Chronic pain is a complex condition shaped by long-standing alterations in both physiological and psychological processes. Rather than representing a simple continuation of acute nociceptive signaling, chronic pain is increasingly understood as the outcome of progressive dysregulation within distributed neural systems that govern sensation, affect, motivation, and cognitive control. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies indicate that this state is accompanied by extensive plastic changes in deep brain structures and large-scale networks. Beyond well-described central sensitization processes, chronic pain is characterized by disrupted oscillatory rhythms and altered connectivity within large-scale brain networks, including thalamo-cortical circuits and prefrontal-limbic-reward networks. These findings support a conceptual shift from viewing chronic pain as a focal, lesion-driven phenomenon toward recognizing it as a disorder of distributed network pathology. Pharmacological treatments remain central to clinical practice, yet their long-term efficacy is often limited and frequently accompanied by substantial side effects. The ongoing concerns about opioid-related risks and the inadequate therapeutic response in a subset of patients highlight the need for safe, non-pharmacological approaches that can address not only pain but also comorbid disturbances in mood, sleep, and social functioning. Neuromodulation provides a promising path toward mechanism-based and non-pharmacological management of chronic pain by employing physical or chemical stimulation to alter the excitability and synchrony of specific neural populations within central, peripheral, and autonomic systems. While invasive deep brain stimulation demonstrates that targeting deep brain structures can be effective, its clinical application is restricted by surgical risks and cost, highlighting the importance of non-invasive techniques capable of reaching deep targets. Current non-invasive approaches, such as transcranial electric stimulation, are constrained by limited penetration depth and insufficient spatial precision. These limitations hinder reliable engagement of deep regions implicated in pain, including the thalamus and nucleus accumbens, and tend to produce broad, non-specific modulation of cross-network oscillatory activity. Temporal interference (TI) stimulation has emerged as a means of overcoming these obstacles. By delivering interacting high-frequency currents that generate a low-frequency envelope within the head, TI enables focal stimulation of deep targets while minimizing superficial current delivery. Recent multiscale modeling and animal studies indicate that TI exploits the nonlinear rectification properties of neuronal membranes in response to high-frequency carriers, as well as their phase-locked responses to low-frequency envelopes, to generate “peak-focused” electric fields in deep regions under relatively low superficial current loads. Moreover, TI appears to exhibit potential advantages in terms of cell-type selectivity and rhythm-specific engagement, including differential responses across neuronal subtypes and distinct coupling to θ-, β-, and γ-band oscillations. These features suggest a promising avenue for correcting abnormal rhythms and network dynamics that contribute to chronic pain. This review summarizes current knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying chronic pain and recent advances in TI research. It examines functional disturbances across key pain-related regions and networks, outlines the principles and technical characteristics of TI, and discusses potential deep-brain targets and stimulation strategies relevant to chronic pain. Evidence to date indicates that TI, with its non-invasiveness, tolerability, and capacity for precise deep brain modulation, holds great promise for the management of treatment-resistant chronic pain and may evolve into a new generation of precise and efficient non-pharmacological analgesic strategies.

Chronic pain is a complex condition shaped by long-standing alterations in both physiological and psychological processes. Rather than representing a simple continuation of acute nociceptive signaling, chronic pain is increasingly understood as the outcome of progressive dysregulation within distributed neural systems that govern sensation, affect, motivation, and cognitive control. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies indicate that this state is accompanied by extensive plastic changes in deep brain structures and large-scale networks. Beyond well-described central sensitization processes, chronic pain is characterized by disrupted oscillatory rhythms and altered connectivity within large-scale brain networks, including thalamo-cortical circuits and prefrontal-limbic-reward networks. These findings support a conceptual shift from viewing chronic pain as a focal, lesion-driven phenomenon toward recognizing it as a disorder of distributed network pathology. Pharmacological treatments remain central to clinical practice, yet their long-term efficacy is often limited and frequently accompanied by substantial side effects. The ongoing concerns about opioid-related risks and the inadequate therapeutic response in a subset of patients highlight the need for safe, non-pharmacological approaches that can address not only pain but also comorbid disturbances in mood, sleep, and social functioning. Neuromodulation provides a promising path toward mechanism-based and non-pharmacological management of chronic pain by employing physical or chemical stimulation to alter the excitability and synchrony of specific neural populations within central, peripheral, and autonomic systems. While invasive deep brain stimulation demonstrates that targeting deep brain structures can be effective, its clinical application is restricted by surgical risks and cost, highlighting the importance of non-invasive techniques capable of reaching deep targets. Current non-invasive approaches, such as transcranial electric stimulation, are constrained by limited penetration depth and insufficient spatial precision. These limitations hinder reliable engagement of deep regions implicated in pain, including the thalamus and nucleus accumbens, and tend to produce broad, non-specific modulation of cross-network oscillatory activity. Temporal interference (TI) stimulation has emerged as a means of overcoming these obstacles. By delivering interacting high-frequency currents that generate a low-frequency envelope within the head, TI enables focal stimulation of deep targets while minimizing superficial current delivery. Recent multiscale modeling and animal studies indicate that TI exploits the nonlinear rectification properties of neuronal membranes in response to high-frequency carriers, as well as their phase-locked responses to low-frequency envelopes, to generate “peak-focused” electric fields in deep regions under relatively low superficial current loads. Moreover, TI appears to exhibit potential advantages in terms of cell-type selectivity and rhythm-specific engagement, including differential responses across neuronal subtypes and distinct coupling to θ-, β-, and γ-band oscillations. These features suggest a promising avenue for correcting abnormal rhythms and network dynamics that contribute to chronic pain. This review summarizes current knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying chronic pain and recent advances in TI research. It examines functional disturbances across key pain-related regions and networks, outlines the principles and technical characteristics of TI, and discusses potential deep-brain targets and stimulation strategies relevant to chronic pain. Evidence to date indicates that TI, with its non-invasiveness, tolerability, and capacity for precise deep brain modulation, holds great promise for the management of treatment-resistant chronic pain and may evolve into a new generation of precise and efficient non-pharmacological analgesic strategies.

