Investigation of acupuncture in improving sleep, cognitive and emotion based on attenuation of oxidative stress in prefrontal cortex in sleep-deprived rats / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To explore whether acupuncture can improve sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment and emotional disorders caused by sleep deprivation, and its association with the attenuation of oxidative stress injury in prefrontal cortex. Methods: Fifty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=10), a model group (n=14), a manual acupuncture (MA) group (n=14), and a sham-MA group (n=14). All the groups were established as sleep deprivation models via the modified multiple platform method, except for the control group. Rats in both the MA group and the sham-MA group received corresponding intervention, respectively. After modeling and intervention, the four groups received three behavioral tests, namely sleep monitoring, by comprehensive lab animal monitoring system (CLAMS), Morris water maze (MWM) test and open-field test (OFT), followed by oxygen free radical level test and Western blot (WB) detection for the expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2. Results: The MA group derived more sleep time within 24 h than either the model group or the sham-MA group (both P<0.05). On MWM orientation navigation test day 1, there were no significant differences in escape latency among the control, MA and sham-MA groups (P>0.05), and the escape latency was significantly shorter in these three groups than that in the model group (all P<0.05). On test day 4, the escape latency was markedly shorter in the MA group than that in either the model group or the sham-MA group (both P<0.05); meanwhile, the MA group showed significantly better performance compared with these two groups in space probe test (both P<0.05). In OFT, compared with the control group, there was a significant decline in the horizontal movement score in the other three groups (all P<0.05), and the decrease was more significant in the model group and the sham-MA group than that in the MA group (both P<0.05). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) content was markedly higher and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was markedly lower in the MA group than those in the model group and the sham-MA group (all P<0.05). Compared with the model group and the sham-MA group, the expression of Bax was significantly lower and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly higher in the MA group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: MA therapy can lengthen the sleep time in sleep-deprived rats and improve learning and memory impairments induced by sleep deprivation, and the underlying mechanism may be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant capacity in the prefrontal cortex and the inhibition of hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture and moxibustion: existing problems and countermeasures / 中国针灸

There are some common problems in the systematic review and meta-analysis on acupuncture-moxibustion, e.g. indistinct definition and errors in methodology. In order to further improve the quality of relevant literature, in association with the characteristics of acupuncture-moxibustion, based on the framework of PICOS (P: population, I: interventions, C: comparisons, O: outcomes, S: study designs), the paper explores how to construct specific research questions. In methodology, the paper analyzes the common problems from five aspects, including literature retrieval, bias assessment, analysis and interpretation of results, selection of other types of meta-analysis and the update of methodology. Based on the analysis above, the paper discusses the corresponding countermeasures.

Clinical Practice Guideline for Allergic Rhinitis Treatment with Acupuncture / 中国结合医学杂志

With reference to international guidelines for the development of tools-Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system approach and reasoning, this practice guideline has been drafted reflecting the characteristics of acupuncture to improve effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for allergic rhinitis. This guideline includes outlining the acupuncture diagnosis and treatment principles for allergic rhinitis, suggesting recommendations and related evidence for the acupuncture treatment of allergic rhinitis, and defining operating methods and precautions for the acupuncture treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Disease location identification as a major guide to acupoint selection / 中国结合医学杂志

Selecting acupoints according to channel pathway is the major point selection principle in acupuncture treatment for which there is a consensus. However, defining the disease location remains the premise of acupoint selection based on channel pathway. What is the substance of disease location identification in clinical acupuncture? Besides indicating acupoint selection according to channel pathway, what guidance can it provide for acupuncture treatment? This is the main topic discussed in this article.