Objective:To systematically evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of tuina therapy for primary insomnia.Methods:Nine Chinese and English databases were searched from the inception to May 2017 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying tuina therapy for insomnia.The enrolled articles were all RCTs with tuina as the monotherapy or major therapy in the experiment group,with clear diagnostic criteria for primary insomnia well recognized worldwide or in China,and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQ I) as one of the outcome measures.Two researchers evaluated the risk of bias and quality of the enrolled studies by following Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0.The meta-analysis was performed by RevMan version 5.3.Results:Eleven studies were included with a total of 1 076 participants.The Western medication adopted in the control groups were benzodiazepine receptor agonists.The studies were all assessed as high risk of bias for blinding since blinding method was unable to be performed due to the specificity of tuina therapy;no study reported the support of fund or potential interest conflict,so they were all rated unclear for selective reporting.The meta-analysis showed that compared with other traditional Chinese medicine therapies,tuina worked more effectively in reducing the PSQI score (MD=-4.11＜0,95％ confidence interval (CI)-6.01 to-2.22,P＜0.0001);compared with oral administration of Western medication,tuina showed more significant efficacy in reducing the PSQI score (MD=-3.42＜0,95％CI-5.19 to-1.66,P＜0.0001).Subgroup analysis showed that head tuina alone showed no significant difference compared with oral administration of Western medication regarding the change of PSQI score (MD=-4.19＜0,95％CI-8.87 to 0.50,P＞0.05);a combination of head and back tuina could more effectively reduce the PSQI score compared with oral administration of Western medication (MD=-2.08＜0,95％CI-3.09 to-1.06,P＜0.0001).Conclusion:Tuina can produce more significant efficacy in treating primary insomnia compared with other traditional Chinese medicine therapies and oral administration of Western medication,especially the combination of head and back tuina.

BACKGROUNDPancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human malignancies. Lymphangiogenesis plays an important role in lymph node metastasis of many solid tumors. It is well known that low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) can inhibit cell growth, cell invasion and angiogenesis, which are key processes in tumor progression.

METHODSWe measured the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. We used an in vitro assay to evaluate the anti-lymphangiogenic effect of an LMWH, Fragmin, on human lymphatic endothelial cell (HLEC) proliferation.

RESULTSFragmin at a low concentration can effectively inhibits HLEC proliferation induced by VEGF-C. VEGF-C secreted by PANC-1 cells stimulated HLEC proliferation. Low concentration LMWH suppressed HLEC proliferation induced by VEGF-C but did not affect proliferation or VEGF-C expression of PANC-1 cells, whereas high concentrations of LMWH inhibited PANC-1 cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that VEGF-C released by cancer cells plays an important role in promoting HLEC proliferation. The LMWH Fragmin has anti-lymphangiogenic effects and may inhibit lymphatic metastasis in pancreatic cancer.

Anticoagulants ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dalteparin ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C ; analysis ; genetics ; pharmacology

Based on the reconstruction of two-dimension phase space of time series of short ECG signals, the variation of the strange attractor geometry is described and two indices, VMI and VAI, are derived in this paper. The two indices can distinguish clearly the ECG signals of sinus rhythm, tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Stable results of VMI and VAI can be obtained by analyzing ECG signals of several seconds. They are expected to be used in the development of medical instruments for a fast realtime display of analysis results.
Animals ; Electrocardiography ; methods ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Rabbits ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Abnormalities, Multiple ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Spleen ; abnormalities ; Testis ; abnormalities

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical manifestations, genotypes, and genetic characteristics of two pedigrees with Kennedy disease.

METHODSThe clinical data of the patients from two Kennedy disease families were collected. The numbers of trinucleotide CAG repeats in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene were determined by DNA sequencing and repeat fragment analysis.

RESULTSFamily A was composed of 58 individuals in 4 generations. The proband had onset at 39 years old. There were two Kennedy disease patients in family B which included 61 individuals in 5 generations. The two patients had onset at 39 and 41 years old, respectively. All the three patients displayed limbs and bulbar muscular weakness because of the damage of lower motor neurons. They had androgen insensitivity syndrome in common, and showed mild or moderate increase in serum creatine kinase level. The electromyogram showed wild damage in anterior horn of spinal cord. Muscle biopsy displayed neurogenic muscular atrophy. The numbers of the CAG repeat expansion in the androgen receptor gene of the three patients were 49, 48, and 47, respectively. X-linked recessive mode of inheritance was demonstrated by pedigree analysis in the two families.

