"Unblocking fu organs" is one of the essential principles of Ma's warm moxibustion technique, characterized as "dredging" and "harmonizing" for either deficiency or excess condition. Under the guidance of this therapeutic thought, the acupoints for moxibustion are mainly selected from the middle and lower parts of the body. Regarding the therapeutic approach, the acupoint prescription for moxibustion should be formed in line with warming and promoting circulation of fu organs; the moxibustion degree should be specially considered, in which, the mild moxibustion is recommended to induce promoting action; and the systematic moxibustion technique should be the root for dredging fu organs and regulating zang organs. Ma's mild moxibustion technique stresses on removing the obstruction of fu organs and emphasizes promoting the qi activity of sanjiao (triple energizer) and regulating the balance of five zang organs.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Ethnicity ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Moxibustion/methods*

Objective:To investigate the normal reference values of spinal bone mineral density measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and the differences of bone mineral density (BMD) in different regions of in Chinese adult males.Methods:Men who underwent low-dose CT lung scan for cancer screening in regions of Northeast, North, East, South, Central and Southwest of China from January 2018 to December 2019 were selected. And the lumbar vertebrae BMD values in the male subjects were measured by the QCT system (Mindways Software, Inc.). The mean BMD values and their decline rates were calculated at an age interval of 10 years, and the prevalence of osteoporosis was calculated according to the American College of Radiology spine QCT osteoporosis diagnostic criteria.Results:A total of 50 682 males with a mean age of (50.22±12.79) years (ranged 20 to 98 years) were included in this study. The peak BMD of (173.11±28.56) mg/cm 3 in the healthy Chinese adult male population appeared in the age group of 20 to 29 years and then declined with age. Before the age of 70 years, the BMD was relatively higher in males in South China, and it was lower in Central China and Southwest China, and it was intermediate in Northeast, North and East of China, with statistically significant differences. There was no significant differences in BMD in the males in the two age groups of 70 to 79 years and 80 and older among the regions in China. The overall decline rate of spinal BMD in Chinese males under QCT was about 46.92% over the lifetime, and it declined obviouslyin the 40-49 age group. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in Chinese male population aged 50 years and above was approximately 11.42%, with the highest prevalence in Southwest China and Central China (14.72% and 13.87%, respectively) and the lowest in North China and South China (8.53% and 7.71%, respectively). Conclusions:A reference of lumbar spine BMD values for healthy males in China based on QCT is established. BMD values were highest in South China and Lowest in Central China.

Spermatogenic dysfunction caused by cyclophosphamide (CP) chemotherapy has seriously influenced the life quality of patients. Unfortunately, treatments for CP-induced testicular spermatogenic dysfunction are limited, and the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. For the first time, here, we explored the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (BMSC-exos) on CP-induced testicular spermatogenic dysfunction in vitro and in vivo. BMSC-exos could be taken up by spermatogonia (GC1-spg cells). CP-injured GC1-spg cells and BMSC-exos were cocultured at various doses, and then, cell proliferation was measured using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In addition, photophosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), and protein kinase B (AKT) proteins was evaluated by western blotting as well as apoptosis in GC1-spg cells measured using flow cytometry. Treatment with BMSC-exos enhanced cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis of CP-injured GCI-spg cells. Phosphorylated levels of ERK, AKT, and p38MAPK proteins were reduced in CP-injured spermatogonia when co-treated with BMSC-exos, indicating that BMSC-exos acted against the reproductive toxicity of CP via the p38MAPK/ERK and AKT signaling pathways. In experiments in vivo, CP-treated rats received BMSC-exos by injection into the tail vein, and testis morphology was compared between treated and control groups. Histology showed that transfusion of BMSC-exos inhibited the pathological changes in CP-injured testes. Thus, BMSC-exos could counteract the reproductive toxicity of CP via the p38MAPK/ERK and AKT signaling pathways. The findings provide a potential treatment for CP-induced male spermatogenic dysfunction using BMSC-exos.

Background::China has experienced rapid urbanization in the past 30 years. We aimed to report blood cadmium level (BCL) in the rapidly urbanized Yangtze Plain of China, and explore the association between BCL and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D).Methods::Our data source was the Survey on Prevalence in East China for Metabolic Diseases and Risk Factors (SPECT-China) cross-sectional study (ChiCTR-ECS-14005052, www.chictr.org). We enrolled 3234 subjects from 12 villages in the Yangtze Plain. BCLs were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. 25(OH)D was measured with a chemiluminescence assay.Results::A total of 2560 (79.2%) subjects were diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. The median (interquartile range) BCL was 1.80 μg/L (0.60-3.42) for men and 1.40 μg/L (0.52-3.10) for women. In women, mean 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with BCL (0.401, 95% confidence interval: -0.697 to -0.105 nmol/L lower with each doubling of the BCL) after adjustment for age, educational status, current smoking, body mass index, diabetes, and season. However, there was no significant difference in 25(OH)D across the BCL tertiles for men.Conclusions::BCL in Chinese residents in the Yangtze Plain were much higher than that in developed countries. An inverse association between BCL and 25(OH)D was found in general Chinese women after multivariable adjustment. Future prospective cohort and animal studies are warranted to resolve the direction and temporality of these relationships, and to elucidate the exact mechanisms involved.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is recognized as a significant risk factor for diabetes and hypertension. The present study aimed to examine the associations between adults'obesity risk and childhood and parental obesity. METHODS: A total of 204 children aged 6-17 years were recruited in 2002 with an average follow-up period of 13.2 years. Height and body weight were measured by trained staffs. Overweight and obesity were defined based on the Chinese standard for children and adults. T-test, analysis of variance, and Chi-square analysis were used for single factor analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to perform multifactor analysis. RESULTS: The percentage of non-obese children who grew up to be non-obese adults was 62.6%, and that of obese children who grew up to be obese adults was 80.0%. There was a significant association between childhood body mass index (BMI) and adulthood BMI with a β regression coefficient of 3.76 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.36-6.16], and between childhood obesity and adulthood obesity with an odds ratio of 5.76 (95% CI: 1.37-24.34). There was no statistical difference between parental obesity at baseline and children's adulthood obesity, after adjustment of confounders. Male participants and those aged 10.0-13.0 years had a higher risk of adulthood obesity with odds ratios of 2.50 (95% CI: 1.12-5.26) and 3.62 (95% CI: 1.17-11.24), respectively. CONCLUSION Childhood obesity is an important predictor of adulthood obesity.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Odds Ratio ; Parents ; Pediatric Obesity ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

To preliminarily investigate the effect of Tripterygium Glycosides Tablets( TGT) combined with traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) on the fertility and female menstruation on persons who have took during childhood. The children with henoch-schonlein purpura( HSP) or henoch-schonlein purpura nephritis( HSPN) who treated with TGT under 18 years old and now older than 18 years old( including 18 years old) during January 1998 to December 2010 were selected in our research. The content of follow-up visit included marriage,marriage age,fertility and child health; and unmarried female patients were asked whether they had menstrual abnormalities. The data of the unmarried female patients,including age,clinical classification,TCM syndrome type,initial dose and other related factors that may affect menstrual cycle,was analyzed by using binary logistic regression analysis. A total of 195 patients who met the criteria were followed up in this study,and 26 patients married for more than 1 year. Among the 26 married patients,1 HSP patient had no birth planning due to rheumatoid arthritis,and the remaining 25 patients all had given birth or were pregnant. The 169 unmarried patients included 89 female patients. Among the 89 female patients,4 cases refused to tell the menstrual situations,72 cases had normal menstruation( 84. 7%),13 cases had abnormal menstruation( 15. 3%),and there was no case of amenorrhea. Logistic regression analysis results showed that the age,clinical classification,TCM syndrome type and initial dose had no correlation with abnormal menstruation. Our results demonstrated that TGT has no effect on adulthood fertility among patients who took TGT combined with traditional Chinese medicine during childhood.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fertility ; drug effects ; Glycosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; drug therapy ; Tablets ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

Objective: To study the safety and efficacy of Bushen Daozhuo Granules (BDG) in the treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial included 478 patients with type Ⅲ prostatitis, 290 in the trial group and 188 as controls, the former treated with BDG at 200 ml bid and the latter with tamsulosin hydrochloride sustainedrelease capsules at 0.2 mg qd, both for 4 weeks. Before treatment, after 4 weeks of medication, and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal, we obtained the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIHCPSI) scores and compared the safety and effectiveness rate between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the NIHCPSI score was markedly decreased in the control group after 4 weeks of medication (21.42 ± 4.02 vs 15.67 ± 3.65, P < 0.05) but showed no statistically significant difference from that at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (19.03 ± 3.86) (P>0.05), while the NIHCPSI score in the trial group was remarkably lower than the baseline both after 4 weeks of medication and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (10.92 ± 2.06 and 12.91 ± 2.64 vs 21.58 ± 3.67, P < 0.05). The trial group exhibited both a higher rate of total effectiveness and safety than the control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS BDG is safe and effective for the treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis.
Capsules ; Chronic Disease ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Sulfonamides ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Tamsulosin ; Treatment Outcome ; Urological Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

Objective To study the correlation of wake-up stroke with progressive stroke.Methods Three hundred and twelve patients with acute ischemic stroke,admitted to our hospital from January 2014 to December 2015 were divided into progressive stroke group (n=70) and non-progressive stroke group (n=242).Demographic features,clinical characteristics,and incidence of wake-up stroke were compared between the two groups.The association between wake-up stroke and progressive stroke was analyzed.Results The incidence of wake-up stroke,homocysteine level,and fibrinogen level in progressive stroke group were significantly higher than those in the non-progressive stroke group (40.0％ vs.18.2％,P=0.000;[17.486±16.835] μmol/L vs.[14.321±7.251] μmol/L,P=0.023;[3.539±1.009] g/L vs.[3.134±0.775] g/L,P=0.000).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that wake-up stoke,homocysteine and fibrinogen were the independent predictive factors of progressive stroke (OR=2.978,95％CI:1.623-5.464,P=0.000;OR=1.026,95％CI:1.002-1.052,P=0.035;OR=1.800,95％CI:1.310-2.472,P=0.000).Conclusion Wake-up stoke is a predictive factor of progressive stroke.

Objective To explore the clinical and pathological features, treatment, and prognosis of capillary proliferative purpura nephritis (DEP-HSPN) in children.MethodsThe clinical data of 19 children diagnosed with DEP-HSPN were retrospectively analysis. Fifty-five children diagnosed with HSPN by renal biopsy were randomly selected as control group. ResultsThe average age was 10.6±2.6 years old, and the average course of disease were 19.4±7.4 days before renal biopsy in 19 children with DEP-HSPN (14 males and 5 females) who make up 3.92% of anaphylactic purpura nephritis children conifrmed by renal biopsy in the same period. In these 19 children, there were 10 cases having nephrotic syndrome and 9 case having hematuria and proteinuria type, all of whom were received immunosuppressive therapy. Finally, 14 cases achieved completely remission and 5 cases had partly remission. All of their classiifcations of renal pathology wereⅢb levels, accompanied with 6.38% to 36.36% of crescents. Compared with 55 age and sex matched children with renal pathology classiifcation ofⅢb, the DEP-HSPN children had shorter disease course, higher level of proteinuria, and lower pathological score of chronic renal injury (P all?

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effects of safflor Injection (SI) and extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGB) on lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) and investigate its mechanism.

METHODSIn vivo rabbit model of LIRI was reconstructed. Forty rabbits were randomly and equally divided into four groups: sham-operation group (sham group), ischemia-reperfusion group (model group), ischemia-reperfusion plus SI group (safflor group) and ischemia-reperfusion plus EGB injection group (EGB group). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in serum were measured. The wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of the lung tissue and activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) were also tested. Ultrastructure change of the lung tissue was observed by the electron microscope. The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTSIn the model group, MDA and XO increased and SOD decreased in serum compared with the sham group (P<0.01). The values of W/D, MPO and ICAM-1 of the model group were higher than those of the sham group (P<0.01), but those of the safflor group and EGB group were significantly lower than those of the model group (P<0.01). The IHC demonstrated that ICAM-1 expression in lung tissue of the model group was significantly higher than those of the safflor group (P<0.01). Compared with safflor group, in the EGB group MDA, XO, MPO decreased, SOD and ICAM-1 expression increased (P<0.05), but the change of W/D was not statistically significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSI and EGB may attenuate LIRI through antioxidation, inhibition of neutrophil aggregation and down-regulation of ICAM-1 expression. But EGB had more effect on the antioxidation, while SI did better on regulating ICAM-1 expression.

Animals ; Female ; Ginkgo biloba ; chemistry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lung ; blood supply ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Protective Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; drug therapy ; Safflower Oil ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Xanthine Oxidase ; blood