OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and the live birth rate (LBR) using different propensity score methods. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, eligible women who underwent a COH were divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. The primary outcome was LBR, as determined by propensity score matching (PSM). LBR was defined as the delivery of one or more living infants that reached a gestational age over 28 weeks after embryo transfer. The propensity score model encompassed 16 confounding variables. To validate the results, sensitivity analyses were conducted using three additional propensity score methods: propensity score adjustment, inverse probability weighting (IPW), and IPW with a "doubly robust" estimator. RESULTS: The primary cohort encompassed 9751 patients (1830 [18.76%] in the acupuncture group and 7921 [81.23%] in the non-acupuncture group). Following 1:1 PSM, a higher LBR was found in the acupuncture cohort (41.4% [755/1824] vs 36.4% [664/1824], with an odds ratio of 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41]). Three additional propensity score methods produced essentially similar results. The risk of serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION This retrospective study revealed an association between acupuncture and an increased LBR among patients undergoing COH, and that acupuncture is a safe and valuable treatment option. Please cite this article as: Zheng XY, Jiang ZY, Li YT, Li CL, Zhu H, Yu Z, Yu SY, Yang LL, Tang SY, Lü XY, Liang FR, Yang J. Association between acupuncture and live birth rates after fresh embryo transfer: A cohort study based on different propensity score methods. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):528-536.
Humans ; Female ; Propensity Score ; Embryo Transfer ; Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy ; Live Birth ; Birth Rate ; Cohort Studies

AIM: To assess the association between the Dem, axial length/corneal radius ratio(AL/CR ratio), and the refractive status of children aged 3 to 14, compare the efficiency of Dem with AL/CR ratio in predicting myopia, and to explore a more effective method for quantitatively predicting the refractive state of children.METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 519 children aged 3 to 14, including 519 eyes(data from the right eyes were used). All participants were out-patients at the ophthalmic clinic of Xi'an No.1 Hospital from March 2021 to December 2022. The axial length(AL), keratometry(K), Dem, and spherical equivalent refraction(SER)were recorded before ciliary paralysis, and myopia was defined when the SER ≤-0.50 D.RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between SER and Dem(r=0.88, P<0.01), and a negative correlation between SER and the AL/CR ratio(r=-0.87, P<0.01)in children aged 3-14. The optimal cutoff points for the Dem and AL/CR ratio were 20.40 D, and 3.02, respectively. Myopia could be diagnosed when the Dem ≤20.40 D or the AL/CR ratio ≥3.02. SER decreased by 0.57 D for every 1 D decrease in Dem and by 1.00 D for every 0.06 increase in the AL/CR ratio. The area under the ROC curve(AUC)for Dem(0.958)was significantly greater than that for the AL/CR ratio(0.940).CONCLUSION: There is a positive correlation between SER and Dem, and a negative correlation between SER and the AL/CR ratio in children aged 3-14. Dem is more efficient than the AL/CR ratio in myopia assessment. The eye biometrics directly provide Dem values, which is more convenient for calculating the dose-effect relationship with SER, thus making it more efficient for predicting SER in children.

Background::Keratinocytes play an important role in wound healing; however, less is known about skin keratinocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aimed to search for the transcriptional characteristics of keratinocytes at the single-cell level from T2DM patients, and to provide experimental data for identifying the pathological mechanisms of keratinocytes under pathological conditions.Methods::We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on the skin tissue from two T2DM patients and one patient without diabetes-induced trauma using the BD Rhapsody TM Single-Cell Analysis System. With the help of bioinformatics R-based single-cell analysis software, we analyzed the results of single-cell sequencing to identify the single-cell subsets and transcriptional characteristics of keratinocytes at the single-cell level, including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology analyzes. Results::In this study, we found specific highly expressed signature keratinocyte-related genes. We analyzed the transcriptome of keratinocytes from experimental and control groups and screened a total of 356 differential genes, which were subject to bioinformatics analysis. Enriched pathways included oxidative phosphorylation, antigen processing and presentation, prion and Huntingtons’ diseases, bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, thermogenesis, vasopressin-regulated water reabsorption, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum.Conclusions::This study revealed the characteristics of keratinocytes at the single-cell level and screened a group of differentially expressed genes related to T2DM-associated keratinocytes, oxidative phosphorylation, cytokine receptor interactions, prion diseases, and other signaling pathways.

