OBJECTIVETo compare the differences in the therapeutic effect on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) between acupuncture at Tianshu (ST 25) and Dachangshu (BL 25) and western medication with Trimebutine Maleate.

METHODSForty cases were divided randomly into an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 20 cases in each one. In acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Tianshu (ST 25) and Dachangshu (BL 25). Ziwu Daojiu needling technique was adopted, once daily. In western medication group, Trimebutine Maleate capsule was administered, 2 capsules in each time, 3 times per day. The assessment on the therapeutic effect was performed in 4 weeks of treatment in two groups.

RESULTSAs compared with those before treatment, the time of abdominal pain, the frequency of abdominal pain, the morbidity of abnormal stool appearance, the morbidity of defecation abnormality, the morbidity of mucus stool and the score of bloating or abdominal pain on bowel movement were all reduced after treatment in two groups (all P < 0.01). The results in acupuncture group were much more significant than those in western medication group (the total score: 16.70 +/- 2.40 vs 15.70 +/- 3.01, P < 0.01). The total effective rate in acupuncture group was 95.0% (19/20), which was superior to that of 70.0% (14/20) in western medication group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Tianshu (ST 25) and Dachangshu (BL 25) may remarkably relieve the clinical symptoms of IBS and its efficacy is superior to that of oral medication with Trimebutine Maleate.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Trimebutine ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of reinforcing Shen method (RSM) and activating blood method (ABM) in treating osteoarthritis (OA) at the molecular level.

METHODSThe physical and chemical characteristics of components from respective recipes of RSM and ABM, and network features of component-target interaction network were analyzed by computer simulation methods including chemical space, molecular docking, and biological network, etc.

RESULTSThe chemical components of RSM and ABM were scarcely scattered with larger overlapping. Among established networks, the distribution of network features was partially similar in RSM and ABM. The average target number correlated with each component was 1.86 in RSM and 2.11 in ABM respectively. Each average target number was respectively correlated with 4.46 compounds and 3.93 compounds, reflecting multi-component and multi-target actions.

CONCLUSIONComputer simulation could intuitively trace out similarities and differences of two different methods and their interaction with targets, which revealed that the compatibility of RSM and ABM could have broader protein targets and potential synergism at the molecular level.

Computer Simulation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Osteoarthritis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; methods

AlM: To investigate the association between the degree of anterioruveitis and related factors including inflammatory markers as well as sacroiliac joint imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis ( AS) .
METHODS: Anterior changes evaluated by slit lamp, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR ) , C - reactive protein ( CRP ) and magnetic resonance imaging of 55 cases with AS associateduveitis were retrospectively analyzed. A modified endotoxin-induced uveitis ( ElU ) clinical standard was used for uveitis grading. SPARCC sacroiliac scoring was used to evaluate bone edema of sacroiliac joint. The correlation between the degree of uveitis and sacroiliitis was assessed.
RESULTS: ln the 55 patients with AS, ElU grading scored 2-10, and SPARCC index scored 0-22. Further analysis showed that the severity of uveitis was significantly correlated with ESR (r=0. 869, P<0. 001) and CRP (r=0. 485, P<0. 001). The degree of anterior uveitis in AS patients was not correlated with inflammation of sacroiliac joint (r=0. 237, P=0. 081).
CONCLUSlON: Local autoimmunity of uveitis and sacroiliac joint inflammation with subsequent bone formation in AS might be mutually independent processes.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in patients with essential hypertension (EH) complicating with or without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

METHODSGraded maximal exercise test on the bicycle ergometer with respiratory gas analysis were performed in 30 gender and age matched normotensive controls, 40 EH patients without LVH and 30 EH patients with LVH (LVMI>125 g/m2 in males and > 120 g/m2 in females). Metabolic equivalents (METs), oxygen uptake (VO2), oxygen uptake to body mass ratio (VO2/kg) and oxygen uptake to heart beat ratio (VO2/HR) at time of reaching anaerobic threshold (AT) and at maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) were measured and compared.

