ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture plus fumigating eyes with cool Chinese medicinal fog in treating severe dry eye syndrome (DES).MethodTwenty-six outpatients with moderate-severe DES patients were classified into 11 cases of heat damaging yin type (20 eyes) and 15 cases of phlegm-stagnation type (23 eyes), to simultaneously receive acupuncture and fumigating eyes with cool Chinese medicinal fog. Tear break-up time (BUT), tear production (SchirmerⅠtest, SIT), and subjective symptoms score were observed and analyzed before treatment, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment.ResultThe SIT, BUT, and subjective symptoms score 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment were superior to that before treatment (P<0.01); The SIT, BUT, and subjective symptoms score 6 months after treatment were lower than that of 3 months after treatment (P<0.05) but still significantly different from that before treatment (P<0.05).ConclusionAcupuncture plus fumigating eyes with cool Chinese medicinal fog can improve the symptoms and signs of DES, though the therapeutic efficacy decreases during the long-term follow-up study.

Objective To explore the curative effect of the umbilical single port laparoscopic salpingectomy for tubal ectopic pregnancy.Methods 296 cases with tubal pregnancy were divided into single-hole group and the conventional group.Mter the operation,incision cosmetic results and patients'satisfaction were compared and analyzed in two groups.Results (1) The anal exhaust time of single hole group and conventional group was (32.6 ± 11.6) h,(34.1 ± 10.2) h (P =0.883).The intraoperative blood loss was (48.7 ± 15.2) ml (41.5 ± 10.9) ml (P =0.313).There was no significant differences(P ＞ 0.05).Operative time of single hole group was (62.6 ± 21.6) min,which was longer than that of the conventional group (42.7 ± 17.6) min,the difference was statistically significant (P =0.000).The ambulation time and demand analgesia patients of single-hole group were significantly lower than the conventional group(P =0.003,P =0.001).(2) In single-hole group,cosmetic results determined a good rate of 96.8％ and patients expressed dissatisfaction rate of 1.2％.cosmetic results of the conventional group judged good rate of 86.4％.patients expressed dissatisfaction rate of 9.3％.The judged good rate of cosmetic results between the two groups had statistically significant difference (P =0.004),and patients expressed dissatisfaction rate of single-hole group was lower than the conventional group.Conclusion For patients with tubal pregnancy,the trekking transumbilical single hole laparoscopic salpingectomy is a more minimally invasive,feasible and safe gynecological surgical procedures and with better cosmetic results,although there is a certain degree of difficulty.

