BACKGROUND: China is seeing a growing demand for rehabilitation treatments for post-stroke upper limb spastic paresis (PSSP-UL). Although acupuncture is known to be effective for PSSP-UL, there is room to enhance its efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study explored a semi-personalized acupuncture approach for PSSP-UL that used three-dimensional kinematic analysis (3DKA) results to select additional acupoints, and investigated the feasibility, efficacy and safety of this approach. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This single-blind, single-center, randomized, controlled trial involved 74 participants who experienced a first-ever ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with spastic upper limb paresis. The participants were then randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups received conventional treatments and acupuncture treatment 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The main acupoints in both groups were the same, while participants in the intervention group received additional acupoints selected on the basis of 3DKA results. Follow-up assessments were conducted for 8 weeks after the treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) response rate (≥ 6-point change) at week 4. Secondary outcomes included changes in motor function (FMA-UE), Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS), manual muscle test (MMT), spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale, MAS), and activities of daily life (Modified Barthel Index, MBI) at week 4 and week 12. RESULTS: Sixty-four participants completed the trial and underwent analyses. Compared with control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly higher FMA-UE response rate at week 4 (χ² = 5.479, P = 0.019) and greater improvements in FMA-UE at both week 4 and week 12 (both P < 0.001). The intervention group also showed bigger improvements from baseline in the MMT grades for shoulder adduction and elbow flexion at weeks 4 and 12 as well as thumb adduction at week 4 (P = 0.007, P = 0.049, P = 0.019, P = 0.008, P = 0.029, respectively). The intervention group showed a better change in the MBI at both week 4 and week 12 (P = 0.004 and P = 0.010, respectively). Although the intervention group had a higher BRS for the hand at week 12 (P = 0.041), no intergroup differences were observed at week 4 (all P > 0.05). The two groups showed no differences in MAS grades as well as in BRS for the arm at weeks 4 and 12 (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Semi-personalized acupuncture prescription based on 3DKA results significantly improved motor function, muscle strength, and activities of daily living in patients with PSSP-UL. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200056216. Please cite this article as: Huang XY, Liao OP, Jiang SY, Tao JM, Li Y, Lu XY, Li YY, Wang C, Li J, Ma XP. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis can improve the efficacy of acupoint selection for post-stroke patients with upper limb spastic paresis: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 15-24.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Acupuncture Points ; Upper Extremity/physiopathology* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Single-Blind Method ; Aged ; Stroke/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Stroke Rehabilitation/methods* ; Adult ; Muscle Spasticity/therapy* ; Paresis/physiopathology* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis, a common chronic inflammatory skin condition with genetic underpinnings, is traditionally managed with cupping therapy. Although used historically, the precise mechanical effects and therapeutic mechanisms of cupping in psoriasis remain largely unexamined. This study aimed to evaluate cupping therapy's efficacy for psoriasis and investigate its role in modulating inflammatory responses and cellular metabolism. METHODS: Psoriasis was induced in mice using topical imiquimod (IMQ). The effects of cupping on psoriatic lesions were assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. polymerase chain reaction sequencing (RNA-seq) and Western blotting were conducted to examine changes in mRNA expression and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. RESULTS: Cupping therapy significantly reduced inflammation, epidermal thickness, and inflammatory cell infiltration in mice with IMQ-induced psoriasis. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed lower expression of inflammatory markers and a shift in T-cell populations. RNA-seq and Western blotting indicated that cupping upregulated Piezo1 and activated the AMPK pathway, improving energy metabolism in psoriatic skin. CONCLUSION Cupping therapy reduces epidermal hyperproliferation and inflammation in psoriasis, rebalancing the local immune microenvironment. Mechanistically, cupping promotes calcium influx via Piezo1, activates AMPK signaling, and supports metabolic homeostasis, suggesting therapeutic potential for psoriasis. Please cite this article as: Xi RF, Liu X, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Yuan SJ, Guo DJ, Zhu JY, Li FL, Duan YJ. Mechanosensory activation of Piezo1 via cupping therapy: Harnessing neural networks to modulate AMPK pathway for metabolic restoration in a mouse model of psoriasis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):721-732.
Animals ; Psoriasis/chemically induced* ; Mice ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Cupping Therapy/methods* ; Signal Transduction ; Imiquimod ; Ion Channels/genetics* ; Male ; Mechanotransduction, Cellular