RESULTSMETs and VO2/kg were significantly reduced in EH patients with or without LVH compared with controls [at AT, METs: 3.57 +/- 0.8 and 4.34 +/- 1.47 vs. 5.21 +/- 1.45; VO2/kg: 12.38 +/- 2.85 and 14.42 +/- 4.33 vs. 18.48 +/- 4.52, all P < 0.01; at VO2max, METs: 4.94 +/- 1.24 and 5.90 +/- 1.51 vs. 6.96 +/- 1.85; VO(2)/kg: (17.20 +/- 4.34) mlxmin(-1)xkg(-1) and (20.41 +/- 4.59) mlxmin(-1)xkg(-1) vs. (24.04 +/- 5.21) mlxmin(-1)xkg(-1), all P < 0.01]. METs and VO2/kg at both time points were also significantly reduced in EH patients with LVH compared EH patients without LVH (all P < 0.05). The lower VO2/kg in hypertensive patients was significantly correlated to higher LVMI (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCardiopulmonary exercise capacity was reduced in hypertensive patients, especially in hypertensive patients with LVH.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Exercise Test ; Exercise Tolerance ; Female ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; physiopathology ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Function Tests

Objective To apply a simple fixator to salivary gland scintigraphy to evaluate its effect on body position movement. Methods Totally 30 female patients complaining xerostomia were randomly and equally divided into a conventional scan group and a simple fixator group,who were injected with Technetium Tc-99m Pertechnetate intravenously. In the conventional scan group the patients had their necks fixed with the bracket and cushion,while in the other group the fixation was executed with the single fixator. SPECT imager was used for dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy, and two nuclear medicine physicians evaluated the maximum shift of the parotid gland along left-right(X)and head-foot(Y)axes in series of dynamic images. SPSS 16.0 software was used for data analysis. Results In the conventional scan group the maximum shift was(6.6±4.6)mm at X axis and(5.2±3.4)mm at Y axis;in the single fixator group the maximum shift was(3.2± 1.6)mm at X axis and(3.0±1.3)mm at Y axis.There were significant differences between the maximum shifts in the two groups (P=0.012,X axis;P=0.027,Y axis).Conclusion The single fixator assists in salivary gland scintigraphy,and alleviates the body position movement during dynamic acquisition and provides data support for functional parameter calculation and result determination.

WRKY transcription factor is one of the Zinc finger proteins which contains a highly conserved WRKY domain and is a family of the plant-specific transcription factor. The plasmid pET28a-SmWRKY1 harboring Salvia miltiorrhiza WRKY1 (SmWRKY1) gene was successfully transformed and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The conditions on protein expression of SmWRKY1 in E. coli, including induction duration, temperature, IPTG concentration and the E. coli concentration were optimized. The results showed that the highest protein expression of SmWRKY1 was obtained at 24 hours after the E. coli was cultured in the presence of 0.2 mol x L(-1) IPTG at 20 degrees C with A600 values of 1.0-1.5. This recombinant histidine-tagged protein was expressed at 2.454 g x L(-1) as inclusion body, which was first extracted using urea, and then purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography and identified by SDS-PAGE. The expression of SmWRKY1 in E. coli was further confirmed by western blotting analysis.
Blotting, Western ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Weight ; Plant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; genetics

Objective To study the mechanism of marcosomia by investigating insulin-like growth factor 2(IGF_2)imprinting status,expression level and the promoter usage in the placenta of macrosomia. Methods We selected heterozygous cases for Apa Ⅰ polymorphism in exon 9 of IGF_2 gene and then analyzed its imprinting status in 168 placentas of macrosomia and normal pregnancies.IGF_2 transcription levels and promoter usages in macrosomic and normal placenta were evaluated by using semi-quantitative RT- PCR assay.Results Thirty specimens of macrosomic placenta and 30 of normal placenta were identified as heterozygous for IGF_2.All of the heterozygous specimens showed maintenance of imprinting.The expression of placental IGF_2 mRNA(2.2?1.2)was significantly higher in macrosomia than that of normal weight group (1.6?0.6,P 0.05).Conclusion It is possible that over expression of IGF_2 in placenta contributes to macrosomia while the promoter usage and imprinting status are not associated with macrosomia.

AIMTo investigate the stepwise development and germ cell gene expression in allografted neonatal mouse testes and the differentiation of immature human testicular cells in xenografted human testes.

METHODSImmunodeficient nude mice were used as hosts for allografting of neonatal mouse testes and xenografting of human fetal testicular tissues. Stepwise development and stage-specific gene expression of germ cells in allografts were systematically evaluated and parallel compared with those in intact mice by periodically monitoring the graft status with measurement of graft weight, histological analysis and determination of five stage-specific genes. Human testicular tissues from 20 and 26 weeks fetuses were used for the xenografting study. Histological analysis of xenografts was performed 116 and 135 d after the grafting procedure.

