ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with levodopa in the treatment of Parkinson's disease（PD）. MethodsA total of 60 patients with PD were enrolled and randomly assigned to test group or control group， with 30 patients in each group. The control group received levodopa only， starting at 100 mg per dose， three times daily， with gradual increases not exceeding a maximum daily dose of 800 mg. The test group received acupuncture three times per week in addition to levodopa. Both groups were treated for 12 weeks. Assessments were conducted before treatment， after 6 and 12 weeks treatment， using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale（UPDRS）， Wearing-Off Questionnaire-9（WOQ-9）， Montreal Cognitive Assessment（MoCA）， Mini-Mental State Examination（MMSE）， Depression Rating Scale（DRS）， Hamilton Depression Scale（HAMD）， Hamilton Anxiety Scale（HAMA）， PD Questionnaire-39（PDQ-39）， and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index（PSQI）. Repeated measures ANOVA was utilized to evaluate the effects of time， group， and their interaction on each index. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between combined treatment and outcome scores. Adverse events in both groups were recorded throughout the study. ResultsBoth groups showed significant improvements after 6 and 12 weeks treatment， with decreases in UPDRS total score， WOQ-9 total score， DRS score， HAMD score， HAMA score， PDQ-39 score， and PSQI score， and increases in MoCA and MMSE scores（P＜0.05）. Compared with the control group， the test group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in all the above indicators after 6 and 12 weeks （P＜0.05）. Repeated measures ANOVA showed significant time main effects， group main effects， and their interaction across all outcome measures（P＜0.01）. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that combined therapy was significantly negatively correlated with UPDRS， WOQ-9， DRS， HAMD， HAMA， PDQ-39， and PSQI scores， while positively correlated with MoCA and MMSE scores after 12 weeks of treatment（P＜0.05）. Both groups did not experience any serious adverse events and did not affect treatment. ConclusionAcupuncture combined with levodopa is more effective than levodopa alone in improving motor function， non-motor symptoms， cognitive function， depression and anxiety， quality of life， and sleep quality in patients with PD， with good safety.

OBJECTIVE To study the anti-inflammatory immune response effects of lactoferrin in the treatment of periodontitis and its mechanism. METHODS One hundred SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, lactoferrin administration group low, medium, high dose group(1, 2, 3 g·kg-1), metronidazole positive control group (0.02 g·kg-1), PDTC group(200 mg·kg-1), lactoferrin+PDTC group(2 g·kg-1, 200 mg·kg-1), MCC950 group(1 mg·kg-1) and lactoferrin+MCC950 group(2 g·kg-1, 1 mg·kg-1), 10 rats in each group. Silk thread ligation combined with 10% sucrose drinking water was used to establish the model, and then the drug was administered orally once a day. The blank control group and the model group were administered orally with 0.9% NaCl. The rats in each group were sacrificed after one month of continuous administration. The contents of IL-1b, IL-8 and IL-10 were detected by ELISA kit, and the expressions of TLR2-NF-κB pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome related proteins were detected by Western blotting. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the periodontal tissues of the rats in each group. RESULTS Compared with the model group, the symptoms of periodontitis in each dose group of lactoferrin were significantly improved. HE staining showed that the infiltration of inflammatory cells was reduced, and the proliferation of fibroblasts was active. The protein expressions of TLR2, NF-κB, NLRP3, Caspase-1 p20 and GSDMD-N decreased, the content of pro-inflammatory factor IL-8 and IL-1b decreased, and the content of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 increased. CONCLUSION Lactoferrin may play a role in the regulation of inflammatory immune response in the treatment of periodontitis by down-regulating the protein expression of TLR2-NF-κB-NLRP3 pathway, reducing the initiation of inflammatory response and the release of inflammatory factors, so as to achieve the purpose of anti-inflammatory.

Objective:To investigate the application of different imaging methods of 99Tc m-pyrophosphate (PYP) in the diagnosis and pathological classification of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Methods:A total of 31 patients (22 males, 9 females, age 21-81(57.2±13.4) years) with suspected CA who underwent 99Tc m-PYP dual-phase scintigraphy (early-phase: 1 h, delay-phase: 2-3 h) and SPECT/CT (1 h) between December 2018 and December 2019 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively included. Taking clinical diagnosis as the standard, the results of visual score (≥2, positive) and semi-quantitative values (heart to contralateral lung (H/CL)≥1.5, positive) of 99Tc m-PYP uptake in dual-phase scintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging were analyzed. One-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were used to analyze the data. Results:Among 31 patients with suspected CA, 15 were clinically diagnosed as CA (5 patients with transthyretin-related CA (ATTR-CA) and 10 patients with light chain CA (AL-CA)) and 16 were diagnosed as non-CA. All 5 patients with ATTR-CA had positive dual-phase scintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging results. Three out of 10 patients with AL-CA had positive early-phase scintigraphy whereas negative delay-phase scintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging results. Sixteen patients who were clinically diagnosed as non-CA had negative dual-phase scintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging results. The sensitivity (5/5), specificity (10/10), positive predictive value (5/5), negative predictive value (10/10) and accuracy (15/15) of delay-phase scintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging were the same. Among 31 patients, 16 patients carried transthyretin-related (TTR) gene mutation, and 4 of them who clinically diagnosed as variant ATTR (ATTRv) had positive image findings while 12 of them who not clinically diagnosed as CA had negative image findings. There were significant differences in H/CL between ATTR-CA group and AL-CA group in early-phase (2.11±0.24 vs 1.31±0.07) and delay-phase (2.02±0.19 vs 1.30±0.05; F values: 75.41 and 87.15, Bonferroni test, both P<0.01). Conclusions:99Tc m-PYP delay-phase scintigraphy and SPECT/CT have high diagnostic efficiencies in ATTR-CA, helping to determine the pathological classification of CA; while early-phase scintigraphy has false positive results. Moreover, 99Tc m-PYP imaging is helpful to detect CA in patients with TTR gene mutation.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of 99Tc m-pyrophosphate (PYP) in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. Methods:From December 2018 to July 2019, 17 patients (9 males, 8 females, age: (53.4±13.0) years) with suspected cardiac amyloidosis underwent 99Tc m-PYP imaging in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were prospectively included. Visual score and semi-quantitative values (heart to contralateral ratio, H/CL) of 99Tc m-PYP uptake were used to diagnose transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). Biopsies and genetic measurements were also developed to evaluate the diagnostic value of the imaging. Results:Five of the 17 patients were diagnosed as ATTR with a visual score of 2-3, H/CL≥1.5, and confirmed with the biopsy or gene test. Four patients were diagnosed as ATTR with positive genetic results but no cardiac symptoms, and their visual scores were between 0 and 1 with H/CL<1.5. Considering the young age of the patients, amyloid deposition might have not yet caused visceral damage. Visual score of other 8 patients with negative 99Tc m-PYP imaging were also between 0 and 1 with H/CL<1.5, 2 of 8 were confirmed with light chain amyloidosis (AL) by biopsy, 3 were clinically diagnosed as AL and 3 were ATTR excluded. The accuracy of 99Tc m-PYP imaging for diagnosing ATTR was 11/11. Conclusion:99Tc m-PYP imaging is helpful for non-invasive diagnosis of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

Objective To discuss the application value of the APP client terminal in the improvement of the post-discharged continuing nursing of the patients with pituitary adenoma surgery.Methods One hundred and fifty-six patients with pituitary adenoma surgery who was hospitalized in the department of neurosurgery in Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from July 2015 to June 2016 were included into the observation group. The continuing nursing in the observation group was made by APP client terminal. One hundred and sixty-seven patients with pituitary adenoma surgery who was hospitalized in the department of neurosurgery in Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from July 2014 to June 2015 were included into the control group. The continuing nursing in the control group was conventional health education, telephone follow-up. Three months after the patients' discharge, the effects of the continuing nursing were evaluated for the patients in the two groups with the evaluation form of the continuing nursing for the patients with pituitary adenoma surgery.Results The score of the continuing nursing evaluation form for the patients with pituitary adenoma surgery in the observation group was (45.47±10.98), which was significantly higher than that in the control group (70.24±15.48) (t=16.67,P<0.05).Conclusions The APP client terminal can effectively improve the health education effects of the continuing nursing in the postoperative patients with pituitary adenoma, which is worth popularizing and referring.

Abstract A new microfluidic system with four different microchambers （a circle and three equilateral concave polygons） was designed and fabricated using poly（dimethylsiloxane） （PDMS） and the soft lithography method. Using this microfluidic device at six flow rates （5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 μL/h）, the effects of microenvironmental geometry and aqueous flow on bacterial adhesion behaviors were investigated. Escherichia coli HB101 pGLO, which could produce a green fluorescent protein induced by L-arabinose, was utilized as the model bacteria. The results demonstrated that bacterial adhesion was significantly related to culture time, microenvironment geometry, and aqueous flow rates. Adhered bacterial density increased with the culture time. Initially, the adhesion occurred at the microchamber sides, and then the entire chamber was gradually covered with increased culture time. Adhesion densities in the side zones were larger than those in the center zones because of the lower shearing force in the side zone. Also, the adhesion densities in the complex chambers were larger than those in the simple chambers. At low flow rates, the orientation of adhered bacteria was random and disorderly. At high flow rates, bacterial orientation became close to the streamline and oriented toward the flow direction; All these results implied that bacterial adhesion tended to occur in complicated aqueous flow areas.The present study provided an on-chip flow system for physiological behavior of biological cells, as well as provided a strategic cue for the prevention of bacterial infection and biofilm formation.

BACKGROUND: Traditional glass ion sealant has a poor abradability and a low rupture strength. The sealant on the occlusal surfaces easily fell off, and is difficult to replace resin sealant. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of traditional resin sealant and atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) glass ionomer-based pit and fissure sealant for the young children. METHODS: Randomized comparison method was used to compare ART glass ionomer-based pit on molars of one side with resin sealant on the opposite side in 89 3-year-old children. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The retention rates of ART glass ionomer sealant after 6 and 18 months were significantly lower than those of resin sealant (P < 0.05). The caducous position of ART gliass ionomer sealant was the second deciduous molar of the lower mandible, but the caducous position of resin sealant was the second deciduous molar of the upper mandible. The secondary caries rate of ART glass ionomer sealant was significantly lower than that of resin sealant at 6 months. No significant difference was determined between groups at 18 months. These suggest that ART glass ionomer pit and fissure sealant has lower drop-out rate, simple operation and low cost with excellent caries-preventing effect. Since it is economically superior to resin sealant, the method is worth popularizing in caries-preventing projects.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that glass ionomer sealants have a poor wear resistance and low rupture strength that are easy to fall off on the occlusal surfaces. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of high-strength glass ionomer via the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) on the pit and fissure of deciduous teeth in the young children. METHODS: A self-controlled method was used to compare ART glass ionomer-based pit and fissure seal on unilateral molars with resin sealant on the contralateral side in 89 children aged 3 years. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The retention rates of ART glass ionomer sealant after 6 and 18 months were 94.15% and 77.72%, respectively. At 6 months after treatment, ART gliass ionomer sealant was more caducous in mandibular second deciduous molars > mandibular first deciduous molars > maxillary second deciduous molars > maxillary first deciduous molars; at 18 months after treatment, the rank was mandibular second deciduous molars > maxillary second deciduous molars > mandibular first deciduous molars > maxillary first deciduous molars. The second deciduous molar of the lower mandible, but the caducous position of resin sealant was the second deciduous molar of the upper mandible. The caries prevalence rate of the deciduous teeth treated with ART glass ionomer sealant was significantly lower than that without sealant at 6 and 18 months (P < 0.01). These findings indicate that ART glass ionomer pit and fissure sealant is of a lower drop-out rate, easy to operate and of low cost with excellent caries-preventing effect.

A new microfluidic system with four different microchambers (a circle and three equilateral concave polygons) was designed and fabricated using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and the soft lithography method.Using this microfluidic device at six flow rates (5,10,20,30,40,and 50 μL/h),the effects of microenvironmental geometry and aqueous flow on bacterial adhesion behaviors were investigated.Escherichia coli HB101 pGLO,which could produce a green fluorescent protein induced by L-arabinose,was utilized as the model bacteria.The results demonstrated that bacterial adhesion was significantly related to culture time,microenvironment geometry,and aqueous flow rates.Adhered bacterial density increased with the culture time.Initially,the adhesion occurred at the microchamber sides,and then the entire chamber was gradually covered with increased culture time.Adhesion densities in the side zones were larger than those in the center zones because of the lower shearing force in the side zone.Also,the adhesion densities in the complex chambers were larger than those in the simple chambers.At low flow rates,the orientation of adhered bacteria was random and disorderly.At high flow rates,bacterial orientation became close to the streamline and oriented toward the flow direction.All these results implied that bacterial adhesion tended to occur in complicated aqueous flow areas.The present study provided an on-chip flow system for physiological behavior of biological cells,as well as provided a strategic cue for the prevention of bacterial infection and biofilm formation.

Lipoxygenases (linoleate: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.13.11.12; LOXs) are encoded by a multi-gene family in plants. The LOXs are monomeric non-heme, non-sulfur iron dioxygenases, which catalyze the incorporation of molecular oxygen into polyunsaturated fatty acids containing a cis, cis-1,4-pentadiene moiety. The LOX isoforms are distinguished by differences in optimum pH of the reaction, pI, substrate and product specificity, spatial and temporal expression, and subcellular localization. The function of various LOXs in plants has been suggested. Some of the physiological processes in which lipoxygenases have been implicated include wounding, pathogen attack, seed germination, fruit ripening, plant senescence, and synthesis of Abscisic acid (ABA) and Jasmonic acid (JA). During normal vegetative and reproductive growth, lipoxygenases have also been suggested to act as vegetative storage proteins, participate in transference of lipoid, and response to nutrient stress and source/sink relationships. Significant progress in understanding LOX families will be beneficial to the application of the LOX in crop breeding, research on new-type phytoalexin and food industry.
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Lipoxygenase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Multigene Family ; Plants ; enzymology ; Protein Isoforms ; genetics ; metabolism