The present paper reviewes the literatures on the electromagnetic characteristic of meridians at home and abroad in the last twenty years. It generally summarize the studies on the electromagnetic characteristic of meridians from the aspects of the imaging of meridians, the electromagnetic model of meridians, and the physiological and pathological observations on the electro changes at acupoints. The results indicate that acupoints apparently have electro characteristics which are associated with the change of the health condition, time, environment, etc. By means of electromagnetic characteristic, the image of meridians can be made and the phenomena of meridians can be clarified, the essence of meridians can be explained in a certain degree. It still demands further research on this characteristic of meridians.
Acupuncture Points ; Electromagnetic Phenomena ; Humans ; Meridians ; Research

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of seasonal variation with pre- and post-thaw semen parameters as well as the cryosurgical of human spermatozoa.

METHODSA total of 6 414 semen samples were collected from 1 135 donors aged 22 - 32 years by Zhejiang Human Sperm Bank, and divided into spring, summer, autumn and winter groups according to the time of collection. All the samples underwent routine seminal analysis, and the sperm parameters were compared between different seasons. The sperm specimens were cryopreserved in aliquots and analyzed after thawing.

RESULTSThe semen volume was (2.92 +/- 1.17) ml in spring, significantly higher than in summer, autumn and winter ([2.71 +/- 1.07 ], [2.74 +/- 1.15] and [2.83 +/- 1.15] ml, P < 0.05). Sperm density was the highest in autumn ([105.60 +/- 39.76] x 10(6)/ml) as compared with the other three seasons ([101.18 +/- 40.16] x 10(6)/ml, [93.54 +/- 35.10] x 10(6)/ml, and [101.29 +/- 38.37] x 10(6)/ml, P < 0.05). The sperm progressive motility was the highest in spring ([58.49 +/- 10.04] %) and the cryosurgical of sperm the lowest in summer, with statistically significant differences from the other groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSeasonal variations affect human semen quality and cryosurgical of sperm. The semen volume, the percentage of progressive motile sperm, the cryosurgical of sperm, and the post-thaw density of progressive motile sperm are higher in spring than during the rest of the year.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; Humans ; Male ; Seasons ; Semen Analysis ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Banks ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Tissue Donors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Wuzi Yanzong Decoction (WYD) in treating Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).

METHODSThirty patients of LHON up to the requirement were assigned to two groups, the treated group administered with WYD plus coenzyme Q10, and the control group with coenzyme Q10 alone, all for 3 months. Patients' visual acuity, visual field, vision evoked potential (VEP) and their Chinese medicine syndrome were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, all the above-mentioned indexes were improved to some extents in the treated group, but showed no evident change in the control group excepting visual acuity, comparison between groups showed the differences were significant in all items.

CONCLUSIONWYD shows certain clinical therapeutic effect for treatment of LHON.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Optic Atrophy, Hereditary, Leber ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Phytotherapy ; Ubiquinone ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Visual Acuity ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of intestinal heterotopic gastric mucosa resulting in alimentary tract hemorrhage.

METHODSEleven cases of intestinal heterotopic gastric mucosa with alimentary tract hemorrhage during the past 24 years in our hospital were reviewed and the clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe median age was 29 years old. Nine cases had abdominal pain, and radionuclide (99m)Tc-pertechnetate scan revealed bleeding lesion in 6 cases preoperatively. Segmental resection of the intestine with bleeding lesion were performed in all patients, postoperative pathology confirmed heterotopic gastric mucosa. The lesion was located in the jejunum in five cases and in the ileum in six cases. All lesions were complicated with diverticulum, or inflammatory mass on the intestinal wall, or abnormity of intestinal duplication.

CONCLUSIONSIntestinal heterotopic gastric mucosa is difficult to be diagnosed preoperatively, and radionuclide (99m)Tc-pertechnetate scan plays a role in preoperative diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Choristoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases ; complications ; Intestines ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish a computer-assisted screening system for individualized treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODSThe clinical data of the diabetic patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the regression equation for the affecting factors and therapeutic effect was established. With computer-aided programming, a computer-assisted screening system was established.

RESULTSA computer-assisted screening system for individualized treatment type 2 diabetes was established, which showed a concordance rate was 98% in clinical verification.

CONCLUSIONUsing epidemiological methods and assistance by computer technique, a computer-assisted screening system for individualized prescription can be established for selecting therapeutic regimen for type 2 diabetes.

Adult ; Aged ; Decision Support Systems, Clinical ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; therapy ; Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient-Centered Care ; methods ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo search for a method for the precise measurement of human semen volume so as to provide reliable evidence for clinical semen analysis.

METHODSThe volumes of 492 semen samples collected from 137 donors by Zhejiang Human Sperm Bank were measured respectively by three different methods including electronic balance weighing, volumetric cylinder measuring, and combination of the two methods above. With the combined measuring method, the semen weight was first obtained by electronic balance weighing, then the semen density determined by volumetric cylinder measuring, and lastly the semen volume figured out by a formula. Paired sample t-test was used to compared the combined method with electronic balance weighing and volumetric cylinder measuring.

RESULTSThe mean volume of the 492 semen samples obtained by the combined measuring method was (3.46 +/- 1.17) ml, significantly lower than (3.75 +/- 1.21) ml from electronic balance weighing (P < 0.05) and markedly higher than (3.22 +/- 1.16) ml from volumetric cylinder measuring (P < 0.05). The mean semen density of the 492 samples was (1.0928 +/- 0.0761) g/ml, and the mean weight of the residual semen in the container used in volumetric cylinder measuring was (0.269 +/- 0.122) g.

