Clinical Effect of Abdominal Massage Therapy on Blood Glucose and Intestinal Microbiota in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical effects of abdominal massage on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its influence on the intestinal microflora. We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial. A total of 60 patients with T2DM, who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly allocated to the control group, the routine massage group, and the abdominal massage group. The control group received health education and maintained their hypoglycemic drug treatment plan. The routine massage group and the abdominal massage group received different massage interventions. In addition to glucose and lipid metabolism indicators, we quantitatively analyzed the gut microbiota to assess the effects of massage on the intestinal microflora of patients with T2DM. Compared with the control group, the abdominal massage improved levels of glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, Enterobacter, and Bifidobacteria with significant differences (P = 0.02, P = 0.03, P = 0.03, and P = 0.03). The comparison within group showed that the levels of the four bacterial genera in the abdominal massage group revealed significant differences before and after treatment (P = 0.006, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002). The comparison between the routine massage group and the abdominal massage group was not significantly different in all levels of test indices. The abdominal massage group regulated levels of Enterobacter and Lactobacilli to a greater extent than the routine massage group. Additionally, abdominal massage decreased Enterococcus levels. The results of this study showed that abdominal massage has clinical advantages over routine massage. Specifically, this intervention may correct microflora disturbances to a certain extent.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on ocular surface sensory neuralgia and expression of P2X3 receptor and PKC in cornea and trigeminal ganglion of dry eye guinea pigs].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on ocular surface sensory neuralgia and the expression of P2X3 receptor (P2X3R) and protein kinase C(PKC)in cornea and trigeminal ganglion (TG) in dry eye disease (DED) guinea pigs, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of ocular surface sensory neuralgia in DED. METHODS: Male British tricolor short haired guinea pigs were randomly divided into control, model, medication (pranoprofen), EA and sham acupuncture groups, with 8 guinea pigs in each group. The dry eye model was induced by subcutaneous injection of scopolamine hydrobromide solution (0.6 mg/0.2 mL,once daily) for 10 d. Guinea pigs in the medication group were treated by applying pranoprofen eye drops to eyes, 1 drop for one eye each time, three times a day. Guinea pigs of the EA group received EA stimulation (4 Hz/20 Hz,1 mA) of bilateral "Cuanzhu" (BL2) and "Taiyang" (HN5) and acupuncture at "Jingming" (BL1) "Sizhukong" (TE23), "Tongziliao" (GB1) for 15 min, once a day. Guinea pigs in the sham acupuncture group received blunt stimu-lation at the surface of the same acupoint with the tip of the acupuncture needle, once a day. All the treatments were conducted for 14 d. The corneal epithelium fluorescein staining score (0-3 points) was given according to the number of fluorescence-positive dots and flake-like coloration, the corneal mechanical perception thread (CMPT) detected using a corneal perception meter, and the palpebral fissure height measured. The number of sensory neurons in the cornea and TG was determined by using cholera toxin subunit B conjugated with Alexa Fluor 488 fluorescence labelling, and the expression levels of P2X3R and PKC in the cornea and TG detected by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot, separately. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the corneal fluorescein staining score, immunoactivity and expression of P2X3R proteins in both cornea and TG, PKC proteins in TG were significantly increased (P<0.01), whereas the CMPT and the height of palpebral fissure and the number of TG neurons significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.05,P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the fluorescein staining score in the medication and EA groups, the immunoactivity and expression of P2X3R in cornea and TG in the EA group, and that of TG PKC in the EA group and the sham acupuncture groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the height of palpebral fissure and CMPT after EA and the number of labelling TG sensory neurons were remarkably increased in the EA group (P<0.01) rather than in the medication and sham acupuncture groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: EA can alleviate the damage of corneal epithelium and sensory neurons in dry eye model guinea pigs, which may be related to its functions in down-regu-lating the expression of P2X3R and PKC in the cornea and TG.

[Effect of acupuncture on expression of transfer growth factor-ß1 in lacrimal gland of rabbits with dry eye].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on expression of transforming growth factor-ß1(TGF-ß1) in lacrimal gland of rabbits with dry eye, so as to explore its underlying mechanism in improving dry eye. METHODS: Healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to 5 groups (n=6 in each group), namely, blank group, model group, western medicine group, acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group. The dye eye rabbit model was estabilished by subcutaneous injection of Scopolamine Hydrobromide solution for 21 days. After modeling, rabbits in the western medicine group were treated with Flumirone eye drops in their eyes 3 times a day, one drop each time. Rabbits of the acupuncture group reveived electroacupuncture(4 Hz/20 Hz, 1 mA) at "Cuanzhu"(BL2) and "Tongziliao"(GB1) for 15 min, and received acupuncture at "Jingming"(BL1), "Taiyang" (EX-HN5) and "Sizhukong"(TE23) for 15 min, once a day. Rabbits of the sham acupuncture group received blunt acupuncture at the surface of the same acupoints once a day. All the treatments were conducted for 14 days. The changes of tear flow, tear film break-up time (BUT) and lacrimal gland morphology in each group were observed. The expression of TGF-ß1 protein and mRNA in lacrimal gland were detected by Western blot and quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR respectively. RESULTS: Following modeling, except for the blank group, the tear flow and BUT in other 4 groups decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with their own pretreatment, the tear flow and BUT in western medicine group and acupuncture group increased after the treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the tear flow and BUT increased in the western medicine group and the acupuncture group(P<0.05). Atrophic lacrimal epithelial cells and the stroma of mucous membrane infiltrated by lymphocytes and plasma cells were found in rabbits of the model group and the sham acupuncture group. By contrast, in the western medicine group and the acupuncture group, the structure of lacrimal epithelial cells was basically normal, and the infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells were scattered in the stroma of mucous membrane. In comparison with the blank group, the expression of TGF-ß1 protein and mRNA in lacrimal gland were significantly up-regulated in the model and sham acupuncture groups (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression of TGF-ß1 protein and mRNA were significantly down-regulated in the western medicine and acupuncture groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture intervention can increase tear flow and BUT in rabbits with dry eye, which may be related to the regulation of TGF-ß1 expression in lacrimal gland.

Acupoint selection for the treatment of dry eye: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of dry eye has been confirmed, but the association between acupoint selection and therapeutic effect has remained to be elucidated. In the present study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of periocular acupoints and periocular acupoints plus body acupoints compared with AT for the treatment of dry eye disease (DED). The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Ovid, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chonqing VIP Information, Co., Ltd. databases were searched with entries until 10 July 2018 considered. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Meta-analyses were performed to compare the effects of acupuncture with those of conventional treatment (including AT or other non-acupuncture therapies). The primary outcomes, including tear break-up time (BUT), Schirmer's I test (SIT) result and Symptom scores were analyzed. Subgroup analysis was performed for periocular acupoints only and periocular acupoints plus body acupoints. A total of 12 studies comprising 900 participants were included. In the primary meta-analysis, a significant improvement in the BUT [n=1,209, weighted mean difference (WMD)=1.01, 95% CI: 0.56-1.84, P<0.00001], SIT result (n=1,107, WMD=1.98, 95% CI: 0.44-3.34, P<0.00001) and Symptom scores (n=402, WMD=-1.02, 95% CI: -1.33 to -0.72, P<0.00001) was obtained to evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and AT. Furthermore, periocular acupoints plus body acupoints were more effective in the treatment of DED. However, the total sample size of subjects with only periocular acupoints in the treatment of DED was too small to get any firm conclusions. Further large RCTs are warranted.

Inverted Planar NH2CH = NH2PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells via Single-Step Deposition Processing.

This work presents an inverted planar NH2CH = NH2PbI3 (FAPbI3) perovskite solar cell. FAPbI3 perovskite and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) are deposited on the PEDOT:PSS/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate by the single-step method. The perovskite films have been characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FAPbI3 solar cell with short-circuit current density (Jsc) = 14.48 mA/cm², open-circuit voltage (Voc) = 0.88 V, fill factor (FF) = 68%, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) = 8.62%, respectively.

Abamectin resistance in strains of vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) is linked to elevated glutathione S-transferase activity.

Abamectin resistance was selected in the vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) under laboratory conditions, and cross-resistance patterns and possible resistance mechanisms in the abamectin-resistant strains (AL-R, AF-R) were investigated. Compared with the susceptible strain (SS), strain AL-R displayed 39-fold resistance to abamectin after 20 selection cycles during 25 generations, and strain AF-R exhibited 59-fold resistance to abamectin after 16 selection cycles during 22 generations. No cross-resistance to cyromazine was found in both abamectin-resistant strains. However, we failed to select for cyromazine resistance in L. sativae under laboratory conditions by conducting 17 selection cycles during 22 generations. However, moderate levels of cross-resistance to abamectin (6-9 fold) were observed in strains which received cyromazine treatments. Biochemical analysis showed that glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in both abamectin-resistant strains (AL-R, AF-R) was significantly higher than in the susceptible strain (SS), suggesting metabolically driven resistance to abamectinin L. sativae. Recommendations of mixtures or rotation of cyromazine and abamectin should be considered carefully, as consecutive cyromazine treatments may select for low-level cross-resistance to abamectin.

catena-Poly[zinc(II)-bis-[µ(2)-3-(3-pyrid-yl)-benzoato]-κO:N;κN:O].

In the title compound, [Zn(C(12)H(8)NO(2))(2)](n), the Zn(2+) cation is coordinated by a pair of carboxyl-ate O atoms as well as two pyridyl N atoms to afford a distorted tetra-hedral environment. Adjacent Zn(2+) cations, with a separation of 8.807 (2) Å, are linked by two 3-(3-pyrid-yl)benzoate ligand bridges, generating an infinite ribbon extending parallel to [001].

Preparation and theophylline delivery applications of novel PMAA/MWCNT-COOH nanohybrid hydrogels.

A series of nanohybrid hydrogels was designed and developed based on a hydrogen bond self-assembly of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) networks and carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH). The nanohybrid hydrogels show low micropore densities and large mesh sizes with an increase in MWCNT-COOH content. Particularly, the hydrogels containing 10 wt% MWCNT-COOH was observed to collapse at pore walls because of large holes, which is believed to be responsible for high swelling. The ability of the MWCNT-COOH to self-associate with PMAA or water molecules via hydrogen-bonding interactions and an additional electrostatic repulsion govern both pH response of the network and drug release. Increasing pH values causes equilibrium swelling ratios and accumulative release to be elevated. On the other hand, modified mechanical behavior can be obtained under a low content of the MWCNT-COOH in that the high MWCNT-COOH filling effects the formation of PMAA gel networks. Swelling and controlled release profiles of theophylline could be modulated by changing pH values, introducing the MWCNT-COOH and adjusting the proportions of the MWCNT-COOH component.