Objective To investigate the change patterns of operation time of laparoscopic appendectomy and its significance. Methods The clinical data of 105 consecutive patients with appendicitis who received laparoscopic appendectomy at the Southwest Hospital from January 2007 to March 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 105 patients, five were converted to open surgery, and they were excluded from this study.The changes in operation time of different surgeons were statistically analyzed to detect the change patterns of the learning curve in laparoscopic appendectomy. Results A hundred cases of laparoscopic appendectomy were successfully performed by three surgeons. The mean operation time was ( 87 ± 36 ) minutes ( range, 30-217 minutes). No surgical injury happened during the operation, and the blood loss was under 10 ml. The learning curve of operation time was presented as a sine curve with an oscillating decreasing trend. The primary two cycles end at an average of 9.6 cases, which could be used as the end point of the learning curve of laparoscopic appendectomy. Conclusions The learning curve of laparoscopic appendectomy shows a typical oscillating decreasing trend. The preliminary study ends when 9.6 cases of operation are completed.

The development and status of acupuncture-moxibustion in Turkey in the fields of education, legal establishment, treatment, etc. are introduced. There are four distinguished features of acupuncture-moxibustion development in Turkey: (1) The geographical position of the country as the link of Europe and Asia, has resulted in the special feature of acupuncture-moxibustion transmission and development. It combines both the traditional theories from the East and the modified and modern techniques from the West. (2) The combination of theories and clinical practice started when acupuncture-moxibustion was first introduced. (3) The application of acupuncture-moxibustion has gone through a process from spontaneous transmission among the people to legalization by the government, from disorderly to orderly, and from market behavior to government-lead regulation, which has powerfully promoted healthy development of the medicine. (4) Acupuncture-moxibustion education provided by registered universities has guaranteed the quality of the education itself and the competency of the professionals. It has raised the scientific and normative character of application and increased the credibility of the people, and also has ensured the sustainability of acupuncture-moxibustion development by providing qualified professionals.
Acupuncture ; education ; Acupuncture Therapy ; trends ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; trends ; Turkey

To explore the relationship and possible mechanism of reproductive function of bisphenol A (BPA) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Serum specimens were collected from 43 PCOS patients and 37 healthy women.And the level of BPA was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The serum level of BPA in PCOS were significantly higher than that in the control group.And the inter-group difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).The patient level of BPA was positively related with obesity and basic luteinizing hormone (LH) (P ＜ 0.05).In the PCOS group,no significant correlation existed between hyperandrogenemia and non-hyperandrogenemia (P ＞ 0.05).Although no difference existed between insulin and non-insulin resistance,the level of BPA in insulin resistance group was lower than in non-insulin resistance group.A higher level of BPA may be associated with obesity and basic LH in PCOS.

Objective To retrospectively analyze the effect of abdominal acupuncture for the casino workers with sleep disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome and analyze the correlation between them.Method 65 patients were all from the Acupuncture Department of Health Center of the Black Sand, Macao Health Bureau, 2011 October to 2013 January, who were diagnosed with sleep disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome and in accordance with the inclusion criteria. They were received abdominal acupuncture treatment for 4 weeks. Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) and Fatigue Assessment Instrument(FAI)were adopted to evaluate the effect before treatment 、after treatment and one month follow-up. Multiple regression analysis model was used to analyze the correlation of each factor of FAI and PSQI. Results Compared with before treatment (13.78± 3.23), the total score of PSQI after treatment(8.66 ± 4.26)and follow-up(8.26 ± 4.66) were significant decreased(P<0.05);the score of 6 dimensions(sleep quality, Time to fall asleep, sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep disorders daytime function) after treatment and follow-up were significant decreased(P<0.05),compared with those before treatment;the FAI score after treatment (92.60±14.64) and follow-up(90.75±14.75) were significant lower(P<0.05)than those before treatment (147.55±7.03) .Multiple regression analysis showed that 4 dimensions of PSQI (sleep quality, sleep time, sleep disorders, daytime function)had close relationship with FAI score(r=0.373~0.702, P<0.05). Conclusion Abdominal acupuncture can improve the casino workers' sleep disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome and is worth of further study.

