Impact of Regional Collaborative Network on the Rescue of Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction First Visit to non-PCI Hospitals.

Objective: To assess the effect of a regional collaborative network on the treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients first admitted to non- percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) hospitals. Methods: Using data from Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine's chest pain center database, patients were grouped based on the establishment of the regional collaborative rescue network. Key timepoints and in-hospital complications were analyzed. Results: A total of 152 ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients were included in the study. Compared to control group, symptom-to-balloon time (S-B), time of first medical contact to balloon and inter-hospital referral time in observation group were significantly shorter [(314.03 ± 209.26) min vs (451.27 ± 290.44) min, P = .001], [(115.32 ± 54.73) min vs (191.67 ± 130.30) min, P = .001], [(55.09 ± 37.23) min vs (112.67 ± 95.90) min, P = .001], but time of symptom to first medical contact were not statistically significant[(210.27±217.07) min vs (239.61 ± 200.92) min, P = .136].The incidence of heart failure and total complications during hospitalization decreased [7 (8.14%) vs 13 (19.70%), P = .037] and [14 (16.28%) vs 24 (36.36%), P = .004]. However no statistically significant difference were observed in rate of death during hospitalization [2 (2.33%) vs 3 (4.55%), P = .450], ventricular fibrillation [2 (2.33%) vs 3 (4.55%), P = .450], left ventricular thrombosis [2 (2.33%) vs 4 (6.06%), P = .244] and recurrent myocardial infarction[1 (1.16%) vs 1 (1.52%), P = .851]. Conclusions: The regional cooperative rescue network notably reduces ischemic and referral times for STEMI patients, lowering the incidence of heart failure during their hospital stay.

Folic Acid Protects Against Kidney Damage in Mice with Diabetic Nephropathy by Inhibiting M1 Macrophage Polarization via Nuclear Factor-k-gene Binding Pathway.

Kidney damage is one of the most common complications of diabetes, and inflammation caused by macrophage infiltration plays an important role. Folic acid (FA), a water-soluble vitamin, was previously found to affect inflammation by regulating macrophage polarization. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of FA on renal injury in mice with diabetic nephropathy (DN). We found that FA treatment ameliorated diabetic metabolic parameters in mice with DN, including reducing 24-hour food consumption, 24-hour urine volume and 24-hour water intake and increasing body weight and serum insulin. Of note, FA treatment improved renal functional and structural damage in mice with DN. In addition, FA treatment significantly reduced the number of renal infiltrating M1 macrophages, inflammatory cytokine FA stimulation significantly reduced the increase in F4/80+CD86+ cell ratio, inflammatory factor content and p-p65/p65 protein expression induced by high glucose exposure in RAW264.7 cells. All in all, our results indicated that FA protects against kidney damage in mice with DN by inhibiting M1 macrophage polarization, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of nuclear factor-k-gene binding (NF-kB) signaling pathway.

[Clinical research on bedsores treated with fire needle therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical efficacy of fire needle therapy on bedsores. METHODS: Fifty-four cases of bedsores were divided randomly into a fire needling group and a filiform needling group, 27 cases in each one. In fire needling group, fire needle therapy was applied. In fifliform needling group, common needling technique with filiform needle was adopted. The wound surface and Ashi points around the sores were punctured in either group. The efficacy and the treatment session required in different phases were observed in two groups. RESULTS: The satisfactory rate of the efficacy was 91.4% (53/58) in fire needling group and was 75.9% (41/54) in common needling group, indicating statistical significant difference in comparison (P < 0.05). The sessions in the phases III and IV of bedsores increased significantly as compared with those in the phase II of two groups (both P < 0.05), of which, the sessions in phases III and IV of fire needling group were shortened apparently as compared with those of filiform needling group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of the fire needling therapy is superior to that of common needling on bedsores, and it is an effective approach to bedsores.

[Study on corresponding areas the liver and lung channels in brain with fMRI].

OBJECTIVE: To explore distribution of the Liver and Lung Channels in the brain so as to provide imaging basis for construction of channel theory in the brain. METHODS: Sixty healthy student volunteers were randomly divided into a Liver Channel group (I) and a Lung Channel group (II), and the each group was further divided into five subgroups with 6 volunteers in each subgroup, based on five-shu-point principles which, were Dadun (LR 1, I 1), Xingjian (LR 2, I 2), Taichong (LR 3, I 3), Zhongfeng (LR 4, I 4), Ququan (LR 8, I 5), Shaoshang (LU 11, II 1), Yuji (LU 10, II 2), Taiyuan (LU 9, II 3), Jingqu (LU 8, II 4), and Chize (LU 5, II 5), respectively. In order to observe the brain activating patterns during acupuncture at the different acupoints, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique was adopted. All image data were then analyzed with SPM 2 software. The statistical parameter gram was composed of the pixel P < 0.01, and anatomic location was made according to Talairach coordinate, attaining experimentally activated areas, and the commonly activated area of five-shu-point of each channel was considered as the brain distribution of the Liver and Lung Channels. RESULTS: The common areas activated by the five-shu-points of the Liver Channel were homolateral Brodmann area (BA) 34, BA 47, red nucleus, contralateral BA 19, BA 30, BA 39, the superior parietal lobule, cerebellum decline, and bilateral BA 3 and culmen. The common areas activated by the five-shu-points of the Lung Channels included homolateral BA 2, BA 18, BA 35, and contralateral BA 9 and substania nigra. CONCLUSION: There are relatively specific corresponding brain areas for the Liver and Lung Channels, indicating that there is possible relatively specific connection between channels and the brain.