ObjectiveTo assess the factors influencing plasma B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP) levelsin patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsClinical and echocardiographic information weredetected or collected.Level of plasma BNP were measured through immunofluorescence quantitified method in222 CAF patients.The patients were divided into two groups according to left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) :LVEF ≥50％ (normal group) and LVEF ＜ 50％ (case groups) .LVEF was detected by transthoracicechocardiography.Fasting Blood Glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, were measured, and history ofhypertension, diabetes mellitus and smoking, were recorded.ResultsSerum levels of BNP in patients of chronicAF with LVEF ＜ 50％ were significantly higher than those with LVEF≥50％ (Mean Rank, 158.00 and 87.78 ,Z=-7.705, P ＜ 0.001) .In multiple logistic regression analysis, male gender (OR: 13.115,95％ CI 3.382 to50.860,P ＜0.001),history of hypertension(OR:3.710,95％ CI 1.104 to 12.472 ,P = 0.034) ,lower TC(OR: 0.397,95％ CI 0.214 to 0.735, P = 0.003) , LVEF(OR :0.791,95 ％ CI 0.723 to 0.867, P ＜ 0.001) , history ofsmoking(OR: 4.660,95％ CI 1.256 to 17.281, P = 0.021)were significant and independent determinants ofBNP elevation.ConclusionLower LVEF, male gender, history of hypertension and smoking, lower plasma TCare independent predictors of plasma BNP levels in patients with chronic AF.

AIM:To observe the effect of fresh amniotic membrane transplantation ( FAMT) in acute ocular chemical burns.
●METHODS:A prospective study of 25 consecutive cases (36 eyes) with acute ocular chemical burns were treated with FAMT. The clinical efficacy was observed such as the time of amniotic membrane absorbed, corneal epithelialization & transparency, visual acuities and complications.
●RESULTS: With follow-up ranged from 3 to 6mo, 31 eyes′ amniotic membrane were dissolved in 2wk (86%). A total of 33 eyes showed corneal epithelialization in 4wk ( 92%) , 3 eyes showed persistent corneal epithelial defects and need secondary limbal stem cell transplantation or corneal transplantation ( 8%) . A total of 10 eyes showed superficial corneal vascularization (28%), 6 eyes′ cornea were opacity in part (17%), and one eye was symblepharon (3%).
●CONCLUSION:Early FAMT is an effective treatment in the management of acute ocular chemical burns to support epithelial healing, restore ocular surface integrity with potential to improve vision and reduce the incidence of complications. Furthermore, FAMT has advantages of easily obtain and convenient usage, which is suitable in local hospital of our country.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of electroacupuncture and diet adjusting on insulin resistance in rats with nutrition obesity, and the role of electroacupuncture and diet adjusting in the treatment of obesity. METHODS: Obesity was induced in rats by high-fat diet. Rats with nutrition obesity were randomly divided into high-fat diet (HD) group, high-fat diet plus electroacupuncture (HA) group, normal diet (ND) group and normal diet plus electroacupuncture (NA) group, with another group of SD rats as normal control (NC). After 15 days, all the rats' body weight and length were measured, the Lee's index was calculated, and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acid (FFA), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected. RESULTS: Compared with the HD group, food intake, body weight and viscera fat weight of the rats with nutrition obesity in the HA group and the NA group were markedly reduced (P<0.05). The levels of blood serum TC, FFA and IR index in the NA group were obviously lower than those in the HD group (P<0.01). The levels of TNF-alpha and FINS in the NA group were lower than those in the HD group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture plus diet adjusting can decrease the levels of serum TNF-alpha and FINS of the obesity rats, and improve the state of insulin resistance.

Animals ; Heart Function Tests ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; methods ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Animals ; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective:To investigate the immunogenicity of SARS-CoV N DNA vaccine and the feasibility of live-attenuated Salmonella typhimurium as the carrier to deliver the N DNA vaccine.Method:The recombinant attenuated salmonella strain CS022 harboring the pcDNA-N DNA vaccine was constructed.And mouse was immunized with the recombinant strain via intranasal and oral routes.Cellular and humoral immune responses were assessed by ELISA,lymphocyte proliferation assays,ELISPOT and FACS.Result:The oral immunization with the transformed salmonellae elicited strong immune responses mainly including high level of N-specific antibody,a dramatic activation of IFN-?-secreting cells,a high level of lymphocyte proliferation,and a high level of activated CD8+ T cells.Conclusion:Live-attenuated Salmonella typhimurium could effectively deliver the SARS-CoV N DNA vaccine in vivo.These encouraging pre-clinical data provide a rational basis for undertaking a new immune style to investigate SARS vaccine.

OBJECTIVETo explore the differences of electroacupuncture (EA) on onset time and symptom improvement for treatment of different types of functional constipation.

METHODSThirty-eight cases of constipation were selected, including 9 cases of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C), 10 cases of slow transit constipation (STC), 10 cases of pelvic floor dyssynergia (PFD) and 9 cases of inadequate defecatory propulsion (IDP). The electroacupuncture was applied at Tianshu (ST 25), Fujie (SP 14), Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and so on in abdominal and lumbosacral area, 5 times per week, 10 times as a treatment course. The onset time, score of clinical symptoms of constipation and improvement of every symptom in each group were compared.

RESULTS(1) The onset time was (1.78 +/- 0.83) days in IBS-C type, (3.11 +/- 1.90) days in IDP type, (4.10 +/- 1.85) days in STC type and (4.30 +/- 2.00) days in PFD type, indicating statistical differences between IBS-C type and STC type, IBS-C type and PFD type (both P < 0.05). (2) Compared before the treatment, the total scores of symptoms on the onset day in each group were all improved (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and score of IBS-C type was superior to the rest 3 types (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (3) EA improved desire to defecate or frequency of defecation in each type (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), in which both were improved in STC type and PFD type, and the improvement of defecation frequency was more significant in STC type (P < 0.01). EA relieved unsmooth defecation or pendant-expansion feeling in each type (all P < 0.05), in which both were improved in IBS-C type (both P < 0.05). EA relieved abdominal distension and pain in IBS-C type, STC type and PFD type (all P < 0.05), while its effects were not obvious on defecation difficulty, defecation time and defecation texture (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe electroacupuncture for treatment of 4 types of constipation is characterized by rapid onset; the improved symptoms are not identical in the electroacupuncture treatment plan for each type of defecation; the main improvement of symptoms are lied on desire to defecate and frequency of defecation, unsmooth defecation or pendant-expansion feeling and abdominal distension and pain. Meanwhile the improvements of defecation texture, defecation difficulty and defecation time were not signi-ficant.

Adult ; Aged ; Constipation ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Defecation ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Floor Disorders ; complications ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the change rules of peak area ratio of STR loci to Amelogenin (AMEL) locus (STR/AMEL), a sex-determining gene in DNA degradation, and to evaluate the application of STR/AMEL value in the estimation of DNA degradation degree. METHODS: DNA was extracted from iliopsoas, and the variations of STR/AMEL value (Penta E/AMEL, Penta D/AMEL, FGA/AMEL) were analyzed after the artificial degradation was made by DNase I, and the changes of these three ratios of the iliopsoas naturally degraded in an outdoor environment were also analyzed. The regression curves were analyzed using the periods of DNA degradation and outside the body as the independent variable (x) and the STR/AMEL value as the dependent variable (y) and three curve equations under two conditions were established. RESULTS: Both under the conditions of artificial and natural degradation, STR/AMEL value had a negative relationship with the degradation time. The relationship between STR/AMEL and degradation time can be well simulated by the cubic function. R2 was over 0.99 under controlled degradation condition and over 0.86 under natural degradation condition. CONCLUSION The STR/AMEL value (Penta E/AMEL, Penta D/AMEL, FGA/AMEL) is negatively related with the DNA degradation degree, which follows mathematical regression models strictly, and it might be applied to evaluate the DNA degradation degree.
Amelogenin/genetics* ; DNA Damage/genetics* ; DNA Primers ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Regression Analysis ; Time Factors

Objective To evaluate the clinical benefits and safety of endoscopic thyroidectomy via bilat -eral-nipple approach and breast approach by comparison with conventional open thyroidectomy .Methods 59 pa-tients undergoing open thyroidectomy , 76 patients undergoing endoscopic thyroidectomy via breast approach , and 122 patients undergoing endoscopic thyroidectomy via bilateral-nipple approach were retrospectively analyzed . Patients'age, operation duration, intraoperative blood loss, the first day drainage volume after operation , postop-erative hospital stay , the incidence of complications , pain visual analogue score ( VAS) , postoperative satisfaction rate as well as the evaluation of cosmetic results were compared among different groups .Results No significant difference was observed in the intraoperative blood loss and the postoperative hospital stay among different groups . The operation duration and the first day drainage volume after operation in the endoscopic thyroidectomy groups ((103.5 ±26.2)min vs (108.1 ±23.9)min,(106.5 ±31.0)ml vs (117.4 ±38.8)ml)were significantly high-er than those in the open thyroidectomy group((65.3 ±22.4)min and (50.5 ±23.8)ml)(P<0.05, respective-ly).No significant difference was observed in the complication incidence among different groups .On the first day after operation, VAS of the endoscopic thyroidectomy groups (2.8 ±0.4 vs 2.9 ±0.4)was significantly lower than that of the open thyroidectomy group(3.8 ±0.6)(P<0.05, respectively), even though on the second and the third day no significant difference was observed among different groups .Besides, postoperative satisfaction rate and the evaluation of cosmetic results in endoscopic thyroidectomy groups were significantly higher than those in the open group(P<0.05, respectively).Furthermore, 90 days after operation, the satisfaction rate and the eval-uation of cosmetic results in the endoscopic thyroidectomy group through bilateral -nipple approach (96.7%,8.8 ± 0.9)were significantly higher than those in the endoscopic thyroidectomy group through breast approach (92.1%, 7.3 ±0.7)(P<0.05, respectively).Conclusions Endoscopic thyroidectomy is a feasible and safe procedure . Endoscopic thyroidectomy through bilateral-nipple approach has a higher long-term satisfaction rate as well as bet-ter cosmetic results , which is an ideal choice of thyroidectomy .

Objective　To evaluate the effect of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation with topical anesthesia in out-patients department.Methods　Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were performed successively in 132 patients(157 eyes) with topical anesthesia.Results　Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were successfully performed in 152 eyes(96.8%)with topical anesthesia and 5 eyes(3.2%)need retrobulbar anesthesia additionally.The visual acuity and complications after operation in the topical anesthesia were the same as that performed previously under retrobular anesthesia.Conclusions　Phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation may be performed with topical anesthesia through scleral tunnel incision.It is convenient for us to perform the operations on the out-patient patients with cataract.