Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Qihuang needle therapy in treating knee osteoarthritis.Methods Sixty knee osteoarthritis patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group,30 cases in each group.The treatment group was given Qihuang needle therapy and the control group was given conventional acupuncture therapy.After treatment for 10 days,we evaluated the curative effect of the two groups by the scores of the simplified McGill pain scale (MPQ) and the Lysholm knee scoring criteria.Results (1) After treatment for 10 days,the symptoms of pain,swelling,stiffness,and inhibited bending and stretching of knee joints of the two groups were relieved.Pain rating index (PRI),visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and present pain intensity (PPI)of MPQ in the two groups were obviously decreased,while Lysholm knee scores were markedly increased(P ＜ 0.01 compared with those before treatment),and the effect of the treatment group was superior to that of the control group (P ＜ 0.05).(2) The total effective rate of the treatment group was 86.67％,and that of the control group was 66.67％,the difference between the two groups being significant (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Qihuang needle therapy is effective for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis,with the advantages of shorter treatment course,better therapeutic effect and being more practical.

Objective To investigate the value in distinguishing benign and malignant vertebral fractures with MR diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI).Methods 31 patients with 58 vertebral fractures were underwent routine MRI scanning and echo-planar DWI(EPI/DWI).The materials were divided into benign group(n=32,20 cases),malignant group(n=18,8cases),tuberculosis group(n=8,3cases) and normal vertebral body group(n=31). Signal intensities on DWI were compared and apparent diffusion coeffient(ADC) values of normal and abnormal vertebral bodies were calculated. ADC values among the benign,malignant,tuberculosis vertebral bodies and normal ones were quantitatively analyzed and compared.Results The ADC values of benign,malingnant,tuberculosis and normal vertebral bodies were (1.44?0.41)?10 -3 mm2/s,(0.94?0.17)?10 -3 mm2/s,(0.98?0.13)?10 -3 mm2/s and(0.42?0.16)?10 -3 mm2/s ,respectively. The ADC values of the three abnormal groups were higher than normal group ( all P0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of ADC for the diagnosis of malignant lesion were 72.2% and 90.6% if the upper bound of 95% confidence interval was set as a differential level.Conclusion DWI provides an important supplement to the routine MRI in the differentiation of benign with malignant vertebral fractures.

Objective To compare the reliability and effectiveness of anterolateral thigh flap with double vein anastomosis or one vein anastomosis for reconstruction of head and neck defects.Methods Two hundred and sixty four cases of anterolateral thigh flap transfers for head and neck reconstruction from January,2013 to September,2013 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were reviewed.260 patients were randomly divided into 2 groups.In the experimental group,there were 138 patients 140 cases of anterolateral thigh flap with one vein one artery anastomosis.In the control group,there were 122 patients 124 cases of anterolateral thigh flap with double vein one artery anastomosis.Results Among 264 anterolateral thigh flaps,the overall success rate of free flap was 98.1％ (259/264),5 free flaps were lost.In the experimental group,there were 6 free flaps occurred venous thrombosis,two of them were lost.In the control group,there were 5 cases occurred venous thrombosis,three of them were lost.No arterial thrombosis occurred in both groups.The time of micromanipulation was 18 to 101 min,with the average of 47 min in the experimental group.In the control group,the time was 45 to 133 min,with the average of 71 min.(P =0.0003).Conclusion Anterolateral thigh flap with one vein one artery anastomosis for head and neck reconstruction did not affect the survival rate but it can absolutely reduce the operation time.

