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To explore whether there is a specific clinical effect of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic prostatitis. A total of 52 patients with chronic prostatitis were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (24 cases) and a placebo acupuncture group (28 cases). During the treatment, 1 case was dropped out in the placebo acupuncture group and 51 patients accomplished the clinical trial finally in two groups. In the acupuncture group, Shènshū (肾俞BL23), Zhōngliáo (中髎BL33), Huìyáng (会阳BL35) and Sānyīnjiāo (三阴交SP6) were selected. In the placebo acupuncture group, the non-meridian points located lateral to BL23, BL33, BL35 and SP6 were selected, respectively. The duration of treatment was 8 weeks in each group. In the first 4 weeks of treatment, the treatment was given once every two days, three times weekly. In the last 4 weeks of treatment, the treatment was given once every three days, twice a week. Totally, 20 acupuncture treatments were required in the whole trial. Before treatment, in week 4 and 8 of treatment and in follow-up, National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score and the comprehensive effect were evaluated in the two groups successively. In week 4 and 8 of treatment, NIH-CPSI score in the acupuncture group was lower than that before treatment, respectively (both P < 0.05). In week 8 of treatment, NIH-CPSI score in the placebo acupuncture group was lower than that before treatment (P < 0.05). NIH-CPSI score in the acupuncture group was lower than the placebo acupuncture group in week 8 of treatment (P < 0.05). In follow-up, NIH-CPSI score of the two groups all decreased as compared with the score before treatment (both P < 0.05), and the score in the acupuncture group was lower than the placebo acupuncture group (P < 0.05). In the comparison of comprehensive effect, the total effective rate was 91.7% in the acupuncture group and was 74.1% in the placebo acupuncture group. The therapeutic effect in the acupuncture group was better than that of the placebo acupuncture group (P < 0.05). Acupuncture relieves pelvic pain and urination symptoms and has a certain of long-term effect in patients with chronic prostatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the data mining technology, the rules of acupoint selection and prescription were analyzed for impotence treated with acupuncture and moxibustion in ancient recorded in Zhonghua Yidian . By taking " yangwei " and " yinwei " as the searching terms, the database of Zhonghua Yidian (the 5th edition) were retrieved and the relevant information of impotence, such as prescription provision, acupoints and use frequency were extracted. Using the software, e.g. Microsoft Excel and Weka 3.8.4, the rules of acupoint selection and prescription for impotence treated with acupuncture and moxibustion in ancient were analyzed. Fifty five provisions of acupoint prescriptions were in compliance with the requirements and screened. Of them, there were 17 compound prescriptions and the rest were the single-point prescriptions, with 24 acupoints involved. Regarding the use frequency of acupoints in treatment of impotence, the top 5 acupoints were Yingu (KI 10), Ququan (LR 8), Qichong (ST 30), Taichong (LR 3) and Rangu (KI 2). The cluster analysis found that Yingu (KI 10), Ququan (LR 8)-Qichong (ST 30), Taichong (LR 3)-Rangu (KI 2)-Xingjian (LR 2), and Mingmen (GV 4)-Zhongfeng (LR 4)-Yuji (LU 10)-Yanggu (SI 5) were formed the group prescriptions respectively. Multilayer correlation analysis discovered that the commonly used meridians were the liver meridian of foot- jueyin , the kidney meridian of foot- shaoyin , the stomach meridian of foot- yangming and the conception vessel. The acupoints selected were generally on the lower extremities, the abdomen and the upper extremities. Regarding the special points, the five- shu points and the convergent points were mostly involved. By the analysis on compound prescriptions, 3 patterns of acupoint combination were discovered, the prescription by taking Yingu (KI 10), Rangu (KI 2) and Zhongfeng (LR 4) as the key points, the one by taking Shenshu (BL 23) and Yanggu (SI 5) as the key points and the relevant fixed combination of 4 acupoints, including Taichong (LR 3), Xingjian (LR 2), Neiting (ST 44) and Xiangu (ST 43). By the analysis on the compound prescriptions, 3 common meridian combinations were found, including the combination with the kidney meridian predominated, the relevant fixed combination with the liver meridian and the stomach meridian and the one with small intestine meridian and the lung meridian.

Objective: To compare the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Neiguan" (PC6) of the Pericardium Meridian, "Shenmen" (HT7) of the Heart Meridian，"Shuigou" (GV26) of the Governor Vessel and "Zhaohai" (KI6) of the Kidney Meridian on myocardial and cerebral cell apoptosis in cerebral ischemia (CI) rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of CI based on the theory of "Heart-brain Correlation"., Methods: Forty-eight SD rats (half male and half female) were randomly divided into normal control, model, PC6, HT7, GV26 and KI6 groups ( n ＝8 in each one). The CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). EA (4 Hz/20 Hz, 1.5 mA) was applied to the right PC6, HT7, GV26 or KI6 respectively for 30 min, once every 12 h for 5 times. The cell apoptosis of the ischemic myocardial and cerebral tissues was detected by TUNEL method, and the expression of cerebral and myocardial Bax and Bcl-2 was determined by using immunohistochemistry., Results: Following modeling, the cell apoptosis percentages and Bax-positive cells of both myocardial and cerebral tissues were significantly increased in the model group in comparison with the control group ( P <0.01). After EA intervention, the cerebral apoptotic percentage and cerebral Bax-positive cells in the cerebral tissue of the PC6, HT7 and GV26 groups, and the myocardial apoptosis percentage in the PC6 and HT7 groups, as well as the myocardial Bax-positive cells in the PC6 group were obviously decreased ( P <0.05, P <0.01), while the cerebral Bcl-2 positive cells in the PC6, HT7 and GV26 groups, and the myocardial Bcl-2 positive cells in the PC6 and HT7 groups were significantly increased relevant to the model group ( P <0.01, P <0.05). No significant changes were found in the KI 6 group in the cell apoptosis index and percentages and Bax- and Bcl-2-positive cells of both myocardium and cerebral cortex tissues compared with the model group ( P >0.05)．., Conclusion: EA stimulation of PC6 and HT7 can inhibit CI injury induced cell apoptosis of cerebral and myocardial tissues in CI rats, which is possibly associated with its effects in down-regulating Bax expression and up-regulating Bcl-2 expression of both myocardial and cerebral tissues.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of warm acupuncture combined with yoga posture method in the treatment of periarthritis with frozen period., Methods: Ninety patients with periarthritis who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group 1, a control group 2 and an observation group, 30 cases in each group. Warm acupuncture was applied in the control group 1 (Jianzhen (SI 9), Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), etc were selected), yoga posture method was applied in the control group 2, warm acupuncture combined with yoga posture method were given in the observation group, the treatment was given once a day, 10 times as a course with 2 days between courses and continuous for 2 courses. After 2 courses of treatment, the shoulder joint pain score and shoulder function grading were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy, and the clinical efficacy was observed., Results: ①The pain scores of the three groups were significantly lower after treatment (all P <0.01), and scores in the observation group was better than that in the control group 1 and the control group 2 ( P <0.05, P <0.01). There was no significant difference between the control group 1 and the control group 2 ( P >0.05). ②After treatment, the functional classification of shoulder joints were significantly improved in the three groups (all P <0.01), and the functional classification of shoulder joint in the observation group and the control group 2 were better than that in the control group 1 ( P <0.01, P <0.05). There was no significant difference between the observation group and the control group 2 ( P >0.05). ③After 2 courses of treatment, the effective rate of the observation group was 86.7% (26/30), which was better than 70.0% (21/30) in the control group 1 and 76.7% (23/30) in the control group 2 (both P <0.05)., Conclusion: Warm acupuncture combined with yoga posture method can effectively relieve shoulder pain and improve dysfunction. The clinical comprehensive effect is better than simple acupuncture and yoga posture method.

Objective: To observe the changes of brain rest-state functional connectivity following electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of right Xia-Jiquan (HT 1), Shaohai (HT 3), Lingdao (HT 4) and Shenmen (HT 7) of the Heart Meridian and non-acupoints in healthy volunteers so as to provide an imaging basis for clinical treatment of some related disorders., Methods: A total of 20 healthy volunteers who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into HT-acupoint group ( n =10 cases) and non-acupoint group ( n =10 cases) according to the visiting sequence. EA (2 Hz, 2-5 mA) was applied to the right HT 1-HT 3, and HT 4-HT 7 (two outputs of the EA stimulator being connected to two acupuncture needle handles) and non-acupoints (4 spots on the imaginary mid-line between the HT and the Pericardium Meridian apart from the 4 acupoints HT 1-HT 3, and HT 4-HT 7) for 6 min. All the subjects underwent resting-state (rs) fMRI using an Achieva 1.5 T magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner before and after EA stimulation. The bilateral posterior cingulate was used as the seed point and the functional connectivity data was analyzed by using DPARSF software and rs-fMRI data analysis toolkit., Results: After EA stimulation of both acupoints and non-acupoints, a similar functional connectivity change was found in the bilateral postcentral gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, and right inferior frontal gyrus. After EA of acupoints of the HT Meridian, an enhancement of brain functional connectivity was found in the left inferior temporal gyrus and right parahippocampal gyrus, and the newly activated brain regions were the left precentral gyrus, right precuneus, left angular gyrus, left inferior occipital gyrus and the left insula. After EA stimulation of non-acupoints, an increased functional connectivity was found in the left superior temporal gyrus, which was different from EA of acupoints of HT Meridian., Conclusions: EA stimulation of acupoints of the HT Meridian can enhance the rs functional connectivity in some brain regions as the postcentral gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, etc. which is related to mediating information of somatosensory, cognitive, affective, memory, cardiovascular activities, etc. in healthy volunteer subjects. The only difference between the two EA groups is an enhanced functional connectivity found in the left superior temporal gyrus after EA of non-acupoints.

Objective: To observe the effect of Electroacupuncture (EA) of "Quze" (PC 3) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) on cerebral angiogenesis in cerebral ischemia (CI) rats, so as to research its mechanisms underlying improvement of stroke., Methods: Fifty SD rats were randomized into normal control, sham, model, EA-PC 3-PC 6, and EA-Hegu (LI 4)-Quchi (LI 11) groups. CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. EA (2-4 V, 20 Hz) was applied to PC3, PC6, LI 4 and LI 11 respectively 6 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after modeling, 30 min for each time. Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) content was assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and cerebral VEGF immunoactivity was detected by immunohistochemistry., Results: Compared to the normal control group, serum VEGF content, cerebral VEGF expression level, and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels in the ischemic cerebral region in the model, EA-PC 3-PC 6 and EA-LI 4-LI 11 groups were increased significantly (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, serum VEGF content, cerebral VEGF expression level, and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels in the EA-LI 4-LI 11 and EA-PC 3-PC 6 groups were up-regulated further (P<0.01), and the effects of the EA-PC 3-PC 6 group were obviously superior to those of the EA-LI4-LI 11 group in up-regulating VEGF expression and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels (P<0.01). No significant difference was found between the EA-LI 4-LI 11 and EA-PC 3-PC 6 groups in serum VEGF levels (P>0.05)., Conclusion: EA of acupoints of both Large Intestine Meridian and Pericardium Meridian can up-regulate serum VEGF, cerebral VEGF expression and the number of VEGF-positive microvessels in CI rats, suggesting an increase of cerebral angiogenesis after the treatment. The effect of EA-PC 3-PC 6 is markedly superior to that of EA-LI 4-LI 11.

Objective: To systematically observe the clinical effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the stable stage, differentiated as cold phlegm blocking the lung type, treated with acupoint sticking therapy during the dog days and the three nine-day periods after the winter solstice so as to propose the latest clinical idea and theoretic evidence for the treatment of COPD., Methods: One hundred and fifty cases of COPD at stable stage, which were in accordance with the inclusive standard were randomly divided into three groups, named group A (treatment in dog days and the three nine-day periods after the winter solstice), group B (treatment in dog days) and group C (treatment in the three nine-day periods after the winter solstice), 50 cases in each group. The ingredients (Semen Brassicae, Euphoribia Kansui, Asarum, Rhizome Corydalis, Cinnamon, ginger juice) and doses of herbal medicine plaster were same in each group. The herbal plaster was applied to Feishu (BL 13), Shenshu (BL 23), Dazhui (GV 14), Tiantu (CV 22), Danzhong (CV 17) and Zhongfu (LU 1). In group B, the treatment was given once on the 1st day of each dog-day period, totally 3 treatments were included. In group C, the treatment was given once on the 1st day of each nine-day periods after the winter solstice, totally, 3 treatments were involved. In group A, the treatment was given once on the 1st day of each dog-day period and each nine-day periods after the winter solstice separately, totally 6 treatments were required. The therapeutic effect was evaluated in 4 aspects, named comprehensive clinical efficacy, survival quality (the scores for symptoms, activity limitation and influence on daily life), the attach frequency and pulmonary function., Results: The total effective rate was 88.0% (46/50) in group A, which was superior to 76.0% (38/50) in group B and 70.0% (35/50) in group C separately (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). The results of the attack frequency, clinical symptom score and pulmonary function indices after treatment were all improved apparently as compared with those before treatment in each group (all P < 0.01). All the above indices in group A were improved much apparently as compared with the other two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.001). Except for the level of forced vital capacity (FVC), the results of clinical symptom score and the other pulmonary function indices in group B were all improved significantly as compared with group C (P < 0.05, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Acupoint sticking therapy during different season of the year achieves a superior clinical efficacy for the patients with COPD at stable stage. This therapy can reduce the attack frequency and improve the survival quality and pulmonary function for the patients. It is concluded that the efficacy of the treatment in dog days and the three nine-day periods after the winter solstice is superior to simple dog-day treatment and the treatment in the three nine-day periods after the winter solstice, and the efficacy of dog days treatment is better than that in the three nine-day periods after the winter solstice.

Objective: To explore the risk factors of injuries among school aged children from migrant workers' families, in Hangzhou., Methods: A cross-sectional survey on 3582 students from eight separate schools in which, four were set for migrant workers' families and the other four were for families of permanent residents. Stratified cluster random sampling method was used. Data was analyzed by unconditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods under SPSS 13.0., Results: The incidence rate of injury did not show statistical difference between children of migrant workers or from the permanent residents. The incidence rate of multiple injuries was higher in children from the migrant workers' families. The incidence rates on electric shock occurred at the primary school, drowning among boys at the secondary school and scald/crash/cutting by knives in girls at secondary schools were seen higher among children from the of migrant workers. Results from multivariate analysis showed that factors as gender (OR = 1.20), age (6 - 9 years: OR = 0.70, 10 - 12 years: OR = 1.45), fond of playing Pingpong (OR = 1.35), history of injuries by pets (OR = 1.41), skills on swimming (OR = 1.22), no history of being threatened (OR = 0.68), having harmonious family relations (OR = 0.69) and owning a house by family (OR = 0.76) appeared to be the major one that related to the occurrence of injury., Conclusion: Personal behavior as well as family and social environment seemed to be factors affecting the occurrence of injuries among children from the migrant workers' families.