Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Neuromyelitis Optica ; therapy

A PubMed search is carried out using the keyword "acupuncture" from in the top four journals: New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), The Lancet, and British Medical Journal (BMJ). The papers with full texts on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture are included up till July 2009, and the corresponding trial design and trial quality in these papers are extracted and analyzed. The results reveal that papers published in these four journals are mostly on randomized controlled trials with good design, high quality and large sample size. Therefore, if Chinese researchers publish papers in these journals, appropriate trial design adhering to the characteristics of acupuncture should be used; the results should be reported according to CONSORT statement and STRICTA recommendations. Moreover, obtaining assistance from foreign research team is also important.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Periodicals as Topic ; PubMed ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Research Design

Objective To develop a multiplex PCR-based reverse line blot(mPCR/RLB) hybridization assay to detect,simultaneously,seven genes encoding AR-erm(A/TR),erm(B),mef(A/ E),tet(M),tet(O),aphA-3,aad-6 and two AR-related genes,int-Tn and mreA in group B streptococcus.Methods Nine pairs of specific primers and Oligonucleotide probes targeting erm(A/TR), erm(B),mef(A/E),tet(M),tet(O),aphA-3,aad-6 int-Tn and mreA respectively were modified according to former studies or designed in this study.The primers and probes were labeled with biotin and amino,respectively.The nine genes were amplified simultaneously in the same tube.PCR product hybridized with the probes labeled in the BiodyneC nylon membrane to detect the nine genes.To detect the sensitivity and specificity of the method developed,PCR with single pair of primer targeting each gene were tested in 318 isolates tested and the results were compared with the one abtained by RLB.Results The nine resistance-related genes could be successfully detected by mPCR/RLB assay developed in this study.Based on sequencing,21 of 22 isolates with mef had mef(E)and eight of 353 with int-Tn had an atypical sequence.Except for the above 29 genes,all the others corresponded well with the results obtained by single pair primer PCR.Conclusion The mPCR/RLB assay developed in this study is simple,rapid and suitable for surveillance of antibiotic resistance in GBS.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the methods to assess the function disorder of patients with mild psychiatric impairment due to road traffic accidents. METHODS: In contrast to that of the patient with physical impairment, the function disorder of the patient with mild psychiatric impairment was assessed by the standard assessment instruments, such as the Barthel index of ADL (BI), Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), Social Disability Screening Schedule (SDSS), Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL), Physical Self-maintenance Scale (PSMS), and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL). RESULTS: Except BI, the each total score of FAQ, SDSS, ADL, PSMS, and IADL correlated well with the rank of psychiatric impairment. The difference of each total score of rating scales among different physical impairment rank was not statistically significant. At the impairment rank of level 10, the difference of each total score of FAQ and ADL was not significant between the two groups; each total score of BI, SDSS, and IADL in psychiatric impairment was higher than that of physical impairment, while the total score of PSMS in psychiatric impairment was lower than that of physical impairment. At the level 9, except PSMS, the each total score of BI, FAQ, SDSS, IADL and ADL in psychiatric impairment was higher than that of physical impairment. At the level 8, except BI and PSMS, the each total score of FAQ, SDSS, IADL and ADL in psychiatric impairment was higher than that of physical impairment. CONCLUSION The different criteria for assessment of mild psychiatric and physical impairment may exist, and appropriate indexes for assessment between physical and psychiatric impairment need to be further elucidated.
Accidents, Traffic ; Activities of Daily Living ; Cognition Disorders/etiology* ; Disabled Persons/psychology* ; Humans ; Mental Disorders/etiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The clinical efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture (AA) for treatment of primary insomnia was evaluated. After a comprehensive retrieval in domestic and foreign databases, literatures were strictly screened and Revman 5.2 software was applied to perform a Meta-analysis on eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The evidence quality was assessed with GRADE profiler 3.6 software. As a result, 8 articles were included involving 894 patients. Compared among AA and sham AA, placebo AA, blank control, there was significant difference in Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) [WMD = -3.48, 95% CI (-3.96, -3.00)], sleep latency LWMD = -10.14, 95% CI (-17.16, -3.12)] and sleep awakening times [WMD = -9.98, 95% CI (-1.10,-0.48)]. Compared between AA and western medication, there was significant difference in PSQI [WMD = -3.62, 95% CI (-4.59, -2.65)]. The evidence quality was moderate in AA vs. sham AA, placebo AA or blank control, while that of the rest was extremely low. No reports of adverse events were described in all studies. In conclusion, for the treatment of primary insomnia, AA could effectively improve sleep quality, but due to the low evidence quality, cautious attitude should be taken on this conclusion, and clinical trials with large sample and high quality were needed in the further.
Acupuncture, Ear ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sleep ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect and action mechanism of petroleum ether extracts from Saussurea involucrate on brain tissues of hypoxia rats under constant pressure and closed conditions.

METHODThe PESI dosage-dependent experiment for hypoxia rats was conducted under constant pressure and closed conditions by intraperitoneally injecting 125, 250, 500 mg x kg(-1) to finalize that the optimum dosage is the high dose of PESI. Afterwards, 90 Wistar rats were randomly divided into the hypoxic model group, the acetazolamide 250 mg x kg(-1) group and the PESI high dose group. Each group was further divided into three subgroups according to different hypoxia times, with 10 rats in each subgroup. Under the same hypoxia and administration conditions, the rats were sacrificed after 0, 3, 6 h respectively. Their brain samples were collected for common pathological observation and immunohistochemical staining of HIF-1alpha. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect HIF-1alpha, EPO, HO-1 and Caspase-3 gene expressions. And the Western blot assay was adopted to detect HIF-1alpha protein expression.

