ObjectiveTo explore the possible peripheral analgesic mechanism of electroacupuncture （EA） at promimal and distal acupoints in treatment of myofascial pain syndrome （MPS）. MethodsTwenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， proximal group， and distal group， with six rats in each group. MPS model was prepared by “strike combined with centrifugal exercise” in all groups except for the blank group. After modeling， the rats in the proximal group received EA at the local myofascial trigger points （MTrPs）， namely the Ashi points， with dilatational waves of frequency of 2/100 HZ and voltage of 2-4 V， current intensity depending on a slight trembling of the left lower limbs， once a day， 15min each time，for 14 days. The rats in the distal group received EA at “Yanglingquan” （GB 34） and “Yinlingquan” （SP 9）， with the same operations as the proximal group. The rats in the blank group and the model group were only grasped and hedged， without other interventions. After intervention， the paw withdrawl mechanical threshold （PWMT） was measured， and variability between the left and right hind paws was calculated. Musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging and electromyography monitoring were performed on the left lower extremity vastus medialis. The morphological changes of vastus medialis muscle of the left lower extremity were observed by HE staining. The positive expression of substance P （SP）， calcitonin gene-related peptide （CGRP）， CD68 and CD206 in muscle tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Abdominal aortic serum interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， and interleukin-8 （interleukin-8） were detected by ELISA. ResultsCompared to those in the blank group， the fibers of the vastus medial muscle of the rats in the model group were broken and distorted with thickness in variation， and the myofascia was broken， with fibrillation potential， enlarged muscle cells， inward moved nucleus， and widened muscle space； the variability of PWMT between the left and right hind paws significantly increased， as well as the levels of SP， CGRP， CD68， and CD206 in the vastus medialis muscle （P＜0.01）， and the serum IL-8 and TNF-αlevels were significantly elevated （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to those in the model group， the muscle fibers in the proximal and distal group were complete in shape and arranged in an orderly manner， with continued non-broken myofascia， regular shape of muscle cells， and significantly reduced level of IL-8 （P＜0.01）； the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous discharge in the proximal group significantly decreased， as well as the variability of PWMT between the left and right hind paws， and the levels of SP， CGRP， and CD68 in the vastus medialis muscle， while the CD206 level increased significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01 ）； there was complex discharges in the distal group， with significantly decreased level of CD68 in the vastus medialis muscle and increased level of CD206 （P＜0.01）. Compared to the proximal group， the level of IL-8 in the distal group was significantly higher （P＜0.05）. ConclusionsEA at proximal acupoints can significantly improve the pain threshold and local muscle tissue morpho-logy in rats， and its mechanism may be related to reducing the levels of pain-causing substances and related inflammatory factors and promoting the polarization of macrophages. The analgesic effect of EA at distal acupoints is not obvious， and the mechanism is still unclear.

Objective To study the role of ubiquitin proteasome pathway in Du Meridian moxibustion for skeletal muscle aging. Methods A total of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly separated into control group (n=10), model group (n=10) and moxibustion group (n=10). The model group and the moxibustion group were subcutaneously injected D-galactose 125 mg/kg daily for six weeks, while the control group was injected the same volume of saline. Then the moxibustion group was cauterized on Du Meridian 20 minutes a day for 20 days. The expression of ubiquitin, muscle RING finger 1 (MuRF1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) in erector spinae were tested with Western blotting. Results The expression of ubiquitin, MuRF1 and MAFbx increased in the model group compared with that of the control group (P<0.05), decreased in the moxibustion group compared with that of the model group (P<0.05).Conclusion The Du Meridian moxibustion may regulate ubiquitin proteasome pathway to inhibit the degradation of protein, and delay muscular atrophy.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of a novel emodin derivative E19 on proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction of human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell line K562 and imatinib-resistant CML cell line (K562/G01), and to clarify the involved mechanisms.

METHODSMTT and colony formation test were used to detect the cell proliferation. Apoptotic induction effects were examined by DAPI staining method and DNA ladder assay. Western blot was performed to detect the changes of P210(Bcr-Abl) protein.

RESULTSThe emodin derivative E19 could efficiently inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in K562 and K562/G01 cells. IC50 of K562 cells and IC50 of K562/G01 cells were (1.20 ± 0.19) µmol/L and (1.22 ± 0.16) µmol/L, respectively. DNA fragmentation in K562 cells and K562/G01 cells confirmed that the E19 induced apoptosis in dose-dependent manner. Western blot showed that emodin derivative inhibited phosphorylation of P210 protein in K562 cells and K562/G01 cells and down-regulated the expression level of P210 in dose- and time-dependent manners.

CONCLUSIONThe emodin derivative E19 can efficiently inhibit growth and induce apoptosis of K562 cells and K562/G01 cells, while the inhibition of phosphorylation of P210 protein and down-regulation of P210 protein expression may be involved in these processes.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Down-Regulation ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Emodin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; metabolism ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; pharmacology ; K562 Cells ; drug effects ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; pathology ; Phosphorylation

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical-biological features and outcomes of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). METHODS: The clinical and laboratory data of 104 patients with newly diagnosed MCL who were admitted to the Department of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from January 2011 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, and the efficacy was observed through survival analysis. RESULTS: Among 104 MCL patients, 88 were male and 16 were female. The median age was 54 (25-79) years old, 93.0% (93/100) of the patients with advanced stage (III and IV stages) and 48.08% (50/104) of the patients with bone marrow infiltration. Patients with Ki-67≥50% had higher WBC counts and LDH levels. Univariate analysis showed that the patients with WBC≥15×10⁹/L, bone marrow involvement, high LDH, high β₂-MG levels, Ki-67≥50%, SOX11^-, had lower OS and EFS rates (P =0.005, 0.049, 0.033, 0.025, 0.042, 0.018 and 0.001, 0.021, 0.024, 0.035, 0.014, 0.026). The OS rate and EFS rate of patients in R-CHOP and R-Hyper-CVAD treatment groups were significantly higher than those in other treatment groups (P =0.02, 0.002 and P =0.001, 0.001). Patients with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) had higher OS rate and EFS rate (P =0.037, 0.013). Multivariate COX analysis showed that only WBC count, SOX11 expression and whether achieved CR after 4 courses treatment were the independent factors affecting the prognosis. CONCLUSION MCL mainly occur in elderly men. There are many factors affecting patients' survival, while WBC≥15×10⁹/L, negative expression of SOX11 and failure to achieve CR after 4 courses of treatment are adverse factors for MCL patients.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/pathology* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Retrospective Studies ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Prognosis

AIMTo build a easy and reliable rat model of insulin resistance.

METHODSChanges concerning sugar metabolism were observed in experimental rats injected intraperitoneally by different doses of dexamethasone.

RESULTSThe changes by dexamethasone in fasting blood insulin and insulin resistance prior to that of fasting blood glucose were dose and time dependent.

CONCLUSIONIt was convenience to set up a insulin resistance model induced by dexamethasone in rats which would favor other related research.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; physiology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

This article reviewed the research progress of the relationship between sleep disorder and frailty as well as frailty components. It also summarized the potential mechanisms of the association between sleep disorder and frailty in the elderly, including comorbidity, endocrinology, inflammatory response and mediation mechanisms, which provided references for identifying frailty of high-risk groups and performing early intervention.

AIM: To construct column-line plots to predict survival in elderly patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. METHODS: 5 220 (based on the era of single-targeted therapy) and 1 176 (based on the era of dual-targeted therapy) patients screened in the SEER database were randomized into a training group and an internal validation group. COX proportional risk regression was used to screen survival-related predictors and build a column-line graphical model, and the accuracy and utility of the model were tested using the consistency index (C-index), calibration curves, and time-dependent ROC curves. Patients receiving chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy were statistically paired using two-group propensity score matching, and subgroup analyses were performed on the screened variables. RESULTS: The single-targeted therapy era line graph was constructed from seven variables: age, marital status, T-stage, N-stage, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The dual-targeted therapy era line graph was constructed from five variables: age, AJCC staging, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that older HER2-positive breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy had better OS. CONCLUSION: Based on the SEER database, an accurate column-line graph predicting survival in elderly patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer was established and validated. This study suggests that chemotherapy increases survival benefit in elderly patients.

Xenotransplantation holds the promise of being used to address the imbalance between organ supply and demand for clinical transplantation. Pigs have natural features that make them more suitable donors for transplant organs than non-human primates. A series of biological barriers that arise after pig organ transplantation have been overcome by genetic engineering and pharmacological suppression. Mean- while, the gradual maturity of the genetic engineering technology has been significantly optimized for suit- able pigs for xenotransplantation, and promoted the development of pig organ transplantation research. Although it will take time for pig organ xenotransplantation to enter the clinical trial stage, recent studies conducted in a few brain-dead or critically ill patients have exhibited the great potential of porcine xeno- transplantation in solving the imbalance between supply and demand of organs for clinical transplantation.

Objective: To investigate the value of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy combined with thyroglobulin in fine-needle aspirate fluid (FNA-Tg) measurement in diagnosis of preoperative lateral neck lymph node (LN) metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: Totally 111 preoperative PTC patients diagnosed with FNA with suspected metastatic LNs were collected and then underwent neck ultrasonography together with FNA cytclogy. FNA-Tg was measured, then the eluents were obtained by flushing aspiration needle with 1 ml normal saline. FNA-Tg of elution was measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Taken postoperative pathologic results as the gold standards, ROC curve was drawn, the optimal threshold value for diagnosis of FNA-Tg, the diagnostic efficiency of FNA, FNA-Tg, combined FNA and FNA-Tg for suspected metastatic LNs were evaluated. Results: Among 118 suspicious LNs, 81 (81/118, 68.64%) LNs of metastasis and 37 (37/118, 31.36%) LNs without metastasis were confirmed by postoperative pathology. The average value of FNA-Tg in metastasis LNs was significantly higher than that of LNs without metastasis (P<0.001). The optimal diagnostic value of FNA-Tg in diagnosis of LNs metastasis was 2.65 μg/L, and the AUC was 0.937 (95%CI [0.894, 0.980], P<0.001). The differences of accuracy, sensitivity and negative predictive value were all statistically significant between FNA-Tg and FNA (all P<0.05). The accuracy, sensitivity and negative predictive value of FNA combined with FNA-Tg were higher than that of only FNA (all P<0.05). Twenty-two FNA false-negative nodes were correctly diagnosed with FNA-Tg testing. Conclusion: FNA cytology and FNA-Tg detection are useful ancillary tests that can improve the detection of lateral neck LN metastasis of PTC. Combination of FNA and FNA-Tg can significantly increase the accuracy and sensitivity of preoperative diagnosis of lateral neck LN metastasis of PTC, and may have an important role in surgical planning of PTC patients.

This study was performed to summarize our clinical experience with testicular descent and fixation through a scrotal stria incision for the treatment of palpable cryptorchidism in children. This study included 1034 children with palpable cryptorchidism from March 2009 to March 2019. A scrotal stria incision was used to perform testicular descent and fixation. Overall, 1020 children successfully underwent surgical testicular descent and fixation through a scrotal stria incision, and 14 patients underwent conversion to inguinal incision surgery. All patients were discharged 1-2 days after the operation. During hospitalization and follow-up, 55 patients developed complications, including 10 patients with testicular retraction, 7 with poor healing of the incision, and 38 with a scrotal hematoma. No patients developed testicular atrophy, an indirect inguinal hernia, or a hydrocoele. Testicular descent and fixation through a scrotal stria incision for the treatment of palpable cryptorchidism in children is safe and feasible in well-selected cases. This method has the advantages of no scarring and a good cosmetic effect.