Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Studies of biological feedback (BF) for the treatment of chronic prostatitis (CP) are occasionally reported have exhibited some related problems. This article presents an evaluation of the published literature on the BF treatment of CP at home and abroad in the aspects of instrument, method, application, effect, function, and mechanism. UROSTYMTM and MyoTrac are often employed and their operating paths are basically the same. NIH prostate symptom scores, urinary function, pain, sexual function, immune function, prostate fluid, and other indicators are generally used for the analysis of the effects of BF alone or in combination with other therapies on CP and its related symptoms. Either BF alone or BF combined with other therapies can promote urination, reduce pain, improve the quality of life, attenuate inflammation, improve sexual function, adjust immunity, and lessen physical and chemical stimulation. However, the relevant literature is of low quantity and quality, the reported studies are not standardized, and exploration of the action mechanisms is neglected.
Biofeedback, Psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis ; therapy ; Quality of Life

Objective:To establish an analytical method for the identification of donkey-hide gelatin in Fufang Ejiao Buxue gran-ule.Methods:The identification of donkey-hide gelatin in Fufang Ejiao Buxue granule was established by rapid resolution liquid chro -matography (UPLC) coupled with triple quadruple mass spectrometry (QQQ-MS).Results: The characteristic molecular peaks of donkey-hide gelatin were detected in ten batches of commercial samples .Conclusion:The present method is specific , precise and reli-able, and suitable for the identification of donkey-hide gelatin in Fufang Ejiao Buxue granule .The method provides scientific reference for the study of quality control method for gelatin ingredients in Chinese patent medicines .

Objective To discuss the surgical outcome and operative technique of the modified trans-petrosal presigmoid approach in treating cases with facial nerve palsy after petral bone fracture trea- ted with facial nerve canal decompression method.Methods A total of 15 cases with facial nerve pal- sy were treated with traumatic facial nerve canal decompression technique with the trans-petrosal presig- mold approach combined with high-dose hormone therapy,whereas 12 cases were treated with traditional Chinese medicine.The clinical data were analysed and compared retrospectively according to House- Brackmann facial nerve grading scale.Results At acute stage,eight(53.3%)out of 15 cases recov- ered to levelⅠ(P＜0.05),with no significant postoperative complications such as CSF leakage. Conclusions This approach is simple and safe and can expose extensively the facial nerve bone canal and effectively alleviate the edemous facial nerve aided by high-dose hormone therapy.Therefore,it is suitable for surgical treatment of acute facial nerve palsy after petral bone fractures.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of procalcitonin(PCT) in early diagnosis of neonatal infections.Methods Rapid hemi-quantitative immunoassay was used to measure PCT levels in 196 hospitalized neonates, who were divided into sepsis group,(local-)infection group, virus-infection group and non-infection group.Results If plasma PCT≥0.5 ?g/L was taken as positive,the positive rates in sepsis group,local-infection,virus-infection,non-infection group were 87.87%,41.66 %,12.0%,11.11%,respectively.The positive rate of sepsis group was significantly higher than that of the other 3 groups(all P

OBJECTIVETo explore the inhibitory effects of Niaoluqing, an oral liquid of traditional Chinese medicine, on the growth of urogenital chlamydia trachomatis (Ct).

METHODSNiaoluqing's applying concentration was 1 g/ml and 10 serologically untyped strains of Ct from the STD clinic were used. And the inhibitory effects of Niaoluqing on Ct was evaluated by McCoy cell microculture technique in vitro.

RESULTSNiaoluqing had inhibitory activity for urogenital Ct, and was capable of reducing inclusion numbers notably in the concentrations of 50 to 200 mg/ml. The number and volume of Ct inclusions reduced gradually and disappeared finally with the rising of the medicinal concentration.

CONCLUSIONThe traditional Chinese medicine Niaoluqing has inhibitory effects on the growth of urogenital Ct.

Chlamydia trachomatis ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Urogenital System ; microbiology

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Pelvis ; surgery ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ureteral Obstruction ; surgery ; Urologic Surgical Procedures ; methods

BACKGROUNDComputer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of lung cancer is the subject of many current researches. Statistical methods and artificial neural networks have been applied to more quantitatively characterize solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs). In this study, we developed a CAD scheme based on an artificial neural network to distinguish malignant from benign SPNs on thin-section computed tomography (CT) images, and investigated how the CAD scheme can help radiologists with different levels of experience make diagnostic decisions.

METHODSTwo hundred thin-section CT images of SPNs with proven diagnoses (135 small peripheral lung cancers and 65 benign nodules) were analyzed. Three clinical features and nine CT signs of each case were studied by radiologists, and the indices of qualitative diagnosis were quantified. One hundred and forty nodules were selected randomly to form training samples, on which the neural network model was built. The remaining 60 nodules, forming test samples, were presented to 9 radiologists with 3 - 20 years of clinical experience, accompanied by standard reference images. The radiologists were asked to determine whether a nodule was malignant or benign first without and then with CAD output. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

RESULTSCAD outputs on test samples had higher agreement with pathological diagnoses (Kappa = 0.841, P < 0.001). Compared with diagnostic results without CAD output, the average area under the ROC curve with CAD output was 0.96 (P < 0.001) for junior radiologists, 0.94 (P = 0.014) for secondary radiologists and 0.96 (P = 0.221) for senior radiologists, respectively. The differences in diagnostic performance with CAD output among the three levels of radiologists were not statistically significant (P = 0.584, 0.920 and 0.707, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThis CAD scheme based on an artificial neural network could improve diagnostic performance and assist radiologists in distinguishing malignant from benign SPNs on thin-section CT images.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; ROC Curve ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the expression of glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) mRNA in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissues and investigate the mechanism of posttraumatic insulin resistance.

METHODSSixteen adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 group (n equal to 8 in each group), i.e., severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) group due to falls from a height and normal control group. Blood glucose and serum insulin were measured at 0.5 h before trauma and 3 h, 24 h, 72 h, 7 d after trauma, respectively. And insulin sensitivity was calculated by insulin activity index (IAI) formula. Skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were collected at the same time when blood was sampled. The changes of expression of GLUT4 mRNA were observed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSAccompanied by the decrease of insulin sensitivity, the expression of GLUT4 mRNA was significantly decreased in adipose tissues at 24 h and 72 h after trauma (P less than 0.01), however, such phenomena did not appear in skeletal muscle samples.

CONCLUSIONSTo some extent, the development of posttraumatic insulin resistance is related to the abnormality of transcription activity of GLUT4 gene. Adipose tissues show some difference in the transcriptional level of GLUT4 gene after trauma as compared with skeletal muscle tissues.

Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain Injuries ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo clarify whether ghrelin could promote in vitro rat cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) angiogenesis and related mechanisms.

METHODSCMECs were isolated from myocardial tissue of adult male SD rats and characterized by the immunocytochemistry staining with Factor VIII and the capacity of in vitro capillary tube-like formation. The mRNAs and protein expressions of ghrelin and its receptor (growth hormone secretagogue receptor, GHS-R) of CMECs were determined by RT-PCR, Immunofluorescence, ELISA and Western blot. Proliferation, migration and in vitro angiogenesis as well as ERK2 phosphorylation of CMECs were tested in the presence of ghrelin (10(-9) - 10(-7) mol/L) with or without pretreatment with specific MAPK/ERK2 inhibitor PD98059.

RESULTSPurity of CMECs characterized by immunocytochemistry staining with Factor VIII was about 95%, and the cells showed a high ability to form the capillary tube-like structures on Matrigel. Ghrelin and GHS-R were constitutively expressed in CMECs. Proliferation, migration and in vitro angiogenesis capacities of CMECs (72.20 ± 5.72 vs. 28.60 ± 5.13, P < 0.001; 71.00 ± 7.78 vs. 28.60 ± 5.13, P < 0.001) as well as ERK2 phosphorylation (0.92 ± 0.13 vs. 0.29 ± 0.04, P < 0.001; 1.15 ± 0.16 vs. 0.29 ± 0.04, P < 0.001) were significantly enhanced by exogenous ghrelin (10(-8) - 10(-7) mol/L). PD98059 abolished ghrelin-induced ERK2 phosphorylation and in vitro angiogenesis.

CONCLUSIONSGhrelin and its receptor are expressed in CMECs and ghrelin could stimulate CMECs in vitro angiogenesis through activation of MAPK/ERK2 signaling pathway.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Ghrelin ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Male ; Microvessels ; cytology ; Myocardium ; cytology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; metabolism