OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of acupuncture with yin-yang regulation method versus local acupuncture in treating chronic low back pain (CLBP) in elderly patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), and to evaluate the changes in the multifidus muscle before and after treatment using musculoskeletal ultrasound. METHODS: A total of 128 elderly patients with CLBP due to LDH were randomly assigned to an observation group (64 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a control group (64 cases, 2 cases dropped out). The control group received local acupuncture at bilateral L₃-L₅ Jiaji points (EX-B2), Shenshu (BL23), Dachangshu (BL25), Weizhong (BL40), Yaoyangguan (GV3), and ashi points. The observation group received acupuncture with yin-yang regulation method, which included an abdominal protocol with Baihui (GV20), Zhongwan (CV12), Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), bilateral Tianshu (ST25), and Dahe (KI12), etc., and a lumbar protocol with Baihui (GV20), Dazhui (GV14), Jizhong (GV6), Yaoyangguan (GV3), and ashi points, etc., alternated bilaterally. Both groups were treated once every other day, three times per week, for a total of 12 sessions. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, and the indexs of musculoskeletal ultrasound multifidus muscle (resting and functional thickness and Young's modulus values) were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: After 1 and 4 weeks of treatment, both groups showed lower VAS scores compared to baseline (P<0.05), the VAS scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.001). ODI scores in both groups were decreased after 1 and 4 weeks of treatment compared to baseline (P<0.05), with a further reduction at 4 weeks of treatment compared to 1 week of treatment (P<0.05); the observation group showed lower ODI score than the control group after 1 week of treatment (P<0.001). After treatment, both groups demonstrated increased resting and functional multifidus muscle thickness bilaterally compared to baseline (P<0.01), with an increased right-side thickness change rate (P<0.01), though no significant difference was observed between groups (P>0.05). Compared to baseline, after treatment, the observation group exhibited decreased Young's modulus values for bilateral resting and functional multifidus muscle (P<0.01), while the control group showed reductions only in bilateral resting and right-side functional Young's modulus values (P<0.01). After treatment, the bilateral functional Young's modulus values in the observation group were lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the bilateral resting and functional changes in Young's modulus values were greater in the observation group than those in the control group (P<0.01). The overall effective rate was 93.5% (58/62) in the observation group, which was higher than 79.0% (49/62) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture with yin-yang regulation method effectively alleviates pain, improves functional disability, increases multifidus muscle thickness, and reduces Young's modulus values in elderly patients with CLBP due to LDH, which has superior therapeutic effect compared to local acupuncture.
Humans ; Low Back Pain/physiopathology* ; Male ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Female ; Aged ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Yin-Yang ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome

Based on the theory of "three regions and sanjiao" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the acupuncture-moxibustion differentiation and treatment system is explored and constructed for spasm syndrome, so as to provide a clearer guiding framework for TCM treatment of spasm syndrome. This disorder is caused essentially by the invasion of pathogenic wind, and located in brain marrow. The key regions of illness cover five zang organs and five tissues, and the core pathogenesis is associated with wind disturbance in brain marrow. In differentiation, spasm syndrome refers to overall transmission (from the upper to the lower) and local transmission (from exterior to interior). This disorder can be classified into sanjiao spasm (heart-lung spasm of the upper jiao, liver-spleen spasm of the middle jiao, and liver-kidney spasm of the lower jiao) and three-region spasm (skin-vessel spasm of the upper region, tendon-muscle spasm of the middle region, and tendon-bone spasm of the lower region). Based on "three regions and sanjiao" theory of acupuncture and moxibustion, 7 "expelling-wind" points can be selected in terms of the etiology of this disease. Baihui (GV20)-toward-Taiyang (EX-HN5) needling is applied to regulate the brain marrow, focusing on the core location of illness; and regarding the key location of illness, the combination of back-shu and front-mu points and that of jing-well and xing-spring points are adopted to regulate five zang organs. The five needling techniques (half needling, leopard-spot needling, joint needling, Hegu needling and shu needling) are used to regulate five tissues.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Spasm/diagnosis* ; Moxibustion ; Acupuncture Points ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Diagnosis, Differential