To better evaluate neuromuscular function of patients with stroke related motor dysfunction, we proposed an effective corticomuscular coherence analysis and coherent significant judgment method. Firstly, the related functional frequency bands in the electroencephalogram (EEG) were extracted via wavelet decomposition. Secondly, coherence were analysed between surface electromyography (sEMG) and sub-bands extracted from EEG. Further more, a coherent significant indicator was defined to quantitatively describe the similarity in certain frequency domain and phase lock activity between EEG and sEMG. Through the analysis of corticomuscular coherence during knee flexion-extension of stroke patients and healthy controls, we found that the stroke patients exhibited significantly lower gamma-band corticomuscular coherence in performing the task with their affected leg, and there was no statistically significant difference between their unaffected lag and the healthy controls, but with the rehabilitation training, the bilateral difference of corticomuscular coherence in patients decreased gradually.
Case-Control Studies ; Electroencephalography ; Electromyography ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Knee ; physiology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Stroke Rehabilitation

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intratumoral injection of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microspheres containing cobra venom cytotoxin in nude mice with transplanted human hepatoma. Methods: Cytotoxic activity of cytotoxin from cobra venom was determined by using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium method in vitro. Microspheres containing cobra venom cytotoxin were prepared with a double emulsion-solvent evaporation method. Forty BALB/c nude mice were inoculated subcutaneously in right flank with hepatoma BEL-7404 cells. Thirty-two mice whose tumor size reached about 1.0 cm in diameter, were randomly assigned into normal saline group, blank microsphers group, cytotoxin group and cytotoxin-PLGA group. Nude mice were intratumorally injected with normal saline, blank microspheres, cytotoxin or cytotoxin-PLGA microspheres respectively. Internal echo characteristics and blood flow of tumors were observed by high-frequency ultrasound every week after treatment. Twenty-six days after treatment, the tumors were removed to calculate the inhibition rate of tumor growth. The tumor, heart, liver and kidney tissues were obtained for histopathological examination. Results: The cytotoxin separated and purified from crude cobra venom caused intense cytotoxic effects to the BEL-7404 cells in vitro. The diameter of PLGA microspheres containing cobra venom cytotoxin was about (34.45+/-9.85)mum. Encapsulation rate was up to (78.13+/-8.92)%, and cumulative amount of cobra venom cytotoxin released from the PLGA microspheres in vitro during 30 days was up to 84.3%. After intratumoral injection, tumor volumes and weights in the cytotoxin-PLGA group were lower than those in the normal saline group, with a tumor growth inhibition rate of 52.36%. Observed under a light microscope, most tumor tissues were necrotic. No obvious morphological change could be seen on the liver, kidney and heart tissues. Conclusion: The above findings indicate that intratumoral injection of cytotoxin-PLGA microspheres has strong antitumor effect and can obviously lessen systemic toxicity, which may provide an effective and feasible method for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Objective To investigate the microembolic signal (MES) in patients with carotid artery stenosis by transracial Doppler (TCD) diasonograph,and explore the influence of intervention treatment in MES of patients with carotid artery stenosis.Methods One hundred and fifty-eight patients with carotid artery stenosis,admitted to our hospital from March 2009 to November 2014,were enrolled as carotid artery stenosis group;and 158 workers from our hospital without carotid artery stenosis were used as control group.TCD was used to monitor the MES at the initiative internal carotid artery in the two groups;and then,10 d after aspirin enteric coated tablets (100 mg/d) on platelet aggregation and torvastatin (20 mg/d) treatment,MES was monitored again;the MES positive rate between the two groups or in carotid artery stenosis group between before and after medication was compared.Results As compared with the control group (1.9％),the carotid artery stenosis group (36.1％) had significantly increased MES positive rate (P＜0.05).In the carotid artery stenosis group,MES positive rate before treatment (36.1％) was significantly higher than that after treatment (7.6％,P＜0.05).Conclusion MES positive rate in the cerebral blood flow in patients with carotid artery stenosis is increased;treatment by drugs can reduce the microemboli positive rate.

