OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy on low back pain of cold-damp pattern between electric-thermal Bian-stone therapy and moxibustion box therapy.

METHODSForty-one cases of low back pain of cold-damp pattern were randomized into an electric-thermal Bian-stone therapy group (group A, 26 cases) and a box moxibustion therapy group (group B, 15 cases). In the group A, the electric-thermal Bian-stone was placed over Shenshu (BL 23) and Weizhong (BL 40). The temperature of stone was adjusted in accordance with patient's comfort. In the group B, moxibustion box was used over Shenshu (BL 23) and Weizhong (BL 40). The treatment was given once every day or every two days. Ten treatments made one session. The symptom and physical signs score of low back pain and the score of cold-damp syndrome were observed before and after treatment in the patients.

RESULTSThe symptom and physical signs score of low back pain and the score of cold-damp syndrome were all improved in the two groups (all P < 0.01). The changing rate of symptom and physical signs and syndrome were (37.04 +/- 32.68)% and (22.85 +/- 29.95)% in the group A, and were (47.29 +/- 22.08)% and (23.89 +/- 22.53)% in the group B, respectively, without significant difference in comparison between the two groups (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy on low back pain of cold-damp pattern treated with the electric-thermal Bian-stone therapy is similar to that of moxibustion box therapy. This therapy is characterized as more convenient, safer operation and less pollution.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion

Objective To report the outcome of emergency repair of severe complex defect in forearm by transplantation of free flap and simultaneous functional reconstruction.Methods From Mar.1994 to Aug.2003,4 cases with severe complex defect in forearm was repaired by transplantation of free skin flap, free skin flap combined with fibula flap,or fibula osteocutaneous flap in emergency.Simultaneously the flexion and extension function were repaired by muscle transfer and/or tendon grafting,tenonectomy.Results All the cases were successful.Follow-up period ranged from 1 to 3 years postoperatively.The blood-supply,tex- ture and elasticity of transferred flaps were excellent with good bone healing.Opposition of thumb with four fin- gers was good.Sensory recovery of the hand was satisfactory.Conclusion Transplantation of free flap com- bined with simultaneous functional reconstruction is an ideal method in emergency repair of severe complex de- fect in forearm.

OBJECTIVETo compare the impacts on skin blood flow between moving cupping following the meridian running direction and that against the running direction.

METHODSJLG-2 meridian cupping drainage instru ment was used for moving cupping on the back along the Bladder Meridian running course in either single direction for 20 times. The cupping device was Bian stone cup, 44 mm in inner diameter, negative pressure from -0.03 to -0.04 MPa. PeriScan PIM II laser Doppler perfusion imager was used to observe the changes in skin blood flow on the running course of the Bladder Meridian with cup moved up and down and in the same region on the contralateral Bladder Meridian. Blood flow was measured before cupping, at the immediate time after cupping and 10 min after cupping separately. Fourteen healthy volunteers received the test. The measuring region was subdivided into a moving cupping area, an upstream area, a downstream area, a contralateral moving cupping area, a contralateral upstream area and a contralateral downstream area. The mean blood flow was calculated in each area.

RESULTSBlood flow was increased significantly in each area and was more apparently increased in the moving cupping area. In comparison of the changing rate of blood flow between cupping following the meridian running direction and that against the running direction, it was only found that the changing rate in the upstream area of moving cupping against the running direction was significantly higher than that following the running direction (P < 0.05). The differences were not statistically significant in comparison among the other areas. Additionally, the changing rates of blood flow in the upstream and downstream area of the Bladder Meridian were increased significantly as compared with the contralateral Bladder Meridian.

CONCLUSIONThe local effects are similar between moving cupping following the meridian running direction and that against the running direction. The abscopal effect of moving cupping against the running direction is superior to that following the running direction. It is suggested that the dual-directional moving cupping is applicable for the treatment of local disorders and the abscopal effect is better with moving cupping against the meridian running direction.

Adult ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; instrumentation ; methods ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Skin ; blood supply ; Skin Physiological Phenomena

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression changes of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in neuropathic pain.

