Design and development of a novel infrared mild moxibustion device / 中国针灸

To make up for the shortcomings of traditional mild moxibustion, according to the principle and technical operation characteristics of traditional mild moxibustion, combined with temperature control technology, a novel infrared mild moxibustion device is developed, which is capable of real-time accurate temperature control. This novel infrares mild moxibustion device is composed of a host computer and an infrared radiation head. The host computer includes four modules: power supply, human-computer interaction interface, micro control unit (MCU) and drive circuit. The infrared radiation head mainly includes an infrared heater and a temperature sensor. This novel infrared mild moxibustion device is easy to operate. The electrothermal heating tablet can generate infrared radiation of 3 000-13 000 nm. After the temperature of the infrared heater is stabilized, the range of temperature change is ±0.50 ℃, realizing the goal of precise temperature control. In addition, it can operate moxibustion treatment at multiple acupoints at the same time, which is conducive to the dose-effect evaluation of mild moxibustion.

Effect of mild moxibustion with moxa stick and infrared mild moxibustion on skin blood perfusion at Waiguan (TE 5) / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVES@#To observe the changes of skin blood flow perfusion at Waiguan (TE 5) caused by mild moxibustion with moxa stick and infrared mild moxibustion using laser speckle contrast imaging technology, and to compare the microcirculatory effect during and after both moxibustion methods and explore the dose-response relationship of moxibustion.@*METHODS@#Twenty-four healthy participants were treated with mild moxibustion with moxa stick and infrared mild moxibustion at left Waiguan (TE 5). The record started when the skin temperature reached (44±1) °C, and both moxibustion methods were provided within this temperature range. The 20-minute moxibustion process was divided into four stages (5, 10, 15, and 20 min) using interpolation method, and each participant completed eight interventions with a minimum 24-hour interval between different interventions. The skin surface temperature of the left Waiguan (TE 5) was monitored when both moxibustion interventions were given for 10 min using a TES1306 thermocouple thermometer. The skin microcirculatory blood perfusion units (MBPU) of left Waiguan (TE 5) was measured using a PSIN-01087 laser speckle blood flow imager 1 min before moxibustion, at 5, 10, 15, 20 min during moxibustion and continuously for 20 min after moxibustion in each intervention.@*RESULTS@#The skin surface temperature of the left Waiguan (TE 5) remained within the range of (44±1) °C during both moxibustion methods, with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). Compared with that before moxibustion, the MBPU of the left Waiguan (TE 5) was increased significantly at 5, 10, 15, and 20 min of both moxibustion methods (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with moxibustion for 10, 15 and 20 min, the MBPU of the left Waiguan (TE 5) of moxibustion for 5 min was lower in both moxibustion methods (P<0.01). For both moxibustion methods with the same moxibustion course, the MBPU of the left Waiguan (TE 5) 20 min after intervention was significantly higher than that at 1 min before moxibustion (P<0.001), and there was no significant difference in MBPU between 1 min before moxibustion and 20 min after moxibustion among different groups (P>0.05). Within the same moxibustion method, the MBPU of the left Waiguan (TE 5) 20 min after moxibustion with the intervention of 5 min was lower compared to that of 10, 15, and 20 min of moxibustion (P<0.001), with no significant differences between 10, 15, and 20 min of moxibustion (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#When controlling the skin temperature at Waiguan (TE 5) within (44±1) °C, infrared mild moxibustion has similar effects on skin microcirculatory blood perfusion as traditional mild moxibustion with moxa sticks. From a dose-response perspective, microcirculation reached a stable state after 10 min of moxibustion, and moxibustion interventions lasting for more than 10 min shows better therapeutic effects.

A cross-sectional survey on hepatitis C virus infection among residents aged 18-59 years in a former commercial blood donating community, Shanxi Province / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine sero-prevalence of and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) among residents aged 18-59 years in a former commercial blood donating community, Shanxi province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 660 randomly selected residents aged 18-59 years from 12 villages in a rural county of Shanxi province. Structured questionnaire was administered to collect socio-demographic,medical and risk behavioral information. 7 ml-volume venous blood was collected for HCV antibody testing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall HCV sero-prevalence rates were 8.2% and 27.7% among former commercial blood donors in the community. Data from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that people ever selling blood (adjusted OR = 14.28, 95% CI: 6.83-29.87) and receiving blood transfusion (adjusted OR = 8.66,95% CI: 2.31-32.47) were the primary risk factors for HCV infection. Subgroup analysis in blood donors explored that ever selling plasma (adjusted OR = 8.56,95% CI: 2.87-25.54) was the risk factor for HCV infection. Villagers who stopped selling blood in 1994 and thereafter were less likely to be HCV positive than those stopping selling blood before 1994 (adjusted OR = 0.32,95% CI: 0.11-0.93). Female donors had a lower risk than male ones (adjusted OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.10-0.83).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A HCV epidemic was once existing in rural community residents in the province that former commercial blood/plasma donation was the main reason for HCV epidemic in the community. It is urgent to make efficient measures to prevent HCV secondary transmission and provide patients with care and treatment to this community.</p>

