[Traces of Chinese and Western medicine in the Kanbun bronze acupuncture figure].

Acupuncture figure is the model of human body for the learners and practitioners of acupuncture to learn and memorize the meridians points on the body surface in ancient time. The earliest bronze acupuncture figure was made in the fifth year of the North Song Dynasty and it had been cast continuously or even spread to overseas in the later dynasties. Specially, the imitation and production of bronze acupuncture figure in Japan in Edo Period were the most prominent.

Convergent Estimation Mechanism Design for Nonlinear Fuzzy Systems With Faults.

The convergent estimation for a class of nonlinear Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy systems is concerned, where time-varying process faults and input disturbances are both involved. A convergent estimation mechanism (CEM) based on a set of fuzzy iterative estimation observers is constructed for the nonlinear fuzzy system; meanwhile, the convergence of the mean sequence of estimation errors (for both states and faults) to zero (vector) is proved. However, in the existing literature, the estimation errors can only be proved to be uniformly ultimately bounded when the fault is time varying.

Removal of Antibiotics From Water with an All-Carbon 3D Nanofiltration Membrane.

Recent industrial developments and increased energy demand have resulted in significantly increased levels of environmental pollutants, which have become a serious global problem. Herein, we propose a novel all-carbon nanofiltration (NF) membrane that consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) interposed between graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to form a three-dimensional (3D) structure. The as-prepared membrane has abundant two-dimensional (2D) nanochannels that can physically sieve antibiotic molecules through electrostatic interaction.

Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy for the early-stage differential thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT), the modified Miccoli's thyroid surgery, is the most widespread minimally invasive technique and has been widely used for treatment of thyroid disease. This study aimed to verify the potential benefits of the modified Miccoli's thyroid surgery, determine the feasibility of the MIVAT for early-stage differential thyroid carcinoma and evaluate the likelihood of the surgical method as a standard operation for early malignant thyroid carcinoma.

Methods: A total of 135 patients were retrospectively compared which included two groups of patients: the first group underwent the conventional thyroidectomy; the other group underwent MIVAT.

Mouse model of plasma cell mastitis.

Background: Plasma cell mastitis is distinct from the common form of mastitis and clinically resembles breast carcinoma. The lesion occurs in non-lactating young women, and the incidence rate is rising. Surgical resection is the main treatment, but cannot prevent recurrence of the disease.

[Efficacy and safety of extended-release niacin alone or with atorvastatin for lipid profile modification].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of extended-release niacin (niacin ER) either alone or in combination with atorvastatin for the lipid profile modification in the patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and its equivalents.

Methods: One hundred and ten patients with CHD and its equivalents with serum total cholesterol (TC) > or = 3.5 mmol/L were randomly assigned into three treatment groups: (1) atorvastatin group (n = 38), receiving atorvastatin 10 mg/d for 8 weeks; (2) niacin ER group (n = 38), given niacin ER 500 mg/d for 4 weeks and then 1000 mg/d for 4 weeks; (3) combination treatment group (n = 34), treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/d) plus niacin ER, with the dose initiating from 500 mg/d, and increasing to 1000 mg/d after 4 weeks, for 8 weeks.

[Single nucleotide polymorphism and haplotype in TBX1 gene of patients with conotruncal defects: analysis of 130 cases].

Objective: To investigate the distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites in TBX1 gene and the distribution of related haplotypes in the patients with conotruncal defects (CTD) and normal people.

Methods: The genotypes of the 3 selected SNPs: G2857C (rs737868), G2963A (rs28649236), and A6571T (rs28939675) in TBX1 gene were analyzed by PCR-RFLP among 130 patients with CTD and 200 normal people. Contingency table was applied to analyze the frequencies of these SNP genotypes and related alleles.

Fenofibrate enhances CD36 mediated endocytic uptake and degradation of oxidized low density lipoprotein in adipocytes from hypercholesterolemia rabbit.

Background: CD36 as a fatty acid transporter is predominantly expressed in adipocytes. We studied whether adipocytes could uptake and degrade OxLDL through CD36 and explored the effect of fenofibrate on OxLDL uptake in adipocytes from hypercholesterolemia rabbits.

Methods: Subcutaneous adipose tissues were collected from normal, high-cholesterol and high-cholesterol plus fenofibrate treatment rabbits for adipocytes culture.

Atorvastatin enhances cellular uptake of oxidized LDL in adipocytes from hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and CD36, a plausible pathway for the oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) uptake in monocytes, is highly expressed in adipocytes. Few studies have explored the cellular uptake of ox-LDL in adipocytes and its significance on atherosclerosis.

Methods: Rabbits on high-cholesterol diets were randomly assigned to either 1.

Atorvastatin reduces interleukin-6 plasma concentration and adipocyte secretion of hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is secreted by adipocytes and may be involved in atherosclerosis. Few studies have assessed the influence of statins on IL-6 secretion in adipocytes.

Methods: Rabbits on high-cholesterol diets were randomly given either atorvastatin 1.