OBJECTIVE: To examine the clinical benefits of acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients. METHODS: A total of 150 KOA patients were randomized into simple medication and acupuncture plus medication (combined treatment) groups (n＝75 in each). For all the patients, intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate (2 mL) was performed once a week for 5 weeks, and for patients of the combined treatment group, filiform needles were separately inserted into unilateral or bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), Liangqiu (ST 34), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Xiyangguan (GB 33), Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4) and Xuehai (SP 10) according to the focus, and manipulated with the uniform reinforcing and reducing technique, followed by retaining the needles for 30 min. The acupuncture treatment was given once every day or every other day, 5 weeks in total. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain severity of knee-joint, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) employed to assess the 1) pain severity during various positions or movements (20 points), 2) severity of joint stiffness (8 points), and 3) difficulty in performing daily functional activities (68 points). The therapeutic effect was evaluated according to the decreased level of WOMAC subscale scores and improvement of daily activities. RESULTS: After the treatment, the VAS scores of both medication and combined treatment groups were decreased significantly in comparison with their own pre-treatment in each group (P<0.05), and that of the combined treatment group was significantly lower than that of the medication group (P<0.05). WOMAC and daily activity fin-dings showed that of the two 75 KOA patients in the medication and combined treatment groups, 16 (21.33%) and 32 (42.67%) experienced marked improvement, 46 (61.33%) and 38 (50.67%) were improved, and 13 (17.33%) and 5 (6.67%) ineffective, with the total effective rates being 82.67% and 93.33%, respectively. The therapeutic effect of the combined treatment group was apparently superior to that of the simple medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate is effective in improving KOA patients' pain severity and other symptoms as well as functional activities.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect and safety of chiropractic in treating cervicogenic sudden hearing loss.

METHODSFrom January 2011 to October 2013, 90 patients with cervicogenic sudden hearing loss were randomly divided into treatment group and control group according to the random number table produced by SPSS 19.0 software. In the treatment group, there were 17 males and 28 females, aged from 31 to 62 years old with an average of (47.57±9.43) years; course of disease was from 1 to 3 days with an average of (1.43±0.68) days; pure-tone audiometry score was from 46.5 to 77.8 dB with the mean of (61.20±9.83) dB; Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) score was from 17 to 31 scores with an average of (23.46±7.18) scores. In the control group, there were 15 males and 30 females, aged from 28 to 64 years old with an average of (45.77±6.99) years; course of disease was from 1 to 3 days with an average of (1.50±0.73) days; pure-tone audiometry score was from 48.1 to 75.0 dB with the mean of (63.91±8.05) dB; Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) score was from 20 to 29 scores with an average of (25.61±10.43) scores. The patients of control group were treated with dexamethasone intravenous drip of 10 mg, 3 days later, decreased to 5 mg, 3 days again. And with the methycobal intravenous drip of 500 μg, treatment continued for 10 days. The patients of treatment group were treated with chiropractic additionally except for the therapeutic methods of control group. Chiropractic included local muscle loosening, attacking point, bilateral pulling atlanto-axial joint, and continuous treatment for 10 days. The pure-tone audiometry score and NPQ score were compared between two groups after treatment.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, pure-tone audiometry score and NPQ score in treatment group improved to (40.23± 8.14) dB and (12.70±8.29) scores respectively, which were obviously better than that of control group's (37.70±10.61) dB and (21.24±11.13) scores (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with routine method for cervicogenic sudden hearing loss, additional chiropractic can improve hearing and relieve neck pain effectively.

Cervical Vertebrae ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Chiropractic ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged

Cardiac Catheterization ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; therapy ; Humans ; Prosthesis Implantation ; instrumentation ; Septal Occluder Device

【Objective】To investigate the analgesic and degenerated regularity of paravertebral ozone injection in the discogenic pain model of SD rats ，and to reveal the mechanism of analgesic effect of ozone preliminarily.【Methods】 Male SD rats（n = 65）were randomly divided into control group（n = 15），model group（n = 25）and ozone group（n = 25）. The L5- 6 intervertebral discs of SD rats in model group and ozone group were punctured to establish discogenic pain models. Ozone was injected paravertebrally in ozone group rats on the 22nd day after modeling. The rats in control group were normal. A quantitative allodynia assessment technique and MRI were used to detect the 50% mechanical withdrawal threshold（50%MWT）and Pfirrmann grade of L5-6 intervertebral discs at different time intervals. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF- α）and calcitonin gene-related peptide（CGRP）in left dorsal root ganglion and sciatic nerve were detected by western blot.【Results】The 50% MWT of both hind paws were different from each other in three groups at each time after the 22nd day after modeling（P < 0.05）. In the ozone group，the 50% MWT rose on the 22nd day after modeling（left 7.6±6.8，right 3.6±1.0，P < 0.05 vs pre-ozone injection），and reached the peak on the 24th day after modeling（left 10.6±8.2，right 7.9±6.7，P < 0.05 vs pre-ozone injection），and maintained this level until the 56th day after molding. In the ozone group，the L5-6 intervertebral disc degeneration was apparently visible compared with model group（P < 0.05）. The expression of TNF- α and CGRP in dorsal root ganglion and sciatic nerve were different from each other in three groups（model>ozone>control，P < 0.05）.【conclusions】Paravertebral ozone injection can alleviate the pain of discogenic pain model rats，but aggravates the degeneration of the lumbar disc. Paravertebral ozone injection can reduce the expression of TNF-α and CGRP in the sciatic nerve and dorsal root ganglia of discogenic pain model rats.

