Enhanced acupuncture therapy for radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain in patients with gynecologic cancer: a report of two cases and brief review.

As radiation therapy is increasingly utilized in the treatment of cancer, neuropathic pain (NP) is a common radiotherapy-related adverse effect and has a significant impact on clinical outcomes negatively. However, despite an improved understanding of neuropathic pain management, pain is often undertreated in patients with cancer. Herein, we reported two cases with radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain (RRNP) who presented a positive reaction to acupuncture.

Effect of acupuncture on neuroinflammation in animal models of Alzheimer's disease: A preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite neuroinflammation being an important component of the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), effective therapies to alleviate neuroinflammation are still lacking. Many animal experiments in AD have found that acupuncture may ameliorate cognition by decreasing neuroinflammation and modulating cytokines, but its effects have not been systematically examined. We aimed to assess its efficacy on neuroinflammation in AD and to investigate the potential mechanisms.

[Visualization and application method of acupuncture-moxibustion knowledge of senile dementia in ancient books based on partial order structure].

Acupuncture-moxibustion has affirmative curative effect in the prevention and treatment of senile dementia. Starting from the literature research, a visualization and application method of acupuncture-moxibustion knowledge of senile dementia in ancient books based on partial order structure is proposed. This method could extract and integrate the acupuncture-moxibustion knowledge of senile dementia contained in ancient books of traditional Chinese medicine, and establish a standardized, structured and visual knowledge graph.

Early intervention with acupuncture improves the outcome of patients with Bell's palsy: A propensity score-matching analysis.

Objective: Although acupuncture is widely used as a complementary therapy in the treatment of Bell's palsy (BP) when to initiate acupuncture is still controversial. This study aims to determine the efficacy of the early intervention by acupuncture on BP.

Methods: We retrospectively gathered clinical data from the Third Affiliated Hospital of SUN-YAT SEN University between 2016 and 2021.

The Effect of Acupuncture on Enteral Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Dynamics in Patients Who Have Suffered a Severe Stroke.

Objective: This study aimed to explore and analyze the effect of acupuncture on improving the enteral nutrition level and gastrointestinal dynamics in patients who had suffered a severe stroke.

Methods: A total of 122 patients who experienced a severe stroke who were treated in the intensive care unit of the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University (China) between September 2021 and March 2022 were randomly divided into two groups as follows: 1) the observation group, the participants of which received acupuncture combined with early enteral nutrition (61 cases); 2) the control group, the participants of which received early enteral nutrition (61 cases). Following treatment, the hemoglobin, neutrophil count, blood glucose, albumin, pre-albumin, immediate postprandial antral area, antral contraction frequency (at 2 min), and antral motility index on days 1 and 7 of treatment were compared between the two groups.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on renal vascular microcirculation in diabetic mice based on in vivo two-photon microscopy imaging].

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli"(ST36)and "Weiwanxiashu"(EX-B3) on capillary function around the renal tubule and renal tubule structure in diabetic mice based on two-photon microscopy (TPM) imaging, so as to providing visualizable evidence for the regulatory effect of EA on diabetic renal vascular microcirculation.

Methods: Spontaneous type Ⅱ diabetes mellitus mice (db/db) were employed for this study. Twenty db/db mice were randomly divided into model group (=10) and EA group (=10), and 10 db/m mice used as the control group.

Evidence mapping and overview of systematic reviews of the effects of acupuncture therapies.

Objective: To provide a route map regarding systematic reviews (SRs) of acupuncture therapies that will meet two goals: (1) to identify areas in which more or better evidence is required and (2) to identify acupuncture applications that, although proven effective, remain underused in practice, and thus warrant more effective knowledge dissemination.

Eligibility Criteria: We included SRs that conducted meta-analyses (MAs) of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for this overview.

Information Sources: We searched for SRs without language restrictions from January 2015 to November 2020 in four Chinese electronic databases and Epistemonikos database.

[Prostatitis studies in China from 2000 to 2020: A Knowledge Atlas-based study on the development trend of contemporary disciplines].

