OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of "Tongdu Yisui" (unblocking the governor vessel and benefiting marrow) acupuncture and moxibustion on Meige syndrome. METHODS: Fifteen patients with Meige syndrome were treated with "Tongdu Yisui" acupuncture and moxibustion. Acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV20), Dazhui (GV14), Shenzhu (GV12), Zhiyang (GV9), Jinsuo (GV8), bilateral Taixi (KI3), Zhaohai (KI6) and etc. Moxibustion was delivered at Jinsuo (GV8). After acupuncture and moxibustion at these body points, Jiao's scalp acupuncture was operated at bilateral chorea-tremor control area, and the patients were asked to walk for 20 min during needle retaining. Acupuncture and moxibustion were administered 20 min each time, once every two days, 3 times weekly and for 8 consecutive weeks. Assessments were conducted before treatment, after treatment, and follow-up at three months after treatment completion using the Burke-Fahn-Marsden dystonia rating scale (BFMDRS-M), abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS), and blepharospasm disability index (BSDI); and the clinical effect was evaluated after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the scores of the sub-items of BFMDRS-M for eyes, mouth, speech and swallowing, and neck, as well as the total score of the scale, AIMS score and BSDI score decreased after treatment and during follow-up (P<0.05); the scores of the above indexes were not different statistically in comparison between the follow-up and after treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, 13 cases were effective, 2 cases were failed and the total effective rate was 86.7% (13/15). CONCLUSION "Tongdu Yisui" acupuncture and moxibustion can effectively alleviate motor symptoms and dysfunction of Meige syndrome and presents the sustained therapeutic effect.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Male ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Meige Syndrome/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Adolescent

Objective: To investigate the effects of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from the patients with double heterozygotes Hb Q-H and Hb J-Bangkok combined with β-thalassemia on the results of different HbA1c detection systems. Methods: Blood samples from 20 healthy adults and 20 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were collected to assess the results of five glycosylated hemoglobin detection systems. Blood samples from one Hb Q-H patient and one Hb J-Bangkok patient with β-thalassemia were also collected, and they were performed hemoglobin capillary electrophoresis with Capillarys2 and globin gene analysis by gap-PCR, PCR-RDB and DNA sequencing. The levels of HbA1c in all samples were detected by BioRad VARIANT Ⅱ (VⅡ), BioRad VARIANT ⅡTurbo2.0 (V Ⅱ-T2.0), Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing (C2FP), Primus Ultra2 (Ultra2) and Roche PPI 800 (PPI 800) glycosy lated hemoglobin detection instruments, respectively. For the samples with double heterozygotes, the levels of HbA1c were detected for 3 times each sample, and the results were preserved and analyzed. Results: The genotype of the Hb Q-H sample was --α QT /--SEA;β N /β N , and HbA1 CD74 G＞C mutation occurred in globin α1 chain, forming Hb Q-Thailand hemoglobin variant without normal α-globin peptide chain. The genotype of Hb J-Bangkok combined with β-thalassemia was αα/αα;βCD56/βCD41-42, and the point mutation of GGC＞GAC occurred at codon 56 of globin β-chain, forming Hb J-Bangkok hemoglobin variant without normal β-globin peptide chain. For the Hb Q-H sample, HbA1c results were reported by 3 of 5 HbA1c detection systems. The chromatograms of VⅡ and VⅡ-T2.0 detection systems were obviously different from normal chromatograms, and HbA1c results were not reported. However, the chromatograms of the C2FP system were similar to normal chromatograms, and the result of HbA1c was 3.7%. The Ultra2 system and PPI system reported the HbA1c results, 5.3% and 5.7%, respectively, without abnormal alarm. For the Hb J-Bangkok with β-thalassemia sample, HbA1c results were also reported by 3 of 5 HbA1c detection systems. The chromatograms of VⅡ and Sebia detection systems were obviously different from normal chromatograms, and HbA1c results were not reported. However, the chromatograms of VⅡ-T2.0 system were different from normal chromatograms, and a P4 peak (84.9%) was found. The HbA1c result was reported as 4.7%. The Ultra2 system and PPI system reported the HbA1c results, 4.7% and 3.8%, respectively, without abnormal alarm. Conclusion The samples from the Hb Q-H patient and the Hb J-Bangkok patient with β-thalassemia do not contain normal HbA, and there should be no HbA1c results. The chromatograms of VⅡ and VⅡ-T systems are obviously abnormal, indicating that the results can not be reported. The C2FP system is interfered obviously by Hb Q-H, but reports the HbA1c results, while it does not report the HbA1c results of Hb J-Bangkok combined with β-thalassemia. Both of Hb Q-H and Hb J-Bangkok have obvious interference to PPI and Ultra2 detection systems.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of nucleolin in cardiac hypertrophy rats induced by pressure overload. METHODS: A total of 40 SD rats with body weight 180 g and 220 g were recruited and randomly divided into 2 groups: a transverse aortic constriction (TAC) group and a sham surgery group. Cardiac hypertrophy model was employed by transverse aortic constriction surgery. Then 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the experiment, the heart mass index (HMI), left ventricle mass index (LVMI) were measured. β-MHC mRNA in the heart tissue was detected with RT-PCR. Nucleolin in the heart, brain and kidney was respectively detected with Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the sham surgery group, HMI, LVMI in the TAC group increased significantly (P<0.01) 4 weeks after the surgery; the expression of β-MHC mRNA in the heart tissue increased (P<0.05) in the TAC group 4 weeks after the surgery; and the expression of nucleolin protein in the heart tissue of the TAC group was remarkably upregulated (P<0.05) 2 weeks after the surgery, with no change in the brain and kidney tissue between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Expression of nucleolin protein has been upregulated in response to pressure overload, which may suggest that nucleolin plays a role in cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure overload.
Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiomegaly ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley