[Discussion on the commonalities of scalp acupuncture schools and the feasibility of a unified scalp acupuncture protocol].

The data of 44 scalp acupuncture schools are collected to analyze their commonalities in theoretical foundations, needling sites, techniques, and indications. The integration of these characteristics into an optimized, unified scalp acupuncture protocol has become an inevitable trend. The paper discusses the potential for a unified scalp acupuncture protocol from aspects such as theoretical unification, the relationships between point areas, lines, and sites, and needle numbers.

Napex acupoint thread-embedding combined with metoprolol tartrate tablet for prophylactic treatment of migraine without aura: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To observe the efficacy of napex acupoint thread-embedding combined with metoprolol tartrate tablet for prophylactic treatment of migraine without aura, and to compare its efficacy with simple napex acupoint thread-embedding and simple metoprolol tartrate tablet.

Methods: A total of 105 patients with migraine without aura were randomized into a combination group (35 cases, 5 cases dropped out), a thread-embedding group (35 cases, 4 cases dropped out) and a western medication group (35 cases, 2 cases dropped out). In the thread-embedding group, napex acupoint thread-embedding was applied at bilateral Fengchi (GB 20) and points of 1.

[Relationship between the inserting sites of 's subcutaneous needling and traditional acupoints: revelation to acupuncture and moxibustion].

Focusing on the phenomenon of "de-acupoints" of the needle insertion sites in Fu's subcutaneous needling (FSN), the authors allocated the evolution and characteristics of the needle insertion sites of FSN. From six aspects, named morphology and structure, location, nomenclature, numbers and meridian tropism, indications and acupuncture manipulations, the comparison was made between the insertion sites of FSN and traditional acupoints. It is believed: ①The needle insertion sites of FSN has the basic attributes of acupoint, which not only refers to the operation site, but also indicates the reaction of disease; moreover, it is the treatment site with significant therapeutic effect.

[Therapeutic observation on horizontal penetration needling for residual dizziness after repositioning maneuver in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo].

Objective: To observe the effect of horizontal penetration needling at vertigo auditory area and balance area on residual dizziness after successful repositioning maneuver in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Methods: Sixty-six patients with residual dizziness after successful repositioning maneuver for BPPV were randomly divided into an observation group (34 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the observation group were treated with horizontal penetration needling at vertigo auditory area and balance area, once every other day; three times were taken as a course of treatment, and two courses of treatment were given.

[Clinical observation on horizontal penetration needling combined with rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets for migraine without aura in acute stage].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of horizontal penetration needling combined with rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets, simple horizontal penetration needling and simple rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets for migraine without aura in acute stage.

Methods: A total of 99 patients with migraine without aura in acute stage were randomized into an acupuncture plus medication group, an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 33 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, horizontal penetration needling was applied once at Hanyan (GB 4) to Xuanli(GB 6), Shenting (GV 24) to Yintang (GV 29), Baihui (GV 20) to Qianding (GV 21), etc.

miR-222 regulates cell growth, apoptosis, and autophagy of interstitial cells of Cajal isolated from slow transit constipation rats by targeting c-kit.

Background: Excessive autophagy and apoptosis of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) have been identified in gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders including slow transit constipation (STC). MicroRNA 222 (miR-222) has been shown to affect GI motility. This study aimed to explore whether miR-222 influences apoptosis and excessive autophagy of isolated ICC.

[Horizontal penetration needling method for headache].

The manipulation and key points of professor -'s horizontal penetration needling method for headache were introduced. This acupuncture method selects local acupoints of head, including occipital acupoint group, temporal acupoint group, frontal acupoint group and vertex acupoint group. The needles are shallowly and horizontally inserted at acupoints, with needle end towards the focus or headache site.

[Revelation of 's subcutaneous needling therapy on the development of acupuncture and moxibustion].

By analyzing 's subcutaneous needling phenomenon, the attribute of 's subcutaneous needling therapy in traditional acupuncture, the innovation and the role in the development of traditional acupuncture were demonstrated. The authors believe that the de-meridian in 's subcutaneous needling therapy is similar to the connotation of meridian before the Han dynasty, the de-acupoint phenomenon in 's subcutaneous needling therapy reproduces the acupoint evolution, and the sites of needle insertion of this therapy are partially overlapped with the location of traditional acupoints. In manipulation, the technique of 's subcutaneous needling therapy is derived from the traditional acupuncture technique and it is also in reference to the theory and the method of modern medicine, such as muscle energy technology and fasciology.

[Analysis on relationship between syndrome differentiation of migraine and acupuncture effect].

The problems of the syndrome differentiation of migraine in acupuncture treatment were collected, e.g. inconsistency of syndrome differentiation, unclear staging of syndrome differentiation, lack of standardization in comparison between syndrome differentiation and non-differentiation, insufficient research on the factors of syndrome differentiation.

Tibetan Medicated Bathing Therapy for Patients With Post-stroke Limb Spasticity: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Objective: To determine the short- (4 weeks) and long-term (6 month) effectiveness of Tibetan medicated bathing therapy in patients with post-stroke limb spasticity.

Design: Prospective, blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Subjects: Post-stroke patients with limb spasticity were recruited between December 2013 and February 2017 and randomly assigned 1:1 to a control group that received conventional rehabilitation (n = 222) or an experimental group that received Tibetan medicated bathing therapy in combination with conventional rehabilitation (n = 222).

[Status quo and thinking of acupoint optimization for preventive treatment of migraine].

To summarize the status quo of acupoint optimization for prophylactic treatment of migraine from acupoint selection based on traditional Chinese medicine theory, acupoints selection based on modern medical theory, and the relative specificity of acupoints. It is found that at present, there are many gaps in the research of preventive treatment of migraine, while the initial optimization scheme of acupoints is formed, and there is controversy in the relative specificity of acupoints. It is believed that through the systematic analysis of the disease characteristics of acupuncture, manipulation, acupuncture tools and other factors that affect the selection of acupoints, the relative specificity of acupoints can be further clarified, and the advantages of acupoint selection based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and modern medical theory can be further optimized for the preventive treatment of migraine and improve the curative effect.

Effect of Tui Na on upper limb spasticity after stroke: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Tui Na for treating spasticity of the upper limbs of stroke patients.

Design: A prospective, multicenter, blinded, randomized controlled intervention study.

Subjects: Stroke patients with upper limb spasticity who were treated between December 2013 and February 2017 in 16 participating institutions in China were randomly assigned to receive either Tui Na plus conventional rehabilitation (Tui Na group,  = 222,) or conventional rehabilitation only (control group,  = 222).

[Acupoint selection for acute migraine treated with acupuncture].

The progress of acupoint research on acupuncture treatment for acute migraine was reviewed in terms of acupoint selection of traditional medicine, acupoint selection of modern medicine and comprehensive method. Seven factors of the acupoint selection were analyzed, such as meridian tropism, acupoint property and disorders. The key issues on the optimal acupoint selection scheme were explored.

[Acupuncture direction and analgesia].

The acupuncture direction is closely related with the efficacy of acupuncture analgesia. In this article, the relationship between efficacy of acupuncture analgesia and factors, such as whether the needle towards disease location, whether the needle towards meridian direction, whether the needle following spinal cord direction and whether the needle following muscle direction, were analyzed. The previous clinical and literature research indicated that the needle towards disease location was superior to reverse direction, however, the efficacy of analgesia between needle following and reversing meridian, needle towards and at disease location, needles following and reversing spinal cord direction, needles following and reversing muscle direction was controversial.

[Comparison and development of different scalp needling schools].

The literature and relevant books on the scalp needling schools were retrieved to collect the main scalp needling schools and compare the point location principles and needling techniques so as to optimize the scalp needling scheme. Currently there are ten major schools of scalp acupuncture, representing for example by , and , etc. The principles of stimulating localization are different among the schools, in which, 's skull line localization is mainly for the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases, prefers the penetrating technique for the treatment of pain and mental disorders according to traditional meridian theory, and the other schools take the cortical functions into account for the stimulating localization.

[Analysis of optimal plan of multiple acupuncture manipulations for shoulder pain after stroke at different stages].

Objective: To observe the effects between acupuncture combined with rehabilitation and simple rehabilitation for shoulder pain after stroke, and to select the best plan of acupuncture manipulations at different stages by orthogonal design.

Methods: Ninety patients were treated with comprehensive rehabilitation, and nine cases without acupuncture were arranged into a control group. Eighty-one patients of orthogonal design were applied by acupuncture with the same acupoints and course.

[Effects of Tongnao Huoluo acupuncture therapy on Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 of rats with acute cerebral infarction].

Objective: To evaluate effects of Tongnao Huoluo acupuncture therapy (THAT) on Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 rats with acute cerebral infarction (ACI).

Methods: Totally 264 SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e.

[Research progression of the opportunity of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy for post-stroke dysphagia].

Through the collection of the literatures published in recent years on the opportunity of acupuncture therapy for post-stroke dysphagia, the therapy of acupuncture-moxibustion combined with the rehabilitation training is regardes as the optimal program in the paper. In this program, the timing of acupuncture intervention is a key factor to impact the efficacy on post-stroke dysphagia. It is vitally significant to grasp the intervention timing of acupuncture-moxibustion in the recovery of swallowing function as well as articulation function with dysphagia involved.

[Primary optimization of acupuncture program for dysphagia after cerebral infarction].

Objective: To optimize primarily acupuncture program for dysphagia after cerebral infarction.

Methods: Sixty-three patients with pseudobulbar palsy dysphasia after cerebral infarction were selected as the subjects. Water swallow test was adopted for observation index.

[Acupuncture analgesia and the direction, angle and depth of needle insertion].

Literatures on acupuncture analgesia of the recent 30 years are analyzed through the target pain syndromes, points and tools selected for needling as well as the chosen direction, angle and depth of insertion. The relationship between effect of acupuncture analgesia and needling direction, angle as well as depth is initially optimized to enhance the analgesic effect. The result shows that the 3 factors are the key influences.

[Systemic analysis on the studies of combined treatment of cerebrovascular diseases with acupuncture and herbal medicines].

[In the present paper, the authors make a systemic analysis on the combined treatment of cerebrovascular diseases with acu-moxibustion and herbal medicines from 1) background, 2) objective, 3) methods and contents, and 4) the underlying mechanism. It is thought of that optimizing the therapeutic program of acu-moxibustion and herbal medicines, and then optimizing their combined ways, time, quantity, etc. may improve clinical curative effect further.

[Superficial needle therapy and development of acup-moxibustion sciences].

Superficial needle is a new type of needling tools. Superficial needling therapy is adopted mainly monouse superficial needle as treatment tools, with local disease as basic marker and needling the surroundings of the disease, with the needle tip towards the focus, and the needle body inserted along the superficial fascial layer, making a sweeping motion and then it was retained. The superficial needling therapy has wide indications, particularly, rapid and lasting analgesic effect for injury and pain of soft tissue.