OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy of biased constitution patients treated by auricular point therapy on the basis of "preventive treatment" theory.

METHODSBy means of self-control, 1477 cases of biased constitution were regulated by auricular point sticking therapy or acupuncture, and follow-up and statistical analysis were conducted to observe the efficacy.

RESULTSThere were 322 markedly effective patients, 914 effective patients, 241 failed patients and the total effective rate was 83.7% (1236/1477).

CONCLUSIONThe comprehensive auricular treatment which is easy to operate and acceptable for patients has obvious effect in biased constitution patients. As a new direction of the "preventive treatment" theory, it can be promoted to be a new intervention way of health care.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Preventive Medicine ; Young Adult

This article reviews the advances in the research of the structural characteristics and the activating process of heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1), the factors that influence the expression of HSF-1, and the relationship between HSF-1 and the expression levels of NF-κB and heat shock protein (HSP). The expression of HSF-1 could be regulated in several stages in the course of interconversion between its active and inactive status. Unusual expression of HSF-1 mediated by NF-κB can lead to the quantitative and functional change of HSP. The quantitative and functional variation of HSP caused by regulation of HSF-1 could influence the normal synthesis and the pathological changes induced by excessive synthesis of protective proteins in cells under stress. We expect that further research would help elucidate novel pathways about the genesis and evolution mechanism of keloid, and it may finally help to find a novel strategy in the treatment of keloid.
Animals ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Heat Shock Transcription Factors ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDKeloids have a predilection for the aural region because of the special shape of the pinna. It is difficult to resect keloids entirely and maintain a satisfactory pinnal shape. Surgical excision in combination with radiotherapy is considered to be the most efficacious treatment available for severe keloids. This study was conducted to evaluate the treatment of aural keloids with intralesional excision and immediate postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy.

METHODSForty-six patients with a combined total of 74 aural keloids were treated by intralesional excision and immediate postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. All patients received a total dose of 20 Gy in 10 consecutive days. The time interval between keloid excision and delivery of the first radiotherapy fraction was < 24 hours in all cases. The median follow-up was 2.2 years.

RESULTSTwenty-nine patients with 48 keloids (64.9%) were highly satisfied with their outcome, and were rated as good by the surgeon. Six patients with 12 keloids (16.2%) showed general satisfaction but wanted aesthetic refinement, and these patients were rated as fair by the surgeon. Three patients with four keloids (5.4%) showed no evidence of recurrence after surgery, but disliked the result because of the discoloration and irregularity of the scar surface. These patients were rated as poor by the surgeon. Partial recurrence occurred in 8 patients with 10 keloids (13.5%). No major complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONIntralesional excision and immediate postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy is well tolerated and very effective in preventing recurrence of aural region keloids.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Ear Diseases ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Keloid ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDThe epidemiologic pictures of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Shanghai from 1998 through 2002 were reported, while the current status of KD in the following five years remains unknown.

METHODSA questionnaire form and diagnostic guidelines for KD were sent to 50 hospitals providing pediatric medical care in Shanghai, China. All patients with KD diagnosed during January 2003 through December 2007 were recruited.

RESULTSIn total, 1187 cases of KD were enrolled. The incidence of KD was 36.78 to 53.28 (mean 46.32 ± 6.51) per 100 000 children under the age of 5 years between 2003 and 2007, which was higher than the year from 1998 to 2002 of (27.32 ± 7.11) per 100 000, (t = 4.406, P = 0.002). Ages at onset ranged from 12 days to 13.6 years (median 1.8 years). It occurred more frequently in summer and spring. Coronary arterial lesions (CAL), defined as ectasia or aneurysm, accounted for 19.8% (232 cases). Flattened or inverted T wave was the most frequent finding (194 cases, 20.5%) by electrocardiogram. Intravenous gamma-globulin was administrated to 1028 cases (86.6%). The occurrence of CAL seemed less frequent in the patients received gamma-globulin from day 5 to day 9 after the onset with the regimen of 1000 mg/kg once or 1000 mg/kg twice.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of KD was increasing in Shanghai. Treatment with intravenous gamma-globulin from day 5 to day 9 after the onset with the regimen of 1000 mg/kg once or 1000 mg/kg twice resulted in less coronary sequelae.

Adolescent ; Age of Onset ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Study on features of acupoints with resistance test in the past half century is reviewed in this article. Mechanism and technology of the method are introduced as well as its shortcomings. The determination method of signal transmission along meridians with the combination of electrical network theories and practice is advanced. And the result of a series experiments on one meridian at the superficial part of the body are given as well. Thus, it is concluded that the signals of the point-in/point-out and the signals along a non-meridian path with the same distance are significantly different, which gives a verification of the feasibility of the method by using electrical network theories to set out characteristics of signal transmission along meridians dynamically.
Acupuncture Points ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Electrophysiology ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Meridians ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the association between urinary cadmium and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer.

