Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture on the inflammatory changes of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors(α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors,α7nAChRs)in rats with chronic migraine(CM).Methods Adult male SD rats were randomly divided into control group(VEH group),model group(NTG group),acupuncture group(TA group),α7nAChRs antagonist group(MLA group)and α7nAChRs agonist group(TA group)according to basic pain threshold.The rat model of CM was established by repeated subcutaneous injection of nitroglycerin(NTG)at the neck and back every other day.TA group and MLA group received acupuncture treatment one hour before NTG injection,20 minutes every day for 9 consecutive days.The MLA group was intraperitoneally injected with α7nAChRs antagonist MLA half an hours before acupuncture,and the PNU group was intraperitoneally injected with α7nAChRs agonist PNU-282987 half an hours before NTG injection,both groups were injected continuously for 9 days.The changes of paw withdrawal mechanical threshold(Paw Withdrawal Mechanical Threshold,PWMT)and tail-flick latency(Tail-Flick Latency,TFL)were detected by Von Frey and thermal radiation pain meter.The contents of inflammatory factors IL-1β,TNF-α and TGF-β in TNC and serum were determined by ELISA.The relative fluorescence intensity and co-expression of GFAP and α7nAChRs in TNC were detected by immunofluorescence dual labeling method.Results Compared with VEH group,PWMT and TFL in NTG group were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),the contents of IL-1β(P<0.01)and TNF-α(P<0.01,P<0.05)in serum and TNC were significantly increased;and in TNC,the astrocytes were activated significantly(P<0.01),while the relative fluorescence intensity of α7nAChRs and the co-expression of GFAP and α7nAChRs were significantly decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with NTG group,PWMT and TFL in TA group were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),the contents of IL-1β(P<0.01)and TNF-α(P<0.01,P<0.05)in serum and TNC were increased;and in TNC,the relative fluorescence intensity of GFAP was significantly decreased(P<0.01),however the relative fluorescence intensity of α7nAChRs and the co-expression of GFAP and α7nAChRs were significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with MLA group,PWMT and TFL in TA groups and PNU groups were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The contents of IL-1β(P<0.05)and TNF-α(P<0.01)in serum and TNC of TA group were increased,while the contents of TGF-β(P<0.05)were decreased.The contents of IL-1β in serum and TNC of PNU group were decreased(P<0.01,P<0.05),while the contents of TGF-β(P<0.01)were significantly increased.Conclusions Acupuncture can effectively relieve CM inflammatory response and hypersensitivity to pain,and its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects may be related to the up-regulation of α7nAChRs expression.

Objective Based on the theory of"gut-brain",this study explored the effect of acupuncture on the gut microbiota and central inflammation in migraine model rats,in order to explore the mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine from the perspective of"gut-brain".Methods The migraine rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of nitroglycerin.They were randomly divided into a model group and an acupuncture group,with 6 rats in each group,and a control group with 6 rats for conventional binding and fixation.Before modeling and on the 1st,5th,and 9th days after modeling,each group used electronic VonFrey to measure the plantar mechanical pain threshold of rats.After the experiment,Elisa was used to detect the expression levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α in the central trigeminal spinal nucleus of the rats in each group.Three-generation Pacbio full-length microbial diversity sequencing was used to perform 16S full-length rDNA sequencing on each group of fecal samples to detect the operational taxonomic unit(OTU)clustering and its abundance,Alpha diversity index,Beta diversity index,species among the samples in each group.differences in abundance.Results In migraine model rats,plantar mechanical pain threshold was significantly decreased(P<0.01),central IL-6 and TNF-α contents were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the structure and abundance of gut microbiota were abnormal.change(P<0.01).Continuous acupuncture treatment can significantly increase the plantar mechanical pain threshold in migraine rats(P<0.01),regulate the diversity of gut microbiota in migraine rats,increase Lactobacillus murine,and reduce the abundance of Lactobacillus enterobacteriaceae.degree(P<0.05),and decreased the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the central nervous system of migraine model rats(P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture can exert the"gut-brain"anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine by regulating the gut microbiota structure and the expression of central IL-6 and TNF-α inflammatory factors in migraine model rats.

