Objective:To observe any effect of warm acupuncture on chondrocyte apoptosis and the miR-27a-mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway using a rat model of early knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods:Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a warm acupuncture group, an inhibitor group, and an inhibitor + warm acupuncture group (the combined group), each of 10. Three days before the modeling, both the inhibitor and combined groups were injected with miR-27a inhibitor. Papain was then injected in all groups except the control group to establish the early KOA model. After successful modeling, the combined and warm acupuncture groups were given 30 minutes of warm acupuncture at the medial and lateral Xiyan points daily for 14 days. The model and inhibitor groups were fixed for 30 minutes during those sessions. After the 2 weeks, hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe any pathological changes in the cartilage tissue. Terminal deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling was used to detect chondrocyte apoptosis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were employed to observe the levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-6. Western blotting was used to evaluate the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, p-mTOR, PI3K, AKT, mTOR, LC3-II, and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue, while quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions detected the content of miR-27a.Results:After the intervention, the morphology of the chondrocytes in the warm acupuncture group had improved significantly compared to the model group, while that of the inhibitor and combined groups was better than among the warm acupuncture group. The rate of chondrocyte apoptosis in the warm acupuncture group was significantly lower than in the model group, while the rates of the inhibitor and combined groups were lower still. There was no significant difference between the inhibitor and the combination group on average. The average expression of IL-6, IL-1β, LC3-II and Beclin1 protein and of miR-27a were significantly lower in the warm acupuncture, inhibitor and combined groups than among the model group, with those of the inhibitor and combined groups significantly lower than among the warm acupuncture group, on average. The average p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT and p-mTOR/mTOR levels of the warm acupuncture, inhibitor and combined groups were significantly higher than those of the model group, with those of the inhibitor and combined groups significantly higher, on average, than among the warm acupuncture group. However, there was no significant difference between the inhibitor group and the combined group in their protein expression and mRNA levels.Conclusions:Warm acupuncture may down-regulate the expression of miR-27a to promote the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, inhibiting excessive autophagy and apoptosis. That would relieve inflammation and damage, and delay degeneration in early KOA, at least in rats.

BACKGROUND:Diabetic foot patients with wound infections constitute a large patient population,and there is currently no satisfactory treatment approach. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical efficacy of a modified tibial cortex transverse transport combined with antibiotic-loaded bone cement for treating refractory diabetic foot ulcers. METHODS:A total of 46 diabetic foot ulcers patients,27 males and 19 females,with an average age of 64.37 years,were selected from Beijing Chaoyang Hospital,Capital Medical University and Beijing Chaoyang Integrative Medicine Rescue and First Aid Hospital from January 2020 to January 2023.All of them underwent the modified tibial cortex transverse transport combined with antibiotic-loaded bone cement treatment.Ankle-brachial index,WIFi(Wound/Ischemia/Foot infection)classification,pain visual analog scale score,and ulcer area were recorded before and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The mean ulcer healing time for the 46 patients was(58.07±24.82)days.At 3 months postoperatively,there were significant improvements in ankle-brachial index,pain visual analog scale score,ulcer area,and WIFi classification in 46 patients,as compared to the preoperative values,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Two patients experienced pin-tract infections,without infection or ulcer recurrence during the follow-up period.(2)These findings indicate that the modified tibial cortex transverse transport combined with antibiotic-loaded bone cement effectively alleviates patients'pain,improves lower limb circulation,controls infections,and promotes ulcer healing.

Objective:To analyze the application and regularity of acupoint selection of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) based on data mining.Methods:Search for literatures in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Pubmed, the clinical researches of acupuncture on Sanyinjiao (SP 6) point were selected, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the retrieval period was from database construction to September 30th, 2021. Excel 2016, SPSS Statistics 25.0, SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used to perform descriptive analysis, association analysis and cluster analysis.Results:After literature screening, a total of 261 literatures were included, involving 73 kinds of diseases, mainly including mental and behavioral disorders, genitourinary diseases, endocrine and nutritional metabolism diseases and nervous system diseases. The most frequently used acupoints in Sanyinjiao (SP 6) compatibility are Zusanli (ST 36), Baihui (GV 20), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Taichong (LR 3), most of which focus on stomach meridian, conception channel, governor channel and bladder meridian. Seven categories were extracted among high-frequency acupoints by cluster analysis. The association rule analysis showed that the commonly used combination of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were Zusanli (ST 36)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Baihui (GV 20)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Guanyuan (CV 4)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6).Conclusions:Sanyinjiao (SP 6) is widely used in clinical application, and it is always compatible with stomach meridian, conception vessel, governor channel acupoints, especially those acupoints on the outer and inner meridians and the upper and lower parts. Sanyinjiao (SP 6) combined with other acupoints can treat diseases of multiple systems, such as insomnia, stroke, anxiety and depression, dysmenorrhea, infertility, etc. Clustering and association analysis found the core compatibility law of Sanyinjiao (SP 6), which can be used as a reference for clinical acupoint selection.

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a genetically determined, active and orderly cell death in the organism, and it affects the evolution of the organism, maintenance of its homeostasis, and development of several tissues and organs. The abnormal regulation of this process is closely related to various human diseases, including cancer. The identified pathways of PCD include apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, which can be activated when cells are stimulated by various internal and external environmental factors. These pathways can induce cell death or maintain cell survival in kidney cancer cells under the regulation of various signaling molecules, thus affecting tumor progression or therapeutic efficacy. In this paper, the role of these PCD pathways in the development of kidney cancer was reviewed in light of recent research advances to provide new directions for the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of kidney cancer and the development of targeted antitumor drugs.

Objective:To observe any effect of tendon manipulation on the joint pain, joint motion and gait of persons with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods:Sixty-one KOA patients were randomly divided into an observation group ( n=31) and a control group ( n=30). Both groups received ultrasonic physiotherapy and exercise trai-ning (including quadriceps femoris training and heel raising training), while the observation group was additionally provided with daily tendon manipulation, five times a week for 3 weeks. Before and after the treatment, knee pain (using a visual analog scale (VAS)), motor function (using the Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index scale), step length, gait speed and the double support phase ratio were evaluated in both groups using three-dimensional gait analysis equipment. Results:After the treatment the average VAS scores, as well as the joint pain, stiffness and dysfunction and the total WOMAC scores of both groups had decreased significantly. There was significant improvement in the average stride length, walking speed and the proportion of double support phase among the observation group, and the latter two measurements had also improved significantly in the control group. After the intervention, the average pain, WOMAC scores and gait descriptors of the observation group were significantly superior to the control group′s results.Conclusion:Tendon manipulation can usefully supplement routine rehabilitation in the treatment of KOA, improving walking efficiency and thus life quality.

Objective To investigate the effect of needle-warmed moxibustion on chondrocyte apoptosis and the lubricin protein content of osteoarthritic knees.Methods Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into a sham operation group,a model group,a Western medicine group and a needle-warmed moxibustion group,each of 10.Knee osteoarthritis was induced in all except the sham operation group by injecting an aqueous solution of papain into the outer edge of one patellar tendon at the inferior pole of the patella.In the sham operation group the injection needle was only inserted and withdrawn.The needle-warmed moxibustion group had needle-warmed moxibustion applied to the internal and external DUBI acupoints 14 days after the modelling in 2 courses of treatment.The Western medicine group was given diclofenac sodium (15 mg/kg body weight) by gavage on the same schedule.The sham operation group and the model group were fed normally without special treatment.At the end of the treatment,knee cartilage tissue was resected from each group and the number of chondrocytes and the expression of lubricin in the articular cartilage cells were compared.Results Compared with the model group and the Western medicine group,the number of chondrocytes in the moxibustion group was significantly greater and the cells were arranged more neatly.TUNEL staining showed that the apoptosis rate of chondrocytes in the moxibustion group was significantly lower.A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression of lubricin mRNA in the moxibustion group had increased significantly.Western blotting showed that the expression of lubricin protein was also significantly enhanced in the moxibustion group.Conclusions Needle-warmed moxibustion has a positive therapeutic effect on knee osteoarthritis,at least in rabbits.It can inhibit the apoptosis of knee chondrocytes and promote the secretion of lubricin.

Objective : To investigate the short-term clinical effect of semiconductor laser exposure combined with total glucosides of paeony (TGP) capsules for the treatment of erosive oral lichen planus (OLP). Methods: Sixty-four patients with erosive oral lichen planus were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Patients in the control group were treated with TGP capsules, while patients in the experimental group were treated with TGP capsules and semiconductor laser irradiation. The clinical effects were evaluated 3 months after treatment. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 17.0 software package. Results : Three months after treatment, the effective rate in the experimental group was 90.6%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (59.4%, χ 2=5.62, P < 0.05). The physical condition and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores in the experimental group were 2.17 ± 1.49 and 1.25 ± 1.29, respectively. The physical condition and VAS scores in the control group were 3.55 ± 1.41 and 2.09 ± 1.24, respectively. The physical condition and VAS scores in both groups were significantly higher after treatment than before (P < 0.05). Three months after treatment, the physical condition score (t=3.805) and VAS score (t=2.655) in the experimental group were significant higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Semiconductor laser irradiation combined with TGP capsules can improve the short-term clinical efficacy in the treatment of erosive OLP.

Objective: To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of commercial nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) testing kits for Dengue fever diagnose, and provide the evidence for diagnostic criteria revision. Methods: 300 PCR or virus isolation positive blood samples for dengue virus were collected from sentinel hospitals for dengue surveillance in Guangzhou, Dongguang and Zhongshang from May 2015 to Nov. 2016. At the same time, 308 PCR negative samples for Dengue virus were collected as control group. The information of the sample was collected using questionnaires. These samples were tested using imported and domestic ELISA and the colloidal gold-labeled kits that were widely used for detecting dengue NS1. Sensitivity, specificity and coincidence were calculated and analyzed, and Z hongshan's result was regarded as the reslut of the third part. Results: The positive group includes 133 males and 167 females, average ages are 47.2±13.3, 179, 110 and 11 of them is Dengue Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ respectively. The negative group includes 154 males and 154 females, average ages are (40.1±11.6) years old. The sensitivity of domestic ELISA Kits (94.5%) is less than imported (99.5%), and the result has statistical significance (χ²=8.59, P=0.030), the specificity is 99.7% and 97.7% respectively; The sensitivity of imported and domestic the colloidal gold-labeled Kits is 97.5% and 96.5% respectively, both of specificities are 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of Dengue Ⅰ for NS1 test are more than 97.0%. The sensitivity of domestic ELISA and gold-labeled Kits is 90.0% and 95.0%, and the specificity is 96.8% and 100% respectively for Dengue Ⅱ test. The sensitivity of imported ELISA and gold-labeled Kits is 100% and 98.0%, and the specificity is 99.4% and 100% respectively for Dengue Ⅱ test. The result of the third party show the sensitivity and specificity of domestic ELISA and gold-labeled Kits are 90.0% and 98.0%, the differences has statistical significance (χ²=5.67, P=0.020). Conclusion NS1 testing can be used as early dengue fever diagnose for higher sensitivity and specificity.

Fornix infarction is a kind of cerebral infarction in special sites with memory disorder as its main manifestation, which is rare in clinical practice. Because the isolated fornix infarction is not often accompanied by obvious positive signs of nervous system, the patients complained fewer symptoms. The related manifestations were mostly provided by family members, which is prone to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. This article reviews fornix infarction from the aspect of anatomy, blood supply, infarction etiology, clinical manifestations, possible mechanisms, and imaging features by summarizing the available case reports.

Objective To analyze regularities in selection of analogous points for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of restless legs syndrome in modern Chinese literature. Three large Chinese databases, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang database (Wanfang) and VIP Database (VIP), were searched by computer to retrieve literature on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of restless legs syndrome. A database of acupuncture and moxibustion prescriptions was set up. The characteristics of and regularities in selection of analogous points for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of restless legs syndrome were analyzed by use of data mining techniques. Results A total of 107 related articles were included, involving 105 selected acupoints. The main analogous points for modern acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of restless legs syndrome are Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Chengshan and Yanglingquan. The main meridians that the analogous points belong to are the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang, the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang and the Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin. Most of these acupoints are distributed on the lower limb and the lumbodorsal region. The most frequently used specific points that the analogous points belong to are Five Shu points and lower He-Sea point. Association rule analysis shows that the points that are most highly correlated are Yanglingquan and Zusanli. Attention is paid to acupoint selection based on syndrome differentiation and compatible application of local acupoints.Conclusions Selection of analogous points that have the same or similar indications for modern acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of restless legs syndrome makes acupoint combinations produce a synergistic effect and can improve the clinical therapeutic effect.