OBJECTIVETo explore an effective acupotomology surgery program in treating cubital tunnel syndrome.

METHODSAccording to pathogenic factors and elbow anatomy, a "two points" acupotomology surgery program was designed, which could loose the attachment point of arcuate ligament on medial border of olecroanon and medial epicondyle of humerus. Twenty-one cases of cubital tunnel syndrome were treated with acupotmology, then the efficacy was obsered.

RESULTSAfter one year postoperative visit, 21 patients with ulnar nerve area skin numbness were cured, claw hand deformity and medial hand muscle atrophy recovered significantly. Results of function evaluation were excellent in 17 cases, good in 2 cases, fair in 2 cases and poor in 0 cases, the good rate was 90.5%.

CONCLUSIONThe acupotomology surgery program which could cut the starting and ending points of osborne's ligament and solve the problem of ulnar nerve entrapment is an easy, little-traumatic and effective minimally invasive surgery which also conforms to the anatomical structure.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cubital Tunnel Syndrome ; surgery ; therapy ; Elbow Joint ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To report the medium-term follow-up results for deep venous thrombosis(DVT) after total knee arthroplasty(TKA).Methods Between July 2003 and March 2004,55 patients(63 knees)who had had TKA were followed up for DVT.In follow-ups 1 to 2 weeks after TKA,their clinic symptoms,Doppler ultrasonograms and venograms were analyzed.In the following out-patient follow-ups done at every six months,we observed their clinic symptoms and Doppler uhrasonograms for the operated lower extremity.Venography was done only for those who had severe DVT symptoms.Results The venography one week after TKA conformed that DVT occurred in 34 patients(41 knees,61.8%).Two weeks after operation,DVT vanished in 12 cases,but deterio- rated to the proximal part in two cases.The follow-ups averaged 36.6 months(range,32 to 40 months).The results at five time points showed that the incidence of DVT did no decrease with lapse of time(P＞0.05).Conclusion No matter whether DVT occurs in the perioperative period,incidence of DVT in the medium term varies little.

Objective To investigate impacts of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection on immune responses and clinical manifestations in acute infection of dengue virus type 1.Methods The serum levels of interferon (IFN)a,IFNβ,IFNγ,interleukin (IL)-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α of 310 dengue serotype 1 (DENV1)-infected patients were assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),among which 8％ (25/310) were chronic HBV co-infection.Meanwhile,serum samples from 41 healthy adults and 47 chronic HBV infected subjects were recruited as controls.Comparisons among groups were done by one factor analysis of variance and correlation analysis of results was done by spearman rank correlation test.Results The serum level of IFN-α [(95.1 ± 279.3) pg/mL] was significantly higher than IFN-β[(2.8 ± 16.2) pg/mL] during acute dengue infection,while IFN-α level [(86.5±358.1) pg/mL] reduced in patients with HBV co-infection.The secretion kinetics of IFNα,IFNγ (pro-inflammatory cytokine) and IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokine)were analyzed.The medians of IFNα,IFNβ and IL-10 level were elevated to peak on day 2,day 3-4and day 6 after fever onset,respectively.Additionally,IFNα levels in patients with only dengue infection were negatively correlated with the platelet counts and serum alanine aminotransferase levels (r=-0.2327,0.2122,both P＜0.01).Conclusions Chronic HBV co-infection alters human immune responses elicited by acute dengue viral infection.Moreover,IFNα secretion may be associated with hemorrhagic tendency,while protective against inflammatory damage of liver.

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of the modified radiography by digital ra- diography of the tempro-mandibular joint in the tempro-mandibular joint radiography.Methods A digital radiogra- phy machine(Siemens Aristos MX)was used to the tempro-mandibular joint disorders of 68 patients with the meth- ods of the modified radiography of the tempro-mandibular joint,and the results were compared with those of 45 cases acquired with conventional radiography.Results The modified radiography by digital radiography provided high res- olution,precise location and excellent images,and the total structures of tempro-mandibular joint was clearly dis- played,with a success rate of 99%(67/68),while the results acquired by conventional radiography were not clear, only with a success rate of 60%(18/45).There is significant statistical differences between the modified radiography by digital radiography and conventional radiography(x~2 = 35.08,P

To identify the genotype and analyze the molecular characteristics of dengue virus strain SZ0524 isolated from serum samples of patients with early stage of dengue fever in Shenzhen in 2005 so as to explore its possible origin. The C6/36 cell line was cultivated with virus strain SZ0524 and its suspension was harvested. The type of isolated virus strain was determined by RT-semi-nested PCR and fluorescent PCR. E gene of isolated virus strain was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Homology and phylogenetic tree of E gene of this dengue virus with the strains isolated from other areas were constructed. This SZ0524 strain was further identified by fluorescent PCR, and confirmed to be the type 4 virus after obtaining the 392bp band with type 4 specific primers. The homology of nucleotide sequence of E gene of SZ0524 strain with the standard type 4 dengue virus H241 strain were 99.7%, but the homology with the standard dengue virus 1,2,3 in the same fragment were 57.0%, 59.2% and 56.2% respectively. Analysis of the phylogenetic tree indicated that SZ0524 was more close to D4-73NIID and D4-61NIID strain, next to H241 strain, and they lied in the same branch of phylogenetic tree. The isolated dengue virus type 4 belonged to genotype Ⅰand the SZ0524 strain was proved to be dengue virus type 4 in the molecular level. Combined with epidemiology information, it is suggested that this case can be classified as an imported case and the SZ0524 strain may be transferred from the southeast asian region.