Abstract： Objective　To retrospectively analyze the investigation and disposal of the COVID-19 outbreak caused by the transmission of the Omicron variant in infected imported cases, and provide basis for COVID-19 outbreak management. Methods　The description epidemiological method was used to describe the COVID-19 outbreak in Sanya City from March 31 to April 15, 2022. The propagation chain was mapped and the experience gained and shortcomings identified in emergency responses were analyzed. Results　The outbreak resulted in 95 reported locally transmitted COVID-19 cases with a incubation period M(P25, P75) of 4 (3, 5) d. In the 95 cases, the proportion of cases detected through close contact screening, centralized isolation, community screening, control area screening, active treatment (examination), and key population screening were 33.68%, 22.11%, 18.95%, 12.63%, 6.32%, 4.21% and 2.11%, respectively. The epidemic spread for 6 generations, causing 5 clusters of outbreaks and 12 cases of cluster disease. The epidemic affected 12 villages/neighborhood committees, 1 bar, 1 hospital, 1 small clinic, 1 farmer's market, 1 large shopping mall and 1 restaurant in 2 districts of Sanya City. The result of gene sequencing was Omicron variant BA.1.1. Through the immediate launch of emergency plans, nucleic acid and antigen testing, controlling close contact between infected persons and close contacts, suspending indoor business sites, central urban control, and temporary suspension, COVID-19 was controlled within 16 days. Conclusions　The transmission chain of this outbreak was clear and was caused by imported cases. Strengthening the management of the pass, doing a good job in information sharing and docking, timely screening for cases, screening, pushing, controlling high-risk groups, and implementing comprehensive control measures, can effectively prevent the spread of the epidemic, providing a reference for the control of epidemic situations in relevant scenarios.

Background::Epigenetics, and especially DNA methylation, contributes to the pathogenesis of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). This study aimed to investigate the role of DNA methylation in SALS using whole blood of SALS patients.Methods::In total, 32 SALS patients and 32 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. DNA was isolated from whole blood collected from the participants. DNA methylation profiles were generated using Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip.Results::We identified 34 significant differentially methylated positions (DMPs) in whole blood from SALS patients, compared with the healthy controls. Of these DMPs, five were hypermethylated and 29 were hypomethylated; they corresponded to 13 genes. For the DMPs, ATAD3B and BLK were hypermethylated, whereas DDO, IQCE, ABCB1, DNAH9, FIGN, NRP1, TMEM87B, CCSAP, ST6GALNAC5, MYOM2, and RUSC1-AS1 were hypomethylated. We also identified 12 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), related to 12 genes (NWD1, LDHD, CIS, IQCE, TNF, PDE1C, LGALS1, CSNK1E, LRRC23, ENO2, ELOVL2, and ELOVL2-AS1). According to data from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, DNAH9 and TNF are involved in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathway. Correlation analysis between clinical features and DNA methylation profiling indicated that the methylation level of ELOVL2 and ARID1B was positively associated with the age of onset ( r = 0.86, adjust P = 0.001) and disease duration ( r = 0.83, adjust P = 0.01), respectively. Conclusions::We found aberrant methylation in DMP- and DMR-related genes, implying that many epigenetic alterations, such as the hypomethylation of DNAH9 and TNF, play important roles in ALS etiology. These findings can be helpful for developing new therapeutic interventions.

Objective:To investigate the prognostic factors for long-term outcomes in elderly patients after colorectal cancer(CRC)resection.Methods:Patients(aged ≥60 years)undergone CRC resection in 2004 with more than 10-year survival records from the SEER database were retrospective analyzed.Potential prognostic risk factors for survival, such as age, sex, race, marital status, tumor site and size, clinical staging, TNM staging and lymph node clearance(lymph nodes dissection)were assessed by using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results:A total of 15 775 CRC patients were enrolled in this study, including 7 828(49.6%)males and 7 947(50.4%)females.The 10-year overall survival(OS)was shorter in patients aged over 80 years than in patients aged 60 years( P=0.000). Multivariate analysis showed that females had a better 10-year OS than males( P=0.000). Univariate analysis showed no difference in 10-year OS between females and males( P=0.837). Compared with married patients, single, unmarried or widowed patients displayed a poorer 10-year OS( P=0.000)and that patients with cecum and appendix cancer had the worst 10-year OS( P=0.000), but it did not find any difference between primary tumors in different sites.Patients with a tumor size over 5 cm or at advanced stage(T3-T4, N1-N2 and M1)had a low 10-year OS( P=0.000). Conclusions:Old age, black race, single, unmarried or widowed status, tumor size over 5 cm and advanced stage(T3-T4, N1-N2 and M1)are negative predictors for 10-year OS in CRC patients and these findings can be used for education and treatment improvement strategies for CRC in future.

