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Objective:To analyze the burden and benefit finding of illness among home caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment after stroke, so as to provide references for formulating targeted intervention strategies.Methods:Using the intentional sampling method, 15 home caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment after stroke treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from July 2019 to December 2019 were selected as research objects. The semi-structured interview was conducted by phenomenological method, and the interview data were analyzed by Colaizzi analysis method.Results:The burden of home caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment after stroke was mainly manifested as excessive psychological pressure, impaired health, heavy financial burden, and separation from social life. The benefit finding of illness was mainly manifested in the respect for life, the improvement of health behavior ability, and the enhancement of family and social responsibility.Conclusions:Home caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment after stroke have both a negative sense of burden and a positive sense of benefit finding of illness. Medical workers should make a dialectical analysis to help resolve the burden of negative feelings, actively cultivate a sense of benefit finding of illness, and improve their behavioral ability of care.
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Purpose@#This study aimed to elucidate whether lncRNA ZFAS1 is involved in neuronal apoptosis and inflammation in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). @*Materials and Methods@#Ninety-six TLE patients were recruited, and their peripheral venous blood was gathered to determine Zfas1 expression with polymerase chain reaction. Neurons were separated from hippocampal tissue of newborn SD rats, and siZfas1 or pcDNA3.1-Zfas1 was transfected into the neurons. Inflammatory cytokines released by neurons were determined, and neuronal activities were evaluated through MTT assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. @*Results@#Serum levels of Zfas1 were higher in TLE patients than in healthy controls (p<0.05). Furthermore, Zfas1 expression in neurons was raised by pcDNA3.1-Zfas1 and declined after silencing of Zfas1 (p<0.05). Transfection of pcDNA-Zfas1 weakened the viability and proliferation of neurons and increased neuronal apoptosis (p<0.05). Meanwhile, pcDNA3.1-Zfas1 transfection promoted lipopolysaccharide-induced release of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p<0.05), and boosted NF-κB activation by elevating the expression of NF-κB p65, pIκBα, and IKKβ in neurons (p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#Our results indicated that lncRNA ZFAS1 exacerbates epilepsy development by promoting neuronal apoptosis and inflammation, implying ZFAS1 as a promising treatment target for epilepsy.
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To develop a new recombinant hepatitis E vaccine, we used Hansenula polymorpha expression system to express recombinant hepatitis E virus-like particles (HEV VLPs), to construct a recombinant engineered strain HP/HEV2.3. The fermentation conditions and purification process were studied next. The first working seed lots were fermented in liquid culture, and the fermentation products were collected, then crushed, clarified, purified by ultrafiltration, silica gel adsorbed and desorbed, concentrated by ultrafiltration, purified by liquid chromatography and sterilized by filtration. The purity reached 99% with a yield of 33%. Electron microscopy analysis revealed that both the purified recombinant HEV VLPs from HP/HEV2.3 and natural hepatitis E virus particles appear identical of being 32 nm. The resulting DNA sequence obtained from VLPs is identical to the published HEV sequence. The SDS-PAGE analysis has revealed that the protein molecular weight of the HEV VLPs is 56 kDa, and the expression product HEV VLPs were accumulated up to 26% of total cellular protein. The expression level is 1.0 g/L. Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results of the protein and ED₅₀ of the vaccine showed that the HEV VLPs have good antigenicity and immunogenicity. In summary, the recombinant HEV VLPs from Hansenula polymorpha can be used in the manufacture of a new genetically engineered vaccine against hepatitis E.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling in treating neck-back myofasical pain syndrome. Method Sixty patients with neck-back myofasical pain syndrome were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by warm needling therapy, while the control group was by electroacupuncture. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and Physion MD muscle resistance detector (Japan) were adopted to measure the count of tender points (red points and yellow points), Pain Rating Index (PRI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) before and after the treatment, and the clinical efficacies were also compared.Result The total effective rate was 83.3% in the treatment group versus 66.7% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The SF-MPQ scores (PRI, VAS, and PPI scores) were significantly changed in the treatment group after the intervention (P<0.05). In the control group, VAS and PPI scores were significantly changed after the treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, there were significant differences in comparing the SF-MPQ scores between the two groups (P<0.05). The counts of red and yellow tender points were significantly changed in the treatment group after the intervention (P<0.05). The count of red tender points was significantly changed in the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). After the treatment, there were significant differences in comparing the number of red and yellow tender points between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Warm needling is an effective approach in treating neck-back myofascial pain syndrome.