Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Noise ; Recreation

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy on cervical type of cervical spondylosis (CS) between the combined treatment of sword-like needle and chiropractic spinal manipulation (the combined therapy) and the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-eight cases of cervical type of CS were randomized into a combined therapy group (76 cases) and a simple chiropractic spinal manipulation group (62 cases). In the combined therapy group, the sword-like needle therapy was applied at Fengchi (GB 20), Tianzhu (BL 10) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) C3-C5. The chiropractic spinal manipulation was used in combination. In the chiropractic spinal manipulation group, the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation was adopted. The treatment was given once every other day in the two groups, 10 days made one session. One session of treatment was required. Visual analog scale (VAS) score was observed before and after treatment in the two groups and the efficacies were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSVAS score after treatment was reduced obviously as compared with that before treatment in the patients of the two groups (both P < 0.01) and VAS score after treatment in the combined therapy group was lower than that in the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation group (1.50 +/- 0.58 vs 1.87+/-1.05, P < 0.01). In the combined therapy group, 48 cases were cured, 20 cases remarkably effective, 8 cases improved and 0 case failed. In the chiropractic spinal manipulation group, 30 cases were cured, 16 cases remarkably effective, 15 cases improved and 1 case failed. The overall efficacy in the combined therapy group was better than that in the chiropractic spinal manipulation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe sword-like needle therapy combined with chiropractic spinal manipulation relieve effectively pain in cervical type of CS and the efficacy is superior to the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Chiropractic ; Manipulation, Spinal ; Middle Aged ; Spondylosis ; therapy

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Ion channel genes have been a hot topic in research of genetic pathogenesis of epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs development. With the rapid development of epilepsy genetics, many non-ion channel genes have been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy recent years, providing new targets for the development of anti-epileptic drugs beyond ion channels. The present paper aims to summarize the current ionic and non-ion channel genes that can be used to guide the precise treatment of epilepsy and their application in the precise treatment of epilepsy in children, so to provide reference for identifying the epilepsyassociated gene phenotype and formulating a precise treatment plan.

Objective: To study the clinical therapeutic characteristics of myasthenia gravis (MG) with hyperthyroidism and the effects of surgical procedures for the patients. Methods:Subtotal thyroidectomy,thymectomy,and simultaneous subtotal thyroidectomy and thymectomywere performed on eleven patients with MG and hyperthyroidism. These patients were followedup after the operation. Results :The neck incisions were infected in two of seven type Ⅱ b patientsdue to trachestomy and the infected incisions were surgically healed. The MG symptoms of threecases (1 cases in type Ⅱ. and 2 cases in type Ⅱ b) relapsed in 3 to 6 months after subtotal thy-roidectomy. The MG symptoms of 2 cases (1 case in type Ⅱa and 1 case in type Ⅱ b) relapsed in 8to 12 months after thymectomy. Among six patients treated by simultaneous subtotal thyroidecto-my and thymectomy,the MG symptoms relapsed in a type I case 3 months after the operation,remitted in three case (1 case in type Ⅱ, and 2 cases in type Ⅱb) and improved in two type Ⅱ bcases since the operations. Conclusion:The simultaneous subtotal thymectomy and thyroidectomyfor patients with MG and hyperthyroidism might have better effects,although infective opportuni-ty of the neck incisions increased owing to trachestomy. However,the prognostic effects were notvery satisfactory whether simple subtotal thyroidectomy or thymectomy for the patients with MGand hyperthyroidism was performed.

Robust and efficient control of therapeutic gene expression is needed for timing and dosing of gene therapy drugs in clinical applications. Ribozyme riboswitch provides a promising building block for ligand-controlled gene-regulatory system, based on its property that exhibits tunable gene regulation, design modularity, and target specificity. Ribozyme riboswitch can be used in various gene delivery vectors. In recent years, there have been breakthroughs in extending ribozyme riboswitch's application from gene-expression control to cellular function and fate control. High throughput screening platforms were established, that allow not only rapid optimization of ribozyme riboswitch in a microbial host, but also straightforward transfer of selected devices exhibiting desired activities to mammalian cell lines in a predictable manner. Mathematical models were employed successfully to explore the performance of ribozyme riboswitch quantitively and its rational design predictably. However, to progress toward gene therapy relevant applications, both precision rational design of regulatory circuits and the biocompatibility of regulatory ligand are still of crucial importance.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Ligands ; Models, Theoretical ; RNA, Catalytic ; genetics ; Riboswitch ; genetics

