OBJECTIVETo optimize therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion for postsurgical gastroparesis syndrome (PGS).

METHODSForty-one cases of PGS were randomly divided into 3 groups in order of visiting. Group A (n = 17) were treated by warming needle moxibustion, group B (n = 12) by acupuncture plus auricular point sticking, and group C (n = 12) by routine acupuncture. Changes of gastric drainage volume, therapeutic times and cured rate were investigated in the 3 groups.

RESULTSAll the 3 therapeutic methods could significantly decrease gastric drainage volume. The cured rate was 100.0% and the therapeutic times was (7.24 +/- 3.87) in the group A, 66.7%, (9.83 +/- 4.60) times in the group B and 75.0%, (15.25 +/- 3.81) times in the group C, with significant differences in the cured rate and the therapeutic times among the 3 groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe warming needle moxibustion is the best method for PGS, with less therapeutic times, high cured rate and rapid effect.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Gastroparesis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy

Professor LI Zhi-dao's acupuncture technique at muscle belly and its clinical experiences for the treatment of arthralgia are introduced. From aspects of TCM, anatomical physiology and sports biomechanics, the theory basis of this technique is explained, while its method is elaborated in details from acupoint selection and manipulation combined with classic medical cases. The acupuncture technique at muscle belly is applied at the muscles which already have pathological changes, avoiding re-stimulation on the pain area. It provides new thinking methods and references for acupuncture to treat arthralgia.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthralgia ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

ObjectiveTo observe clinical therapeutic effect of scalp acupuncture combined with traditional body acupuncture on pseudobulbar palsy induced by ischemic or hemorrhagic apoplexy.Methods59 inpatients with pseudobulbar palsy induced by stroke were divided into the scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture group (n=40) and body acupuncture group (n=19). Cases of the scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture group were treated by scalp acupuncture combined with traditional body acupuncture. Cases of the body acupuncture group were treated only by traditional body acupuncture. Therapeutic effect of two groups was assessed according to patients' consciousness, language and limb functions.ResultsIn the scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture group, 30 cases were cured and 9 were remarkably effective, with a total effective rate of 97.5%. While in the body acupuncture group, 9 cases were cured, and 7 were remarkably effective, with a total effective rate of 84.2%. There was a significant difference between two groups in clinical cure rate (P<0.05), but no difference in total effective rate ( P>0.05).ConclusionScalp acupuncture combined with traditional body acupuncture can obviously improve the consciousness, language and limb functions and pseudobulbar palsy of stroke patients and obtain a better effect compared with traditional body acupuncture.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the testicular blood flow in patients with testicular microlithiasis (TM) and its correlation with the seminal profile in infertile men.

METHODSWe selected 88 infertile men and examined them by testicular color Doppler and routine seminal tests.

RESULTSTesticular microlithiasis was found in 19 (19.3%) of the patients, classic testicular microlithiasis (CTM) in 7 (8.0%), and limited testicular microlithiasis (LTM) in 10 (11.3%). No significant differences were observed in the age of onset, bilateral testicular volume, resistance index (RI) of bilateral testicular arteries, semen amount and the rate of teratospermia. The bilateral testicular peak systolic velocity (PSV), sperm count and sperm motility were significantly lower in the CTM than in the LTM group (P < 0.05), but showed no statistically significant difference between the LTM and the non-calcification group.

CONCLUSIONTM may be one of the causes of poor sperm function in infertile men.

Adult ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Calcinosis ; complications ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; complications ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Semen ; cytology ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Testicular Diseases ; complications ; physiopathology ; Testis ; blood supply ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical and genetic characteristics of generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS).

METHODSData of two probands of the disease were collected through outpatient clinic. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes using RelaxGene Blood DNA System. Twenty-six exons of SCN1A were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the PCR products were screened by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), then the abnormal fragments were sequenced by Sanger method in order to find the mutations of SCNIA gene.

