OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN) in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into 3 groups using a random number table: the control group, the OIPN group, and the EA (OIPN + EA) group, with 10 rats in each. The time courses of mechanical, cold sensitivity, and microcirculation blood flow intensity were determined. The morphology of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was observed by electron microscopic examination. The protein levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and the transient receptor potential (TRP) protein family in DRGs were assayed by Western blot. RESULTS: EA treatment significantly reduced mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia in OIPN rats (P<0.01). Notably, oxaliplatin treatment resulted in impaired microcirculatory blood flow and pathomorphological defects in DRGs (P<0.01). EA treatment increased the microcirculation blood flow and attenuated the pathological changes induced by oxaliplatin (P<0.01). In addition, the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 were down-regulated, and the TRP protein family was over-expressed in the DRGs of OIPN rats (P<0.01). EA increased the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 and decreased the level of TRP protein family in DRG (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION EA may be a potential alternative therapy for OIPN, and its mechanism may be mainly mediated by restoring the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture/methods* ; Hyperalgesia/therapy* ; Male ; Microcirculation ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; Oxaliplatin/adverse effects* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/chemically induced* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The vagina contains at least a billion microbial cells,dominated by lactobacilli.Here we perform metagenomic shotgun sequencing on cervical and fecal samples from a cohort of 516 Chinese women of reproductive age,as well as cervical,fecal,and salivary samples from a second cohort of 632 women.Factors such as pregnancy history,delivery history,cesarean section,and breastfeeding were all more important than menstrual cycle in shaping the microbiome,and such information would be necessary before trying to interpret differences between vagino-cervical micro-biome data.Greater proportion of Bifidobacterium breve was seen with older age at sexual debut.The relative abundance of lactobacilli especially Lactobacillus crispatus was negatively associated with pregnancy history.Potential markers for lack of menstrual regularity,heavy flow,dysmenor-rhea,and contraceptives were also identified.Lactobacilli were rare during breastfeeding or post-menopause.Other features such as mood fluctuations and facial speckles could potentially be predicted from the vagino-cervical microbiome.Gut and salivary microbiomes,plasma vitamins,metals,amino acids,and hormones showed associations with the vagino-cervical microbiome.Our results offer an unprecedented glimpse into the microbiota of the female reproductive tract and call for international collaborations to better understand its long-term health impact other than in the settings of infection or pre-term birth.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography images are easy to misjudge because of their complexity, especially images of solitary pulmonary nodules, of which diagnosis as benign or malignant is extremely important in lung cancer treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a more effective strategy in lung cancer diagnosis. In our study, we aimed to externally validate and revise the Mayo model, and a new model was established. METHODS: A total of 1450 patients from three centers with solitary pulmonary nodules who underwent surgery were included in the study and were divided into training, internal validation, and external validation sets (n = 849, 365, and 236, respectively). External verification and recalibration of the Mayo model and establishment of new logistic regression model were performed on the training set. Overall performance of each model was evaluated using area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Finally, the model validation was completed on the validation data set. RESULTS: The AUC of the Mayo model on the training set was 0.653 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.613-0.694). After re-estimation of the coefficients of all covariates included in the original Mayo model, the revised Mayo model achieved an AUC of 0.671 (95% CI: 0.635-0.706). We then developed a new model that achieved a higher AUC of 0.891 (95% CI: 0.865-0.917). It had an AUC of 0.888 (95% CI: 0.842-0.934) on the internal validation set, which was significantly higher than that of the revised Mayo model (AUC: 0.577, 95% CI: 0.509-0.646) and the Mayo model (AUC: 0.609, 95% CI, 0.544-0.675) (P < 0.001). The AUC of the new model was 0.876 (95% CI: 0.831-0.920) on the external verification set, which was higher than the corresponding value of the Mayo model (AUC: 0.705, 95% CI: 0.639-0.772) and revised Mayo model (AUC: 0.706, 95% CI: 0.640-0.772) (P < 0.001). Then the prediction model was presented as a nomogram, which is easier to generalize. CONCLUSIONS After external verification and recalibration of the Mayo model, the results show that they are not suitable for the prediction of malignant pulmonary nodules in the Chinese population. Therefore, a new model was established by a backward stepwise process. The new model was constructed to rapidly discriminate benign from malignant pulmonary nodules, which could achieve accurate diagnosis of potential patients with lung cancer.
Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules ; Risk Assessment ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective: To observe the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) plus Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises) for knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: A total of 60 patients with KOA were divided into an observation group and a control group according to the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the observation group received the treatment of EA plus Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises), while patients in the control group only received EA treatment. Both groups were treated for 5 weeks. The changes of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores in the two groups were observed after treatment. Results: After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group (92.3％) was significantly higher than that in the control group (70.0％), (P<0.05); the WOMAC and VAS scores in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, showing statistical significance (all P<0.01); there were significant differences in the post-treatment changes in the WOMAC and VAS scores between the two groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion: EA plus Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises) is clinically effective for KOA. This combined treatment can alleviate clinical symptoms.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Histiocytosis, Sinus/diagnostic imaging* ; Humans ; Skin Diseases/diagnostic imaging*

BACKGROUNDBilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (BSSHL) is rare and assumed to be a different clinical entity compared to unilateral SSHL (USSHL). This study examined the differences between the idiopathic BSSHL and USSHL.

METHODSForty-six sequential BSSHL patients (Se-BSSHL) and 68 simultaneous BSSHL (Si-BSSHL) were consecutively admitted between June 2008 and December 2015. Two sets of patients served as control groups: (1) USSHL patients with healthy contralateral ear and (2) USSHL patients with contralateral preexisting hearing loss (USSHLwCHL). We retrospectively analyzed differences among four cohorts using analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, Welch's t-test, and Chi-square test as appropriate before and after propensity score matching (PSM) based on age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTSThe prevalence of idiopathic BSSHL was 8.6% (114/1329) among the total SSHL patients. In the total cohort, USSHL patients tended to be younger, female, and tended to have lower BMI, renal parameters, and total cholesterol in addition to higher high-density lipoprotein compared to the other three groups. Most routine blood indicators, some coagulation markers, and immunoglobulin M (H = 13.4, P = 0.004) were significantly different among the study groups. After PSM, the major significant differences were found in audiometric characteristics. Si-BSSHL and Se-BSSHL patients demonstrated similar hearing thresholds as USSHL but were significantly better than the USSHLwCHL patients across most frequencies before and after treatment (H = 30.0, P < 0.001 for initial hearing and H = 12.0, P = 0.007 for final hearing). Moreover, the BSSHL patients showed different hearing loss distribution patterns (more descending type, χ2 = 33.8, P = 0.001) with less hearing gain (H = 17.5, P < 0.001) compared to the USSHL patients.

CONCLUSIONSIdiopathic BSSHL is a relatively rare subtype of SSHL with a higher rate of descending audiogram type and inferior hearing outcome rather than being classified as a completely different disease entity compared to USSHL.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Method Sixty KOA patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group by using random number table, 30 cases each. The control group was intervened by oral administration of Celecoxib capsules, while the treatment group was given EA, 14 d as a treatment course. The changes of relevant cytokines [apelin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, TNF soluble receptor (TNFsR)-Ⅰ, TNFsR-Ⅱ, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6] in serum of the two groups were observed.Result The intra-group comparisons of the total score, and the scores of pain, stiffness and dysfunction of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index showed significant differences in both groups (P<0.05); there were significant between-group differences in comparing the total score, and the scores of pain, stiffness and dysfunction of the WOMAC index after the treatment (P<0.05). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were changed significantly after the intervention in both groups (P<0.05); there was nosignificant difference in comparing the VAS score between the two groups after the treatment (P>0.05). The levels of IL-6, TNF-α and TNFsR-Ⅰ were significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (P<0.05); the level of IL-1β was markedly changed after the intervention in the control group (P<0.05); there was a significant change in the level of apelin after the intervention in the treatment group (P<0.05), and there was a significant difference in comparing the level of apelin between the two groups after the treatment (P<0.05).Conclusion EA can produce a satisfactory efficacy in treating KOA; it can significantly improve the symptoms and signs, and mitigate pain and symptoms through regulating the expressions of cytokines.

BACKGROUNDThe prevalence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children (CSSNHL) is consistently increasing. However, the pathology and prognosis of CSSNHL are still poorly understood. This retrospective study evaluated clinical characteristics and possible associated factors of CSSNHL.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-six CSSNHL patients treated in Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Institute of Otolaryngology at Chinese PLA General Hospital between July 2008 and August 2015 were included in this study. These patients were analyzed for clinical characteristics, audiological characteristics, laboratory examinations, and prognostic factors.

RESULTSAmong the 136 patients (151 ears), 121 patients (121 ears, 80.1%) were diagnosed with unilaterally CSSNHL, and 15 patients (30 ears, 19.9%) with bilateral CSSNHL. The complete recovery rate of CSSNHL was 9.3%, and the overall recovery rate was 37.7%. We found that initial degree of hearing loss, onset of treatment, tinnitus, the ascending type audiogram, gender, side of hearing loss, the recorded auditory brainstem response (ABR), and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) had prognostic significance. Age, ear fullness, and vertigo had no significant correlation with recovery. Furthermore, the relevant blood tests showed 30.8% of the children had abnormal white blood cell (WBC) counts, 22.1% had elevated homocysteine levels, 65.8% had high alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 33.8% had high IgE antibody levels, and 86.1% had positive cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG antibodies.

CONCLUSIONSCSSNHL commonly occurs unilaterally and results in severe hearing loss. Initial severe hearing loss and bilateral hearing loss are negative prognostic factors for hearing recovery, while positive prognostic factors include tinnitus, gender, the ascending type audiogram, early treatment, identifiable ABR waves, and DPOAEs. Age, vertigo, and ear fullness are not correlated with the recovery. Some serologic indicators, including the level of WBC, platelet, homocysteine, ALP, positive CMV IgG antibody, fibrinogen, and some immunologic indicators, are closely related to CSSNHL.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; blood ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDAcute diarrhea remains the serious problem in developing countries, especially among children under 5 years of age. Currently, only two or three common diarrhea pathogens were screened at most hospitals in China. The aim of this study was to provide a wide variety of diarrhea pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns in children under 5 years of age.

METHODSTotally 381 stool samples collected from Tongji Hospital between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015 were tested by culture and/or polymerase chain reaction for eight kinds of bacteria and five kinds of viruses. An antimicrobial sensitivity test was performed using dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.

RESULTSViral infections were mainly identified in infants (0-11 months), whereas bacterial infections were more prevalent in the age of 24-59 months. About 69.8% of samples were positive for at least one pathogen, 51.7% of samples were virus positive, followed by bacteria positive cases (19.4%), and 12.6% of cases displayed co-infections with two viruses or a virus and a bacterium. Rotavirus was the most prevalent pathogen, followed closely by norovirus, while Salmonella was the most commonly isolated bacteria, followed by diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) and Campylobacter. More than 40% of Salmonella spp. and DEC isolates were resistant to first-line antibiotics (ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline). Around 10% of Salmonella spp. isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin simultaneously. Campylobacter spp. displayed high resistance to ciprofloxacin but kept low resistance to azithromycin and doxycycline.

CONCLUSIONSThe etiology of acute diarrhea varies in children of different age groups. The high frequency of infection with viruses suggests the urgent demand for new viral vaccine development. Proper use of antibiotics in the treatment of acute diarrhea is crucial due to the high level of antibiotic resistance.

Acute Disease ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Azithromycin ; therapeutic use ; Campylobacter ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Ciprofloxacin ; therapeutic use ; Diarrhea ; drug therapy ; etiology ; microbiology ; virology ; Doxycycline ; therapeutic use ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Salmonella ; drug effects ; pathogenicity

OBJECTIVETo examine serum adiponectin level in preterm infants and to evaluate the relationship between serum adiponectin and bone mineral density in preterm infants.

METHODSSeventy-two appropriate-for-gestational-age neonates were classified into three groups according to their gestational ages: early preterm (31-33(+6) weeks, 13 cases), late preterm (34-36(+6) weeks, 16 cases), and full-term (37-42 weeks, 43 cases). Venous blood was collected at one week of their life to measure serum adiponectin concentration. During the period, omnisense ultrasound bone sonometer was applied to measure speed of sound (SOS) of the left tibia.

RESULTSThe median of tibia SOS in the early preterm group was significantly lower than in the late preterm and full term groups (P<0.05), and the median of tibia SOS in the late preterm group was lower than in the full-term group (P<0.05). Serum adiponectin level was lowest in the early preterm group, and the full-term group had the highest serum adiponectin level. Serum adiponectin level was positively correlated with tibia SOS in preterm infants (r=0.664, P<0.05). According to the result of multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis, serum adiponectin and birth weight were independent predictor of tibia SOS in preterm infants.

CONCLUSIONSSerum adiponectin level is lower in preterm infants than that in full-term infants. There is a positive correlation between serum adiponectin and bone mineral density in preterm infants.

Adiponectin ; blood ; Birth Weight ; Bone Density ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; blood ; Linear Models ; Male