Objective: To observe the clinical effect of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) treatment with acupressure-rubbing method based on the theory of"Waist is the Storehouse of Kidney". Methods: A total of 120 patients with LDH were randomly divided into control group and treatment group, with 60 cases in each group. The control group was treated with prone position and lumbar extension. The treatment group was treated with acupressure-rubbing method. All the patients were given treatment once a day and it was continuous for 2 weeks, then the corresponding curative effect was evaluated after experiment. Results: The overall clinical efficacy, waist JOA scores and VAS scores of the treatment group were better than those of the control group (P ＜ 0.05) . Conclusion: The mechanism of acupressure-rubbing method curing LDH may be through regulating the body.s immune system to achieve the effect of"benefiting kidney for relieving pain"and it is worthy of clinical application and in-depth research.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlations of echocardiographic parameters in patients with gout. METHODS: The hospitalization data and medical records of patients with gout between January, 2012 and June, 2019 were retrieved from the database of Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the echocardiographic parameters and clinical laboratory test results of the inflammatory, immunological and metabolic indicators were analyzed. SPSS 22.0, SPSS Clementine 11.1 Aprior and other statistical software were used to determine the association rules and carry out correlation analysis, heat map analysis and multi-factor logistic regression analysis of the indicators. RESULTS: Heat map analysis showed that the expressions of EF and SV were the most significant, followed by AODd, LADs, LVDd and FS. Cluster analysis showed that AODd, EF, FS, LADs, LVDd, and SV were all in cluster 1, and IVSTd, LVPWTd, MPAD, Pmax, and RVDd were in cluster 2. Correlation analysis showed that in the 383 patients, EF was negatively correlated with LVDd ( < 0.05) and positively correlated with FS and SV ( < 0.05); AODd was positively correlated with IVSTd, LADs, LVDd, LVPWTd, RVDd, SV, and ESR ( < 0.05); FS was positively correlated with EF and SV ( < 0.05) and negatively correlated with LVDd ( < 0.05);IVSTd was positively correlated with AODd, LADs, LVPWTd, and complement C4 ( < 0.05); LADs were positively correlated with AODd, IVSTd, MPAD, RVDd, and SV ( < 0.05); LVDd was positively correlated with AODd, IVSTd ( < 0.05), and negatively correlated with LVDd and complement C3 ( < 0.05); MPAD and LADs, HDLC and TC were positively correlated ( < 0.05)and negatively correlated with Pmax ( < 0.05); Pmax was positively correlated with LVDd, RVDd and SV ( < 0.05)and negatively correlated with FS and MPAD ( < 0.05); RVDd was positively correlated with AODd, LADs, LVDd, Pmax, SV ( < 0.05); SV was positively correlated with AODd, EF, LADs, LVDd, Pmax, and RVDd ( < 0.05); complement C3 was positively correlated with complement C4 and CRP ( < 0.05), and negatively correlated with LVPWTd ( < 0.05); complement C4 was positively correlated with IVSTd, complement C3, CRP, and ESR ( < 0.05); CRP was positively correlated with complement C3, complement C4, IgA, IgG ( < 0.05), and negatively correlated with TC, HDLC, and TG ( < 0.05); TG was positively correlated with HDLC, IgM, and TC ( < 0.05), and negatively correlated with CRP ( < 0.05); HDLC was positively correlated with MPAD, HDLC and TC ( < 0.05) and negatively correlated with CRP ( < 0.05); IgA was positively correlated with CRP, IgG and IgM ( < 0.05); IgG was positively correlated with CRP, IgA and IgM ( < 0.05); IgM is positively correlated with TG, IgA, IgG, UA ( < 0.05) and negatively correlated with CRP ( < 0.05); UA was positively correlated with IgM ( < 0.05); ESR was positively correlated with AODd and complement C4 ( < 0.05); HCY was negatively correlated with RVDd ( < 0.05); TC was positively correlated with MPAD and TG ( < 0.05), and negatively correlated with CRP ( < 0.05). The increase of Pmax was significantly associated with the increase of LDL-C, UA, complement C4, TG, HCY, HDL-C, IgG, ESR, CRP, and complement C3; the increase of SV was associated with the elevations of UA, LDL-C, complement C4, HDL-C, CRP, IgG, HCY, TC, ESR, TG, and complement C3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that FS was positively correlated with LDL-C ( < 0.05), Pmax was negatively correlated with IgM ( < 0.05), and SV was negatively correlated with ESR ( < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The changes of echocardiographic parameters in patients with gout are correlated with the increase in inflammation, immunity, and metabolic indexes. Patients with a history of smoking and drinking do not show obvious changes in cardiac function. The changes in metabolic indexes are risk factors for changes in echocardiographic parameters.
Echocardiography ; Gout ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To detect the differentially expressed inflammatory proteins in acute gouty arthritis (AGA) with protein chip. METHODS: The Raybiotech cytokine antibody chip was used to screen the proteomic expression in serum samples of 10 AGA patients and 10 healthy individuals. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were applied to determine the biological function annotation of differentially expressed proteins and the enrichment of signal pathways. ELISA method was used to verify the differential protein expression in 60 AGA patients and 60 healthy subjects. The ROC curve was employed to evaluate the diagnostic value of differential proteins in AGA patients. RESULTS: According to|log CONCLUSIONS Proteomics can be applied to identify the biomarkers of AGA, which may be used for risk prediction and diagnosis of AGA patients.
Arthritis, Gouty/diagnosis* ; Cytokines/genetics* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Protein Array Analysis ; Proteomics

Objective To establish a weightlessness simulation animal model using miniature pigs, leveraging the characteristic of multiple systems’ tissue structures and functions similar to those of humans, and to observe pathophysiological changes, providing a new method for aerospace research. Methods Nine standard-grade miniature pigs were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group (n=7) and a control group (n=2). The experimental group was fixed using customized metal cages, with canvas slings suspending their hind limbs off the ground, and the body positioned at a -20° angle relative to the ground to simulate unloading for 30 days (24 hours a day). Data on body weight, blood volume, and blood biochemistry indicators were collected at different time points for statistical analysis of basic physiological changes. After the experiment, the miniature pigs were euthanized and tissue samples were collected for histopathological observation of the cardiovascular, skeletal and muscle systems HE and Masson staining. Statistical analysis was also conducted on the thickness of arterial vessels and the diameter of skeletal muscle fibers. Additionally, western blotting was employed to detect the expression levels of skeletal muscle atrophy-related proteins, including muscle-specific RING finger protein 1 (MuRf-1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx, as known as Atrogin-1), while immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an indicator of astrocyte activation in the brain, reflecting the pathophysiological functional changes across systems. Results After hindlimb unloading, the experimental group showed significant decreases in body weight (P<0.001) and blood volume (P<0.01). During the experiment, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count levels significantly decreased (P<0.05) but gradually recovered. The expression levels of alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyltransferase initially decreased (P<0.05) before rebounding, while albumin significantly decreased (P<0.001) and globulin significantly increased (P<0.01). Creatinine significantly decreased (P<0.05). The average diameter of gastrocnemius muscle fibers in the experimental group significantly shortened (P<0.05), with a leftward shift in the distribution of muscle fiber diameters and an increase in small-diameter muscle fibers. Simultaneously, Atrogin-1 expression in the gastrocnemius and paravertebral muscles significantly increased (P<0.05). These changes are generally consistent with the effects of weightlessness on humans and animals in space. Furthermore, degenerative changes were observed in some neurons of the cortical parietal lobe, frontal lobe, and hippocampal regions of the experimental group, with a slight reduction in the number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar region, and a significant enhancement of GFAP-positive signals in the hippocampal area (P<0.05). Conclusion Miniature pigs subjected to a -20° angle hind limb unloading for 30 days maybe serve as a new animal model for simulating weightlessness, applicable to related aerospace research.