Alternative therapies in health and medicine最新文献

Background: Cold chest pack (CCP) is a hydrotherapeutic technique used to improve cardiorespiratory outcomes, however, their effects on the cardiovascular system remain substantiated by credible scientific research. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate how CCP affects central hemodynamics in healthy volunteers.

Method: This study was a randomized, open-label crossover trial with 24 healthy male participants between 18 and 26 years of age. The study employed a counterbalanced design in which participants were randomized to either a dry chest pack (DCP) or a CCP for 20 minutes, followed by a 2-day washout period during which they were switched to the opposite phase. Central hemodynamics and heart rate variability were measured at baseline, throughout the session, and ten minutes following the intervention.

Results: Our findings showed a significant decrease in cardiac output (P = .03) with an increase in total peripheral resistance (P = .004), mean arterial pressure (P < .001), systolic blood pressure (P < .001), and diastolic blood pressure (P < .001) during the use of a CCP. These changes were retained after 10 minutes, except cardiac output (P = .32), and a persistent decrease in heart rate (P < .001) during and after the CCP use. These changes were not observed in DCP and the stroke volume was not impacted in either group (P > .05). A significant increase in mean RR intervals (P < .001) and the percentage of differences between adjacent normal heartbeats (NN intervals) that are greater than 50 milliseconds (P < .01) was observed only after the application of a CCP.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed the application of a CCP for 20 minutes affects central hemodynamics and heart rate variability; these results may be considered when using CCP therapeutically.

Background: Biofield therapies like Reiki, blessing, and healing touch are non-invasive techniques that aim to enhance well-being-mental, emotional, and physical. They can be conducted both in-person and remotely. However, a literature review found no evidence of distant/remote blessing therapy's effectiveness in improving mental health symptoms in adults.

Primary study objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of non-pharmacological distant blessing (biofield energy healing) therapy for psychological and mental health management.

Methods/design: One hundred seventeen participants with psychological symptoms were studied. On days 0 and 90, the biofield (blessing) therapy group (n = 38) received two sessions of distant blessing energy therapy, each lasting about 5 minutes. A sham control group (n = 40) received similar treatment from a sham practitioner to nullify the baseline responses, while a control group (n = 39) received no intervention. Participants were assessed using a standard psychological questionnaire and safety parameters.

Setting: A placebo-controlled, three parallel groups, single-center, double-blinded, and randomized controlled trial.

Participants: Adult human subjects (male and female) with one or more psychological symptoms.

Intervention: Distant (remote) biofield energy healing/blessing therapy.

Primary outcome measures: Psychological questionnaires scoring.

Results: Perceived psychological symptoms/scores (fatigue/tiredness, sleep disturbances, stress, cognitive impairment, loss of memory, mental restlessness, emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, confusion, lack of relationships, and social behaviors) were significantly improved in the blessing group compared to control and sham control groups (P < .0001). Study intervention did not show any study-related adverse effects in all three groups throughout the trial.

Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that distant (remote) blessing therapy/biofield energy healing session(s) significantly improved psychological and mental health-related symptoms without affecting safety concerns and improved overall health and quality of life. Therefore, the present study recommends a larger-scale intervention study to further investigate various health outcomes and this therapy's underlying mechanisms of action.

Trial registration: The trial was registered in the Clinical Trials Registry - India (Reg. no. CTRI/2022/07/043736) dated 05/07/2022.

Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of the Kuntai capsule in improving ovarian function in rats with transplantation of cryopreserved ovary.

Methods: Two mice ovary cell lines were cultured with Kuntai capsule decoction, and cell apoptosis was detected by MTT assay. A total of 90 SPF Sprague Dawley rats were included in this study. Thirty rats were used as the control group (group A), and not treated with any surgical operation. The remaining 60 rats were subjected to surgery to collect ovarian tissues and to construct a premature ovarian failure model. Ovarian tissues were cryopreserved, thawed, and transplanted back to ovaries. Sixty rats with ovary transplantation were randomly divided into group B and group C. Rats in group B were treated with Kuntai capsule at a dose of 0.1 capsule per day while rats in group C were fed with normal food. Serum levels of estradiol (E2) and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) were detected. Expressions of several cytokines, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and apoptotic factors caspase-3 and p53, were also detected.

