Objective: To observe the clinical effects of Zhu Lian's type Ⅰ excitation needling technique for postpartum urinary retention. Methods: A total of 60 cases with postpartum urinary retention were recruited and divided randomly into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine acupuncture, and stimulated with sparse and dense wave of electric acupuncture for 15 min after arrival of needling sensation, and then the needles were taken out. The observation group was treated with Zhu Lian's type Ⅰ excitation needling technique, by inserting the needles with the quick inserting method, swift and temporary lifting and thrusting technique for shallow insertion for 5 times, by an in-and-out technique, without retaining the needles. Results: The total effective rate was 96.7% in the observation group and 83.3% in the control group. The difference in the total effective rate between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After the treatment, the first urination time was shorter in the observation group than that in the control group, with a statistical significance (P<0.01). After the treatment, the volume of residual urine after the first urination was less in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Zhu Lian's type Ⅰ excitation needling technique can effectively promote the voluntary urination and bladder emptying in patients with postpartum urinary retention, and it takes effect faster.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) on Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: A total of 50 AD patients were randomly allocated into a Western medication (WM) group (n=25) and an acupuncture plus medication (APM) group (n=25). Patients in the WM group took oral huperzine A capsules. In addition to huperzine A capsules, patients in the APM group also received EA at Shenting (GV 24), Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Fengfu (GV 16), Mingmen (GV 4) and Yongquan (KI 1). The needles on the above points were connected to G6805-Ⅱelectric stimulator [3 pairs: Shenting (GV 24) and Baihui (GV 20); Dazhui (GV 14) and Fengfu (GV 16); and bilateral Yongquan (KI 1)]. The needles were retained 25 min. The treatment was done once a day, and 10 times made up a course of treatment. The patients received a total of 3 treatment courses. There was a 3-day interval between two courses. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Hasegawa dementia scale revised (HDS-R) were conducted before and after treatment. The clinical efficacies were evaluated when the treatment was completed. Results: Before treatment, there were no between-group statistical differences in MMSE and HDS-R scores (both P>0.05). After treatment, the MMSE and HDS-R scores in the APM group were significantly higher than those in the WM group (both P<0.05). The total effective rate in the APM group was 88.0%, versus 76.0% in the WM group, showing a statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusion: EA is effective for AD and can improve clinical symptoms in AD patients.

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of ear acupuncture plus injection at Zusanli (ST 36) in treating shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecological surgery, and to observe its effect on cytokines. Methods: Two hundred patients with shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecological surgery were randomized into two groups based on their visiting sequence, 100 cases each. The observation group was intervened by ear acupuncture plus injection at Zusanli (ST 36), and the control group was intervened by oral administration of Ibuprofen, 10 d as a treatment course. The clinical efficacies of the two groups were compared after 2 treatment courses; the visual analogue scale (VAS), present pain intensity (PPI) and 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) were measured before and after the treatment;the changes of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 after the treatment were also observed. Results: The VAS and PPI scores were significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (both P<0.01). After the treatment, the VAS score in the observation group was significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05). The component scores of SF-36 were significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (P<0.01); after the treatment, the scores of physical functioning (PF), bodily pain (BP), social functioning (SF), and mental health (MH) in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group (all P<0.05). The contents of IL-6 and IL-10 dropped significantly after the intervention in both groups (both P<0.01), and the between-group differences were also statistically significant (both P<0.01). The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Ear acupuncture plus injection at Zusanli (ST 36) can significantly improve the shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecological surgery, down-regulate the expressions of IL-6 and IL-10, and boost the recovery.

Objective: To investigate the effect of Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises) plus tuina on scapulohumeral periarthritis (SP). Methods: A total of 30 cases with SP were randomized into an observation group and a control group. Those in the observation group practiced Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises) plus tuina therapy; whereas those in the control group received only tuina therapy. Tuina therapy was conducted every other day, 20 min every time for 1 month and Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises) was conducted once a day for 1 month. The therapeutic effects were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and Constant-Murley scale. Results: After treatment, the VAS score and Constant-Murley scale were substantially improved, showing statistical significances (P<0.01); the Constant-Murley scale in the observation group was better than that in the control group, showing a statistical significance (P<0.01); the effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, between-group comparison showed a statistical significance (P<0.01). Conclusion: Yi Jin Jing (Sinew-transforming Qigong Exercises) plus tuina and tuina alone have a verified effect in treating SP, and the former can achieve a better effect than the later.

