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Lili Yang,1,* Siyi Yu,1,2,* Leixiao Zhang,3 Wei Peng,1 Youping Hu,1 Fen Feng,4 Jie Yang1 1Department of Acupuncture & Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, People’s Republic of China; 2Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China; 4Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fen Feng, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, People’s Republic of China, Email fengf01@126.com Jie Yang, Department of Acupuncture & Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, People’s Republic of China, Email jenny_yang_jie@126.comBackground: Gender differences in hippocampal and parahippocampal gyrus (HIP/PHG) volumes have been reported in sleep disorders. Therefore, this study investigated the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between chronic insomnia disorder (CID) and the HIP/PHG functional connectivity (FC) network.Methods: For this study, 110 patients diagnosed with CID (43 men and 67 women) and 60 matched good sleep control (GSC) (22 men and 38 women) were recruited. These participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, after which a 2 × 2 (diagnosis × gender) analysis of variance was used to detect the main and interactive effect of insomnia and gender on their HIP/PHG FC networks.Results: Although the main effect of insomnia on the HIP FC network was observed in the bilateral cerebellar tonsil, superior frontal gyrus, and the medial orbitofrontal cortex, effects on the PHG FC network were observed in the bilateral HIP and amygdala. In contrast, the main effect of gender on the HIP FC network was observed in the right cerebellum posterior lobe, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and the supplemental motor area. Of note, the interactive effect of both insomnia and gender was observed in FCs between the right HIP and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and then between the right PHG and DLPFC. Moreover, the FC between the right PHG and left DLPFC was positively associated with anxiety scores in the female patients with CID.Conclusion: Our study identified that gender differences in brain connectivity existed between the HIP/PHG and executive control network in patients diagnosed with CID, these results will eventually extend our understanding of the important role that gender plays in the pathophysiology of CID.Keywords: insomnia, gender difference, functional connectivity, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus

Background Insomnia is a common complaint that is closely related to gastrointestinal symptoms, which is consistent with the traditional Chinese medicine classical theory of “stomach disharmony leading to restless sleep.” Acupuncture is an effective complementary and alternative medicine therapy to improve gastrointestinal function and restore the normal sleep-wake cycle. However, studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture for insomnia due to spleen-stomach disharmony syndrome are limited to case reports and few randomized controlled trials; deeper research on its mechanism is still lacking. This randomized controlled trial aims to assess the treatment efficacy of “harmonizing stomach to tranquilize mind” acupuncture for insomnia and its influence on the intestinal microbiome. Methods/design This is a randomized, single-blind, parallel-group study. Sixty eligible patients with insomnia due to spleen-stomach disharmony syndrome will be randomly divided into two groups (1:1 allocation ratio). The intervention group will use “harmonizing stomach to tranquilize mind” acupuncture, and the control group will receive sham acupuncture. Participants will receive 5 acupuncture treatment sessions per week for 4 consecutive weeks. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index will be used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture treatment by making assessments at baseline, the end of treatment and the end of the follow-up. High-throughput 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing will be performed to detect changes in the intestinal microbial composition before and after treatment. Discussion The results of this trial are expected to confirm that “harmonizing stomach to tranquilize mind” acupuncture can effectively relieve insomnia and alter the intestinal microbiome. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Registry: ChiCTR1800017092.

Background Many patients with chronic insomnia disorder (CID) have gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. First-line insomnia medications do not treat GI problems. Acupuncture has a comprehensive regulative action on both CID and GI disorder and is receiving increasing attention. Recent studies indicate that both CID and GI diseases may cause abnormal brain activity. However, the neurological mechanism underlying the effect of acupuncture on such diseases is still unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the pathological mechanisms of CID with GI discomfort, as well as the main response characteristics of acupuncture treatment from multiple perspectives using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods A total of 60 participants with CID and GI disorders will be randomly divided into two groups (real acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group; ratio of 1:1). Patients will receive 20 sessions (five sessions per week) of real acupuncture treatment or sham acupuncture treatment. The primary outcome is the aggregate score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Secondary outcomes are scores on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Self-Rating Depression Scale. Multimodal MRI scans and clinical assessments will be performed both at baseline and post-treatment. Another 30 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy subjects will be recruited as controls and will receive MRI scans and clinical evaluations. Discussion This study aims to provide scientific evidence for the mechanism of acupuncture in treating CID with GI disorder using multimodal MRI imaging data on brain structure, function, and metabolism. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800017092 (URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=27173). Registered on July 11, 2018.

Neuroimaging studies have manifested functional abnormalities in pain-related brain regions in patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM). However, as the key region in brain pain matrix, whether and how the amygdala functional network alteration in PDM is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the intrinsic amygdala functional connectivity (AFC) network alteration in patients with PDM during ovulatory period. Thirty-six PDM patients and 35 matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The AFC was constructed using amygdala-based functional connectivity using resting-state functional MRI data. The plasma prostaglandin E2 level was measured during ovulatory period. The group difference on AFC network was conducted and further explored the clinical significant of the abnormal AFC network in PDM patients. Compared to the healthy control group, PDM patients showed increased left AFC in default mode network, including medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus, angular gyrus, and inferior temporal gyrus, while, decreased left AFC at bilateral nucleus accumbens/orbital frontal cortex, and decreased right AFC network in right orbital frontal cortex and insula, ventral tegmental area (VTA), left hippocampal, and insula. In addition, the decreased right AFC in VTA was associated with higher plasma prostaglandin E2 level in the PDM group. The AFC network was disrupted in PDM patients, mainly in default mode network and reward system. The disrupted connectivity between amygdala and VTA might contribute to the prostaglandins associated pathological mechanism of PDM.

Studies have explored brain structural abnormalities in patients with primary insomnia (PI). However, most of them are based on volumetric measures, in a specific region of interest, and have small sample sizes. Here, we investigated changes in cortical morphology (thickness and volume) in PI using an advanced surface-based morphometric method. Sixty-seven patients with PI and 55 matched healthy controls were recruited for this study and underwent a structural magnetic resonance imaging scan. The reconstructed cortical surface was processed by Freesurfer 6.0. A general linear model was used to explore group differences in surface-based morphometric features. Furthermore, the association between these cortical features and clinical characteristics were assessed in the PI group. Compared to controls, PI patients showed cortical thickening in the left orbital frontal cortex (OFC), right rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), left middle cingulate cortex (MCC), bilateral insula, left superior parietal lobule (SPL), and right fusiform area (FFA), and showed increased cortical volume in the left OFC, right rACC, bilateral rostral middle frontal gyrus, and right FFA. Cortical thickness in the right OFC and FFA was positively correlated with the severity of insomnia in the PI group, suggesting a right-lateralized relationship. This study was the first to explore multiple-scale cortical morphometric changes in a relatively large sample of PI patients. Our results suggest that hypertrophic cortical morphology may underlie the neuropathology of primary insomnia.

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that the brain is altered both structurally and functionally in patients with primary insomnia (PI). However, most previous hypothesis-driven studies of PI might bias observations. Here, we use global functional connectivity density (gFCD), a hypothesis-free approach, to investigate the brain functional alteration in patients with PI. Forty-eight patients with PI and 51 matched healthy control (HC) subjects were recruited and underwent a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. Analyses of group differences of gFCD in the whole brain and the clinical significances of abnormal brain function were conducted. Compared with the HC group, patients with PI showed increased gFCD in the executive control network, salience network, dorsal attention network, and visual network. Interestingly, the gFCD in the anterior default mode network (DMN) is increased in the PI group, whereas the gFCD in the posterior DMN is decreased. In addition, the increased gFCD in the insula is associated with higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores in the PI group. The gender and duration of disease have no significant effects on abnormal gFCD network. This study is the first attempt to explore the gFCD feature in patients with PI. Our findings support the hyperarousal model of insomnia and suggest an imbalanced neural spontaneous fluctuation between anterior and posterior DMN in the resting state in patients with PI. These findings expand our understanding of the neuropathological mechanism of primary insomnia.

The purpose of this study was to observe and compare the clinical efficacy of active acupuncture and placebo acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia and mood disorders. 96 patients with insomnia in Chengdu were randomly divided into two groups (1:1). The active acupuncture group (AA group n = 48) received the tube of Park sham device with deep needle insertion. The placebo acupuncture group (PA group n = 48) received the tube of Park sham device with a retractable needle shaft and a blunt tip. The same acupuncture points and treatment cycles were used in both groups. The overall score for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes recorded sleep rate, self-reported depression scale (SDS), self-assessment anxiety scale (SAS), the 'six component' scores of PSQI, and

Electroacupuncture (EA) is considered to be a promising alternative therapy to relieve the menstrual pain for primary dysmenorrhea (PD), but the conclusion is controversial. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis specifically to evaluate the clinical efficacy from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of EA in patients with PD. PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Science, CENTRAL, CNKI, and Wanfang were searched to identify RCTs that evaluated the effectiveness of EA for PD. The outcome measurements included visual analogue scale (VAS), verbal rating scale (VRS), COX retrospective symptom scale (RSS), and the curative rate. Nine RCTs with high risk of bias were included for meta-analysis. The combined VAS 30 minutes after the completion of intervention favoured EA at SP6 when compared with EA at GB39, nonacupoints, and waiting-list groups. EA was superior to pharmacological treatment when the treatment duration lasted for three menstrual cycles, evidenced by significantly higher curative rate. No statistically significant differences between EA at SP6 and control groups were found regarding the VRS, RSS-COX1, and RSS-COX2. The findings of our study suggested that EA can provide considerable immediate analgesia effect for PD. Additional studies with rigorous design and larger sample sizes are needed.

Background Primary insomnia (PI) is one of the most common complaints among the general population. Both non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies have proven effective in treating primary insomnia. However, the underlying mechanism of treatment remains unclear, and no studies have compared the underlying mechanisms of different treatments. Methods In this study, we investigated gray matter volume (GMV) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes following both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments in patients with PI. A total of 67 PI patients were randomized into benzodiazepine treatment, cupping treatment, or a wait-list control group for 4 weeks. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), gray matter volume (GMV), and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the hippocampus were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. Results We found 1) significantly decreased PSQI scores in the cupping and benzodiazepine treatment groups compared to the control group with no significant differences between the two treatment groups; 2) significant GMV increases in the cupping group compared to the control group at the right hippocampus after 4 weeks of treatment; 3) significantly increased rsFC between the right hippocampus and left rostral anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex (rACC/mPFC) in the two treatment groups, which was significantly associated with PSQI score decreases. Discussion Our findings suggest that benzodiazepine and cupping may share a common mechanism to relieve the symptoms of patients with PI., Highlights • Both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments showed a clinical remission of insomnia symptoms. • Right hippocampus – ACC / mPFC rsFC increased after both non-pharmacological pharmacological treatments. • The strength of hippocampus – ACC / mPFC rsFC are associated with clinical improvements in these two treatment groups. • Non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions may achieve treatment effects by modulating a shared network.

Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA). (DOCX 17Â kb)

Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) 2013 Checklist: recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents. (DOC 123Â kb)

The beginning of TCM acupuncture in New Zealand dates back to the middle of 19th century. After self-improvement for more than 100 years, TCM acupuncture has gained a considerable development. From the perspective of history and current situation, the development of acupuncture in New Zealand was elaborated in this article; in addition, the sustainable development of acupuncture was discussed from the perspective of education and training. In New Zealand, the TCM acupuncture and dry needling have played a dominant role in acupuncture treatments, which are practiced by TCM practitioners and physical therapists. The TCM acupuncture is widely applied in department of internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, and pediatrics, etc., while the dry needling is li-mited for traumatology and pain disorder. Therefore, including TCM acupuncture into the public medical and educational system in New Zealand should be an essential policy of Ministry of Health to provide welfare for the people.

Background Primary dysmenorrhea (PD), is one of main gynecological complaints in women of child-bearing age. Common medications for PD do not always achieve satisfactory outcome of pain relief. Hence, both health professionals and patients are seeking help from complementary and alternative medicine. The acupoint herbal plaster (AHP), which appears to be a safe and effective way to alleviate menstrual pain, as well as to improve other PD-related symptoms. Despite similar clinical studies for this condition in the past, no high-quality methodology-based clinical trial has been reported to date. The current study aims to assess the efficacy of the AHP compared with the acupoint placebo plaster (APP) and being placed on a waiting-list control group in patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Methods/design This study is a randomized, single-center, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 180 women with PD will be included and randomly allocated to the AHP, APP and waiting-list (WL) groups in a 1:1:1 ratio. Patients in the AHP group will be provided with herbal plasters (Shaofuzhuyu decoction) on various acupoints: Shenque (CV8), Guanyuan (CV4), Qihai (CV5), Ciliao (BL32) and Zigong (EX-CA1). Women in the APP group will receive placebo plasters on the same acupoints, and no intervention will be given to the WL group until completion of the study. The primary outcome will be pain intensity reduction measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), with other outcome measurements including the Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS), the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and the Participant Global Impression of Change (PGIC). All assessments will be performed at baseline, each menstrual cycle during the treatment course and the follow-up course. Any adverse events will be recorded throughout the study. Discussion This is the first study to compare the changes in menstrual pain after three different interventions: the active intervention (AHP), the placebo intervention (APP), and a period of no intervention (WL). This three-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to investigate the relative contributions of the specific (AHP vs. APP) and non-specific (APP vs. WL) effects to the overall clinical effects of the active AHP on women with PDM. The scientific and rigorous methodology design of this trial should gather good evidence to assess the curative effects and safety of the AHP on PD. Moreover, the results of this study may provide evidence-based references for the treatment of menstrual pain in future. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ID: ChiCTR-TRC-16008701. Registered on 22 July 2016. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-2682-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background The anti-nociceptive effects of electroacupuncture (EA) in migraine have been documented in multiple randomised controlled trials. Neurogenic inflammation plays a key role in migraine attacks, and the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture have been associated with the type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor. Objective To investigate whether CB1 receptors mediate the anti-inflammatory effects of EA on migraine attacks. Methods A migraine model was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats by unilateral electrical stimulation of the trigeminal ganglion (TGES). Rats received EA daily on the 5 days preceding TGES with (TGES+EA+SR141716 group) or without (TGES+EA group) intraperitoneal injections of the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716. Another group of TGES rats (TGES+MA group) and a non-TGES sham-operated group of rats (Sham+MA group) received minimal acupuncture (MA). Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations were determined in serum obtained from the ipsilateral jugular vein at initiation of TGES and 5 min after. Postmortem interleukin (IL)-1β and cyclooxygenase (COX)2 protein levels in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and plasma protein extravasation (PPE) in the dura mater were assessed. Results TGES induced increases in serum CGRP and PGE2 levels (TGES+MA vs baseline and vs Sham: all pConclusions CB1 receptors appear to mediate anti-inflammatory effects of EA in a rat model of migraine.

Non-thermal plasma is an effective technology for hydrogen production from biological ethanol by plasma reforming. In this paper, the hydrogen was produced from hydro-ethanol by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor filled with quartz beads. A comparative experimental research on the bevel-gear-to-plane electrodes with and without the quartz beads is reported. The results show that the input power of electrode filled with quartz beads is higher than without quartz beads, and the efficiency of energy conversion is higher than that without the beads. The reforming efficiency drops with increasing flow rate and relatively higher hydrogen conversion can be obtained by proper size of beads. A conversion rate of 45% was obtained from 75% ethanol at input power of 100 W, flow rate of 5 ml/min and quartz bead size of 2.0 mm.

By using data mining technology, the characteristics of acupoints selection of modern moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea (PD) were analyzed. The modern literature regarding moxibustion for PDl was coll6cted~ from a comprehensive retrieval in Chinese Biomedical Medicine (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP and PubMed. The prescription database of moxihustion was established, and the association rule4 method of data mining technology was adopted to analyze characteristics and rules of acupoints selection of modern moxibustion for PD. As a result, a total of 35 acupoints were involved with a total frequency of 399. The acupoints, with higher selected frequency included Guanyuan (CV 4, 90 times), Sanyinjiao (SP 6, 47 times), Shenque (CV 8, 43 times), Zhongji (CV 3, 3 times) and Qihai (CV 6, 28 tirmes); the ratio of yin-meridian acupoints to1 yang-meridian acupoints was approximately 341; the utilization of the specific acupoints accountedfor68. 6% (24/35); the crossing acupoints were used mostly (203 "times), featured with high acupoints selected, especially Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao CSP 6) and Zhongji (CV 3); the front-mu points (130 times), he-sa points (19 times) and lower he-sea points (18 times) were frequently used. The results reveal thiat acupoints selection of moxibustion of PD focuses on the local acupoints and comnbination with the distal acupoints. The yin-meridian acupoints are preferred and the specific acupoints are the main part of the prescription. This conclusion can also be used to optimize the choosing of acupoints in clinic.

To observe the differences in timely effectiveness of immediate analgesia on acute migraine between electroacupuncture (EA) at shaoyang meridian points and non-meridian points.The randomized controlled trial method was adopted. One hundred and ten cases of acute migraine were randomized into two groups. 55 cases in each one. In the observation group, EA was applied to Fengchi (GB 20), Waiguan (TE 5), etc. In the control group. EA was applied to non-meridian points. Only one treatment was given, and the nee dies were retained for 30 min in the two groups. Separately. at 10 time points, named before acupuncture, in 5 min, 10 min. 20 min and 30 min (at the moment of needle removal), 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h and 8 h after acupuncture, the pain intensity numerical rating scale (PI-NRS) was adopted to evaluate the pain severity and the adverse reac tion was recorded.(1) The effective rate of imnmediate analgesia was 87. 3% (48/55) in the observation group. significantly higher than 52.7% (29/55) in the control group (P0.01). (2) NRS of each group was re duced at each time point, from 5 min to 8 h after acupuncture (all P0.01). (3) NRS score at 30 min after acu puncture in the control group was obviously lower than that in the observation group (P0.05), but the scores in 2 h, 4 h, 6 h and 8 h after acupuncture in the observation group were lower apparently than those in the control group (all P0. 01). The differences in the scores in 5 min, 10 min, 20 min and 1 h after acupuncture were not significant (all P0. 05). (4) For the reducing amplitude of NRS score at the same time point after acupuncture, the results in 20 min, 30 min and 1 h in the control group were higher apparently than those in the observation group (all P0. 05). But, in 2 h, 4 h, 6 h and 8 h, the results in the observation group were higher apparently than those in the control group (all F0.05). The differences in 5 min and 10 min after acupuncture were not significant (both P0. 05). (5) In 24 h after acupuncture, the recurrence rate of migraine was 12. 7% (7/55) in the observation group, which was lower obviously than 34. 5% (19/55) in the control group (P0. 05). The adverse reaction was not found in the two groups.EA at the shaoyang meridian points achieves the definite immediate analgesia effect on acute migraine and presents the time effectiveness of analgesia.

Dysmenorrhea is a common menstrual complaint among adolescent girls and women of reproductive age. The treatment of dysmenorrhea is typically selected from multidisciplinary options, including complementary and alternative medicine such as acupuncture and moxibustion. However, there are few published randomized controlled trials concerning moxibustion treatment for dysmenorrhea. This trial aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea, and to identify the optimal time of moxibustion treatment for primary dysmenorrhea. This protocol is for a randomized controlled trial in which the assessor and statistician will be blinded. A total of 222 eligible patients with dysmenorrhea will be randomly assigned to three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio as treatment group A (treated before menstruation onset), treatment group B (treated at the onset of menstruation), or control group C (waiting list group). The participants assigned to the treatment groups will receive suspended moxibustion treatment at Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Guanyuan (CV4), while the waiting list group will not receive moxibustion treatment until the completion of the study. The trial period will consist of three baseline menstrual cycles, three menstrual cycles of treatment, and three menstrual cycles in the follow-up period. The primary outcome will be measured by changes in the Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale and the secondary outcomes will be measured using the Visual Analogue Scale, Cox Retrospective Symptom Scale, diary entries, the Self-rating Depression Scale, and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale. The safety of moxibustion will be assessed at every visit. This trial aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea, as well as to determine whether the optimal time of treatment for primary dysmenorrhea in clinical practice is before or after the onset of menstrual pain. Chinese Clinical Trial Register: ChiCTR-TRC-14004627 , registered on 9 May 2014.

Background.Dysmenorrhea is a common problem for which acupuncture provides effective analgesia. Although acupoint selection affects the effectiveness of acupuncture, the basic rules of acupoint selection are little understood. This study aims to investigate the principles of acupoint selection and characteristics of acupoints used for primary dysmenorrhea.Methods.PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Biomedical Database were searched for clinical trials published in English or Chinese from January 1978 to April 2014 evaluating the effect of acupuncture on primary dysmenorrhea, with or without methods of randomization and/or control. Three authors extracted information and two reviewers inputted information on titles, journals, interventions, main acupoints, and outcomes using the self-established Data Excavation Platform of Acupoint Specificity for data mining.Results. Sanyinjiao(SP06),Guanyuan(CV04), andQihai(CV06) were used most frequently. The most frequently used meridians were Conception Vessel, Spleen Meridian of FootTaiyin, and Bladder Meridian of FootTaiyang. 67.24% of acupoints used were specific acupoints. Acupoints on lower limbs were most frequently used.Conclusion.Data mining is a feasible approach to identify the characteristics of acupoint selection. Our study indicated that modern acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea is based on selection of specific acupoints according to traditional acupuncture theory.

Summary form only given. In order to investigate the effect of surface characteristics of carbon fiber on the performance of intelligent cement, ozone production system and DBD-plasma system have been developed. Surface characteristics after treatments by ozone and DBD-plasma respectively were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the wettability, surface morphology and chemical composition of carbon fiber can be influenced with these two methods. Comparatively, the effect of ozone treatment on the wettability and the effect of the DBD plasma on the surface morphology are much more remarkable than other elements. At last, a multiple way that carbon fiber is treated by DBD plasma firstly and then by ozone with the appropriate parameters was described in our work.

Summary form only given. A recently developed non-thermal plasma facility, which produced by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), is described. The effect of modification with DBD on the properties of a carbon fiber (CF) was studied, and the wettability of CF was improved by the non-thermal plasma treatment.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the nitriding experiments on the surface of metal materials using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) electrodes that are made with special techniques. DBD is known as a kind of gas discharge with some dielectric inserted into discharge space. It is an effective way of acquiring nonequilibrium plasma, which is broadly applied in various fields, such as generating ozone, gas desulfuring, and surface modification of organic materials. The experimental study on the surface modification of metal material by nonthermal plasma produced by DBD with N2 is reported, and the relationships between hardness and thickness of nitrided layer with discharge parameters, processing temperature, and processing time are discussed. The chapter also presents a novel method of surface modification of metal material by the micro-discharge of dielectric barrier with atmospheric pressure.

This paper presents a method of measuring charge density of oil in pipeline by built-in capacitive coupling inductive electrode. This new type of electrode solved the problem of charge leak in the contacting measurements, and effectively reduced the influence of external factors on the measured results. The three-dimensional model of the electrode in the pipeline was built and was calculated to give the amount of charge captured by the outer electrode which changed with the charge density of oil in the pipeline. The potential of the inner electrode was obtained on the basis of the relationship between the amount of charge and the capacitance, by which the charge density of oil in the pipeline was reflected. This research provided a more effective method for measuring charge density of oil in pipeline.

In this paper, the electrostatics elimination effect influenced by the cross-section shape of discharge needles in a tube was studied. Firstly, the electrostatics elimination effect was discussed according to the spatial distribution of the electric field. Secondly, the electric field generated by the needles with cross-section of triangle and quadrangle was simulated by finite element method and then compared with the electric field generated by rounded cross-section needles. The results show that the electric field intensity generated by needles of different cross-section decreases in the following sequence: triangle,quadrangle and rounded shape. The needle with triangle cross-section generated the strongest electric field in the direction of tube axis, and the average value of electric field intensity is 12.6% larger than that of the rounded cross-section. So the needles with triangle cross-section are best to the elimination of electrostatics in pipelines.