Anthropometry ; methods ; Humans ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis

The painless needle insertion technique, summarized by Professor WU Lian-zhong during his decades of acupuncture clinical practice is introduced in this article, which is characterized as soft, flexible, fast, plucking and activating antipathogenic qi. The Sancai (three layers) lifting and thrusting manipulation technique is adopted by Professor WU for getting the qi sensation. And features of 10 kinds of needling sensation such as soreness, numbness, heaviness, distension, pain, cold, hot, radiation, jumping and contracture are summarized. Finger force, amplitude, speed and time length are also taken as the basis of reinforcing and reducing manipulations. Moreover, examples are also given to explain the needling technique on some specific points which further embodies Professor WU's unique experiences and understandings on acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Needles

Objective To investigate the effect of fusidic acid cream on inflammatory reaction caused by skin barrier damage.Methods Eight male SKH-1 hairless mice were included in this study.The back of each of these mice were equally divided into six regions measuring 1 cm × 2 cm in size,which were then assigned into six groups:blank control group remaining untreated,barrier-impaired group,barrier-impaired and fusidic acid-treated group,barrier-impaired and vehicle-treated group,barrier-unimpaired and fusidic acid-treated group,barrierunimpaired and vehicle-treated group.Stratum corneum was removed by adhesive tape stripping to establish an animal model of acute skin barrier damage in the corresponding skin regions of these mice,and fusidic acid cream or vehicle was topically applied to the corresponding regions once.Twelve hours later,skin surface swab samples were collected from the back of these mice followed by bacterial culture and colony counting.Mice were then sacrificed,and skin tissue specimens were resected from these mice,and subjected to real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR for the measurement of the mRNA expressions of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88),interleukin-1α (IL-1α),IL-6,epidermal antibacterial peptides S100a8 and S100a9.Statistical analysis was carried out by repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference (LSD) test.Results The mRNA expressions of MyD88,IL-1α,IL-6,S100a8 and S100a9 were all significantly higher in the barrier-impaired group than in the blank control group (all P ＜ 0.05).Specifically,the mRNA expression level of MyD88 in the barrier-impaired group was 8 times that in the blank control group (8.3 ± 3.0 vs.0.8 ± 0.4).Compared with the barrier-impaired group,the barrier-impaired and fusidic acid-treated group showed a significant decrease in the mRNA expressions of IL-1α (2.8 ± 0.3 vs.20.1 ± 10.0,F =47.11,P ＜ 0.01),IL-6 (1.6 ± 2.3 vs.9.4 ± 4.0,F =16.18,P＜ 0.01),S100a8 (1.5 ± 1.4 vs.5.0 ± 1.6,F=59.71,P＜ 0.05) and S100a9 (1.2 ± 0.7 vs.3.4 ± 1.6,F=21.94,P ＜ 0.05).Conlusions Fusidic acid cream could attenuate the inflammatory reaction caused by acute skin barrier damage,which might partly explain its action mechanism in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases.

Objective To evaluate the inhibitory effect of butyl flufenamate (BT) on ultraviolet (UV)-induced acute skin phototoxic reaction,and to investigate its possible mechanisms.Methods Eight SKH-1 hairless mice were included in this study.The back of each SKH-1 hairless mouse was divided into six regions,which were then randomly classified into six groups:blank group receiving no treatment,UV group receiving UV radiation only,BT + UV group and vehicle + UV group topically treated with BT ointment and vehicle respectively followed by UV radiation,UV + BT group and UV + vehicle group topically treated with BT ointment and vehicle respectively after UV radiation.Skin samples were obtained from these mice at 24 hours after treatment.Subsequently,hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed,real-time PCR was carried out to detect mRNA expressions of caspase-3,p53,COX-2,PGER1,interleukin (IL)-1β,IL-6,and an immunofluorescence assay was conducted to observe the expression of caspase-3.Statistical analysis was carried out by repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results Compared with the UV group,both BT + UV group and UV + BT group showed a decrease in the degree of skin edema and number of apoptotic cells at 24 hours after UV radiation.Real-time PCR showed that the mRNA expressions of caspase-3,p53,COX-2,PGER1,IL-l β and IL-6 were significantly higher in the UV group than in the blank group (all P ＜ 0.05),but significantly lower in the BT + UV group than in the UV group (all P ＜ 0.05),and only the expressions of caspase-3 and p53 mRNAs were significantly decreased in the UV + BT group compared with the UV group (both P ＜ 0.05).The immunofluorescence assay revealed that the expression of caspase-3 increased in the UV group compared with the blank group,but decreased in both BT + UV group and UV + BT group compared with the UV group.Conclusion BT could partially inhibit UV-induced acute skin phototoxicity in SKH-1 hairless mice.

