Effects of betaine on etnanol-stimulated secretion of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 in rat primary hepatocytes: involvement of p42/44 MAPK activation

AIM： To evaluate the effects of betaine on the ethanolinduced secretion of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 using radioimrnunoassay and Western blotting, respectively, in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. METHODS： Hepatocytes isolated from male SpragueDawley rats were incubated with various concentrations of ethanol and PD98059 procedures. The hepatocytes were also treated with different doses of betaine （10^-5, 10^-4, and 10^-3 mol/L）. We measured IGF-I and IGFBP-1 using radioimmunoassay and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS： The ethanol-induced inhibition of IGF-I secretion was attenuated by betaine in a concentration-dependent manner in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. At 10^-3 mol/L, betaine significantly increased IGF-I secretion but decreased IGFBP-1 secretion. In addition, p42/44 rnitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） activity was accelerated significantly from 10 min to 5 h after treatment with 10^-3 mol/L betaine. Furthermore, the changes in IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 secretion resulting from the increased betaine-induced p42/44 MAPK activity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes was blocked by treatment with the MAPK inhibitor PD98059. Betaine treatment blocked the ethanol-induced inhibition of IGF-I secretion and p42/44 MAPK activity, and the ethanol-induced increase in IGFBP-1 secretion.CONCLUSION： Betaine modulates the secretion of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 via the activation of p42144 MAPK in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Betaine also alters the MAPK activations induced by ethanol.

Acupuncture for Pain:An Overview of Cochrane Reviews

Objective： Cochrane reviews have the reputation for being more transparent and rigorous than other reviews. The aim of this overview was to evaluate and summarize Cochrane reviews of acupuncture for the treatment of any type of pain. Methods： We searched the Cochrane Database and evaluated the Cochrane reviews that were concerned specifically with the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain. Data were extracted according to pre-defined inclusion criteria by two independent reviewers. Results： Eight Cochrane reviews were included. They were all of high methodological quality. They related to a wide range of pain syndromes. Four reviews concluded that acupuncture is effective for migraines, neck disorders, tensiontype headaches, and peripheral joint osteoarthritis; one review failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis; and three reviews were inconclusive for shoulder pain, lateral elbow pain, and low back pain. Conclusion： Several Cochrane reviews of acupuncture for a wide range of pain conditions have recently been published. All of these reviews were of high quality. Their results suggest that acupuncture is effective for some but not all types of pain.

Tai Chi for Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:A Systematic Review

Objective： Tai chi has been recommended for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence from controlled clinical trials testing the effectiveness of tai chi in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods： Systematic searches were conducted on 14 electronic databases without restrictions on either population characteristics or language of publication. The outcome measures considered for inclusion were changes in fasting blood glucose （FBG）, glycosylated haemoglobin A1c （HbA1c） and quality of life （QOL）. Results： Eight randomised clinical trials （RCTs） and two controlled clinical trials （CCTs） met all inclusion criteria. Three RCTs from 1 trial compared the effects of tai chi with sham exercise and failed to show effectiveness of tai chi on FBG, HbA1c, or QOL. The other 3 RCTs tested the effects of tai chi compared with other types of exercise on FBG. The meta-analysis failed to show an FBG-lowering effect of tai chi [n=118, weighted mean difference （WMD）： -0.14 mmol/L, 95% CI：-0.86 to 0.58,P=0.70]. Four studies （2 RCTs and 2 CCT） compared tai chi with no treatment or self-management programme and failed to report significant differences between the experimental and control groups except for QOL from 1 RCT and 1 CCT. Conclusion： The existing evidence does not suggest that tai chi is an effective therapy for type 2 diabetes. Currently, there are few high-quality trials on which to make definitive judgements.

Red Ginseng for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective： Red ginseng （RG, Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer） is one of the widely used herbs for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus （DM）. However, no systematic review of the effectiveness of RG for type 2 DM is available. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the current evidence for the effectiveness of RG in patients with type 2 DM. Methods＂ Electronic searches of 14 electronic databases were conducted without language restrictions. All randomized clinical trials （RCTs） with RG as a treatment for type 2 DM were considered for inclusion. Their methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane criteria. Results： Four RCTs met our inclusion criteria. Their methodological quality was variable. Three of the RCTs compared the effectiveness of RG with placebo. The meta-analysis of these data failed to favor RG over placebo for fasting plasma glucose （FPG） [n=76, weighted mean difference （WMD）： -0.43 mmol/L; 95% confidence interval （CI）： -1.16 to 0.30, P=0.25] and fasting plasma insulin （FPI） （n=76, WMD： -8.43 pmol/L; 95% Ch -19.54 to 2.68, P=0.14） for 12 weeks of treatment. One RCT compared the effects of RG with no treatment. The results did not suggest favorable effects of RG on FPG, hemoglobin Alo （HbAlc） or 2-h blood glucose after a meal （PP2h）. Conclusions： The evidence for the effectiveness of RG in controlling glucose in type 2 DM is not convincing. Few included studies with various treatment regimens prohibit definitive conclusions. More rigorous studies are needed to clarify the effects of RG on this condition.

Incorporation of Massage into Psychotherapy:An Integrative and Conjoint Approach

This article presents the potential integration of psychotherapy and massage when considering the essence of their beneficial effects.The essence of this model of practice is multifaceted,combining principles from anatomy,physiology and neuroscience with psychotherapy to benefit patient care.It has been advocated that possessing multidisciplinary knowledge from these areas of science enhances psychotherapists＇ holistic care of their depressive patients.A narrative review of the literatures and a qualitative,conceptual synthesis has been performed to create a new theoretical-pragmatic construct.This article introduces the concept of massage practice as a part of psychotherapy practice and presents the potential integration of psychotherapeutic knowledge with clinical decision-making and the management of depressive symptoms.The authors emphasize the usefulness of multi- and interdisciplinary knowledge in the psychotherapeutic process and explain how this knowledge might be extrapolated and incorporated into theoretical and practical settings to benefit depressive patients.The justification for this concept is also presented.The principles set out in this article may be a useful source of information for psychotherapists concerned about their patients＇ holistic well-being in addition to the psychopathology for which they have sought treatment.Researchers and psychotherapists can obtain valuable and additional knowledge through cross-fertilization of ideas across the arguments presented here.