Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease. Moxibustion treatment for RA has significant efficacy, with high security and without dependency. It can alleviate the symptoms and make the body gradually return to normal level of immunity at the same time. This article reviewed the study on mechanism of moxibustion for the treatment of RA in recent years from the aspects of innate immunity, humeral immunity, cellular immunity, cytokines and immune organs, discussed the existing problems in relevant study, and provided a basis for clinic and future research.

From the TCM theoretical basis and the evidences of acupoint selection and acupuncture and moxibustion methods regarding acupuncture for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a theoretical discussion is made in this article, also a review regarding the key mechanism of experiment researches on acupuncture for PTSD is made from aspects of neurobiology and brain functional imaging, etc., which could further clarify the effect mechanism of acupuncture on PTSD. It is found that PTSD is a kind of stress syndrome accompanied with a variety of abnormal mental symptom , and acupuncture has superior effect on PTSD. Based on these, the research progress and deficiency on current mechanism study of PTSD are reviewed, hoping to offer ideas for upcoming research and to serve the clinical practice better.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; trends ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; therapy

Obesity often results when regular caloric intake exceeds the energy expenditure. Hypothalamus is the center that regulates feeding and energy balance inside the body, especially the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN). Acupuncture-moxibustion has achieved significant progress in treating simple obesity, and the relevant studies have revealed the central action mechanism underlying the treatment. By reviewing the literatures associated with the mechanism studies on acupuncture-moxibustion for simple obesity, this article is going to provide clinical and scientific guidance for the treatment of simple obesity with acupuncture-moxibustion.

Exposed to neutron flow, the phosphorus implanted TiNi alloy gets radioactive. This radioactive material is used in vascular stent for prevention and cure of restenosis. Phosphorus implantation is carried out in a plasma immerged ion implantation system, and the dose of phosphorus implantation is in the range of 2-10 x 10(17) cm-2. After ion implantation, the alloy is exposed to the slow neutron flow in a nuclear reactor, the dose of the slow neutron is 1.39-5.88 x 10(19) n/cm2. The radioactivity of the TiNi alloy was measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry and radio-chromic-film dosimetry. The result shows that whether the phosphorus is implanted or not, the TiNi alloy comes to be radioactive after exposure to neutron flow. Just after neutron irradiation, the radiation dose of phosphorus implanted TiNi alloy is about one hundred times higher than that of un-phosphorus implanted TiNi alloy. The radiation difference between phosphorus and un-phosphorus implanted alloy decreases as time elapses. Within three months after neutron irradiation, the average half-decay period of phosphorus implanted TiNi alloy is about 62 days. The radiation ray penetration of phosphorus implanted TiNi alloy is deeper than that of pure 32P; this is of benefit to making radiation uniformity between stent struts and reducing radiation grads beyond the edge of stent.
Alloys ; chemistry ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Nickel ; chemistry ; Phosphorus Radioisotopes ; chemistry ; Radiation Dosage ; Titanium ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine retention-enema combined with tamsulsosin hydrochloride capsules in treating chronic abacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Methods Two hundred patients of CABP/CPPS from Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of TCM during September 2007-October 2012 were randomly divided into control group and observation group, 100 cases in each group. The control group received the treatment of tamsulsosin hydrochloride capsules, 0.2 mg/d, qn, and the observation group received the treatment of traditional Chinese medicine retention-enema additionally. The course was 4 weeks. The clinical effects of the two groups were observed and compared. The indexes including the scores of NIH-CPSI, leukocyte count and lecithin corpuscles in prostatic fluid, urinary flow rate were evaluated. Results The total effective rate was 100%(100/100) in observation group, and 88% (88/100) in control group. There was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The scores of NIH-CPSI and leukocyte count in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group after treatment, with significant difference (P<0.05). The cases with lecithin corpuscles (++++) in observation group were more than those in control group (P<0.05). The peak flow rate and mean flow rate increased after treatment in both groups, and there was no statistically difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Traditional Chinese medicine retention-enema combined with tamsulsosin hydrochloride capsules can significantly improve the clinical effect of CABP/CPPS.

'Three-acupoint and Five-needle Method' is a summary of Prof. Shao Jing-ming's clinical experience in the treatment of asthma for years. It is used to alleviate asthma during seizure and to improve the pulmonary functions, strengthen the body constitution and prevent recurrence in the remission stage. This article introduces the theoretic source and basic principle, and concrete operating method, i.e. puncturing bilateral Feishu (BL 13), Dazhui (GV 14) and bilateral Fengmen (BL 12), and adding acupoints based upon pattern identification, in combination of moxibustion and cupping therapy for promoting the clinical application of this method.

Through analyzing the research literature about the mechanism of acupuncture intervention on vision in recent years, this article reviewed the mechanism of acupuncture intervention on vision from the aspects of central processing of visual information, the influnce of information transmission in the retina, the changes in visual microcirculation, optic nerve and neurotransmitter transmission, visual electrophysiology, visual plasticity. This article also proposed the future research idea for this field.

Objective:To observe the effect of pecking moxibustion on the pattern characteristics of redness,swelling,heat,and pain in the affected joints,also the synovial cell ultrastructure in rats with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)due to damp heat affecting bones/joints,and to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanism of pecking moxibustion in treating the early stage of RA. Methods:Eighteen rats were randomly selected from 78 female ones as the blank group,and all the other rats were subjected to preparing the"differentiation of disease and pattern"RA model due to damp heat affecting bones/joints by using the method of"collagen-induced arthritis plus windy,damp,and hot environment stimulation".Fifty-four rats with successful modeling were randomly divided into a model group,a drug group,and a pecking moxibustion group,with 18 rats in each group.Rats in the drug group were given methotrexate at a dose of 1 mg/(kg·bw)on the 1st,8th,and 15th days.Rats in the pecking moxibustion group were treated with pecking moxibustion at Quchi(LI11),Dazhui(GV14),and Ashi points,and each point was treated with moxibustion for 15 min every day and a total of 3 courses of treatment,with 6 d as a course of treatment.After treatment,the capillary permeability,joint swelling,joint surface temperature,and plantar thermal pain threshold of the diseased joints in rats were observed,and the ultrastructural changes of synovial cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results:The local swelling,surface temperature,and Evans blue(EB)leakage volume were significantly higher(P<0.05),the thermal pain threshold was significantly lower(P<0.05),and the synovial cell ultrastructure was obviously damaged in the affected joints in the model group compared with the blank group.The swelling degree,surface temperature,and EB leakage volume were significantly reduced(P<0.05),the thermal pain threshold was significantly increased(P<0.05),and the ultrastructural abnormalities of synovial cells were significantly improved in the diseased joints in the drug group and the pecking moxibustion group compared with the model group.The thermal pain threshold of rats in the pecking moxibustion group was significantly improved compared with the drug group(P<0.05). Conclusion:Pecking moxibustion obviously improves the pattern characteristics of local redness,swelling,heat,and pain in the diseased joints of rats with RA due to damp heat affecting bones/joints and effectively repairs the ultrastructure of the damaged synovium.It suggests that the pecking moxibustion intervention has a significant anti-inflammatory effect on early RA.

To analyze the modern clinical literature on post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) treated with acupuncture and moxibustion so as to summarize the acupoints selection law. The related articles from 2005 to 2014 were collected and then the frequencies were statistically analyzed. Finally 16 papers were gathered,while the main acupoints among the 23 acupoints refer to Baihui(GV 20),Sishencong(EX-HN 1),Shenting(GV 24),Fengchi(GB 20),Shenmen(HT 7),Neiguan(PC 6),Taichong(LR 3) and Sanyinjiao(SP 6). It is concluded that the law means taking smoothing liver and governor vessel to regulate the spirit as priority,and assisted by nourishing kidney and supportingto peace the spirit,as well as strengthening spleen and helpingto smooth meridians.