OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy difference between triple acupuncture method at cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) and conventional acupuncture for cervicogenic headache.

METHODSA total of 66 patients were randomly divided into a triple acupuncture group and a conventional acupuncture group, 33 cases in each one. The acupoints selected in the two groups were identical, including C1 to C7 of cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) as well as Baihui (GV 20), Qiangjian (GV 18), Naokong (GB 19), Fengchi (GB 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Tianzhu (BL 10), etc. The conven- tional acupuncture was performed at acupoints on the head in the two groups; triple acupuncture was performed at cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) in the triple acupuncture group while perpendicular acupuncture was performed with a depth of 25 to 40 mm in the conventional acupuncture group. The treatment was given once a day. Five treatments were considered as one session and totally two sessions were required. The changes of simplified McGill scale before and after acupuncture were observed in the two groups, and the efficacy of the two groups was compared.

RESULTSAfter acupuncture, the simplified McGill scale was both reduced in the two groups (both P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference between the two groups after treatment (all P > 0.05). The cured and markedly effective rate was 75.8% (25/33) and the total effective rate was 93.9% (31/33) in the triple acupuncture group, which were superior to 57.6% (19/33, P < 0.01) and 84.8% (28/33, P < 0.05) in the conventional acupuncture group respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy of triple acupuncture method at cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) is superior to that of conventional acupuncture for cervicogenic headache.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Post-Traumatic Headache ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo detect plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in acute Kawasaki disease (KD) and analyze the relationship between NT-proBNP and other bio-markers in order to evaluate if NT-proBNP could be as a useful diagnostic marker to predict the risk of coronary arterial lesions in acute KD.

METHODTotally 106 patients with KD were recruited from January 2012 to April 2014 at Department of Pediatrics of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology,64 were boys and 42 were girls, their age ranged from 2 months to 8 years and 4 months. Of the 106 cases, 48 had typical KD(TKD) and 58 incomplete KD(IKD). They were divided into two groups according to echocardiography results: coronary arterial lesions (KD-CAL, n = 33) and non coronary arterial lesions (KD-nCAL, n = 73). Forty children whose age and gender matched with respiratory tract infection were selected as control group, 22 were boys and 18 were girls, age range from 7 months to 7 years and 11 months. Plasma NT-proBNP levels were measured by using the enzyme-linked fluorescence analysis (ELFA) at the day of admission, meanwhile blood routine tests, liver function tests, determination of C-reactive protein (CEP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), electrolytes were performed in these patients. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association. The ROC curve analysis was done to identify the threshold of coronary 'arterial lesions.

RESULTThe levels of NT-proBNP were (1 037 271) ng/L in TKD group and (1,325 ± 264) ng/L in IKD group. The levels of NT-proBNP in control group was (125 ± 22) ng/L. Both the levels of NT-proBNP in TKD and IKD group were significantly higher than that of control group (t = 3.360, 3.590; P < 0.05). The level of NT-proBNP in KD-CAL group was (2,775 ± 842) ng/L and that of KD-nCAL group was (830 ± 145) ng/L, NT-proBNP levels of KD-nCAL group was significantly higher than that of control group (t = 3.660, P = 0.007) ; moreover the level of NT-proBNP of KD-CAL group was also significantly higher than that of KD-nCAL group ( t = 3.860, P = 0.005). The levels of total white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, platelet count, CRP and ESR of KD-CAL group were significantly higher than those of the control group, however there was no significant difference between KD-CAL group and KD-nCAL group. The levels of albumin and Na of KD-nCAL group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Plasma NT-proBNP level in KD group was positively correlated with white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, and CRP (r = 0.239, P = 0.025; r = 0.359, P = 0.001; r = 0.474, P = 0.001), there was a negative correlation between albumin and Na (r = -0.303, P = 0.015; r = -0.338, P = 0.002). When the level of NT-proBNP was higher than 950 ng/L, the sensitivity for diagnosis of coronary arterial lesions in the KD was 88.1% and the specificity was 89.0%.

