OBJECTIVETo systematically review the clinical efficacy of acupuncture on the patients with low back pain (LBP).

METHODSRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) about pure acupuncture therapy versus other treatments in treating LBP were electronically searched in PubMed, CBM, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data from January 2004 to May 2014. The observed index on the results were the changed scores of VAS, ODI, JOA and RMDQ. Two reviewers independently screened the literatures according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as the extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality. The results of Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.2 software.

RESULTSTen RCTs involved 751 patients were finally included. The results of Meta-analysis indicated that the role of pure acupuncture group in improving the VAS score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -.32, 95% CI (-1.41, -1.22); Z=27.28, P<0.00001; the role of pure acupuncture group in improving the ODI score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -5.07, 95% CI (-7.50, -2.65); Z=4.10, P<0.0001; the role of pure acupuncture group on improved JOA score was better than that of the control group and the combined effect size was RR=2.83, 95% CI (2.02, 3.63), Z=6.90, P<0.00001. The role of pure acupuncture group in improving the RMDQ score was better than that of the control group, and the combined effect size was RR = -2.80, 95% CI (-3.49, -2.11), Z=7.95, P<0.00001.

CONCLUSIONThe result of meta-analysis demonstrates that pure acupuncture may have a favorable effect on self-reported pain and functional limitations in LBP patients.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the virological response of managing chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with peg-interferon alpha-2b (PEG-IFN alpha-2b) and ribavirin.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the virological response of 40 patients with different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after anti-HCV management. Patients were given different dosages of PEG-IFN alpha-2b and ribavirin based on their weights. The duration of treatment was 48 weeks for patients infected by HCV genotype 1, and was 24 weeks for the others. HCV RNA was tested before treatment, 12 weeks post management, end of treatment, and 24 weeks after treatment stopped.

RESULTSData from 40 patients were collected. Among them, 24 cases experienced HCV genotype 1 infection, and 16 cases were infected with other genotypes. Between these two groups, the early virological responses were 75.0% (18/24) and 87.5% (14/16), the end-of-treatment virological responses were 80.0% (16/20) and 85.7% (12/14), and the sustained virological responses were 56.2% (9/16) and 78.5% (11/14), respectively.

CONCLUSIONBody weight-based customized PEG-IFN alpha-2b in combination with ribavirin can effectively treat patients with different genotypes of CHC.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Recombinant Proteins ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

Molecular genetic map is a fundamental organizational tool for genomic research. However, a genetic linkage map for Bupleurum chinense DC. has not been developed. In this study, with the theory of pseudo-testcross, 96 F1 plants from an intraspecific cross of B. chinense were used as mapping populations. Twenty eight ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) primers and 44 SSR (simple sequence repeat) primers were used to detect the polymorphisms between the parental plants, and of them, 28 ISSRs and 14 SSRs were selected to analyze the F1 populations. The map consisted of 13 linkage groups which included 80 (72 ISSRs and 8 SSRs) loci, and covered 2 633.9 cM with an average density of 33.4 cM. All 13 linkage groups consisted of 2-31 loci ranging in length from 15.4-1295.7 cM. This map will provide a basis for studies on gene mapping, map-based cloning and maker-assisted selection of important traits in B. chinense.
Bupleurum ; genetics ; Chromosome Mapping ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Genetic Linkage ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVESTo construct and screen a primarily phage display library of HCV C and E1 genes evolved with an artificial pattern.

METHODSTwo genes of about 1 kb with different genotypes were evolved by DNA shuffling. The re-assembled HCV C and E1 genes were cloned into a phage vector. After being rescued with helper phage M13KO7, a phage display library was constructed. Then the library was screened with anti-C and E1 McAb. Double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) was carried out on twenty individual phage clones selected randomly to detect their binding and reactive activity with high-titer HCV-positive sera. Normal sera were used as controls.

RESULTSThe phage display library of HCV C and E1 genes which evolved with an artificial pattern was constructed. Their capacity amounted to 1.64 x 10(6), and 86 percent of the clones contained C and E1 genes. After four rounds of panning, the phage library was specifically enriched. Twelve positive clones were successfully screened.

CONCLUSIONThe capacity and diversity of the constructed library are enough for screening. The results demonstrate the superiority of the specific binding and reactive activity and affinity of the 12 phage clones from the HCV positive sera.

DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Gene Library ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Peptide Library ; Viral Core Proteins ; genetics ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of pediatric hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and to improve its understanding so as to reduce the misdiagnosis.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 26 children with HFRS between January 2009 and December 2012.

RESULTSThe age of disease onset was mainly distributed between 7 and 14 years (23 cases, 88%), and the male-to-female ratio was 1.89:l. The clinical manifestations of pediatric HFRS varied. The early symptoms resembled those of a cold, and in the course of HFRS, most patients developed digestive symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain. The laboratory examinations usually implicated platelet changes, and the imaging examinations revealed polyserous effusions. The prominent complication was myocardial injury.

CONCLUSIONSPediatric HFRS mainly occurs in school-age children, more commonly in males. HFRS does not have typical clinical manifestations or symptoms, so it should be distinguished from cold or appendicitis at the early stage. When applying the fluid replacement therapy, the cardiac function should be carefully monitored in case of heart failure.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fluid Therapy ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

Amino Acid Sequence ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; immunology ; Forecasting ; HLA Antigens ; immunology ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis C ; immunology ; virology ; Hepatitis C Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; virology ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; immunology

The anhydrite and gypsum are the main sulfate minerals during evaporation of seawater or lake.They record the information about relative hydrogeology and the composition of mother liquor.Boron is diffluent element, and often occurs in all kinds of evaporites.Presently, the boron isotope has been applied widely in mineral deposits forming, geochemistry and palaeoenvironment.However, there is little research about characteristic of boron isotope in anhydrite and gypsum minerals, because of the low content of boron and micro-solubility in water and hydrochloric acid.This study developed a method of extracting and purifying boron in anhydrite and gypsum by phase transformation and ion-exchange.Firstly, the samples were mixed with ammonium hydrogen carbonate to transform the calcium sulfate to calcium carbonate.And diluted hydrochloric acid (1 mol/L) was added to resolve calcium carbonate.The percent conversion was about 85%in the first stage, and up to complete resolution by repeating this process.Secondly, boron specific ion-exchange resin ( Amberlite IRA 743 ) was used to gather the boron ions fully and further refined the samples with more than 1 μg of boron by anionic and cationic resin mixed by Ion Exchange Ⅱ and Dowex 50 W × 8.Finally, according to the modified method by He, the values of boron isotope were determined by TIMS.The boron content is analytically pure gypsum was 3.501 ± 0.128 μg/g ( n=12 , RSD=3.6%) and the average recovery was 100.47%.Besides, the δ11B value of analytically pure gypsum added with NIST SRM 951 was 17.98‰±0.21‰ (n=3, RSD=1.2%).This method has good repeatability and can meet the requirements of boron isotopic measurement of anhydrite and gypsum.

To investigate the antiviral efficacy of combination therapy with pegylated-interferon alpha (peg-IFNa)-2a and ribavirin (RBV) in hepatitis C patients with liver cirrhosis after splenectomy or partial splenic embolization. Forty-nine hepatitis C patients with liver cirrhosis who were unable to use antiviral therapy because of hypersplenism were recruited for study and treated with splenectomy or partial splenic embolization. Three months later, a regimen of antiviral combination therapy was initiated with peg-IFNa-2a (once-weekly subcutaneous injection: 135 μg or 180 μg) and RBV (daily oral: 800 to 1200 mg), and was maintained for 48 weeks. The patients were followed up at treatment weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. Thereafter, follow-up was conducted every four weeks. The patients were observed until 24 weeks after treatment discontinuation. Follow-up testing included liver function, blood chemistry, renal function, and HCV RNA level. Any adverse reactions were recorded. Liver cirrhosis patients complicated by hypersplenism can be treated effectively with peg-IFNa-2a/RBV combination antiviral therapy after splenectomy or partial splenic embolization. The antiviral-induced sustained viral response rates was 65.00% in cirrhotic/hypersplenic hepatitis C patients receiving splenectomy and 58.62% in those receiving partial splenic embolization. Hypersplenism patients with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis achieved a good antiviral therapeutic effect with peg-IFNa-2a/RBV combination therapy following splenectomy or partial splenic embolization. This sequence of treatment may help to decrease incidences of chronic hepatitis C-induced liver failure and liver cancer in these patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hepatitis C ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Postoperative Period ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Splenectomy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To observe clinical efficacy of back arm flexion and extension combined with manipulation in treating adhesive scapulohumeral periarthritis. METHODS: From March 2016 to April 2018, 53 patients with adhesive scapulohumeral periarthritis were treated with back arm flexion and extension combined with manipulation, the main symptoms were shoulder pain and limited activity. There were 22 males and 31 females aged from 45 to 71 years old with an average of (51.63±5.79) years;the courses of disease ranged from 3 to 24 months with an average of (8.62±3.73) months. Manipulation treatment was carried out once a week, and back arm flexion and extension were performed for 3 times a day with15 movements each time, totally 4 weeks for a single course. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Constant-Murley shoulder function score were observed and compared before treatment and one week, one and three months after treatment. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 3 to 12 months, with an average of (5.91±3.55) months. VAS score before treatment was 4.02±1.46, and was improved to 3.15±1.54, 1.98±1.37, 1.12±0.86 respectively at one week, one and three months after treatment. Constant-Murley score before treatment was 42.70 ±5.72, and improved to 54.25 ±6.34, 67.45 ±6.84, 82.40 ±6.63 at one week, one and three months after treatment respectively;19 patients got excellent result, 22 good, 9 fair and 3 poor. CONCLUSION Back arm flexion combined with manipulation for the treatment of adhesive scapulohumeral periarthritis could effectively relieve pain, improve shoulder function, which is a simple effective treatment strategy.
Aged ; Arm ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Periarthritis ; therapy ; Physical Therapy Modalities ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To apply the swirling flow mechanism to the design of arterial prostheses with small diameters and the arterial bypass surgery to resolve the acute thrombus in small diameter prostheses after implantation, and lessen the restenosis of bypassed arteries due to the formation of internal hyperplasia. Method The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to investigate the flow field and wall shear stress distribution of a new graft, an S type bypass and an axis deviated arterial bypass, which all had the swirling flow. In addition, the platelet adhesion under swirling flow and internal hyperplasia in S-type bypass were measured. Results The swirling flow can apparently enhance the wall shear stress (WSS) and suppress the platelet adhesion and internal hyperplasia. Conclusions The swirling flow can significantly improve the flow field in arterial graft and bypass to inhibit the acute thrombus in small diameter prostheses and internal hyperplasia after bypass surgery.