Clinical Observation of Acupuncture-moxibustion in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its effect on serum indexes. Method Eighty-six IBS patients were enrolled and divided by the random number table into a control group and an observation group. The control group was intervened by medication, while the observation group was given acupuncture-moxibustion based on the medication. The clinical efficacy was evaluated and compared after 1 course of treatment; the main symptoms score, mental state, sleep quality, and expressions of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in serum were measured and compared before and after the intervention. Result The recovery rate was 34.9% and total effective rate was 90.7% in the observation group, versus 18.6% and 79.1% in the control group, and the clinical efficacy of the observation group was better than that of the control group (P<0.05). After the intervention, symptoms including abdominal discomfort, daily defecation times, stool form, with or without mucus, and the sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation showed significant improvements in both groups (P<0.05). The Symptoms scores of the observation group were superior to those of the control group (P<0.05). After the treatment, the scores of Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were improved in both groups (P<0.05); the scores of SAS, SDS and PSQI of the observation group were better than those of the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). The level of 5-HT declined in the control group after the treatment (P<0.05), while the levels of 5-HT, NPY and CGRP all declined in the observation group after the treatment (P<0.05); the three parameters in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture-moxibustion can produce a satisfactory result in treating IBS, since it can effectively ameliorate the serum biochemical indexes, symptoms, sleep quality and mental state.

Treatment of middle-aged and aged patients with knee osteoarthritis of yang-deficiency induced cold-damp syndrome by ozone combined Chinese materia medica: a clinical research / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy of treating middle-aged and aged patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of yang-deficiency induced cold-damp syndrome (YDICDS) by ozone combined Fugui Gutong Granule (FGG).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial, 200 KOA patients of YDICDS were randomly assigned to four groups. i.e., the control group (Group A), the Chinese medicine treatment group (Group B), the ozone group (Group C), and the Chinese-r medicine treatment plus ozone group (Group D).Patients in Group A took Voltaren Tablet. Those in Group B took FGG. Those in Group C received ozone injection (10 -18 mL) from knee joint cavity at 25 mg/L, once weekly for 4 weeks in total. Those in Group D received injection from knee joint cavity and took FGG. The therapeutic course for all was one month. The efficacy was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS) and Western Ontario MacMaster University Osteoarthritis index (WOMAC).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The VAS score was obviously lower in Group D than in Group B and Group A at 24 h and 1 week (P <0. 05). After one month of treatment, the VAS score was obviously lower in Group D than in Group A, B, and C (P < 0.05). After treatment the total integral of WOMAC was 25.34 +/- 2.12 in Group D, obviously lower than that in Group A (44.72 +/- 6.57), Group B (40.58 +/- 5.98), and Group C (38.53 +/- 5. 13), showing statistical difference (P <0.05). The pain score, the joint stiffness score, the score for daily activities were lower in Group D than in Group A (P <0.05). The cured and markedly effective rate was 76.0% in Group D, higher than that of Group A (25. 0%), Group B (25. 0%), and Group C (43.8%), respectively (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ozone combined FGG had advantages in alleviating joint pain, and improving joint stiffness and daily activities of middle-aged and aged patients with KOA of YDICDS.</p>

Effects of langchuangping granule on the expression of B lymphocyte activating factor in the peripheral blood B cells of BXSB lupus nephritis mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the expressions of B lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) in the serum and peripheral blood B cells (PBBCs) of BXSB lupus nephritis mice, and to investigate the efficacy of Langchuangping Granule (LG).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen 11-week-old male BXSB lupus mice were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., the lupus control group, the hormone treatment group, and the LG treatment group, 6 in each group. Besides, another 6 C57BL/6 male mice were recruited as the normal control group. The mice were given with normal sodium (10 mL/d), methylprednisolone (at the daily dose of 5 mg/kg), LG (at the daily dose of 4 g/kg), and the normal saline (10 mL/d) respectively by gastrogavage for 4 weeks. The urine protein, ds-DNA, and body weight were determined. The serum soluble BAFF (sBAFF), the expressions and changes of BAFF-mRNA in the PBBCs were detected using ELISA and RT-PCR respectively. The activity index (AI) and 24 h urine albumin excretion quantitation of renal pathological activities were observed. The correlation between ds-DNA and sBAFF were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of sBAFF in serum, the BAFF mRNA level in PBBCs, 24 h urinary albumin excretion, and serum ds-DNA content increased more obviously in lupus mice than in the normal mice. After being treated by methylprednisolone or LG, the sBAFF and BAFF mRNA expressions decreased more obviously than before treatment, showing statistical difference (P<0.05). But there was no statistical difference in the sBAFF level or the BAFF mRNA expression (P>0.05). There was positive correlation between sBAFF and AI (r=0.8098, P<0.01), 24 h urinary albumin excretion (r=0.8220, P<0.01), and ds-DNA (r=0.8535, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>BAFF plays an important role in the occurrence and development of lupus nephritis. It can be used in monitoring the disease progress and predicting its recurrence. It is one of ideal targets for treating lupus nephritis. LG could attenuate the renal injury via suppressing BAFF level. It is worth further clinical application.</p>