CONCLUSIONSemen volume measured by electronic balance weighing is higher while that obtained from volumetric cylinder measuring is lower than the actual value. An accurate semen volume can be achieved by the combined measuring method, which, therefore, deserves to be widely used both clinically and in researches.

Adult ; Body Weights and Measures ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the criteria of sperm morphology evaluation in the fifth edition of WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen and those in the fourth edition, and to know the changes in the criteria of sperm morphology evaluation in the new edition.

METHODSNine technicians from Zhejiang Human Sperm Bank evaluated the morphology of 1 000 spermatozoa in 96 sperm morphological pictures according to the criteria in the fourth and fifth editions of WHO Laboratory Manual, respectively.

RESULTSThe percentage of morphologically normal sperm by the criteria of the fifth edition was (26.50 +/- 5.06)%, significantly higher than (11.39 +/- 3.17)% by the fourth edition (P < 0.05), while the rates of sperm head and tail defects based on the former were (64.26 +/- 7.66)% and (10.92 +/- 2.03)%, significantly lower than (76.11 +/- 8.18)% and (39.89 +/- 3.85)% according to the latter (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the rates of sperm midpiece defects and excessive residual cytoplasm by the fifth and fourth editions ([16.46 +/- 3.08]% vs [15.22 +/- 3.51 ]% and [4.24 +/- 1.66]% vs [3.87 +/- 1.68]%, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe criteria of sperm morphology evaluation in the fifth edition of WHO Laboratory Manual are less strict than those in the fourth, and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm is higher according to the fifth edition.

Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; standards ; Sperm Head ; ultrastructure ; Sperm Midpiece ; ultrastructure ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; ultrastructure ; World Health Organization

Objective To explore the approach and early effects of endovascular stent-graft deployment in the treatment of portal stenosis of cancerous thrombus.Methods Six cases with portal vein stenosis of cancerous thrombus,which caused by primary hepatic carcinoma(5 cases)and eholangiocarcinoma(1 case)and the severity of stenosis showed on contrast enhanced CT were more than 75% or occluded,were performed percutaneous transhepatie or transsplenic portography.FLUENCY~(TM) endovascular stent-graft(10 mm diameter)was placed at the position of stenosis after gastroesophageal varices embolization.Portal pressure was measured pre-and post-deployment.Results Stents were successfully placed in all patients.The average portal pressure decreased from 50.7 cm H_2O(1 cm H_2O = 0.098 kPa)to 41.3 cm H_2O after endovascular stent-graft deployment.The restenosis were found in 2 cases after one month.Haematemesis and refractory aseites appeared in one case respectively,the other 4 cases showed no significant symptoms above caused by portal hypertension.Conclusion It is safe and feasible for endovaseular stent-graft deployment in the treatment of portal stenosis of cancerous thrombus.Selecting the suitable indications,the symptoms of portal hypertension can be controlled effectively.

Objective :To explore changes of plasma levels of BNP and copeptin (CPT) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) of different degrees and their correlation with cardiac function class .Methods :A total of 150 CHF patients treated in our hospital from Feb 2015 to Feb 2017 ,were selected as CHF group .Another 45 healthy volun‐ teers undergoing physical examination in our hospital simultaneously were regarded as healthy control group .Plasma BNP and CPT levels were compared between two groups .According to NYHA cardiac function class ,CHF group was further divided into class II group (n＝48) ,class III group (n＝51) and class IV group (n＝51).Plasma levels of BNP and CPT etc .were measured and compared among three subgroups .Correlation among BNP ,CPT levels and cardiac function class were analyzed in CHF patients .Results :Compared with healthy control group ,there were significant rise in plasma levels of BNP and CPT in CHF group , P＝ 0.001 both .Compared with class II group , there were significant rise in plasma levels of BNP [ (1002.82 ± 101.33) pmol／L vs.(1515.05 ± 166.73) pmol／L vs.(2102.36 ± 227.32) pmol／L] ,CPT [ (6.51 ± 1.01 ) pmol／L vs.(9.28 ± 2.89 ) pmol／L vs .(14.03 ± 3.72 ) pmol／L] and LVEDd [ (51.51 ± 4. 01) mm vs.(59.28 ± 6.19) mm vs.(64. 03 ± 5.72) mm] ,and significant reduc‐tion in LVEF [ (50. 82 ± 6. 33)% vs.(45.05 ± 4.73)% vs.(41.36 ± 2.32)%] in class III group and class IV group , and plasma levels of BNP ,CPT ,LVEDd in class IV group were significantly higher than those of class III group , and LVEF was significantly lower than that of class III group , P＝0. 001 all.Spearman correlation analysis indicated that plasma levels of BNP and CPT were significant positively correlated with cardiac function class in CHF patients ( r＝0.320 ,0.302 , P＝0.009 ,0.011).Conclusion :Along with CHF aggravates ,the plasma levels of BNP and CPT significantly rise .Cardiac function class is significant positively correlated with plasma levels of BNP and CPT .

Objective To study the effects of coal burning related endemic fluorosis on body development and intelligence levels of fluorosic children in Zhijin county.Methods One hundred and seventy-six fluorosic children and 50 healthy(without fluorostic teeth) children aging 7-12 years who were sampled in cluster sampling were examined for urine fluorosis,physical examination and intelligence tests in Zhijin county,with coal burning pollution related fluorosis.Results Physical development of sick children and the children in control group were in low levels. The intelligence levels and the leves of urine fluorosis in study group were lower than those in control group and there was a significant difference(P