OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) on gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with constipation. METHODS: A total of 80 PD patients with constipation were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. Additionally, 40 healthy individuals were recruited as a healthy control group. The control group received conventional Western medical treatment for PD combined with polyethylene glycol (PEG), once daily for eight weeks. The observation group received additional ACE treatment at bilateral Tianshu (ST25), Zusanli (ST36), and Shangjuxu (ST37), once every two weeks for eight weeks. The healthy control group received no intervention. The spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs) per week and patient assessment of constipation quality of life (PAC-QOL) scores were assessed at baseline and after treatment in the two groups. Fecal samples were collected at the end of treatment for the observation and the control groups and at baseline for the healthy control group. Gut microbiota composition and diversity were analyzed using 16S rRNA method, and SCFA levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the observation group showed a significant increase in SBMs (P<0.01), and PAC-QOL scores including physical discomfort, psychosocial discomfort, worry and concern, and total score were significantly reduced (P<0.01) after treatment; the control group also showed a reduction in PAC-QOL total score after treatment (P<0.01). After treatment, the observation group had significantly more SBMs (P<0.01), and lower PAC-QOL physical discomfort, psychosocial discomfort, worry and concern scores, and total score (P<0.01), and higher PAC-QOL satisfaction score (P<0.01) than the control group. Compared with the healthy control group, the control group showed decreased Chao1 and Ace indices (P<0.01). Compared with the healthy control group, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Roseburia was increased (P<0.05), while that of Enterobacter and Ruminococcus torques (six species in total) was decreased (P<0.05) in the control group. Compared with the control group, the observation group had increased relative abundance of Dialister, Parabacteroides, and Ruminococcus torques (P<0.05), and decreased relative abundance of Prevotella and Eubacterium ruminantium (P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the control group had increased fecal SCFA levels (P<0.05); compared with the control group, the observation group had reduced fecal SCFA levels (P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid levels were elevated in the control group (P<0.05); compared with the control group, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid levels were decreased in the observation group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION ACE could increase spontaneous bowel movements and improve the quality of life in PD patients with constipation, which may be related to the regulation of gut microbiota composition and SCFA levels.
Humans ; Constipation/metabolism* ; Male ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Parkinson Disease/complications* ; Aged ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Catgut ; Feces/microbiology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Quality of Life ; Adult

Objective:To investigate the effect of holographic meridian copper coin scraping therapy on limb swelling and pain after a pit viper bite and the changes of related laboratory indicators.Methods:Seventy-four patients with limb swelling and pain after a pit viper bite who received treatment at the Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University from May 2023 to October 2023 were included in this study. Using a case-control study design, these patients were divided into a study group (holographic meridian copper coin scraping therapy) and a control group (conventional intervention), with 37 patients in each group, according to the treatment methods. The clinical data (gender, age, body mass index, education level, time of admission, severity, bite site), the degree of limb swelling, Visual Analogue Scale score, laboratory indicators, and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results:Before intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the degree of limb swelling between the two groups ( P > 0.05). At 1, 3, and 7 days after intervention, the degree of swelling in the study group [(52.41 ± 4.07) mm, (33.07 ± 3.25) mm, (10.45 ± 2.13) mm] was significantly lower than that in the control group [(58.56 ± 4.30) mm, (40.26 ± 3.41) mm, (13.98 ± 2.77) mm, t = 6.32, 9.28, 6.15, P < 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001). Before intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in Visual Analogue Scale score between the two groups ( P > 0.05). At 1, 3, and 7 days after intervention, the Visual Analogue Scale scores in the study group [(3.41 ± 1.18) points, (3.01 ± 1.05) points, (2.74 ± 0.72) points] were significantly lower than those in the control group [(3.98 ± 1.25) points, (3.52 ± 1.10) points, (3.18 ± 0.96) points, t = 2.01, 2.04, 2.23, P = 0.047, 0.045, 0.029]. There were no statistically significant differences in laboratory indicators between the two groups before and 1 day after intervention (all P > 0.05). At 3 and 7 days after intervention, the levels of creatine kinase [(231.25 ± 25.96) IU/L, (190.67 ± 21.03) IU/L], creatinine [(74.34 ± 7.91) μmol/L, (70.08 ± 7.54) μmol/L], creatine kinase isoenzyme [(16.61 ± 2.06) IU/L, (12.02 ± 1.74) IU/L], and C-reactive protein [(6.54 ± 1.18) mg/L, (4.10 ± 0.96) mg/L] in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group [(260.48 ± 28.51) IU/L, (215.34 ± 24.25) IU/L, (79.10 ± 8.23) μmol/L, (74.33 ± 7.91) μmol/L, (19.33 ± 2.31) IU/L, (15.68 ± 1.95) IU/L, (7.30 ± 1.52) mg/L, (5.92 ± 1.23) mg/L, t = 4.61, 4.67, 2.53, 2.36, 5.34, 8.51, 2.40, 7.09, all P < 0.05]. No serious adverse reactions occurred in each group. Conclusion:The holographic meridian copper coin scraping therapy can rapidly reduce the degree of limb swelling in patients, alleviate pain, reduce muscle injury, and is highly safe.

Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality rate, and effective screening and early diagnosis methods can significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality rate of lung cancer patients. Traditional lung cancer detection methods mainly include imaging tests, sputum cell tests, bronchoscopy, and needle biopsy, but these methods have disadvantages such as being highly invasive, complicated operation processes, prone to false positives, and low detection index. Tumor markers can reflect the occurrence and development of tumors and can monitor the effect of tumor treatment. Therefore, tumor marker detection is of great significance for early cancer diagnosis. Biosensor technology is a new rapid detection technology with promising applications. In recent years, research related to biosensors has been intensified in clinical testing and biomedicine. In this paper, the traditional detection methods for lung cancer were briefly introduced, and the technologies and detection methods related to optical or electrochemical lung cancer tumor marker biosensors based on immunology, nanomaterials, and aptamers were highlighted in recent years, and the future development trend of lung cancer tumor marker biosensors was prospected.

Objective:To investigate the effect of O-6-methylguananine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter methylation status on the treatment and prognosis of elderly patients newly-diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM).Methods:Clinical data of 65 newly-diagnosed GBM patients admitted to Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from January 2012 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received intensity-modulated radiotherapy after surgery and 49 patients received temozolomide (TMZ) monotherapy. All patients were divided into the MGMT(+ ) group and MGMT(-) group according to the methylation status of MGMT promoter. Kaplan- Meier method and log-rank test were used for univariate survival analysis, and Cox regression model was used for multivariate prognostic analysis. Results:The median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 18.0 months. The median OS was 27.0 months and 15.3 months in the MGMT(+ ) group and MGMT(-) group, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that tumor number, MGMT promoter methylation, postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy were significantly related to clinical prognosis ( P=0.029, P=0.001 and P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, tumor number and postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy were identified as significant prognostic factors for OS ( P=0.037, P=0.004). In the MGMT(+ ) group, the median OS was 27.0 months for patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy and 12.0 months for radiotherapy alone ( P=0.040). In the MGMT(-) group, the median OS was 17.0 months for concurrent chemoradiotherapy patients and 10.0 months for radiotherapy alone ( P=0.122). Conclusions:MGMT promoter methylation status is significantly associated with longer OS in elderly GBM patients. Conventional fractional radiotherapy combined with concurrent and sequential TMZ chemotherapy probably yields better survival benefits.

Objective To observe the analgesic effect of acupuncture at Guanyuan (CV4) and its effect on vasomotor substances in rats with dysmenorrhea due to coagulated cold syndrome. Method The coagulated-cold dysmenorrhea rat model was developed by Estrodiol benzoate and Oxytocin injectin plus physical freezing. The writhing response (writhing latency, writhing frequency, and writhing score) was observed, and the contents of TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1a were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Result Compared with the saline water group, the writhing latency was significantly shortened, the writhing frequency was significantly increased, and the writhing score was more significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01);compared with the model group, the writhing latency was significantly prolonged, the writhing frequency was decreased, and the writhing score was significantly lower in the acupuncture group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with saline water group, the content of plasma 6-keto-PGF1a was significantly lower (P<0.05) and the content of plasma TXB2 showed an increasing tendency (P>0.05) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the content of plasma 6-keto-PGF1a showed an increasing tendency (P>0.05) and the content of plasma TXB2 showed a decreasing tendency (P>0.05) in the acupuncture group. Conclusion The vasomotor substances are obviously disordered in the blood of cold-coagulated dysmenorrhea rat models. Acupuncture at Guanyuan can improve the writhing response and release pain, and meanwhile positively regulate the vasomotor substances such as TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1a. The vasomotor substances are plausibly one of the major substances in the action of acupuncture in preventing and treating dysmenorrhea.

OBJECTIVETo observe the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and its regulating effect on inflammation reaction and the endogenous opioid system of synovial tissues. Methods A total of 30 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each one. The chronic pain model of CIA rats was made by cattle type-II collagen in the model group and EA group. Rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Kunlun" (BL 60) for 30 min from 16th day after model establishment, once a day for consecutive 10 days. Rats in the control group did not receive any treatment. Rats in the model group were treated with fixation as the EA group. Threshold of pain, arthritis index, paw swelling were measured before model establishment and 16 d, 20 d, 23 d and 25 d after model establishment. The levels of beta-endorphin (β-END), met-enkephalin (met-ENK), dynorphin A (Dyn A) were measured by radioimmunoassay; the mRNA expressions of mu opioid receptor (MOR), kappa opioid receptor (KOR) and delta opioid receptor (DOR) in synovial tissues of CIA rats were detected by I quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

RESULTSCompared with the control group, threshold of pain was reduced (all P<0. 01), arthritis index was increased (all P<0. 01) and paw swelling was increased (all P<0. 01) in the model group on the 16th day, 20th day, 23rd day, 25th day after model establishment. Compared with the model group, the threshold of pain was increased in the EA group (all P<0. 01), arthritis index and paw swelling were reduced (all P<0. 01) on the 23rd day and 25th day after model establishment. Compared with the control group, the level of Dyn A in synovial tissues of CIA rats was increased in the model group (P<0. 01); the mRNA expressions of MOR, KOR and DOR were down-regulated lower than 0. 5 fold of normal level. Compared with the model group, the level of β-END in synovial tissues of the knee joint was increased in the EA group (P<0. 05), and the mRNA expressions of MOR, KOR and DOR in synovial tissues of CIA rats were up-regulated more than 2 folds of normal level.

CONCLUSIONThe intervention of EA on chronic pain of CIA rats is superior, which is likely to be related with effects of EA on anti-inflammation and up-regulation of synovial tissue β-END and MOR, KOR, DOR.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Analgesics, Opioid ; immunology ; Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; immunology ; therapy ; Cattle ; Chronic Pain ; immunology ; therapy ; Dynorphins ; genetics ; immunology ; Electroacupuncture ; Enkephalin, Methionine ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Opioid, mu ; genetics ; immunology ; Synovial Fluid ; immunology ; beta-Endorphin ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To investigate the change of mu opioid receptor ( MOR) in dorsal root ganglion ( DRG) in rat chronic inflammatory pain model and the effect of MOR agonist and antagonis tintraplantarly ( i.pl.) injected on pain threshold, so as to determine the role of peripheral MOR in chron in inflammatory pain .Methods Chronicin flammatory pain model was established by i .pl.injection of CFA in rats.The expression of MOR in DRG was detected by immunohistochemistry .Pain threshold before and after i .pl.injection of MOR agonist and antagonist was measured by radiant heat method .Results Rats suffered from an intraplantar injection of CFA developed chronic inflammatory pain , and the painthreshold still reduced on 18 day after CFA injection compared to that in the normal group . Immunohistochemistry staining revealed that compared with the normal group , the expression of MOR in DRG of CFA rats was increased ( P<0.01 ) .After the paw dorsal surface injection of MOR agonist , the pain threshold of CFA rats was increased, while that of normal rats exhibited no significant change .After the paw dorsal surface injection of MOR antagonist, the pain threshold of CFA rats was reduced , while that of normal rats had no significant change .Conclusion Under chronic inflammatory pain condition , DRG MOR expressionis enhanced , which participates in the regulation of chronic inflammatory pain , and may contribute to the prevention of further more serious pain .

Objective To explore the effect of different acupuncture stimuli on uterine micro-circulation of dysmenorrheal rats with cold stagnation syndrome. Methods Totally 32 three-month old female SD rats in diestrus were randomly divided into saline control group, model group, A stimuli group, and B stimuli group, 8 rats in each group. Model group and treatment groups were given whole body freezing combined with estradiol benzoate injection method to establish models. A stimuli group was given deep puncture with manipulation, while B stimuli group was treated by shallow puncture without manipulation. Diameter of uterine capillary,micro-vessel, TXB2, and 6-keto-PGF1αlevels were observed in each group. Results Compared with the saline group, capillary diameter in model group was significantly reduced at 5, 10, 20, 30 min time point (P<0.01);micro-vascular diameter was significantly reduced at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 min time point (P<0.01);plasma 6-keto-PGF1α levels decreased (P<0.01);TXB2/6-keto-PGF1αincreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with model group, capillary diameter in A stimuli group enlarged at 5, 10, 20, 30 min time point (P<0.05), micro-vascular diameter dilated at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 min time point (P <0.01), plasma 6-keto-PGF1α level increased (P <0.05), TXB2/6-keto-PGF1αdecreased significantly (P<0.05);micro-vascular diameter in B stimuli group dilated at 20, 30 min time point (P<0.05), plasma TXB2/6-keto-PGF1α decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with B stimuli group, capillary diameter in A stimuli group dilated at 5, 10, 20, 30 min time point (P<0.05) and micro-vascular diameter dilated at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 min time point significantly (P<0.01). Conclusion Dysmenorrheal rats with cold stagnation syndrome show obvious disorder of the uterus micro-circulation and circulation related substances. Both A and B acupuncture stimuli improved uterus micro-circulation of dysmenorrheal rats with cold stagnation syndrome, and its mechanism may be related to the recovery the balance between TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1α.

Objective Infrared thermal imaging can be applied to the diagnosis and auxiliary diagnosis of some diseases . The aim of this study is to explore acupuncture-induced changes in skin temperature in acupoint areas and whether skin temperature in -creases or decreases in the acupoint areas along meridians . Methods Thirty two female SD rats were randomly and equally divided into four groups:saline control,cold congealing and dysmenorrhea model , Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Guanyuan( CV4).Models were es-tablished in the latter three groups by subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate at 0.5 mg for 10 successive days and , 1hour after the last administration , intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin at 2 U, followed by exposure of the rats to-25℃in a freezer 4 hours a day for 5 days.Meanwhile , the control rats received normal saline only and were not exposed to low temperature .Infrared thermal imaging was used to measure the skin temperature at the acupoint areas of SP6, Xuehai (SP10), and CV4 before and at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min after needling . R esults At 0 to 5 min after nee-dling, the skin temperature of the left SP6 and right SP10 was signifi-cantly decreased in both the SP6 and CV4 groups ( [ -0. 56 ± 0.22]℃and [-0.48 ±0.11]℃, P<0.01), and so was that of the right SP10 ([ -0.64 ±0.21]℃ and [ -0.45 ±0.13]℃, P<0.05).At 5 to 10min, the skin temperature of the right SP6 and SP10 was markedly increased in the SP6 group ([-0.49 ±0.35]℃and [-0 .18 ±0.20]℃, P<0.01), and so was that of the right SP6 in the SP6 group at 20 to 30 min ([ -0.14 ±0.25]℃) as compared with the model and CV4 groups (P<0.01).At 30 to 40 min, the skin temperature of the right SP10 was remarkably elevat-ed in the SP6 group ([ -0.03 ±0.11]℃) in comparison with the model group (P<0.01).No significant differences were observed in the skin temperature of the left SP10 and CV4 at different time points among the four groups (P>0.05). Conclusion The skin temperature of SP6 and SP10 can be regulated by needling both the acupoints of SP 6 and CV4.The increase in the skin temperature of the right SP6 and SP10 in the SP6 group and no change in the CV 4 group indicated dynamic temperature changes in the acupoint area along the meridian after needling.

Objective To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture with low frequency on pain sensitization of neuropathic pain rats,and the possible mechanism of regulating peripheral pain sensitization. Methods Rat neuropathic pain model was established with the right L5 spinal nerve ligation. Zusanli (ST36) and Kunlun (BL60) were selected for electroacupuncture intervention. Mechanical allodynia, and the levels of stransient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and substance P (SP) in ipsilateral L5 and L4 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were tested. A further validation experiment with TRPV1 agonist 6'-IRTX was carried out. Results Rats suffered from L5 spinal nerve ligation showed obvious pain sensitization. The levels of TRPV1 in ipsilateral L4 DRG and SP in ipsilateral L5 DRG were significantly elevated.Electroacupuncture with low frequency significantly relieved pain sensitization, and suppressed TRPV1 and SP increase. 6'-IRTX intraperitoneally administered significantly counteracted the anti-pain sensitization action of electroacupuncture with low frequency. Conclusion Electroacupuncture with low frequency is effective on neuropathic pain by intervening pain sensitization, which may be related to the regulation of DRG TRPV1 and SP.