Piezo knockdown reduces 5‑hydroxytryptamine release from enterochromaffin cells and exacerbates intestinal dyskinesia in mice with functional constipation.

Enterochromaffin (EC) cell dysfunction decreases 5‑hydroxytryptamine (5‑HT) secretion, contributing to functional constipation (FC). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Piezo ion channels mediate 5‑HT release from EC cells.

The crucial role of neutrophil extracellular traps and IL-17 signaling in indomethacin-induced gastric injury in mice.

The homeostasis of gastric mucosa is extremely delicate. Neutrophils, the most abundant immune cells in human circulation, are regarded crutial in the regulation of gastric mucosal immune response. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) induced gastric injury is the second major reason for gastric ulcers.

Meta-assembly of genomic associations to identify cattle fat depot candidate genes and pleiotropic effects.

Background: Fat traits in cattle are considered important due to their contribution to beef eating quality and carcass economic value. Discovering the genes controlling fat traits in cattle will enable better selection of these traits, but identifying these genes in individual experiments has proven difficult. Compared to individual experiments, meta-analyses allow greater statistical power for detecting quantitative trait loci and identifying genes that influence single and multiple economically important fat traits.

Exploring the Bidirectional Effects of Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids on Urticaria Subtypes Through Mendelian Randomization and Mediation Analysis.

Background: Emerging evidence links gut microbiota and their by-products, notably short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), to urticaria. This study employs multiple Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses to unravel the complex interactions among gut microbiota, SCFAs, and different subtypes of urticaria, aiming to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and enhance future clinical research.

Methods: We analyzed published genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics to identify associations between gut microbiota and three common subtypes of urticaria: spontaneous, dermatographic, and temperature-triggered.

Altered gut microbial profile is associated with differentially expressed fecal microRNAs in patients with functional constipation.

While dysbiosis within the intestinal ecosystem has been associated with functional constipation (FC), the mechanisms underlying the interactions between FC and the microbiome remain poorly elucidated. Recent investigations suggested that host microRNAs (miRNAs) can modulate bacterial growth and influence the composition of the gut microbiome. To explore the connection between gut microbiota and fecal miRNAs in FC patients, we initially employed 16S rRNA sequencing to assess the gut microbial landscape in 30 FC patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs).

Research progress on mechanism of acupuncture in treating functional constipation.

Acupuncture treatment for functional constipation (FC) is characterized by precise efficacy, rapid onset of action in the early stages, long-term stable effects, and overall regulation. This paper reviews recent literatures on acupuncture treatment for FC, indicating that acupuncture acts from multiple perspectives and pathways, including promoting intestinal motility, regulating intestinal microbiota, modulating the brain-gut axis, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and improving rectal hyposensitivity. Future research could delve into the mechanical sensation conduction mechanisms of acupuncture in improving rectal hyposensitivity, identify key intestinal microbiota genera and metabolic characteristics regulated by acupuncture, explore the network relationships among different mechanisms, and clarify the differential mechanisms of various acupuncture treatment protocols to optimize clinical therapy and enhance the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for FC.

Electroacupuncture Promotes Functional Recovery after Facial Nerve Injury in Rats by Regulating Autophagy via GDNF and PI3K/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting recovery of the facial function with the involvement of autophagy, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway.

Methods: Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into the control, sham-operated, facial nerve injury (FNI), EA, EA+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and EA+GDNF antagonist groups using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group. An FNI rat model was established with facial nerve crushing method.

The gut microbiome and metabolites are altered and interrelated in patients with functional constipation.

Introduction: Gut microbiota and metabolites have been identified to contribute to the pathogenesis of functional constipation (FC); however, the underlying mechanism(s) have not been elucidated, and the relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolites in FC has received limited attention in the literature.

Methods: 16S rDNA sequencing and non-targeted metabolomic detection based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technologies were combined to analyze the altered gut microbiome and metabolic profile of fecal samples from FC patients and healthy individuals (healthy control; HC).

Results: The richness and diversity of gut microbiota significantly ( < 0.

Advances in acupuncture regulation on the autonomic nervous system from 2013 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis via citespace.

Objective: To understand research advances and frontiers of acupuncture regulation on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) over the past decade through a bibliometric analysis.

Methods: Publications related to acupuncture regulation on the ANS were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. CiteSpace software was used to analyze the datasets and generate knowledge maps.

Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for gastric ulcer: A modified Delphi consensus study.

Background: Acupuncture is often used as an adjunctive therapy for gastric ulcer (GU). However, there is still a lack of evidence on the appropriate and optimal interventions for acupuncture. This study aimed to optimize the acupuncture treatment of gastric ulcers based on expert consensus for guiding acupuncturists in clinical practice.

Effects of acupuncture on gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in patients with functional constipation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

To comprehensively evaluate the effect of acupuncture on gut microbiota, identify specific microbes closely related to the clinical efficacy of acupuncture, and explored the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). A randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 80 FC patients and 28 healthy controls (HCs). FC patients randomly received 16 acupuncture ( = 40) or sham acupuncture ( = 40) sessions over 4 weeks; HCs received no treatment.

Electroacupuncture for psychogenic erectile dysfunction: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study exploring the alteration of fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation.

Background: Psychogenic erectile dysfunction (PED) can seriously affect emotional and marital wellbeing. Electroacupuncture (EA) seems an effective method for treating PED. However, the central mechanisms underlying PED and the beneficial effects of EA treatment are unclear.

Electroacupuncture Alleviates Functional Constipation in Mice by Activating Enteric Glial Cell Autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling.

Objective: To investigate autophagy-related mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) action in improving gastrointestinal motility in mice with functional constipation (FC).

Methods: According to a random number table, the Kunming mice were divided into the normal control, FC and EA groups in Experiment I. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to observe whether it antagonized the effects of EA in Experiment II.

Comparative effectiveness of different acupuncture courses in functional constipation: A Bayesian network meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the comparative effectiveness of different acupuncture courses for functional constipation (FC).

Background: There is a need to optimize the treatment course of acupuncture for FC to improve efficacy and save health resources.

Methods: We performed a systematic electronic search of eight databases from inception to April 2021.

The role of short-chain fatty acids in inflammatory skin diseases.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are metabolites of gut microbes that can modulate the host inflammatory response, and contribute to health and homeostasis. Since the introduction of the gut-skin axis concept, the link between SCFAs and inflammatory skin diseases has attracted considerable attention. In this review, we have summarized the literature on the role of SCFAs in skin inflammation, and the correlation between SCFAs and inflammatory skin diseases, especially atopic dermatitis, urticaria, and psoriasis.

Visual assessment and quantitative analysis of bone marrow edema in young and middle-aged versus elderly patients with vertebral compression fracture by spectral CT.

Background: For the diagnosis of bone marrow edema (BME), spectral computed tomography (CT) has emerged as a promising technique.

Purpose: To study the different performances of spectral CT in the diagnosis of vertebral BME in young and middle-aged versus elderly patients.

Material And Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used as the gold standard.

Functional connectivity impairment of thalamus-cerebellum-scratching neural circuits in pruritus of chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Unlabelled: Pruritus of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is one of the most common and irritating sensations that severely affects the quality of life. However, the changes in the functional connectivity (FC) between thalamic subregions and other brain regions have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to explore the potential changes in brain neural circuits by focusing on various subregions of the thalamus in patients with CSU pruritus to contribute to the understanding of chronic pruritus from the perspective of central mechanisms.

Electroacupuncture induces weight loss by regulating tuberous sclerosis complex 1-mammalian target of rapamycin methylation and hypothalamic autophagy in high-fat diet-induced obese rats.

Obesity can be caused by abnormalities of hypothalamic autophagy, which is closely regulated by the epigenetic modification of TSC1-mTOR. However, whether the weight-reducing effect of EA may relate to the modification of TSC1-mTOR methylation and hypothalamic autophagy remain unclear. This study was conducted to reveal the possible mechanism by which EA reduces BW by measuring the levels of TSC1-mTOR methylation and hypothalamic autophagy-related components.

Global trends in research on miRNA-microbiome interaction from 2011 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis.

An increasing number of research suggests that the microRNA (miRNA)-microbiome interaction plays an essential role in host health and diseases. This bibliometric analysis aimed to identify the status of global scientific output, research hotspots, and frontiers regarding the study of miRNA-microbiome interaction over the past decade. We retrieved miRNA-microbiome-related studies published from 2011 to 2021 from the Web of Science Core Collection database; the R package bibliometrix was used to analyze bibliometric indicators, and VOSviewer was used to visualize the field status, hotspots, and research trends of miRNA-microbiome interplay.

Efficacy and MicroRNA-Gut Microbiota Regulatory Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Severe Chronic Constipation: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Severe chronic constipation (SCC) is a common functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder associated with disruptions in GI motility. Abnormalities between gut microbiota and microRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of GI motility in SCC. Acupuncture has been shown to improve constipation-related symptoms and rebalance the gut microbiota.

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for treating functional constipation: An overview of systematic reviews.

Background: Functional constipation (FC) is one of the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorders. Dissatisfaction with medications prescribed to treat FC may lead patients to seek alternative treatments. Numerous systematic reviews (SRs) examining the use of acupuncture to treat FC have reported inconsistent results, and the quality of these studies has not been fully evaluated.

Acupuncture methods for functional constipation: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Functional constipation (FC) is one of the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorders, with the most significant negative impact on health-related quality of life. Despite that multiple systematic reviews and clinical trials have suggested that acupuncture could be effective for FC treatment, the comparative effectiveness among various acupuncture approaches has remained unknown. This protocol proposed a plan to assess and rank the effectiveness and safety of different acupuncture methods for patients with FC.

[Involvement of Pirt /TRPV1 signaling in acupuncture-induced reduction of visceral hypersensitivity in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of Pirt (a regulator of TRPV1) in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1, a molecular sensor of noxious heat and capsaicin) in the colonic mucosa in rats suffering from diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying alleviation of visceral hypersensitivity of IBS-D.

Methods: Forty SD rats (half male and half female) were randomly assigned to control, model, EA, and medication groups by lottery, with 10 rats in each group. The IBS-D model was established by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and gavage of senna soaking fluid.