Objective To observethe clinical efficacy of comprehensive acupuncture treatment in treating primary open-angle glaucoma, and to objectively evaluate the therapeutic efficacy.Method Twenty-eight patients (53 eyes) who received acupuncture treatment were recruited. By adopting a self-control design, the changes of intraocular tension, mean defect (MD) of vision field, mean sensitivity (MS), vision, and score of Quality of Life Scale for Patients with Visual Impairment (QLSPVI) were observed after 3-month acupuncture treatment.ResultThe intraocular tension of the 28 patients declined obviously after the treatment (P<0.01); MD, MS and vision didn't show significant improvements after the treatment (P>0.05); the QLSPVI score dropped significantly after the treatment (P<0.01);the total effective rate was 86.8%; the therapeutic efficacy wasn't correlated with age, disease duration, and treatment duration (P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture treatment can effectively reduce the intraocular tension, control the deterioration of MD and MS, maintain the level of vision, and enhance the quality of life of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma; with the same disease duration, the longer the treatment, the better the therapeutic efficacy.

Objective To investigate the role of high-mobility group AT-hook 2(HMGA2)in osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(ADSCs)and the effect of Hmga2 knockdown for promoting bone defect repair.Methods Bioinformatics studies using the GEO database and Rstudio software identified HMGA2 as a key factor in adipogenic-osteogenic differentiation balance of ADSCs.The protein-protein interaction network of HMGA2 in osteogenic differentiation was mapped using String and visualized with Cytoscape to predict the downstream targets of HMGA2.Primary mouse ADSCs(mADSCs)were transfected with Hmga2 siRNA,and the changes in osteogenic differentiation of the cells were evaluated using alkaline phosphatase staining and Alizarin red S staining.The expressions of osteogenic markers Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2),osteopontin(OPN),and osteocalcein(OCN)in the transfected cells were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting.In a mouse model of critical-sized calvarial defects,mADSCs with Hmga2-knockdown were transplanted into the defect,and bone repair was evaluated 6 weeks later using micro-CT scanning and histological staining.Results GEO database analysis showed that HMGA2 expression was upregulated during adipogenic differentiation of ADSCs.Protein-protein interaction network analysis suggested that the potential HMGA2 targets in osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs included SMAD7,CDH1,CDH2,SNAI1,SMAD9,IGF2BP3,and ALDH1A1.In mADSCs,Hmga2 knockdown significantly upregulated the expressions of RUNX2,OPN,and OCN and increased cellular alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition.In a critical-sized calvarial defect model,transplantation of mADSCs with Hmga2 knockdown significantly promoted new bone formation.Conclusion HMGA2 is a crucial regulator of osteogenic differentiation in ADSCs,and Hmga2 knockdown significantly promotes osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs and accelerates ADSCs-mediated bone defect repair in mice.

Objective To investigate the role of high-mobility group AT-hook 2(HMGA2)in osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(ADSCs)and the effect of Hmga2 knockdown for promoting bone defect repair.Methods Bioinformatics studies using the GEO database and Rstudio software identified HMGA2 as a key factor in adipogenic-osteogenic differentiation balance of ADSCs.The protein-protein interaction network of HMGA2 in osteogenic differentiation was mapped using String and visualized with Cytoscape to predict the downstream targets of HMGA2.Primary mouse ADSCs(mADSCs)were transfected with Hmga2 siRNA,and the changes in osteogenic differentiation of the cells were evaluated using alkaline phosphatase staining and Alizarin red S staining.The expressions of osteogenic markers Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2),osteopontin(OPN),and osteocalcein(OCN)in the transfected cells were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting.In a mouse model of critical-sized calvarial defects,mADSCs with Hmga2-knockdown were transplanted into the defect,and bone repair was evaluated 6 weeks later using micro-CT scanning and histological staining.Results GEO database analysis showed that HMGA2 expression was upregulated during adipogenic differentiation of ADSCs.Protein-protein interaction network analysis suggested that the potential HMGA2 targets in osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs included SMAD7,CDH1,CDH2,SNAI1,SMAD9,IGF2BP3,and ALDH1A1.In mADSCs,Hmga2 knockdown significantly upregulated the expressions of RUNX2,OPN,and OCN and increased cellular alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition.In a critical-sized calvarial defect model,transplantation of mADSCs with Hmga2 knockdown significantly promoted new bone formation.Conclusion HMGA2 is a crucial regulator of osteogenic differentiation in ADSCs,and Hmga2 knockdown significantly promotes osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs and accelerates ADSCs-mediated bone defect repair in mice.

