Objective To evaluate the value of high frequency ultrasound in sciatic nerve of rat with diabetic neuropathy.Methods Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups:Diabetic animals were induced by intravenous injection of streptozotocin after high fat feed for 1 month,after which rats were grouped as 3-month (n =12) and 5-month (n =20) diabetes.Control group were received the streptozotocin vehicle and were classified as 3-month group (n =8) and 5-month group (n =10).Ultrasounic study of cross sectional area (CSA) and pathologic study including number and area of nerve fiber were performed at 3 and 5 months according to the disigned.Results The CSA,number and area of nerve fiber in 5 month diabetes were significantly reduced than 5-month control group (t =5.121,P ＜ 0.05; t =7.113,P ＜0.05; t =6.328,P ＜0.05).The CSA were statistically with the number and area of nerve fiber in 5 month diabetic group (r =0.732,P ＜0.05 ; r =0.715,P ＜0.05).However,the CSA had no significant correlation with the number and area of nerve fiber between 3-month diabetes and control group (P ＞0.05).Conclusions The CSA of sciatic nerve can evaluate the diabetic neuropathy of rat,which might be regarded as a potential index in diagnose of diabetic neuropathy.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of supplemented Buyang Huanwutang on kidney tissue， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） pathway， and fibrosis factors in diabetic kidney disease （DKD） mice. MethodA total of 24 db/db mice （11-12 weeks old） were randomized into the model group （equivalent volume of distilled water， once/day， 8 weeks）， supplemented Buyang Huanwutang group （16.0 g·kg^-1， once/day， 8 weeks）， and irbesartan group （13.5 mg·kg^-1， once/day， 8 weeks） after adaptive feeding for 1 week and positive urinary protein monitoring， with 8 in each group. Another 8 db/m mice （11-12 weeks old） were included in the normal group （equivalent volume of distilled water， once/day， 8 weeks）. Then samples were collected， and the levels of fasting blood glucose （FBG）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （SCr）， and urinary microalbumin （mALB） were detected. The mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 （MCP-1） was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The expression of nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， NF-κB inhibitor α （IκBα）， phosphorylated IκBα （p-IκBα）， transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁）， α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， and fibronectin （FN） in kidney tissue was measured by Western blot. The expression of NF-κB in renal tissue was detected by immunofluorescence. The pathological changes of kidney were observed under light microscope. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed glomerular hypertrophy， increase in extracellular matrix， thickening of basement membrane， small cystic lumen， interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration， and some interstitial fibrosis （P<0.01）. Moreover， the model group had higher content of FBG， mALB， TC， TG， BUN， and SCr （P<0.01）， higher expression of inflammatory factors TNF-α， IL-1β， and MCP-1， and fibrosis-related proteins TGF-β₁， α-SMA， and FN （P<0.01）， and stronger activation of NF-κB pathway in renal tissue （P<0.01） than the normal group. Compared with the model group， supplemented Buyang Huanwutang alleviated the pathological injury in kidney （P<0.01）， decreased the content of mALB， TC， and TG， the content of BUN and SCr （P<0.01）， and the content of TNF-α， IL-1β， and MCP-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and inhibited the activation of NF-κB pathway and the expression of fibrosis factors in renal tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， but had no significant effect on blood glucose level. ConclusionBy inhibiting NF-κB pathway and the expression of fibrosis factors in renal tissue， supplemented Buyang Huanwutang can exert anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis effect and alleviate the pathological damage in kidney tissue， thereby protecting the kidney.

Objective:To observe the efficacy and adverse reactions of fractional radiofrequency (FRF) in the treatment of facial acne scars.Methods:Fifty-seven patients with facial acne depressed scars were enrolled with the nature of Dreno scars as the diagnostic criteria. They were treated with lattice radiofrequency. The treatment heads were arranged in a matrix with a treatment area of 1.2 cm ×1.2 cm, an energy density of 80-100 mJ/pin, and an interval of five-seven once a week. And they were followed up and evaluated for the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions 6 months after the last treatment. Scoring was carried out according to the ECCA weight scores, and the efficacy judged according to complete improvement, significant improvement, moderate improvement, and mild improvement.Results:After 3 times of fractional radiofrequency treatment of 57 patients, the effective rate was 44 cases, accounting for 77.2%; the ECCA weight scores before and after treatment were 65.9±25.0 and 47.7±20.2, respectively; the difference was statistically significant ( t=13.92, P<0.001); At the same time of improvement, 32 cases of patients' complexion, fineness of pores, and skin elasticity had been improved to varying degrees, and patient satisfaction was high. Adverse reactions were mainly mild burning sensation, erythema and edema, and some patients had pale yellow exudate, etc, which could be relieved in 5-7 days. Conclusions:Fractional radiofrequency treatment of facial acne scars is safe and effective, with short recovery period, few adverse reactions and high patient satisfaction.