Objective: To summarize and critically assess the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture in treating dry eye syndrome (DES) according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. Methods: A search of PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov and Embase was made from their inception to August 2016, as well as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean databases. Two reviewers independently selected RCTs and assessed the methodological quality. Meta-analysis and the level of evidence were processed by RevMan 5.3 and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results: After selection, 8 trials were subjected to our systematic review. The methodological quality was low generally. The 3-10 weeks follow-up showed that acupuncture improved the tear film break-up time (BUT) (MD=1.33, 95%CI=1.01-1.66, 619 participants). The mean difference of Schirmer's test was 1.73 mm (95%CI=1.28-2.18, 618 participants) between the acupuncture group and the control group. The subjective variables exhibited no significant differences. Conclusion: The low methodological quality of the trials does not suggest drawing firm conclusions on the value of acupuncture therapy for DES. Acupuncture treatment may have some effects on the tear film BUT and Schirmer's test, but not on the subjective symptoms. Well-planned large-scale high-quality RCTs are needed to make it clear whether acupuncture is effective in treating DES.

Objective: To investigate the electrophysiological mechanism of acupuncture for the visual cortex plasticity during the sensitive period. Methods: Fifty 2-week-old Wistar rats were randomly divided into a blank control group, a model group, an early-stage acupuncture group, a middle-stage acupuncture group and a late-stage acupuncture group, 10 rats in each group. Monocular deprivation amblyopia models were prepared in rats except those in the blank control group by unilateral eyelid suture. After successful modeling, no treatment was applied to the rats in the model group. Rats in each acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at bilateral Jingming (BL 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Fengchi (GB 20) and Guangming (GB 37), started from the 3rd day, 12th day or 21st day after modeling separately, once a day, for a total of 9 d treatment. The neuronal discharge frequency and action potential inter-spike interval (ISI) in the rat visual cortex area 17 of each group were measured by multi-channel microelectrode array nerve signal technique. Results: The discharge number of neurons in the visual cortex of the model group was significantly lower than that in the blank control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the discharge numbers in the early-stage acupuncture group and the middle-stage acupuncture group were significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the discharge numbers between the late-stage acupuncture group and the model group (P>0.05). The discharge number in the middle-stage acupuncture group was lower than that in the early-stage acupuncture group (P<0.05), and the discharge number of the late-stage acupuncture group was lower than that in the middle-stage acupuncture group (P<0.05). The ISI sequences of the visual cortex neurons were mainly distributed under 0.3 s in the blank control group, under 15 s in the model group, under 1 s in the early-stage acupuncture group, under 4 s in the middle-stage acupuncture group, and under 10 s in the late-stage acupuncture group, divergent in each group. Conclusion: The neuronal coding appears abnormality in the visual cortex area 17 of monocular deprivation rats, indicating that there is a plasticity change in the visual cortex neurons during the sensitive period. Acupuncture has a significant effect on the abnormal neural coding. The therapeutic efficacy is closely related to the stage to start the treatment. Early stage treatment in the sensitive period is the key to achieving the good efficacy.

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the electrogastrogram and gastric antrum ghrelin in rats with diabetic gastroparesis (DGP). Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into group A, group B, group C, group D and group E, 10 rats in each group. Group A was the blank control group without intervention. Group B, Group C, Group D and Group E were treated with single dose intraperitoneal injection of 2% streptozotocin (STZ), combined with 8-week high glucose and high fat diet to establish DGP rat models. Group B was the model group without treatment. Group C was the EA at acupoint group, was treated with EA at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). Group D was the EA at non-acupoint group, was treated by EA at the control points of Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). Rats in the metoclopramide control group received 1.7% metoclopramide solution [10 mL/(kg·bw)] by gavage. Rat's blood glucose level was measured by blood glucose meter; gastric emptying rate was detected using phenol red as a marker; the electrogastrogram was detected by BL-420F biological function system; the protein level of ghrelin was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the expression of ghrelin mRNA was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Compared with group A, the blood glucose of group B, C, D and E were significantly increased before and after the treatment (all P<0.01); after treatment, the gastric emptying rate of group B was significantly decreased (P<0.01), the migration rates of small intestine in group B, C, D and E were significantly lower (all P<0.01), and the protein content of ghrelin in group C was significantly decreased (P<0.01); the expressions of ghrelin mRNA were significantly increased in group B, C, D and E (all P<0.01), the mean amplitudes of electrogastrogram in group B and D were significantly decreased (both P<0.01). After treatment, compared with group B, the blood glucose of group C was significantly decreased (P<0.05), the gastric emptying rate and small intestine migration rate were significantly increased in group C and E (P<0.05, P<0.01), the small intestinal migration rate was significantly increased in group D (P<0.05), the expression of ghrelin in protein and mRNA in group C was significantly lower (P<0.01), the expression of ghrelin mRNA in group E was significantly lower (P<0.05), and the mean amplitude of electrogastrogram in group C was significantly increased (P<0.05). After treatment, compared with group D, the protein and mRNA expressions of ghrelin in group C were significantly decreased (P<0.01). After treatment, compared with group E, the protein expression of ghrelin in group C was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Conclusion: EA at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) could regulate the blood glucose level of DGP model rats, enhance electrogastrogram activity, promote gastric emptying, and regulate ghrelin expression in protein and mRNA.

