Neurobiological Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Some Common Illnesses: A Clinician's Perspective

This paper presents some previously proposed neurobiological mechanisms on how acupuncture may work in some clinical applications from a clinician's perspective. For the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, the proposed mechanisms included microinjury, increased local blood flow, facilitated healing, and analgesia. Acupuncture may trigger a somatic autonomic reflex, thereby affecting the gastric and cardiovascular functions. Acupuncture may also change the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, thereby affecting the emotional state and craving. This mechanism may form the basis for the treatment of smoking cessation. By affecting other pain-modulating neurotransmitters such as met-enkephalin and substance P along the nociceptive pathway, acupuncture may relieve headache. Acupuncture may affect the hypothalamus pituitary axis and reduce the release of the luteinizing hormone in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. In addition, two other approaches to the acupuncture mechanism, the fascia connective tissue network and the primo vascular system, are briefly reviewed. Finally, the idea of true versus sham acupuncture points, which are commonly used in clinical trials, is examined because the difference between true and sham points does not exist in the neurobiological model.     

Renal sympathetic denervation in resistant hypertension: The association between vitamin D and positive early response in systolic blood pressure

Aims and objectivesVitamin D deficiency is a common finding and there is a suggested association with hypertension. Resistant hypertension is a clinical problem observed in 5–30% of hypertensive patients. Renal denervation (RDN) has been used for patients with resistant hypertension and has proven to lower blood pressure. Our primary goal was to assess the vitamin D serum concentration as a predictor of blood pressure response to RDN in highly selected patients.MethodsThis prospective, nonrandomized, single-center study included 24 patients treated with RDN. Based on their one-year response after RDN, patients were classified as responders or non-responders at six months or at 12 months.ResultsThe median follow-up was 52 months (range, 14-91 months). After RDN, 17 patients (70.8%) had a reduction >5 mmHg in the mean systolic blood pressure, at the first six months of follow-up. At 12 months, 20 patients (83.3%) were responders. Vitamin D levels at baseline (15.1±4.8 vs. 24.2±8.8 ng/ml) and at six months (16.6±7.2 vs. 25±9.2 ng/ml) were lower in early non-responders compared to early responders (p=0.008), without significant variation during follow-up. Even though Vitamin D levels were lower in the total responder's group, no statistically significant differences were found (p=ns).ConclusionIn patients with resistant hypertension, low vitamin D concentrations were associated with an absence of early response to RDN.     

放疗后心脏损伤的早期影像检出

放射性治疗（radiotherapy，RT）是肿瘤的重要治疗手段之一，增加了患者的生存率。但是在胸部放射治疗过程中，心脏不可避免地受到影响，引起放射性心脏损伤（rdiation-induced heart disease，RIHD）。RIHD可涉及心脏的任何结构，已成为威胁癌症患者生存的主要并发症之一，近年来越来越受到临床关注。RIHD的早期检出对于癌症患者尤其年轻癌症患者具有重要的临床意义。目前尚无关于RIHD统一明确的早期诊断标准，而影像学检查能够早期、准确地检出RIHD，不同的影像学检查在RIHD的检测中有着不同的意义。本文就RIHD早期的影像检出作一简要综述。     

醛固酮受体拮抗剂螺内酯治疗难治性高血压疗效和安全性的Meta分析

背景难治性高血压是一种特殊类型的高血压，病因复杂，治疗难度大，更易引起靶器官损害。近年研究发现，在难治性高血压患者三联常用降压药物治疗基础上添加小剂量螺内酯能有效控制血压。但这些研究规模普遍较小，其有效性与安全性尚需进一步验证。目的系统评价螺内酯治疗难治性高血压的疗效及安全性。方法计算机检索PubMed、Web of Science、The Cochrane Library、中国知网、维普网、万方数据知识服务平台，筛选螺内酯治疗难治性高血压的随机对照研究，检索时间为建库至2021-05-03。由2名研究员独立筛选文献、提取资料并评价纳入研究的偏倚风险后，采用RevMan 5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果共纳入20项研究。9项研究未报告随机化分组方法，1项研究按纳入顺序编号奇偶分配（错误的随机化方法），7项研究未描述是否采用盲法，4项研究为开放标签，3项研究描述了分配隐藏，1项研究结果数据不完整、未报告对照组治疗后的安全性指标。Meta分析结果显示，疗效方面：与安慰剂和空白对照相比，螺内酯降低诊室血压、24 h动态血压、日间血压及夜间血压的效果好（P<0.05）；与其他降压药物总体相比，螺内酯降低诊室收缩压、24 h动态血压、日间收缩压、夜间收缩压及家庭自测收缩压的效果好（P<0.05）；与肾脏去交感神经术相比，螺内酯降低日间血压及夜间收缩压的效果好（P<0.05）。安全性方面：与安慰剂相比，应用螺内酯患者的血钾及血肌酐水平高（P<0.05）；与其他降压药物总体相比，应用螺内酯患者的血钾水平升高（P<0.05）；与肾脏去交感神经术相比，应用螺内酯患者的血肌酐水平升高（P<0.05）。结论螺内酯治疗难治性高血压是相对有效及安全的，但受纳入研究数量和质量的限制，该结论尚需更多高质量研究予以证实。     

Dr PK Sen TAI gold medal oration

The current write-up is for Dr P.K.Sen TAI Gold Medal Oration Award for 2020 conferred to Dr Rupak Singla and delivered on 19 th December 2020. The title chosen for the oration was “Introduction and scale up of new anti-TB drugs in India: role of NITRD.? However, in the oration the role this institute has played for overall scale up of Drug-resistant TB services in India under National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) at different times from the beginning of national TB programme has also been presented. National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases has travelled with our country from beginning of DR-TB care. It demonstrated for the first time use of a Standardized Treatment Regimen with second line drugs for MDR-TB in field conditions. NITRD assisted NTEP for the concept of DST guided treatment. This institute guided NTEP for the management of MDR-TB failure patients with Pre-XDR and XDR-TB. Also, NITRD assisted India for the introduction of newer DR-TB drugs and scale up of newer drugs across the country. The strength of NITRD include clinical expertise, laboratory support and training division. NITRD commitment is strong and will continue to support NTEP for all endeavors in future also.     

Rotation of the head of the 30S ribosomal subunit during mRNA translocation

Elongation factor-G–catalyzed translocation of mRNA and tRNAs during protein synthesis involves large-scale conformational changes in the ribosome. Formation of hybrid-state intermediates is coupled to counterclockwise (forward) rotation of the body of the 30S subunit. Recent structural studies implicate intrasubunit rotation of the 30S head in translocation. Here, we observe rotation of the head during translocation in real time using ensemble stopped-flow FRET with ribosomes containing fluorescent probes attached to specific positions in the head and body of the 30S subunit. Our results allow ordering of the rates of movement of the 30S subunit body and head during translocation: body forward > head forward > head reverse ≥ body reverse. The rate of quenching of pyrene-labeled mRNA is consistent with coupling of mRNA translocation to head rotation.     

Increasing levels of environmental mutagens: Potential for affecting viral evolution and pathogenicity a speculative review

Kava is a traditional beverage of various Pacific Basin countries. Kava has been introduced into the mainstream U.S. market principally as an anti-anxiety preparation. The effects of the long-term consumption of kava have not been documented adequately. Preliminary studies suggest possible serious organ system effects. The potential carcinogenicity of kava and its principal constituents are unknown. As such, kava extract was nominated for the chronic tumorigenicity bioassay conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP). At present toxicological evaluation of kava extract is being conducted by the NTP. The present review focuses on the recent findings on kava toxicity and the mechanisms by which kava induces hepatotoxicity.     

中医药调控microRNA治疗银屑病的研究进展

银屑病在临床中的发病率不断攀升，因其皮损泛发，瘙痒、干燥显著，给患者带来了极大的心理压力，严重影响患者的生存质量。西医学对于银屑病机制的研究不断深入，从终端角质形成细胞的病理表现差异，到相关因子和细胞的表达紊乱，再到T淋巴细胞及其亚群的免疫失衡，或是遗传学基因支配的转录异常，形成了复杂而庞大的机制网络体系并产生了诸多学说。近年来随着非编码基因研究的不断延伸，微小核糖核酸（microRNA）参与修饰的多通路效应，干预银屑病的发生发展机制，影响角质细胞的增殖、凋亡、分化等多个方面，对于microRNA的研究可以良好地整合遗传学和免疫学的内容，完善银屑病微观通路中的关键环节，是银屑病病机学中的关键“拼图”，亦成为现代银屑病研究的热点和难点。同时，发挥传统中医药的辨治优势，将具有清热、凉血、解毒、祛瘀等作用的中药复方制剂或丹皮酚、雷公藤多苷、紫草素、姜黄素、赤芍总苷、靛玉红等有效药味单体进行microRNA靶点的探索，并以microRNA作为银屑病基于血分证候辨证分型的依据，可以有机结合银屑病中医学辨证理论与西医学微观指标，更好地挖掘中医中药的治疗特色，指导临床的分型和治疗。现阶段中医学对于microRNA方面的干预性研究仍十分有限，主要围绕microRNA-155、microRNA-210、microRNA-21、microRNA-203、microRNA-320、microRNA-124、microRNA-330、microRNA-146a、microRNA-15a-5p等几个靶点，该文总结了以中药复方和单体通过干预microRNA治疗、辨证银屑病的相关成果，以期为银屑病的中西医研究和基于microRNA数据库的建立提供参考和借鉴。