Effects of Pulsatile Cupping on Body Pain and Quality of Life in People with Suboptimal Health:A Randomized Controlled Exploratory Trial.

Objective: The curative effect of pneumatic pulsatile cupping on pain has been shown. This study was conducted to investigate effects of the pulsating frequency of pneumatic pulsatile cupping, compared with traditional cupping (TC), on body pain and quality of life (QoL) in people with suboptimal health status (SHS). Materials and Methods: Ninety-six participants with SHS were randomized to low-frequency (LF; n = 24) or high-frequency (HF; n = 24) pulsating cupping, traditional cupping (TC; n = 24), or wait-list (WL; n = 24) groups. The LF, HF, and TC groups received 4 sessions of cupping over 2 weeks. Visual analogue scale (VAS; 0-100 mm) pain level and Short-Form-36 (SF-36) QoL measurements were taken before and after the intervention. Results: Both LF and HF reduced pain significantly (VAS: -28.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] -36.18 to -20.34; and -31.88, 95% CI -39.81 to -23.96; both P = 0.000) and improved QoL more than WL (SF-36, Bodily Pain dimension: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.85 to 2.07; and 1.75, 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.36, both P = 0.000). Compared to TC, LF and HF significantly reduced pain (VAS: -7.92, 95% CI: -15.75 to -0.08, P LT = 0.048; and -11.54, 95% CI: -19.38 to -3.70, P HT = 0.004) and improved QoL (SF-36, Bodily Pain dimension: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.01 to 1.21, P LT = 0.046; and 0.90, 95% CI: 0.30 to 1.50, P HT = 0.004). There was no significant difference between LF and HF. Conclusions: This study showed that, in patients with SHS, pulsatile cupping therapy could have a more-favorable effect to relieve body pain, compared to TC. LF and HF pulsation produced equivalent pain relief. Further studies investigating the underlying mechanism are needed. Trial registration: This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-INR-16009345).

[Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Treatment of Gastro-esophageal Reflex Disease by Needling Dorsal Segment of the Governor Vessel].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the curative effect of needling stimulation of the dorsal segment (7 spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T9) of the Governor Vessel for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: A total of 60 cases of GERD patients were randomly divided into acupuncture group and medication group (n = 30 in each group). For patients of the acupuncture group, the depression spots below the spinous processes from T3 to T9, including both acupoints [Shenzhu (GV 12), Shendao (GV 11), Lingtai (GV 10), Zhiyang (GV 9), Jinsuo (GV 8)] and non-acupoints (T4, T8) were punctured with filiform needles, once every other day for 8 weeks. Patients of the medication group were asked to take Omeprazole capsules (20 mg/time) twice a day for 8 weeks. The curative effects were assessed by "Reflux Disease Questionnaire" score (RDQ score of heartburn, retrosternal pain, acid regurgitation and food regurgitation, 0-40 points, the "Guidelines for Clinical Research on Chinese New Herbal Drugs" (GRED symptom scale scores about the 38 symptoms of the digestive system, respiratory system, five-sense organs, cardiovascular system, back-pain, sleep, headache, daily life activity, etc. 0-114 points, 0-3 scales), and "the Consensus about Diagnosis and Treatment of GERD of Traditional Chinese Medicine", respectively. RESULTS: Following the treatment, both RDQ score and GERD symptom scale score were significantly decreased in patients of the acupuncture and medication groups (P<0.05), and the effect of acupuncture was markedly superior to that of the medication in lowering RDQ and GERD scale scores (P<0.05). The cured plus markedly effective rate for RDQ score and the effective rate for GERD scale score were 70.0% (21/30) and 93.3% (28/30) respectively in the acupuncture group, being significantly higher than those [43.3% (13/30) and 66.7% (20/30)] in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of the dorsal segment

A novel peroxinectin involved in antiviral and antibacterial immunity of mud crab, Scylla paramamosain.

Peroxinectin (PX) with cell adhesion and peroxidase activities is important in invertebrate immune responses. We identified a novel PX homolog from Scylla paramamosain (designated as Sp-PX) through transcriptome sequencing. The full-length of cDNA sequence was 3,165 bp. And there was a peroxidase domain in the deduced protein sequence. A cell-adhesive sequence (KGD motif) was also found in the N-terminus. The predicted molecular mass of the mature protein is 83.9 kDa, with an estimated pI of 6.21. At the amino acid level, Sp-PX shared much higher similarities with other crustaceans PX proteins. And Sp-PX also exhibited some similarities with other peroxidase family members. According to real-time polymerase chain reaction, Sp-PX was mainly distributed in the hemocytes. The gene expression levels in the hemocytes of the normal and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-challenged crabs were compared via high-throughput RNA sequencing technology, and the results showed that Sp-PX was upregulated at 48 h post-WSSV challenge. Subsequently, how Sp-PX responds to WSSV stimulus was explored through time-course experiments. The Sp-PX transcripts dramatically increased and reached the highest level at 12 h post-injection, whereas Sp-PX transcripts were recovered at 96 h post-challenge. Meanwhile, it was found that the WSSV copies proliferated significantly after a period of latent viral infection for 48 h. In addition,Sp-PX transcripts were also upregulated after Vibrio harveyi or Staphylococcus aureus challenge. Overall, Sp-PX not only participates in antibacterial immunity but also plays a crucial role in the antiviral immune responses of mud crab at the early stage of WSSV infection.

[Effects of initial feeding on the growth, survival, and body biochemical composition of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) larvae].

Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) larvae were raised with Limnodrilus sp., Artemia nauplii, Moina sp., and artificial commercial diet for 30 days to investigate the effects of different initial feeding diets on the growth, survival, and body biochemical composition of the larvae. The results showed that A. nauplii was the best initial feeding diet, with the survival rate of A. baerii larvae being significant higher (96.67%) than the others. Feeding with Limnodrilus sp. gave the highest growth rate of A. baerii larvae, while feeding with artificial commercial diet gave the lowest efficiency on the growth rate and survival rate of the larvae. The larvae raised with different diets had significantly different body biochemical composition. After fed with artificial commercial diet, the larvae had the highest moisture content but the lowest crude protein and crude ash contents. Taking A. nauplii as the initial feeding diet and then feeding with Limnodrilus sp. could gave the ideal growth and survival rates of A. baerii larvae.