This paper summarizes Professor WANG Xixing's clinical experience in treating immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis （CIP） based on the theory of "cough attributed to the five zang （脏） organs". Cough is a common predominant symptom of CIP. According to the theory of "cough attributed to the five zang organs"， drug toxicity triggers cancer toxin， leading to disharmony among the five zang organs， and then lung failing to diffuse and govern descent as the core pathogenesis. Therefore， treatment should focus on harmonizing the five zang organs to restore the normal function of lung qi to diffuse and govern descent. In clinical practice， CIP can be classified into four syndrome patterns， including lung yin depletion， deficiency of both the lung and the spleen with phlegm-dampness， liver fire harassing the lung， and lung-kidney yin deficiency. Correspondingly， Chaimai Jinluo Runfei Decoction （柴麦金络润肺汤） is used to nourish yin and moisten the lung； Qigui Peitu Huayin Decoction （芪桂培土化饮汤） is used to fortify the spleen and tonify the lung， resolve dampness and dispel phlegm； Chaidan Shuyu Runjin Decoction （柴丹疏郁润金汤） is used to drain liver and clear the lung； and Dimai Jinshui Xiangsheng Decoction （地脉金水相生汤） is used to nourish the kidney and moisten the lung.

Objective To prepare the recombinant Echinococcus granulosus Polo-like kinase 2 (rEgPLK2) protein and evaluate its immunoprotective efficacy against cystic echinococcosis, so as to provide insights into research and development of novel vaccines against echinococcosis. Methods The Polo-like kinase (PLK) protein sequences were retrieved from 12 species in the NCBI protein database, including E. granulosus and E. multilocularis. Multiple sequence alignment was performed using the Clustal Omega program, and structural visualization and homology analysis were conducted using the ESPript 3.2 program. The recombinant plasmid pET-30a-EgPLK2 was transformed into BL21(DE3) competent cells. Protein expression was induced with isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG), and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was performed to characterize the expression and molecular weight of the rEgPLK2 protein. The purified rEgPLK2 protein was thoroughly emulsified with Freund’s complete adjuvant at a 1 : 1 volume ratio. Two New Zealand white rabbits were immunized with multipoint subcutaneous injection on the back at a dose of 300 μg per rabbit for primary immunization. For booster immunizations, the protein was emulsified with Freund’s incomplete adjuvant at a 1 : 1 volume ratio and administered on days 14, 28, and 42 after the primary immunization at a dose of 150 μg per rabbit. Serum was sampled from the rabbit ear vein on day 7 after the final immunization to yield anti-rEgPLK2 polyclonal antibodies. Antibody titer was determined by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and antibody specificity was verified by Western blotting. The tissue localization of the EgPLK2 protein was detected in E. granulosus protoscoleces and adult worms using immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Eighteen 6- to 8-week-old female SPF-grade BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups, including the blank control group, rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group, and PBS-ISA adjuvant control group, of 6 mice each group. Mice in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group and PBSISA group received three primary immunizations via intramuscular injection, and animals in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group was inoculated with immunogens prepared by emulsifying rEgPLK2 protein with ISA 201 adjuvant at a 1 : 1 volume ratio (6 μg per mouse), while mice in the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group received an equal volume of PBS emulsified with ISA adjuvant at a 1 : 1 volume ratio. A fourth booster immunization was administered via intraperitoneal injection. Mice in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group received a booster immunization with 8 μg of rEgPLK2 protein per mouse, and animals in the PBS-ISA group received an equal volume of PBS, with immunizations given at 2-week intervals. Mice in the