OBJECTIVETo observe the difference in clinical efficacy on focal vitiligo treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion in comparison with medication, and discuss its effect mechanism.

METHODSSixty-eight cases were randomized into a moxibustion group (38 cases) and a medication group (30 cases). Additionally, 20 healthy persons were selected randomly as a normal group. In the moxibustion group, the heat-sensitive moxibustion was applied to Hegu(LI 4), Quchi(LI 11), Yanglingquan(GB 34), Zusanli(ST 36), Xuehai(SP 10) and the others, once a day. In the medication group, triamcinolone acetonide cream was used externally and locally, twice a day. In the two groups, the treatment of 15 days made one session. The efficacy was observed after continuous treatment for 3 sessions. The hemorheology test was done in all of the subjects. The radioimmunoassay was adopted to determine the levels of Interleukin 2 (IL-2), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha in vitiligo patients were higher significantly than those in the normal group (P<0. 01, P<0. 05), the level of IL-2 was lower significantly than that in the normal group (P<0. 01) before treatment. After 3 sessions treatment, IL-2 level was increased significantly in the moxibustion group and the levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were reduced, without significant differences as compared with the normal group (all P>0. 05). But the differences were significant as compared with those in the medication group (all P<0. 05). The curative and remarkably effective rate was 76. 3% (29/38) after treatment in the moxibustion group, which was higher significantly than 13. 3% (4/30, P<0. 05) in the medication group.

CONCLUSIONHeat-sensitive moxibustion achieves very good clinical efficacy on focal vitiligo, which is probably via promoting blood circulation and regulating the levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; administration & dosage ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitiligo ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the clinical features,treatment and prognosis of Vibrio vulnificus infection in patients with characteristic skin lesions.Methods Clinical data on 23 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection with characteristic skin lesions collected from 1996 to 2008 in Second Affiliated Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical College,were analyzed retrospectively.Results There were 23 patients including 15 males and 8 females.Of them,15 had a history of chronic type B viral hepatitis or alcoholic liver disease;17 ate raw oysters before the onset.A rapid onset Was observed in all of these patients,and initial symptoms were dominated by swelling and pain of,as well as bullae and hemorrhagic bulla in lower extremities.Vibrio vulnificus was isolated by culture from blister fluid of 13 patients,from both blood and blister fluid of 9 patients,and from necrotic tissue of 2 patients.Histopathologic examination revealed vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of cells,interstitial neutrophilic infiltrates,and vasculitis.Bacteria were seen in infiltrated neutrophiles.Electromicroscopy showed numerous round or arcuated microorganisms and bacterial flagella in hypodermal cells.Seven patients diagnosed from May 1996 to May 2000 died from this infection,and survival WaS observed after treatment only in 2 out of 6 patients collected from July 2000 to October 2003 and 6 out of 10 patients from May 2004 to October 2008.Conclusions Early recognition of skin eruptions and timely management are essential for the control of Vibrio vulnificus infection and for the improvement in survival among pafients infected with this bacterium.

Objective To evaluate the effects of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on spasticity of wrist and hand post stroke. Methods 36 patients accepted BTX-A injection were assessed with modified Ashworth scale (MAS), Upper Extremities Functional Test (UEFT), limbs position at rest, Visual Analogous Scale (VAS) for pain, modified Barthel Index (MBI), and difficulties encountered during 3 upper limb motor tasks: cleaning the affected palm, cutting the affected fingernails, putting the affected arm into the sleeve, before and 2, 4, and 12 weeks after treatment. Results The scores of MAS, VAS, UEFT and accomplishment of those tasks improved after treatment (P<0.05), from 1 week to 12 weeks. No significant improvement was observed in MBI (P>0.05). Conclusion Local BTX-A injection can reduce the spasticity and pain, and improve function of upper limbs for stroke patients.

Maize seedlings were cultured in nickel or cadmium contaminated sand treated with α-naphthylacetic acid (NAA). The effects of NAA on nickel and cadmium uptake in roots, shoots, and subcellular fractions (cell wall, nuclei and remained parts of seedling cells) were determined. The data showed growth promotion when NAA was applied at low concentrations and inhibition at high concentrations. Uptake of nickel and cadmium content increased concurrently in roots and shoots. In the subcellular fraction, nickel and cadmium was greatest in the cell wall. The changes in growth had greatest correlation with nickel and cadmium content in the subcellular fraction.

Humans ; Organometallic Compounds ; chemistry ; metabolism ; toxicity

Objective To determine the gene polymorphism and serum concentration of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in patients with psoriasis,and to analyze the relationship between MBL and psoriasis.Methods Totally,67 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 69 healthy human controls were enrolled in this study.Venous blood samples were obtained from all the subjects.Genomic DNA was extracted,and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP) analysis was conducted to determine the polymorphism at codon 54 of the MBL gene.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the serum level of MBL.A chi-square goodness-of-fit test was carried out to evaluate Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,t test to compare the serum concentration of MBL,and chi-square test to compare the frequency of genotypes and alleles of MBL gene codon 54.Results The patients with psoriasis showed higher frequency of GGC/GAC heterozygote but lower frequency of GGC/GGC homozygote (x2 =10.36,P ＜ 0.05),together with increased frequency of GAC allele but decreased frequency of GGC allele (x2 =8.31,P ＜ 0.05),at codon 54 of the MBL gene compared with the healthy controls.The variant allele GAC at codon 54 of the MBL gene was markedly associated with psoriasis (OR =3.383,95％ CI 1.585-7.211,P ＜ 0.05).The serum concentration of MBL was (2.193 7 ± 0.816 3) mg/L in patients with psoriasis,significantly lower than that in the healthy controls ((3.269 5±1.205 8) mg/L,t=6.11,P＜ 0.05).Conclusion MBL might be associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis to some degree.

Objective To investigate the expression of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in lesions of patients with psoriasis vulgaris,and to explore the relationship between MBL and psoriasis pathogenesis.Methods Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of MBL in lesional and normalappearing perilesional skin of 30 patients with progressive psoriasis vulgaris,as well as in normal skin of 30 healthy human controls.Statistical analysis was carried out by t test using SPSS13.0 software.Results Immunohistochemistry showed that MBL was expressed in lesional psoriatic skin,but weakly expressed or absent in normalappearing perilesional skin and normal control skin,with the relative expression level of MBL in lesional skin significantly higher than that in perilesional skin and normal control skin (0.636 7 ± 0.515 1 vs.0.416 3 ± 0.160 1 and 0.381 6 ± 0.310 9,t =2.24,2.32,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05).Western blot revealed a positive expression of MBL protein in all the skin specimens,and the expression intensity of MBL protein in lesional psoriatic skin was significandy increased compared with perilesional psoriatic skin and normal control skin (0.273 1 ± 0.129 4 vs.0.186 3 ± 0.193 1 and 0.149 2 ± 0.268 7,t =2.05,2.28,respectively,both P＜ 0.05).No significant difference was shown in the expression of MBL protein between perilesional psoriatic skin and normal control skin by immunohistochemistry (t =1.51,P ＞ 0.05) or Western blot (t =0.61,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion There is a high expression of MBL protein in lesions of patients with psoriasis vulgaris,which may be somewhat associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of electroacupuncture (EA) plus pricking-cupping bloodletting therapy for herpes zoster.
Methods:A total of 43 patients with herpes zoster were randomly divided into two groups, 23 cases in the treatment group and 20 cases in the control group. The treatment group was given EA plus pricking-cupping bloodletting therapy. The control group was given oral administration of Aciclovir Tablets, Diclofenac Sodium Dual Release Enteric-coated Capsules, Methylcobalamin Dispersible Tablets, and V itamin B12.
Results: The total effective rate was 87.0% in the treatment group and 70.0% in the control group, with a statistical significance in difference of the total effective rate between the two groups (P<0.01).
Conclusion:The clinical effect is better in the treatment of herpes zoster by EA plus pricking-cupping bloodletting therapy than by medications.

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effects of capsule of Biqi Capsule and VitB on lubar intervertebral disc protrusion(LIDP).Methods:78 Patients with LIDP were divided randomly into 2 groups:treatment and control group.39 Patients in treatment group were treated with Biqi Capsule and FENG's bone-setting manipulation,39 patients in control group were treated with vitamine B and FENG's bone-setting manipulation.All patients were followed up for 1 month after treatment for 2 weeks and therapeutic effects were evaluated.Results:In treatment group,24 patients were cured,6 patients had remarkable effects,5 effective,4 ineffective.In control group,the data were 16,8,8,7 correspondly.The therapeutic effects in treatment group were obviously better than those of control group(P

Objective To improve the therapeutic response and survival of locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated with radiochemotherapy. Methods Fifty nine patients with stage Ⅱ Ⅲ pancreatic cancer were divided into two groups: 33 patients were treated with three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) plus regional intra arterial infusion chemotherapy (CT)and 26 patients received 3DCRT alone.Results The response (pain alleviating) rates were 78.8% in 3DCRT+CT group and 80.8% in 3DCRT group,while the overall response (CR+PR) rates were 78.8% and 42.3% (P