Objective:To observe the clinical effect of mind-refreshing and orifice-opening needling method plus swallowing disorder therapeutic apparatus for deglutition disorder of stroke patients in convalescence stage.Methods:A total of 136 patients conforming to the inclusion criteria were randomized into three groups by the random number table,including group A of 46 cases,group B of 44 cases and group C of 46 cases.Patients in group A received swallowing disorder therapeutic apparatus treatment,patients in group B received mind-refreshing and orifice-opening needling method treatment,and patients in group C received mind-refreshing and orifice-opening needling method plus swallowing disorder therapeutic apparatus treatment.The treatment was given once a day for 10 d as a course,the whole treatment lasted for 4 courses.Therapeutic evaluation items including water-swallowing test (WST),standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) and modified Barthel index (MBI) were measured before treatment,after treatment and at follow-up visit (2 months after treatment).Results:After treatment,scores of WST and MBI in all three groups increased significantly (all P＜0.05),while the SSA score dropped significantly (all P＜0.05).After treatment and during follow-up visit period,score of WST in group C was significantly higher than that in group A and group B (both P＜0.05),while the difference between group A and group B showed no statistical significance (P＞0.05);the SSA score in group C was substantially lower than that in group A and group B (all P＜0.05),the difference between group A and group B showed no statistical significance (P＞0.05);the MBI scores in group B and group C were substantially higher than that in group A (all P＜0.05),the difference between group B and group C showed no statistical significance (P＞0.05).After treatment and during follow-up visit period,the differences in overall therapeutic effect between group A and group B showed no statistical significance (P＞0.05),while the overall therapeutic effect in group C was substantially better than that in group A and group B (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:Both mind-refreshing and orifice-opening needling method and swallowing disorder therapeutic apparatus can alleviate symptoms of deglutition disorder of stroke patients respectively,and the combination of two methods can improve the therapeutic effect.

Bacterial N-Acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs)-mediated quorum sensing is involved in the regulation of diverse biological functions. As the bacterial pathogen population density increases, AHLs concentration secreted by pathogen reaches a threshold and then interacts with their intercellular receptor and triggers expression of virulence genes. It is a promising approach to biologically control bacterial disease in plants and animals by manipulating bacterial AHL-quorum sensing with AHLs-degrading enzyme and AHL analogue.

OBJECTIVETo determine whether the roughness of titanium implant can influence its osseointegration by affecting the growth, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production and expression of core binding factor alpha 1 subunit (Cbfα1) of osteoblasts.

METHODSTotally 48 titanium disc specimens, 15 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness, were included in the study and divided equally into 4 groups with 12 specimens in each group. Specimens were coarsened by sandblasting with carborundum granula and acid etching with mixing liquid of hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid under diverse conditions. In the four groups, three were treated with different surface roughness: micro-roughness [(1.00 ± 0.20) µm], midrange roughness [(1.67 ± 0.08) µm] and severe roughness [(2.40 ± 0.20) µm], while the group untreated with surface roughness [(0.12 ± 0.03) µm] was set as control. Scanning electron microscope, acridine orange fluorescence staining and coomassie brilliant blue staining were used to observe morphology and growth of osteoblasts incubating on these specimens. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and fluorescence quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate ALP production and gene expression of Cbfα1 of osteoblasts among different groups.

RESULTSGrowth, ALP production and Cbfα1 mRNA expression of osteoblasts in experimental groups were higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). Significant differences of these data were also found among three experimental groups (P < 0.05). Midrange roughness group showed the highest level of gene expression of Cbfα1 mRNA, which was 0.93 ± 0.03. While that in the micro-roughness group (0.50 ± 0.03) came second, and the severe roughness group had the lowest data, which was 0.37 ± 0.07.