Objective: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Fu's subcutaneous needling (FSN) in treating scapulohumeral periarthritis (SP). Methods: Eighty patients with SP were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. Patients in the observation group received FSN treatment while those in the control group received conventional acupuncture treatment. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and range of motion (ROM) were observed before and after the treatment, and the therapeutic efficacy was also evaluated. Results: After the treatment, the VAS scores decreased significantly in the two groups, and the VAS score in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01). After the treatment, the ROM increased significantly in both groups (both P<0.01), and the ROM in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The recovery rate and the total effective rate in the observation group were respectively 40.0% and 95.0%, significantly higher than 12.5% and 77.5% in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Conclusion: FSN can effectively relieve pain and improve the joint motion in treating SP, thus offering a novel option to the treatment of this kind of musculoskeletal disorder.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of moxibustion combined with Duhuo Jisheng decoction for middle-aged and elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and its impact on serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. Methods: A total of 90 eligible KOA patients were randomized into an observation group (n=45) and a control group (n=45). Cases in the observation group received moxibustion plus oral administration Duhuo Jisheng decoction, while cases in the control group received Duhuo Jisheng decoction. Then the hs-CRP, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were examined and the clinical effect was evaluated. Results: Before treatment, the hs-CRP, IL-1β and TNF-α levels showed no between-group statistical differences (all P>0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the hs-CRP, IL-1β and TNF-α levels all dropped significantly in both groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05), and the treatment group showed more substantial changes than the control group (all P<0.05). The total effective rate was 97.8% in the treatment group, versus 86.7% in the control group, showing a statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusion: Moxibustion plus Duhuo Jisheng decoction has a good clinical effect for middle-aged and elderly KOA patients, and the effect may relate to the decreased hs-CRP, IL-1β and TNF-α levels.

Objective: To observe the effects of moxibustion at different times on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and arginine vasopressin (AVP), in the uterine tissues of rats with dysmenorrhea due to cold-dampness retention, and to explore the differences and possible mechanisms of moxibustion at different times in easing pain in dysmenorrhea due to cold-dampness retention. Methods: Forty-three female Wistar rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (n=7), a model group (n=9), a pre-moxibustion group (n=9), an immediate-moxibustion group (n=9) and a pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group (n=9). Rat models of primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-dampness retention were established using (0±1) ℃ ice water immersion method combined with injection of estradiol benzoate for 10 d, followed by injection of oxytocin on the 11th day. Rats in the 3 intervention groups received moxibustion to Shenque (CV 8) and Guanyuan (CV 4), 10 min for each acupoint, once a day. Rats in pre-moxibustion group were given mild moxibustion, beginning on the 8th day during modeling, for 3 continuous days; rats in immediate-moxibustion group were given one time mild moxibustion, immediately after injection of oxytocin on the 11th day during modeling; rats in pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group were given mild moxibustion, beginning on the 8th day during modeling till immediately after injection of oxytocin on the 11th day during modeling, for 4 continuous days. The level of PGF2α in the rat uterine tissues was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the levels of PGE2 and AVP in rat uterine tissues were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results: Compared with the blank control group, the levels of PGF2α and AVP, the PGF2α/PGE2 ratio in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the PGE2 level was significantly decreased (P<0.01) in the rat uterine tissues in the model group. Compared with the model group, the writhing latency was significantly prolonged, the writhing number and the total writhing score were all decreased in the pre-moxibustion group, the immediate-moxibustion group and the pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group (all P<0.01); the levels of PGF2α and AVP, and the PGF2α/PGE2 ratio were all significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the PGE2 level was significantly increased (P<0.01) in the rat uterine tissues of the 3 treatment groups. Compared with the pre-moxibustion group, the writhing number and the total writhing score were all decreased in the immediate-moxibustion group and the pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group (all P<0.01), the writhing latency was significantly prolonged in the pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group(P<0.01); the levels of PGF2α and PGF2α/PGE2 ratio were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the PGE2 level was significantly increased (P<0.01) in rat uterine tissues in the immediate-moxibustion group and the pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group. Compared with the immediate-moxibustion group, the writhing latency was significantly prolonged and the writhing number was decreased (all P<0.05), and the total writhing score was decreased (P<0.01) in the pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group; the PGF2α level and the PGF2α/PGE2 ratio were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and the PGE2 level was significantly increased (P<0.01) in rat uterine tissues in the pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion group. Conclusion: Moxibustion at different times all can produce obvious analgesic effects on dysmenorrhea due to cold-dampness retention in rats, and pre-moxibustion plus immediate-moxibustion ranks the top. The mechanism of this analgesic effect may be via the regulation of abnormal PGF2α, PGE2 and AVP levels, to effectively inhibit the spastic contraction of uterine smooth muscle in dysmenorrhea rat, thereby improving the ischemia and hypoxia in uterus.