CONCLUSIONKennedy disease usually occurs in mid-adulthood man. The clinical features are the weakness and wasting of limbs and bulbar muscles. Genetic analysis contributes to diagnosis and identification of carriers, and is beneficial to genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Base Sequence ; Biopsy ; Bulbo-Spinal Atrophy, X-Linked ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electromyography ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Muscles ; pathology ; Pedigree ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the radiosensitizing effects of artesunate on human HeLa cells of cervical cancer in vitro.Methods Hela cells were irradiated with 60Co γ-rays.The dose rate was 0.635 Gy/min and the radiation dose was 0,1,2,4,6 Gy,respectively.The anti-proliferation activities of artesunate on HeLa cells were evaluated with MTT assay,to determine the most appropriate drug concentration.The effect of radiosensitivity was observed by using clonogenic assay.The single-hit multitarget model was used to plot the HeLa cell's dose-survival curve,to calculate mean lethal dose,quasithreshold dose and sensitization enhancement rate,and to evaluate its radiosensitization effect.The apoptosis was analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM) to further test the radiation senseitization of artesunate on HeLa cells.Results The inhibition of artesunate on HeLa cells increased with concentration.In radiation group,the cell cloning efficiency were 91.67% ,82.02% ,58.60% ,25.01%,respectively,and in artesunate (2.0 μ mol/L) + radiation group,the cell cloning efficiency were 74.93% ,60.53% ,22.38% ,5.05%.In radiation group and artesunate (2.0 μmol/L) + radiation group,the mean lethal dose(D0) was 2.95 and 2.07 Gy,respectively,while the qusai-threshold dose (Dq) were 2.01 and 1.24 Gy,respectively,and SER was 1.43.Compared with 2 and 6 Gy radiation group,the apoptosis rate of drug + radiation group increased from 12.26% ,40.08% to 22.71% ,59.92%.Conclusions The inhibiting effect of artesunate on HeLa cells is concentration-dependent.Artesunate has radiosensitizing effect on HeLa cells in vitro.

Objective To investigate the radiosensitizing effects of artemisinin on CNE human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro.Methods CNE human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line was used in this study.Cell growth kinetics was determined by MTT assay.Effect of the drug on radiosensitivity of CNE cells was analyzed by clonogenic assay.The change of cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry.Results The inhibition of CNE cells growth by artemisinin was increased with concentrations.Artemisinin (1 μmol/L)could enhance the radiosensitizing effects on CNE cell line,and the sensitizing enhancement ratio(SER)was 1.26.Artemisinin abrogated radiation-induced G2/M arrest of the tested CNE cells.Compared with the radiation alone group,the proportion of G2/M phase cells increased in radiation combined with drug group.Conclusions Artemisinin could reduce radiation-induced G2/M arrest and enhance the cytotoxicity of γ-irradiation on the CNE ceils.

OBJECTIVETransfusion transmitted virus (TTV) DNA was detected in serum samples obtained from healthy infants and volunteer blood donors living in Jiujiang city in an attempt to shed light on the prevalence of TTV infection and the transmission route of TTV infection in infants.

METHODSModified untranslated region, polymerase chain reaction (UTR PCR) and N22 PCR were performed to test TTV DNA in serum samples from 86 infants and 58 blood donors.

RESULTSTTV DNA was detected by UTR PCR in 51 (53.5%) infants and 58 (100%) in blood donors, while that tested by N22 PCR was 14 (16.3%) and 22 (37.3%) in infants and blood donors, respectively. Among infants younger than 30 days, 1 - 6 months and 7 - 12 months of age, TTV DNA was detected by UTR PCR and N22 PCR at rates of 0, 33.3%, 95.0% and 0, 7.4%, 30.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence rates of TTV DNA detected by UTR PCR were 95% in infants of 7 - 12 months after birth and 100% in healthy blood donors in Jiujiang city. However the results obtained by N22 PCR were much less frequently in the same population. Results showed that significant difference did exist in the prevalence of TTV DNA detected by the two different PCR systems. Age-dependent increase of TTV infection was observed in early childhood, while environmental sources were considered to be the most common route of TTV acquisition as the primary infection in infants. However, the prevalence of TTV in infants of 7 - 12 months was similar to that in healthy adults in the same region.

Base Sequence ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA Virus Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; chemistry ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid ; Torque teno virus ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristics of DNA mutations underlying Duchenne muscular dystrophy and provide prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSMultiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) were applied for analyzing DMD gene mutations in 388 unrelated Chinese patients and 53 fetuses.

RESULTSRespectively, 230 and 43 subjects were found to harbor a deletion (59.28%) or duplication (11.08%). Two deletion hotspots were identified, which have located at exons 45-54 and exons 3-19. Duplications were mainly detected at exons 2-43. Point mutations were identified in 29.64% of patients. Fifty three fetuses were prenatal diagnosed, among which 18 were identified as patients.

CONCLUSIONFrequencies of DMD gene deletions and duplications in China are similar to global data. Prenatal diagnosis can help to reduce births of DMD patients.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Dystrophin ; genetics ; Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; genetics ; Mutation ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between genotypes and phenotypes in Chinese patients with pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy.

METHODSPatients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) were diagnosed clinically. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were performed to detect potential DMD gene mutations. The results were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSAmong 280 patients, 238(85.0%) were diagnosed with DMD, 35(12.50%) were diagnosed with BMD and 7(2.5%) were diagnosed with intermediate muscular dystrophin (IMD). Among these, 252(92.31%) were in-frame mutations, and 21(7.69%) were out-of-frame mutations. Twelve patients with DMD have carried in-frame mutations, 9 with BMD have carried frame-shift mutations, and 7 IMD patients have carried frame-shift mutation.

CONCLUSIONMost of the genotypes and phenotypes of DMD have complied with the reading-frame hypothesis. Patients with BMD with frame-shift mutations may facilitate understanding of the pathogenesis of DMD, and provide a theoretical basis for clinical therapy.

Dystrophin ; genetics ; Exons ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Mutation ; Phenotype