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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the immediate analgesic effect of sinew acupuncture for patients with soft-tissue injuries (STIs).@*METHODS@#Two hundreds eligible adult patients suffering from STIs were recruited and received sinew acupuncture with flexible treatment schedules. The number of treatment sessions was pragmatically decided by each patient on the basis of their pain relief. The outcome measurement was the change of pain rating in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) during the first 5 sessions. The adverse effect was also observed.@*RESULTS@#Of the 200 patients recruited, 7 were excluded due to incomplete data. In total, 888 sinew acupuncture treatments were administered to patients at 14 injury sites (including head, neck, shoulder, arm, chest, elbow, wrist, hand, waist and hip, knee, thigh, calf, ankle, and foot) where pain was felt. Compared with the baseline, the VAS rating after the first and last treatments were both significantly reduced at all the injury sites (P<0.01). The VAS rating was also significantly reduced after each session of treatment in the first five sessions (P<0.01). No serious adverse effect was observed.@*CONCLUSION@#Sinew acupuncture had not only an immediate analgesic effect for STIs, but also an accumulated analgesic effect during the first 5 treatment sessions.
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Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of deep fungal infection by detecting the serum galactomannan ( GM) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid ( BALF) GM, serum G test and fungal culture of BALF in patients with suspected invasive fungal infection ( IFI) in lungs.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of the results of serum /BALF GM test ,serum G test and BALF culture from 148 patients with suspected pulmonary IFI .The indexes involved sensitivity , specificity , positive predictive value , negative predictive value , as well as diagnostic capacity for deep fungal infection with separated or combined tests .Results Among the 148 cases, 48 cases were clinically diagnosed with IFI and the rest were excluded.Among the 48 IFI cases, 3 cases were positive in serum GM test , 25 cases were positive in BALF GM test , 31 cases were positive in G test and 30 cases were positive in fungal culture .The combined detection showed a sensitivity of 91.6%,specificity of 70.0%, positive predictive value of 59.5% and negative predictive value of 94.6%.Conclusion The combination of GM/G tests and fungal culture can significantly improve the clinical diagnostic efficiency of pulmonary IFI .
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Objective To investigate the laboratory diagnosis of filamentous fungi which are rarely seen in clinical practice.Methods Five strains of fungi were isolated from clinical samples and initially identified by the morphological method.Total DNA of fungi was extracted and amplified by the PCR method using universal primers of ITS2-ITS4 gene, respectively.The PCR products were sequenced and the obtained sequences were then analyzed by the blastn program incorporated in NCBI.Results The five strains of fungi were diagnosed as Scedosporium apiospermum,Schizophyllum commune,Scopulariopsis brevicaulis,Rhizopus stolonifer,and Fusarium solani.Conclusion The laboratory diagnosis of filamentous fungi which rarely occur in clinical practice should integrate various methods,including morphological, microbiological,and molecular biological methods.
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Objective To investigate the flora distribution and drug resistance status in the Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences so as to provide experimental data for clinical doctors to use antibiotics more efficiently.Methods The clinical data of pathogenic bacterial infections over nearly one year in our hospital were retro -spectively analyzed .Results There were 3815 strains of pathogenic bacteria isolated from the sample .The percentage of Gram-positive strains was 36.4%while that of Gram-negative bacteria was 63.6%.The most common bacteria were Esche-richia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis.In terms of drug tolerance , Enterobacteriaceae remained highily sensitive to carbapenems .The total resistance rate was 2%-5%.The resistance rate of A.baumannii to meropenem and imipenem was 60%.There were still a few pan-drug resistant strains among K.pneumoniae,A.baumannii and P.aeruginosa,but there were no drug resistant strains to vancomycin , tige-cycline and linezolid in Staphylococcus.The resistance rate of Enterococcus faecium to vancomycin was 9%.The bacteria were distributed predominantly in ICU ,Department of Hematology and Department of Oncology .The samples were mainly composed of phlegm specimens .Conclusion The high distribution in the three departments mentioned above is largely re-lated to the diseases being treated .The specimens from the lower respiratory tract show more types of bacteria that are mostly drug-resistant, and the isolating rate of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus and carbapenems resistant K.pneumoniat is com-paratively high .
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In order to clarify the inter-relationship between getting qi and arrival of qi, the relevant theory in the Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor is re-considered, and then the relationship of the two concepts by combining with some opinions from scholars is compared and analyzed. Getting qi is the signal of acupuncture at an acupoint; also it is a sign of arrival of qi at an acupoint; what's more, it is the premise for reinforcing or reducing manipulation. The sensation of arrival of qi comes from both doctors and patients, characterized with explicit symptoms including "tight and swift", "sunken, sticky and tight", "light, loose and slow", "warm at the acupoint" or "cold at the acupoint" as well as implicit symptom including "qi moving along the meridians"; also there is the condition of qi regulation that is characterized with "paced and harmony" stomach qi. The arrival of qi could be divided into "qi moving to the needles" and "qi traveling to the diseases". The "qi moving to the needles" has similar meaning to getting qi. The "qi traveling to the diseases" is reflected as "qi arrival with efficacy" and characterized as an immediate effect or a delayed effect. There are differences between the concepts of getting qi and arrival of qi. Getting qi focuses on the importance of the doctor during acupuncture processes (differentiate the nature of qi, guard qi, manipulate qi), which also suggests the clinical significance of implicit getting qi. "Arrival of qi" emphasizes "qi arrival with efficacy", and indicates that during treatment the differences of the exterior or interior and deficit or surplus should be distinguished. For external and shallow diseases involving myofascia-related diseases, miu needling and shallow needling can achieve an immediate treatment effect; for deep, internal and deficient diseases, reinforcing or reducing manipulation should be used to achieve stomach qi, which has delayed effects but can be used as an indicator. It is believed that pulse diagnosis shall not be neglected in clinical treatment of acupuncture.
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Humans , Acupuncture Therapy , History , China , History, Ancient , Medicine in Literature , Medicine, Chinese Traditional , History , Meridians , Qi , HistoryABSTRACT
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation, providing the basis for future research strategies. Randomized control trials. (RCT) of acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumber disc herniation at home and abroad from 2000 to 2013 were searched, analysis and evaluation of literature and strength of evidence were based on the principles and methods of Evidence-based Medicine. The total effective rate and curative rate were considered as primary outcome measures; pain improvement, quality of life, relapse rate and adverse effects were considered as secondary outcome measures. Seventeen RCTs were identified, Meta-analysis showed that (1) total effective rate and curative rate: acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than single therapy (acupuncture or traction); (2) pain improvement: acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than traction therapy; (3) relapse rate: current evidence could not support the conclusion that acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than traction therapy. Acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation was effective. However, the included studies were with high risk of bias, important outcome measures such as quality of life, relapse rate and adverse effects were not found in most of the studies. Current evidence has not yet been able to fully reflect acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation is better than single therapy, so more RCTs of higher quality are needed to further confirm its efficacy and safety.
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Humans , Acupuncture Therapy , Methods , Combined Modality Therapy , Intervertebral Disc Displacement , Therapeutics , Traction , MethodsABSTRACT
Many researchers employed mammalian expression system to artificially express cannabinoid receptors, but immunoblot data that directly prove efficient protein expression can hardly be seen in related research reports. In present study, we demonstrated cannabinoid receptor protein was not able to be properly expressed with routine mammalian expression system. This inefficient expression was rescued by endowing an exogenous signal peptide ahead of cannabinoid receptor peptide. In addition, the artificially synthesized cannabinoid receptor was found to aggregate under routine sample denaturing temperatures (i.e., [Symbol: see text]95°C), forming a large molecular weight band when analyzed by immuno-blotting. Only denaturing temperatures [Symbol: see text]75°C yielded a clear band at the predicted molecular weight. Collectively, we showed that efficient mammalian expression of cannabinoid receptors need a signal peptide sequence, and described the requirement for a low sample denaturing temperature in immuno-blot analysis. These findings provide very useful information for efficient mammalian expression and immuno-blotting of membrane receptors.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Chaipo Granule (CPG) combined with routine treatment on refractory asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patient with refractory asthma were assigned equally in a double-blind, randomized way to the treatment group and the control group. Routine treatment (including regular inhalation of salmeterol and fluticasone propionate 50/250 microg, and if necessary, inhalation of salbutamol + ipratropium bromide) were given to all patients. CPG (3 pouches every time, twice a day) were administered to the treatment group in addition, while to the control group, placebo with similar appearance in equal volume was given. The therapeutic course for all was 24 weeks. Asthma control test (ACT) scoring and lung function tests (FEV1 and PEF) were performed before treatment and at the end of the 4th, 12th and 24th week; daily records of asthma, dose of hormone used, withdrawal reaction and adverse reaction occurred were monitored, and serum levels of cortisol, total IgE and cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IFN-gamma) were measured before treatment and at terminating the 24-week treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Symptoms and lung function were significantly improved after treatment in both groups, but the improvements were better in the treatment group than the control group at all time points, the difference between groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Levels of IL-5, IL-13, total IgE decreased, IFN-gamma and Cor increased in all patients after 24-week treatment, but the improvements in the treatment group was more significant, with statistical difference between groups (P < 0.05); the mean hormone withdrawal time in the treatment group was (14.6 +/- 5.1) days, with the incidence of systemic withdrawal reactions of 20%, while those in the control group was (22.1 +/- 6.8) days and 36.7% correspondingly, the difference between groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). However, one patient in the treatment group quit the trial due to a severe seizure of asthma. No obvious treatment-related side effects appeared in the treatment group, except that 3 patients suffered from slight abdominal pain.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CPG could improve the clinical symptoms and lung function, facilitate to Th1/Th2 balance and enhance the secretion of adrenal cortex. It is an effective and safe Chinese herbal remedy for treatment of refractory asthma.</p>
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Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Asthma , Drug Therapy , Double-Blind Method , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Therapeutic Uses , Integrative Medicine , PhytotherapyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyse chemical constituents of the volatiles of Clerodendron bungei.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The volatiles of C. bungei were extracted through steam distillation, and then the constituents were separated by GC and identified by MS.</p><p><b>RESULT AND CONCLUSION</b>33 Compounds were identified. The principal chemical constituents of the volatiles of C. bungei are ethanol, acetone, 1-penten-3-ol,2-pentanol, (Z)-2-penten-1-ol, 3-furaldehyde, 3-hexen-1-ol, 4-hexen-1-ol, 1-hexanol, 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, benzenemethanol, linal-ool oxide, trans-Linalool oxide, linalool,2,5-dimethylcyclohexanol, phenylethyl alcohol, etc.</p>