OBJECTIVETo observe the short-term and long-term efficacies on primary dysmenorrhea treated with staging acupoint embedment therapy.

METHODSSeventy cases of primary dysmenorrhea were randomized into an embedment therapy group and a fenbid group, 35 cases in each one. In the embedment therapy group, the embedment therapy was applied twice during the menstrual cycle, one treatment 3 days before menstruation and one treatment during the 12th-14th days of menstruation, respectively. Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Diji (SP 8) and Ciliao (BL 32) were the main acupoints in the treatment 3 days before menstruation. Shenshu (BL 23), Ganshu (BL 18) and Pishu (BL 20) were the main acupoints in the treatment during menstruation. In the fenbid group, fenbid was prescribed for oral administration, 0.3 g each time, twice a day, starting 3 days before menstruation till pain was relieved. The treatment of one menstrual cycle was one session. The continuous treatment of 3 menstrual cycles was required. The short-term and long-term efficacies were evaluated at the end of the 3rd cycle and in 3 months after the treatment terminal. The dysmenorrhea score was used to evaluate the efficacy. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and SF-36 were for the assessment of pain degree and life quality.

RESULTS(1) The total effective rate was 91.4% (32/35) in the embedment therapy group after the 3 menstrual cycles, which was better than 74.3% (26/35) in the fenbid group (P < 0.01). In the follow-up stage, the total effective rate was 91.4% (32/35) in the embedment therapy group, which was better than 40.0% (14/35) in the fenbid group (P < 0.01). (2) The differences were not significant in dysmenorrhea score and VAS score after the 1st and 2nd menstrual cycle treatments between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In the 3rd menstrual cycle and the follow-up stage, the dysmenorrhea score and VAS score were reduced obviously in the embedment therapy group as compared with those in the fenbid group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The rebound effect occurred in the follow-up stage in the fenbid group. (3) In the 3rd menstrual cycle and the follow-up stage, the improvement in the total score of life quality of the embedment therapy group was superior apparently to the fenbid group (P < 0.05, P < 0. 01).

CONCLUSIONThe staging acupoint embedment therapy achieves the superior short-term and long-term efficacies as compared with the oral administration of fenbid in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. As the symptoms of dysmenorrhea and pain are relieved, the life quality is improved.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Catgut ; utilization ; Dysmenorrhea ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Pain Measurement ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Humans ; Organometallic Compounds ; chemistry ; metabolism ; toxicity

Child ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnostic imaging ; virology ; Radiography

To survey the serum uric acid (SUA) levels and associated risk factors of hyperuricemia among youth and middle-aged residents in Guangzhou.A total of 1420 subjects,aged from 20 to 60 years,receiving health check-up at our hospital in 2010 were enrolled.The total prevalence of hyperuricemia was 22.04％,32.01％ in males and 14.07％ in females.The average SUA was (388 ±78) μmol/L in males and (288 ± 63) μ mol/L in females.The prevalence of hyperuricemia in males was 30.11％ before 40 years of age and 33.81％ between 40 and 60 years of age.The average level of SUA in males was significantly higher than that of females.logistic regression analysis showed that BUN,body mass index (BMI) and hypertriglyceridemia were the independent risk factors of disease while HDL-C and gender (females) the protective factors.

Codon usage bias is an important characteristic of genetic information transfer in organisms. Analysis of codon usage bias of different species is important for understanding the rules on genetic information transfer. The previous method for analysis of codon usage bias is mainly based on genomic data. However, this method is greatly limited, because the genome sequences of higher organisms are still not available up to now. In this study, we found that we could obtain the same optimal codons of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis: Fr.) P. Karst based on its whole genomic data or large-scale transcriptomic data from its liquid-cultured hyphae, primordium and fruiting body, separately. This result indicated the feasibility to understand the codon usage bias based on the large-scale transcriptomic data. By calculating the proportion of rare codons of Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in 26 terpene synthases (TS) of G. lucidum, we found that the rare codons of S. cerevisiae have a higher proportion in TS genes, while the rare codons of E. coli have relatively lower, suggesting that the TS genes of G. lucidum are possibly more difficult to be expressed in S. cerevisiae than in E. coli. Chemical synthesis of TS genes according to the yeast optimal codons will be an effective way to solve the problem on the mismatch of gene codon bias between the foreign genes and the host strain.
Codon ; Escherichia coli ; Genome, Fungal ; Reishi ; genetics ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; Transcriptome

