A cardiac stimulator for rapid atrial pacing animal model was designed in this paper. According to the needs of clinical research, output pulse parameters of the cardiac stimulator can be designed. The cardiac stimulator will be controlled through magnet. Efficiency of the cardiac stimulator was validated by animal experiments.
Animals ; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial ; Electric Stimulation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Heart Atria ; Models, Animal

Child ; Humans ; Proteomics ; methods

Acrocephalosyndactylia ; pathology ; Fetus ; pathology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo explore the rhythm regulatory mechanism of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the process of moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSA total of 144 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a moxibustion group, a sham operation group, an operation group, an operation+moxibustion group, 24 rats in each one. Each group was divided into 4 time points (0:00 am, 6:00' am, 12:00 am, 6:00 pm), 6 rats in each time point. The Light-Dark 12 : 12 was given in all rats for light-dark cycle. Except the blank group, rats in the remaining groups were treated with intracutaneous injection of freund's complete adjuvant at right-side foot to establish the model of RA. After the model establishment, bilateral adrenal, glands were removed in the operation group and operation + moxibustion group, while those in the sham operation group were not removed with identical operation procedure. Rats in the moxibustion group and operation + moxibustion group were treated with grain-sized moxibustion from 7:00 am to 9:00 am at "Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) once everyday, 6 times were taken as one session and 3 sessions were required tatclly, while rats in the remaining groups received identical fixation without moxibustion. The general health state and foot volume of rats were measured before model establishment, after establishment and after treatment. After treatment, rats were sacrificed at each time point to collect the blood sample and measure the content of IL-6 by using enzymne-immunoassay method.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, the foot swelling in the model group was obviously increased (P<0. 05); the IL-6 maintained circadian rhythm (P<0. 05), but the peak phase had a backward trend, famplitude had an increased trend and the median was significantly lifted (P<0. 05). Compared with model group, !the foot swelling in the moxibustion group was obviously decreased (P<0. 05); the IL-6 maintained circadian. rhythm (P<0. 05), and the peak phase had a forward trend, amplitude had a decreased trend and the median was significantly reduced (P<0. 05). Compared with the moxibustion group, the foot swelling in the operation--moxibustion group was obviously increased (P < 0.05); the IL-6 maintained circadian rhythm (P < 0.5), but the peak phase moved forwrd, and the median was significantly elevated (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe IL-6 in plasma maintains significant pathological circadian rhythm in RA rats; with the complete hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, moxibustion is likely to regulate the circadian rhythm of IL-6 to play an important role of anti-inflammatory effect in RA rats.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Circadian Rhythm ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of the combined periodontic-orthodontic treatment in the esthetic reconstruc- tion of the anterior teeth area following periodontitis.

METHODSThirteen adult patients with anterior teeth displacements were treated. The probing pocket depth (PD; 102 teeth, 612 sites), bleeding on probing (102 teeth, 204 sites), papilla index (PI; 128 papillae), and papillary height (PH; 128 papillae) of each patient were assessed at baseline, 3 months after the initial therapy, and the end of the orthodontic treatment. Non-parametric and paired-sample t tests were carried out for the statistical analysis of the data.

RESULTSThree months after initial therapy, the sites with PD ≤ 3 mm accounted for 79.58% (487/612) of the observed teeth, and 88.73% (181/204) of the buccal and lingual sites of the teeth showed negative bleeding on probing. These findings were better than those at baseline [26.31% (161/612) and 22.06% (45/204), respectively] (P < 0.05), but no sig- nificant difference was observed compared with pro-orthodontic treatment (P > 0.05). Prior to orthodontic treatment, the levels of the PI of 8 and 21 papillae were III and II, respectively, among the 128 observed papillae. After the orthodontic treatment, 51 papillae were at level III and 68 papillae were at level II. The PH of the 102 papillae was 2.84 mm ± 0.62 mm after ortho- dontic treatment. This result indicated significant difference compared with that of pre-orthodontic treatment (1.69 mm ± 0.57 mm) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAfter initial therapy, moderate orthodontic teeth movements may reconstruct the interproximal soft tissue, with esthetic improvement of the papillary level and resolution of the periodontal defects.

Adult ; Dental Scaling ; Esthetics ; Humans ; Periodontal Pocket ; Periodontics ; Periodontitis ; Tooth Migration ; Tooth Movement Techniques

A wavelet threshold denoising algorithm for CR images is put forward here . A noised CR image is decomposed into wavelet coefficients, which are processed by the algorithm, and the denoised CR image is reconstructed based on the processed coefficients. Examples are too presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the algorithm on denoising and, maintaining the detail of the CR images.
Algorithms ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Radiography ; methods ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Objective To assess the clinical value of serum uric acid levels in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods A total of 502 consecutive patients with STEMI were enrolled from January 2005 to December 2010 for retrospective study.The level of serum lipid,echocardiographic data and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in patients with hyperuricemia(n =119)were compared with those in patients without hyperuricemia(n =383).The relationship between the level of serum uric acid and the degree of diseased coronary artery was analyzed.All data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0 software to make t test and x2 test and Pearson correlation analysis.Results Serum uric acid level was positively correlated with serum triglyceride level.Compared with non-hyperuricemia patients,hyperlipidemia was more commonly found among hyperuricemia patients (43.7％ vs.33.7％,P =0.047),and serum triglyceride level was significantly higher in hyperuricemia patients[(2.11 ± 1.24)mmol/L vs.(1.78 ± 1.38)mmol/L,P =0.014].But a significant association between serum uric acid level and one or more diseased vessels was not observed(P ≥ 0.05).Leftventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd)was found to be larger in hyperuricemia patients than non-hyperuricemia patients[(53.52 ±6.19)mm vs.(52.18 ±4.89)mm,P =0.041].Higher incidence in left systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction was discovered in hyperuricemia patients(36.4％ vs.15.1％,P ＜0.01; 68.2％ vs.55.8％,P =0.023).Also,hyp-eruricemia patients had more in-hospital MACE(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Serum uric acid level is positively correlated with serum triglyceride level,but not with the severity of coronary artery disease.Hyperuricemia patients after STEMI tended to have higher incidence in left systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction,and have more in-hospital MACE.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of different administrations of antibodies against adipocyte plasma membrane proteins on growth and fat deposition in rats.

METHODNinety six female SD rats that weighed approximately 140 g were allotted randomly into four groups which were given negitive control yolk and positive yolk containing antibody (IgY) against adipocyte plasma membrane (APM) proteins by intragastric administration (i.g.) and subcutaneous injection (s.c.) respectively. Rats were given 1 ml of yolk for every three days in i.g. groups. Rats were given 1 ml of yolk for 4 consecutive days, and the procedure was repeated after one month. The trial lasted for 75 days after which rats were slaughtered for carcass analysis and sampling.

RESULTSThe body weight gain and food intake of rats were not different between treatment and control groups. In i.g. goups, positive yolk decreased mesemteric fat index, paramertrial fat index and perirenal fat index (P < 0.05), reduced serum triglycerides (P < 0.05) and increased serum free fatty acids (FFA) (P < 0.01), and also decreased serum leptin, insulin and TNF-alpha levels ( P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but did not affect gastrocnemius muscle index and serum cholesterol. In s.c. groups, positive yolk increased gastrocnemius muscle index (P < 0.05), reduced serum triglycerides and serum leptin (P < 0.01), increased serum TNF-alpha (P < 0.05), but did not affect adipose tissue depots, serum FFA, cholesterol and insulin.

CONCLUSIONAdministration of yolk antibody against APM proteins could effectively improve body composition of rats, and the treatment by intragastric administration could give better effect than by subcutaneous injection.

Adipose Tissue ; growth & development ; Animals ; Antibodies ; pharmacology ; Body Composition ; Egg Yolk ; immunology ; Female ; Growth and Development ; physiology ; Immunization ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The sequences of ITS, matK, rbcL and psbA-trnH of 9 Gynostemma species or variety including 38 samples were compared and analyzed by molecular phylogeny method. Hemsleya macrosperma was designated as outgroup. The MP and NJ phylogenetic tree of Gynostemma was built based on ITS sequence, the results of PAUP phylogenetic analysis showed the following results: (1) The eight individuals of G. pentaphyllum var. pentaphyllum were not supported as monophyletic in the strict consensus trees and NJ trees. (2) It is suspected whether G. longipes and G. laxum should be classified as the independent species. (3)The classification of subgenus units of Gynostemma plants is supported.
Gynostemma ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Objective To understand the current situation of iodine deficient disorder(IDD) 10 years after achieving the stage goal of eliminating IDD in Longyan city and to evaluate the effect of prevention and treatment measures, and to provide the basis for the development of control strategies. Methods There were 7 counties in the city, and each county(city, district) was as a unit to carry out the inspection for organization and leadership,iodine salt management, monitoring and control, health education (referred to as the four management indicators)according to "The County-Level Assessment and Evaluation Implementation Detailed Rules of Realizing the Goal to Eliminate IDD in Fujian Province". According to the east, west, south, north and middle positions in each county,a village and a primary school were selected. Forty 8 to 10 year-old students in each school were randomly selected to check thyroid and among them 20 students were collected urine samples to determine urinary iodine. Nine townships were selected in the 7 counties of the city and among which 4 administrative villages were selected in each township. Eight edible salt samples from each household in each administrative village were collected to test salt iodine. Goiter was examined by palpation, the level of urinary iodine was examined by arsenic and cerium spectrophotometry, salt iodine was detected by direct titration. Results The average score of the four management indicators was 94.1 in Longyan city. The adjusted goiter rate of children aged 8 - 10 years old was 1.9%. The median of urinary iodine was 278.6 μg/L, among which less than 100 μg/L accounted for 4.57%(32/700), 100 -＜ 200 μg/L accounted for 24.00%(168/700), 200 - ＜ 300 μg/L accounted for 25.29%(177/700), and higher than 300 μg/L accounted for 46.14%(323/700). The using rate of qualified iodized salt was 98.86%. The coverage rate of iodized salt was 99.50%, the qualified rate of iodized salt was 99.35%, and the rate of non-iodized salt was 0.50%. All the indicators had reached the national standard to eliminate IDD. Conclusions After achieving the stage goal of eliminating IDD, the disease is stable and the effect of control measures are significantly. But the iodine provided has a trend of more than suitable. Therefore, it is reasonable to reduce the current salt iodine content.