OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and the mechanism of acupuncture in reducing body weight.

METHODSFifty cases of simple obesity were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a drug control group, 25 cases in each group. The patients in the acupuncture group were treated with body acupuncture at Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), etc, electroacupuncture and ear point tapping and pressing therapy (Shenmen, Endocrine, etc. were selected); the patients in the control group were treated with oral administration of sibutramine. The serum leptin level before and after treatment were determined and the therapeutic effect in reducing body weight was assessed.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 88.0% in the acupuncture group and 80. 0% in the control group, with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05); after treatment, the serum leptin level in both the two groups decreased significantly (P<0.01), and the decreasing amplitude in the acupuncture group was superior to that in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture therapy has a definite therapeutic effect in reducing body weight, and the improvement of serum leptin level of the patient is possibly one of the mechanisms of acupuncture in reducing body weight.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Body Weight ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Leptin ; blood ; Obesity ; therapy

Objective To investigate the clinical, cerebrospinal fluid and imaging characteristics of 5 cases of diffuse meningeal melanomatosis.Methods The clinical manifestation, features of cerebrospinal fluid and image of 5 patients with meningeal melanomatosis diagnosed by biopsy or autopsy were retrospectively summarized.Results Clinical manifestations of these 5 cases included intracranial hyperpressure, meningeal irritation sign, intracranial nerves impairment, root pain of spinal nerve.In all of these 5 cases, retina hyperpigmentation above left discus opticus was found by funduseope in one case, and congenital melanocytic nevi were found in 4 patients, in which 2 cases were giant congenital melanocytic nevi.Increased lumbar puncture cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)pressure occurred in all cases.Subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in 3 cases.Analysis of CSF revealed increased protein in 4 cases and decreased glucose in 3 cases.Cranial MRI obtained after the intravenous administration of Gd-DTPA showed leptomeningeal enhancement.Malignant melanoma cells were found in CSF of 3 cases.Metastatic malignant melanoma cells were found by biopsy of axillary fossa lymph node in one case.Autopsy of one case revealed diffuse black pigmentation of the leptomeninges, especially in base of skull.Two cases were diagnosed as metastatic meningeal melanomatosis and 3 cases were possible primary meningeal melanomatosis. Conclusions Menings, root of cranial nerve and spinal nerve are impaired in meningeal melanomatosis, which is usually accompanied by congenital melanocytic nevi.Subarachnoid hemorrhage implies meningeal melanomatosis.Diagnosis can be identified when malignant melanoma cells are found in CSF.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fracture Healing ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Tibial Fractures ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical significance of vasohibin-1 expression in colorectal cancer tissues and its correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGF-A) and microvessel density (MVD).

METHODSTumor tissues and paired adjacent normal tissue (distance to cancer >5 cm) from 60 colorectal cancer patients undergoing resection in the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from June 2013 to November 2013 were included in this study. The protein expressions of vasohibin-1, VEGF-A and MVD were detected by immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA expressions of vasohibin-1 and VEGF-A were detected by RT-PCR. The protein expressions of vasohibin-1 and VEGF-A were observed by Western blot. Correlation among parameters was examined.

RESULTSVasohibin-1 expression was mainly localized in the cytoplasm of tumor cells and endothelial cells. VEGF-A expression was mainly localized in the cytoplasm and membrane of tumor cells. The expressions of vasohibin-1, VEGF-A and MVD in colorectal tumor tissues were significantly higher than those in corresponding adjacent tissues [43.3% (26/60) vs. 16.7% (10/60), 51.7%(31/60) vs. 18.3% (11/60), (39.67 ± 16.80)/mm² vs. (17.85 ± 6.43)/mm², all P<0.05]. Higher vasohibin-1 expression was significantly associated with TNM stage and metastasis (P<0.05). Vasohibin-1 expression was positively correlated with VEGF-A and MVD (r=0.378, 0.628, all P<0.05). Vasohibin-1 and VEGF-A mRNA expressions and protein expressions in colorectal cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in corresponding adjacent tissues (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONVasohibin-1 expression in colorectal cancer tissues is significantly higher as compared to corresponding adjacent tissues. Vasohibin-1 expression is positively correlated to VEGF-A and MVD, and associated to TNM stage and metastasis. Positive vasohibin-1 expression indicates a poor prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.

Cell Cycle Proteins ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Microvessels ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Prognosis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy and adverse effects of clofarabine for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.

METHODSTwenty-six pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia were treated with clofarabine. There were 22 males and 4 females, with a mean age of 9.5 years (ranging from 4 to 17 years). They received clofarabine 52 mg/m2 intravenously over 2 hours daily for 5 days. Thirteen patients received two cycles and one patient received three cycles.

RESULTSIn the first cycle of clofarabine, complete remission was obtained in 11 children (42%) and partial remission was obtained in 7 children (27%). Eight children (31%) were considered unresponsive. In the second cycle, 11 (85%) of the 13 children obtained complete remission, 1 (8%) partial remission and 1 (8%) was unresponsive. One child received three cycles and obtained complete remission in each cycle. The common adverse events were myelosuppression, infection, liver dysfunction and gastrointestinal adverse reactions. There were no chemotherapy-related deaths.

CONCLUSIONSClofarabine is effective in the treatment of children with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia and its adverse effects can be tolerated. Clofarabine could be a promising new treatment for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Adenine Nucleotides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Arabinonucleosides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence, genotypes and molecular characteristics of norovirus (NoV) in acute gastroenteritis.

METHODSRT-PCR was used to determine the molecular epidemiology of NoV.

RESULTSOut of 685 samples, 66 positive specimens were identified and the prevalence was 9.6% (66/685), 9.9% in males and 9.4% in females, respectively, with no significant difference. The prevalence rates showed no differences between age groups or between inpatients and outpatients. NoV gastroenteritis did not present any seasonal distribution. 43 out of the 66 specimens were classified, with 10 (22.7%) belonged to GI including 2 GI.3, 1 GI.4, 4 GI.5 and 3 GI.7. Other 33 (77.3%) belonged to GII genogroup, including GII.4 accounted for 60.6% (20/33) and followed by 7 GII.12, 2 GII.6, 1 GII.2, 1 GII.3, 1 GII.5. Six specimens mixed with GI and GII and 3 specimens were classified as GI.3/GII.7, GI.5/GII.5 and GI.4/GII.4.

CONCLUSIONThe main symptoms of acute gastroenteritis were abdominal pain, nausea, vomit and fever. There were many genotypes identified in our study and the main genotypes were GII.4/2006a and 2006b. GI and GII could be coinfected with each other.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Caliciviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Norovirus ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Young Adult

As a serious cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis (AS) causes chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in the body and poses a threat to human health. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is a member of the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) family, and its elevated levels have been shown to contribute to AS. Lp-PLA2 is closely related to a variety of lipoproteins, and its role in promoting inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in AS is mainly achieved by hydrolyzing oxidized phosphatidylcholine (oxPC) to produce lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC). Moreover, macrophage apoptosis within plaque is promoted by localized Lp-PLA2 which also promotes plaque instability. This paper reviews those researches of Chinese medicine in treating AS via reducing Lp-PLA2 levels to guide future experimental studies and clinical applications related to AS.
Humans ; 1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Atherosclerosis/drug therapy* ; Lipoproteins ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Biomarkers

Objective:To study the mechanism of Taoren Chengqitang in regulating intestinal myoelectric activity and microenvironment homeostasis in intestinal sepsis rats based on high mobility group protein 1(HMGB1)/Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor -κB(NF-κB) pathway. Method:The 60 SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, glycyrrhizic acid (HMGB1 inhibitor, 0.03 g·kg^-1) group, Taoren Chengqitang group (10 g·kg^-1), glycyrrhizic acid+Taoren Chengqitang group (0.03 g·kg^-1+10 g·kg^-1), with 12 rats in each group. Except the sham operation group, the other groups established intestinal sepsis rat models, each group was treated with medicine, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to detect the histopathological changes of small intestinal mucosa in rats of each group, the changes of mucosal thickness and villus height were compared, the levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactic acid in intestinal mucosa of rats were detected by kit, the intestinal myoelectrical activity of rats in each group was measured, the slow wave frequency and amplitude of small intestinal smooth muscle were compared, the intestinal flora of rats in each group was detected, the contents of E. coli, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were compared, and the expressions of HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway proteins HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 in small intestinal tissues were detected by Western blot. Result:Compared with sham operated group, the villus height, mucosal thickness, sIgA content, slow wave frequency and amplitude of smooth muscle, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus contents in intestinal mucosa of model group rats were significantly decreased, and serum DAO and D-lactic acid levels, intestinal E. coli content, intestinal tissue HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 proteins were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the villus height, mucosal thickness, sIgA content, slow wave frequency and amplitude of smooth muscle, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus contents in intestinal mucosa of the Taoren Chengqitang group, glycyrrhizic acid group, and glycyrrhizic acid + Taoren Chengqitang group were significantly increased, and serum DAO and D-lactic acid levels, intestinal E. coli content, intestinal tissue HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 proteins were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the Taoren Chengqitang group and the glycyrrhizic acid group, the villus height, mucosal thickness, sIgA content, slow wave frequency and amplitude of smooth muscle, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus contents in intestinal mucosa of glycyrrhizic acid+Taoren Chengqitang group were significantly increased, and serum DAO and D-lactic acid levels, intestinal E. coli content, intestinal tissue HMGB1, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 proteins were significantly decreased, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions:Taoren Chengqitang can alleviate intestinal mucosal injury, regulate intestinal myoelectrical activity and microenvironment homeostasis, restore intestinal function and maintain flora balance in intestinal sepsis rats, which may be achieved by down-regulating HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB pathway.