Bronchiectasis(BE) is the third major chronic airway disease, and its incidence rate shows a continuously increasing trend. Bronchiectasis is a highly heterogeneous chronic airway disease. Due to structural alterations, airflow limitation, and mucus hypersecretion, clinical treatment faces many challenges. Particularly, problems including Pseudomonas aeruginosa-dominant drug-resistant bacterial colonization, recurrent infections, airway mucus hypersecretion, and impaired lung function are the most urgent, requiring long-term and personalized treatment and management integrating traditional Chinese and western medicine to prevent the recurrence and continuous progression of the disease. In recent years, both traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine have made certain progress in pathogenesis theories, clinical studies, and basic research regarding the therapeutic challenges of bronchiectasis. Therefore, this paper summarized relevant research from the past 10 years and explored future directions and potential advantages of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment, providing references for optimizing the clinical management strategies for bronchiectasis.
Bronchiectasis/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Animals

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes， and its pathogenesis is complex. Its high morbidity can result in disability， teratogenesis， and death in diabetic patients. At present， the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy has not been clearly elucidated， which may be related to oxidative stress， inflammatory response， microcirculation dysfunction， metabolic abnormalities， etc. Recent studies have found that apoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The three pathways， i.e.， mitochondrial pathway， death receptor pathway， and endoplasmic reticulum pathway， jointly regulate the cell apoptosis in the body. Traditional Chinese medicine， with definite efficacies in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy， is advantageous in overall regulation and multi-target and multi-pathway treatment. As reported， the active ingredients in Chinese medicine and Chinese medicinal compounds can alleviate diabetic peripheral neuropathy by regulating apoptosis signaling pathways. Furthermore， apoptosis pathways are expected to be potential targets for new drugs against diabetic peripheral neuropathy following oxidative stress. Therefore， this paper， taking apoptosis as the entry point， reviewed the research progress on TCM intervention in diabetic peripheral neuropathy in recent years to provide references for the clinical prevention and treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and the development of new drugs.

A patient with multiple-organ echinococcosis suffered from liver echinococcosis,lung echinococcosis,and pelvic echinococcosis successively in the past three decades.From the first operation at 19 years-old,she underwent operations several times due to the recurrence of multiple organ involvement.Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease.Although the liver usually is the primary site,the disease can also invade many other organs.Diagnosis is typically based on disease history and imaging findings.Thorough removal of the lesions during the first operation is particularly important.Comprehensive evaluations and multi-disciplinary team are helpful in the treatment of patients with multiple organ invasion.
Adult ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Echinococcosis/surgery* ; Female ; Humans ; Liver/parasitology* ; Lung/parasitology* ; Pelvis/physiopathology* ; Young Adult

AIM To optimize the two-phase (ethanol-dipotassium phosphate) aqueous extraction for Astragali Radix by central composite design-response surface method.METHODS With ethanol concentration,dipotassium hydrogen phosphate solution concentration and Astragali Radix feed ratio as influencing factors,together with extraction rates of total flavonoids and total saponins as evaluation indices,the technology optimization was accomplished by central composite design-response surface method.RESULTS The optimal conditions were determined to be 27.97％ for ethanol concentration,22.03％ for dipotassium hydrogen phosphate solution concentration,and 1 ∶ 58.85 for Astragali Radix feed ratio.The extraction rate of total flavonoids reached 74.13％ (concentrated in the upper layer),while that of total saponins reached 81.34％ (concentrated in the lower layer).CONCLUSION With good predictability,this simple and accurate method can be used for the extraction of total flavonoids and total saponins in Astragali Radix.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of the interaction between PLIN gene polymorphisms and open lifestyle intervention on weight-loss in Chinese Han adults.

METHODSTotally 109 overweight or obese subjects were assigned by random number table to the intervention group (n=56) or control group (n=53),and subjects in the intervention group received 22-week open lifestyle intervention. Anthropometric and metabolic indicators were measured for all subjects before and after intervention,and the PLIN1,PLIN4,and PLIN6 genotypes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced through the first-generation sequencing technologies.

RESULTSAmong all these subjects,the rare allele C was dominant at PLIN1 (0.619),the common allele G was dominant at PLIN4 (0.606),and the common allele A was dominant at PLIN6 (0.564),in which PLIN1 and PLIN4 as well as PLIN4 and PLIN6 were in strong linkage disequilibrium (D'>0.9). After intervention,the body mass index,waist circumference,and body fat percent of female subjects were significantly decreased in intervention group and were lower than in control group;in male subjects,however,only the waist circumference showed significant difference with the control group (P<0.05). Subjects carrying rare allele homozygote of PLIN6 got less weight/fat loss than those carrying common alleles in intervention group,while subjects carrying rare allele of PLIN1 had more weight/fat increase than those with common allele homozygote in control group (P<0.05). Females in intervention group carrying any one of rare allele homozygotes of PLIN1,PLIN4 and PLIN6 got less weight/fat loss than those with common alleles,and female subjects carrying the rare allele homozygote haplotype of PLIN1/PLIN4 or PLIN4/PLIN6 got less weight/fat loss than those with other haplotypes (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe interaction between open lifestyle intervention and PLIN gene polymorphisms can directly influence weight-loss in Chinese Han overweight and obese adults.

Adipose Tissue ; Adult ; Alleles ; Body Mass Index ; Carrier Proteins ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Life Style ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; Obesity ; Phosphoproteins ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Waist Circumference ; Weight Loss

OBJECTIVETo study soft tissue changes observed through musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with needle-knife, so as to provide MSUS basis for needle-knife in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSForty patients with knee osteoarthritis treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from December 2011 to December 2012 were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. All the patients were treated with needle-knife release method. The VAS scores and knee joint circumference were recorded before treatment and 2 weeks after treatment. The changes of knee joint hydrops articuli and joint synovial thickness were measured through MSUS.

