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

Objective For drinking water deep treatment,this study compared the abilities of several common domestic products of activated carbon in virus removal from water through adsorption. Methods This study compared the abilities in virus removal of two types of granular activated carbon (GAC) materials (domestic product made of coconut shell) and one type of activated carbon fiber (ACF) material (domestic product made of mucilage glue-based ACF felt) under a fixed condition (phosphate buffered saline-PBS solution,pH =7.3,25 ℃) and the abilities of one of the above two GAC types under various conditions (before and after pretreatment,15-35 ℃,pH= 6.0-8.4,concentration of Ca2+ 0-500 mg/L,ionic strength 0-0.1 mol/L). The tested virus was the indicator phages obtained from sewage with an enterobacterium (Escherichia coli 285). Results The removal process with the GACs followed the first order kinetic model (R2: 0.83-0.99),whereas that of the ACF did not (R2: 0.44-0.64),with the rate constants of 0.505 3-2.606 8 (GACs) and 0.219 2-0.413 8 (ACF). Pretreatment (boiling for 2 h and then washing in deionized water) could both increase and decrease the removal effects,depending on the GAC sources. Different abilities in virus removal were found between the two GACs with their comparative outcomes depending on if they were subject to the pretreatment; higher levels of temperature,Ca2+ concentration,and ionic strength,and slight acidic and alkaline conditions favored virus removal. Calculation from the first order kinetic simulation showed that: the removal percentage within 15 min was around 30% with the highest 40% and the lowest 5%; and the maximum removal during the experimental period of 5 h reached 5-log. Although the amount (1 g) of the GACs used was ten times of that of the ACF (0.1 g),the measured values showed that the latter had faster initial removal rates than the former. Conclusion The three domestic products of activated carbon showed a large difference in their abilities to remove the viruses from water through adsorption with their comparative outcomes depending on the experimental conditions. If the short duration (about 15 min) currently employed in activated carbon treatment process is considered,it will be necessary to study the ways in promoting virus removal through adsorption onto the activated carbon materials of domestic products used in this experiment.

Nowadays more and more attention has been paid to the problems about housing and health in China. Some investigations showed that people spent almost fourteen hours in their homes every day so the houses become the major places of daily activities. It is very important to solve the problems of what is the relation between the housing and health and how the housing influences the health of the people living in it. In the present paper the author summarized the overseas and domestic researches on the housing and health and pointed out that the research on housing and health in China is just in the preliminary phase.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of total flavonoids of propolis (TFP) on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure and its possible mechanism in rats.

METHODSSix male SD rats were randomly selected as normal control group, the remaining rats were made as chronic heart failure (CHF) model by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin. The rats in the successful model were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6): CHF group, total flavonoids of propolis low dose group (LD group), total flavonoids of propolis middle dose group (MD group), total flavonoids of propolis high dose group (HD group), digoxin group (DIG group). After six week treatment, cardiac function indexes of rats were recorded by signal acquisition system; brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) content in plasma were detected; Myocardial morphological changes and collagen fiber hyperplasia by HE and Masson staining were observed; Myocardial apoptosis was detected with TUNEL method and protein connexin 43(P-Cx43) expression was detected by Western blot method.

RESULTSCompared with NC group, left ventricular systolic pressure(LVSP) and maximal rise/fall velocity of left ventriculad pressure (± dP/dt(max)) absolute value in CHF group were significantly lowered (P < 0.01) while left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was increased significantly (P < 0.01); Contents of plasma BNP, cTnI, TNF-α and IL-6 in the CHF group were significantly improved (P < 0.01). Compared with CHF group, LVSP, ± dP/dt(max) absolute value in MD and HD groups were increased (P < 0.05), and LVEDP was significantly lowered (P < 0.01); LVEDP in LD group was significantly lowered (P < 0.01), changes in LVSP and ± dp/dt(max) absolue value were not obvious (P > 0.05). BNP, cTnI, TNF-α and IL-6 contents in MD and HD groups were significantly reduced (P < 0.01), but those plasma indicator changes were not obvious in LD group (P > 0.05). Western blot showed that P-Cx43 expression in CHF group was significantly higher than that in NC group (P < 0.01) and that in all TFP treatment groups it was decreased compared with CHF group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), among which pairwise comparisons also showed differences (P < 0.05), myocardial apoptosis index (%)(22.62 ± 3.39) in CHF group was higher than that in NC group( 1.12 ± 0.24) (P < 0.01); compared with CHF group, the apoptosis index of myocardial cells (%) in LD,MD and HD groups, (15.79 + 2.8), (9.28 + 2.1) and (4.73 + 1.14) respectively, were significantly lower than those in the CHF group( P < 0.01). The expression level of P-Cx43 positively correlated with the apoptotic index (r = 0. 861, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTotal flavonaids of propolis have inhibitory effect on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure induced by adriamycin in rats, and the mechanism may be closely related to the regulation of Cx43 expression, especially the regulatory phosphorylation status.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Chronic Disease ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Phosphorylation ; Propolis ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Troponin I ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; blood ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood ; Prognosis

