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Recently, research showed that one of the most common kinds of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is also the fourth main cause of cancer deaths. In studies regarding chemicals to better treat the disease, hesperidin shows a novel potential in performing anticancer activities, particularly in liver cancer. However, the specific mechanism of hesperidin that causes such activities remains a mystery. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate hesperidin’s effect on cell proliferation and activation of ROS-mediated signaling pathways in HePG-2 cells. Hesperidin shows a significant impact on inhibiting HePG-2 cells’ proliferation through induction of cell apoptosis by Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 pathways. Treating cells with hesperidin in a dose-dependent manner shows a significant increase in the apoptotic cell population (sub-G1). Moreover, Hesperidin’s induction of apoptotic activities shows dependence on ROS (reactive oxygen species) overproduction, further affecting the p-mTOR pathways and leading to DNA damage. Hence, the overall data demonstrate that ROS-mediated signaling pathways exhibit mechanisms that may lead to useful information for interpreting hesperidin-induced hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis.

Both PCAT19 and miR-25-3p have been reported in lung cancer studies, but whether there is a correlation between the two and whether they jointly regulate the progress of lung cancer have not been reported yet. Therefore, this study carried out a further in-depth research. The expression of PCAT19 was detected in lung cancer (LC) tissues and cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effect of PCAT19 on tumor growth was detected in a tumor-bearing model of nude mice. PCAT19-transfected cells were treated with Honokiol and anisomycin. The effects of PCAT19 on proliferation, apoptosis, and cycle of LC cells were investigated by biomolecule experiments. The effects of PCAT19 on the expressions of mitogen-activated protein kinase- (MAPK-) related proteins were evaluated by western blotting. The expression of PCAT19 was decreased in LC tissues and related to patient survival, tumor size, and pathology. In addition, upregulation of PCAT19 hindered LC cell proliferation, miR-25-3p expression, and the activation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1/2, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), while facilitating LC cell apoptosis. Furthermore, upregulation of PCAT19 reversed the effects of Honokiol and anisomycin on promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting cell apoptosis. Collectively, our findings show that upregulated PCAT19 suppresses proliferation yet promotes the apoptosis of LC cells through modulating the miR-25-3p/MAP2K4 signaling axis.

As one of the most important therapies in complementary and alternative medicine, acupuncture has been used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Acupuncture of “olfactory three-needle” manipulation can improve the cognitive ability of AD patients. However, the mechanism of “olfactory three-needle” in AD remains largely unknown. Here, we identified that the “olfactory three-needle” therapy and eugenol olfactory stimulation both reduced the deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) protein and increased the expression of synaptophysin (SYP), but only the “olfactory three-needle” enhanced the spatial learning and memory ability of SAMP8. Remarkably, the “olfactory three-needle” inhibited the phosphorylation of p38MAPK and the excessive activation of microglia (MG) in the hippocampus. Our study demonstrates that the “olfactory three-needle” enhances spatial learning and memory ability by inhibiting the phosphorylation of p38MAPK and the excessive activation of MG to reduce the neuroinflammatory response and neurotoxicity of Aβ and promote synaptic regeneration, but it was not completely consistent with the stimulation of the olfactory system.

Wear particle-induced periprosthetic osteolysis is mainly responsible for joint replacement failure and revision surgery. Curculigoside is reported to have bone-protective potential, but whether curculigoside attenuates wear particle-induced osteolysis remains unclear. In this study, titanium particles (Ti) were used to stimulate osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells in the presence or absence of curculigoside, to determine their effect on osteoblast differentiation. Rat osteoclastic bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were cocultured with Ti in the presence or absence of curculigoside, to evaluate its effect on osteoclast formation in vitro. Ti was also used to stimulate mouse calvaria to induce an osteolysis model, and curculigoside was administrated to evaluate its effect in the osteolysis model by micro-CT imaging and histopathological analyses. As the results indicated, in MC3T3-E1 cells, curculigoside treatment attenuated the Ti-induced inhibition on cell differentiation and apoptosis, increased alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and cell mineralization, and inhibited TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 production and ROS generation. In BMSCs, curculigoside treatment suppressed the Ti-induced cell formation and suppressed the TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 production and F-actin ring formation. In vivo, curculigoside attenuated Ti-induced bone loss and histological damage in murine calvaria. Curculigoside treatment also reversed the RANK/RANKL/OPG and NF-κB signaling pathways, by suppressing the RANKL and NF-κB expression, while activating the OPG expression. Our study demonstrated that curculigoside treatment was able to attenuate wear particle-induced periprosthetic osteolysis in in vivo and in vitro experiments, promoted osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cell differentiation, and inhibited osteoclast BMSC formation. It suggests that curculigoside may be a potential pharmaceutical agent for wear particle-stimulated osteolysis therapy.

Background.The roles of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems in mediating the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST37 on jejunal motility have yet to be demonstrated.Aim. We used rats and mice to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of EA at ST37 on jejunal motility.Methods.Jejunal motility was recorded by a balloon placed in the jejunum and connected to a biological signal collection system through a transducer. The effects of EA (3 mA) at ST37 were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats without drugs and with the administration of clenbuterol, propranolol, acetylcholine, and atropine. Further, the efficacy of EA at different intensities (1/2/4/6/8 mA) was measured in wild-type mice andβ1β2-/-mice andM2M3-/-mice.Results.In Sprague-Dawley rats, the excitatory effect of EA at ST37 on jejunal motility disappeared in the presence of the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. EA at ST37 was less effective inM2M3-/-mice than in wild-type mice. Furthermore, to a certain extent, there existed “intensity-response” relationship between jejunal motility and EA.Conclusions.EA at ST37 can enhance jejunal motility in rats and mice mainly via excitation of the parasympathetic pathway. There is an “intensity-response” relationship between EA and effect on jejunal motility.

The aim of this study was to reveal the somatosensory nerve fibers mediated generation of De-qi in manual acupuncture stimuli (MAS) and local moxibustion-like stimuli (LMS). The effects of strong and slight MAS, as well as 41°C, 43°C, and 45°C LMS at ST36 and CV12 on gastric motility were observed in rats. Gastric motility was continuously measured by an intrapyloric balloon, and the average amplitude, integral, and frequency of gastric motility during LMS were compared with those of background activity. Gastric motility was facilitated by MAS and LMS at ST36 and inhibited at CV12. The modulatory effects induced by strong MA with potent De-qi (needle grasp feeling) were markedly higher than those by slight MA with mild De-qi sensation (P<0.05). The nociceptive 43°C and 45°C LMS, rather than nonnociceptive 41°C LMS, produced significant regulatory effects on gastric motility. Based on the afferent fibers activated in the present study, these results support the hypothesis that Aδ- and C-afferent fibers were more likely to be involved in the generation of De-qi sensation.

One of the important research works is corporate partnering and reliance on various forms of external collaboration. Although many researchers have focused on the knowledge-based work to help firms collaborate and share their knowledge, few have comprehensively considered the structure of network and cooperative strategies. Our paper differentiates three situations of innovation, and simulates the actions of cooperation between firms with different life cycles in industry cluster with the scale-free network structure. The simulation results show that (a) when the industry cluster develops, firms’ absorbability also is growing, but the behaviors of cooperation do not always increase as firms’ absorbability grows. Sometimes they exhibit inverted U-shape, U-shape, or liner trend. (b) Firms will cooperate to share their information or knowledge automatically if the payoff of the innovation is bigger. (c) The incentive policy does encourage the cooperation between the firms, but the incentive policy about compensation with each cooperation action is more effective than with the periodic fixed incentive.