RESULTSThe knee pain index was 6.850 +/- 1.417 before treatment and 2.790 +/- 1.299 after treatment;the index after treatment was lower than that of before treatment. The knee joint circumference was 407.320 +/- 45.151 mm before treatment and 391.240 +/- 41.129 mm after treatment; the knee joint circumference decreased after treatment. The amount of hydrops articuli observed by musculoskeletal ultrasound showed that 47 knees were cured, 19 knees improved and 2 knees failed. The synovial membrane thickness: 43 knees cured, 17 knees improved and 8 knees failed.

CONCLUSIONThe hydrops articuli and synovial thickness of knee joint of patients with knee osteoarthritis observed under the MSUS is consistent with the main symptoms and signs, which suggests that MSUS observation on soft tissue changes before and after needle knife in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with high reliability.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Pain ; complications ; Synovial Membrane ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo purify a low-temperature hydroxylamine oxidase (HAO) from a heterotrophic nitrifying bacterium Acinetobacter sp. Y16 and investigate the enzyme property.

METHODSA HAO was purified by an anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography from strain Y16. The purity and molecular mass were determined by RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE. The HAO activity was detected by monitoring the reduction of potassium ferricyanide using hydroxylamine as substrate and ferricyanide as electron acceptor. The partial amino acid sequence was determined by mass spectrometry.

RESULTSThe low-temperature HAO with a molecular mass of 61 kDa was purified from strain Y16 by an anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. The enzyme exhibited an ability to oxidize hydroxylamine in wide temperature range (4-40 °C) in vitro using hydroxylamine as substrate and ferricyanide as electron acceptor. It was stable in the temperature range of 4 to 15 °C and pH range of 6.0 to 8.5 with less than 30% change in its activity. The optimal temperature and pH were 15 °C and 7.5, respectively. Three peptides were determined by mass spectrometry which were shown to be not identical to other reported HAOs.

CONCLUSIONThis is the first study to purify a low-temperature HAO from a heterotrophic nitrifier Acinetobacter sp. It differs from other reported HAOs in molecular mass and enzyme properties. The findings of the present study have suggested that the strain Y16 passes through a hydroxylamine-oxidizing process catalyzed by a low-temperature HAO for ammonium removal.

Acinetobacter ; enzymology ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Cold Temperature ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; physiology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; physiology ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Substrate Specificity

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical curative effect of the new Bian-stone therapy.

METHODSAccording to clinical trail principle of multi-centers, randomized grouping, parallel control and single-blind, the observation group (n=120) were treated by the new Bian-stone therapy, with multi-functional Bian-stone respectively dredging qi and blood of channels on the neck and shoulder, the shoulder and back, the limbs, and the control group (n=120) by electroacupuncture with Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (SJ 14), Jianzhen (SI 9), and other points selected. Their therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThe two therapies had effects of analgesia, improving functional activity and transient analgesia. The total effective rate of the analgesic effect was 86.8% in the observation group and 72.5% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05), the observation group being better than the control group; the total effective rate of shoulder functional activity was 86.8% in the observation group and 79.8% in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe new Bian-stone therapy has obvious therapeutic effect on scapulohumeral periarthritis, with effects of analgesia, improving functional activity, and transient analgesia, and good long-term therapeutic effect.

Adult ; Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Periarthritis ; therapy ; Shoulder Pain ; therapy ; Single-Blind Method

OBJECTIVETo discuss the possibility of microneurosurgery techniques in the treatment of multisegmental intramedullary cervical spinal cord ependymomas.

METHODSThe clinical data of 26 cases of multisegmental intramedullary cervical spinal cord ependymomas patients was reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTSThere were 14 cases of cervical spinal cord ependymomas, 12 cases of cervical and thoracic spinal cord ependymomas. 4.5 spinal cord segments were involved in average. Incompletely inferior paraplegia was in 18 cases, incompletely high paraplegia in 8 cases, dyspnea in 6 cases, sphincter dysfunction in 10 cases. MRI detected syringomyelia formation in 24 cases. Vertebral lamina reposition were done in 20 cases. Muscle strength recovered in 21 cases, no change in 4 cases, aggravated in 1 case. All cases had total resection and 1 cases vertebral had instability in MRI.

CONCLUSIONSTotal resection of intramedullary cervical spinal cord ependymomas can be achieved by microneurosurgery. Most of the symptoms can be released after microsurgical treatment. After multisegmental laminotomy, the vertebral plate reposition should be done to ensure the stability.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Ependymoma ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the basic therapeutic function of Tiaokou (ST 38).

METHODSAccording to clinically multi-central randomized controlled and single-blind test principle, 257 cases of periarthritis of shoulder were divided into two groups, a test group (n = 124) treated with oral anti-inflammatory analgesic medicine combined with acupuncture at Tiaokou (ST 38), and a control group (n = 133) treated with oral anti-inflammatory analgesic medicine. Their therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThe total effective rate for stopping pain was 96.0% in the test group and 91.7% in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P< 0.01). And the total effective rate for improvement of shoulder activity was 86.3% in the test group and 59.4% in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONOral anti-inflammatory analgesic medicine combined with acupuncture has obvious therapeutic effect on periarthritis of shoulder, which is better than that of simple oral anti-inflammatory analgesic medicine.

Humans ; Periarthritis ; therapy ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; therapy ; Single-Blind Method