Vacuum myofascial therapy device for non-specific neck pain. A single blind randomized clinical trial

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a vacuum myofascial therapy device (VT) for improving pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), range of motion (ROM), neck pain-related disability, pain, and quality of life in patients with non-specific neck pain.MethodsA randomized controlled trial in which thirty-eight participants with non-specific neck pain (NP) were randomly assigned to either an experimental (VT) or a comparison physical therapy program (PTP) group. The VT group (n = 19) received five sessions of treatment with a vacuum myofascial therapy device while the PTP group (n = 19) received five sessions of massage, ultrasound therapy (US), and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) over two weeks. The outcome measures were the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), range of motion, quality of life (SF-12), neck disability Index (NDI), and PPTs at the end of treatment and at one-month follow-up.ResultsAlthough both groups experienced improvements in pain, neck disability, range of motion, and pressure pain, these only were statistically significant in the VT group. At one-month follow-up, the VT group still showed improvements in pain, neck disability, and range of motion.DiscussionVacuum myofascial therapy applied with a device offers similar results to other vacuum-based techniques such as cupping therapy. Moreover, in this device the parameters are digitally controlled, which allows for the precise reproduction of treatment.     

普通外科危重患者围手术期的营养支持

目的：研究普通外科危重患者围手术期营养支持的临床疗效。方法：对1995年以来147例普通外科危重患者围手术期营养支持应用情况进行了分析，腹部手术138例（93.9%)，颈部手术9例（6.1%)，采用以全胃肠外营养（TPN）为主的阶段性营养支持方法补充营养。深静脉置管方法：经颈内静脉置管132例（89.8%)、腋静脉11例（7.5%)、股静脉4例（2.7%)，使用单腔导管127例（86.4%)，双腔20例（13.6%)，41例（27.9%)，放置肠内营养（EN）管。106例（72.1%)为TPN→PN 口服饮食→口服饮食，41例（27.9%)为TPN→PN EN→EN→EN 口服饮食→口服饮食。结果：本组营养支持期间无置管和代谢并发症。142例（96.6%)康复，5例（3.4%)死于原发病。结论：普通外科危重患者围手术期营养支持是重要辅助治疗方法，可保证手术安全，促进术后康复。     

Defective Treg response in acute kidney injury was caused by a reduction in TIM-3+ Treg cells

Background: Despite years of research, the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a significant challenge. Animal studies presented causal links between elevated regulatory T cell (Treg) response and better prognosis in AKI. Previous studies in mice and humans showed that TIM-3+ Treg cells were more potent than TIM-3- Treg cells. In this study, we investigated the role of TIM-3 in Treg in AKI patients.

Methods: Peripheral blood from AKI patients and healthy controls were gathered, and TIM-3+ Treg subset was examined.

Results: Compared to healthy controls, the AKI patients presented a significant upregulation in the frequency of circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells; however, the majority of this increase was from the CD4+CD25+TIM-3- subset, and the frequency of CD4+CD25+TIM-3+ T cells was downregulated in AKI patients. In both healthy controls and AKI patients, the CD4+CD25+TIM-3+ T cells expressed higher levels of Foxp3, and were more potent at expressing LFA-1, LAG-3, CTLA-4, IL-10 and TGF-β. In addition, the CD4+CD25+TIM-3+ T cells from both healthy controls and AKI patients presented higher capacity to suppress CD4+CD25- T cell proliferation than the CD4+CD25+TIM-3- T cells. Interestingly, the total CD4+CD25+ T cells from AKI patients presented significantly lower inhibitory capacity than those from healthy controls, indicating that the low frequency of CD4+CD25+TIM-3+ T cells was restricting the efficacy of the Treg responses in AKI patients.

Conclusions: We demonstrated that TIM-3 downregulation impaired the function of Treg cells in AKI. The therapeutic potential of CD4+CD25+TIM-3+ T cells in AKI should be investigated in future studies.     

准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术后的再治疗

目的探讨对准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术(LASIK)后发生欠矫及屈光回退者进行再次手术的时机及疗效.方法对18例(29眼)LASIK术后发生欠矫及屈光回退者施行原角膜瓣下角膜基质内准分子激光切削术,术后随防6月～1年.两次手术间隔3～11月.对再手术后的裸眼视力、屈光度及并发症以及再手术原因、手术时机的选择进行分析.结果术后23眼(79.31%)裸眼视力达到最佳矫正视力,6眼(20.69%)低于矫正视力一行,22眼(75.86%)剩余屈光度≤±1.00DS,5眼再次出现欠矫及屈光回退.再手术原因与高度近视屈光状态不稳定、个体对激光反应的差异性、激光机能量不稳定及术者的操作技术有关.结论对LASIK术后欠矫及屈光回退者行原角膜瓣下角膜基质内准分子激光切削术,方法简单,疗效稳定,再次手术时机选择术后3～12月.     

