was abolished by tetrodotoxin or in a Ca2+ free condition or pretreated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib, suggesting that diprophylline-induced BM is Ca2+ dependent, and that it requires the presence of enteric nervous system as well as pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal. Diprophylline significantly increased the reduced MLCK expression and myosin extent in constipation-prominent rats and significantly decreased the increased MLCK expression and myosin extent in diarrhea-prominent rats, suggesting that the change of MLCK expression may also be involved in diprophylline-induced BM on rat jejunal contractility. In summary, diprophylline-exerted BM depends on the contractile states of the jejunal segments, requires the presence of Ca2+, enteric nervous system, pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal, and MLCK-correlated myosin phosphorylation. The results suggest the potential implication of diprophylline in relieving alternative hypo/hyper intestinal motility.
Animals ; Atropine ; Dyphylline ; Enteric Nervous System ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; Myosins ; Phentolamine ; Phosphorylation ; Propranolol ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Rats* ; Tetrodotoxin ; Imatinib Mesylate

Objective To provide the skin vessels morphologie basis for perforating flap of the antero- lateral thigh(ALT).Methods Six sides lower limbs of adult fresh cadaver specimens perfused with lead oxide-gelatine mixture were used.Observe the peraforators of anterolateral thigh by dissection.The elevated tissue was radiographed by X-ray and MSCT-scanning.Computer techniques was used for the detection and 3D-reconstruction of the regions of each perforators of ALT flap.Results The three-dimensional recostruct- ed digitized visible models perfectly displayed the anatomic structures of arteries on the anterolateral thigh, and,the morphology and distribution of the vascular territory of each perforator from descending branch of LCFA was displayed in the images of 3D-visualization,their effective morphology and distribution were same, and they accord with vascular territory of radiograph.On the 2D-image of X-ray,The margins of the anatomical distribution of each perforator from descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery were determined, their total areas was about 25cm?24cm.Conclusion Since the digitized image of perforator territory can accord with the morphology of anatomy,and can off vascular structure insights into cutaneous perforator anato- my,their 3D visualizative models can be applied in pre-operative designing and virtual operation procedures, and can be helped for study of perforator flap.

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the relationship between Modic change and disc height together with lumbar hyperosteogeny and study the role of Modic change in lumbar degeneration.

METHODSThe imaging data of 150 elderly patients with chronic low back pain were analysed retrospectively. All patients underwent MRI and lumbar lateral X-ray examination. The lumbar disc from L1-L2 to L5-S1 were selected for this study, including 750 discs, vertebral and endplate close to disc in 150 patients. The incidence rate of lumbar endplate Modic change, disc height and the degree of vertebral bone hyperplasia were recorded. The ratio of disc height/lumbar intervertebral disc height < 50% was defined as disc collapse. The patients were divided into 4 groups in the basis of imaging changes. Group A1:disc collapse without severe lumbar hyperosteogeny; Group A2: disc collapse with severe lumbar hyperosteogeny; Group B1: Neither disc collapse nor severe lumbar hyperosteogeny; Group B2: severe lumbar hyperosteogeny without disc collapse. The incidence rates of Modic change were compared between the 4 groups by χ(2) test. Finally, the influence of disc height and vertebral bone hyperplasia on the incidence rate of Modic change was analysed.

RESULTSFour groups of patients observed a total of 750 discs. The number of intervertebral discs in the group A1 was 208, the incidence rate was 54.3%. The number of intervertebral discs in the group A2 was 135, the incidence rate of group A2 was 34.8%. The number of intervertebral discs in the B1 group was 225, the incidence rate of group B1 was 16.9%. The number of intervertebral discs in the B2 group was 182, the incidence rate of group B2 was 29.7%. There was significant difference of lumbar endplate Modic change incidence rate among the 4 groups(χ(2) = 69.565, P < 0.05). The results of post hoc test showed that the incidence rate of Modic change in group A1 was higher than group A2, B1 and B2 (χ(2) = 12.524, 66.701 and 24.102, P < 0.00714). There was significant difference of Modic change incidence rate between group A2 and B1(χ(2) = 15.032, P < 0.00714), but there was no significant difference of Modic change incidence rate between group A2 and B2 (χ(2) = 0.945, P > 0.00714) . There was significant difference of Modic change incidence rate between group B2 and group B1 (χ(2) = 9.395, P < 0.00714).

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence rate of Modic change with disc collapse but without severe lumbar hyperosteogeny is high in elderly patients with chronic low back pain. There is no significant difference of Modic change incidence between patients with both disc collapse and severe lumbar hyperosteogeny and patients with severe lumbar hyperosteogeny but without disc collapse.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; pathology ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; pathology ; Low Back Pain ; pathology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies