This article gives a brief account of the origin and development of pestle needle therapy, and its special acupoints, needling instruments and commonly used techniques, and explores the close relationship between pestle needle therapy and the traditional Chinese medical theory to seek more theory support of this therapy from traditional Chinese medicine. The article also summarizes clinical indications for pestle needle therapy and regularities in the practical application of this therapy to promote the inheritance and development of pestle needle therapy.

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.
Acupuncture Points ; Data Mining ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Dysmenorrhea ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Objective To investigate if there were connections between sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in transmembrane protein 175 (TMEM175 rs34311866), methylcrotonoyl-coenzyme A carboxylase 1 ( MCCC1 rs12637471 ) and alpha-synuclein (SNCA rs356182) in Northern Chinese Han population , and provide basic data for PD genetic research. Methods The research recruited 310 sporadic PD patients in northern Chinese Han population from the Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of China Medical University between 2008 and 2012, and 339 controls without nervous system manifestations from other departments of the First Hospital of China Medical University during the same period.We applied cleaved amplification polymorphism sequence-tagged sites polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method to detect the genotype distributions of the SNPs in the northern Chinese Han population , and calculated relevance with PD of the SNPs by chi-square test.Results According to the data, the allele A of SNCA rs356182 had positive effects on the onset of PD in northern Chinese Han population compared with controls (patient group A%＝20.97%(130/620), control group A% ＝29.20%(198/678), χ2＝11.632, P＝0.001); allele G of MCCC1 rs12637471 (χ2＝0.009, P＝0.926) and allele C of TMEM175 rs34311866 (χ2＝1.369, P＝0.242) showed no significant differences between PD and control groups.Conclusion SNCA rs356182 was related with PD, and TMEM175 rs34311866 (M311Y) as well as MCCC1 rs12637471 showed no correlation with PD in the northern Chinese Han population.

Cells within tissues are subject to various mechanical forces,including hydrostatic pressure,shear stress,compression,and tension.These mechanical stimuli can be converted into biochemical signals through mechanoreceptors or cytoskeleton-dependent response processes,shaping the microenvironment and maintaining cellular physiological balance.Several studies have demonstrated the roles of Yes-associated protein(YAP)and its homolog transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif(TAZ)as mechanotransducers,exerting dynamic influence on cellular phenotypes including differentiation and disease pathogenesis.This regulatory function entails the involvement of the cytoskeleton,nucleoskeleton,integrin,focal adhesions(FAs),and the integration of multiple signaling pathways,including extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),wingless/integrated(WNT),and Hippo signaling.Furthermore,emerging evidence substantiates the implication of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)as mechanosensitive molecules in cellular mechanotransduction.In this review,we discuss the mechanisms through which YAP/TAZ and lncRNAs serve as effectors in responding to mechanical stimuli.Additionally,we summarize and elaborate on the crucial signal molecules involved in mechanotransduction.

Insomnia is the second most common psychiatric disorder in clinical practice, and more than one-third of adults may experience different forms of insomnia during their lifetime, but the root causes behind insomnia need further clarification. Early evidences from twins and family studies had shown that insomnia can be attributed to genetics. In recent years, with the rapid development of gene sequencing technology, Nature Genetics had published several consecutive articles focusing on insomnia and genes, confirming that genetic factors played an important role in the occurrence and development of insomnia. Therefore, the recent research progresses on insomnia and circadian rhythm, cytokines, neurotransmitters, and other related genes were summarized in this review, which could help to understand the pathogenesis of insomnia and develop precise treatment strategies.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment and α1B adrenoceptors (ADRA1B) and ADRA1D in the cerebral cortex of rats.Methods Forty-eight SPF adult Sprague-Dawley rats (half male,half female),weighing 220-260 g,were divided into control group (C group,n =24) and sevoflurane group (S group,n =24) using a random number table method.Group C and group S inhaled air and 3％ sevoflurane,respectively,for 5 h.Eight rats in each group were sacrificed immediately after anesthesia,and the cerebral cortex was removed.Eight rats in each group were selected on days 1 and 7 after anesthesia and underwent Barnes maze test.The rats were then sacrificed,and the cerebral cortex was removed.The expression of ADRA1B and ADRA1D protein and mRNA in cerebral cortex tissues was detected by Western blot and fluorescent quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,respectively.Results Compared with group C,the number of entering incorrect holes was significantly increased at 1 and 7 days after anesthesia,the latency and total distance to enter the target hole were prolonged,and the expression of ADRA1B and ADRA1D protein and mRNA in cerebral cortex was down-regulated immediately after anesthesia and at 1 and 7 days after anesthesia in group S (P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism underlying sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment may be related to the down-regulated expression of ADRA1B and ADRA1D in cerebral cortex of rats.