RESULTS(1) There were 28 affected individuals in the two families of GEFS+ (14 males and 14 females). Febrile seizures (FS) were present in 7 cases, febrile seizures plus (FS+) in 6 cases, FS+ and absence seizures in 1 case, FS+ and myoclonic seizures in 1 case, uncertain type in 13 cases. No severe phenotype was seen. Bilineal inheritance occured in one GEFS+ family. (2) A samesense mutation (c. 1212A > G) of SCN1A gene was found in the proband and an unaffected individual of pedigree B of GEFS.

CONCLUSIONS(1) GEFS+ is a syndrome with the characteristics of heterogeneous clinical phenotypes; bilineal inheritance suggests the possibility of complex inheritance with additive gene effects. (2) Our study failed to provide evidence supporting a causal relation between the SCN1A mutation and the etiologic gene in the GEFS+ family B, which indicates that GEFS+ has the phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; complications ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Testing ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; NAV1.1 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Seizures, Febrile ; complications ; genetics ; Sodium Channels ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with acupuncture at Sheng's Four Points of Throat.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and medication (group 1, 30 cases) and a medication group (group 2, 30 cases). In group 1 Four Points of Throat were punctured and routine medication was applied; in group 2, only routine medication was applied. The scores of symptom-sign and status of voice were observed and analyzed before and after treatment in two groups.

RESULTSAt 4th day after the surgery, the improvement of the symptom-sign scores in group 1 was more significant than that in group 2 (P < 0.05); and the voice analysis status in group 1 was superior to that in group 2 (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 83.3% (25/30) in group 1, which was superior to that of 60.0% (18/30) in group 2 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effect on function rehabilitation of vocal cord after vocal cord polyps surgery treated with the combined therapy group of Four Points of Throat and routine medication is favorable, superior to that with routine medication therapy.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; surgery ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; Pharynx ; physiopathology ; Vocal Cords ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

Heavy metal wastewater poses a serious threat to the environment. In comparison to the existing methods of chemical precipitation, ion exchange and carbon adsorption, biosorption is an attractive alternative for the recovery of heavy metals from industrial effluents. However, nickel ion, different from other heavy metal ions, is a more recalcitrant pollutant and has low affinity to many metal tolerant microorganisms. In this study, Escherichia coli JM109 was genetically engineered to simultaneously express a Ni2+ transport system (the product of nixA gene) andoverexpress metallothionein (MT). NixA protein has a high affinity for Ni2+, and metallothioneins (MTs) are capable of binding a variety of heavy metals including Ni2+ . The Ni2+ bioaccumulation performance of the genetically engineered E. coli JM109 was evaluated. Time-course test showed that the bioaccumulation rate was rapid, and 95% of the accumulation was achieved within the first 10 minutes. The maximum Ni2+ bioaccumulation by genetically engineered E. coli cells was dramatically increased from 1.54 mg/g to 10.11mg/g, a more than five-fold increase than that of the original E. coli strain. The isotherm was of Langmuir type. Within the tested pH range (pH 4-10), the engineered cells displayed more resistance to pH variation, retaining up to 80% of the Ni2+ binding capacity at pH 4, while the original E. coli host cells lost 80% of Ni2+ binding capacity at pH 4. The presence of Na+ and Ca2+ affected Ni2+ bioaccumulation, but the effects were not serious, as 71% and 66% of the Ni2+ binding capacities were retained respectively at the concentrations of 1000 mg/L Na+ and 1000 mg/L Ca2+ . However, Mg2+ exerted a severe adverse effect on Ni2+ bioaccumulation, 83% of Ni2+ accumulating capacity was lost when Mg2+ concentration reached 200 mg/L. The effects of different kinds of heavy metals on Ni2+ accumulating were different. The genetically engineered E. coli cell lost less than 45% of its Ni2+ bioaccumulation activity in the presence of 50 mg/L lead or cadmium, 66% in the presence of 25mg/L mercury and 84% in the presence of 40 mg/L copper. The presence of glucose did not improve Ni2+ uptake. Our study suggests that the genetically engineered E. coli JM109 has potential application for effective and efficient recovery of nickel from aqueous solutions.
Biodegradation, Environmental ; Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Engineering ; methods ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Metallothionein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nickel ; metabolism ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the safety, effectiveness and feasibility of suprapubis-assisted umbilical laparoendoscopic mini-dual-site surgery (SAU-LEMDS) in the treatment of varicocele.

