Hypoparathyroidism: Similarities and differences between Western and Eastern countries.

Backgroud: Hypoparathyroidism (hypoPT) is characterized by acute and chronic complications due to insufficient parathyroid hormone (PTH) production or action. Several management guidelines have been developed, but mostly based on evidence from Western countries. Data from Eastern countries have not been systematically compared with those from Western countries.

Miller Fisher syndrome with early intracranial hypertension and delayed bilateral simultaneous facial nerve palsy: a case report.

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), a variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome, is characterized by ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. This case report describes a 40-year old male that presented with a 3-day history of unsteady walking and numbness on both hands, and a 2-day history of seeing double images and unclear articulation. Lumbar puncture revealed an opening pressure of 260 mm HO.

Dynamic changes and associated factors of clopidogrel resistance in patients after cerebral infarction.

Stroke victims often exhibit clopidogrel resistance (CR). This prospective study was undertaken to observe changes that influence CR in the secondary prevention of cerebral infarction (CI). The study included 56 cases at high risk of stroke (HRS), 147 cases of CI and 68 control subjects.

The influence of the genetic and non-genetic factors on bone mineral density and osteoporotic fractures in Chinese women.

To investigate the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on bone mineral densities (BMDs) and osteoporotic fractures. This was a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationships between 18 SNPs and non-genetic factors with BMDs and osteoporotic fractures in 1012 Chinese Han women. Five SNPs in genes GPR177, CTNNB1, MEF2C, SOX6, and TNFRSF11B were associated with L1-4 or total hip BMDs.

Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21 by reverse transcriptase multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification.

Background: Obtaining fetal DNA or RNA by either chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis is currently, the gold standard prenatal diagnosis. However, these invasive procedures carry risk of miscarriage. A reliable method for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) has long been sought to reduce the risk of miscarriage.

[Effect of electroacupuncture at "Ciliao"(BL 32) on c-fos expression in the sacral segment of spinal cord in rats with detrusor hyperreflexia].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Ciliao" (BL 32) on detrusor hyperreflexia and c-fos expression in the sacral segment of spinal cord in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Thirty-seven adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into normal control (n=5), SCI model (n=16) and EA (n=16) groups. EA (20 Hz, 3 mA) was applied to bilateral BL 32 for 2 hours, once daily for 14 days.

[Literature quality evaluation criteria for Clinical Practice Guideline of Evidence-based Acupuncture and Moxibustion].

In Clinical Practice Guideline of Evidence-based Acupuncture and Moxibustion, following principles and methods of evidence-based medicine, in combination with characteristics of acupuncture and moxibustion science, primary literature quality assessment criteria and corresponding scale were stipulated and were repeatedly seeked advice from experts and proved, finally, forming the assessment criteria: (1) Evaluation criteria of literature quality for RCT; (2) Evaluation criteria of literature quality for non-randomly controlled trials; (3) Evaluation criteria of literature quality for cases-study trials.

Proteolipid protein 1 gene mutation in nine patients with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease.

Background: Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) is a rare X-linked recessive disorder with symptoms including nystagmus, impaired motor development, ataxia, and progressive spasticity. The proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1) gene is the only pathogenic gene of PMD. Duplication of the PLP1 gene is the most frequent gene defect, accounting for 50%-70% of PMD cases, whereas point mutations in the coding sequence or the splice sites account for 10%-25% of PMD cases.

[Evaluation of literature quality of acupuncture for treatment of herpes zoster and approach to the laws of treatment].

Objective: To assess the quality of literature of clinical studies on acupuncture in treatment of herpes zoster.

Methods: The literatures between 1994-2006 were searched by means of electronic retrieval. Type and methodology, general condition, diagnosis of diseases and enrolled and excluded criteria, assessment of sample content, treatment condition, criteria for assessment of therapeutic effects, following-up, etc.