Psychophysical responses in patients receiving a mock laser within context of an acupuncture clinical trial: an interoceptive perspective.

BACKGROUND: The psychophysical responses induced by verum acupuncture are characterized by a constellation of unique subjective sensory responses commonly termed De Qi. Furthermore, a variety of sham interventions have been used as a control for acupuncture clinical trials. Indeed, one such control has been mock laser which has been used as control intervention in several acupuncture clinical controlled trials. The current study aim was to examine the De Qi sensory responses and its related characteristics elicited from acupuncture and compare them to those reported following sham laser in participants enrolled in a clinical trial. METHODS: The study was embedded in a multi-center, two-arm randomised clinical trial, which evaluated the effect of acupuncture on lateral elbow pain. De Qi was assessed using the Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale (MASS). Ninety-six participants were randomly allocated to receive either acupuncture (n = 47) or mock laser (n = 49) at the acupoints LI 10 and LI 11. RESULTS: Participants in both intervention groups reported similar De Qi psychophysical characteristics; however, both intensity and frequency of the individually perceived De Qi characteristics were significantly higher in the acupuncture group. 'Soreness', 'deep pressure', and 'fullness-distension' in the acupuncture group and 'tingling', and 'sharp pain' in mock laser group, were identified as the leading characteristics. Similar level of MASS De Qi Index (MDI) scores were reported for 'Hong Kong-China' and 'Australia-Italy' with a significantly higher level of De Qi reported by 'Hong Kong-China'. Furthermore, two distinct De Qi categories were identified, namely De Qi (in line with classical sensory responses of Suan, Ma, Zhang, and Zhong) and pain. CONCLUSIONS: Subjective 'somatic or interoceptive awareness' should be taken into account when De Qi psychophysical responses are examined. The study accentuates the necessity and the significance of further research into interoception phenomenon which may contribute to a better understanding of the placebo effect and De Qi psychophysical responses. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry reference: ACTRN12613001138774 on 11th of October 2013.

[Analysis of Compatibility Laws for Acupoint Selection of Acupuncture in Treating Diabetic Gastroparasis].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and analyze the compatibility laws for acupoint selection of acupuncture in treating diabetic gastroparasis (DGP) in modern literatures of clinical researches. METHODS: Retrieved were literatures related to treating DGP by acupuncture or acupuncture combined other therapies from PubMed, CNKI, and WF from 1982 to 2014. Analyzed were frequency of acupoint use, meridians selected acupoints belonged to, regions selected, association laws of selected compatible acupoints. RESULTS: Retrieved were 35 with compatibility frequencies more than 15 listed as follows: compatibility frequency of Zusanli (ST36) and Zhongwan (CV12) was 33 (94.29%); compatibility frequency of Zusanli (ST36) and Neiguan (PC6) was 23 (65.71%), compatibility frequency of Zhongwan (CV12) and Neiguan (PC6) was 22 (62.86%), compatibility frequency of Zusanli (ST36), Zhongwan (CV12), and Neiguan (PC6) was 22 (62.86%); compatibility frequency of Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) was 16 (45.71%); compatibility frequency of Zhongwan (CV12) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) was 16 (45.71%); compatibility frequency of Zusanli (ST36), Zhongwan (CV12), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) was 15 (42.86%). Meridians selected acupoints belonged to were sequenced as Foot Yangming Stomach channel, Ren channel, Foot Taiyang Bladder channel, and so on. Acupoints selected were mainly in lower limbs, chest and abdomen, waist and back. The compatibility of Zusanli (ST36) and Zhongwan (CV12) was the most often used with the highest frequency. CONCLUSIONS: The compatibility laws for acupoint selection of acupuncture in treating DGP were mainly dominated as upper-lower selection, three regions selection, local selection, anterior-posterior selection. The compatibility laws for acupoint selection of acupuncture along meridians were mainly dominated as the convergence points and exterior-interior meridian points.

Acupuncture and moxibustion for lateral elbow pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture and moxibustion have widely been used to treat lateral elbow pain (LEP). A comprehensive systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including both English and Chinese databases was conducted to assess the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of LEP. METHODS: Revised STRICTA (2010) criteria were used to appraise the acupuncture procedures, the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. A total of 19 RCTs that compared acupuncture and/or moxibustion with sham acupuncture, another form of acupuncture, or conventional treatment were included. RESULTS: All studies had at least one domain rated as high risk or uncertain risk of bias in the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results from three RCTs of moderate quality showed that acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture. Results from 10 RCTs of mostly low quality showed that acupuncture or moxibustion was superior or equal to conventional treatment, such as local anesthetic injection, local steroid injection, non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs, or ultrasound. There were six low quality RCTs that compared acupuncture and moxibustion combined with manual acupuncture alone, and all showed that acupuncture and moxibustion combined was superior to manual acupuncture alone. CONCLUSION: Moderate quality studies suggest that acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture. Interpretations of findings regarding acupuncture vs. conventional treatment, and acupuncture and moxibustion combined vs. manual acupuncture alone are limited by the methodological qualities of these studies. Future studies with improved methodological design are warranted to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion for LEP.

To explore the mechanism of acupoint application in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea by 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolomics.

Graphene-based warm uterus acupoint paste (GWUAP) is an emerging non-drug alternative therapy for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (PD), but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. SD female rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and treatment group to explore the mechanism of GWUAP in the treatment of PD. Combined with 16S rDNA and fecal metabolomics, the diversity of microbiota and metabolites in each group was comprehensively evaluated. In this study, GWUAP reduced the torsion score of PD model rats, improved the pathological morphology of uterine tissue, reduced the pathological damage score of uterine tissue, and reversed the expression levels of inflammatory factors, pain factors and sex hormones. The 16 S rDNA sequencing of fecal samples showed that the abundance of Lactobacillus in the intestinal flora of the model group decreased and the abundance of Romboutsia increased, while the abundance of Lactobacillus in the intestinal flora of the treatment group increased and the abundance of Romboutsia decreased, which improved the imbalance of flora diversity in PD rats. In addition, 32 metabolites related to therapeutic effects were identified by metabolomics of fecal samples. Moreover, there is a close correlation between fecal microbiota and metabolites. Therefore, the mechanism of GWUAP in the treatment of PD remains to be further studied.

Acupoint application therapy alleviates pain by regulating immune function through inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling in a primary dysmenorrhea rat model. / 穴位贴敷通过TLR4/MyD88/NF-κBé€šè·¯è°ƒèŠ‚åŽŸå‘æ€§ç—›ç»å¤§é¼ çš„å ç–«åŠŸèƒ½.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of graphene-based warm uterus acupoint paste on uterine Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)/nuclear transcription factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) signaling pathway and Th1/Th2 immune balance in primary dysmenorrhea ( PD ) model rats, so as to reveal its immunological mechanisms of relieving dysmenorrhea. METHODS: Thirty SD female rats were randomly divided into 3 groups：normal group, model group and acupoint paste group, with 10 rats in each group. PD rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate for 10 consecutive days. At the same time of modeling, graphene-based warm uterus acupoint paste was applied to the acupoints of "Guanyuan" (CV4), bilateral "Zigong" (EX-CA1) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) of rats in the acupoint paste group. The application was continuously applied once daily for 10 d, 5 h each time. On the 11th day, oxytocin was injected intraperitoneally to observe the writhing latency, writhing times within 30 min and writhing score of rats in each group. The spleen and thymus indexes were calculated. The pathological changes of spleen and thymus tissue were observed after HE staining. The contents of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-4 and IL-10 were detected by ELISA . The protein and mRNA expression levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB p65 in rat uterine tissue were detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the writhing times and writhing scores within 30 min of rats in the model group were significantly increased(P<0.001), and the rats showed writhing reaction (P<0.01). The spleen index and thymus index were significantly decreased(P<0.01, P<0.05). The spleen and thymus had obvious pathological changes. The contents of IgA, IgG, TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ in serum were significantly increased, while the contents of serum IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly decreased(P<0.001, P<0.01). The expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65 protein and corresponding mRNA in uterine tissue were significantly increased(P<0.001). Following intervention, compared with the model group, the writhing latency time of rats in the acupoint paste group was prolonged, and the writhing times and writhing scores within 30 min were significantly decreased (P<0.001). The spleen index and thymus index were significantly increased(P<0.01, P<0.05). The pathological changes of spleen and thymus were improved. The contents of serum IgA, IgG, TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ were significantly decreased, while the contents of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly increased(P<0.001, P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB p65 protein and the corresponding mRNA levels in uterine tissue were decreased(P<0.001, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Graphene-based warm uterus acupoint paste can regulate the immune balance of Th1/ Th2 by regulating TLR4/ MyD88/ NF-κB p65 signaling pathway, repair the pathological damage of immune tissue, improve immune function, and effectively relieve the pain symptoms of PD rats.

