Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of argon plasma coagulation(APC) in treating patients with Barrett's esophagus.Methods Two reviewers independently searched the Cochrane Library(Issue 2,2008),MEDLINE(January 1948 to November 2008),and CNKI(January 1999 to November 2008),respectively.The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the guidance in the Cochrane Handbook of systematic reviews of interventions.Results Six randomized controlled trials involving 253 patients with Barrett's esophagus met the inclusion criteria and were included.One trial reported that the ablation rate of patients in the APC group was significantly higher than that in the endoscopic surveillance group.Followed up one year,the ablation rate in APC group was 63% compared with 15% in the control group(P

AIM: To study the effects of intrathymic inoculation of liver specific antigen (LSA) on hepatocyte apoptosis after liver allotransplantation. METHODS: Orthotopic liver transplantation was used in this study. Group Ⅰ: syngenic control (Wistar-to-Wistar); Group Ⅱ: acute rejection (SD-to-Wistar); Group Ⅲ: thymus inoculation of SD rat LSA day 7 before transplantation. The observation of general situation and survival time, hepatocyte apoptosis and LAT expression in liver transplants were used to analyze immune state of animals in different groups. RESULTS: The general situation of group Ⅰ was very well after transplantation. Recipients of groupⅡ lost body weight progressively and all died within day 9 to day 13 post transplantation. As for group Ⅲ, the general situation of recipients was remarkably better than that in group Ⅱ. The positive cells of apoptosis in group Ⅲ detected by TUNEL were not significantly different from that in group Ⅰ, but was significantly lower than that in group Ⅱ. LAT was detected at any time in group Ⅱ with peak expression at day 5 and day 7 post transplantation. In contrast, LAT was not detected in any other groups. CONCLUSION: Intrathymic inoculation of LSA protects hepatocytes from apoptosis after liver allotransplantation.

OBJECTIVETo establish a general method of focal cerebral ischemia model in different varieties of mice.

METHODEach group of healthy adult KM and C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group (n = 10) and MCAO group (n = 10). The mice in MCAO group were applied in the preparation of the MCAO model by intraluminal occlusion using monofilament. Twenty-four hours after operation,the neurologic function was evaluated,middle cerebral artery blood flow was monitored and the infarction volume was calculated by TTC staining, to evaluate the reliability of the model.

RESULTIn the MCAO group, the base value of the cerebral blood flow down of KM and C57BL/6 mice respectively was (81.65 ± 4.59)%, (83.68 ± 6.25)%. The neurological deficit score respectively was (2.30 ± 0.82), (2.50 ± 0.80). TTC staining can clearly show the infarction area, and relatively stable, 24 hours of the survival rate of KM and C57BL/6 mice were 100% and 80% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe key link is the optimization and improvement of monofilament, temperature, anesthesia and so on. The modified intraluminal occlusion of MCAO using monofilament is a kind of reliable and simple method to establish experimental cerebral ischemia model in mice.

Animals ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Brain ; blood supply ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; physiopathology ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; complications ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Nervous System Diseases ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Species Specificity

Objective To investingate the iodine-nutritional status of the rural children form 8 to 10 years old after salt iodzation had been implemented in Qiannan State.Methods The size of thyroid gland waft measured by palpation in 421 rural children aged 8～10 years old in Qiannan State.Calorimetric eerie-arsenic assay and vitriolic ammonium assimilmion were used for testing urinary iodine,while Rsvens test was used to test the intelligent quotient (IQ).Results The rate of goiter was 5.0%(21/421).The median of urinary iodine Was 331.2μg/L The average IQ was 93.32±18.68 of the children aged 8～10.The IQ of children with different iodine-nutritional level was significantly different(P＜0.05).Conclusions The children's iodine nutrition in Qiannan State has been improved after the salt adds the iodine.Their intelligence level is quite normally.Iodine dificiency disease has been eliminated according to the national standard in terms of 8～10 year old child ufinaty iodine level and goiter rate.

Objective To explore the relationship of dynamic changes between the iodine nutritional condition and growth of children born before and after the implementation of universal iodine.Methods By means of sampling investigation,urinary iodine and goiter,height,weight,intelligence quotient(IQ)were comprehensively evahated in children aged 7～14 years old born before and after the implementation of iodine in 10 counties and 2 cities of Qiannan.Results The median of urinary iodine of children Was 91.88μg/L in 1984,133.33μg/L in 1994,316.00μg/L in 2006;goiter rate was 21.40%(122/570)in 1984,12.86%(107/832)in 1994,5.28%(45/851)in 2006;the average IQ was 89.18±4.10 in 1994,94.26±0.94 in 2006;children in each age group in 2006 has a higher height and a heavier weight compared with those in 1984.Conclusion The physical development and intelligence of children in the areas of iodine deficiency have improved along with the correction of iodine deficiency.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of testosterone undecanoate (TU) in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) by meta-analysis.

METHODSWe searched Pubmed (until April 1, 2014), Embase (until March 28, 2014), Cochrane Library (until April 17, 2014), CBM (from January 1, 2001 to February 2, 2014), CNKI (from January 1, 2001 to February 2, 2014), Wanfang Database (from January 1, 2000 to February 2, 2014), and VIP Database (from January 1, 2000 to Febru ary 2, 2014) for randomized controlled trials of TU for the treatment of LOH. We evaluated the quality of the identified literature and performed meta-analysis on the included studies using the Rveman5. 2 software.

RESULTSTotally, 14 studies were included after screening, which involved 1 686 cases. Compared with the placebo and blank control groups, TU treatment significantly increased the levels of serum total testosterone (SMD = 6.22, 95% CI 3.99 to 8.45, P < 0.05) and serum free testosterone (SMD = 4.35, 95% CI 1.86 to 6. 85, P < 0.05) but decreased the contents of luteinizing hormone (WMD = -2.23, 95% CI -4.03 to -0.42, P < 0.05), sex hormone binding globulin (WMD = 2.00, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.63, P < 0.05). TU also remarkably reduced the scores of Partial Androgen Deficiency of the Aging Males (WMD = -9.49, 95% CI -12.96 to -6.03, P < 0.05) and Aging Males Symptoms rating scale (WMD = -2.76, 95% CI -4.85 to -0.66, P <0.05) but increased the hemoglobin level (SMD = 2.35, 95% CI 0.29 to 4.41, P < 0.05) and packed-cell volume (SMD = 4.35, 95% CI 1.36 to 7.33, P < 0.05). However, no significant changes were shown in aspertate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, prostate-specific antigen, or prostate volume after TU treatment (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTU could significantly increase the serum testosterone level and improve the clinical symptoms of LOH patients without inducing serious adverse reactions. However, due to the limited number and relatively low quality of the included studies, the above conclusion could be cautiously applied to clinical practice.

Androgens ; therapeutic use ; Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; blood ; drug therapy ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of intratympanic steroid injection as supplementary or initial treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). METHOD: A total of 68 patients diagnosed with SSNHL were randomized into group A (45 cases including systemic steroid for 33 cases and systemic steroid + intratympanic steroid as supplementary treatment for 12 cases) and group B (23 cases, initial intratympanic steroid). Then observe the therapeutic effect in two groups. RESULT: The total effective rate was 55.6% in group A and 56.5% in group B. No statistical difference was detected between these two groups (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference after therapy of intratympanic steroid as supplementary treatment for 12 patients due to poor hearing improvement after systemic steroid in group A (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Both systemic and intratympanic steroid injection for SSNHL are effective. The efficiency of intratympanic steroid injection as supplementary or initial treatment for SSNHL is similar to that of systemic steroid. The intratympanic steroid injection for SSNHL as initial protocol or as supplementary treatment when poor hearing improvement after systemic steroid is recommended.
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; drug therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Injection, Intratympanic ; Steroids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanic Membrane

DNA barcoding technology is widely opplied for species identification and discovery by using short and standard fragments of DNA sequences. In this study, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequence as a DNA barcode was used to identify the Gekkogecko Linnaeus medicinal materials and adulterants in order to provide a new identification method of G. gecko Linnaeus. Genomic DNA was extracted from the experimental samples. The COI regions of nrDNA were amplified using polymerase chain reaction and sequenced bidirectionally. The alignment and NJ tree construction were performed in MEGA6.0. COI sequences can be obtained from all samples. The average intra-specific K2P distance of G. gecko Linnaeus was 0.005 and the maximum intra-specific distance was 0.013. All the G. gecko Linnaeus medicinal samples clustered into a clade in the NJ tree and can be distinguished from the adulterants. In a conclusion, COI can be used to correctly identify G. gecko Linnaeus, and it will be a potential DNA barcode for identification of other animal medicinal materials.

To analyze the composition regularity of prescriptions containing Scutellaria baicalensis in Drug Standard of Ministry of Public Health of the Peoples Republic of China--Chinese Patent Medicines and Preparations on the basis of the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system (TCMISS), in order to provide reference for new drug R&D. the platform's software V2.0 was applied to establish a database of prescriptions containing S. baicalensis. The software's statistical statement module, association rules and improved mutual information method and other data mining technologies were adopted to analyze commonly used drugs, combination rules and core combination of S. baicalensis prescriptions. Having analyzed 477 prescriptions containing S. baicalensis, the researchers summarized 45 most commonly used drug combinations, whose ingredients mostly had functions of heat-clearing and damp-drying, purging fire for removing toxin and hemostasis. Drugs adopted in core combinations were relatively concentrated and selected according to definite composition methods. There were 23 diseases that S. baicalensis were most frequently applied in the treatment. Having compared three highly frequent diseases--cold, cough and dizziness, the researchers concluded that S. baicalensis could show different therapeutic effects through different combination ratios. Therefore, TCMISS (V2.0) is an important tool in analyzing the composition regularity of traditional Chinese medicines. The longitudinal and parallel comparison method is an effective method for studying the clinical composition regularity of S. baicalensis, while providing reference for new drug R&D.
China ; Drug Compounding ; statistics & numerical data ; Drug Therapy ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; therapeutic use ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry

Objective: This study aimed to distinguish Serpentis Periostracum from its adulterants, which will provide the basis for its safe application. Methods: Here, COI sequences of 68 samples from 13 species were PCR amplified and sequenced. Furthermore, the DNA Barcoding Gap and phylogenetic cluster analysis were carried out. Results:The results exhibited that the COI sequences of all the three origin animals of Serpentis Periostracum have DNA Barcoding Gap. For phylogenetic cluster analysis, all the three origin animals showed monophyletic and every species can be discriminated clearly. Conclusion: COI is an effective DNA barcode for the identification of Serpen-tis Periostracum.