Effect of qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19: A randomized controlled trial

Shu-ting Liu,Chao Zhan,Yun-jing Ma,Chao-yang Guo,Wei Chen,Xiao-ming Fang,Lei Fang 한국한의학연구원 2021 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.10 No.-

Background There are several effective complementary and integrative therapies for patients with severe COVID-19. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and advantages of the qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program (QARP) for treating patients with severe COVID-19. Methods A total of 128 patients with COVID-19 aged 20 to 80 years were recruited and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive QARP plus standard therapies or standard therapies alone. QARP consisted of acupressure therapy and qigong exercise (Liu Zi Jue). The primary outcome was measured with the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, and the secondary outcomes included the modified Borg dyspnea scale (MBS), fatigue Scale-14 (FS-14), patient health questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9), duration of respiratory symptoms, and vital signs. Results In total, 128 patients completed the clinical trial. The QARP group and standard therapies group showed significant improvements in vital signs (except blood pressure) and clinical scales compared with baseline (p<0.05). The QARP group also showed more significant improvement in the mMRC dyspnea scale (-1.8 [-2.1, -1.6], p=0.018) and modified Borg dyspnea scale (-3.7 [95% confidence intervals (CI) -4.3, -3.1], p=0.045). The duration of cough was 14.3 days (95% CI 12.6, 16.1, p=0.046), and the length of hospital stay was 18.5 days (95% CI 17.0, 20.0, p=0.042) in the QARP group, both of which were significantly reduced compared with the standard therapies group (p<0.05). Conclusion QARP plus standard therapies improved lung function and symptoms such as dyspnea and cough in patients with severe COVID-19 and shortened the length of hospital stay. Therefore, QARP may be considered an effective treatment option for patients with severe COVID-19. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: ChiCTR2000029994 Background There are several effective complementary and integrative therapies for patients with severe COVID-19. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and advantages of the qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program (QARP) for treating patients with severe COVID-19. Methods A total of 128 patients with COVID-19 aged 20 to 80 years were recruited and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive QARP plus standard therapies or standard therapies alone. QARP consisted of acupressure therapy and qigong exercise (Liu Zi Jue). The primary outcome was measured with the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, and the secondary outcomes included the modified Borg dyspnea scale (MBS), fatigue Scale-14 (FS-14), patient health questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9), duration of respiratory symptoms, and vital signs. Results In total, 128 patients completed the clinical trial. The QARP group and standard therapies group showed significant improvements in vital signs (except blood pressure) and clinical scales compared with baseline (p<0.05). The QARP group also showed more significant improvement in the mMRC dyspnea scale (-1.8 [-2.1, -1.6], p=0.018) and modified Borg dyspnea scale (-3.7 [95% confidence intervals (CI) -4.3, -3.1], p=0.045). The duration of cough was 14.3 days (95% CI 12.6, 16.1, p=0.046), and the length of hospital stay was 18.5 days (95% CI 17.0, 20.0, p=0.042) in the QARP group, both of which were significantly reduced compared with the standard therapies group (p<0.05). Conclusion QARP plus standard therapies improved lung function and symptoms such as dyspnea and cough in patients with severe COVID-19 and shortened the length of hospital stay. Therefore, QARP may be considered an effective treatment option for patients with severe COVID-19. Trial registration Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: ChiCTR2000029994

Effect of Fluorescence Light on Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activities of Soybeans (Glycine max L. Merrill) during Germination

Ming Yuan,Xuejing Jia,ChunBang Ding,Haiqiong Zeng,Lei Du,Shu Yuan,Zhongwei Zhang,Qi Wu,Chao Hu,Jing Liu 한국식품과학회 2015 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.24 No.5

Effects of light on phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities during germination of soybean seeds were studied. Soybean seeds were germinated in the presence and absence of light. Chlorophylls and morphological characteristics of sprouts were evaluated daily. Antioxidant activities were determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing activity power methods. Morphological characteristics of light-grown sprouts were superior to dark-grown sprouts and the metabolism of phenolic compounds was regulated by light. Light treatment improved accumulation of phenolic compounds in soybean sprouts and increased antioxidant activities. The optimum harvest time of light-grown sprouts was on the seventh day when sprouts achieved the best nutraceutical value. Green sprouts can serve as a good vegetable source for the human diet.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor attenuates kidney injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Liu, Wei Jing,Xie, Shu Hua,Liu, Yu Ning,Kim, Won,Jin, Heung Yong,Park, Sung Kwang,Shao, Yi Ming,Park, Tae Sun Williams Wilkins 2012 The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Thera Vol.340 No.2

<P>Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP) IV inhibitors are probably beneficial for preventing diabetic complication and modulating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) expression. The aim of this study was to determine whether the DPP IV inhibitor LAF237 (vildagliptin) has renoprotective qualities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic and nondiabetic rats were treated with an oral dose of 4 or 8 mg/kg/day LAF237 or placebo for 24 weeks, and renal injury was observed by light and electron microscopy. We also assessed DPP IV activity, active GLP-1 level, cAMP and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine excretion, and GLP-1R, cleaved caspase 3, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) expression. LAF237 significantly decreased proteinuria, albuminuria, and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, improved creatinine clearance, and dose-dependently inhibited interstitial expansion, glomerulosclerosis, and the thickening of the glomerular basement membrane in diabetic rats. It is noteworthy that LAF237 markedly down-regulated DPP IV activity and increased active GLP-1 levels, which probably prevented oxidative DNA damage and renal cell apoptosis by activating the GLP-1R and modulating cAMP. Renoprotection was also associated with a reduction in TGF-β1 overexpression. Our study suggests that DPP IV inhibitors may ameliorate diabetic nephropathy as well as reduce the overproduction of TGF-β1. The observed renoprotection is probably attributable to inhibition of DPP IV activity, mimicking of incretin action, and activation of the GLP-1R.</P>

Association of Dietary Intake of Folate, Vitamin B₆ and B₁₂ and MTHFR Genotype with Breast Cancer Risk

Liu, Ying,Zhou, Long-Shu,Xu, Xiao-Ming,Deng, Liang-Qing,Xiao, Qian-Kun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.9

Aim: We aimed to investigate the associations of dietary intake of folate, vitamin $B_6$ and $B_{12}$ and MTHFR genotype with breast cancer in a Chinese population. Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted, and 435 patients with newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed breast cancer and 435 controls were collected. The folate intake, vitamin $B_6$ and vitamin $B_{12}$ were calculated, and MTHFR C665T, C677T and A1298C were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Results: We found vitamin $B_{12}$ was likely to reduce the risk of breast cancer, and MTHFR 665TT was associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Folate intake, vitamin $B_{12}$ intake and variants of MTHFR C677T and MTHFR A1298C demonstrated no association with risk of breast cancer. However, we found patients with low intake of vitamin $B_6$ and MTHFR 665TT genotype had a higher risk of breast cancer (OR=1.87, 95% CI=1.29-2.77), the association being less pronounced among subjects with a moderate intake of vitamin $B_6$ and MTHFR 665TT genotype (OR=1.58, 95% CI=1.03-2.49, P=0.03). Conclusion: Our study indicated that the MTHFR C665T polymorphism and vitamin $B_6$ are associated with risk of breast cancer, which indicated roles for nutrients in developing breast cancer.

Auricular acupressure promotes uterine involution after cesarean section: A randomized controlled trial

Shu-xin Wang,Jing-chun Zeng,Ting Li,Wan-lan Zhang,Yan-fang Li,Run-jin Zhou,Zi-jun Liu,Yu-ling Liu,Xun Zhuang,Rui Zhang,Li-ming Lu,Guo-hua Lin 한국한의학연구원 2021 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.10 No.3

Background: Postpartum subinvolution of the uterus is a more common condition after cesarean section. Auricular acupressure (AA) is widely used for the treatment of postpartum diseases. However, few studies have explored the effects of AA as a treatment of uterine involution following cesarean section to date. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of AA for uterine involution after cesarean section. Methods: A total of 109 women who underwent cesarean section participated in this study. They were randomly allocated to either real AA or sham AA in a 1:1 ratio by a computer program. For 3 days, the real AA and sham AA groups received treatment 3 times daily. A series of assessments at 42 days after cesarean section, namely on the uterine size, the incidence of hydrometra, the first anal exsufflation time, bleeding volume at 6 hours, bleeding volume at 6–24 hours along with other general assessments were carried out. Results: A total of 89 women completed the study. The uterine size at 42 days after a cesarean section was 6.3 cm smaller in the real AA group than in the sham AA group (P < 0.01). The incidence of hydrometra on day 42 postpartum was lower in the real AA group than in the sham AA group (P < 0.01). The lochia duration and the first anal exsufflation time after cesarean section were shorter in the real AA group than in the sham AA group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: AA improves uterine involution after cesarean section. Trial registration: ChiCTR1800015569.

Study on the mechanism of desulfurization and denitrification catalyzed by TiO2 in the combustion with biomass and coal

Shu Qin Wang,Ming-Zhu Liu,Li-Li Sun,Wei Liang Cheng 한국화학공학회 2017 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.34 No.6

The effects of Ca/S molar ratio, catalyst type, catalyst dosage, temperature on desulfurization and denitrification efficiency were investigated in the coal-powder combustion with corn cobs as biomass. The thermal characteristics of Shanxi coal and corn cob blends with V-TiO2 were evaluated by thermogravimetric analyzer. The catalytic mechanisms of V-TiO2 on combustion, desulfurization and denitrification were discussed, suggesting that the mechanisms are in good agreement with the experimental data. The results show that the control parameters of the ideal desulfurization and denitrification efficiency should follow that the dosage of V-TiO2 catalyst is 8% with a Ca/S ratio of 2.3 at a treatment temperature 850 oC. Meanwhile, the combustion efficiency could be effectively improved with the mixture of corn cob and V-TiO2. The thermal characteristics of coal char and corn cob char blends with V-TiO2 were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis and derivative thermogravimetry methods to discuss the heterogeneous NO reduction mechanisms. The results show that the biomass chars were more active than coal chars in reducing NO, and the specific surface area of the chars was increased with V-TiO2, which indicates that V-TiO2 exhibits significant influence on catalytic combustion, desulfurization and denitrification.

Methionine Synthase Reductase A66G Polymorphism is not Associated with Breast Cancer Susceptibility - a Meta-analysis

Hu, Shu,Liu, Hong-Chao,Xi, Shou-Ming Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.7

Background: Several studies have investigated the association between methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) A66G polymorphism and breast cancer risk, but controversial results were yielded. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to provide a more robust estimate of the effect of this polymorphism on susceptibility to breast cancer. Materials and Methods:Case-control studies investigating the relationship between MTRR A66G polymorphism and breast cancer risk were included by searching PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Database. Either fixed-effects or random-effects models were applied to calculate odds ratios(ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by RevMan5.2 software. Results: A total of 9 studies bearing 7,097 cases and 7,710 controls were included in the meta-analysis. The results were that the combined ORs and 95%CIs of MTRR 66AG, GG, (AG+GG) genotypes were 0.98(0.91-1.05), 1.06(0.97-1.16) and 1.02(0.94-1.10), respectively with p=0.52, 0.19 and 0.65. We also performed subgroup analysis by specific ethnicity. The results of the combined analysis of MTRR 66AG, GG, (AG+GG) genotypes and breast cancer in Asian descent were Z=0.50, 0.53 and 0.21, with p all>0.05; for breast cancer in Caucasian descent, the results were Z=1.14, 1.65 and 0.43, with p all>0.05. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that MTRR A66G polymorphism was not associated with breast cancer susceptibility.

A Coupling Method of Response Surfaces (CRSM) for Cutting Parameters Optimization in Machining Titanium Alloy under Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) Condition

Zhiqiang Liu,Ming Chen,Jinyang Xu,Shu Han 한국정밀공학회 2013 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

This paper presents a new flexible method referring to coupling response surface methodology (CRSM) to acquire optimum cutting parameters in machining of difficult-to-cut titanium alloy under minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) condition. Cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut are designed as three factors by using the Taguchi method, which are also subject to several constraints including processing efficiency, cutting force and surface quality. In addition, turning experiments of titanium alloy were performed in order to set up the model based on Taguchi experimental design and multiple regression method. ANOVA was carried out to prove the adequacy of the developed mathematical model and the influences of cutting parameters on constraints were also observed. The results indicated that the feed rate was the dominant factor affecting surface roughness and cutting forces, which were minimized when the feed rate and depth of cut were set to the lowest level, while cutting speed was set to the highest level. Moreover, the predicted values obtained by CRSM were in good agreement with the experimental values, which indicated that CRSM was an effective method to determine optimum cutting conditions for machining process under MQL condition.

Study of Recellularized Human Acellular Arterial Matrix Repairs Porcine Biliary Segmental Defects

Wei Liu,Sheng-Ning Zhang,Zong-Qiang Hu,Shi-Ming Feng,Zhen-Hui Li,Shu-Feng Xiao,Hong-Shu Wang,Li Li 한국조직공학과 재생의학회 2019 조직공학과 재생의학 Vol.16 No.6

BACKGROUND: With the popularity of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, common bile duct injury has been reported more frequently. There is no perfect method for repairing porcine biliary segmental defects. METHODS: After the decellularization of human arterial blood vessels, the cells were cultured with GFP? (carry green fluorescent protein) porcine bile duct epithelial cells. The growth and proliferation of porcine bile duct epithelial cells on the human acellular arterial matrix (HAAM) were observed by hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining, electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence. Then, the recellularized human acellular arterial matrix (RHAAM) was used to repair biliary segmental defects in the pig. The feasibility of it was detected by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, liver function and blood routine changes, HE staining, immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and western blot. RESULTS: After 4 weeks (w) of co-culture of HAAM and GFP? porcine bile duct epithelial cells, GFP? porcine bile duct epithelial cells grew stably, proliferated, and fused on HAAM. Bile was successfully drained into the duodenum without bile leakage or biliary obstruction. Immunofluorescence detection showed that GFP-positive bile duct cells could still be detected after GFP-containing bile duct cells were implanted into the acellular arterial matrix for 8 w. The implanted bile duct cells can successfully resist bile invasion and protect the acellular arterial matrix until the newborn bile duct is formed. CONCLUSION: The RHAAM can be used to repair biliary segmental defects in pigs, which provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of common bile duct injury.

Fatty Acid Profile of Muscles from Crossbred Angus-Simmental, Wagyu-Simmental, and Chinese Simmental Cattles

Ting Liu,Jian-Ping Wu,Zhao-Min Lei,Ming Zhang,Xu-Yin Gong,Shu-Ru Cheng,Yu Liang,Jian-Fu Wang 한국축산식품학회 2020 한국축산식품학회지 Vol.40 No.4

This study assessed breed differences in fatty acid composition and meat quality of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and semitendinosus (SE) of Angus× Chinese Simmental (AS), Wagyu×Chinese Simmental (WS), and Chinese Simmental (CS). CS (n=9), AS (n=9) and WS (n=9) were randomly selected from a herd of 80 bulls which were fed and managed under similar conditions. Fatty acid profile and meat quality parameters were analyzed in duplicate. Significant breed difference was observed in fatty acid and meat quality profiles. AS exhibited significantly (p<0.05) lower C16:0 and higher C18:1n9c compared with CS. AS breed also had a tendency (p<0.10) to lower total saturated fatty acid (SFA), improve C18:3n3 and total unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) compared with CS. Crossbreed of AS and WS had significantly (p<0.05) improved the lightness, redness, and yellowness of muscles, and lowered cooking loss, pressing loss, and shear force compared with CS. These results indicated that fatty acid composition and meat quality generally differed among breeds, although the differences were not always similar in different tissues. Fatty acid composition, meat color, water holding capacity, and tenderness favored AS over CS. Thus, Angus cattle might be used to improve fatty acid and meat quality profiles of CS, and AS might contain better nutritive value, organoleptic properties, and flavor, and could be potentially developed as an ideal commercial crossbreed.