OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux for gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC). METHODS: A total of 120 GERC patients were randomly assigned to an observation group (60 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (60 cases, 1 case was eliminated). The observation group received acupoint thread-embedding treatment at positive response points of governor vessel. If no such points were detected, the following acupoints were used: Dazhui (GV14), Fenghu (Extra), Shendao (GV11), Lingtai (GV10), and Zhiyang (GV9). Treatment was administered once every two weeks. The control group received oral rabeprazole enteric capsules at 20 mg twice daily. All the treatment was given for 6 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed using cough symptom score, reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) score, and Leicester cough questionnaire (LCQ) score before and after treatment in the two groups. Clinical efficacy was also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, both groups showed decreased cough symptom scores and the each item scores and total scores of RDQ (P<0.001), and increased LCQ scores (P<0.001) compare with those before treatment. The observation group exhibited lower cough symptom score and chest pain, reflux and total score of RDQ, and higher LCQ score compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 94.9% (56/59), which was higher than 84.7% (50/59) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux could effectively alleviate cough and reflux symptoms in patients with GERC and improve their quality of life.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/physiopathology* ; Male ; Female ; Cough/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Lung/physiopathology* ; Meridians

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that facilitate cellular communication by transmitting biomolecules and altering the biochemical characteristics of receptor cells. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes(MSC-Exos)are lipid bilayer vesicles secreted by mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs). These exosomes have similar functions to MSCs and contain bioactive substances such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. MSC-Exos play a vital role in intercellular communication and are involved in essential physiological processes including immune regulation, tissue damage repair, and angiogenesis promotion. Consequently, they have gained significant attention in research, particularly in the treatment of immune inflammatory diseases, ischemic diseases, and other related fields. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the potential treatment mechanisms for dry eye, focusing on the pathogenesis of the condition, including inflammatory reactions, nerve regeneration, and tissue repair. The objective is to establish a foundation for the application of MSC-Exos in the treatment of dry eye, thereby offering a valuable reference for the future clinical applications.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome(PFPS)is one of the main diseases leading to patellofemoral joint dysfunction,which seriously affects the quality of life of patients.This disease is classified as"knee impediment"and"tendon impediment"in TCM,and acupuncture treatment has a significant effect on this disease.This article combed the clinical studies on acupuncture treatment of PFPS in recent years around filiform needling,warm acupuncture and moxibustion,fire needle,needle knife,electro-acupuncture and other acupuncture treatments,and discussed the clinical effects and application scope of different treatments.Studies have shown that acupuncture therapy can effectively improve the symptoms and function of PFPS through a variety of mechanisms,such as regulating the function of the central nervous system,promoting the absorption of inflammatory factors and the clearance of joint effusion,and improving local blood circulation.These findings provide an important reference for the clinical treatment of PFPS.

Objective To investigate the effect of melanoma associated antigen D1 (Mage-D1)on mouse femoral bone mass and mineralization ability of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMSCs)and its potential molecular mechanism.Methods Female Mage-D1 gene knockout heterozygous mice and male wild-type (WT)mice were subjected as parent mice to breed Mage-D1 gene knockout homozygous (Mage-D1 KO)mice.PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to identify male Mage-D1 knockout (Mage-D1 KO)mice and littermate male wild-type (WT)mice.Micro-CT scanning was performed to observe mouse femoral bone mass,and ELISA and chemical assay were employed to detect serum levels of calcium,phosphorus,calcitonin,and parathyroid hormone in mice.After primary cultured BMSCs were identified with flow cytometry,immunofluorescence staining was utilized to detect the expression of Mage-D1 in BMSCs.BMSCs were infected by Mage-D1 silencing lentivirus,and then the cells were divided into negative control group (sh-NC)and silencing group (sh-Mage-D1).Cell scratch assay was conducted to detect the migration ability of BMSCs,and flow cytometry and CCK-8 assay were conducted to detect the cycle change and proliferation ability of BMSCs.After mineralization induction,alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and alizarin red staining were performed;RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to measure the expression levels of ALP,Runx2 and Col1.RT-qPCR was used to detect mineralization-related genes p75NTR and Msx1.Results Compared with the WT mice,the femoral cortical bone thickness,cortical bone mineral content,cancellous bone mineral content,trabecular number,and cancellous bone surface density were decreased,and trabecular separation was increased in the Mage-D1 knockout homozygous mice (P<0.05).There were no significant changes in the serum levels of calcium,phosphorus,calcitonin and parathyroid hormone in mice after Mage-D1 knockout.Mage-D1 was expressed in the whole BMSCs and was highly expressed in the nucleus and perinuclear regions.Compared with the sh-NC BMSCs,the sh-Mage-D1 group had decreased proliferation ability (P<0.01),enhanced migration ability (P<0.01),and decreased expression of ALP,Runx2 and Col1 genes (P<0.05)and protein (P<0.01)after mineralization induction,milder ALP and alizarin red stain,and lower expression levels of p75NTR and Msx1.Conclusion Mage-D1 knockout can significantly reduce femur bone mass in mice.It can promote the proliferation and inhibit migration of BMSCs,and positively regulate their mineralization in vitro,and the p75NTR-Dlx1/Msx1 signaling axis may be involved in the regulation of bone metabolism by Mage-D1.

ObjectiveTo investigate the serological markers associated with posthepatectomy recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and to establish a prognostic model to evaluate whether palliative hepatectomy is suitable for such patients. MethodsA total of 111 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatectomy in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2009 to July 2013 and received follow-up were enrolled. Basic clinical data were collected and the patients were divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group according to whether recurrence was observed during follow-up. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups and the Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival differences were analyzed using the log-rank test. A Cox regression analysis was used to perform univariate and multivariate analyses, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate prediction efficiency. ResultsThe Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the patients with low alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and fibrinogen and high CXCL13 had a longer median time to recurrence (P＜0.05). AFP (hazard ratio ［HR］［95%CI］=1.69(1.03~2.79), P=0.039), GGT (HR［95%CI］=1.89(1.14~3.14), P=0.014), and CXCL13 (HR［95%CI］=0.54(0.33~0.89), P=0.015) were independent factors associated with posthepatectomy recurrence. The prognostic index PI=0.526×AFP+0.637×GGT-0.616×CXCL13 established based on these factors had an AUC of 0.87, a sensitivity of 93.75%, and a specificity of 63.64% in predicting recurrence within 0-3 months after palliative hepatectomy, with a significant reduction in prediction efficiency for recurrence within 0-6 months (AUC=0.68) or a longer period of time. The recurrence prediction efficiency of this model for palliative hepatectomy was significantly higher than that for radical resection. ConclusionThe prognostic model established based on CXCL13, AFP, and GGT can be used to evaluate the risk of early recurrence after palliative hepatectomy and thus helps clinicians to make diagnosis and treatment decisions based on patients’ benefits.

Objective: To establish and evaluate diagnostic efficacy and applicability of serum Golgi protein (GP) 73 based non-invasive diagnostic model with other conventional serological indicators for compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis. Methods: 666 cases with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who had visited to the Fifth Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2010 to December 2017 were selected as the study subjects, and were classified according to compensated stage cirrhosis into clinical and pathological diagnosis group based on whether or not the liver histological examination was performed. A diagnostic model of compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis in the clinical diagnosis group was established. The current clinically used diagnostic model of liver cirrhosis, aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index (FIB)-4 and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were compared. Eventually, the diagnostic model was verified step by step by pathological diagnosis group. Results: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of GP73 and APRI, FIB-4, and LSM for cirrhosis patients in the clinical diagnosis group were 0.842, 0.857, 0.864, and 0.832, respectively. The diagnostic efficiency of the four indicators were of similar (P value > 0.05). A diagnostic model of compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis (GAPA) using logistic regression analysis was established: LogitP = 1/ [1 + exp (1.614-0.054 × GP73-0.045 × Age + 0.030 × PLT-0.015 × ALP)]. The AUC of the model was as high as 0.940 and the optimal cut-off value were 0.41. The corresponding diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 0.92 and 0.82, respectively. The diagnostic efficiency was better than that of APRI, FIB-4, LSM and GP73 alone (P < 0.05). The AUC of GAPA was 0.877 in the pathological diagnosis group, which was similar to the diagnostic efficacy of LSM (0.891) and FIB-4 (0.847) (P > 0.1), but still superior to that of APRI (0.811) and GP73 alone (0.780) (P < 0.001). Conclusion GAPA, a diagnostic model for compensated stage hepatitis B cirrhosis established in this study, has a good diagnostic efficacy in both the clinical and pathological diagnosis group, and has certain auxiliary diagnostic value in the areas where resources are relatively scarce or where LSM has not been developed.

