Acupuncture, an effective treatment for post-stroke neurologic dysfunction.

Stroke episodes represent a significant subset of cerebrovascular diseases globally, often resulting in diverse neurological impairments such as hemiparesis, spasticity, dysphagia, sensory dysfunction, cognitive impairment, depression, aphasia, and other sequelae. These dysfunctions markedly diminish patients' quality of life and impose substantial burdens on their families and society. Consequently, the restoration of neurological function post-stroke remains a primary objective of clinical treatment.

Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture for benign prostatic hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Methods: Seven databases were searched from the inception of each database to March 31, 2023, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and China Biology Medicine. The modified Jadad scale was used to assess literature quality, and literature inclusion and exclusion were conducted in strict accordance with the criteria of a score of ≥4.

Acupuncture for post-stroke spasticity: An overview of systematic reviews.

Background: Post-stroke spasticity (PSS) is the most common complication of stroke. Acupuncture is widely used in clinical practice for the treatment of PSS, and is therefore considered a common complementary treatment. Several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PSS; however, the quality of evidence of these studies has not been adequately assessed.

Mechanisms of acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea based on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in rats.

Objectives: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) on phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathway of uterus tissue in rats with primary dysmenorrhea(PDM), so as to investigate its mechanisms underlying improvement of PDM.

Methods: Thirty healthy non-pregnant female SD rats were randomly divided into blank, model and EA groups, with 10 rats in each group. The PDM model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol diphenhydrate combined with intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin.

Corticospinal tract: a new hope for the treatment of post-stroke spasticity.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Post-stroke spasticity (PSS) is the most common complication of stroke but represents only one of the many manifestations of upper motor neuron syndrome. As an upper motor neuron, the corticospinal tract (CST) is the only direct descending motor pathway that innervates the spinal motor neurons and is closely related to the recovery of limb function in patients with PSS.

[Effects of electroacupuncture on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and mitogen activated protein kinase in spinal cord of rats with primary dysmenorrhea].

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression levels of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the spinal cord of rats with primary dysmenoramia (PDM), so as to explore the underlying mechanism of EA treating PDM.

Methods: Thirty female SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group and EA group, with 10 rats in each group. The PDM rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate and oxytocin into the thigh.

Electroacupuncture treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized, participant-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial protocol.

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea in women is a common and serious public health problem with psychological and physical effects. Painkillers have adverse effects, such as tolerance, addiction, irritation of the digestive tract, and liver and kidney damage. Electroacupuncture has been used as alternative therapy, although with no (non-anecdotal) evidence of effectiveness.

[Effects of electroacupuncture on NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis protein GSDMD in uterine tissue in rats with primary dysmenorrhea].

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on NLRP3 inflammasome and its downstream protein gastermin D (GSDMD) in rats with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), and to explore the potential mechanism of EA on the treatment of PDM.

Methods: Forty healthy female SD rats without pregnancy were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, an EA group and an ibuprofen group, 10 rats in each group. PDM model was prepared by injection of estradiol benzoate and oxytocin.

Effects of Electroacupuncture for Opioid-Induced Constipation in Patients With Cancer in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is prevalent among patients treated with opioids for cancer pain. Safe and effective therapies for OIC in patients with cancer remain an unmet need.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for OIC in patients with cancer.

[Effect of electroacupuncture intervention on relieving pain and inflammation by suppressing TLR4/NF-κB signaling in rats with primary dysmenorrhea].

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture(EA) intervention in rats with primary dysmenorrhea(PDM) based on the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor(NF)-κB signaling pathway.

Methods: Forty female SD rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, EA and medication groups, with 10 rats in each group. PDM rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate combined with intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin.

Multidimensional Pain Modulation by Acupuncture Analgesia: The Reward Effect of Acupuncture on Pain Relief.

Pain is an intrinsically unpleasant experience with features that protect an organism by promoting motivation and learning. Pain relief, a negative reinforcement of pain, is considered a reward and activates the brain's reward system. The reward circuit in the brain involves reward and pain.

A randomized double-blind controlled study protocol on the efficacy and safety of Sangdantongluo granule in the treatment of post-stroke spasticity.

