“龙虎交战”针法针刺八脉交会穴对偏头痛患者头痛天数及血清CGRP表达的影响＊

目的 观察“龙虎交战”针法针刺八脉交会穴对无先兆偏头痛（Migraine without aura，MO）患者头痛天数及外周血降钙素基因相关肽（Calcitonin gene related peptide，CGRP）表达水平的影响。方法 按照头痛程度将90例MO受试者区层随机分为治疗Ⅰ组、治疗Ⅱ组和对照组各30例。治疗Ⅰ组施以“龙虎交战”针法针刺八脉交会穴（外关和足临泣），治疗Ⅱ组施以平补平泻针法针刺八脉交会穴（外关和足临泣），对照组施以平补平泻针法针刺非经非穴点，每次留针30分钟，5次/周，共治疗20次。于治疗前、治疗结束4周后的随访分别记录三组患者头痛天数的变化情况以判定疗效，并采集患者治疗前、治疗结束4周后随访的肘部静脉血用ELISA法检测血清中的CGRP含量的变化。结果 ①各组治疗前患者的头痛天数无显著差异（Ｐ > 0.05），治疗Ⅰ组、治疗Ⅱ组和对照组治疗结束4周后随访的头痛天数较治疗前均显著降低（Ｐ < 0.05）；治疗Ⅰ组头痛天数的降低显著优于治疗Ⅱ组和对照组（Ｐ < 0.001），治疗Ⅱ组头痛天数的降低显著优于对照组（Ｐ < 0.05）；②3组治疗前CGRP的表达无显著差异，治疗Ⅰ组、治疗Ⅱ组治疗结束4周后随访CGRP的表达较治疗前均显著下降（Ｐ < 0.001），对照组治疗结束4周后随访CGRP的表达较治疗前差异无显著性（Ｐ > 0.05）；治疗Ⅰ组CGRP治疗结束4周随访的表达较治疗Ⅱ组和对照组均显著下降（Ｐ < 0.01），治疗Ⅱ组CGRP的表达较对照组显著下降（P < 0.01）。结论 ①八脉交会穴施以“龙虎交战”针法针刺能明显改善MO患者的头痛天数，同时降低MO患者血清CGRP的表达水平，这可能是针刺八脉交会穴治疗MO的机制之一；②非经非穴点的针刺效应无持续性，而八脉交会穴的针刺效应具有持续性；③八脉交会穴可以充分发挥复式针刺手法的治疗效应，提示我们在临床上治疗疾病时不仅要注意腧穴配伍，恰当的针刺手法更是提高临床疗效、事半功倍的关键。     

占永立教授从咽论治IgA肾病的理论与实践探析

本文从理论与临床实践2方面总结了占永立教授从咽论治IgA肾病的经验。占教授将Ig A肾病分为3型进行辨证论治:1)肺气不足,热毒扰咽证; 2)脾气虚弱,热邪客咽证; 3)肾阴亏虚,余热留咽证。治疗上以清热解毒利咽为主,兼以扶正,根据病情灵活选方用药,取得较好的临床疗效。     

Assessment of toxicity using dehydrogenases activity and mathematical modeling

Dehydrogenase activity is frequently used to assess the general condition of microorganisms in soil and activated sludge. Many studies have investigated the inhibition of dehydrogenase activity by various compounds, including heavy metal ions. However, the time after which the measurements are carried out is often chosen arbitrarily. Thus, it can be difficult to estimate how the toxic effects of compounds vary during the reaction and when the maximum of the effect would be reached. Hence, the aim of this study was to create simple and useful mathematical model describing changes in dehydrogenase activity during exposure to substances that inactivate enzymes. Our model is based on the Lagergrens pseudo-first-order equation, the rate of chemical reactions, enzyme activity, and inactivation and was created to describe short-term changes in dehydrogenase activity. The main assumption of our model is that toxic substances cause irreversible inactivation of enzyme units. The model is able to predict the maximum direct toxic effect (MDTE) and the time to reach this maximum (T_MDTE). In order to validate our model, we present two examples: inactivation of dehydrogenase in microorganisms in soil and activated sludge. The model was applied successfully for cadmium and copper ions. Our results indicate that the predicted MDTE and T_MDTE are more appropriate than EC₅₀ and IC₅₀ for toxicity assessments, except for long exposure times.     

Knowledge and Usage of Emergency Contraceptives Among University Students in Ghana

Contraceptive use is an important strategy for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and avoidance of induced abortion. Of all the contraception methods, emergency contraceptive (EC) offers the last chance to achieve this. However, few studies have documented the use of EC among young people in Ghana. This study explored knowledge and usage of EC as well as the factors associated with it among University of Cape Coast students. Data were obtained on the knowledge and usage of ECs among University of Cape Coast students in 2013. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between students’ socio-demographic characteristics and EC knowledge and use. More male students (72 %) than females (59 %) were sexually active. Fifty-seven percent of the respondents had ever heard of EC and 36 % had ever used EC. Although males were more likely to be sexually active, females were more likely to have knowledge of EC use compared to males. The study underscores the need to increase awareness regarding EC among University students in order to offer them the opportunity that EC provides if other forms of contraceptives are missed.     

Necroptotic TNFα-Syndecan 4-TNFα Vicious Cycle as a Therapeutic Target for Preventing Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) is a chronic degenerative disease for which the underlying mechanism still remains unclear. Compared with apoptosis and autophagy, necroptosis causes greater harm to tissue homeostasis by releasing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). However, the role of necroptosis and downstream key DAMPs in TMJOA is unknown. Here, rodent models of TMJOA were established by the unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunohistochemistry of receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)/phosphorylation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (pMLKL) were conducted to evaluate the occurrence of necroptosis in vivo. The therapeutic effects of blocking necroptosis were achieved by intra-articularly injecting RIPK3 or MLKL inhibitors and using RIPK3 or MLKL knockout mice. In vitro necroptosis of condylar chondrocyte was induced by combination of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (SMAC) mimetics and carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]- fluoromethylketone (z-VAD-fmk). The possible DAMPs released by necroptotic chondrocytes were screened by quantitative proteomics and blocked by specific antibody. Translucent cytosol, swollen organelles, and ruptured cell membranes, features of necroptosis, were frequently manifested in chondrocytes at the early stage of condylar cartilage degeneration in TMJOA, which was accompanied by upregulation of RIPK3/pMLKL. Inhibiting or knocking out RIPK3/MLKL significantly prevented cartilage degeneration. DAMPs released by necroptotic condylar chondrocytes, such as syndecan 4 (SDC4) and heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), were verified. Furthermore, blocking the function of SDC4 significantly attenuated the expression of TNFα in cartilage and synovium, and accordingly increased cartilage thickness and reduced synovial inflammation. Thus, the necroptotic vicious cycle of TNFα-SDC4-TNFα contributes to cartilage degeneration and synovitis, and can serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating TMJOA. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).