Objective To explore the extent of axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes.Methods In this series,95 patients underwent complete axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) following positive sentinel lymph nodes identified and 97 patients underwent partial axillary lymph node dissection (PALND) at the absence of positive sentinel lymph nodes.The influence of different extent of axillary lymph node dissection was evaluated.Results The positive rate of level(Ⅰ + Ⅱ) non-sentinel lymph nodes (NSLN) and level Ⅲ lymph nodes was 68.4％ and 29.5％,respectively,in CALND group.In PALND situation,57.9％ CALND cases would have changed pathologic stage from pN1 to pN2 or pN3.But with level Ⅲ lymph node dissection followed PALND,only 2.1％ cases had changed pathologic stage from pN2 to pN3.Multivariate logistic regression showed that the number of positive SLNs (OR =2.157) and positive rate of SLNs (OR =10.374) were risk factors for having positive level Ⅲ lymph nodes.CALND needed longer operation time and larger postoperative drainage volume.Conclusions In cases of breast cancer with ≥ 3 positive sentinel lymph nodes,complete axillary lymph node dissection should be considered.

Health Promotion ; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care) ; Workplace

Objective To examine the clinical effect and learning curve of endoscopic thyroidectomy via chest-areolar approach in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. Methods From January 2012 to May 2016,49 patients underwent endoscopic thyroidectomies via chest-areolar approach in Xuanwu Hospital ,Capital medical university. The clinical characteristics ,prognosis and operation time were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 9 groups according to the surgical sequence ,and the learning curves were analyzed by using moving average method. Results 49 endoscopic thyroidectomies via chest-areolar approach were performed successfully. The average size of the nodules was(2.80 ± 0.62)cm. 10 patients underwent bilateral thyroidectomy and 39 underwent unilateral thyroidectomy. The average operation time was(157.49 ± 21.23)min. 2 cases received re-operation due to postoperative pathology of malignancy. There were no postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries. 11 patients suffered from asymptomatic hypocalcemia with parathyroid hormone in the normal range. All of the patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results. The learning curves indicated that 35 endoscopic thyroidectomies were needed to be performed in the early study stage. Conclusions For surgeons with experience of conventional thyroidectomies,endoscopic thyroidectomy via chest-areolar approach is feasible and safe for selected patients. There is a significant learning curve in the application of endoscopic thyroidectomy. In the early study stage of endo-scopic thyroidectomy,35 cases are basically required for beginning surgeons to practice the surgical operation.

The expression of specific genes in sex chromosomes is the basis of sex-specific membrane protein in mammalian spermatozoa. The gene expression products are shared among spermatozoa through intercellular bridges, however, the phenomena of male transmission-ratio distortion and sex ratio distortion proved that differential proteins exist between X and Y spermatozoa. In addition, the existence of sex-specific proteins was confirmed by the separation experiment of X/Y chromosome bearing spermatozoa and the detection result of sex specific proteins. At the same time, it was also confirmed that the difference of the sex-specific protein is weak . The advance of separation techniques as well as the integration and optimization among these techniques has made it possible to separate sex-specific membrane proteins in mammalian spermatozoa.

Objective To compare the treatment effects and toxicity of convention fractionation ra- diotherapy(CFR),late course accelerated hyperfractionafion radiotherapy(LCAFR) and whole course accel- erated hyperfractionation radiotherapy(WCAFR) for patients with middle or low thoracic esophageal moder- ately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma.Methods Ninety patients with middle or low thoratic esoph- ageal carcinoma were divided into three groups:1.CFR group,patients were irradiated 2.0 Gy/f,5 times a week,to a total dose of 70 Gy;2.LCAFR group,patients were first irradiated with CFR to 40 Gy,then fol- lowed by 1.5 Gy/f bid,at more than 6 hoursinterval,5 times a week,to a total dose of 70 Gy;3.WCAFR group,patients were irradiated 1.5 Gy/f bid,at more than 6 hoursinterval,5 times a week,to a total dose of 72 Gy.Results The 1-,2-,3-year local control rate was 47%,17% and 0% in CFR group,60%,20% and 20% in LCAFR group,60%,40% and 33% in WCAFR group,respectively.The 1-,2-,3-year survival rate was 47%,20% and 10% in CFR group,63%,43% and 17% in LCAFR group,and 63% ,50% and 33% in WCAFR group,respectively.There were better results in the latter two groups(P＜0.01).The a- cute toxic effect was severer in the WCAHF and LCAF groups than in CF group.Highter grade 2-3 acute esophagitis rate was observed both in WCAHF and LCAF groups.There were no significant differences in late esophagitis rate between the three groups.The grade 1-2 acute radiation pneumonitis rates were higher in WCAHF group than in LCAF and CF groups.One patient died of radiation pneumonitis in WCAHF group. Conclusions Whole course accelerated hyperfractionation radiotherapy can significantly improve the local control rates and the 1-and 2-year survival rates of esophageal cancer,but can also increase the toxicity.