Acupuncture in circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders and its potential neurochemical mechanisms.

Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (CRSWDs) are becoming increasingly common in modern societies due to lifestyle changes. The detrimental effects of CRSWDs on sleep and psychological health have attracted considerable attention recently. Alternative remedies for the treatment of CRSWDs have also gained attention in recent years owing to the limitations of medications. Several in vivo and clinical investigations have shown that acupuncture, one of the most important components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been shown to modulate sleep-related circadian rhythms. Owing to the lack of research on the mechanism and effectiveness of acupuncture in treating CRSWDs, clinical applications of acupuncture have not gained popularity. This paper reviews the acupuncture methods, acupoint selection, and biochemical indicators supplied by in vivo and clinical studies to explore the effectiveness of acupuncture, and summarizes the circadian rhythm mechanisms and the acupuncture characteristics on circadian rhythm. The neurochemical mechanisms linked to acupuncture in treating CRSWDs are also outlined from the perspective of the central and peripheral biological clocks. Lastly, the inadequacy of previous studies on CRSWDs and conflicting results regarding acupuncture are explored and future research directions are envisioned.

Phosphorus limitation induced by nitrogen addition changed soil microbial community structure in a subtropical Pinus taiwanensis forest.

Soil microorganisms play an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems. How-ever, it is still unclear how the amount and duration of nitrogen (N) addition affect soil microbial community structure and whether there is a correlation between the changes in microbial community structure and their nutrient limi-tation status. In this study, we conducted an N addition experiment in a subtropical Pinus taiwanensis forest to simulate N deposition with three treatments: control (CK, 0 kg N·hm-2·a-1), low N (LN, 40 kg N·hm-2·a-1), and high N (HN, 80 kg N·hm-2·a-1). Basic soil physicochemical properties, phospholipid fatty acids content, and carbon (C), N and phosphorus (P) acquisition enzyme activities were measured after one and three years of N addition. The relative nutrient limitation status of soil microorganisms was analyzed using ecological enzyme stoichiometry. The results showed that one-year N addition did not affect soil microbial community structure. Three-year LN treatment significantly increased the contents of Gram-positive bacteria (G+), Gram-negative bacteria (G-), actinomycetes (ACT), and total phospholipid fatty acids (TPLFA), whereas three-year HN treatment did not significantly affect soil microbial community, indicating that bacteria and ACT might be more sensitive to N addition. Nitrogen addition exacerbated soil C and P limitation. Phosphorus limitation was the optimal explanatory factor for the changes in soil microbial community structure. It suggested that P limitation induced by N addition might be more beneficial for the growth of certain oligotrophic bacteria (e.g. G+) and the microorganisms participating in the P cycling (e.g. ACT), with consequences on soil microbial community structure of subtropical Pinus taiwanensis forest.

[Effects of nitrogen addition on the kinetic parameters of soil acid phosphomonoesterase in a Moso bamboo forest]. / æ°®æ·»åŠ å¯¹æ¯›ç«¹æž—åœŸå£¤é ¸æ€§ç£·é ¸å•é ¯é ¶åŠ¨åŠ›å­¦å‚æ•°çš„å½±å“.

Soil phosphatases are important in the mineralization of organophosphates and in the phosphorus (P) cycle. The kinetic mechanisms of phosphatases in response to nitrogen (N) deposition remain unclear. We carried out a field experiment with four different concentrations of N: 0 g N·hm-2·a-1(control), 20 g N·hm-2·a-1(low N), 40 g N·hm-2·a-1(medium N), and 80 g N·hm-2·a-1(high N) in a subtropical Moso bamboo forest. Soil samples were then collected from 0 to 15 cm depth, after 3, 5 and 7 years of N addition. We analyzed soil chemical properties and microbial biomass. Acid phosphatase (ACP) was investigated on the basis of maximum reaction velocity (Vm), Michaelis constant (Km), and catalytic efficiency (Ka). Results showed that N addition significantly decreased soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), available phosphorus, and organophosphate content, but significantly increased soil ammonium, nitrate-N content, and Vm. There was a significant relationship between Vm and the concentrations of available phosphorus, organophosphate, and soil DOC. In general, N addition substantially increased Ka, but did not affect Km. The Km value in the high N treatment group was higher than that in the control group after five years of N addition. Km was significantly negatively associated with both available phosphorus and organophosphate. Medium and high N treatments had stronger effects on the kinetic parameters of ACP than low N treatment. Results of variation partition analysis showed that changes in soil chemical properties, rather than microbial biomass, dominated changes in Vm(47%) and Km(33%). In summary, N addition significantly affected substrate availability in Moso bamboo forest soil and modulated soil P cycle by regulating ACP kinetic parameters (especially Vm). The study would improve the understanding of the mechanisms underlying soil microorganisms-regulated soil P cycle under N enrichment. These mechanisms would identify the important parameters for improving soil P cycling models under global change scenarios.

[Soil enzyme stoichiometry revealed the changes of soil microbial carbon and phosphorus limitation along an elevational gradient in a Pinus taiwanensis forest of Wuyi Mountains, Southeast China]. / åœŸå£¤é ¶è®¡é‡æ­ç¤ºäº†æ­¦å¤·å±±é»„å±±æ¾æž—åœŸå£¤å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©æ²¿æµ·æ‹”æ¢¯åº¦çš„ç¢³ç£·é™åˆ¶å˜åŒ–.

Understanding changes in soil enzyme activities and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry is important for assessing soil nutrient availability and microbial nutrient limitation in mountain ecosystems. However, the variations of soil microbial nutrient limitation across elevational gradients and its driving factors in subtropical mountain forests are still unclear. In this study, we measured soil properties, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling in Pinus taiwanensis forests at different altitudes of Wuyi Mountains. By analyzing the enzyme stoichiometric ratio, vector length (VL), and vector angle (VA), the relative energy and nutrient limitation of soil microorganisms and its key regulatory factors were explored. The results showed that ß-glucosaminidase (BG) activities increased along the elevational gradient, while the activities of ß-N-acetyl glucosaminidase (NAG), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), acid phosphatase (AcP) and (NAG+LAP)/microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and AcP/MBC showed the opposite trend. Enzyme C/N, enzyme C/P, enzyme N/P, and VL were enhanced with increasing elevation, while VA decreased, indicating a higher degree of microbial P limitation at low elevation and higher C limitation at high elevation. In addition, our results suggested that dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass phosphorus are critical factors affecting the relative energy and nutrient limitation of soil microorganisms at different elevations. The results would provide a theoretical basis for the responses of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus availability as well as the relative limitation of microbial energy and nutrition to elevational gradients, and improve our understanding of soil biogeochemical cycle process in subtropical montane forest ecosystems.

The Adjunctive Effect of Acupuncture for Advanced Cancer Patients in a Collaborative Model of Palliative Care: Study Protocol for a 3-Arm Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is the second leading cause of death before the age of 70. Improved cancer survival has put increasing demands on cancer care. Palliative care is the specialized multi-disciplinary care providing relief from the pain, symptoms, and stress of serious illness. The study aims to evaluate the adjunctive effect of acupuncture for advanced cancer patients in a collaborative model of palliative care. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a single-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial. One hundred twenty advanced cancer patients undergoing palliative care will be randomized in a ratio of 2:1:1 to manual acupuncture plus standard care group (ASC), sham acupuncture plus standard care group (SSC), and standard care group (SC). Patients in ASC and SSC will receive 9 sessions of acupuncture or sham acupuncture for 3 weeks, and will be followed up for 2 months. The primary measure is the change from baseline score of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System at 3 weeks. The secondary measures include the Brief Fatigue Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Numeric Rating Scale, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life 15 items Questionnaire for Palliative Care. DISCUSSION: The finding of this trial will provide high-quality evidence on the adjunctive effect of acupuncture to standard care on advanced cancer patients undergoing palliative care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04398875 (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04398875), Registered on 21 May 2020.

Acupuncture for post-operative cognitive dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common post-surgical complication, which is associated with increased costs and extended hospital stays. Recently, interest in acupuncture as a potential therapy for POCD has grown. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for POCD. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Medline, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases were searched through March 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which patients with POCD treated with acupuncture (acupuncture group) were compared with those receiving a no treatment control were included. Meta-analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.3. RESULTS: Sixteen studies containing 1241 participants were included. POCD incidence in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the control groups on the first (odds ratio (OR) = 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.23-0.45) and third (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.30-0.56) post-operative days, with no statistically significant difference on the seventh day (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.32-1.04). Acupuncture therapy also improved mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores on the first (mean difference (MD) = 3.28, 95% CI = 2.79-3.77) and third (MD = 2.52, 95% CI = 2.18-2.87) post-operative days, with no effect on the seventh (MD = 0.14, 95% CI = -0.24 to 0.51). Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores on the first post-operative day were not impacted by acupuncture but were likely associated with post-operative nausea and vomiting on the seventh post-operative day. With respect to methodological quality, most RCTs were found to have an unclear risk of bias. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture may successfully treat/prevent POCD. However, the current evidence is limited and further research is needed.

Acupressure for labor pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy/effectiveness of acupressure as an adjunct to standard procedures during labor and delivery, compared with standard procedures with/without sham acupressure, in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: Ten main databases were searched from their inception until 31 January 2018. Two reviewers independently extracted data concerning the effects of acupressure on pain intensity, labor duration, mode of delivery, use of medications and adverse events. A meta-analysis of these measures was performed using RevMan 5.3. Pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) or odds ratios (ORs) for the above outcomes were estimated with a fixed or random effects model, according to the heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 13 RCTs including 1586 enrolled patients met the eligibility criteria. Acupressure plus standard procedures (ASP) for labor management significantly reduced pain sensation, compared with sham acupressure plus standard procedures (SASP) and standard procedures (SP) alone. The analgesic effect of acupressure was immediate and persisted for at least 60 min (all p < 0.01). Compared with the untreated control groups, the acupressure group had a shorter duration of labor, especially the first stage of labor (SMD = -0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.10 to -0.43; p < 0.001; I2 = 74%) and second stage of labor (SMD = -0.37, 95% CI = -0.59 to -0.18; p < 0.001; I2 = 0%). Data suggesting that acupressure reduced the Cesarean section rate was inconclusive. The use of pharmacologic agents (oxytocin and analgesics) did not differ between the ASP, SASP and SP groups. No adverse events were reported in this limited number of studies. CONCLUSION: Moderate evidence indicates that acupressure may have promising effects on labor pain and duration. However, high-quality trials to verify these findings are warranted.

Effects of layered combined substrates on plant growth and treatment performance and its spatiotemporal variation of vertical-flow constructed wetlands.

Layered combined bio-ceramic, zeolite, and anthracite were used as substrates in vertical-flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) for enhancing contaminant removal from synthetic municipal wastewater. Plant growth and propagation and the removal of organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus as well as its spatiotemporal variation were evaluated systematically. The results demonstrated that three different substrates were adequate for the establishment of Canna indica L., especially for zeolite. All small-scale VFCW units were simultaneous efficient in removing CODCr (73.9-78.7%), NH4+-N (83.8-89.9%), TN (88.3-91.5%), SRP (93.8-98.6%), and TP (87.1-90.9%) with a little significant difference on treatment performance. Different pollution removal processes followed a different trend because of their different removal mechanisms driven by the synergy of substrate, plant, and microorganism. Purification space moved down due to the adsorption capacity consumption of upper layer substrate over time. It was concluded that VFCWs filled with layered combined bio-ceramic, zeolite, and anthracite had great potential for treating municipal wastewater.

Acupuncture for depression: a review of clinical applications.

While increasing numbers of patients are seeking acupuncture treatment for depression in recent years, there is limited evidence of the antidepressant (AD) effectiveness of acupuncture. Given the unsatisfactory response rates of many Food and Drug Administration-approved ADs, research on acupuncture remains of potential value. Therefore, we sought to review the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for depression in clinical applications. We conducted a PubMed search for publications through 2011. We assessed the adequacy of each report and abstracted information on reported effectiveness or efficacy of acupuncture as monotherapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) and as augmentation of ADs. We also examined adverse events associated with acupuncture, and evidence for acupuncture as a means of reducing side effects of ADs. Published data suggest that acupuncture, including manual-, electrical-, and laser-based, is a generally beneficial, well-tolerated, and safe monotherapy for depression. However, acupuncture augmentation in AD partial responders and nonresponders is not as well studied as monotherapy; and available studies have only investigated MDD, but not other depressive spectrum disorders. Manual acupuncture reduced side effects of ADs in MDD. We found no data on depressive recurrence rates after recovery with acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is a potential effective monotherapy for depression, and a safe, well-tolerated augmentation in AD partial responders and nonresponders. However, the body of evidence based on well-designed studies is limited, and further investigation is called for.

Phosphorus removal by laboratory-scale unvegetated vertical-flow constructed wetland systems using anthracite, steel slag and related blends as substrate.

This research aimed to investigate the phosphorus (P) removal of a series of laboratory-scale unvegetated vertical-flow constructed wetland systems using anthracite, steel slag and related blends as substrate in treatment of low concentration domestic sewage. The long-term performance of P removal was firstly studied by using single substrate of anthracite or steel slag, and three systems applying various combined substrates were investigated when the average P loading rate varied between 0.9 and 1.5 g TP/m2 x d. The results demonstrated that both anthracite and steel slag systems were highly effective in removing total P (CTP, 77.17 +/- 23.34% and 90.26 +/- 4.48%) and soluble reactive P (SRP, 92.14 +/- 12.56% and 96.20 +/- 2.58%). The system filled with anthracite, vermiculite and steel slag from the top down removed 82.45 +/- 9.52% and 87.83 +/- 8.58% of TP and SRP, respectively. However, other combined substrate systems showed comparative low and fluctuant P removal. The effluent pH was maintained at 7-9, which met environmental requirements of China. Therefore, anthracite provides a long-term high efficiency of P removal and may be a promising substrate from the standpoint of the effluent pH, and the arrangement of combined substrate has a prominent effect on P removal.

[Study on optimization gradation of substrates in vertical flow constructed wetlands].

Bio-ceramic, anthracite, zeolite, steel slag and vermiculite were used as substrate according to different kinds of gradation to treat wastewater in vertical-flow constructed wetlands simulation systems. The results show that the removal ability of COD by graded substrates according to particle size are better than single substrates, and average removal efficiency by graded bio-ceramic is up to 72.91%. The removal rate of TN by graded zeolite, which reaches 91.23%, is higher than single zeolite. No significant difference (p < 0.05) is detected with regard to organic matter and nitrogen removal between single and combined use of bio-ceramic and zeolite. The pH values in effluents of all columns filled with steel slag and anthracite are within normal limits, but phosphorus removal of all columns filled with steel slag and anthracite are lower than that filled with single substrates, except for the column filled with anthracite, vermiculite and steel slag from up to down. No difference between planted and unplanted systems can be observed. The present results probably provide a basis for vertical-flow constructed wetland design, among which based on the characteristic of wastewater proper selection of high-efficiency graded substrates, e.g., graded bio-ceramic, graded zeolite, graded anthracite, combined use of bio-ceramic, zeolite and anthracite, is a guarantee of better performance at a high hydraulic loading rate.

[Analysis on the interrelation between acupuncture-induced weight reduction and menstruation].

The effect of acupuncture induced weight reduction on menstrual activity is definitely not a negligible issue. By analyzing the existing materials about the mutual influence of neuroendocrine system and clinical trails, it is known that there exists a close interrelation between acupuncture-induced weight reduction and menstruation. Acupuncture treatment can achieve the effects of weight reduction and menstrual improvement via regulating activities of leptin, thyroid gland system and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis. Clinical practice has demonstrated that acupuncture stimulation of some commonly-used acupoints for weight reduction also has a favorable regulation on menstrual activity in obesity women.

[Clinic research on heroin de-addiction effects of acupuncture and its potentiality of preventing relapse].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of de-addiction with the therapy of acupuncture, acupuncture plus opium, opium plus buprenorphine and opium plus Han's instrument for de-addiction and to study the effects of the four therapeutic methods on the protracted withdrawal syndrome and craving. METHODS: The effects of de-addiction were assessed with the opiate withdrawal scale and the craving degree with visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: The dominance of acupuncture treatment for withdrawal syndrome appeared to be after the 6th day, and the dominance for controlling craving showed after the 8th day, moreover, there were little side effects. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture treatment had the potentiality of preventing relapse and could be used for treating the protracted withdrawal syndrome and psychic dependence during the period between the stages of abstinence and rehabilitation.