[Effect of water and nitrogen fertilizer coupling on yield and growth of genuine medicinal materials Chuzhou Chrysanthemum morifolium].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the suitable water and nitrogen management mode in artificial cultivation of Chuzhou Chrysanthemum morifolium. METHODS: According to two factors quadratic regression rotation design experience, pot experiment was conducted. RESULTS: There were remarkable effects of water and nitrogen coupling on inflorescence number, yield and overground part biomass of Chuzhou Chrysanthemum morifolium, and there were significant positive interaction between water and nitrogen. Effects of water on early-term inflorescence yield and overground part biomass of Chuzhou Chrysanthemum morifolium were higher than that of nitrogen fertilizer, but the effect on total inflorescence yield was opposite. CONCLUSION: Considering for the fresh inflorescence yield, the suitable water and nitrogen management mode is to keep 93% of the water holding capacity and nitrogen fertilizer (N) 0.34 g/kg of Chuzhou Chrysanthemum morifolium in pot experiment, and as for the dry inflorescence yield, the suitable water and nitrogen management mode is to keep 75% of the water holding capacity and nitrogen fertilizer (N) 0.2 g/kg.

Acupoint compatibility effect: increasing "effect value" and expanding "effect domain". / è §ç©´é ä¼æ•ˆåº”.

By summarizing and exploring the theoretic connotation, key of functions and effect mechanism of acupoint compatibility, the effect of acupoint compatibility is concluded as the increase of "effect value" and the expansion of "effect domain". The increase of "effect value" is the concrete embodiment by the value of medical assessment scale, the value of objective index detection in clinical trial and the value of index detection in experiment research. The expansion of "effect domain" is the increase of effect target and the extension of effect scope. The paper interprets the scientific connotation of acupoint compatibility therapy from a new perspective, and emphasizes the innovative approaches to research while bringing forth new ideas on the research method. It is anticipated that a novel breakthrough can be achieved in the study of acupoint compatibility and the improvement of acupuncture-moxibustion efficacy.

