Objective: To observe the effects of moxibustion pretreatment on the protein expressions of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), phosphorylation extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) and activated protein-1 (AP-1), the key factors of extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling transduction pathway in gastric tissue of rats with stress-induced gastric mucosal damage, and to discuss the mechanisms of moxibustion therapy in promoting the restoration of damaged gastric mucosa.
Methods: Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, and a moxibustion group using the random digits table, 10 in each group. Except the rats in the normal group, rats in the other two groups were used to make stress-induced gastric mucosal damage model using restraint and cold stress. Before modeling, rats in the moxibustion group were alternately treated with moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhongwan (CV 12), or Pishu (BL 20) and Weishu (BL 21), once a day, for a total of 8 d. Histological changes of gastric mucosa were observed under the light microscopy, the expression of gastric tissue p-ERK1/2 was detected by immunohistochemistry assay, and the protein levels of EGFR and AP-1 were measured by Western blots.
Results: Compared with rats in the normal group, gastric mucosal damage was more serious, and protein expressions of gastric tissue EGFR, p-ERK1/2 and AP-1 increased in the model group (P<0.01,P<0.05,P<0.05). Compared with rats in the model group, gastric mucosal damage was milder, and protein expressions of gastric tissue EGFR, p-ERK1/2 and AP-1 increased in the moxibustion group (allP<0.01).
Conclusion:Moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12), Pishu (BL 20) and Weishu (BL 21) couldincrease EGFR, p-ERK1/2 and AP-1 expression levels in gastric tissue of stress-induced gastric mucosal damage rats, maintain the information transfer function of ERK signaling transduction pathway, and promote restoration of gastric mucosal damage.

Objective:To observe the spleen-strengthening and mind-regulating acupuncture method on the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their parents.
Methods:A total of 76 CP children were randomly allocated into a treatment group (n=38) and a control group (n=38) according to their visit sequence. The CP children and their parents in both groups received the same psychological counselling. The CP children in the treatment group were intervened with spleen-strengthening and mind-regulating acupuncture method, versus routine acupuncture method in the control group. The parents of CP children in the treatment group were intervened with three mind-regulating points, versus placebo in the control group. The developmental quotients were evaluated using the Gesell scale before and after treatment. The anxieties of parents were assessed using the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) before and after treatment. The efficacies were evaluated using the comprehensive functional assessment of CP children.
Results:After 6 months of treatment, the Gesell scores of CP children and SAS scores of the parents were significantly improved in both groups, and there were intra-group and inter-group statistical differences (bothP<0.05). In addition, the scores of comprehensive functional assessment of CP children in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion:The spleen-strengthening and mind-regulating acupuncture method can effectively improve the comprehensive ability of CP children, alleviate the anxiety in parents of CP children, improve the quality of life of CP children and their parents, and play an active role in rehabilitative care of CP children.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling plus acupoint sticking therapy for primary dysmenorrhea.
Methods:A total of 60 eligible cases were randomly allocated into a treatment group (n=30) and a control group (n=30) according to their sequence of consultation. Patients in the treatment group were treated with warm needling combined with acupoint sticking therapy, whereas patients in the control group were treated with oral Ibuprofen (Fenbid) capsules. After two menstrual cycles, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score, COX menstrual symptom scale (CMSS) and clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups.
Results:After treatment, the VAS and CMSS scores were significantly reduced in both groups, indicating that both treatment protocols can remarkably alleviate pain. There was a between-group statistical difference in comparing the CMSS score (P<0.05), but no between-group statistical difference in the VAS score (P>0.05). However, the follow-up visit showed between-group statistical differences in comparing VOA and CMSS scores (bothP<0.01). The clinical effect, relapse rate and long-term efficacy in the treatment group were better than those in the control group.
Conclusion:Warm needling plus acupoint sticking therapy is a simple but effective therapy for primary dysmenorrhea. In addition, it causes fewer cases with relapse.

Objective:To observe the short-term efficacy of massaging quadriceps on knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
Methods:Totally 30 KOA patients were enrolled and treated mainly with massaging quadriceps, 20 min for each session, once a day, 2 weeks as a treatment course, and for 2 courses in total. After treatment, the changes of visual analogue scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) were observed.
Result:The VAS and WOMAC scores dropped after treatment, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.01). After a course of treatment, the recovery rate was 33.3% and the total effective rate was 86.7%; after 2 courses, the recovery rate was 60.0% and the total effect rate was 96.7%.
Conclusion:Massaging quadriceps can alleviate pain, improve the function of knee joint, and produce a significant short-term efficacy in treating KOA.

