Effect of moxibustion for "nourishing the kidney and benefiting the marrow" on knee osteoarthritis. / "补肾益髓"æ³•è‰¾ç¸æ²»ç–—è†å ³èŠ‚éª¨å ³èŠ‚ç‚Žçš„ç–—æ•ˆè§‚å¯Ÿ.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical effect between two acupoint regimens of moxibustion on knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and observe the influences on the serum content of interleukin 1α (IL-1α), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), bone gla protein (BGP) and osteoprotegerin (OPG). METHODS: KOA patients were randomly divided into an observation group (40 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (40 cases, 3 cases dropped off). In the observation group, moxibustion was applied to Xiyan (EX-LE5), Dubi (ST35), Zusanli (ST36), Dazhu (BL11), Xuanzhong (GB39) and Yongquan (KI1) on the affected side. In the control group, EX-LE5, ST35 and ST36 were selected on the affected side. One session of treatment took 30 min in each group, delivered 3 times a week and the duration of treatment was 4 weeks. The scores of Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were observed and the serum content of IL-1α, IL-17A, TNF-α, BGP and OPG of the two groups were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with those before treatment, the WOMAC score, VAS score and the serum content of IL-1α, IL-17A and TNF-α were decreased (P<0.05), and the content of BGP and OPG were increased (P<0.05) after treatment. Compared with the control group, the WOMAC score, VAS score and the serum content of IL-1α and TNF-α in the observation group were lower (P<0.05), and the content of BGP and OPG were higher (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the observation group was 89.5% (34/38), and that of the control group was 83.8% (31/37), with no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion therapy of "nourishing the kidney and benefiting the marrow" can relieve joint pain, improve joint function, reduce the level of inflammatory factors and ameliorate bone metabolic indicators. The effect of the acupoint regimen in this moxibustion therapy is better than that of the local acupoint selection.

Efficacy and Safety Assessment of Rivaroxaban for the Treatment of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in a Chinese Population.

We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban for acute and long-term management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). This study reviewed CVST-diagnosed patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2015 to December 2020. The primary outcome was a composite of recurrent thrombosis or major bleeding events. The secondary efficacy outcomes included a disease recovery time (DRT) presenting the time from admission to the endpoint as recovery (the modified Rankin scale [mRS] score [0-1]) within 30 and 90 days, and length of hospital stay (LHS). Patients treated with rivaroxaban (38) and warfarin (45) were enrolled in the final analysis. The primary outcome had no significant difference (5.3% vs 11.1%, P = .576) between the 2 groups. The secondary efficacy outcome regarding the median 30-d DRT was 17 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.6-19.4) in the rivaroxaban group, compared with 26.0 days (95% CI, 16.8-35.2) in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 1.806; 95% CI, 1.051-3.103; log-rank P = .026). Two groups have a significant difference in LHS (P = .041). Patients with cerebral edema, intracerebral hemorrhage, and mild/moderate disability (admission mRS score [2-3]) treated with rivaroxaban recovered faster than those with warfarin (log-rank P < .05). Patients with cerebral edema, intracerebral hemorrhage, and mild/moderate disability treated with rivaroxaban had a shorter recovery time than those treated with warfarin within 1 month from admission, indicating that rivaroxaban a promising convenient therapy for CVST, helping them speedily restore social functions.

Profiles of mindfulness in cancer patients and associations with psychological outcomes and coping strategies: A person-centered approach.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research confirmed the benefits of mindfulness for cancer patients' psychological well-being, but few studies considered the value of possible distinct combinations of mindfulness skills. This study aimed to (1) identify distinct mindfulness profiles in cancer patients, (2) examine socio-demographic predictors of patients with distinct profiles, and (3) examine associations of mindfulness profiles with psychological outcomes and coping strategies. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 245 people with heterogeneous types of cancer. Latent profile analysis was applied to identify distinct profiles of mindfulness. The Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars method was used to examine how mindfulness profiles related to socio-demographic characteristics, psychological outcomes, and coping strategies. RESULTS: Four mindfulness profiles were identified: "average mindfulness" (50%), "judgmentally observing" (20%), "high mindfulness" (15%), and "non-judgmentally aware" (15%). Patients with "high mindfulness" profile tended to have higher educational attainment, and reported better psychological outcomes (i.e., low on depression and negative affect and high on positive affect) as well as better coping strategies (i.e., high positive reappraisal and low rumination). CONCLUSION: This study confirms the existence of distinct mindfulness profiles in cancer patients and suggest that patients high in mindfulness are the most adaptive.

Cutaneous hypopigmented lymphoproliferative disorders: a clinicopathological study of 41 cases / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate clinicopathological features of hypopigmented mycosis fungoides (HMF) and hypopigmented interface T-cell dyscrasia (HITCD) .Methods:A total of 41 patients with cutaneous hypopigmented lymphoproliferative diseases, who had complete clinicopathological data, were collected from Department of Dermatology, the Third People′s Hospital of Hangzhou from January 2015 to September 2020, and the clinicopathological and immunophenotypic features were analyzed. Comparisons of normally distributed measurement data were carried out using t test, comparisons of categorical data using Chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test, and comparisons of ranked data between 2 groups using rank-sum test. Results:All of the 41 patients clinically presented with irregular hypopigmentation, some of which was accompanied by erythema or furfuraceous scales. In terms of pathological features, 21 patients showed infiltration and aggregation of atypical lymphoid cells in the epidermis, which was consistent with typical pathological features of mycosis fungoides, and they were diagnosed with HMF; 20 patients showed vacuolar degeneration of the basal layer, accompanied by infiltration of lymphoid cells and mild epidermotropism, and they were diagnosed with HITCD. All immune cells expressed T-cell phenotype, and epidermal lymphocytes expressed a CD8-dominated phenotype in 14 (67%) cases of HMF and 13 (65%) of HITCD. In the epidermis, the total number of lymphocytes was significantly higher in the HMF group than in the HITCD group ( t= 1.81, P= 0.012) ; in the dermis, the number of CD4 + lymphocytes and CD8 + lymphocytes, and the total number of lymphocytes were all significantly higher in the HMF group than in the HITCD group ( t= 2.64, 1.51, 2.60, P= 0.012, 0.002, 0.001, respectively) . All patients were treated with narrow-band ultraviolet B radiation. Among 34 patients who completed the follow-up, 30 achieved complete clearance of skin lesions without recurrence, including all patients with HITCD, and 4 with HMF achieved partial regression of the lesions. Conclusions:Compared with HMF, HITCD presents different pathological characteristics and benign biological behaviors. Thus, HITCD should be distinguished from HMF as an independent disease. Phototherapy alone is effective for the treatment of HITCD.

Insights into angiosperm evolution, floral development and chemical biosynthesis from the Aristolochia fimbriata genome.

Aristolochia, a genus in the magnoliid order Piperales, has been famous for centuries for its highly specialized flowers and wide medicinal applications. Here, we present a new, high-quality genome sequence of Aristolochia fimbriata, a species that, similar to Amborella trichopoda, lacks further whole-genome duplications since the origin of extant angiosperms. As such, the A. fimbriata genome is an excellent reference for inferences of angiosperm genome evolution, enabling detection of two novel whole-genome duplications in Piperales and dating of previously reported whole-genome duplications in other magnoliids. Genomic comparisons between A. fimbriata and other angiosperms facilitated the identification of ancient genomic rearrangements suggesting the placement of magnoliids as sister to monocots, whereas phylogenetic inferences based on sequence data we compiled yielded ambiguous relationships. By identifying associated homologues and investigating their evolutionary histories and expression patterns, we revealed highly conserved floral developmental genes and their distinct downstream regulatory network that may contribute to the complex flower morphology in A. fimbriata. Finally, we elucidated the genetic basis underlying the biosynthesis of terpenoids and aristolochic acids in A. fimbriata.

Application of chen yuangao in the treatment of soft tissue injury of football players / Aplicação de chen yuangao no tratamento da lesão dos tecidos moles de jogadores de futebol / Aplicación de chen yuangao para tratar lesiones de tejidos blandos en jugadores de fútbol

ABSTRACT The treatment of soft tissue injury in football players generally includes physical therapy, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug treatment, surgical treatment and early rest immobilization. Western medicine treatment of soft tissue injury can quickly heal the wound and relieve pain in a short time. The treatment of traditional Chinese medicine is based on the whole and must seek the root of the disease. It is believed that the occurrence of certain diseases is related to Qi, blood, liver and kidney deficiency, so we should pay attention to the overall adjustment during treatment of symptoms. In view of this, this study analyzed the effect of Chen Yuan ointment, from traditional Chinese medicine, in the treatment of soft tissue injury. Sixty-eight football players who completed ankle ligament reconstruction were divided into four groups according to the type of operation and whether Chen Yuangao-assisted rehabilitation was used or not. The results showed that the Ankle Hindfoot Function Score and the visual analog scale (VAS) score of patients in the fibula brevis tendon reconstruction Chen Yuan ointment group were 98.3 and 0.3, respectively, at the last follow-up, which were better than those in other groups, and had lower pain scores. This result shows that Chen Yuangao has a certain effect in the treatment of soft tissue injury, which can provide a research idea for the rapid rehabilitation of football players.

RESUMO O tratamento de lesões dos tecidos moles em jogadores de futebol inclui geralmente terapia física, tratamento anti-inflamatório e analgésico, tratamento cirúrgico e imobilização de repouso precoce. O tratamento de lesões nos tecidos moles, utilizando a medicina ocidental, pode curar rapidamente as lesões e aliviar a dor em pouco tempo. A medicina tradicional chinesa se baseia no todo e deve procurar a raiz da doença. Acredita-se que a ocorrência de certas doenças está relacionada à deficiência de Qi, sangue, fígado e rim do corpo humano, por isso devemos prestar atenção ao ajuste global no tratamento dos sintomas. A partir desta perspectiva, este estudo analisou o efeito da tradicional pomada chinesa Chen Yuan no tratamento de lesões dos tecidos moles. No total, 68 jogadores de futebol que fizeram reconstrução dos ligamentos do tornozelo foram divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com o tipo de operação e se a pomada Chen Yuangao ajudou ou não na reabilitação. Os resultados mostraram que o escore da função do tornozelo retropé (Ankle Hindfoot Function Score) e o escore da Escala Analógica Visual (EVA) dos pacientes do grupo pomada Chenyuan para reconstrução do tendão fibular curto foram 98,3 e 0,3, respectivamente, no último seguimento, sendo melhores do que os de outros grupos e apresentando menores níveis de dor. Estes resultados mostra que a pomada Chen Yuangao exerce certo efeito no tratamento de lesões dos tecidos moles, pode constituir uma ideia de pesquisa para a rápida reabilitação dos jogadores de futebol.

RESUMEN El tratamiento de lesiones de los tejidos blandos en jugadores de fútbol incluye generalmente terapia física, tratamiento antinflamatorio y analgésico, tratamiento quirúrgico e inmovilización de reposo precoz. El tratamiento de lesiones en los tejidos blandos, utilizando la medicina occidental, puede curar rápidamente las lesiones y aliviar el dolor en poco tiempo. La medicina tradicional china se basa en el todo y debe procurar la raíz de la enfermedad. Se cree que la ocurrencia de ciertas enfermedades está relacionada a la deficiencia de Qi, sangre, hígado y riñón del cuerpo humano, por eso debemos prestar atención al ajuste global en el tratamiento de los síntomas. A partir de esta perspectiva, este estudio analizó el efecto de la tradicional pomada china Chen Yuan en el tratamiento de lesiones de los tejidos blandos. En total, 68 jugadores de fútbol que hicieron reconstrucción de los ligamentos del tobillo fueron divididos en cuatro grupos de acuerdo con el tipo de operación y si la pomada Chen Yuangao ayudó o no en la rehabilitación. Los resultados mostraron que el escore de la función del retropié del tobillo (Ankle Hindfoot Function Score) y el escore de la Escala Analógica Visual (EVA) de los pacientes del grupo pomada Chenyuan para reconstrucción del tendón fibular corto fueron 98,3 y 0,3, respectivamente, en el último segmento, siendo mejores que los de otros grupos y presentando menores niveles de dolor. Estos resultados muestran que la pomada Chen Yuangao ejerce cierto efecto en el tratamiento de lesiones de los tejidos blandos, puede constituir una idea de investigación para la rápida rehabilitación de los jugadores de fútbol.

Assessing antibiotic therapy effectiveness against the major bacterial pathogens in a hospital using an integrated index.

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy against five indicator bacteria in a Chinese hospital using an index-based approach. METHODS: The study population comprises 1031 patients who had one clinically significant bacterial isolate in 2008, 2010 and 2013. Drug resistance index (DRI) based on pathogens was calculated. RESULTS: The adaptive DRIs for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus decreased, while both adaptive and fixed DRIs for Acinetobacter spp. increased from 2008 to 2013. The adaptive DRIs for Escherichia coli increased from 2008 to 2013, while the fixed DRIs exhibited a decreasing trend. CONCLUSION: DRI could be used to demonstrate the changes of antimicrobial resistance and prescribing over time as a result of evolutionary processes and governmental regulatory interference.

Metabolic shifts and structural changes in the gut microbiota upon branched-chain amino acid supplementation in middle-aged mice.

The importance of gut microbiota to health has gained extensive attention and is strongly correlated with diet. Dietary supplementation with a branched-chain amino acid-enriched mixture (BCAAem) exerts a variety of beneficial effects in mice and humans. In mice, BCAAem supplementation can promote longevity, but its influence on the gut ecosystem and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. To address this issue, BALB/C mice were fed a BCAAem-supplemented diet and their gut microbiomes were analysed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to identify Bifidobacterium spp. in the gut, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was conducted for faecal-metabolite detection. The results showed that the structure of the gut microbiota changed, and BCAAem-supplementation in mice slowed the change speed of gut microbiota which is due to age. In addition, the abundance of the Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium increased in BCAAem-supplemented mice, while the ratio of Enterobacteriaceae decreased in BCAAem-supplemented mice. Moreover, 12 different metabolites, representing sugar and lipid metabolism, were altered between the supplemented and control groups. Thus, BCAAem influences the gut microbiota and gut metabolism. In addition, the BCAAem-supplemented group presented lower serum concentrations of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein. The changes are indicative of lower antigen loads in the host gut. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with BCAAem may be considered for improving health and promoting healthy aging.

Abnormal causal connectivity by structural deficits in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia at rest.

Anatomical deficits and resting-state functional connectivity (FC) alterations in prefrontal-thalamic-cerebellar circuit have been implicated in the neurobiology of schizophrenia. However, the effect of structural deficits in schizophrenia on causal connectivity of this circuit remains unclear. This study was conducted to examine the causal connectivity biased by structural deficits in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients. Structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were obtained from 49 first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients and 50 healthy controls. Data were analyzed by voxel-based morphometry and Granger causality analysis. The causal connectivity of the integrated prefrontal-thalamic (limbic)-cerebellar (sensorimotor) circuit was partly affected by structural deficits in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia as follows: (1) unilateral prefrontal-sensorimotor connectivity abnormalities (increased driving effect from the left medial prefrontal cortex [MPFC] to the sensorimotor regions); (2) bilateral limbic-sensorimotor connectivity abnormalities (increased driving effect from the right anterior cingulate cortex [ACC] to the sensorimotor regions and decreased feedback from the sensorimotor regions to the right ACC); and (3) bilateral increased and decreased causal connectivities among the sensorimotor regions. Some correlations between the gray matter volume of the seeds, along with their causal effects and clinical variables (duration of untreated psychosis and symptom severity), were also observed in the patients. The findings indicated the partial effects of structural deficits in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia on the prefrontal-thalamic (limbic)-cerebellar (sensorimotor) circuit. Schizophrenia may reinforce the driving connectivities from the left MPFC or right ACC to the sensorimotor regions and may disrupt bilateral causal connectivities among the sensorimotor regions.

Effect of nursing intervention on the prevention of burns in warm needling moxibustion / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of nursing intervention on the prevention of burns in warm needling moxibustion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred patients received warm needling treatment were collected from January to December 2011 and were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 100 cases veceived ten hundreds of treatment in each group. In the control group, the routine nursing was applied in warm needling moxibustion. In the observation group, on the basic method as the control group, the nursing intervention was used. The burns incidence and the satisfaction of patients in warm needling moxibustion were recorded in the patients of the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The burns incidence was 0.6% (6/1000) in the observation group, which was lower apparently than 1. 5% (15/1000) in the control group (P<0. 05). The satisfaction of patients in warm needling moxibustion was 99.0% (99/100) in the observation group, which was higher obviously than 88.0% (88/100) in the control group (P<0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The nursing intervention prevents effectively from burns in warm needling moxibustion, reduces medical injuries, avoids the pains of patients and plays the active role in the patient satisfaction.</p>

Immunization of mice with recombinant protein CobB or AsnC confers protection against Brucella abortus infection.

Due to drawbacks of live attenuated vaccines, much more attention has been focused on screening of Brucella protective antigens as subunit vaccine candidates. Brucella is a facultative intracellular bacterium and cell mediated immunity plays essential roles for protection against Brucella infection. Identification of Brucella antigens that present T-cell epitopes to the host could enable development of such vaccines. In this study, 45 proven or putative pathogenesis-associated factors of Brucella were selected according to currently available data. After expressed and purified, 35 proteins were qualified for analysis of their abilities to stimulate T-cell responses in vitro. Then, an in vitro gamma interferon (IFN-γ) assay was used to identify potential T-cell antigens from B. abortus. In total, 7 individual proteins that stimulated strong IFN-γ responses in splenocytes from mice immunized with B. abortus live vaccine S19 were identified. The protective efficiencies of these 7 recombinant proteins were further evaluated. Mice given BAB1_1316 (CobB) or BAB1_1688 (AsnC) plus adjuvant could provide protection against virulent B. abortus infection, similarly with the known protective antigen Cu-Zn SOD and the license vaccine S19. In addition, CobB and AsnC could induce strong antibodies responses in BALB/c mice. Altogether, the present study showed that CobB or AsnC protein could be useful antigen candidates for the development of subunit vaccines against brucellosis with adequate immunogenicity and protection efficacy.