RESULTThe brain tissues of the hypoxia model group were severely damaged with the increase in the hypoxia time. The acetazolamide group and the PESI high does group were damaged in a much lower degree. According to the gene expression and the Western blot assay, high dose of PESI could inhibit HIF-1alpha expression. According to the pure gene expression test, high dose of PESI could increase EPO and HO-1 mRNA expressions, but inhibit Caspase-3 mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONPESI's protective mechanism for brain tissues of hypoxia rats under constant pressure and closed conditions may be related to its effects in inhibiting HIF-1alpha expression, increasing EPO expression and resisting cell apoptosis.

Alkanes ; chemistry ; Animals ; Brain ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; Cell Hypoxia ; drug effects ; Cytoprotection ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythropoietin ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; genetics ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saussurea ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the diffuse myocardial fibrosis of the left ventricle (LV) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by cardiac MR (CMR) T1 mapping methods.Methods Totally 60 subjects (30 paroxysmal AF patients and 30 persistent AF patients) and 59 normal control underwent MR cardiac cine,late gadolinium enhancement,and LV T1 mapping.For T1 mapping,modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence was used.Compared with control,pre-contrast ventricular T1 times were quantified and extracellular volume (ECV) was calculated.Results All subjects completed the CMR exam,no myocardial delay enhanced lesion was found.Pre-contrast ventricular T1 time in healthy controls was lower than that in patients with persistent and paroxysmal AF,and the pre-comrast ventricular T1 time in persistent AF patients was higher than that of paroxysmal AF patients (all P＜0.05).The mean LV myocardial ECV had no statistical difference between healthy controls and paroxysmal AF patients (P＞ 0.05),while lower than persistent AF patients (P ＜ 0.05).The mean LV myocardial ECV in patients with persistent AF was larger than that in patients with paroxysmal AF (P＜0.05).LV functional indexes were positive correlated with pre-contrast ventricular T1 time and ECV in patients with AF (all P＜0.05).Conclusion There is LV myocardial fibrosis in patients with AF,and the degree in patients with persistent AF is more severe than that in patients with paroxysmal AF.

Objective To learn the comments on the practice of "Management Regulations of Medical Institutions(Regulations below)" by those related to such Regulations. And to identify problems found in the application. Methods A questionnaire was designed by means of literature review and expert brainstorming, to learn the awareness of the respondents on the Regulations, and their comments on regional planning of medical institutions, setup approval authority, classification of medical institutions, and regulators of these institutions. A total of 1 000 questionnaires were delivered to medical institutions, health administrative authorities and patients at large 854 valid questionnaires were recovered, with the data analyzed in descriptive statistics. Results 90.7% of the respondents supported the revision of the main contents of the Regulations. 54.3% of them held that not all types of medical institutions need to be limited by regional planning; 69.1% of them held that the regulatory powers of different rankings on the business approval need to be revised; 56.9% of them held that the Regulations should clarify the legal status of other regulatory authorizes over medical institutions. The respondents also named 11 articles of the Regulations to be added. Conclusions A number of articles of the Regulations need to be revised, such as those on setup approval and classified administration, to meet administrative needs and medical institutions' development needs. In the meantime, interest relationship of health administrators, medical institutions and patients should be taken care of as well.

ObjectiveNotch signaling is highly conservative in evolution and plays an important role in cell's proliferation and differentiation.Construction of tentiviral vector containing Notch intracellular domain (NICD) would lay the foundation for the study of Notch signaling.MethodsTotal RNA was extracted from the myeloid tissue of C57BL/6 mice.cDNA was composed via reverse transcription.NICD sequence was obtained by PCR and recombined into lentiviral vector.Lentiviral vector with NICD was infected into target HEK293T cell.Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to examine NICD expression in HEK293T cell.ResultsNICD expression increased in HEK293T cells.ConclusionThe successful construction of lentiviral vector involving mice NICD expression provides the foundation for the future study.

Objective To investigate the usefulness of 99Tcm-MDP whole body bone scintigraphy (WBBS) in patients with synovitis,acne,pustulosis,hyperostosis,osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome.Methods 99Tcm- MDP WBBS was performed in 25 patients (6 males,19 females,mean age =(55.1 ±9.8) years)with SAPHO syndrome.Bone lesions were classified into five categories:anterior chest wall,spine,mandible,sacroiliac joint,and limbs.The typical scintigraphic manifestations of SAPHO syndrome were summarized and compared to other radiological imaging data.Results Among 25 patients,32％ of cases (8/25)were associated with skin lesion; 48％ ( 12/25 ) were pathologically diagnosed with chronic nonspecific bone inflammation by bone biopsy.On 99Tcm-MDP WBBS,abnormal metabolic foci at anterior chest wall were found in all cases,most of which located in the sternocostoclavicular region (96％,24/25 ),including sternoclavicular joints (60％,15/25),first costosternal junctions (48％,12/25),and manubriosternal junctions (44％,11/25 ).Only 20％ of the patients (5/25) demonstrated the typical scintigraphic characteristic:“bull's head” sign.The second most frequent part was spine (44％,11/25).Appendicular skeleton was affected in 16％ (4/25) patients.WBBS also demonstrated additional skeletal lesions in 68％ (17/25 ) of the patients,mainly in first costosternal junctions (7 patients),sternoclavicular joints (6 patients),manubriosternal junctions (5 patients) and spine (4 patients).Conclusions Abnormal metabolic foci in sternocostoclavicular region and other imaging manifestations on 99Tcm- MDP WBBS can be used to diagnose,differentiate,and localize the insidious lesion and evaluate the lesion activity in patients with SAPHO syndrome.