The finite element method was used for simulating the mechanical performance and fatigue safety of three different structures of Nitinol stent. According to the actual situation, after proposing reasonable assumptions and simplification, the geometry model and finite element model establishment, material mode selection and boundary condition setting are completed. The strain and fatigue life of different stent edges wide (omega) or strut angle (theta) are computed. The result can provide a valuable reference for the optimal design of stent.
Alloys ; Finite Element Analysis ; Prosthesis Design ; Stents

Objective To investigate the status of Cryptosporidium infection in the population in the local area of Anhui Prov?ince,and discuss the risk factors of the infection,so as to provide the evidence for the prevention and treatment of cryptosporidi?osis. Methods Qianshan County and Lingbi County of Anhui Province were selected as investigation spots,and the oocysts of Cryptosporidium in the feces of the investigation objects and the specific IgG antibody against Cryptosporidium in the serum were checked by using the pathogenic modified acid fast staining method and ELISA,respectively,so as to determine the status of Cryptosporidium infection in these investigation objects. At the same time,the questionnaire surveys were conducted in the inves?tigation objects so as to know about the risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection. Results A total of 668 people were investigat?ed in the two counties,635 people received etiological examinations,and 15 people were positive with the positive rate of 2.36%;642 people received serological examinations,and 140 people were positive with the positive rate of 21.81%;628 peo?ple received pathogenic and serological examinations at the same time,and the examination results of the both methods showed that 12 people were positive(there were 4 people in Qianshan County and 8 people in Lingbi County),and the positive rate was 1.94%. The rates of Cryptosporidium infection in the population of Qianshan County and Lingbi County were 1.24%(4/322)and 2.71%(8/295)respectively,and the difference had no statistical significance(P>0.05). The single factor analysis found that the rate of Cryptosporidium infection was higher in the children and diarrhea patients;the multivariate logistics regression analy?sis indicated that the rate of Cryptosporidium infection was higher in the people who bred poultry and the diarrhea patients. Con?clusions The positive rate of serum antibody of Cryptosporidium in the population of the local area of Anhui Province is higher, which indicates that the previous infection is serious,and the rate of Cryptosporidium infection in human is relative to the age, diarrhea and whether there are poultries to be bred in the family,which is worthy of attention in the future prevention and treat?ment.

Objective:To assess the effects of direct moxibustion on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and clinical symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in elderly patients with essential hypertension, and to explore the antihypertensive effect and influencing factors of moxibustion. Methods:A total of 101 elderly hypertension patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to a direct moxibustion I group (n=33), a direct moxibustion II group (n=34), and a control group (n=34). The treatment of calcium antagonist (CCB) orangiotensin II receptor antagonist (ARB) was adopted in the control group. The treatment of direct moxibustion I plus the same medicine as the control group were adopted in the direct moxibustion I group, five cones per acupoint and three times per week, for 5 weeks in total. The treatment of direct moxibustion II plus the same medicine as the control groupwere adopted in the direct moxibustion II group, five cones per acupoint and three times per week, for 5 weeks in total. The changes of 24-hour ABP and clinical symptoms of TCM after treatment were compared in the three groups. Results: The mean 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure (mean 24 h ASBP), night ASBP, percentage of mean 24-hour ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (mean 24 h ADBP)>90 mmHg, and percentage of day ADBP>90 mmHg in the control group were elevated after treatment (P<0.05). The percentage of night ADBP>80 mmHg in the direct moxibustion I group was reduced by treatment (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the other outcome measures of 24 h ABP, such as day ASBP, percentage of mean 24 h ASBP>140 mmHg, percentage of day ASBP>140 mmHg, percentage of night ASBP>120 mmHg , mean 24 h ADBP, day ADBP, night ADBP, 24 h ambulatory pulse pressure (APP), after treatment in all groups (P>0.05). The degree of improvement of the clinical symptoms of TCM showed significant differences among the three groups of patients (P<0.01). The total effective rate in the direct moxibustion I group was 73.3%, which was superior to those in the direct moxibustion II group and control group (13.3% and 10.0%, respectively). Conclusion:The direct moxibustion has benign regulative effect on blood pressure of elderly patients with essential hypertension, and improves their clinical symptoms. The direct moxibustion method I (burning the next moxa cone after the previous one had totally burnt out) was superior to method II (burning the next moxa cone when the previous one had not totally burnt out ) in lowering blood pressure and improving symptoms of elderly patients with essential hypertension.

Objective To investigate the effects of lipid-associated membrane proteins ( LAMPs) derived from Mycoplasma pneumoniae ( M.pneumoniae) strains on the expression of heme oxygenase 1 ( HO-1) in a human monocyte cell line (THP-1).Methods THP-1 cells were in vitro cultured with different concentrations of LAMPs for different times.The cytotoxicity of LAMPs to THP-1 cells was analyzed by using lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH) releasing test.The expression of HO-1 at protein and mRNA levels were de-tected by Western blot and real-time RT-PCR, respectively.The enzymatic activity of HO-1 protein was ex-amined by colorimetric assay.THP-1 cells stimulated with PBS and LPS were set up as the negative and pos-itive controls, respectively.Results A significantly enhanced LDH releasing rate was observed in THP-1 cells treated with 10 μg/ml of LAMPs.The expression of HO-1 at protein and mRNA levels in THP-1 cells were induced by LAMPs in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner.The highest level of HO-1 protein was detected in THP-1 cells treated with 5.0 μg/ml of LAMPs.The transcriptional levels of HO-1 induced by LAMPs were significantly elevated at 3 h, peaked at 9 h and were decreased at 12 h.The expression of HO-1 protein in THP-1 cells was enhanced after 8 h of treatment with LAMPs and a significant decrease was observed at 20 h after reaching peaks at 12 h and 16 h.The activity of HO-1 protein was significantly en-hanced along with the increased expression of HO-1 protein.Conclusion The LAMPs derived from M.pneumoniae strains induced the expression of HO-1 at mRNA and protein levels.Moreover, the enzyme activity of HO-1 protein was enhanced in LAMPs treated THP-1 cells.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of herb cake-partitioned moxibustion treating ulcerative colitis (UC) from the relationship between expression of p53 and C-myc protein, and morbidity of UC. Methods: Rats model of UC was made with immune methods and local stimulation.Forty SD rats were divided into normal, model, herb cake-partitioned, and mild moxibustion group by a random number table, 10 rats in each group. Hanging moxibustion in the mild moxibustion group was applied to Tianshu (ST 25) and Qihai (CV 6) for 10 min. Two moxa cones of herb cake-partitioned moxibustion were applied to the same acupoints respectively, in the herb cake-partitioned moxibustion group. Expression of p53 and C-myc protein was measured with immuno- histochemistical method in the colonic tissue of rats with UC.Results: Postive area, strength,and the immunohistochemistry index of the expression of p53 and C-myc protein were found more in the model rats than those in the normal rats (P＜0.01), whereas less in the herb cake-partitioned moxibustion and mild moxibustion groups than those in the model group (P＜0.01). Conclusion: p53and C-myc play important roles in the morbidity and development of UC, and herb cake-partitioned moxibustion could regulate the expression of p53 and C-myc protein in the colonic tissue of UC rats.

Objective:To observe the effects of herbal cake.partitioned moxibustion and bran-partition moxibustion in improving symptoms of ulcerative colitis(UC)and the TNF-α and its receptor of colon mucosa.Method:67 UC cases were randomly allocated into herbal cake-partition moxibustion group of 35 cases and bran-partitioned moxibustion group of 32 cases,to compare the improvement and detect the TNF-α and its receptor with inlmunohistochemical method in both groups.Result:Herbal cake.partitioned moxibustion iS prior to bran-partitioned moxibustion in improving of diarrhea,flatus,lassitude,tenesmus and lumbar soreness;The expression of TNF-α,TNF-αR1,and TNF-αR2 are significantly decreased after treatment in herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion group,while in bran-partitioned moxibustion group only TNF-αR1 expression is significant decreased after treatment.Conclusion:Moxibustion can well improve the syndromes of UC.Herbal cake.partitioned Moxibustion is prior to bran-partitioned moxibustion in the improvement of diarrhea and flatus;Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion could down-regulate the expression of TNF-α,TNF-αR1.and TNF-αR2.while bran-partitioned moxibustion could only down-regulate the expression of TNF-αR1.

