Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of methylene blue on diabetic retinopathy in rats. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into blank, control and experimental groups. The control and experimental groups were induced with diabetes by streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneal injection. After 6 weeks of successful modeling, the experimental group received intravitreal injection of methylene blue at a dose of [0.2 mg/(kg.d)], while the control group received an equal amount of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) intravitreal injection, both continuously injected for 7 days. ELISA was used to detect the levels of retinal superoxide dismutase (SOD), 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (iPF2α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in rats. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of retinal extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation (p-ERK1/2) and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT), and PAS staining was used to detect retinal morphological changes. Results Compared with the blank group rats, the retinal SOD activity in the control and experimental group rats was significantly reduced. iPF2α, IL-1β and p-ERK1/2 level increased, while p-AKT level decreased. Compared with the control group, the SOD activity of the experimental group rats increased. iPF2α and IL-1β level went down, while p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT level went up significantly. The overall thickness of the retinal layer and the number of retinal ganglion cells were significantly reduced. Conclusion Methylene blue improves diabetic retinopathy in rats by reducing retinal oxidative stress and enhancing ERK1/2 and AKT phosphorylation.
Rats ; Animals ; Diabetic Retinopathy/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/metabolism* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Methylene Blue/pharmacology* ; Phosphorylation ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy* ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism*

OBJECTIVETo verify the clinical therapeutic effects on shoulder joint pain of rotator cuff injury treated with electroacupuncture (EA) and Mulligan's mobilization.

METHODSA total of 120 patients of shoulder joint pain of rotator cuff injury were randomized into an EA group, a rehabilitation group and a combined therapy group, 40 cases in each one. In the EA group, EA was applied to Jianzhen (SI 9), Jianliao (TE 14), Jianyu (LI 15), Tianzong (SI 11), Jianqian (extra) and Binao (LI 14) in the affected side. Of these acupoints, Jianliao (TE 14) and Jianyu (LI 15), Jianzhen (SI 9) and Tianzong (SI 11) were stimulated with's electric apparatus. In the rehabilitation group, Mulligan's mobilization was used, including scapular mobilization, static joint mobilization and dynamic joint mobilization. In the combined therapy group, EA was used in combination with Mulligan mobilization. The treatment was given once a day in each group, 5 sessions a week, totally for 6 weeks. The pain intensity of shoulder joint (VAS), the University of California at Los Angeles shoulder rating scale (UCLA) and the range of motion (ROM) of shoulder joint were evaluated before and 6 weeks after treatment separately. The adverse reactions were recorded in each group.

RESULTSVAS scores were all reduced, UCLA scores increased and ROM improved after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the three groups (all<0.05). After treatment, VAS score, UCLA score and ROM in the combined therapy group were remarkably improved as compared with those in the EA group and the rehabilitation group (all<0.05). Regarding the improvements of VAS and UCLA scores, the results in the EA group were better than those in the rehabilitation group (both<0.05). Regarding ROM improvement, the results in the rehabilitation group were superior to those in the EA group (all<0.05). There was no adverse reaction in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of EA and Mulligan's mobilization relieves shoulder joint pain of rotator cuff injury, better than the simple application of either EA or Mulligan's mobilization.

Guangdong General Hospital set up burn treatment specialist group in 1960. It was one of the hospitals which set up the department of burns in the early time. In the past 58 years, Department of Burn Surgery in Guangdong General Hospital has treated more than 20 000 burn patients, with overall success rate of 98.58%, standing at the global frontier. In the past 58 years, under the leadership of professors Chen Huade and Lai Wen and through the unremitting efforts of the colleagues, our department has developed from a burn treatment specialist group to the key clinical specialty of Guangdong province, sample unit of hundred level of laminar burn care ward, unit of chairman of the second and third committees of the Burn Branch of Guangdong Medical Association, the base of the National Good Clinical Practice, and has provided high level of burn treatment service for people in South China.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of distant collateral needling in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. Method Eighty patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by distant collateral needling, while the control group was by ordinary acupuncture treatment. The symptom and sign scores were observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups. Result The symptom and sign scores were changed significantly after intervention in both groups (P<0.01). The symptom and sign scores of the treatment group were significantly different from that of the control group after intervention (P<0.05). The total effective rate and the recovery plus markedly-effective rate were respectively 94.9% and 84.6% in the treatment group versus 89.2% and 64.9% in the control group. The between-group difference in the total effective rate was statistically insignificant (P>0.05); there was a significant difference in comparing the recovery plus markedly-effective rate between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Distant collateral needling is an effective method in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.

Objective To explore the compatibility rules of acupoints and meridians in acupuncture-moxibustion treatment for vertigo, by using the association rules of data mining.Method The relevant data were collected from literatures about acupuncture-moxibustion in treating vertigo from the Pre-Qin Period to Qing Dynasty to establish a database. Then the involved acupoint and meridian groups were further extracted by using association rules of data mining.Result Shangxing (GV 23) and Fengchi (GB 20), Fenglong (ST 40) and Jiexi (ST 41), Hegu (LI 4) and Fengchi (GB 20), Fenglong (ST 40) and Fengchi (GB 20), Waiguan (TE 5) and Zulinqi (GB 41), Hegu (LI 4) and Fenglong (ST 40), Hegu (LI 4) and Jiexi (ST 41), Yanggu (SI 5) and Zulinqi (GB 41), Yanggu (SI 5) and Fengchi (GB 20), Shenting (GV 24) and Shangxing (GV 23) are the most commonly used acupiont pairs; the Governor Vessel, Gallbladder Meridian and Bladder Meridian are the most commonly used meridian groups.Conclusion It’s reasonable to use association rules to study the ancient acupuncture-moxibustion literatures, and the results about acupoint and meridian groups provide references for both clinical practice and experimental researches.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the development of liver damage and reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during the treatment of extremely severe burn injury in HBsAg positive patients, in order to provide reference for prevention and treatment of liver damage in patients with HBV infection after extremely severe burn.

METHODSMedical records of 54 HBsAg positive patients after extremely severe burn injury admitted from January 2004 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Development of liver damage and HBV reactivation of these patients during the treatment were analyzed according to the classification of their gender, results of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and HBV DNA examinations on admission, and development of sepsis in the process of treatment. Data were processed with chi-square test.

RESULTS(1) The incidence of liver damage in the process of treatment of these patients was 85.2% (46/54). Among all the patients, the proportion of liver damage was 35/38 in male, which was significantly higher than that in female (11/16, χ² = 4.867, P<0.05). Liver damage was found in all of 26 patients who were HBeAg positive on admission, 34 patients who were HBV DNA positive on admission, and 36 patients who developed sepsis in the process of treatment; the proportions were significantly higher than those in patients who were HBeAg negative on admission (20/28), patients who were HBV DNA negative on admission (12/20), and patients who did not develop sepsis in the process of treatment (10/18), with χ² values respectively 11.801, 18.384, and 20.574, P values below 0.01. (2) The incidence of HBV reactivation in these patients was 29.6% (16/54). Among all the patients, the proportion of HBV reactivation was 13/38 in male and 3/16 in female, with no statistically significant difference between them (χ² = 0.656, P>0.05). The proportions of HBV reactivation in patients who were HBeAg positive on admission, patients who were HBV DNA positive on admission, and patients who developed sepsis in the process of treatment were respectively 13/26, 16/34, and 15/36, and they were significantly higher than those in patients who were HBeAg negative on admission (3/28), patients who were HBV DNA negative on admission (0/20), and patients who did not develop sepsis in the process of treatment (1/18), with χ² values respectively 9.979, 18.615, and 5.873, P<0.05 or P<0.01.

CONCLUSIONSPatients who are HBsAg positive, HBeAg positive, HBV DNA positive on admission, and develop sepsis in the process of treatment of extremely severe burn injury are more likely to develop liver damage and HBV reactivation. It is necessary to dynamically monitor the changes in HBV DNA and liver function, in order to identity the reactivation of virus.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Burns ; complications ; drug therapy ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; DNA, Viral ; Female ; Hepatitis Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; pathology ; virology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on cochlea morphology and expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in guinea pigs with endolymphatic hydrops, so as to explore the possible mechanism of EA on endolymphatic hydrops.

METHODSForty guinea pigs were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a medication group and an EA group, 10 guinea pigs in each one. Model of endolymphatic hydrops was established by using intraperitoneal injection of aldosterone. Guinea pigs in the blank group and model group were treated with identical immobilization as EA group but no treatment was given; guinea pigs in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of hydrochlorothiazide at a dose of 5 mg/kg, once a day for consecutive 10 days; guinea pigs in the EA group were treated with' EA at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Tinggong"(SI 19), once a day for consecutive 10 days. The serum ionic concentration in each group was tested by turbidimetric method; hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to measure the severity of cochlea hydrops; immunohistochemical method was used to observe the expression of AQP1 in the cochlea.

RESULTS(1) There was no endolymphatic hydrops in the blank group, moderate-severe endolymphatic hydrops in the model group and slight endolymphatic hydrops in the EA group and medication group. (2) The concentration of K+ and Ca2+ in the EA group was higher than that in the model group and medication group (all P<0. 01); the concentration of Na+ was lower than that in the model group (P< 0. 01) but higher than that in the medication group (P<0. 01); the concentration of Cl- was higher than that in the medication group (P<0. 01), but not significantly different from the model group (P>0. 05). (3) The ratio of expression area of AQP1 in the model group was lower than that in the blank group (P<0. 01); the ratio of expression area of AQP1 in the EA group was higher than that in the model group (P<0. 01), and lower than that in the medication group without significant difference (P>0. 05).

CONCLUSIONEA could relieve the endolymphatic hydrops in guinea pigs; the mechanism is likely to be related with up-regulating the expression of AQP1 in cochlea and ion concentration might be an important factor involved.

Animals ; Aquaporins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cochlea ; anatomy & histology ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroacupuncture ; Endolymphatic Hydrops ; genetics ; metabolism ; therapy ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Male

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of recombinant human acidic fibroblast growth factor( rh-aFGF)and re-combinant human basic fibroblast growth factor( rh-bFGF)in the treatment of deep second degree burn. Methods:A multicenter,pro-spective,randomized and double-blind clinical trial was conducted. Totally 216 cases of deep second degree burn were selected from five research centers and given appropriate antibiotics and nutritional supplement therapy. The wound of 108 cases in the observation group were rinsing with rh-aFGF(one bottle / 5cm2)according to the wound area at the time of admission followed by rh-aFGF daily spraying,3-4 press/cm2 ,6-8 times a day. The 108 patients in the control group were treated with rh-bFGF with the same regimen as the observation group. After the 30-day follow-up,the wound healing was evaluated in the two groups. Results:The complete healing time,debridement time,complete healing rate in 12 days and 15 days in the observation group were all better than those in the control group(P<0. 05). After the 7-day treatment,the level of leukocyte and seepage score of the observation group were both lower than those of the control group(P<0. 01). The moderate rate showed significant difference between the two groups(P<0. 05). Conclu-sion:rh-aFGF shows better clinical efficacy than rh-bFGF in the treatment of deep second degree burn with the similar safety.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on secretion of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages stimulated by lipopolysacharide (LPS).

METHODSRat BMSCs and macrophages were isolated, cultured, and identified. The BMSCs and macrophages, cultured alone or in co-culture, were treated with LPS or PBS or without treatment and tested for interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in the supernatants at 1, 3, 5, 7, 12, and 24 h after the treatment using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSExposure to LPS caused significantly increased IL-10 and TNF-α concentrations in the supernatant of cultured macrophages but not in BMSC culture. Macrophages co-cultured with BMSCs showed significantly lowered IL-10 and TNF-α secretions in response to LPS exposure as compared with the macrophages cultured alone.

CONCLUSIONBMSCs can reduce LPS-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines by the macrophages to ameliorate inflammatory reactions.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10 ; secretion ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Macrophages ; secretion ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Rats ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; secretion

[Objective] To observe the influence of rats serum SOD and cardiac function with qi deficiency syndrome through the factors of the acupuncture point injection with different reinforcing and reducing methods. [Methods] To establish SD rat heart-qi deficiency syndrome model with the compound factors of the feeding, load forced swimming and large dose propranolol. The rats were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, Zusanli(St. 36) Shenqi Fuzheng injection reinforcing method group, Zusanli(St. 36) Shenqi Fuzheng injection reducing method group. Each acupoint injection of 0.20ml, one time a day, for 10 consecutive days. Determine of serum SOD activity values respectively and detect cardiac function correlated hemodynamic indexes. [Results] (1) The activity of serum SOD in model group rats was significantly lower than control group( P<0.01);Treated groups and model group had significant difference(P<0.05 or P<0.01);Zusanli(St. 36) injection reinforcing method group and Zusanli(St. 36) reducing method group had significant differences(P<0.01);(2) The cardiac function of rats in model group decreased significantly, corresponding heart function index of each treatment groups had changes and obvious differences. The maximum ventricular rats model of the internal pressure, left ventricular systolic pressure ,the maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure, heart rate and other indicators of Zusanli(St. 36) Shenqi Fuzheng injection reinforcing method group were more than indexes of Zusanli(St. 36) Shenqi Fuzheng injection reducing method group( P<0.01). [Conclusion] Acupoint injection of different reinforcing-reducing manipulations had different effect on the treatment of disease, and Zusanli(St. 36) injection reinforcement treatment of heart-qi deficiency syndrome model rats was significantly better than the other groups.