Results: Kuntai capsule decoction inhibited apoptosis of in vitro cultured mice ovary cells. Furthermore, the Kuntai capsule promoted the recovery of E2 and FSH to normal levels and regulated the abnormal expression of HGF, VEGF, and IGF-1 and apoptotic factors caspase-3 and p53 in rats with premature ovarian failure after homotopic transplantation of ovarian tissue.

Conclusion: The Kuntai capsule can improve ovarian functions by regulating sexual hormones and cell apoptosis in rats with premature ovarian failure after homotopic transplantation of cryopreserved ovary tissue.

Context: Pediatric purulent tonsillitis is a common infectious disease in children and can be difficult to cure and can recur with irritation of the throat. To improve treatment outcomes, alleviate symptoms, and promote recovery, an effective clinical-nursing intervention is often necessary.

Objective: The study aimed to explore the specific measures of the comprehensive nursing model for pediatric patients with purulent tonsillitis and to analyze its practical value in improving patients' treatment outcomes and quality of life (QoL) in clinical application, to provide feasible references and guidance for medical practice.

Design: The research team conducted a randomized controlled trial.

Setting: The study took place at Mengcheng County First People's Hospital.

Participants: Participants were 80 pediatric patients who had received a diagnosis of purulent tonsillitis at the hospital between December 2020 and March 2022.

Interventions: The research team randomly divided participants into two groups, with 40 participants in each group: (1) the intervention group, who received comprehensive nursing care in addition to routine nursing care, and (2) the control group, who received routine nursing care only.

Outcome measures: The research team: (1) evaluated times to relief of throat pain and to improvement of hoarseness, (2) assessed times to recovery of body temperature, white blood cells, and tonsillar signs, (3) measured treatment compliance, and (4) conducted a health knowledge survey with the children' family members at baseline and postintervention using a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results: Compared to control group, the intervention group's (1) times to relief of throat pain and improvement time of hoarseness were significantly shorter (both P < .05); (2) times to recovery of temperature (P = .002), white blood cells (P = .006), and tonsillar signs (P = .024) were significantly shorter; (3) treatment compliance was significantly higher (P = .021); and (4) level of health knowledge of family members was significantly higher (P < .001).

Conclusions: The comprehensive nursing model for pediatric purulent tonsillitis can effectively improve pediatric patients' treatment outcomes, shorten their recovery times, enhance the health knowledge of family members, and provide a better focus on the overall health of pediatric patients. The model has a positive significance for pediatric patients' rehabilitation and is worth promoting.

Background: Netherton syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease, lacks effective treatment options. This article presents a novel case of successful Upadacitinib therapy in a 14-year-old boy with Netherton syndrome.

Case presentation: A 14-year-old male with a lifelong history of dry skin, erythema, scaling, itching, and notable body odor was evaluated. These symptoms, accompanied by irregular hair growth and delayed development, prompted an initial diagnosis of atopic dermatitis at a local hospital. Treatment with antihistamines, moisturizers, and topical corticosteroids failed to alleviate systemic manifestations of red patches and persistent itching. Seeking further evaluation, the patient was presented to our center. Upon examination, the characteristics of "bamboo hair" and "golf tee sign" were observed microscopically in the patient's hair. Whole exome sequencing identified a paternally inherited mutation in the SPINK5 gene, confirming Netherton syndrome. No mutations were found in the mother. Despite initial positive responses to Secukinumab and Dupilumab, therapeutic efficacy waned over time.

Results and conclusions: Initiation of Upadacitinib at a daily dose of 15 mg yielded significant therapeutic benefits within a short timeframe. This study marks the first documented use of Upadacitinib in pediatric Netherton syndrome treatment. This case highlights the efficacy of Upadacitinib in treating Netherton syndrome, particularly in pediatric patients. Further studies are warranted to elucidate its long-term effects and optimal dosing regimens.

Background: The prevalence of abnormal physical development in preschool children is often linked to their dietary habits, necessitating a comprehensive investigation. Understanding the intricacies of these habits is crucial for formulating targeted interventions to enhance the overall health and well-being of this vulnerable population.

Objective: This study aims to explore the dietary habits of preschool children in Shijiazhuang and evaluate their impact on abnormal physical development. The primary objective is to identify key dietary issues, particularly focusing on picky eating, and assess their association with undernutrition and obesity in this age group.

Methods: Utilizing a stratified sampling approach, the study involves preschool children and their caregivers from various kindergartens in Shijiazhuang. On-site medical examinations are conducted to measure height and weight and calculate body mass index (BMI). Additionally, parents were surveyed to gather information on the general aspects and dietary habits of their children. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to ascertain the correlation between picky eating and the risk of undernutrition and obesity.

