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Vibrio alginolyticus , a Gram-negative rod bacterium found in marine environments, is known to cause opportunistic infections in humans, including ear infections, which can be difficult to diagnose. We investigated the microbiological and otopathogenic characteristics of a V. alginolyticus strain isolated from an ear exudate specimen obtained from a patient with chronic otitis externa to provide a basis for the future diagnosis of V. alginolyticus -associated infections. The identification of V. alginolyticus was accomplished using a combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), classical biochemical identification methods, and the use of Vibrio -selective media and advanced molecular identification methodologies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that the strain was resistant to ampicillin and sensitive to β-lactam, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and sulfonamide antibiotics. The potential otopathogenic effects of V. alginolyticus were determined through the performance of cell viability, cell apoptosis, and cell death assays in tympanic membrane (TM) keratinocytes and HEI-OC1 cells treated with V. alginolyticus -conditioned medium using cell-counting kit (CCK)-8 assay, a wound-healing migration assay, Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometric analysis, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick-end labeling (TUNEL staining). The results indicated that the identified V. alginolyticus strain exerts cytotoxic effects on keratinocytes and HEI-OC1 cells by inhibiting cell proliferation and migration and inducing apoptosis and cell death. To evaluate the ototoxicity of V. alginolyticus , the cell density and morphological integrity of hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) were analyzed after exposing cochlear organotypic explants to the bacterial supernatant, which revealed the pre-dominant susceptibility and vulnerability of HCs and SGNs in the basal cochlear region to the ototoxic insults exerted by V. alginolyticus . Our investigation highlights the challenges associated with the identification and characteristic analysis of the Vibrio strain isolated in this case and ultimately aims to increase the understanding and awareness of clinicians and microbiologists for the improved diagnosis of V. alginolyticus -associated ear infections and the recognition of its potential otopathogenic and ototoxic effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhou, Tian, Liu, Liu, Zhang, Liu and Sun.)

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a dominant public health issue affecting millions of people around the globe, which is correlated with the irreversible deterioration of the hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) within the cochlea. Strategies using bioactive molecules that regulate neurite regeneration and neuronal survival to reestablish connections between auditory epithelium or implanted electrodes and SGN neurites would become attractive therapeutic candidates for SNHL. As an intracellular second messenger, cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) can be synthesized through activation of particulate guanylate cyclase-coupled natriuretic peptide receptors (NPRs) by natriuretic peptides, which in turn modulates multiple aspects of neuronal functions including neuronal development and neuronal survival. As a cardiac-derived hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and its specific receptors (NPR-A and NPR-C) are broadly expressed in the nervous system where they might be involved in the maintenance of diverse neural functions. Despite former literatures and our reports indicating the existence of ANP and its receptors within the inner ear, particularly in the spiral ganglion, their potential regulatory mechanisms underlying functional properties of auditory neurons are still incompletely understood. Our recently published investigation revealed that ANP could promote the neurite outgrowth of SGNs by activating NPR-A/cGMP/PKG cascade in a dose-dependent manner. In the present research, the influence of ANP and its receptor-mediated downstream signaling pathways on neurite outgrowth, neurite attraction, and neuronal survival of SGNs in vitro was evaluated by employing cultures of organotypic explant and dissociated neuron from postnatal rats. Our data indicated that ANP could support and attract neurite outgrowth of SGNs and possess a high capacity to improve neuronal survival of SGNs against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity by triggering the NPR-A/cGMP/PKG pathway. The neuroregenerative and neuroprotective effects of ANP/NPRA/cGMP/PKG-dependent signaling on SGNs would represent an attractive therapeutic candidate for hearing impairment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Sun, Zhou, Tian, Zhang, Liu, Wang, Zhong, Qiu and Zha.)

Introduction: Cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of sulforaphane (SFN), which acts as a natural HDAC inhibitor (HDACi). Our previous study found that HDACi could restore histone acetyltransferase/histone deacetylase (HAT/HDAC) balance in the cochlea and attenuate gentamicin-induced hearing loss in guinea pigs. Here, we investigated the protective effect of SFN on cisplatin-induced hearing loss (CIHL)., Methods: Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups: the control group, cisplatin group, and SFN+cisplatin group. Rats were injected with SFN (30 mg/kg once a day) and cisplatin (7 mg/kg twice a day) for 7 days to investigate the protective role of SFN on CIHL. We observed auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold shifts and immunostained cochlear basilar membranes of rats. For in vitro experiments, we treated HEI-OC1 cells and rat cochlear organotypic cultures with SFN (5, 10, and 15 μM) and cisplatin (10 μM). Immunofluorescence, cell viability, and protein analysis were performed to further analyze the protective mechanism of SFN on CIHL., Results: SFN (30 mg/kg once a day) decreased cisplatin (7 mg/kg twice a day)-induced ABR threshold shifts and outer hair cell loss. CCK-8 assay showed that cisplatin (10 μM) reduced the viability of HEI-OC1 cells to 42%, and SFN had a dose-dependent protective effect. In cochlear organotypic cultures, we found that SFN (10 and 15 μM) increased cisplatin (10 μM)-induced myosin 7a + cell count and restored ciliary morphology. SFN (5, 10, and 15 μM) reversed the cisplatin (10 μM)-induced increase in HDAC2, -4, and -5 and SFN (15 μM) reversed the cisplatin (10 μM)-induced decrease in H3-Ack9 [acetyl-histone H3 (Lys9)] protein expression in HEI-OC1 cells. Neither cisplatin nor cisplatin combined with SFN affected the expression of HDAC7, or HDAC9., Conclusion: SFN prevented disruption of the HAT/HDAC balance, protecting against CIHL in rats.

The composite electron transporting layer (ETL) of metal oxide with [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) prevents perovskite from metal electrode erosion and increases p-i-n perovskite solar cell (PVSC) stability. Although the oxide exhibits protective function, an additional work function modifier is still needed for good device performance. Usually, complicated multistep synthesis is employed to have a highly crystalline film that increases manufacturing cost and inhibits scalability. We report a facile synthesis of a novel organic-molecule-capped metal oxide nanoparticle film for the composite ETL. The nanoparticle film not only has a dual function of electron transport and protection but also exhibits work function tunability. Solvothermal-prepared SnO 2 nanoparticles are capped with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) through ligand exchange. The resulting TBAOH-SnO 2 nanoparticles disperse well in ethanol and form a uniform film on PCBM. The power conversion efficiency of the device dramatically increases from 14.91 to 18.77% using this layer because of reduced charge accumulation and aligned band structure. The PVSC thermal stability is significantly enhanced by adopting this layer, which prevents migration of I - and Ag. The ligand exchange method extends to other metal oxides, such as TiO 2 , ITO, and CeO 2 , demonstrating its broad applicability. These results provide a cornerstone for large-scale manufacture of high-performance and stable PVSCs.

The spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) are the primary afferent neurons in the spiral ganglion (SG), while their degeneration or loss would cause sensorineural hearing loss. As a cardiac-derived hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plays a critical role in cardiovascular homeostasis through binding to its functional receptors (NPR-A and NPR-C). ANP and its receptors are widely expressed in the mammalian nervous system where they could be implicated in the regulation of multiple neural functions. Although previous studies have provided direct evidence for the presence of ANP and its functional receptors in the inner ear, their presence within the cochlear SG and their regulatory roles during auditory neurotransmission and development remain largely unknown. Based on our previous findings, we investigated the expression patterns of ANP and its receptors in the cochlear SG and dissociated SGNs and determined the influence of ANP on neurite outgrowth in vitro by using organotypic SG explants and dissociated SGN cultures from postnatal rats. We have demonstrated that ANP and its receptors are expressed in neurons within the cochlear SG of postnatal rat, while ANP may promote neurite outgrowth of SGNs via the NPR-A/cGMP/PKG pathway in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that ANP would play a role in normal neuritogenesis of SGN during cochlear development and represents a potential therapeutic candidate to enhance regeneration and regrowth of SGN neurites., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2020 Fei Sun et al.)

