An accurate location of acupoint is one of the key factors for improving clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion. From the theoretical basis, operation method, principle discussion and clinical application, the clinical practicability of the two-step location method of acupoint in Internal Canon of Medicine is discussed. This two-step location method is in accord with the original connotation of acupoint, and focuses on the function state of acupoint. As is suggested in clinical researches, the acupoint location that is acquired by using the two-step location method, as a treated area, could obviously improve the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion. Therefore, the two-step location method of acupoint in Internal Canon of Medicine should be considered as guideline of clinical acupoint location.
Acupuncture ; history ; Acupuncture Points ; China ; History, Medieval ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Meridians ; Reference Books, Medical

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of the early slope value of enhancement in differentiating benign from malignant musculoskeletal masses.Methods Dynamic contrast-enhanced gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state imaging(GRASS) was performed to evaluate 36 musculoskeletal masses(18 malignant,18 benign).The difference of the early slope value of enhancement was analysed and compared between benign lesions and malignant ones.Using ROC curve plotting obtained the best decisive threshold.Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to determine the relation between slope and microvessel density of tumor tissues.Results The average early slope value of enhancement was (4.33?2.70)% per second (range 0.97%～10.50% per second)for malignant lesions,and was (1.46?0.97)% per second(range 0.37%～3.86% per second)for benign ones.There was an apparent statistical significance between benign and malignant tumors(?

This article was aimed to study the quality control of pineapple leaf in order to further develop the appli-cations of pineapple leave as medicinal resources. The tissue structure of pineapple leaf was observed by tissue biop-sy assay. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was employed on the qualitative identification of ananasate in the leave. The p-coumaric acid and ananasate were detected with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay in the content determination. The results showed that pineapple leaf can be divided into the upper and lower leaf epidermis with stoma under microscope observation. Ananasate of the leave can be indentified clearly by TLC. HPLC method can accurately detect the content of p-coumaric acid and ananasate of pineapple leave. There are different contents of p-coumaric acid and ananasate of pineapple leave in different origins. In Y unnan province, the contents of p-coumaric acid and ananasate of pineapple leave are the highest; while the contents of p-coumaric acid and ananasate in Guangxi province are the lowest. It was concluded that ananasate can be used in the quality identification. The p-coumaric acid and ananasate can be used in the quantitative determination in the better control of the quality of pineapple leaf.

Objective To translate and revise the Individualized Care Scale-Patient Version(ICS-P) into Chinese,then to assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Individualized Care Scale-Patient Version (C-ICS-P).Methods Standard forward-back translation techniques were used in the translation of the ICS-P according to the Brislin translation model.Cross-cultural revision of the translated ICS-P was carried out through group discussion and pretesting.Totally 223 patients were recruited through convenience sampling method from a tertiary hospital in Changsha and investigated using general information questionnaire and the C-ICS-P,and its reliability and validity were assessed.Results The C-ICS-P contained two subscales,and both C-ICS-P-A and C-ICS-P-B contained 3 factors explaining 61.330％ and 65.263％ of the total variance.The dimensions of C-ICS-P-A were clinical characteristics (6 items),personal life characteristics (4 items) and participation willingness (5 items);the dimensions of C-ICS-P-B were clinical care (6 items),personal life care (4 items) and decisional control over care (5 items).The Cronbach's α coefficients of C-ICS-P-A and its dimensions were 0.897,and 0.730～0.774;the Cronbach's α coefficients of C-ICS-P-B and its dimensions were 0.909,and 0.688～0.754.Split-half reliability was 0.856 for C-ICS-P-A and 0.688～0.754 for its dimensions;split-half reliability was 0.889 for C-ICS-P-B and 0.750～0.758 for its dimensions.Analysis of content validity of the C-ICS-P indicated that I-CVI was at least 0.83,S-CVI was 0.943.Conclusion The reliability and validity of C-ICS-P are satisfactory and well meet the requirements of psychological measurement,indicating C-ICS-P is a reliable and valid instrument in the context of Chinese culture.

Background and purpose:Differentiation of tumor tissue is an important factor on determining the prognosis of gastric cancer. This study aimed to investigate the expression levels and clinical signiifcance of gender determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) gene and octamer binding factor 4 (OCT4) gene in gastric cancer tissues varying different differentiation degrees. Methods: Sixty cases with gastric cancer were recruited in this study. The gastric cancer tissues and corresponding normal mucosa of the 60 cases were obtained. The mRNA and protein level of SOX2, OCT4 gene are evaluated by the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The relationship between the expression levels of SOX2, OCT4 gene and clinical pathological parameters were also analyzed in this study. Results:The expression of SOX2 in both mRNA and protein levels had no signiifcant difference between the well-differentiated gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric mucosa (mRNA levels:t=0.1033, P>0.05;protein levels:t=0.116, P>0.05). However, both the mRNA and protein expression of SOX2 in patients with well-differentiated gastric cancer tissues were signiifcant higher than not only in patients with moderately differentiated gastric carcinoma (mRNA levels: t=12.48, P<0.05; protein levels: t=22.78, P<0.05) but also in patients with than poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma (mRNA levels:t=17.56, P<0.05;protein levels:t=30.00, P<0.05). In contrast to SOX2, both the mRNA and protein expression of OCT4 in patients with well-differentiated gastric cancer tissues were signiifcant lower than not only in patients with moderately differentiated gastric carcinoma (mRNA levels:t=13.23, P<0.05; protein levels: t=25.56, P<0.05) but also in patients with poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma (mRNA levels: t=12.10, P<0.05; protein levels: t=69.48, P<0.05). There was no significance of OCT4 mRNA and protein expression between the well-differentiated gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric mucosa (mRNA levels:t=2.436, P>0.05;protein levels:t=1.064, P>0.05). Immunohistochemical study demonstrated that the positive rate of SOX2 in patients with well-differentiated gastric cancer tissues (10/21) were higher than in patients with not only moderately differentiated gastric carcinoma (7/20) but also poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma (2/19, P<0.05), while the positive rate of OCT4 in cases with well-differentiated gastric cancer tissues (2/21) were lower than in cases with not only moderately differentiated gastric carcinoma (6/20) but also the poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma (12/19, P<0.05). There was no correlation between the expression of SOX2, OCT4 in gastric cancer and gender or age (P>0.05). Nevertheless, the expression of SOX2, OCT4 were positive or negative correlated with the pathological staging, the degree of inifltration and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). Conclusion:Decreased SOX2 expression and increased expression level of OCT4 can promote the formation, development and invasion of gastric cancer and they may become biomarkers or the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis evaluation in gastric carcinoma.

Objective To investigate the roles of microRNA-382 (miR-382) in the pathogenesis of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF).Methods Human kidney epithelial cells (HK2)transfected with miR-382 inhibitor (antagomiR-382) were used to examine the effect of miR-382 abundance on cell polarity,as well as to test the complementary relationship between miR-382 and its predicted target gene heat shock protein 60 (HSPD1),which was further verified by 3'-untranslated region luciferase assay and site-directed mutagenesis.The role of miR-382 played in the development of renal interstitial fibrosis and redox regulation was examined in a mouse unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model.Locked nucleic acid (LAN)-modified anti-miR-382 was intravenous delivered via tail vein 30 min prior to UUO,and repeated the dosage 24 h after the surgery.For clinical verification,renal biopsy specimens from 12 IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients were collected,6 patients with moderate to severe TIF and 6 patients without TIF.The relative abundance of miR-382 and HSPD1 protein was analyzed by using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.Results HSPD1 was confirmed to be a new,direct target gene of miR-382 by in vitro 3'-untranslated region luciferase assay and sitedirected mutagenesis.The development of epithelial transition in HK2 cells was accompanied with upregulation of miR-382 [(6.54±0.96) vs (1.12±0.26),P ＜ 0.05].Blocking the expression of miR-382 could reversed the progression of epithelial transition partially.In UUO mice the abundance of miR-382 was up-regulated [(6.89 ± 2.47) vs (1.00±0.42),P ＜ 0.01] while HSPD1 and Trx were downregulated compared with the sham group.Down-regulation of miR-382 was associated with significant decrease in TIF,but increase in HSPD1 and thioredoxin protein compared with UUO group [HSPD1:(0.34±0.10) vs (0.14±0.05);Trx:(0.79±0.18) vs (0.36±0.16);all P ＜ 0.05].The expression of miR-382 was up-regulated and HSPD1 was significantly down-regulated in IgAN patients with TIF.Conclusions miR-382 play an important role in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in human and mice.HSPD1 is one of the target genes of miR-382.The down-regulation of HSPD1 and the decrease ability of anti-oxidative stress may be the important mechanism of miR-382 involved in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of BVT. 2733 on insulin resistance, by using diet-induced obese (DIO) mice model. Methods After having been balanced for 3 days, the C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal diet group and a high-fat diet (HFD) group. After 20 weeks, the obese mice were further randomly divided into an obese control group, a BVT. 2733 group and a pioglltazone (PGZ) group and they were orally administered with placebo, BVT. 2733 and PGZ separately for two weeks.Adiponectin and leptin mRNA expression levels from adipose tissue were analyzed with real-time quantitative PCR. The levels of plasma glucose, serum insulin and adiponectin were measured with biochemical technology, radioimmunoassay and ELISA. Adipocyte sizes were observed with immunohistocbemistry.Results The body weight, plasma glucose and serum insulin levels raised(P<0.05)in the HFD group and the adipocyte sizes were bigger. Serum insulin levels significantly reduced (P<0.05) and adipocyte sizes reduced, while plasma adiponectin level raised (P<0.01)in the two treatment groups as compared with those in obese controls. Both the mRNA expressions of adiponectin and leptin upregulated(P<0.05)in the PGZ group, but their expressions in the BVT. 2733 group did not alter significantly. The body weight of the mice reduced significantly in the BVT. 2733 group. Conclusion BVT. 2733 can reduce body weight significantly and improve insulin resistance, but cannot influence the expression of adipocytokines.