Results: The findings indicate that approximately 70% of preschool children maintain a normal BMI, while 16.67% experience undernutrition, and 13.33% face issues of being overweight or obese. Picky eating emerges as the predominant dietary habit issue, affecting 51.33% of the participants. Binary logistic regression analysis identifies picky eating as a significant risk factor for undernutrition and obesity among children.

Conclusions: Picky eating stands out as the primary dietary habit concern for preschool children, concurrently posing a substantial risk for abnormal physical development. Urgent measures are warranted to rectify children's suboptimal dietary habits, elevate nutritional standards, and foster their overall health and development. These findings underscore the imperative need for interventions targeting dietary improvement in preschoolers, contributing to improving their well-being and long-term health outcomes.

Context: High-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy and oral high-dose prednisone are two common treatments for pediatric nephrotic syndrome (NS). While both treatments have shown effectiveness for patients with pediatric NS to some extent, a clear comparison of their efficacy and safety remains elusive, posing a challenge for clinicians when devising treatment plans.

Objective: The study intended to compare the efficacy and safety of high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy and conventional oral high-dose prednisone for pediatric patients with NS, to provide more accurate treatment recommendations for clinicians to optimize their treatment plans, improve their QoL, and prevent complications.

Design: The research team conducted a randomized controlled trial.

Setting: The study took place at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University in Quanzhou, China.

Participants: Participants were 60 patients with pediatric NS who received treatment at the hospital between November 2020 and March 2022.

Interventions: The research team randomly divided participants into two groups, each comprising 30 patients: (1) the intervention group, which received high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy, and (2) the conventional group, which received oral high-dose prednisone.

Outcome measures: The research team measured: (1) clinical efficacy rates, the primary outcome measure; (2) time to symptom relief; (3) laboratory indicators, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), serum globulin (GLB), and 24-hour urine protein quantification; and (4) incidence of adverse events.

Results: Compared to the conventional group, the intervention group's: (1) clinical efficacy rate was significantly higher (P < .05); (2) resolution times for edema (P < .001) and urine protein turning negative (P < .001) were significantly shorter; (3) levels of BUN (P < .001), SCr (P < .001), GLB (P < .001), and 24-hour urine protein quantification (P < .001) were significantly lower; and (4) incidence of adverse reactions was significantly higher (P < .001).

Conclusions: High-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy demonstrated better efficacy in treating pediatric NS patients, showing a shorter time to symptom relief, but it may also entail a higher risk of adverse reactions compared to conventional oral high-dose prednisone. Clinicians should consider the specific circumstances and needs of pediatric patients when selecting a treatment.

Objective: With the improvement of living standards, consumers are paying more and more attention to the quality of rice. Traditional rice quality detection relies on human sensory judgment, which is inaccurate and inefficient. With the continuous development of molecular imaging technology, more and more scholars at home and abroad have begun to pay attention to its application in the nondestructive testing of agricultural products. Molecular imaging technology combines the advantages of spectral technology and image technology, which can achieve rapid, nondestructive and accurate detection of rice quality. In this paper, taking rice as the research object, we carried out nondestructive detection research on rice varieties, moisture and starch content using molecular imaging technology. We proposed a rapid detection method based on molecular imaging technology for rice variety identification, moisture content and starch content. Molecular images of the rice samples from four origins were obtained using a molecular imaging system, the regions of interest of the rice were identified and, spectral data, textural features and morphological features of the rice were extracted. Spectral, textural and morphological features were selected by principal component analysis (PCA), and nine feature wavelengths were obtained and an optimal model was established with an accuracy of 91.67%, which demonstrated the feasibility of molecular imaging. By comparing the models, the BCC-LS-SVR model based on the RB function had the highest accuracy with R2 of 0.989, RMSEP of 0.767%, R2 of 0.985, and RMSEC of 0.591%. Moreover, starchy rice was detected using molecular imaging. The PCA-SVR model based on the RBF kernel function had the highest accuracy with R2 of 0.989, RMSEC of 0.445%, R2 of 0.991, and RMSEP of 0.669%. Our models demonstrated high accuracy in identifying rice varieties, as well as quantifying moisture and starch content, showcasing the feasibility of molecular imaging technology in rice quality assessment. This research offers a rapid, nondestructive, and accurate method for rice quality assessment, promising significant benefits for agricultural producers and consumers.