Objective:To evaluate the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) signaling pathway in sevoflurane postconditioning-induced attenuation of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.Methods:Eighty SPF healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 300-340 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=20 each) by a random number table method: sham operation group (group S), myocardial I/R group (group I/R), myocardial I/R plus sevoflurane postconditioning group (group ISP), and myocardial I/R plus sevoflurane postconditioning plus GLP-1R antagonist group (group ISPE). The myocardial I/R injury model was developed by ligating the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery for 40 min followed by 2-h reperfusion in anesthetized rats.In group ISP, the rats inhaled 2.4% sevoflurane for 15 min starting from the beginning of reperfusion.In group ISPE, GLP-1R antagonist Exendin9-39 50 μg/kg (in 1 ml 0.9% normal saline) was intraperitoneally injected once a day from 28 days before development of the model, the last intraperitoneal injection was completed at 40 min before inhalation of sevoflurane, and the other treatments were the same as those previously described in group ISP.Blood samples from the abdominal aorta were collected immediately after reperfusion to determine the serum levels of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Then the rats were sacrificed, and the hearts were obtained for microscopic examination of the histopathological changes of myocardial tissues (by HE staining) and the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes (with a transmission electron microscope) for determination of the myocardial infarct size (TTC staining), expression of GLP-1R in myocardium (by immunohistochemical staining), expression of GLP-1R, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), phospho-CREB (p-CREB), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated x protein (Bax) in myocardium (by Western blot). The ratios of p-CREB/CREB and Bcl-2/Bax were calculated. Results:Compared with group S, the serum levels of CK-MB and LDH and percentage of myocardial infarct size were significantly increased, the expression of GLP-1R was up-regulated, the expression of cAMP and PKA was down-regulated, and the p-CREB/CREB ratio and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were decreased in group I/R ( P<0.05). Compared with group I/R, the serum levels of CK-MB and LDH and percentage of myocardial infarct size were significantly decreased, the expression of GLP-1R, cAMP and PKA was up-regulated, and p-CREB/CREB ratio and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were increased in group ISP ( P<0.05). Compared with group ISP, the serum levels of CK-MB and LDH and percentage of myocardial infarct size were significantly increased, the expression of GLP-1R, cAMP and PKA was down-regulated, and the p-CREB/CREB ratio and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were decreased in group ISPE ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Sevoflurane postconditioning can attenuate myocardial I/R injury by activation of GLP-1R signal pathway and inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in rats.

Objective:To investigate the role of receptor-interacting protein kinse3 (RIPK3)-mediated necroptosis in diabetic mellitus-caused abolition of cardioprotection induced by sevoflurane postconditioning in rats.Methods:Eighty rats with diabetes mellitus, aged 4-5 weeks, weighing 90-100 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=20 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (group Sham), myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) group (group I/R), sevoflurane postconditioning group (group SP) and sevoflurane postconditiong plus RIPK3 inhibitor GSK-872 group (group GSK). Myocardial I/R was induced by 40 min occlusion of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery followed by 120 min reperfusion.In group SP, 2.4% sevoflurane was inhaled for 15 min at the beginning of reperfusion.In group GSK, GSK-872 3.3 mg/kg (dissolved in normal saline) was intraperitoneally injected at 24 and 2 h before surgery, and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group SP.After 120 min of reperfusion, blood samples from the abdominal aorta were collected for determination of concentrations of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB). Myocardial tissues were taken for determination of percentage of myocardial infarct size (by TTC staining) and expression of RIPK3, phospho-Ca 2+ -calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ (p-CaMKⅡ) and phospho-mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (p-MLKL) (by Western blot), and the ultrastructure of myocardium was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results:Compared with group Sham, the serum LDH and CK-MB concentrations and percentage of myocardial infarct size were significantly increased, the expression of RIPK3, p-MLKL and p-CaMKⅡ in myocardial tissues was up-regulated ( P<0.05), and the damage to cardiomyocytes was severe in group I/R.Compared with group I/R, no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group SP ( P>0.05). Compared with group SP, the serum LDH and CK-MB concentrations and percentage of myocardial infarct size were significantly decreased, the expression of RIPK3, p-MLKL and p-CaMKⅡ in myocardial tissues was down-regulated ( P<0.05), and the damage to cardiomyocytes was reduced in group GSK. Conclusion:The mechanism of diabetic mellitus-caused abolition of cardioprotection induced by sevoflurane postconditioning is related to excessive activation of RIPK3-mediated necroptosis in rats.

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is one of the fastest-growing fields of medicine today. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of NIBS as an innovative, safe, and cost-effective treatment method applied to insomnia. Starting from treatment mechanism and clinical effect, we summarize the current research status of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation, the two most common NIBSs used in insomnia treatment, and analyze the existing research limitations and its future development direction, in order to provide references for further promoting the clinical application of NIBS in insomnia treatment.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of valproic acid monotherapy in patients with convulsive epilepsy in several rural areas of Jiangsu Province,China,in 2005-2020.Methods The patients with convulsive epilepsy were given valproic acid monotherapy and follow-up management,and they were analyzed in terms of clinical features,medica-tion dose,drug efficacy,and adverse reactions.Results A total of 195 patients with convulsive epilepsy were enrolled in this study,among whom there were 117 male patients.Among these patients,48.72%were treated with valproate acid at a maximum dose of≤600 mg/d.In this study,193 patients were followed up for 1 year,with a response rate of 74.09%,and 79 patients were followed up for 5 years,with a cumulative response rate increasing to 87.34%.The incidence rate of adverse reactions gradually decreased with the increase in the course of treatment,and there was an increase in the propor-tion of patients with a subjective feeling of improvement in their conditions.Conclusion Valproic acid monotherapy has a marked clinical effect with slight adverse reactions,and thus it can be widely used in the treatment of patients with con-vulsive epilepsy in rural areas.