Objective To explore the feasibility of dual-source CT coronary angiography (CTCA) using 80 kV tube voltage setting in patients with low body mass index (BMI).Methods A total of 240 patients with suspected coronary artery disease (BMI range 18.6-21.5 kg/m2) underwent dual-source CTCA.They were randomly assigned to group A (120 kV tube voltage),B (100 kV tube voltage) and C (80 kV tube voltage) based on a random number table.The contrast media dose,volume CT dose index (CTDIvol),dose length product (DLP),and effective dose (ED) were evaluated for each patient.Image noise,CT value,contrast,signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and figure of merit (FOM) of coronary artery were all evaluated.Tie image quality of coronary artery was assessed with a threepoint scale (3 points:excellent,2 points:general,1 point:poor).Scan length,CTDIvol,DLP,ED,and contrast media dose for patients,image noise,CT value,contrast,SNR,CNR,and FOM of coronary artery were all analyzed using one-way ANOV4 analysis for 3 groups.Time windows of ECG-pulsing protocol were analyzed using x2 test,and the image quality scores of coronary artery were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test.Results There were no differences in scan length and Time windows of ECG-pulsing protocol among 3 groups (scan length F =2.58,P ＞ 0.05,Time windows of ECG-pulsing protocol x2 =0.77,P ＞ 0.05).The average contrast media doses were (82.0 ± 6.4),(76.8 ± 6.1),and (59.1 ± 3.5) ml,the average CTDIvol were(27.5 ±6.2),(18.7 ±4.4),and(11.4 ±2.4)mGy,the average DLPs were (427.7 ±92.4),(295.4 ± 77.1),and (183.9 ± 41.3) mGy · cm,and the average EDs were (6.1 ± 1.3),(4.1 ± 1.1),and (2.6 ± 0.6) msy for group A,B and C,respectively.There were statistical differences in contrast media dose,CTDIvoI,DLP,and ED among 3 groups (the F values for contrast media dose,CTDIvol,DLP,and ED were 383.08,248.13,221.05,and 234.81,respectively,all P ＜0.01).Compared to group A and B,the contrast media dose in group C decreased 27.9％ and 23.0％,and the ED decreased 57.4％ and 36.6％,respectively.The average image noise was (22.6 ±2.2),(26.1 ±3.0),and(29.1 ±3.4)HU for group A,B and C,respectively,and there was statistical difference in image noise among 3 groups (F=101.32,P ＜0.01).The average CT value,contrast,SNR,CNR and FOM were (438.3 ± 66.3)HU,(517.3 ± 67.8)HU,19.5 ±2.8,23.0 ±3.0,and 92.9 ± 31.0 in proximal RCA and (440.2 ±59.9) HU,(509.5 ± 62.6) HU,19.6 ±2.6,22.7 ±2.9,and 90.1 ±29.7 in LMA for group A,(534.2 ± 68.8) HU,(628.9 ±70.0) HU,20.7 ± 3.2,24.3 ± 3.6,and 157.6 ± 59.8 in proximal RCA and (528.4 ± 61.2) HU,(607.9 ± 71.2) HU,20.4±3.0,23.5 ±3.4,and 147.6 ±57.6 in LMA for group B,and (602.1 ±78.8)HU,(696.8 ±83.3) HU,20.8 ± 2.9,24.1 ± 3.2,and 239.3 ± 74.8 in proximal RCA and (592.5 ± 72.3) HU,(671.8 ±82.5) HU,20.5 ± 2.5,23.2 ± 3.0,and 221.8 ± 65.7 in LMA for group C,respectively.The CT value,contrast,SNR,CNR and FOM of coronary artery for group C did not decrease (the F values for CT value,contrast,SNR,CNR and FOM were 106.06,119.90,4.69,3.70,and 127.50 in proximal RCA,and 111.79,101.57,2.68,1.39,and 123.00 in LMA,and the P values were ＜0.01,＜0.01,＜0.05,＜0.05,and ＜0.01,in proximal RCA,and ＜0.01,＜0.01,＞0.05,＞0.05,and ＜0.01,in LMA,respectively).Image quality was rated as excellent,general and bad for 631,330,and 37 segments in group A,640,323,and 41 segments in group B,and 615,348,and 45 segments in group C,respectively,there was no significant difference in image quality scores among 3 groups (x2 =1.90,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion For the patient with BMI≤21.5 kg/m2,dual-source CTCA with 80 kV tube voltage setting can be used to diagnose coronary artery disease and the contrast media lose and radiation dosage can be reduced obviously.

Objective To construct a T-bet response reporter gene, for the detection of T-bet tran-scriptional activity and application in high-throughput screening for the functional genomies. Methods The cis-acting DNA element, ThRE, based on CNS-22 T box site of IFN-γ gene, was recombined into a reporter vector pLUC-MCS. The reporter gene was transfected into HEK 293T cells to detect its response to T-bet. And the binding of T-bot to TbRE was identified with electrophoretic mobility shift assay(EMSA). Results ThBE was successfully cloned into pLUC-MCS, named as TbRE-LUC. Using a luciferase assay, expression of the reporter gene is found to be induced by T-bet in a dose dependent manner and correlate with T-bet ex-pression positively with activation up to 20 folds. Moreover, the binding specificity of T-bet to TbRE is vali-dated by EMSA. Conclusion We successfully constructed a T-bet response reporter gene, ThRE-LUC, which responds to T-bet keenly and specifically. TbRE-LUC will be a useful tool in high-throughput screen-ing for human genes associated with transcription activity of T-bet.

Background and purpose: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is currently the only non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging technique which can detect metabolite composition of live organ and tissue and also conduct semi-quantitative or quantitative analysis. We analyzed the characteristics of metabolic changes among normal liver, cirrhosis regenerative nodule and liver cancer on the background of cirrhosis by voxel proton MR spectroscopy at 1.5 Tesla. Methods: 20 healthy volunteers (control group), 25 cirrhosis (cirrhosis group) and 23 hepatocellular carcinoma after cirrhosis (HCC group) patients were our candidates. The characteristics of spectra of ~1H-MRS were observed. The height and ratio of choline complex (Cbo) and lipid methylene (Lip2) were recorded and the results were compared among the groups. Results: The success rate of ~1H-MRS was about 88.2% (60/68). There were statistically significant differences among the heights of Lip2 peak of the three groups, and also between that of the control group and the group of liver cancer. But there were no significant differences between that of control group and cirrhosis group, cirrhosis group and liver cancer group. The comparison of the height of Cho peak and the ratio of Cho/Lip2 showed statistically significances both among the three groups and between each other. Conclusion: The metabolic changes of the liver could be shown non-invasively by ~1H-MRS, which could be useful for differential diagnosis or diagnosis of cirrhosis regenerative nodule and HCC.

As a member of nuclear receptor superfamily, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has been shown to regulate numerous metabolic pathways, which include playing an important role in bile acid metabolism, maintaining lipid and glucose homeostasis when FXR is activated. With the prevalence of the glucose and lipids disorder, FXR attracts increasing attention. It may be a potential target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and lipid disorders.
Bile Acids and Salts ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEThis paper aims to study the effects of gossypol acetic acid (GAA) on proliferation and methylation level of human MutL homologue 1 (hMLH1) gene in human tongue cancer cell line Tca8113.

METHODSThe MTT assay was used to determine the effects of the acid on the proliferation inhibition in Tca8113 cells treated with different GAA concentrations. Nested methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (nMSP) was used to detect the change in the methylation level of hMLH1 after 48 and 72 h with 30 and 15 micro mol L(-1) GAA treatment.

RESULTSMTT assay results showed the growth and proliferation inhibition of Tca8113 cells in the experimental GAA group after 24 h to 72 h of GAA treatment. The nMSP results indicated that the average optical density of hMLH1 in the Tca8113 cells significantly changed after the GAA treatment (30 micro mol L(-1) GAA for 48 h and 15 micro mol L(-1) for 72 h) (P<0.05) compared with that of the control group.

CONCLUSIONGAA does not only inhibit Tca8113 proliferation but also has a demethylation effect on the hMLH1 gene. These phenomena may be part of an underlying tumor-suppression mechanism of GAA.

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the content determination of eudesmin in Zanthoxylum simulans. METH-ODS:HPLC was performed on the column of Kromasil C18 with mobile phase of acetonitrile-water(56:44,V/V)at flow rate of 1.0 ml/L,detection wavelength was 221 nm,column temperature was 25 ℃. RESULTS:The linear of eudesmin was 0.208-2.08 μg (r=0.999 8);RSDs of precision,reproducibility and stability tests were lower than 2.0%;recovery was 96.18%-103.04%(RSD=2.58,n=6). CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple and good reproducibility,and can be used for the content determination of eu-desmin in Z. simulans.

Objective:To introduce a new fixation set-up for micro-tensile test.Methods:Dentin-composite were bonded with AdperTM Single Bond 2 (SB2)and sectioned into stick-shaped specimens.Specimens from each tooth(n =6)were equally divided into Ciucchi's jig and the designed set-up(Control and experimental)groups for micro-tensile bond test according to the utilized fixa-tion set-up.The bonding interface failure mode was examined with field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM).Three-dimensional models of the two set-ups and the specimen were developed,stress distribution was analyzed by finite element analysis (FEA).Results:The bond strength(MPa)of experimental and control group was 32.76 ±7.43 and 43.58 ±4.72(P <0.05),the ratio of mixed failure was 28 /36 and 20 /36(P <0.05)respectively.FEA showed that the designed set-up for fixing the sticks pro-vided a uniform stress distribution along the long axis of the specimen.FEA and failure mode analysis confirmed such uniform distri-bution was also concentrated at the bonding interface.Conclusion:The new set-up is feasible for micro-tensile test.

Objective To retrospectively analyze CT and MR appearances of hepatic adenoma,and to study the causes of misdiagnosis with review of relative literatures.Methods CT and MRI data of 8 patients with pathologically confirmed hepatic adenoma were retrospectively analyzed.Pre-and post-contrast tri-phase (arterial,portal venous and delayed) CT scans and routine MR .scan were performed in all 8 patients,and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (~1H-MRS) was performed in 2 patients.Results Typical demonstrations were found in 4 patients who were correctly diagnosed.Among the others with atypical findings,3 patients were misdiagnosed as liver cancer and 1 as focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) .The ~1H-MRS curves of 2 adenoma tumor showed that the peak of choline of tumor tissue had no significant difference comparing with that of normal liver tissue around the tumor tissue.Conclusion CT and MRI findings of hepatic adenomas have some characteristics,but atypical manifestations lead to misdiagnose.~1H-MRS may be helpful for the differential diagnosis of hepatic adenoma.