The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test contributes a lot to the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) and, along with imaging-guided prostate biopsy, has improved the diagnosis rate of lower-risk PCa and the accuracy of its clinical staging. However, many questions and controversies remain as to the choice of optimal biopsy strategies. Scholars differ in views about how to utilize PCa-related biomarkers to optimize the detection of initial and repeat biopsies. This review focuses on the present status of and advances in transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy for PCa.
Humans ; Image-Guided Biopsy ; methods ; Male ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods

Rhynchophylla is a Chinese herb commonly used in clinical practice. It's also the primary herb of some famous Chinese herbal compound such as Tianma Gouteng decoction, and Lingyang Gouteng decoction. According the record from many previous materia medica literatures, rhynchophylla should be added later during decoction. Pharmaceutical research showed that rhynchophylla alkaloids were not stable. Which has resulted in many problems in the research and its application. For example, there was not a quantitative determination method in "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" of past and present versions, which seriously impacted its quality control and product application. Firstly, records from previous materia medica literatures and "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" were systematically sorted based on the chemical stability of rhynchophylla. Secondly, pharmaceutical research including chemical compositions and their stability, pharmacological effects, extraction process and quality analysis, was reviewed after reference of literatures published at home and abroad in recent decades. Positive reference and evidence for further research and development of rhynchophylla will be provided in the article.
Animals ; Drug Stability ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Quality Control ; Uncaria ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between electronic bronchus mirror and Chinese medical syndrome typing of Mycoplasma pneumonia children.

METHODSTotally 198 Mycoplasma pneumonia children inpatients were assigned to three syndrome types according to Chinese medical syndrome typing and self-formulated typing standards of electronic bronchus mirror, i.e., Fei-qi accumulation of damp and heat syndrome, Fei-qi accumulation of toxicity and heat syndrome, deficient vital qi leading to lingering of pathogen syndrome. The correlation between electronic bronchus mirror and Chinese medical syndrome typing was explored.

RESULTSAs for comparison between electronic bronchus mirror and Chinese medical syndrome typing, Kappa value (K^) was 0.645 and Spearman coefficient correlation (r) was 0.653 (P < 0.01) for Fei-qi accumulation of damp and heat syndrome; K^ was 0.724 and r(s) was 0.727 (P < 0.01) for Fei-qi accumulation of toxicity and heat syndrome; K^ was 0.506 and r(s) was 0.515 (P < 0.01) for deficient vital qi leading to lingering of pathogen syndrome.

CONCLUSIONChinese medical syndrome typing of Mycoplasma pneumonia children was moderately in line with inspection typing under electronic bronchoscope with significant correlation.

Bronchoscopy ; Child ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; classification ; diagnosis

Objective To determine the efficacy of hysteroscopy and laparoscopy in differential diagnosis of pregnancy-related diseases,including gestational trophoblastic neoplasia(GTN),incomplete abortion and ectopic pregnancy.Methods Twenty-seven patients with a suspected diagnosis of GTN were transferred to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2003 to March 2006,and underwent hysteroscopy and laparoseopy.Clinical data of patients were reviewed retrospectively.Most patients had abnormal vaginal bleeding and persistently elevated plasma beta human chorionic gonadotropin(?-hCG) level for a median(53?37)days(range,15-125 days)after evacuation.Ultrasound revealed a lesion with affluent blood flow in intrauterine,unilateral horn of uterus,or myometrium.No positive findings were revealed by computerized tomography or X-ray of the chest in all patients.Eleven patients underwent evacuation under hysteroscope,10 patients were diagnosed and treated by laparoscopy,and 6 by hysteruscopy and laparoseopy.Results Choriocarcinoma was diagnosed in 4 patients,who achieved complete remission by chemotherapy later.The diagnosis of GTN was ruled out in the other 23 patients, including cornual pregnancy in 12,pregnancy in rudimentary horn in 1,and incomplete abortion in 10,who were cured by hysteroscopic and laparoscopic surgery and postoperative adjuvant single dose methotrexate.Conclusions The major causes of pregnancy-related abnormal bleeding include incomplete abortion,eetopic pregnancy,and GTN.Hysteroscopy and laparoseopy are effective alternative of diagnosis for differentiation of GTN from non-GTN and can also offer therapeutic treatment.

0.05).Compared with control group,significant decrease in positive group was found in the interval from first evacuation of HM to resolution of serum ?-hCG level,(83?18) days versus(126?31)days(P0.05).Conclusions Once HM is diagnosed,evacuation should be performed as soon as possible,the later the evacuation begins,the higher the risks of lung metastasis and chemotherapy are.It is not necessary to worry about lung metastasis before evacuation of HM,the outcome of post- chemotherapy is very good.

