Objective To study the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with medication plus joint mobilization in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompanied with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis.MethodsTotally 66 cases of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompanied with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis were collected randomly and divided into treatment group (34 cases) and control group (32 cases). The control group was given treatment of simple acupuncture and TCM medication, while the treatment group was given joint mobilization treatment besides acupuncture and TCM medication. Functions of lumbar vertebra were evaluated by ODI scale and the degrees of pain were evaluated by VAS. The clinical efficacy in the two groups was compared. Results ODI in both groups were significantly improved after treatment compared with that before treatment. However, the changing range of the ODI of the treatment group was more significant than that in control group (P<0.01). After treatment, VAS scores were relieved (P<0.05) in both groups, and treatment group was more significant than that in control group (P<0.05). The total clinical efficacy was 97.06% (33/34) in the treatment group, and 84.38% (27/32) in the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture combined with medication plus joint mobilization in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompanied with secondary lumbar spinal stenosis has good efficacy.

Objective To compare the effect of ibuprofen and glucosamine on synoviocyte proliferation and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) expression in human knee osteoarthritis. Methods Human synoviocytes were isolated from synovium (earlier stage and late stage of OA) by tissue culture and were cocultured with ibuprofen and glucosamine. The concentration of COMP was determined by MTS/PMS method and hCOMP kit. Two-tailed t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results The observation time of tissue culture was determined at 5～7 day by the MTS/PMS method. The A values of glucosamine [ late stage group (0.054±0.021), early stage group (0.777±0.034)] were less than the normal serum control group (P＜0.05).Both ibuprofen [late stage group (35.4±1.9), early stage group (46.0±2.2)] and glucosamine [late stagegroup (36.6±1.3), early stage group (48.8±1.3) ] could decrease the concentration of COMP in synoviocyte secretion in vitro (P＜0.05). Conclusion Glucosamine can inhibit the synoviocyte proliferation of human knee osteoarthritis (both early stage and late stage) in vitro. Both ibuprofen and glucosamine can inhibit the COMP secretion of synoviocyte in vitro.

Objective To compare the effect of glucosamine (Virtral-s) on the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) secretion of chondrocytes and synoviocytes in vitro.Methods Chondrocytes and synoviocytes isolated from knee cartilage of osteoarthritic patients were cultured by phased enzymatic digestion.Sera containing Virtral-s of the experimental animals were obtained after orally administrated Virtral-s at the dosages that equal to human.Cells were cultured in the medium with Virtral-s containing sera.Super-natant COMP level was tested by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISA).Results COMP conceu-tration of synoviocytes cultured in vitro was significantly higher than that of chondrocytes (P＜0.05).Virtral-s could significantly increase COMP secretion in cultured chondrocytes in vitro (P＜0.05),however,it had a weaker role on synoviocytes,ie,it could only mildly reduce COMP secretion of synoviocytes.Conclusion Glucosamine (Virtral-s)-containing serum can promote COMP secretion of chondrocytes in vitro,and it has no significant effect on synoviocytes in vitro.

To study the effects of three different laser treatments (650 nm alone, 10.6 μm alone and combined laser of 650 nm and 10.6 μm) on experimental osteoarthritis of the knees in C57 black mice.

Objective To study the levels of Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and interleukin (IL-1) in the synovial fluid and plasma of C57 black mice with osteoarthritis (OA) and their relationships with the severity of pathological changes so as to investigate their effects and correlation with OA. Methods The C57 black mice with OA were enrolled for this study. Different levels of exercise were appicated based on their age. Knee joint pathological changes were examined for pathological severity of OA. ELISA sandwich method was used to measure the levels of MMP-3 and IL-1 in serum and synovial fluid. Correlation analysis was performed to demonstrate the relationship between the levels of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the serum and synovial fluid, and the pathological severity of OA. Results ①Morphological observations: C57 black mice were characterized by spontaneously developing OA and the incidence and the severity of osteoarthritis gradually increased with age and exercising burdens. ② The level of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the synovial fluid of exercising mice MMP-3 (84±6) ng/ml, IL-1 (48±3) ng/ml was higher than that in the aged ones [MMP-3 (84±6) ng/ml, IL-1 (71±5) ng/ml J, the difference was significant (P<0.01). The level of MMP-3 and IL-1 level in the serum had a linear correlation with that of the synovial fluid. At the same time, they also had linear correlation with the pathological severity of OA (All r>0.67, and all P<0.01). Conclusion The levels of MMP-3 and IL-1 in serum and synovial fluid can help to make early diagnosis of OA, especially elevated MMP-3 level.

