Effect of moxibustion on knee joint stiffness characteristics in recreational athletes pre- and post-fatigue.

Objective: Joint stiffness results from the coupling of the nervous system and joint mechanics, and thus stiffness is a comprehensive representation of joint stability. It has been reported that moxibustion can alleviate general weakness and fatigue symptoms and subsequently may influence joint stiffness. This study investigated whether moxibustion could enhance knee joint stiffness in recreational athletes pre- and post-fatigue. Methods: Eighteen participants were randomized into intervention (5 males: 20.6 ± 1.5 yr; 4 females: 20.8 ± 1.5 yr) and control groups (5 males: 19.4 ± 0.9 yr; 4 females: 20.5 ± 0.6 yr). The intervention group received indirect moxibustion applied to acupoints ST36 (bilateral) and CV4 for 30 min every other day for 4 consecutive weeks. The control group maintained regular exercise without moxibustion. Peak torque (PT) of right knee extensor, relaxed and contracted muscle stiffness (MS) of vastus lateralis, and knee extensor musculoarticular stiffness (MAS) was assessed with an isokinetic dynamometer (IsoMed 2000), myometer, and free oscillation technique, respectively. Measurements were taken at three time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention/pre-fatigue, and post-fatigue. Results: MAS (P = 0.006) and PT (P = 0.007) in the intervention group increased more from pre-to post-intervention compared with the control group. Post-fatigue MAS (P = 0.016) and PT (P = 0.031) increased more in the intervention group than in the control group. Conclusion: Moxibustion enhanced PT and knee MAS, suggesting that this intervention could be used in injury prevention and benefit fatigue resistance in young recreational athletes.

PPARγ mediates the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect of icaritin.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal lung disease with limited treatment options. Icaritin is the active ingredient derived from the traditional Chinese medical plant Epimedium and possesses many biomedical activities. This study aimed to investigate the effects and molecular mechanisms of icaritin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. METHODS: To assess its preventative effects, bleomycin treated mice received 0, 0.04, 0.2, and 1 mg/kg of icaritin from day 1 onwards. To assess its therapeutic effects, bleomycin treated mice received 0 and 1 mg/kg of icaritin from day 15 onwards. Mice were sacrificed on day 21 and lung tissues were collected, stained with HE, Masson and immunohistochemistry. Q-PCR was used to measure Collagen I and Collagen III expression, western blotting was used to quantify α-SMA, Collagen I expression. Hydroxyproline content was measured using a biochemical method. NIH3T3 and HLF-1 cells were treated with TGF-ß1with or without icaritin, and α-SMA, Collagen I were tested. PPARγ antagonist GW9662 and PPARγ-targeted siRNA were used to investigate the mechanism of icaritin in inhibiting myofibroblast differentiation. RESULTS: Both preventative and therapeutic administration of icaritin improved the histopathological changes, decreased Collagen and α-SMA, lowered hydroxyproline content in bleomycin-treated lung tissues. Icaritin decreased α-SMA and Collagen I expression in TGF-ß1-stimulated NIH3T3 and HLF-1 cells. However, its effect in reducing α-SMA and Collagen I expression was suppressed when expression or activity of PPARγ was inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: Icaritin has therapeutic potential against pulmonary fibrosis via the inhibition of myofibroblast differentiation, which may be mediated by PPARγ.

Patchouli alcohol attenuates experimental atherosclerosis via inhibiting macrophage infiltration and its inflammatory responses.

Patchouli alcohol (PA) is a tricyclic sesquiterpene extracted from a traditional Chinese herb pogostemonis herba. Literatures have proven that PA could inhibit inflammatory responses in various inflammatory disease models. However, whether PA could protect against atherosclerosis, a chronic vascular inflammation, is unknown. In this study, we sought to explore this issue in atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E knockout mice fed an atherogenic diet, with or without daily PA intragastrical administration (40mg/kg). Our results showed that PA administration did not change plasma lipids metabolism, however, it significantly attenuated atherosclerotic plaque burdens in both the aorta and the aortic root. The lesional macrophage content, shown as Mac2 positive areas, was reduced, while the lesional smooth muscle cell and collagen content, shown as α-SMA positive areas and by Sirius red staining, respectively, was not affected in PA-treated mice, compared with non-treated controls. Aortic mRNA expression of macrophage inflammatory cytokines, including MCP-1, iNOS, IL-1ß, IL-6, CXCL9 and CXCL11, was also reduced in PA-treated mice. Therefore, we demonstrated that PA could attenuate atherosclerosis, possibly by inhibiting macrophage infiltration and its inflammatory responses.

Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) juice against cadmium neurotoxicity in albino mice (Mus musculus).

BACKGROUND: Parsley was employed as an experimental probe to prevent the behavioral, biochemical and morphological changes in the brain tissue of the albino mice following chronic cadmium (Cd) administration. METHODS: Non-anesthetized adult male mice were given parsley juice (Petroselinum crispum, Apiaceae) daily by gastric intubation at doses of 10 and 20 g/kg/day. The animals were divided into six groups: Group A, mice were exposed to saline; Groups B and C, were given low and high doses of parsley juice, respectively; Group D, mice were exposed to Cd; Groups E and F, were exposed to Cd and concomitantly given low and high doses of parsley, respectively. RESULTS: Cd intoxication can cause behavioral abnormalities, biochemical and histopathological disturbances in treated mice. Parsley juice has significantly improved the Cd-associated behavioral changes, reduced the elevation of lipid peroxidation and normalized the Cd effect on reduced glutathione and peroxidase activities in the brain of treated mice. Histological data have supported these foundations whereas Cd treatment has induced neuronal degeneration, chromatolysis and pyknosis in the cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla oblongata. CONCLUSION: The low dose (5 g/kg/day) of parsley exhibited beneficial effects in reducing the deleterious changes associated with Cd treatment on the behavior, neurotransmitters level, oxidative stress and brain neurons of the Cd-treated mice.

Moxibustion Improved Transcutaneous Oxygen Tension and Exercise Capacity in Lower Limbs of Peripheral Arterial Disease / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of moxibustion and treadmill exercise on transcutaneous oxygen tension and exercise capacity in lower limbs of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 58 mild-to-moderate PAD patients were assigned to the control group (18 cases), the moxibustion group (20 cases), and the treadmill exercise group (20 cases) by random digit table. Patients in the control group received conventional drug therapy for 12 weeks. Patients in the moxibustion group and the treadmill exercise group additionally received moxibustion [at Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yongquan (KI1)] and treadmill exercise respectively, once per day, 5 times per week for 12 weeks in total. Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) , transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO₂), 6-min walking test (6MWT), and walking impairment questionnaire (WIQ) were assessed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group and the same group before treatment, there was no statistical difference in ABI in the moxibustion group and the treadmill exercise group (P > 0.05). But TcPO₂, 6MWT, and WIQ were obviously elevated (P < 0.01). Besides, 6MWT and WIQ assessment of the treadmill exercise group were better than that of the moxibustion group (P < 0.01) after intervention.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Moxibustion and treadmill exercise could improve the exercise capacity and TcPO₂of lower limbers in PAD patients.</p>

[Variation Characteristics and Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Karst Subterranean River During Rainfall Events].

