DENTAL DISEASE OF NEOLITHIC AGE SKULLS EXCAVATED IN SHAANXI PROVINCE

Studying the teeth of the ancient.s helps acquaint us with the evolution of oral diseas.es. The Neolithic Age skeleton remains excavated in Baaji and Huaxian are the ea.rliest ones excavated in batches up to present in China. Of the 948 teeth studied, 186 (19.62To) are diseased teeth. The major dental diseases are caries and periodontoclasia. The caries rate is 3.3870 and periodont.oclasia rate 11.39To. Alveolar abscess caused by abrasion is l.69'/o. Premortem loss of teeth is 6.12To. There seems to be a close relationship be- tween diet and caries. Periodontocla.sia appears earlie{r than caries and does not obviously parallel the development of human society. Caries become common in China with the deve- lopment of agricultural cultivation s.ettlements and the use of grain a.s a dietary staple during the Neolithic Age Yangshao Culture 5,000-6,000 years ago．     

Repeat resection of liver metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumor

A 44-year-old man, who was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor incidentally during emergency laparotomy for treatment of acute obstruction of small intestine at another hospital in 1999, was referred to our hospital due to a solitary metastasis in the liver in November 2002. A right segmentectomy (Segment 6, Couinaud‘s system) of liver was carried out. Half and one years later, a recurrent metastasis with involvement of the inferior vena cava was detected in posterior region of the liver. He underwent the third surgery in May 2004. Three another small metastases in greater omentum were found and removed. The tumor in posterior sector of the liver was en bloc resected with portion of involved inferior vena cava and diaphragm. The resected vena cava is repaired primarily through a lateral venorraphy.However, local recurrence was detected one year later, he recieved the fourth surgery in July 2005. He is now in Gleevec therapy. At present, he is in good health and free of recurrence.     

LIU Jian-ping(刘建平)——An Outstanding Expert of Evidence-Based Medicine

Prof.LIU Jian-ping was born in December 1961, and received his MD from Zunyi Medical College in 1983 and completed his master’s degree in Infectious Disease from the Third Military Medical University in 1986.He worked as a resident in Infectious Diseases in Southwest Hospital and physician in the Third Affiliated Hospital at the Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences and was awarded a Ph.D.in Infectious Disease in 1992.Since then,he had been working in epidemiology for four years in Chengdu, and before he started to work as an associate Professor and director of Epidemiology and Clinical Epidemiology in the Third Military Medical University in Chongqing,China in 1996.     

英语园地

Chicago——The American Academy of Pe-diatrics(AAP) wants its membership involvedin the entertainment industry. But instead ofdonning pancake makeup and singing in a musicvideo,the AAP encourages pediatricians to takean active role in minimizing the entertainmentindustry′s impact on children.     

Cholinergic receptor activity after quinolinic acid caused cerebral injury in rats

Objective To provide a useful biological index for clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disea se (AD) by determination the functional changes in the central cholinergic nerve and their effects on the peripheral lymphatic system. Methods The learning and memory impairment model was established through intraventricula r injecting quinolinic acid (QA) repeatedly. Results There was a significant decline of cholineacetyltransferase (ChAT) in cerebral c ortex and hippocampus after QA injection. The significantly lower binding activ ities of acetylcholine muscarinic (M) and nicotinic (N) cholinergic receptors in the hippocampus and cortex in the QA group were found as compared with the sham -operated group (P<0.01). Similar changes were found in the binding activ ities of M-and N-receptors on spleen lymphocytes. Conclusion Certain lesion of the central nervous system can be reflected in peripheral sple en lymphocytes, which may be an important reference to diagnose the changes of t he central nervous system.     

