ABSTRACT
The theory of wrist-ankle acupuncture is consistent with traditional meridian-collateral theory. For example, the body divisions of wrist-ankle acupuncture are corresponding to the distribution of 12 cutaneous regions of meridians, the needling sites of it are to the running courses of 12 meridians; the indications of it are to those of 12 meridians. The needling sites of wrist-ankle acupuncture are relevant with some special acupoints of acupuncture theory. For example, the 12-needling sites of wrist-ankle acupuncture are located similar to those of 12 meridian points and have very similar indications. The needling sites of it are located in the wrist and ankle regions, in which the five-points are located nearby, for meridian disorders. Most-connecting points are located near to the needling sites of wrist-ankle acupuncture or the needle tip points to. Additionally, the needling method of wrist-ankle acupuncture is consistent with some of the subcutaneous needling methods in traditional acupuncture therapy. On the basis of the aspects mentioned above, it is explained that wrist-ankle acupuncture is the development of traditional acupuncture and cannot be independent from the traditional theories of acupuncture and meridians. It is necessary to seek for the evidence from the traditional theories of TCM. The traditional theories of TCM are summarized from clinical practice, which can be newly verified from the practice of wrist-ankle acupuncture.
ABSTRACT
Objective To campare the clinical efficacy of wrist-ankle acupuncture versus physical therapy in treating lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH).Method Fifty LIDH patients were randomized into a treatment group of 20 cases and a control group of 30 cases. The treatment group was intervened by wrist-ankle acupuncture, while the control group was by traction and interference electrotherapy. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and lumbar pain scoring system by Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) were compared before and after intervention.Result The SF-MPQ and JOA scores were significantly changed respectively after 5-day, 10-day, 15-day treatment as well as at the follow-up study in both groups (P0.05).Conclusion Wrist-ankle acupuncture and physical therapy both are effective in treating LIDH, as they both can release the pain.
ABSTRACT
Wrist-ankle acupuncture is a type of special acupuncture therapy, featured by simple operation, swift efficiency, and few adverse effects. In the recent years, ankle-wrist acupuncture has become more and more popularized in clinic. By retrieving the relevant medical literatures from VIP, CNKI, and Wan Fang databases, this manuscript was to analyze the history of wrist-ankle acupuncture and to review it from both mechanism and clinical reports. Meanwhile, this article also pointed out the existing problems in the research of wrist-ankle acupuncture during the recent years, and expected further standardization and studies.
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The STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials Of Moxibustion (STRICTOM), in the form of a checklist and descriptions of checklist items, were designed to improve reporting of moxibustion trials, and thereby facilitating their interpretation and replication. The STRICTOM checklist included 7 items and 16 sub-items. These set out reporting guidelines for the moxibustion rationale, details of moxibustion, treatment regimen, other components of treatment, treatment provider background, control and comparator interventions, and precaution measures. In addition, there were descriptions of each item and examples of good reporting. It is intended that the STRICTOM can be used in conjunction with the main CONSORT Statement, extensions for nonpharmacologic treatment and pragmatic trials, and thereby raise the quality of reporting of clinical trials of moxibustion. Further comments will be solicited from the experts of the CONSORT Group, the STRICTA Group, acupuncture and moxibustion societies, and clinical trial authors for optimizing the STRICTOM.
ABSTRACT
Medical university staff evaluation is a substantial branch of education administration for medical university. Output number of research papers as a direct index reflecting the achievements in academic research, plays an important role in academic research evaluation. Another index, influence of the research paper, is an indirect index for academic research evaluation. This paper mainly introduced some commonly used indexes in evaluation of academic research papers currently, and analyzed the applicability and limitation of each index. The author regards that academic research evaluation in education administration, which is mainly based on evaluation of academic research papers, should combine the evaluation of journals where the papers are published with peer review of the papers, and integrate qualitative evaluation with quantitative evaluation, for the purpose of setting up an objective academic research evaluation system for medical university staff.
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Background: Pre-exam anxiety syndrome is a common condition occurring in pre-exam students and directly affects their examination performance and physical state. Wrist-ankle acupuncture has significant therapeutic effects in treating mental disorders and may also relieve the symptoms of pre-exam anxiety syndrome. Objective: To assess the therapeutic effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture on pre-exam anxiety syndrome. Design, setting, participants and interventions: A total of 60 students who met the inclusion criteria of pre-exam anxiety syndrome were enrolled from a university in Shanghai and they were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. There were 30 cases in each group, and no case failed to follow-up. In the treatment group, wrist-ankle acupuncture was adopted to point upper 1 bilaterally (impression between flexor carpi ulnaris tendon and ulnar margin), and there was no requirement for Deqi (arrival of qi). In the control group, sham acupuncture was adopted. The treatment was applied 3 times totally in both groups one week before the exam, once every other day, each time with the needles retained for 30 min. Main outcome measures: The therapeutic effects were compared between two groups. Before and after 3 treatments, Sarason Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) and Expectation and Treatment Credibility Scale (ETCS) were measured and evaluated. Results: The therapeutic effect experienced by the treatment group was better than that of the control group (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in TAS and ETCS before treatment between the two groups. The scores of TAS after treatment in two groups were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). There were statistical differences in TAS absolute difference and TAS relative difference between the two groups and the treatment group had better results (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, patients in the treatment group had higher scores in ETCS than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). No adverse reaction was reported. Conclusion: Wrist-ankle acupuncture can relieve the symptoms of pre-exam anxiety syndrome significantly, and this therapy is highly safe.
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Objective To determine whether the level of serum C-reactive protein(CLIP) had prognestie val-ue in patients with congestive heart failure(CHF). Methods Serum CRP was measured by enzyme-linked immuno-assay. Results CRP concentration was ( 8.66±4.38 ) mg/L in CHF patients and (1.12±0.87)mg/L in controls( P<0.01). In patients with LVEF ≤35% and > 35%, CRP was ( 11.92±4.55 ) mg/L and ( 5.88±1.92) mg/L( P<0.01 ). In patients with heart function class Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ, CRP was ( 3.92±0.79 ) mg/L, (5.03±1.55 ) mg/L,(8.94±2.97)mg/L, ( 12.21±4.43 ) mg/L, respectively. A negative correlation was observed between serum C RP concentration and LVEF in patients with CHF( r=-0.502,P<0.01 ). According to the concentration of CLIP,83 pa-tients with CRP≥10mg/L had mortality of 32.50% ,109 patients with CRP<10mg/L and ≥5mg/L had mortality of 10.48%,and 150 patients with CRP < 5mg/L had mortality of 2.76%. Conclusion This study shows that serum CRP is increased and has prognostic value in patients with CHF,that the level of CRP is parallel to the severity of CHF.
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Index Medicus/MEDLINE/PubMed published by U. S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the most important and commonly used biomedical literature retrieval system in the world. According to the"List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus (2004)", 4,098 journals are indexed for Index Medicus, including 70 journals from mainland China and Hong Kong and 9 journals from Taiwan. Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine established in May, 2003 is indexed in Index Medicus in 2004. This article outlines the critical elements of journal selection for Index Medicus/MEDLINE and the journal selection process for indexing at NLM, and introduces some measures for the Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine being indexed in Index Medicus/MEDLINE.