OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping in patients with lumbar disc herniation, and compare it with traditional cupping. METHODS: A total of 100 patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation from January 2022 to August 2024 were selected and divided into two groups:the automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping group (controlled pressure cupping group) and the traditional cupping group (control group), 50 cases in each group. In the controlled pressure cupping group, there were 18 males and 32 females, with an age of (51.98±12.69) years;in the control group, there were 16 males and 34 females, with an age of (51.32±12.05) years. The visual analogue scale(VAS), comfort score, and lumbar range of motion were observed before treatment and after the 1st, 3rd, and 7th treatments to evaluate the efficacy and safety. RESULTS: All patients completed the treatment intervention, with complete follow-up data collected. No adverse reactions or complications occurred during treatment and follow-up. After the 3rd treatment, the VAS score of the controlled pressure cupping group was (2.38±0.49), which was lower than that of the control group (2.94±0.68), with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). In the controlled pressure cupping group, the VAS scores after the 1st, 3rd, and 7th treatments were significantly better than those before treatment (P=0.026);in the control group, the VAS scores after the 3rd and 7th treatments were better than those before treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.182). Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) on VAS scores at different time points in both groups showed that there were statistically significant differences in inter-group, time, and interaction effects (P<0.05). After the 1st treatment, in the controlled pressure cupping group, 0 patients felt comfortable, 42 patients (84%) felt mild discomfort, and 8 patients (16%) felt moderate discomfort;in the control group, 0 patients felt comfortable, 28 patients (56%) felt mild discomfort, and 22 patients(44%) felt moderate discomfort;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P=0.005). After the 3rd treatment, in the controlled pressure cupping group, 30 patients(60%) felt comfortable, 20 patients (40%) felt mild discomfort, and 0 patients felt moderate discomfort; in the control group, 9 patients (18%) felt comfortable, 41 patients (82%) felt mild discomfort, and 0 patients felt moderate discomfort;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in comfort between the two groups after the 7th treatment(P>0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in lumbar range of motion between the two groups before and after treatment(P>0.05);compared with before treatment, the lumbar range of motion of both groups after treatment was significantly improved, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping can effectively relieve symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation, with excellent safety.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology* ; Cupping Therapy/methods* ; Pressure ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of abnormal heart rate circadian rhythm for all-cause mortality in stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD 5) patients.Methods:The retrospective study was performed in CKD 5 patients enrolled from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Jiangsu Province Hospital) and the Affiliated BenQ Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from February, 2011 to December, 2019. A total of 159 healthy volunteers were enrolled as the healthy control group during the same period. The circadian rhythm of heart rate was monitored by 24-hour Holter. Related indices (including 24-hour, daytime and nighttime mean heart rate, night/day heart rate ratio, 24-hour maximum heart rate, 24-hour minimum heart rate and difference between maximum and minimum of 24-hour heart rate) were calculated. Non-dipping heart rate was defined as night/day heart rate ratio greater than 0.9. Cox regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Log-rank test were used to compare the differences of cumulative mortality between high ratio group (night/day heart rate ratio>0.91) and low ratio group (night/day heart rate ratio≤0.91). The nonlinear relationship between night/day heart rate ratio and all-cause mortality was analyzed by restricted cubic spline plot. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of night/day heart rate ratio for all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients.Results:A total of 159 healthy volunteers and 221 CKD 5 patients were included in this study. There were 123 males (55.66%) and the age was (52.72±13.13) years old in CKD 5 patients. The total median follow-up time was 50.0 months. Compared with controls, 24-hour, nighttime mean heart rate, 24-hour minimum heart rate in CKD 5 patients were increased (all P<0.05), furthermore, the night/day heart rate ratio was higher [(0.91±0.09) vs (0.81±0.08), P<0.001], showing "non-dipping heart rate". However, the 24-hour maximum heart rate and the difference between maximum and minimum of 24-hour heart rate in CKD 5 patients were lower than controls (both P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the increased night/day heart rate ratio (per 0.1 increase, HR=1.557, 95% CI 1.073-2.258, P=0.020) was an independent influencing factor for all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the cumulative mortality of the high ratio group was significantly increased than that of the low ratio group (Log-rank test χ 2=7.232, P=0.007). From the restricted cubic spline plot, there was a linear effect between night/day heart rate ratio and all-cause mortality ( P=0.141), and when night/day heart rate ratio was above 0.91, the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly increased in CKD 5 patients. According to time-dependent ROC curve, the accuracy of night/day heart rate ratio in predicting all-cause mortality was 70.90% even when the survival time was up to 70.0 months. Conclusions:The circadian rhythm of heart rate in CKD 5 patients displays "non-dipping" state. High night/day heart rate ratio is an independent influencing factor for all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the safety of heavy metals in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis and its rhizosphere soil and bedrock in epiphytic culture imitated wild rock fissure. The distribution characteristics of heavy metals in carbonate-black limestone-Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis system in the study area were analyzed. Method:Samples of biennial Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis， black calcareous soil and carbonate rocks were collected from fracture-epiphytic culture in karst area of Guizhou province. The contents of Cu， Pb， As， Cd in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis， and Cu， Pb， As， Cd， Cr in soil and bedrock were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry （ICP-MS）. The detection conditions were as follows：plasma power of 1 550 W， feedback power of 2 W， sampling depth of 9 mm， atomization chamber temperature at 2 ℃， analysis mode of full quantitative， and double charge of <1.5%. Hg content in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry， and Hg content in soil and bedrock was determined by mercury analyzer. SPSS 26.0 software was used to analyze the test data. Result:The contents of Cu， Pb， As， Cd and Hg in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis were all within the safety threshold. The contents of Pb， As， Cd， Hg and Cr in black calcareous soil were higher than the corresponding background values of Chinese soil （P<0.05， P<0.01）， Cd in black calcareous soil was slightly polluted， while Cr， Cu， As， Pb and Hg were clean. The contents of Cu， As， Pb， Cd， Hg and Cr in carbonate rocks were significantly lower than those in black calcareous soil （P<0.01）. The order of heavy metals in black calcareous soil affected by parent rock was Hg>Cd>Cu>As>Cr>Pb. The bioconcentration factor （BCF） of heavy metals in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis was in the order of Cu>Cd>Pb=Hg>As， but the BCFs of these five heavy metals were all low （all <10%）. The contents of Cu， Pb， Cd and Hg in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis increased slightly with the increase of heavy metal content in the rhizosphere soil， while the content of As decreased with the increase of As content in the rhizosphere soil. In addition to Cu content in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis， the migration characteristics of Pb， As， Cd and Hg in the system of carbonate-black limestone-Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis showed consistency. Conclusion:The distribution characteristics of heavy metals in geotechnical plant system in the study area show obvious inheritance. The characteristics of high content， low activity and low pollution risk of heavy metals in black limestone soil and low BCF are the main factors affecting the safety threshold of five heavy metals in Dendrobii Officinalis Caulis.

Objective:To observe heart rate circadian rhythm in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 and to analyze the effects of parathyroidectomy (PTX) on heart rate circadian rhythm in severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) patients.Methods:A cross-sectional observation was performed in 213 patients with CKD stage 5 and 96 controls, and the patients were divided into those with severe SHPT (PTX group, n=70) and without severe SHPT (non-PTX group, n=143). Forty-six PTX patients were followed up prospectively. The baseline data were compared among these groups. Holter electrocardiogram was performed for each participant. Non-dipping heart rate was defined as night/day heart rate ratio greater than 0.9. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors of heart rate circadian rhythm in patients with CKD stage 5. Results:The 24-hour, daytime and nighttime mean heart rate in patients with CKD stage 5 were all higher than those in controls, especially in PTX group (all P<0.05). The night/day heart rate ratios of controls and CKD stage 5 patients were (0.81±0.08) and (0.91±0.08) respectively ( P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed 24-hour and daytime or nighttime mean heart rate in patients with CKD stage 5 were positively correlated with serum levels of phosphorus and ln(alkaline phosphatase), while nighttime mean heart rate and night/day heart rate ratio were positively related with serum intact parathyroid hormone level. After adjusting with postoperative follow-up period (median time: 10.9 months), 24-hour and nighttime mean heart rate, and night/day heart rate ratio in PTX patients all decreased significantly (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Heart rate is increased and circadian rhythm is abnormal in patients with CKD stage 5, which are related with mineral and bone disorder. PTX significantly decreases 24-hour and nighttime mean heart rate in severe SHPT patients, and improves the heart rate circadian rhythm.