This study aims to investigate the biotransformation of Epimedium brevicornu flavonoids under the effect of hydrolytic enzymes in vitro. Snailase was mainly used to hydrolyze E. brevicornu flavonoids, and HPLC was used to determine the content of the main flavonoids in E. brevicornu flavonoids. The data results showed that the main known flavonoids included icariin, epimedin A, epi-mendin B and epimendin C, which were completely transformed into baohuoside I, sagittatoside A, sagittatoside B and 2"-O-rhamnosyl-icariside II in 1-2 h, respectively. Their transformed products were continuously hydrolyzed over time. In conclusion, snailase could transform E. brevicornu flavonoids into secondary glycoside or aglycone under 37 degrees C in pH 6.0 HBSS balanced salt solution in 2 h. Moreover, its enzymatic hydrolysates were consistent with intestinal metabolites.
Biotransformation ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Hydrolysis ; Temperature

Objective To investigate the value of high-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography combined with two-dimensional strain imaging in early diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Methods Highdose dobutamine stress echocardiography was performed to 28 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. All wall movements were observed during resting condition and at all stress levels,respectively;the peak systolic longitudinal strain in each endomyocardial segment of left ventricular was measured; the sensitivity and specificity between visual method and two-dimensional strain imaging in diagnosing myocardial ischemia with high-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography were compared. The average peak systolic longitudinal strain was calculated against control group, coronary artery disease group during ischemia segments and non-ischemia segments, and a comparison was made inside each group as well as against the other groups. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the peak systolic longitudinal strain was used to predict the sensitivity and the specificity of myocardial ischemia. Results With dobutamine dose of 40 μg·kg-1 · min-1 ,wall motion abnormalities were diagnosed in 6 patients (20 segments) through visual method, myocardial ischemia was found in 15 patients (148 segments) through computing the peak systolic longitudinal strain. Inside the coronary artery disease group during ischemic　segments,the majority of peak systolic longitudinal strain was significantly reduced ( P＜0.05) compared to the non-ischemic segments and the control group. In diagnosing myocardial ischemia in high-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography, the sensitivity of visual method and two-dimensional strain imaging were 35.3％ and 88.2％(P＜0.01), specificity 100％ and 100％(P＞0.05), and accuracy 60.7％ and 92.8％ (P＜0.01). The cutoff value of the peak systolic longitudinal strain was less than or equal to 14.9％, its sensitivity and specificity in predicting myocardial ischemia were 83.3％ and 91.7％,respectively. Conclusions High-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography combined with two-dimensional strain imaging can increase the sensitivity of detecting myocardial ischemia and detect concealed myocardial ischemia. High-dose dobutamine stress echocardiography combined with two-dimensional strain imaging can be used in early diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

Objective To construct and purify the recombinant protein of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase(PAF-AH) isoformⅠ,and study the enzyme activity by different substrates. Methods The ? subunit of PAF-AH isoformⅠwas cloned and expressed in E.coli.Exogenously expressed recombinant protein was purified to SDS-PAGE homogeneity,and its activity was identified by arylesterase detection.Phenylacetate,l-O-hexadecyl-2-deoxy-2-thioacetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine(2-Thio PAF) and 1-myristoyl-2-(4-nitrophenylsuccinyl) phosphatidylcholine(the latter two were commercial plasma PAF-AH substrates) were used for the substrate identification.The plasma type PAF-AH was served as positive control. Results Recombinant protein of ? subunit of PAF-AH isoformⅠwas successfully constructed and expressed in E.coli after purification.Compared with positive control,the recombinant protein could hydrolyze phenylacetate and 2-Thio PAF,but could not hydrolyze 1-myristoyl-2-(4-nitrophenylsuccinyl) phosphatidylcholine.Conclusion Recombinant protein of ? subunit of PAF-AH isoformⅠcan be successfully constructed.There are differences in the substrate specification to the two commercial PAF substrates for PAF-AH isoformⅠand plasma type PAF-AH,which provides a quick method to differentiate PAF-AH isoformⅠfrom plasma type PAF-AH.

Background and purpose: Short tandem repeats (STR) multiplex PCR fluorescence detection technology is the most widely used DNA technology in individual identity and genetic identification. It's the most direct method to obtain accurate conclusions. However, some studies have indicated that the rate of STR mutations in tumor tissue is significantly higher than that in normal tissues or blood. This study aimed to investigate the tendency of genetic instability in 20 STR loci on autosomal and Amel loci in tumor tissue samples from lung cancer. Methods: This study, collected 75 cases of human lung cancer tissues and the adjacent normal tissues. DNA samples were extracted by tissue DNA extraction kit, amplified using MicroreaderTM 21 Direct ID System PCR amplification kit. Capillary electrophoresis was performed using API 3130 analyzer, and results were analyzed by genetic analysis software (Gene Mapper ID V3.2). Results: STR alterations were detected in 24 specimens from 75 lung cancer tissues (32%). Fifty-five alterations were detected in the frequently used 21 STR loci in total, including additional alleles 10 times, loss of heterozygosity 10 times, partial loss of heterozygosity 35 times. Partial loss of heterozygosity was the most common genetic alteration types accounting for 63.64% of the total alteration frequency. And multiple genetic alteration types could occur in the same lung cancer tissue. Among them, the highest alteration frequency occurred on D5S818 (7 times), secondly on D3S1358 and D12S391 (both 5 times), and no alterations on D2S441 and Penta E. Combining the experimental results and analysis on clinical data, this study found the statistical differences between the staging of lung cancer and the age of the patients with the STR loci alterations (P<0.05). However, the alterations did have much relationship with the classification of lung cancer and the patient's gender (P>0.05). Conclusion: STR loci of the lung cancer tissue were not stable, and the alteration occurred in the aged or high malignant degree lung cancer tissue more frequently. Meanwhile, no alteration was detected on D2S441 and Penta E. In the future research the two STR loci should be verified to determine whether they can be used as the stable STR loci in such cases by increasing the sample size.

Objective: To establish a rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing assay in positive blood cultures, so as to provide insights into timely diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infections. Methods: A total of 1 154 blood culture samples were collected from inpatients in Zhejiang Hospital from February to May, 2022. The bacterial isolates were enriched and purified using improved separation gel method, and bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using VITEK2 mass spectrometry system and VITEK2 Compact automated microbiology system. The accuracy of the new assay for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests was evaluated with the conventional VITEK 2 compact system as the standard. Results: Of 1 154 blood culture specimens, the conventional VITEK 2 compact system detected 174 positives and 980 negatives. The new assay and the conventional VITEK 2 compact system identified consistent bacterial isolates in 165 out of 174 positive blood culture samples, and the accuracy of bacterial identification was 94.83% for the new assay, with a 99.21% accuracy for identifying Gram-negative bacteria and 82.22% for Gram-positive bacteria. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed in 158 bacterial isolates, and the new assay presented a 90.17% accuracy, with a 90.27% accuracy for Gram-negative bacteria and 89.74% for Gram-positive bacteria. The conventional VITEK 2 compact system required 30 hours and longer to complete bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests, and the new assay required 9 to 18 hours. Conclusions The new rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing assay shortens the time of bacterial culture, achieves rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in blood culture specimens and has a high accuracy that meets clinical needs, which facilitates rapid diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infections.