[Acupuncture preconditioning at "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Zhongwan"(CV12) prevents stress gastric ulcer by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/IκB signaling pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture preconditioning at "Zusanli"(ST36，Lower Confluent point) and "Zhongwan"(CV12，Front-Mu point) combination on oxidative stress and inflammation-related indicators, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and inhibitor-α of nuclear transcription factor κB (IκB-α) in serum and gastric tissue of rats with stress gastric ulcer(SGU)，so as to explore its mechanisms underlying prevention of SGU. METHODS: A total of 36 Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, positive drug and He-Sea-Front-Mu point combination groups (n=9 in each group). A rat model of SGU was established by restraint water-immersion stress method. Ten days before mode-ling, rats in the He-Sea-Front-Mu point combination group received electroacupuncture （2 Hz, 0.6 mA）at ST36 and CV12 for 10 min once every other day for 10 days, and those in the positive drug group was treated by gavage of omeprazole (20 mg/kg) once every other day for 10 days. The morphology of the gastric mucosa was observed by naked eyes and hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the ulcer index (UI) and lesion score were calculated. TBA and colorimetric methods, ELISA and Western blot were used to detect malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and the relative expressions of TLR4, MyD88, and IκB-α protein, separately. RESULTS: The gastric mucosa of rats in the blank control group was smooth and intact, the cells were arranged neatly, and there was no telangiec-tasia, hyperemia and inflammatory cell infiltration. The gastric mucosal epithelial structure of rats in the model group was destroyed, and a large number of mucosal epithelial cell death and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen. The degree of gastric mucosal injury and inflammatory cell infiltration in the positive drug group and the combined point group was less than that in the model group. Compared with the blank control group, the UI and lesion score of rats in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.05), the levels of MDA and MPO in the serum and gastric tissues were significantly increased (P<0.05), GSH-Px was significantly reduced (P<0.05), the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum were markedly increased (P<0.05), the expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins in gastric tissue were significantly increased (P<0.05), IκB-α was significantly reduced (P<0.05). After intervention and in comparison with the model group showed that, the UI and lesion score, the levels of MDA and MPO, contents of serum TNF-α and IL-6, expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins in positive drug and He-Sea-Front-Mu point combination groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05), while GSH-Px and IκB-α were significantly increased (P<0.05); There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the positive drug and the He-Sea-Front -Mu point combination groups （except TNF-α）. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture preconditioning at ST36 and CV12 can prevent SGU, which may be related to its effects in anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and regulating TLR4/MyD88/IκB signaling pathway.

Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture treatment in the prevention of negative moods in healthy young men after 30 h of total sleep deprivation: study protocol for a single-center, single-blind, parallel-arm, randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Sleep deprivation (SD) among young adults is a major public health concern. In humans, it has adverse effects on mood and results in serious health problems. Faced with SD, persons may take precautionary measures to try and reduce their risk. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) for the prevention of negative moods after SD. In addition, we will do a comparison of the effects of EA on mood after SD at different time points. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be performed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine in China. The Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture 2010 will be strictly adhered to. Forty-two healthy male volunteers will be distributed into acupoints electroacupuncture (AE) group, non-acupoints electroacupuncture (NAE) control group, or blank control group. This trial will comprise 1-week baseline (baseline sleep), 1-week preventative treatment, 30-h total sleep deprivation (TSD), and 24-h after waking follow-up period. Participants in the AE group and the NAE control group during the preventative treatment period will be administered with EA treatment once daily for 1 week. Participants in the blank control group will not be administered with any treatment. The primary outcome will be the Profile of Mood States (POMS) Scale. Secondary outcome measures will include changes in the Noldus FaceReader (a tool for automatic analysis of facial expressions) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) Scale. Total sleep deprivation will be 30 h. During the 30-h TSD period, participants will be subjected to 11 sessions of assessment. Adverse events will be recorded. DISCUSSION: This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EA for the prevention of negative moods after SD. The results of this trial will allow us to compare the effects of EA on mood after SD at different time points. Moreover, the findings from this trial will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Chi2000039713 . Registered on 06 November 2020.

[Professor WANG Fu-chun's experience of four elements of acupuncture manipulation practice].

Through collecting the 30-year medical experience of professor WANG Fu-chun, the methods of acupuncture manipulation practice were summarized so as to provide the reference for the medical staffs in acupuncture teaching and clinical work. Professor WANG proposes four key elements of acupuncture manipulation practice, i.e. the style of needling practice, the consciousness of needling practice, the strength of needling practice and qi of needling practice. Acupuncture manipulation is a highly operational clinical skill. The knowledge learning from the experience of the instructors is the important way to improve acupuncture techniques. Besides, beginners need to improve their techniques through learning the theories, a large amount of exercises as well as the self-perception.