Antrodia camphorata, a well-known and highly valued edible medicinal mushroom with intriguing activities like liver protection, has been traditionally used for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease. A. camphorata shows highly medicinal and commercial values with the demand far exceeds the available supply. Thus, the petri-dish cultured A. camphorata (PDCA) is expected to develope as a substitute. In this paper, nineteen triterpenes were isolated from PDCA, and thirteen of them were the unique anthroic acids in A. camphorata, including the main content antcin K, which suggested that PDCA produced a large array of the same anthroic acids as the wild one. Furthermore, no obvious acute toxicity was found suggesting the edible safety of PDCA. In mice alcohol-induced liver injury model, triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) had been reduced by the PDCA powder as well as the main content antcin K, which indicated that the PDCA could protect alcoholic liver injury in mice model and antcin K could be the effective component responsible for the hepatoprotective activities of PDCA against alcoholic liver diseases.
Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Animals ; Antrodia ; chemistry ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Biological Products ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Cholestenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cholesterol, VLDL ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Female ; Fruiting Bodies, Fungal ; chemistry ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; prevention & control ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

AIM: To discuss the clinical efficacy of fresh amniotic membrane ( AM ) during the microscopic adjustable suture surgery in children's intercommunity strabismus, in order to guide clinical treatment.
METHODS: With the clinical randomized control study (RCT), 60 (112 eyes) cases of patients in childhood who received microscopic strabismus surgery in our hospital were divided them into two different groups from Jan. 2010 to Oct. 2015. According to the application of AM on the basis of ophthalmology outpatient number, 30 cases (58 eyes) in group A were treated with rectus muscle recession surgery combined adjustable suture combined with AM. The other 30 cases (54 eyes) in group B were treated with rectus muscle recession surgery combined adjustable suture only. All patients in two groups were followed-up over 6mo after the strabismus surgery.
RESULTS:Twenty-seven cases ( 48 eyes ) of all the strabismus patients must be adjusted after strabismus surgery, and the eye position adjustment rate was 42.9%. At 1mo after surgery, eye position of 18 cases (29 eyes) can be adjusted in all patients, and 44. 8% (16 cases, 26 eyes ) in group A with the average of adjustment lengths was 2. 56±0. 64mm, and 5. 6% ( 2 cases, 3 eyes ) in group B, with the average of adjustment lengths was 0. 52±0. 28mm, the differences of the adjustment rate and the average of adjustment amount were both high statistically significant (χ2 =22.477, P<0. 01; t=16. 502, P<0. 01 ) between the two groups. Except of 3 cases who couldn't cooperate with eye position adjustment, they all received eye position adjustment in different degrees in one month after strabismus surgery,and after eye position adjustment, 27 cases (53 eyes) in group A got normal eye position, and the correction rate of eye position was 91. 4%, and 16 cases (28 eyes) in group B got normal eye position after eye position adjustment, the correction rate was 51. 9%, the differences of the correction rate were statistically significant (χ2=21. 827, P<0. 01) between the two groups.
CONCLUSION: The application of fresh AM in the microscopic adjustable suture strabismus surgery is exactly effective in treatment of children's intercommunity strabismus. It can significantly extend the adjustment time and increase the adjustment amount, and it also can statistically improve the controllability and achievement ratio for children's strabismus surgery.

Objective To evaluate the effects of artery-interventional therapy and drug treatment on patients with symptomatic carotid artery total occlusion,and observe the follow-up results of cerebrovascular events after clinical interference.Methods According to patient′s intention,62patients with symptomatic carotid artery total occlusion,admitted to our hospitals from February 2004 to January 2009,were divided into artery-interventional therapy group(n=21)and drug treatment group (n=41).In the artery-interventional therapy group,patients were given revascularization of internal carotid by endovascular intervention.In the drug treatment group,patients were given aspirin,clopidogrel and statins.The major end-point outcome of follow-up survey was the 2-year functional prognosis evaluated by modified Rankin Scale(mRS),and Rank sum test was employed to compare the differences of mean rank of the 2 groups; the minor end-point outcome was the cardiovascular events,and Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox regression were employed to analyze the median time and independent risk factors.Results During the 3,6 and 9 months,1 and 2 years of follow-up,mRS average ranks in the artery-interventional therapy group were statistically lower than those in the drug treatment group(P＜0.05).The median times of recurrence of cardio-cerebrovascular events in the artery-interventional therapy group and drug treatment group were(17.42±1.20)months(95％CI:15.07-19.76)and(19.43±1.51)months(95％CI:16.48-22.38),respectively,and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference(P＞0.05).Survival Cox regression analysis showed that independent factors of cardio-cerebrovascular events were smoking(RR=3.189,95％CI:1.020-9.968,P=0.046),diabetes(RR=2.717,95％CI:1.113-6.631,P=0.028),and baseline NIHSS scores(RR=2.984,95％CI:1.049-8.485,P=0.040),but treatment methods(artery-interventional therapy and drug treatment)were not independent factors(RR=1.191,95％CI:0.430-3.296,P=0.737).Conclusion Artery-interventional therapy is superior to drug therapy in achieving better functional prognosis; however,the 2-year-follow-up shows that the artery-interventional therapy can not reduce the occurrence of cardio-eerebrovascular events.Smoking,diabetes and baseline NIHSS scores are independent factors of recurrence of cardio-cerebrovascular events.

OBJECTIVETo study directional differentiation of BMSCs guided by Desert living Cistanche (Herba Cistanches) which invigorates the kidney.

METHODSPrimary BMSCs were obtained by whole bone marrow culture and subcultured to the fourth generation by trypsin digestion, and than inoculated into two six-well plates at 5 x 10(6) cells per milliliter, all the plates were divided into three groups as blank group, Dexamethasone (DXM) group and Herba Cistanches group, three wells in each group, medium were changed at day 2. The blank group were changed with L-DMEM containing 10% FBS. The DXM group were changed with medium containing 10 mmol/L beta-sodium glycerophosphate, 0.1 micromol/L DXM and 50 mg/L vitamin C. The Herba Cistanches group were changed with medium containing 10% blood serum containing Herba Cistanches and L-DMEM. One of the six-well plates was stained by alkaline phosphatase (AKP) at the tenth day,the other one was stained by alizarin Bordeaux at the twentieth day.

RESULTSAt the tenth day DXM group and Herba Cistanches group were ALKP stained positive; from the 12th day,white calcium nodus could be seen at the surface of the wells; which alizarin stained positive by the twentyth day.

CONCLUSIONThe medium containing Herba Cistanches can guide BMSCs to differentiate into osteoblast, which promises a favorable prospect for the treatment of osteoporosis and bone fracture disunion.

Animals ; Cell Count ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cistanche ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To build a high sensitive method to detect HIV-1 P24 antigen quantitatively by Immuno-rotary Biosensor (IRB) based on F0F1-ATPase. Methods The immuno-rotary biosensor based on F0F1-ATPase in chromatophores for detecting HIV-1 P24 was assembled by label F0F1-ATPase chromatophores with the biotin-labled HIV-1 P24 antibody through the streptavidin-biotin-β antibody and the pH sensitivity of fluorescence F1300. Then it's sensitivity and specificity was tested by the prokaryotic expressed HIV-1 P24 antigen. Results Immuno-rotary biosensor based on F0F1-ATPase in chromatophores can detect P24 antigen sensitivily, the lowest level that could be detected was 0.1 fg/ml. Conclusion IRBbased system was successfully assembled and used for the detection of P24 antigen, the rapid and sensitive technique will be useful for detecting HIV-1 P24 antigen quantitatively.

OBJECTIVETo construct an eukaryotic coexpression vector containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein 70 (mtHSP70) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) controlled by cytomegalovirus promoter using pIRES-EGFP vector.

METHODSThe mtHSP70 gene fragment was amplified by PCR from pVAX-mtHSP70-HSV2gD using specific primers. The PCR product was cloned into the vector pMD 18-T vector, and the correct clone was selected according to DNA sequence analysis. The interested mtHSP70 gene fragment was subcloned into pCMV-IRES-EGFP vector with XhoI and EcoR I digestion. The recombinant plasmid was transfected into mouse melanoma B16 cell line, and the green fluorescent cells were detected by fluorescence microscopy and mtHSP70 expression was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTSThe recombinant plasmid obtained was confirmed by enzyme digestion. The transfected mouse melanoma B16 cells exhibited green fluorescence under fluorescence microscopy and expressed mtHSP70 protein as demonstrated by Western blotting.

CONCLUSIONThe eukaryotic coexpression vector PCMV-mtHSP70-IRES-EGFP has been established to allow further investigation of the role of mtHSP70 gene in tumor immunotherapy.

Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cancer Vaccines ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cytomegalovirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA