Creeping hair is a rare condition characterized by creeping eruption with a black line at the advancing end, mimicking cutaneous larva migrans. The condition is also referred to as cutaneous pili migrans, migrating hair, and embedded hair. A total of 52 cases have been reported since 1957 and most cases were published in English. Herein, we report a case in which creeping hair occurred in the iliac region and review the literature from 1957 to February 2021. A 35-year-old Chinese female presented with a black moving linear eruption that had migrated from the lower abdomen to the iliac region without causing any symptoms during a 3-year period. Cutaneous examination showed a 6.5-cm-long black linear lesion beneath the skin that was revealed to be a hair shaft. After removal of the hair, the eruption diminished and no recurrence occurred in 3 months of follow-up. The creeping hair that had migrated with its lower end forward was confirmed by observation under dematoscopy and light microscopy. A review of the literature revealed that creeping hair occurs most frequently in young and middle-aged patients and the reported cases are mainly from Asia. The top locations involve the foot. The causative hair includes head hair, beard, pubic hair, body hair, and one case of dog hair. A closeup examination and dermoscopic inspection are helpful for the diagnosis of creeping hair.

Objective:To explore the effect of modified Chushi Weiling Decoction combined with fire acupuncture in the treatment of chronic eczema with spleen deficiency and dampness syndrome.Methods:A total of 106 patients with chronic eczema who met the inclusion criteria from January 2018 to January 2020 in Shandong Taishan hospital were randomly divided into two groups by random number table method, with 53 patients in each group. The control group was treated with loratadine tablets and compound glycyrrhizin tablets, and the observation group was treated with modified Chushi Weiling Decoction combined with fire acupuncture. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks and followed up for 12 months. TCM syndrome scores were performed before and after treatment, Eczema area and severity index (EASI) was used to assess the severity of eczema, and pruritus was assessed by pruritus VAS scale. The serum IgE level was detected by nephelometry, and eosinophils (EOS) count was detected by automatic hematology analyzer. The adverse events and recurrence were recorded and the clinical response rate was evaluated.Results:The response rate was 94.34% (50/53) in the observation group and 77.36% (41/53) in the control group. There was significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=6.29, P=0.012). After treatment, the score of TCM syndrome, EASI and VAS of pruritus in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t values were 11.97, 6.31 and 10.61 respectively, all Ps<0.001). After treatment, the serum IgE level [(57.19±7.54) IU/ml vs. (81.55±12.08) IU/ml, t=12.45], EOS count [(310.54± 52.84) ×10 6/L vs. (465.51±58.04) ×10 6/L, t=14.37] in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01). The incidence of adverse events was 15.09% (8/53) in the control group and 3.77% (2/53) in the observation group, and there was significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=3.98, P=0.046). The recurrence rate was 6.00% (3/50) in the observation group and 21.95% (9/41) in the control group, and there was significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=5.01, P=0.025). Conclusion:Modified Chushi Weiling Decoction combined with fire acupuncture can improve the skin lesions and itching symptoms, improve the clinical efficacy, reduce the long-term recurrence rate of patients with chronic eczema with spleen deficiency and dampness syndrome safely.

At present,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has attracted more and more attention from the international community.The demand for TCM is increasing in the world.The hidden dangers of potential quality and safety of TCM are also becoming increasingly prominent.Aflatoxin contamination has become one of the important factors affecting the safety of Chinese herbal medicines,and it will fundamentally affect human health and life safety.A variety of methods are used to reduce aflatoxins,however,there are few suitable methods that can be widely used in the cost-effective and large-scale promotion of Chinese herbal medicines.Therefore,it is of great significance to continue to study measures to solve the pollution problems of Aspergillus flavus and its toxins.This article summarizes the hazards and contamination status of aflatoxin,the prevention and control of the growth of A. flavus, and the measures for reducing aflatoxin,and looks ahead to the future prevention and control of A. flavus and its toxins,aiming at providing ideas for the pollution problem of A. flavus and its toxin,to ensure the quality of Chinese herbal medicines,so as to ensure clinical safety medication.

