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

Acrocephalosyndactylia ; pathology ; Fetus ; pathology ; Humans

Child ; Humans ; Proteomics ; methods

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

Objective To compare the efficacy between open reduction internal fixation and nonoperative treatment of multiple rib fractures.Methods Pubmed,Embase,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI),Chinese Biological Medical Literature database (CBM),Wanfang database and VIP database were searched for relevant studies comparing the effect of open reduction internal fixation and non-operative treatment of multiple rib fractures during 1990 and 2016.RevMan 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis to compare differences of the two treatments concerning hospital stay,total ICU stay,duration of mechanical ventilation,proportion of pneumonia and atelectasis and pulmonary function.Results Eleven studies containing 799 patients met the inclusion criteria,including 431 patients in internal fixation group and 368 patients in non-operative group.Two groups had significant differences in hospital stay (95％ CI-11.00--3.34,P ＜-0.05),total ICU stay (95％ CI -4.48--1.29,P ＜ 0.05),duration of mechanical ventilation (95％ CI-7.52--1.54,P ＜ 0.05),proportion of pneumonia (95 ％ CI 0.19-0.42,P ＜ 0.05),proportion of atelectasis (95 ％ CI 0.24-0.57,P ＜ 0.05) and total lung capacity (95 ％ CI 1.57-1.97,P ＜ 0.05),forced vital capacity (FVC) (95 ％CI 0.98-1.27,P ＜ 0.05) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (95％ CI 0.68-0.95,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Open reduction internal fixation of multiple rib fractures can significantly improve rehabilitation rate,reduce incidence of pulmonary complications dnring hospitalization,and facilitate recovery of lung function.

Objective This study is based on the physicians'appraisal system upon HIS system to annually assess the associate chief physicians in clinical departments in the mode of attending in charge. Methods 74 doctors above the title of associate chief physician from 14 departments in such mode were selected as objects of study and evaluated upon relative requirement of the performance appraisal index system by means of brainstorming,expert consulting and so on to confirm the content,standard and scoring method of appraisal.Work efficiency index and work amount can be acquired out of HIS system, while details and problems during the assessment can be dealt together with clinical practice.Finally all index and results were collected through HIS system and total scores of relative doctor can be automatically calculated.SPSS 13.0 statistics software also can be used to descriptively analyze the frequency and percentage data.Results The total appraisal scores and scores in every grade of the 74 doctors,who are attending in charge with title above associate chief physician as well as bearing the same responsibility in both medicine and surgery department,were collected,analyzed and respectively ranked respectively.Conclusion The results of appraisal basically indicate general level of the doctors,as well as provide strong evidence for enhancing human resource management of the hospital, which will continuously improve the basis for assessment to performance of associate chief physician under mode of attending in charge,as well as collect experiences for deeply optimizing program of assessment system.

Objective To explore the safety and effectiveness of diagnostic ultrasound associated with microbubbles to open the blood brain barrier(BBB).Methods Microbubbles were injected through caudal vein,the rat head was radiated by GE Vivid 7 diagnostic ultrasound immediately.The radiated depth was located in the basal ganglia assisted by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)scanning.The degree of BBB opening was evaluated by enhanced MRI and Evans blue dyeing.The safety was inspected by observation of cell morphology under hematoxylin eosin(HE)staining.Results After the rat head radiated by diagnostic ultrasound with microbubbles,signal enhancement of the radiated area was observed on post contrast T1-weighted images.Red fluorescence of Evans blue was detected by fluorescence microscope in the same area.Normal cellular morphology and structural integrity were showed by HE staining.Conclusions The BBB of rat could be opened targetedly and noninvasively by diagnostic ultrasound associated with microbubbles.This may provide a new strategy for the drugs and stem cells treatment in the central nervous system diseases.

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

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