BACKGROUND:Spinal cord injury is a neurological disorder caused by traumatic or non-traumatic events,often leading to severe functional impairment below the injured segment.In recent years,neural stem cell transplantation has been considered to have significant therapeutic potential in regulating the inflammatory response after spinal cord injury,inhibiting excessive proliferation of glial scars,and promoting nerve regeneration. OBJECTIVE:To review and discuss the potential mechanism of action of acupuncture and neural stem cell transplantation therapy in inhibiting spinal cord injury-induced secondary injury,and to delve into the scientific basis for its treatment of spinal cord injury. METHODS:PubMed,Elsevier,WanFang,and CNKI databases were searched using"spinal cord injury,acupuncture,neural stem cells,SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis"as Chinese and English search terms.Totally 96 articles were finally included.The research findings of acupuncture combined with neural stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury were summarized and analyzed,and the mechanism of this combination therapy in the treatment of secondary injury after spinal cord injury was summarized. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The stromal-derived factor 1α(SDF-1α)/chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4)axis plays a crucial role in neural stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury.This signaling mechanism not only affects neural stem cell migration,proliferation,and differentiation,but is also a key factor in determining the efficiency of stem cell homing to the injury site.Therefore,the regulation of targeting this axis is of great significance in enhancing the therapeutic effect of spinal cord injury.(2)Acupuncture,as a traditional Chinese medicine therapy,shows unique advantages in the regulation of secondary injury in spinal cord injury.It can effectively reduce secondary injury after spinal cord injury by regulating inflammatory response,inhibiting apoptosis,improving microcirculation,reducing glial scar formation,and counteracting oxidative stress.(3)Acupuncture was also able to influence the expression and function of the SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis,thereby enhancing the homing and survival ability of neural stem cells and promoting nerve regeneration and functional recovery.(4)The therapy combining acupuncture and stem cell transplantation is an innovative treatment strategy for spinal cord injury and suitable for repairing neural circuits.It combines the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine with the advantages of modern biotechnology,providing a new treatment option for spinal cord injury patients.However,this combination therapy is still in the research and exploration stage,and its long-term efficacy and safety need to be further verified.(5)Taken together,acupuncture and neural stem cell transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury has great potential for clinical application,but in-depth research and optimization of treatment options are still needed.In the future,we look forward to further revealing the efficacy mechanism and optimal indications of this therapy through more clinical trials and mechanism studies,so as to bring better hope of recovery and more efficient therapeutic effects to spinal cord injury patients.

BACKGROUND:Cell death and neuroinflammation are two important targets in the treatment of spinal cord injury.Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death closely related to neuroinflammation and targeted inhibition of pyroptosis after spinal cord injury is a promising therapeutic strategy. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the molecular mechanism,positive and negative regulatory factors and therapeutic strategies of pyroptosis in spinal cord injury. METHODS:The search terms were"spinal cord injury,pyroptosis,nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),Caspase,Gasdermin D(GSDMD),IL-1β,IL-18"and 93 English literatures included in PubMed and Web of Science were finally selected for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:As a newly discovered programmed cell death,pyroptosis has been shown to play an important role in the secondary injury stage after spinal cord injury.Among the regulatory factors of pyroptosis after spinal cord injury,CD73,NRF2,GDF-11,dopamine,FANCC and miR-423-5P could inhibit pyroptosis,while TLR4 and Aopps could promote pyroptosis.In terms of treatment,the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine(paeonol,tripterine,betulinic acid,piperine,kaempferol,and camptothecin),exosomes of various cell origins,and some drugs(metformin,topotecan,lithium,zinc,and carbon monoxide-releasing molecule 3)can effectively inhibit pyroptosis and reduce secondary spinal cord injury,but the toxicity and specific dose of these drugs need to be further studied.The specific molecular mechanism by which pyroptosis aggravates spinal cord injury is still poorly understood.The role of non-classical pathways and other inflammasomes is worth further exploration.At present,the research on pyroptosis after spinal cord injury only stays at the animal experiment stage.There are no related clinical studies and no approved targeted therapeutic drugs.(6)The application of pyroptosis after spinal cord injury has great potential,and its specific regulatory mechanism should be further studied in the future to provide a new target for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of Yiyuan moxibustion on urinary storage function in rats with neurogenic bladder(NB)after suprasacral spinal cord injury(SCI)based on adenosine activated protein kinase(AMPK)-connexin 43(Cx43)pathway.Methods Twelve female Sprague-Dawley rats were selected as the sham operation group using the random number table method,and 68 rats were used to prepare the suprasacral SCI model according to the modified Hassan Shaker spinal cord transection method.After the SCI model was stable,the standard NB model after SCI was screened out.The rats with successful modeling were divided into the model group(n=14),the Yiyuan moxibustion group(n=14),the inhibitor group(n=14),and the Yiyuan moxibustion+inhibitor group(n=14)according to the random number table method.The rats in the Yiyuan moxibustion group were treated with Yiyuan moxibustion.The rats in the inhibitor group were injected with AMPK inhibitor dorsomorphin(0.2 mg/kg)by tail vein.The rats in the Yiyuan moxibustion+inhibitor group were treated with Yiyuan moxibustion combined with tail vein injection of dorsomorphin(0.2 mg/kg).The sham operation group and the model group did not receive any intervention for 14 days.After the intervention,the bladder function of rats was evaluated by urodynamics.HE staining was used to observe morphological changes of the bladder tissue;the content of adenosine triphosphate(ATP)in bladder tissue was detected by colorimetry.The positive expressions of phosphorylated AMPK(p-AMPK),Cx43 and tyrosine protein kinase receptor(C-kit)in bladder tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry.The protein expressions of AMPK,p-AMPK,Cx43 and C-kit in bladder tissue were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the model group,the maximum bladder capacity and bladder compliance of the rats in the Yiyuan moxibustion group were increased,the leak point pressure was decreased,the cells in the Yiyuan moxibustion group were relatively regular and orderly,the vacuolar cells were reduced,and the tissue edema was reduced;the ATP content in the bladder tissue was decreased,the positive expression rate of p-AMPK was increased,the positive expression rate of Cx43 and C-kit were decreased,the protein expressions of p-AMPK protein was increased,the expression of Cx43 and C-kit were decreased,and the mRNA expression of Cx43 and C-kit were decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the Yiyuan moxibustion+inhibitor group,the maximum bladder capacity and bladder compliance of the rats in the Yiyuan moxibustion group increased,the leak point pressure decreased,the cells in the Yiyuan moxibustion group were arranged more closely and the tissue edema was reduced;the ATP content in the bladder tissue decreased,the positive expression rate of p-AMPK increased,the positive expression rates of Cx43 and C-kit decreased,the protein expression of p-AMPK increased,the protein expressions of Cx43 and C-kit decreased,and the mRNA expressions of Cx43 and C-kit decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion Yiyuan moxibustion can improve the urinary storage function of NB rats after suprasacral SCI,and its mechanism may be related to activating the AMPK-Cx43 pathway in bladder tissue,reducing the excitation transmission between bladder detrusor cells,thereby reducing the frequency of smooth muscle contraction.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects between acupuncture with regulating mind and spleen and wes-tern medication for diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).

METHODSEighty-one patients were randomly at the ratio of 2 to 1 assigned into an acupuncture group (54 cases) and a western medication group (27 cases). Acupuncture with regulating mind and spleen was applied in the acupuncture group for 6 weeks at Baihui (GV 20), Yintang (GV 29), Tianshu (ST 25), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Taichong (LR 3), once every other day, 3 times a week. Pinaverium bromide tablet was used orally in the western medication group for 6 weeks, 50 mg a time, 3 times a day. IBS symptom severity score (IBS-SSS) were observed before and after 1-week, 6-week treatment. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was applied before and after 6-week treatment. Also, clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTSThree patients dropped out in the acupuncture group, and 1 in the western medication group. Except abdominal distension score after 1-week treatment in the western medication group, single scores and total scores of IBS-SSS apparently reduced in the two groups after 1-week and 6-week treatment (<0.01,<0.05). After 1-week treatment, the abdominal pain score of the acupuncture group was obviously lower than that of the western medication group (<0.05). After 6-week treatment, with abdominal pain relief advantage, other results including the number of pain days, defecation satisfaction,life disturbance degree and total score of the acupuncture group were obviously lower than those of the wes-tern medication group (<0.01,<0.05). After 6-week treatment, the PSQI score and its change before and after treatment in the acupuncture group were superior to those in the western medication group (both<0.05). The relief rate and relief plus obvious effective rate in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the western medication group[51.0% (26/51) vs 19.2% (5/26),<0.01; 64.7% (33/51) vs 34.6% (9/26),<0.05].

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture with regulating mind and spleen for diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome can more effectively relieve abdominal pain than pinaverium bromide tablet at the early stage. Its total effect and single effects are better at the later stage on abdominal pain, seizure frequency, defecation satisfaction, life disturbance, and sleep quality.

RANKL/RANK/OPG axis is important in bone metabolism regulation, and becomes a popular research area in bone diseases. RANKL is a critical part of RANKL/RANK/OPG axis, and widely required in bone metabolism research. However, the yield of recombinant soluble human RANKL (hRANKL) in Escherichia coli is much lower than mouse RANKL (mRANKL). In this study, by adjusting and stabilizing the pH value of LB medium at 7.5, lowering the inducing temperature to 16 ℃ and optimizing the lysis program, the yield of soluble hRANKL increased by approximately 5 to 12-fold over the non-adjusted group. Our experiment effectively enhanced soluble hRANKL expression in E. coli and might constitute a meaningful attempt to obtain soluble expression of recombinant protein in E. coli.

Under the background of dual-track training mode, the current clinical program of professional master's graduate education lacks complete and unified content and requirements. We set out a unified teaching scheme of subspecialty, in the main subject acupuncture. We identified the teaching management and innovated the teaching and examination methods in the scheme. Our research gradually formed a multidisciplinary talents training system, as the foundation of developing the standardization training. This method could help to cultivate qualified graduates as the high quality talents for the national medicine development.

A total of 60 non-acupuncture master postgraduates were divided into control class and experimental class randomly, 30 postgraduates in each class. The control class was taught by traditional teaching methods and experimental class was taught by new teaching methods. The test was conducted after one month later. All the scores were analyzed by SPSS17.0. The result showed that the oretical score ,the practical score and disease recognition rates in the experimental class were significantly higher than those in the control class (P<0.05). The questionnaires showed experimental class had obvious advantage than control class (P<0.05). The new teaching methods of acupuncture has obvious advantage than traditional teaching methods and can provide a new way for teaching acupuncture during resident standardization training.

Objective To explore more accurate method about the time of pregnancy and gestational age of SD rats.Methods 7 to 8-week-old SD rats (18 females,6 males) were selected,the ratios of male to female were 2:1,5:2,1:1 and 4:1.Through vaginal plug observation,vaginal smear method,weight comparison method to verify the exact date of pregnancy in the next morning.Results Vaginal observed at milky vaginal plug sperm could be observed as sickle rat sperm head.Body weight of pregnant rats changed obviously.Three detection methods were used to detect the pregnancy time for 18 females.The positive rate of vaginal plug observation was 5.6％.The positive rate of vaginal smear method was 44.4％.The false negative rate of vaginal smear method was 11.1％.The positive rate of body weight method was 11.1％.The false positive rate was 5.6％.Conclusion The accuracy of vaginal smear is higher than the vaginal plug method and weight comparison method,the vaginal plug method can be used as the premise of the other two methods.Comparison method can be used as supplementary that the other two methods missed.

Objective To investigate traditional Chinese medical emotional intervention on the cognition function of senile patients after abdominal surgery. Methods Seventy senile patients having elective abdominal operation were randomized into intervention group and control group, 35 cases in each group. The control group received routine peri-operative nursing, and the intervention group was given routine peri-operative nursing and emotional intervention based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The cognition function was evaluated with mini-mental state examination (MMSE) on preoperative day 1, postoperative day 3 and 7, and serum S100βprotein level was detected before operation and on postoperative day 7. Results (1)Time for recovery from general anesthesia in the intervention group was much shortened as compared with that of the control group(P<0.05). (2)On postoperative day 3, the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction(POCD) was much lower than that of the control group(P<0 . 0 5), and on postoperative day 7 , the difference of POCD incidence was insignificant between the two groups(P>0.05). (3) On postoperative day 7, serum S-100β protein level in the two groups was increased as compared with that before treatment(P<0.05), but the difference between the two groups was insignificant(P>0.05). Conclusion Traditional Chinese medical emotional intervention has an effect on shortening time for recovery from general anesthesia and decreasing POCD incidence, but has no effect on POCD incidence and serum S100βprotein level on postoperative day 7.

Objective To analyze the mammographic features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC)compared to those of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).Methods Twenty cases with ILC and 95 cases with IDC were retrospectively evaluated by two breast radi-ologists according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS)lexicon.The mammographic findings were com-pared between ILC and IDC with the independent samples chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test,as appropriate.Results Mass was the most common finding in both ILCs and IDCs,but less frequent in ILCs (36.4% vs 63.9%,P =0.008).Mass in ILCs was more frequently lobular or irregular shape with spiculated margin.Architectural distortion and focal asymmetry were more frequent in ILCs than in IDCs,however,the differences were no significant.The frequency of calcifications was not significantly different between the two groups.The distributions of calcifications were more regional in ILCs,and more segmental or linear in IDCs (P =0.01).Conclu-sion ILCs are more usually shown as non-mass appearances on mammography.ILCs that appeared as mass are more frequently ir-regular in shape with spiculated margins.