OBJECTIVETo observe the intervention effects of electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) on rats with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), so as to provide experiment references for acupuncture to treat T2DM.

METHODSAmong seventy male Wistar clean-grade rats, 8 rats were randomly selected into a control group; the rest rats were made T2DM model. Fifty-two rats which were successfully made T2DM model, according to randomized block method, were divided into a model group (10 rats), a medication group (10 rats), an electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23) group (11 rats), an electroacupuncture at "Pishu" (BL 20) group (10 rats) and an electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group (11 rats). Seven days after successful establishment of model, the rats in the model group were fixed in the self-made rat bag without receiving any treatment; the rats in the medication group, according to body mass (10 mL/kg), were treated with intragastric administration of glimepiride; the rats in all the electroacupuncture groups were treated with electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Yishu" (EX-B 3), respectively. The continuous wave was selected with a frequency of 15 Hz and a current intensity of 4 to 6 mA. The treatment was given 20 min per treatment, once a day, 5 treatments per week for continuous 4 weeks. Before the establishment of model and continuous 4 weeks after the intervention, blood samples were collected from rats' caudal vein, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured with FBG device each week. After the last intervention, the rats were killed and hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal gland were collected. The colorimetric method was applied to measure the contents of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C); radioimmunoassay was used to test the contents of glycated serum protein (GSP), fasting insulin (FINS), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortin (CORT).

RESULTSFour weeks after the intervention, except that the rat's body mass in the normal group continued to increase, body mass in the model group, medication group and each electroacupuncture group were significantly reduced (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the FBG in the electroacupuncture at "Pishu" (BL 20) group and electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group were obviously reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01); FBG in the electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group was lower than that in the medication group and electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23) group (both P<0.05). The contents of TG, HDL-C and LDL-C in the electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group were reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), the content of TG was significantly lower than that in the medication group and electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23) group (both P<0.05), the content of LDL-C was significantly lower than that in electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23) group (P<0.05). Insulin sensitivity index (ISI) in the medication group, electroacupuncture at "Pishu" (BL 20) group and electroacupuncture at "Yishu (EX-B 3)" group were evidently increased (P<0.05, P<0.01); ISI in the medication group was lower than that in the electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group (P<0.05). The content of CRH in the electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group was lower than that in the medication group and electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23) group (P<0.05, P<0.01); the content of CORT in the electroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) group was lower than that in the medication group and electroacupuncture at "Pishu" (BL 20) group (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Yishu" (EX-B 3) could reduce the level of CORT to improve the insulin resistance in rats with T2DM, improve insulin sensitivity index, regulate blood lipid metabolism and relieve the hyperactivity of the HPA axis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Hormones ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Male ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUNDMultiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant tumor, which takes the second place in malignant blood disease. The clinical symptoms are complicated that make more difficult to diagnose and therapy. Lots of researches focus on the proteins about MM in order to solve those problems. We used proteomic methods to find potential biomarkers in MM patients.

METHODSWe applied the peptide ligand library beads (PLLBs) to deplete high abundance proteins in serum for finding potential pathogenic factors and biomarkers of MM. Using 1D-Gel-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we identified 789 and 849 unique serum proteins in MM patients and in healthy controls, respectively.

RESULTSTwenty-two proteins were found differentially expressed between the two groups including serum amyloid A protein, vitamin D-binding protein isoform-1 precursor, plasma kallikrein, and apolipoprotein A-I. Changes of integrin alpha-11 and isoform-1 of multimerin-1 were validated with Western blotting. The linkage of the differentially expressed proteins and the pathogenesis pathways of MM were discussed.

CONCLUSIONSPLLB combined with 1D-gel-LC-MS/MS analysis is an efficient method to identify differentially expressed proteins in serum from patients with MM.

Biomarkers ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; blood ; Peptide Library ; Proteomics ; methods ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

OBJECTIVETo introduce statistical methods of time trend analysis on cancer rates.

METHODSCancer incidence data collected by the Shanghai Cancer Registry during 1991 to 1999 was used in the analysis to calculate the crude and age-adjusted rates, percent changes (PCs) and annual percent changes (APCs). APCs were estimated by a linear regression of the logarithm on the incidence rates during the nine years. It also introduced a method for partitioning a linear trend in age-adjusted rates into site-specific contributions to the overall floating trend. 95% confidence intervals for the APCs and contributions were described in the paper.

RESULTSA decreasing rates were observed for cancers of stomach and esophagus among both men and women in urban Shanghai from 1991 to 1999. The increasing rates among men would include cancers of colon, rectum, gall bladder, pancreas, prostate, urinary bladder, kidney and leukemia. The rates of cancers among women increased for colon, rectum, lung, breast, gall bladder, endometrium, ovary, urinary bladder and kidney. The changes of above cancers over time were statistically significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but rates for other cancer sites changed little. The APCs (weighted method) and contributions for the cancers of stomach, esophagus, colon, rectum and prostate were -2.99% and -65.72%, -2.90% and -17.07%, 12.30% and 21.46%, 2.94% and 18.62%, and 3.11% and 15.09% among men, and -6.05% and -39.55%, -1.08% and -35.19%, 2.81% and 28.64%, and 3.69% and 15.70% for the cancers of stomach, esophagus, breast and colon in women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAPC, and related statistics could be used to describe and analyze the time trend of cancer rates rather than PC or/and graphical method alone.