blank control group were given no treatment, and housed under standard conditions. Tail vein blood was collected from all mice 7 days after the final immunization, and levels of specific anti-rEgPLK2 IgG antibody and its subclasses (IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, IgG3) were measured by indirect ELISA. E. granulosus infection was modelled in mice through injection with 1 000 E. granulosus protoscoleces via intrahepatic portal vein in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group and PBS-ISA adjuvant control group 2 weeks after the last immunization. All mice were sacrificed and dissected. The number of cysts was counted in mouse livers, and the cyst reduction rate was calculated. Liver tissues were processed for paraffin sectioning and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and histopathological changes were examined under a light microscope. Results Sequence analysis revealed that EgPLK2 shared a high amino acid sequence homology with E. multilocularis PLK2 (EmPLK2) and contained the typical domains of the Polo-like kinase family, including the serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic domain (STKc) and Polo-box. The IPTG-induced rEgPLK2 protein was mainly expressed in the form of inclusion bodies, and the purified rEgPLK2 protein showed a relative molecular mass of approximately 70 kDa. The prepared rabbit anti-rEgPLK2 polyclonal antibody had a titer of 1 : 256 000, and Western blotting assay showed that this anti-body specifically recognized the rEgPLK2 protein with a relative molecular mass of approximately 70 kDa. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the EgPLK2 protein was localized in the excretory bladder and rostellum of E. granulosus protoscoleces, as well as the tegument, suckers, and inter-proglottid junctions of adult worms. Immunoprotective assay showed that the serum levels of specific anti-rEgPLK2 IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b antibodies were 2.92 ± 0.49, 0.33 ± 0.10, 0.31 (0.36), and 3.12 (1.73) in mice in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group, which were all significantly higher than those in the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group (0.14 ± 0.04, 0.07 ± 0.01, 0.12 ± 0.04, and 0.11 ± 0.04, respectively) (t = 19.28 and 8.46, Z = 3.75 and 4.15; all P values < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference in the serum anti-IgG3 antibody level between the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group and the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group [0.07 (0.01) vs. 0.073 (0.07); Z = 0.69, P > 0.05)]. In the mouse model of E. granulosus infections, the area of hepatic lesions was reduced and the inflammatory infiltration was alleviated in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group than in the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group, and the number of hepatic cysts was higher in the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group than in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group [8.00 (2.00) vs. 1.00 (0.75); Z = −2.93, P < 0.01], with a cyst reduction rate of 80.40%. Indirect ELISA assay measured higher serum levels of specific anti-rEgPLK2 IgG (3.28 ± 0.48 vs. 0.11 ± 0.04; t = 15.86, P < 0.01), IgG1 (0.29 ± 0.02 vs. 0.09 ± 0.01; t = 15.67, P < 0.01), IgG2a [3.71 (1.09) vs. 0.08 (0.03); Z = 2.88, P < 0.01], and IgG2b antibodies [3.34 (1.01) vs. 0.08 (0.03); Z = 2.88, P < 0.01] in the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group than in the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group, and there was no significant difference in the serum level of the specific anti-rEgPLK2 IgG3 antibody between the rEgPLK2-ISA immunization group and the PBS-ISA adjuvant control group (0.07 ± 0.01 vs. 0.07 ± 0.01; t = 1.29, P > 0.05). Conclusions The prokaryotic expression system has been successfully constructed for the EgPLK2 gene and the anti-rEgPLK2 polyclonal antibody has been obtained. The rEgPLK2 protein exhibits a high immunogenicity, and is effective to protect against E. granulosus infection, and inhibits cyst development, which is a promising candidate vaccine target against cystic echinococcosis.

