Combined application of moist exposed burn ointment and maggot therapy in wound healing.

OBJECTIVE: Hard-to-heal wounds are a global health challenge, and effective treatments are still lacking. Moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) and maggots are traditional treatments for promoting wound healing. This study was a preliminary exploration of combined maggot therapy and MEBO in the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds. METHOD: A coexistence experiment was conducted to determine the survival rates of maggots in MEBO. The maggots were placed in two different existence conditions: one set in MEBO (MEBO group), and another set as the control group (no MEBO) to compare survival rates. Case reports describe the use of the combined application of MEBO and maggots in the treatment of patients with hard-to-heal wounds. RESULTS: The coexistence experiment indicated that maggots in the MEBO group had a higher survival rate. From the therapeutic effect of the clinical cases (n=7), the combined application was safe and effective, with all the reported wounds eventually healing. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, we believe the combined application of MEBO and maggots is a promising way of promoting wound healing. Further studies and clinical trials are needed to elucidate the mechanism of the combined application in promoting wound healing and to more persuasively clarify the therapeutic effect.

[Effect of timing of acupuncture on limb dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction: a multicenter prospective cohort pilot study].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at different timings in acute stage for limb dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction. METHODS: A total of 101 patients with cerebral infarction limb dysfunction were divided into an early exposure group (n=51) and a late exposure group (n=50) according to the time of first acupuncture treatment during the acute phase. SPSS 25.0 software was used to balance the baseline between the two groups, and 31 pairs of matched patients were included, including 31 cases in the early exposure group and 31 cases in the late exposure group. The two groups were treated with Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture at Shuigou (GV 26), Neiguan (PC 6), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Jiquan (HT 1), Chize (LU 5), Weizhong (BL 40), etc., once a day, and the course of treatment was not limited. In the early exposure group, acupuncture was started after 1 to 3 days of onset; in the late exposure group, acupuncture was started after 11 to 14 days of onset. The modified Rankin scale (mRS) grade was recorded before treatment, 30 and 60 days after onset; Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) grade was observed before treatment and 30 days after onset; the effect of acupuncture timing on the patients was analyzed by logistic analysis. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the mRS grade at 30 and 60 days after onset in the early exposure group was improved (P<0.05), which was superior to the late exposure group (P<0.05); compared before treatment, the FMA grade at 30 days after onset in the early exposure group was improved (P<0.05), which was superior to the late exposure group (P<0.05). The timing of acupuncture was independently correlated with the disability status and the severity of motor dysfunction at 30 days after onset, and the disability status at 60 days after onset (P<0.05). Compared with the late exposure group, the possibility of becoming non-disabled at 30 days after onset (OR=22.882, 95%CI: 4.034-129.778), normal limb motor dysfunction (OR=22.320, 95%CI: 3.454-144.213) and non-disabled at 60 days after onset (OR=8.650, 95%CI: 2.437-30.696) in the early exposure group was increased. CONCLUSION: The timing of acupuncture is an independent factor affecting the disability status and limb motor dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction, and the effect of early intervention may be better than late intervention.

Liposome Lipid-Based Formulation Has the Least Influence on rAAV Transduction Compared to Other Transfection Agents.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors are considered ideal vehicles for human gene therapy. Meanwhile, non-viral strategies, such as transfection agents (TAs), have also shown promise to deliver genetic materials, such as siRNA. Transduction with the rAAV vector is performed concurrently with transfection with plasmid DNA or RNA. In the present study, we report that various TAs inhibited rAAV-mediated transgene expression at diverse levels. Overall, cationic polymers and dendrimers dramatically blocked rAAV transduction, while lipid-based liposomes displayed the least effect. The inhibitory effect was dependent on the dose of TAs and the timing of infection, suggesting that the early stages of viral infection were involved. In addition, the present results indicate that the transgene expression of rAAV vectors was significantly increased by liposome-mediated transfection with adenoviral helper genes. At the same time, this was dramatically inhibited by liposome-mediated transfection with the trichosanthin gene encoding a type I ribosome-inactivating protein isolated from traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, liposomes also have little effect on rAAV-mediated transgene expression in vivo. Taken together, these findings suggest liposome as the best choice of TAs, which should be used in combination with rAAV-mediated gene therapy.