Objective:To observe the clinical effects of aligned needling therapy for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH).
Methods:A total of 80 cases with LIDH in conformity with the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a treatment group or a control group by their visit order, 40 cases in each group. The points from the Governor Vessel, L1-L5 Jiaji (EX-B 2) points, from the first lateral line of the Bladder Meridian, Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) were selected for acupuncture in the treatment group. Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25), Ashi (Extra) points and Weizhong (BL 40) were used for routine acupuncture in the control group. The clinical effects of the two groups after 2-course treatments and recurrence rates three months later were observed. The pain severity before and after treatments was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS). The improvement of the patient’s pathological situation was evaluated by the performance assessment of lumbar disease treatment from Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA).
Results:After the treatment for two courses, there was no dropped-out case in the two groups. The curative rates and total effective rates were respectively 32.5% and 92.5% in the treatment group versus respectively 12.5% and 82.5% in the control group. The differences in the curative rates and total effective rates between the two groups were statistically significant (bothP<0.01). After the treatment, VAS and JOA scores remarkably declined in the patients of the two groups, with statistical differences in comparison with those of the same group before treatment (bothP<0.05). In follow-up check of three months, the recurrence rate was 10.7% in the cured and remarkably effective cases in the treatment group and was 29.4% in the control group. The recurrence rates of the two groups were statistically different (P<0.05).
Conclusion:The aligned needling technique is remarkable in the clinical effects, obvious in the analgesic effects and low in the recurrence rate in the treatment of LIDH.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of point needle embedding in treating constipation after thoracolumbar vertebral fracture.
Methods:By random number table based on the admission sequence, 85 patients with constipation after thoracolumbar vertebral fracture were randomized into an observation group of 43 cases and a control group of 42 cases. The observation group was intervened by point needle embedding with intradermal needles, while the control group was by point application with Chinese medication. The clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups after intervention.
Results:After treatment, the initial defecation time and bowel movement condition were compared. Despite the residual feeling in the initial defecation, the initial defecation time and bowel movements of the observation group were significantly superior to those of the control group (P<0.05,P<0.01); the total effective rate was 90.7% in the observation group versus 73.8% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion:Point needle embedding can produce a better therapeutic efficacy than Chinese medicinal application in treating constipation after thoracolumbar vertebral fracture; besides, it’s easy-to-operate.

Objective:To discuss the clinical efficacy of Liu’s infantile tuina therapy in treating kid’s allergic rhinitis (AR).
Methods:Sixty eligible AR kids were randomized into a tuina group and a Western medication group by their visiting sequence, 30 cases in each group. The tuina group was intervened by Liu’s infantile tuina therapy, once daily, 5 times as a treatment course, with a 2-day interval after a course; the control group was by orally taking Loratadine. The therapeutic efficacies were compared and analyzed after treatment for 4 successive weeks.
Results:After treatment, the symptoms such as itchy nose, sneezing, runny nose, and stuffy nose were significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05), and the improvements in the tuina group were more remarkable than those in the Western medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% in the tuina group versus 73.3% in the Western medication group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion:Liu’s infantile tuina therapy can produce a better therapeutic efficacy in treating AR kids compared to oral administration of Loratadine.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacies between thin-cotton moxibustion plus surround needling and Western medication in treating herpes zoster (HZ).
Methods:Eighty-three HZ patients were divided into two groups according to their admission sequence, 41 cases in the thin-cotton moxibustion group and 42 cases in the Western medication group. The thin-cotton moxibustion group received thin-cotton moxibustion on the surface of lesions plus surround needling around the lesions, once a day. The Western medication group was intervened by Acyclovir intravenous injection, 0.25 g per dose, once a day, along with external application of Acyclovir cream 3-5 times a day. After 10-day treatment, the blister-healing time, crusting time, pain-reducing time, onset time of action, lesion-healed time, and occurrence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) were compared.
Results:During the study, a case dropped out in the thin-cotton moxibustion group, and 2 cases dropped out in the Western medication group. The recovery and markedly-effective rate was 92.5% and total effective rate was 97.5% in the thin-cotton moxibustion group, versus 72.5% and 87.5% in the Western medication group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The blister-healing time, crusting time, pain-reducing time, onset time of action and lesion-healed time in the thin-cotton moxibustion group were significantly shorter than those in the Western medication group (P<0.05). The occurrence rate of PHN was 2.07% in the thin-cotton moxibustion group, significantly lower than 9.19% in the Western medication group (P<0.01).
Conclusion:Thin-cotton moxibustion plus surround needling can produce a more significant efficacy than Acyclovir in treating HZ, and it can markedly reduce the occurrence of PHN.

Objective:To observe the effect of acupuncture on gastric motility, plasma motilin and serum gastrin in patients with diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) and evaluate its clinical efficacy.
Methods:A total of 100 eligible cases were randomly allocated into an acupuncture group (n=50) and a control group (n=50). Patients in the acupuncture group were treated by needling Zhongwan (CV 12), Zusanli (ST 36) and Neiguan (PC 6), whereas patients in the control group were treated with oral administration of Domperidone. The clinical efficacies of the two groups were compared; and changes in gastric motility, plasma motilin and serum gastrin in both groups were observed before and after treatment.
Results:After treatment, the symptom scores, gastric motility and contents of plasma motilin and serum gastrin were significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05). There were between-group statistically significant differences in symptom scores, gastric motility and levels of plasma motilin and serum gastrin after treatment (allP<0.05). The total effective rate was 96% in the treatment group, versus 78% in the control group, showing a statistically significant difference (P<0.05).
Conclusion:Acupuncture is effective for DGP and can reduce the levels of plasma motilin and serum gastrin.

Objective:To observe the clinical effects of acupoint thread-embedding method for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in pattern of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency.
Methods: A total of180 cases in conformity with the diagnostic criteria of NAFLD in pattern of liver qi stagnation and spleen deficiency were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 90 cases in each group, and finally 88 cases in the treatment group and 90 cases in the control group were recruited for statistics. The treatment group was managed by acupoint thread-embedding method, and the control group was treated by oral administration of Polyene Phosphatidylcholine capsules. Both groups were treated for 6 months. Before and after the treatment, liver enzymology, blood fat test, abdominal B ultrasonic examination, and assessment of clinical effects were respectively processed.
Results:After treatment, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) decreased in the treatment group, and were significantly different from those in the control group after treatment (allP<0.05). There was no statistically significant inter-group difference in the degree of fatty liver (by B ultrasound examination) before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the improvement degree of fatty liver in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rates were 89.8% in the treatment group and 76.7% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).
Conclusion:The acupoint thread-embedding method can reduce the levels of ALT, AST, TC and TG in NAFLD patients, and can improve the pathologic degree of fatty liver and its clinical effects are remarkably better than that of oral medications.