Objective:To explore the value of reading report in upbringing the integrated faculties of medical students.Methods:To give the training of reading report to the Seven-year and the five-year program medical students in their last year.Results:Such a training stirred the students' learning interests,improved their abilities in independent study,promoted their ability in collecting and dealing with information and widened their knowledge.Medical students grasped of the essential methods in writing reading report,which settled the groundwork for research abilities in the future.Conclusions:Reading report writing is instrumental in de- veloping students' integrated faculties and worthy advocating in medical teaching.

Objective To summarize the experiences in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairing for adult patients. Methods Clinical data of 512 hernia cases admitted in our center from March 2007 to Sep 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 437 cases of single-sided hernia,including 281 indirect inguinal hernia,86 direct inguinal hernia,15 femoral hernia,16 combined inguinal hernia and 39 recurrent hernia.There were also 75 cases of double-sided inguinal hernia,including 3 recurrent hernia.There were 41 acute incarcerated hernia cases.The average postoperative follow up time was(29 ± 12) months. Results 507 cases underwent successful laparoscopic repair,and 5 cases were converted to open procedure.There were 238 TAPP and 269 TEP in laparoscopic operations.The average operative time for TAPP was (69 ±19) min,and (58 ±15) min for TEP.The average length of postoperative stay was (5.0 ± 1.5) days.The percentage of resuming normal activity after 2 weeks and 4 weeks were 95.7％ (485/507) and 99.0％(502/507).The most common postoperative complications were seroma (9.7％,49/507),transient paresthesia (4.1％,21/507) and chronic pain (0.8％,4/507).The recurrence rate was 0.6％ (3/507).Conclusions Laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernia has the advantage of less trauma,faster recovery,and lower recurrence rate.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of gastric dynamics by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined general anesthesia when controlled hypotension dropped to 60% of the mean arterial prenssure (MAP) baseline, and to provide experimental evidence for organ protection in clinical controlled hypotension.

METHODSEighteen male beagles were randomly divided into three groups, the general anesthesia group (blank), the general anesthesia induced controlled hypotension group (control), and the general anesthesia combined TEAS induced controlled hypotension group (experiment), 6 in each group. Controlled hypotension was performed in the latter two groups with isoflurane inhalation and intravenous injection of sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was lowered to 60% of the MAP baseline and kept for 60 min. Controlled hypotension was not performed in Beagles of the control group. For Beagles in the experiment group, TEAS [2/100 Hz, (4 ± 1) mA] was applied to bilateral Hegu (LI4), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) from stable physiological conditions to the end of maintaining stages. Changes of EGG frequencies and EGG amplitudes were monitored. Serum levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were also detected at corresponding time points during and after experiment.

RESULTSAs for the pressure control effect of TEAS combined general anesthesia in the controlled hypotension, during the process of controlled hypotension (T1-T4), MAP levels of two controlled pressure groups remained relatively stable, and were kept at 60% of the MAP baseline. When the blood pressure dropped to the target low MAP and maintained at 60 min (T1-T4), EGG amplitudes of Beagles in all the three groups showed decreasing tendency. But it was more obviously lower than its basic level in the control group (P <0.05), while it was not obviously decreased in the experiment group (P < 0.05). EGG frequencies of Beagles in all the three groups showed no obvious change during this stage. By the end of the MAP rising stage (T8), the EGG amplitude of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group and the blank group (P < 0.05), while it didn' t show any obvious increase in the control group. During this period, EGG frequencies of the two controlled hypotension groups decreased more than those of the blank group. Two h after rising blood pressure (at T9), EGG amplitudes and frequencies in the two controlled hypotension groups basically restored to their respective baselines and levels of the blank group at T9. At 2 h (T9) after controlled hypotension, serum levels of GAS and MTL were lower than those of basic levels in the two controlled hypotension groups (P <0.05). However, serum levels of GAS and MTL had an increasing trend in the two controlled hypotension groups at 24-72 h (T10-T12). Besides, the increasing speed and amplitude was better in experiment group than in the control group at T10-T12. However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 72 h (T12) serum levels of GAS and MTL had basically restored to their basic levels in the two controlled hypotension groups and that of the blank control group.

CONCLUSIONEGG amplitudes could be effectively improved in TEAS combined general anesthesia for controlled hypotension at 60% of the MAP baseline, the recovery of the serum GAS level accelerated, gastric power improved and stomach protected.

