Randomized controlled trials (RCT) is the source of the raw data of evidence-based medicine. Blind method is adopted in most of the high-quality RCT. Sham acupuncture is the main form of blinded in acupuncture clinical trial. In order to improve the quality of acupuncture clinical trail, based on the necessity of sham acupuncture in clinical research, the current situation as well as the existing problems of sham acupuncture, suggestions were put forward from the aspects of new way and new designation method which can be adopted as reference, and factors which have to be considered during the process of implementing. Various subjective and objective factors involving in the process of trial should be considered, and used of the current international standards, try to be quantification, and carry out strict quality monitoring.
Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; Biomedical Research ; standards ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; standards

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; etiology ; Cerebral Infarction ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasma ; chemistry ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Objective To investigate the effects of L-Arginine(L-Arg) on microcirculation perfusion after banked-blood transfusion in rabbits with hypovolemia.Methods Thirty healthy male New Zealand white rabbits weighing 2.0-2.5 kg were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =10 each): groups Ⅰ-Ⅲ.Hypovolemia was induced by blood letting (20％ of blood volume) and the equal volume of banked-blood was transfused 30 min later in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ.25％ L-Arg 300 mg/kg was injected iv 5 min before blood letting in group Ⅲ,and the equal volume of normal saline was injected in group Ⅰ.Group Ⅱ only received 25％ L-Arg 300 mg/kg.MAP,CVP and tip perfusion index (TPI) were recorded at before (T0) and after blood letting (T1),end of banked-blood transfusion (T2),1 h ( T3 ) and 2 h (T4) after banked- blood transfusion,and blood samples were taken for determination of plasma lactate and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations.Results TPI was higher at T2-T4,plasma lactate concentration lower at T1 -T4 and plasma NO concentration lower at T3,T4 in groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ than in group Ⅰ ( P ＜0.05).There was no significant difference in MAP between groups Ⅱ,Ⅲ and group Ⅰ ( P ＞ 0.05).MAP was lower at T1 in group Ⅲ than in group Ⅱ (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in CVP among the 3 groups( P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Pretreatment with L-Arg can increase microcirculation perfusion,and has no effect on hemodynamics in rabbits with hypovolemia after banked-blood transfusion.

Objective To establish a pancreatic ?-cell developmet fish model with specific spatial expression patterns.Methods Molecular cloning,microinjection,whole embryo in-situ hybridization(WISH)and fluorescence microscopy in living were used to analyze of ?-cell development through generation of transgenic zebrafish.ResultsScreened and established pancreatic ? cells of transgenic zebrafish,and confirmed the fluorescence protein expression in the same spatiotemporal pattern with endogenous insulin gene to achieve dynamic monitoring islet ?-cell development situation in vivo.Conclusion The pancreatic ? cells of transgenic zebrafish animal model can successfully trace pancreatic ? cell development.

Objective To compare the response measures and outcomes of SARS-CoV(2003), H1N1 influenza(2009), H7N9 influenza(2013)and COVID-19(2020)in Shanghai and provide scientific evidence for the emergency response of public health emergencies. Methods We compared the response measures and outcomes of the four epidemics in Shanghai in the aspects of government response, prevention and control system, scientific and technological support, social mobilization and prevention effects, using critical incident analysis based on the time axis of the epidemics from literature review. Results In response to the four epidemics of infectious diseases occurred in 2003-2020, Shanghai has generally made some significant effort and flexible measures in the first month of the epidemics, including"closure of live poultry markets"and"three closed-loops and four 100% coverage"and other specific prevention and control measures, which have enhanced the prevention and control system. However, we identified that the construction of prevention and control system for public health emergencies remained inefficient, compared to rapid economic development. The majority of the construction measures were principally post-epidemic. In addition, there were many challenges, such as passive response, temporary response teams and measures, and difficulties in the flexible bottom-up response for residents, families and industries without standard operating procedure and guidelines. Conclusion It may be an effective measure for the prevention and control of infectious diseases to build joint prevention and control measures with mass participation and regular drills, in the perspectives of strategic, tactical and operational levels of epidemic prevention and control.

To examine the prospective association between higher blood pressure (BP) and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.

A total of 9,642 middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults (≥45 years old; 47.30% men) without diabetes from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included for analyses. Participants were categorized into three groups: normal BP, prehypertension, and hypertension, according to the 2010 Chinese Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension. The incidence of T2DM was determined by self-reported physician diagnosis during two follow-up surveys conducted in 2013 to 2014 and 2015 to 2016.

During the 4-year follow-up, 429 participants (4.45%) developed T2DM, including 3.51% of the men and 5.29% of the women. The incidence rates of T2DM were 2.57%, 3.75%, and 6.71% in the normal BP, prehypertension, and hypertension groups, respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, education level, residence, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, waist circumference, and dyslipidemia, both prehypertension (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98 to 1.77) and hypertension (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.54 to 2.64) were associated with increased risk of T2DM, compared to those with a normal BP. The ORs associated with T2DM were 1.08 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.13) for an increase of 10 mm Hg in systolic BP and 1.06 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.10) for an increase of 5 mm Hg in diastolic BP.

Higher BP is a risk factor for T2DM in middle-aged and elderly Chines. It may be a potential target for diabetes prevention.

AIMTo identify the serum biomarkers of prostate cancer (PCa) by protein chip and bioinformatics.

METHODSSerum samples from 83 PCa patients and 95 healthy men were taken from a mass screening in Changchun, China. Protein profiling was carried out using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS). The data of spectra were analyzed using two bioinformatics tools.

RESULTSEighteen serum differential proteins were identified in the PCa group compared with the control group (P < 0.01). There were four proteins at the higher serum level and 14 proteins at the lower serum level in the PCa group. A decision tree classification algorithm that used an eight-protein mass pattern was developed to correctly classify the samples. A sensitivity of 92.0% and a specificity of 96.7% for the study group were obtained by comparing the PCa and control groups.

CONCLUSIONWe identified new serum biomarkers of PCa. SELDI-TOF MS coupled with a decision tree classification algorithm will provide a highly accurate and innovative approach for the early diagnosis of PCa.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Decision Trees ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Informatics ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Proteome ; analysis ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Liuweidihuang pills on pancreatic islet structure in OLETF (Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats.

METHODSForty male OLETF rats were divided randomly into Liuweidihuang pills group (Liuwei group) and control group (n=20). Ten male LETO rats were used as normal control group (LETO group). The rats in Liuwei group were given Liuweidihuang pills at the daily dose of 2.4 mg/kg intragastrically since the age of 8 weeks. Blood glucose was determined by OGTT. The rats were sacrificed at 8, 32 and 40 weeks and the pancreatic tissue was isolated to examine the morphological changes of the pancreas by HE staining and Masson trichrome staining.

RESULTSAs the age of the rats increased, the pancreatic islets in the control group gradually showed fibrosis and islet atrophy, which were not found in Liuwei group. Masson staining visualized no fibrosis in Liuwei group. No significant pathological change occurred in the pancreatic islet of LETO rats. The rats in Liuwei group developed diabetes since 30 weeks of age and the incidence was 28.6% at 40 weeks, significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONLiuweidihuang pills can prevent degeneration of the pancreatic islets in spontaneous OLETF rats.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Islets of Langerhans ; pathology ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Protective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of adiponectin (APN) on the insulin pathway in the liver of OLETF rats and explore its molecular mechanism.

METHODSTwenty male OLETF rats and 10 male LETO rats were sacrificed at 8 and 32 weeks of age to examine the fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, adiponectin and blood lipid profiles. The APN, phosphotyrosine of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), IKKβ and nuclear-κB (NF-κB) in the liver tissue were determined using ELISA, Western blotting or immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe plasma adiponectin level in OLETF rats was significantly lower than that of LETO rats since 8 weeks of age (P<0.01). At 32 weeks of age, the blood lipid levels of OLETF rats increased significantly (P<0.05) with inverse correlations to plasma adiponectin (P<0.01). The liver APN, py-IRS-1, IKKβ and NF-κB levels in OLETF rats differed significantly from those of LETO rats at both 8 and 32 weeks. At 32 weeks of age, the APN level of both rats were correlated to the levels of NF-κB and py-IRS-1 (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAPN may decrease tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 via the IKK/NFκB pathway and inhibit insulin signaling pathway in the liver, which contributes to hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and development of type 2 diabetes.

Adiponectin ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Liuweidihuang pills in preventing diabetes in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats.

METHODSForty male OLETF rats were randomized equally into Liuweidihuang pill group and control group, with 10 male LETO rats as the normal control group. In Liuweidihuang pill group, the rats were given the pills intragastrically at the daily dose of 2.4 mg/kg since 8 weeks of age, and the rats in the other two groups received water instead. Blood glucose of the rats was determined by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and the body weight and food intake were monitored on a weekly basis. At 8, 32 and 40 weeks, the rats were sacrificed and the expression level of adiponectin mRNA in the adipose tissue was detected using RT-PCR.

RESULTSTreatment with Liuweidihuang pills significantly lowered the increment of the blood glucose and postponed the onset of hyperglycemia in the rats. Compared with the control group, the rats in Liuweidihuang pill group showed significantly increased expression of adiponectin mRNA in the adipose tissue. The rats receiving Liuweidihuang pills developed diabetes at 30 weeks of age with an incidence of 28.6% at 40 weeks, significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONLiuweidihuang pills can significantly increase the expression of adiponectin mRNA in the adipose tissue and decrease the incidence of type 2 diabetes in OLETF rats.

Adiponectin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF