Silver Needle Research Articles

The efficacy of silver needle therapy for treating low back pain: a protocol for meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

As population aging and unhealthy living habits may exacerbate the prevalence and burden of low back pain (LBP), effective treatment and improvement of patient quality of life are particularly critical. Silver needle therapy (SNT), having evolved from traditional acupuncture, involves placing silver needles into muscles, tendons, and fascia for treatment. However, it still lacks robust clinical evidence to substantiate its effectiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct more emphasis on meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical efficacy of SNT for treating LBP. We will search PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Databases up until December 2023 to identify randomized controlled trials of SNT treatment in adult patients with LBP. The primary outcome will be the intensity of pain after pain management. Secondary outcomes will include the Oswestry Disability Index, Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire, requirement for analgesic drugs, and treatment-related adverse reactions. Two investigators conducted the literature search, selected studies that might meet the inclusion criteria based on the title and abstract, and extracted data from the eligible literature independently and will independently assess the risk of bias using the Revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias (RoB2) tool. Multivariate analyses (including subgroup analysis, trial sequential analysis (TSA), sensitivity analysis, etc.) will be conducted to improve the quality of evidence. Registration: PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42023466207, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023466207.

Study on preparation and properties of silver alloy for Mongolian medicine acupuncture

The Mongolian medical silver needles often encounter issues of bending, fracturing, and blunting in clinical applications. Similarly, Mongolian warm needles can cause burns on patients due to inaccurate temperature control. In this study, we developed an Ag85Cu15 alloy specifically for acupuncture needles based on material preparation. By incorporating appropriate amounts of Mn and Ti elements, we were able to enhance the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the acupuncture needles. Compared to commercially available silver needles, this alloy exhibited a significant increase in microhardness up to 210.2 Hv0.2 and an improved tensile strength of 880.2 MPa. Furthermore, we designed a thermoelectric effect-based temperature measurement model for precise control of the warm needle's temperature, enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of the treatment.

Sensory Profiling of Indonesian White Tea Using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis

Silver needle is a common type of white tea in Indonesia. The silver needle is produced from unbloomed pekoe, is pointed, slightly hairy, and silver in color. Quantitative descriptive analysis is a sensory evaluation method that relies on trained panelists' abilities in the experiment. The purpose of this study is to create a sensory profile of white tea from Indonesia using the QDA method. Five tea samples registered to the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (Brand Gamboeng, Ennie 1, and Cap Pucuk from the West Java, Teh Dandang from Central Java, and Brand Heizl from East Java) were evaluated by trained panelists with extensive experience who had passed selection and training processes. Water was used as the neutralizer and crackers as the carrier. Three grams of each sample were brewed at 98°C with 150 mL of water for 7 min. Each panelist described the attribute, determined the reference, and evaluated all samples on a 15-cm scale. The results of the focus group discussion has obtained 12 lexicon sensory attributes, namely: yellow-brown, burned aroma, floral aroma, dry aroma, woody aroma, green aroma, burned flavor, green flavor, fermented flavor, floral flavor, bitter taste, astringent aftertaste, and bitter aftertaste. The results also showed that the "Heizl" white tea had the following sensory characteristics: yellow-brown, burned aroma, burned flavor, fermented flavor, bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, and astringent aftertaste. Moreover, the "Dandang" white tea had the following attributes: dry aroma, floral aroma, woody aroma, green aroma, green flavor, and floral flavor.

Network meta-analysis of 7 acupuncture therapies for knee osteoarthritis.

With the progression of society aging demographic, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) continues to rise steadily, exerting a significant impact on individuals' quality of life. Acupuncture therapy has garnered extensive utilization in the management of osteoarthritis; however, a comprehensive systematic review integrating acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine remains absent. This study compared the clinical efficacy of 7 acupuncture methods (electroacupuncture, conventional acupuncture, warm needle, floating needle, fire needle, needle knife, and silver needle) for the treatment of KOA through a network meta-analysis. This study examined the databases-PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, the China Biology Medicine, Chinese Journal Full-text Database, Wanfang Database, and VIP Database-for randomized controlled trials of the 7 methods for KOA treatment. The search time spanned from the database establishment to March 5, 2022. The primary outcome indicator was the total effective rate, and the secondary outcome indicator was the visual analog scale. After the layer-by-layer screening, the quality of the literature was assessed using the Cochrane systematic reviewer manual 5.1.0 bias risk assessment tool for randomized controlled trials. After data extraction, the R4.0.1 software was used for network meta-analysis. Based on the network meta-analysis, the ranking of interventions based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve for the total effective rate is as follows: silver needle (0.99) > floating needle (0.97) > needle knife (0.66) > fire needle (0.56) > warm needle (0.44) > conventional acupuncture (0.35) > electroacupuncture (0.13). Regarding the improvement in visual analog scale scores, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve ranking is as follows: silver needle (0.97) > conventional acupuncture (0.67) > needle knife (0.64) > floating needle (0.51) > warm needle (0.44) > fire needle (0.14) > electroacupuncture (0.09). Based on the network meta-analysis, silver needle therapy emerged as the most efficacious and analgesic intervention for KOA. Nevertheless, given the notable variations in the quality and quantity of studies encompassing diverse treatment modalities, the findings of this research necessitate further substantiation through forthcoming high-quality multicenter, large-sample, randomized double-blind trials.

