Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with tinnitus retraining therapy on sleep disorders in patients with chronic tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) combined with tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) on clinical efficacy and sleep disorder in patients with chronic tinnitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 126 patients with chronic tinnitus treated in our hospital from May 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. These subjects were randomly divided into two groups: the electrical stimulation group and the combined group, in line with the random table method, with 63 patients in each group. Patients in the electrical stimulation group received TDCS treatment, and patients in the combined group were given TDCS combined with TRT. The clinical effects, tinnitus severity [Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ) score and Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) score], sleep status [Sleep Status Rating Scale (SRSS) score and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score], psychological status [Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score and Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score] and the quality of life (Quality of Life Scale) of these subjects in two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The clinical effect of simple TDCS was 82.53%, which was sharply lower compared to 95.24% in the combined group (p<0.05). After the treatment, TEQ score, THI score, SRSS score, PSQI score, HAMA score, and SDS score were decreased in both groups (p<0.05), and the combined group was much lower than the TDCS group (p<0.01). Compared with the pre-treatment period, the scores of restrictions in daily living, medical resource utilization, somatic symptoms, and emotional disturbance were elevated in both groups after treatment, and the combined group had markedly higher scores than the TDCS group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TDCS combined with TRT had obvious effects in treating chronic tinnitus, which largely reduced the severity of tinnitus, improved patients' sleep quality and psychological status, and improved the quality of life, indicating a certain worthy of clinical application and promotion.

[A case-control study on the association between a healthy lifestyle and obesity among adult twins in Shanghai].

Objective: To investigate the associations between the numbers of healthy lifestyles and overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in adult twins in Shanghai. Methods: Based on the Shanghai Twin Registry System Phase Ⅱ survey data in 2017-2018, a case-control study was conducted to analyze the association between healthy lifestyles and obesity and further adjusted for confounders by a co-twin control study. Results: A total of 7 864 adult twins (3 932 pairs) were included. In the co-twin case-control analysis for monozygotic twins, compared with participants with 0 to 2 healthy lifestyles, those with 3 and 4 to 5 healthy lifestyles had a 49% (OR=0.51, 95%CI: 0.28-0.93) and 70% (OR=0.30, 95%CI: 0.13-0.69) lower risk of overweight/obesity, respectively, and a 17% (OR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.44-1.57) and 66% (OR=0.34, 95%CI: 0.14-0.80) lower risk of abdominal obesity, respectively. For each additional healthy lifestyle, the risk of developing overweight/obesity was reduced by 41% (OR=0.59, 95%CI: 0.42-0.85), and the risk of developing abdominal obesity was reduced by 37% (OR=0.63, 95%CI: 0.44-0.90). Conclusion: An increasing number of healthy lifestyles was associated with a marked decreased risk for both overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity.

[Consolidate the foundation, steadily promote and comprehensively improve the quality control in prevention and management of venous thromboembolism in China].

Hospital-associated venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE) has become a public health problem that seriously affects the quality of medical care and patient safety. Many countries regarded VTE prevention as a key element of medical quality management, carried out quality improvement work in VTE prevention and achieved remarkable results. In China, there is also unremitting efforts and explorations in the field of VTE prevention and management. The national program for prevention and management of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis was officially launched. Through a series of measures such as excellent center construction, regional alliance, and strengthening of quality control and informatization, the national program has greatly promoted the construction of VTE prevention and management system in hospitals across the country. Strengthening the prevention and treatment of VTE has become the common will of the government, hospital administrators, clinical medical staff and the public. In the future, we need to continue to steadily promote the prevention and management of VTE, and comprehensively improve the quality control management level of VTE prevention and management in hospitals.

[Clinical analysis of 5 cases of dural arteriovenous fistulas complained of pulsatile tinnitus].

Objective: The clinical characteristics of dural arteriovenous fistula with pulsatile tinnitus were analyzed to deepen the understanding of the disease. Methods: The clinical data of five patients complained of pulsatile tinnitus and diagnosed dural arteriovenous fistula in Henan People's Hospital from May 2013 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 3 males and 2 females, aged 27-65 years. Results: The main clinical symptoms of the five patients were continuous pulsatile tinnitus, accompanied/not accompanied by headache, memory decline, etc., with a course of three months to 20 years. They were diagnosed as dural arteriovenous fistula by digital subtraction angiography, and three cases of tinnitus disappeared and two cases of tinnitus were relieved after embolization. Conclusions: The dural arteriovenous fistula is a rare and complicated disease. When the patient complain of the pulsatile tinnitus, the related etiology should be considered and managed properly.

[General plan of Shanghai Diet and Health Survey].

Shanghai Diet and Health Survey (SDHS) was designed to prospectively access local residents' food consumption, energy and nutrient intake, related chemical contaminant exposure, and the seasonal change trend to explore the relationship of diet with health. Data from SDHS can be used as fundamental information and scientific evidences for the development of local nutrition and food safety policies.

[Dietary pattern and its seasonal characteristic in residents of Shanghai, 2012-2014].

Objective: To analyze dietary pattern and its seasonal characteristic in residents of Shanghai. Methods: A representative sample was surveyed and followed up in four different seasons during 2012-2014. Information of food consumption was collected by 3-day 24-hour dietary recall and condiments weighing method. The intake of energy and macronutrients were calculated according to the Chinese Food Composition Table. Results: Annual average daily intake was 191.09 g for grain, 250.69 g for vegetable, 107.23 g for fruit, 223.53 g for animal food, 96.39 g for dairy products, 11.19 g for soy bean and its product, 36.54 g for cooking oil, and 7.57 g for salt. Significant differences were observed in food consumption among different seasons (P<0.05). Annual average daily intake of energy was 2 048.70 kcal, carbohydrates was 241.04 g, protein was 82.35 g, fat was 85.99 g and proportion of energy contributed by fat was 37.99%. Different seasons, age, residential areas, and income were influence factors for food consumption (P<0.05). Conclusions: Energy intake was adequate in residents of Shanghai. Unhealthy dietary pattern, including high proportion of fat and consumption of cooking oil and salt (lower than average intake of large cities, but higher than recommendation), was observed. It is necessary to take appropriate nutrition intervention, and future researches on dietary intake should consider seasonal influences.

[Dairy product intake and influencing factors in residents of Shanghai].

Objective: To understand the dairy product intake in residents of Shanghai, its seasonal changes and the influencing factors. Methods: A group of representative residents was surveyed and followed up in four seasons in Shanghai during 2012-2014. Information of the dairy product intake was collected by food frequency questionnaire. Results: Liquid milk and yogurt were the main dairy products consumed by the residents of Shanghai. The annual dairy product intake rate was 41.8%, and the median of dairy intake of milk was 145.3 g/d, accounting for 48.4% of reference dietary intake value, and only 4.5% of people's diary product intake reached intake reference value. The area specific differences in intake rate of liquid milk, yogurt and total dairy product intake were significant in four seasons and in whole year (P<0.05). The area specific differences in total dairy product intake were significant (P<0.05) in spring, summer and winter. In general, it was shown that dairy product intake in urban area was higher than that in suburban area and in rural area. The data of Shanghai and urban area showed that the total dairy product intake was significant different among four seasons (P<0.05), but no significant difference was observed among four seasons in suburban and rural areas. The logistic regression analysis results showed that people with average household income higher than local average level or higher education levels were more likely to consume dairy products daily. People who reported to have good health status or sleep quality were more likely to drink milk compared to those who have worse health status or sleep quality (P<0.05). Conclusions: Even though dairy product intake rate and volume have been improved in residents in Shanghai, it is still stay at lower level, especially in rural area. To promote consumption of dairy products, it is necessary to control diary product price from macro perspective, and strengthen healthy education about the importance of dairy product intake and guide residents to select suitable dairy products.

[Comparison of embryotoxicity of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate using mouse and human embryonic stem cell test models in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a mouse embryonic stem cell test (mEST) model and human embryonic stem cell test (hEST) model, to evaluate the embryotoxicity of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). METHODS: We developed mEST and hEST models according to the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative METHODS (ECVAM). We used penicillin G (PN-G) as the standard negative reference and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as the standard positive reference, respectively, to verify validity of the models. Based on model validity, mouse embryonic stem cells D3 (mESC-D3), mouse Balb/c-3T3 (3T3), and human embryonic stem cells H9 (hESC-H9) were administered different concentrations of DEHP (15.6, 31.2, 62.5, 125.0, 250.0, 500.0, and 1 000.0 µg/ml) for 7 days. A cell counting Kit-8 was used to detect the 50% inhibitory proliferation concentration (IC50) of mESC-D3 cells, 3T3 cells, and hESC-H9 with DEHP. mESC-D3 and hESC-H9 were treated with DEHP (15.6, 31.2, 62.5, 125.0, 250.0 µg/ml, and 500.0 µg/ml) for 10 days based on the cytotoxicity results. At day 10, the expression of cardiomyocyte differentiation gene alpha-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) was detected by real-time PCR and the 50% inhibition of cardiomyocycte differentiation (ID50) determined. Based on the values of IC50 and ID50, functions Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅱ could be calculated by three linear discriminant functions in the EST model and the embryotoxicity of DEHP described by comparing the three functions. RESULTS: Nontrophoblast lineage both ES cells were cultured under optimal conditions and highly expressed hESC markers OCT4 , SSEA4, and TRA-1-60. The embryoid bodies formed were uniform in size and shape, and these results were highly repeatable. The PN-G and 5-FU results coincided with the prediction by ECVAM. Validation of our EST models was satisfactory. RESULTS of the three endpoints of DEHP in mEST were 197.3 µg/ml (IC50 3T3), 210.0 µg/ml (IC50 D3) and 246.8 µg/ml (ID50 D3). DEHP was evaluated to be a nonembryotoxic compound based on values of function Ⅰ (7.78), function Ⅱ (7.58) and function Ⅲ (-7.79). The three endpoints of DEHP in hEST were 195.4 µg/ml (IC50 3T3), 184.8 µg/ml (IC50 D3), and 84.3 µg/ml (ID50). By comparing the values of function Ⅰ (3.21), function Ⅱ (5.77), and function Ⅲ (-6.46), DEHP was evaluated to be weakly embryotoxic. CONCLUSION: DEHP was determined to be a nonembryotoxic compound by mEST and weakly embryotoxic by hEST. Therefore, hEST is a more sensible model for the evaluation of DEHP embryotoxicity.

Polycatechol nanosheet: a superior nanocarrier for highly effective chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy in vivo.

The integration of phototherapy and chemotherapy in a single system holds great promise to improve the therapeutic efficacy of tumor treatment, but it remains a key challenge. In this study, we describe our recent finding that polycatechol nanosheet (PCCNS) can be facilely prepared on a large scale via chemical polymerization at 4 °C, as an effective nanocarrier for loading high-density CuS nanocrystals as a photothermal agent. The resulting CuS/PCCNS nanocomposites exhibit good biocompatibility, strong stability, and a high photothermal conversion efficiency of ∼45.7%. The subsequent loading of anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) creates a superior theranostic agent with pH- and heat-responsive drug release, leading to almost complete destruction of mouse cervical tumor under NIR laser irradiation. This development offers an attractive theranostic agent for in vivo chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy toward biomedical applications.

[Voice acoustic study of plasma radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of laryngeal premalignant lesions].

Objective:To study the voice function effect of low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of patients with laryngeal premalignant lesions. Method:Fifty cases of laryngeal premalignant lesions were treated with low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation. All of the patients were examined by electronic laryngoscopy and acoustic analysis(F0，Jitter，Shimmer，NNE，HNR) in 2 weeks,1 month,3 months after surgery. Voice acoustic results were compared with a control group of 50 normal adults for the further analysis. Result:Fifty patients with laryngeal premalignant lesions were treated by low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation.The result showed that 47 patients(94%)were successfully decannulated without serious complications, such as dyspnea, aphonia and anterior glottic stenosis. Acoustic analysis showed that F0,Jitter,Shimmer and NNE were significantly different from normal 2 weeks after surgery（P<0.01）.Voice function recovered weakly 1 month after operation（P<0.05）.There were no significant differences in the vocal parameters between plasma radiofrequency ablation group and control group 3 months after surgery(P>0.05). Conclusion:Radiofrequency coblation was a safe,minimally invasive and effective surgical method and can be widely used to treat laryngeal premalignant lesions．.

The impact of abdominal pain on global measures in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation, before and after treatment with linaclotide: a pooled analysis of two randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials.

BACKGROUND: Few clinical trials in chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) patients have evaluated abdominal symptom severity and whether CIC patients with abdominal symptoms respond similarly to patients with limited abdominal symptoms. AIMS: To examine abdominal symptom severity and relationships between symptoms and global measures at baseline; compare linaclotide's effect on symptoms in subpopulations with more or less abdominal pain; and assess relationships between symptom improvement and global measures in these two subpopulations. METHODS: In two phase 3 trials, patients meeting modified Rome II CIC criteria were assigned to linaclotide 145 µg, 290 µg, or placebo once daily. Patients rated abdominal and bowel symptoms daily during 2-week pre-treatment and 12-week treatment periods. Linaclotide's effect on symptoms and global measures [constipation severity, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), treatment satisfaction] and their inter-relationships were assessed in post hoc analyses of abdominal pain subpopulations. RESULTS: Of 1271 CIC patients, 23%, 32%, and 43% reported moderate-to-severe abdominal pain, discomfort, and bloating, respectively, during baseline. In more-severe abdominal pain patients, abdominal symptoms were more strongly correlated than bowel symptoms with global measures, but in less-severe abdominal pain patients, abdominal and bowel symptoms were similarly correlated with global measures, at baseline and post-treatment. Linaclotide significantly improved all symptoms and global measures in both subpopulations. CONCLUSIONS: When abdominal pain is present in CIC, abdominal and not bowel symptoms may drive patient assessments of constipation severity, HRQOL, and treatment satisfaction. Linaclotide (145 µg and 290 µg) is an effective treatment for both abdominal and bowel symptoms, even in CIC patients with more severe abdominal pain at baseline. (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00765882, NCT00730015).

[Isolation and characterization of twenty-one polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana)].

Twenty-one microsatellite loci were isolated from AC-enriched library of Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana). The number of alleles at the 21 microsatellite loci ranged from 8 to 15, with an average of 12.2 per locus. Polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.805 to 0.910 with an average of 0.873. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.208 to 0.792 and from 0.843 to 0.938, respectively. These microsatellite loci will be useful for future studies that relate to the genetic diversity and population structure of Tibetan macaque.

Platelet-targeted microbubbles inhibit re-occlusion after thrombolysis with transcutaneous ultrasound and microbubbles.

Microbubbles (MBs) can augment the acoustic cavitation' (US), thereby facilitating the thrombolysis of external ultrasound. But we observed re-thrombosis after successful thrombolysis by MBs and transcutaneous ultrasound in an endothelium injury model. This study was designed to explore whether platelet-targeted MBs can prevent the reformation of thrombi. Arterial injury was induced in canine femoral arteries with balloon, and the arteries were completely thrombotically occluded. The arteries were treated with intra-arterial MBs or platelet-targeted MBs (TMB) and transcutaneous low frequency ultrasound (LFUS) to achieve complete thrombolysis. The arterial flow was monitored with angiogram for 4h following treatment. Results showed that both MBs and TMBs produced successful dissolution of clots in the presence of ultrasound. The re-occlusion began to occur 1h after thrombolysis in MB/LFUS treatment, and 7 of 8 arteries were re-occluded within 3h. Most of the arteries (7 of 8) in the TMB/LFUS group remained patent for 4h following treatment. The flow tended to decrease after thrombolysis in MB/LFUS treatment. These results indicated that platelet-targeted microbubbles were beneficial in preventing re-thrombosis in vivo and microbubbles served as good carrier of thrombolytic and anticoagulation drugs.

[Cloning and high level expression of mosquito detoxifying gene].

The full-length cDNA of mosquito esterase B1 had been isolated, and subcloned into pBV220. The recombinant vector pBV220B1 was constructed and transformed into E. coli DH5 alpha. A 60 kD protein was induced by 42 degrees C and its expression was temperature-dependent. After 6 h induction, the target protein occupied 50% of the total protein. The expressed product existed in both inclusion body and soluble proteins in the cells. The amount of the soluble detoxifying enzyme increased along with the induction time. The data of detoxifying experiments indicated that the detoxifying enzyme in expression strain of E. coli can detoxified toxicity of organophosphate insecticides, it showed a clear detoxifying affect on hens poisoned by organophosphate insecticides.