Objective To investigate the osteogenie and adipogenic difference of bone marrowdeftved mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)between patients with aplastic anemia(AA)and healthy volunteers and to explore the role of MSCs adipo-differentiation in the pathogenetic mechanism of AA.Methods MSCs were isolated from bone marrow of patients with AA and healthy donors and expanded in vitro.MSCs derived from the AA patients and healthy volunteers were compared with respect to morphology,in vitro proliteration capacity,phenotype,differentiation ability and gene expression during differentiation.Results The MSCs clones in the AA patients were(19.30±4.77)/(5×105 MNCs)7 days after culture,being significantly lower than those in the healthy volunteers,which was(47.72±3.46)/(5×105 MSCs)(P＜0.05).Compared with those the healthy donors,MSCs from the AA patients had similar proliferative capacity in the first 8 passages and then decreased in the following passages.MSCs from different sources had the same Dhenotype.MSCs from the AA patients could differentiate more easily into adipocytes but less easily and slower into osteoblasts than those from the healthy volunteers.Conclusion The increased adipogenic capacity and decreased osteogenic capacity of MSCs in AA patients may contribute to the development and progress of AA.

Objective To evaluate the effect of combination therapy of tolterodine and tamsulosin in improving symptoms in patients with indwelling double-J ureteral stents.Methods A total of 96 patients underwent placement of a double-J ureteral stent after retrograde ureteroscopy for urinary stone disease,which were prospectively randomized ( random numbers table) into two groups.The tamsulosin group ( n =48) was administered tamsulosin 0.2 mg once daily,the combination group (n =48) was administcred tamsulosin 0.2 mg once daily and tolterodine 2 mg twice daily.All the patients completed a validated Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ),the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS),the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) one day before he placement and 4 weeks after stent placement of stent.Results The mean urinary symptom index score (25.4 ± 4.0 vs 15.3 ± 2.9,P ＜ 0.0001 ),the mean pain index score (15.0 ±2.6 vs10.3 ±2.1,P ＜0.0001),the mean general health index score (15.4 ±2.2 vs 11.0±1.5,P＜0.0001),the work performance index score (13.0±2.2vs9.7±1.9,P＜0.0001),the sex index score (3.6 ± 1.1 vs 2.2 ± 0.9,P ＜0.0001 ) improved significantly in combination group than those in tamsulosin group.There was a statistically significant difference between tamsulosin group and combination group in the IPSS score ( 12.8 ± 2.0 vs 9.2 ± 1.7,P ＜ 0.0001 ) and OABSS score ( 6.7 ± 1.4 vs 4.2 ± 1.4,P ＜ 0.0001 ) at the 4 weekfollow-up.Conclusions Indwelling ureteral stents have a significant impact on health related quality of life.It is effective for improving symptoms in patients with indwelling double-J ureteral stents by combination therapy with tolterodine and tamsulosin.

BACKGROUND:Symptomatic treatment is the main management strategy for patients with knee osteoarthritis at early metaphase. Some previous studies have demonstrated that neuromuscular electrical stimulation can al eviate pain in knee osteoarthritis patients. To date, this effectiveness, however, stil remains controversial.
OBJECTIVE:To assess the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
METHODRandomized control ed trials concerning the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis were identified from the Medline database conducted up to July 3, 2014. These studies were selected independently by two reviewers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman5.2 software.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 5 randomized control ed trials consisting of 239 participants were included. The results of the meta-analysis indicate neuromuscular electrical stimulation has no significant impact on measure of pain in knee osteoarthritis patients in comparison to the blank control group [mean difference=-0.40, 95%confidence interval (-1.34-0.54), P=0.40]. Owing to the sample limitations of our study, it is hard for us to draw a conclusion that the application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in managing pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis is of little significance. Further work based on large-sample and high-quality randomized control ed trials is needed to determine the role of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in pain in this population.