[Application of special acupoints for chronic gastritis in ancient literature of acupuncture and moxibustion].

The application of special acupoints for different primary symptoms of chronic gastritis in ancient literature of acupuncture and moxibustion was analyzed and summarized. With keywords, electronic and manual retrieval of ancient literature being performed to establish a database, the association rules were performed with SPSS Modeler 18. As a result, ① among all the 2243 items included, 109 items mentioned special acupoints (excluding those only mentioned crossing acupoint). The frequency of special acupoints was 2554 (71.7%), and the special acupoints on the spleen meridian, the stomach meridian, the conception vessel were frequently used. The frequency of five-shu point was highest, followed by front-mu points. ② The special acupoints for four main primary symptoms of chronic gastritis, "stomachache" "vomiting and regurgitation" "belching and acid regurgitation" and "epigastric fullness", included Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), Zhongwan (CV 12), Gongsun (SP 4), Taibai (SP 3). In addition, the back-shu points were also selected to treat the primary symptoms other than "epigastric fullness". Zhangmen (LR 13) was added to treat "belching and acid regurgitation". The combination of Neiguan (PC 6) and Gongsun (SP 4) showed the strongest correlation; due to different primary symptoms, the combination had different emphasis.

Effects of human umbilical cord serum on proliferation and insulin content of human fetal islet-like cell clusters.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabets is an autoimmune disease caused by the destruction of pancreatic beta-cell with an increased incidence worldwide in the closing decades of the 20th century. This study was to investigate the effects of human umbilical cord serum (UCS) on the proliferation and function of human fetal islet-like cell clusters (ICCs) in vitro. METHODS: Eight fresh pancreatic glands obtained after induction of labor with water bag were mildly exposed to collagenase V, and the digested cells were cultured in a RPMI-1640 medium plus 10% pooled UCS or fetal calf serum (FCS) to permit cells attachment and outgrowth of ICCs. RESULTS: In 8 consecutively explanted glands, development and proliferation of ICCs were observed. In the presence of FCS, the outgrowth of ICC took place on the top of a fibroblast monocellular layer. UCS affected less growth of fibroblasts and increased the formation of ICCs about four-fold compared with explants from the same glands maintained in FCS. In both UCS and FCS, the insulin content of the medium was variable to a certain extent and progressively declined from day 2 to day 6. Dithizone-stained ICCs in UCS suggested that most cell clusters were islet cells (beta-cells), and the purity of islets was estimated 80%-90%. The ultrastructure of the cultured cells showed a large number of granule-containing cells, most of which were identified as beta-cells. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in comparison with explants with FCS, the yield of ICCs and purification of islet cells are markedly increased by UCS and may facilitate the proliferation of pancreatic beta-cells intended for islet transplantation.