The paper introduces the designing concept of the Cun-Guan-Chi Pulse Detecting System and its basic principles, and structural features. The system comprises 3 independent pressure sensors with same design parameters. It provides a scientific and quantitative method of detecting the pulses, which tallies well with the diagnostic method of the traditional Chinese medicine.
Biosensing Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Biological ; Palpation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Pulse ; Transducers, Pressure

Objective To validate if the continuous passive motion instrument we developed is practical and sta- ble for animal experiment.Methods Ten New Zealand male rabbits were used to establish the animal model of full- thickness defect of articular cartilage in the facies patellaris of femur with their both knees.The rabbits were then randomly divided into groups A and B(10 in each group).The rabbits in group A were administered with CPM of both knees daily for 4 weeks,while those in group B remained normal cage activity only.At the end of the treatment,all the animals were sacrificed,and their articular cartilage was harvested for HE staining and observation.Results It was found that group A had a significantly better repair of the full-thickness defects of articular cartilage than that of the group B,as reflected by the range of motion and morphological observation of the knees(P

Objective To investigate the effects of heparin coating on intimal hyperplasia in implanted decellularized xenografts.Methods The resected canie carotid arteries were decellularized,and heparin coating was partially performed.Eighteen rabbits were divided into non-heparin-coated group(n=9)and heparin-coated group(n=9).During implantation,only the left carotid between the anastomotic stoma was ligated.Doppler ultrasonography was performed 1,3 and 12 weeks post-implantation to measure the luminal diameter,and the hemodynamic parameters such as PSV,RI and PI were calculated.All animals were sacrificed,histological observations were conducted at 12 weeks post-implantation,and I/(I+ M)was calculated.Results Except for 1 week post-implantation in the ligated side,the luminal diameters in non-heparin -coated group were significantly smaller than that of pre-implantation.Besides,those of the non-ligated side at each time points were significantly smaller than the ligated side(P

Objective To investigate the effect of octreotide on inhibition of growth of subcutaneously implantedtumor with human gall bladder cancer cells in nude mice,and to explore the mechanisms.Methods We established subcutaneous implanted tumor model in nude mice by using human gallbladder carcinomacell line GBC-SD.A total of 18 male nude mice bearing xenografts of the cell line were randomly divided into therapy and control groups,with 9 in each group.Octreotide was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 100 ?g/(kg?d) to the therapy group and isovolumic normal saline was administered to the controlgroup for 6 weeks.All mice were put to death,and the weight and volume of the tumors were assayed.Flow cytometry was used to examine apoptosis of tumor cells.Immunohistochemical staining was used to examin the expression of p53,bcl-2,and Ki-67.Results The weight of implanted tumors in nude mice in the therapy group[(0.99?0.54)g] was lower than that in control group [(1.58?0.51)g,P

Objective To analyze the complete genome sequence of Guangxi HEV isolate swGX32 and to compare it with other HEV isolates. Methods The overlapping fragments of HEV isolate swGX32 were amplified with reverse-transcription nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR),and the 5′ and 3′ ends of viral genome were amplified with rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The PCR products were cloned and sequenced. The sequence and phylogenetic analysis of swGX32 was performed. Results The genome of swGX32 consisted of 7240 nt excluding the polyA tail, with 4 nt overlapping between ORF1 and ORF2. ORF3 is contained in the sequence of ORF2. The complete genome sequence of swGX32 shared identity of 73%-74%, 73%, 74%-75%,83%-94% with HEV genotype 1,2,3 and 4, respectively. Among all these HEV reference sequences, swGX32 showed the highest identity with the human isolate JKO-ChiSai98C (94%). Phylogenetic tree showed that swGX32 belonged to genotype 4 and clustered with JKO-ChiSai98C in the branch of HEV subtype 4a. Conclusion The swine HEV isolate swGX32 is closely related to human strain JKO-ChiSai98C genetically and phylogenetically, which further provides molecular biology evidence of hepatitis E as a zoonosis.

Objective To explore the clinical significance of sinus heart rate turbulence (HRT)and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods The 59 moderate to severe COPD patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The 24-hour holter monitor was used to screen the HRT onset (TO), turbulence slope (TS)and HRV. Pulmonary function tests and echocardiographic examination were performed for measuring left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), right atrial dimension (RAD), right ventricular dimension (RVD), right ventricular wall thickness (RVWT). Then all the parameters were compared between NC group and COPD group, and the relationship between HRT and HRV was investigated. Results Compared with control group, TO was significantly increased [(-0.2±1.1) % vs.(-3.8±2.8) %, t=6. 830,P＜0.01] and TS was decreased [(7.0±3.6) ms/RR vs. (11.7±6.1) ms/RR, t =3. 866, P＜0.01] in COPD group. In time domain HRV parameters, normal RR intervallerinin standart deviation(SDNN), standard deviation of normal-to-normal beats index (SDNNi), standard deviation of the averages of normal sinus to normal sinus (SDANN), mean squared differences of the successive RR intervals (rMSDD), fraction of consecutive normal sinus intervals that differ by more than 50 ms (PNN50) were significantly lower in COPD group than in control group(P＜0. 05). TO was negatively correlated with SDANN and rMSDD (r=-0. 369, P＜0. 05; r=-0.472, P＜0.01).TS was positively correlated with SDNN, SDANN and PNN50 (all P＜0.05), but had no correlation with rMSDD (P＞0. 05). Conclusions HRT and HRV are dramatically blunted in COPD patients.Combination of HRV and prognosis. and HRT may be simple and elegant ways for evaluating cardiac autonomic functions.

