Objective To investigate the application of low-dose computed tomography virtual colonoscopy(LDCTVC)in colorec-tal tumor.Methods Forty-seven colorectal tumor were given low-dose CT abdominal scan(low-dose group),15 patients with normal body mass index(BMI)who received routine-dose CT abdominal scan at the same period(routine-dose group).Volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),dose length product(DLP),virtual colonoscopy and optical colonoscopy results were recorded.Results The effective dose with normal BMI was(2.86±0.47)mSv and(4.87±1.15)mSv in the low-dose and routine-dose groups,respectively.The CTDIvol and DLP between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05).There were 14 cases of true positive,4 cases of false positive,5 cases of false negative and 24 cases of true negative in the low-dose group.The sensitivity,specificity and Kappa value of LDCTVC in the diagnosis of colorectal mucosal lesions were 73.7％,85.7％,and 0.6.Conclusion LDCTVC can reduce the effective dose by 50％and has a good diagnostic value for colorectal mucosal lesions,which can make up for the deficiency of colonoscopy and make accurate judgment of extra-mucosal lesions of the bowel wall.

BACKGROUND:The studies have shown that the mesenchymal stem cel s derived from bone marrow and umbilical cord can be continuously cultured in vitro, and maintain the characteristics of stem cel s. The mesenchymal stem cel s can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cel s after“cocktail”induction by various cytokines. OBJECTIVE:To further identify whether umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cel s in vitro co-cultured with normal hepatocytes can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cel s, and to investigate the differentiation method. METHODS:Mesenchymal stem cel s were isolated from human umbilical cord with adherent method, and the surface markers of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cel s were detected with flow cytometry. The umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cel s were co-cultured with liver LO2 cel s without adding exogenous inducers. The expressions of alpha-fetoprotein, albumin and human cytokeratin 19 mRNA of hepatocyte specific markers were detected with reverse transcription PCR at 7, 14 and 21 days after culture, and periodic acid-Schiff staining was used to identify the functions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Mesenchymal stem cel s could isolated from human umbilical cord successful y, showing fibroblastic morphology and adherent cel characterization. Among these cel s, 96.02%cel s were CD29 positive cel s and 96.6%cel s were CD105 positive cel s. The percentage of CD34 negative cel s was 99.65%. The percentage of CD105+CD29+double positive cel s was 94.84%. The mRNA of alpha-fetoprotein was found on the 7th day after co-cultured with LO2 cel s, and the mRNA of albumin and human cytokeratin 19 were found on the 14th day. After co-cultured for 21 days, the alpha-fetoprotein mRNA could not be observed in the co-culture group. The expressions of albumin and human cytokeratin 19 were increased at 14 days. After co-cultured for 21 days, the glycogen staining was positive. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cel s can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cel s after co-cultured with normal hepatocytes.

Objective To investigate behavior and hippocampal cytoskeletal alterations following re-exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) and acute swimming stress,and explore the possible mechanism.Methods 40 Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into five groups,with 8 exposed to 21 consecutive days of chronic unpredicted mild stresses (CUMS) and treated with vehicle,8 exposed to CUMS and treated with fluoxetine,8 exposed to CUMS and treated with fluoxetine and re-exposed to acute swimming stress after washout,8 exposed to CUMS and treated with fluoxetine and re-exposed to CUMS after washout,and 8 as normal controls treated with vehicle.Behavioral changes in these rats were analyzed.The expressions of hippocampal cytoskeletal microtubulin were analyzed using Western Blot.Results ( 1 ) Compared with the control and CUMS group,sucrose preference (43.38 ± 7.84 ) ％,total traveling distance ( 859.21 ± 653.62 ) cm,velocity ( 2.05 ± 0.60 ) cm/s and frequencies of rearing(0.12 ±0.30) were reduced (P＜0.01 ) in the re-exposure to CUMS group.After re-exposed to acute stress,these behaviors did not differ from control rats.(2)Compared with the control and CUMS group,the Acet-Tub expression (244.24 ± 8.90 )％ of re-exposure to CUMS group showed a significant increase (P＜ 0.01 ) in rats submitted to re-exposure to CUMS and Tyr-Tub expression (30.92 ± 11.01 )％ was significantly decreased following re-exposure to CUMS (P＜0.01).At the same time,MAP-2 expression did not change while phospho-MAP-2 expression (24.75 ± 8.83 )％ decreased significantly.After re-exposed to acute stress,these prorein expressions did not differ from control rats.Conclusion These findings provide evidence that rats re-exposed to CUMS showed more impairment of cytoskeletal microtubular dynamic and structural neuronal plasticity,this effect appears to be mediated by the degree of phosphorylation of MAP-2.

Objective: To explore the effect of electro-acupuncture and musk injection on recovery of injured sciatic nerve function in rats, so as to provide the experimental evidences for the promotion of peripheral nerve regeneration by electro-acupuncture and musk injection.Methods: Following establishing rat model of sciatic nerve injury by operation, the rats were randomly divided into electro-acupuncture group, musk injection group, electro-acupuncture plus musk injection group and model group, then sciatic functional index (SFI) and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were measured after 4 weeks of treatment, 8 weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of treatment respectively to evaluate recovery of nerve function. Results: SFI and MNCV in electro-acupuncture group, musk injection group and electro-acupuncture plus musk injection group were improved more obviously than that in model group, with significant differences(P＜0.01, P＜0.05). Conclusions: Both electro-acupuncture and musk injection could promote recovery of injured nerve function, and they had a certain synergetic effect and might be the effective methods in promoting recovery of injured peripheral nerve function.

To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture on matrix metalloproteinase in degenerated cervical intervertebral disc rats.Methods:The rat model of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration was induced by unbalanced dynamic and static forces,then the rats were randomly allocated to model group,electro-acupuncture groupⅠ(acupoints Dazhu(BL 11) and Tianzhu(BL 10) were electro-acupunctured),and electro-acupuncture group Ⅱ(acupoints Dazhu (BL 11),Tianzhu(BL 10)and Shenshu(BL 23) were electro-acupunctured),with the normal rats as control.then the HE staining method was adopted to observe the morphological change of cervical intervertebral disc and the immunohistochemical staining method was used to detect the marx metalloproteinases-1(MMP-1) and matrix metalloproteinases-3(MMP-3) in cervical intervertebral disc.Results:The morphological observation showed that after electro-acupuncture treatment,the degrees of cervical intervertebral disc degeneration in electro-acupuncture groupⅠand electro-acupuncture group Ⅱ were alleviated,and the electro-acupuncture group Ⅱ was superior to electro-acupuncture group Ⅰ.The expressions of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in degenerated cervical intervertebral disc were increased(P＜0.01),and after electro-acupuncture treatment,the expressions of MMP-1 and MMP-3 in degenerated cervical intervertebral disc were decreased,especially the electro-acupuncture group Ⅱpresented the better effect as compared with electro-acupuncture group Ⅰ(P＜0.05).Conclusions:Electro-acupuncture at acupoints Dazhu (BL 11) and Tianzhu (BL 10) had a certain therapeutic effect on cervical intervertebral disc degeneration,and in combination with acupoint Shenshu(BL 23),this therapeutic effect could be enhanced,its action mechanism might be that electro-acupuncture can reduce the expressions of MMP-l and MMP-3 in degenerated cervical intervertebral disc,inhibit the degradation of matrix in intervertebral disc.so as to relieve cervical intervertebral disc degeneration.

To observe the regulative effect of applying garlic cream on acupoint Shenque (CV8) on circadian rhythm disorder induced by sleep deprivation.Methods:Twenty healthy adult men were randomly divided into normal group(group A),sleep deprivation group (group B) and treatment group (group C).Subjects in group B and C received 48-hour sleep deprivation,and in the meantime subjects in group C were treated by applying garlic cream on acupoint Shenque(CV8),while subjects in group A received no any treatment,then contents of serum noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were detected.Results:The contents of NA in three groups all appeared typical circadian rhythm(P＜0.01 when group A is compared with group C,and P＜0.05 when group A is compared with group B).The peak value in group A was 158.377 and appeared at 10:56,peak value in group B was 291.529 and appeared at 19:44,peak value in group C was 255.964 and appeared at 17:06.The peak phase in group B shifted more obviously when compared with group A,and the peak phase in group C recovered slightly when compared with group B.The contents of 5-HT in group A showed typical circadian rhythm (P＜0.01) and the circadian rhythms in group B and C disappeared (P＞0.05).the peak value in group A was 196.563 and appeared at about13:10.Conclusion:The application of garlic cream on acupoint Shenque (CV8) Can adjust the disturbed circadian rhythm and accelerate the recovery of circadian rhythm.It is a simple and effective therapeutic method for adjusting circadian rhythm disorder.