Effectiveness and cerebral responses of multi-points acupuncture for primary insomnia: a preliminary randomized clinical trial and fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Primary insomnia (PI) is characterized by difficulties in initiating sleep or maintaining sleep, which lead to many serious diseases. Acupuncture for PI has drawn attention with its effectiveness and safety. However, the operation of choosing acupoints lacks scientific suggestion. Our trial aims to provide reference and scientific basis for the selection of acupoints and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: A patient-assessor-blinded, randomized and sham controlled trial was designed to compare the efficacy of 5-weeks acupuncture at a single acupoint, the combination of multi-acupoints, and a sham point. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index and Athens Insomnia Scale questionnaire were used for the primary clinical outcomes, while polysomnography was performed for the secondary clinical outcomes. The resting state functional MRI was employed to detect the cerebral responses to acupuncture. The brain activity in resting state was measured by calculating the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), which reflected the idiopathic activity level of neurons in the resting state. These results were analyzed by two factorial ANOVA test and post-hoc t-tests. RESULTS: The clinical outcomes suggest that acupuncture could improve clinical symptoms, and the combination of multi-acupoints might lead to a better clinical efficacy. The rs-fMRI results suggested that the brain activity of certain regions was related to the sleep experience, and acupuncture could regulate the activity of these regions. Furthermore, the combination of multi-acupoints could impact more regions which were influenced by the sleep experience. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture has been proven to be beneficial for PI patients, and the combination of multi-acupoints might improve its efficacy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered on the U.S. National Library of Medicine (https://clinicaltrials.gov) ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02448602 . Registered date: 14/04/2015.

Efficacy of compatible acupoints and single acupoint versus sham acupuncture for functional dyspepsia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Acupoint selection is a key factor in the treatment of diseases and has not been well studied. The aim of this trial is to explore the differences in efficacy between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint for patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). METHODS: This randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine in China. Two hundred and sixteen FD patients will be randomly assigned to the compatible acupoints group, single acupoint group, or sham acupuncture group. This trial will include a 1-week baseline period, a 4-week treatment period, and a 4-week follow-up period. During the 4-week treatment period, patients will receive 20 sessions of acupuncture (weekly cycles of one session per day for 5 consecutive days followed by a 2-day break). The primary outcome will be a change in the Nepean Dyspepsia Life Quality Index from baseline to after the 4-week treatment period. Secondary outcome measures will include the dyspeptic symptom sum score, Overall Treatment Effect questionnaire, and 36-item Short Form survey. Adverse events also will be recorded. Ultraweak photon emission and metabolomics tests will be performed at baseline and at the end of treatment to explore the mechanisms of the differences between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint. DISCUSSION: The results of this trial will allow us to compare the difference in efficacy between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint. The findings from this trial will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Acupuncture-Moxibustion Clinical Trial Registry, AMCTR-IPC-18000176, registered on 4 March 2019; Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900023983, registered on 23 June 2019.