NEUTROPHILIC TRANSIENT ACIDIFICATION AND SUPEROXIDE PRODUCTION IN PERITONEAL DIALYSATE

Aim. To elucidate whether an inhibited superoxide production (O2^-) of neutrophils indueed by com-merchl lactate-based peritoneal dialysates(PDS) could he corrected after a transient intracellular acidosis. Methods. The intracellular pH([pHi]) of human neutrophi/s incnhatd in PDS was monitored with a spectrofltrorcaneter with a pH-sensltive dye (BCECF-AM). Neutrophilic O2^- stimulated by zymosan was determined in PINS with the superoxide dismutase inhibitable ferricytochrome c reduction, using a spec-trophotcaneter. Results. The severe intracelluhr acidosis induced within 5 min by PDS at an extraeeUuhr pH of 5. 2 could be promptly and completely recovered by a neutralization of the pH of media. However, O2^- hy neu-trophils exposed to the pDS for as little as 5 min was drastically and persistently inhibited, even the acidic[pHi] d cei/s had been fully returned for 1h. Conclusions. The intraeelluiar acidification of cells in the initial phase could be transient and reversible, but impaired cell functions, at least in part including O2^- generating system, might be consistent and irre-versible in the early stage of the cellular acidosis in the peritoneal cavity of CAPD patients. The findings tabove may be of particular importance in both clinic and cell biology.     

Dr.Ralph Coan: a hero in establishing acupuncture as a profession in the United States

1 Introduction Dr.Ralph Coan is not well known to the general public.Originally,we had wanted to interview him as he was the medical director of the first acupuncture center in the United States that opened in the early 1970s[1].We wanted to know more about that center's history.Prior to visiting Dr.Coan,we found an article written by Dr.Sherman Cohn that mentioned Dr.Coan.The article noted that Dr.Coan was the founder of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,which is the national association of acupuncturists and Chinese medicine practitioners in the United States[2].While interviewing Dr.Coan on February 18,2012,it became apparent that he truly is a leading light in establishing acupuncture as a profession in the United States.     

Boym's "De Indiciis Morborum ex Linguae Coloribus et Affectionibus": The Earliest Chinese Tongue Diagnosis Manual Published in Europe, Identification of Original Chinese Text, Peculiarities of Printed Edition and Its Impact on European Medicine

Upon his untimely death, Michal Boym (1612–1659) left behind an enormous written legacy; covering a diverse range of interests in fields such as Chinese linguistics, cartography, botany, zoology, philosophy and medicine. This article attempts to examine Boym''s De indiciis morborum ex linguae coloribus & affectionibus (The signs of disease on the tongue, colors and affections), a translation of a previously unidentified Chinese text. The text specifically deals with the subject of tongue diagnosis, in relation to contagious diseases that were still raging in the17th century China. Arriving to China at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), Boym was able to personally witness the early development of tongue examination as an independent specialty; he recognized its significance and tried to incorporate it into his ultimately unfinished Chinese medical corpus. Boym''s work eventually facilitated the assimilation of tongue observation in European medicine during the 19th century.     

苯并芘对断乳大鼠学习记忆能力的影响及机制研究

Objective To investigate the changes and mechanism of learning and memory in rats by different doses of benzo (a) pyrene (B(a)P). Methods Forty weaned rats (28 days) were randomly divided into control group (NS), solvent group ( vegetable oil) and three B (a) P dosage groups (the doses were 5,10 and 20 mg / kg body weight respectively ). And all rats were administrated intraperitoneally every other day to one month. The capability of learning and memory in rats were measured by Morris water maze test, and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF) and NMDAR2B content in hippocampus were tested by immunohistochemistry. Results In training of Morris water maze,the average escape latency was extended gradually with increasing dose, and there was a statistically significant difference between high-dose group((62. 78 ±47. 25 )s) and the control group((40.60±38.79)s)(P＜ 0.01). Compared with the control group(11.25 ±2.63), the number of crossplatform of high-dose group(4.33 ±2.08) was statistically reduced (P＜0.05). B(a)P at 10 and 20 mg/kg decreased NMDAR2B and BDNF expression in hippocampus of rats in immunohistochemistry. The level of NMDAR2B was (162.23 ±6.56) in the high-dose group and (150.38 ± 15.34) in the control group(P＜0.05);the expression level of BDNF was (163. 13 ± 8.09) in the high-dose group and (141.83 ± 13.37) in the control group(P＜ 0.05). Conclusion Subacute B(a)P exposure can reduce spatial learning and memory in weaning rats, it may be related to decreased levels of NMDAR2B and BDNF in hippocampus.     

