OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of different acupuncture methods in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) at different stages. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with AS were treated with acupuncture at ashi points (tendon focus), triple acupuncture method was used in the acute phase, accompanied needling method was used in the remission phase, once a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. The Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) score, Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) score and TCM symptom grade quantitative standard score before and after treatment were observed, and the efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the BASDAI score, BASFI score and TCM symptom grade quantitative standard score were reduced compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), the effective rate was 96.9% (31/32). CONCLUSION Different acupuncture methods in the treatment of AS at different stages could improve signs and symptoms, such as pain, activity limitation and morning stiffness.
Humans ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism by which astragaloside IV (AS-IV) alleviates D-galactose (D-GAL)-induced senescence in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: Cultured HUVECs were treated with D-GAL (40 g/L), AS-IV (200 μmol/L), D-GAL+AS-IV, or D-GAL+AS-IV+MTK458 (a mitochondrial autophagy agonist, 25 μmol/L) for 48 h, and the changes in cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis capacity were evaluated. Cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expressions of autophagy-related proteins (LC3-II/LC3-I) and PINK1/Parkin pathway proteins in the treated cells were detected. RESULTS: AS-IV treatment significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of D-GAL on HUVEC viability, effectively alleviated D-GAL-induced impairment of tube-forming ability, and promoted angiogenesis and migration ability of the cells. AS-IV also significantly reduced the rate of D-GAL-induced HUVECs positive for senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining and inhibited the expression of senescence-related genes P21 and P53. AS-IV restored mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced intracellular ROS levels in D-GAL-induced HUVECs, and inhibited the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes to prevent the completion of autophagic flux. In HUVECs treated with both D-GAL and AS-IV, the application MTK458 significantly increased the number of yellow spots and enhanced the expressions of P21, P53, PINK1, Parkin, LC3, and Beclin proteins. CONCLUSIONS AS-IV alleviates D-GAL-induced endothelial cell senescence by inhibiting the PINK1/Parkin pathway to regulate mitochondrial autophagy.
Humans ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/drug effects* ; Cellular Senescence/drug effects* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/drug effects* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Galactose/pharmacology* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cells, Cultured ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects*

Objective To investigate the value of MRI of the sternal end of clavicle in bone age assessment in Chinese population,especially its applicability in the determination of criminal responsible age.Methods A total of 431 patients aged from 10.00 to 29.99 years with neck or chest MRI were retrospectively collected.According to the Schmeling grading method,the epiphyseal development of the clavicle MRI was divided into five grades.The consistency of methods was evaluated.The correlation and general descriptive analysis between MRI grades and age was analyzed.The sex difference was analyzed.Curve fitting was used to establish a nonlinear model between age and grades.Results The grades of clavicle MRI showed a significant age-related trend(Figure 2),and the correlation was 0.861(0.887 in males and 0.840 in females).Except for grade 1,there was no significant difference between males and females in other grades.The minimum age of male grade 3 was greater than 14 years old,and the minimum age of female grade 3 was greater than 16 years old.The minimum age in grade 4 and grade 5 was over 18 years old in both sexes.The best curve fitting model was cubic model for both sexes(R2=0.805 for men and 0.722 for women).Conclusion Clavicle MRI can be used for the assessment of bone age in Chinese population.Complete epiphyseal plate closure can be used as a reliable indicator for the determination of age at 18 years old,and it is expected to achieve radiation-free forensic bone age assessment.