冠脉循环中血小板活化状态对冠心病致病作用的研究

目的：探讨冠脉循环中血小板活化状态在冠心病（ＣＨＤ）发病学中的意义。方法：用放免等方法对受试冠状静脉窦（ＣＳ）及升主动脉（ＡＯ）血行血小板膜表面α－颗粒膜蛋白（α－ＧＭＰ－１４０）和循环内皮细胞（ＣＥＣ）等测定。结果：ＣＨＤ患冠脉循环中α－ＧＭＰ－１４０含量和ＣＥＣ浓度均明显升高（Ｐ〈０．０１）,以急心肌梗塞（ＡＭＩ）组为明显,冠脉狭窄愈严重,二升高愈明显,病灶多发比单发升高明显。结论：ＣＨＤ患冠脉循环中血小板高度激活,在ＣＨＤ的发生发展中有一定的意义。     

我院2003～2004年抗微生物药物使用频度分析

目的:了解我院抗微生物药物的应用情况及趋势,为临床医护人员及产、供、用单位有关人员提供参考。方法:以限定日剂量(DDD)、用药人次(DDDs)、消耗金额(元)、每日药费(元)为统计指标,对我院2003 -2004年抗微生物药物的应用情况进行初步统计、分析结果:2003年DDDs排序前20位的品种有14个进入2004年的前20位,2003年消耗金额排序前20位的品种有16个进入2004年的前20位:与2003年比较:2004年抗微生物药物的品种增加了14种、消耗金额增加了311%、人均日药费增加了19.84%,口服制剂所占的DDDs和消耗金额比率略有下降,而注射制剂的情况正好相反。结论:我院抗微生物药物应用广泛, 使用基本合理。     

Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging of patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy following decompression surgery

Previous studies have reported the utility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as an imaging biomarker for the severity of myelopathy and subsequent surgical outcome in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). We hypothesized that DTI may reflect neurological recovery following surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of DTI to assess the post-operative alteration of neural status in patients with DCM as well as to predict post-operative recovery. We enrolled 15 patients with DCM who underwent decompression surgery. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was evaluated before and 1 year after surgery. The participants were examined using DTI on a 3.0 T magnetic resonance scanner before, and 1 year after surgery. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were assessed for both time points. The correlations between the pre- and post-operative FA and MD values and the pre- and post-operative JOA scores were analyzed. Although the JOA score improved significantly after surgery from 8.9 to 12.3, there was no significant change between the pre- and post-operative FA and MD values. The post-operative outcomes after 1 year moderately correlated with the pre-operative FA values (Spearman’s ρ = 0.55, p = 0.03 and Spearman’s ρ = 0.56, p = 0.03 for change and recovery rate of the JOA score, respectively). However, there was no correlation between the post-operative FA and post-operative JOA scores nor between MD and clinical outcomes. DTI cannot be utilized as a biomarker for post-operative alterations of neural status of the spinal cord; however, pre-operative DTI may be useful as a predictor of surgical outcomes.     

Immunogenicity and performance of an enterovirus 71 virus-like-particle vaccine in nonhuman primates

A vaccine against human enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) is urgently needed to combat outbreaks of EV-A71 and in particular, the serious neurological complications that manifest during these outbreaks. In this study, an EV-A71 virus-like-particle (VLP) based on a B5 subgenogroup (EV-A71-B5 VLP) was generated using an insect cell/baculovirus platform. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that the purified VLP had a highly native procapsid structure and initial studies in vivo demonstrated that the VLPs were immunogenic in mice. The impact of VLP immunization on infection was examined in non-human primates using a VLP prime-boost strategy prior to EV-A71 challenge. Rhesus macaques were immunized on day 0 and day 21 with VLPs (100 μg/dose) containing adjuvant or with adjuvant alone (controls), and were challenged with EV-A71 on day 42. Complete blood counts, serum chemistry, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and histopathology results were mostly normal in vaccinated and control animals after virus challenge demonstrating that the fatal EV-A71-B3 clinical isolate used in this study was not highly virulent in rhesus macaques. Viral genome and/or infectious virus were detected in blood, spleen or brain of two of three control animals, but not in any specimens from the vaccinated animals, indicating that VLP immunization prevented systemic spread of EV-A71 in rhesus macaques. High levels of IgM and IgG were detected in VLP-vaccinated animals and these responses were highly specific for EV-A71 particles and capsid proteins. Serum from vaccinated animals also exhibited similar neutralizing activity against different subgenogroups of EV-A71 demonstrating that the VLPs induced cross-neutralizing antibodies. In conclusion, our EV-A71-B5 VLP is safe, highly immunogenic, and prevents systemic EV-A71-B3 infection in nonhuman primates making it a viable attractive vaccine candidate for EV-A71.     

武警某部军人慢性前列腺炎样症状的调查研究

 目的 了解武警军人慢性前列腺炎样症状的发病情况并研究在部队特殊环境下的发病因素,为进一步探讨其发病机制与针对性治疗提供依据。方法 应用自制问卷和美国国立卫生研究院慢性前列腺炎症状指数(NIH-CPSI)对301名武警某部军人进行调查。结果 (1)慢性前列腺炎样症状阳性率为23.6%。(2)单因素分析结果,年龄、BMI、入伍前性行为、遗精、体能锻炼量、工作压力、喝水习惯等对阳性率无影响。(3)多因素分析结果:经常憋尿的比没有或偶尔憋尿的军人发生慢性前列腺炎样症状的概率高11.64倍;服役2~5年的比服役2年内的高1.31倍,服役5年以上比服役2年内的高4.68倍;城镇或城市来源的比农村来源的高1.01倍。是否经常熬夜和担负勤务(全训或执勤为主)对慢性前列腺炎样症状的发生均无显著性影响。结论 武警军人慢性前列腺炎样症状阳性率处于较高水平,经常憋尿、服役年限长、城镇或城市生长环境是其发生的独立危险因素。