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the new investigational drug pegylated interferon α-2b (Peg-IFN-α-2b) (Y shape, 40 kD) injection (180 µg/week) combined with ribavirin in the treatment of patients with genotype 1/6 chronic hepatitis C (CHC), with standard-dose Peg-IFN-α-2a combined with ribavirin as a positive control. Methods: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, and positive-controlled phase III clinical trial was performed. Eligible patients with genotype 1/6 CHC were screened out and randomly divided into Peg-IFN-α-2b(Y shape, 40kD) group and Peg-IFN-α-2a group at a ratio of 2:1. The patients in both groups were given oral ribavirin for 48 weeks in addition and then followed up for 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II was used to determine HCV genotype, and Cobas TaqMan quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure HCV RNA level at 0, 4, 12, 24, 48, and 72 weeks. Adverse events were recorded in detail. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response (SVR), and a non-inferiority test was also performed. Results: A total of 561 patients with genotype 1/6 CHC were enrolled, among whom 529 received treatment; 90.9% of these patients had genotype 1 CHC. The data of the full analysis set showed that SVR rate was 69.80% (95% CI 65.00%-74.60%) in the trial group and 74.16% (95% CI 67.73%-80.59%) in the control group (P = 0.297 0). The data of the per protocol set (PPS) showed that SVR rate was 80.63% (95% CI 76.04%-85.23%) in the trial group and 81.33% (95% CI 75.10%-87.57%) in the control group (P = 0.849 8), and the 95% CI of rate difference conformed to the non-inferiority standard. The analysis of the PPS population showed that of all subjects, 47.9% achieved rapid virologic response, with a positive predictive value of 93.8%. The incidence rate of adverse events was 96.30% in the trial group and 94.94% in the control group, and the incidence rate of serious adverse events was 5.13% in the trail group and 5.06% in the control group. Conclusion In the regimen of Peg-IFN-α combined with ribavirin for the treatment of genotype 1/6 CHC, the new investigational drug Peg-IFN-α-2b(Y shape, 40 kD) has comparable clinical effect and safety to the control drug Peg-IFN-α-2a.

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and safety of long-acting pegylated interferon-α-2b (Peg-IFN-α-2b) (Y shape, 40 kD) injection (180 μg/week) in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, with standard-dose Peg-IFN-α-2a as positive control. Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, and positive-controlled phase III clinical trial. Eligible HBeAg-positive CHB patients were screened out and randomized to Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) trial group and Peg-IFN-α-2a control group at a ratio of 2:1. The course of treatment was 48 weeks and the patients were followed up for 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Plasma samples were collected at screening, baseline, and 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 weeks for centralized detection. COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® TaqMan® HBV Test was used to measure HBV DNA level by quantitative real-time PCR. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay with Elecsys kit was used to measure HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe). Adverse events were recorded in detail. The primary outcome measure was HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 24-week follow-up, and non-inferiority was also tested. The difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate after treatment between the trial group and the control group and two-sided confidence interval (CI) were calculated, and non-inferiority was demonstrated if the lower limit of 95% CI was > -10%. The t-test, chi-square test, or rank sum test was used according to the types and features of data. Results: A total of 855 HBeAg-positive CHB patients were enrolled and 820 of them received treatment (538 in the trial group and 282 in the control group). The data of the full analysis set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 27.32% in the trial group and 22.70% in the control group with a rate difference of 4.63% (95% CI -1.54% to 10.80%, P = 0.1493). The data of the per-protocol set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 30.75% in the trial group and 27.14% in the control group with a rate difference of 3.61% (95% CI -3.87% to 11.09%, P = 0.3436). 95% CI met the non-inferiority criteria, and the trial group was non-inferior to the control group. The two groups had similar incidence rates of adverse events, serious adverse events, and common adverse events. Conclusion In Peg-IFN-α regimen for HBeAg-positive CHB patients, the new drug Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) has comparable effect and safety to the control drug Peg-IFN-α-2a.