Cerebral mechanism of puncturing at He-Mu point combination for functional dyspepsia: study protocol for a randomized controlled parallel trial

Acupuncture is widely used to treat functional dyspepsia with satisfactory outcomes. Combination of the He and Mu acupoints is commonly used and has a synergistic effect on functional dyspepsia; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, a randomized controlled parallel clinical trial is currently underway at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China. This trial is designed to explore the efficacy of and central responses to the He-Mu point combination in patients with functional dyspepsia using functional magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 105 patients with functional dyspepsia will be allocated into 3 groups： the low-He point group（puncturing at Zusanli（ST36））, Mu point group（puncturing at Zhongwan（CV12））, and He-Mu point combination group（puncturing at ST36 and CV12）. Every participant will receive 20 sessions of manual acupuncture for 4 weeks. The needles will be inserted perpendicularly to a depth of 1 to 2 cun. The angle of rotation and twisting will range from 90 to 180 degrees, while lifting and thrusting will range from 0.3 to 0.5 cm. The various manipulations will be performed 60 to 90 times per minute. The needles will remain in place for 30 minutes, during which manipulation will be applied every 10 minutes. Magnetic resonance imaging will be performed before and after 20 sessions of acupuncture. The primary outcome is symptom improvement according to the Chinese version of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index. Secondary outcomes include the Leeds dyspepsia questionnaire, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and visual analogue scale scores before and after 10 and 20 sessions of acupuncture. Needle sensation and adverse events will be used to assess the therapeutic effects. This study will promote more widespread awareness of the benefits of acupoint combination in the clinical setting and provide a further explanation of the neuromechanism by which acupuncture at the He-Mu point combination for functional dyspepsia. Registration： Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Chi CTR-IOR-15006402.

A reinvestigation of low molecular weight components in SOA produced by cyclohexene ozonolysis

The ozonolysis of cyclohexene is an important model system for understanding the more complex reaction of O_3 with monoterpenes; however, many previous studies have come to qualitatively different conclusions about the composition of the secondary organic aerosol(SOA)formed in this system. In the present study, the composition of the SOA produced by cyclohexene ozonolysis in the absence of seed aerosols has been investigated online and off-line using synchrotron-based thermal desorption/tunable vacuum ultraviolet photoionization time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry(TD-VUV-TOF-PIAMS) in conjunction with a custom-built smog chamber. On the basis of the molecular ions observed by mass spectrometry at 11.5 e V, it was found that dicarboxylic acids, dialdehydes, and cyclic anhydrides are the predominant low molecular weight components in the particle phase. The results also indicated that TD-VUV-TOF-PIAMS coupled with filter sampling is a potentially useful tool for the investigation of SOA composition both in the field and in the laboratory.

Photoionization and Dissociation Study of 2-Methyl-2-propen-1-ol:Experimental and Theoretical Insights

The photoionization and dissociation of 2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol(MPO)have been investigated by using molecular beam experimental apparatus with tunable vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation in the photon energy region of 8.0-15.5 eV.The photoionization efficiency(PIE)curves for molecule ion and fragment ions:C4H8O^+,C4H7O^+,C3H5O^+,C4H7^+,C4H6^+,C4H5^+,C2H4O^+,C2H3O+,C3H6^+,C3H5^+,C3H3^+,CH3O^+,CHO^+have been measured,and the ionization energy(IE)and the appearance energies(AEs)of the fragment ions have been obtained.The stable species and the first order saddle points have been calculated on the CCSD(T)/cc-pvTZ//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)level.With combination of theoretical and experimental results,the dissociative photoionization pathways of 2-methyl-2-propen-1-ol are proposed.Hydrogen migrations within the molecule are the dominant processes in most of the fragmentation pathways of MPO.

Experimental and Theoretical Study on Dissociative Photoionization of Cyclopentanone

The dissociative photoionization of cyclopentanone was investigated by means of a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer(RTOF-MS)with tunable vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation in the photon energy range of 9.0~15.5 eV.The photoionization efficiency(PIE)curves for molecular ion and fragment ions were measured.The ionization energy of cyclopentanone was determined to be 9.230.03 eV.Fragment ions from the dissociative photoionization of cyclopentanone were identified as C5H7O+,C4H5O+,C4H8+/C3H4O+,C3H3O+,C4H6+,C2H4O+,C3H6+,C3H5+,C3H4+,C3H3+,C2H5+and C2H4+.With the aid of the ab initio calculations at theωB97X-D/6-31+G(d,p)level of theory,the dissociative mechanisms of C5H8O+are proposed.Ring opening and hydrogen migrations are the predominant processes in most of the fragmentation pathways of cyclopentanone.