OBJECTIVE: To develop the single-tube one-step methylation variable position (MVP) analysis technology-single-tube post-digestion PCR-melting curve analysis (PDP-MCA). METHODS: Based on differentially methylated region (DMR) reported previously as the model, a set of primers with different melting temperatures of products in the two sides of MVP were designed. By using the FastDigest methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (MSRE), DNA digestion, multiplex amplification, MCA detection and MCA profiles were performed in a single reaction tube. Same samples (peripheral venous blood, semen, and vaginal fluid, 5 samples each type) were tested by single-tube one step MVP and traditional MSRE-PCR MCA technology. To verify the feasibility of this method, the results were compared with that of the traditional technology. The MCA/HRM profiles of different samples were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: When the melting temperature of the fragments had a differential of 2 degrees C, the MCA melting peaks separated well, and MCA detection after multiplex amplification was successful. The single-tube PDP-MCA assay was developed, which integrated multiple reactions (digestion, amplification and detection) into one tube. By this method, the sample-specific profiles and data were analyzed in 2 h, which is similar to that of the traditional method. The rapid classifications of the samples were also realized. CONCLUSION Multiplex MVPs can be analyzed in a single closed-tube. The single-tube PDP-MCA technology is a simple, fast, and automatable method. It can be used for detection of DNA methylation variations.
DNA/isolation & purification* ; DNA Methylation/genetics* ; DNA Primers/genetics* ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards* ; Nucleic Acid Denaturation

OBJECTIVE: To determine the normal range of the 33 elements (Li, Be, B, Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Th and U) in human whole blood of general population in Hunan province. METHODS: Blood samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the normal range. The influences of district, gender and age to the element content in blood samples were also observed. RESULTS: The normal range of 33 elements in blood samples from general population in Hunan province were obtained. Gender was shown to statistically influence the concentrations of B, Mg, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Cs, Hg and Pb (P < 0.05), while age was shown to influence the concentrations of Co, Ni, Cs and Hg in women (P < 0.05) as well as Cu, Se and Hg in men (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Although there are variables in different districts, the normal ranges of trace element in blood of the four cities in Hunan province are established.
Age Factors ; Asian People/ethnology* ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Reference Standards ; Reference Values ; Residence Characteristics ; Sex Factors ; Trace Elements/blood*

Purpose:Taking tuberculosis as an example, this paper aims at to analyzing the level of reimburse-ment for infectious diseases care, and clarifying the government responsibility. Methods:In order to achieve the ob-jective of this research, UHC framework was used to analyze the security level. Result:The findings of this research reveal that TB in-patients' Compensation Ratio of the New Cooperative Medical Scheme ( NCMS) was lower than aver-age level of all the NCMS patients, the out-patients' was even lower. The categories of anti-tuberculotic for free was limited, the utilization was not as expected. Medical assistance covered few people in spite of its high level of reim-bursement. Conclusion:Based on the findings of this review, it has been revealed that the medical insurance didn't make a big difference in financial protection for patients with infectious diseases. As the treatment for of infectious diseases is a quasi-public good, the government has to shoulder the responsibility of improving the compensation ratio of the patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect of DKK1 on linearly patterned programmed cell necrosis (LPPCN) and vasculogenic mim-icry (VM) and the related molecular mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods:A total of 173 human NSCLC speci-mens were collected to detect LPPCN by H&E staining, detect VM with CD31/PAS double staining, and investigate DKK1 and related protein expression by immunohistochemistry. The clinical pathological significance of LPPCN, VM, and DKK1 and the correlation of them were analyzed. Human NSCLC H460-DKK1 cells were engrafed in nude mice to evaluate the influence of DKK1 up-regulation on VM and LPPCN in vivo. Results:Approximately, 14.45%(25/173) of NSCLC had VM and 49.71%(86/173) had LPPCN. 25.6%(22/86) of NSCLC cases in LPPCN-positive group formed VM. Both of VM and LPPCN were all correlated with poor differentiation, late TNM stage, easy recurrence and metastasis and poor prognosis in NSCLC. DKK1 expression in the VM-positive group and the LPPCN-positive group was higher than that in the VM-negative group and the LPPCN-negative group, respectively. DKK1, LPPCN, and VM were positive-ly correlated with VE-cadherin, MMP-2,β-catenin nuclear expression and Twist1. H460-DKK1 transplantation tumor model confirmed that DKK1 promotes the expression of VM and LPPCN and related proteins in NSCLC. Conclusion:The increase of theβ-catenin and Twist1 expression induced by DKK1 may promote the formation of LPPCN and VM in NSCLC.

Objective:To detect the expression of BTLA on Treg cells of HIV-infected patients and investigate the role of BTLA in HIV infection.Methods: Forty-four HIV-1-infected patients (twenty-four early HIV infection,fourteen chronic HIV-infected patients with CD4+ T counts> 200 cells/μl,AIDS patients with CD4+T counts<200 cells/μl) and nine healthy people served as normal controls were selected to detect the expression of BTLA on Treg cells by flow cytometry.The correlations between BTLA expression on Treg cells and disease progression or immune activation were studied.Results: There was a higher percentage of BTLA on Treg cells in chronic HIV patients and AIDS patients than that in early HIV infected patients(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the expression of BTLA on Treg cells in AIDS patients was higher than that in normal controls(P<0.05).The expression of BTLA on Treg cells was negatively correlated with CD4+T lymphocyte counts and positively correlated with viral load (P<0.001,P<0.01).The percentage of BTLA on Treg cells was positively correlated with CD4+CD38+T lymphocytes and CD4+HLA-DR+T lymphocytes(P<0.001,P<0.001).Conclusion: Increased BTLA expression on HIV-infected Treg cells is associated with disease progression,suggesting that it may accelerate disease progression by enhancing Treg cells inhibitory function and may provide intervention information for HIV infection in the future.