Objective Inflammation and calcification are common phenomenons in human atherosclerotic plaque.The objective of this study was to determine the gene expression of some proteins and anti-inflammatory factors as well as bone formation mediators in the fibrous cap and shoulder region of non-calcified and calcified carotid endarterectomy(CEA) plaques.Methods Twenty-two CEA plaques were classified as Va(non-calcified,n=11) and Vb(calcified,n=11) in accordance with the AHA consensus in 1995.Mean percent in carotid stenosis and calcification area was 76.4% and 0% in Va and 74.2% and 33.6% in Vb respectively as determined by quantitative histomorphometry.Using laser capture microdissection,the fibrous cap and shoulder regions were excised from 22 frozen sections/plaques.After total RNA extraction and reverse transcription,gene expression of proteins(IL-1,IL-8,and MCP-1),anti-inflammatory factor(IL-10) and bone formation protein(BMP-6 and Osteocalcin) were detected by Real-time PCR.Results mRNA expression of MCP-1,IL-8 and IL-1 in Va plaques were 1.8 fold higher than that in Vb plaques,mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and osteogenic related genes BMP-6 and Osteocalcin were 3.8,4.2,and 6.9 fold higher in Vb plaques compared to Va plaques.Conclusions Our findings indicate that fibrous cap inflammation and susceptibility to disruption is more likely to occur in non-calcified plaques.

Objective To explore the expression and clinical relevance of metastasis-associated colon cancer-1 (MACC1) and C-MET proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue.Methods The expressions of MACC1 and C-MET were detected in 51 specimens of HCC and paraneoplastic liver tissue,normal liver tissue in 13 healthy cases using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.The correlations of the expressions of MACC1 and C-MET proteins were evaluated,survival rates were observed,the relationship between the expression of MACC1,C-MET proteins and the clinicopathologic features of HCC were analyzed.Results The positive rate of MACC1 and C-MET proteins was 80.4％ and 76.5％ in HCC tissue,the relative expressions were 0.645 ± 0.047 and 0.504 ± 0.023 respectively,which was significantly different from those in paraneoplastic liver tissue and normal liver tissue (respectively F =173.308,252.817,all P =0.000).The survival analysis showed that the three-year survival rate in patients with positive MACC1 and C-MET expressions was significantly lower than that in patients with negative expressions (respectively x2 =3.934,4.439,all P ＜ 0.05),the positive rate and relative expressions of MACC1 and C-MET were significantly correlated with TNM stage,portal vein cancer thrombus and pathology typing (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The expression of MACC1 and C-MET is associated with the malignant progression of HCC.MACC1 may serve as a independent prognostic factor for advanced HCC and a possible therapy target for the treatment of HCC.

To investigate the effect of MMP-26 on human glioma angiogenesis and the possible mechanism.Methods The MMP-26 plasmid and empty plasmid pcDNA3.1 were stably transfected into U251 cells to establish a nude mice xenograft model,and then an in vitro human tumor tissue-based three-dimensional angiagenic model.Tissue disks were visually assessed over time to determine the percentage of wells that developed an angiogenic response(I％) and the density and length of neovessel growth were graded at intervals using a semiquantitative visual growth-rating scheme (angiogenic index,AI,0-16scale) in groups of MMP-26 transfected U251 cells (U251-MMP-26),pcDNA3.1 vector-transfected U251 cells (U251-pcDNA3.1) and non-transfected U251 cells (U251).RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of mRNA and protein of MMP-26 and VEGF in groups of U251-MMP-26,U251-pcDNA3.1 and U251.Immunohistochemical localization of CD31 was determined in the endothelial tubes invading the fibrin-thrombin clot matrix.Results Immunohistochemical endothelial cell markers CD31 was positive in the vascular tubes invading the fibrin-thrombin clot matrix,confirming their endothelial origin.The angiogenesis results showed that difference of length of micro capillaries,density of branches,and the area occupied between U251-MMP-26 groups and control groups were significant.The percentage of tumor implants that developed invasion (I％) and the angiogenic index AI in U251-MMP-26 group on day 14 were higher than those of U251-pcDNA3.1 group and U251 group (P ＜ 0.05).The trends of I％ and AI in 14 days were significant compared with those in control groups.The expression of mRNA and protein of MMP-26and VEGF in U251-MMP-26 group was significantly higher in U251-MMP-26 group than those in U251-pcDNA3.1 group and U251 group(P ＜0.01).Conclusion The effect of MMP-26 on promoting glioma angiogenesis may be related to the increased expression of VEGF,which can be used as targets for anti-tumor therapy.

Objective To evaluate the value of reconstruction of three-dimentional CT in development dislocation of hip(DDH)in children.Methods Twelve cases of DDH concluded 4 bilateral and 8 unilateral cases.To sum up,16 sick hips were operated and 8 normal hips were also obtained by three-dimensional CT(Hip speed Fi/x,GE Co).Results 3D reconstruction were used to show femoral head,(acetabulum) and relationship of acetabulum and femoral head respectively.The difference between FNA measurement of sick hips and those of normal hips were significant(P