AIM: To investigate the effect of atorvastatin ( AT) on the release of endothelial microparticles (EMP) and myocardial apoptosis in the rats with myocardial infarction .METHODS: SD male rats (n=24) were ran-domly divided into 3 groups:sham operation ( sham) group , myocardial infarction ( MI) group and MI+AT group.The rat model of acute myocardial infarction was prepared by coronary artery ligation .At 2 h and 24 h after modeling , the pe-ripheral blood was collected to detect creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT).The circulating levels of EMP were measured by flow cytometry .The myocardial apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase -mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.RESULTS: At 2 h after modeling, the level of CK-MB was signifi-cantly increased in MI group compared with sham group , and the level of EMP and the myocardial apoptotic rate were sig-nificantly increased in MI group and MI +AT group compared with sham group .At 24 h after modeling , the level of EMP was significantly increased in MI group compared with sham group .The levels of CK-MB, cTnT, EMP and the myocardial apoptotic rate were significantly decreased in MI +AT group compared with MI group .Moreover , the level of CK-MB in MI group was significantly increased at 24 h compared with that at 2 h after modeling .The levels of CK-MB, cTnT and EMP were significantly decreased in MI +AT group at 24 h compared with those at 2 h after modeling .CONCLUSION: Ator-vastatin may reduce the level of EMP and the myocardial apoptotic rate in the rats with acute myocardial infarction , indica-ting that atorvastatin plays a role in protecting endothelium .

Objective To investigate the effect of 3 concentrations of sevoflurane pretreatment on acute lung injury induced by endotoxin in rats. Methods Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:a control group(Group A), a sevoflurane group(Group B), a 3.6% sevoflurane pretreatment group(Group C), a 2.4% Sevoflurane pretreatment group(Group D), a 1.2% sevo sevoflurane pretreatment group(Group E), and lipopolysaccharide (Group F).The rats were killed 6 h after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline injection.Histological examinations of the lung tissues were performed with light microscope. Lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) mRNA expression were assayed. Results Introvenous LPS significantly aggravated lung tissue damage,increased lung W/D ratio, MPO activity, and lung ICAM-1 mRNA expression compared with the control group(P＜0.05). Precondition with 2.4% sevoflurane significantly attenuated the above mentioned changes induced by LPS (P＜0.05). The 3.6% LPS (Group C) significantly attenuated lung tissue damage and decreased MPO activity,lung ICAM-1 mRNA expression compared with the Group F (P＜0.05),but no significant change in lung W/D ratio was seen (P＞0.05). MPO activity was significantly decreased in Group E (P＜0.05), but lung W/D ratio and lung ICAM- 1 mRNA expression had no significant changes (P＞0.05).Conclusion Precondition with 2.4% sevoflurane can reduce LPS induced lung injury in rats. Decreased expression of ICAM-1 and less accumulation of neutrophils were participated in its mechanism.

This study is to establish a cell-based model targeting to neuraminidase (NA) of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus. NA is an influenza virus structural protein with enzymatic activity of the cleavage of HA-sialic acid interaction to release new viral particles from cells. A model of HIV-1 (pNL4-3.Luc.R(-)E(-)) based pseudovirions packed with HA [hemagglutinin, A/VietNam/1203/2004 (H5N1)] and NA [A/California/04/2009 (H1N1)] was established to evaluate compounds activities on NA function. The viral release can be blocked by neuraminidase inhibitors, oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylate, with IC50 of (61 +/- 31) nmol L(-1) and (5.5 +/- 2.9) nmol L(-1) respectively. A point mutation of H275Y on NA leads oseltamivir-resistance. This corresponding mutation was introduced into the system which was also confirmed by oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylate.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of laparoscopic-guided radiofrequency ablation on advanced prostate cancer.Methods From March 2003 to December 2008,a total of 6 previous prostate cancer patients who had been diagnosed with pathological results were treated by laparoscopic-guided radiofrequency ablation.All patients underwent pre-and post-operative IPSS,serum PSA,MRI and normal blood biochemistry examination.The treatment outcome,surgery-related complications were also recorded.Results All operations were successfully completed,no serious intra-and post-operative complications happened.Although there was no significant difference of IPSS between pre-operative [ ( 19.05 + 4.28 ) scores ] and 1 month after operation [ ( 19.87 + 5.72) scores ],but there were significantly decreased in 3 months [ (9.45 ± 2.03 ) scores ] and 6 months [ (6.18 + 1.79) scores ] after operation (P ＜0.05).Also being followed up to 6 months after operation,the serum PSA was significantly decreased compared with the pre-operative value [from(24.80 ± 14.56) μ g/L reduced to( 13.79 ± 7.76) μ g/L](P＜0.05).Conclusion Laparoscopic-guided radiofrequency ablation on advanced prostate cancer is safe and feasible,and can be used as an effective treatment in selective cases.

Amygdala ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Kindling, Neurologic ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; physiology ; Epilepsy ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Female ; Flunarizine ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Penicillins ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar