OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" moxibustion for abdominal obesity and its effect on blood lipid, lipid accumulation product (LAP) and cardiometabolic index (CMI). METHODS: A total of 150 patients with abdominal obesity were randomly divided into an observation group (75 cases, 5 cases dropped out) and a control group (75 cases, 6 cases dropped out). The control group received lifestyle guidance. The observation group received "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" moxibustion at Zhongwan (CV12), Guanyuan (CV4) and bilateral Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36) on the basis of the control group, 20 min each time, once every other day, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Before and after treatment, the waist circumference, hip circumference, weight, body mass index (BMI) were observed, the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured, and the LAP and CMI were calculated in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the waist circumference, weight and BMI were decreased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05), the changes of the above indexes in the observation group were larger than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the hip circumference, TC level, TG level, LAP and CMI in the observation group were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), the HDL-C level was increased compared with that before treatment (P<0.05)；the changes of the TC level, TG level, LAP, CMI and HDL-C level in the observation group were larger than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" moxibustion can reduce the degree of obesity in patients with abdominal obesity, and improve blood lipid and reduce lipid accumulation.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Moxibustion ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Obesity, Abdominal/blood* ; Adult ; Lipids/blood* ; Lipid Metabolism ; Triglycerides/blood* ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and safety of moxibustion in treating patients with central obesity of phlegm-dampness constitution. METHODS: A total of 66 patients with central obesity of phlegm-dampness constitution were randomly assigned to a moxibustion group (n=33, 3 cases dropped out) and a sham moxibustion group (n=33, 4 cases dropped out). The moxibustion group received mild moxibustion combined with lifestyle intervention; the moxibustion was applied at Shenque (CV8) and bilateral Zusanli (ST36), 30 min per session, maintaining a local skin temperature of (43±1) ℃. The sham moxibustion group received simulated moxibustion combined with lifestyle intervention; the simulated moxibustion was applied at the same acupoints, with the same session length, but with a maintained skin temperature of (37±1) ℃. Both groups were treated once every other day, three times per week for 8 consecutive weeks. Obesity-related physical indicators (waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight, body fat percentage, body mass index [BMI]), constitution evaluation indicators (phlegm-dampness constitution conversion score, symptom score), the impact of weight on quality of life-lite (IWQOL-Lite), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and the incidence of adverse events were measured before and after treatment, and after 4 weeks of follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, both groups showed significant reductions in waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight, body fat percentage, BMI, phlegm-dampness constitution conversion score and symptom score, IWQOL-Lite, and both anxiety and depression subscale scores of HADS after treatment and at follow-up (P<0.001). These improvements were significantly greater in the moxibustion group than those in the sham moxibustion group (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). One patient in the moxibustion group experienced a mild burn that resolved with routine care; the incidence of adverse reactions was 3.0% (1/33) in the moxibustion group and 0% (0/33) in the sham moxibustion group, with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSION On the basis of lifestyle intervention, moxibustion effectively improves obesity-related physical indicators, enhances quality of life, alleviates anxiety and depression, and improves the phlegm-dampness constitution in patients with central obesity. These benefits persist for at least 4 weeks after treatment.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Obesity, Abdominal/psychology* ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Quality of Life ; Young Adult ; Body Mass Index

Objective:To evaluate the effect of Parkinson′s disease factor on the sedative efficacy of dexmedetomidine.Methods:The patients of either sex, aged 45-64 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅱor Ⅲ, with body mass index of 18.5-30.0 kg/m 2, undergoing non-intracranial space-occupying lesions in neurosurgery, were selected.Patients were divided into control group (group C) and Parkinson′s disease group (group P) according to whether they had Parkinson′s disease or not.The ED 50 of dexmedetomidine was determined by using the Dixon′s up-and-down method.The initial dose of dexmedetomidine was 0.5 μg/kg in both groups, and each time the concentration increased/decreased by 0.05 μg/kg in the next patient, which was repeated until 7th independent crossover pair (loss of consciousness) appeared, and then the test was ended.The ED 50 and 95% confidence interval of dexmedetomidine inducing loss of consciousness were calculated using the probit test in a Logistic regression model.Hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia and nausea and vomiting were recorded. Results:Compared with group C, the ED 50 of dexmedetomidine inducing loss of consciousness was significantly increased in group P ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the incidence of adverse reactions in group P ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Parkinson′s disease factor can decrease the sedative efficacy of dexmedetomidine.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of peripheral monocyte and neutrophil count in predicting the response of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) to immunosuppressive checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).Methods:The clinical data of 34 adult mNSCLC patients who received nafulizumab or pabolizumab in Danzhou People's Hospital of Hainan Province from January 2017 to March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation of the demographic characteristics, clinical data, hematological examination results in the first two weeks before the treatment and two weeks after ICI treatment with prognosis was recorded and observed.Results:The baseline mean monocyte count [(0.52±0.09)×10 9/L vs. (0.60±0.12)×10 9/L] and neutrophil count [(4.27±0.87)×10 9/L vs.(5.39±1.02)×10 9/L] of patients with ICI reaction were lower than those of patients without ICI reaction, and the differences were statistically different ( t = -2.572, -2.727, all P < 0.05). However, there was a negative correlation between the monocyte count of the patients who responded to ICI and the reaction time ( r = -0.507, P < 0.05). The median reaction time in patients with monocyte count >0.70×10 9/L was shorter than that in patients with monocyte count ≤0.70×10 9/L (8 weeks vs. 12 weeks, χ2=4.162, P = 0.041). There was no correlation between monocyte count and time of reaction duration, progression of free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) ( r = -0.214, 0.182, 0.232, all P > 0.05). The decrease rate of neutrophil count in response group was higher than that in non-response group (22% vs. 2%, P < 0.05). After the first administration, cutoff value of neutrophil count was 4.2×10 9/L; the response rate of patients with neutrophil count ≤ 4.2×10 9/L was higher than that of patients with neutrophil count > 4.2×10 9/L [86.7% (13/15) vs. 36.8% (7/19), χ2=6.657, P < 0.05]. Conclusion:Peripheral blood monocyte and neutrophil count can predict the response to ICI therapy in patients with mNSCLC.

Objective: To probe into the mechanism and interventional effects of silybin-phospholipid complex on amiodarone-induced steatosis in mice. Methods: Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups (5 mice in each group): a control group (WT) with normal diet, a model group with amiodarone 150mg/kg/d by oral gavage (AM), and an intervention group on amiodarone 150mg/kg/d combined with silybin-phospholipid complex(AM+SILIPHOS. All mice were fed their assigned diet for one week. Then, one week later, serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein were detected of each group. A liver pathological change was observed by oil red O and H&E staining. Ultrastructural pathological changes of hepatocytes were observed to evaluate the intervention effect by transmission electron microscopy. RT-q PCR was used to detect the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and its regulated lipid metabolism genes CPTI, CPTII, Acot1, Acot2, ACOX, Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 in liver tissues. Intra-group comparison was done by paired t-test. One-way ANOVA was used for comparison between groups and semi-quantitative data were tested using Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Oil Red O and H&E staining results of liver tissue in the intervention group showed that intrahepatic steatosis was significantly reduced when compared to model group. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the model group had pyknotic nuclei, mitochondrial swelling, structural damage, and lysosomal degradation whereas the intervention group had hepatic nucleus without pyknosis, reduced mitochondrial swelling and slight structural damage than that of model group. RT-q PCR results showed that the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, CPTI, CPTII, Acot1, Acot2, ACOX, Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 were increased in the model group but the expression of CPTI, Cyp4a14, Acot1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha were decreased in the intervention group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Silybin-phospholipid complex can alleviate amiodarone-induced steatosis, and its mechanism may play a role in protecting mitochondrial function and regulating fatty acid metabolism. Thus, silybin-phospholipid complex has potential intervention effect on amiodarone-induced fatty liver.

BACKGROUND: It has been believed mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a role in treatment through paracrine mechanism. Various side effects such as embolism, tumorigenesis and immunological reaction caused by direct injection of MSCs can be avoided by extracting MSC lysate. However, there is a larger difference in current collection methods and standards of MSC lysate. OBJECTIVE: To compare repeated freeze-thaw and ultrasonication for the collection of lysate of MSCs. METHODS: Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) were isolated from the abdominal subcutaneous fat of healthy individuals, and purified with adherence screening method, followed by in vitro amplification using fetal bovine serum medium. The common surface makers of these cells were tested by flow cytometry (1×109, 2×109, 4×109/L). Repeated freeze-thaw and ultrasonication were employed for cell cytoclasis at three different densities respectively in saline and double distilled water, and a comprehensive comparison was performed on cytoclasis rate and the content of protein in cell lysate between the two methods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) ADMSCs obtained from in vitro isolated human adipose tissue grew in a swirl or radial pattern with a homogenous size and neat arrangement. CD44, CD90, CD105 and other commonly used surface markers were highly expressed. (2) The study for optimization of lysate collection revealed that the higher cell density implicated a longer time for cell wall disruption and cytoclasis, as well as significantly increased cytoclasis rate. (3) BCA protein assay showed that the highest content of protein was obtained in saline solvent using ultrasonication method. Comprehensive analysis on the results leads to a conclusion that ultrasonication method with saline as the solvent is the optimized method for extraction of ADMSCs lysate, and the cell concentration of less than 4×109/L is recommended.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the epidemiological status of cholestasis in first-hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease in Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for developing prevention and treatment measures.

METHODSFrom April 2005 to September 2014, 5,146 first-hospitalized patients in Shanghai with a diagnosis of chronic liver disease were enrolled in this study. Clinical data of the 4,660 patients who fit the study criteria for participation were collected for retrospective analysis.Diagnosis of cholestasis was made according to serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels higher than 1.5 times the upper limit normal (ULN) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels higher than 3 times the ULN. The incidence rate of cholestasis was assessed for relation to age, sex, etiology, and type of liver disease, and statistically compared to the general clinical data and specific biochemical indicators with potential sex-related differences. T-test and chi-square test were performed for the statistical analyses.

RESULTSOf the 4,660 study participants, 10.26% had cholestasis; the prevalence of cholestasis increased with increasing age in male patients. The distribution of the cholestasis incidence according to the type of chronic liver disease was: 75.00%, primary sclerosing cholangitis; 42.86%, primary biliary cirrhosis; 35.97%, hepatic tumor; 30.77%, autoimmune hepatitis; 28.31%, drug-induced liver disease; 16.46%, alcoholic hepatitis; 13.98%, cryptogenic cirrhosis; 12.99%, schistosomal cirrhosis; 7.53%, alcoholic cirrhosis; 7.32%, mixed cirrhosis; 5.94%, viral liver cirrhosis; 2.70%, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of cholestasis between the two sexes. In the patients with cholestasis, the levels of GGT and total bilirubin were significantly different between the two sexes.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence rate of cholestasis in first-hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease was 10.26%, and the rate increased with increased age. Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis or primary biliary cirrhosis had higher incidence rates of cholestasis. Incidence rates of cholestasis of the various chronic liver diseases were not related to sex.

Bilirubin ; China ; Cholestasis ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase

Objective To evaluate the efficiency of different interventional mode in treating primary hepatocellular carcinoma with decompensated liver cirrhosis.Methods 132 cases with hepatocellular carcinoma accompanied by decompensational liver cirrhosis were undertaken transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization(TACE,Group A,n=36),segmental transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization(S-TACE,Group B,n=54)and S-TACE + radiofrequency ablation(RFA) + percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI)(multi-interventional therapy,Group C,n=42).Univariate analysis and multivariate COX proportional hazard regression model were used to analyze the factors affecting the prognosis.Results All patients of A,B,C groups had been followed up for 3 months to 48 months,with median survival times of 4.1 months,9.4 months(P 50%) demonstrated as 8.3%,31.5%(P

24 patients with chronic hepatitis B were treated with interleukin-2 activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes (IAPBL). 23 patients served as control. The results showed that HBeAg disappeared in 54.2% of IAPBL group, in comparison with 17.4% of the controls (P