Influence of physicians' seniority on efficacy of silver needle therapy for low back fasciitis: A prospective, cohort study.

Physicians' seniority has always been the focus of patients. Silver needle therapy (SNT) has been applied for more than 60 years. It is similar to moxibustion and has a good therapeutic effect on soft tissue pain. This study aimed to determine the influence of physicians' seniority on the efficacy of SNT for patients with low back fasciitis. This was a prospective cohort study at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Patients diagnosed with low back fasciitis were split into junior physician (JP) and senior physician (SP) groups (n = 30) based on the seniority of the physician. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was administered during the SNT, and operation time was recorded. The NRS, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Short-Form 12 of quality of life (SF-12) scores at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months after the treatment and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity were also observed. Compared with the SP group, the NRS score during the SNT (5.20 ± 0.71 vs 2.53 ± 0.94) and operation time (11.7 ± 1.6 minutes vs 6.8 ± 1.1 minute) were higher in the JP group (P < .05). The NRS, ODI score, SF-12 score, and ANS activity after treatment were not significantly different between SP and JP groups. Additionally, in the multivariate linear regression analysis model, the physicians' seniority was an independent factor affecting the NRS score during the SNT and operation time (P < .05). SNT could attenuate the pain of patients with low back fasciitis in the short and long term without severe complications. The physicians' seniority did not influence the efficacy of SNT, but the JP group showed an increased operation time and a higher degree of pain during the operation.

温控银质针结合关节松动术治疗肘关节脱位后功能障碍疗效分析

温控银质针结合关节松动术治疗肘关节脱位后功能障碍疗效分析

Tea as a natural gift for discovering antiviral candidates

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) remains rampant worldwide and poses a serious threat to human health. Tea is a medicinal and edible homologous plant that exhibits potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties via the prevention of virus entry into host cells, inhibition of virus replication, and enhancement of the innate and cellular immune responses. In this review, the properties of six major types of tea were systematically summarized, including green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea. We focused on the primary components of tea exhibiting antiviral pharmacological activities, which included (–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, (–)-gallocatechin gallate, tannic acid, oolonghomobisflavan A, theaflavins, and white-tip silver needle flavonoids. Among them, (–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate is proposed to be an antiviral compound that interferes with the entire life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 by balancing inflammation and immunity. Thus, this compound can serve as a promising lead structure for the development of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.

Silver Needle Thermal Therapy Relieves Pain, Repairs the Damaged Myofascial Fiber, and Reduces the Expression of 5-HT3 Receptors in the Spinal Cord of Rats with Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

There is an urgent clinical need to provide a theoretical basis for silver needle thermal therapy to Myofacial pain syndrome (MPS). This study was conducted to explore the effect of silver needle thermal therapy on myofascial pain syndrome in rats. MPS rat models were duplicated, and the rats were subsequently divided into model and treatment groups. A normal control group was synchronously set up. No treatment was given to the model group, whereas silver needle thermal therapy was administered to the treatment group. The thermal and mechanical pain threshold, the morphological structure as well as the expression of 5-HT3 receptors in the spinal cord were observed. Rats from the treatment group presented with a significantly higher pain threshold compared to the untreated model group. Silver needle thermal therapy can augment the pain threshold of rats with MPS, repair the damaged myofascial membrane in the rats, and further reduce the expression of 5-HT3 receptors in the spinal cord of the MPS rats.

Insertable, Scabbarded, and Nanoetched Silver Needle Sensor for Hazardous Element Depth Profiling by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy.

Sensing of hazardous metals is urgent in many areas (e.g., water pollution and meat products) as heavy metals threaten people's health. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), as a rapid, in situ, and multielemental analytical technique, has been widely utilized in rapid hazardous heavy metal sensing. However, loose and water-containing samples (e.g., meat, plant, and soil) are hard to analyze by LIBS directly, and heavy metal depth profiling for bulk samples remains suspenseful. Here, inspired by the Needle, the sword of Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, we propose an insertable, scabbarded, and nanoetched silver (NE-Ag) needle sensor for rapid hazardous element sensing and depth profiling. The NE-Ag needle sensor features a micro-nanostructure surface for inserting into the bulk sample and absorbing hazardous analytes. For accurate elemental depth profiling, we design a stainless-steel scabbard to wrap and protect the NE-Ag needle from pollution (unexpected contaminant absorption) during the needle insertion and extraction process. The results for cadmium (Cd) show that the relative standard deviation equals to 6.7% and the limit of detection reaches 0.8 mg/L (ppm). Furthermore, the correlations (Pearson correlation coefficient) for Cd and chromium (Cr) depth profiling results are no less than 0.96. Furthermore, the total testing time could be less than 1 h. All in all, the insertable and scabbarded NE-Ag needle senor has high potential in rapid hazardous heavy metal depth profiling in different industries.

Efficacy of short duration versus conventional electroacupuncture in the treatment of obesity: a randomized crossover study.

To compare the efficacy of short duration electroacupuncture (EA) with conventional EA to reduce weight and other parameters in obese Thai women. A randomized crossover study was conducted in 76 simple obese women. Participants were randomized to undergo either eight weeks of 30-minute EA (EA30) followed by an eight-week washout period, then eight weeks of five-minute EA (EA5), or EA5 followed by a washout period, then EA30. Electro-acupuncture was performed at 14 acupoints for two sessions per week. Participants were randomized to undergo either eight weeks of EA30 followed by an eight-week washout period, then eight weeks of EA5, or EA5 followed by a washout period, then EA30. Electro-acupuncture was performed using a stainless silver needle at 14 acupoints for two sessions per week. The needle was connected to an electric stimulator that delivered a constant current, 40 Hz and 3 mA, for 30 or five minutes according to the assigned treatment period. The primary outcome was the difference in weight reduction between the short-duration and the conventional EA while differences in other anth-ropometric parameters and biochemical parameters were considered as secondary outcomes. After each treatment period, all anthro-pometric characteristics of both groups decreased from the baseline regardless of the treatment sequence, including body weight (1.4-1.8 kg; 0.01), body mass index (0.56-0.70 kg/m ; 0.01), waist and hip circumference, skinfold thickness and body fat percentage as well as the improvement in fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles. There were no significant differences of the treatment effects on anthropometric parameters and biomedical chemistries between conventional and short-duration EA. No adverse effects were reported. Short duration EA at 14 acupuncture points had comparable efficacy to conventional EA in reduction of weight and other anthropometric parameters as well as to improve biochemistry parameters in obese women.

Research Progress of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by cartilage degeneration, osteophyte formation and joint inflammation, which is mainly good in middle-aged and elderly people. The main manifestations are knee pain or dull pain, swelling, joint clicking, and even knee stiffness, limited mobility, muscle spasm around and muscle atrophy, which seriously affect the quality of life. Acupuncture and moxibustion, as a characteristic treatment for KOA in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has accumulated rich clinical experience in the treatment of KOA, and there are numerous therapies, including conventional acupuncture, fire needle, warm needle, silver needle, electroacupuncture, small needle knife, internal heat needle, moxibustion and combined therapy. All of them have the characteristics of easy operation, low cost, significant effect, safety and reliability.

Meta-Analysis of PKP or PVP Combined with Acupuncture in the Treatment of Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures.

The efficacy of acupuncture combined with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) or percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture is systematically evaluated. The clinical trials of acupuncture combined with PKP or PVP in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture published before July 2021 are searched in databases of CNKI, WF, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase. The information of included studies is extracted, and the quality is assessed by two independent researchers. The meta-analysis is performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 9 trials are included, involving 851 patients. The experimental results show that the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with PKP/PVP in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) is superior to that of PKP/PVP alone, and both the VAS score and ODI score of PKP/PVP combined with ordinary acupuncture or silver needle acupuncture are better than those of the control group one month after the operation. The effect of ordinary acupuncture combined with PKP/PVP on the increase of bone mineral density is better than that of the control group. Acupuncture combined with PKP/PVP in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture has better efficacy than PKP/PVP, and it can effectively relieve patients' pain, improve bone density, and improve the quality of life.

