Humans ; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive ; Acupuncture Therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect of auricular therapy combined with optimized Yinxieling Formula on psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODSA randomized controlled single-blind clinical trial on 84 outpatients with psoriasis vulgaris was conducted. The patients were randomized to a treatment group (43 cases treated by auricular therapy combined with optimized Yinxieling Formula) and a control group (41 cases treated by optimized Yinxieling Formula alone) according to a random number generated by SPSS 17.0 software. The treatment duration for both groups was 8 weeks. The therapeutic effect was comprehensively measured by the primary outcome measure [Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) reduction rate] and the secondary outcome measure [PASI, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)]. The outcomes of both groups were obtained and compared before and after the intervention.

RESULTSThe PASI reduction rate in the treatment group was 74.4% (32/43), which was higher than that in the control group (36.6%, 15/41, P<0.01). The PASI scores decreased in both groups after treatment and was lower in the treatment group compared with the control group P<0.01). With stratified analysis, there were significant differences between the PASI scores in the following subgroups: age 18-30, baseline PASI>10 and stable stage (P<0.05). DLQI decreased in both groups on some categories after treatment, but there were no significant differences between the two groups in SDS, SAS and VAS (P >0.05). No obvious adverse reactions were found in either group.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of auricular therapy combined with Optimized Yinxieling Formula was superior to Optimized Yinxieling Formula alone with no obvious adverse reaction.

Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Anxiety ; complications ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Depression ; complications ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Outpatients ; Pain Measurement ; Psoriasis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Quality of Life ; Severity of Illness Index ; Single-Blind Method

Objective To investigate the mitochondrial damage and its effect in early stage of pressure ulcer in rats.Methods Forty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups(n=8), control group(Con group) rats without stress, the experimental group was treated with of 170 mmHg for 2 h and relax 0.5 h as one cycle(1C), experi-mental group was divided into 3C, 6C, 9C and 12C group.The pathological changes of the compressed muscle tissue of the rats in each group were observed by HE staining , Western blot was used to detect the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the compressed tissue , and the ultrastructure of muscle fibers and mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscope .Results There were pathological damage and gradually increased in the ex-perimental groups, with the increase of compression cycle; the expression of Bcl-2 in each experimental group was significantly increased as compared with the control group(P<0.05), in the 3C group reached the peak, and then decreased; the expression of Bax was increased gradually with the increase of compression cycle ( P<0.05) , and in the 12C group reached the peak;with the increase of the compression cycle the muscle fibers of each experimental group appeared gradually increased pathological damage:disorder, dissolution and fracture, the ridge of the mitochondria disappeared, vacuolar degeneration, et al.Conclusions In the early stage of pres-sure ulcer in a rat , it brings occurred mitochondrial damage and induces apoptosis .

Objective To explore the self-face recognition and its relationship to empathy in patients with schizophrenia.Methods Sixty-two schizophrenic patients and fifty -four healthy subjects were assessed with the self-face recognition task (SFRT) and the interpersonal reactivity index-C (IRI-C).Results The SFRT reaction time in the patients group( (2188 ± 1138) ms) was significantly longer than that in the control group( ( 1152 ± 326) ms) (P ＜ 0.01 ) ;the accuracy in the patients group ( (80 ± 16) ％ ) was significantly lower than that in the control group ( (88 ± 6) ％ ) (P ＜ 0.01 ).The IRI-C total scores,the subscores in perspective taking,the subscores in fantasy and empathic concern of IRI-C were significantly lower in the patients group(respectively(44.82 ± 10.50),(8.98 ± 3.56),( 11.87 ± 4.38 ),( 14.73 ± 4.00) ) than those in the control group ( respectively (49.85 ± 10.28),( 10.78 ± 3.86),( 14.98 ± 6.12),( 17.39 ± 4.56) ) ; the subscore in personal distress of IRI-C in the patients group(9.37 ± 5.12) was significantly higher than those in the control group(6.52 ± 3.89) ( P＜ 0.01 ).There was significant positive correlation between the accuracy for self-face recognition in SFRT and the subscore in fantasy of IRI-C ( r =0.322,P ＜ 0.05 ),the reaction time of SFRT had significantly positive correlation with the subscore in personal distress.Conclusion Schizophren patients have general impairments of self-face recognition and empathic abilities,and the self-face recognition is related to the empathic abilities.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of the magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate plus nucleoside analogues (MGL + NA) combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B using a meta-analysis approach.

