Yushan Fan

Background: Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus, for which Western medicine treatments are associated with adverse effects and limitations. Enteric nervous system (ENS) injury is a core mechanism underlying this condition. Although Medicated Thread Moxibustion of Zhuang Medicine shows significant therapeutic efficacy, the specific mechanism by which it regulates the ENS to improve DGP remains unclear. Methods: A DGP rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg). The experimental animals were divided into five groups: control group, model group, mosapride citrate group, non‐meridian and non‐acupoint group, and Yangming meridian acupoint group. The Yangming meridian acupoint group received Medicated Thread Moxibustion of Zhuang Medicine at bilateral ST21, ST30, ST36, and ST40. Blood glucose, body weight, gastric emptying rate, and small intestinal propulsion rate were measured in each group. Hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histomorphology of the antrum and duodenum. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect markers of enteric neurons (PGP9.5, ChAT, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase [nNOS]) and enteric glial cells (EGCs) (S100β, glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP], and Glial‐cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor [GDNF]). Results: Following treatment with Medicated Thread Moxibustion of Zhuang Medicine at the Yangming meridian acupoints, DGP rats exhibited reduced blood glucose levels, restored body weight, increased gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate, and ameliorated pathological damage in the gastric antrum and duodenum. Moreover, the expression levels of PGP9.5, ChAT, nNOS, S100β, GFAP, and GDNF were elevated. In addition, the glucose‐lowering effect of this therapy was superior to that of mosapride citrate. Conclusion: Medicated Thread Moxibustion of Zhuang Medicine at the Yangming meridian acupoints effectively restores gastrointestinal motility in DGP rats by upregulating the expression of marker proteins of enteric neurons and EGCs, thereby ameliorating the morphological damage to both cell types.

Objective: This review aims to study the characteristics of animal models of diabetic gastroparesis, provide a reference for the standardization of model preparation, and offer a better experimental basis for researching its pathogenesis and diagnosis-treatment strategies.Methods: By searching databases including PubMed, Web of Science, China Knowledge Network, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and China Science and Technology Journal Database, we obtained literature on diabetic gastroparesis animal experiments from 2000 to 2024. We assessed the literature for the risk of bias using the Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation tool. We summarized the animal species, sex, modeling methods, modeling criteria, detection indexes, etc.; established a database using Excel software; and applied SPSS Modeler 18.0 and Cytoscape 3.7.2 to analyze the characteristics of diabetic gastroparesis animal models.Results: A total of 211 articles were included. It was found that Sprague–Dawley rats were the primary animal model, with male rats predominantly used in modeling. Modeling methods primarily included a one-time injection of streptozotocin (60–65 mg/kg) to induce type 1 diabetic gastroparesis or a one-time injection of streptozotocin (40–55 mg/kg) combined with a high-sugar and high-fat irregular diet to induce type 2 diabetic gastroparesis. Most studies set the modeling period as 8 weeks after drug administration. Blood glucose, general condition, and gastric emptying rate were commonly used as modeling criteria, and domperidone served as the positive control drug. Main detection indexes included blood glucose, general condition, gastrointestinal function dynamics, histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, etc.Conclusion: There is no recognized modeling method and evaluation standard for diabetic gastroparesis animal models. On the basis of the results of data analysis, it is recommended to use a one-time injection of streptozotocin (60–65 mg/kg) to induce type 1 diabetic gastroparesis animal model or a one-time injection of streptozotocin (40–55 mg/kg) combined with irregular feeding of high-sugar and high-fat feed to induce type 2 diabetic gastroparesis animal model. Blood glucose, general condition, and gastric emptying rate were used to judge the models.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment of postoperative urinary retention after cervical cancer using meta-analysis. Methods: Computer searches were performed on 8 common Chinese and English databases such as PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang (Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform), VIP (China Science and Technology Journal Database), China Biomedical Literature Database and Cochrane Library, as well as Clinical Trials for the treatment of urinary retention after cervical cancer with acupuncture. A randomized controlled trial of postoperative urinary retention after cervical cancer from the time of library construction to 01/2024. The quality of the included literature was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Meta-analysis and risk of bias analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4, regression and sensitivity analyses were performed using Stata 17.0. Results: A total of 31 randomized controlled trials with 2179 patients were included in the study. Interventions included filiform needling, embedding needle, electroacupuncture, moxibustion, warm acupuncture, etc. The results showed that acupuncture treatment increased clinical efficiency [relative risk = 1.32, 95% confidence intervals [CI] (1.20, 1.45), P < .00001], reduced residual urine volume [standardized mean difference = −3.21, 95% CI (−4.00, −0.40), P < .00001], and shortened the time to return to spontaneous urination [MD = −1.96, 95% CI (−3.02, −0.91), P = .0003] and indwelling catheter time [mean difference (MD) = −3.76, 95% CI (−5.66, −1.86), P = .0001], and improved maximum urine flow rate [MD = 4.57, 95% CI (0.70, 8.44), P = .02] and bladder compliance [MD = 10.04, 95% CI (8.14, 11.93), P < .00001]. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment promotes recovery in patients with postoperative urinary retention after cervical cancer, but high-quality studies need to be included to further compare different acupuncture interventions.

Objective: Gastroparesis is one of the complications of diabetes mellitus, which has a major impact on the quality of life of patients, and the limited therapeutic options currently available make it a public health problem. No bibliometric studies on diabetic gastroparesis have been published to date. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to summarize and analyze the research hotspots for researchers.Methods: Research articles related to Diabetic gastroparesis were searched in Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC), and relevant information was extracted after screening. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 699 publications was conducted using Microsoft Excel 2019, Citespace and VOSviewers.Result: A total of 699 papers from 738 institutions in 41 countries were retrieved. Publications in this field have increased rapidly since 1979. USA (n = 370) and Mayo Clinical (n = 69) were the most productive country and institution, respectively. Neurogastroenterology and Motility (n = 67) was the most published journal with Parkman, Henry P. (n = 40) having the highest number of articles; Gastroenterology and Mccallum, Richard W. were the most influential journals and authors.Conclusions: The research hotspots of Diabetic gastroparesis are mainly focused on treatment modalities and pathological mechanisms. Future research in diabetic gastroparesis will focus on exploring the pathomechanisms, finding long-term effective treatments, and improving patients' quality of life.

Background: Acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of tinnitus worldwide because of its good efficacy and safety. However, the criteria for selecting acupoint prescriptions and combinations have not been summarized. Therefore, data mining was used herein to determine the treatment principles and the most effective acupoint selection for the treatment of idiopathic tinnitus. Methods: The clinical research literature of acupuncture in the treatment of idiopathic tinnitus from the establishment of the database to September 1, 2023 in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Medical Journal Full-text Database, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases was retrieved and extracted. Microsoft Excel 2016 was used to establish the acupoint prescription database and the frequency statistics of acupoints, meridians and specific acupoints were carried out. IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 software was used for cluster analysis of acupoints, and IBM SPSS Modeler18.0 software was used for association rule analysis of acupoints. Results: A total of 112 articles were included, involving 221 acupuncture prescriptions, including 99 acupoints, with a total frequency of 1786 times. The 5 most frequently used acupoints were Tinggong (SI19), Tinghui (GB2), Yifeng (TE17), Ermen (TE21), and Zhongzhu (TE3). The commonly used meridians were Sanjiao meridian of hand-shaoyang, Gallbladder meridian of foot-shaoyang and Small intestine meridian of hand-taiyang. The specific points are mostly Crossing point, Five-shu point and Yuan-primary point. The core acupoint combination of association rules was Ermen (TE21)–Tinggong (SI19)–Tinghui (GB2)–Yifeng (TE17), and 3 effective clustering groups were obtained by cluster analysis of high-frequency acupoints. Conclusion: In this study, the published literature on acupuncture treatment of idiopathic tinnitus was analyzed by data mining, and the relationship between acupoints was explored, which provided a more wise choice for clinical acupuncture treatment of idiopathic tinnitus.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent upper limb compressive neuropathy. A considerable number of clinical trials and meta-analyses have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating CTS. Nevertheless, the ideal choice of acupoints remains ambiguous. Objective: A data mining analysis was conducted with the objective of determining the most effective acupoint combinations and selection for CTS. Methods: A search was conducted across seven Chinese and English electronic bibliographic databases spanning from their inception to March 2023. Selected were clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture therapy for CTS, with or without randomised controlled methods. Data extraction mainly included acupoint prescriptions. Information such as first author, study design and study setting were also extracted. The principal outcomes comprised the clinical manifestations linked to CTS. Statistical descriptions were generated using Excel 2019. The analysis of association rules was conducted using SPSS Modeler 18.0. Using SPSS Statistics 26.0, exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis were conducted. Results: 142 trials (including 86 RCTs and 56 non RCTs) were identified, and 193 groups of effective prescriptions involving 68 acupoints were extracted. The most frequently used acupoints were Da-ling (PC7), Nei-guan (PC6), He-gu (LI4), Wai-guan (TE5), and Yang-xi (LI5). The most frequently used meridians were the pericardial meridian and the large intestine meridian. The majority of special acupoints used were Five-shu points and Yuan-source points, with acupoints on the upper limbs being the most frequently used. The core acupoint groups were analyzed and 11 groups of association rules, 8 factors, and 5 effective cluster groups were obtained. Conclusion: The evidence-based acupoint selection and combinations of acupuncture therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome were provided by the findings of this study.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) represents a notable clinical challenge as it is the most prevalent and severe complication of herpes zoster (HZ). The primary objective was to investigate the current research status and hotspots of PHN research during the period from 2000 to 2022. The literature pertaining to PHN was gathered through the utilization of the Web of Science Core Collection, spanning from January 2000 to December 2022. The software, CiteSpace version 6.2.R2, was employed to produce visual depictions of publications related to PHN across various dimensions such as year, country/region, institution, journal, author, keyword, and reference. This study involved a total of 3505 papers. The USA held a dominant position in the production of scholarly articles. Argentina exhibited the highest frequency of participation in international collaboration. Out of all the institutions, Pfizer exhibited the highest degree of productivity. Harvard University exhibited the highest frequency of participation in international collaboration. The Pain exhibited the most noteworthy productivity rate and citation count among all other journals. Ralf Baron was identified as the most productive author, whereas DWORKIN RH attained the highest citation count. Contemporary scholarly investigations are predominantly centered on identifying risk factors, devising preventative measures, and exploring novel and secure methods of pain management. The current investigation has revealed the focal areas and patterns of studies pertaining to PHN. Presently, the research in this field is focused on identifying the risk factors and preventive measures for PHN, alongside exploring novel and secure pain management strategies.

Background: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a neuromuscular condition characterized by discomfort in the gluteal region. The efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment modality for PS has been substantiated through a multitude of clinical trials. However, certain queries persist, such as the optimal approach for identifying the most efficacious acupoints. The objective of this study is to perform an initial data mining analysis aimed at identifying the optimal acupoint selection and combinations for the treatment of PS. Methods: We will search 7 electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. We will select clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture therapy in the management of PS. Exclusions will be made for reviews, protocols, animal trials, case reports, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The primary outcome measure will be clinical outcomes associated with PS. Descriptive statistics will be performed in Excel 2019. Association rule analysis will be performed in SPSS Modeler 18.0. Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis will be performed in SPSS Statistics 26.0. Results: This study will investigate the most effective acupoint selection and combinations for patients with PS. Conclusion: Our findings will provide evidence for the effectiveness and potential treatment prescriptions of acupoint application for patients with PS, helping clinicians and patients make a more informed decision together.

Background: Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a common disease that is difficult to clinically treat, which seriously affects people’s health and living quality. Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture therapy is an effective treatment for PS, but the optimal method of various acupuncture methods has remained unknown. The aim of this study protocol is to compare the efficacy and the safety of different acupuncture methods for PS. Methods: We will search seven electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be selected for assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on PS. Primary outcome measure for this study is pain intensity, and the secondary outcomes are clinical symptoms and signs, physical activity, effective rate, and adverse events. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment will be independently completed by at least two reviewers. Then, standard pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis will be conducted using Revman 5.3, Stata V.15.1 and OpenBUGS V.3.2.3. The heterogeneity will be explored by subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis, if applicable. Finally, Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) pro system will be used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results: Our systematic review and network meta-analysis will identify the best acupuncture treatment method for PS patients. Conclusion: The results of our review will help decision-makers make educated choices regarding evidence-based acupuncture management options for PS. Prospero Registration Number: No. CRD42022335028.