Microbiology is an important,fundamental and obligatory course in contemporary life science.This article introduces that teaching group of microbiology in Nankai University realizes transformation of teaching center,fully embodies the modernization of teaching notion and gives full play to students' main effect practically by adhering to teaching reform as center,optimizing teaching method as measure,communicating in and after class and using multi-media and teaching web.Therefore,teaching system is established to adapt to modern teaching notion and eventually microbiology course becomes a cultivation platform to foster elites with both solid fundamental theory and innovating mind.

Objective: To study the effects of TNFα on wound healing. Methods: The skin lesion and incisions were made on mice and rhTNFα was applied in both skin lesion and incision. Tissue strips were evaluated for tensiometry and histologic features after healing. Results: It was found that rhTNFα markedly improved wound healing both in skin lesion and incision wound model, it also markedly enhanced the breaking strength of treated incision and increased wound cellularity in rh TNF α treated groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that TNFα play an important role in regulating inflammatory reactions of local injured tissues and it may improve the functions of fibroblasts, mononuclear phagocytes and endothelial cells. rhTNFα of suitable doses can promote wound healing. This shows that TNFα, as a wound healing promoter, has the potentials for clinical application.

The study was aimed at exploring the effect of noise on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum, nitric oxide (NO) level in the cochlea and the protective action of alpha-lipoic acid against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Sixty guinea pigs (350-400 g) were divided randomly into three groups (control group, noise+saline group and noise+alpha-lipoic acid group). Serum and cochlear tissue were treated immediately after noise exposure (4-kHz octave band, 115 dB SPL 5 h) to determine the level of TAC and NO, respectively. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured before and immediately after exposure. The threshold of hearing in the control group was relatively stable, while the hearing threshold in the noise+saline group was significantly higher than those in the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group (P<0.05). TAC level of the noise+saline group was significantly lower than that of the control group P<0.05 . TAC level of the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group was significantly higher than that of the noise+saline group P<0.05 , while there was no significant difference in the levels between the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group and the control group (P>0.05). The NO level of the cochlear tissue in the noise+saline group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). Cochlear NO level in the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group was significantly lower than that of the noise+saline group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in cochlear NO levels between the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group and the control group (P>0.05). The results obtained indicate that noise exposure causes a decrease in serum TAC and an increase in NO in cochlea. alpha-Lipoid acid exerts a protective effect against hearing loss in acoustic trauma through its antioxidant effects.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cochlea ; metabolism ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Guinea Pigs ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Random Allocation ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; blood ; Thioctic Acid ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDThe cochlear hydrops analysis masking procedure (CHAMP) is a new diagnostic technique for Meniere's disease (MD). But its value has not been well proven. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of CHAMP for MD.

METHODSCHAMP test was taken in three populations using the Auditory Evoked Potential system delivered by Bio-logic Systems Corporation: (1) otologically normal subjects; (2) patients clinically diagnosed with definite MD; (3) patients clinically diagnosed with probable and possible MD.

RESULTSAccording to the comparison between the normal and definite MD group, if the abnormal criterion of CHAMP was defined as latency delay less than 0.3 ms, then the corresponding sensitivity was only 52%. However, if the abnormal criterion was defined as latency delay between 0.6 and 3.8 ms, then a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 100% can be achieved. The complex amplitude ratio showed a significant overlap between normal and definite MD group. If the abnormal criterion was defined as a complex amplitude ratio less than 0.95, the corresponding specificity was only 50%. However, if the abnormal criterion was defined as less than 0.80, the corresponding sensitivity was 60%, and the specificity was 97%. If the abnormal criterion of CHAMP was defined as latency delay less than 0.6 ms or the complex amplitude ratio less than 0.80, CHAMP result can be obtained in all subjects with good sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSIONSCHAMP can differentiate patients with Meniere's disease from otologically normal subjects with high sensitivity and specificity. The recommended criterion of abnormal CHAMP was a latency delay less than 0.6 ms or a complex amplitude ratio less than 0.80.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Audiometry, Evoked Response ; Endolymphatic Hydrops ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meniere Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult