To further explore the clinical effect of massage therapy on navel,the related ancient literatures were arranged and analyzed,and several methods in ancient clinical were introduced, including stroking navel, rubbing navel, pushing navel, tapping navel and puffing navel. In addition, the theoretical basis of massage therapy on navel were discussed. The results revealed ancient literatures offered abundant theoretical basis to modern clinical practice, and there were evidences of treating gastroenteric and gynecological diseases with this therapy. Comprehensively, through the study of ancient literatures and modern research, therapy of massage on navel is believed to be promising and will gain popularity in the future.
China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Massage ; history ; Medicine in Literature ; Umbilicus ; physiopathology

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical significance of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (ⅡM).MethodsPeripheral blood lymphocyte subsets was determined by flow cytometry in 89 patients with polymyositis(PM ) or dermatomyositis ( DM ).The association between clinical features and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets was analyzed by F test,t test and x2 test.ResultsPatients with active DM showed significant decreases in counts of CD3+ cell,CD3+CD4+ cell and CD3+CD8+ cell[(8±4),(5.4±2.8) and (2.6±1.6) ×108/L respectively],compared with those in inactive DM [(16±6), (10.4±5.6) and (5.6±3.8) ×108/L respectively] and healthy controls [(14±4), (8.3±2.8) and (4.6±1.7) ×108/Lrespectively](F=12.901,8.257,7.084; P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis indicated that myositis disease activity could influence the counts of peripheral blood CD3+ cell,CD3+CD4+ cell and CD3+ CD8+ cell (b=0.211,0.344,0.289; P＜0.05 ).ILD in ⅡM could influence the counts of CD3+ cell and the ratio of CD3+CD4+cell (b=0.928,1.974; P＜0.05 ).Logistic regression analysis indicated that the count of CD3+CD8+ cell was risk factor for death,and the relative risk was 0.989(b=-0.011 ; P＜0.05).ConclusionPeripheral blood lymphocyte subsets may be regarded as useful laboratory parameters for monitoring RA disease activity.Decreased CD8+ T cell may predict a poor outcome of patients with IIM.

Aconitum, as a kind of common traditional Chinese medicine, contains multiple biological active substances, with a very high medicinal value but high toxicity. Its major toxic ingredients are aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine, which are also efficient ingredients. Therefore, the safety of its clinical application has aroused wide attention. With the constant deepening of drug development studies, people want to learn about its toxic mechanism and the regularity of its emergence and development of its toxicology, so as to make a scientific and rational assessment for its safety. Therefore, toxicokinetics and metabonomics have gradually become important content in the new drug assessment. During the development of drug performance, it is crucial to establish a scientific, objective and standardized Aconitum safety evaluation system and correctly assess and utilize its toxicity. Having summarized studies on metabonomics and toxicokinetics of Aconitum drugs in recent years, authors proposed to strengthen the studies on Aconitum drug safety assessment and establish a scientific and standardized safety evaluation system as soon as possible, in order to make the national treasure more useful.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Humans ; Metabolomics

In 2013, the World Health Organization reported the first case of human infection with a new influenza A (H7N9) virus in China. This has caused damage and panic within certain areas in China. Therefore, analysis of this virus with bioinformatics technology is very necessary. Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the most important antigens of the influenza virus and an important target for anti-flu drugs. In this study, the nucleotide and protein sequences of NA gene of A/H7N9 influenza viruses were retrieved from the NCBI database, and MEGA 5.0 software was employed to construct a phylogenetic tree based on the nucleotide coding sequence; BioEdit software was used to align the nucleotide and protein sequences of NA and calculate the homologies of nucleotides and amino acids and then to analyze the important mutation sites of NA gene. The results demonstrated that the spread of influenza virus H7N9 showed certain geographical and temporal relations. The H7N9 virus isolated from China in 2013 belonged to Euroasiatic serotype, and its NA stalk region hadobvious variation, which may be one of the reasons that this virus infects human. These analyses may be very helpful for understanding the evolutionary relationship and mutation trend of A/H7N9 influenza viruses.
Databases, Genetic ; Evolution, Molecular ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; enzymology ; genetics ; Mutation ; Neuraminidase ; chemistry ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with local advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed prognosis in 191 patients with advanced gastric cancer, of whom 71 were treated with NAC and 120 received surgery only between February 2007 and July 2013. Postoperative complication rate was recorded. Survival by clinicopathological features, pathological T and N stages, and histopathological tumor regression was retrospectively compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAccording to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, none of the 71 patients in the NAC followed by surgery group showed complete response, 36 showed partial response, 25 had stable disease, and 10 had progressive disease. The chemotherapy response rate was 50.7%; the disease control rate was 85.9%. Grade 3/4 adverse events were seen in less than 20% patients, with acceptable toxicities. No difference was found in the overall postoperative complication rates between the two groups (7 versus 22 cases, P=0.18). Median survival time was significantly different, at 54 months in the NAC combined with surgery group and 25 months in the surgery-only group (P=0.025).

CONCLUSIONIn patients with operable gastric adenocarcinomas, NAC can significantly improve overall survival without increasing surgical complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy on gait time cycle of ischemic stroke between yin-yang respiratory reinforcing and reducing needling technique (yin-yang needling) and the conventional acupuncture.

METHODSSixty cases of ischemic stroke were randomized into a conventional acupuncture group and a yin-yang needling group, 30 cases in each one. The basic treatment (the control of blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipid, the intravenous drops of ginkgo leaf extract and dipyridamole injection and vinpocetine injection) were applied in the two groups. Additionally, in the conventional acupuncture group, the acupoints of the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming [Biguan (ST 31), Liangqiu (ST 34), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Xiajuxu (ST 39), etc.] were selected and stimulated with the even needling technique. In the yin-yang needling group, the acupoints of yin meridians such as Zuwuli (LR 10), Xuehai (SP 10), Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. and the acupoints of yang meridians such as Biguan (ST 31), Liangqiu (ST 34) and Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc. were selected. The reducing manipulation of respiratory reinforcing and reducing technique was applied to the acupoints of yin meridians and the reinforcing manipulation was applied to the acupoints of yang meridians. The kinematics time parameters were determined and compared before and 4 weeks after treatment.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the differences in the gait cycle, the phase time of standing (%), the phase time of single support (%), the phase time of unilateral sway (%) on the affected (healthy) foot and phase time of double support (%) were significant as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (all P < 0.05), in which, the gait cycle (1.75 +/- 0.21 vs 2.02 +/- 0.37), the phase time of standing (%) on the affected (healthy) foot [(65.41 +/- 5.20)% vs (68.37 +/- 6.24)%, (70.99 +/- 6.47)% vs (74.51 +/- 5.19)%], the phase time of unilateral sway (%) on the affected (healthy) foot [(36.08 +/- 4.86)% vs (33.65 +/- 2.94)%, (31.04 +/- 3.41)% vs (26.77 +/- 2.67)%] and the phase time of double support (%) [(36.91 +/- 5.10)% vs (41.22 +/- 5.39)%] in the yin-yang needling group were improved much obviously after treatment as compared with those in the conventional acupuncture group. The differences in support phase time (%), single support phase time (%) and sway phase time (%) were significant between the affected limb and healthy limb of the two groups after treatment (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONYin-yang respiratory reinforcing and reducing needling technique effectively improves hemiplegic gait movement cycle and walking function in patients of ischemic stroke, which is superior to the conventional acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Aged ; Female ; Gait ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Time Factors ; Yin-Yang

The aim of this study is to investigate the critical factor affecting the properties of PLGA microspheres fabricated by a solid-in-oil-in-water (S/O/W) emulsion technique with BSA as a model protein. Prior to encapsulation, the BSA microparticles were fabricated by a modified freezing-induced phase separation method. The microparticles were subsequently encapsulated into PLGA microspheres by S/O/W emulsion method, then Motic BA200 biological microscope, confocal laser scanning microscope, scanning electron microscope were used to observe the structure of S/O/W emulsion and PLGA microspheres. The protein content extracted or released from BSA microspheres was measured by Bradford protein assay method. It was found that NaCl added in the outer aqueous phase effectively suppressed material exchange between the inner and outer phase of S/O/W emulsion. Then, the structure and permeability of obtained microspheres were influenced. As a result, with the increase of NaCl concentration in the outer aqueous phase, the encapsulation efficiency of microspheres significantly increased from 60% to more than 85%, the burst release of microspheres reduced from 70% to 20%, and the particle size decreased from 103 microm to 62 microm. Furthermore, the rehydration of encapsulated protein was also retarded and then integrity of BSA was successfully protected during encapsulation process. In vitro release test showed that BSA released from PLGA microspheres in a sustained manner for more than 30 days.
Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Compounding ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Lactic Acid ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microspheres ; Oils ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Sodium Chloride ; chemistry ; Water

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP-CHN) in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Totally 165 out-patients and in-patients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia were entered in the study.Ten of subjects was included the intra-rater reliability training.The Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) was regarded as the' gold standard' to investigate the validity of PSP-CHN,and the Positive and Negative Rating Scale was used to assess the severity of disease to explore the correlative validity,in the other 155 subjects.Five to seven days after the first PSP-CHN interview,the second PSP-CHN was evaluated by another investigator to assess the test-retest reliability among 66 subjects.Twenty-seven subjects with the score of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) more than 60 were followed up for 8 weeks of standardized pharmacotherapy.By the end of 8 week of treatment,the PANSS and PSP-CHN were assessed again to explore the sensitivity of PSP-CHN.Results:The internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.84) and the inter-rater reliability (κ value=0.56,ICC=0.94 for PSP-CHN total score) were good.The test-retest reliability was high [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.95].The scale showed good construct validity with statistically significant correlations with the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) (ICC of 0.95).The PSP-CHN score had a good negative correlation with the PANSS total score(r=-0.79,-0.57,-0.63 and -0.71,respectively,P<0.01).After 8 week treatment,PSP-CHN total score was increased with the improvement of PANSS,and the responder showed higher increasing of PSP-CHN total score (21.2) than those partial responder(10.2),significantly.Conclusion:The Chinese version of the PSP-CHN is a convenient and valid instrument to assess the personal and social functions of stabilized and acute patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) on bcl-2 and TGFbeta1 expression in rat testes.

METHODSForty male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups at random: Group A (normal control), Group B (fed on 10(-8) mol/L PBC), Group C (feb on 10(-7) mol/L) and Group D (feb on 10(-6) mol/L). After three months, all the rats were killed, the animal model established, and observations made on the expression of bcl2 and TGFbeta1 in the rat testis using the optical microscope and immunohistochemical techniques.

RESULTSThe damage to the structure of the testis was related to the dosage of PCB: the higher the dodage, the more serious the damage. PCB induced the expression of bcl-2 and TGFbeta1. The TGFbeta1 expression was significantly higher in the highest dosage group than in others (P < 0.01 ), and the bcl-2 expression was dramatically higher in Group C than in other groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPCB can cause injury in rat testes.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Polychlorinated Biphenyls ; toxicity ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Compound Zhajin Granule (CZG) on Toll-like re-ceptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway in high-fructose corn syrup induced NASH mice.

METHODSThirty 6-week-old male C3H mice were divided into the high fat and high fructose (HFHFr) group (n = 20) and the control group (n = 10) according to body weight. Mice in the HFHFr group ate high fat diet and drank 20% fructose water, while those in the control group ate common diet and drank common water. After 8 weeks mice in the HFHFr group were divided into two group according to body weight, the HFHFr group and the CZG group, 10 in each group. Mice in the CZG group were fed with high fat forage and 20% fructose water, and administered with 50 mL/kg 12. 8% CZG (prepared by hawthorn, Radix Curcumae, Alisma Orientale, Fritillaria Thunbergii, Silybum Marianum, peach seed in the ratio of 3:1.5:1.5:2:1.5:2:1) by gastrogavage. Mice in the HFHFr group were fed in the same way and daily administered with equal volume of distilled water by gastrogavage. Sixteen weeks later all mice were sacrificed. Body weight, liver wet weight, liver function, and lipid metabolism were detected. Pathological changes of liver tissues were assessed by HE staining, oil red O staining, and Masson staining. Expressions of TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were detected using immunohistochemical staining and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.

RESULTSBody weight, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were obviously lower in the CZG group than in the HFHFr group (P < 0.05); oil red O stained area and density were decreased more in the CZG group than in the control group. HE staining showed ballooning inflammation was reduced more in the CZG group than in the HFHFr group. Masson staining was negative. Positive rates of TLR4 and MyD88 and mRNA expressions were significantly lower in the CZG group than in the HFHFr group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCZG could significantly inhibit TLR4 signaling pathway of liver in NASH mice.

Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; metabolism ; Diet, High-Fat ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fructose ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Inflammation ; Lipid Metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 ; metabolism ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; drug therapy ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism