Efficacy comparison between acupuncture and other modalities in the treatment of rotator cuff diseases: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of acupuncture alone or combined with physical therapy compared to other treatment interventions for relieving pain and improving function in rotator cuff diseases. METHODS: Our study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After PROSPERO (CRD42023396740) registration, all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from the inception of the databases to October 10, 2023, evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture either alone or in combination with physical therapy for treating rotator cuff diseases, were extracted from seven databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP), and the Wanfang Date. Two independent researchers assessed the quality of the included studies and extracted relevant data. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 14 software. RESULTS: We included 13 RCTs - 12 published in English and 1 in Chinese - that enrolled 1,371 patients. The meta-analysis results demonstrated that acupuncture alone or in combination with physical therapy was superior to other interventions for short-term shoulder joint function improvement (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.82, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -1.28 to -0.35, P = 0.001), medium-term shoulder joint function improvement (SMD = -1.00, 95% CI: -1.62 to -0.38, P = 0.002), short-term pain relief (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -1.37, 95% CI: -2.39 to -0.38, P = 0.006), medium-term pain relief (WMD = -1.66, 95% CI: -2.70 to -0.63, P = 0.002), and post-treatment shoulder joint abduction improvements (SMD = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.16, P = 0.005), external rotation (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.13 to 1.11, P = 0.012), and forward flexion (SMD = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.97, P < 0.001), with significant differences (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the current clinical data, meta-analysis showed that acupuncture alone or combined with physical therapy is efficacious for short- and medium-term (< 3 months) pain relief and functional improvements. However, compared to other interventions, the efficacy of the long-term (3 to 12 months) period did not significantly differ. After treatment, these modalities displayed advantages such as improved shoulder joint abduction, external rotation, and forward flexion movements. However, no significant difference was noted in internal rotation movement. Thus, future studies might further investigate whether different acupuncture methods affect the efficacy of treating rotator cuff diseases and improving long-term outcome.

Sensorineural hearing loss induced by gefitinib: A CARE-compliant case report and literature reviews.

RATIONALE: Gefitinib is a potent and selective orally active growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is commonly used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with activating EGFR mutations. Hearing impairment with gefitinib was sparsely reported. In this report, we describe a case of sensorineural deafness associated with the administration of gefitinib, with a Naranjo score of 7. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 81-year-old female was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma with bone metastasis and an EGFR-activating mutation. The patient was prescribed gefitinib tablets at a daily dose of 250 mg for lung adenocarcinoma treatment. However, the patient experienced moderate to severe bilateral sensorineural deafness, primarily in her right ear, after taking gefitinib. Following the cessation of gefitinib administration, the patient exhibited partial restoration of auditory function. Upon resuming the medication, she experienced a worsening of deafness. DIAGNOSES: The otoscopic audiogram and hearing test indicated moderate to severe bilateral sensorineural deafness. INTERVENTIONS: The otolaryngologist recommended bilateral hearing aids to enhance hearing function. OUTCOMES: Throughout our follow-up period, the patient did not receive a hearing aid implant. LESSONS: This article first reported the ototoxicity caused by gefitinib. While rare, our report highlights that gefitinib-induced sensorineural deafness is possible and its mechanisms are still unclear. This adverse reaction should be monitored closely during clinical application of gefitinib to improve patient outcomes.

Monoarsine-protected icosahedral cluster [Au13(AsPh3)8Cl4]+: comparative studies on ligand effect and surface reactivity with its stibine analogue.

Ligand shells of gold nanoclusters play important roles in regulating their molecular and electronic structures. However, the similar but distinct impacts of the homologous analogues of the protecting ligands remain elusive. The C2v symmetric monoarsine-protected cluster [Au13(AsPh3)8Cl4]+ (Au13As8) was facilely prepared by direct reduction of (Ph3As)AuCl with NaBH4. This cluster is isostructural with its previously reported stibine analogue [Au13(SbPh3)8Cl4]+ (Au13Sb8), enabling a comparative study between them. Au13As8 exhibits a blue-shifted electronic absorption band, and this is probably related to the stronger π-back donation interactions between the Au13 core and AsPh3 ligands, which destabilize its superatomic 1P and 1D orbitals. In comparison to the thermodynamically less stable Au13Sb8, Au13As8 achieves a better trade-off between catalytic stability and activity, as demonstrated by its excellent catalytic performance towards the aldehyde-alkyne-amine (A3) coupling reaction. Moreover, the ligand exchange reactions between Au13As8 with phosphines, as exemplified by PPh3 and Ph2P(CH2)2PPh2, suggest that Au13As8 may be a good precursor cluster for further cluster preparation through the "cluster-to-cluster" route.

The Combination of Electroacupuncture and Massage Therapy Alleviates Myofibroblast Transdifferentiation and Extracellular Matrix Production in Blunt Trauma-Induced Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis.

Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage, had been previously reported to have therapeutic effects on skeletal muscle contusions. However, the recovery mechanisms on skeletal muscles after blunt trauma via the combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and massage therapy remain unclear. In the present study, a rat model of the skeletal muscle fibrosis following blunt trauma to rat skeletal muscle was established, and the potential molecular mechanisms of EA + massage therapy on the skeletal muscle fibrosis were investigated. The results suggested that EA + massage therapy could significantly decrease inflammatory cells infiltration and collagenous fiber content and ameliorate the disarrangement of sarcomeres within myofibrils compared to the model group. Further analysis revealed that EA + massage therapy could reduce the degree of fibrosis and increase the degree of myofibroblast apoptosis by downregulating the mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor- (TGF-) ß1 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Furthermore, the fibrosis of injured skeletal muscle was inhibited after treatment through the normalization of balance between matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 1 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP). These findings suggested that the combination of electroacupuncture and massage therapy could alleviate the fibrotic process by regulating TGF ß1-CTGF-induced myofibroblast transdifferentiation and MMP-1/TIMP-1 balance for extracellular matrix production.

Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Physical Fitness and Social Communication in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

This investigation examined the effects of a 12-week mini-basketball training program (MBTP) on physical fitness and social communication in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study applied a quasi-experimental design. Fifty-nine preschool children aged 3-6 years with ASD were assigned to either a MBTP group (n = 30) or a control group (n = 29). Participants in the MBTP group received a scheduled mini-basketball training program (5 sessions per week, forty minutes per session) for twelve consecutive weeks, while the control group was instructed to maintain their daily activities. The physical fitness test and the parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale Second Edition (SRS-2) test were performed before and after the intervention. Results indicated that the 12-week MBTP facilitated performance in the physical fitness test, particularly in speed-agility and muscular strength abilities. Additionally, children in the MBTP group demonstrated improvement in SRS-2 performance in social awareness, social cognition, social communication, and autistic mannerisms, whereas no such changes were found in the control group. It may be concluded that the 12-week MBTP could improve physical fitness and social communication in preschool children with ASD, and thus the use of physical exercise intervention as a therapeutic tool for preschoolers with ASD is recommended.

Abdominal Massage Reduces Visceral Hypersensitivity via Regulating GDNF and PI3K/AKT Signal Pathway in a Rat Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Changes in gut motility and visceral hypersensitivity are two major features of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Current drug treatments are often poorly efficacious, with many side effects for patients with IBS. Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or abdominal massage, have received more attention in recent years. In this study, a rat model of IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) was established by instillation of acetic acid from the colon. The effects of abdominal massage on changes in gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, and the possible mechanism were investigated. Continuous abdominal massage could decrease the stool consistency score and increase the efflux time of glass beads compared with model groups, while also decreasing mast cell counts in IBS-D rats. The mRNA and protein expressions of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), choline acetyl transferase (CHAT), and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) were significantly upregulated by continuous abdominal massage compared with model groups. Continuous abdominal massage also improved the ultrastructure of enteric glial cells (EGCs) by decreasing the number of mitochondria and increasing the level of the heterochromatin. Meanwhile, continuous abdominal massage could upregulate the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and P-Akt/Akt. Furthermore, it could reduce visceral hypersensitivity and improve the IBS-D symptoms by regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway, which would provide a novel method for the treatment of IBS-D in the clinical setting.

Effects of Mini-Basketball Training Program on Executive Functions and Core Symptoms among Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

This study examined the effects of a 12-week mini-basketball training program (MBTP) on executive functions and core symptoms among preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this quasi-experimental pilot study, 33 ASD preschoolers who received their conventional rehabilitation program were assigned to either a MBTP group (n = 18) or control group (n = 15). Specifically, the experimental group was required to take an additional 12-week MBTP (five days per week, one session per day, and forty minutes per session), while the control group was instructed to maintain their daily activities. Executive functions and core symptoms (social communication impairment and repetitive behavior) were evaluated by the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI), the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2), and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), respectively. After the 12-week intervention period, the MBTP group exhibited significantly better performances in working memory (F = 7.51, p < 0.01, partial η2 = 0.195) and regulation (F = 4.23, p < 0.05, partial η2 = 0.12) as compared to the control group. Moreover, the MBTP significantly improved core symptoms of ASD preschoolers, including the social communication impairment (F = 6.02, p < 0.05, partial η2 = 0.020) and repetitive behavior (F = 5.79, p < 0.05, partial η2 = 0.016). Based on our findings, we concluded that the 12-week MBTP may improve executive functions and core symptoms in preschoolers with ASD, and we provide new evidence that regular physical exercise in the form of a MBTP is a promising alternative to treat ASD.

Bimetallic Metal-Organic Frameworks: Probing the Lewis Acid Site for CO2 Conversion.

A highly porous metal-organic framework (MOF) incorporating two kinds of second building units (SBUs), i.e., dimeric paddlewheel (Zn2 (COO)4 ) and tetrameric (Zn4 (O)(CO2 )6 ), is successfully assembled by the reaction of a tricarboxylate ligand with Zn(II) ion. Subsequently, single-crystal-to-single-crystal metal cation exchange using the constructed MOF is investigated, and the results show that Cu(II) and Co(II) ions can selectively be introduced into the MOF without compromising the crystallinity of the pristine framework. This metal cation-exchangeable MOF provides a useful platform for studying the metal effect on both gas adsorption and catalytic activity of the resulted MOFs. While the gas adsorption experiments reveal that Cu(II) and Co(II) exchanged samples exhibit comparable CO2 adsorption capability to the pristine Zn(II) -based MOF under the same conditions, catalytic investigations for the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 with epoxides into related carbonates demonstrate that Zn(II) -based MOF affords the highest catalytic activity as compared with Cu(II) and Co(II) exchanged ones. Molecular dynamic simulations are carried out to further confirm the catalytic performance of these constructed MOFs on chemical fixation of CO2 to carbonates. This research sheds light on how metal exchange can influence intrinsic properties of MOFs.

Imaging-Guided Drug Release from Glutathione-Responsive Supramolecular Porphysome Nanovesicles.

Drug delivery systems that can be employed to load anticancer drugs and release them triggered by a specific stimulus, such as glutathione, are of great importance in cancer therapy. In this study, supramolecular porphysome nanovesicles that were self-assembled by amphiphilic porphyrin derivatives were successfully constructed, mainly driven by the π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions, and were used as carriers of anticancer drugs. The nanovesicles are monodispersed in shape and uniform in size. The drug loading and in vitro drug release investigations indicate that these nanovesicles are able to encapsulate doxorubicin (DOX) to achieve DOX-loaded nanovesicles, and the nanovesicles could particularly release the loaded drug triggered by a high concentration of glutathione (GSH). More importantly, the drug release in cancer cells could be monitored by fluorescent recovery of the porphyrin derivative. Cytotoxicity experiments show that the DOX-loaded nanovesicles possess comparable therapeutic effect to cancer cells as free DOX. This study presents a new strategy in the fabrication of versatile anticancer drug nanocarriers with stimuli-responsive properties. Thus, the porphysome nanovesicles demonstrated here might offer an opportunity to bridge the gap between intelligent drug delivery systems and imaging-guided drug release.

Serum citrulline as a diagnostic marker of sepsis-induced intestinal dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of citrulline as an indicator for diagnosing septic acute intestinal dysfunction (SAID) in a rat model. METHODS: SD rats were divided into three groups: a normal group (A), a model group (B), and a glutamine group (C). Group B was divided into a 36-h group (B1) and a 72-h feeding group (B2). The concentrations of serum citrulline, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) and intestinal glutamine and histopathological changes were measured. RESULTS: The lengths of the villus and thicknesses of the mucosal layer in groups B1, B2 and C were significantly different from those in group A. Citrulline concentrations in groups B1, B2 and C were lower than in group A; the serum concentrations in group C were significantly greater than in groups B1 and B2. The I-FABP levels of groups B1, B2 and C were higher than group A; I-FABP levels of groups B1 and B2 were higher than group C. Intestinal glutamine levels of groups B1 and B2 were lower than groups A and C. The serum citrulline of group C was negatively correlated with I-FABP and Chiu's score. CONCLUSIONS: Serum citrulline could be used as the diagnostic indicator of SAID.