The water samples were continuously collected at the outlet of Nanshan Laolongdong subterranean river basin, which is located in Chongqing, during the rainfall event in June 2014. Sixteen priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water were quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The objectives of this study were to reveal the variation characteristics and sources of PAH16 in karst subterranean river during the rainfall event. The results showed that the subterranean river responded promptly to the rainfall, and there were four peaks of the total concentrations of PAH16, two peaks occurred during the flow rise stage, the others were in the maximum flow and flow decline stages. The total concentrations of PAH16 ranged 101-3 624 ng x L(-1), with a mean of 578 ng x L(-1), the total concentrations of 7 carcinogenic PAHs ranged ND-336 ng x L(-1), with a mean of 31.1 ng x L(-1). The PAH compositional profiles were dominated by 2,3-ring compounds, which accounted for 86.17% of the total concentrations of PAH16. The total concentrations of PAH16 were most influenced by the rainfall, through the cleaning of atmospheric pollutants by the rain and the scouring of the surface contaminants by the rainfall runoff. The PAHs in water mainly originated from the incomplete combustion of petroleum products and fossil fuels such as coal, as well as natural digenetic process. Compared to other areas in the world, the concentrations of PAH16 were generally at moderately polluted and heavily polluted levels.

Effect of calcium carbonate combined with calcitonin on hypercalcemia in hemodialysis patients.

This short-term study assessed the efficacy and safety of calcium carbonate combined with calcitonin in the treatment of hypercalcemia in hemodialysis patients. Patients (n=64) on hemodialysis for chronic kidney disease for more than 6 months were included based on total serum calcium more than 10.5 mg/dL. All patients were randomized (1:1) to receive calcium carbonate combined with calcitonin (Group I) or lanthanum carbonate (Group II) for 12 weeks. Blood levels of calcium, phosphorus and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) were measured every month, bone mass density (BMD) and coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) were measured at 3 months. During the study period, serum calcium decreased from 10.72 ± 0.39 to 10.09 ± 0.28 mg/dL (P < 0.05), serum phosphorus decreased from 6.79 ± 1.05 to 5.46 ± 1.18 mg/dL (P < 0.05), and serum iPTH levels in the Group I and Group II were not significantly different from the baseline. There were no significant differences in CACS in either group. There were no significant differences in the BMD values between Group I and baseline. In Group II, the BMD values at the lumbar spine and femoral neck were significantly lower than those before the trial and significantly lower than the corresponding values of Group I (P<0.05). Calcium carbonate combined with calcitonin and lanthanum carbonate were equally effective in the suppression of hypercalcemia in hemodialysis patients. There were no serious treatment-related adverse events in treatment with calcium carbonate combined with calcitonin.

Effect of nutrition factors on the synthesis of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and membrane lipid peroxide levels in Cordyceps militaris mycelium.

Effect of carbon, nitrogen, and metal ion sources on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities, and lipid perioxide (LPO) levels in Cordyceps militaris mycelium were investigated at stationary growth phase by step supplementing with these nutrition factors in shake-flask cultures. Mycelium was cultivated in several growth media containing different carbon sources. The observed highest SOD and CAT activities were 44.3 U/mg protein in the presence of 20% potato broth plus 2% glucose medium and 93.7 U/mg protein in presence of 20% potato broth plus 1% glucose medium, respectively. By supplementing with either yeast extract or tryptone in 0.1-0.5% concentration range, the highest SOD and CAT activities were 21.1 U/mg protein in medium supplemented with 0.1% yeast extract and 20.7 U/mg protein in medium supplemented with 0.1% tryptone, respectively. Supplementing with Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Mn(2+) caused a stimulation of SOD synthesis. The minimum LPO level was observed at media presented Zn(2+). The time course of SOD and CAT biosynthesis showed two maxima, which correspond to the maximum of biomass. High SOD levels and low LPO levels in the medium described above indicated that the appropriate metal ions could provide a suitable protection for cells against oxygen radical damage.

[John Kerr and the introduction of Western medicine into China].

Being a key figure in the process of introduction of western medicine into China in modern age, John Kerr, an American medical missionary, established the Boji Hospital, one of the most influential hospitals with the longest history in modern China. He carried out medical education by setting up a medical school affiliated to the Boji Hospital, which was the first professional western medical school in China. He compiled medical books and periodicals, playing an important role in the systematic understanding of western medicine by the Chinese medical field at that period. He made contribution to the development of western medicine in China for nearly half a century.