Effects of electroacupuncture combined with paliperidone palmitate long-acting injection on withdrawal symptoms and neurotransmitters in methamphetamine addicts.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture combined with paliperidone palmitate long-acting injection (PP-LAI) on withdrawal symptoms and neurotransmitters in methamphetamine (MA) addicts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 109 methamphetamine addicts, who were treated in the hospital from October 2021 to October 2022, were selected. According to the random number table, the patients were divided into the study group (n=54) and the control group (n=55), in which the control group was treated with PP-LAI and the study group was treated with electroacupuncture on the basis of the control group; the methamphetamine withdrawal symptom score scale was used to assess the therapeutic effect before treatment and within 12 months after treatment; the changes of brain neurotransmitters dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, acetylcholine values were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: 1) There was no statistical difference in MA withdrawal symptom scores between the two groups before treatment (p>0.05); 2) MA withdrawal symptom scores have a statistically significant difference between the study group and the control group after 3 and 6 months of treatment; 3) dopamine levels in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group after 6 months of completion of treatment, and γ-aminobutyric acid values and 5- serotonin values in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture combined with PP-LAI can partially improve the withdrawal symptoms and anxiety of methamphetamine addicts. This is a potential treatment for preventing relapse of withdrawal symptoms.

Homocysteine Facilitates the Formation of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Through Inflammatory and Noninflammatory Mechanisms.

Background: Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) was considered a significant risk factor in the development and progression of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS), which involves a combination of inflammatory and noninflammatory mechanisms. However, epidemiological surveys have presented conflicting results. In this study, we aim to offer an epidemiological viewpoint on how elevated Hcy impacts CAS and its potential mechanisms. Methods: Levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured to assess the inflammatory status. The estimation of CAS events was performed by assessing carotid intima-media thickness using Doppler ultrasonography. Univariate analysis was conducted to investigate the variations in biochemical parameters among three groups: normal, carotid atherosclerotic thickening (CAT), and carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) formation. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the risk factors associated with the progression of CAT and CAP. In addition, multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent factors that correlated with hsCRP levels. Results: The study encompassed 3897 participants, with 2992 (76.8%) being males and 905 (23.2%) being females. The incidence of CAT and CAP rose with higher Hcy levels, with an overall odds ratio (OR) of 2.04 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.69-2.40] for CAT and 2.68 (95% CI 2.32-3.05) for CAP. After adjusting for gender, age, and blood markers, the OR for CAT and CAP decreased, with an overall OR of 1.05 (95% CI 0.81-1.28) and OR of 1.24 (95% CI 1.02-1.46), respectively. CAP risk independently increased when Hcy level exceeded 19.7 µmol/L (P = 0.030), but not CAT risk (P = 0.299). The impact of hsCRP on CAS events is similar to that of Hcy, and a multiple linear analysis found a significant independent correlation between hsCRP and Hcy (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Elevated Hcy levels can facilitate the formation of CAP through both inflammatory and noninflammatory processes, but it does not independently influence CAT.

Chronic Inflammation Plays a Role of a Bridge Between Cardiovascular Disease and Hyperglycemia.

Background: Chronic inflammation is believed to play a key role in managing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and glycometabolism, but the specific effects remain unclear. The subclinical features of CVD events and hyperglycemia linked to inflammatory status were evaluated in this study. In addition, independent factors associated with inflammatory status were identified. Methods: Inflammatory status was measured by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), CVD events estimated by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and hyperglycemia determined by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Univariate analysis was performed to identify the characteristics of HbA1c-defined normoglycemia, prediabetes, and diabetes, whereas multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to identify independent factors that correlated with hs-CRP levels. Results: Compared with HbA1c-defined normoglycemia, individuals with prediabetes and diabetes had significantly higher risks of cIMT thickening [risk ratio (RR) was 2.21 and 2.40, respectively], carotid atherosclerosis (RR was 2.29 and 3.04, respectively), and carotid plaque (RR was 2.15 and 2.63, respectively). Diabetes had higher risks of carotid atherosclerosis (RR was 1.33) and carotid plaque (RR was 1.22) than prediabetes. Increasing prevalence of cIMT thickening, atherosclerosis, and plaque was correlated with hs-CRP levels rising. There was a notable linear relationship between HbA1c and hs-CRP levels (R2 = 0.8685). In addition, both men and women showed an independent correlation of hs-CRP levels with HbA1c and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas men also had thyroid-stimulating hormone and women had age as an independent factor. Conclusions: Chronic inflammation links hyperglycemia to CVD events, and the relevant risk factors would be potential targets for alleviating inflammation and delaying the progression of the atherogenic process.

Double filtration plasmapheresis for hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis caused by fat overload syndrome.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) can cause acute pancreatitis (AP). CASE SUMMARY: We report a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia who received long-term intravenous parenteral nutrition solution without monitoring of the serum triglyceride (TG) level, which resulted in fat overload syndrome and HTG-AP. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Double filtration plasmapheresis was performed to eliminate the TGs and treat the AP.

PNPLA3 rs738409 is not associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and persistent infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in HBV-related subjects: A case-control study and meta-analysis on Asians.

The association between rs738409 (C>G, I148M) with patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) gene and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was controversial in different ethnic populations. Our study aimed to explore the effect of PNPLA3 rs738409 on the risk of HCC and persistent infection of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a Chinese HBV-related population, and further evaluate its role in HCC risk among Asians. First, we performed a case-control study by recruiting 786 HBV-related HCC cases, 695 HBV persistent carriers and 719 HBV natural clearance subjects. PNPLA3 rs738409 was genotyped by MassARRAY platform. Second, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on Asians to further validate our results. Our case-control study demonstrated that PNPLA3 rs738409 was not associated with HCC risk or persistent HBV infection (All P > 0.05). The subsequent meta-analysis included 13 Asian studies with 9,802 subjects. Results showed that PNPLA3 rs738409 might increase HCC risk among healthy subjects (pooled odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11-1.95), but it had no influence on the development of HCC among HBV-related subjects (pooled OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 0.89-1.30). Our case-control study highlights that PNPLA3 rs738409 is probably not associated with the risk of HCC or persistent HBV infection in a Chinese HBV-related population. Besides, our systematic review and meta-analysis on Asians further suggest that PNPLA3 rs738409 may confer an increased risk of HCC among healthy people, but contribute little to the development of HCC among HBV-related subjects. Future studies are required to confirm these results.

Nucleic acid-targeted pathogen reduction technique in red blood cells by UV-generated oxygen radicals for optimising recipient safety.

OBJECTIVES: A novel pathogen reduction technique based on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation was developed to reduce pathogen numbers in red blood cell (RBC) components. BACKGROUND: Contaminated blood components pose a great risk of infection in blood recipients. The continuous development of blood screening techniques and pathogen inactivating systems has significantly reduced this risk, but many limitations remain. METHODS: Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, and bacteriophage (BP) and Lentivirus (LV) were spiked into suspended red blood cells (sRBCs) or plasma. VUV light with maximum emission at 185 nm and an average dosage of 164 µW/cm2 was placed 5 cm above the targeted products to reduce the pathogen numbers. RESULTS: Treatment for 5 minutes was effective; 3 and 10 log reductions of E coli counts were observed in sRBCs and plasma, and 2 and 3 log reductions of B cereus counts were observed in sRBCs and plasma, respectively. The BP titre was reduced by two and five log points in sRBCs and plasma, respectively; the LV titre was reduced by at least three log points in both sRBCs and plasma. VUV-based irradiation of RBCs does not cause significant structural and functional harmful effects. This novel strategy provides moderate photonic energy to generate oxygen radicals from H2 O and O2 and to selectively decrease DNA integrity of the potential pathogens. CONCLUSION: The VUV-based pathogen reduction technique is a simple and fast procedure with high pathogen reduction efficacy, low toxicity and limited adverse effects on cellular blood products.

[Feasibility of multi models targeting home pain alleviation service used on 220 cases with advanced cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of multiple modes on home pain alleviation service used for advanced cancer patients to in prove clinical therapy services. METHODS: The study was involved with 220 patients with advanced cancers to provide them with multimodal analgesia services at home, from February 2010 to February 2013. Patients in this study had been taking both opioid treatments. They were randomly divided into two groups with the number as 112 and 108 and were given different doses of morphine or other drugs. During the period of observation, data was collected under the M. D. Anderson symptom Inventory (MDASI) score and classification of score on pain. RESULTS: Differences of pain scores in the two groups and the MDASI score were significant and presented as skewed distribution. Scores on pain score were between groups were significantly different (Z = -9.735, P < 0.001). The average rankings of A group and B group were 76.68 and 162.79 respectively. Under the application of 0.4 mg alprazolam, the degree of pain alleviation seemed to be better. The differences on comprehensive scores between different drug groups were statistically significant (Z = -13.334, P < 0.001). The average rankings of groups A and B were respectively 59.87 and 179.08. Under the use of 0.4 mg of alprazolam, the results could be considered to show better improvements in symptomatic patients. Application of 0.4 mg alprazolam on patients with advanced-cancer-induced-pain showed a better symptomatic improvement than using morphine. CONCLUSION: Patients with advanced cancers receiving multimodal analgesia short-term sedation therapies at home, showed both ideal feasibility and good effectiveness. When morphine was combined used with midazolam at home, a better outcome could be seen in pain-releasing on patients with cancer, than single morphine analgesia was used.