CONCLUSIONSResults indicated that rough surface was more suitable for the adherence and propagation of the osteoblasts than smooth one did. Surface with roughness of 1-2 µm may be a better choice for osseointegration between osteoblasts and dental implants than others are.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; Cell Differentiation ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; metabolism ; Dental Implants ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osseointegration ; Osteoblasts ; metabolism ; Prostheses and Implants ; Surface Properties ; Titanium

Water soluble extract (WSE) is an important index for the quality evaluation of Astragali Radix (AR). In this study, the WSE of the wild AR from Shanxi province (SX) and the cultivated AR from Gansu Province (GS) were compared. The WSEs of two types of AR were determined according to the appendix of Chinese pharmacopoeia. Then the WSEs were subjected to NMR analysis, and the obtained data were analyzed using HCA, PCA, OPLS-DA, microarray analysis, and Spearman rank analysis. In addition, the Pearson correlation of differential metabolites were also calculated. The results showed that the WSE content of GS-AR (37.80%) was higher than that of SX-AR (32.13%). The main constituent of WSE was sucrose, and other 18 compounds, including amino acids, organic acids, were also detected. Multivariate analysis revealed that SX-AR contained more choline, succinic acid, citric acid, glutamate, taurine and aspartate, while GS samples contained more sucrose, arginine and fumaric acid. In addition, the Pearson correlations between different metabolites of the two types of AR also showed apparent differences. The results suggested that the WSE of two types of AR differs not only in the content, but also in the chemical compositions. Thus, the cultivation way is important to the quality of AR. This study supplied a new method for the comparison of extract of herbal drugs.
Arginine ; analysis ; Aspartic Acid ; analysis ; Choline ; analysis ; Citric Acid ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Fumarates ; analysis ; Glutamic Acid ; analysis ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phylogeography ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Succinic Acid ; analysis ; Sucrose ; analysis ; Taurine ; analysis

AIM: To report a two- year's results of iontophoresis-assisted transepithelial corneal cross-linking (I-CXL) for progressive keratoconus.
METHODS: Thirty - four eyes in 24 patients with progressive keratoconus ( mean age 21. 0 ± 5. 6 years;range: 14-32 years) were treated. After 1g/ L riboflavin-distilled water solution was administered by iontophoresis-assited (current 1mA) transepithelial method for 5min in total, standard surface UVA irradiation ( 370nm, 3mW/cm2 ) was performed at a 1 - cm distance for 30min. The best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA ) measured as LogMAR number, corneal refractive astigmatism, K1, K2, Kmean, Kmax, intraocular pressure, endothelial cell density, the thickness at corneal apex and the thinnest point were measured preoperatively and 2a postoperatively.
RESULTS:At 2a after the procedure, BCVA (LogMAR) improved from 0. 32 ± 0. 25 to 0. 25 ± 0. 19 ( t = 2. 849, P =0. 015). K1 decreased from 47. 12±4. 33 to 46. 06±4. 77 (t =2. 652, P= 0. 015). K2 decreased from 51. 36±5. 59 to 50. 40±6. 16 (t= 2. 121, P= 0. 047). Kmean decreased from 49. 12±4. 76 to 48. 10±5. 25(t = 2. 663, P = 0. 015). Kmax decreased from 57. 57±8. 30 to 55. 91±8. 14 (t = 2. 398, P = 0. 026). The corneal apex thickness decreased from 476. 90±38. 71μ m to 454. 43 ± 40. 86μ m ( t = 2. 853, P = 0. 010 ). The thinnest thickness decreased from 464. 38 ± 39. 92μ m to 433. 86 ±50. 78μ m ( t = 3. 485, P = 0. 002 ). Corneal refractive astigmatism, intraocular pressure and endothelial cell density did not show significant changes.
CONCLUSION: I - CXL for progressive keratoconus is safe and effective which can prevent deterioration of progressive keratoconus within 2a, but further long-term studies are necessary still.

