OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of combination therapy of wheat-grained sized cone moxibustion and point-to-point needle insertion with medical ozone penetrating injection for allergic rhinitis (AR) and its effect on inflammation-related indexes. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with persistent AR were enrolled. The patients received medical ozone injection at bilateral Yingxiang (LI20)-to-Shangyingxiang (EX-HN8), and wheat-grained sized cone moxibustion at Dazhui (GV14), twice a week (with a 3-day interval) for 4 consecutive weeks. The total nasal symptoms score (TNSS), total non-nasal symptom score (TNNSS), rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ), and rhinitis control assessment test (RCAT) scores were evaluated before treatment, after treatment, and at the 8-week follow-up. Levels of eosinophil (EOS) count, immunoglobulin E (IgE), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, and IL-17 were measured before and after treatment. Clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment, and the recurrence rate was assessed at follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with those before treatment, the TNSS, TNNSS, and RQLQ scores were decreased (P<0.05), while the RCAT score was increased (P<0.05) after treatment and at follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in above indexes between the post-treatment and follow-up (P>0.05). After treatment, the whole blood EOS count and serum levels of IgE, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17 were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, 17 cases were markedly effective, 12 cases were effective, and 2 cases were ineffective, resulting in a total effective rate of 93.5%. At follow-up, 2 cases relapsed, and the recurrence rate was 6.9%. CONCLUSION Combination therapy of wheat-grained sized cone moxibustion and point-to-point needle insertion with medical ozone injection can improve AR symptoms, reduce the recurrence rate, and enhance the quality of life. The mechanism may be associated with the regulation of immune-related indexes.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Adult ; Ozone/administration & dosage* ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Rhinitis, Allergic/immunology* ; Interleukin-4/immunology*

The polymerase 1 and transcript release factor (PTRF)-cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) phospholipid remodeling pathway facilitates tumor proliferation in glioma. Nevertheless, blockade of this pathway leads to the excessive activation of oncogenic receptors on the plasma membrane and subsequent drug resistance. Here, CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) was identified through screening of CRISPR/Cas9 libraries. Suppressing PTRF-cPLA2 signaling resulted in the activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway through phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine remodeling, which ultimately increased DPP4 transcription. In turn, DPP4 interacted with EGFR and prevented its ubiquitination. Linagliptin, a DPP4 inhibitor, facilitated the degradation of EGFR by blocking its interaction with DPP4. When combined with the cPLA2 inhibitor AACOCF3, it exhibited synergistic effects and led to a decrease in energy metabolism in glioblastoma cells. Subsequent in vivo investigations provided further evidence of a synergistic impact of linagliptin by augmenting the sensitivity of AACOCF3 and strengthening the efficacy of temozolomide. DPP4 serves as a novel target and establishes a constructive feedback loop with EGFR. Linagliptin is a potent inhibitor that promotes EGFR degradation by blocking the DPP4-EGFR interaction. This study presents innovative approaches for treating glioma by combining linagliptin with AACOCF3 and temozolomide.

Objective To study the properties and antimicrobial activity of the novel self-assembled antimicrobial peptide(AMP)CR-16,and to provide experimental evidence for the treatment of bacterial infections.Methods CR-16 was designed and synthesized based on the structure of antimicrobial peptides Buforin Ⅱ and LfcinB.Dynamic light scattering(DLS),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),and X-ray diffraction(XRD)were used to characterize CR-16.Based on the results of critical micelle concentration(CMC),the self-assembled properties of CR-16 were investigated using atomic force microscopy(AFM)and circular dichroism(CD).The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)was used to study the inhibitory effect of CR-16 while transmission electron microscopy(TEM)was adopted to observe the interactions between CR-16 and the outer membrane of bacteria.Results AMP CR-16 was prepared as self-assemblies,which were regularly spherical in shape and stable in activity.CR-16 could inhibit both the growth of Escherichia coli and,more importantly,the growth of NDM-1-producing carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli,promising good prospects in treating infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Conclusion CR-16 can be self-assembled and deliver antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli.

Objective To enhance the photostability of colchicine(COL)for sustained-release COL pellets.Methods The degradation was investigated by studying the photochemical degradation kinetics of COL.The impact of such physical properties of the photostabilizers as the type,color,dosage,and position on the photostability of COL in sustained-release pellets was also evaluated.Results The contents of photochemical degradation products did not increase after 10 days of light exposure to sustained-release COL pellets with red iron oxide of 4％(w/w)as the protective layer.Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that use of iron oxide as a photostabilizer in sustained-release COL pellets can significantly reduce the photochemical degradation of COL in the pellets.

Objective To develop a deep learning network based on attention mechanism to identify the number of the vertical man-dibular third molar(MTM)roots(single or double)on panoramic radiographs in an automatic way.Methods The sample consisted of 1 045 patients with 1 642 MTMs on paired panoramic radiographs and Cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT)and were randomly grouped into the training(80%),the validation(10%),and the test(10%).The evaluation of CBCT was defined as the ground truth.A deep learning network based on attention mechanism,which was named as RN-MTMnet,was trained to judge if the MTM on pano-ramic radiographs had one or two roots.Diagnostic performance was evaluated by accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,and positive predict value(PPV),and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve with the area under the ROC curve(AUC).Its diagnostic perform-ance was compared with dentists'diagnosis,Faster-RCNN,CenterNet,and SSD using evaluation metrics.Results On CBCT images,single-rooted MTM was observed on 336(20.46%)sides,while two-rooted MTM was 1 306(79.54%).The RN-MTMnet achieved an accuracy of 0.888,a sensitivity of 0.885,a specificity of 0.903,a PPV of 0.976,and the AUC value of 0.90.Conclusion RN-MTM-net is developed as a novel,robust and accurate method for detecting the numberof MTM roots on panoramic radiographs.

Objective To explore the intrinsic relationship between circadian clock and cell cycle in osteoarthritis(OA)chondrocytes,especially the regulation of cell cycle-related genes by the clock gene Bmal1.Methods The chondroid ATDC5 cells induced by insulin-transfering-selenium(ITS)were divided into control group,OA group and LV-Bmal1 group.The cell viability of each group was detected by CCK8 method.The expression of Bmal1,Per1,Wee1,Cdk1,Ccnb1 and Mmp13 mRNA in each group was detected by RT-qPCR.The expression of BMAL1,PER1,WEE1,CDK1,CCNB1 and MMP13 protein in each group was detected by Western blot.The effects of Bmal1 on different stages of cell cycle and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.The regulation of Bmal1 on Per1,Wee1,Cdk1,Ccnb1 and Mmp13 and their roles in OA were analyzed.Results Compared with the normal group,the cell viability of the OA group was increased,the relative mRNA expression of Bmal1 and Wee1 in the OA group decreased,and the relative mRNA expression of Per1,Cdk1,Ccnb1 and Mmp13 increased signif-icantly.The cell viability of LV-Bmal1 group decreased,the relative expression of Bmal1 and Wee1 mRNA in-creased,and the relative expression of Per1,Cdk1,Ccnb1 and Mmp13 mRNA decreased(P＜0.05).Correlation analysis showed that Bmal1 was positively correlated with Wee1 and they were negatively correlated with Per1,Cdk1,Ccnb1 or Mmp13.The results of Western blot showed that protein expression in different groups were con-sistent with the trend of PCR.The results of cell cycle and apoptosis showed that compared with the normal group,the S phase and G2/M phase of the OA group were shortened,the proportion of cells decreased significantly,and the proportion of early and late apoptosis increased.The S phase and G2/M phase of the LV-Bmal1 group were prolonged,the proportion of cells was increased,and the proportion of early and late apoptosis was decreased.Conclusions Circadian clock gene Bmal1 in inflammatory chondrocytes might regulate the expression of cell cycle-related genes.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy and feasibility of applying a medial plantar vein flap to repair the great toenail flap donor site.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of patients who underwent great toenail flap or partial great toenail flap transplantation for finger reconstruction from January 2020 to June 2021 in Longgang Orthopedic Hospital of Shenzhen. During the operation, the donor site of the great toenail flap was repaired with medial plantar venous flaps, and the donor site of the medial plantar venous flaps was repaired with a free full-thickness skin graft. The survival of the flap was observed and the appearance, sensation, and complications of the flap were followed up. The foot function was evaluated by the Maryland foot function evaluation standard.Results:A total of 6 cases were enrolled, including 5 males and 1 female with an average of 22 years, ranged from 14-28 years old. The wound area of the great toenail flap was 2.2 cm×3.7 cm-5.5 cm×7.0 cm, and the skin flap was 2.5 cm×3.8 cm-5.5 cm×7.1 cm. All flaps survived. 2 cases developed tension blisters. All patients were followed up for 3-18 months, with an average of 9 months. And all flaps had no swollen appearance, good color, texture, and no ulcers or pain. Two-point discrimination was 7-10 mm, and the second/third donor area was concealed. According to the Maryland foot function evaluation standard, all 6 cases were rated as excellent.Conclusion:The application of the medial plantar vein flap to repair the donor area of the great toenail flap is an effective repair method. The donor area is concealed, the flap is not bloated, the texture is good, the survival rate is high, and the sensation recovered satisfactory.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy and feasibility of applying a medial plantar vein flap to repair the great toenail flap donor site.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of patients who underwent great toenail flap or partial great toenail flap transplantation for finger reconstruction from January 2020 to June 2021 in Longgang Orthopedic Hospital of Shenzhen. During the operation, the donor site of the great toenail flap was repaired with medial plantar venous flaps, and the donor site of the medial plantar venous flaps was repaired with a free full-thickness skin graft. The survival of the flap was observed and the appearance, sensation, and complications of the flap were followed up. The foot function was evaluated by the Maryland foot function evaluation standard.Results:A total of 6 cases were enrolled, including 5 males and 1 female with an average of 22 years, ranged from 14-28 years old. The wound area of the great toenail flap was 2.2 cm×3.7 cm-5.5 cm×7.0 cm, and the skin flap was 2.5 cm×3.8 cm-5.5 cm×7.1 cm. All flaps survived. 2 cases developed tension blisters. All patients were followed up for 3-18 months, with an average of 9 months. And all flaps had no swollen appearance, good color, texture, and no ulcers or pain. Two-point discrimination was 7-10 mm, and the second/third donor area was concealed. According to the Maryland foot function evaluation standard, all 6 cases were rated as excellent.Conclusion:The application of the medial plantar vein flap to repair the donor area of the great toenail flap is an effective repair method. The donor area is concealed, the flap is not bloated, the texture is good, the survival rate is high, and the sensation recovered satisfactory.

Objective:To investigate the iodine nutritional level of residents in iodine adequate areas in Henan Province, and provide basis for making policy of targeted guidance and rational iodine supplementation.Methods:In the 156 counties of Henan Province in 2020, one township was selected from each location (east, west, south, north and middle) in each county; one school was selected from each township; 40 children aged 8-10 years in the school and 20 pregnant women in the township were selected to collect their urine and salt samples to test urine and salt iodine levels. One third of the counties were selected to examine the thyroid gland of children. Individuals lived in villages with water iodine between 40 and 100 μg/L were included in the study.Results:In iodine adequate areas, a total of 2 097 salt samples were collected from children and tested, the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 93.6% (1 962/2 097). A total of 2 096 urine samples were collected from children and tested, and the median urinary iodine was 288.0 μg/L. The goiter rate of children was 0.7% (5/723). A total of 1 068 salt samples from pregnant women were tested, and the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 93.0% (993/1 068). A total of 1 068 urine samples from pregnant women were tested, with a median urinary iodine 232.7 μg/L. Stratified by water iodine (40-59, 60-79, 80-100 μg/L), the median urinary iodine of children was 273.8, 288.6, and 305.9 μg/L, respectively, statistically significantly different between groups ( H = 15.79, P < 0.001); the goiter rate of children was ≤2%, and the difference between groups was statistically significant (χ 2 = 7.31, P = 0.026); but the median urinary iodine of pregnant women was not significantly different ( H = 1.82, P = 0.402). Under different water iodine conditions, there was no significant difference in urinary iodine levels in children and pregnant women between the high salt iodine concentration group (≥21 mg/kg) and the low salt iodine concentration group (< 21 mg/kg, P > 0.05). Conclusions:The iodine nutrition level of children in iodine adequate areas in Henan Province is relatively high, and the iodine nutrition of pregnant women is appropriate. The goiter rate of children is at a relatively low level. Continuous surveillance should be conducted to comprehensively evaluate the iodine nutrition level. Various measures will be taken by regions and populations.

Objective:To evaluate the value of curative effect in neuromyelitis spectrum disease (NMOSD) based on circulatory function evaluation of intracerebral glymphatic system by using diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space.Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 23 patients diagnosed with NMOSD at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from March 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. The clinical data included expanded disability status scale (EDSS), average relapse rate (ARR) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness at baseline and 1 year follow-up after treatment. Among the 23 NMOSD patients, there were 22 females and 1 male, aged from 21 to 71 (45±13) years old. All the patients underwent MR scans at both baseline and 1 year after treatment, and the scanning sequences included cerebral 3D-T 1WI, T 2WI, diffusion tensor imaging and cervical spinal sagittal 3D-T 2WI, and the cervical spinal cord volume and bilateral diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space index (ALPS index) were calculated. The partial correlation test was used to analyze the correlations between ALPS index and the clinical indicators such as EDSS, ARR, and bilateral RNFL, with the control variables as gender, age, years of education and course of disease. The multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the independent predictors for ALPS index and EDSS after treatment. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of NMOSD treatment outcome by using ALPS index. Results:When controlling for gender, age, years of education and course of disease, there were significant negative correlations between right ALPS index and EDSS ( r=-0.50, P=0.048), bilateral average ALPS index and EDSS ( r=-0.53, P=0.034), left ALPS index and ARR ( r=-0.58, P=0.018), while there was significant positive correlations between right ALPS index and RNFL ( r=0.88, P=0.008) at 1 year follow-up after treatment. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that cervical spinal cord volume was an independent impact factor of bilateral average ALPS indexes (β=0.24, 95%CI 0.10-0.38, P=0.002), and bilateral average ALPS indexes (β=-3.22, 95%CI -5.97--0.48, P=0.024) and right RNFL (β=-0.05, 95%CI -0.08--0.02, P=0.002) at baseline were the independent impact factors of EDSS after treatment. ROC curve analysis showed that the bilateral average ALPS index at baseline had the best efficacy in predicting the curative effect of NMOSD patients with AUC=0.92. Conclusions:After treatment, NMOSD patients with severe clinical disability, high frequency of disease attack, poor visual performance, and severe cervical spinal cord atrophy have more serious impairment of intracerebral glymphatic system circulatory function. The ALPS index could help in predicting the clinical curative effect of NMOSD patients.