[Prevention from PICC-related venous thrombosis in the upper limbs of malignant tumor patients with moxibustion combined with plucking at Jiquan (HT 1): a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of moxibustion combined with plucking technique at Jiquan (HT 1) for preventing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related venous thrombosis in the upper limbs of malignant tumor patients. METHODS: A total of 80 malignant tumor patients undergoing PICC were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each one. In the control group, the routine care for PICC was exerted. In the observation group, besides the routine care, moxibustion combined with plucking technique at Jiquan (HT 1) was added. Mild moxibustion was exerted along the venous distribution of PICC (avoiding the entry site) for 10 to 15 min, and then, the circling moxibustion was applied to Quchi (LI 11), Xuehai (SP 10) and Tianfu (LU 3), 3 to 5 min at each acupoint. Finally, plucking technique was given at Jiquan (HT 1) for 5 to 10 min. This combined therapy was intervened since the 2nd day of PICC placement, once daily, 5 times a week, for 3 weeks totally. The incidence of the PICC-related venous thrombosis in the upper limbs was compared between the two groups on day 42 of placement. On day 2, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 of PICC placement, the peak systolic velocity (PSV) and the end-diastolic velocity (EDV) of the subclavicular vein on the placement side were observed separately in the two groups. RESULTS: The incidence of the PICC-related venous thrombosis in the upper limbs in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (2.5% [1/40] vs 17.5% [7/40], P<0.05). From day 7 to 35 of PICC placement, PSV of the subclavicular vein on the placement side was higher than that on the day 2 of PICC placement in the observation group (P<0.05). On day 28 and 42 of PICC placement, PSV of the subclavicular vein on the placement side was lower than that on the day 2 of PICC placement in the control group (P<0.05). In the observation group, EDV of the subclavicular vein on the placement side was higher than that on the day 2 of PICC placement from day 7 to 28 of PICC placement (P<0.05). In the control group, EDV of the subclavicular vein on the placement side from day 28 to 42 of PICC placement was lower than that on the day 2 of PICC placement (P<0.05). From day 7 to 42 of PICC placement, PSV and EDV of the subclavicular vein on the placement side in the observation group were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The combined treatment of moxibustion with plucking technique at Jiquan (HT 1) can effectively prevent PICC-related venous thrombosis in the upper limbs and improve venous blood flow velocity in malignant tumor patients.

[Impacts of Riparian Buffer Zone Type on Reduction in Runoff Pollution in the North Canal River Under Different Rainfall Events].

The impact of non-point source pollution on the water quality of the North Canal River is becoming increasingly prominent. In this study, the riparian buffer zones (RBZ) of the Nansha River and Beisha River, the inlet tributaries of the Shahe Reservoir in the North Canal basin, were selected to investigate the purification effect of riparian buffer zones on runoff pollution during the rainfall process. Two RBZ types, Type I RBZ (levee-flood control retaining wall-woodland-grassland) and Type Ⅱ RBZ (levee-woodland-grassland), were classified by the distribution characteristics of RBZ structure and plant communities in the North Canal River basin. The north bank of the Nansha River (NB) and the south bank of the Beisha River (BN) are typical of Type I RBZ, with low total vegetation cover, "short and steep" slopes, and low herbaceous cover but high diversity. The south bank of the Nansha River (NN) is a typical representative of Type Ⅱ RBZ, with "long and slow" slopes and high herbaceous cover (29.16%) but low diversity. In order to investigate the impacts of rainfall characteristics and RBZ types on the runoff pollutant, a 1 km area in each of the three RBZs was selected to carry out the RBZ non-point source pollution prevention and control engineering trials. The results indicated that Type I RBZ required less time and rainfall to produce runoff and had a greater peak runoff. Type Ⅱ RBZ produced runoff only under heavy rainstorm conditions, with greater runoff retention capacity. Energy dissipation ponds with gravel as the main fillers were set up at the runoff inlets of the RBZ, which effectively reduced runoff pollution. ρ(NH4+-N) and ρ(NO3--N) in the runoff were below 1.6 mg·L-1; ρ(TN) was below 5 mg·L-1; and ρ(PO43-P), ρ(DTP), and ρ(TP) were below 1.0 mg·L-1. The grass ditch of the RBZs effectively reduced ρ(NH4+-N) of the runoff. The retention rate of SS and the reduction effect of pollutants in Type Ⅱ RBZ were better than those in Type I except under heavy rainstorm conditions, which is related to the different RBZ structures and vegetation cover. The correlation analysis results showed that slope length, slope gradient, vegetation cover, and rainfall characteristics were significantly correlated with runoff SS, COD, nitrogen, and phosphorus pollution.

Effects of selenium-enriched Agaricus blazei Murill on liver metabolic dysfunction in mice, a comparison with selenium-deficient Agaricus blazei Murill and sodium selenite.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of Se-enriched Agaricus blazei Murill (Se-AbM) on liver injury in mice induced by acute alcohol administration. Mice received ethanol (5 g/kg body weight (BW)) by gavage every 12 h for a total of 3 doses. Se-AbM was administrated before ethanol administration. Subsequent serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) level, maleic dialdehyde (MDA) level, hepatic total antioxidant status (TAOS), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) level, polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) level, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) level, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) level, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were determined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Se-AbM administration markedly (p < 005) decreased serum ALT, AST, and MDA levels, hepatic IL-1ß and TNF-α levels, as well as PMN infiltration and the expression of ICAM-1, COX-2, iNOS, and NF-κB compared with alcohol administration. In conclusion, we observed that Se-AbM supplementation could restrain the hepatic damage caused by acute alcohol exposure.

Proteomic alterations in mouse kidney induced by andrographolide sodium bisulfite.

AIM: To identify the key proteins involved in the nephrotoxicity induced by andrographolide sodium bisulfite (ASB). METHODS: Male ICR mice were intravenously administrated with ASB (1000 or 150 mg·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹) for 7 d. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the specific activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in kidneys were measured. The renal homogenates were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and the differential protein spots were identified using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF)/TOF mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The high dose (1000 mg/kg) of ASB significantly increased the MDA content, but decreased the SOD activity as compared to the control mice. The proteomic analysis revealed that 6 proteins were differentially expressed in the high-dose group. Two stress-responsive proteins, ie heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (HSC70) and peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6), were regulated at the expression level. The remaining 4 proteins involving in cellular energy metabolism, including isoforms of methylmalonyl-coenzyme A mutase (MUT), nucleoside diphosphate-linked moiety X motif 19 (Nudix motif19), mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 1 alpha subcomplex subunit 10 (NDUFA10) and nucleoside diphosphate kinase B (NDK B), were modified at the post-translational levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the mitochondrion is the primary target of ASB and that ASB-induced nephrotoxicity results from oxidative stress mediated by superoxide produced by complex I.

Protection from H1N1 influenza virus infections in mice by supplementation with selenium: a comparison with selenium-deficient mice.

The present paper describes protective effects of supplemental selenium in mice infected with influenza virus. The effects of supplemental selenium on serum selenium levels, mortality, lung virus titers, and cytokine titers were investigated in mice inoculated intranasally with suspensions of influenza virus. Whereas the mortality of the virus-infected Se-deficient mice was 75%, along with a marked reduction in body weight, lower levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ and lower serum selenium concentrations, the mortality of mice maintained on feed containing 0.5 mg Se/kg in the form of sodium selenite was 25%.There were no significantly differences, however, in viral titer between the Se-adequate and the selenium-supplemented groups. The data indicate that selenium supplementation may provide a feasible approach to improving the immune response to viral infections, such as lethal influenza infection.