Acupuncture for generalized anxiety disorder: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a sharp increase in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Acupuncture therapy has the advantages of accurate clinical efficacy, safety and reliability, few adverse reactions, and no dependence, and is gradually becoming one of the emerging therapies for treating GAD. We present a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial with the aim of exploring the mechanism of brain plasticity in patients with GAD and evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of acupuncture treatment. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be used to assess cortical excitability in GAD patients and healthy people. Sixty-six GAD patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly divided into two groups: TA group, (treatment with acupuncture and basic western medicine treatment) and SA group (sham acupuncture and basic western medicine treatment). Twenty healthy people will be recruited as the control group (HC). The parameters that will be evaluated are amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), cortical resting period (CSP), resting motor threshold (RMT), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score. Secondary results will include blood analysis of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), serotonin (5-HT), and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF). Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention (week 8). This study protocol is the first clinical trial designed to detect differences in cerebral cortical excitability between healthy subjects and patients with GAD, and the comparison of clinical efficacy and reliability before and after acupuncture intervention is also one of the main contents of the protocol. We hope to find a suitable non-pharmacological alternative treatment for patients with GAD.

[Clinical study on improving the strength and activity of lumbar spine with Qiang Jin exercises].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Qiang Jin exercises on the muscle strength and activity of lumbar spine in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: From March 2016 to September 2017, at the Department of Orthopaedics, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a total of 110 subjects were enrolled, and 98 eligible subjects were screened. The subjects were randomized by stratified randomization and divided into experimental group and control group, 49 cases in each group, 25 males and 24 females in the experimental group, 25 males and 24 females in the control group. The experimental group exercised with Qiang Jin exercises, one time each morning and evening, each time10 sets were made;the control group used classic rehabilitation training, training twice a week, and three months was a course of treatment. After 12 weeks of training, the muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine were evaluated and compared with the muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine before training. RESULTS: The experimental group and the control group had different muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine before and after treatment (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups after treatment(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Qiang Jin exercises can effectively improve the muscle strength and activity of the lumbar spine and improve the daily living ability of patients.

Protection against COVID-19 injury by qingfei paidu decoction via anti-viral, anti-inflammatory activity and metabolic programming.

Qingfei Paidu decoction (QFPD), a multi-component herbal formula, has been widely used to treat COVID-19 in China. However, its active compounds and mechanisms of action are still unknown. Firstly, we divided QFPD into five functional units (FUs) according to the compatibility theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The corresponding common targets of the five FUs were all significantly enriched in Go Ontology (oxidoreductase activity, lipid metabolic process, homeostatic process, etc.), KEGG pathways (steroid biosynthesis, PPAR signaling pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway, etc.), TTD diseases (chronic inflammatory diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary Disease, etc.), miRNA (MIR183), kinase (CDK7) and TF (LXR). QFPD contained 257 specific targets in addition to HCoV, pneumonia and ACE2 co-expression proteins. Then, network topology analysis of the five components-target-pathway-disease networks yielded 67 active ingredients. In addition, ADMET estimations showed that 20 compounds passed the stringent lead-like criteria and in silico drug-likeness test with high gastrointestinal absorption and the median lethal dose (LD50 > 1600 mg/kg). Moreover, 4 specific ingredients (M3, S1, X2 and O2) and 5 common ingredients (MS1, MX16, SX1, WO1 and XO1) of QFPD presented good molecular docking score for 2019-nCov structure and non-structure proteins. Finally, drug perturbation of COVID-19 network robustness showed that all five FUs may protect COVID-19 independently, and target 8 specifically expressed drug-attacked nodes which were related to the bacterial and viral responses, immune system, signaling transduction, etc. In conclusion, our new FUNP analysis showed that QFPD had a protection effect on COVID-19 by regulating a complex molecular network with safety and efficacy. Part of the mechanism was associated with the regulation of anti-viral, anti-inflammatory activity and metabolic programming.

[A comparative study on the surface electromyography of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Thirty-five healthy volunteers and 35 patients with unilateral L4,5 lumbar disc herniation from December 2015 to September 2017 were recruited. There were 20 males and 15 females in each group, aged from 25 to 55 years old. In healthy volunteers group, the mean age was (35.66±8.73) years old and the BMI was (21.85±1.94) kg /m2. In patients with lumbar disc herniation, the mean age was (36.09±7.70) years old, the BMI was (21.50±1.78) kg /m2, the VAS score was 4.40±0.88, the course of disease was (11.20±7.14) months. Surface electromyography analysis was performed on the multifidus muscle of the two groups. The average myoelectric amplitude of the multifidus muscle in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The average myoelectric amplitude of the multifidus muscle of healthy volunteers was (48.84±7.77) µV on the left and (49.13±7.86) µV on the right. There was no significant difference between the two sides (P>0.05). The average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation was(48.82±8.14) µV on the healthy side and (42.81±7.00) µV on the affected side, and the difference was statistically significant between two sides(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle between the healthy side of lumbar disc herniation and on the left of healthy volunteers, or between the healthy side of lumbar disc herniation and on the right of healthy volunteers (P>0.05). There was significant difference in the average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle between the affected side of lumbar disc herniation and on the left of healthy volunteers, and also between the affected side of lumbar disc herniation and on the right of healthy volunteers(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic lumbar disc herniation have an imbalance in myoelectric activity, and the muscle strength of the multifidus muscle on the affected side is significantly reduced.

[Imaging study of lumbosacral multifidus muscle fat changes in patients with lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy was performed on the multifidus muscle of 35 healthy volunteers and 35 patients with unilateral L4,5 lumbar disc herniation. There were 20 males and 15 females in each group, aged from 25 to 55 years old. In healthy volunteers, the mean age was (35.66±8.73) years old and the BMI was (21.85±1.94) kg/m2; in the patients, the mean age was (36.09±7.70) years old, the BMI was (21.50±1.78) kg/m2, the VAS score was (4.40±0.88) points, the course of disease was (11.2±7.14) months. The proportion of fat in the L4,5 lumbosacral multifidus muscle and the proportion of fat-suppressed cross-sectional area were observed by MRI, the differences of the observation indexes of the two groups were compared through data analysis. RESULTS: In healthy volunteers, the proportion of fat on the left side of the multifidus muscle was (0.169± 0.035)%, the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the left side of the multifidus muscle was (0.699±0.070)%, the proportion of fat on the right side of the multifidus muscle was (0.168±0.031)%, and the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the right side of the multifidus muscle was (0.712±0.056)%, there was no significant difference between the two sides (P>0.05). In patients, the proportion of fat on the healthy side of multifidus muscles was (0.173±0.021)%, the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the healthy side of multifidus muscles was (0.695±0.054)%, the proportion of fat on the affected side of the multifidus muscle was (0.228±0.027)%, and the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the affected side of the multifidus muscle was (0.629±0.048)%, the differences of the above indexes on both sides were statistically significant (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of multifidus muscle fat and the ratio of fat-suppressed cross-sectional area between the affected side and volunteers (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in fat ratio and fat-suppressed cross sectional area ratio between the left and right sides of healthy volunteers and healthy side of patients (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: There is degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle on the affected side of patients with unilateral L4,5 intervertebral disc herniation, featuring multifidus muscular atrophy and fat infiltration.

[Ultrasonic analysis on the effect of strengthening exercise with strong tendon on lumbosacral multifidus muscles].

OBJECTIVE: To study effects of strengthening exercise with strong tendon on the lumbosacral multifidus muscle. METHODS: Among 30 healthy volunteers, there were 21 males and 9 females, with an average age of(31.30±6.48) years old(ranged, 25 to 55 years old). The mean BMI was (21.70±1.95) kg/m²(ranged, 18.1 to 24.9 kg/m²). The ultrasonic image was used to analyze the thickness of lumbosacral multifidus(LM) under the follow conditions: supine position, and supine position with leg lifting 30°, 60°, 90°; seat and hip flexion, flexion to limit position, front to limit position with both hands climbing and strengthening the kidneys and the waist. RESULTS: The average lumbosacral multifidus thickness was (16.867±2.460) mm, (19.010±2.510) mm, (22.477±2.220) mm, and(27.593±2.370) mm respectively in supine position with leg lifting 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°. There were statistical differences(F=423.619, P<0.05). The average lumbosacral multifidus thickness was (25.810±2.440) mm, (15.677±2.130) mm, and (15.533±2.110) mm respectively in seat and hip flexion, flexion to limit, front to limit positions with both hands climbing and strengthening the kidneys and the waist. There were statistical differences(F=597.789, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: When healthy volunteers in Shi's Orthopedics strengthen muscle exercises training, multifidus thickness is increased with the increasing of leg degree, reduced with the increasing of the flexion degree. It can change the stretching state of multifidus muscle by a specific training, so as to achieve the purpose of training the multifidus muscle.