Objective: To establish the isolation and culture methods of skeletal muscle stem cells, derived from human orbicularis oculi muscle (OOMSCs), and to identify their multi-directional differentiation potential in vitro. Methods: The cellswere isolated from pretarsal orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM), obtained in routine blepharoplasty surgery.The tissue was digested using collagenase type I combined with re-plating methods. Specific cell surface antigen markers were detected using flow cytometry analysis. OOMSCs were cultured under different inductive conditions, to identify their pluripotent differentiation ability. Results: OOMSCs exhibited similar fibroblast-like morphology as mesenchymal stem cells with high expression of skeletal muscle-derived stem cell surface markers. OOMSCs were able to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes in vitro, in the presence of lineage-specific inductive media. Moreover, after myogenic induction, the differentiated cells were fused into multinucleated myotube-like structure, and positive for myogenic-related marks, Pax3, Pax7, Myf5 and MyoD. Conclusions Muscle-derived stem cells can be isolated from human OOM with myogenic differentiation properties, showing further applications potential intissue regeneration and medical therapies of muscle diseases.

Objectives: To explore weather oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) may predict the prognosis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Methods: The consecutive newly diagnosed IPAH patients in our hospital from 2010-11 to 2015-06 were prospectively enrolled and regular follow-up study was conducted to record cardiovascular events (death and lung transplantation). Kaplan–Meier curve, uni- and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the survival rate in relevant patients. Results: A total of 210 IPAH patients at the mean age of (32±10) years were finished cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and received regular follow-up study including 159 female. There were 31 patients died and 1 received lung transplantation over 41 months follow-up period. OUES was positively related to peak oxygen uptake (VO2)/body weight (r=0.71, P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that OUESI and NT-proBNP could independently predict the prognosis of IPAH patients. The 5-year survival rate in patients with OUESI≤0.52 L/(min?m2) was lower than those with OUESI>0.52 L/(min?m2) (41.9% vs 89.8%), P<0.0001.Conclusion: OUES as a submaximal CPET parameter may well predict the prognosis in IPAH patients.

Objective:To study the relationship between IL-1β and TNFα expression and cell apoptosis in gingival tissue of the subjects with diabetes associated periodontitis(DAP).Methods:20 cases of DAP(group DAP) and 20 cases of health controls(group H)were included.The cell apoptosis and the ultrastructural changes in gingival tissue were observed by Tunnel staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM).IL-1β and TNFα expression in gingival tissue were detected by immunohistochemical staining.SBI,GI,PD and AL of the subjects were measured.The relationship between the level of IL-1β,TNFα and the cell appotosis was analyzed.Results:Apoptosis was obvious in prickle cells and basal cells of gingival tissue of DAP group.The percentage of apoptosis cells of DAP group was significantly higher than that of group H(P＜0.01).The expression of IL-1β and TNFα in group DAP was significant higher than that of group H (P＜0.01),and the mainly positive expression cells were macrophages,plasmocytes and lymphocytes.Conclusion:IL-1β and TNFα play a role in cell apoptosis in the gingival tissue of the patients with DAP.

Objective:To explore the effect of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) on long-term follow-up study in patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APE).
Methods:A total of 214 consecutive patients with the first episode of APE admitted in our hospital from 2009-01 to 2012-12 were enrolled. The patients were divided into 2 groups:RDW≤15%group, n=202 and RDW>15%group, n=12. Baseline RDW was measured at admission, the follow-up study was conducted at 3, 6, 12 months thereafter, and then at once per year. The major primary end point was chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). The independent predictor for CTEPH occurrence was studied by uni-and multivariate logistic regression analysis and the predictive capability of RDWwas evaluated by ROC curve.
Results: All patients ifnished the follow-up study at the mean of (31±17) months. The overall occurrence rate of CTEPH was 7.5% (16/214), which was higher in RDW>15% group than that in RDW≤15% group (33.3% vs 5.9%, P=0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that with adjusted clinical data and other predictors, RDW>15%was still the strong predictor for CTEPH occurrence (OR=7.916, 95%CI 1.474-42.500, P=0.016). Adding RDW to the evaluating model, the predictive capability could be signiifcantly improved by ROC curve (AUC increased from 0.856 to 0.901, P<0.01).
Conclusion: Elevated RDW is the independent predictor for CTEPH occurrence in APE patients, which is helpful to estimate the prognosis and treatment strategy in APE patients.

Objective: To evaluate cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on sildenaifl effect for treating the patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Methods: A total of 25 PAH patients received sildenaifl treatment in our hospital from 2012-01 to 2014-01 were enrolled as PAH group, in addition, there were a Control group including 24 healthy subjects. The CPET, echocardiography, NYHA function class, 6-mimute walking distance (6MWD) and plasma levels of NT-proBNP at the baseline, (6-12) months and (13-18) months after sildenaifl treatment were assessed and compared between 2 groups. Results: Compared with Control group, PAH group showed decreased aerobic capacity (peakVO?2, Peak O2pulse) and ventilation efifciency (PETCO2@AT, VE?/VC?O2@AT), allP<0.05. At (8±2) months after sildenaifl treatment, aerobic capacity and ventilation efifciency was improved, meanwhile, NYHA function class, 6MWD and plasma levels of NT-proBNP were improved, allP<0.05. At (16±2) months after sildenaifl treatment, 6MWD was similar,P=0.26, while peak VO?2 and peak O2 pulse were decreased than they were at (8±2) months after sildenaifl treatment,P=0.04 and 0.06; the ventilation efifciency was elevated (as presented by increased VE?/VC?O2@AT and decreased PETCO2@AT,P=0.04 and P=0.04); plasma level of NT-proBNP was increased,P=0.05. Conclusion: CPET can effectively evaluate sildenaifl effect for treating PAH patients and therefore and guide the drugs therapy.

Objective To observe the effects of transplantation of autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) on osteoporosis (OP) in a rabbit ovariectomy (OVX) model.Methods A total of fifteen 6-month-old female New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups:ovariectomy group (group A,n =12) and sham operation group (group B,n =3).All rabbits were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy in the group A.Six months later,bone mineral density (BMD) of group A and group B were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to check the result of OVX-OP.ASCs harvested from adipose of OP rabbits were cultured to be expanded and differentiated in osteogenic medium in vitro.Osteogenesis was evaluated by alizarin red staining,alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and quantitative assays of osteocalcin (OCN).Autologous osteo-induced ASCs were mixed in calcium alginate hydrogel (CAH) and then transplanted in the left distal femurs,while CAH was transplanted in the right distal femurs of OP rabbits.At 12 weeks after implantation,BMD,micro-CT and histomorphological analyses were performed on these rabbits.Results The BMD of femurs in group A rabbits were obviously lower than that of group B rabbits (P ＜ 0.05) at 6 months after OVX.Compared with control group,ASCs cultured in osteo-induction medium had similar proliferation rate as the non-induced cells,but displayed positive ALP and alizarin red staining and OCN contents.At 12 weeks after implantation,the cell-treated femurs displayed higher BMD,bone trabecula number,trabecula thickness and separation than those of control group,while the structure model index and porosity were lower (P ＜ 0.05).Histological examination indicated that the trabecular thickness increased with complete CAH resorption in cell-treated group,while CAH remained in control group.Conclusions Transplantation of autologous ASCs can help strengthen osteoporotic bone in OVX-OP rabbits,providing a novel approach to OP treatment.

Objective: To explore the effect of calcium channel blocker (CCB) treatment in patients of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) with positive acute pulmonary vasodilator test, and to compare the hemodynamic differences between the positive and negative patients.
Methods: A total of 156 consecutive IPAH patients with acute pulmonary vasodilator test were studied. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the testing result. Positive group, n=23 and Negative group, n=133. The positive patients were followed up by clinical or telephone visit to investigate their CCB dose, WHO PAH cardiac classiifcation and the survival conditions. Kaplan-meier curve was conducted to analyze the living condition and t test was used to compare the hemodynamic differences between the positive and negative patients.
Results: There were 43 male and 113 female patients at the male/female ratio of 1: 2.6, and 14.7% (23/156) positive patients. The average follow-up period for Positive group was (50.9 ± 3.8) months. There were 13 patients using diltiazem with the mean dose of (277 ± 108) mg/d at the range of (90-450) mg/d; 3 patients using amlodipine, 1 with the dose of 15mg/d and 2 with the dose of 7.5mg/d. The 1, 2 and 3 years survival rate for the positive patients were for 91.3%, 86.6% and 79.7% respectively. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were lower, P=0.000, while the mixed venous oxygen saturation was higher in Positive group than Negative group, P=0.009.The NT-pro BNP level was lower in Positive group, P=0.001.
Conclusion: IPAH patients has lower ratio of positive acute pulmonary vasodilator test. The positive patients has the higher 1, 3 and 5 years survival rate and better hemodynamic parameters as the mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and better level of NT-pro BNP.