Comparative effectiveness of acupuncture in sham-controlled trials for knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objectives: Although many trials have assessed the effect of acupuncture on knee osteoarthritis (KOA), its efficacy remains controversial. Sham acupuncture techniques are regarded as representative control interventions in acupuncture trials and sometimes incorporate the use of sham devices (base units) to support a non-penetrating needle. To achieve successful blinding, these trials also use acupuncture base units in the verum acupuncture group. Base units are not used in real-world clinical settings. We aimed to assess the effect sizes of verum and sham acupuncture for KOA in sham-controlled trials with or without base units. Methods: A total of 10 electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of verum manual acupuncture and sham acupuncture for the treatment of KOA were searched for articles published before April 12, 2022. The primary outcome was pain intensity, and the secondary outcomes included physical function. The first assessment after the end of treatment was chosen for analysis. Effect sizes are reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and Egger’s test. The quality of evidence for estimates was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Results: Fifteen RCTs were included. There was generally a low risk of bias except for the difficulty in blinding acupuncture therapists (performance bias). Compared to verum acupuncture in sham-controlled trials using base units, verum acupuncture in sham-controlled trials without base units was more effective for improving pain (SMD −0.56, 95% CI −1.09 to −0.03) and function (SMD −0.73, 95% CI −1.36 to −0.10) in KOA. The quality of evidence for network estimates was moderate to low due to the risk of bias and imprecision. Conclusion: These findings suggest that verum acupuncture in different types of sham-controlled trials has different effect sizes for KOA. Because base units are not used in clinical settings, the results of verum acupuncture in sham-controlled trials with base units need to be interpreted carefully

Toward the Evidence of the Accretion Disk Emission in the Symbiotic Star RR Tel

In this paper, we argue that in the symbiotic star RR Tel the existence of an accretion disk around the hot companion is strongly implied by the characteristic features exhibited by the Raman-scattered O VI lines around 6830 \AA and 7088 \AA. High degrees of polarization and double-peaked profiles in the Raman-scattered lines and single-peak profiles for other emission lines are interpreted as line-of-sight effects, where the H I scatterers near the giant see an incident double-peaked profile and an observer with a low inclination sees single-peak profiles. It is predicted that different mass concentrations around the accretion disk formed by a dusty wind may lead to the disparate ratios of the blue peak strength to the red counterpart observed in the 6830 and 7088 features. We discuss the evolutionary links between symbiotic stars and bipolar protoplanetary nebulae and conclude that the Raman scattering processes may play an important role in investigation of the physical properties of these objects.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ Letter

Janus and Multifaced Supersymmetric Theories

We investigate the various properties Janus supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories. A novel vacuum structure is found and BPS monopoles and dyons are studied. Less supersymmetric Janus theories found before are derived by a simpler method. In addition, we find the supersymmetric theories when the coupling constant depends on two and three spatial coordinates.Comment: 20 pages, no figures, typos, equations corrected. Additional comment

Vortex Dynamics in Selfdual Maxwell-Higgs Systems with Uniform Background Electric Charge Density

We introduce selfdual Maxwell-Higgs systems with uniform background electric charge density and show that the selfdual equations satisfied by topological vortices can be reduced to the original Bogomol'nyi equations without any background. These vortices are shown to carry no spin but to feel the Magnus force due to the shielding charge carried by the Higgs field. We also study the dynamics of slowly moving vortices and show that the spin-statistics theorem holds to our vortices.Comment: 24 pages + 2 figures ( not included), Cu-TP-611, IASSNS-HEP-93/33, NSF-ITP-93-13

A novel regulatory circuit specifies cell fate in the Arabidopsis root epidermis

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75165/1/j.1399-3054.2006.00606.x.pd

Chern-Simons Solitons, Chiral Model, and (affine) Toda Model on Noncommutative Space

We consider the Dunne-Jackiw-Pi-Trugenberger model of a U(N) Chern-Simons gauge theory coupled to a nonrelativistic complex adjoint matter on noncommutative space. Soliton configurations of this model are related the solutions of the chiral model on noncommutative plane. A generalized Uhlenbeck's uniton method for the chiral model on noncommutative space provides explicit Chern-Simons solitons. Fundamental solitons in the U(1) gauge theory are shaped as rings of charge `n' and spin `n' where the Chern-Simons level `n' should be an integer upon quantization. Toda and Liouville models are generalized to noncommutative plane and the solutions are provided by the uniton method. We also define affine Toda and sine-Gordon models on noncommutative plane. Finally the first order moduli space dynamics of Chern-Simons solitons is shown to be trivial.Comment: latex, JHEP style, 23 pages, no figur

Curvature of the Universe and Observed Gravitational Lens Image Separations Versus Redshift

In a flat, k=0 cosmology with galaxies that approximate singular isothermal spheres, gravitational lens image separations should be uncorrelated with source redshift. But in an open k=-1 cosmology such gravitational lens image separations become smaller with increasing source redshift. The observed separations do become smaller with increasing source redshift but the effect is even stronger than that expected in an Omega=0 cosmology. The observations are thus not compatible with the "standard" gravitational lensing statistics model in a flat universe. We try various open and flat cosmologies, galaxy mass profiles, galaxy merging and evolution models, and lensing aided by clusters to explain the correlation. We find the data is not compatible with any of these possibilities within the 95% confidence limit, leaving us with a puzzle. If we regard the observed result as a statistical fluke, it is worth noting that we are about twice as likely to observe it in an open universe (with 0<Omega<0.4) as we are to observe it in a flat one. Finally, the existence of an observed multiple image lens system with a source at z=4.5 places a lower limit on the deceleration parameter: q_0 > -2.0.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures, AASTeX

1/16-BPS Black Holes and Giant Gravitons in the AdS_5 X S^5 Space

We explore 1/16-BPS objects of type IIB string theory in AdS_5 * S^5. First, we consider supersymmetric AdS_5 black holes, which should be 1/16-BPS and have a characteristic that not all physical charges are independent. We point out that the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of these black holes admits a remarkably simple expression in terms of (dependent) physical charges, which suggests its microscopic origin via certain Cardy or Hardy-Ramanujan formula. We also note that there is an upper bound for the angular momenta given by the electric charges. Second, we construct a class of 1/16-BPS giant graviton solutions in AdS_5 * S^5 and explore their properties. The solutions are given by the intersections of AdS_5 * S^5 and complex 3 dimensional holomorphic hyperspaces in C^{1+5}, the latter being the zero loci of three holomorphic functions which are homogeneous with suitable weights on coordinates. We investigate examples of giant gravitons, including their degenerations to tensionless strings.Comment: 25 pages, no figures, v2: references added, comments added in the conclusio

Acupuncture for sequelae of Bell's palsy: a randomized controlled trial protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>Incomplete recovery from facial palsy has a long-term impact on the quality of life, and medical options for the sequelae of Bell's palsy are limited. Invasive treatments and physiotherapy have been employed to relieve symptoms, but there is limited clinical evidence for their effectiveness. Acupuncture is widely used on Bell's palsy patients in East Asia, but there is insufficient evidence for its effectiveness on Bell's palsy sequelae. The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in patients with sequelae of Bell's palsy.</p> <p>Method/Design</p> <p>This study consists of a randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms: an acupuncture group and a waitlist group. The acupuncture group will receive acupuncture treatment three times per week for a total of 24 sessions over 8 weeks. Participants in the waitlist group will not receive any acupuncture treatments during this 8 week period, but they will participate in the evaluations of symptoms at the start of the study, at 5 weeks and at 8 weeks after randomization, at which point the same treatment as the acupuncture group will be provided. The primary outcome will be analyzed by the change in the Facial Disability Index (FDI) from baseline to week eight. The secondary outcome measures will include FDI from baseline to week five, House-Brackmann Grade, lip mobility, and stiffness scales.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled-Trials <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN43104115">ISRCTN43104115</a>; registration date: 06 July 2010; the date of the first patient's randomization: 04 August 2010</p

Moxibustion for hypertension: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Moxibustion is a traditional East Asian medical therapy that uses the heat generated by burning herbal preparations containing <it>Artemisia vulgaris </it>to stimulate acupuncture points. The aim of this review was to evaluate previously published clinical evidence for the use of moxibustion as a treatment for hypertension.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched 15 databases without language restrictions from their respective dates of inception until March 2010. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing moxibustion to either antihypertensive drugs or no treatment. The risk of bias was assessed for each RCT.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the course of our search, we identified 519 relevant articles. A total of 4 RCTs met all the inclusion criteria, two of which failed to report favorable effects of moxibustion on blood pressure (BP) compared to the control (antihypertensive drug treatment alone). However, a third RCT showed significant effects of moxibustion as an adjunct treatment to antihypertensive drug therapy for lowering BP compared to antihypertensive drug therapy alone. The fourth RCT included in this review addressed the immediate BP-lowering effects of moxibustion compared to no treatment. None of the included RCTs reported the sequence generation, allocation concealment and evaluator blinding.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is insufficient evidence to suggest that moxibustion is an effective treatment for hypertension. Rigorously designed trials are warranted to answer the many remaining questions.</p