Objective To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of modified total arch replacement by retrospectively analyzing the clinical outcome of surgical patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection (AAD). Methods From June 2015 to December 2016, 39 consecutive patients with AAD were recruited to this study. This modified technique was preformed under general anesthesia and a 30℃ hypothermia circulatory arrest (HCA) with continual bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion. Different surgical approaches were applied according to the aortic root condition: Bentall procedure (4 patients), David procedure (2 patients), aortic valve plasty and ascending aortic replacement (25 patients) and Cabrol procedure (8 patients). Concomitant procedures included mitral valve plasty (1 patient) and tricuspid valve plasty (1 patient). Results The average cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), aortic occlusion time (ACC), HCA and operation time was 218.5±42.2 min, 134.2±32.4 min, 4.9±2.3 min and 415.5±80.5 min respectively. Four patients required dialysis and 2 patients developed temporary neurological deficit. No permanent neurological deficit, postoperative paraplegia or in-hospital death occurred. Computed tomography examination was performed on all patients before discharge and 3 months after discharge. The follow-up result showed that 37 patients developed complete thrombosis in the false lumen and 2 patients developed partial thrombosis. Conclusion Modified total arch replacement is a safe and effective approach for AAD. It can greatly avoid postoperative complications and provide satisfactory short-term outcomes.

Objective     To retrospectively reviewed our experience of the surgical and perioperative treatment of patients suffering from critical Marfan syndrome with severe left ventricular dysfunction and to evaluate its therapeutic effect and prognosis. Methods     Between January 2012 and October 2016, 15 patients diagnosed with Marfan syndrome combined with severe left ventricular dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction≤40% or left ventricular end diastolic diameter≥75 mm) underwent operations for aortic root aneurysm in Zhujiang Hospital and Guangdong General Hospital. Among them, 11 were males and 4 were females with a mean age of 32.9±8.7 years ranging from 19 to 55 years. Five patients with aortic dissection underwent Bentall procedure and total arch reconstruction with stent graft implantation. Two patients underwent Bentall procedure and hemi-arch replacement, seven patients underwent Bentall procedure and one patient underwent Cabrol procedure. Concomitant procedures included mitral valve repair in 12 patients, mitral valve replacement in 3 patients and tricuspid valve repair in 12 patients. Results     There were 11 patients (73.3%) receiving intra-aortic balloon pumping implantation. One (6.7%) in-hospital death occurred. The left ventricular end diastolic diameter decreased from 80.5±7.4 mm to 58.3±6.0 mm (P<0.05) and the left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 37.3%±5.2% to 46.3%±4.4% 3 months postoperatively (P<0.05). The left ventricular end diastolic diameter decreased from 80.5±7.4 mm to 53.7±3.6 mm (P<0.05) and the left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 37.3%±5.2% to 57.7%±4.2% after one year (P<0.05). No death and reoperation occurred in the follow-up. Conclusion     Although the patients with Marfan syndrome and severe left ventricular dysfunction usually have a high surgical mortality, the key to satisfactory outcomes of severe Marfan syndrome is adequate preoperative preparation, complete correction of all vascular lesions during the operation, application of circulatory auxiliary device and perioperative strict and long-term ICU monitoring.

Background:Antibiotic resistance rate of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) has increased year by year,which leads to the lowering Hp eradication rate,therefore,it is emergent to find an effective Hp eradication regimen.Aims:To explore the effect of influencing factors on Hp eradication rate,and to investigate the clinical effect of Bifidobacterium on re-eradication of Hp.Methods:A total of 203 Hp-positive patients with gastric diseases diagnosed by gastroscopy and pathology were enrolled.All the patients were given standard triple regimen for 2 weeks,Hp infection was re-examined 4 weeks after treatment.Fifty patients with Hp eradication failure were divided into two groups,patients in experimental group were given Bifidobacterium followed by quadruple therapy,patients in control group were given quadruple therapy directly.Effects of gender,age,gastroscopic diagnosis,pathological diagnosis and different regimens on Hp eradication rate were analyzed,and effect of Bifidobacterium on re-eradication of Hp was evaluated.Results:No significant difference in Hp eradication rate was found between male and female patients (P =0.740).Hp eradication rate decreased with the increase of age,however,the difference was not statistically significant (P =0.872).No significant differences in Hp eradication rate were found between different eradication regimens,gastroscopic diagnosis,and pathological diagnosis (P ＞ 0.05).Reeradication rate of Hp in Bifidobacterium group was higher than that in control group,but the difference was not statistically significant (88.0％ vs.72.0％,P =0.289).Conclusions:The effects of gender,age,gastroscopic diagnosis and pathological diagnosis,different eradication regimens on Hp eradication rate are not statistically different.However,Hp eradication rate is decreased with the increase of age.Hp eradication rate is relatively high in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis.Bifidobacterium can not increase the re-eradication rate in patients with the failure of first time Hp eradication therapy.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with CT-guided 125I seed implantation in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated by portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT), and to discuss the technical points. Methods A total of 48 HCC patients with PVTT were enrolled in this study. TACE combined with CT-guided 125I seed implantation was carried out in all 48 patients. Based on the sites of PVTT, the lesions were classified into type A (PVTT within main portal vein), type B(PVTT within level-1 portal branch) and type C(PVTT within level-2 or more distal portal branch). According to whether the 125I seeds were directly implanted into the PVTT or not, the patients were divided into direct in-tumor thrombus implantation group (group A) and around tumor thrombus implantation group (group B; the 125I seeds were implanted in the liver parenchyma or in tumor tissue around the tumor thrombus within 1.7 cm region). The tumor thrombus control rate(TTCR), the disease control rate(DCR), the time to progress(TTP) and the overall survival rate of patients(OS) were determined, and the results were compared among different types and groups. Results TACE combined with CT-guided 125I seed implantation was successfully accomplished in all 48 patients. The median OS of type A, B and C was 8, 11.5 and 15 months respectively(P=0.003);the TTCR of type A, B and C was 61.5%, 70.8%and 72.7%respectively(P=0.548); the DCR of type A, B and C was 69.2%, 75%and 81.8% respectively (P=0.483); the median TTP of type A, B and C was 4.5, 8 and 11 months respectively(P=0.030);the median TTP of intra-hepatic tumor of type A, B and C was 5, 9 and 9.5 months respectively(P=0.012). The median OS in group A and group B was 10 and 11.5 months respectively (P=0.239); the TTCR in group A and group B was 69.2% and 68.2%respectively(P=0.591); the DCR of intra-hepatic tumor in group A and group B was 73.1% and 77.3%respectively(P=0.502); the median TTP of tumor thrombus in group A and group B was 7 and 10 months respectively(P=0.276); and the median TTP of intra-hepatic tumor in group A and group B was 8 and 9.5 months respectively(P=0.089). Conclusion For the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by portal vein tumor thrombus, TACE combined with CT-guided 125I seed implantation can effectively control the progress of both the tumor thrombus and the intra- hepatic tumor and prolong patient’s survival time. Implantation of 125I seeds into the portal vein tumor thrombus and implantation of 125I seeds into the liver parenchyma around the tumor thrombus have the same therapeutic results. (J Intervent Radiol, 2015, 24:488-493)

In the present study,we examined the codon usage bias between pseudorabies virus (PRV) US1 gene and the US1-like genes of 20 reference alphaherpesviruses.Comparative analysis showed noticeable disparities of the synonymous codon usage bias in the 21 alphaherpesviruses,indicated by codon adaptation index,effective number of codons (ENc) and GC3s value.The codon usage pattern of PRV US1 gene was phylogenetically conserved and similar to that of the US1-like genes of the genus Varicellovirus of alphaherpesvirus,with a strong bias towards the codons with C and G at the third codon position.Cluster analysis of codon usage pattern of PRV US1 gene with its reference alphaherpesviruses demonstrated that the codon usage bias of US1-like genes of 21 alphaherpesviruses had a very close relation with their gene functions.ENc-plot revealed that the genetic heterogeneity in PRV US1 gene and the 20 reference alphaherpesviruses was constrained by G+C content,as well as the gene length.In addition,comparison of codon preferences in the US1 gene of PRV with those of E.coli,yeast and human revealed that there were 50 codons showing distinct usage differences between PRV and yeast,49 between PRV and human,but 48 between PRV and E.coli.Although there were slightly fewer differences in codon usages between E.coli and PRV,the difference is unlikely to be statistically significant,and experimental studies are necessary to establish the most suitable expression system for PRV US1.In conclusion,these results may improve our understanding of the evolution,pathogenesis and functional studies of PRV,as well as contributing to the area of herpesvirus research or even studies with other viruses.