Effects of moxibustion at different time points on foot swelling, serum level of TNF-α and circadian rhythm in rats with rheumatoid arthritis / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effects of moxibustion at different time points on serum level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to explore its regulation mechanism on circadian rhythm.@*METHODS@#A total of 96 Sprague-Dawley (SD) adult rats were randomly assigned into a blank group, a model group, a moxibustion at 5-7 AM group and a moxibustion at 5-7 PM group, 24 rats in each group, half male and half female. Each group was further divided into a 0 AM group, a 6 AM group, a 12 N group and a 6 PM group, 6 rats in each group. All rats were treated with the 12 h/12 h light-dark cycle in the whole process of experiment. Except for the blank group, all rats were treated with intracutaneous injection of freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) at right foot pad to establish the RA model. The rats at the two moxibustion groups were treated with grain-sized moxibustion at "Shenshu" (BL 23) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) at 5-7 AM and 5-7 PM, respectively, one side per treatment, once a day; six treatments were taken as one course and 3 courses were given with an interval of one day between courses. The rats in the remaining groups were treated with identical fixation but without moxibustion intervention. The right foot volume was measured before model establishment, after model establishment and after treatment. The blood samples were collected after treatment and the serum level of TNF-α was measured by ELISA. The SPSS 21.0 software and Halberg Cosinor were adopted to analyze the experiment data.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, compared with the blank group, the foot swelling severity was significantly increased in the model group, moxibustion at 5-7 AM group and moxibustion at 5-7 PM group (all <0.01); compared with the model group, the foot swelling severity was significantly reduced in the moxibustion at 5-7 AM group and moxibustion at 5-7 PM group (both <0.01). Compared with the blank group, the serum level of TNF-α was increased significantly in the model group and moxibustion at 5-7 AM group (both <0.05); compared with the model group, the serum level of TNF-α was reduced significantly in the moxibustion at 5-7 AM group and moxibustion at 5-7 PM group (both <0.05). The serum level of TNF-α showed circadian rhythm in all the groups (all <0.05), and the peak appeared at night phase; compared with the blank group, the median value of TNF-α was increased significantly in the model group (<0.05), the peak phase was delayed and the amplitude was increased (<0.05); compared with the model group, the median value of TNF-α was significantly reduced in the moxibustion at 5-7 AM group and moxibustion at 5-7 PM group (<0.01), the peak phase was advanced and the amplitude was reduced (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion could effectively reduce the serum level of TNF-α to relieve the foot swelling severity in RA rats. Moxibustion could regulate the circadian rhythm of TNF-α to play its effects on the inhibition of the synthesis of TNF-α. No efficacy is observed between the treatment at 5-7 AM and 5-7 PM.

Anterior-posterior acupoint combination for low back pain / 中国针灸

The meridian diseases, abnormal psoas and abdominal muscles and abdominal pressure are key causes of low back pain. We treat low back pain mainly with lumbar back area, neglecting abdomen. The anterior-posterior acupoint combination, regulating to treat is effective. Based on the Chinese meridian-collateral and contemporary anatomy related to low back pain, the combination method, and its mechanism are introduced, so as to develop the thought and method for low back pain. A typical case is added.

Comparative study of transrectal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance in preoperative estimation of circumferential resection margin of mid-low rectal cancer / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective To compare the value of transrectal ultrasonography(TRUS) and magnetic resonance(MR) in preoperative estimation of circumferential resection margin (CRM) of mid-low rectal cancer.Methods Both TRUS and MR were performed prior to surgery in 111 patients with mid-low rectal cancer.The CRM was evaluated and compared with the postoperative pathologic findings.Results The accuracy of TRUS and MR for CRM was 91.9％(102/111) and 85.6％(95/111),respectively,there was no statistical difference between them (P =0.137).Their specificities were 94.0％ (79/84)and 84.5％ (71/84),there was statistical difference between them(P =0.046).The consistency of the results between TRUS and pathology was better than that between MR and pathology(Kappa1 =0.783,Kappas =0.652).Conclusions TRUS is proved to have an important diagnostic value for CRM of mid-low rectal cancer.