Objective To investigate the value of MRI of the sternal end of clavicle in bone age assessment in Chinese population,especially its applicability in the determination of criminal responsible age.Methods A total of 431 patients aged from 10.00 to 29.99 years with neck or chest MRI were retrospectively collected.According to the Schmeling grading method,the epiphyseal development of the clavicle MRI was divided into five grades.The consistency of methods was evaluated.The correlation and general descriptive analysis between MRI grades and age was analyzed.The sex difference was analyzed.Curve fitting was used to establish a nonlinear model between age and grades.Results The grades of clavicle MRI showed a significant age-related trend(Figure 2),and the correlation was 0.861(0.887 in males and 0.840 in females).Except for grade 1,there was no significant difference between males and females in other grades.The minimum age of male grade 3 was greater than 14 years old,and the minimum age of female grade 3 was greater than 16 years old.The minimum age in grade 4 and grade 5 was over 18 years old in both sexes.The best curve fitting model was cubic model for both sexes(R2=0.805 for men and 0.722 for women).Conclusion Clavicle MRI can be used for the assessment of bone age in Chinese population.Complete epiphyseal plate closure can be used as a reliable indicator for the determination of age at 18 years old,and it is expected to achieve radiation-free forensic bone age assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for fetuses with renal anomalies. METHODS: Genomic DNA of four fetuses and their parents was extracted from amniotic fluid and peripheral blood samples and subjected to whole genome sequencing. Candidate variants were predicted according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines and validated by SNP-array and Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: Two fetuses were found to carry a 1.45 Mb pathogenic microdeletion in 17q12 and a pathogenic 1.85 Mb microduplication at 1q21.1-21.2, respectively. One fetus was found to harbor compound heterozygous variants c.8301del (p.Asn2768Thrfs*18) and c.4481del (p.Asn1494Thrfs*6) of the PKHD1 gene, which were predicted to be pathogenic. And one fetus has harbored homozygous c.1372dup (p.Thr458Asnfs*5) variants of the BBS12 gene, which was predicted to be likely pathogenic. All variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. CONCLUSION Whole genome sequencing can enable efficient prenatal diagnosis for fetuses with renal anomalies with high accuracy.
Female ; Fetus/abnormalities* ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Whole Genome Sequencing

Objective:To reveal the differentially expressed genes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) by sequencing the transcriptome of bovine alveolar macrophages (BAM) infected with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and analyzing their bioinformations, and to provide theoretical foundation for the research on immune regulation mechanism of anti-infection of Mycobacteriumtuberculosisof macrophages.Methods:The BAM were collected by pulmonary lavage and centrifugation and cultured and divided into infected group and uninfected group.After infection for 12hin infected group, the expression profiles of mRNA and lncRNA in infected group and uninfected group were detected by RNA-Seq, and bioinformatics analysis was carried out.Results:compared with uninfected group, there were 119differentially expressed lncRNAs and 1111differentially expressed mRNA in infected group (P＜0.05) .Gene Ontology functional enrichment analysis showed that the most significant enrichment was immune response (GO:0006955, P＜0.05) , including 125genes, in which 63 were up-regulated and 62 were downregulated, and the expressions of proinflammatory factors interleukin-1 (IL-6) , interleukin-7 (IL-7) , and interleukin-23A (IL-23A) were up-regulated.Cis target gene prediction and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the differentially expressed lncRNAs were involved in the regulation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway and ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC transporter) signaling pathway (P＜0.05) .Conclusion:The host cells are stimulated to produce a strong immune response after the BAM are infected by BCG and results in the changes of lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles.

Objective To discuss the influence of preoperative family purge care for the quality of life of patients with long type of congenital Hirschsprung′s disease (HD) who had enterocolitis history in neonatal period. Preoperative family purge care, which can shorten the HD postoperative treatment, improve the quality of life. Methods A total of 40 cases of patients with long type of congenital HD who had enterocolitis history in neonatal period received 1-stage radical preoperative by family phone call. Nineteen cases from January 2010 to February 2013 were as normal group and 21 cases from March 2013 to April 2016 were as improved group. Routine family purge nursing care 3-6 months were used in both the groups, while the combined nursing care of expanding anus were used in the improved group in addition. Evaluated the effects of postoperative observation indicates: the first defecation time, length of hospital stay, time needed for expanding anus, patency rate of defecation and not patency rate in 9-12 days, need enema intervention to assist defecate rate after postoperative 1 year, the recurrence of enterocolitis at 1-3 years after operation. Results The first defecation time, length of hospital stay, time needed for expanding anus were (39.15±8.23) h, (7.89±0.82)d, (5.17±0.98) min in normal group, (23.79± 7.54) h, (7.10± 0.29) d, (3.15±0.73) min in improved group, and there were significant differences between two groups (t=6.13, 5.46, 15.54, all P<0.01). The patency rate of defecation and not patency rate in 9-12 days were 12/19, 7/19 in normal group, 100.00%(21/21), 0 in improved group, and there were significant differences between two groups (χ2=9.38, P<0.01). The intervention rate of no need for enema, occasionally enema, often enema were 2/19, 12/19, 5/19 in normal group, 76.19%(16/21), 23.81%(5/21), 0 in improved group, and there were significant differences between two groups (χ2=18.25, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the recurrence of enterocolitis at 1, 2, 3 years after operation between two groups (χ2=2.33, P>0.05). Conclusions Patient with long type of congenital HD who had enterocolitis history in neonatal period neonatal period,received family enema and expanding anus in 3- 6 months before 1-stage radical preoperative can shorten the postoperative HD treatment, improve the quality of life.

Objective To explore the effectiveness of self-care intervention for elderly patients with diabetes mellitus in rural community. Methods We randomly selected 100 elderly patients with diabetes from January 2013 to December 2013 in rural community health service station in Yizhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Individualized intervention of diabetes-related knowledge was delivered to patients. Fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin were compared before and after the intervention. The effectiveness of intervention was investigated by diabetes self-care scale. Results Levels of fasting blood glucose [(5. 91 ± 0. 10)mmol/L] and glycated hemoglobin [(4. 62 ± 0. 14)%] from 100 patients were lower than those before the intervention after 1 year intervention (t=11. 840,12. 379;P<0. 01). After intervention, the total score of diabetes self-care scale was improved to (89. 66 ± 1. 56) from (75. 32 ± 1. 50) (t = -7. 597,P <0. 01). Conclusions Blood glucose can be effectively controlled by helping the rural elderly diabetic patients to learn about self-care.

Objective To explore serum caspase-3 activity in pulmonary tuberculosis patients.Methods 38 tuberculosis pa-tients in Infectious Disease Department in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were recruited and the peripheral venous blood was collected in December,2010.Among them,sputum smear-positive patients which were first treated were 13,sputum smear-negative patients which were first treated were 15,10 cases were drug resistance.In addition, 22 unrelated healthy individuals from a routine health survey were enrolled as controls.Spectrophotometry was used to de-tect serum caspase-3 activity in tuberculosis patients,which was absorbancy-A of 4-nitroaniline generated by caspase-3.Re-sults The activity of caspase-3 in sputum smear-positive patients,sputum smear-negative patients,drug resistance patients, and healthy controls were 37.15±5.06,50.38±6.29,45.32±3.32 and 23.89±2.29,respectively.The caspase-3 activity was significantly different from each other (F=10.68,P<0.01).Compared with the healthy controls,the caspase-3 activity in sputum smear-positive patients (q=3.51,P=0.016),sputum smear-negative patients (q=7.5,P<0.001),drug resist-ance patients (q=5.34,P=0.001)was significantly different.There was no statistical difference among sputum smear-posi-tive patients,sputum smear-negative patients and drug resistance pulmonary tuberculosis patients (P>0.05).In the same way,there was no significant difference in male/female ratio[χ2=0.38 (DL=3),P=0.94]and mean age (F=0.82,P=0.49)among the four group.Conclusion Caspase-3 closely associated with the development of tuberculosis occurrence, which might promote apoptosis of cells through the activation of caspase-3 and produce the body immune process of tubercu-losis.

Objective To investigate the current status of secondary prevention of cerebral infarction in Longquanyi District of Chengdu. Methods Prospective Investigation on the secondary prevention was conducted in 94 pa-tients with cerebral infarction at 3, 12 and 24 months following stroke. Results The percentages of patients receiving anti-platelet therapy, antihypertensive treatment, antidiabetic drug treatment and statin therapy were 96.8%, 92.1%, 91.7%and 63.8%at hospital discharge, 79.8%, 88.9%, 91.7%and 55.3%at 3 months, 76.1%, 75.0%and 41.4%, 63.8%at 12 months and 33.0%, 71.4%;58.3%and 22.3%at 24 months, respectively. None of stroke patients with atrial fibrillation re-ceived anticoagulation therapy. Conclusion There is a large gap between the current practice of secondary prevention and guideline in patients with cerebral infarction in Longquanyi District of Chengdu.