Seasonal variations of acute appendicitis and nonspecific abdominal pain in Finland

AIM:To investigate whether seasonal changes had an effect on the incidence of acute appendicitis(AA)or nonspecific abdominal pain(NSAP).METHODS:We carried out a national register study of all patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis of AA and acute NSAP in Finland.Data were analyzed for the whole country and correlated to seasonal and weather parameters(temperature,humidity).Moreover,additional sub-analyses were performed for five geographically different area of Finland.RESULTS:The observation period spanned 21 years,with 186558 appendectomies,of which 137528(74%)cases were reported as AA.The incidence of AA declined for 32%over the study period.The average incidence of the NSAP was 34/10000 per year.The mean annual temperature,but not relative humidity,showed clear geographical variations.The incidence of AA decreased significantly during the cold months of the year.No correlation was detected between temperature and incidence of NSAP.Humidity had a statistically significant impact on NSAP.CONCLUSION:The incidence of acute appendicitis is declining in Finland.We detected a clear seasonality in the incidence of AA and NSAP.

Treatment of Nonspecific Chronic Prostatitis with Qian Lie Xian Yan Suppository in 104 Cases

Qian Lie Xian Yan Suppository (前列腺炎栓) was rectally applied to treat 104 patients with nonspecific chronic prostatitis ( damp-heat syndrome with blood stasis) in contrast to 30 patients treated with traditional Chinese drug Ye Ju Hua Shuan (野菊花栓Suppository of Flos Chrysanthemi Indici). The results show that chronic prostatitis is markedly improved by using Qian Lie Xian Yan suppository, with a short-term cure rate of 23.1% and a total effective rate of 84.6%, superior to that of the control group. The animal experiment indicates that Qian Lie Xian Yan suppository has better anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, with an action of promoting blood circulation.

An Evaluation on the Ratio of Plant to Animal Protein in the Diet of Juvenile Sea Cucumber(Apostichopus japonicus):Growth,Nutrient Digestibility and Nonspecific Immunity

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of plant/animal(P/A) protein ratios(viz.1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1:1,2:1, 3:1, 4:1) on growth performance, body composition, apparent digestibility of diets, and nonspecific immunity of juvenile sea cucumber(Apostichopus japonicus). Sea cucumbers were divided into 21 plastic tanks, and each tank was stocked with 15 individuals(initial weight: about 23.73 g). Each feed was allocated to three replicates of sea cucumbers. The feeding experiment lasted for 50 days. Results indicated that weight gain rate(WGR) and body wall weight(BWW) significantly increased as dietary ratio of P/A increased from 1:4 to 3:1, and then decreased significantly with further increase of this ratio(P < 0.05). The body wall coefficient(BWC) showed a similar tendency to WGR and BWW, but no significance was detected among dietary treatments(P > 0.05). The apparent digestibility of dry matter, protein and lipid increased with ratio of P/A increasing from 1:4 to 2:1(P < 0.05), and then decreased with further increase of this ratio. Correspondingly, activities of trypsin and amylase were significantly increased as P/A increased from 1:4 to 2:1(P < 0.05). The activities of SOD and CAT showed a similar trend with WGR, with the highest value observed in the ratio of 1:2 and 1:1, respectively. Results above showed that moderate or relatively higher ratio of P/A protein(1:1-3:1) significantly increased the growth performance, apparent digestibility, and nonspecific immunity of sea cucumber. This will contribute to improving the feed formulation for juvenile cucumbers.

Effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with hot magner therapy on nonspecific chronic neck pain

Objective:Toobserve the clinical effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with hot magner therapy for nonspecific chronic neck pain.Methods:A total of 60 patients with nonspecific chronic neck pain were randomly divided into treatment group and control group.Patients in the treatment group were treated with extracorporeal shock wave combined with hot magner therapy,and patients in the control group were treated with hot magner therapy.Visual analogue scale(VAS)and Neck disability index(NDI)were used before treatment,2 weeks after treatment,and 3 months after treatment.Results:Two weeks after treatment,the VAS and NDI scores were improved(P<0.05),and the VAS and NDI scores of the treatment group were lower than those of the control group(P<0.05),and the improvement rate of the treatment group was significantly better than that of the control group(P<0.05).3 months after follow up treatment,VAS and NDI scores in the treatment group showed statistically significant differences with those before treatment(P<0.05),and those at 2 weeks after treatment(P﹥0.05),while VAS and NDI scores in the control group showed no statistically significant differences with those before treatment(P﹥0.05),and those at 2 weeks after treatment(P<0.05).The VAS and NDI scores in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The clinical efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave combined with hot magner treatment for nonspecific chronic neck pain is better than that of hot magner therapy.

Short-term effects of cupping and scraping therapy for chronic nonspecific low-back pain:A prospective,multicenter randomized trial

Background As one of the most common musculoskeletal ailments,chronic nonspecific low-back pain(CNLBP)causes persistent disability and substantial medical expenses.Epidemiological evidence shows that the incidence rate of CNLBP in young and middle-aged people who are demanded rapidly recovery and social contribution is rising.Recent guidelines indicate a reduced role for medicines in the management of CNLBP.Objective The present study investigates the short-term effects of cupping and scraping therapy using a medicated balm,compared to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID)with a capsaicin plaster,in the treatment of CNLBP.Design,setting,participants and interventions We designed a prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial enrolling patients from January 1,2022 to December 31,2022.A total of 156 patients with CNLBP were randomized into two parallel groups.Diclofenac sodium-sustained release tablets were administered orally to participants in the control group for one week while a capsaicin plaster was applied externally.Patients in the test group were treated with cupping and scraping using a medical device and medicated balm.Main outcome measures Primary outcome was pain recorded using the visual analogue scale(VAS).Two secondary outcomes were recorded using the Japanese Orthopedic Association low-back pain scale(JOA)and the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome integral scale(TCMS)as assessment tools.Results Between baseline and postintervention,all changes in outcome metric scales were statistically significant(P<0.001).Compared to the control group,patients in the test group had a significantly greater treatment effect in all outcome variables,as indicated by lower VAS and TCMS scores and higher JOA scores,after the one-week intervention period(P<0.001).Further,according to the findings of multivariate linear regression analysis,the participants’pain(VAS score)was related to their marital status,age,smoking habits and body mass index.No adverse reactions were reported for any participants in this trial.Conclusion The effectiveness of TCM combined with the new physiotherapy tool is superior to that of NSAID combined with topical plasters,regarding to pain intensity,TCM symptoms and quality of life.The TCM plus physiotherapy also showed more stable and long-lasting therapeutic effects.

A preliminary study of the distribution and the characteristics of nonspecific pulmonary function

Objective To investigate the manifestations,pulmonary function test(PFT)characteristics and imaging features of patients with nonspecific pulmonary function(NSPF).Methods All the data from the same PFT apparatus in Beijing Hospital were collected from January2003 to December 2012.NSPF was defined as

Novel predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement

BACKGROUND Conduction and rhythm abnormalities requiring permanent pacemakers(PPM)are short-term complications following transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR),and their clinical outcomes remain conflicting.Potential novel predictors of post-TAVR PPM,like QRS duration,QTc prolongation,and supraventricular arrhythmias,have been poorly studied.AIM To evaluate the effects of baseline nonspecific interventricular conduction delay and supraventricular arrhythmia on post-TAVR PPM requirement and determine the impact of PPM implantation on clinical outcomes.METHODS RESULTS Out of the 357 patients that met inclusion criteria,the mean age was 80 years,188(52.7%)were male,and 57(16%)had a PPM implantation.Baseline demographics,valve type,and cardiovascular risk factors were similar except for type II diabetes mellitus(DM),which was more prevalent in the PPM cohort(59.6%vs 40.7%;P=0.009).The PPM cohort had a significantly higher rate of pre-procedure right bundle branch block,prolonged QRS>120 ms,prolonged QTc>470 ms,and supraventricular arrhythmias.There was a consistently significant increase in the odds ratio(OR)of PPM implantation for every 20 ms increase in the QRS duration above 100 ms:QRS 101-120[OR:2.44;confidence intervals(CI):1.14-5.25;P=0.022],QRS 121-140(OR:3.25;CI:1.32-7.98;P=0.010),QRS 141-160(OR:6.98;CI:3.10-15.61;P<0.001).After model adjustment for baseline risk factors,the OR remained significant for type II DM(aOR:2.16;CI:1.18-3.94;P=0.012),QRS>120(aOR:2.18;CI:1.02-4.66;P=0.045)and marginally significant for supraventricular arrhythmias(aOR:1.82;CI:0.97-3.42;P=0.062).The PPM cohort had a higher adjusted OR of heart failure(HF)hospitalization(aOR:2.2;CI:1.1-4.3;P=0.022)and nonfatal myocardial infarction(MI)(aOR:3.9;CI:1.1-14;P=0.031)without any difference in mortality(aOR:1.1;CI:0.5-2.7;P=0.796)at one year.CONCLUSION Pre-TAVR type II DM and QRS duration>120,regardless of the presence of bundle branch blocks,are predictors of post-TAVR PPM.At 1-year post-TAVR,patients with PPM have higher odds of HF hospitalization and MI.

Green Synthesized Liquid-like Dynamic Polymer Chains with Decreased Nonspecific Adhesivity for High-Purity Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells

The capture of circulating tumor cells(CTCs)is of great significance in reducing cancer mortality and complications.However,the nonspecific binding of proteins and white blood cells(WBCs)weakens the targeting capabilities of the capture surfaces,which critically hampers the efficiency and purity of the captured CTCs.Herein,we propose a liquid-like interface design strategy that consists of liquid-like polymer chains and anti-EpCAM modification processes for high-purity and high-efficiency capture of CTCs.The dynamic flexible feature of the liquid-like chains endows the modified surfaces with excellent antiadhesion property for proteins and blood cells.The liquid-like surfaces can capture the target CTCs and show high cell viability due to the environmentfriendly surface modification processes.When liquid-like surface designs were introduced in the deterministic lateral displacement(DLD)-patterned microfluidic chip,the nonspecific adhesion rate of WBCs was reduced by more than fivefold compared to that in the DLD chip without liquid-like interface design,while maintaining comparable capture efficiency.Overall,this strategy provides a novel perspective on surface design for achieving high purity and efficient capture of CTCs.

核心稳定性训练对非特异性腰痛疗效的影响

成年人中60%—80%有下背痛（1ow back pain,LBP）患病史,美国统计资料显示,其发病率仅次于上呼吸道感染,列第2位[1]。50%以上的下背痛初次发病4—8周内可自愈,但复发率达85%[2]。LBP中约85%原因不明,称为非特异性下背痛（nonspecific low back pain,NLBP）,其病因复杂,治疗方法虽多,但并无特效方法且治愈后复发率高,故如何提高NLBP患者疗效及降低复发率具有重要临床意义。

Orbital inflammatory disease:Pictorial review and differential diagnosis

Orbital inflammatory disease(OID) represents a collec tion of inflammatory conditions affecting the orbit. OID is a diagnosis of exclusion, with the differential diagno sis including infection, systemic inflammatory conditions and neoplasms, among other conditions. Inflammatory conditions in OID include dacryoadenitis, myositis, cel lulitis, optic perineuritis, periscleritis, orbital apicitis, and a focal mass. Sclerosing orbital inflammation is a rare condition with a chronic, indolent course involving dense fibrosis and lymphocytic infiltrate. Previously though to be along the spectrum of OID, it is now considered a distinct pathologic entity. Imaging plays an importan role in elucidating any underlying etiology behind orbita inflammation and is critical for ruling out other condi tions prior to a definitive diagnosis of OID. In this re view, we will explore the common sites of involvemen by OID and discuss differential diagnosis by site and key imaging findings for each condition.

