Effectiveness of Mild Moxibustion for Sub-Health Conditions in Pre- and Post-Menopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND Mild moxibustion has been reported to effectively treat menopausal syndrome. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of using mild moxibustion at Shenshu for treating sub-health states in perimenopausal women. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty participants were randomly assigned to moxibustion and control groups. Participants in the moxibustion group received mild moxibustion at bilateral Shenshu (BL23) for 15 min daily. A course was 5 days, with 2 days between courses; treatment was conducted for 4 courses. Participants in the control group were given vitamin E soft capsules for 28 days. Physical condition, living conditions, emotional status, and energy status scores were assessed, and serum sex hormone levels measured. RESULTS Mild moxibustion significantly improved physical condition, living conditions, and emotional status compared to the control group after treatment ([i]P[/i]<0.05). Physical condition ([i]P[/i]<0.01) and living conditions ([i]P[/i]<0.05) improved significantly in post-menopausal women, while living conditions and emotional status were improved in pre-menopausal women ([i]P[/i]<0.05). Serum estradiol level was significantly higher after moxibustion, especially for pre-menopausal women ([i]P[/i]<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Mild moxibustion is safe and effective for treating sub-health state in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. A study with larger sample size and longer-term treatment is needed for further assessment of this topic.

Detection of redox potential evolution during the initial stage of an acute wound based on a redox-sensitive SERS-active optical fiber.

To detect redox potential evolution during the initial stage of an acute wound, a redox-sensitive SERS-active optical fiber was fabricated by integrating redox-sensitive SERS probes in a hole of an optical fiber. The redox-sensitive SERS-active optical fibers carried redox-sensitive SERS probes into the inside of a wound to sense its redox potential. The laser was transmitted to the redox-sensitive SERS probes in the body by optical fibers, and the SERS signals of the redox-sensitive SERS probes were transferred out of the body by optical fibers to indicate the redox potentials in the wound. The redox-sensitive SERS probes dynamically sensed the redox potential in vivo, and their SERS signals were collected constantly to indicate the redox potentials. The assessments in vivo and in vitro proved the responsiveness of redox-sensitive SERS-active optical fibers. The redox potential evolution during the initial stage of an acute wound with the treatments of different concentrations of glucose was detected to verify the feasibility of redox-sensitive SERS-active optical fibers to dynamically detect redox potentials in vivo. The redox-sensitive SERS-active optical fiber would be a versatile tool to explore the roles of redox potentials in living organisms.

[Professor AI Bing-wei's treatment experience of acupuncture for anovulatory infertility].

The clinical experience of professor AI Bing-wei for anovulatory infertility is introduced from three perspectives of zangfu, syndromes and menstrual period in this article. Professor AI believes that ovulation disorders mainly involves the liver, spleen and kidney, and four syndromes, including spleen-kidney yang-deficiency syndrome, liver-depression and kidney-deficiency syndrome, phlegm-dampness obstruction syndrome, qi-stagnation and blood-stasis syndrome are common in clinic. The combination of syndrome differentiation and menstruation differentiation should be adopted in treatment. The syndrome differentiation should be mainly applied. The acupoints for excess syndrome include Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Tianshu (ST 25), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Neiting (ST 44); while the acupoints for deficiency syndrome include Zhongwan (CV 12), Taixi (KI 3), Ganshu (BL 18) and Qimen (LR 14). In auricular acupuncture, kou (CO1), wei (CO4), pi (CO13), neifenmi (CO18), sanjiao (CO17), dachang (CO7) and shenmen (TF4) could be selected for excess syndrome, while wei (CO4), pi (CO13), neifenmi (CO18), zigong (TF2), pizhixia (AT4), shen (CO10) and luanchao could be selected for deficiency syndrome. Moxibustion can be added to treat the patients with deficiency syndrome or cold syndrome. The menstruation differentiation could be used as auxiliary method. In the later period of menstruation, strengthening-spleen and promoting-blood method is applied and Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) are selected; in the intermenstrual period, tonifying-kidney and nourishing-qi, warming-yang and nourishing-yin method is applied and Shenshu (BL 23), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Hegu (LI 4) are selected; in the earlier period of menstruation, soothing-liver and tonifying-kidney, promoting-qi and relieving-depression method is applied and Taichong (LR 3), Qimen (LR 14), Luanchao (Extra), Zigong (EX-CA 1) and Xuehai (SP 10) are selected; during menstruation, Taixi (KI 3), Xuehai (SP 10) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) can be added to nourish kidney, nourish blood, promote blood circulation and regulate menstruation to promote oogenesis. In addition, B-ultrasonography can be used to monitor ovulation and guide intercourse to improve pregnancy rate.

[Clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture combined with motor imagery therapy on hemiplegic cerebral infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with motor imagery therapy on motor function and activity of daily living in patients with hemiplegic cerebral infarction. METHODS: Ninety patients with hemiplegic cerebral infarction were randomly divided into a rehabilitation group, an EA group and a comprehensive group, 30 patients in each one. The patients in the rehabilitation group were treated with regular care, medication and rehabilitation training; based on the rehabilitation group, the patients in the EA group were treated mainly with electroacupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Dingnieqianxiexian (MS 6), Dingniehouxiexian (MS 7), Jianyu (LI 15), Waiguan (TE 5), Fengshi (GB 31) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6); with the arrival of qi. EA device was connected for 30 min. The patients in the comprehensive group were treated with EA as the EA group and motor imagery therapy, 20 min per treatment. The treatment was given once a day, five treatments per week, and totally 4-week treatment was performed. The Barthel index and Brunnstrom score before and after treatment were observed in the three groups. RESULTS: Three cases did not finish the trial and finally 87 cases were included into analysis, including 30 cases in the rehabilitation group, 29 cases in the EA group and 28 cases in the comprehensive group. Compared before treatment, the Barthel index and Brunnstrom score were significantly improved after treatment in the three groups (all P<0.01); after treatment, the Barthel index in the EA group and comprehensive group was significantly higher than that in the rehabilitation group (both P<0.01); the lower extremity score of Brunnstrom score in the comprehensive group was better than those in the EA group and rehabilitation group (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION: EA combined with motor imagery therapy and rehabilitation can significantly improve the motor function and activity of daily living in patients with hemiplegic cerebral infarction, which is superior to rehabilitation alone or EA alone.

[Effects of moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) on level of sex hormones and AMH in sub-health peri-menopausal women].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects between moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23) and oral administration of Vitamin E on quality of life and mechanism in sub-health perimenopausal women, aiming to provide clinical evidence of moxibustion for health care of sub-health female. METHODS: Sixty participants were randomly divided into a moxibustion group and a medication group, 30 cases in each one. The volunteers in the moxibustion group were treated with mild moxibustion at bilateral Shenshu (BL 23) for 15 min, once a day; five treatments were considered as a course of treatment, and totally 4 courses were given with an interval of 2 days between courses. The volunteers in the medication group were treated with oral administration of soft capsule of Vitamin E, once a day, continuously for 28 days. The scores of quality of life and serum levels of sex hormones, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B (INHB) were measured before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: ① Compared before treatment, the scores of quality of life in the two groups were both significantly increased after treatment (both P<0.01), which was more superior in the moxibustion group (P<0.05). ② Compared before treatment, the serum levels of estradiol (E2) and progesterone in the moxibustion group were significantly increased after treatment, especially for premenopausal volunteers (both P<0.01). ③ After moxibustion, the serum level of AMH was significantly improved (P<0.01), however, the effect on INHB had no statistical difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion could effectively improve the quality of life in sub-health perimenopausal women, regulate the levels of sex hormones and AMH, improve ovarian reserve function, and delay ovarian aging.

[Professor WU Xu's clinical experiences on acupuncture for acute upper abdominal pain].

The clinical experiences and proven cases of distinguished doctor of TCM, professor WU Xu, on acupuncture for acute upper abdominal pain is introduced. Professor WU's manipulation characteristics of acupuncture for acute upper abdominal pain, including acute cholecystitis, kidney stone, acute stomach pain, are one-hand shape but both hands in nature, moving like Tai Chi, force on the tip of needle, movement of qi mainly. The main technique posture is one-hand holding needle with middle finger for pressing, the needle is hold by thumb and index finger, and is assisted by middle finger. The special acupuncture experience of emergency is treatment according to syndrome differentiation, combination of acupuncture and moxibustion, selecting acupoint based on experience, blood-letting acupuncture therapy and so on.

[Experimental study on anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of electroacupuncture combined with medium frequency therapy in model rats with lumbar nerve root compression].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects and mechanism of electroacupuncture combined with medium frequency therapy on lumbar nerve root compression. METHODS: Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group, an electroacupuncture group (EA group), a medium frequency group(MF group) and an electroacupuncture combined with medium frequency group (EA + MF group), twelve rats in each group. Models were established by surgery except the normal group and the sham operation group. Rats in the normal group, the sham operation group and the model group were not treated. In the EA group, the rats were treated by electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B 2) and "Huantiao" (GB 30) etc., and by medium frequency at the "Jiaji" (EX-B 2) and "Huantiao"(GB 30) in the MF group. Rats in the EA + MF group were treated by both electroacupuncture and medium frequency. All treatments were started on the fifth day of established model, once a day for fourteen days. Rats' lower limb functions were observed before and after treatment, thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2) and prostacyclin F1alpha (PGF1alpha) in blood plasma were tested after treatment, and pathological changes in the local compressed nerve root were observed by light microscope. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of rats' lower limb neurologic function in three therapy groups were significantly lower than before (all P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, TXB 2 in the EA group and the EA + MF group after treatment were decreased significantly (both P < 0.01), and PGF1alpha in the EA + MF group was increased significantly (P < 0.01), and TXB 2/PGF1alpha level were all regulated favorably in three therapy groups (all P < 0.01), and the pathological scores in the EA group and the EA + MF group were improved significantly (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: n Electroacupuncture combined with medium frequency has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in model rats with lumbar nerve root compression, and its mechanism may be related with the regulation of homeostasis M between TXB 2 and PGF1alpha so as to improve microcirculation.

[Clinical observation on photoelectric treatment instrument combined with acupuncture for treatment of simple obesity].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effect of photoelectric treatment instrument on simple obesity. METHODS: Sixty cases of simple obesity were randomly divided into two groups, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with photoelectric treatment instrument combined with acupuncture, i.e. after acupuncture, the electrodes of XS-998A photoelectric treatment instrument were placed at points of the abdomen, with the laser out-put head on Shenque (CV 8), Shuifen (CV 9) or the parts with much fat, or close to the liver area for the patient of fat liver. The control group were treated with routine acupuncture alone. Changes of main symptoms and signs, and BMI before and after treatment were investigated in the two groups. RESULTS: The symptoms and signs, and BMI were more significantly improved in the treatment as compared with the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with laser radiation at the relative area on the abdomen can increase the therapeutic effect on obesity.