Objective:To analyze and summarize the commonalities and patterns in acupoint selection for moxibustion treatment of asthma. Methods: Data retrieval was conducted using ‘moxibustion’ and ‘asthma’ as the keywords through China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang) and Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP). Excel 2010 was used to establish the major acupoint database for moxibustion prescriptions in treatment of asthma; data mining methods including association patterns and clustering were adopted to analyze the characteristics and patterns in acupoint selection for moxibustion treatment of asthma. Results: A total of 161 moxibustion prescriptions were recruited. The most commonly used acupoint was Feishu (BL 13), the most commonly used meridian was the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang, and the most commonly treated region was the back. The association rule analysis showed that Feishu (BL 13)-Dazhui (GV 14)-Fengmen (BL 12) had the most significant correlation, and the clustering analysis discovered 5 effective acupoint clusters. Conclusion: In moxibustion treatment of asthma, topical acupoints Feishu (BL 13), Dazhui (GV 14) and Fengmen (BL 12) can be selected, along with the acupoints from the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang and the back.

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) on related inflammatory cells and inflammatory factors in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthma model rats, and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion in treating asthma. Methods: A total of 48 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a moxibustion group and a medication group, with 12 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the rats in the other three groups were subjected to ovalbumin sensitization to stimulate the asthma. At the same time, rats in the moxibustion group received moxibustion at bilateral Feishu (BL 13), and rats in the medication group received dexamethasone by intragastric administration. Rats in the normal and the model groups only received the same fixation and normal saline by intragastric administration. After the interventions, the inspiratory resistance, the expiratory resistance, and the pulmonary compliance were measured for rats in each group; the numbers of the inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were counted; the levels of the involved inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were detected; the pathological morphologies of the lung tissues were observed under light microscope. Results: After modeling, compared with the normal group, the rats in the model group showed obvious asthma attack-like response, significantly increased inspiratory resistance and expiratory resistance (both P<0.01), and significantly reduced pulmonary compliance (P<0.01); thickened tracheal wall and the narrowed tracheal lumen observed under the light microscope; infiltration of inflammatory cells and increased eosinophils in and around the tracheal wall; significantly increased total number of inflammatory cells and proportion of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (all P<0.01); significantly reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ (all P<0.01), and significantly increased levels of IL-4, IL-5 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (all P<0.01) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. After intervention, compared with the model group, rats in the moxibustion and the medication groups showed significantly reduced asthma-like reaction, pathological morphological damage of lung tissue, inspiratory resistance and expiratory resistance (all P<0.01); significantly increased pulmonary compliance (P<0.01); significantly reduced total number of inflammatory cells, proportion of eosinophils, levels of IL-4, IL-5 and TNF-α in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while significantly increased IL-12 and IFN-γ levels (all P<0.01) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; rats in the medication group also showed a significantly reduced IL-10 level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (P<0.01); there was no statistically significant difference between the moxibustion and the medication groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Both moxibustion at Feishu (BL 13) and intragastric administration of dexamethasone can improve the asthma attack-like symptoms of ovalbumin-sensitized rats; regulating the inflammatory cell numbers and the inflammatory factor contents in the lung may be one mechanism of moxibustion in treating asthma.

ObjectiveNano-graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) can be used to target fluorescent markers. The stem cell labeling is an important method in studying stem cell treatments. Our study aims to explore the possibility of using GOQDs as living cell fluorescent marker materials for human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs), and to evaluate the biosecurity and effect as live cell fluorescence markers of GOQDs.Methods GOQDs were testified by TEM, DLS, UV-vis, and PL spectra. hPDLSCs were obtained by tissue cultivation and separated by single cell-derived colony selection. Then the source of the cells was carried out by immunocytochemical staining of anti-vimentin, anti-cytokeratin, and multipotent differentiation was used in the identification of stem cells. hPDLSCs were incubated with different concentrations of GOODs (0, 10, 25, and 50 μg/mL) for 24h and 72 h. Cytotoxicity and proliferation effects were determined using CCK-8, and cell cycles were detected using flow cytometry after the co-culture of GOQDs and hPDLSCs. The fluorescent labeling effect of GOQDs was tested using laser scanning confocal microscopy.ResultsThe characterization of GOQDs showed that the nanoparticles were evenly dispersed in water and showing blue light at 365 nm. TEM and DLS showed GOQDs had good dispersion, and the particle size was (6.36±1.41) nm. Immunocytochemical staining of anti-vimentin was positive while anti-cytokeratin was negative. The results of cytotoxicity showed there were no significant differences in cell activity after incubated with different concentrations of GOODs (0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/mL) (P>0.05), and there was no significant decrease in cell activity between 24h and 72h (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the proportional distribution of G1, G2, and S phases between the two concentrations of GOQDs (0 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL) (P>0.05). Fluorescent images showed that GOQDs could enter the cell membrane and increase the fluorescence intensity at the concertation of 50 μg/mL.ConclusionGOQDs were confirmed to have good biocompatibility and could be used for live cell labeling of hPDLSCs.

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) and analyze their treatment methods. Methods: From January 2000 to December 2020, patients with CCD who completed comprehensive treatment in the Department of Orthodontics and the First Dental Clinic, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 14 CCD patients [7 males and 7 females, aged (16.1±4.5) years] were collected. There were 153 impacted permanent teeth in this study. In addition to the teeth that needed to be extracted due to special conditions, 147 impacted teeth were pulled into the dentition using closed traction. Patients were divided into adolescent group (≥12 years and<18 years, 10 patients) and adult group (≥18 years, 4 patients). Failure rate of traction was compared between the two groups. Factors affecting the success rate of closed traction such as vertical position of teeth (high, middle and low) and horizontal position of the teeth (palatal, median and buccal) were analyzed. Results: The incidence of maxillary impacted teeth [69.3% (97/140)] was higher than that of mandibular impacted teeth [40% (56/140)]. The difference was statistically significant (χ²=24.22, P<0.001). The supernumerary teeth were mainly located in the premolar area 61.4% (21/44), and most of them were in the palatal region of the permanent teeth 95.5% (42/44). They were generally located at the same height or the occlusal side of the corresponding permanent teeth. The success rate of closed traction was 93.9% (138/147). The success rate in the adolescent group [98.2% (108/110)] was higher than that in the adult group [81.1% (30/37)], and the difference was significant (χ²=14.09, P<0.05). Failure after closed traction of 9 teeth was found totally, including 7 second premolars. The success rate of traction in impacted second premolars at different vertical (χ²=11.44, P<0.05) and horizontal (χ²=9.71, P<0.05) positions in alveolar bone was different significantlly. The success rates of the second premolars were high (15/16), middle (12/13), low (2/7), and lingual palatine (10/17), median (19/19), lip-buccal (0/0), respectively. Conclusions: The closed traction of impacted teeth in patients with CCD was effective, and the age was the main variable affecting the outcome. The success rate of traction in impacted second premolars located in low position vertically or in palatal position was low, which required close observation during treatment.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Bicuspid ; Child ; Cleidocranial Dysplasia/therapy* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Retrospective Studies ; Tooth, Supernumerary/surgery* ; Young Adult