Objective:To analyze the superficial retinal blood flow around the optic disc of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION) patients with affected eyes and contralateral healthy eyes, compared with healthy people.Methods:From May 2018 to may 2019, 30 patients with NA-AION in Xi′an No. 1 Hospital were selected. The changes of superficial retinal blood flow density and perfusion around the optic disc on OCTA of 30 patients with NA-AION, whose contralateral healthy eyes were compared. The pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP) of both eyes was also compared. 30 healthy people with no history of eye disease and history of eye surgery were selected as healthy control group, and differences between healthy control group and contralateral healthy eye group in NA-AION patients of the superficial retinal blood flow density and perfusion around the optic disc were compared.Results:The average values of serum homocysteine, apolipoprotein E and low density lipoprotein in 30 patients with NA-AION were higher than the normal reference range. Compared with the contralateral healthy eyes, the effected eyes of NA-AION patients had lower retinal blood flow density and perfusion in the center, inner layer and complete area of the optic disc, with significantly difference ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the latency and amplitude of PVEP-P100 between the two groups ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the density and perfusion of superficial retinal blood flow in the center, inner layer and complete area of the optic disc between the contralateral healthy eyes of NA-AION patients and healthy control ( P>0.05). Conclusions:OCTA is a safe, rapid and non-invasive test, and it can detect blood perfusion defects promptly, which can be used as the most commonly test method for patients with NA-AION in order to make auxiliary diagnosis and gain time for clinical treatment.

Gastric cancer (GC) is known as a top malignant type of tumors worldwide. Despite the recent decrease in mortality rates, the prognosis remains poor. Therefore, it is necessary to find novel biomarkers with early diagnostic value for GC. In this study, we present a large-scale proteomic analysis of 30 GC tissues and 30 matched healthy tissues using label-free global proteome profiling. Our results identified 537 differentially expressed proteins, including 280 upregulated and 257 downregulated pro-teins. The ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) results indicated that the sirtuin signaling pathway was the most activated pathway in GC tissues whereas oxidative phosphorylation was the most inhibited. More-over, the most activated molecular function was cellular movement, including tissue invasion by tumor cell lines. Based on IPA results, 15 hub proteins were screened. Using the receiver operating character-istic curve, most of hub proteins showed a high diagnostic power in distinguishing between tumors and healthy controls. A four-protein (ATP5B-ATP5O-NDUFB4-NDUFB8) diagnostic signature was built using a random forest model. The area under the curve (AUC) values of this model were 0.996 and 0.886 for the training and testing sets, respectively, suggesting that the four-protein signature has a high diag-nostic power. This signature was further tested with independent datasets using plasma enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays, resulting in an AUC value of 0.778 for distinguishing GC tissues from healthy controls, and using immunohistochemical tissue microarray analysis, resulting in an AUC value of 0.805. In conclusion, this study identifies potential biomarkers and improves our understanding of the pathogenesis, providing novel therapeutic targets for GC.

The DNA extraction method of animal medicine material is difficult and un-unified,which limits the application of molecular identification to identify animal medicines.In this study,based on the DNA extraction theory of SDS,we assessed the effects of three elements including different EDTA concentrations (0.025 mol·L-1,0.25 mol· L-1,and 0.5 mol· L-1) and whether containing NaCl and Triton X-100 in the lysis buffer on the quality of DNA extracted from different kinds of animal medicine.The optimized lysis buffer was used to extract DNA from 121 commercial animal medicines for original and species identification.The results showed that the lysis buffer of 1％ SDS,0.03 mol· L-1 Tris-HCl,0.25 mol· L-1 EDTA and 0.2 mol· L-1 NaCl had the optimum effect on DNA extraction.This lysis buffer can obtain DNA from animal medicine which is difficult to extract,such as Cicadae periostracum.The DNA extractions of 121 commercial animal medicines by optimized lysis buffer can satisfy the experimental requirements for molecular identification.All samples of commercial animal medicines can be accurately identified to the level of species.It was concluded that optimized lysis buffer can be used in the DNA extraction of different kinds of animal medicines except shells,secretions and processed products.This method provides technique support for the molecular identification of animal medicines.

Objectives:To evaluate essential medicines accessibility from the availability, drug price level and affordability perspective in Beijing. Methods:Data was collected from a sample of a Beijing social security database on diabetes in 2013 and a field research on 4 primary healthcare institutions. The essential medicine equipping rate, medium price ratio ( MPR) and poverty-inducing effect were selected as accessibility indicators. Results:Among 21 sample drugs, the nitrendipine, magnesium sulfate, sodium nitroprusside, prazosin, phentolamine and glyburide e-quipping rates are less than 15%. The 9 sample drugs MPR varied from 1. 3 to 27. 4. The hypertension, hyper-lipemia and diabete poverty-inducing rate varied from 0. 44% to 0. 70% in urban areas, and varied from 1. 17% to 1. 88% in rural areas. Conclusion:Some essential medicines in Beijing are equipped with a very low rate, but have a high price level, and the poverty-inducing population is large. We recommend strengthening the monitoring of es-sential medicines accessibility and introducing appropriate supporting policies.