Objective:To compare efficacy and safety of 308-nm SQ light-emitting diode (LED) light versus 308-nm excimer light in the treatment of facial vitiligo.Methods:Patients with stable facial vitiligo were retrospectively collected from Department of Physical Therapy, Hospital of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from June 2018 to June 2020, who received treatment with 308-nm SQ LED light (LED group) or 308-nm excimer light (excimer light group). The treatment was performed once or twice a week, and patients who had received more than 8 sessions of treatment were included in the analysis of efficacy and safety. Statistical analysis was carried out by using chi-square test.Results:Totally, 68 patients with 90 lesions were enrolled into the LED group, including 36 males and 32 females, aged 25.01 ± 13.37 years; 20 patients with 28 lesions were enrolled into the excimer light group, including 13 males and 7 females, aged 27.15 ± 14.30 years. After 8 and 16 sessions of treatment, there was no significant difference in the response rate between the LED group (23.33%, 46.67%, respectively) and excimer light group (14.29%, 46.43%, χ2 = 1.05, < 0.001, respectively, both P > 0.05). During the treatment, 36 (52.94%) patients in the LED group developed persistent erythema, 17 (85%) in the excimer light group developed persistent erythema or blisters. The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the LED group than in the excimer light group ( χ2 = 16.43, P < 0.001) . Conclusion:Compared with the 308-nm excimer light, the 308-nm SQ LED light showed similar effect but higher safety for the treatment of facial vitiligo.

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum against oxidative stress and apoptosis in chondrocytes of rats with knee osteoarthritis （KOA）. MethodFifty male rats were orally administered with normal saline， low-， medium-， and high-dose Shentong Zhuyutang （1.73， 3.46， 6.92 g·kg^-1）， and glucosamine sulfate （0.3 g·kg^-1） for two weeks. Serum samples were collected after the treatment period. The KOA model was established， and chondrocytes were isolated and randomly divided into normal group， model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum groups， and glucosamine sulfate group. During the chondrocyte culture， adenosine monophosphate （AMP）-activated protein kinase （AMPK） inhibitor Compound C （10 μmol·L^-1） was added， and the cells were divided into normal group， model group， Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum group， and Compound C + Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum group. Cell proliferation was detected using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EdU） staining. Apoptosis was determined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL）. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） levels were measured using DCFH-DA probe. Glutathione （GSH） and malondialdehyde （MDA） levels were determined using the colorimetric method. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） was used to measure the mRNA expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 （MMP-3）， MMP-13， type Ⅱ collagen （Col Ⅱ）， and Aggrecan. Western blot was performed to measure the protein expression of phosphorylated （p）-AMPK and silent information regulator factor 1 （Sirt1）. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed a significant decrease in chondrocyte proliferation rate， GSH activity， Col Ⅱ and Aggrecan mRNA expression， p-AMPK and Sirt1 protein levels （P<0.01）， and increased ROS levels， MDA content， TUNEL-positive cell rate， and MMP-3 and MMP-13 mRNA expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum increased the number of EdU-positive cells， GSH activity， Col Ⅱ and Aggrecan mRNA expression， p-AMPK and Sirt1 protein levels in KOA rat chondrocytes （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and decreased the TUNEL-positive cell rate， ROS levels， MDA content， MMP-3 and MMP-13 mRNA expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum group， the Compound C + Shentong Zhuyutang-containing serum group showed significantly reduced p-AMPK and Sirt1 protein expression， GSH activity， Col Ⅱ and Aggrecan mRNA levels （P<0.01）， and increased TUNEL-positive cell rate， ROS levels， MDA content， MMP-3 and MMP-13 mRNA levels （P<0.01）. ConclusionShentong Zhuyutang-containing serum attenuates oxidative damage and reduces apoptosis in chondrocytes of rats with KOA， and its protective effect may be associated with the activation of the AMPK/Sirt1 signaling pathway.