RESULTSIn the allografting study, progressive increase in tissue volume and weight as well as in tubule diameter in grafts was observed; the appearance time of various germ cells in seminiferous tubules, including spermatogonia, spermatocytes, round and elongate spermatids and sperm, was comparable with that in intact donors; the initiation of gene transcription in grafts showed a similar trend as in normal mice. Graft weight ceased to increase after 7-8 weeks and degradation of grafts was observed after 5 weeks with progressive damage to seminiferous epithelium. In the xenografting study using immature human testicular tissues, graft survival and development was indicated by increasing graft weight, Sertoli cells differentiation into advanced stage, germ cells migration and location to the basal lamina and formation of a niche-like structure.

CONCLUSIONThe developmental course and gene expression pattern of germ cells in allografts were similar to those in intact mice. The best time point for retrieval of mouse sperm from grafts was 5-7 weeks after grafting procedure. An accelerated development of immature human testicular cells could be achieved by ectopic xenografting of human testes.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Base Sequence ; DNA Primers ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Testis ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and reliability of the measurement of critical anatomic landmarks of endoscopic endonasal anatomy of pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa using multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT), and to illustrate the spatial relationship of the surgical landmarks in pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa through an endoscopic endonasal view and radiological images.

METHODSIncluded in this study were eleven fixed cadaver heads (22 pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa), which were prepared from MSCT scans for establishing a spatial coordinates system to calculate the radiological anatomic data and attaining 3D reconstruction image, and also were anatomically dissected to get anatomic data. The anatomic data in two groups were compared, the endoscopic and radiological images of the same regions acquired during the endoscopic endonasal approaches observed.

RESULTSThe distance (x(-) ± s) from nasal columella to sphenopalatine foramen, pterygoid canal, foramen rotundum, foramen ovale, foramen spinosum, carotid canal, foramen lacerum in radiological group were: (68.83 ± 3.00), (72.49 ± 2.88), (75.26 ± 3.14), (88.55 ± 5.00), (95.19 ± 4.31), (106.76 ± 3.77), (88.16 ± 2.87) mm and in anatomic group were: (68.90 ± 3.04), (72.73 ± 3.08), (75.44 ± 3.07), (89.75 ± 4.13), (96.22 ± 3.37), (106.68 ± 3.75), (88.47 ± 2.64) mm. There was no statistical difference between two groups (t value were -0.856, -1.134, -0.920, -1.923, -1.903, 2.820 and 1.209, respectively, all P > 0.05). Sphenopalatine foramen, pterygoid canal, foramen rotundum, foramen ovale, foramen spinosum, foramen lacerum, carotid canal were the corresponding anatomic structures in endoscope and radiology, which provided the surgeons with anatomic landmarks to identify the spatial relationship of the surgical structures in pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa.

CONCLUSIONSMSCT measurements of anatomic landmarks are feasible and reliable, can be used in clinical individualized surgery. The corresponding anatomic structures of endoscopic and radiological landmarks provide useful reference to surgeons when operating in these areas through an endoscopic endonasal approach.

Endoscopy ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Pterygopalatine Fossa ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Skull Base ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

OBJECTIVETo study the causes of orchiectomy in different age groups.

METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data about 291 cases of orchiectomy performed between March 1993 and October 2014 and analyzed the causes of surgery and their distribution in different age groups.

RESULTSThe main causes of orchiectomy were testicular torsion (45.8%), cryptorchidism (32.5%) and testicular tumor (16.9%) in the patients aged 0-25 years, testicular tumor (42.4%), cryptorchidism (25.9%) and tuberculosis (10.6%) in those aged 26-50 years. Prostate cancer was the leading cause in those aged 51-75 years (77.6%) or older (84.0%)), and testicular tumor was another cause in the 51-75 years old men (10.2%). Prostate cancer, testicular tumor, cryptorchidism, and testicular torsion were the first four causes of orchiectomy between 1993 and 2009. From 2010 to 2014, however, testicular tumor rose to the top while prostate cancer dropped to the fourth place.

CONCLUSIONThe causes of orchiectomy vary in different age groups. The proportion of castration for prostate cancer patients significantly reduced in the past five years, which might be attributed to the improvement of comprehensive health care service.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Causality ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cryptorchidism ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orchiectomy ; statistics & numerical data ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; surgery ; Testicular Neoplasms ; surgery ; Tuberculosis, Male Genital ; surgery ; Young Adult