Objective To identify mutations in the OSMR gene in a pedigree with familial primary cutaneous amyloidosis (FPCA).Methods Clinical data were collected from a pedigree with FPCA.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the proband,his 19 relatives,and 50 unrelated healthy human controls.Genomic DNA was extracted from these blood samples,and subjected to PCR for the amplification of 18 encoding exons and their flanking sequences of the OSMR gene followed by DNA sequencing.Results A heterozygous missense mutation c.2081C ＞ T,which leads to the substitution of proline by threonine at position 694,was detected in the OSMR gene of the proband and his affected relatives,but not in unaffected relatives or healthy controls.Conclusion The heterozygous mutation p.P694L in the OSMR gene may cause the clinical phenotype of FPCA in this family.

From the time of Neijing (Internal Classic) and Nanjing (Classic of Medical Problems) till the end of Qing dynasty, the medical scholars of each dynasty had taken the recognition of deqi as the subject in the stud- ies. Through the historical analysis, the content of regulating deqi was further understood in relevant ancient liter- ature. By checking the ancient works of acupuncture in each dynasty till the end of Qing dynasty, in reference to the evidences in over 10 works, such as Zhenjiu Dacheng (Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) , Zhenjing Zhinan (Instruction of Acupuncture Canon), Zhenjiu Daquan, and in association with the academic views of acupuncture masters in modern time, it was discovered that the medical scholars after the time of Neijing and Nanjing had enriched the understandings of deqi, such as the connection of cold and heat reaction, radiation to the affected site, reinforcing and reducing purpose in qi regulation. The methods of deqi regulations had, been explored till the end of Qing dynasty since the time of Neijing and Nanjing and the understandings of it were vari- ous among scholars.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; Books ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Qi ; history ; Sensation

Objective To explore the feasibility of using short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SLSEP) to quantitate Deqi.Methods A randomized crossover controlled trial was carried out. Healthy subjects were enrolled and allocated to treatment (thick needle, deep insertion and manipulation for Deqi) and control (thin needle, shallow insertion and no manipulation without Deqi) groups. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded before, during and after acupuncture. Deqi was assessed using the score scale in the subjets. The effects of Deqi and no Deqi at point Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on the potentials were observed.Results The preliminary exploration of the feasibility by the trial test showed that the effect of Deqi on short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials had certain regularity. It was worthy to be observed.Conclusion The plan is feasible. The formal test can be conducted.

ObjectiveTo explore the relation between the uterine position and acupoint effect by analyzing the data of a clinical trial of electroacupuncture in treating primary dysmenorrhea.MethodThe uterine position was detected by ultrasonic examination;Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the pain degree before and after intervention; Retrospective Symptom Scale (RSS) was adopted to determine the improvement of symptoms.ResultThere were no significant differences in comparing the VAS score, real-time effect and post-treatment effect, and effective rate among different uterine positions (P>0.05). Electroacupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) can produce a real-time effect in releasing abdominal pain and relevant symptoms of dysmenorrhea in patients with anteversion of uterus, a less significant effect was shown in patients with retroposition of uterus, while no effect was shown in patients with uterus at middle position.ConclusionElectroacupuncture at Sanyinjiao possibly has a specific effect in releasing abdominal pain and relevant symptoms of dysmenorrhea at anteversion of uterus, and the uterine position may be related to the corresponding meridians and Zang-fu organs. The current statistical result indicates that there is no relation between the uterine position and the effect of Sanyinjiao, but this conclusion still needs proving by prospective randomized controlled clinicaltrials.

Objective By using infrared thermal imager (Flir-SC620), to observe the effect of needling Sanyinjiao (SP6) on the skin temperature at Guanyuan (CV4) and Sanyinjiao in patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) of cold and dampness stagnation pattern, and to explore the probability of using infrared thermal imaging for diagnosis and as an objective index for evaluating the action and needling qi of acupuncture. Method Thirty-six subjects were recruited and divided into four group, a health control group (group A), a control group of PD of cold and dampness stagnation pattern (group B), a needling-qi-expected group (group C) and a needling-qi-unexpected group (group D). Group A and B were not given acupuncture treatment, while group C and D were treated with acupuncture at bilateral Sanyinjiao with needles retained for 30 min, and the needling sensations were recorded. The infrared thermal imager was used to detect the skin temperature at Guanyuan and bilateral Sanyinjiao for 40 min for each group, and the temperature was recorded every 10 min. The temperature during different periods of time, 0-10 min, 20-20 min, 20-30 min, 30-40 min, 0-30 min, and 0-40 min were then calculated. In group C, those obtained the needling qi sensation were further grouped into C-1 and those didn’t obtain the sensation were into C-2; in group D, those obtained needling qi sensation were further grouped into D-1 and those didn’t obtain the sensation were into D-2. SPSS 17.0 was adopted for data processing, and the data were analyzed by using MANOVA of repeated measuring. Result Compared to group A (6 cases), the temperature at Guanyuan in group B (6 cases) was significantly decreased during 0-30 min and 0-40 min (P<0.05), the temperature at the left Sanyinjiao during 0-40 min in group B was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the temperatures at bilateral Sanyinjiao during 30-40 min in group B significantly dropped (P<0.05). Compared to group B, the temperatures at Guanyuan during 0-30 min and 0-40 min in group C1 (12 cases) and group D1 (11 cases) were significantly increased (P<0.05), the temperature at left Sanyinjiao during 0-40 min in group D1 was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the temperatures at bilateral Sanyinjiao during 30-40 min in group D1 were significantly increased (P<0.05). There was no case in group C2 and only 1 case in group D2, hence, the data were not enough for analysis. Conclusion Decrease of the infrared temperature at Guanyuan and Sanyinjiao can be taken as one of the diagnostic criteria for dysmenorrhea of cold stagnation pattern. Increase of the infrared temperature at Guanyuan can be regarded as one of the objective evidences for the along-meridian transmission characteristic in needling Sanyinjiao.