Low-cost and solution-processed perovskite solar cells have shown great potential for scaling-up mass production. In comparison with the spin coating process for fabricating devices with small areas, the blade coating process is a facile technique for preparing uniform films with large areas. High-efficiency perovskite solar cells have been reported using blade coating, but they were fabricated using the toxic solvent N , N -dimethylformide (DMF) in nitrogen. In this work, we present highly efficient blade-coated perovskite solar cells prepared using a green solvent mixture of γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in an ambient environment. By carefully controlling the interface, morphology, and crystallinity of perovskite films through composition variations and additives, a high power conversion efficiency of 17.02% is achieved in air with 42.4% reduction of standard deviation in performance. The findings in this work resolve the issues of scalability and solvent toxicity; thus, the mass production of perovskite solar cells becomes feasible.

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most important and devastating avian diseases with considerable threat to the global poultry industry. Hepatitis-hydropericardium syndrome (HHS), caused by virulent fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4), is another highly infectious disease in chickens with severe economic impact. The effective way to combat ND and HHS is by vaccinating the poultry. In the present study, a recombinant NDV LaSota vaccine strain expressing full length fiber-2 gene of FAdV-4 (rLaSota-fiber2) was generated using reverse genetics. The FAdV-4 fiber-2 protein was expressed as a soluble form rather than NDV membrane-anchored form. The rLaSota-fiber2 was genetically stable, and it showed growth patterns in embryonated eggs comparable to that of parental rLaSota virus. Since our unpublished data demonstrated that delivery of live rLaSota-fiber2 in drinking water or ocular delivery of the vaccine didn't produce protection against hypervirulent FAdV-4 challenge, even though the vaccine provide full protection against NDV challenge, the efficacy of the rLaSota-fiber2 was evaluated by delivering the vaccine intramuscularly in this study. Single-dose intramuscular vaccination of 2-week-old SPF White Leghorn chicks with the live or inactivated rLaSota-fiber2 provided complete protection against virulent NDV challenge. However, single-dose intramuscular vaccination with the live rLaSota-fiber2 vaccine provided better protection against virulent FAdV-4 challenge and significantly reduced faecal viral shedding comparing to the inactivated vaccine. These results indicate that the NDV-vectored FAdV-4 vaccine is a promising bivalent vaccine candidate to control both HHS and ND., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analysis the data of the patients with parotid tumors, clarify the contributing factors of Frey syndrome, and to evaluate the role of soft tissues membrane SIS in prevention of Frey syndrome after parotidectomy. Method: The data of 95 patients who suffered from parotid tumors and underwent parotidectomy were included in this study. The relationship between the patients' age, sex, tumor location ,tumor size, disease pathology, type of resection, SIS application and the incidence of Frey syndrome were statistically analyzed . Result: The incidence of Frey syndrome after parotidectomy for 95 patients was 25.3%. Age, sex, tumor location and size, disease pathology, type of resection did not appear to be associated with development of Frey syndrome（ P >0.05）. SIS application was the only statistically significant factor（ P <0.01）, and SIS could prevent Frey syndrome after parotidectomy. Conclusion: Frey syndrome is one of the common complicationsafter parotidectomy. Implantation of SIS is an effective method for prevention of Frey syndrome after parotidectomy., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

Hearing loss is a common sensory disorder that affects more than 360 million people worldwide, and is primarily caused by the loss of hair cells (HCs). Ototoxic drugs, viral infections, genetic predisposition, aging or noise all damage HCs. 3β-hydroxysteroid-Δ24 reductase (DHCR24), one enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, is involved in inflammation, oxidative stress and neuroprotection. However, researchers have not determined whether DHCR24 is present in the cochlea and the mechanism by which it exerts its regulatory effect on HC loss. In the present study, we analyzed DHCR24 expression in the postnatal day 1 (P1) rat cochlea and found that DHCR24 was localized in HCs of the organ of Corti. Next, exposure to cisplatin caused HC loss in cochlear organotypic cultures. Then, we inhibited DHCR24 expression with U18666A and observed significantly increased cisplatin-induced damage of cochlear HCs. These findings were consistent with the observed increase in DHCR24 expression in response to cisplatin treatment, and U18666A significantly decreased DHCR24 expression. Finally, DHCR24 inhibition increased the levels of reactive oxygen species and cleaved caspase-3 after cisplatin-induced injury. Collectively, DHCR24 may play a significant role in regulating auditory function and potentially represents a new therapeutic target for the treatment of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is the only national institution for the accreditation of clinical practice of acupuncture and Oriental (Chinese) Medicine in the United States. Its qualification certificate or examination certificate is a mandatory document for 47 states and Washington, D.C. to issue the practice license. According to the latest information of the NCCAOM official website, this paper introduced the preceptor qualifications of the apprenticeship, studying hours, quality control, and the evaluation at the end of apprenticeship. The paper also discussed the enlightening and referential effects of the American system to apprenticeship policy in China.

Outer hair cells (OHCs) damage is a general phenomenon in clinical disorders such as noise-induced hearing loss and drug-induced hearing loss. In order to elucidate the mechanism underlying these disorders, OHCs - its diseased region needs to be deeply investigated. However, OHCs array on the basilar membrane which contains massive cells with different types. Therefore, to isolate OHCs from this huge population is significant for revealing its pathological and molecular changes during disease processing. In the present study, we tried to isolate OHCs from the commonly used animal model -Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. By separating outer hair cells from SD rats with different day ages, we found that 9 days after birth was a suitable time for the separation of the OHCs. At this time, the number of OHCs isolated from rats was large, and the cell morphology was typical of cylindrical shape. OHCs isolated using this method are histologically suitable and quantitatively adequate for molecular biological and electrophysiological analyses.

H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have been detected from wild birds and domestic poultry worldwide. Serious diseases combined with secondary infection have caused high mortality and great economic losses to poultry industry. Therefore, simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate methods suitable for field detection of H9N2 AIVs are crucial to efficiently control virus infection and spread in time. In this study, an isothermal reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification with lateral-flow dipstick (RT-RPA-LFD) assay for detection of hemagglutinin (HA) gene of H9 subtype influenza viruses was developed. The optimal forward and reverse primers targeting HA gene of H9 subtype influenza viruses were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and biotin at the 5'-end, respectively. The amplification reaction could be finished in 20 min at a wide temperature range of 30-42°C, and then the products could be visualized with naked eyes. The developed H9 RT-RPA-LFD was able to detect 0.15 pg of H9N2 AIV RNA, which was 10 times more sensitive than that of conventional RT-PCR. The H9 RT-RPA-LFD assay did not detect nucleic acids extracted from H9 negative samples or from other poultry respiratory pathogens. The clinical performance of H9 RT-RPA-LFD was determined by testing 120 cloacal samples collected from chickens with respiratory syndromes. The coincidence rate of the detection results between RT-RPA-LFD and conventional RT-PCR was 95.8%. Therefore, the developed RT-RPA-LFD assay provides a rapid, reliable and sensitive method for field diagnosis of H9 subtype AIVs., (© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Cochlear progenitor cells are considered as one of the best candidates for hair cell regeneration, thus, the regulation of cochlear progenitor cell proliferation has become a focus in this field. Several genes expressed in the inner ear during postnatal development have been demonstrated to be involved in maintaining the proliferative potential of progenitor cells, but the mechanism for regulating the proliferation and differentiation of cochlear progenitor cells remains poorly understood. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) has rate limiting telomerase activity and the overexpression of TERT has been shown to promote cell proliferation in series of cell lines. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of TERT in the postnatal development of the cochlea and progenitor cells. The results demonstrated that TERT was expressed in the basilar membranes during the first postnatal week. In vitro, TERT expression in progenitor cells reached a maximum at day 4 after culture and decreased as the culture time prolonged or the cell passage number increased. These results led us to hypothesize that TERT may be involved in the development of the cochlea and in maintaining the proliferation ability of progenitor cells.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a serious health concern and prevention of hair cell death or therapeutic intervention at the early stage of NIHL is critical to preserve hearing. Minocycline is a semi-synthetic derivative of tetracycline and has been shown to have otoprotective effects in ototoxic drug-induced hearing impairment, however, whether minocycline can protect against NIHL has not been investigated. The present study demonstrated elevated ABR (auditory brainstem response) thresholds and outer hair cell loss following traumatic noise exposure, which was mitigated by intraperitoneal administration of minocycline (45mg/kg/d) for 5 consecutive days. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that minocycline, a clinically approved drug with a good safety profile, can attenuate NIHL in rats and may potentially be used for treatment of hearing loss in clinic., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To establish a computer-aided surgical simulation procedure based on the natural head position(NHP) for orthognathic surgery and to access the effect for correcting facial asymmetry for skeletal Class Ⅲ deformity. Methods: Thirty-five patients(male: 14 and female: 21, mean age: [21.5±2.3] years) of skeletal Class Ⅲ deformity with facial asymmetry were included and divided into virtual group (16 patients) and control group(19 patients). The computer-aided surgical simulation procedure was used in the virtual group and the intermediate and final splints were fabricated using the rapid protyping technique. The traditional model surgery based on plaster casts was used in control group, and the splints were handmade. To evaluate the symmetry, three-dimensional(3D) photos were taken for all the patients before operation and 6 months after operation using the 3dMD face imaging system. Coordinate system was built based on mirror-original alignment method on the 3D photo. Thirteen soft tissue landmarks were marked on each 3D photo. The asymmetry index(AI) of those soft tissue landmarks was calculated. Results: There was no significant difference in the AI values between the two groups before surgery. Sixth month after operation, the mean AI values in the virtual group were (0.81±0.50) mm for subnasale, (1.01±0.80) mm for labiale superius, (1.94±1.30) mm for crista philtri, (1.60±1.20) mm for pogonion and (5.68±2.25) mm for gonion. The mean AI values in the control group were (1.49±1.10) mm for subnasale, (1.79±1.33) mm for labiale superius, (3.52±2.50) mm for crista philtri, (2.79±2.08) mm for pogonion and (8.43±3.94) mm for gonion and those indexes were significantly different between the two groups( P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the AI values of the pronasale, alare, labiale inferius and cheilion between the two groups sixth month after operation. Conclusions: The introduced procedure of the virtual design based on the estimated NHP could more effectively correct the asymmetry deformity for the skeletal Class Ⅲ patients.