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points plus hydro-acupuncture with sinomenine hydrochloride for low back pain caused by compression fractures in the elderly.Methods:Ninety-five elderly in-patients with low back pain caused by compression fractures were randomly divided into an observation group and an EA group according to the visit sequence.Both groups received the same basic treatment.In the EA group,48 cases were treated with EA at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points plus the basic therapy;47 cases in the observation group received the basic treatment plus EA and hydro-acupuncture with sinomenine hydroch｜oride at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points.The levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in peripheral blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and at the 21st day of treatment in both groups.Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were used to analyze the clinical efficacy.Results:After treatment,the OPG content in the observation group was higher with statistical significance compared with that before treatment in the observation group and after the treatment in the EA group,respectively (both P＜0.05);the content of IL-1β,ODI and VAS scores were lower than those before treatment in the observation group and after treatment in the EA group with statistical significances (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:The combination of EA and hydro-acupuncture with sinomenine hydrochloride at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points is effective for low back pain caused by compression fractures in the elderly,and is superior to EA at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points alone.

OBJECTIVETo explore the distribution characteristics of basic syndromes and its related factors in patients with chronic functional constipation (CFC).

METHODSThe complete data of 538 patients with CFC were collected and initial database was established with Epidata 3. 0. TCM syndrome typing was performed. The distribution characteristics of basic syndromes were analyzed using SPSS 17. 0 Software. The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed with SPSS 17. 0 Software to determine basic syndrome related factors such as age, engaged professionals, sleep quality, depression, mental stress, interpersonal relations, work fatigue, stimulating beverage, exercise conditions, Western medicine type of constipation, and so on.

RESULTSThe TCM syndrome frequency of CFC patients was sequenced from high to low as qi deficiency syndrome (380 cases, 70.6%), qi stagnation syndrome (337 cases, 62.6%), blood deficiency syndrome (234 cases, 43.5%), yin deficiency syndrome (220 cases, 40.9%), yang deficiency syndrome (197 cases, 36.6%), and others(58 cases, 10. 8%) . Most patients were complicated with complex syndromes, and the most common complex syndromes were qi deficiency complicated qi stagnation syndrome (275 cases, 51.1%) and qi deficiency complicated blood deficiency syndrome (222 cases, 41.3%). Aging, work fatigue, and exercise conditions were main related factors for qi deficiency syndrome (P <0. 01, P <0. 05). Poor emotional (depression and anxiety tendencies), mental stress, interpersonal relations, defecation barriers constipation were main related factors for qi stagnation syndrome (P <0.01). Sleep quality and poor emotional (depression and anxiety tendencies) were main related factors for blood deficiency syndrome (P <0. 01, P < 0.05). Stimulating beverages were main related factor for yin deficiency syndrome (P <0.05). Engaged in mental work and slow transit constipation were main related factors for yang deficiency syndrome (P < 0. 01, P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSCFC is featured as complex syndromes. The most common complex syndromes were qi deficiency complicated qi stagnation syndrome and qi deficiency complicated blood deficiency syndrome. Basic syndrome related factors such as age, engaged professionals, sleep quality, poor emotional (depression and anxiety tendencies), mental stress, interpersonal relations, work fatigue, stimulating beverage, exercise conditions, Western medicine type of constipation were associated with the distribution of CFC syndromes.

Anxiety ; complications ; Constipation ; complications ; diagnosis ; psychology ; therapy ; Depression ; complications ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Stress, Psychological ; complications ; Syndrome ; Yang Deficiency ; diagnosis ; Yin Deficiency ; diagnosis

Commercial production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic hydrolysates requires efficient fermenting strains. The abilities of the strain to converting all types of sugars in the hydrolysate to ethanol in high yield and to effectively tolerating/metabolizing inhibitors are necessary. Genome shuffling is a novel method for breeding, and it has been applied in pharmaceutical and food industry. This review summarized the technique of genome shuffling including principle, process, applications and its prospect for strains improvement in ethanol production from lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy of pressure reduction by peritoneal catheterization in patients with malignant ascites-induced abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS).

METHODSClinical data of 29 patients with malignant ascites-induced ACS from October 2002 to October 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) was reduced by peritoneal catheterization. Changes of intra-abdominal pressure and ascites volume were observed during treatment. Clinical signs and urinary volume were monitored.

RESULTSIAP was less than 25 cm H(2)O in 2 cases, 25 to 35 cm H(2)O in 21 cases, more than 35 cm H(2)O in 6 cases. IAP decreased significantly after drainage of 1000 to 1500 ml of ascites, then IAP curve leveled off. With all the ascites drained, IAP maintained at 11 to 12 cm H(2)O and at 6 to 8 cm H(2)O after 24 hours. Blood pressure was stable without significant changes before and after IAP reduction (P>0.05). The breathing rate and heart rate were improved, and 24 h urinary volume increased significantly after IAP reduction (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEarly peritoneal catheterization can improve the cardiac, pulmonary, and renal function in malignant ascites-induced ACS.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ascites ; complications ; etiology ; Catheterization ; Compartment Syndromes ; etiology ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To investigate the effects of Pulmicort Respules on the airway resistance and airway remodeling in rats with allergic asthma. Methods Thirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group,asthma model group,Pulmicort Respules group and normal saline control group,with 8 rats in each group.On the 14th day of allergization,rats were challenged by ovalbumin inhalation and were treated correspondingly.On the 28th day,airway resistance was determined,HE staining was conducted in lung tissues of each group,and airway remodeling related parameters were also measured. Results The airway resistance of Pulmicort Respules group was significant lower than that of blank control group,asthma model group and normal saline control group(P