CONCLUSIONThe plasma NT-proBNP can be used as a useful parameter in early diagnosis of KD. Plasma NT-proBNP could be used to predict the risk of coronary arterial lesions in KD.

Biomarkers ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Purpose:To evaluate the feasibility of irradiat ion to the metastatic retroperitoneal lymph nodes using three-dimensional confo rmal radiotherapy (3-DCRT) and to assess the irradiation side effects. Methods:From Jun. 1997 to Sep. 2000, 52 patients of metastatic retroperitoneal lymph nodes were treated with 3-DCRT.These patients had receive d radical therapy for their primary tumors. 50 of them had been proved by pathol ogical examination. Radiotherapy was designed by Elekta company’s 3-D treatmen t plan. Dose volume histography (DVH) was used to verify and optimize the radiat ion plan. Using 5～6 conformal portals,the total irradiation dose was 40 Gy an d delivered at 4～5Gy per fraction every other day,to a total of 8～10 fractions in 16～20 days. The immediate responses and side effects were evaluated accordi ng to the WHO and RTOG criterion system. Results:According to Karnofsky criterion system the median scor e was raised 21.3. Three months after irradiation, the complete ,partial and tot al response rates were 38.6%(27/70), 54.3%(38/70)and 92.9%(65/70),respect ively. The early response was related to the target volume and pathological clas sification. The smaller the target volume, the better the response(? 2 = 1 5.211,P=0.004).The anaplastic carcinoma cases had better results than the squamous carcinomas and adenocarcinomas(? 2 =13.455,P=0.009).The 1- ,2- and 3- year survival rates were 59.6%(31/52)、23.1%(12/52)and 9.6%(5/ 52),respectively. Conclusions:Three dimensional conformal radiotherapy can be con sidered as an effective and feasible approach for the treatment of metastatic r etroperitoneal lymph nodes,and no serious complications were observed.

Objective: To study the preparation and quality control methods of Yuanhu Zhitong HBS Tablet. Methods: the suitable excipients and formulation process of Yuanhu Zhitong HBS Tablet is sieved by means of testing quantity of tetrahydropalmatine through TLC UV. Results: the beginning floating time of HBS Tablet is 3min; relative dissolution of main component tetrahydropalmatine is 32% within 3hr, 86% within 9 hr. Conclusions: the study is found to be effective in the process of Yuanhu Zhitong HBS Tablet.

Objective: To study the scutellaria and coptis in different proportions, the main active ingredient of baicalin, berberine dissolution rate changes and to explore the effect of traditional drug pair of scutellaria and coptis on the dissolution rate of active ingredient. Methods: Based on the clinic common used prescriptions of scutellaria with coptis, ratio of 1:0,1:1,1:2,1:3,2:1,2:3,3:1,3:2,0:1 was selected, after the water boiling reflux extraction, refining separation, various products were obtained for the test, under the optimized conditions of RP-HPLC analysis to compare chromatographic fingerprints and to examine the main component baicalin, berberine in aspects of relative peak area ratio of changes and compatibility relations. Results: Compatibility of Scutellaria baicalensis and Coptis at different proportions can influence the dissolution rate of baicalin, Berberine Hydrochloride. There was a non-linear relationship of dissolution rate of baicalin and Scutellaria baicalensis. The best ratio of scutellaria ratio was 3:1, the best compatibility ratio of coptis was 1:3. Conclusion: Different compatibility proportions of scutellaria and coptis will result in different dissolution rate of baicalin and berberine.

The systematic approaches of metabonomics are similar to the essential attribution in concept of the wholism for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theories. The metabonomics had been progressively utilized to study the TCM theories, such as "ZHENG" (synelromes), or the systematic mechanism of Chinese materia medica (CMM) and its formulae by animal models, and toxicology in recent years. These studies almost focused on the responeses of endogenous metabonome to biological stimuli or genetic manipulation (pharmacodynamics and toxicology) by TCM theory of "ZHENG", while less involved the precess of formulae itself and its dynamic changes (pharmacokinetics) by TCM theory of "FANG". The "treatment by differentiating syndrome" and "Correspondence of FANG-ZHANG" is the quintessence of TCM theories. Consequently, in this idea, the application of PK-PD methods based on metabonomics and "FANG-ZHENG correspondence" to investigating the compatibility of the formulae in TCM theory is discussed in this paper.

OBJECTIVE:To explore the spasmolytic effect of baked Radix Vladimiriae on in vitro intestinal muscle in rabbits. METHODS:Magnus in vitro intestinal muscle accumulative dose method was adopted to observe the dose-effect relationship of petroleum ether parts of baked Radix Vladimiriae with in vitro intestinal muscle of rabbits and its impact on the spasm of rabbit intestinal muscle induced by acetylcholine, histamine phosphate and Bacl2. RESULTS:There was a certain dose-effect relationship between petroleum ether parts of baked Radix Vladimiriae and spasmolytic mechanism of rabbit in vitro intestine. It showed the effect of acetylcholine, histamine phosphate and Bacl2. CONCLUSION:The inhibition effect of petroleum ether parts of baked Radix Vladimiriae on normal in vitro intestinal muscle increase as long as dose increase. The inhibition mechanism may be associated with acetylcholine competing with histamine to block M receptor and H1 receptor as well as to inhibit excitability of intestinal muscle.

Objective To investigate association of the DTNBP1 gene polymorphisms with paranoid schizophrenia in Chinese Han populations by a two-stage study.Methods In the discovery stage, 11 SNPs in DTNBP1 were tested in 532 patients with paranoid schizophrenia and 488 controls by Sanger sequencing.In the validation sample (1 111 cases and 1 435 controls), Taqman genotyping method was used to genotype SNP rs4715986.Results In the discovery stage, SNP rs4715986 showed disease association (χ2=11.02, P<0.01) with paranoid schizophrenia for analysis of 532 patients and 488 controls;such an association survived a correction with 10 000 permutations (corrected P<0.05).In the validation sample (1 111 cases and 1 435 controls), we confirmed the genotypic association (χ2=9.292, P=0.01) of rs4715986 with paranoid schizophrenia.Conclusions The present results suggest that the DTNBP1 gene may be mainly involved in the development of paranoid schizophrenia in the Chinese Han population.

AIM: To transfer 4 full-length WT1 isoforms cDNA into the leukemia cell line NB_4 so as to provide a cell model for studying the WT-1 gene function. METHODS: The eukaryotic expression recombinant vectors for WT1 isoforms (pCB6+/WT1) were introduced into the leukemia cell line NB_4 by electroporation. The positive cell clones were screened by G418 culture. The integration of WT1 gene isoforms in NB_4 cells as confirmed by PCR. The mRNA and protein of WT1 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: WT1 gene isoforms were successfully transferred into NB_4 cells. WT1 mRNA and protein expression in the G418-selected cells increased remarkably compared with the control. CONCLUSION: WT1 gene isoforms were effectively transferred into NB_4 cells by electroporation and stably expressed in the transfected cells.

Objective:To obtain recombinant Profilin of silkworm,identify its immunogenicity,predict its B cell epitopes and construct the evolutionary trees. Methods: The nucleotide sequence of Profilin was acquired from NCBI,synthesized it and cloned it into pET-28 vector. Then,the recombinant plasimids were transformed to E. coli BL21. After induced by IPTG,recombinant protein was purified by Affinity chromatography. Furtherly,its allergenicity was identified by Western blot,the potential B cell epitopes was analyzed through DNAStar and build the evolutionary trees by MEGA5. 05. Results: The recombinant protein of Profilin was successfully expressed and purified by affinity chromatography. Besides,the protein contains a high IgE-binding activity with IgE existing in serum of patients allergic to silkworm. Conclusion: The recombinant proflilin has IgE-binding activity, and it is meaningful for fundamental research and specific diagnosis studies of allergic diseases caused by silkworm.