A retrospective cohort study on the survival of blood-borne human immunodeficiency virus cases in a county, China / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the survival rate of adult blood-borne human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in a county.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective cohort study was carried out to determine the survival from HIV infection and related factors among 78 adult HIV cases infected by blood and confirmed by the end of 2002. Kaplan-meier method was used to describe the survival distribution and Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the factors associated with the survival time.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total mortality after infection was 78.57/1000 p-y and AIDS related mortality was 72.95/1000 p-y. The median survival time was 7.40 years (95% Confidence Interval: 6.79 - 8.02). After adjustment for the clinical stage at presentation (HIV or AIDS), people who got infected at the age of 30 - 40 years or infected by the end of 1995 would proceed to death slower than the other groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The survival of HIV cases infected by blood at the county level might have been underestimated and should be adjusted when HIV/AIDS was estimated and projected. Survival was associated with age when infection started so different survival functions should be used on different age groups that infection started.</p>

Distribution and timing of antibody to SARS-CoV in SARS cases of transmission chain or non-transmission chain / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To find out the timing of serologic responses after illness onset and distribution of IgG antibody to SARS-CoV in SARS cases of transmission chain or non-transmission chain.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The IgG and IgM antibodies to SARS-CoV were tested by indirect ELISA in serum samples from 301 clinically diagnosed SARS cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally 158 SARS cases were involved in 15 chains of transmission. The positive rates of SARS-CoV IgG in those chains were 85.70%-100.00% and the overall rate was 94.30% (149/158). The chain of transmission could spread to four generations, but the SARS cases were reduced with increase of generations. There was no significant difference among positive rates of SARS-CoV IgG for generations, Chi square=5.11, P greater than 0.05. The positive rate of SARS-CoV IgG in cases who were not in chain of transmission was 12.59%(18/143) which was statistically significantly different from that of cases in chain of transmission, Chi square=199.64, P less than 0.001. During days 0-7,8-14,15-21,22-30 after onset, the cumulated positive rate of SARS-CoV IgG was 16.67%, 40.00%, 70.00% and 93.10%, respectively, then was kept at the level above 90% and lasted for 217 days. The cumulated positive rate of SARS-CoV IgM during days 0-7 after onset was the same to that of IgG. During days 8-14, 55.17% of cases had seroconversion for IgM which reached a peak (86.96%) during days 21-30. Then the rate rapidly declined.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>More than 94% of cases with SARS could produce IgG antibody when they were infected by SARS-CoV. Detecting SARS-CoV IgG could provide a diagnostic evidence for case confirmation. SARS-CoV IgG appeared as early as 7 days after onset and reached the peak at about weeks 4. Then the high rate of antibody was maintained for more than 6 months.</p>

Study on the epidemiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Shanxi province / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To describe the epidemiological characteristics and related factors of SARS in Shanxi in order to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data on clinically-diagnosed SARS cases reported to Shanxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention through SARS reporting system of Shanxi province and epidemiological reports were collected from early March to 20 May, 2003. The characteristics of SARS distribution in time, place and population in Shanxi were described. The epidemiological characteristics and related influential factors were analyzed with EPI info 6.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Since the first imported SARS case was diagnosed clinically on 7 March and till 20 May in Shanxi province, the number of cumulative clinically-diagnosed SARS cases were 445 with an attack rate of 1.34/10,000. 20 deaths occurred in that period with the mortality rate 4.49%. The number of cases increased from 28 March and formed the first peak. However, the number continued to increase until 18 April to have formed the second peak. Since then, the number of cases has gradually decreased gradually. Since 19 May, there has been no clinically-diagnosed cases being reported. SARS cases were mostly seen in urban areas of the city (83.82% of the total SARS cases) with sporadic cases found in rural areas. Students and medical staff and people from 20 - 59 years of age occupied the large part of the cases. Age specific mortality rate increased with age and the male/female ratio was 1:0.87.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In Shanxi province, the SARS epidemic seemed to have had the following stages: importation of the first case, gradual increase of the number of cases to reach the peak and decreasing. Case identification at early stage as well as taking measures to decrease the chance of transmission were strategically crucial for controlling the spread of SARS virus in the community.</p>

Study on repairing of the rabbit radial defect with direct galvanic stimulation in medullary cavity / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

Objective To explore the effect of low constant direct current (LCDC) in the medullary cavity on repairing of rabbit radial defect as to evaluate its clinical value. Methods DBX was put into the segmental osteoperiosteum defect of rabbit bilateral radius. The rabbits were divided into 2 groups: group A (subject group) with the defects stimulated by LCDC and group B (control group) with the defects left untreated. In week 2,5 and 9, 4 animals from each group were put into death, and the radius was taken for study using photograph, electron microscope, histological & morphologic technique, and the contents of the Calcium (Ca) and ALP were determined. Results Compared with group B, the healing of group A was better. The contents of Ca and ALP increased obviously in week 2 (P