Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) has become the most common cause of low‑back pain, and it imposes a heavy burden on patients with IDD and society. The effects of long non‑coding RNAs on the proliferation and development of IDD have attracted increasing attention. The present study aimed to investigate the role and molecular mechanism of Fas‑associated protein factor‑1 (FAF1) in IDD. The expression of FAF1 was detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. CCK‑8 and immunofluorescence staining were used to determine cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the cell cycle and apoptosis. Western blotting was used to test p‑Erk expression. The results of the present study demonstrated that the expression of FAF1 was upregulated in patients with disc bulging, herniation and IDD, and the expression of FAF1 was positively correlated with the grade of disc degeneration according to the patients' Pfirrmann score. The overexpression of FAF1 in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells promoted cell proliferation by increasing the percentage of cells in the S‑phase of the cell cycle. The expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (Erk), a possible target of FAF1, was consistent with the expression of FAF1. In addition, it was elucidated that inactivation of the Erk signaling pathway by PD98059 reversed the effect of FAF1 on NP cell proliferation. Taken together, these results demonstrated that FAF1 was vital in the proliferation of NP cells by modulating the Erk signaling pathway, which suggests that FAF1 may be a novel marker in the early diagnosis of IDD and a therapeutic target for patients.

Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is a kind of syndrome caused by stimulation or pressure of nerve root and cauda equina due to intervertebral disc disorder, fibrous ring rupture, and pulpiform nucleus protrusion. Application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) including acupuncture therapy and cupping therapy is unique and effective treatment for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in China. Hence, we try to investigate the combined clinical efficacy of modified Taiyi miraculous moxa roll and cupping therapy on patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Seventy patients were randomly assigned into combined treatment group (n = 35) and control group (n = 35). The treatment group received combined therapy of modified Taiyi miraculous moxa roll and cupping therapy, while control group received acupuncture therapy alone. Diagnostic criteria of TCM syndrome, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and simplified McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ) were used to evaluate the therapy. 11 and 13 out of 35 subjects in the combined treatment group had improvement > 75% and between 50% and 75%, respectively. The corresponding number was 2 and 22 of 35 subjects in the acupuncture group. There was significant difference in the clinical efficacy between the treatment group and control group (P = 0.036). The scores of JOA and MPQ detected in the patients of the two groups (P < 0.05) also showed statistically significant differences. Moreover, no serious adverse events occurred in the patients, who received cupping therapy or acupuncture. The combined or alone therapies can effectively improve the treatment efficacy in the patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, while the combined therapies show more comparative effectiveness. Furthermore, the combined therapies are potentially safe and cost-effective and also benefit the improvement of short-term pain. Therefore, the combined therapies of the two ancient TCM deserve further clinical applications.

The objectives of this study were to learn about the characteristics and rules of the occurrence of adverse reactions caused by lactam antibiotics and provide a reference for clinical drug use. Methods: A retrospective study was made to analyse the 113 case reports of adverse reactions caused by β-lactam antibiotics collected in our hospital between 2007 and 2009. Results: 113 cases of ADR involved 17 kinds of β-lactam antibiotics, headed by ceftriaxone sodium. The most common manifestation was skin and accessory damage; nervous system and gastrointestinal system damage were also easier to find, and the administration route was mainly intravenous infusion. Conclusion: The clinical application of β-lactam antibiotics should pay attention to adverse reaction monitoring and rational drug use to reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.