Evaluation of Glycosaminoglycan in the Lumbar Disc Using Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer MR at 3.0 Tesla: Reproducibility and Correlation with Disc Degeneration / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study aims to explore the clinical applicability and relevance of glycosaminoglycan Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (gagCEST) for intervertebral disc.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>25 subjects ranging in age from 24 yrs to 74 yrs were enrolled. gagCEST was acquired using a single-slice TSE sequence on a 3T. Saturation used a continuous rectangular RF pulse with B1=0.8 µT and a fixed duration time=1100 ms. Sagittal image was obtained firstly without saturation pulse, and then saturated images were acquired at 52 offsets ranging from ±0.125 to ±7 parts per million (ppm). MR T2 relaxivity map was acquired at the identical location. Six subjects were scanned twice to assess scan-rescan reproducibility.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>GagCEST intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of six subjects was 0.759 for nucleus pulposus (NP) and 0.508 for annulus fibrosus (AF). Bland-Altman plots showed NP had a mean difference of 0.10% (95% limits of agreement: -3.02% to 3.22%); while that of AF was 0.34% (95% limits of agreement: -2.28% to 2.95%). For the 25 subjects, gag CEST in NP decreased as disc degeneration increased, with a similar trend to T2 relaxivity. Gag CEST of AF showed a better correlation with disc degeneration than T2 relaxivity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GagCEST in NP and AF decreased as disc degeneration increased, while gagCEST in AF showed a better correlation than T2 relaxivity.</p>

Qiantongding Decoction: An efficacious therapeutic for type III B prostatitis / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Qiantongding Decoction in the treatment of type III B prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy patients with type III B prostatitis / CPPS were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 36) and a control group (n = 34), the former treated with Qiantongding Decoction, and the latter with oral Indometacin, both for a month. Then their scores on Pelvic Pain Symptom Survey and NIH-CPSI were documented and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>An obvious improvement was observed in both groups after the treatment, with significant differences from pre-treatment (P < 0.05), and the experimental group showed a significantly better alleviation of pain than the control (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Qiantongding Decoction has an obvious therapeutic effect on type III B prostatitis / CPPS.</p>

Acupoint-injection of BCG polysaccharide nuclear acid for treatment of condyloma acuminatum and its immunoregulatory action on the patient / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into immunological mechanisms and clinical therapeutic effect of acupoint-injection of BCG polysaccharide nuclear acid (BCG-PSN) for treatment of condyloma acuminatum (CA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred cases were randomly divided into 4 groups. After removed the CA by laser, the treatment group (group A) was treated with acupoint-injection of BCG-PSN, the control group I (group B) with intramuscular injection of BCG-PSN, the control group II (group C) with intramuscular injection of interferon, and the blank control group (group D) with no treatment. The levels of cellular immune function were detected before treatment and after treatment of 6 months, and the cases of relapse were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cured rate of 94.3% in the group A was significantly higher than 78.0% in the group B, 80.4% in the group C and 78.2% in the group D, with significant differences (P < 0.05); in the group A, CD4+ percent increased, CD8+ percent decreased, CD4+ /CD+ ratio increased, and NK cell activity increased with a low relapse rate, and with significant differences as compared with the control groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupoint-injection of BCG-PSN has a better therapeutic effect and it can obviously reduce the recurrence rate of CA. The cellular immunoregulatory action is one of the mechanisms of this therapy in preventing relapse of CA.</p>