Synthesis of cubic Ia-3d mesoporous silica in anionic surfactant templating system with the aid of acetate.

Mesoporous silica with three-dimensional (3D) bicontinuous cubic Ia-3d structure and fascinating caterpillar-like morphology was synthesized by using anionic surfactant N-lauroylsarcosine sodium (Sar-Na) as the template and 3-amionpropyltrimethoxysilane (APS) as the co-structure-directing agent (CSDA) with the aid of acetate. A phase transformation from high interfacial curvature 2D hexagonal to low interfacial curvature 3D cubic Ia-3d occurred in the presence of a proper amount of acetate. Other species of salts (excluding acetate) had the ability to induce the caterpillar-like morphology, but failed to induce the cubic Ia-3d mesostructure. Furthermore, [3-(2-aminoethyl)-aminopropyl]trimethoxysilane (DAPS) was also used as the CSDA to synthesize Ia-3d mesostructured silica under the aid of sodium acetate. After extraction of the anionic surfactants, amino and di-amine functionalized 3D bicontinuous cubic Ia-3d mesoporous silicas were obtained and used as supports to immobilize Pd nanoparticles for supported catalysts. The catalytic activity of the catalysts was tested by catalytic hydrogenation of allyl alcohol.

FTIR study of hydrogen bonds in coal under drop weight impact testing.

There are many hydrogen bonds in coal, which affect the chemical structure and properties of coal. FTIR has been applied to the characterization study of the hydrogen bonds of Dongpang coals, which were under drop weight impact. There exists five kinds of hydrogen bonds in the coal: free OH groups, OH...π, OH...OH, cyclic OH tetramers and OH...N. Absorption strength of intermolecular hydrogen bonds markedly declined after impact. Free OH groups mechanical-power chemical reacted in drop weight impact testing. The infrared spectrum were curve-resolved into their component bands. The absorption strength of various hydrogen bonds decreased with the increase of impact energy, but the trend was slowing. By statistical relationship between then, we find then complying with power function relationship. By comparing the exponents of fitted equations, we concluded that failure sensitivity sequence of hydrogen bonds to the impact: free OH groups > cyclic OH tetramers > OH...N > OH...π > OH...OH.

Polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex as a template for the synthesis of zeolites with intracrystalline mesopores.

Mesoporous zeolite silicalite-1 and Al-ZSM-5 with intracrystalline mesopores were synthesized with polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex as the template. Complex colloids were first formed by self-assembly of the anionic polymer poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in basic solution. During the synthesis procedure, upon the addition of the silica source, microporous template (tetrapropylammonium hydroxide), and NaCl, these PAA/CTA complex colloids underwent dissociation and gave rise to the formation of hollow silica spheres with mesoporous shells templated by CTAB micelles and PAA domains as the core. Under hydrothermal treatment, the hollow silica spheres gradually merged together to form larger particles with the PAA domains embedded as the space occupant, which acted as a template for intracrystalline mesopores during the crystallization of the zeolite framework. Amphiphilic organosilane was used to enhance the connection between the PAA domain and the silica phase during the synthesis. After calcination, single crystal-like zeolite particles with intracrystalline mesopores of about 5-20 nm were obtained, as characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N(2) adsorption measurements. With the addition of an aluminum source in the synthesis, mesoporous zeolite Al-ZSM-5 with intracrystalline mesopores was also synthesized, and enhanced catalytic property was observed with mesoporous Al-ZSM-5 in acetalization of cyclohexanone with methanol.

Synthesis of hydrothermally stable, hierarchically mesoporous aluminosilicate Al-SBA-1 and their catalytic properties.

Hydrothermally stable mesoporous aluminosilicates Al-SBA-1 with hierarchical pore structure have been successfully synthesized under alkaline condition at 120 °C by employing organic mesomorphous complexes of polyelectrolyte (poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)) and cationic surfactant (hexadecyl pyridinium chloride (CPC)) as template. The Si/Al ratio could be as high as 5 and the incorporation of Al into the silica framework did not disturb the well-ordered cubic Pm ̅3n mesostructure. Meanwhile, the incorporation of Al could greatly increase the specific surface area and pore volume of the samples. The Al-SBA-1 materials exhibited a high hydrothermal stability and remained stable even after being treated in boiling water for 10 days. The catalytic activity of the Al-SBA-1 materials was investigated by employing the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of toluene with benzyl alcohol as a model reaction and they exhibited excellent catalytic property due to the incorporated acid sites and the hierarchically mesoporous structure.

[Effects of solar greenhouse vegetable cultivation on soil physical quality].

Taking the solar greenhouse heavy loam soil having been planted vegetables for different years at Yunyang Town in Jingyang County of Shaanxi Province as test objects, and with the uncovered vegetable soil adjacent to the greenhouse as the control, this paper studied the effects of solar greenhouse vegetable cultivation on soil physical quality. Solar greenhouse vegetable cultivation had greater effects on the bulk density of 0-30 cm soil layer (an increase in 0-10 cm soil layer and a decrease in 10-30 cm soil layer), but little effects on that of 30-40 cm soil layer. In 0-40 cm solar greenhouse soil profile, the contents of < 0.01 mm physical clay and < 0.001 mm clay were lower in upper layer than in deeper layer, indicating their downward movement, and this phenomenon was more obvious with increasing year of solar greenhouse vegetable cultivation. Within the first 5 years of solar greenhouse vegetable cultivation, soil field water capacity decreased significantly, with a decrement of 13.8%, but remained relatively stable after then.

Facile fabrication of noble metal nanoparticles encapsulated in hollow silica with radially oriented mesopores: multiple roles of the N-lauroylsarcosine sodium surfactant.

A facile one-pot method was reported to fabricate noble metal nanoparticles encapsulated in silica hollow nanospheres with radially oriented mesopores, and the anionic amino acid surfactant, N-lauroylsarcosine sodium, played multiple roles: reducing agent, stabilizer, emulsion droplets and mesopore template.

Porous lanthanide oxides via a precursor method: morphology control through competitive interaction of lanthanide cations with oxalate anions and amino acids.

Porous lanthanide oxides were fabricated by a precursor-thermolysis method. The precursors were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction with lanthanide (La, Ce, Pr and Nd) salts, sodium oxalate and asparagine (or glutamine). Under hydrothermal conditions asparagine and glutamine exhibited greatly different complexation abilities with lanthanide cations. The competitive interactions of lanthanide cations with oxalate anions and asparagine (or glutamine) gave rise to the formation of precursors with different structures and morphologies. ESI-MS detection further confirmed the different complexation abilities of asparagine or glutamine with lanthanide cations at the molecular level. Variation of oxalate anion concentration or the pH value of the reaction solution could tune the morphology of the products. After calcination, porous lanthanide oxides were obtained with the morphologies of their corresponding precursors. Our work suggests that the complexation ability of organic molecules with metal cations could be a crucial factor for morphological control of the precursors. Moreover, considering the diversity of organic additives and metal salts, other metal oxides with complex composition and morphology could be fabricated via this organic molecule-modified precursor method.

The qi-regulating massotherapy for treatment of tonic headache in 150 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effects of the qi-regulating massotherapy for treatment of tonic headache. METHODS: According to different clinical types, 150 cases of tonic headache were treated by the qi-regulating massotherapy. Evaluations were done according to the scores for physiology, behavior, intensity of pain, and the therapeutic effects. RESULTS: After treatment, the total score in the 150 cases significantly decreased as compared with that before treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 93.3%, and the effective rates for all the types were over 90%. CONCLUSION: The qi-regulating massotherapy is indicated for all types of tonic headache with obvious therapeutic effects.

Fabrication of lanthanide oxide microspheres and hollow spheres by thermolysis of pre-molding lanthanide coordination compounds.

A series of lanthanide oxide microspheres and hollow spheres have been fabricated by thermolysis of corresponding lanthanide coordination compounds formed via bottom-up self-assembly.

Effect of alcohol on morphology and mesostructure control of anionic-surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (AMS).

In the synthesis of anionic-surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (AMS), the effects of alcohols have been investigated for the first time. Without the addition of extra alcohols, spherical mesoporous silica with radially oriented mesopores could be obtained through the anionic surfactant templating route. By using alcohols with different carbon chain length such as ethanol, n-butanol, hexanol and 1-octanol as the additives, different morphologies and mesostructures of mesoporous silica were obtained. It was found that both the types and concentrations of alcohols in the synthesis solution could tune the morphologies and mesostructures of the AMS, giving rise to the formation of hexagonal mesoporous discs and particles with novel multi-layered inner structure. In general alcohol with appropriate carbon chain length such as n-butanol and hexanol could act as the co-surfactant in the synthesis of mesoporous silica templated by anionic surfactant.