To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture on the relapse to heroin-seeking induced by heroin-related cues after withdrawal from heroin self-administration in rats.Methods:Sixty male Wistar rats were randomized into physiological saline group,withdrawal group A,withdrawal group B,electro-acupuncture(EA)treatment group A and EA treatment group B,with 12 rats in each group.The rats were trained by nose-poke response to self administer heroin (50 μg/kg/per infusion) or saline with one daily 4-h session for 14 consecutive days,the session ended after 25 infusions were eamed or 4 hours had passed,the reinforcement schedule was a progressive ratio.Then rats in withdrawal group A and withdrawal group B were withdrawn from heroin for 1 week and 2 weeks respectively,and then they were reintroduced to their training chambers for 4-h relapse testing which was induced by heroin-related environmental cues;And rats in EA treatment group A and EA treatment group B were also withdrawn from heroin for 1 week and 2 weeks respectively,during which they were given EA treatment for 20 min daily,then they received relapse testing;In the meantime,rats in saline group were trained with saline instead of heroin for 14 days as control.after 7 days of withdrawal from saline,they received relapse testing.Results:Following 7-8 days of drug training,the rats began to establish the stable intravenous heroin self-administration behavior;For the stable heroin self-administrating rats that received EA treatment,when they were reintroduced to their training chambers,their heroin-seeking behaviors were obviously inhibited,and this inhibitory effect related to the cumulativeness of EA stimulation.Conclusion:The results suggested that EA could prevent relapse to heroin-seeking to a certain extent.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of improvement effect of electro-acupuncture at acupoint Neiguan (PC 6) on acute myocardial ischemia (AMI). Methods: Ninety-six rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, myocardial ischemia model group and myocardial ischemia model plus electro-acupuncture group, the rat model of AMI was established by occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery, then electro-acupuncture therapy was performed at bilateral acupoint Neiguan (PC 6). The myocardial enzyme activities in plasma was detected with biochemical method, and the myocardial c-fos gene expression was detected with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) method. Results: The myocardial enzyme activities in plasma and the myocardial c-fos gene expression in myocardial ischemia model group were obviously higher than those in sham group(P＜ 0.05), after electro-acupuncture treatment, the myocardial enzyme activities in plasma and the myocardial c-fos gene expression were decreased,there was a significant difference (P＜ 0.05). Conclusion: The mechanism of improvement effect of electro-acupuncture at acupoint Neiguan (PC 6) on AMI is related to down-regulation of the myocardial c-fos mRNA expression.

Objective: The present study is to observe and compare the different effects of electroacupuncture(EA) at acupoint Neiguan (PC 6), intravenous administration of L-arginine(L-Arg, a precursor of nitric oxide), and the drug administration combined with the EA on acute myocardial ischemia(AMI) in rats. Methods: The rat model of AMI was established by occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery, then the animals were divided randomly into 5 groups,i.e. control group, AMI group, L-Arg treatment group, EA treatment group and L-Arg plus EA treatment group, the mean arterial pressure(MAP), heart rate(HR) and the cardiac functions were observed and recorded. Results: The data showed that MAP, HR and all the indices of cardiac functions in the AMI group were significantly lower than those in control group, and the indices in each treatment group were all improved to different extents, especially in L-Arg plus EA treatment group. Conclusion: The combined use of L-Arg and EA had the better therapeutic effect on the AMI.

Objective: To observe the influence of electroacupuncture with different frequencies on rats swimming endurance and sift out the optimal frequency parameter.Methods: Wistar rats were randomly allocated to control group, non-acupoint group and electroacupuncture with low frequency group (EA with 2 Hz group), electroacupuncture with medium frequency group (EA with 15 Hz group), and electroacupuncture with high frequency group (EA with 100 Hz group), acupoints Zusanli (ST 36) and Taichong (LR 3) were punctured and rats load swimming time was used as an index, and the change of swimming endurance time before and after acupuncture was observed. Results: After electro-acupuncture, swimming time was increased in 15 Hz and 100 Hz groups respectively, with the significant differences between before and after acupuncture (P＜0.05). There was also a significant difference in the percentage of increase in swimming time between 15 Hz group and other groups (P＜0.05).Conclusion: It is suggested that electroacupuncture at acupoints Zusanli (ST 36) and Taichong (LR 3) with a frequency of 15 Hz could enhance rats's swimming endurance, and 15 Hz might be an optimal frequency parameter during the electrical stimulation.