The high incidence of hearing loss in human combined with the lack of hair cell regeneration in mammalian cochleae had got the attention to manipulate stem/progenitor cells to participate in hair cell regeneration for years. Cochlear progenitor cells are considered as the best candidate for hair cell regeneration. However, there is not any effective and feasible way to separate hair cell progenitors from rat cochleae, yet. In this study, we tried to isolate single epithelial cells from rat basilar membrane by combinatorial enzymatic digestion with thermolysin and collagenase type I. The results showed that the harvested single cells gave rise to otospheres with features of stem cells and could be induced to differentiate into hair cells. Significantly, more otospheres of epithelial origin were obtained by digesting with thermolysin and collagenase type I. The combinatorial enzymatic digestion would be a potential method for hair cell progenitor isolation and culture with broad applications.

Introduction: As computer-assisted surgical design becomes increasingly popular in maxillofacial surgery, recording patients' natural head position (NHP) and reproducing it in the virtual environment are vital for preoperative design and postoperative evaluation. Our objective was to test the repeatability and accuracy of recording NHP using a multicamera system and a laser level., Methods: A laser level was used to project a horizontal reference line on a physical model, and a 3-dimensional image was obtained using a multicamera system. In surgical simulation software, the recorded NHP was reproduced in the virtual head position by registering the coordinate axes with the horizontal reference on both the frontal and lateral views. The repeatability and accuracy of the method were assessed using a gyroscopic procedure as the gold standard., Results: The interclass correlation coefficients for pitch and roll were 0.982 (0.966, 0.991) and 0.995 (0.992, 0.998), respectively, indicating a high degree of repeatability. Regarding accuracy, the lack of agreement in orientation between the new method and the gold standard was within the ranges for pitch (-0.69°, 1.71°) and for roll (-0.92°, 1.20°); these have no clinical significance., Conclusions: This method of recording and reproducing NHP with a multicamera system and a laser level is repeatable, accurate, and clinically feasible., (Copyright © 2015 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recent studies have revealed that an intrinsic apoptotic signaling cascade is involved in vascular hyperpermeability and endothelial barrier dysfunction. Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) has also been reported to inhibit apoptotic signaling by regulating mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening and caspase-3 activation. Here, we investigated whether propofol could alleviate burn serum-induced endothelial hyperpermeability through the inhibition of the intrinsic apoptotic signaling cascade. Rat lung microvascular endothelial cells (RLMVECs) were pretreated with propofol at various concentrations, followed by stimulation with burn serum, obtained from burn-injury rats. Monolayer permeability was determined by transendothelial electrical resistance. Mitochondrial release of cytochrome C was measured by ELISA. Bax and Bcl-2 expression and mitochondrial release of second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspases (smac) were detected by Western blotting. Caspase-3 activity was assessed by fluorometric assay; mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was determined with JC-1 (a potential-sensitive fluorescent dye). Intracellular ATP content was assayed using a commercial kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). Burn serum significantly increased monolayer permeability (P<0.05), and this effect could be inhibited by propofol (P<0.05). Compared with a sham treatment group, intrinsic apoptotic signaling activation - indicated by Bax overexpression, Bcl-2 downregulation, Δψm reduction, decreased intracellular ATP level, increased cytosolic cytochrome C and smac, and caspase-3 activation - was observed in the vehicle group. Propofol not only attenuated these alterations (P<0.05 for all), but also significantly decreased burn-induced ROS production (P<0.05). Propofol attenuated burn-induced RLMVEC monolayer hyperpermeability by regulating the intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway.

