Effect of Daoqi Tongjing needling method on intra-uterine residue after drug abortion from the perspectives of Hegu (LI 4) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) / 中国针灸

The paper introduces professor ZHUANG Li-xing's clinical experience in treatment of intra-uterine residue and lochia after drug abortion. Professor ZHUANG believes that this disorder is related to "dysfunction of the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel, qi deficiency and blood stagnation, and retention of turbid qi in the uterus" in pathogenesis. The treating principle should focus on "regulating the functions of the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel, tonifying qi and eliminating stasis, as well as promoting qi movement". Besides Hegu (LI 4) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), the acupoints are added from the conception vessel. The Daoqi Tongjing needling technique (the specific technique for directing qi and preserving essence) is exerted flexibly instead of traditional reinforcing and reducing technique of acupuncture to tonify qi and remove stasis.

Outcomes in randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment during recent five years / 中国针灸

The existing problems in the outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) during recent five years are analyzed and suggestions are proposed. The RCTs of acupuncture for VCI were selected in PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, CNKI database, Wanfang database, VIP database, SinoMed database and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) from January 1, 2015 to September 14, 2020. The outcomes were extracted and analyzed. As a result, 21 RCTs were included and the outcomes used were divided into 9 categories: clinical symptom/sign indexes, quality of life indexes, neuroimaging indexes, neuroelectrophysiology indexes, blood biochemical indexes, hemorheology indexes, TCM syndrome score indexes, clinical efficacy indexes, and safety indexes. Among them, the top three of the most used outcomes were clinical symptoms/signs indexes (21, 100.0%), clinical efficacy indexes (14, 66.7%) and quality of life indexes (12, 57.1%). In the RCTs of acupuncture for VCI, attention should be paid to distinguish the primary outcomes and secondary outcomes, adopt objective and standardized efficacy evaluation, and give consideration to report the outcomes of safety, health economic and TCM characteristic indexes.

Overview of systematic reviews of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To overview the methodological quality, report quality and evidence quality of the systematic review (SR) of acupuncture for vascular cognitive impairment ( VCI ).@*METHODS@#The SRs regarding acupuncture for VCI were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, SinoMed, Wanfang and VIP databases. The retrieval period was from the establishment of the database to September 24, 2020. The report quality, methodological quality and evidence quality of the included SRs were evaluated by PRISMA statement, the AMSTAR 2 tool and the GRADE system.@*RESULTS@#A total of 22 SRs were included, including 102 outcome indexes. The methodological quality was generally low, with low scores on items 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 15 and 16. The report quality was good, with scores ranging from 19 points to 24.5 points. The problems of report quality were mainly reflected in the aspects of structural abstract, program and registration, other analysis and funding sources. The level of outcome indexes of SRs was mostly low or very low, and the main leading factor was limitation, followed by inconsistency and inaccuracy.@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture for VCI is supported by low quality evidence of evidence-based medicine, but the methodological quality and evidence body quality of relevant SRs are poor, and the standardization is needed to be improved.

Clinical and genetic features of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B: a case report / 中国当代儿科杂志

This article reports a case of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B (LGMD1B) caused by a novel splicing heterozygous mutation in the LMNA gene. The proband presented with progressive aggravation of weakness in walking. There was no atrophy of the scapular muscles and the lower-extremity proximal muscles, with normal muscle tension of the extremities, grade 4 muscle strength in the upper and lower extremities, and positive Gower sign. The level of creatine kinase was 779 U/L. Muscle hematoxylin-eosin staining showed muscular dystrophy, and there was no significant reduction in the expression of Lamin A protein. Second-generation sequencing revealed a novel splicing heterozygous mutation, c.810+2T>C, in the LMNA gene, while this locus was normal in his parents. GERP++RS software predicted that the mutation site was highly conservative. Human Splice Finder and Spliceman software predicted that the mutation might be a pathogenic mutation. ExPASy software predicted that the new amino acid sequence became shorter. There were two sequences of mRNA in the patient's muscle: one was the normal sequence, which accounted for 92.2%; the other was partial intron 4 retention, which was the abnormal splice variant accounting for 7.8%. LGMD1B is a type of autosomal dominant inherited myopathy caused by a mutation in the LMNA gene located on the autosomal 1q22. This study extends the mutation spectrum of the LMNA gene and provides help to the diagnosis of LGMD1B.

Infantile hypophosphatasia caused by a novel compound heterozygous mutation: a case report and pedigree analysis / 中国当代儿科杂志

This article reported the clinical features of one child with infantile hypophosphatasia (HPP) and his pedigree information. The proband was a 5-month-old boy with multiple skeletal dysplasia (koilosternia, bending deformity of both radii, and knock-knee deformity of both knees), feeding difficulty, reduction in body weight, developmental delay, recurrent pneumonia and respiratory failure, and a significant reduction in blood alkaline phosphatase. Among his parents, sister, uncle, and aunt (other family members did not cooperate with us in the examination), his parents and aunt had a slight reduction in alkaline phosphatase and his aunt had scoliosis; there were no other clinical phenotypes or abnormal laboratory testing results. His ALPL gene mutation came from c.228delG mutation in his mother and c.407G>A compound heterozygous mutation in his father. His aunt carried c.228delG mutation. The c.407G>A mutation had been reported as the pathogenic mutation of HPP, and c.228delG mutation was a novel pathogenic mutation. Hypophosphatasia is caused by ALPL gene mutation, and ALPL gene detection is an effective diagnostic method. This study expands the mutation spectrum of ALPL gene and provides a theoretical basis for genetic diagnosis of this disease.

Correlation between Ischemia-modified Albumin Levels and Coronary Artery Lesions in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome / 中国医科大学学报

Objective To evaluate the correlation between ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels and severity of coronary artery lesions in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Methods This study included 51 in-hospital patients diagnosed as having ACS.All patients had undergone coronary angiography and received the standard treatment for coronary heart disease.Meanwhile,we included 10 healthy volunteers as the control group.Coronary angiography reports were collected,Gensini scores were calculated,and serum IMA levels were measured.Results The IMA levels of patients with ACS were higher than those of the controls (P ＜ 0.05).However,when divided by the degree of coronary artery stenosis,number of vessel lesions,and Gensini scores,the IMA levels showed no significant difference between the groups.The IMA levels were not related with the Gensini scores.The moderate group had a low ratio of TIMI flow grade 3.Conclusion Patients with ACS had higher IMA levels.We found no correlation between IMA level and coronary artery lesions.IMA level may not accurately reflect the severity of coronary artery lesions.Increased IMA level may indicate the unstable status of ischemia.

Cloning, expression and screening tandem repeats of the Z domain of Staphylococcus aureus protein A / 生物工程学报

To screen an efficient recombinant Staphylococcus aureus protein A (SpA) for preparing matrix for affinity purification of immunoglobulin G (IgG), a genetic engineering approach was used to obtain monomer, two, three, four and five tandem repeats genes of the Z domain of SpA, then the genes were cloned into expression vector pET-22b and subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). After induction with lactose, the target proteins were purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography. The proteins with two, three, four and five tandem repeats of the Z domain were then coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B as an affinity chromatography matrix for affinity purification of human IgG. Furthermore, the differences in protein yield and IgG-binding capacity at different recombinant proteins were analyzed. The target proteins with monomer and tandem repeats of the Z domain had an effective expression in the genetic engineering bacteria. IgG could be specifically absorbed from human plasma by affinity chromatography. The protein yield and amount of IgG absorption of per mole protein could be improved by increasing the tandem repeats number of the Z domain. Compared with other tandem repeats, four tandem repeats of the Z domain exhibited more protein yield (160 mg/10 g wet cells) and higher level of IgG absorption (34.4 mg human IgG/mL gel). Therefore, four tandem repeats of the Z domain is more suitable for preparing matrix for affinity purification of IgG.

A new mutation in the GJB1 gene of a Chinese family with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease associated with vocal cord paresis / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To report an X-linked dominant Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTX) Chinese family with vocal cord paresis and to identify the mutation of gap junction protein beta 1 gene (GJB1).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Part of the family members with dysphagia, dysphonia and lethal respiratory failure were studied through flexible laryngoscope, clinical, brain MRI and electrophysiological examinations. After excluding large fragment tandem duplication containing peripheral myelin protein 22 gene (PMP22), direct sequencing was performed to analyze the mutation of the GJB1 gene in 5 patients including the proband, 5 unaffected family members and 50 unrelated healthy individuals.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight members spanning 3 generations in this family were affected with CMTX characterized by progressive atrophy and weakness of the anterior tibial and peroneal muscles, especially in the proband. Vocal cord paresis was observed through flexible laryngoscope in total of 4 affected members with dysarthria and dysphagia, 2 of them died of severe respiratory failure due to complete bilateral vocal cord involvement. Normal brain MRI was observed in the proband. The electrophysiological data showed predominant demyelization involving the motor and sensory nerves in the proband. DNA sequencing revealed a de novo c.186 C>G missense mutation in exon 2 of the GJB1 gene, the mutation cosegregated with phenotype.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Respiratory failure associated with vocal cord involvement may be a rare and severe symptom in CMTX. The present report provides further evidence for clinical and genetic heterogeneity in the X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.</p>

Overcoming acquired resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand by Bcl-XL small interfering RNA in human colon cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the reversing effect of Bcl-XL small interfering RNA (siRNA) on the acquired resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in human colon cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human colon cancer cells DLD1-TRAIL/R, with acquired resistance to TRAIL, were firstly transfected with Bcl-XL siRNA for 24 h followed by the treatment of TRAIL protein. The survival rate of DLD1-TRAIL/R cells was assessed by FACS analysis and cell number counting, respectively, and activation of its apoptotic signaling was evaluated by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Bcl-XL siRNA effectively downregulated the expression of Bcl-XL protein and reversed the acquired resistance to TRAIL in DLD1-TRAIL/R cells. After combination treatment of Bcl-XL siRNA and TRAIL protein, the apoptotic rate of DLD1-TRAIL/R cells was more than 50% and survival rate was less than 40%, whereas there was no effect on the survival of DLD1-TRAIL/R cells after treatment with control treatment or TRAIL protein treatment alone (P < 0.05). Western blot analysis demonstrated that caspase-8, caspase-9, Bid, caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were obviously activated after combination treatment with Bcl-XL siRNA and TRAIL protein, and the release of cytochrome C was also significantly increased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bcl-XL siRNA can effectively reverse the acquired resistance to TRAIL in human colon cancer cells, suggesting that it might be a new strategy for overcoming the resistance in cancer therapy.</p>

Investigation and analysis of the baseline data of 3432 patients with vertigo / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the baseline data of outpatient clinical subjects with vertigo and study on the clinical characteristics of vertigo.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The questionnaires and clinical tests data of 3432 patients complained vertigo were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients received interview and vestibular function test. These patients aged 4-89 years with an average age of (40 +/- 18.6) years. Among them 1513 (44.09%) were male and 1919 (55.91%) were female, with a male:female ratio of 1:1.27. Vertigo patients increased according to age and reached its peak in the 41-60 years among all patients. The incidence might increase along with the increase of education level in urban populations. The onset of vertigo might correlate with the careers but differed among different populations.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Vertigo attacks patients in all age spans, but vertigo is highly prevalent in the population aged 41-60 years. The onset of vertigo is related to many different factors.</p>

Expression of Bcl-2,Bcl-xL and Bax in colorectal carcinomas / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To observe the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Bax in colorectal cancer tissues and their corresponding adjacent tissues (>5 cm from the tumor tissue), and to study their roles in the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Methods: The mRNA levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bax were detected by RT-PCR and their protein levels were detected by MaxVision one step method in 40 colorectal cancer tissues and their corresponding adjacent tissues. Results: The mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2 were very low in both cancer tissues and adjacent tissues(P>0.05). Both cancer tissues and adjacent tissues had higher Bcl-xL mRNA and protein levels, with those of the cancer tissues obviously higher than those of the adjacent tissues (P<0.05). The levels of Bax MRNA and protein were higher than those of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in both tissues, but with no significant difference between the 2 tissues. The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and Bcl-xL/Bax in 2 tissues had no significant difference, either. The expression of Bcl-2 protein was negatively correlated with Dukes and TNM stages of the colorectal cancer (P<0.05), and was not correlated with other factors such as sex, age, tumor size, tumor location and morphological types. Levels of mRNA and protein of Bcl-xL and Bax were not correlated with pathological factors. Conclusion: Bcl-xL expression is obviously higher than that of Bcl-2 in colorectal tissues and also higher than that of Bcl-xL in adjacent tissues, suggesting that Bcl-xL may enhance the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Bcl-2 may be a prognostic indicator for colorectal cancer because it is negatively correlated with tumor stages.

Effect of astragalus-angelica mixture on osteopontin expression in rats with chronic nephrosclerosis / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Astragalus-Angelica Mixture (AAM) on osteopontin (OPN) expression in rats with chronic nephrosclerosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Chronic nephrosclerosis model rats induced by repeated intraperitoneal injection of puromycin were randomly divided into the model group, AAM group and Irbesartan (an antagonist of angiotensin) group. The experimental course lasted 12 weeks. Blood and urine samples were examined by biochemical method. Kidney tissue was taken for pathological stain and immunohistochemical method and was applied to examine OPN expression, mononuclear macrophage, laminin in extracellular matrix and decorin expressions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AAM showed the effects of decreasing urinary protein and improving renal function similar to that of Irbesartan. It also could alleviate the pathological damage of kidney tissue, especially in decreasing renal tubular mesenchymal damage index. The accumulation of decorin and laminin in the mesenchymal extracellular matrix significantly decreased. Renal tubular OPN expression and mesenchymal infiltration of mononuclear macrophage decreased significantly and in a positive correlated manner (r = 0.885, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>AAM has similar renal protective action to that of Irbesartan, this action may be related to the inhibition of up-regulated OPN expression.</p>