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy of small dose CAG regimen and MA regimen in the senile patients with acute myeloid leukemia(AML).

METHODSThe clinical data of 83 senile patients with AML from Sep. 2012 to Sep. 2016 in our Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. According to the chemotherapy regimens, the patients were divided into CAG group and MA group; 36 patients in CAG group were treated with small dose CAG, while 47 patients in MA group were treated with MA. The curative efficiency(CR rate, PR rate,NR rate and OR rate), side effect (myelosuppression,infection,intestinal discomfort and hemorrage), serum cytokines(IL-6，IL-17，TGFβ）, and prognosis(survival rate in 2 years, MST and SST) were observed, compared and studied in these 2 group.

RESULTSThe curative efficiency, CR rate and PR rate of the CAG group were not significantly different from that of the MA group (P>0.05）. The side effect in CAG group was significantly lower than that in the MA group (P<0.05）. The levels of serum cytokines of the MA group were lower than those of the CAG group. Additionally, the prognosis was not significantly different between 2 groups(P>0.05）.

CONCLUSIONFor senile patients with acute myeloid leukemia, compared with traditional MA regimen, the small dose CAG has a certain curative efficacy and survival rate, and the incidence of side effect reduced. Therefore, the small dose CAG is superior to MA for the senile patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Cytarabine ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

AIM To evaluate the quality of Beidougen Formula Granules.METHODS Fifteen batches of standard decoctions and three batches of formula granules were prepared,after which paste rate and contents,transfer rates of magnoflorine,daurisoline,dauricine were determined.HPLC specific chromatograms were established,and cluster analysis was adopted in chemical pattern recognition.RESULTS For three batches of formula granules,the paste rates were 15.1%-16.6%,the contents of magnoflorine,daurisoline,dauricine were 18.93-19.39,9.42-9.60,6.79-6.85 mg/g with the transfer rates of 34.42%-35.25%,43.81%-44.65%,27.27%-27.51%from decoction pieces to formula granules,respectively,and there were seven characteristic peaks in the specific chromatograms with the similarities of more than 0.95,which demonstrated good consistence with those of standard decoctions and accorded with related limit requirements.Fifteen batches of standard decoctions were clustered into two types,and the medicinal materials produced from Jilin,Hebei,Shangdong could be used for the preparation of formula granules.CONCLUSION This reasonable and reliable method can provide references for the quality control and clinical application of Beidougen Formula Granules.

Case reports of indium-related lung disease in workers have raised public concern to the human toxicity of indium (In) and its compounds. However, studies evaluating the exposure or health of workers in In smelting plants are rare. Therefore, in this study, we focused on four In smelting plants, with the main objective of characterizing In in smelter plants in China and discussing the potential exposure biomarkers of In exposure. We recruited 494 subjectsat four In smelting plants in China. Personal air samples, first morning urine and spot blood samples were collected. In concentrations in samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In concentrations in air samples did not exceed the permissible concentration-time weighed average, but the smelter workers had a higher internal exposure to In. Positive correlations were observed between the air In and urine In concentrations, and between the air In and blood In concentrations. This study provides basic data for the following In exposure and health risk assessment.
Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; blood ; urine ; Biomarkers ; blood ; urine ; China ; Environmental Monitoring ; Female ; Humans ; Indium ; blood ; urine ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Metallurgy ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Young Adult

Objective: To explore the differences in subsequent analysis between metagenomic and 16Sr DNA sequencing in compositionally characterizing gut microbiota of healthy elderly. Methods: By using a panel study design, five monthly repeated measurements were performed among 76 healthy older people in Jinan City, Shandong Province. Their fecal samples were collected, and genomic DNA was extracted and analyzed through metagenomic and 16Sr DNA sequencing to compare the composition and diversity of gut microbiota. The correlation between species abundance and α diversity was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis, and the correlation between species abundance and β diversity was determined by Procrustes analysis. Results: The age of 76 participants was (65.07±2.75), and the body mass index was (25.03±2.40) kg/m². There were 38 males and 38 females. A total of 345 fecal samples were obtained from five monthly repeated measurements . Compared with 16S rDNA sequencing, metagenomic sequencing showed more annotated species at each level. The difference in the number of two sequencing species increased with the decrease of the level. Although there were significant differences in species richness between the two sequencing methods. Their species richness was highly correlated at both phylum (r=0.88, P<0.001) and genus (r=0.77, P<0.001) levels. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the common dominant species. Gut microbiota diversity analysis further showed that there was a significantly positive correlation between α diversity (r=0.70, P<0.001) and β diversities (M²=0.84, P<0.05) in the two groups. Conclusion: The annotation efficiency of metagenomic sequencing is much higher than that of 16S rDNA sequencing. The two sequencing methods are consistent in phylum abundance as well as α diversity.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics* ; Feces ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Metagenomics ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics*

A 55-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital due to "recurrent chest pain for 8 months, with worsening symptoms for 2 weeks". After admission, comprehensive relevant examinations led to the consideration of a giant chronic left ventricular pseudoaneurysm caused by myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries. Surgical treatment was performed at our hospital. We discuss the diagnosis and treatment of this patient.