OBJECTIVE To mine adverse drug event （ADE） signals related to the pulmonary arterial hypertension （PAH） therapeutic drug macitentan， and to provide reference for safe clinical medication. METHODS Macitentan-related ADE reports were collected from the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System （FAERS） database from the fourth quarter of 2013 to the third quarter of 2023. Data mining was conducted by using the reporting odds ratio （ROR） method and the comprehensive standard method established by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency （referred to as “MHRA method”） under the proportional imbalance approach. According to the systemic organ class （SOC） and preferred term （PT） stated in 26.0 edition of Medical Dictionary of Regulatory Activities， standardized coding of ADE names was performed， followed by the analysis of time to onset （TTO） and the Weibull shape parameter （WSP） test. RESULTS Overall， a total of 26 079 ADE reports were identified with macitentan as the primary suspect drug. These reports predominantly involved female patients （73.25%） and were concentrated in the age range of 18 to 65 years （42.39%）. The majority of reports originated from the US （84.42%）， with hospitalization or prolonged hospital stays （59.82%） being the most common in severe treatment outcome. A total of 269 ADE positive signals related to macitentan were identified. Among these， hypothyroidism， ADE related to renal injury such as the increase of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen， and ADE related to psychiatric disorders like apathy and despair were not included in the drug label. TTO analysis indicated that the majority of macitentan-related ADE signals occurred between 0-30 days after initial treatment （492 reports， 21.52%） and over 360 days （411 reports， 17.98%）. The results of WSP test showed that most of the top 20 reported ADE signals conformed to the characteristics of an early failure curve. CONCLUSIONS When clinically using macitentan in patients with PAH， attention should be given not only to the adverse reactions mentioned on the drug label but also to thyroid dysfunction， kidney dysfunction and mental disorder-related ADEs.

OBJECTIVETo summarize the application of 909 anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flaps in the repair of oral and maxillofacial defects and to examine their benefits in maxillofacial reconstruction of these defects.

METHODSPatients were recruited from January 2004 to December 2012 in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. All patients underwent reconstructive surgery with anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flaps, and patient age ranged from 19 to 81 years with a mean of 51.2 years. There were 761 flaps showing single lobe and 148 flaps showing a multi-island pedicle. The largest area among the single flaps was 28 cm × 12 cm, and the smallest was 4 cm × 2 cm.

RESULTSAmong the 909 transferred flaps, 882 survived and 27 showed necrosis, with a survival rate of about 97.0%. The common complications at flap donor site were poor wound healing 9.6% (87/909), localized paresthesia 61.0% (500/820), and altered quadriceps force 15.0% (123/820). No case was presented with local serious complications, and 90% of the patients achieved good functional recovery and aesthetically acceptable results after the reconstruction by anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flaps.

CONCLUSIONSThe anterolateral thigh myocutaneous free flaps are more suitable for oral and maxillofacial defects than other flaps and should be preferred.

Humans ; Myocutaneous Flap ; transplantation ; Oral Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgery, Oral ; methods ; Thigh

Objective To investigate the effect of rehabilitation training combined with acupuncture ( RTA) on upper limb function of stroke patients by Kinect. Methods Stroke patients with upper limb dysfunction werrandomly divided into control group (rehabilitation training) and treatment group ( RTA), with 15 cases in each group. The modified Barthel Index ( MBI), Fugl Meyer assessment ( FMA), and Wolf motor function test (WMFT) were compared between two groups before and after treatment. The changes in motor time ( MT), motor unit number (MUN), index of curvature (IC), elbow flexion angle (EFA), shoulder flexion angle (SFA),and shoulder adduction angle ( SAA) during three actions, namely, placing forearm on the table, extending elbow and drinking water, were evaluated by Kinect and then compared between two groups before and after treatment. Results After 6 weeks of intervention, the scores of MBI, FMA, WMFT and elbow extension in treatment group were higher than those in control group (P<0. 05). The scores of MBI, FMA, WMFT and three actions after treatment were higher than those before treatment (P<0. 05). For three actions, the improvement of MT, MUN, IC, EFA, SFA, and SAA in treatment group were better than those in control group ( P< 0. 05). Compared with pre-treatment, for the action of forearm placement on the table and elbow extension, both treatment group and control group showed an increase in EFA (P<0. 05), and a decrease in MT, MUN, IC, SFA and SA (P<0. 05). For the action of drinking water, both treatment group and control group showed an increase in EFA and SAA (P< 0. 05), and a decrease in MT, MUN, IC and SAA ( P< 0. 05). Conclusions RTA can improve the upper limb function of stroke patients. Kinect can accurately reflect the changes in upper limb function of stroke patients, and it is suitable for clinical work.