Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at the nine acupoints on nape in treating vertebrobasilar ischemia (VBI). Methods Totally 100 VBI patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 50 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture at Fengfu (GV 16), Fengchi (GB 20), Wangu (GB 12), Tianzhu (BL 10), and Jiaji (EX-B 2, C3);while the control group was by oral administration of Nimodipine tablets. The parameters in Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and Dizziness Assessment Rating Scale (ADRS) were observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared. Results The TCD parameters were significantly changed in the treatment group after intervention (P<0.05). The TCD parameters [Vs (RVA), Vd (BA, LVA), Vm (BA, RVA), PI (BA)] were significantly changed in the control group after intervention (P<0.05). After intervention, there were significant differences in comparing the TCD parameters [Vs (BA, LVA, RVA), Vd (BA, RVA), Vm (BA, LVA), PI (BA)] between the two groups (P<0.05). The DARS average scores were significantly changed in both groups after 7-day treatment (P<0.01). The DARS average scores after the whole intervention were significantly different from that after 7-day treatment in both groups (P<0.01). There were significant differences in comparing the DARS average scores between the two groups after 7-day intervention and after the whole intervention (P<0.01). The recovery-markedly effective rate and total effective rate were respectively 76.0%and 98.0%in the treatment group versus 44.0%and 96.0%in the control group, and there was a significant difference in comparing the recovery-markedly effective rate (P<0.05). Conclusions Acupuncture at the nine nape acupoints is an effective method in treating VBI.

Excessive lipid deposition, liver injury, and insulin resistance are hallmarks in the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Liver X receptor (LXR) is a transcriptional regulator, and its two cell subtypes, LXRα and LXRβ, play a key role in regulating cholesterol metabolism, inducing anti-inflammation, and reducing insulin resistance. This article reviews the structure and function of LXR and its association with the pathogenesis of NAFLD, in order to provide new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Autophagy can regulate liver physiology and balance liver metabolism. Autophagy activation has a double-sided and complex effect on liver injury, and it is regulated by many factors and is associated with many protein pathways. This article summarizes the role of mTOR in the regulation of autophagy, which can inhibit or enhance autophagy through the PI3K/Akt upstream signaling pathway and participate in the physiological and pathological changes of related liver diseases. Therefore, this article reviews the research advances in the mTOR/PI3K/Akt autophagy pathway in liver injury, in order to provide new therapeutic targets for related liver diseases.

Objective:To explore the application value of neurovascular three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction with 3D-slicer software in the preoperative diagnosis of neurovascular relations and offending arteries in patients with vertebrobasilar dilatation (VBD) complicated with facial muscle spasm (HFS).Methods:The clinical data of 42 patients with VBD complicated with HFS accepted microvascular decompression (MVD) in our hospital from January 2016 to February 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The data of skull 3D-TOF MR angiography and 3D-FiESTA MR imaging were imported into 3D-slicer software to establish 3D models of the blood vessels, brain stem and facial auditory nerves of the patients before surgery. The neurovascular relations and offending arteries found during surgery were compared with those diagnosed by 3D-TOF MR angiography combined with 3D-FiESTA MR imaging and 3D models.Results:The consistencies of neurovascular relations and offending arteries found during surgery and those showed by 3D models were good ( Kappa=0.889, P=0.000; Kappa=0.869, P=0.000). The consistency of neurovascular relations showed by 3D models and those diagnosed by 3D-TOF MR angiography combined with 3D-FiESTA MR imaging was good( Kappa=0.809, P=0.000); there was no significant difference between the two methods in diagnosing neurovascular relations ( McNemar-Bowker=5.000, P=0.082). The consistency of offending arteries showed by 3D models and those diagnosed by 3D-TOF MR angiography combined with 3D-FiESTA MR imaging was poor ( Kappa=0.336, P=0.000); there was significant difference between the two methods in diagnosing offending arteries ( McNemar-Bowker=23.000, P=0.000). Conclusion:The 3D-slicer software is used to perform 3D simultaneous reconstruction of blood vessels, nerves and brain stem in the cerebellopontine angle, and the results are highly consistent with surgical findings; 3D-slicer software is more helpful than 3D-TOF MR angiography combined with 3D-FiESTA MR imaging in identification of offending arteries, surgical risk assessment and surgical strategy formulation in patients with VBD complicated with HFS.

Objective To explore whether tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1)gene copy number variation was associated with susceptibility and clinical characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods The study enrolled 304 SLE patients and 391 healthy controls.They were used to investigate the association between TRAP1 gene copy number variation and SLE susceptibility.Then,304 SLE patients were divided into copy number=2 group and copy number＞2 group to study the association between TRAP1 gene copy number variation and disease activity or clinical characteristics of SLE.AccuCopyTM Kit was used to detect the TRAP1 gene copy number.Data analyses were performed by SPSS 10.01 software.The suitable method was selected among t test,rank sum test and x2 test for analysis based on the data type and distribution,univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to investigate the associ-ation between TRAP1 gene copy number variation and susceptibility and clinical characteristics of SLE.Results The copy number variation of TRAP1 gene showed an association with the susceptibility to SLE crude OR=5.257,95％CI (1.108,24.937),P=0.037;the adjusted OR=5.578,95％CI (1.172,26.556),P=0.031].There was no association between TRAP1 gene copy number variation and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score (Z=-0.117,P=0.907).The copy number variation of TRAP1 gene had a marginal association with skin lesions in SLE [OR=0.130,95％CI (0.016,1.069),P=0.058],but it disappeared after adjusting for potential confounders [OR=0.288,95％CI (0.029,2.831),P=0.286,PBH=0.808].There was no correlation between TRAP1 gene copy number variation and arthritis,alopecia,oral ulcers,fever,hematologic disorder,lupus nephritis as well as photosensitivity in SLE [x2=0.751,OR=1.234,95％CI (0.767,1.988),P=0.386].No multiplicative interaction was found between TRAP1 gene copy number variation and age or body mass index (BMI) [age:x2=0.751,OR=1.234,95％CI (0.767,1.988),P=0.386;BMI:x2=0.282,OR=1.172,95％CI(0.652,2.109),P=0.596].Conclusions The copy number variation of TRAP1 gene may be associated with susceptibility to SLE.Increased TRAP1 gene copy number may be a risk factor for SLE.

Ulcerative colitis is an intestinal inflammatory disease characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain and purulent stool. Uncontrolled inflammation caused by macrophage hyper-activation is an important cause of ulcerative colitis. Therefore, inhibiting macrophage hyper-activation is an effective way to treat ulcerative colitis. Notch signaling pathway is involved in regulating the immune response of macrophages and promoting inflammation. NF-κB signaling pathway is the "star pathway" involved in inflammation. NLRP3 inflammatory body is involved in the activation of macrophages. Notch, NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammatory bodies constitute the upstream and downstream signal pathways in the existing immune inflammatory diseases. Notch signal pathway can regulate the activation of macrophage via NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory body signaling pathway.
Colitis, Ulcerative ; Cytokines ; Humans ; Macrophage Activation ; NF-kappa B ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Receptors, Notch ; Signal Transduction