A multi-center international study of acupuncture for lateral elbow pain - Results of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Lateral elbow pain (LEP) due to tendinosis is one of the most common musculoskeletal pains of the upper limbs, yet there is no satisfactory treatment. This study was an international, prospective, multi-centre, randomized, controlled, clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture compared to sham laser in the treatment of LEP. METHODS: The study used a parallel and stratified design (1:1 allocation using a computer-generated sequence) and was participant-, outcome assessor- and statistician-blinded. Subjects from 18 to 80 years with unilateral chronic LEP (minimum three months) were recruited at four centres in Australia, China, Hong Kong and Italy. The treatment group received manual acupuncture at acupoints LI 10 and LI 11 on the affected side whereas the control group received sham laser acupuncture at the same acupoints. The primary endpoint was disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) questionnaire score at the three-week post-treatment follow-up visit. Three VAS scales (pain at rest, pain on motion and pain during exertion) were secondary outcomes measures. Ninety-six subjects were allocated to either the treatment group (n = 47) or control group (n = 49) and were all included in the analysis. RESULTS: At the follow-up visit, we found significant differences in DASH score between the two groups (p = .015). The median change to baseline for the treatment group was -11.7 (interval: -50.83 to 23.33), and for the control group -7.50 (interval: -36.67 to 29.10). The estimated effect size was 0.47, indicating a medium effect. Significant differences were also found for secondary outcome measures for VAS of pain. There were no severe adverse events. Our findings suggest that acupuncture has a moderate efficacy in the treatment of LEP. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture was shown to be efficacious in improving the function of the arm associated with lateral elbow tendinosis. Both the DASH score and the pain VAS on two occasions (at rest and during motion) showed a significant change over time indicating acupuncture as a potential treatment for LEP due to tendinosis.

A survey of the studies on white tiger shaking head method described by ancient and modern physicians.

Having studied white tiger shaking head method described by ancient and modern physicians, and analyzed and compared its manipulation techniques, the authors believe that the core of white tiger shaking head method originating from Zhenjiu Daquan ([Chinese characters: see text] Complete Book of Acupuncture-Moxibustion) by XU Feng lies in the techniques of "squarely withdrawing and circularly inserting" and "shaking and vibrating", and the manipulation factor is "circularly inserting and shaking, and squarely withdrawing and vibrating". Physicians such as WANG Ji (his second method), YANG Ji-zhou, LU Shou-kang and ZHENG Kui-shan inherited and developed white tiger shaking head method. WANG Ji's first method and what LI Chan and modem physicians YANG Zhao-min and LU Shou-yan described do not belong to white tiger shaking head method. The authors have made a new suggestion on standardizing the manipulation of white tiger shaking head method and approached to new ideas on research into standardization of ancient acupuncture.

The Comprehensive Therapy of Electroacupuncture Promotes Regeneration of Nerve Fibers and Motor Function Recovery in Rats after Spinal Cord Injury.

The present study aimed to evaluate the role of the combination treatment of methylprednisolone (MP) and electroacupuncture (EA) in regeneration of nerve fibers and functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI). Female Wistar rats were used for an SCI model by using a weight-drop hammer at levels T10 (spinal cord segment corresponding to the 10th thoracic vertebra). Four groups received different treatments for the study: SCI control, MP, MP and EA, and Sham. The growth of nerve fibers was examined by counting fluorescein positive nerve fibers. The motor functional recovery was evaluated by Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) score, and electrophysiology analysis. We found that, compared to MP groups, there were more well-oriented and paralleled fluorescein positive nerve fibers in MP and EA group. Both latencies and amplitudes of the Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) in the combination therapy of MP and EA were higher than MP group. Additionally, recovered hindlimb movements were sustained in most rats in the MP and EA group. Our study indicated that combination therapies could become a powerful treatment for SCI in rats.

[Ginger-separated Snake Moxibustion Improves Yang Deficiency Constitution by Up-regulating Serum Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and Cortisol Levels in Yang Deficiency Constitution Volunteers].