METHODSEighty-four adult male Sprague Dawley rats weighing 180-220 g were randomly divided into 7 groups (n = 12) : control group; S3, S7, and S14 groups: rats received the sham operation, the mechanical pain threshold was measured, and then the rats were decapitated and the ipsilateral lumbar spinal cord dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) samples were obtained on the 3rd, 7th, 14th postoperative day, respectively; C3, C7, and C14 groups: the chronic sciatic nerve constriction (CCI) model was established, the mechanical pain threshold was measured and the samples were obtained on the 3rd, 7th, 14th postoperative day, respectively. The expression level of mGluR5 mRNA and protein in the spinal cord and DRG were measured using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot.

RESULTSIn the CCI group, the mechanical pain threshold in each observation day was significantly lower than in the sham operation group (P < 0.05). In the spinal cord, the expressions of mGluR5 mRNA and protein were significantly elevated in the C3 group than in the S3 and the control group (P < 0.05). On the 7th and the 14th postoperative day, no significant difference was found in the expression of mGluR5 mRNA and protein between CCI groups and the sham operation groups or the control group. No change was detected in DRG mRNA or protein.

CONCLUSIONmGluR5 is differentially expressed in spinal cord in response to neuropathic pain, which suggests that mGluR5 may be involved in the mechanism of neuropathic pain.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ganglia, Spinal ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuralgia ; metabolism ; Pain Threshold ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5 ; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sciatic Neuropathy ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTo repair late median nerve injury, many methods have been used in the past years. The aim of this study was to review a thirteen-year experience in restoration of thumb opposition by transposing flexor pollicis brevis muscle.

METHODSFrom July 1992 to August 2005, 63 patients without thumb opposition because of late median never injury were treated by transposing the flexor pollicis brevis muscle. All the patients had received primary nerve repair after the jnjury. The interval between the injury and the second operation was (1.87 +/- 2.31) years (6 months to 4.2 years). The patients were followed up for 3 to 48 [months mean (22.93 +/- 2.31) months]. A functional evaluation system designed in 1992 were used to estimate the outcomes of the patients.

RESULTSAll the patients gained excellent functional results without complications and disabilities during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSRestoration of thumb opposition by transposing flexsor pollicis brevis muscle has the following advantages: 1. Operative trauma is minimal; 2. It is not necessary to transpose other tendons; 3. Except for the thumb in opposition, movements of other fingers and the wrist are not restricted postoperatively.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Forearm Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Median Nerve ; injuries ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; surgery ; Tendon Transfer ; Thumb ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Wrist Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery

Objective To determine factors affecting postoperative survival of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods A retrospective analysis of consecutive 54 elderly patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma from Jan 1995 to Dec 2002 was performed. The data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression. Results Univariate analysis and Cox regression showed Child Pugh grading, vessel invasion, satellite nodule formation, Edmondson Steiner grading, intrahepatic recurrence and distant metastasis all related to postoperative overall survival or disease-free survival of the elderly with hepatocellular carcinoma (all P

OBJECTIVETo observe different effects of moxibustion on extracellular potassium ion in acupoint under physiological and pathological status and provide experimental evidence for exploring action mechanism of moxibustion on acupoint local.

METHODSForty female SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a blank-moxibustion group, a model group and a model-moxibustion group, 10 cases in each one. The complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA) was adopted to establish model of adjuvant arthritis (AA) in the model group and model-moxibustion group. No treatment was given in the blank group and model group while moxibustion was applied at "Zusan-li" (ST 36) for 30 min in the blank-moxibustion group and model-moxibustion group. The tissue fluid in "Zusanli" (ST 36) was collected with microdialysis and real-time analyzed by electrolytic analyzer. The change of concentration of potassium ion in "Zusanli" (ST 36) was observed.