Objective:To summarize our preliminary experience of the individual transurethral en bloc resection of bladder tumor (ERBT) based on vesical imaging-reporting and data system (VI-RADS).Methods:The clinical data of 32 bladder cancer patients admitted from January 2019 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 26 males and 6 females. Among them, there were 27, 5, 26 and 6 patients who had primary, recurrent, single or mutiple blader tumors, respectively. And the median number of bladder tumor was 1(1-3) and the mean diameter was 2(0.6-4.5)cm.The patients were aged 37 to 82 years, with a median age of 63 years. All patients underwent multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) before surgery and acquired a VI-RADS score. Among the 32 patients, there were 8, 17, 2, 5, and 0 patients in the VI-RADS score category 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Based on the VI-RADS score and tumor size, morphology and number provided by the mpMRI, the urologists classified the tumor types into type 1, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b or 5, and designed the surgical protocol for each type including the resection plan, boundary and depth. There were 8, 6, 7, 4, 0, 1, 1, 3, 2 and 0 patients in each type, respectively. The tumor types were further confirmed during the operation, and the operation was completed according to the surgical plans for different tumor types.Patients received intravesical therapy of gemcitabine within 24 hours after surgery.Results:All operations were successfully completed and none was converted to the traditional transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. The operation time was 5 to 35 minutes with a median time of 15 minutes. Tumor specimens from all patients contained the muscularis propria. Among the patients with scores 1, 2, 3 and 4, there were 8, 16, 1 and 0 patients diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), respectively. All the patients with NMIBC had negative basal resection margins and 6 out 7 muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients had negative resection margins. There were no intraoperative complications such as bladder perforation and obturator reflex. Four patients experienced obvious postoperative bladder irritation and relieved after symptomatic treatment or removing catheter. Twelve patients received second resections, including 10 NMIBC patients and 2 MIBC patients. No residual tumor was found in the re-resected specimens. There were 9 and 12 NMIBC patients received regular intravesical therapy of gemcitabine or BCG, respectively. Among the 7 MIBC patients, 5 received radical cystectomy and two received bladder-preserving treatment including second resection, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The follow-up period was 3-12 months, with a median of 6 months. One NMIBC patient relapsed at 9th months after surgery and underwent ERBT.Conclusions:The personalized ERBT based on VI-RADS is safe and feasible, and can achieve negative margins in all NMIBC and some MIBC without severe complications.

BACKGROUNDRetinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play an important role in the occurrence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a positive regulatory growth factor is produced by the RPE in an autocrine or paracrine manner, promoting CNV development. Duplexes of 21 nt RNAs, known as short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), efficiently inhibit gene expression by RNA interference when introduced into mammalian cells. We searched for an efficient siRNA to interfere with VEGF expression in RPE cells and shed light on the treatment of CNV.

METHODSHuman primary RPE (hRPE) cells were cultured and identified. Three pairs of siRNAs were designed according to the sequence of VEGF 1-5 extrons and synthesized by T7 RNA polymerase transcription in vitro. To evaluate the inhibitory activity of T7-siRNAs, hRPE cells were transfected via siPORT Amine. The interfering effect of T7-siRNAs in hRPE cells was examined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence.

RESULTSThree pairs of T7-siRNAs synthesized by in vitro transcription with T7 RNA polymerase suppressed VEGF gene expression with efficiency from 65% to 90%. T7-siRNA (B), targeted region at 207 nt to 228 nt and double stranded for 21 nt with 2 nt UU 3' overhangs, was the most effective sequence tested for inhibition of VEGF expression in hRPE cells. Compared with nontransfected cells, the mean fluorescence in hRPE cells transfected with T7-sRNAs was significantly less (P < 0.01). siRNA with a single-base mismatch and ssRNA(+) did not show suppressing effect. Furthermore, it was found that siRNAs had a dose dependent inhibitory effect (5 to 10 pmol).

CONCLUSIONT7-siRNA can effectively and specifically suppress VEGF expression in hRPE cells and may be a new way to treat CNV.

Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; therapy ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pigment Epithelium of Eye ; cytology ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; Transcription, Genetic ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; Viral Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of Herba Siegesbeckiae extracts on mouse rheumatoid arthritis induced by arthrogen-CIA monoclonal antibody.