Background.Tianjiu therapy has established efficacy against chronic asthma with related symptoms or the medication need during asthma attack. This study aimed to explore the optimal duration of Tianjiu therapy for asthma.Methods.This study was a self-comparison-to-the-baseline study, which comparing treatment with Tianjiu therapy for 1 year and 2 years in the same 102 chronic asthma patients. Totally 6 sessions of Tianjiu treatment were provided, 3 sessions in a year as a course of treatment and totally two years treatment. The primary endpoint was the number of asthma related symptoms which frequently appeared in asthma patients and the frequency of bronchodilator used during asthma attack.Results.The frequency of bronchodilator used during asthma attack significantly improved (χ2=46.276,P=0.000). But the number of asthma related symptoms which frequently appeared in asthma patients added by 1.38 points (95% CI, 0.25 to 2.51),2.93±0.41in 1-year group and4.31±0.41in the 2-years group (P<0.05).Conclusions.The effect of 2 years Tianjiu therapy was not as effective as 1 year such treatment for asthma, but the second year Tianjiu therapy was still needed because it has a role to consolidate the curative effect of Tianjiu therapy for asthma.

This study was carried out on adult female Sprague-Dawley rats to observe the position, size, and sensitivity change of inflammatory reactions on body surfaces induced by colorectal import of inflammatory irritant mustard oil. Colorectal distension (CRD) was adopted as a visceral noxious stimulus to record the activities of spinal dorsal horn wide-dynamic range (WDR) neurons activities at spinal segments L1–L3. The study also observed the activations of WDR neurons by electro-acupuncture (EA) on acupoints of Zusanli-Shangjuxu before and after different intensities of CRD stimulation and the dose-response relationship between stimulus and response. The results show that in the case of visceral inflammation, the number of exudation points of neurogenic reaction on body surfaces increased along with the severity of visceral inflammation (Li et al. 2006). The area of peripheral receptive fields of WDR neurons also enlarged along with the intensity of visceral inflammatory response. The activation effect of EA on WDR neurons was positively correlated with the severity of visceral inflammation. Therefore, we concluded that the function of acupoints can be sensitized by visceral noxious stimuli. When the function of internal organs was damaged, the number of reaction points on body surfaces, the size of acupoints’ receptive fields, and the sensitivity of acupoints changed accordingly.

The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of sperm morphology with the intrauterine insemination (IUI) outcome in patients with normal sperm concentration and motility. About 412 couples who underwent 908 IUI cycles were involved in the present study. A total of 110 clinical pregnancies were achieved with a pregnancy rate of 12.11% per cycle. The pregnancy rates per cycle were 7.60%, 12.67%, 13.62% and 13.13% in patients with5%, 5-9%, 10-14% and14% normal forms, respectively. The lowest pregnancy rate (7.60%) was obtained in the group with normal forms below 5%. However, this rate was not significantly different from other subgroups. Moreover, no pregnancies occurred in women35 years old with normal sperm forms below 5%, in comparison with that in other subgroups of the same age. For women younger than 35 years old, no significant difference in pregnancy rate was observed in terms of different level of morphologically normal sperm. Our results show that for patients with normal sperm concentration and motility, IUI is recommended for first-line treatment when the woman is younger than 35 years, or morphologically normal sperm is ≥ 5%. IVF/ICSI should be performed when the normal forms are5% and female age is35 years.

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of electroacupuncture at ST36 for patients with gastrointestinal motility disorders. While several lines of evidence suggest that the effect may involve vagal reflex, the precise molecular mechanism underlying this process still remains unclear. Here we report that the intragastric pressure increase induced by low frequency electric stimulation at ST36 was blocked by AP-5, an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Indeed, stimulating ST36 enhanced NMDAR-mediated, but not 2-amino-3-(5-methyl-3-oxo-1,2-oxazol-4-yl)propanoic-acid-(AMPA-) receptor-(AMPAR-) mediated synaptic transmission in gastric-projecting neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). We also identified that suppression of presynapticμ-opioid receptors may contribute to upregulation of NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission induced by electroacupuncture at ST36. Furthermore, we determined that the glutamate-receptor-2a-(NR2A-) containing NMDARs are essential for NMDAR-mediated enhancement of gastric motility caused by stimulating ST36. Taken together, our results reveal an important role of NMDA receptors in mediating enhancement of gastric motility induced by stimulating ST36.

fMRI studies showed that acupuncture could induce hemodynamic changes in brain networks. Many of these studies focused on whether specific acupoints could activate specific brain regions and were often limited to manual acupuncture at acupoints on the limbs. In this fMRI study, we investigated acupuncture's modulation effects on brain functional networks by electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints on the midline of abdomen. Acupoints Guanyuan (CV4) and Zhongwan (CV12) were stimulated in 21 healthy volunteers. The needling sensations, brain activation, and functional connectivity were studied. We found that the limbic-prefrontal functional network was deactivated by EA at CV4 and CV12. More importantly, the local functional connectivity was significantly changed during EA stimulation, and the change persisted during the period after the stimulation. Although minor differences existed, both acupoints similarly modulated the limbic-prefrontal functional network, which is overlapped with the functional circuits associated with emotional and cognitive regulation.

Auricular acupuncture has been utilized in the treatment of diseases for thousands of years. Dr. Paul Nogier firstly originated the concept of an inverted fetus map on the external ear. In the present study, the relationship between the auricular acupuncture and the vagal regulation has been reviewed. It has been shown that auricular acupuncture plays a role in vagal activity of autonomic functions of cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. Mechanism studies suggested that afferent projections from especially the auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) form the anatomical basis for the vagal regulation of auricular acupuncture. Therefore, we proposed the “auriculovagal afferent pathway” (AVAP): both the autonomic and the central nervous system could be modified by auricular vagal stimulation via projections from the ABVN to the NTS. Auricular acupuncture is also proposed to prevent neurodegenerative diseases via vagal regulation. There is a controversy on the specificity and the efficacy of auricular acupoints for treating diseases. More clinical RCT trials on auricular acupuncture and experimental studies on the mechanism of auricular acupuncture should be further investigated.

Objective.We aim to study the therapeutic effects of scraping by investigating the changes of temperature and local blood perfusion volume in healthy subjects after scraping stimulation, and to explore the mechanism of scraping stimulation from the points of microcirculation and energy metabolism.Methods.Twenty-three health subjects were included in this study. Local blood perfusion volume and body surface temperature was detected at 5 min before scraping stimulation, 0, 15, 30, 60 and 90 min after scraping using Laser Doppler imager and infrared thermograph.Results.Significant increase was noted in the blood perfusion volume in the scraping area within 90 minutes compared to the baseline level and non-scraping area (P<0.001). Compared with non-scraping area, an increase of body temperature with an average of 1°C was observed after scraping stimulation (P<0.01).Conclusion.Scraping can significantly improve the blood perfusion volume and increase the temperature in the scraping area, promoting the local blood circulation and energy metabolism.

Summary The study was aimed at identifying the predictors of the male fertility potential among sperm donors. Fifty anonymous donors undergoing 683 intracervical insemination (ICI) cycles between January 2002 and December 2006 were retrospectively evaluated according to semen characteristics in terms of reproduction rate (RR). We used RR as a parameter to determine the fertility potential among sperm donors. The overall RR was 26.79%. There were no significant differences among low, mean and high RR groups with regard to most sperm routine parameters. However, the RR was notably higher in the sperm morphology of ≥18% than in the

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis (VPL) thalami activated by visceral noxious stimulation and to explore the impact of EA on the mechanism of acupoint sensitization under a pathological state of the viscera, EA was applied at bilateral “Zusanli-Shangjuxu” acupoints. The discharge of VPL neurons was response to EA increased after colorectal distension (CRD). The stimulation at “Zusanli-Shangjuxu” acupoints enhanced discharge activity of VPL neurons under CRD-induced visceral pain. The frequency of neuronal discharge was associated with the pressure gradient of CRD which showed that visceral noxious stimulation may intensify the body’s functional response to stimulation at acupoints.

An integrated vehicle chassis control strategy with driver behavior identification is introduced in this paper. In order to identify the different types of driver behavior characteristics, a driver behavior signals acquisition system was established using the dSPACE real-time simulation platform, and the driver inputs of 30 test drivers were collected under the double lane change test condition. Then, driver behavior characteristics were analyzed and identified based on the preview optimal curvature model through genetic algorithm and neural network method. Using it as a base, an integrated chassis control strategy with active front steering (AFS) and direct yaw moment control (DYC) considering driver characteristics was established by model predictive control (MPC) method. Finally, simulations were carried out to verify the control strategy by CarSim and MATLAB/Simulink. The results show that the proposed method enables the control system to adjust its parameters according to the driver behavior identification results and the vehicle handling and stability performance are significantly improved.

Low-frequency vibrations (0.5–5 Hz) that harm drivers occur in off-road vehicles. Thus, researchers have focused on finding methods to effectively isolate or control low-frequency vibrations. A novel nonlinear seat suspension structure for off-road vehicles is designed, whose static characteristics and seat-human system dynamic response are modeled and analyzed, and experiments are conducted to verify the theoretical solutions. Results show that the stiffness of this nonlinear seat suspension could achieve real zero stiffness through well-matched parameters, and precompression of the main spring could change the nonlinear seat suspension performance when a driver’s weight changes. The displacement transmissibility curve corresponds with the static characteristic curve of nonlinear suspension, where the middle part of the static characteristic curve is gentler and the resonance frequency of the displacement transmissibility curve and the isolation minimum frequency are lower. Damping should correspond with static characteristics, in which the corresponding suspension damping value should be smaller given a flatter static characteristic curve to prevent vibration isolation performance reduction.

In order to investigate the therapeutic potential of acupuncture on patients with functional dyspepsia (FD), patients were randomized to receive acupuncture at classic acupoints with manipulations (treatment group) versus acupuncture at nonacupoints without manipulation (control group) once every other day, three times a week, for one month and were followed up for three months. The primary outcomes included dyspeptic symptoms, quality of life, and mental status. The secondary outcomes included the fasting serum gastrin concentration, and frequency and propagation velocity of gastric slow waves. Sixty patients with FD were included, among whom, four dropped out. After one month's treatment, patients with FD showed significant improvements in primary (in both groups) and secondary (in the eight patients of the treatment group) outcomes as compared with baseline (P=0.0078to P<0.0001except for SDS (P=0.0005)). Improvements on dyspeptic symptoms persist during follow-up (better in the treatment group). Acupuncture with manual manipulation had better effects on improving dyspeptic symptoms, mental status, and quality of life in patients with FD. These effects may be related to the increased frequency and propagation speed of gastric slow waves and serum gastrin secretion.

Routine acupuncture incorporates wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) for its analgesic effect, but WAA is not widely used in clinics due to incomplete knowledge of its effectiveness and concerns about less clinical research and because less people know it. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and possible adverse effects of WAA or WAA adjuvants in the treatment of pain symptoms. This study compared WAA or WAA adjuvant with the following therapies: western medication (WM), sham acupuncture (SA), or body acupuncture (BA). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched systematically in related electronic databases by two independent reviewers. 33 RCTs were finally included, in which 7 RCTs were selected for meta-analysis. It was found that WAA or WAA adjuvant was significantly more effective than WM, SA, or BA in pain relief. There was nothing different between WAA and SA in adverse events, but WAA was marginally significantly safer than WM. Although both WAA and WAA adjuvant appeared to be more effective than WM, SA, or BA in the treatment of pain symptoms with few side effects, further studies with better and more rigorously designed are still necessary to ensure the efficacy and safety issue of WAA due to the poor methodology and small sample size of previous studies.

Basic research on high-tech acupuncture and integrative laser medicine has been successfully performed all over the world during the last decades, using a broad spectrum of innovative biomedical engineering methods. One of the main goals is to combine basic research on high-tech acupuncture with necessary further experimental and clinical pilot studies for the first time. Acupuncture has been used for medical treatment for thousands of years. Using electroacupuncture, needle or laser needle stimulation, and modern biomedical techniques, it was possible for the first time to quantify changes in biological activities caused by acupuncture. The patient is in China—the analysis for the efficacy of acupuncture is performed by experts in Europe. This “transcontinental teleacupuncture” is a way which was realized by our research team within joint Sino-Austrian and Sino-European projects. The investigations are carried out over thousands of kilometers; for example, 24-hour electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings from patients are registered in China, and the data are transferred directly after the acupuncture treatment to an analysis computer at the Medical University of Graz. The acupuncturists in China are informed about the results immediately based on the analysis protocol. These Sino-European studies included this special issue that contains 26 interesting publications, of which 12 are related to needle acupuncture, 5 to laser acupuncture, and 9 to electroacupuncture. Apart from body acupuncture, special emphasis is also given to auricular acupuncture. The investigations cover animal experimental studies and studies in healthy volunteers and patients, as well as basic and clinical research on evidence-based high-tech acupuncture, integrative laser, and translational medicine based on acupuncture and moxibustion. A first introduction of new developments of acupuncture stimulation equipment is also featured among the papers. It has to be mentioned that this special issue has a total impact factor of 124.124 and contains, among others, the following topics: (i) modernization of acupuncture (evidence-based medicine, integrative laser medicine), (ii) high-tech acupuncture, (iii) development of innovative acupuncture stimulation methods (needle, laser, and electroacupuncture), (iv) methods for the quantification of peripheral and central effects of acupuncture, (v) scientific evaluation of complementary medical methods (acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion, and laser therapy), (vi) computer-controlled acupuncture, (vii) teleacupuncture, (viii) laser needle acupuncture, (ix) red- and infrared laser stimulation, (x) violet laser acupuncture, (xi) biomedical assessment of acupuncture. Modernization of acupuncture is a contemporary issue. The bridging between Eastern and Western medicine was successful using modern biomedical engineering technology, as described in this special issue. The next task is to make the arising possibilities and results useable for all involved persons.

Evidence-based research concerning the effects of high-tech acupuncture on autonomic function was performed by two research teams from China and Austria. This study describes the first transcontinental teleacupuncture measurements in animals. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) recordings in 10 male Sprague-Dawley anesthetized rats were performed under stable conditions in Beijing, China, and the data analysis was completed in Graz, Austria. The electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded by an HRV Medilog AR12 system during acupuncture of the ear and body (PC6 Neiguan, CV12 Zhongwan, ST36 Zusanli). The data were analyzed using specially adapted novel Austrian software. HR did not change significantly during any acupuncture stimulation in anesthetized rats (ear acupuncture, PC6, CV12, or ST36). Total HRV only changed significantly(P=0.025)during auricular acupuncture (acupoint heart). The low-frequency/high-frequency ratio parameter decreased significantly(P=0.03)during stimulation of ST36. This change was based on intensification of the related mechanism of blood pressure regulation that has been demonstrated in previous studies in humans. Modernization of acupuncture research performed as a collaboration between China and Austria has also been demonstrated.

Previous studies showed primo vessels (PVs), which were referred to as Bonhan ducts (BHDs) and a part of circulatory system by Kim, located in different places of the body. The BHDs system was once considered as the anatomical basis of classical acupuncture meridian but not clearly identified by other investigators. In the present study, we tried to address the relationship between PVs and meridians through detecting the modulation of gastric motility by stimulating the PVs on the surface of stomach or intestine, as well as acupoints Zusanli (ST36) and Zhongwan (CV12). The results showed electric stimulation of the PVs had no effect on the gastric motility. While stimulating CV12 inhibited gastric motility significantly in PVs-intact and PVs-cut rats, there is no significant difference between the inhibition rate of the PVS-intact and the PVS-cut rats. Stimulating at ST36 increased gastric motility significantly in both the PVs-intact and the PVs-cut rats, yet there was no significant difference between the facilitation rate of the both groups. Taken together, the PVs on the surface of stomach or intestine did not mediate the regulation of gastric motility induced by stimulating at the acupoints ST36 or CV12.

We study the normality of families of meromorphic functions concerning shared values. We consider whether a family of meromorphic functions ℱ is normal inD, if, for every pair of functionsfandgin ℱ,f′−af−nandg′−ag−nshare the valueb, whereaandbare two finite complex numbers such thata≠0,nis a positive integer. Some examples show that the conditions in our results are best possible.

Our special issue, which had opened for 6 months in the second half of 2014, focused on acupoint sensitization, acupuncture analgesia, acupuncture for visceral modulation in gastrointestinal systems, acupuncture for modulation of brain function, acupoint combination treatment of insomnia and gastrointestinal disorders, and nonspecific and specific effects of acupuncture based on stimulation intensity.