METHODSThe Chinese Biochemical literature on Disc (CBMDisc) and the Chinese Scientific Journal database, CNKI, were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of MGL+NA in patients with chronic hepatitis B published between 1995 and 2013. Data related to treatment type (combination therapy vs. mono-therapy) and outcome (markers of efficacy and safety, including levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)). Weighted mean differences (WMD) were calculated and the Peto method was used to determine the relative risk (RR), both with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTSMeta-analysis of the six included RCTs of MGL + NA, representing a 704 patients with chronic hepatitis B, showed WMDs for ALT of -12.98 (95% CI: -18.24 to -7.71, P less than 0.01) and for AST of -9.49 (95% CI: -14.53 to -4.45, P = 0.0002) and RRs for HBeAg of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.17 to 2.76, P = 0.008) and for HBV DNA of 1.35 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.74, P = 0.02). The therapeutic efficacy of MGL+NA combination therapy was better than that of NA mono-therapy (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONFor patients with chronic hepatitis B, MGL combination therapy may enhance the antiviral efficacy of NA treatment and help to improve liver function during treatment.

OBJECTIVETo develop quality of life questionnaire of Chinese medicine for postoperative patients with colorectal cancer (QLQ-CMPPCC), thus comprehensively and objectively evaluating the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine and pharmacy in treating postoperative patients with colorectal cancer (CC).

METHODSThe theoretical structure model of the questionnaire was addressed in combined with basic theories of Chinese medicine according to the principle of WHO quality of life (QOL). The primary questionnaire was developed using methods of structuralization policy making after we extensively retrieve various universal and specific questionnaires for CC cancer patients at home and abroad. The 205 CC patients were tested by questionnaire. The items were screened using experts grading method, item selection analysis, dispersion trends of standard deviation, t-test, correlation coefficient method, factor analysis,and Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTSThe QLQ-CMPPCC was developed containing four domains of physical, psychological, independence, and social functions, involving 20 aspects and 54 items. Of them, non-fistula patients answered 43 items and fistula patients answered 46 items. One item covered the general QOL evaluation.

CONCLUSIONSQLQ-CMPPCC showed Chinese medical features. It comprehensively reflected the connotation of QOL for postoperative CC patients. It could be taken as a tool for evaluating Chinese medical efficacy for postoperative CC patients.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Postoperative Period ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the predictive value of serum inhibin B (INH B) levels as an indicator of the presence of testicular spermatozoa in nonobstructive azoospermia.

METHODSForty patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), 20 patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA), and 10 fertile volunteers were involved in this study. A chemoluminescence method was used to measure the levels of FSH; Inhibin B was analysed by using sandwich enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay.

RESULTSPatients with nonobstructive azoospermia has significantly higher levels of serum FSH [(21.34 +/- 12.15) IU/L] and significantly lower levels of inhibin B [(53.15 +/- 58.74) ng/L] than patients with obstructive azoospermia [FSH: (3.94 +/- 1.52) IU/L, INH B: (162.49 +/- 78.38) ng/L, P < 0.01] and fertile volunteers [FSH: (4.27 +/- 2.84) IU/L, INH B: (228.49 +/- 110.68) ng/L, P < 0.01]. Mean serum inhibin B were significantly higher in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia who had spermatozoa on TESE than in those in whom no spermatozoa was found on TESE [INHB: (90.31 +/- 72.18) ng/L vs (19.54 +/- 20.38) ng/L, r = 0.528, P < 0.01], but mean FSH levels did not have similar predictive power (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSerum INH B level seems to be more accurate than serum FSH in the prediction of presence of testicular spermatozoa in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia. Serum inhibin B determination may be substitute of TESE as a diagnostic index.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; blood ; diagnosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Inhibins ; blood ; Luminescent Measurements ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Testis ; physiology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of cell cycle related factor sonic hedgehog (SHH) in autogenous vein graft and its relation with neointima formation.

METHODSAutogenous vein graft model were established in 24 male Wistar rats of 8 weeks old and 140 g weight, by transplanting the left jugular vein to intra renal abdominal aorta with microsurgical technique. Graft veins were harvested at 14 d and 28 d after transplantation. The immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect the SHH and PCNA expression in the vein graft. At the same time SHH mRNA was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. The opposite normal veins served as control.

RESULTSHistological staining showed that the percent of SHH+ cells was only (2.0 +/- 0.5)% in the normal vein, but was much more in the vein graft after surgery, as (39.4 +/- 0.4)% and (63.0 +/- 0.3)% respectively (P < 0.01). The expression of SHH and PCNA were both elevated in the vein graft. There was a positive correlation between them which indicated by Western blot (r = 0.808, P < 0.01). The SHH mRNA content also increased in vein graft to 9.5 and 23.8 folds of that in control.

CONCLUSIONSHH is upregulated in autogenous vein grafts and may correlated with the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Animals ; Hedgehog Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Neointima ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Tunica Intima ; metabolism ; Veins ; metabolism ; pathology ; transplantation

To explore the genetic characteristics of viral quasispecies in HIV-1 CRF07_BC infections among intravenous drug users (IDU), the gp120 fragments of HIV-1 env gene were amplified from plasma samples collected from 6 CRF07_BC infected persons using single genome amplification and sequencing (SGA/ SGS) method, and 11 to 28 sequences were obtained from these samples, respectively, A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was reconstructed to describe the genetic characteristics of viral quasispecies. The Simplot, segments' phylogenetic trees and diversity plots based on average pairwise distance (APD) were used to identify the recombination events between quasispecies. The SGA sequences derived from single specimen formed a large monophyletic cluster in the neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree and showed the complex topologic structures of viral quasispecies. Of the 6 CRF07_BC infected patients, only one possessed the high genetic homogeneity, whereas the other five individuals showed high heterogeneity, with two to four subclusters inside the monophyletic cluster for each specimen. In addition, the recombinant events were identified among viral quasispecies from 3 cases. The results show SGA technique and phylogenetic analyses are useful tool to investigate the intrahost CRF07_BC gp120 complex quasispecies variation and high genetic diversity.
Adult ; Drug Users ; Female ; HIV Infections ; virology ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; virology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEBased on the 2002 WHO health survey data, to explore the latent relationship among self-reported health level, the actual level of health, the social demographic characteristics and the risk factors, and to analyze the influence of the various surveillance indicators on self-reported health and the degree that the self-reported health explained the actual level of health.

METHODSField tests for various components of the World health survey were conducted in nine countries during 2002, including India, Brazil, Burkina, Hungary, Nepal, Russia, Spain, Tunisia, and Vietnam (29 971). The survey questionnaire included a self-assessment component and anchoring vignette component. The self-assessment component data was adjusted and eliminated the affect of "cut-point bias" by using the anchoring vignette component data, and then was used to build the structural equation model on the relationship among self-reported health level, actual health level, social demographic characteristics and the risk factors.

RESULTSIn the final structural equation model, "the actual level of health" = 0.80 × "the self-reported health level" + (-0.04) × "the social demographic characteristics" + (-0.08) × "the risk factors" (R(2) = 0.66), and "the self-reported health level" = (-0.70) × "the social demographic characteristics" + 0.10 × "the risk factors" (R(2) = 0.55). The standardized total effect of self-reported health to the actual level of health was 0.80, and that of the social demographic characteristics to the self-reported health and the actual level of health were -0.70 and -0.60, respectively. And the 16 items of self-reported health consisted of 8 dimensions; and sorted by the power of impact to the actual health level, they were mobility, pain and discomfort, sleep, cognition, feelings, self-care ability, visual capacity and interpersonal activities.

CONCLUSIONThere were significant linear correlation relationship between the actual level of health and the self-reported health, as well as between the self-reported health and the social demographic characteristics. And the self-reported 16 items used by the 2002 WHO health survey played an important role in the health evaluation of population.

Demography ; Health Status ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Models, Statistical ; Risk Factors ; Self Report ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; World Health Organization