Effect of catgut embedding at acupoints versus non-acupoints in abdominal obesity: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference of catgut embedding effect between acupoints and non-acupoints in patients with abdominal obesity (AO). METHODS: In this multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, all subjects were randomly assigned into the acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) group and control group (catgut embedding at non-acupoints). With a 12-week actual intervention period and a 4-week period of follow-up. Waist circumference (WC), body weight, body mass index (BMI), hip circumference (HC) and appetite were applied and assessed at baseline and after 6, 12 and 16 weeks. RESULTS: After the total intervention phase (12 weeks), the WC, body weight, BMI, HC and visual analogue scale scores of appetite, decreased significantly in the two groups as compared to the baseline (0.001). Meanwhile, after the 4-week follow-up, the indicators still decreased significantly in the ACE group (0.001). At 12 and 16 weeks, catgut embedding at acupoints showed significantly advantages to non-acupoints in WC and appetite (0.05). No serious adverse events were observed in ACE group and control group. CONCLUSIONS: Catgut embedding at acupoints and non-acupoints are all effective and safe for AO. ACE can effectively treat AO as expected and deliver lasting results.

Susceptibility of tree shrew to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Since SARS-CoV-2 became a pandemic event in the world, it has not only caused huge economic losses, but also a serious threat to global public health. Many scientific questions about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 were raised and urgently need to be answered, including the susceptibility of animals to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here we tested whether tree shrew, an emerging experimental animal domesticated from wild animal, is susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. No clinical signs were observed in SARS-CoV-2 inoculated tree shrews during this experiment except the increasing body temperature (above 39{degrees} C) particular in female animals during infection. Low levels of virus shedding and replication in tissues occurred in all three age groups, each of which showed his own characteristics. Histopathological examine revealed that pulmonary abnormalities were mild but the main changes although slight lesions were also observed in other tissues. In summary, tree shrew is not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and may not be a suitable animal for COVID-19 related researches.

Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 infections among 3 species of non-human primates

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has recently been announced as a pandemic all over the world. Plenty of diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic knowledges have been enriched from clinical studies since December 2019. However, animal models, particularly non-human primate models, are urgently needed for critical questions that could not be answered in clinical patients, evaluations of anti-viral drugs and vaccines. In this study, two families of non-human primates, Old world monkeys (12 Macaca mulatta, 6 Macaca fascicularis) and New world monkeys (6 Callithrix jacchus), were experimentally inoculated with SARS-CoV-2. Clinical signs were recorded. Samples were collected for analysis of viral shedding, viremia and histopathological examination. Increased body temperature was observed in 100% (12/12) M. mulatta, 33.3% (2/6) M. fascicularis and none (0/6) of C. jacchus post inoculation of SARS-CoV-2. All of M. mulatta and M. fascicularis showed chest radiographic abnormality. Viral genomes were detected in nasal swabs, throat swabs, anal swabs and blood from all 3 species of monkeys. Viral shedding from upper respiratory samples reached the peak between day 6 and day 8 post inoculation. From necropsied M. mulatta and M. fascicularis, the tissues showing virus positive were mainly lung, weasand, bronchus and spleen. No viral genome was seen in any of tissues from 2 necropsied C. jacchus. Severe gross lesions and histopathological changes were observed in lung, heart and stomach of SARS-CoV-2 infected animals. In summary, we have established a NHP model for COVID-19, which could be used to evaluate drugs and vaccines, and investigate viral pathogenesis. M. mulatta is the most susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, followed by M. fascicularis and C. jacchus. One Sentence SummaryM. mulatta is the most susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection as compared to M. fascicularis and C. jacchus.

Comparison of anesthesia effects between closed / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Bispectral index (BIS) can reflect the depth of propofol sedation. This study aims to compare the anesthetic satisfaction, anesthetic dose, and hemodynamic changes between closed-loop target controlled infusion (CLTCI) and open-loop target controlled infusion (OLTCI) during abdominal surgery.@*METHODS@#From December 2016 to December 2018, 70 patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anesthesia were selected in Beijing Hospital, including 51 males and 19 females, at the age from 49 to 65 years old. They were classified as grade I-II by the American Society of anesthesiologists (ASA) and were randomly divided into the CLTCI group and the OLTCI group (@*RESULTS@#In the induction stage, the percentage of adequate anesthesia time in the CLTCI group was higher than that in the OLTCI group, and the percentage of deep anesthesia time in the CLTCI group was significantly lower than that in the OLTCI group (both @*CONCLUSIONS@#Compared with propofol OLTCI, anesthesia with propofol CLTCI under BIS guidance can maintain a more appropriate depth of anesthesia sedation and more stable hemodynamics.