Introduction: Stroke is the first leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide, and post-stroke spasticity (PSS) is the common complication of stroke. Sangdantongluo Granule (Z20210481000), a modern patent Chinese medicine, is widely used in clinical practice to treat PSS. Whereas, there is limited evidence of effectiveness for Sangdantongluo Granule to treat PSS.

Moxibustion for Primary Dysmenorrhea: An Adjuvant Therapy for Pain Relief.

The latest spectrum of moxibustion disease shows that primary dysmenorrhea is a high-frequency symptom of moxibustion and that it is the dominant clinical disease. In the specific treatment methods, all types of moxibustion methods have been widely used, such as thermal, thunder fire, partitioned, and spreading moxibustion. Moxibustion plays a therapeutic role through its four mechanisms of action: heat, light, moxa smoke, and drug effects.

Efficacy of Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome : A Randomized Trial.

Background: Acupuncture has promising effects on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), but high-quality evidence is scarce.

Objective: To assess the long-term efficacy of acupuncture for CP/CPPS.

Design: Multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial.

Efficiently immobilizing uranium (VI) by oxidized carbon foam.

Oxidized carbon foam (oxidized CF) was prepared by using a facile chemical oxidation treatment at relatively low temperature of 450 °C and applied to capture uranyl cation [U(VI)] from aqueous solutions. The effects of pH, contact time, initial U(VI) concentration, and temperature on the U(VI) absorption performance of oxidized CF were investigated by batch experiments. The oxidized CF was illustrated to exhibit fast sorption kinetics (92% removal within 15 min and 98% removal in 2 h) and high sorption capacity (305.

Electroacupuncture vs Prucalopride for Severe Chronic Constipation: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Noninferiority Trial.

Introduction: This multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial compared electroacupuncture with prucalopride for the treatment of severe chronic constipation (SCC).

Methods: Participants with SCC (≤ 2 mean weekly complete spontaneous bowel movements [CSBMs]) were randomly assigned to receive either 28-session electroacupuncture over 8 weeks with follow-up without treatment over 24 weeks or prucalopride (2 mg/d before breakfast) over 32 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with ≥3 mean weekly CSBMs over weeks 3-8, based on the modified intention-to-treat population, with -10% as the noninferior margin.

A Clinical Randomized Controlled Trial of Acupuncture Treatment of Gastroparesis Using Different Acupoints.

Objective: To explore the effect of "selecting acupoints by site" on the synergy effect of "acupoint compatibility" according to the clinical efficacy of acupuncture treatment of patients with gastroparesis.

Methods: A total of 99 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for gastroparesis were enrolled in 3 clinical centers and randomly divided into group A (33 cases), group B (33 cases, 1 case of shedding), and group C (33 cases, 1 case of shedding). In group A, acupuncture was performed at Zhongwan (CV 12) and Zusanli (ST 36); in group B, acupuncture was performed at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36); in group C, acupuncture was performed at nonacupoint and Zusanli (ST 36).

[Acupuncture at acupoints along the meridians for primary insomnia: a multi-center randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To compare the clinical effect differences among different acupoint selection methods for primary insomnia.

Methods: A total of 333 patients with primary insomnia were recruited from 3 study centers and randomly divided into a group A (111 cases, 7 cases dropped off), a group B (111 cases, 5 cases dropped off) and a group C (111 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the group A were treated with acupuncture at Shenmen (HT 7) and Baihui (GV 20), the patients in the group B were treated with acupuncture at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Baihui (GV 20), and the patients in the group C were treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint and Baihui (GV 20).

Ultrastable Thorium Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient Iodine Adsorption.

Two novel thorium-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), namely and , have been synthesized via the solvothermal reactions of thorium nitrate and 1,4- or 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid in the presence of acid modulators. Bearing the rigid aromatic architectures, and exhibit exceptional chemical (from pH 1 to 12) and thermal stabilities (up to 520 °C), as well as ionizing radioresistance (2 × 10 Gy β and γ irradiations). The highly porous nature and conjugated π-electrons of naphthalene on the organic linkers endow high affinity of both MOFs toward I molecules owning to the charge transfer between π-electrons of the host networks and the guest iodine molecules, as evidenced by combined techniques including of FTIR, PXRD, SEM-EDS, UV-vis spectroscopy, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy.

