Analysis on acupoint selection rules in the treatment of metabolism-associated fatty liver disease based on data mining. / åŸºäºŽæ•°æ®æŒ–æŽ˜æŠ€æœ¯åˆ†æžé’ˆç¸æ²»ç–—ä»£è°¢ç›¸å ³è„‚è‚ªæ€§è‚ç— çš„é€‰ç©´è§„å¾‹.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the rules of acupoint selection in the treatment of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) with acupuncture and moxibustion by using data mining technology. METHODS: The clinical research literature on acupuncture treatment of MAFLD was collected from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database and China Biology Medicine from their inception to November 20, 2022. According to our inclusion and exclusion criteria, the literature was independently screened and re-screened by two research members, and the screened results were checked, followed by establishing an acupoint prescription database using Excel 2019. Descriptive statistics of acupoints applied frequency, involved meridians, locations and specific acupoints were perpormed. Then, SPSS Modeler18.0 software was used to conduct analysis about association rules, and the SPSS Statistics 26.0 software was used to perform cluster analysis on high-frequency acupoints, exploring the characteristics and rules of acupoint selection and combination in the treatment of MAFLD. RESULTS: Totally, 178 papers were collected, containing 130 acupoints, with a total application frequency of 1 305. The top five acupoints are Zusanli (ST36), Fenglong (ST40), Ganshu (BL18), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6). The commonly involved meridians are the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang, and Spleen Meridian of Foot Taiyin. The employed acupoints are mostly located in the lower limbs and abdomen, and the five Shu acupoints and crossing acupoints are in the majority. The association rule analysis of high frequency acupoints indicated that of the 16 qualified acupoint groups, the top 5 with close correlation degrees are ST36 and ST40, ST36 and LR3, ST36 and SP6, ST40 and LR3 and ST36, ST36 and SP6 and ST40. Further, 3 effective clusters were obtained by cluster analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of MAFLD follows the therapeutic principles of soothing the liver, invigorating the spleen, tonifying the kidney, and resolving phlegm and removing dampness. The core acupoint group is ST36, ST40 and LR3, and the combination of acupoints is based on syndrome differentiation. These results may provide a useful reference for clinical practice.

A Data Mining Study for Analysis of Acupoint Selection and Combinations in Acupuncture Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent upper limb compressive neuropathy. A considerable number of clinical trials and meta-analyses have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating CTS. Nevertheless, the ideal choice of acupoints remains ambiguous. Objective: A data mining analysis was conducted with the objective of determining the most effective acupoint combinations and selection for CTS. Methods: A search was conducted across seven Chinese and English electronic bibliographic databases spanning from their inception to March 2023. Selected were clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture therapy for CTS, with or without randomised controlled methods. Data extraction mainly included acupoint prescriptions. Information such as first author, study design and study setting were also extracted. The principal outcomes comprised the clinical manifestations linked to CTS. Statistical descriptions were generated using Excel 2019. The analysis of association rules was conducted using SPSS Modeler 18.0. Using SPSS Statistics 26.0, exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis were conducted. Results: 142 trials (including 86 RCTs and 56 non RCTs) were identified, and 193 groups of effective prescriptions involving 68 acupoints were extracted. The most frequently used acupoints were Da-ling (PC7), Nei-guan (PC6), He-gu (LI4), Wai-guan (TE5), and Yang-xi (LI5). The most frequently used meridians were the pericardial meridian and the large intestine meridian. The majority of special acupoints used were Five-shu points and Yuan-source points, with acupoints on the upper limbs being the most frequently used. The core acupoint groups were analyzed and 11 groups of association rules, 8 factors, and 5 effective cluster groups were obtained. Conclusion: The evidence-based acupoint selection and combinations of acupuncture therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome were provided by the findings of this study.