Langohuangping granule down-regulated monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 via suppressing nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway in BXSB lupus nephritis mice / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study whether Langchuangping granule (LG) could exert its renal protection by down-regulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) via suppressing nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway in BXSB lupus nephritis (LN) mice. Methods Eighteen male 11-week-old BXSB LN mice were randomly divided into three groups, i.e., the model group, the hormone group, and the Chinese medicine group, 6 in each. They were administered by gastrogavage with normal saline, methylprednisolone, and LG, respectively. Another six C57BL/6 male mice of the same age was taken as the normal control group, which was administered with normal saline by gastrogavage. All mice were treated once daily, for 4 successive weeks. The 24-h urine protein was determined. The mRNA and protein expressions of MCP-1 in the renal tissue were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot. The expression of NF-kappaB p65 in the renal tissue was detected using immunohistochemical assay. Activity index (AI) of the renal tissue was counted using PAS stain. The content of ds-DNA antibody was detected using ELISA. The correlations of the aforesaid indices were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 24-h urine protein level, serum ds-DNA antibody content, protein and mRNA expressions of MCP-1, NF-kappaB p65 expression level, and AI count were obviously higher in the model group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01). The aforesaid indices all obviously decreased after medication in the Chinese medicine group and the hormone group (P < 0.05). MCP-1 protein expression level was positively correlated with MCP-1 mRNA, NF-kappaB p65, AI, 24-h urine protein, and ds-DNA antibody of all LN mice (r= 0.984, 0.936, 0.887, 0.698, 0.679, all P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>LG possibly played renal protection by down-regulating NF-kappaB-mediated MCP-1 expression levels. MCP-1 played important roles in the occurrence and development of LN, being one of ideal targets for LN treatment.</p>

Loss of the balance between Th17 and Th1 populations in HIV/AIDS patients / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the Th17/Th1 response in HIV infected patients and the mutual relationship between the response of Th17 and Th1.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>38 chronic HIV infected patients as well as 24 healthy volunteers were performed in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, one group before treatment, the other after therapy. The whole blood intracellular cytokine staining was used, samples detected by BD FACSCanto, after that, the expression of CD4+ IL-17+ T cell and CD4 IFN-gamma+ T cell were analyzed by FACSDiva software and lastly compared the differences among different groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of CD4+ IL-17+ T cell in naive-therapy patients were significantly lower than that of the healthy controls (1.14 +/- 0.7)9% vs (3.98 +/- 1.14)%, P = 0.000, but increased remarkably after HARRT(highly antiretroviral treatment) (2.22 +/- 1.00)%, P = 0.001; however there were no significant differences in the expression of CD4+ IFN-gamma+ T cell before and after therapy (34.35 +/- 24.38)% vs (42.10 +/- 15.57%), also with the healthy control (P = 0.383). The frequency of CD4 IL-17+ T cell was positively correlated with CD4+ T counts (R = 0.345, P = 0.034), but no significant correlations was observed between the expression of CD4+ IFN-gamma T cell and CD4+ T counts (R = -0.247, P = 0.136).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The infection of HIV virus down-regulated Th17 immune response and disturbed the balances between Th17 and Th1 evidently in human. Th17 response may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV infection.</p>

Study on the changes of demography and behavioral characteristics of drug users in Beijing / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand the demography changes and behaviors in drug users.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Self-reported questionnaires was used and longitudinal investigation was conducted in one of the detoxication centers in Beijing in 1998 and 2000. Drug users were randomly chosen.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Results showed that age of drug users tend to become younger with the numbers of drug users aged below 25, increased from 18.7% in 1998 to 28.2% in 2000. Majority of drug users remained males, but the proportion of females seemed to increase. Distribution of occupation showed that the largest increase fell among individual enterprisers, from 15.2% in 1998 to 25.9% in 2000. With educational back-ground, the proportion of lower than elementary education level, including illiterate, increased. Fifty percent of drug users were unmarried which increased from 40.8% in 1998 to 53.2% in 2000. Needle sharing was quite common, 16.5% in 1998 and 11.9% in 2000, but the decrease was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Fifty-seven point three percent of the injecting drug users did not have constant partners to share equipments. Proportion of extra-marriage sexual practice increased from 12.5% in 1998 to 27.5% in 2000, and significant difference (Chi-square = 12.50, P < 0.001). Multiple partners in extra-married drug users was also found (mean = 2). Compared to 1998, condom use during every sexual practice increased in 2000, but 47.7% drug users still never used condom.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In summary, as the quick increase of drug users, sharing of injecting equipment and high-risk sexual behavior, including multiple partners and unprotected sex, were quite common, with the possibility of HIV epidemic in drug users.</p>