Measurement of prostaglandin metabolites is useful in diagnosis of small bowel ulcerations

BACKGROUND We recently reported on a hereditary enteropathy associated with a gene encoding a prostaglandin transporter and referred to as chronic enteropathy associated with SLCO2 A1 gene(CEAS). Crohn's disease(CD) is a major differential diagnosis of CEAS, because these diseases share some clinical features. Therefore, there is a need to develop a convenient screening test to distinguish CEAS from CD.AIM To examine whether prostaglandin E major urinary metabolites(PGE-MUM) can serve as a biomarker to distinguish CEAS from CD.METHODS This was a transactional study of 20 patients with CEAS and 98 patients with CD.CEAS was diagnosed by the confirmation of homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation of SLCO2 A1. We measured the concentration of PGEMUM in spot urine by radioimmunoassay, and the concentration was compared between the two groups of patients. We also determined the optimal cut-off value of PGE-MUM to distinguish CEAS from CD by receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis.RESULTS Twenty Japanese patients with CEAS and 98 patients with CD were enrolled.PGE-MUM concentration in patients with CEAS was significantly higher than that in patients with CD(median 102.7 vs 27.9 μg/g × Cre, P < 0.0001). One log unit increase in PGE-MUM contributed to 7.3 increase in the likelihood for the diagnosis of CEAS [95% confidence interval(CI) 3.2-16.7]. A logistic regression analysis revealed that the association was significant even after adjusting confounding factors(adjusted odds ratio 29.6, 95%CI 4.7-185.7). ROC curve analysis revealed the optimal PGE-MUM cut-off value for the distinction of CEAS from CD to be 48.9 μg/g × Cre with 95.0% sensitivity and 79.6% specificity.CONCLUSION PGE-MUM measurement is a convenient, non-invasive and useful test for the distinction of CEAS from CD.

Genetic analysis is helpful for the diagnosis of small bowel ulceration

The widespread use of capsule endoscopy and balloonassisted endoscopy has provided easy access for detailed mucosal assessment of the small intestine. However, the diagnosis of rare small bowel diseases, such as cryptogenic multifocal ulcerous stenosing enteritis(CMUSE), remains difficult because clinical and morphological features of these diseases are obscure even for gastroenterologists. In an issue of this journal in 2017, Hwang et al reviewed and summarized clinical and radiographic features of 20 patients with an established diagnosis of CMUSE. Recently, recessive mutations in the PLA2G4A and SLCO2A1 genes have been shown to cause small intestinal diseases. The small bowel ulcers in each disease mimic those in the other and furthermore those found in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced enteropathy. These recent and novel findings suggest that a clinical diagnosis exclusively based on the characteristics of small bowel lesions is possibly imprecise. Genetic analyses seem to be inevitable for the diagnosis of rare small bowel disorders such as CMUSE.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a lipid transfer protein gene(PsLTP1) from Pinus sylvestris(L.)

Plant nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are widely distributed through plant kingdom and are characterized by the presence of a central hydrophobic cavity, suitable for binding various hydrophobic molecules. Despite extensive research on nsLTP in different plant species, mostly angiosperm, and the great diversity of physiological processes in which they seem to be involved, their exact functions still remain unclear. Also, very limited experimental data are available on nsLTP in gymnosperm. In this study, we report for the first time on the molecular cloning of nsLTP, from Pinus sylvestris L.(PsLTP1, GenBank accession JN980402.1) and the expression pattern of PsLTP1 during ontogenesis and in response to environmental stress conditions. Total RNA from roots of 7-day old pine seedlings was used to isolate the cDNA clone, corresponding to Scots pine lipid transfer protein. The open reading frame of PsLTP1 consists of 372 bp encoding a protein of 123 amino acids. Amino acid sequence alignment revealed that mature PsLTP1 shares high level of similarity with nsLTP from other conifers and with well-studied nsLTPs from angiosperms. The PsLTP1 contains a 27-amino-acid N-terminal signal sequence and presents all the features of a plant nsLTP. Amino acid comparison analysis and 3D structure prediction showed that PsLTP1 is a type 1 nsLTP. The results of the expression analysis of Scots pine PsLTP1 gene revealed that its transcripts accumulate in actively growing tissues. Furthermore, transcription of PsLTP1 was upregulated in response to cold and salt treatments, and downregulated during acidic, osmotic and water stresses.

The effects on biological behaviors of P815 murine mastocytoma cell line induced by the transduction of mouse interleukin-2 gene

The whole coding region including signal peptidesequence of mouse interleukin-2 (mIL-2) cDNA wasobtained by PCR method and then cloned into the propersites of pUC18 vector. Sequencing analysis throughSanger method (dideoxy-mediated chain-terminationmethod) proved the consistency of mIL-2 cDNAsequence with that reported before. The fragment

TREATMENT OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS WITH ACUPUNCTURE

Ulcerative colitis is also known aschronic nonspecific u1cerative colitis charac-terized by diarrhea, abdominal pain andpresence of bloody pus and mucus in thestool. The morbid course is chronic with atendency of repeated recurrences of varyingseverity.According to traditional Chinese medi-cine, when the spleen fails to perform

Expression of B7-1 and B7-2 mediated by adenovirus enhanced T cell anti-hepatoma immunity

The ultimate aim of cancer immunotherapy is theinduction of tumor-specific T-lymphocyte responseseffective in eradicating disseminated tumors. There aregenerally tumor infiltrating T lymphocytes in situ oftumor, but most of which are inactive, one of the majorreasons of such Inactivation is that T lymphocytes areexposured to an antigen-specific TCR signal in theabsence of antigen-nonspecific or co-stimulatory signal.The co-stimulatory factors, B7-l and B7-2 on the surfaceof antigen presenting cells provide a key signal for thegeneration of T cell immunity. Sincc hepatoma

Physiological and histological responses of Phascolosoma esculenta (Sipuncula: Phascolosomatidea) to acute heat stress

Temperature is an important factor affecting the growth,development,and survival of organisms.The effects of temperature stress on aquatic organisms have received increasing attention,as these organisms are mostly poikilotherms and their body temperature are directly corresponding changes with ambient temperature,resulting in they are easily exposed in temperature stress.However,little is known about the effects of high temperature on Sipuncula.In this study,we investigated the effects of acute heat stress on malondialdehyde(MDA)concentration,the activities of antioxidant(superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase)and immunity-related(acidic and alkaline phosphatase)enzymes,heat shock protein 70(hsp70)and hsp90 gene expression,and the histological structure of the sipunculid Phascolosoma esculenta.Within the coelom fl uid,the MDA concentration and all detected antioxidant enzyme activities increased during high temperature stress;signifi cant increases were also observed here and in the intestine in the hsp70 and hsp90 mRNA expression levels.These results indicated that acute heat stress caused oxidative stress;antioxidants and heat shock proteins probably act to protect P.esculenta against oxidative damage,constituting part of its physiological mechanism for adaptation to high temperatures.In addition,the increased activity of the acidic and alkaline phosphatases indicated eff ects on its nonspecifi c immune system.Furthermore,damaged tissue structures were observed in the body wall,retractor muscle,intestine,and nephridium after 96 h of 40-℃ stress.The damaged cells of these tissues showed obvious condensed chromatin around the nuclear membrane.This histological damage suggests that heat stress could affect movement,food absorption,digestion,and excretion in P.esculenta.These results elucidate the effects of temperature stress on P.esculenta and its physiological response mechanisms and provide practical indicators for assessing heat stress status and determining suitable culture temperatures for P.esculenta.

Kanggan Granule Ameliorates Dexamethasone-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice

Objective: This study was to investigate the effect of the Chinese herbal compound Kanggan granule (KG) on immune function in a mouse model of immunosuppression and its possible mechanism of action. Method: ICR mice were randomly divided into a normal control group (untreated non-immunosuppressed, Control), untreated immunosuppressed group (Model), positive control group (immunosuppressed and treated with 1.6 g/kg astragalus granule [AG]), high-dose KG group (immunosuppressed and treated with 24 g/kg, KG-24), and low-dose KG group (immunosuppressed and treated with 6 g/kg, KG-6). Each group received intragastric administration once daily for 7 days. Immunosuppression was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone (25 mg/kg) once daily beginning on day 1 for 3 days. To illuminate the mechanism of immunomodulatory, we studied the effects of KG on nonspecific immunity, humoral immunity and cellular immunity in mice respectively. Results: KG improved organ weights and improved the phagocytic ability of mononuclear macrophages in immunosuppressed mice (p p < 0.05). The proliferation of spleen lymphocytes and number of peripheral blood leukocytes were enhanced after KG treatment in immunosuppressed mice (p +/CD8+ ratio in immunosuppressed mice (p p Conclusions: KG can improve immune function in immunosuppressed mice. Nonspecific immunity, humoral immunity, and cellular immunity were all enhanced.

Non Specific Amplification with the LAMP Technique in the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Sri Lankan Settings

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a burden to Sri Lanka, where the incidence of the disease has been increasing over the past decade. The lack of early and accurate detection of the disease has been the main obstacle to its control. Microscopy or the culturing of mycobacteria from clinical samples is the most commonly used TB diagnostic tools in Sri Lanka. All these methods have their own limitations. Alternative diagnostic methods are therefore of high importance. Objectives: In this study, an attempt was made to validate loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which specifically amplifies a DNA sequence very rapidly at a low cost with limited resources. Methods: Crude DNA extractions of fifty culture isolates prepared from sputum samples, which were collected from patients with suspected TB extracts, were subjected to three separate LAMP assays. One assay was specific for 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene in genus Mycobacterium, and could detect the bacteria up to the genus level. The other two contained MTB specific primers targeting rimM or gyrB gene sequences in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), which enabled detection up to the species level. The sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP assays in the identification of mycobacteria or MTB were compared to microscopy and culture techniques. Results: Forty three out of the 47 Mycobacterium cultures were Mycobacterium-positive for LAMP assays with universal primers indicating a sensitivity of 92% in identifying Mycobacterium genus. However, thirteen out of 14 culture negatives were also positive with LAMP assays, which showed a specificity of only 7% in identifying MTB. The results suggested a high percentage of false positives by LAMP assays as compared to culture. Based on the colour changing of ZYBR Green dye and gel electrophoresis of the LAMP-amplified product, the detection of a non-specific amplification, even in the absence of target DNA, was recurrently observed. The result was the same even after following strict safety operations and laboratory practices to avoid the possibility of a cross-over contamination of MTB. Interestingly, this nonspecific DNA amplicon did not respond to digestion with BsaI restriction enzyme, suggesting that the false positives are not due to the presence of MTB. Conclusion: Under the tested conditions, the specificity of the LAMP method to identify MTB is low as compared to culture technique. Further investigations into optimizing the LAMP assay technique are required before it can be used, in its simple form, to diagnose TB in local clinical settings.

SARS-COV-2 Infection and Anti-Tuberculosis Immunity: Temporal Association or Real Protective Role?

Introduction: According to the literature consulted to date, there is epidemiological heterogeneity of Covid-19 between countries depending on their vaccination policy, in particular BCG vaccination. These findings have led to several hypotheses, including the protective role of immunity induced by the BCG tuberculosis vaccine against Covid-19 infection. The immunity induced by the BCG vaccine significantly increases the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, in particular IL-1B, which has been shown to play an essential role in antiviral immunity. This cross-immunity, although not specific, if highlighted, is a real providence that must be taken advantage of in the face of this pandemic. The main objective of this study is to rule out or confirm that anti-tuberculosis immunity protects against SARS-COV-2 in our context. Material and Methods: Two groups will be compared: cases infected with the virus and controls who have never been infected with the virus. Both case and control groups will undergo a tuberculin skin test: the intra dermal tuberculin reaction (IDR). Results: We found that our control group had a high IDR immunity value, with an IDR tuberculin positive percentage of 67.2%. This suggests that immunity to IDR is a protective factor against coronavirus disease. Conclusion: The hypothesis of nonspecific anti-tuberculosis protection deserves further verification studies;it would have large positive repercussions for developing countries.