OBJECTIVETo establish discriminant functions of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) by studying it from quantitative diagnosis angle, hoping to reduce interference of subjective factors in diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

METHODSA Chinese medical clinical epidemiological survey was carried out in 439 IBS-D patients using Clinical Information Collection Table of IBS. Initial syndromes were obtained by cluster analysis. They were analyzed using step-by-step discrimination by taking information of four Chinese medical diagnostic methods and serum brain-gut peptides (BGP) as variables.

RESULTSClustering results were Gan stagnation Pi deficiency syndrome (GSPDS), Pi-Wei weakness syndrome (PWWS), Gan stagnation qi stasis syndrome (GSQSS), Pi-Shen yang deficiency syndrome (PSYDS), Pi-Wei damp-heat syndrome (PWDHS), cold-damp disturbing Pi syndrome (CDDPS). Of them, GSPDS was mostly often seen with effective percentage of 34. 2%, while CDDPS was the least often seen with effective percentage of 5.5%. A total of 5 discriminant functions for GSPDS, PWWS, GSQSS, PSYDS, and PWDHS were obtained by step-by-step dis- crimination method. The retrospective misjudgment rate was 4.1% (16/390), while the cross-validation misjudgment rate was 15.4% (60/390).

CONCLUSIONThe establishment of discriminant functions is of value in objectively diagnosing and differentially diagnosing Chinese medical syndromes of IBS-D.

Alarmins ; Brain ; Cluster Analysis ; Diarrhea ; classification ; diagnosis ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; classification ; diagnosis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yang Deficiency

Objective:To observe the effect of warm-unblocking acupuncture plus fluticasone propionate nasal spray on the pulmonary ventilation, level of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and sleep quality in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods: A total of 112 AR patients were enrolled between January 2013 and August 2018 and were divided into an observation group and a control group by the random number table method, with 56 cases in each group. Patients in the observation group received warm-unblocking acupuncture plus fluticasone propionate nasal spray, and patients in the control group only received fluticasone propionate nasal spray. The nasal symptom score, pulmonary function indexes, the levels of IFN-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 in serum, and sleep quality in the two groups were compared. Results: After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P＜0.05). The nasal symptom score dropped in both groups after treatment (both P＜0.05), and the score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). The pulmonary ventilation indexes all increased significantly after treatment in the observation group (all P＜0.05); the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio (FEV1/FVC) and the forced expiratory flow at 50%, 75% and 25%-75% of the vital capacity (FEF50%, FEF75%, FEF25%-75%) increased after treatment in the control group (all P＜0.05); the pulmonary ventilation indexes were higher in the observation group than those in the control group (all P＜0.05). The level of IFN-γ increased significantly after treatment in the two groups (both P＜0.05) and the level of IL-4 dropped significantly (both P＜0.05); the observation group had a higher IFN-γ level (P＜0.05) and a lower IL-4 level (P＜0.05) compared with the control group. Regarding the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the scores of subjective sleep quality, habitual sleep efficiency and sleep disturbances and the general PSQI score decreased significantly after treatment in both groups (all P＜0.05), and the scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P＜0.05). Conclusion: Warm-unblocking acupuncture plus fluticasone propionate nasal spray can effectively control the clinical symptoms and improve pulmonary function in the treatment of AR; this approach can regulate the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 towards the normal range in AR patients; it can also improve patient’s sleep quality. This method can produce more significant efficacy than fluticasone propionate nasal spray used alone.

BACKGROUND:Chinese medicine therapy is effective for patients with mild-to-moderate lumbar spinal stenosis and also has a better long-term effect than surgical patients, which can enhance perioperative efficacy and prevent spinal restenosis. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of “Tongmai songjin yigu” massage therapy on lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS:Eighty-four patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis were randomly and equaly divided into treatment group and control group. Treatment group were treated with “Tongmai songjin yigu” massage therapy; patients in the control group were treated according to the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of common disease in orthopedics and traumatology promulgated by China Association of Chinese Medicine, once a day, continuous for 2 weeks. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After treatment, the visual analog scale score in the treatment group was improved significantly (P < 0.05), and there was a significant difference in the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores on subjective symptom and daily life between the treatment and control groups (P < 0.05). The effective rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group (P< 0.05). These findings indicate that “Tongmai songjin yigu” massage therapy is better than traditional massage, but clinical large-sample studies are required.

Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health Services ; organization & administration ; Population Surveillance ; methods ; Risk Assessment ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards

Diagnosis, Differential ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Granuloma, Pyogenic ; pathology ; surgery ; Hemangioma, Capillary ; pathology ; Hemangiosarcoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; pathology

RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) belong to pattern recognition receptors, which perform significant roles in antiviral responses. RLRs can initiate a cascade of signaling transduction that induces the production of type I interferon and activates the interferon signaling pathway, ultimately resulting in antiviral responses. In the course of evolution, viruses have been constantly counteracting host immune systems to facilitate their own survival and replication, and have developed a set of antagonistic strategies. These mainly comprise elusion, disguise and attack strategies to eliminate the activation of RLRs. In virus-infected cells, RLRs recognize viral RNA and then induce antiviral responses. A better understanding of viral antagonistic strategies against RLRs will provide insights into the development of new antiviral medicines. This mini-review concludes that there are three main antagonistic strategies by which RNA viruses can counteract the activation of the RLRs pathway. It aims to provide references and insights for similar studies on viral antagonism in an array of RNA viruses.
DEAD Box Protein 58 ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; genetics ; immunology ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; RNA Viruses ; genetics ; immunology ; physiology ; RNA, Double-Stranded ; genetics ; immunology ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; Virus Diseases ; genetics ; immunology ; virology

To establish the online two-dimensional liquid chromatography by using double gradient liquid chromatography system and UV detector, in order to simultaneously determine the content of paeoniflorin, paenol, amygdaloside and cinnamic acid. A pump of the two-dimensional liquid chromatography was adopted as the one-dimensional separation pump. C18 (3.0 mm x 150 mm, 3 microm) was used as the analytical column, with acetonitrile as the organic phase and 0.08% phosphoric acid + 0.08% triethylamine as the aqueous phase for gradient elution at the flow rate of 0.5 mL x min(-1). Another pump of the two-dimensional liquid chromatography was adopted as the two-dimensional separation pump. PAII C18 was used as the analytical column, with acetonitrile as the organic phase and 20 mmol, pH 3.0 monopotassium phosphate as the aqueous phase for gradient elution at the flow rate of 0.8 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelengths were set at 218, 230, 275 nm by using wavelength time-switching program. The linearity range of paeoniflorin, amygdaloside, paeonol and cinnamic acid were 5.55-222 (r = 0.999 7), 6.6-264 (r = 0.999 8), 3.3-132 (r = 0.999 5) and 0.315-12.6 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.999 7), respectively. The average recoveries of the four components were between 96.12% and 103.9%. The experiment proved that this method was so rapid and accurate in determination results that it could be used for evaluating drug quality.
Capsules ; Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Online Systems ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect and safety of Chinese herbal medicine Lingdankang Composite (LDK) combined dendritic cell-cytokine induced killer cells (DC-CIK) in treating leukemia.

METHODSSubjects were selected from leukemia patients who achieved hematological complete remission (HCR) but not achieved molecular biological remission (MBR), or with minimal residual leukemia (MRL) positive. Twenty patients, 19 of acute leukemia and 1 of chronic myelocytic leukemia, were enrolled. DC and CIK from patient's peripheral blood monocyte were separated respectively by blood cell separator, then DC-CIK was obtained through respective culture followed with mixed cultivation of them, and was infused back to the patient self via intravenous injection. The back infusion of DC-CIK was performed once every 15-20 days for 4-6 times in total. Meantime, LDK was administered orally every day.

RESULTSIn the 20 patients treated, 4 case of HCR achieved MBR, the negatively reversed marker gene was AML1/ETO in 1 case, CBFbeta/MYH11 in 1, bcr/abl in 1, and the other 1 was IgH gene rearrangement; 3 patients with positive MRL were reversed to negative. The 3-year CR rate was 75% with a medium CR period of 25 months (10-37 months). Except transient fever and chill in 5 cases, no other remarkable adverse reaction happened during or after DC-CIK infusion.

CONCLUSIONThe combined treatment of LDK and autologous DC-CIK in treating patients with HCR shows an obvious effect of clearing MRL, it is the appropriate choice for curing leukemia of HCR, and is safety for intravenous infusion, so it has potential clinical prospect.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; cytology ; transplantation ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; transplantation ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia ; immunology ; therapy ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the applicability of immune-related response criteria (irRC) in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by Chinese medicine (CM).

METHODSTotally 97 stage III a-IV NSCLC patients were predominantly treated with comprehensive CM. Curative effects were evaluated by three methods such as Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), Oncologic Curative Effect Evaluation Criteria of Chinese Medicine in Solid Tumor (draft, abbreviated as CM criteria), and irRC. The correspondency and consistency between irRC, RECIST and CM criteria were analyzed and compared. The objectivity of irRC in evaluating curative effect of Chinese medical treatment for NSCLC was assessed.

RESULTSThe correspondency rate of irRC to RECIST was 59. 79% with Kappa value of 0. 379 (U test, P <0. 01). The two criteria had certain correspondence, but with an unsatisfactory consistency. The correspondency rate of irRC to CM criteria rate was 83. 51% with Kappa value of 0.751 (U test, P <0. 01). The two criteria had good correspondence and consistency.

CONCLUSIONSCM criteria had good consistency with CM criteria in evaluating curative effect for Chinese medical treatment of advanced NSCLC. Its results could objectively reflect features and advantages of CM for treating advanced NSCLC.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Treatment Outcome

Adult male Kunming mice were divided into normal control group,propylthiouracil(PTU) treated group and PTU+T_4 treated group.Neurogranin(Ng)protein expression in the hippocampus after 8 weeks was assayed by Western blotting and immunohistochemical method.Results showed that Ng protein was decreased in the hippocampus of male mice with adult-onset hypothyroidism,suggesting that decreased Ng,which is correctable by T_4,is involved in cognitive dysfunction in adult-onset hypothyroid male mice.