Objective: To review and analyze the trend of researches on prostatitis in China in the past two decades.

Methods: We searched the core collection of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for studies on prostatitis, and analyzed the data obtained using Excel, Citespace and VOSviewer.

Results: Totally, 1 216 original articles were identified, with 3 271 keywords, ≥3-time high-frequency keywords accounting for 12.

Inflammation-Related Long Non-Coding RNA Signature Predicts the Prognosis of Gastric Carcinoma.

Gastric carcinoma (GC) is a molecularly and phenotypically highly heterogeneous disease, making the prognostic prediction challenging. On the other hand, Inflammation as part of the active cross-talk between the tumor and the host in the tumor or its microenvironment could affect prognosis. We established a prognostic multi lncRNAs signature that could better predict the prognosis of GC patients based on inflammation-related differentially expressed lncRNAs in GC.

Contralateral S1 function is involved in electroacupuncture treatment-mediated recovery after focal unilateral M1 infarction.

Acupuncture at acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) has been shown to promote functional recovery after stroke. However, the contribution of the contralateral primary sensory cortex (S1) to recovery remains unclear. In this study, unilateral local ischemic infarction of the primary motor cortex (M1) was induced by photothrombosis in a mouse model.

Efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological interventions for irritable bowel syndrome in adults.

Background: Although nonpharmacological interventions (NPI) for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been applied clinically, their relative efficacy and safety are poorly understood.

Aim: To compare and rank different NPI in the treatment of IBS.

Methods: Five electronic databases were searched from their inception to January 12, 2020.

Evaluation on the effect of acupuncture on patients with sepsis-induced myopathy (ACU-SIM pilot study): A single center, propensity-score stratified, assessor-blinded, prospective pragmatic controlled trial.

Background: Sepsis-induced myopathy (SIM) is a disease that causes motor dysfunction in patients with sepsis. There is currently no targeted treatment for this disease. Acupuncture has shown considerable efficacy in the treatment of sepsis and muscle weakness.

[Acupoint catgut embedding improves gastric mucosal injury by down-regulating expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in chronic atrophic gastritis rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of acupoint catgut embedding on histopathological changes of gastric mucosa and expression of mucosal hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins in chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) rats, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of CAG.

Methods: Male SD rats were divided into blank group (=10) and model group (=9) and catgut embedment group (=10). The CAG model was established by free drinking of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine solution (100 μg/mL) and irregular diet.

CBS-Induced HS Generation in Hippocampus Inhibits EA-Induced Analgesia.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is an important mediator participating in both physiological and pathological systems and related to the inflammatory process. Acupuncture has a therapeutic effect on inflammatory pain. However, whether HS generated in the central nervous system (CNS) is a mediator of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment for inflammatory pain is unknown.

Effect of Tai Chi Chuan in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Tai Chi Chuan(TCC), as a mind-body exercise, may have a positive impact on physical function and psychological well-being in breast cancer patients. The latest systematic review and meta-analysis of TCC for breast cancer was made 4 years ago and some new clinical trials about it were published. We remade a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of TCC in breast cancer patients.

Influence of different knee and ankle ranges of motion on the elasticity of triceps surae muscles, Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia.

Stiffness is a valuable indicator of the functional capabilities of muscle-tendon-fascia. Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study in which the passive elastic properties of the medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), soleus muscles (SOL), Achilles tendon (AT, at 0 cm, 3 cm and 6 cm proximal to the calcaneus tubercle, corresponding to AT0cm, AT3cm and AT6cm, respectively) and plantar fascia (PF) were quantified when their knee was fully extended or flexed to 90° using shear wave elastography at 25° of dorsiflexion (DF25°), 0° (neutral position) of flexion, and 50° of plantar flexion (PF50°) of the ankle joint. The stiffnesses of the AT, MG, LG, SOL and the fascia with the knee fully extended were significantly higher than those with the knee flexed to 90° (p < 0.

[Construction of the integrative evidence chain in clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion].

The research aims to propose the approaches to the clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion and provide the methodological guide for the research in this field in terms of the inadequate systematic collection, lack of the specific characteristics of acupuncture-moxibustion treatment and insufficient persuasion in clinical evidences of acupuncture-moxibustion research. Through a systematic review of the registration of acupuncture-moxibustion clinical trials at home and abroad, the distribution of diseases with the recommendation of acupuncture and moxibustion in Cochrane Library database, combined with the evidence grade of the evidence-based medicine and the individual characteristics of clinical practice with acupuncture and moxibustion, some research ideas and framework are proposed for the clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion. To take the curative effect as the forerumer, the dominant disease and therapeutic methods of acupuncture and moxibustion should be initially generalized by the case experiences and clinical observation at the first.

[Using Machine Learning to Investigate Factors Influencing the Efficacy of "Shoulder Tri-needles Therapy" in Treatment of Shoulder-hand Syndrome in 586 Stroke Patients].

Objective: To analyze the factors influencing the therapeutic effect of "Shoulder Tri-needles therapy" in the treatment of shoulder-hand syndrome of stroke patients by using machine learning approach, so as to provide a feasibility for improving clinical efficacy.

Methods: A total of 586 stroke patients with shoulder-hand syndrome eligible for this study were involved in our machine learning experiments for classification of the influential factors. Their data including the age, gender, pulse condition, complexion, tongue quality, tongue coating, disease stage, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood glucose, blood triglyceride, blood total cholesterol, smoking history, drinking history, and final outcomes were extracted from the medical record system (from Oct.

[Impact of Catgut Embedding Intervention on JAK 2-STAT 3 Signaling in Gastric Mucosa of Chronic Atrophic Gastritis Rats].

Objective: To observe the impact of catgut embedding on histopathological changes and expression of phosphorylated-Janus kinase-2 (p-JAK 2), phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT 3), Cyclin D 1, Bcl-2, and suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) of the gastric mucosa in chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) rats, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improving CAG.

Methods: Forty-one SD rats were randomly divided into normal (＝12), model (＝9), natural recovery (＝10) and catgut embedding (＝10) groups. The CAG model was established by free drinking of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine (MNNG) solution (100µg/mL) and irregular diet for 24 weeks.

[A Meta-analysis of Effectiveness of Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy for Insomnia].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and superiority of acupoint catgut-embedding in the treatment of insomnia.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for insomnia treated by acupoint implantation of catgut were included in the present study. We searched the related articles from 6 databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, CBM, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang) from the date of inception to March 19, 2017 by using keywords "catgut implantation at acupuncture point" or "catgut implantation at acupoint" and "insomnia" or "agrypnia" and "randomised (or randomized) clinical trial".

[Analysis of Regularity of Acupoint Selection in Acupuncture Treatment of Urticaria Based on Data Mining Technology].

Objective: To analyze the regularity of acupoint selection, main acupoints and theoretical basis in acupuncture treatment of urticaria.

Methods: Papers collected from the time of establishment of each database to September of 2017 were retrieved from databases CNKI, CBM, VIP and WF by using keywords of "acupuncture" "moxibustion" "blood-letting therapy" "autohemotherapy" "cupping" "acupoint catgut embedding" "auricular points" "acupoint injection" "fire-needle" (or red-hot needle), "dermal needle" "needle-embedding" "urticaria" in both Chinese and English. The collected papers were brought into analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, from which the prescriptions for acupuncture treatment of urticaria were subjected into descriptive statistical analysis, association rule analysis, and cluster analysis by using Access 2010, Clementine 18.

[A Meta-analysis of the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Epilepsy].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of epilepsy.

Methods: We first collected research data about randomized control trials (RCTs) of acupuncture treatment of epilepsy from databases CNKI, CBM, VIP and Wanfang using key words "(acupuncture)", "(epilepsy)"or "(epilepsy)"or "(epilepsy)", and from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library using key words "acupuncture" "needling" "prod" "epilepsy" "epilepsies" or "seizure disorder" or "simple seizure" from the date of database construction to May 5, 2017. Then, two researchers extracted the study outcomes and evaluated the evidence qualification of the research data independently using GRADE profile 3.