To investigate the effects of osthole on chondrocyte proliferation in vitro.

OBJECTIVE:To study the protective effects and the mechanism of Rabdosia serra water extract(RWE)on hepatic fibrosis(HF)induced by carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)in rats. METHODS:Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,colchicine group(0.12 mg/kg),and RWE low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups(4,8,16 g/kg,by crude drug),with 10 rats in each group. Except for intraperitoneal injection of olive oil for normal group,other groups were given 40% CCl4olive oil solution intraperitoneally to induce HF model. Since the first day of modeling,each treatment group was given relevant medicine (10 mL/kg) intragastrically, while normal group and model group were given constant volume of water intragastrically,once a day,for consecutive 6 weeks. After medication,biochemical process or ELISA were used to determine the contents of ALT,AST,HA,LN,PCⅢ and Ⅳ-C in serum,the activities or contents of SOD,GSH-Px,MDA,TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in liver tissue. Pathological changes of liver tissue in rats were observed by HE staining. The expression of α-SMA and TGF-β1 in liver tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULTS:Compared with normal group,the contents of ALT,AST,LN,HA,PCⅢ and Ⅳ-C in serum,the contents of MDA,TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β in liver tissue were all increased significantly in model group (P＜0.01);the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in liver tissue were decreased significantly(P＜0.01). Liver fibrosis was obvious, and the relative expression of α-SMA and TGF-β 1were increased significantly (P＜0.01). Compared with model group,the contents of ALT,AST,HA,LN,PCⅢ and Ⅳ-C in serum as well as the contents of MDA,TNF-α and IL-6 in liver tissue in colchicines group and RWE groups,the contents of IL-1 β in liver tissue of rats in colchicines group,RWE medium-dose and high-dose groups were all decreased significantly (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in liver tissue of rats were increased significantly in colchicines group and RWE groups(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). The fibrosis degree of liver tissue was significantly reduced, while the relative expression of α-SMA and TGF-β 1decreased significantly (P＜0.01). CONCLUSIONS:RWE can protect CCl4-induced HF model rats,the mechanism of which may be associated with regulating lipid metabolism,relieving liver lipid peroxidation injury and anti-oxidative stress response,inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors and the expression of TGF-β1.

Objective:To apply cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to quantitatively evaluate the morphology and tissue characteristics of thoracic skeletal muscle (TSM) in patients with Danon disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), in order to provide auxiliary differential diagnostic information.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 15 Danon disease patients (Danon disease group) who completed CMR examination, and 15 HCM patients (HCM group) and 15 healthy volunteers (control group) who were matched by gender and age were compared. TSM (pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, erector spinae, and subscapularis) area index (TSMAi), T1 relaxation time of four groups, and extracellular volume (ECV) of skeletal muscles of two groups (pectoralis major and subscapularis) were measured for all subjects. Single factor analysis of variance and KruskalWallis test were used to compare three sets of values.Results:The total TSMAi of the Danon disease group was lower than that of the HCM group and the control group [(15.37±3.28)cm 2/m 2 vs (23.02±3.88)cm 2/m 2 vs (22.33±4.67)cm 2/m 2, P<0.001], and the TSMAi of each TSM was also lower than that of the HCM group and the control group (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in TSMAi between the HCM group and the control group (all P>0.05). The native T1 values of the pectoralis major muscle in the Danon disease group and HCM group were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). The ECV of the pectoralis major muscle and subscapularis muscle in the Danon disease group were higher than those in the HCM group and control group, and the enhanced T1 values were lower than those in the HCM group and control group (all P<0.05); There was no statistically significant difference in ECV and the enhanced T1 values between the HCM group and the control group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The application of CMR can effectively evaluate the changes in TSM morphology and tissue characteristics in Danon disease patients. Compared with HCM patients, Danon disease patients showed significant atrophy of TSM with increased extracellular volume. CMR provides a quantitative reference for TSM in the differential diagnosis of the two.

Objective:To investigate the hemodynamic changes in the ascending aorta (AAo) before and after interventricular septal myocardial resection in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM) using cardiac magnetic resonance four-dimensional blood flow (CMR 4D Flow) technology.Methods:HOCM patients who underwent interventricular septal myocardial resection at Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital from May 2021 to September 2022 were prospectively included. Age and gender matched healthy volunteers (control group) were included during the same period. Both the control group and HOCM patients underwent CMR examination (including cine sequence and 4D Flow sequence) before and 6 months after surgery. CMR 4D flow technology was used to evaluate changes in AAo preoperative and postoperative blood flow patterns (eddy currents, spiral flow), maximum energy loss (EL max), and average energy loss (EL avg). HOCM patients underwent laboratory tests, including N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (N-pro BNP) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT). At the same time, the correlation between postoperative energy loss in HOCM patients and the degree of improvement in laboratory biomarkers was explored. Results:A total of 15 HOCM patients and 15 healthy volunteers were included. (1) In terms of blood flow patterns, the preoperative spiral flow degree of HOCM patients was significantly higher than that of the control group ( P=0.001), but the postoperative difference was not statistically significant ( P=0.059). The degree of eddy currents in HOCM patients before and after surgery was higher than that in the control group (all P<0.05). (2) In terms of energy loss, the preoperative EL max [21.17(14.30-28.10)mW vs 10.17(7.66-13.07)mW, P<0.001] and EL avg [4.87(3.46-5.77)mW vs 2.27(2.19-2.27)mW, P=0.023] of HOCM patients were higher than those of the control group, but there was no statistically significant difference between the postoperative and control groups (all P>0.05). Compared with preoperative, the postoperative EL max [12.33(8.70-17.41)mW] and EL avg [3.10(2.25-4.40)mW] of AAo in HOCM patients were significantly reduced (mean P=0.001). (3) Correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation ( r=0.587, P=0.021) between the EL max of AAo and the degree of improvement in hsTNT after interventricular septum myocardial resection, but no significant correlation ( r=0.229, P=0.413) with the degree of improvement in NT-pro BNP. Conclusions:The degree of postoperative AAo blood flow disorder in HOCM patients is reduced, and EL max and EL avg are significantly reduced. The EL max of postoperative AAo is positively correlated with the degree of improvement in hsTNT, suggesting that EL max may be applicable for prognostic evaluation of patients.

To assess relationships between xanthine oxidase (XOD) and nephropathogenic infectious bronchitis virus (NIBV) infection, 240 growing layers (35 days old) were randomly divided into two groups (infected and control) of 120 chickens each. Each chicken in the control and infected group was intranasally inoculated with 0.2 mL sterile physiological saline and virus, respectively, after which serum antioxidant parameters and renal XOD mRNA expression in growing layers were evaluated at 8, 15 and 22 days post-inoculation (dpi). The results showed that serum glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in the infected group were significantly lower than in the control group at 8 and 15 dpi (p < 0.01), while serum malondialdehyde concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.01). The serum uric acid was significantly higher than that of the control group at 15 dpi (p < 0.01). In addition, the kidney mRNA transcript level and serum activity of XOD in the infected group was significantly higher than that of the control group at 8, 15 and 22 dpi (p < 0.05). The results indicated that NIBV infection could cause the increases of renal XOD gene transcription and serum XOD activity, leading to hyperuricemia and reduction of antioxidants in the body.
Antioxidants ; Chickens ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Hyperuricemia ; Infectious bronchitis virus* ; Kidney ; Malondialdehyde ; RNA, Messenger* ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Uric Acid ; Xanthine Oxidase* ; Xanthine*