RESULTS(1) Under physiological status, the concentration of extracellular potassium ion in the blank group was not changed within 150 min (P > 0.05); before the moxibustion, the concentration of extracellular potassium ion in the blank-moxibustion group was (1.21 +/- 0.31) mmol/L, and after treatment it was gradually increased and reached its peak at (2.38 +/- 0.42) mmol/L after 60 min (P < 0.05), then it was reduced. 150 min after the treatment, concentration of potassium ion was slightly higher than that before moxibustion as well as that in the blank group. The concentration in the blank-moxibustion group at 60 min was statistically significant compared with that in the blank group (P < 0.05). (2) Under pathological status, the concentration of extracellular potassium ion in the model group was not changed within 150 min, differences of which at each time point was not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). Before the moxibustion, the concentration of extracellular potassium ion was (1.09 +/- 0.12) mmol/L in the model-moxibustion group, and it was immediately increased to (1.96 +/- 0.18) mmol/L after moxibustion. 60 min and 90 min after the moxibustion, it still maintained a higher level, which was (1.87 +/- 0.29) mmol/L and (1.59 +/- 0.16) mmol/L respectively (both P < 0.05). The differences of each time point after moxibustion in the model-moxibustion group were statistically significant compared with those in the model group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe moxibustion could increase the concentration of potassium ion in rat's acupoint local under physiological status but time of effect is short; with moxibustion at "Zusanli" (ST 36) under pathological status, the concentration of local potassium ion is obviously increased and maintains for a long time.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; metabolism ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Potassium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The present study is to determine the flavonoid glycosides, terpene lactones, biflavones, gingko acid and procyanidins of ginkgo pollen. UPLC-TQ-MS technology was used for the determination of 24 kinds of resource chemical composition in ginkgo pollen qualitatively and quantitatively. The results shows that the contents of rutin, quercetion 3-O-[4-O-(α-L-rhamnosyl )-β-D-glucoside] and kaempferolis were 120.9, 114.0, 222.1 μg x g(-1). In this paper, the contents of 24 kinds of chemical components of ginkgo pollen were determinated by UPLC-TQ-MS for the first time. This method is simple and quick, which will be benefit for recycling utilization of ginkgo pollen.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Mass Spectrometry ; Pollen ; chemistry ; Proanthocyanidins ; analysis ; Rutin ; analysis ; Terpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effects of VSD combined with fascio-cutaneous flap transferation staging operation for the treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis.

METHODSFrom December 2007 to December 2009, 14 patients were treated with the technology of VSD combined with fascio-cutaneous flap transferation staging operatinon. Nine patients were males and 5 patients were females, and mean age was 36 years. All the patients were postoperative wound infection. Osteomyelitis of the tibia was in 9 cases, calcaneus in 3 cases, femur in 1 case, radius and ulna in 1 case; infection of time were from 2 to 96 weeks, an average time of 32 weeks.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 12 to 36 months, with an average of 19.2 months. All the patients were treated with debridement and VSD for 1 to 3 times, with an average of 1.57 times. The wounds of 13 cases healed well after flaps transferation, but of 1 case leakaged and healed after 3 weeks with the therapy of drainaging and changing dressings. Due to delayed healing or defects of bone, 8 patients had autologous bone grafted on the second stage. All wounds and fractures healed without recurrence of postoperative infection.

CONCLUSIONVSD combined with flap transferation is an effective treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis, which can shorten the treatment time and have better security and reliability than traditional methods.

Adult ; Drainage ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; Wounds and Injuries ; complications

OBJECTIVETo detect bcl-2 gene expression in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 for understanding the role of bcl-2 gene in the carcinogenesis of EBV-associated gastric carcinoma.

METHODSAkata 1061 cells producing recombined EBV carrying neomycin resistance gene (NEOr) was used to mediate the EBV infection of human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 via close contact, with the empty plasmid pcDNA3-transfected GES-1 cells via lipofectamine method as a control. The EBV-infected and pcDNA3-transfected cells were cloned by limited dilution and the positive clones selected with G418. Immunocytochemical staining was performed to detect the expressions of EBNA1 and Bcl-2 protein.

RESULTSBcl-2 protein expression was detected in EBV-infected cells but not in the control cells.

CONCLUSIONEBV infection can increase Bcl-2 expression in gastric epithelial cells, and such cell transformation effect of EBV is related to the overexpression of bcl-2 gene.

Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Transformation, Viral ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; virology ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; Stomach ; cytology