OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of herbal cake-separated moxibustion at Baliao acupoints combined with western medication versus western medication alone in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) with kidney deficiency and blood stasis. METHODS: A total of 108 ED patients were randomly divided into a combination group (54 cases, 2 cases dropped out) and a western medication group (54 cases, 1 case was eliminated, 2 cases dropped out). The western medication group received oral tadalafil tablets 5 mg a time, once daily. The combination group received additional herbal cake-separated moxibustion at Baliao acupoints (Shangliao [BL31], Ciliao [BL32], Zhongliao [BL33], Xialiao [BL34]) twice weekly (administered on Tuesdays and Fridays). Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The 5-question international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) score, erectile hardness assessment (EHS) score, TCM syndrome score, serum sex hormone levels (follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], prolactin [PRL], testosterone [T]), penile hemodynamic parameters [peak systolic velocity (PSV) of penile cavernosal artery, end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistance index (RI)] were compared before and after treatment between the two groups, and the safety and clinical efficacy were evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the IIEF-5 scores, EHS scores, serum T levels, PSV and RI of penile cavernosal artery were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05). Except for RI, the combination group exhibited significantly higher improvements in the above indexes than those in the western medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM syndrome scores, the serum FSH, LH levels, and EDV in the two groups and the serum PRL level in the combination group were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), while the above indexes in the combination group were lower than those in the western medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the combination group was 88.5% (46/52), which was superior to 72.5% (37/51) in the western medication group (P<0.05). No significant adverse reactions occurred in either group. CONCLUSION Herbal cake-separated moxibustion at Baliao acupoints combined with western medicine can regulate sex hormone levels, improve penile blood supply, enhance erectile function and hardness, and is superior to western medication alone, with no observed adverse reactions.
Humans ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Erectile Dysfunction/drug therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Acupuncture Points ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Kidney/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Luteinizing Hormone/blood* ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the function of miR-5581-5p and its interaction with tripartite motif 22 (TRIM22) during the terminal differentiation of human acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells into granulocytes.Methods:APL cells (NB4) were differentiated into granulocytes by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as the control. The expression of TRIM22 was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting, and the expression of miR-5581-5p was detected by qRT-PCR during cell differentiation. miRNA expression was regulated by cell transfection with miR-5581-5p mimic and inhibitor, and negative control was set, and qRT-PCR was used to verify the regulatory effect. Luciferase binding assay was performed to detect the presence of targeted binding. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of TRIM22 after miRNA differential expression. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of the regulation of miR-5581-5p on the differentiation of NB4 cells induced by ATRA.Results:After ATRA induced NB4 cells to differentiate into granulocytes, the gene expression level of TRIM22 was significantly higher than that of the control group (24.56±2.80 vs. 1.02±0.13; t=8.392, P=0.001). The level of protein expression was also significantly higher than that of the control group (0.80±0.01 vs. 0.17±0.01; t=44.900, P<0.001). The expression level of miR-5581-5p in NB4 cells differentiation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.14±0.02 vs. 1.01±0.08; t=10.840, P<0.001). The results of the dual luciferase reporter gene showed that the luciferase activity of the co-transfected miR-5581-5p mimic and TRIM22 WT group was significantly lower than that of the co-transfected miR-5581-5p mimic and TRIM22 MUT group (0.73±0.02 vs. 0.98±0.03; t=7.534, P=0.002). Western blotting showed that after transfection with miR-5581-5p inhibitor, the expression of TRIM22 was significantly higher than that of the negative control (0.44±0.01 vs. 0.21±0.01; t=18.290, P<0.001). While after transfection with miR-5581-5p mimic, the expression of TRIM22 decreased significantly compared with the negative control (0.62±0.01 vs. 0.80±0.02; t=6.402, P=0.003). CD11b expression of miR-5581-5p mimic group after ATRA treatment was significantly lower than that of the control group (45.80±1.80 vs. 56.61±1.88; t=4.159, P=0.014). The expression of CD11b in miR-5581-5p inhibitor group was significantly higher than that in the control group (66.48±2.54 vs. 52.60±1.70; t=4.539, P=0.011). Conclusion:miRNA-5581-5p can bind to TRIM22 3′UTR and negatively regulate TRIM22 expression. The decrease of miR-5581-5p can increase the expression of TRIM22, then promote the differentiation of ATRA-induced NB4 cells into granulocytes.

Objective To compare prospectively the features and effects of combined operation(splenorenal shunt plus portal-azygous devascularization) and portal-azygous devascularization only(PCDV)on portal(hypertension)(PH).Methods We summarized 360 cases of PH admitted from 1984 to 2004.All patients were randomly divided into two groups,one was combined operative group(250 patients) and the other was PCDV group(110 patients).The therapeutic effects and changes of portal hemodynamics were studied with doppler flowmeter(DCFI),free portal pressure(FPP) and digital subtraction angiography(DSA) pre-and post-operatively,and were measured directly during the course of the procedure.Results(1)Postoperative bleeding:Of all the patients who underwent combined operation,no case of rebleeding occurred in the short period after operation,and the rebleeding rate was 8.0% in the long period of follow-up.In the patients who underwent PCDV,the rebleeding rate was 5.5% in the short period after operation,and 17.6% at long-term follow up(P0.05).(3)There was a significant decrease in the diameter of portal vein,and FPP postoperatively in the combined operation group compared to PCDV group.There was a significant decreases of PVF in the PCDV group.But the decrease of PVF in the two groups had no significant difference.Conclusions The combined procedure has merits of greater decrease of FPP,and alleviation of the condition of hyperdynamic blood flow in the portal vein.The clinical effect is also better than that of portal-azygous devascularization only.