Auricular point sticking for relieving pain in arteriovenous fistula puncture / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of auricular point sticking at different points to relieve the pain in arteriovenous fistula puncture. Methods: A total of 42 patients with arteriovenous fistula were randomized into a Shenmen (TF4) group and an Elbow (SF3) group by the random number table method, with 21 cases in each group. After enrolled into different groups, before the dialysis, patients were given auricular point sticking with Wang Bu Liu Xing ( Semen Vaccariae) seeds at Shenmen (TF4) and Elbow (SF3), respectively. Patients were asked to press the seeds themselves for 2 min each time, four times a day, and an additional 5-15 min before the arteriovenous fistula puncture. Intensive pressing was offered during the puncture, 15-20 presses for each time, and the plasters were changed every 2-3 d. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to score the pain level one week before and after auricular point sticking. The NRS score was then compared and analyzed. Results: The intra-group comparison showed that the changes of NRS score in both groups were statistically significant after auricular point sticking (both P＜0.05). After the treatment, there was no significant difference in NRS score between the two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point sticking at Shenmen (TF4) or Elbow (SF3) can effectively relieve the pain of arteriovenous fistula puncture, and these two points have equivalent analgesic effect.

Effects of mesangial cell on proliferation and function of osteoblast in vitro / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects and mechanism of mesangial cell (MC) on proliferation and function of osteoblast in vitro from growth factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Osteoblast cultured in vitro were divided into normal blood serum group and MC group and cultured supernatant fluid by 10% serum culture medium and 20% MC culture medium. MTF was used to checked the proliferation of osteoblast at the end of 24, 48, 72, 120 h; Expression of BGP and OPN were tested 72 h and 144 h after culture; Expression of IGF-alpha and TGF-beta were tested 144 h after culture.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The proliferation of osteoblast in MC group was obviously higher than normal blood serum group in different times (P < 0.05); The level of BGP and OPN of osteoblast was obviously higher than normal blood serum group (11.3%, 16.4%, 55.0% and 39.6%); and the level of IGF-alpha and TGF-beta of osteoblast was obviously higher than normal blood serum group (10.1% and 47.7%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MC can directly act on osteoblast, promote the proliferation and function of osteoblast by promoting secretion of TGF-beta.</p>

GTW-induced abnormal expressions of testicular reproduction-related genes and intervention with kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the abnormal expressions of testicular reproduction-related genes induced by glycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW) and the intervention with kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adult Balb/C male mice were fed on GTW at 30 mg per kg per d for 3 weeks to establish a model of reproductive dysfunction. The model mice were divided into different groups to receive intragastrical administration of saline (0.25 ml/d), GTW (30 mg per kg per d), Cistanche (10 g per kg per d), Rehmannia (10 g per kg per d), and Rehmannia + Cistanche (20 g per kg per d), respectively, once a day for 3 weeks. And a Cistanches pretreatment group was treated with GTW (30 mg per kg per d) and Cistanche (10 g per kg per d) for the same length of time. Then we detected the changed expressions of testicular reproduction-related genes Dzip1, Fas, c-jun and Wnt4 in each group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The model mice showed an obviously down-regulated expression of the Y chromosome microdeletion-related gene Dzip1, and up-regulated expressions of the germ cell apoptosis-related gene Fas, proto-oncogene c-jun, and signal transduction-related gene Wnt4. Intervention with Chinese herbs achieved different degrees of improvement of the mice's reproductivity, and the most obvious efficacy was observed with the combined use of kidney-yang tonifying Cistanche and kidney-yin nourishing Rehmannia.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>GTW exerts significant impact on reproduction-related genes. Both the kidney-yang tonifying drug Cistanche and kidney-yin nourishing drug Rehmannia can counteract some of the reproductive toxicity of GTW, while the combination of the two can further enhance the effect.</p>