METHODSThe rheumatoid arthritis was induced by arthrogen-CIA arthritogenic monoclonal antibody in mice. The sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the concentration of IL-1βin mouse serum,and the content of IL-6,IL-17 and MMP-3 in supernatant of tissue homogenate of hind limb below the stifle of mice. One-way ANOVA was used for data analysis.

RESULTSThe toe swelling was attenuated in Siegesbeckiae group than that in model group [(0.218 ± 0.0307)cm(3) compared with (0.2545 ± 0.0179)cm(3), P<0.05]. The serum IL-1β level in Siegesbeckiae group was lower than that in model group [(63.74 ± 21.74)pg/ml compared with (104.96 ± 31.22)pg/ml, P<0.01]. The contents of IL-6, IL-17 and MMP-3 in tissue supernatants of Siegesbeckiae group were all lower than those of model group [(171.10 ± 48.35)pg/ml compared with (249.64 ± 75.08)pg/ml, P<0.05; (115.42 ± 56.52)pg/ml compared with (208.40 ± 88.54)pg/ml, P<0.05;(3660.31 ± 1680.99) pg/ml compared with (5420.79 ± 1201.43)pg/ml, P<0.05, respectively].

CONCLUSIONThe extract of Herba Siegesbeckiae has anti-inflammatory effect on mouse rheumatoid arthritis induced by mixed arthrogen monoclonal antibody.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Interleukin-17 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

OBJECTIVETo establish the scale of the norm of occupational stress on the professionals and put it into practice.

METHODST scores were linear transformations of raw scores, derived to have a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. The scale standard of the norm was formulated in line with the principle of normal distribution.

RESULTS(1) For the occupational role questionnaire (ORQ) and personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) scales, high scores suggested significant levels of occupational stress and psychological strain, respectively. T scores >/= 70 indicated a strong probability of maladaptive stress, debilitating strain, or both. T scores in 60 approximately 69 suggested mild levels of maladaptive stress and strain, and in 40 approximately 59 were within one standard deviation of the mean and should be interpreted as being within normal range. T scores < 40 indicated a relative absence of occupational stress or psychological strain. For the personal resources questionnaire (PRQ) scales, high scores indicated highly developed coping resources. T scores < 30 indicated a significant lack of coping resources. T scores in 30 approximately 39 suggested mild deficits in coping skills, and in 40 approximately 59 indicated average coping resources, where as higher scores (i.e., >/= 60) indicated increasingly strong coping resources. (2) This study provided raw score to T-score conversion tables for each OSI-R scale for the total normative sample as well as for gender, and several occupational groups, including professional engineer, professional health care, economic business, financial business, law, education and news. OSI-R profile forms for total normative samples, gender and occupation were also offered according to the conversion tables.

CONCLUSIONThe norm of occupational stress can be used as screening tool, organizational/occupational assessment, guide to occupational choice and intervention measures.

China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Reference Values ; Stress, Psychological ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards ; utilization

OBJECTIVETo establish the norm of occupational stress on the professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area.

METHODSAccording to the "Occupation Sorting Canon in the People's Republic of China", the professionals of the above-mentioned area were sorted out and randomly stratified. The normative data were derived from a sample of 2 064 participants. The modified Occupation Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) was used to test the targets' occupational stress level (including stressors, strain and coping resources).

RESULTS(1) In these professionals, the sex ratio was about 1:1, average age (36.4 +/- 9.4) years, average length of service (15.9 +/- 10.0) years, 63.07% people were college educated and over 80% married. (2) Descriptive statistics for OSI-R scale scores for the total normative sample, for gender samples and for occupational group samples were modulated. (3) The gender norm showed that there were heavier role overload and stronger occupational strains in males than those in females (P < 0.01). The score of personal resources in the males was not different from that in females (P > 0.05). (4) In terms of different occupations, the scores of occupational role and personal strain among various groups indicated significant differences (P < 0.01). The score of personal resources did not manifest difference (P > 0.05). (5) The major factors influencing OSI-R were sex, occupation and length of service.

CONCLUSIONThe norm established can basically represent the occupational stress on professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupations ; Research Personnel ; psychology ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires