The aim of this study is to gain insight and understanding of the perception of Australian patients toward manual therapies. The study also tries to increase our understanding of manual techniques used by manual therapists.

Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and reviews concluded that acupuncture is not an effective treatment for low back pain (LBP) and there is no difference between real acupuncture and sham acupuncture in the treatment of LBP.

Objective: To investigate the interrelationship between back exercise and acupuncture curative effect,and unveil the reason that recovery usually delays in a number of low back pain sufferers. Method: The study is designed as a retrospect investigation. Seventy patients who were newly diagnosed with low back pain were sequentially selected and divided into two groups, 44 cases in the observation group treated with acupuncture plus exercise, and 26 cases in the control group only treated with acupuncture. The recurrence rates in the one-year follow-up after the acupuncture service were compared between the two groups. Result and Conclusion: Back exercise is a risk factor associated with frequent back pain recurrence. In contrast, acupuncture is an effective intervention method for the treatment and prevention of non-specific low back pain.

Biomimetics ; Blood Cells ; metabolism ; CD55 Antigens ; blood ; CD59 Antigens ; blood ; Cell Membrane ; Humans ; Male ; Submarine Medicine

The degradation kinetics of chlorogenic acid (5-CQA), cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA), and neochlorogenic acid (3-CQA) in aqueous solution at 37 degrees C and different pH values (7.05, 7.96, 9.25) were investigated in the present work. The results indicated that 3-, 4- and 5-CQA tended to remain stable in acidic pH circumstance, and unstable in neutral and alkaline pH circumstance. With the increase of the alkalinity, the degradation of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA was increased leading to a less amount of total CQA and was satisfactorily described by the Weibull equation. Meanwhile, caffeic acid was not detected after the degradation of CQA. Moreover, the degradation of 3-CQA and 5-CQA tended to be converted to 4-CQA, and the degradation of 4-CQA tended to be converted to 3-CQA rather than 5-CQA. The comparison of the degradation kinetics parameters of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA at neutral and alkaline pH values showed that the orders of the rate constant (k) values were 4-CQA > 3-CQA > 5-CQA, while the orders of the degradation half life (t½) values were 4-CQA < 3-CQA < 5-CQA, indicating the orders of the stabilities of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA at 37 degrees C and neutral and alkaline pH values were 4-CQA < 3-CQA < 5-CQA.
Caffeic Acids ; Chlorogenic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Kinetics

The degradation kinetics of chlorogenic acid (5-CQA), cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA), and neochlorogenic acid (3-CQA) in aqueous solution at 37 degrees C and different pH values (7.05, 7.96, 9.25) were investigated in the present work. The results indicated that 3-, 4- and 5-CQA tended to remain stable in acidic pH circumstance, and unstable in neutral and alkaline pH circumstance. With the increase of the alkalinity, the degradation of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA was increased leading to a less amount of total CQA and was satisfactorily described by the Weibull equation. Meanwhile, caffeic acid was not detected after the degradation of CQA. Moreover, the degradation of 3-CQA and 5-CQA tended to be converted to 4-CQA, and the degradation of 4-CQA tended to be converted to 3-CQA rather than 5-CQA. The comparison of the degradation kinetics parameters of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA at neutral and alkaline pH values showed that the orders of the rate constant (k) values were 4-CQA > 3-CQA > 5-CQA, while the orders of the degradation half life (t½) values were 4-CQA < 3-CQA < 5-CQA, indicating the orders of the stabilities of 3-, 4- and 5-CQA at 37 degrees C and neutral and alkaline pH values were 4-CQA < 3-CQA < 5-CQA.

Objective To investigate the circadian blood pressure(BP)rhythm in hypertensive patients with chronic renal insufficiency.Methods Circadian blood pressure(BP)rhythm was studied by ambulatory 24-h monitoring among hypertensive(n=25,group B)patients with stable progression of chronic renal insufficiency,and among patients with essential hypertension(n=28,group A)without renal disease.Results ①The 24-h diastolic BP and nocturnal systolic and diastolic BP of group B were significantly higher than those of group A[(80.9±13.4)mmHg vs[70.3±15.6)mm Hg,(160.2±17.8)mm Hg vs(140.3+25.9)mm Hg,(82.6±16.1)mm Hg vs(68.8±20.2)mm Hg,P＜0.05)].②Blooa pressure variability(BPV)of 24 hour systolic and diastolic BP of group B was higher than group A[(13.5±3.9)mm Hg vs(11.3±2.1)mm Hg and(9.2±1.2)mm Hg vs(8.3±1.8)mm Hg,P＜0.05).BPV of nocturnal systolic and diastolic BP in group B was signitleantly higher than group A [(14.9±3.3)mm Hg vs(9.3±2.1)mm Hg and (9.7±2.4)mm Hg vs(8.0±2.2)mm Hg,P＜0.01)].③The 24-h profile of BP of group A showed more non-dipper according for 64.3%(18/28),reverse-dipper according for 10.7%(3/28),but which was 40.O%(10/25)and 48.0%(12/25).Conclusion The renal patients show a disturbance in the 24-h profile of BP,higher indexes of noetttrnal BP and a greater nocturnal variability,which may be important factor for event of cardiovascular disease and renal insufficiency.

Objective To compare the clinical therapeutic efficacy of excision and primary suture after the hydrogen peroxide and methylene blue treatment, and Limberg transposition flap for the treatment of pilonidal sinus. Methods The clinical data of 55 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty-six patients were treated by excision and primary suture after the hydrogen peroxide and methylene blue treatment (suture group), and 19 patients were treated by Limberg transposition flap (flap group). The operation time, length of hospital stay, incision healing time, incidence of complications and recurrence rate were compared between 2 groups. Results There were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay, incision healing time, incidence of complications and recurrence rate between 2 groups (P>0.05). The operation time in suture group was significantly shorter than that in flap group: (51.25 ± 7.02) min vs. (71.42 ± 12.29) min, and there was statistical difference (P = 0.000). Conclusions Excision and primary suture after the hydrogen peroxide and methylene blue treatment is a good method for the treatment of pilonidal sinus. The operation time is short. It is easy to operate, and could achieve good results.

MRI scanning is an important technique to evaluate the olfactory system, special scanning parameters could reveal the fine structures of the olfactory pathway. Olfactory cleft, olfactory bulb/tract, olfactory sulcus and olfactory center are the main targets of the scanning. Chronic rhino-sinusitis, head trauma, congenital dysplasia and neural degenerative diseases are the primary causes of the olfactory dysfunction and have particular imaging presentations respectively. Besides indicating the olfactory pathway lesions, MRI could also present the etiology and the prognosis of the olfactory disorder.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Olfaction Disorders ; diagnosis ; Olfactory Bulb ; Olfactory Pathways

Objective To understand the etiology of acute hepatitis B (AHB) in adults and investigate the mechanisms of hepatic injury and viral clearance in AHB. Methods One hundred and twenty adult AHB patients were enrolled. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected from the case history records or face-to-face inquiry, and serum samples were collected during hospitalization and follow-up. To observe dynamic patterns of AHB etiology, the markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the level of HBV DNA and HBV genotype were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Enumeration data were analyzed by non-parametric rank sum test. Comparison between groups was done by t test and that between rates of samples was done by Pearson χ2 test. Results Serum HBV DNA was positive in 48.33% of patients at the time of diagnosis with mean level of 9.84×04 copy/mL, and became undetectable after 12.5 days on average. The median levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were 1600 U/L and 1490 U/L in HBV DNA positive and negative groups, respectively (z=-0. 678, P=0. 498). However, the mean levels of serum ALT were (2058±123) U/L and (1393±139) U/L in groups of HBV DNA<1×104 copy/mL and>1×104 copy/mL, respectively, which was significantly different (t=-2.17, P=0. 049). Genotype B accounted for 52.5%, genotype C 42.5 and genotype B and C mixed type 5.0% in 58 patients with HBV DNA positive. Eight patterns of serum HBV markers were presented at first visiting. HBsAg(+), HBeAg(+), anti-HBc(+), anti-HBc IgM(+) and HBsAg(+), anti-HBe(+), anti-HBc(+), anti-HBc IgM(+) were the most common patterns, which accounted for 38.3% and 30.0%, respectively. The dynamic patterns of serum HBV markers of 28 AFIB patients were prospectively followed up. The rate of serum FIBsAg loss was 100. 0% and the median time of negative-conversion was 3 weeks. The cumulative positive rate of anti-HBs was 85.7% after 52 weeks of follow-up. The rate of serum HBeAg loss was 100.0%. HBeAg was negative in 53.6% of patients at first visiting and the rest of patients achieved negative within 4 weeks after onset. The positive rate of anti-HBe was 82.1% during 52 weeks of follow-up. Total anti-HBc (including IgG and IgM) was keeping positive in all patients within 52 weeks, and the negative rate of anti-HBc IgM was 39. 3% after followed up for 52 weeks. Conclusions Rapid HBV clearance andserum HBV marker conversion are significantly different between AHB and chronic hepatitis B.