Objective To explore the correlation between main indicators of donor liver and early prognosis after liver transplantation.Methods The clinical data of 166 donors and recipients of post-mortem organ donation (DD) from June 2017 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.The effects of donor age,sex,body mass index,serum sodium level,total bilirubin,prothrombin time and international standardized ratio on early allograft dysfunction (EAD) in liver transplant recipients were investigated.According to the culture results of donor liver preservation solution,the results were divided into positive group and negative group.Combined with the culture results of blood,sputum and drainage fluid after liver transplantation,the early infection rate of recipients in the two groups was observed.Results Univariate analysis showed that preoperative donor bilirubin total ＞17.1 mmol/L and donor cold ischemia time ＞8 h were risk factors for postoperative EAD in transplant recipients.Multivariate analysis showed that donor cold ischemia time ＞8 h was an independent risk factor for postoperative EAD in liver transplant recipients;the incidence of EAD in the group with cold ischemia time ＞8 h was significantly higher than that in the group with cold ischemia time ≤8 h (26.3％ vs.7.0％;P =0.003).The positive rate of postoperative sputum culture and drainage fluid culture in the donors with positive donor culture was 43.9％ and 48.8％,respectively,which was significantly higher than that in the negative group (10.7％ and 13.1％).The difference was statistically significant (P =0.000,P =0.000).The positive rate of postoperative blood culture in the positive group and the negative group was 12.2％ and 6.0％ with the difference being not statistically significant (P =0.161).Conclusion Cold ischemia time of the donor ＞8 h is an independent risk factor for EAD in recipients after liver transplantation.Shortening the cold ischemia time of donor liver can reduce the incidence of postoperative EAD in recipients.The culture results of preservation solution have a certain guiding effect on the postoperative anti-infective treatment of the recipients.

Objective:To investigate the distribution of γδT17,Th17 and Tc17 cells in the lung of mice severely infected by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus and the relationship between these cells with lung immunopathalogical injury.Methods:Intranasal infection was used to establish mouse model of severe H1N1 infection.Flow cytometry assay was used to detect the proportion and number of γδT17 cells,Th17 cells and Tc17 cells in the lung.The concentrations of interleukin-17A(IL-17A),interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and interleukin-23(IL-23) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Lu-minex assay.Results:①The model of mice severely infected by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was established successfully.②The ratio of γδT cells,but not CD4+T and CD8+T cells in total lymphocytes of the lung of infected mice significantly increased compared with uninfected control mice at the third day post infection(DPI)(P<0.01).③The proportion and number of γδT17 cells,Th17 cells and Tc17 cells in total γδT cells,Th cells and Tc cells in the lung of infected mice were significant higher than that in uninfected control mice at the first DPI,respectively.However,the absolute number of γδT17 cells was far more than Th17 and Tc17 cells(P<0.05);④The concentration of IL-17A in BALF increased significantly after infection(P<0.05),and the concentration of IL-17A in serum increased significantly at the third DPI(P<0.05).The concentrations of both IL-1β and IL-23 in BALF probably participating in the activation of γδT17 cells increased significantly after infection compared with uninfected control mice.Conclusion:The γδT17 cells could be activated and secreted IL-17A via γδTCR non-depended pathway and involved in inflammatory pathological injury of lung at the early stage of severe H1N1 infection.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in red blood cell count in patients with different liver diseases and the correlation between red blood cell count and degree of liver damage.

METHODSThe clinical data of 1427 patients with primary liver cancer, 172 patients with liver cirrhosis, and 185 patients with hepatitis were collected, and the Child-Pugh class was determined for all patients. The differences in red blood cell count between patients with different liver diseases were retrospectively analyzed, and the correlation between red blood cell count and liver function status was investigated. The Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, rank sum test, Spearman rank sum correlation test, and chi-square test were performed for different types of data.

RESULTSRed blood cell count showed significant differences between patients with chronic hepatitis, liver cancer, and liver cirrhosis and was highest in patients with chronic hepatitis and lowest in patients with liver cirrhosis (P < 0.05). In the patients with liver cirrhosis, red blood cell count tended to decrease in patients with a higher Child-Pugh class (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFor patients with liver cirrhosis, red blood cell count can reflect the degree of liver damage, which may contribute to an improved liver function prediction model for these patients.

Erythrocyte Count ; Hepatitis ; blood ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; Retrospective Studies

Objectives To discuss the clinical characteristic, cause and measures to prevention and control of nosocomial infection in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods Retrospectively analyzed an nosocomial infection outbreak of Klebsiella pneumoniae in NICU. Results From Sept. 3, 2010 to Oct. 3, 2010, there were 7 cases of hospital infection in 12 cases of sputum cultured Klebsiella Pneumoniae. The gestational age (GA) of 7 hospital infection cases was 28.5±2.6 week. The birth weight of infection cases was 941.4±309.8 g. The onset of infection was at 31.7±12.8 d of hospitalization. The nosocomial incidence was 2.41%in the hospital, which was 5.79%in preterm infants, 50.00%in GA<28w infants, and 42.86%in extremely low birth weight infant (ELBW). All sputum culture results were displayed as multi-drug resistant of Klebsiella pneumoniae, penicillin and third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic resistance rate of 75%to 100%. The resistance rates to penicillin and cephem antibiotics were 75% -100%, carbapenems was 58.3%, piperacillin/tazobactam was 25.0%. All nosocomial patients were cured. Conclusions GA<28w and ELBW infants are at increased risk of nosocomial infection in NICU. The emergence of carbapenems resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae has been increasing with the widespread use of carbapenems. Hospital infection can be controlled by standardized medical behavior, which can decline the nosocomial infection incidence and mortality of preterm infants in NICU.