Acupuncture-moxibustion theory believes that needling sensation is a crucial factor in influencing acupuncture efficacy. Judgment of occurrence of needling qi (qualitative measurement) and the intensity of needling qi (quantitative measurement) is the key section in studying the relationship between needling qi and efficacy. According to the relevant literatures, the judgment of the occurrence of needling qi mostly depended on the needling sensations, while a small amount of researches mentioned self-determined threshold or range of needling qi; the quantity of needling qi was measured by factor analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale (MASS) based on exponential smoothing method, weighted average, addition of needling sensation score, etc. This article holds that the needling qi should be divided into two parts: overall needling qi and needling sensation components, the former referring to the occurrence and intensity of needling qi, and the latter for judging the different sensations and intensity. Currently, the studies on needling qi and efficacy should begin with single treatment at single point and multiple treatments at multiple points, to generally estimate the quality and quantity of needling qi, for seeking a qualitative and quantitative measurement in accordance with both acupuncture-moxibustion theory and clinical practice.

The fungus Trichophyton schoenleinii (T. schoenleinii) is the causative agent of Trichophytosis and Tinea favosa of the scalp in certain regions of Eurasia and Africa. Human innate immune system plays an important role in combating with various pathogens including fungi. The inflammasome is one of the most critical arms of host innate immunity, which is a protein complex controlling maturation of IL-1β. To clarify whether T. schoenleinii is able to activate the inflammasome, we analyzed human monocytic cell line THP-1 for IL-1β production upon infection with T. schoenleinii strain isolated from Tinea favosa patients, and rapid IL-1β secretion from THP-1 cells was observed. Moreover, applying competitive inhibitors and gene specific silencing with shRNA, we found that T. schoenleinii induced IL-1β secretion, ASC pyroptosome formation as well as caspase-1 activation were all dependent on NLRP3. Cathepsin B activity, ROS production and K⁺ efflux were required for the inflammasome activation by T. schoenleinii. Our data thus reveal that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays an important role in host defense against T. schoenleinii, and suggest that manipulating NLRP3 signaling can be a novel approach for control of diseases caused by T. schoenleinii infection.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Carrier Proteins ; metabolism ; Caspase 1 ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Enzyme Activation ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Inflammasomes ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; biosynthesis ; metabolism ; Lysosomes ; metabolism ; Mice ; Monocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; microbiology ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; Potassium ; metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Trichophyton ; physiology

Qi arrival is the meridian qi response to acupuncture stimulation. Through analyzing the relevant concepts of qi arrival and summarizing the general understanding of it in clinic and on the basis of the collection of the relevant literature at home and abroad on the determination of qi arrival and its strength, the characteristics are analyzed on the present method and the method for the determination of qi arrival and its strength is discussed in terms of the results in the needling sensation scale. It is believed that the needling sensation and its strength can be used to determine whether the qi is arrived or not and its strength. The components of different types of needling sensation are much better applicable for the analysis on the characteristics and rules on the influence on qi arrival. This method is in compliance not only with the theoretic connotation of qi arrival, but also with the clinical general understanding, which lays the foundation for the analysis on the scale results.
Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Meridians ; Qi ; Sensation

Based on Yichang health big data platform, 850 608 patients from September 2018 to September 2019 were included in this study. According to the date of birth, the participants were divided into early childhood famine exposure group, fetal famine exposure group and non-famine exposure group. The incidence of adult herpes zoster (HZ) in Yichang city was analyzed, and the correlation between early life famine exposure and adult HZ was analyzed. In 2019, the crude incidence rate of adult HZ in Yichang was 6.83‰. The crude incidence rate of adult HZ in females (7.26‰) was higher than that in males (6.40‰). Compared with the non-famine exposure group, fetal famine exposure was associated with the incidence of adult HZ ( OR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.01-1.45, P=0.041). After stratification by sex, fetal famine exposure was only found to be associated with the onset of adult HZ in females ( OR=1.28, 95% CI:1.02-1.61, P=0.034).

Based on Yichang health big data platform, 850 608 patients from September 2018 to September 2019 were included in this study. According to the date of birth, the participants were divided into early childhood famine exposure group, fetal famine exposure group and non-famine exposure group. The incidence of adult herpes zoster (HZ) in Yichang city was analyzed, and the correlation between early life famine exposure and adult HZ was analyzed. In 2019, the crude incidence rate of adult HZ in Yichang was 6.83‰. The crude incidence rate of adult HZ in females (7.26‰) was higher than that in males (6.40‰). Compared with the non-famine exposure group, fetal famine exposure was associated with the incidence of adult HZ ( OR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.01-1.45, P=0.041). After stratification by sex, fetal famine exposure was only found to be associated with the onset of adult HZ in females ( OR=1.28, 95% CI:1.02-1.61, P=0.034).