Modified Broström Repair With and Without Augmentation Using Suture Tape for Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical and radiological outcome between the modified Broström repair with augmentation using suture tape (MBA) and the modified Broström repair (MB) for patients with chronic lateral ankle instability. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in Ningbo No. 6 Hospital. The study included 53 patients who underwent surgical treatment from March 2014 to July 2016 and were followed for 2 years. A total of 25 patients underwent modified Broström repair with augmentation using suture tape, and 28 patients were treated with modified Broström repair. Patients were evaluated using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Scale (AOFAS) hindfoot scale, the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) score, range of motion (ROM), and the visual analogue scale (VAS). The talar tilt angle (TTA) and anterior talar translation (ATT) were used to evaluate the mechanical stability. All radiological outcomes were measured by two orthopaedic surgeons, with the measurements repeated 3 days later. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 26.6 ± 17.8 years in the MBA group and 28.1 ± 19.4 years in the MB group, and no statistical difference in preoperative data was found between two groups. There were significant differences before and after the operation within the groups. Both groups achieved satisfactory outcomes, and significant improvements (VAS, FAAM, AOFAS, TTA, and ATT) were observed between the 1-year follow-up and final follow-up (P < 0.05). The MBA group showed significant improvement in the FAAM Sport (87.1 ± 5.4 vs 78.2 ± 12.0, P = 0.001) and total scores (93.1 ± 2.3 vs 90.5 ± 5.1, P = 0.027) at the final follow-up compared with the MB group, and for the other outcomes, there were no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The modified Broström repair with augmentation using suture tap for chronic lateral ankle instability achieves a better outcome; however, further research is necessary.

Association between skin reactions and efficacy of summer acupoint application treatment on chronic pulmonary disease: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the variations in the prevalence of skin reactions and the association between skin reactions and efficacy of summer acupoint application treatment (SAAT) on chronic pulmonary disease (CPD). METHODS: A total of 2,038 patients with CPD were enrolled at 3 independent hospitals (defined as Groups A, B and C, respectively) in China. All patients were treated by SAAT, as applying a herbal paste onto the acupoints of Fengmen (BL 12) and Feishu (BL 13) on the dog days of summer, according to the lunar calendar, in 2008. Ten days after treatment, skin reaction data (no reaction, itching, stinging, blistering, and infection) were obtained via face-to-face interviews. Patients were retreated in the same hospital one year later, thereby allowing doctors to assess treatment efficacy based on the patients' symptoms, the severity of the spirometric abnormalities, and the concomitant medications used. RESULTS: A large number of patients (85.3%) displayed reactive symptoms; however, the marked associations between reactive symptoms and age or gender were not observed. An increased number of patients from Group B (99.3%) and Group C (76.5%) displayed reactive symptoms due to the increased mass of crude Semen Sinapis Albae. The effective rate of SAAT was as high as 90.4% for patients of Group B, which was followed by Group A (70.9%) and Group C (42.2%). Using stratified analyses, a convincing association between reactive symptoms and therapeutic efficacy was observed for patients with asthma [itching: odds ratio (OR)=2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.49 to 3.14; blistering: OR=0.43, 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.73; and no reaction: OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.90]. However, the same tendency was not observed for patients with chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CONCLUSIONS: SAAT can induce very mild skin reactions for patients with CPD, among which patients with asthma displayed a strong association between skin reactions and therapeutic efficacy. The skin reactions may be induced by the crude Semen Sinapis Albae.

[Evaluation for Merchandise Character and Quality of Bupleurum chinense Root from Different Habitats].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the merchandise character and quality of Bupleurum chinense root from different habitats. METHODS: The spectrophotometer method was used to determine the content of total saponins and total flavonoids in Bupleurum chinense root. The content of alcohol-soluble extract and total ash were determined according to the method in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. RESULTS: The quality of Bupleuri Radix from different habitats varied greatly. There were also differences (P < 0.05) between the merchandise packaged with selection and the merchandise packaged without selection of Bupleurum chinense root from the same habitats. The merchandise packaged without selection had the better quality, whose root length, root diameter, weight, total length proportional share of residual stems, total saponins, total flavonoids, total alcohol-soluble extract and total ash was 14.50 cm/plant, 0.59 cm/plant, 5.14 g/plant, 36.85%, 0.721%, 0.615%, 12.993% and 4.890%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Bupleurum chinense root from Tong'an, Jiangsu has the best quality in the test samples from different habitats.

Effects of heat stress on antioxidant defense system, inflammatory injury, and heat shock proteins of Muscovy and Pekin ducks: evidence for differential thermal sensitivities.