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy of treating different diseases with the same acupuncture comprehensive therapy and intramuscular injection of ranibizumab in the treatment of macular edema, and to explore an effective treatment.

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted, ①Acupuncture combined with EA at Xinming one (Extra), Sizhukong (TE 23), Tongziliao (GB 1), once every other day; ②acupoint injection, alternation with compound anisodine and mecobalamine injection at Qiuhou (EX-HN 7), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), once every other day; ③auricular acupressure at yan (LO), gan (CO), shen (CO) and other points; ④plum-blossom needle at Zhengguang 1 (Extra), Zhengguang 2 (Extra), once every other day were given in the acupuncture group (20 cases, 24 affected eyes). Intramuscular injection of 0.5 mg ranibizumab was given in the ranibizumab group (22 cases, 23 affected eyes). The macular foveal thickness, early treatment diabetic retinopathy study of (ETDRS) visual acuity chart, self-evaluation scores of visual function impairment ophthalmopathy patient's quality of life scale were observed before treatment, after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.

RESULTS①At all the observation time points of the treatment, the macular thickness was lower than that before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05), and there was no significant difference between the acupuncture group and the ranibizumab group (all >0.05). ②Visual acuity was higher than that before treatment at all the time points in the two groups (all <0.05). After 3-months treatment, there was no statistical significance between the two groups (>0.05). After 6, 9, and 12 months treatment, the visual acuity in the acupuncture group was better than that in the ranibizumab group (<0.05, <0.01). ③At all the time points, the quality of life scores were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05). There was no statistical significance in the ranibizumab group compared with those before treatment (all >0.05). In 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of treatment, the quality of life scores in the acupuncture group was better than those in the ranibizumab group (<0.05, <0.01). ④The total effective rate of the acupuncture group was 79.2% (19/24), which was better than 30.4% (7/23) in the ranibizumab group (<0.05). ⑤The improvement of visual acuity before and after treatment was negatively correlated with the course of disease (<0.05), ie, the longer the disease course of the eyes, the worse the visual acuity and the worse the effect.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture comprehensive treatment can effectively treat macular edema, significantly improve the patient's vision, improve the subjective experience and the quality of life, and the shorter the course of the disease the more significant effect. Acupuncture comprehensive treatment is better than intramuscular injection of ranibizumab.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of Xiaoyusan new formula on the articular cartilage of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rabbits and its mechanism. MethodsA total of 42 New Zealand white rabbits aged 6 months were randomly divided into normal group, model group, ointment of Xiaoyusan group, and ointment of Xiaoyusan new formula group, with 10 rabbits in each group (the other 2 rabbits were used for model validation). Except for the normal group, the right knee joints of all rabbits in the other groups were prepared as KOA models according to the modified Hulth method. After 5 weeks of molding, the rabbits in ointment of Xiaoyusan group, ointment of Xiaoyusan New Formula group were given corresponding ointments for knee arthritis treatment, once a day, each time for 10 hours. After 2-week continuous administration and treatment, the knee joint cartilage of the four groups of rabbits was taken and the cartilage damage of each group was evaluated by Outerbridge grading method. The pathological changes of the cartilage, calcified layer and subchondral bone of the knee joint of rabbits in each group were observed by HE staining method under the light microscope, and the degree of cartilage degeneration was evaluated by Mankin's method. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) in the cartilage of rabbit knee joint in each group was deteced by immunohistochemistry. Results After the general observation of articular cartilage, the Outerbridge grading showed that the number of high-grade animals in ointment of Xiaoyusan group was reduced compared with the model group (P<0.05), and the number of high-grade animals in ointment of Xiaoyusan new formula group was also reduced (P<0.05) compared with ointment of Xiaoyusan group. HE staining showed that Mankin's scores of articular cartilage in the four groups ranked from high to low: model group (10.82±1.76), ointment of Xiaoyusan group (6.19±1.23), ointment of Xiaoyusan new formula group (2.64±1.18) and normal group (0.28±0.17). The difference among four groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical detection showed that the positive rates of MMP-13 expression in rabbit articular cartilage tissues in each group were (67.90±13.94)% of model group, (37.10±19.16)% of ointment of Xiaoyusan group, (13.60±3.10)% of ointment of Xiaoyusan new formula group and (3.20±2.39) % of normal group, ranking from high to low, and the difference among four groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). ConclusionXiaoyusan new formula can repair articular cartilage degeneration in KOA rabbits and decrease the expression of MMP-13 in cartilage, which may be one of the mechanisms of the treatment.