Experimental and clinical studies of traumatic brain injury in China

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem throughout the world. More than 400 000 patients with TBI in the United States of America and estimately more than a million patients with TBI in China are admitted to hospital every year. The outcome of patients with TBI has been significantly improved in the recent decade all over the world, especially in China. Because of both laboratory and clinical advances in TBI, the mortality of severe TBI patients with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) <8 decreases to less than 30%.1,2 This paper summarizes the main progress of TBI research in China.     

Precision Medicine: Towards Complexity Science Age

Precision medicine(PM) refers to the tailoring of the prevention and treatment strategies to the individual characteristics of each patient. Following the vigorous advocacy of the U.S. President Obama and China’s President Xi, PM has now become a hot topic of common concern worldwide. PM does not merely refer to the skill set level but rather a comprehensive medical methodology. Hence, there is PM that builds on the analytical methodology of Western medical system as well as PM that builds on Chinese medicine(CM). The differences between the two systems, fundamentally speaking, are the differences in methodology to describe the body constitution that based on reductionism and holism. Today, as science advances to complex systems, the mainstream analytical reductionism advances to the holistic synthesis era, it is imperative to introduce CM’s holistic body constitution to the modern medical system in order to progress to PM. PM with its foundation on holisticbody constitution, is a medical system that integrates Western medicine and CM, is the highest attainment of "PM" in the future.     

EXTREMITY REPLANTATION

Successftil replantation of complete- Iy oevered limbs has a llistory of more than one decadeo-z). Undei the guidanc。 of Chairman Mao's revolutionary line, the medical personnel in China bave raised their consciousness of serving the work- ers, peasants and solcliers ancl succeeded for the first time in repIanl,ing a severed hand in 1963 (This case was rc2portccl at the 20th Congress of the Sociciie Intierna- tionale de Chirurgie, 1963). One year after the operation, Lhe patient resumed his original xvork as a factory fitter which he has continu@d iio t.he present day, 13 years since the replantation.     

Spatial learning deficits in amyloid precursor protein 770 transgenic mice

Objective To determine whether learning deficits could be seen in transgenic mice expressi ng human amyloid precursor protein 770 (APP770).Methods Female heterozygous transgenic and nontransgenic mice aged 3, 6 and 9 months at the start of testing were used, with eight mice in each age group.All mice wer e subjected to various behavioral tasks including the Y-maze task and the Morri s water maze.After behavioral testing, the mice were sacrificed, and their bra in tissues were used for measuring the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity . Results Nine-month-old transgenic mice exhibited spatial learning deficits in the Morr is water maze and in spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze, compared with those o f the age-matched non-transgenic mice.The behavioral changes accompanied a red uction of ChAT activity in the cortical and hippocampal regions of transgenic mi ce.On the other hand, these behavioral deficits were not observed in transgeni c mice either at 3 or at 6 months of age, in which ChAT activity remained unchan ged. Conclusions The present results show that the learning impairment observed in 9-month-old APP770 transgenic mice are accompanied by a decrease in cortical and hippo campal ChAT activities.This suggests that cholinergic deficits may be involved in the learning impairment observed in these APP770 mice.This model wi ll be a useful tool in advancing our understanding of the relationship between t he cholinergic system and the cognitive deficits observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).     

A funny thing happened on the way to the lab W F Bynum is impressed by a book about the role of chance in medical innovations

It is no news that science is messy. Louis Pasteur said it most famously： ＂ Chance favours the prepared mind. ＂ His compatriot the physiologist Claude Bernard chipped in with： ＂ Experimental ideas are often born by chance. ＂ The Nobel prize winner Peter Medawar probably argued it most subtly, when he wrote a paper, cheeky but serious, announcing that the scientific paper is a fraud. Medawar wasn＇t a whistleblower; he merely analysed, in his inimitable style, the fact that scientific papers routinely present the route to their results through a series of logical experiments, correct deductions, and obvious conclusions. In practice, things rarely go as expected. Abortive experiments are abandoned, and results are tidied up to be presented in their strongest form. This is normal experimental practice, although it took someone of Medawar＇s stature to make it public quite so blatantly.     