METHODSThis study included 80 varicocele patients aged 24 - 44 (mean 28.5 +/- 2.6) years, 25 cases of grade I, 45 cases of grade II and 10 cases of grade III, 58 cases in the left side, 6 in the right and 16 in both sides, and all with asthenospermia. The patients were treated by SAU-LEMDS under subarachnoid anesthesia combined with general anesthesia in a supine position with a head-down-feet-up slope of 15 degrees. Two 5 mm trocars were inserted bilaterally at the umbilical edge, one with a 5 mm 30 degrees laparoscope placed in it, and another into the abdominal cavity below the pubic hairline with a 5 mm laparoendoscopic clipper placed in it. The operation procedure was similar to that of standard laparoscopic ligation of spermatic veins, with reservation of the spermatic artery and double-ligation of spermatic veins. And the procedure was repeated for the contralateral lesion in the bilateral cases. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for the incidences of orchiatrophy and testicular hydrocele and changes of seminal parameters.

RESULTSAll the operations were successful, with the mean operation time of (10 +/- 5.0) min (range 8 to 25 min) for the unilateral cases and (18 +/- 6.5) min (range 15 to 30 min) for the bilateral cases, the mean blood loss of (1.5 +/- 0.5) ml (range 1 to 2 ml), and the mean postoperative hospital stay of (2 +/- 0.5) d (range 1.5 to 3 d). The patients were followed up for 6 -24 (12 +/- 2.5) months, which showed significant improvement in sperm motility as compared with the baseline ([28.53 +/- 5.21] vs [19.62 +/- 3.56]%, P < 0.05), with 28 cases (35.0%) restored to normal. Recurrence was found in 4 cases (5.0%). Testicular hydrocele occurred in 7 cases (8.75%), but orchiatrophy in none. The scars in the umbilicus and suprapubis were invisible because of the wrinkles and pubic hair.

CONCLUSIONSAU-LEMDS is safe, effective and feasible for the treatment of varicocele. It is superior to umbilical laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (U-LESS) for its less invasiveness, simpler operation, and better cosmetic appearance.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Testicular Hydrocele ; etiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Umbilicus ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Veins

AIMTo report a short-time result of three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) implantation on treating patients with organic erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODSThree-piece IPPs were implanted in 42 Chinese patients with ED refractory to systemic treatment between May 2002 and May 2004. The etiologies of ED were neurogenic (28 with paraplegia and seven with traumatic nervi-erigentes injury); congenital venous leakage (5 cases), fibrosis of corpus cavernosum (1case) and Klinefelter's syndrome (1 case). The follow-up period ranged from 24 to 57 months.

RESULTSImplantation procedures were successfully performed upon all 42 patients. The length of implanted prosthesis was from 13 cm to 18 cm, and the diameter was 1 cm. The implanted prosthesis was made by the Medical Instrumentation Company of Muping (Muping, Shandong, China). Localized infection occurred in only one patient and mechanical complications occurred in five patients. Coitus could be performed in 41 cases (97.6%). Three patients with congenital venous leakage made their spouses pregnant after implantation.

CONCLUSIONImplantation of three-piece IPP is an effective and safe modality for treating patients with ED. It can be well accepted by Chinese patients because of its efficacy.

Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Paraplegia ; rehabilitation ; Penile Prosthesis ; Postoperative Period ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in the diagnosis of midline prostatic cysts.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the TRUS manifestations of 87 cases of midline prostatic cysts.

RESULTSOf the total number, 33 cases were diagnosed as Müllerian duct cysts, 21 cases ejaculatory duct cysts and the other 33 cases undifferentiated midline prostatic cysts; 19 cases had dilated seminal vesicles, 19 seminal vesicle agenesis, 9 seminal vesiculitis and 5 dilation of the ejaculatory duct.

CONCLUSIONTRUS, convenient, sensitive, safe and non-invasive, is a desirable method for the diagnosis of midline prostatic cysts.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cysts ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography ; methods