METHODSThe clinicopathological characteristics of 240 patients with breast cancer were obtained and urine specimens were collected from October 2009 to July 2010. The concentration of urinary cadmium was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). χ(2) test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to analyze whether urinary cadmium is associated with clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer.

RESULTSThe median concentration of urine cadmium of 240 patients was 1.99 µg/g (25th percentile, 1.32 µg/g; 75th percentile, 2.88 µg/g). HER-2 positive rate, regional/distant metastasis rate, and advanced stage rate in patients with the highest tertile of cadmium concentration were significantly higher than those in the patients with second and lowest Cd tertiles (P = 0.042, P = 0.028 and P = 0.017, respectively), and 28.2% vs. 16.5% for HER-2 and 47.2% vs. 32.0% for regional/distant metastasis, respectively. There were still significant associations between urinary cadmium levels and these clinicopathological parameters after being adjusted in age by unconditional logistic regression model, respectively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study suggest that urinary cadmium levels are associated with the HER-2 status, regional/distant metastasis status and stages of breast cancer, respectively. Cadmium may induce highly aggressive breast cancer in humans.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; urine ; Cadmium ; urine ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the interaction of body mass index (BMI) and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP,rs17883901) in catalytic subunit of glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCLC) on breast cancer risk.Methods A total of 839 women with incident breast cancer and 863 age-matched controls without cancer were recruited at the same period in three affiliated hospitals of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou from October 2008 to June 2010.GCLC rs17883901 was genotyped by MALDI-TOF-MS.Binary unconditional logistic regression was applied to calculate odds ratios and 95％ confidence intervals.Results The difference of present BMI and BMI at age 20 was not statistically significant between cases and controls,either as the genotypes of GCLC.No association was found between BMI at present and premenopausal or postmenopausal breast cancer risk.But we found that women who had a BMI at age 20 of 18.5 to 22.9 had a marginally decreased risk of premenopausal breast cancer [OR and 95％CI:0.69 (0.48,1.00)].Among women with CT/TT genotypes,whose present BMI was greater than 25 had a increased risk [OR and 95％CI:1.91 (1.09,3.36)] of breast cancer and a decreased risk [OR and 95％CI:0.56(0.31,0.99)] with a BMI at age 20 of 18.5 to 22.9.There was a interaction between GCLC gene (rs17883901)and BMI at present in breast cancer risk (P=0.043),which was not found between rs17883901 and BMI at age 20.Conclusion Our findings indicate BMI at age 20 may be a protective factor of premenopausal breast cancer,while no association appears between GCLC (rs17883901) and breast cancer.Obesity at present may significantly increase the risk of breast cancer among women with CT/TT genotypes of GCLC (rs17883901).

Objective:To investigate and compare the effectiveness and safety of infrared bipolar radiofrequency (IR-RF) and nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) including 1 540 nm Er: glass and 1 927 nm thulium-doped laser, so as to choose a better pathway for clinical treatments on periorbital wrinkles.Methods:A prospective randomized self-controlled study was conducted in the Department of Laser and Aesthetic Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital. A total of 27 patients divided into 3 groups by random number table underwent split-face treatments between December 2019 and January 2021. Two of the three treatments were selected randomly for patients in each group: Group A, left side IR-RF vs. right side 1 540 nm NAFL; Group B, left side IR-RF vs. right side 1 927 nm NAFL; Group C, left side 1 540 nm NAFL vs. right side 1 927 nm NAFL. In total 3 sessions were given at 2 months interval. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated by subjective (GAIS and Fitzpatrick wrinkle score) and objective (VISIA-CR) assessments. Side effects and pain visual evaluation (VAS) were also recorded. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to evaluate the differences among the three therapeutic method , and relationships with VAS and patients’ age.Results:In total 30 patients (10 in each group) were recruited and finally 27 cases completed all treatments and follow-ups: Group A, 9 patients (male 3, female 6); Group B, 8 patients (male 3, female 5); Group C, 10 patients (male 4, female 6). The age distributions: Group A, 33-65 years, mean 36.9 years; Group B, 28-67 years, mean 38.6 years; Group C, 25-58 years, mean 37.8 years. GAIS comparisons: no statistical differences were found in each group between baseline and post-treatment ( P>0.05). Fitzpatrick wrinkle score: the overall analysis showed significant improvements were not found in IR-RF treated-side but were observed in 1 540 nm and 1 927 nm NAFL treated sides ( P<0.05). Furthermore, the 1 927 nm NAFL treated side showed more decreased scores than 1 540 nm NAFL treated side ( P<0.05). The VISIA analysis of feature counts of skin texture showed similar result. Besides, the patients over 50 years old showed significantly improvements compared with the ones under this age threshold in IR-RF treated sides ( P<0.05). The pain VAS in IR-RF treated side was significant lower than NAFL-treated side (2.2 vs. 5.8, P<0.05). Only one patient reported post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) in 1540 nm NAFL treated side, which disappeared progressively in 4 months after last treatment. Conclusion:Nonablative fractional laser is effective and safe in improving periorbital wrinkles. Infrared bipolar radiofrequency might be more suitable for elderly patients especially with low pain level.

Objective:To investigate and compare the effectiveness and safety of infrared bipolar radiofrequency (IR-RF) and nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) including 1 540 nm Er: glass and 1 927 nm thulium-doped laser, so as to choose a better pathway for clinical treatments on periorbital wrinkles.Methods:A prospective randomized self-controlled study was conducted in the Department of Laser and Aesthetic Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital. A total of 27 patients divided into 3 groups by random number table underwent split-face treatments between December 2019 and January 2021. Two of the three treatments were selected randomly for patients in each group: Group A, left side IR-RF vs. right side 1 540 nm NAFL; Group B, left side IR-RF vs. right side 1 927 nm NAFL; Group C, left side 1 540 nm NAFL vs. right side 1 927 nm NAFL. In total 3 sessions were given at 2 months interval. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated by subjective (GAIS and Fitzpatrick wrinkle score) and objective (VISIA-CR) assessments. Side effects and pain visual evaluation (VAS) were also recorded. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to evaluate the differences among the three therapeutic method , and relationships with VAS and patients’ age.Results:In total 30 patients (10 in each group) were recruited and finally 27 cases completed all treatments and follow-ups: Group A, 9 patients (male 3, female 6); Group B, 8 patients (male 3, female 5); Group C, 10 patients (male 4, female 6). The age distributions: Group A, 33-65 years, mean 36.9 years; Group B, 28-67 years, mean 38.6 years; Group C, 25-58 years, mean 37.8 years. GAIS comparisons: no statistical differences were found in each group between baseline and post-treatment ( P>0.05). Fitzpatrick wrinkle score: the overall analysis showed significant improvements were not found in IR-RF treated-side but were observed in 1 540 nm and 1 927 nm NAFL treated sides ( P<0.05). Furthermore, the 1 927 nm NAFL treated side showed more decreased scores than 1 540 nm NAFL treated side ( P<0.05). The VISIA analysis of feature counts of skin texture showed similar result. Besides, the patients over 50 years old showed significantly improvements compared with the ones under this age threshold in IR-RF treated sides ( P<0.05). The pain VAS in IR-RF treated side was significant lower than NAFL-treated side (2.2 vs. 5.8, P<0.05). Only one patient reported post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) in 1540 nm NAFL treated side, which disappeared progressively in 4 months after last treatment. Conclusion:Nonablative fractional laser is effective and safe in improving periorbital wrinkles. Infrared bipolar radiofrequency might be more suitable for elderly patients especially with low pain level.

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic feasibility of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from partially HLA-mismatched related donors for hematologic diseases.

METHODSThirty patients with hematologic diseases received allo-HSCT from 1 - 3 loci mismatched related donors conditioning regimen consisting of ATG (thymoglobulin, total dose of 10 mg/kg, intravenously on - 4 d to - 1 d), and only 5 (18%) of 28 recipients from HLA-identical sibling donors were treated with regimen containing ATG. Donors were given G-CSF prior to hematopoietic stem cell harvest and CsA, short-term MTX and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) were used for GVHD prophylaxis in both group.

RESULTSAll patients were successfully engrafted. There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and grade III to IV aGVHD between the mismatched and matched groups (34% vs 32%, and 13% vs 11%, respectively). 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in mismatched and matched groups were 57% vs 77% (P = 0.14) and 57% vs 69% (P = 0.28), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that advanced disease pre-transplant (P = 0.006) and CMV infection (P = 0.04) were risk factors for OS. OS for patients with stable disease in mismatched and matched groups were 87% vs 81% (P = 0.65) respectively, and for those with advanced disease were 21% vs 71% (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONSIt is feasible to perform allo-HSCT from 1 -3 loci HLA-mismatched related donors for patients with stable disease who lack HLA-identical sibling donors. Nevertheless, for patients with advanced disease optimized conditioning regimen and intensive supporting therapy should be administered to obtain better clinical outcomes.

Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; HLA Antigens ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Humans ; Siblings ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation Conditioning