Acupoint selection rules of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating neurogenic bladder based on data mining. / 基于数据挖掘技术分析针灸治疗神经源性膀胱的选穴规律.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the rules of acupoint selection in the treatment of neurogenic bladder (NB) with acupuncture and moxibustion by using data mining. METHODS: The clinical research literatures on acupuncture treatment of NB were collected from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP Database and China Biology Medicine from retrieved to January 1, 2023. The acupoint prescription database was established using Excel 2019. SPSS Modeler 18.0 and SPSS Statistics 26.0 softwares were used to conduct the frequency, meri-dians, locations, specific acupoints analysis and association rules analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, etc., to explore the characteristics and rules of acupoint selection in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of NB. RESULTS: Totally 313 papers were included, including 110 acupoints with a total frequency of 1 995. The high-frequency acupoints are Zhongji (CV3), Guanyuan (CV4), Sanyinjiao (SP6), etc. The commonly used meridians are the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang and Conception Vessel. The involved acupoints are mostly located in the lumbosacral region and abdomen, and intersection acupoints, mu-front acupoints and back-shu acupoints are the majority in the specific acupoints. The core acupoints group was analyzed, and 17 groups of association rules, 7 factors and 6 effective cluster groups were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of NB follows the therapeutic principles of toni-fying the kidney, invigorating the spleen, and soothing the liver. The core acupoints group is CV3-CV4-SP6.

Research Trends of Acupuncture Therapy for Chronic Pain-Related Depression or Anxiety from 2003 to 2023: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Chronic pain (CP) as a long-lasting stressor can often cause mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety. The comorbidity of CP and mood disorders poses challenges for treatment and increases healthcare costs. Acupuncture has emerged as a widely utilized approach to alleviate both CP and mood disorders. However, there is a lack of well-established bibliometric analyses in this area of research. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the current hotspots and research trends regarding the use of acupuncture for treating CP-related depression or anxiety. Methods: We searched the Web of Science Core Collection spanning from 2003 to 2023 to identify relevant literature about the use of acupuncture for treating CP-related depression or anxiety. Bibliometric and visualization analyses were performed using CiteSpace 5.7.R5 and Vosviewer 1.6.19 software. Results: A total of 254 articles published between 2003 and 2023 were included, revealing an upward trajectory with some fluctuations in publication numbers over the past two decades. China and the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine were the most productive country and institution in this field. Fang JQ and Vickers AJ ascended as the most prolific and influential authors, respectively. Trials was the journal with the highest number of publications, while Pain and BMJ-British Medical Journal exhibited the highest citation and centrality, respectively. "Acupuncture", "depression", and "chronic pain" were the top three keywords. The hotspots in this domain encompass types of chronic pain that predispose to negative mood, including fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and neuropathic pain. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), mechanisms, and evidence-based evaluations are the main research directions. Conclusion: This study uses bibliometric techniques to analyze the research hotspots and forefronts of acupuncture as a therapeutic approach for CP-related depression or anxiety. Our objective is to provide researchers with valuable references and identify research focal points for future investigations.

Electroacupuncture promotes synaptic plasticity in rats with chronic inflammatory pain-related depression by upregulating BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammatory pain (CIP) frequently coincides with depression among patients. The onset and development of pain and depression are associated with altered neural synaptic plasticity. Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively relieve CIP and depression. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully illustrated. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether EA can relieve CIP and depression by regulating hippocampal synaptic plasticity, and the present study offers foundational evidence for the efficacy of EA in treating CIP-related depression (CIPD). METHODS: Rats were divided into four groups: 0.9% normal saline group, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) group, CFA + duloxetine group, and CFA + EA group. Pain hypersensitivity was detected by mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal paw withdrawal latency, and the depression level was gauged using the open field test, the sucrose preference test, and the forced swimming test. The morphology of the hippocampal neurons was observed using Nissl staining. The protein expression levels of synuclein (Syn), postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNFs), tyrosine-protein kinase B (TrKB), p-TrkB, cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), and p-CREB were measured by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (qRT-PCR). The content of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the glutamic acid (Glu) content was determined using the ultraviolet colorimetry method. The hippocampal neuron ultrastructure was observed using transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: EA could alleviate CIP and related depressive behaviors as well as protect the hippocampal neuronal structure from damage and regulate 5-HT/GABA/Glu levels in the hippocampus. Additionally, EA could significantly increase the expression of synapse-associated proteins such as PSD-95 and Syn by activating the BDNF/TrKB/CREB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: EA improves pain and depressive behaviors in CIPD rats, and the mechanism may be related to synaptic plasticity mediated by the BDNF/TrKB/CREB signaling pathway.

Analysis of Acupoint Selection and Combinations in Acupuncture Treatment of Piriformis Syndrome: A Protocol for Data Mining.

