BACKGROUND: Both thunder-fire moxibustion and electroacupuncture can effectively improve the related symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. At the same time, the two treatments have the advantages of simple operation, low cost, strong practicability and so on. OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference in curative effect between thunder-fire moxibustion combined with electro-acupuncture and celecoxib capsule in the treatment of cold-wet knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with cold-wet knee osteoarthritis, including 35 males and 37 females, who were treated in Ruikang Hospital affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine from June 2017 to December 2018, were randomly divided into two groups: observation group (n=35) received thunder-fire moxibustion (once a day) combined with electroacupuncture treatment (once a d); and control group (n=37) was given oral celecoxib capsule (once a day). Treatment in each group lasted for two sessions of 14 days each with a 2-day break. Visual analogue scale score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) score, and joint fluid related inflammatory index were detected before and after treatment. The effective rate of TCM syndrome was evaluated. A 1-month follow-up was carried out after treatment. The experimental protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ruikang Hospital affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine (KY2017-005). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were no adverse reactions in the two groups. The visual analogue scale scores and WOMAC scores (pain, stiffness and function) in the observation group were significantly reduced after treatment and during the follow-up (P < 0.05). The visual analogue scale scores and WOMAC scores (pain and stiffness) in the control group were significantly reduced after treatment and at the end of the follow-up (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the visual analogue scale scores and WOMAC scores (pain, stiffness and function) were significantly lower in the observation group after treatment and during the follow-up (P < 0.05). The levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the two groups were significantly lowered after treatment, and a more significant reduction was observed in the observation group (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (97.1% vs. 81.1%, P < 0.05). Therefore, electroacupuncture combined with thunder-fire moxibustion has favorable outcomes in the treatment of cold-wet knee osteoarthritis accompanied by less adverse reactions. Moreover, electroacupuncture combined with thunder-fire moxibustion is superior to celecoxib capsule in terms of curative effect persistence.

Objective To develop a real-time RT-PCR assay ( rRT-PCR) for efficient detection of duck hepatitis virus type 1 ( DHV-I) .Method According to the different gene sequences of DHV-I from different provinces download from NCBI and to find the conserved sequences.One pair of the specific primers and one TaqMan probe were designed. Then reaction parameters were optimized to develop a real-time RT-PCR assay ( rRT-PCR) .Results This developed rRT-PCR assay could detect 20 template copies of RNA, and its sensitivity was higher than that of the conventional RT-PCR. This rRT-PCR assay was found to be specific and able to detect DHV-I, and no positive results were observed when nucleic acid from Muscovy duck parvovirus, goose parvovims, Newcastle disease and avian influenza virus, egg drop syndrome virus, reticuloendotheliosis virus, duck Tembusu virus, poultry intestinal arc virus were used as rRT-PCR templates.The results of this developed rRT-PCR assay used for 100 duck clinical samples showed a positive rate of 92%, indicating that DHV exists in duck group of Jiangsu province in China.Conclusion This rRT-PCR assay can be used as a rapid tool for detection of DHV-I.