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Sijunzi decoction and Fangji Huangqi decoction combined with Sacubitril Valsartan Sodium Tablets in treating chronic heart failure patients with reduced ejec-tion fraction and Qi deficiency,blood stasis and phlegm retention.Methods Ninety-four inpatients with chro-nic heart failure treated in this hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were selected as the study sub-jects and divided into the Sijunzi Decoction and Fangji Huangqi Decoction combined with Sacubitril Valsartan Sodium Tablets group (the Chinese medicine combined group) and Sacubitril Valsartan Sodium Tablets group (the control group) according to the random number table method.Both groups were treated with standard therapy,and the Chinese medicine combined group added Sijunzi Decoction and Fangji Huangqi Decoction on this basis.Both groups were continuously treated for 8 weeks.The mean systolic blood pressure,left ventricu-lar end diastolic diameter (LVEDD),left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),TCM syndrome score and 6 min walking test (6-MWT) results at 24 h before treatment and after treatment were compared between the two groups.Results The average 24 h systolic blood pressure,score of each TCM syndrome and LVEDD after treatment in the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05),while LVEF and 6-MWT in the two groups were increased,and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the control group,the average 24 h systolic blood pressure in the Chinese medicine combined group was higher,each score of TCM syndrome score and LVEDD were lower,LVEF and 6-MWT were high-er,and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Sijunzi Decoction and Fangji Huangqi Decoction combined with Sacubitril Valsartan Sodium Tablets has a good effect on the patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and Qi deficiency,blood stasis and phlegm retention,which could effectively increase the systolic blood pressure,improve the cardiac coronary arterial perfusion and the quality of life of the patients,and alleviate the left ventricular remodeling status.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of exercise-based acupuncture in treating ischemic stroke and its effects in improving the patient's motor function and daily living ability. Methods:A total of 106 patients with motor dysfunction due to cerebral infarction were randomized into a trial group and a control group,each consisting of 53 cases.Both groups received conventional rehabilitation;in addition,the control group was given point-toward-point acupuncture at scalp points,and the trial group was offered exercise-based acupuncture,3 times weekly for 4 consecutive weeks.Before treatment,after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment,and at the 2-month follow-up,the Fugl-Meyer assessment(FMA)scale,Lovett scale for muscle strength,modified Ashworth scale(MAS),and activities of daily living(ADL)scale were used to assess the patient's motor function,muscle strength,muscle tension,and daily living ability. Results:After treatment,both groups gained improvements in motor function and daily living ability;after 4-week treatment and at the 2-month follow-up,the trial group had higher FMA and ADL scores than the control group(P<0.05).The MAS score decreased after treatment in both groups;after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment and at the 2-month follow-up,the MAS score was lower in the trial group than in the control group(P<0.05).After the intervention,the Lovett score increased in both groups;after 4 weeks of treatment,the Lovett score was higher in the trial group than in the control group(P<0.05). Conclusion:Based on routine rehabilitation,exercise-based acupuncture and scalp point-toward-point acupuncture both can improve the motor function and daily living ability in ischemic stroke patients;exercise-based acupuncture performs better than scalp point-toward-point acupuncture.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological features and antiviral response of patients with genotype 6 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Guangxi, China. Methods A total of 97 patients with genotype 6 CHC who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from December 2012 to December 2020 were enrolled, among whom 62 patients were given antiviral therapy. The 62 patients receiving antiviral therapy were divided into interferon group with 22 patients and direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) group with 40 patients. Related data were collected, including general demographic data, HCV RNA, liver function, routine blood test results, and renal function. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Results Among the 97 patients, there were 69 male patients (71.1%) and 28 female patients (28.9%), with a mean age of 41.97±10.12 years, and the patients aged 30-40 years accounted for 47.4% (46/97). Of all 97 patients, 95 (97.9%) had genotype 6a, 1 had genotype 6e, and 1 had genotype 6xa. Among the 65 patients with a definite route of infection, 41 (63.1%) had intravenous drug use, 14 had medical-related operations, 9 had blood transfusion, and 4 had sexual contact as the route of infection. For the interferon group, the rapid virologic response (RVR) rate at week 4 was 81.8% (18/22), the rate of undetectable virus at the time of drug withdrawal (Epoint) was 86.4% (19/22), the rate of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after drug withdrawal (SVR12) was 81.8%, and the rate of sustained virological response at 24 weeks after drug withdrawal (SVR24) was 81.8%; 1 patient in this group experienced recurrence. All 40 patients in the DAA group were previously untreated patients (33 patients without liver cirrhosis and 7 patients with compensated liver cirrhosis), with an overall RVR rate of 87.5%(35/40), an Epoint rate of 100%, and an SVR12 rate of 100%, and there was no treatment failure or recurrence. Although different DAA regimens had different RVR rates, they all had a SVR12 rate of 100%. The patients with compensated liver cirrhosis and other diseases had a SVR12 rate of 100%. Conclusion Intravenous drug addiction is the main route of infection for patients with genotype 6 CHC in Guangxi, and CHC is more common in men, with genotype 6a as the main subtype. DAA treatment has a higher virologic response rate than interferon treatment, with an SVR12 rate of 100%. There is no significant difference in SVR12 rate between the patients with compensated liver cirrhosis and those without liver cirrhosis.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tigecycline-based treatment approach on severe infection of patients with hematological diseases. Methods The clinical data of 64 patients who were treated with tigecycline-based treatment approach for severe infection were retrospectively reviewed. The curative effect was evaluated, meanwhile the drug side effects were observed. Results A total of 51 strains of bacteria were isolated from 64 patients, including 12 extended-spectrum β-lactamase(ESBL)and 15 multi-drug resistant strains and the total effective rate was 59.4%(38/64). Five patients diagnosed as carbapenem resistant infection and were treated with the addition dose of tigecycline and 3 patients relieved. Main adverse events were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and hepatic dysfunction, but all events were slight. Conclusions Tigecycline-based treatment approach has a good clinical efficacy in treating severe infection of patients with hematological diseases, and the side effect is few.Tigecycline-based treatment approach could be used as a new choice for patients non-responding favorably to conventional anti-infective treatment or multiple resistant bacteria.

Objective To explore the influence of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride prolonged-release tablets on the cognitive processing of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Methods Thirty ADHD children and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study,and the ADHD subjects were treated with Methylphenidate Hydrochloride prolonged-release tablets for (28 ± 3) days.Pre-test and post-test by the Das-Naglieri:Cognitive Assessment System(DN:CAS) were done to evaluate the cognitive function of all individuals.The differences of cognitive processing in pre-treatment and post-treatment of ADHD group with healthy control group were compared.The difference between before and after treatment of ADHD was also compared.Results Compared with healthy control group,there were lower of planning score [(21.86 ± 4.61) scores vs.(29.33 ± 5.06) scores],attention score [(25.00 ± 4.57) scores vs.(29.83 ± 3.79) scores],and the total scores [(111.93 ± 13.95) scores vs.(127.26 ±15.53) scores] in ADHD group,and there were significant differences (t =-5.976,-4.455,-4.023,all P ＜0.05).The matching number,planned codes,planned connections,expressive attention,number detection and receptive attention scores were also lower in ADHD group,and there were significant differences (t =-4.787,-3.703,-4.991,-2.216,-2.488,-3.219,all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with healthy control group,there were lower of planning score with significant difference [(25.53 ± 4.98) scores vs.(29.33 ± 5.06) scores,t =-2.931,P ＜ 0.05] in ADHD group after treatment,matching number and planned codes were lower with significant difference (t =-2.654,-2.044,all P ＜ 0.05) in ADHD group after treatment.In ADHD group,the scores of planning [(25.53 ± 4.98)scores vs.(21.86 ± 4.61) scores],simultaneous processing [(36.10 ± 7.10) scores vs.(34.13 ± 6.04) scores],attention [(27.90 ± 5.69) scores vs.(25.00 ± 4.57) scores] and the total score [(121.50 ± 16.55) scores vs.