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture of Neiguan (PC 6), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. on plasma lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) level in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) so as to study its mechanism underlying improvement of ACI., Methods: A total of 160 patients with ACI were randomly divided into four groups: medication (Aspirin and Panax Notoginseng Saponins for improving blood circulation), acupuncture, Tongxinluo, and acupuncture+ Tongxinluo groups, with 40 cases being in each group. Plasma LPA content was measured using biochemical method, and the therapeutic effects of the 4 groups were assessed by neurologic deficit score which were evaluated using the modified standards of the 4Th Session of Chinese National Cerebrovascular Conference issued in 1995., Results: Following the treatment, plasma LPA levels and neurological deficit scores were significantly decreased in the medication, acupuncture, Tongxinluo and acupuncture+ Tongxinluo groups in com- parison with pre-treatment in each group (P<0.01), and LPA level and neurological deficit score of the acupuncture + Tongxinluo group were significantly lower than those of the other three groups (P<0. 01). Of the four 40 cases in the medication, acupuncture, Tongxinluo and acupuncture+Tongxinluo groups, 6, 7, 7 and 12 patients were basically cured, 9, 8, 9 and 18 experienced marked improvement in their symptoms, 14, 16, 15 and 6 were improved, 6, 5, 4 and 2 were invalid, 5, 4, 5 and 2 got worsened, with the effective rates(basically cured+ improvement) being 37.5%, 37.5%, 40.0% and 75.0%, respectively. The therapeutic effect of the acupuncture+Tongxinluo group was significantly superior to those of the other three groups (P<0. 01)., Conclusion: Acupuncture can accelerate the recovery of neurological function and ameliorate clinical symptoms in ACI patients, which may be related to its effect in lowering plasma PLA. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture + Tongxinluo is relatively better than simple acupuncture and simple medication.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes on the serum cholesterol profile, glucose and insulin tolerance, blood pressure, and heart rate of adult mouse offspring., Study Design: The serum cholesterol profile, glucose and insulin tolerance, blood pressure, and heart rate of adult offspring born from in vitro matured oocytes were compared with those of adult offspring born from in vivo matured oocytes., Results: Offspring born from in vitro matured oocytes showed a normal serum cholesterol profile. In the glucose tolerance test, glucose levels were consistently elevated in adult offspring born from in vitro matured oocytes compared with those born from in vivo matured oocytes, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. There were no significant differences in insulin tolerance, blood pressure, and heart rate between adult offspring born from in vitro matured oocytes and those from in vivo matured oocytes., Conclusion: No alterations were found in the metabolism profile of adult mouse offspring born from in vitro matured oocytes compared with that from in vivo matured oocytes., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To build up and validate a system based on gyroscope to record human natural head position (NHP) and to transfer it into virtual surgical design system., Methods: Three dimensional (3D) mechanical gyroscope and 3D design software were integrated in the system. The protocol for recording and transforming NHP included four steps. Firstly, the gyroscope was CT scanned when its position was (0, 0, 0), a virtual model was built up by 3D reconstruction and considered as standard gyroscope model. Secondly, the gyroscope was bounded to the patient's head using bite-jid and face bow. The NHP was recorded when the patient was looking himself into mirror. Thirdly, the virtual head of the patient was overlapped with standard gyroscope model. Finally, when pitch, roll and yaw of NHP were applied to the compound model, the virtual head was orientated to NHP. A standard cube model was used to validate the accuracy of the system. The cube was positioned 30 times, the real and virtual pitch, roll and yaw angles were recorded. The accuracy of the system was presented by the mean ± SD of the Delta. the difference between the real and virtual pitch, roll and yaw angles were analyzed by paired t test,and their correlations were investigated by Pearson test., Results: The accuracy rates of the system were ΔPitch = 0.03 ± 0.28°,ΔRoll = 0.03 ± 0.23°,ΔYaw = 0.07 ± 0.49°. There were no significant differences between the real and virtual pitch, roll and yaw angles (P > 0.05). The two positions were absolutely correlated at the level of α = 0.01 (2-tailed, r = 1.00)., Conclusion: The method of recording and transforming NHP using gyroscope is clinically applicable. The accuracy of transferring system meets the needs of virtual surgical design.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of vitrification of mouse oocytes on the behavior of adult offspring., Study Design: Oocytes from mice were vitrified, warmed and inseminated, and two-cell embryos were transferred to foster mothers. The behavioral characterization of the offspring was detected by the Morris water maze test, forced swimming test, and elevated plus maze test, and compared to that of offspring from fresh oocytes., Results: Offspring produced by vitrified oocytes showed normal motor function. In the Morris water maze test of spatial learning there was a slightly decreased time spent in the quadrant containing the platform relative to mice from fresh oocytes, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. In addition, offspring from vitrified oocytes did not exhibit alterations in emotional behavior., Conclusion: No alterations were found in the behavioral characterization of adult offspring from vitrified oocytes compared with those from fresh oocytes., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the application of computer assisted surgical navigation in condylectomy via intraoral approach and its clinical results., Methods: Eight patients aged from 16 to 56 were treated by condylectomy via intraoral approach under computer assisted surgical navigation. There were 6 female and 2 male. The lesions were condyle osteoma in 3 patients, hemimandibular hyperplasia and condylar hyperplasia in 5 patients. Most patients had concomitant LeFortIosteotomy (6 cases), bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) (5 cases),contralateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) (1 cases), genioplasty (4 cases) and mandible contouring (6 cases) to recover the facial symmetry., Results: All patients had good occlusion, oral function and facial symmetry after the operation. The average mouth opening was 38 mm before operation, and 41 mm one month after operation. The temporomandibular joint(TMJ) dysfunction syndrome alleviated or disappeared. The follow-up period was 3-12 months, and results were stable., Conclusions: Computer assisted surgical navigation can precisely accomplish the condylectomy via intraoral approach.It causes less trauma to the patient than traditional condylectomy, and can better preserve the TMJ structure and function.

Clean needle technique (CNT) examination is required for all applicants seeking National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicines' (NCCAOM) certification. CNT examination is one of compulsory subjects of certification of professional competence to practice acupuncture safely and effectively for the sake of the health and safety of the public, which is developed by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). The uniform standard of practice for acupuncture, the content of CNT course, application procedure and the requirements of CNT examination are introduced in this paper.

The article introduces the current situation of acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical practice and education in Saudi Arabia, as well as the acupuncture-related regulations by Saudi Arabia Health Ministry. In addition, the Arabian traditional therapy, copping-bloodletting (Hijamah), is briefly mentioned and compared with Chinese acupuncture bloodletting.

To design a warming acupuncture-moxibustion apparatus suitable to warming acupuncture therapy and easily attaching to the filiform needle handle. The apparatus consists of a container for moxa, a tray and regulative clips. The container for moxa is for store of moxa-wool without bottom and it can prevent moxa fire and ash from dropping and burning the skin of the patient or the clothes; the tray with holes on it can serve as a support of the moxa in the container, and can control the moxa burning and heat radiation; the clips can adjust the distance between the cone and the skin. With the advantages of handy material, easy installation, lower cost, and convenient operation, the apparatus is worthy of clinical application and popularization.