Objective:To explore the effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) actinfilament-associated protein 1-antisense RNA1 (AFAP1-AS1) on proliferation and invasion of thyroid cancer cells and its mechanisms.Methods:Quantitative real time fluorescence PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to assess the expression of AFAP1-AS1 in normal thyroid cells and thyroid cancer cells. The thyroid cancer cell line WRO was divided into three groups, AFAP1-AS1 silencing group (AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group), negative control group (NT-siRNA group) and blank control group (Blank group). AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group and NT-siRNA group were transfected with AFAP1-AS1 siRNA and NT-siRNA respectively using Lipofectamine? 3000, and Blank group was treated with PBST. The proliferation ability was measured by CCK-8. The invasion ability was measured by Transwell assay. The expression levels of Rho A, Cyclin D1 and MMP-9 protein were measured by Western blotting.Results:The relative expressions of AFAP1-AS1 in normal thyroid cell line FRTL-5, thyroid cancer cell lines SW579, CAL-62, FRO and WRO were 1.03±0.04, 2.95±0.17, 5.31±0.35, 7.26±0.49 and 9.67±0.53 respectively, and the difference among the five groups was statistically significant ( F=16.932, P=0.027). The expression of AFAP1-AS1 was highest in WRO cells, therefore, the WRO cells were selected for subsequent experiments. The relative expressions of AFAP1-AS1 in AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group, NT-siRNA group and Blank group were 0.23±0.02, 1.02±0.04 and 1.03±0.05 respectively, and the difference among the three groups was statistically significant ( F=13.590, P=0.006). Compared with NT-siRNA group, the expression of AFAP1-AS1 in AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group was significantly lower ( P<0.001). The A450 values in the three groups were 0.68±0.06, 1.17±0.09, 1.22±0.09, and 0.96±0.08, 1.69±0.11, 1.72±0.12 respectively 3 and 4 days after transfection, and the differences were statistically significant ( F=7.318, P=0.016; F=10.351, P=0.004). The differences between AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group and NT-siRNA group 3 and 4 days after transfection were statistically significant ( P=0.043; P=0.013). The numbers of invasive cells in the three groups were 72.8±5.7, 145.6±8.9, 148.4±7.3, and the difference was statistically significant ( F=37.273, P=0.034). The number of invasive cells in AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group was significantly less than that in NT-siRNA group ( P=0.021). The expressions of Rho A protein in the three groups were 0.34±0.03, 1.02±0.04 and 1.04±0.03 respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( F=9.667, P=0.013). The expression of Rho A protein in AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group was significantly lower than that in NT-siRNA group ( P=0.018). The expressions of Cyclin D1 protein in the three groups were 0.52±0.04, 1.03±0.02 and 1.05±0.04 respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( F=15.464, P=0.010). The expression of Cyclin D1 in AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group was significantly lower than that in NT-siRNA group ( P=0.023). The expressions of MMP-9 protein in the three groups were 0.42±0.04, 1.05±0.03 and 1.02±0.04 respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( F=10.328, P=0.032). The expression of MMP-9 in AFAP1-AS1-siRNA group was significantly lower than that in NT-siRNA group ( P=0.035). Conclusion:The silencing of lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of thyroid cancer cells, and the mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of Rho A, Cyclin D1 and MMP-9 proteins.

The finite element method was used for simulating the mechanical performance and fatigue safety of three different structures of Nitinol stent. According to the actual situation, after proposing reasonable assumptions and simplification, the geometry model and finite element model establishment, material mode selection and boundary condition setting are completed. The strain and fatigue life of different stent edges wide (ω) or strut angle (q) are computed. The result can provide a valuable reference for the optimal design of stent.

OBJECTIVESTo perform GIS spatial analysis on malaria transmission patterns in Jiangsu after setting up a malaria database and developing GIS model of malaria transmission in Jiangsu province.

METHODSThe epidemiological GIS database of malaria in Jiangsu province was established using ArcView 3.0a software. The climate data covering Jiangsu province and its peripheral area were extracted from the FAOCLIM database, the total growing degree days (TGDD) for Plasmodium vivax were calculated, and spatial distribution for TGDD was analyzed by ArcVeiw 3.0a.

RESULTSThe predicted malaria distribution map based on TGDD was created, which showed that the transmission of malaria decreased gradually from west to east, which can be divided into three belts according to the degree of transmission. The 14-year mean morbidity distribution map of malaria in Jiangsu showed that the middle and west parts of Jiangsu is the most serious endemic area. The morbidity in the areas along the Taihu valley, such as Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou, as well as Nantong and a few of northern counties are the lowest. The morbidity of other places is at the middle level. The 14-year mean morbidity distribution map of malaria is correlated with predicted malaria distribution map for TGDD.

CONCLUSIONIt is possible to monitor the malaria transmission by GIS predicted model based on TGDD.

Objective To investigate the effect of ultrasound debridement combined with vacuum sealing drainage on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer and the potential mechanism. Methods Eighty-one patients with diabetic ulcer were randomly divided into two groups:ultrasound debridement combined with vacuum sealing drain-age as the experimental group,routine debridement combined with vacuum sealing drainage as the control group. The clinical curative effect,the reduction rate of the wound,the rate of blastocyst and the rate of bacterial clear-ance and blood flow were detected.Results The clinical curative effect in the experimental group was significantly better than that in the control group(P < 0.05). The rates of wound reduction and granulation were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).After 14-day treatment,the blood perfusion in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05),and the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in the ulcer tissue was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusions Ultrasound de-bridement combined with vacuum sealing drainage can improve the clinical efficacy,wound reduction rate,granu-lation coverage rate and bacterial clearance rate,and increase ulcer tissue blood flow. The potential mechanism is related with the increases of HIF-1α and VEGF in ulcer tissue.