Objective To explore the safety of Habib VesOpen bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) catheter used in the treatment of portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Methods A total of 10 miniature pigs were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A(n=6):RFA of normal portal vein was directly performed;group B (n=2): balloon obstruction of the portal vein was performed first, which was followed by RFA for the fresh thrombus in the portal vein; group C (n=2): PVTT model was established first, and RFA of the portal vein was carried out when the portal thrombus became organized. MRI examination was employed at one, 3 and 4 weeks after RFA; the animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after RFA and pathological examination of portal vein was performed. Results Pigs of group A received portal vein RFA under the condition of 5 W power for 0.6-3.6 min. No obvious abnormality was detected by MRI and pathological examination , which were performed one month after the treatment. In the pigs of group B , MRI performed after RFA showed that the damage of portal vein area was more serious than that in the pigs of group A;abdominal MRI examination performed at one, 3 and 4 weeks after RFA showed that the portal venous edema was gradually decreased;pathological examination at one month after RFA demonstrated serious injury of adjacent liver tissue. Pigs of group C received portal vein RFA under the condition of 7 W power for 1.5 min; no obvious edema of the ablated area was observed on MRI performed after RFA , and pathological examination revealed organized thrombus necrosis and va scular endothelial cell damage. Conclusion When Habib VesOpen bipolar RFA catheter is used for the treatment of PVTT, the RFA power and time should be properly selected according to the severity of PVTT. In order to ensure a safer procedure, high power and short ablation time should be used when the severity of PVTT is mild, while low power and longer ablation time are recommended when the PVTT is more severe.

Background Fungal corneal ulcer is a visual-threatening eye disease,and drug therapy has a limiting efficacy.Corneal transplantation or eye enucleation sometimes is necessary to the severe patients.Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) is an effective method for some corneal diseases,but the study on CXL for fungal corneal ulcer is lack.Objective This study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety CXL for fungal corneal ulcer.Methods Fifteen 8-week-old healthy New Zealand white rabbits were used in this study and other 5 rabbits served as normal controls.Fungal corneal ulcer models were established in the right eyes of other 10 rabbits by infecting sickle bacteria liquid after corneal scratching and removing corneal epithelium,then decellularized ostrich corneal patch covered the defected cornea.The models were randomly divided into the non-treatment group and the CXL treatment group.Corneal lesions were examined under the slit lamp microscope every day,and cornea was pictured by laser scanning confocal microscope on the 3rd,7th,14th,21st and 28th day individually after CXL.All rabbits were sacrificed and corneal tissues were obtained 4 weeks after treatment,and the collagen fiber diameter and fibrocytes were observed under the scanning electron microscope.Results Fungal corneal ulcer models were successfully established by corneal scratching and decellularized ostrich cornea covering.The gray ulcer lesions and hypbae like bean pod were seen by slit lamp microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope 3 days after modeling.Corneal ulcer deepened and expanded 1 week later,and there were a large number of spore and hyphae criss-crossing as short rod in shallow stroma.Inflammatory cells were observed in corneal endothelial cells and ocular anterior chamber.In the CXL treatment group,the range of corneal epithelial deficiency was less than that in the nontreatment group on the 3rd,7th,14th,and 21st (all at P＜ 0.05).The diameters of collagen fibers were (24.6± 1.8) nm,(24.9 ± 1.9) nm and (43.0 ± 7.4) nm in the normal control group,non-treatment group and CXL treatment group,showing a significant difference among the 3 groups (F =27.05,P =0.00),and the collagen diameters were thicker in the CXL treatment group than those in the normal control group and non-treatment group (t =5.40,-5.30,both at P＜0.05),and fibrocytes were seen among the collagen fibers.No significant difference was found in the collagen diameters between the non-treatment group and normal control group,and the fibrocytes were less in the non-treatment group.Conclusions CXL therapy can treat fungal corneal ulcer by enhancing collagen,promoting fibrocytes proliferation,suppressing fungus and inflammatory response and accelerating tissue repair.

Objective To study the imaging findings of disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).Methods X-ray and multi-slice CT (MSCT)data from 33 AIDS patients with disseminated pulnonary tuberculosis confirmed by clinical manifestations and laboratory tests were analyzed retrospectively.Results Thirty patients underwent initial chest radiography examination,29 patients showed abnormal appearances,including bilateral disseminations in 21 patients and unilateral multiple disseminations in 8 patients.All patients underwent MSCT examination,26 patients showed bilateral disseminations and 7 patients showed unilateral multiple disseminations.The abnormal pulmonary appearances included nodule (n =25),miliary nodule (n =22),air-space consolidation (n =22),cavity (n =11),fibrosis (n =7),ground-glass opacity (n =7),pneumatocele (n =4),calcification (n =2).There were 20 patients with more than 3 abnormal appearances and 13 patients with one or two abnormal appearances.The extra-pulmonary tuberculosis included pleural effusion (n =33),lymphadenopathy (n =30),intestinal tuberculosis (n =3),splenic tuberculosis (n =1) and cerebral tuberculosis (n =1).Conclusion Disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis should be highly suspected in AIDS patients with diffused nodules,miliary nodules,air-space consolidations or multiple cavities,accompanied with pleural effusion and lymphadenopathy.