Background: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a neuromuscular condition characterized by discomfort in the gluteal region. The efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment modality for PS has been substantiated through a multitude of clinical trials. However, certain queries persist, such as the optimal approach for identifying the most efficacious acupoints. The objective of this study is to perform an initial data mining analysis aimed at identifying the optimal acupoint selection and combinations for the treatment of PS. Methods: We will search 7 electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. We will select clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture therapy in the management of PS. Exclusions will be made for reviews, protocols, animal trials, case reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The primary outcome measure will be clinical outcomes associated with PS. Descriptive statistics will be performed in Excel 2019. Association rule analysis will be performed in SPSS Modeler 18.0. Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis will be performed in SPSS Statistics 26.0. Results: This study will investigate the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for patients with PS. Conclusion: Our findings will provide evidence for the effectiveness and potential treatment prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with PS, helping clinicians and patients make a more informed decision together.

Acupuncture Methods for Piriformis Syndrome: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a common disease that is difficult to clinically treat, which seriously affects people's health and living quality. Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture therapy is an effective treatment for PS, but the optimal method of various acupuncture methods has remained unknown. The aim of this study protocol is to compare the efficacy and the safety of different acupuncture methods for PS. Methods: We will search seven electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be selected for assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on PS. Primary outcome measure for this study is pain intensity, and the secondary outcomes are clinical symptoms and signs, physical activity, effective rate, and adverse events. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment will be independently completed by at least two reviewers. Then, standard pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis will be conducted using Revman 5.3, Stata V.15.1 and OpenBUGS V.3.2.3. The heterogeneity will be explored by subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis, if applicable. Finally, Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) pro system will be used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results: Our systematic review and network meta-analysis will identify the best acupuncture treatment method for PS patients. Conclusion: The results of our review will help decision-makers make educated choices regarding evidence-based acupuncture management options for PS. Prospero Registration Number: No. CRD42022335028.

Electroacupuncture attenuates chronic inflammatory pain and depression comorbidity by inhibiting hippocampal neuronal apoptosis via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

In chronic inflammatory pain (CIP) and depression, neuroapoptosis has been identified as a contributing factor. Electroacupuncture (EA) shows promise as an alternative therapy for this comorbidity. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of EA on hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in rats with CIP and depression. Rats received plantar injections of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) on days 0 and 14. They were then divided into groups: sham operation, model, EA, and duloxetine. EA was administered at Hegu (LI4) and Taichong (LR3) from days 15 to 28, while the duloxetine group received duloxetine and distilled water daily (0.1 mg/ml). Pain behavior was assessed using the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) tests. Depression-like behavior was evaluated through the sucrose preference test (SPT), open-field test (OFT), and forced swim test (FST). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was employed to assess pathological changes in the hippocampus. Nerve cell apoptosis was determined using TUNEL fluorescence staining. Western blot analysis was conducted to measure the protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, p-PI3K/PI3K, and p-Akt/Akt. EA demonstrated significant pain intensity reduction and alleviation of pain-related depressive symptoms. Our findings from the HE staining confirmed that CIP induced by CFA led to morphological changes in the hippocampus, while EA effectively reversed these pathological alterations. Moreover, EA intervention remarkably reduced neuronal apoptosis and exhibited an upregulation of Bcl-2 protein expression accompanied by a decrease in Bax expression. Additionally, EA activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Overall, our study suggests that EA holds the potential to improve pain and depressive behaviors in rats with CIP and depression comorbidity, potentially mediated through the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, leading to a reduction in hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.

Analysis of Acupoint Selection and Combinations in Acupuncture Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Protocol for Data Mining.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), as the most common compression neuropathy in the upper limb, can lead to upper limb dysfunction in patients. The effectiveness of acupuncture in treating CTS has been validated based on numerous clinical trials and meta-analyses, but questions remain, such as how to select the best acupoints. Our purpose is to conduct the first data mining analysis to identify the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for treating CTS. Methods: We will search 7 electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to March 2023. Clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on the management of CTS will be selected. Reviews, protocols, animal trials, case reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses will be excluded. The primary outcome measure will be clinical result associated with CTS. Descriptive statistics will be performed in Excel 2019. Association rule analysis will be performed in SPSS Modeler 18.0. Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis will be performed in SPSS Statistics 26.0. Results: This study will investigate the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for patients with CTS. Conclusion: Our findings will provide evidence for the effectiveness and potential treatment prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with CTS, helping clinicians and patients make a more informed decision together.

To Unveil the Molecular Mechanisms of Qi and Blood through Systems Biology-Based Investigation into Si-Jun-Zi-Tang and Si-Wu-Tang formulae.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is increasingly getting clinical application worldwide. But its theory like QI-Blood is still abstract. Actually, Qi deficiency and blood deficiency, which were treated by Si-Jun-Zi-Tang (SJZT) and Si-Wu-Tang (SWT) respectively, have characteristic clinical manifestations. Here, we analyzed targets of the ingredients in SJZT and SWT to unveil potential biologic mechanisms between Qi deficiency and blood deficiency through biomedical approaches. First, ingredients in SWT and SJZT were retrieved from TCMID database. The genes targeted by these ingredients were chosen from STITCH. After enrichment analysis by Gene Ontology (GO) and DAVID, enriched GO terms with p-value less than 0.01 were collected and interpreted through DAVID and KEGG. Then a visualized network was constructed with ClueGO. Finally, a total of 243 genes targeted by 195 ingredients of SWT formula and 209 genes targeted by 61 ingredients of SJZT were obtained. Six metabolism pathways and two environmental information processing pathways enriched by targets were correlated with 2 or more herbs in SWT and SJZT formula, respectively.

[Effects of p53 inhibitor-alpha on the proliferation and apoptosis in large intestinal epithelial cells damaged by hyperthermic chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of p-fifty three inhibitor-alpha (PFT-alpha), a p53 inhibitor, on the proliferation and apoptosis of colon epithelial cells damaged by hyperthermic chemotherapy. METHODS: Normal epithelial cells were obtained from the mucosa at least 10 cm away from the cancer tissue in a specimen of large intestine cancer resected during operation and cultured. PFT-alpha at different concentrations was added into the culture fluid to observe its effects on the proliferation of the epithelial cells. Epithelial cell in logarithmic growth phase were inoculated in 6-well plate and divided into 3 groups: normal control (CON) group; hyperthermic chemotherapy (HTC) group, undergoing treatment of cisplatin and bath in water at 43 degrees C; and PFT-alpha + HTC group, undergoing treatment of PFT-alpha at different concentrations, cisplatin, and warm water bath. The cell apoptosis was observed by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry (FCT). The cell cycle was observed by PI staining and FCT. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of cyclinB1 and Cdc2, and RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of cyclinB1. RESULTS: PFT-alpha at the concentration > 60 micromol/L significantly inhibited the proliferation of the large intestine epithelial cells. The natural apoptosis rate of the large intestine epithelial cells (CON group) was 2.9% +/- 0.4%, the apoptosis rate was 27.0% +/- 2.1% in the HTC group, and the apoptosis rates of the PFT-alpha + HTC group were 14.8% +/- 1.5%, 9.7% +/- 1.2%, 6.1% +/- 1.3%, and 3.8% +/- 0.3%, on a downward trend, corresponding to the increase of PFT-alpha concentration from 0, 20, 30, to 40 micromol/L (all P < 0.05). The G(0)/G(1) phase rate of epithelial cells was higher and the S phase rate was lower significantly in the PFT-alpha + HTC group. The G(2)/M phase rate was higher since the PFT-alpha concentration reached 10 micromol/L and then increased along with the increase of the PFT-alpha concentration; the S phase rates of the PFT-alpha + HTC group with different PFT-alpha concentrations were all significantly higher than that of the HTC group (all P < 0.01), however, were still lower than that of the CON group (all P < 0.01). The protein expressions of cyclinB1 and Cdc2 in the PFT-alpha + HTC group were both significantly higher than those in the CON and HTC groups (all P < 0.01), without a significant difference between the latter 2 groups. The mRNA expression of cyclinB1 in the PFT-alpha + HTC group increased along with the increase of the PFT-alpha concentration, and there wee significant differences in the mRNA expression of cyclinB1 between the CON and PFT groups and PFT-alpha + HTC group with the PFT-alpha concentration > or = 10 micromol/L (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: PFT-alpha dose-dependently protects the hyperthermic chemotherapy-induced damage to the large intestine epithelial cells via upregulation of protein and mRNA expression of cyclinB1, increasing the phosphorylation level of Cdc2, decreasing the cyclinB1/Cdc2 activity, and increasing the G(2)/M phase rate of the cells.