Acupuncture Points ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Arteries ; Dogs ; Gastrins ; Hypotension, Controlled ; Male ; Motilin ; Nitroprusside ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Objective To observe the combined poisonous effects of fluoride and aluminum on sex hormone of male rats.Methods Sixteen weaned SD healthy male rats aged two week were selected and divided into control group,aluminum group,fluoride group,fluorine-aluminum group,four rats in each group.All rats in the experimental groups were fed with corn collected from the prevailng areas containing different fluorine contents respectively for 90 days.Serum testosterone(T)and estradiol(E2)were detected.Results Compared separatelv with the control group[(3.317±0.635)μg/L],serum T level of fluorine-aluminum group[(15.994±6.558)μg/L]was higher(P＜0.05),but aluminum[(8.134±3.134)μg/L]and fluorine[(1.868±0.367)μg/L]groups had no significant differences(P＞0.05).Compared separately with the control group[(0.319±0.072)nmol/L],E2 level of the fluorine group[(0.172±0.030)nmol/L]being lower(P＜0.05),and it was not significant differences(P＞0.05)in the control group when compared with aluminum group[(0.282±0.012)nmol/L],and fluorine-aluminum group[(0.265±0.047)nmol/L].Fluorine and aluminum interacted with each other(F=9.82,P＜0.05).Conclusion The combined poisonous effects of fluorine and aluminum may influence sex hormone levels of male rats.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the labial and lingual alveolar bone thickness in adults with maxillary central incisors of different inclination by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: Ninety maxillary central incisors from 45 patients were divided into three groups based on the maxillary central incisors to palatal plane angle; lingual-inclined, normal, and labial-inclined. Reformatted CBCT images were used to measure the labial and lingual alveolar bone thickness (ABT) at intervals corresponding to every 1/10 of the root length. The sum of labial ABT and lingual ABT at the level of the root apex was used to calculate the total ABT (TABT). The number of teeth exhibiting alveolar fenestration and dehiscence in each group was also tallied. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference test were applied for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The labial ABT and TABT values at the root apex in the lingual-inclined group were significantly lower than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Lingual and labial ABT values were very low at the cervical level in the lingual-inclined and normal groups. There was a higher prevalence of alveolar fenestration in the lingual-inclined group. CONCLUSIONS: Lingual-inclined maxillary central incisors have less bone support at the level of the root apex and a greater frequency of alveolar bone defects than normal maxillary central incisors. The bone plate at the marginal level is also very thin.
Adult ; Bone Plates ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography* ; Humans ; Incisor* ; Prevalence ; Tooth

OBJECTIVETo study the transfection of pancreatic cancer cells BxPC-3 with recombinant plasmid pSilencer4.1-CMV neo-hTERT-siRNA and its silencing effects.

METHODSPancreatic cancer cells BxPC-3 transfected with recombinant plasmid pSilencer4.1-CMV neo-hTERT-siRNA were selected as target and divided into five groups: (1) T1 group (pSilencer4.1CMV neo-hTERT1-siRNA), (2) T2 group (pSilencer4.1CMV neo-hTERT2-siRNA), (3) Lipofectamine (Lipofectamine), (4) mismatch group(pSilence4.1CMV, as negative control), (5) cell control group(without transfection). The expression of hTERT mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The viability of cells was measured by MTT method. The cell cycle and cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. The expression of telomerase protein was measured by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with Lipofectamine group, negative control group and cell control group, the expression of hTERT-mRNA and telomerase protein in cells was downregulated significantly(P<0.05), the viability of BxPC-3 cells was decreased significantly (P<0.05), the ratio of cells in G0/G1 stage was increased, the ratio of cells in S stage and G2/M stage was decreased, and the ratio of apoptotic cells was increased significantly in T1 group and T2 group.

CONCLUSIONRecombinant plasmid T1 and T2 can downregulate the expression of hTERT mRNA and telomerase protein in BxPC-3 cells , and has good RNAi silencing effects. T1 and T2 can also inhibit the growth of BxPC-3 cells, block the cell cycle, promote the apoptosis of cells, and has anti-pancreatic cancer effects in vitro.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; Plasmids ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Telomerase ; genetics ; Transfection