Unexpected Roles of Alkali-Metal Cations in the Assembly of Low-Valent Uranium Sulfate Molecular Complexes.

The directing effect of coordinating ligands in the formation of uranium molecular complexes has been well established, but the role of counterions in metal-ligand interactions remains ambiguous and requires further investigation. In this work, we describe the targeted isolation, through the choice of alkali-metal ions, of a family of tetravalent uranium sulfates, showing the influence of the overall topology and, unexpectedly, the U nuclearity upon the inclusion of such countercations. Analyses of the structures of uranium(IV) oxo/hydroxosulfate oligomeric species isolated from consistent synthetic conditions reveal that the incorporation of Na and Rb promotes the crystallization of 0D discrete clusters with a hexanuclear [UO(OH)(HO)] core, whereas the larger Cs ion allows for the isolation of a 2D-layered oligomer with a less condensed trinuclear [U(O)] center.

Highly Selective Recovery of Lanthanides by Using a Layered Vanadate with Acid and Radiation Resistance.

It is of vital importance to capture lanthanides (nuclear fission products) from waste solutions for radionuclide remediation owing to their hazards. The effective separation of lanthanides are achieved by an acid/base-stable and radiation-resistant vanadate, namely, [Me NH ]V O (1). It exhibits high adsorption capacities for lanthanides (q =161.

[LnO] Cluster-Encapsulating Polyplumbites as New Polyoxometalate Members and Record Inorganic Anion-Exchange Materials for ReO Sequestration.

Various types of polyoxometalates (POMs) have been synthesized since the 19th century, but their assortment has been mostly limited to Groups 5 and 6 metals. Herein, a new family of POMs composed of a carbon group element as the addenda atoms with two distinct phases, (Ln = Sm to Ho, Y) and (Ln = Er and Tm) is reported. Both structures are built from [LnO] rare-earth metal hexamers being incorporated in [PbO]/[PbO] polyplumbites, and unbound perchlorates as charge-balancing anions.

Expansion of the structural diversity of f-element bearing molybdate iodates: synthesis, structures, and optical properties.

Expanding the family of f-element bearing molybdate iodates via hydrothermal reactions has yielded ten new rare-earth molybdate iodates with two distinct phases, Ln(MoO2)(IO3)4(OH) (LnMoIO-1, Ln = Ce and Pr) and Ln(Mo2O7)(IO3)(H2O)2 (LnMoIO-2, Ln = Gd-Yb, and Y), as well as the first thorium molybdate iodate, ThF(MO4)(IO3) (ThFMoIO). All three structures exhibit three dimensional frameworks and are exclusively built from lanthanide/actinide polyhedra bridged by molybdates and iodates. Furthermore, the coordination versatility of molybdates (octahedral, square pyramidal, and tetrahedral geometries) results in a diversity of structures.

Electroacupuncture Versus Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Plus Solifenacin for Women With Mixed Urinary Incontinence: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture vs pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) plus solifenacin for women with mixed urinary incontinence (MUI).

Patients And Methods: This randomized controlled noninferiority trial was conducted at 10 hospitals in China between March 1, 2014, and October 10, 2016. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive electroacupuncture (36 sessions) over 12 weeks with 24 weeks of follow-up or PFMT-solifenacin (5 mg/d) over 36 weeks.

Anionic uranyl oxyfluorides as a bifunctional platform for highly selective ion-exchange and photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes.

Uranium is unique owing not only to its intriguing physiochemical properties, but also to the diverse coordination chemistry that uranyl adopts and bonding that enables rich and unpredictable topologies of uranium-bearing materials. Six anionic uranium oxyfluorides with various dimensionalities, including a 3D framework (MeUF), four 2D lamellar structures (EtUF-1, PrUF, BuUF-1, and BuUF-2), and a 1D chained topology (EtUF-2), have been rationally constructed by employing tetra-alkyl ammonium ions as structure-directing agents. By combining the tunable interlayer distance of the lamellar structures with the photooxygenation properties of uranyl ions, a bifunctional platform for highly selective ion-exchange and photocatalytic degradation over organic dyes has been developed.