(111.93 ± 13.95) scores] were significantly higher after treatment than that before treatment and there were significant differences (t =-5.679,-2.949,-3.869,-5.963,all P ＜ 0.05);matching number,planned codes,planned connections,nonverbal matrices,number detection,receptive attention and word series were significantly higher after treatment than that before treatment,and there were significant differences (t =-2.528,-3.209,-3.890,-2.276,-4.489,-2.208,-2.373,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The Methylphenidate Hydrochloride prolonged-release tablets can improve the function of cognitive processing in children with ADHD,especially in attention.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Thus, the development of new therapeutic targets for CRC treatment is urgently needed. SGK1 is involved in various cellular activities, and its dysregulation can result in multiple cancers. However, little is known about its roles and associated molecular mechanisms in CRC. In present study, we found that SGK1 was highly expressed in tumor tissues compared with peri-tumor samples from CRC patients. In vitro experiments revealed that SGK1 overexpression promoted colonic tumor cell proliferation and migration and inhibited cell apoptosis induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), while SGK1 shRNA and inhibitors showed the inverse effects. Using CRC xenograft mice models, we demonstrated that knockdown or therapeutic inhibition of SGK1 repressed tumor cell proliferation and tumor growth. Moreover, SGK1 inhibitors increased p27 expression and promoted p27 nuclear accumulation in colorectal cancer cells, and p27 siRNAs could attenuate the repression of CRC cell proliferation induced by SGK1 inhibitors. Collectively, SGK1 promotes colorectal cancer development via regulation of CRC cell proliferation, migration and survival. Inhibition of SGK1 represents a novel strategy for the treatment of CRC.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cause of Death ; Cell Proliferation ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Fluorouracil ; Heterografts ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mice ; Repression, Psychology ; RNA, Small Interfering

Objective To explore the positive experience in the group mode of prevention of maternal postpartum depression effect Methods Select 94 cases of mothers who were delivered in our hospital from January 2015 to July 2016,According to the random number table method, they were divided into experimental group and control group,47 cases each. The mothers in the control group were given routine care during pregnancy, and the experimental group on the basis of the positive group experience. The subjects were followed up every 4 weeks during pregnancy. The maternal prenatal and postnatal happiness,mood change and mother′s role adaptation were compared.Results Postpartum the score of the negative emotion scale in the experimental group was (9.70±2.15) points,The EPDS score was (11.43±2.66) points,were significantly lower than the control group (11.45±2.78) points,(14.21±2.70) points (t=3.414,5.028;P<0.01);Positive emotion scale score was (31.53±3.97) points, Significantly higher than the control group (28.38±3.74) points (t=3.959,P<0.01). The adaptation rate of mothers′ role was 53.19%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (29.79%). The differences was statistically significant (Z=4.984,P<0.01).Conclusions Based on positive experiences,it is important to improve postpartum depression maternal happiness,relieve maternal depression and improve maternal adaptability.

Objective:To observe the effects of bama nectar in kidney-yang deficienct mice and on the mating ability and sperm counts of normal mice. Methods:The weight, body temperature, locomotor activity, cold-resistant,genital organ coefficient and lipid peroxidation of the hydrocortisone-induced kidney-yang deficient mice were detected. The genital organ ccoefficient, immune organ co-efficient and erectile function of the ovariectomized mice were detected. The mating ability and the sperm counts of normal mice were measured. Results:Compared with the model group, bama nectar obviously increased the weight, body temperature and locomotor ac-tivity of the hydrocortisone-induced kidney-yang deficient mice, and improved the locomotor activity, the organ coefficient of seminal vesicle, prostate gland, preputial gland and epididymis. Furthermore, bama nectar significantly increased the SOD activity in serum and reduced the level of MDA in serum when compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, bama nectar could increase the organ coefficient of foreskin and thymus gland in the ovariectomized mice, and shorten the erec-tile latency (P<0. 05). Compared with the normal group, bama nectar improved the mating ability and the sperm counts of the male mice (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Conclusion:Bama nectar has beneficial effects on invigorating kidney and strengthening yang.