Kelayakan Finansial dan Analisis Nilai Tambah pada Pengolahan Teh Putih di PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta Gianyar Bali

White tea are superior products at PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta and still not so many other companies in producing it. The purpose of the study is to, determine the financial feasibility of white tea processing at PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta, determine the added value generated from the processing of white tea at PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta, and determine the feasibility of white tea at PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta if there is an increase in operating costs and a decrease in income using sensitivity analysis. Financial feasibility analysis uses quantitative descriptive analysis using the calculation of profit and loss, Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Net B / C Ratio, Payback Period, and Break Event Point, and value added analysis using the Hayami method. Production of white peony and silver needles is feasible, with Net Present Value results of Rp. 4,505,933,033. Internal Rate of Return of 5.49% shows that the rate of return is greater than the specified bank interest rate. Payback Period for 2 years 3 months. B/C ratio of 1.55. White peony added value obtained a value of Rp. 860,000 per kg, the ratio of added value is 110.25%. While the added value of the silver needle is Rp. 430,000 per kg, value added ratio of 47.77%. The sensitivity analysis scenario shows that both an increase in operating costs of 1.5% -4% and revenue decreased 1.5% -2.5% resulting in a positive NVP. So that the business of white peony and silver needle is feasible.&#x0D; Keywords: white tea, financial feasibility, value added

Comparing the efficacy of two different temperature stimulation in warm acupuncture on acute low back pain: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWarm acupuncture, a combination of the mechanical stimulation of acupuncture and thermal stimulation of moxibustion, is commonly used in treating acute low back pain (LBP). This trial aimed to compare the efficacy of stronger (above 43°C) and weaker (above 40°C) heat stimulation in warm acupuncture on the function and pain in patients with acute LBP due to lumbosacral disc degeneration (LDD). MethodsOne hundred and fifty-nine adults were randomly assigned to receive warm acupuncture treatment with silver needle (SvN) or with stainless steel needle (SSN) (1:1). Both groups received a 3-week therapy with 3 sessions per week. The primary outcome was the modified Oswestry Disability Index at week 4. The secondary outcomes included average pain, three physical sign tests and adverse events. Participants were followed up at week 16 and week 28 after randomization. ResultsThe LBP related disability and pain intensity significantly relieved more in the SvN warm acupuncture group than in the SSN group, in both the short and long term (p<0.001). The between-groups difference in physical signs showed statistical significance only in the short term (p = 0.024), but not in long term (p = 0.081; p = 0.069). ConclusionCompared with warm acupuncture with stainless-steel needle at above 40°C, warm acupuncture with silver needle at above 43°C relieved more disability and pain in patients with acute LBP due to LDD. Study registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800019051.

White Tip Silver Needle (Slightly Fermented White Tea) Flavonoids Help Prevent Aging via Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Effects.

AimWhite tip silver needle, a slightly fermented white tea, is abundant in flavonoids, and it has great significance in terms of D-galactose/lipopolysaccharide-induced aging in mice.MethodsWe analyzed the antioxidant capacity of white tip silver needle flavonoids (WTSNF) in vitro, assessed the effects of WTSNF on organ indexes, pathological changes, liver function indexes, biochemical indicators, molecular biological indicators, and genes related to oxidation and inflammation.ResultsUltra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry results showed that WTSNF contained baicalin, kaempferol, kaempferide, quercetin, isorhamnetin, lespenephryl, and rutin. WTSNF showed strong scavenging ability for both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2ʹ-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) free radicals. Pathological analysis results showed that WTSNF reduced liver, kidney, and lung damage in mice with induced aging. In the serum and liver tissue, WTSNF effectively increased the antioxidant-related levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity and reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide. WTSNF also reduced the inflammation-related levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and increased the levels of interleukin-10 and interleukin-12. Furthermore, WTSNF upregulated the mRNA expression levels of cupro-zinc superoxide dismutase, manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, interleukin-10, neuronal nitric oxide synthase, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor, heme oxygenase 1, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1, nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκB-α), and thioredoxin, while it downregulated the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-18, interleukin-1 beta, TNFα, IFN-γ, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nuclear factor kappa-light chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB).ConclusionWTSNF is a high-quality natural product with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties that can inhibits D-galactose/lipopolysaccharide-induced aging in mice.

Therapeutic effect and mechanism of silver needle heat conduction therapy combined with loxoprofen sodium patch in patients with knee osteoarthritis

To observe the clinical efficacy of silver needle heat conduction therapy combined with loxoprofen sodium patch in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A total of ninety-two patients with KOA were randomly and equally divided into loxoprofen sodium group and silver needle heat conduction therapy + loxoprofen sodium (combination) group, with 46 cases in each group. Patients of the combination group were treated with silver needle heat conduction therapy combined with loxoprofen sodium patch, while those of the loxoprofen sodium group were treated with loxoprofen sodium patch. The treatment was conducted for 4 weeks. The Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), bone metabolism index ［including bone gla protein (BGP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), tartrate resistant acid phosphatase isomer (TRACP)-5b］, and inflammation factors ［including the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), interleukin-1β (IL-1β)］ were observed before and after treatment. The therapeutic effect was assessed after the treatment. After the treatment, the total scores of WOMAC, the levels of serum TRACP-5b, TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while the levels of serum BGP, BALP, and TGF-β were significantly increased (P<0.01) in the two groups compared with their own pre-treatment. Silver needle plus loxoprofen sodium was more effective in reducing WOMAC score, TRACP-5b, TNF-α, IL-1β level (P<0.01), and up-regulating BGP, BALP, and TGF-β level (P<0.01) than loxoprofen. Of the 46 cases in the loxoprofen sodium and combination groups, 33 and 41 were effective, with the effective rate being 71.7% and 89.1%, respectively. The comprehensive therapeutic effect of the combination group was significantly superior to that of the loxoprofen group (P<0.05). Silver needle heat conduction therapy combined with loxoprofen sodium can effectively treat KOA, its mechanism may be related to alleviating inflammation and improving bone metabolism.

Efficacy of silver needle therapy for the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain: a prospective, single-center, randomized, parallel-controlled clinical trial

BackgroundChronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) troubles approximately 30% of people worldwide. Silver needle therapy (SNT) is a treatment method to relieve soft tissue pain through heating. Therefore, this study aimed to observe the effects of SNT on CNSLBP.MethodsIn this study, 100 patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: silver needle (SN) group and control group (n = 50). In the SN group, patients received SNT and physiotherapy, while patients received physiotherapy alone in the control group. At the 6-month follow-up, the numerical rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Short-Form 12 of quality of life (SF-12), the natural logarithms of low-frequency measurement (InLF), and the natural logarithms of high-frequency measurement (InHF) of heart rate variability (HRV) were recorded.ResultsIn both groups, NRS, ODI, SF-12 scores, and HRV at 2 weeks after treatment were improved and maintained for 6 months. Compared with the control group, more significant improvements were observed in the NRS and SF-12 scores at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months and in the ODI scores at 1 and 2 months in the SN group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the groups in the ODI scores at 3 and 6 months. InLF and InHF in the SN group were higher than those in the control group at 3 and 6 months (P < 0.05).ConclusionsSNT relieved pain and improved quality of life and autonomic nerve activity, especially parasympathetic nerve, in patients with CNSLBP, without serious complications.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry No. ChiCTR-OOC-17013237. Registered on November 11, 2017.

Pengaruh Suhu Awal dan Lama Penyeduhan terhadap Karakteristik Sensoris dan Warna Teh Putih Silver Needle (Camellia assamica) Produksi PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta

White tea is obtained from the shoots of Camellia assamica tea which are very young and still curled, have very fine silvery-white hairs or silver, and are kept out of the sun during the plucking process. Silver needle white tea produced by PT. Bali Cahaya Amerta is an excellent product promoted as functional drink. This research aimed to know the influence of initial temperature, and brewing time on the sensory characteristics and the color of silver needle tea; to decide the best initial temperature and brewing time in producing silver needle white tea. The design of experiment in this research used completely randomized design of organoleptic test and randomized complet block factorial in color intensity test with two treatment factors. The first factor was the initial brewing temperature which consisted of three levels namely, 75o ±10C, 850±10C, 950±10C. The second factor was the brewing time which consisted of three levels namely, three minutes, six minutes, and nine minutes. The analyzed variable was organoleptic characteristics, such as hedonic (the whole receiver), color score, taste, as well as aroma and color intensity system L*, a*, b*. The result of the research showed that the initial temperature and brewing time as well as the interaction of the two has a very significant effect to the whole tested variables. The treatment using 950C initial temperature and nine minutes of brewing time produced the best characteristic, in which the color 2.40 ± 0.64 (limpidly yellowish to yellowish), taste 4.24±0.43 (slightly sweet to sweet), aroma 4.48±0.51 (has a tea scent to extremely tea scent), the whole receiver 6.20±0.43 (like to extremely like), brightness level (L*) 55.32±0.17, redness level (a*) 16.32±0.17, yellowish level (b*) 36.37±0.10. &#x0D; Keywords: white tea, initial temperature, brewing time, organoleptic, color intensity.

A Preliminary Study of the Effects of the Tilburg Frailty Indicator, Frailty Phenotype, and Silver Nanoparticle-Silver Needle Therapy in Senile Inpatients with Frailty

This study aimed to determine the effects of Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) and frailty phenotype (FP) in senile inpatients with frailty and provide a reference for the clinical evaluation of debilitating elderly patients. The effect of silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-silver needle acupuncture was also evaluated. Overall, 48 elderly inpatients with an average age of 69.5±6.2 years were included in the study. The results of two weakness assessment methods in screening the same elderly population were compared, and the correlation or consistency between the two methods was analyzed. A AgNPsilver needle was used for acupuncture treatment. The TFI score ranged from 0 to 12, with an average score of 4.0±0.7 (frailty [TFI>5] in 22 elderly patients [45.8%] and non-frailty in 26 patients [54.2%]). FP was presented in different stages, and the FP score ranged from 0 to 5, with an average score of 2.1±1.4, including non-frailty in 12 (25%) patients and pre-frailty in 19 (39.6%) patients. Moreover, 17 patients (35.4%) were debilitated. The two assessment methods showed that the degree of debilitation increased with advancing age in the elderly. The TFI score was positively associated with the defined stage of FP (r = 0.911, P <0.001). The consistency of TFI grading with phenotypic definition kappa value was 0.786 (P <0.001), and the area under the curve was 0.872 (95% confidence interval, 0.834-1.000; P <0.05). After acupuncture and moxibustion, the patient's condition evidently improved. In this study, the proportion of non-debilitating elderly hospitalized patients was higher than that of debilitating elderly hospitalized patients, and the degree of debilitating increased with advancing age. The TFI score was positively associated with the stage of phenotypic definition, and TFI frailty assessment was highly sensitive. Both methods had screening value, but TFI was more effective in screening patients with pre-frailty than FP, resulting in the early intervention and treatment of debilitating elderly hospitalized patients. A silver needle acupuncture can be used for treating senile frailty, providing a new idea for the clinical treatment of frailty.

Chemical profile and antioxidant potential of extractable and non‐extractable polyphenols in commercial teas at different fermentation degrees

The present study aimed to compare the chemical and antioxidant differences between the extractable and non-extractable polyphenols (EPP and NEPP) in commercial teas with different fermentation degrees. The results showed that both content and antioxidant activity of NEPP were lower than EPP regardless of fermentation degrees of teas. One white tea, Baekho Silver Needle (BSN), had the highest NEPP content (58.38 ± 0.73 mg GAE/g DW) by alkaline hydrolysis, as well as the antioxidant activities among different teas studied. Meanwhile, alkaline hydrolysis also was the most effective method in extracting the NEPP from these teas, followed by acid and enzymatic hydrolysis. Combined principle component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis demonstrated that gallic acid (GA), epigallocatechin (EGC), and gallocatechin (GC) were three major components in the NEEP studied, with the highest content 13.89 ± 0.87 mg/g DW in BSN, 16.14 ± 1.24 mg/g DW in Dianhong (DH), and 7.26 ± 0.55 mg/g DW in Biluochun (BLC), respectively. GA also was found to be the main contributor to antioxidant activity of NEPP. In addition, NEPP with different fermentation degrees showed discriminations in total polyphenols content, phytochemical profiles, and antioxidant activities but were disorder with the fermentation degrees of these teas. These results provided more information for NEPP in teas with different fermentation degrees including the phytochemical profiles and optimal extraction method. Practical applications NEPP have long been underestimated or neglected because this part of polyphenolic fraction cannot be extracted from the residues by aqueous or organic solvents. This study systematically investigated phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of EPP and NEPP in commercial teas with different fermentation degrees. Comparing the release efficacy of tea NEPP by different extraction methods indicated that tea residues were still a considerable source for NEPP. Profiles of polyphenols in teas with different fermentation degrees can be better uncovered according to this study to improve the health.