Purpose. We tried to investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) can reduce inflammation of dry eye disease (DED) by regulating α7nAChR and inhibiting the NF‐κB signaling pathway. Methods. Healthy New Zealand white rabbits were treated with scopolamine hydrobromide (Scop) for 21 consecutive days to establish the DED animal model. After 21 days, EA, fluorometholone (Flu), and α7nAChR antagonist (α‐BGT) treatments were performed, and the Scop injection was continued until day 35. During treatment, the fluorescence staining of the corneal epithelium and the level of tear flow were observed. The influence of EA on the LG pathology and inflammatory factors ACh, α7nAChR, and NF‐κB was detected using the LG histopathology, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cytokine protein chip technology, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blot. Results. The EA stimulation can reduce the corneal epithelial damage and repair epithelial cell ultrastructure, promote the tear secretion, relieve the LG atrophy and decrease lipid droplet accumulation in LG acinar cell, and reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL‐1, MIP‐1b, TNF‐α, and IL‐8) in the LG. The protective effect of EA on the inflammation and the ocular surface is similar to the corticosteroid Flu. EA and Flu can upregulate the expression of the α7nAChR and downregulate the expression of NF‐κB. The α7nAChR antagonist α‐BGT can reverse the protective effect of EA on the LG and the inhibitory effect on the NF‐κB pathway and the expression of inflammatory factors but cannot affect the expression of Flu on the NF‐κB pathway and inflammatory factors. Conclusion. These results prove that EA can alleviate DEDs by stimulating the acupoints around the eyes. These beneficial effects are related to the upregulation of α7nAChR and the downregulation of NF‐κB in the LG. The protective effect of LG is mediated through the anti‐inflammatory pathway mediated by α7nAChR. EA can reduce the NF‐κB P65 nuclear transcription and reduce inflammatory factors by regulating α7nAChR. This expression indicates that the α7nAChR/NF‐κB signaling pathway may serve as a potential therapeutic target for EA to treat DEDs.

The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical effects of abdominal massage on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its influence on the intestinal microflora. We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial. A total of 60 patients with T2DM, who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly allocated to the control group, the routine massage group, and the abdominal massage group. The control group received health education and maintained their hypoglycemic drug treatment plan. The routine massage group and the abdominal massage group received different massage interventions. In addition to glucose and lipid metabolism indicators, we quantitatively analyzed the gut microbiota to assess the effects of massage on the intestinal microflora of patients with T2DM. Compared with the control group, the abdominal massage improved levels of glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, Enterobacter, and Bifidobacteria with significant differences (P = 0.02, P = 0.03, P = 0.03, and P = 0.03). The comparison within group showed that the levels of the four bacterial genera in the abdominal massage group revealed significant differences before and after treatment (P = 0.006, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002). The comparison between the routine massage group and the abdominal massage group was not significantly different in all levels of test indices. The abdominal massage group regulated levels of Enterobacter and Lactobacilli to a greater extent than the routine massage group. Additionally, abdominal massage decreased Enterococcus levels. The results of this study showed that abdominal massage has clinical advantages over routine massage. Specifically, this intervention may correct microflora disturbances to a certain extent.

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to determine the mechanism of improvement in dry eye diseases (DEDs) treated by acupuncture. The inflammatory molecules and related pathways will be analyzed in our study. Methods. In order to establish the animal model for DEDs, healthy New Zealand white rabbits were treated with scopolamine (Scop) hydrobromide for 21 consecutive days. After 21 days, acupuncture, fluorometholone (Flu), and α7nAChR antagonist (α-BGT) treatments were performed, and the Scop injections were continued until day 35. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture on DED inflammation was evaluated by corneal fluorescence staining, tear film rupture time, tear flow measurement, in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), corneal histopathology, and cytokine protein chip technology. The influence of acupuncture on the corneal pathology and inflammatory factors ACh, α7nAChR, and NF-κB was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot. Results. Compared with the group Scop, acupuncture can significantly reduce corneal staining and increase the tear film rupture time and tear flow, which are accompanied by a decrease in corneal epithelial detachment and lymphocyte infiltration. Acupuncture can relieve the inflammation of corneal stroma and mitigate the expression of proinflammatory factors and chemokines. Acupuncture can upregulate the expression of ACh and α7nAChR and downregulate the expression of NF-κB. Conclusion. Our findings demonstrate that acupuncture can alleviate corneal inflammation in New Zealand white rabbits with DEDs via α7nAChR and NF-κB signaling pathway regulation. The expression indicates that α7nAChR/NF-κB signaling pathway may be active and that acupuncture is a potential therapeutic target for dry eye.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a condition marked by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Static training, as a form of exercise intervention, is increasingly demonstrating benefits for improving T2DM. However, the underlying mechanisms remain inadequately elucidated. Research suggests that insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) could be a significant contributor to this phenomenon. In this study, static training significantly reduced fasting and random blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL, while increasing HDL and improving insulin sensitivity. Transcriptomics suggested that static training might regulate the IGF-2 pathway and related genes. WB and PCR results showed that IGF-2 expression was upregulated in the static training group, and IGF-2 inhibitors attenuated these effects, whereas IGF-2 overexpression enhanced them. In conclusion, static training improves insulin resistance in T2DM mice via the IGF-2/IGF-1R pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic intervention.

Objective: This study aims to observe the effect of Electroacupuncture (EA) on improving ocular surface inflammation and HMGB1 -related signaling pathways in dry eye disease (DED). Methods: Healthy male C57BL/6 J mice were treated with scopolamine hydrobromide for 21 consecutive days to establish the animal models for DED. After 21 days, fluorometholone (Flu), EA, and sham EA (Sham) treatments were performed. The effect of EA on DED surface inflammation was evaluated by corneal fluorescence staining, phenol red thread test, in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), and corneal histopathology. The influence of EA on high-mobility group box 1 ( HMGB1 ), receptor for advanced glycation end products ( RAGE ), toll-like receptor 2 ( TLR2 ) and toll-like receptor 4 ( TLR4 ) was assessed by immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and western blot. The influence of EA on interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: EA can significantly increase tear flow and reduce corneal staining and corneal stromal inflammation, while also improving the morphologic structure of the cornea and lacrimal glands. The levels of HMGB1, RAGE, TLR2, TLR4, and IL-6 were significantly decreased while IL-10 level was significantly increased after EA treatment, indicating that EA may improve dry eye surface inflammation by inhibiting HMGB1-related signaling pathways. Conclusion: The findings presented in our study demonstrate that EA may improve ocular surface inflammation in mice with DED by inhibiting the HMGB1-related signaling pathways. Therefore, EA may be a potential therapeutic target for DED.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a rapidly growing global public health issue, affecting over 500 million people worldwide. Although abdominal massage has shown potential benefits in managing T2DM, its effectiveness remains unclear, particularly in animal studies, where challenges such as animal compliance and the need for precise pressure control complicate implementation. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel abdominal massage simulation device specifically designed for mice. This device provides a practical solution for conducting abdominal massage interventions in a controlled manner while minimizing stress and tissue damage to the animals. It securely restrains the mice's limbs, allowing them to remain conscious during the massage, and offers precise control over both the pressure and frequency of the massage applied to the abdomen. The device's ability to simulate manual abdominal massage with accuracy opens new possibilities for experimental studies assessing its effects on T2DM. The primary goal of this protocol is to investigate the impact of abdominal massage on key T2DM markers such as blood glucose levels, lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity in mice. By providing a reliable and reproducible method for abdominal massage, this device can offer valuable insights into its potential as a non-invasive therapeutic intervention for T2DM. The findings from this research may contribute to advancing clinical strategies for diabetes prevention and treatment, particularly in enhancing the understanding of traditional therapies like abdominal massage in modern medical practice.