Rising temperatures are severely affecting the mortality, laying performance, and meat quality of duck. Our aim was to investigate the effect of acute heat stress on the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs: HSP90, 70, 60, 40, and 10) and inflammatory factors (nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)) and antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehybe (MDA), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC)) in livers of ducks and to compare the thermal tolerance of Pekin and Muscovy ducks exposed to acute heat stress. Ducks were exposed to heat at 39 ± 0.5 °C for 1 h and then returned to 20 °C for 1 h followed by a 3-h recovery period. The liver and other tissues were collected from each individual for analysis. The mRNA levels of HSPs (70, 60, and 40) increased in both species, except for HSP10, which was upregulated in Muscovy ducks and had no difference in Pekin ducks after heat stress. Simultaneously, the mRNA level of HSP90 decreased in the stress group in both species. Morphological analysis indicated that heat stress induced tissue injury in both species, and the liver of Pekin ducks was severely damaged. The activities of several antioxidant enzymes increased in Muscovy duck liver, but decreased in Pekin duck. The mRNA levels of inflammatory factors were increased after heat stress in both duck species. These results suggested that heat stress could influence HSPs, inflammatory factors expression, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, the differential response to heat stress indicated that the Muscovy duck has a better thermal tolerance than does the Pekin duck.

[Treating influenza patients of wind-heat affecting Fei syndrome by jinhua qinggan granule: a double-blinded randomized control trial].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect and safety of Jinhua Qinggan Granule (JHG) in treating influenza patients of wind-heat affecting Fei syndrome (WHAFS). METHODS: Totally 136 influenza patients of WHAFS were randomized by stratification into 3 groups, the high dose JHG group (44 cases, 10 g each time), the low dose JHG group (45 cases, 5 g JHG + 5 g placebo each time), and the placebo control group (47 cases, 10 g placebo each time). All medication was administered three times daily for 5 days. The fever disappearance time, the fever disappearance rate, efficacy of TCM syndrome, the disappearance rate of main symptoms and physical signs of flu, the negative rate of virus nucleic acid in the pharyngeal secretion, and safety indicators were assessed. RESULTS: The median fever disappearance time was 32.8 h (95% CI: 22.5-41.0 h) in the high dose JHG group, 26.0 h (95% CI: 14.5-36.5 h) in the low dose JHG group, 39.5 h (95% CI: 29.0-46.0 h) in the placebo control group. There was statistical difference in the median fever disappearance time between the low dose JHG group and the placebo control group (P = 0.011). Three days after treatment, the markedly effective rate of TCM symptoms in the low dose JHG group was 66.7%, higher than that of the placebo control group (38.3%), and its effective rate was superior to that of the high dose JHG group (P = 0.043). Five days after treatment, the recovery rate of the low dose JHG group (42.2%) was higher than that of the high dose JHG group (25.0%, P = 0.026) and that of the placebo control group (14.9%, P = 0.002). The markedly effective rate of the low dose JHG group (86.7%) was higher than that of the placebo control group (55.3%, P = 0.001). Similar effects were obtained in the low dose JHG group and the high dose JHG group, but slightly poor in partial indicators of the high dose JHG group. There was no statistical difference in adverse reaction among these three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: JHG was effective and safe in treating influenza patients of WHAFS. Routinely low dose was the optimal dosage of JHG.

[Randomized controlled trial of xiaochuangao acupoint paste to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the stable phase: treating winter diseases in summer].

OBJECTIVE: To verify the clinical efficacy of Xiaochuangao Acupoint Paste (XAP) to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the stable phase. METHODS: By using a multi-center randomized double-blinded placebo controlled design, 142 patients with COPD were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in the treatment group were treated with XAP, while those in the control group were treated with the placebo paste. One therapeutic course consisted of six pastes, three times on dog-days within one year, for two successive years. The SGRQ life quality score, BODE index, yearly average times of common cold and acute attack, times of emergency clinics and hospitalization, the lung function, and so on were observed. RESULTS: The post-treatment 1- and 2-year SGRQ life quality scores decreased more than before treatment in the two groups. Compared with one year after treatment, the posttreatment 2-year activities and influence of SGRQ life quality score,and the total score decreased significantly in the treatment group (P<0.05). Besides, the decrement was more in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05). The decrement of the BODE index between the post-treatment 2-year and before treatment and between the post-treatment 2-year and the post-treatment 1-year was higher in the treatment group when compared with the control group during the same time periods (P<0.01). The yearly average times of common cold and acute attack were obviously lower 2 years after treatment than those of the control group 2 years after treatment, Besides, they were lower than those before treatment and 1 year after treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05). The yearly average times of emergency clinics and hospitalization were obviously less in the treatment group 2 years after treatment than before treatment of the same group and those of the control group during the same time period (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the lung function between the two groups. CONCLUSION: XAP showed positive effects on improving the quality of life of patients with COPD in the stable phase, lessening their acute aggravation times, and lowering medical costs.

Effect of dietary fatty acids on serum parameters, fatty acid compositions, and liver histology in Shaoxing laying ducks.

The effects of different fatty acid (FA) contents in diet on serum parameters, FA compositions of eggs and meat, and liver morphological changes were studied in Shaoxing laying ducks. A total of 264 ducks at 17 weeks were fed a control diet or a diet containing 30 g/kg fish oil (FO), 25 g/kg sunflower oil (SO), or 30 g/kg palm oil with 20 g/kg beef tallow (PBO). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the liver and the serum of ducks fed the PBO diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of ducks fed the other diets. Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly lower (P<0.05) in ducks fed the FO diet. Serum TC also was lower in ducks fed the SO diet. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was also affected by diets. The contents of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) in eggs and meat were significantly higher (P<0.001) in ducks fed the FO and SO diets than in ducks fed the control diet. The level of C22:6 (n-3) FA in ducks fed the FO diet was significantly higher than that in ducks fed the other diets. However, the conversion efficiency of the longer-chain C20:5 (n-3) FA was higher than that of C22:6 (n-3). Ducks fed the PBO diet exhibited lipid droplet accumulation in the liver. These results demonstrate that a diet enriched with different FAs has strong effects on serum lipid levels and the deposition of PUFAs into tissue lipids.

[Effects of Chinese medicine internal-external combined therapy in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the stable period].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effects of Chinese Medicine internal-external combined therapy (consisting of orally taking Chinese drugs and external acupoint sticking) for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the stable period. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-eight COPD patients were randomly assigned to two groups, the control group was treated with Atrovent Metered Dose Inhalation, oral taking Mucosolvan and Bailing Capsule, and acupoint sticking with dummy plaster; the treatment group was treated with ipratropium bromide aerosol, ambroxol hydrochloride, Chinese recipe prescribed according to syndrome differentiation, and combined with acupoint sticking with Xiaochuan Plaster applied in winters and summers (3 times in a season). All were treated for three months. Changes of the Chinese medicine syndrome scores, quality of life (QOL), and the pulmonary function in patients before and after treatment were observed. RESULTS: Scores of Chinese medicine syndrome and QOL in the treatment group were significantly improved after treatment with the effect better than those in the control group (P < 0.05), but the change of the pulmonary function was insignificant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese medicine internal-external combined therapy shows definite effect in treating COPD patients in the stable stage, it could distinctively alleviate clinical symptoms and improve the QOL of patients.

[Advance in association studies of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene polymorphisms with traits of resistance against infectious disease in chickens].

Chicken is a main poultry in China. Molecular breeding for disease resistance plays an important role in the control of diseases, especially infectious diseases. Choice of genes for disease resistance is the key technology of molecular breeding. The MHC is of great interest to poultry breeding scientists for its extraordinary polymorphism and close relation with traits of resistance against infectious diseases. The article gives a detailed introduction about the association of MHC gene polymorphisms with traits of resistance against infectious diseases in chickens and looks towards the future of application of MHC in molecular breeding of chicken for disease resistance.

[Preparation and Regeneration of Protoplasts from Monascus purpureus and Genetic Transformation System.].

Generation of fungal protoplast is an essential tool for genetic transformation system. To establish protoplast-mediated genetic transformation system of Monascus purpureus, conditions for the protoplast isolation and regeneration of the mycelia of various enzymes and osmotic stabilizers were examined. To investigate suitable cell age for the protoplast preparation of mycelia of M. purpureus, the mycelia were cultured in different ways at 30oC. Mycelia obtained through cellophane - mediated culture for 30~40h were adequate to protoplast preparation. When lysing enzyme, cellulase and snailase were added to the mycelia in combination or alone, combination of lysing enzyme, cellulase and snailase accordingly at the concentration of 0.3%, 0.1% and 1% was most benefit for protoplast yield. When we applied various osmotic stabilizers at different concentrations to protoplast preparation, 1 mol/L MgSO4 was most effective for the protoplast release. The suitable incubation time with enzyme for the maximum release of protoplasts was 2.5-hr. When we investigate various osmotic stabilizers for the regeneration of the protoplasts of mycelia of strain M34 and N18, the complete medium containing 0.6 mol/L sucrose induced highest hyphal growth with regeneration frequency of 8.5% and 36.4%, respectively. PEG and CaCl2- mediated protoplast co-transformation of strain M34 with pBC-Hygro and pNL1, hygromycin B as selective marker, was fulfilled and 100 stable transformants per microgram DNA were obtained.