Objective:The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Oxalicao Formula combined with transacu-puncture in the treatment of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis(CNP)characterized by dampness-heat stasis.Methods:A total of 70 patients diagnosed with CNP and characterized by dampness-heat stasis were randomly divided into control group and treatment group,with 35 cases in each group.The patients in control group received Qianlie Beixi capsules.While the patients in treatment group were administered with oxalis decoction in conjunction with acupuncture therapy which lasted for 8 weeks.Pre-and post-treatment evalua-tions for NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index(NIH-CPSI),Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)symptom scores,urodynamic pa-rameters,immune cell subsets and inflammatory factors were performed.Results:Ultimately,65 patients completed the study with 33 in the treatment group and 32 in the control group.After 8 weeks of intervention,the patients in both of groups demonstrated signifi-cant improvements(P＜0.05).Specifically,remarkable reductions in the NIH-CPSI total score including pain score,urination score,quality of life impact score,TCM symptom score and inflammatory cytokine levels were observed.Additionally,there were upward trends in maximum and average urinary flow rates as well as the CD4+/CD8+ratio of immune cells(P＜0.05).Compared to the con-trol group,the treatment group exhibited superior outcomes in reducing the NIH-CPSI total score,pain score,urination score,quality of life impact score,TCM symptom score,and inflammatory cytokine levels,and increasing in CD4+/CD8+ratios,maximum and av-erage urine flow rates(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The combination of Oxalicao Formula and transacupuncture for treating CNP charac-terized by dampness-heat stasis demonstrates significant therapeutic benefits,which has considerable clinical application value.

Objective To observe the association between afterschool physical exercise and sleep quality among preschool children,and to explore the proper afterschool physical exercise model for better sleep quality.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted.From Apr to Jun 2024,a total of 1 430 children from three public kindergartens in Minhang district were enrolled to participate in the survey.Parents were invited to complete the basic sociodemographic information,afterschool physical exercise information and the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire.One-way ANOVA and linear mixed effects models were used to explore the relationship between afterschool exercise and sleep quality.Results A total of 1 430 questionnaires were sent out and 1 384 were recovered with a recovery rate of 96.78%.Among them 1 366 were valid,with an effective rate of 95.52%.The average age of the children was(5.19±0.87)years old with gender ration of 1.07∶1(male:female).The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 80.60%(regarding a CSHQ total score>41 as cutoff).A one-way ANOVA indicated that time on afterschool physical exercise was significantly associated with sleep duration,Night waking,and sleep onset delay(P<0.05).After adjusting for age,gender,the only child or not,main caregiver,and parental education and occupation,linear mixed effects models showed that engaging in afterschool physical activity for at least 180 mins per week has a statistically significant predictive effect on sleep duration scores(β=-0.50,z=-4.52,95%CI:-0.72,-0.28,P<0.001),night waking scores(β=-0.16,z=-2.34,95%CI:-0.29,-0.02,P=0.020),and sleep onset delay scores(β=-0.14,z=-2.35,95%CI:-0.26,-0.02,P=0.019).Conclusion Afterschool exercise was significantly associated with sleep quality among preschool children in Minhang district of Shanghai.The time≥180 min on afterschool exercise per week in preschool children was significantly positively associated with maintaining sleep duration,reducing night wakings and shortening the latency to fall asleep.The habit of afterschool exercise and the time on afterschool exercise should be emphasized by parents and the society to improve sleep quality among preschool children.

Objective To investigate the effect of an intelligent telerehabilitation developed with reinforcement theory on the postoperative functional recovery and return to sport in patients after reconstructive surgery of anterior cruciate ligament.Methods By using the convenience sampling method,120 patients after reconstructive surgery of anterior cruciate ligament at a tertiary general hospital in Wuhan from June 2022 to June 2023 were selected as the research subjects.Sixty patients admitted to our hospital between June 2022 and December 2022 were assigned to a control group,while another 60 patients admitted to our hospital between January 2023 and June 2023 were assigned to an trial group.The patients in the control group received conventional surgical treatment,nursing care and instructions for rehabilitation,whereas additional rehabilitation based on the intelligent telerehabilitation developed with reinforcement theory was given to the patients in the trial group.The two groups were compared in terms of postoperative knee function and compliance with rehabilitation exercise.Results The compliance of the trial group with home rehabilitation training was higher than that of the control group.The comparison between the two groups showed a statistically significant difference(P<0.05).12 months after surgery,patients in the trial group exhibited higher scores in International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective knee form(IKDC)and Lysholm and Gillquist knee scores compared with those in the control group(both P<0.05.Also,the patients in trial group showed lower incidences of pain,swelling and joint instability compared with those in the control group(all P<0.05).At 12 months after surgery,the patients in trial group showed better capability to perform daily activities and participate in sports in comparison with those in the control group(both P<0.05).Conclusion The intelligent telerehabilitation based on reinforcement theory can improve the compliance of patient with rehabilitation.It therefore is able to reduce incidences of postoperative complications such as pain,swelling,knee instability and locking in patients who had the surgery for reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament.It also enhances the function recovery of knee,and helps patients to resume the activities in life and sports.