Algorithms ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Linear Models ; Male ; Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)guided by computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography derived roadmap and magnetic navigation system (MNS).

METHODSDuring June 2011 and May 2012, thirty consecutive patients receiving elective PCI were enrolled, coronary artery disease was primarily diagnosed by dual-source CT coronary angiography (DSCT-CA) at outpatient clinic and successively proved by coronary artery angiography in the hospital. Target vessels from pre-procedure DSCT-CA were transferred to the magnetic navigation system, and consequently edited, reconstructed, and projected onto the live fluoroscopic screen as roadmap. Parameters including characters of the target lesions, time, contrast volume, radiation dosage for guidewire crossing, and complications of the procedure were recorded.

RESULTSThirty patients with 36 lesions were recruited and intervened by PCI. Among the target lesions, sixteen were classified as type A, 11 as type B1, 8 as type B2, 1 as type C. The average length of the target lesions was (22.0 ± 9.8) mm, and the average stenosis of the target lesions was (81.3 ± 10.3)%. Under the guidance of CT roadmap and MNS, 36 target lesions were crossed by the magnetic guidewires, with a lesion crossing ratio of 100%. The time of placement of the magnetic guidewires was 92.5 (56.6 - 131.3) seconds. The contrast volume and the radiation dosage for guidewire placement were 0.0 (0.0 - 3.0) ml and 235.0 (123.5 - 395.1) µGym(2)/36.5 (21.3 - 67.8) mGy, respectively. Guidewires were successfully placed in 21 (58.3%) lesions without contrast agent. All enrolled vessels were successfully treated, and there were no MNS associated complications.

CONCLUSIONSIt is feasible, effective and safe to initiate PCI under the guidance of CT derived roadmap and MNS. This method might be helpful for the guidewire placement in the treatment of total occlusions.

Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) level and the risk of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) recurrence in hypertensive patients. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study was conducted among 211 hypertensive patients with AIS treated in Foshan First People's Hospital, including 35 patients with recurrence of AIS during the 1-year follow-up as confirmed by head CT/MR. In the overall patients, 60 had grade 1 hypertension (including 5 recurrent cases), 76 had grade 2 hypertension (with 11 recurrent cases), and 75 had grade 3 hypertension (with 19 recurrent cases). Univariate analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, trend analysis, and smooth curve fitting analysis were performed to explore the correlation between serum Lp-PLA2 level within 24 h after admission and the risk of AIS recurrence. The predictive efficacy of serum Lp-PLA2 level for AIS recurrence in different hypertension grades was evaluated using ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: Serum Lp-PLA2 level, age, NIHSS score at admission, mRS scores at 7 days, homocysteine level and smoking status differed significantly between patients with and without AIS recurrence (P < 0.05). After adjustment for confounding factors, multivariate regression analysis showed that the highest tertile of Lp-PLA2 level was associated with a 4.13-fold increase of AIS recurrence risk compared with the lowest tertile (OR=5.13, 95% CI: 1.35-19.40), and each 1 ng/mL increase of Lp-PLA2 level was associated with a 1% increase of AIS recurrence risk (OR= 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.02). Serum Lp-PLA2 level was shown to positively correlate with AIS recurrence risk, and in patients with grade 3 hypertension, its areas under the ROC curve for predicting AIS recurrence was 0.869 with a specificity of 0.893 and a sensitivity of 0.737. CONCLUSION Serum Lp-PLA2 concentration is an independent risk factor and potentially an effective predictor for AIS recurrence in patients with grade 3 hypertension.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; 1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase ; Acute Disease ; Biomarkers ; Brain Ischemia/etiology* ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; Hypertension/complications* ; Ischemic Stroke/complications* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke

Selective dorsal neurotomy (SDN) is a surgical treatment for primary premature ejaculation (PE), but there is still no standard surgical procedure for selecting the branches of the dorsal penile nerves to be removed. We performed this study to explore the value of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) of the penile sensory-evoked potential (PSEP) for standard surgical procedures in SDN. One hundred and twenty primary PE patients undergoing SDN were selected as the PE group and 120 non-PE patients were selected as the normal group. The PSEP was monitored and compared between the two groups under both natural and general anesthesia (GA) states. In addition, patients in the PE group were randomly divided into the IONM group and the non-IONM group. During SDN surgery, PSEP parameters of the IONM group were recorded and analyzed. The differences in PE-related outcome measurements between the perioperative period and 3 months' postoperation were compared for the PE patients, and the differences in effectiveness and complications between the IONM group and the non-IONM group were compared. The results showed that the average latency of the PSEP in the PE group was shorter than that in the normal group under both natural and GA states (P < 0.001). Three months after surgery, the significant effective rates in the IONM and non-IONM groups were 63.6% and 34.0%, respectively (P < 0.01), and the difference in complications between the two groups was significant (P < 0.05). IONM might be useful in improving the short-term therapeutic effectiveness and reducing the complications of SDN.
Male ; Humans ; Premature Ejaculation/surgery* ; Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring/methods* ; Prospective Studies ; Neurosurgical Procedures/methods* ; Penis/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies