Advances of high-throughput screening system in reengineering of biological entities / 生物工程学报

Enzymes and cell factories are the core of industrial biotechnology. They play important roles in various fields such as medicine, chemical industry, food, agriculture, and energy. Usually, natural enzymes and cells need to be engineered to improve the catalytic efficiency, stability and enantioselectivity. Directed evolution makes it possible to rapidly improve the properties of enzymes and cell factories. Sensitive and reliable high-throughput screening approaches are the key for successful and efficient engineering of enzymes and cell factories. In this review, we first summarize the advantages and disadvantages of different screening methods and signal generation strategies as well as their application scope; we then describe the latest advances of ultra-high throughput screening technology applied in the directed evolution of enzymes and cell factories in the past three years. On this basis, we discuss the limiting factors that need to be further improved for high-throughput screening systems and forecast the future development trends of high-throughput screening methods, hoping that researchers in various fields including biotechnology and instrument development can cooperate closely to enhance the reliability and applicability of the high-throughput screening techniques.

Observations on the Efficacy of Pricking-cupping Bloodletting in Treating Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Yang’s pricking-cupping bloodletting in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and its effect on trapezius tension.Methods Seventy-eight patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 39 cases each. The treatment group received pricking-cupping bloodletting and the control group, conventional acupuncture plus cupping. The nerve function was scored, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was recorded and trapezius tension was measured in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the nerve function score, the VAS score and trapezius tension in the two groups (P0.05).Conclusions Yang’s pricking-cupping bloodletting can effectively improve pain symptoms and trapezius tension in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.

Clinical Study of the Effect of Electroacupuncture on Rehabilitation and TCD in Convalescent Stroke Patients / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on ischemic stroke by recording the therapeutic effect score and performing transcranial Doppler (TCD) detection in electroacupuncture-treated convalescent stroke patients before and after treatment.Methods Sixty convalescent patients with ischemic stroke were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The control group received routine medication and the treatment group, electroacupuncture in addition. In the two groups, pre- and post-treatment neurological defect scores were recorded and the clinical therapeutic effects were observed after four weeks of treatment. Pre- and post-treatment middle cerebral artery (MCA) pulsation indices (RI), resistance indices (RI) and ratios of systolic to end-diastolic (S/D) blood flow velocity detected by TCD were compared between the two groups. Results The total efficacy rate was 80.0% in the treatment group and 50.0% in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in the MESSS score in the two groups (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in the MESSS score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in TCD indices (PI, RI and S/D) on the affected side in the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in TCD indices on the affected side between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Electro- acupuncture can promote rehabilitation in convalescent stroke patients.

Clinical Research of Acute Stroke Treatment Using Acupuncture / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To study the clinical effects of acupuncture therapy for acute stroke. Methods: 150 patients suffered from acute stroke were randomly divided into two groups: drug group, acupuncture group. To apply routine drug treatment of Neurology for drug group: pisacetam 250mL, Salvia injection 20mL added into normal sodium 250mL for intravenous drip, once a day. For acupuncture group applied calm the liver and suppress yang acupuncture therapy beside drugs. Modified Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) and activities of daily living (ADL) scale (Barthel Index) were used for evaluation, as well as biochemistry\hemorheology determination. Results: The scale showed significant difference as compared with the drug group, biochemistry index had non-significant difference, and hemorheological index had partly improved. Conclusion: The scale could synchronously reflect the clinical symptom and changes of patient with stroke.Acupuncture therapy has a significant improvement of acute stroke treatment.