OBJECTIVETo discuss the impacts of abdominal acupuncture on serum leptin, adiponectin, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the patients of obesity induced by olanzapine.

METHODSEighty-six obesity patients induced by olanzapine were randomized into an observation group (47 cases) and a control group (39 cases). The healthcare guide and the adjustment on diet and physical exercise were given in the two groups. Additionally, in the observation group, the abdominal acupuncture therapy was applied to Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Tianshu (ST 25) and Shuidao (ST 28), once a day, 5 times a week. The treatment lasted for 3 months in the two groups. The body mass index (BMI), serum leptin, adiponectin, total cholesterol and triglyceride were compared before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment, BMI, serum leptin, total cholesterol and triglyceride were all lower than those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (all<0.05). Adiponectin was higher than that in the two groups before treatment (both<0.05). After treatment, BMI, serum leptin, total cholesterol and triglyceride in the observation group were apparently lower than those in the control group (all<0.05) and adiponectin was higher than that in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAbdominal acupuncture regulates the transfer capacity of leptin signal and the secretion of adiponectin, promotes lipid metabolism and reduces the body mass in obesity patients induced by olanzapine.

OBJECTIVETo compare the safety and efficacy of the medial approach(MA) and the lateral approach (LA) in the treatment of colorectal disease.

METHODSStudies published from January 1994 to April 2013 that compared MA to LA in laparoscopic colorectal resection were collected. Publications in English were mainly identified from Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and those in Chinese from Wanfang database and CNKI database. Conversion rate, operative time, blood loss, number of harvested lymph nodes, hospital stay, complication, mortality, recurrence, and hospitalization costs of MA and LA were meta-analyzed using fixed-effect and random-effect models.

RESULTSFive cohort studies (2 randomized controlled trials and 3 retrospective studies) including 881 patients were enrolled and analyzed. Of these patients, 416 and 465 underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection with MA and LA respectively. As compared to LA, MA had significantly lower conversion rate (OR=0.42, 95%CI:0.25-0.72, P=0.001), shorter operative time (WMD=-52.62, 95%CI:-63.23--42.01, P<0.01), less number of harvested lymph nodes (WMD=-1.17, 95%CI:-1.89--0.45, P=0.001), while blood loss was less and hospitalization cost lower. Significant differences in intraoperative complications and postoperative complications were not found between the two group (OR:0.57, 95%CI:0.15-2.18, P=0.41; OR:0.78, 95%CI:0.52-1.17, P=0.23).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with LA, MA has the advantages of shorter operative time and lower conversion rate with similar safety. Differences in blood loss, hospitalization cost and oncological safety between the two approaches warrant further investigation.

Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Proctocolectomy, Restorative ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of inhibition and activation of MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway on the expression of osteogenic genes and proliferation of rat osteoblasts in vitro.

METHODSPrimarily cultured rat osteoblasts, identified by cell morphology studies and ALP staining, were exposed to 1% or 5% rat serum for 24 h or to the specific MAPK-ERK1/2 inhibitor PD0325901. The downstream molecules of MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway including p-ERK1/2 and ERK1/2, osteogenic genes such as Runx2 and Type I collagen, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were detected by Western Blotting, and alkaline phosphatase activities were analyzed quantitatively.

RESULTSCompared with 1% rat serum-treated cells, exposure of the cells to a higher concentration (5%) of rat serum caused a significantly increased phosphorylation level of p-ERK1/2 (P<0.05) and obviously enhanced expressions of the osteogenic genes (Runx2, type I collagen and ALP) and PCNA (P<0.05). Inhibition of the MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway with PD0325901 resulted in suppressed expressions of the osteogenic genes and PCNA.

CONCLUSIONThe activation of MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway promotes the expression of osteogenic genes such as Runx2, type I collagen and ALP and enhances the proliferative activity of the osteoblasts, while inhibition of this pathway suppresses the expressions of these genes and the cell proliferation, suggesting that this pathway may potentially serve as a therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Benzamides ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; metabolism ; Diphenylamine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo establish a new diagnostic method for Down's syndrome using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

METHODSDNA extracted from five healthy individuals and five Down's syndrome patients was amplified in six specific tetranucleotide repeat loci on chromosome 21 using PCR. An accurate diagnosis was made by analyzing allelic distribution at each locus.

RESULTSAll Down's syndrome patients were identified as having at least two loci with three alleles, while none of the healthy individuals had three alleles. In addition, when two alleles were identified for a particular locus in the Down's syndrome samples, it was more likely that the intensity ratio between the two alleles was close to 2:1.

CONCLUSIONThe molecular method can provide a fast, accurate, and economical alternation for the traditional cytogenetic diagnostic method for Down's syndrome.

Cytogenetic Analysis ; methods ; Down Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo evaluate spiral CT urography (SCTU) and CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE) in detecting urologic diseases.

METHODSSCTU was performed in 46 patients with urological diseases including renal neoplasms (2), paropelvic cysts (2), ureteral calculi (6), ureteral stenosis (4), ureteral neoplasms (2), double kidneys and ureter malformation (1), bladder neoplasms (28) and bladder endometreosis (1). The 6 patients with ureteral diseases and 29 patients with bladder diseases underwent CTVE based on spiral CT scan. All CTVE findings were compared with those of B-mode ultrosonography, intravenous urography (IVU), retrograde pyelography (RGP), conventional CT or cystoscopy.

RESULTSAll upper urinary tract diseases and bladder diseases (28 cases) were detected by SCTU and CTVE scans and they were confirmed operatively or pathologically except one case of bladder neoplasm (diameter less than 5 mm) was missed.

CONCLUSIONSCTU and CTVE have proved to be non-invasive and reliable in the diagnosis of urological diseases and are superior to IVU or conventional CT. CTVE can serve as a supplementary method to fiberoptic cystoscopy or ureteroscopy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urography ; Urologic Diseases ; diagnosis