ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness of horticultural therapy involving the planting of Chinese medicinal herbs （mint and lily potted plants） combined with intradermal needling therapy for generalized anxiety disorder （GAD） of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome under transcranial magnetic stimulation and basic psychological therapy， and to explore the possible mechanisms of action. MethodsA total of 180 patients with GAD of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome were randomly divided into three groups， horticultural therapy group， intradermal needling group， and horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， with 60 patients in each. All groups received basic treatment including basic psychological therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation. The horticultural therapy group received horticultural therapy in addition to the basic treatment； the intradermal needling group received intradermal needling therapy once a week for 8 weeks in addition to the basic treatment； the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group received both horticultural therapy and intradermal needling therapy， following the same procedures and duration. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale （HAMA）， Self-Rating Anxiety Scale （SAS）， and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI） scores were assessed at baseline and after 2， 4， 6， and 8 weeks of treatment. Serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone （ACTH） and corticosterone （CORT） were measured before treatment and after 8 weeks of treatment. Motor-evoked potential （MEP） baseline levels were recorded before treatment， and MEP amplitude ratios were compared after 1 week and 8 weeks of treatment. Clinical effectiveness and safety were evaluated after 8 weeks of treatment. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between serum ACTH and CORT levels， MEP amplitude， and anxiety. ResultsIn the horticultural therapy group and intradermal needling group， HAMA， SAS and PSQI scores after 4， 6， and 8 weeks treatment were lower than baseline scores （P＜0.05）. In the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， these scores showed a significant decline starting after 2 weeks treatment and continuing through 8 weeks after treatment （P＜0.05）. The HAMA， SAS， and PSQI scores in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group were significantly lower than those in the other two groups after 2， 4， 6， and 8 weeks treatment （P＜0.05）. After 8 weeks of treatment， serum CORT and ACTH levels in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group were significantly lower than baseline levels （P＜0.05） and were also lower than those in the horticultural therapy group and intradermal needling group at the same time point （P＜0.01）. When comparing the level after 8 weeks treatment to that after 1 week treatment， under PAS10 stimulation， the MEP amplitude ratio in the intradermal needling group decreased at 30 minutes， while in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， the MEP amplitude ratio decreased at all time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.001）； under PAS25 stimulation， the MEP amplitude ratio in the horticultural therapy group increased at 20 minutes， and in the intradermal needle group at 10 minutes （P＜0.05）. In the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group， the MEP amplitude ratio increased significantly at all time points after treatment （P＜0.001）. The cure rate in the horticultural therapy+intradermal needling group （74.14%， 43/58） was significantly higher than that in the horticultural therapy group （30.00%， 18/60） and the intradermal needling group （48.28%， 28/58， P＜0.05）. Correlation analysis revealed that serum ACTH and CORT levels were positively correlated with HAMA scores （r = 0.488， P＜0.01； r = 0.428， P＜0.01）. Following PAS10 intervention， the MEP amplitude ratio was positively correlated with HAMA scores （r = 0.458， P＜0.01）， whereas after PAS25 intervention， the MEP amplitude ratio was negatively correlated with HAMA scores （r = -0.562， P＜0.01）. ConclusionHorticultural therapy combined with intradermal needling treatment， under transcranial magnetic stimulation and basic psychological therapy， demonstrates significant clinical effectiveness in patients with GAD of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome. Its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis and the reduction of cortical excitability.

Objective To compare the effect of two procedures,named "mucosa to mucosal "and "end-inside" anastomosis for cholangiojejunostomy,and analyze its applicable scope.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 340 patients who underwent choledochojejunostomy from May 2012 to May 2017 in the Navy General Hospital.These patients were divided into two groups according to the procedure they received,including " mucosa to mucosal" anastomosis (n =249) and " end-inside"anastomosis (n =91).Two anastomotic methods of intraoperative state and postoperative complications were compared respectively under normal bile duct condition and cholangiectasis condition.Results When the common bile duct was not dilated,time spent for anastomoting in "end-inside" anastomosis was significantly shorten than that in "mucosa to mucosal" anastomosis (12.7 ± 1.2) min vs.(25.2 ± 5.8) min,and incidences of anastomotic leakage,bile duct infection,liver abscess,blie duct stricture postoperation (1.6％ vs.9.7％) in "end-inside" anastomosis were significantly lower than those in "mucosa to mucosal" anastomosis (P ＜ 0.05).Whether the common bile duct was dilated or not,the shrinking extents of stoma in " end-inside" anastomosis were lower than those in " mucosa to mucosal" anastomosis (1.4 ± 0.4) mm vs.(3.6 ± 1.2),(2.9 ± 0.6) mm vs.(4.2 ± 1.2) mm with statistical significances (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant differences between two procedures when common bile duct was dilated.Conclusion Compared to the mucosa to mucosal anastomosis,the end-inside anastomosis had the advantage of easy operating and low postoperative complications when the bile duct was not dilated.

Ashi points play a significant role in the clinical localization and qualitative diagnosis of acupuncture, as well as in selecting acupoints along the meridians and applying tonifying or reducing techniques. This paper introduces the theoretical basis and existing technical methods of objectification of ashi point diagnosis and treatment. It proposes that using sensory quantitative testing to determine the temperature and tenderness thresholds of ashi points could help to identify the pathological characteristics of "cold" "heat" "deficiency" or "excess" of ashi points. In addition, the possibility of objectification of ashi point diagnosis-treatment plan is explored from three perspectives, precision of selection of ashi point therapy, objectification of effect evaluation of ashi point analgesia, and differentiation of the studies on ashi point analgesic mechanism, aiming to provide new research ideas for the modernization of traditional Chinese acupuncture.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Meridians ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture ; Analgesia

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) on serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100B in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and the underlying mechanism.

METHODSForty neonates with HIE were randomly divided into conventional treatment (n=20) and EPO treatment groups (n=20). Twenty healthy full-term neonates born during the same period were randomly selected as the normal control group. The conventional treatment group received conventional treatment, while the EPO treatment group received conventional treatment as well as EPO [200 IU/(kg.d)] which was given by intravenous infusion from the second day after birth. The course of treatment was 7 days. Blood samples of the three groups were collected on the first day after birth (before treatment) and the ninth day after birth (after treatment). Serum levels of NSE and S-100B were measured by double-antibody sandwich ABC-ELISA.

RESULTSBefore treatment, the two treatment groups had significantly higher serum NSE and S-100B levels than the normal control group (P<0.01), whereas no significant differences in the levels of NSE and S-100B were observed between the conventional treatment and EPO treatment groups (P>0.05). The serum NSE and S-100B levels on the ninth day after birth were significantly lower than those on the first day after birth in the three groups (P<0.01). After treatment, the serum NSE and S-100B levels were significantly lower in the EPO treatment group than in the conventional treatment group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDynamic monitoring of serum NSE and S-100B levels may be helpful for the early diagnosis of HIE and the assessment of brain injury repair in newborns with HIE. EPO may be helpful for the repair of neurons and glial cells.

Erythropoietin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; blood ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; blood

OBJECTIVEIt has been reported that soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) participates in many immune and inflammatory reactions. Its expression and role in severe pneumonia has not fully been understood. This study aimed to investigate the changes of sICAM-1 expression in severe pneumonia and the relationship between sICAM-1 and severe pneumonia in children.

METHODSSerum sICAM-1 levels were determined by the double antibody sand using ELISA in 50 children with severe pneumonia and 56 children with mild pneumonia. Fifty-two healthy children served as control group.

RESULTSSerum sICAM-1 levels in children with severe pneumonia (402.36 +/- 31.24 mu g/L) were remarkably higher than those in the mild pneumonia group (278.86 +/- 36.24 mu g/L) at the acute stage and higher than in the control group (180.74 +/- 21.46 mu g/L) (P < 0.01). Serum sICAM-1 levels in children with severe pneumonia decreased significantly at the recovery stage (198.56 +/- 12.63 mu g/L) (P < 0.01), which were not statistically different from those in the mild pneumonia group at the recovery stage and the control group. There were no significant differences in serum sICAM-1 levels among the severe pneumonia subgroups caused by different pathogens (bacteria, virus or Mycoplasma) at the acute stage. Serum sICAM-1 levels at the acute stage in children with severe pneumonia who were treated successfully were not significantly different from those in patients whose symptoms were partly improved.

CONCLUSIONSsICAM-1 might be involved in the inflammation course of severe pneumonia. It can severe as a marker of the diagnosis and the severity evaluation of severe pneumonia.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Male ; Pneumonia ; blood ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection in the lower respiratory tract and the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

METHODSSeventy-three VLBW infants diagnosed with neonatal RDS, who had received at least one dose of pulmonary surfactant, as well as mechanical ventilation, and were hospitalized for over 28 days, were recruited. Endotracheal aspirates were obtained from the lower respiratory tract and examined by real-time PCR to detect UU DNA. The infants were divided into UU infection and non-UU infection groups according to examination results. Clinical characteristics and the incidence of BPD were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the non-UU infection group, the UU infection group had a higher rate of maternal vaginal delivery, higher incidence of recurrent nosocomial pulmonary infection and premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and longer durations of PROM, oxygen supplementation, and hospital stay; in addition, the UU infection group had higher plasma IgM level, leukocyte count, and neutrophil count within 3 hours after birth. Among 73 VLBW infants, 45 developed BPD; the incidence of BPD in the UU infection group was 90% (19/21), versus 50% (26/52) in the non-UU infection group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSUU infection in the lower respiratory tract increases the incidence of BPD in VLBW infants with RDS.

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; complications ; Ureaplasma Infections ; complications ; Ureaplasma urealyticum

Objective: To explore the epidemiological characteristic of a COVID-19 outbreak caused by 2019-nCoV Omicron variant BF.7 and other provinces imported in Shenzhen and analyze transmission chains and characteristics. Methods: Field epidemiological survey was conducted to identify the transmission chain, analyze the generation relationship among the cases. The 2019-nCoV nucleic acid positive samples were used for gene sequencing. Results: From 8 to 23 October, 2022, a total of 196 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Shenzhen, all the cases had epidemiological links. In the cases, 100 were men and 96 were women, with a median of age, M (Q₁, Q₃) was 33(25, 46) years. The outbreak was caused by traverlers initial cases infected with 2019-nCoV who returned to Shenzhen after traveling outside of Guangdong Province.There were four transmission chains, including the transmission in place of residence and neighbourhood, affecting 8 persons, transmission in social activity in the evening on 7 October, affecting 65 persons, transmission in work place on 8 October, affecting 48 persons, and transmission in a building near the work place, affecting 74 persons. The median of the incubation period of the infection, M (Q₁, Q₃) was 1.44 (1.11, 2.17) days. The incubation period of indoor exposure less than that of the outdoor exposure, M (Q₁, Q₃) was 1.38 (1.06, 1.84) and 1.95 (1.22, 2.99) days, respcetively (Wald χ²=10.27, P=0.001). With the increase of case generation, the number and probability of gene mutation increased. In the same transmission chain, the proportion of having 1-3 mutation sites was high in the cases in the first generation. Conclusions: The transmission chains were clear in this epidemic. The incubation period of Omicron variant BF.7 infection was shorter, the transmission speed was faster, and the gene mutation rate was higher. It is necessary to conduct prompt response and strict disease control when epidemic occurs.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; SARS-CoV-2 ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemics ; China/epidemiology*