OBJECTIVE: Yang deficiency constitution may bring with different types of illnesses in many people. The present study was designed to observe the effect of ginger-separated snake moxibustion on yang deficiency symptom, and serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) contents in yang deficiency constitution subjects, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of yang deficiency constitution. METHODS: Ninety subjects with yang deficiency type constitution were equally and randomly assigned to control A group (19 men and 26 women, 18－60 years in age) and moxibustion group (16 men and 29 women, 18－60 years in age) and 45 normal subjects with mild constitution (18 men and 27 women, 18－60 years in age) were assigned to control B group. An snake-like moxa-cone was placed at a moxa-holder covering the middle back of human body from Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2) after paving a layer (about 1 cm thick) of fresh ginger in the holder, and then ignited, followed by the next moxa-cone, 3 cones altogether every time for each participant. The treatment was conducted once a week, 12 times in total. The subjects' constitution was scored according to the "Classification and Evaluation of Constitution of Traditional Chinese Medicine" formulated by China Association of Chinese Medicine. The serum ACTH and CORT contents were measured by radioimmunoassay before and at the end of the treatment and 6 months after the treatment. RESULTS: The constitation scores of the moxibustion group and control A group were significantly higher than that of the control B group before treatment (P<0.01). At the end of the treatment, the constitution score was significantly decreased in the moxibustion group (P<0.01) rather than in the control A group relevant to its own pre-treatment (P>0.05). The serum CORT and ACTH contents were significantly decreased in both the moxibustion and control A groups in comparison to the control B group before treatment (P<0.01), and obviously increased at the end of treatment in the moxibustion group compared with its own pre-treatment (P<0.01). No significant differences were found among the three groups in the constitution score, and serum CORT and ACTH levels at the 6th month after the treatment compared with their own post-treatment (P>0.05)．. CONCLUSION: The ginger-separated snake moxibustion treatment may improve the constitution of yang deficiency participants by increasing the levels of serum ACTH and CORT, which may be helpful in resisting diseases.

[Biological Ultra-weak Luminescence and Its Application to Research of Acupuncture].

Ultra-weak bioluminescence (UWL) is a physiological phenomenon widely existing in all the biological activities including human, animals, plants, etc., which reflects the energy metabolism of the organism. Since the last century, ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) has been applied to the study of the essence of meridians and acupoints of traditional Chinese medicine and obtained some results as the higher luminescence characteristics, but many problems remain unsolved due to the limitation of detection technology. In recent years, along with the development of bioluminescence signal acquiring system and imaging system, we are able to further explore the characteristics and biological mechanisms of UWL of acupuncture points and meridians in the human body. We proposed to study changes of ultra-weak luminous intensity of acupuncture points and meridians before and after needling stimulation, and the delayed effect of UPE phenomenon, etc., trying to reveal their regularities and essence. In this paper, the prospect of application of UPE to acupuncture research is also discussed by combining newly acquired results of some biological substances of acupoints in experimental studies.

Anxiety related to De Qi psychophysical responses as measured by MASS: A sub-study embedded in a multisite randomised clinical trial.

Acupuncture has been broadly applied in the management of many diseases and conditions; however, its mechanism of action has been partially elucidated. Additionally, assessment of psychophysical responses in the acupuncture therapy is not common regarding anxiety disorder studies. Taken together, the therapeutic effect of acupuncture appears when De Qi psychophysical response is experienced following stimulation of the afferent sensory nerves. The present study investigates the level of anxiety perceived at different occasions in acupuncture and mock laser group. Furthermore, it examines the relationship between perceived De Qi psychophysical response and the level of anxiety experienced during administration of each intervention. The study was embedded in a two-arm parallel design multi-center, randomized clinical trial, the Tennis Elbow Acupuncture-International Study-China, Hong Kong, Australia, Italy. Participants' level of anxiety was measured using a validated instrument, the Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Mood Scale. Ninety-six participants with Lateral Elbow Pain were randomly allocated into two groups; the acupuncture treatment group (n = 47) and the inactive mock laser control group (n = 49). Data were collected immediately following the interventions at the first and the ninth session within the clinical trial. Acupuncture with De Qi did not induce higher level of anxiety compared to prior administration of acupuncture. In fact, participants were more relaxed after receiving acupuncture than those who received mock laser. There was also a weak association between participants' perception of anxiety during acupuncture and the MASS De Qi Index in session nine only (p < 0.01). Further investigation of the result revealed weak positive correlation between anxiety perceived during administration of acupuncture and the following De Qi characteristics; 'soreness' (p < 0.01), 'Deep pressure' (p < 0.05), 'Heaviness' (p < 0.05), and 'Fullness/distension' (p < 0.05). Acupuncture can be regarded as a potential therapy for preoperative anxiety through its possible regulatory function of emotion. While culture may not alter the expectation of the individual regarding anxiety, symptomology associated with anxiety should be understood within the context of the cultural background.

Application of the chronic constriction injury of the partial sciatic nerve model to assess acupuncture analgesia.

PURPOSE: To validate and explore the application of a rat model of chronic constriction injury to the partial sciatic nerve in investigation of acupuncture analgesia. METHODS: Chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI) and chronic constriction injury of the partial sciatic nerve (CCIp) models were generated by ligating either the sciatic nerve trunk or its branches in rats. Both models were evaluated via paw mechanical withdrawal latency (PMWL), paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT), nociceptive reflex-induced electromyogram (C-fiber reflex EMG), and dorsal root ganglion immunohistochemistry. Electroacupuncture (EA) was performed at GB30 to study the analgesic effects on neuropathic pain and the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Following ligation of the common peroneal and tibial nerves, CCIp rats exhibited hindlimb dysfunction, hind paw shrinkage and lameness, mirroring those of CCI rats (generated by ligating the sciatic nerve trunk). Compared to presurgery measurements, CCIp and CCI modeling significantly decreased the PMWL and PMWT. EA at GB30 increased the PMWL and PMWT in both CCI and CCIp rats. Calcitonin gene-related polypeptide and substance P expressions were apparently increased in both CCI and CCIp groups, but were not different from each other. The C-fiber reflex EMG of the biceps femoris was preserved in CCIp rats, but it could not be recorded in CCI rats on the 5th day after nerve ligation. The C-fiber reflex EMG was reduced at 0, 1, and 2 minutes after EA in CCIp rats, but only at 0 and 1 minute after EA in normal rats. CONCLUSION: The CCIp model is better than the CCI model for studying acupuncture analgesia on chronic neuropathic pain and the underlying mechanisms.

Investigation of the Phenomenon of Propagated Sensation along the Channels in the Upper Limb Following Administration of Acupuncture and Mock Laser.

BACKGROUND: Similar to De Qi psychophysical responses, propagated sensation along the channels (PSC) is considered an important phenomenon in traditional Chinese acupuncture. In acupuncture clinical trials, different acupuncture manipulation techniques are used to enhance the propagation of sensation along the channels to facilitate an optimum therapeutic result. AIM: To examine and compare the PSC reported by participants in a clinical trial following the administration of acupuncture and inactive mock laser. METHODS: The study was embedded in a two-arm parallel design multicenter, randomized clinical trial, the Tennis Elbow Acupuncture-International Study-China, Hong Kong, Australia, Italy (TEA IS CHAI). Needle sensations were measured using a validated instrument, the Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Spreading Scale. Ninety-six participants with lateral elbow pain were randomly allocated into two groups in a 1:1 ratio; the acupuncture treatment group (n = 47) and the mock laser control group (n = 49). Participants in both groups received the intervention at two acupoints, LI10 and LI11, consisting of 2 minutes of either standardized needle manipulation or mock laser at each acupoint with a rest period between each intervention period. Data were collected immediately following the interventions at the first and the ninth session within the clinical trial. RESULTS: Although participants in both groups perceived PSC radiating to similar sites along the upper limb, the frequency of the reported radiation sites among the two intervention groups for both radiation up the limb (p < 0.05) and radiation down the limb (p < 0.001) were statistically significantly different. Among the radiating sensation sites recorded within the two study groups, the sensations were reported as radiating a greater distance down the forearm to the wrist compared to up the arm. Evaluation of PSC across the four study sites revealed a statistically significant difference in frequency of the reported radiation down the limb sites in each study group and radiation up the limb sites only in control group only (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study demonstrated that the PSC phenomenon is not just associated with needling but can be perceived when using a mock laser. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry reference: ACTRN12613001138774 on 11th of October 2013.