Inflammatory response,immunosuppression,and drug sensitivity have been reported to have a significant correlation with the disulfidptosis levels in cancer patients.However,the value of disulfidpto-sis in colorectal cancer therapy remains unclear.Therefore,we classified the CRC cells into different cell types using single-cell sequencing data and cell-specific markers and analyzed their relationship with the cell disulfidptosis level.We found that the high disulfidptosis regions were concentrated in epithelial-like CRC cells.Further exploration using the disulfidptosis and programmed cell death 1 inhibitor therapy treated differential expression genes indicated that CRC patients with high disulfidptosis levels exhibited a lower risk profile and increased sensitivity to immunotherapy.By using the spatial transcriptomic analy-sis,we found that ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase core protein 1(UQCRC1),a disulfidptosis-related gene,is highly expressed in epithelial-like CRC cells and co-localized with immune-infiltrated tumor re-gions.Additional bioinformatic analyses and experimental validation further confirmed that UQCRC1 was downregulated in CRC tissues.Overexpression of UQCRC1 suppressed CRC cell proliferation and migra-tion.These findings indicate that UQCRC1 is a potential target for CRC diagnosis and treatment.

Miao medicine is guided by the medical theories of the Miao ethnic group,and the drugs used by the Miao people are derived from natural plants and animals for the prevention and treatment of diseases and protection of health.In recent years,a large number of clinical studies have shown good clinical efficacy of traditional Miao medicine in the treatment of prostatic diseases,with the advantages of easy availability,low price,and minimal adverse reactions.However,currently no systematic literature review has been reported on the treatment of prostatic diseases with Miao medicine.This article focuses on the commonly used Miao drugs recorded in the Chinese Materia Medica-Miao Medicine,with a systematic review of relevant literature retrieved on the treatment of prostate disea-ses with Miao medicine in recent years and a summarization of the advances in the studies of its pharmacological effects,mechanisms of action and clinical application,aiming to provide some new perspectives and ideas for further academic research and clinical develop-ment of Miao medicine.

Objective:To investigate the effects of individual versus connected microdroplet culture modes in time-lapse (TL) incubators on embryo development parameters and pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing whole embryo culture to blastocyst stage.Methods:Using a retrospective cohort study, clinical data from 3 507 fresh blastocyst transfer cycles were analyzed. These cycles involved patients who underwent assisted reproductive technology treatment with whole embryo culture to blastocyst stage at the Reproductive Medical Center of Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital between January 2019 and December 2023. Based on different culture modes, patients were divided into two groups, connected group ( n=2 446, using connected microdroplet culture) and individual group ( n=1 061, using individual microdroplet culture). Baseline characteristics, embryo development parameters, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to adjust for confounding factors and analyze the effect of culture mode. Results:Embryo development assessment showed the day 3 (D3) high-quality embryo rate in the connected group [60.12% (12 136/20 187)] was significantly lower than that in the individual group [63.62% (4 705/7 395), P<0.001], whereas the high-quality blastocyst formation rate [34.93% (7 052/20 187)] and the available blastocyst formation rate [56.07% (11 319/20 187)] were both significantly higher than those in the individual group [33.08% (2 446/7 395), P=0.004; 51.45% (3 805/7 395), P<0.001], with statistically significant differences. The implantation rate [67.40% (1 774/2 632)], the clinical pregnancy rate [70.20% (1 717/2 446)], and the live birth rate [60.66% (1 469/2 446)] in the connected group were all significantly higher than those in the individual group [63.40% (724/1 142), P=0.017; 66.73% (708/1 061), P=0.041; 55.89% (593/1 061), P=0.021], with statistically significant differences. Neonatal outcomes showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors using GLM, connected culture was an independent influencing factor for D3 high-quality embryo rate (a MD=-0.017, 95% CI: -0.034-0.000, P=0.046), high-quality blastocyst formation rate (a MD=-0.020, 95% CI: 0.002-0.037, P=0.026), available blastocyst formation rate (a MD=0.032, 95% CI: 0.015-0.048, P<0.001), live birth rate (a OR=1.182, 95% CI: 1.006-1.388, P=0.042). However, it had no effect on D3 available embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, or early miscarriage rate (all P>0.05). Conclusion:In TL incubator systems, individual and connected microdroplet culture modes exert different effects at various stages of embryo development. Individual microdroplet culture can significantly enhance cleavage-stage embryo quality, whereas the connected microdroplet culture was more beneficial for enhancing the blastocyst formation rate and quality, ultimately improving the live birth rate without increasing neonatal risks.