Combination treatment of acupoint therapy and conventional medication for motor function of Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Combination treatment with acupoint therapy and conventional medication (CM) has been proposed as a strategy that could improve motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of this combination treatment on motor function in patients with PD. METHODS: We searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from eight databases, comparing combined acupoint therapy and CM and CM (alone or with sham interventions). The quality of the trials was evaluated according to the Cochrane risk of bias. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed on different types of acupoint interventions. RESULTS: Forty-seven trials of 2929 participants were included, with 45 studies used for the meta-analyses. Combination treatment yielded an improved reduction in United Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) III of -3.85 [95% CI, -4.83 to -2.86] and Webster scale score of -3.17 [95% CI, -4.07 to -2.27]. Further analyses demonstrated that real (compared with sham) intervention was linked to a decreased UPDRS III of -2.02 ([95% CI, -3.60 to -0.44], I2 = 40%), and beneficial effects were observed when combination intervention was used for patients with Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) stages >3 with mild to moderate stimulation for 4-12-week treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Acupoint therapy and CM treatment may improve motor function of patients with PD. Patients with H-Y stage >3 could tolerate real acupoint intervention with mild to moderate stimulation for 4-12-week treatment and showed improvement. However, this was demonstrated with low to moderate levels of evidence in statistical description.

Does industry convergence between agriculture and related sectors alleviate rural poverty: evidence from China.

Enhancing the synergies between agriculture and related sectors in rural areas is considered an important development strategy to eliminate rural poverty. This article provides evidence for this view by analyzing the effect of industry convergence between agriculture and related sectors on rural poverty. Based on China's provincial panel data, we use two-way fixed effects model, system generalized method of moments and panel-corrected standard error estimator to quantitatively assess this effect. We find that: (1) the convergence of agriculture and tourism (ATOU), the convergence of agriculture and processing industry (APOS), and the convergence of planting and breeding industry (MIXA) have positive and significant effects on poverty reduction. The convergence of agriculture and the internet industry (AINT) has a positive but not significant effect. (2) Rural local employment plays an important role as a bridge in the impact of convergence on poverty reduction. ATOU and MIXA reduce poverty by increasing self-employment opportunities. APOS reduces poverty by providing more jobs. (3) Except for APOS, the effects of other types of convergence tend to stabilize or improve in the later period. (4) Convergence has the most significant impact on poverty reduction in western China. The findings provide inspiration for developing countries with agricultural foundations to choose appropriate rural development paths for reducing rural poverty.

Corrigendum: Electroacupuncture Combined With Diet Treatment Has a Therapeutic Effect on Perimenopausal Patients With Abdominal Obesity by Improving the Community Structure of Intestinal Flora.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.708588.].

Electroacupuncture Combined With Diet Treatment Has a Therapeutic Effect on Perimenopausal Patients With Abdominal Obesity by Improving the Community Structure of Intestinal Flora.

Background: This study explored the influences of electroacupuncture combined with dietary intervention on the intestinal flora in perimenopausal patients with abdominal obesity by using the 16s rRNA sequencing technology. Methods: Perimenopausal patients with abdominal obesity were divided into the Electroacupuncture group and the Control group. Patients in the Control group received healthy lifestyle education, while those in the Electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture combined with dietary intervention. Before and after treatment, the weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-height ratio (WHtR), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index (BMI) of the patients were recorded; the levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting insulin (FINS), and fasting blood glucose (FGB) were evaluated; and the abundance, diversity, and species differences of intestinal flora were analyzed using 16s rRNA sequencing technology. Results: The body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, BMI, WHR, and WHtR of patients in the Electroacupuncture group after treatment were lower than those before treatment. Compared with the Control group, patients in the Electroacupuncture group after treatment displayed lower waist circumference, WHtR, WHR, TG, and LDL levels as well as species abundance, higher species diversity, and lager species difference in the intestinal flora. Besides, the proportions of Klebsiella and Kosakonia in the intestinal flora of patients in the Electroacupuncture group after treatment were larger than those before treatment. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture combined with diet treatment generated a therapeutic effect on abdominal obesity in perimenopausal patients by improving the community structure of intestinal flora.