PEKING DIETS II DURING MINOR ILLNESS

In a previous paper (1) we described the two types of diet prevalent in Peking and pointed out some common distortions of these diets. We will now consider the modifications usually made by a patient_ who does not feel well, but who is not acutely ill. If he normally eats the whole-cereal-soybean diet, he finds the dry bread, "wo-t''ou" (窝头) rather difficult to chew and he substitutes rice gruel, "hsi-fan" (稀饭), a weak carbohydrate solution. If he habitualIy eats the milled-cereal-meat diet, he eliminates the meat and vegetable sauted together as "ch''ao ts''ai"(炒菜) and although he may continue to eat white rice ancl r.oodles, he too may eat only rice gruel, "hsi-fan'' （稀饭）. Rarely does either type of patient take much vegetable soup of his own accord. In other words, he eliminates the fat, vitamins, salts, and most of the protein from his diet. He starts a metaboIic debt. If his regular stores have been abundant he wiIl be able to get aTong on them for some time, perhaps a week or two before the effects of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) shortage are felt, perhaps longer for the other vitamins and for caIcium. But if he has been living from hand to mouth as iL were, with his- daily intake just sufficing for his daily needs, then he will use up his meager resources sooner and more quick- ly feel the effects of a metabolism deranged by the absence of essentiaL     

CLINICAL OBSERVATION ON HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS TREATED BY INDIRECT MOXIBUSTION WITH VARIOUS CHINESE MEDICINES

103 cases of Hashimoto’s thyroiditiswere divided into moxibustion group 1(35cases)in which patients were treated byaconite—cake interposed moxibustion withthe Chinese medicine powder for warmingyang under the cakes,moxibustion group 2(36 cases)in which the medicine powder fortonifying qi,warming yang,eliminatingstasis and activating the blood was appliedbetween the cakes and the skin of the pa-tients, and a control group(32 cases)inwhich the patients were treated with     

Histopathological Changes in the Epidermis of the Air Breathing Catfish Heteropneustes fossilis Exosed to Sublethal Concentration of Mercuric Chloride

Histopathological alterations induced by the sublethal concentration of(0.03ppm)mercuric chloride solution on the epidermis of the fresh-water catfish Heteropneusted fossilis have been studied.It induces slow but significant histopathological changes in he various cellular components of the epidermis,It induces vacuolization,Necrosis and pycnosis of the nuclei of the epithelial cells which subsequently shed.Loosening of epithelial cells of the outermost and middle layers following degeneration of he intercellular material and widened intercellular spaces in another important alteration.Prolongen mercury treatment also causes a gradual decrease in staining intensity for sulphated glyocosaminoglycans in the outer border or the most superficial layer epithelial cells.The glandular elements(club cells and mucocytes)also get affected,showing cyclinc degeneration followed by regeneration.     

The relationship between MTHFR gene polymorphisms, plasma homocysteine levels and diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To evaluate the role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)gene polymorphisms and plasma homocysteine levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy(DR).Methods Total of 208 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 57 controls were recruited into the study.MTHFR genetic C677T polymorphisms were determined by PCR-RFLP.Plasma total homocysteine levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)with fluorescence detection.Results The frequencies of MTHFR TT homogeneous type,CT heterogeneous type and allele T (28.18?41.82?49.09?were significantly higher in the type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy group than those without retinopathy(18.37?29.59?33.16?and those of controls (17.54?28.07?31.58?.The presence of the T allele appeared to have a strong association with the development of diabetic retinopathy.The odds ration was 1.94 with a 95?confidence interval of 1.31-2.88.Moreover,plasma homocysteine levels were remarkably higher in patients with TT or CT genotype than in patients with the CC genotype.Concluslon MTHFR gene C677T mutation associated with a predisposition to increased plasma homocysteine levels may be considered as a genetic risk factor for diabetic microangiopathy(such as DR)in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.     

Vitreoretinal surgery combined with C-arm fluoroscopic-guided removal of intraorbital foreign body following ocular perforating injury

Perforating ocular trauma with retained intraorbital foreign body (IOrFB) is a severe injury with a poor prognosis.The injury involves the posterior segment of the eye,and foreign bodies are mostly lodged posterior to the globe.Vitreoretinal surgery and IOrFB removal are always performed separately in patients with ocular perforating injury and IOrFBs.Obviously,separate procedures increase the cost and patient discomfort.Intraoperative fluoroscopy,used to localize the foreign body during surgery,1 facilitates the treatment of ocular perforating injuries and plays a valuable role in aiding the removal of radio-opaque orbital foreign bodies.