Changed ACC-DMN functional connectivity after acupuncture with deqi for functional dyspepsia treatment

Objective:To clarify altered whole brain functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)in functional dyspepsia(FD)patients,and then to explore cerebral influence of acupuncture with deqi treating for FD.Methods:Thirty-two FD patients and 35 healthy subjects(HS)were firstly scanned by the resting-state blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging(BOLD-fMRI)to compare differences of ACC-based functional connectivity(FC).Then 32 FD patients were randomized to receive 20 sessions’acupuncture treatment with(n=16)and without deqi(n=16),as well as underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scans after treatment.After group re-division according to deqi response,changes of ACC subregions-based resting-state FC(rsFC)were compared between the actual with and without deqi group.Two seeds with bilateral of each were selected as regions of interest(ROIs)of the ACC,including two from the dorsal ACC:S2(BA24)(x=±5,y=2,z=46,r=3.5 mm)and two from the pregenual ACC:17(BA24)(x=±5,y=38,z=6,r=3.5 mm).The clinical changes of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index(NDI)that measuring symptoms and quality of life(QOL)were also used to further assess the correlation with ACC subregions rsFC in FD patients.Results:Compared to HS,FD patients showed significantly increased ACC subregions rsFC with left fusiform gyrus,temporal cortex,hippocampus(HIPP)/amygdala,temporal pole,and right INS,superior occipital gyrus,and bilateral precuneus,superior parietal lobule(SPL),and decreased rsFC with left postcentral/precentral gyrus(PoG/PrG),supplementary motor area(SMA)and right cerebellum.32 FD patients which were then re-divided into the actual deqi group(n=16)and actual without deqi group(n=16).The decrease of the NDI symptom score(pre-pos)in the actual deqi group was significantly greater than that in the actual without deqi group(P<0.05).Among the two groups,the actual deqi group showed increased ACC subregions rsFC with right SMA and bilateral PrG/PoG,and decreased rsFC with right precuneus,middle occipital gyrus,bilateral posterior cingulate cortex(PCC),HIPP/paraHIPP,angular gyrus and SPL after treatment.In addition,the changed NDI QOL scores(pre-post)of the actual deqi group was significantly positively correlated with their Fisher’s transformed Z value of the altered ACC subregion(left I7)rsFC with right SPL(r=-0.597,P=0.04<0.05,FDR corrected P>0.05).Conclusion:The results tested the hypothesis that the advantage of deqi on efficacy is related to affecting the ACC subregions rsFC.It suggested that deqi might participate in the adaptive modulation of disrupted relationship between the ACC subregions and the default mode network(DMN).

The meridian distribution on the lacquer figure unearthed in the Han dynasty tomb in Chengdu Laoguan mountain

In 2012,a lacquer figure was unearthed from the Han dynasty tomb(188 BC-87 BC) at Chengdu Laoguanshan.The lines intaglioed on the Laoguan mountain lacquer figure were similar to the meridians.Objective:To investigate the relationship between the lines on this Laoguanshan lacquer figure and the regular meridians so as to explore the development of meridian system in ancient China.Methods:Based on collecting the photos of the Laoguan mountain lacquer figure and the representative acupuncture classics,the double evidence method(combining the unearthed relics/literature and extant literature) was performed to investigate the relationship between the lines on this Laoguanshan lacquer figure and the regular meridians.Furthermore,the development of regular meridians theory was analyzed from the number,distribution,direction and branches.Results:The routes of the 28 longitudinal white lines on the Laoguan mountain lacquer figure are similar to the regular meridians in the ancient literature including Huángdì Nèijīng 《黄帝内经》 Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic).The number,distribution and branches of the meridians intaglioed on the Laoguanshan lacquer figure suggested the evolution of the regular-meridian system from the eleven-meridian system to the twelve-meridian system.Conclusions:The meridian system of Laoguanshan lacquer figure was a link connecting the preceding and the following.The Laoguanshan lacquer figure played an important role in the development of the early meridian theory.