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to analyze the biomechanics of three kinds of rigid internal fixation methods for condylar head fractures. METHODS: A three dimensional finite element model of the normal mandible was constructed. It was then used to prepare condylar head fracture finite element model and three kinds of rigid internal fixation finite element model (unilateral tension screw, bilateral tension screw, tension screw+titanium plate). The mechanical characteristics and changes of the mandible condyle under the same mechanical conditions were compared among the three different rigid internal fixation methods. RESULTS: The maximum equivalent stress and displacement of the non-free end of condyle under the rigid internal fixation method of unilateral tension screw were 71.03 MPa and 4.72 mm, respectively. The maximum equivalent stress and displacement of the free end of condyle were 78.45 MPa and 4.50 mm, respectively. The maximum stress of fracture suture was 3.27 MPa. The maximum equivalent stress and displacement of the non-free end of condyle under the rigid internal fixation method of bilateral tension screw were 70.52 MPa and 4.00 mm, respectively. The maximum equivalent stress and displacement of the free end of condyle were 72.49 MPa and 3.85 mm, respectively. The maximum stress of fracture suture was 2.33 MPa. The maximum equivalent stress and maximum displacement of the non-free end of condyle under the rigid internal fixation method of tension screw+titanium plate were 67.26 MPa and 2.66 mm, respectively. The maximum equivalent stress and maximum displacement of the free end of condyle were 69.66 MPa and 2.50 mm, respectively. The maximum stress of fracture suture was 2.18 MPa. CONCLUSIONS The tension screw+titanium plate rigid internal fixation method is the most conducive to biomechanical distribution for condylar head fractures.
Fracture Fixation, Internal/instrumentation* ; Mandibular Condyle/surgery* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Screws ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Mandibular Fractures/surgery* ; Bone Plates ; Titanium ; Stress, Mechanical

OBJECTIVES: This study explores the differences in fluid flow within alveolar cancellous bone at various sites under orthodontic forces and elucidates the relationship between fluid shear stress and bone remodeling. These fin-dings lay the groundwork for understanding the biomechanical mechanisms of orthodontic tooth movement. METHODS: Stress relaxation tests were performed on human alveolar bone samples to determine material parameters by using the Prony series. An inverse model of alveolar bone was then developed for numerical simulations of fluid-structure interactions to calculate fluid flow within cancellous bone. Meanwhile, a rat model of tooth movement was established to investigate variations in bone remodeling speeds across different regions. RESULTS: The microstructural distribution of cancellous alveolar bone was similar in humans and rats. The bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness gradually decreased from root cervical region to root apical region, while the trabecular space gradually increased. Under the influence of orthodontic forces, fluid shear stress within cancellous bone showed spatial variability across different levels, with the highest shear stress occurring at the root apical region, ranging from 0 to 0.936 6 Pa. Additionally, the rat model of tooth movement indicated that bone remodeling occurred more rapidly at the root apical region. CONCLUSIONS Fluid stimulation has a remarkable effect on al-veolar bone remodeling, causing changes in the structure of alveolar bone and ultimately regulating the speed of structu-ral remodeling.
Bone Remodeling ; Animals ; Tooth Movement Techniques ; Rats ; Alveolar Process/physiology* ; Stress, Mechanical ; Humans ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cancellous Bone/physiology* ; Shear Strength

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study aimed to investigate factors influencing positional changes of the condyle and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) following mandibular defect reconstruction with bone flaps, and to evaluate the biomechanical impacts of flap reconstruction on condylar positioning, thereby providing evidence for optimizing surgical protocols and TMJ functional rehabilitation. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 90 patients undergoing mandibular segmental resection with immediate bone flap reconstruction at Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Stomatological Hospital (June 2019 to May 2024). After strict screening, 50 cases with complete data were analyzed. Clinical parameters (defect size, location, reconstruction method) and craniofacial CT scans at four timepoints [preoperative (T0), 7-10 days (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) postoperatively] were collected. Mimics 20 software facilitated 3D reconstruction for measuring TMJ anterior/posterior/superior joint spaces (Kamelchuk method) and calculating condylar position via the Pullinger index [Ln (posterior/anterior space)]. Vitral and Krisjane methods quantified mandibular linear parameters (ramus length, condylar pole distances to the sagittal plane, angulation) and glenoid fossa morphology. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: Mandibular defect size and location were significant factors influencing postoperative condylar position changes (P<0.05). Compared to preoperative measurements, postoperative condylar anterior, posterior, and superior joint spaces were significantly increased (P<0.001). The most pronounced anterior condylar displacement occurred within 7-10 days postoperatively (P<0.05). In patients with condyle resection, postoperative joint space and angle changes were significant; in patients with condyle preservation, only superior and anterior joint space changes were statistically significant (P<0.05). Additionally, from T1 to T2, the changes in condylar medial-lateral distance, superior joint space, and anterior joint space were negatively correlated with the preoperative condylar position. Compared with preoperative,in the T0-T1 period, condylar medial-lateral distance, posterior joint space, and articular tubercle angle changes were significantly negatively correlated with time (P<0.05). Notably, the angle between the condylar long axis and the coronal axis showed a sustained negative trend from T1 to T3 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Condylar position changes after mandibular defect repair with bone flap reconstruction are associated with the size and location of the defect. Additionally, adaptive remodeling of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) joint space occurs postoperatively. The phenomenon of anterior displacement of the condyle in the early postoperative period (7-10 days) shows a trend of reduction with prolonged follow-up time, and further sample size research is needed.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporomandibular Joint/surgery* ; Mandibular Condyle/surgery* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Mandibular Reconstruction/methods* ; Mandible/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional

Long-term dental implant stability is governed by the synergistic regulation of multiple factors, with occlusal parameters and marginal bone loss (MBL) progression being of paramount importance. Progressive MBL undermines mechanical retention, predisposing implants to micromotion and jeopardizing their long-term survival. Accumulating evidence has revealed that homeostatic occlusion imbalance, characterized by excessive occlusal loading, aberrant occlusal contacts, and dysfunctional guidance, significantly increases the incidence of peri-implant bone loss, thereby disrupting biomechanical homeostasis. Therefore, this manuscript delineates the mechanistic role of steady-state occlusal imbalance in driving peri-implant MBL and proposes a homeostatic occlusion-based strategy for preventing and controlling such bone loss, aiming to enhance the long-term stability of dental implants.
Humans ; Dental Implants ; Homeostasis ; Dental Occlusion ; Alveolar Bone Loss/prevention & control* ; Biomechanical Phenomena

Proteins are fundamental carriers as the structural elements and biochemically active entities responsible for catalysis, transport, and regulation. These functions are depending on the protein folding into precise three-dimensional structures, interacting with ligands, and conformational changes. This article reviews the recent progress of nanopores in single-molecule protein sensing, involving the identification of polypeptides and proteins, the conformation changes of protein folding, the molecular structure responsible to the pH of solutions, the molecular interactions, and protein sequencing. These studies provide clues to understand life activities and facilitate the early diagnosis of diseases and design of drugs for precise treatment.
Nanopores ; Proteins/chemistry* ; Biosensing Techniques/methods* ; Protein Folding ; Humans

During transfer tasks, the dual-arm nursing-care robot require a human-robot mechanics model to determine the balance region to support the patient safely and stably. Previous studies utilized human-robot two-dimensional static equilibrium models, ignoring the human body volume and muscle torques, which decreased model accuracy and confined the robot ability to adjust the patient's posture in three-dimensional spatial. Therefore, this study proposes a three-dimensional spatial mechanics modeling method based on individualized human musculoskeletal multibody dynamics. Firstly, based on the mechanical features of dual-arm support, this study constructed a foundational three-dimensional human-robot mechanics model including body posture, contact position and body force. With the computed tomography data from subjects, a three-dimensional femur-pelvis-sacrum model was reconstructed, and the individualized musculoskeletal dynamics was analyzed using the ergonomics software, which derived the human joint forces and completed the mechanic model. Then, this study established a dual-arm robot transfer platform to conduct subject transfer experiments, showing that the constructed mechanics model possessed higher accuracy than previous methods. In summary, this study provides a three-dimensional human-robot mechanics model adapting to individual transfers, which has potential application in various scenarios such as nursing-care and rehabilitating robots.
Humans ; Robotics ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Posture ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Nursing Care

Prosthesis loosening is the leading cause of postoperative revision in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The deviation of medial and lateral translational installation of the prosthesis during surgery is a common clinical phenomenon and an important factor in increasing the risk of prosthesis loosening. This study established a UKA finite element model and a bone-prosthesis fixation interface micromotion prediction model. The predicted medial contact force and joint motion of the knee joint from a patient-specific lower extremity musculoskeletal multibody dynamics model of UKA were used as boundary conditions. The effects of 9 femoral component medial and lateral translational installation deviations on the Von Mises stress of the proximal tibia, the contact stress, and the micro-motion of the bone prosthesis fixation interface were quantitatively studied. It was found that compared with the neutral position (a/A of 0.492), the lateral translational deviation of the femoral component significantly increased the tibial Von Mises stress and the bone-prosthesis fixation interface contact stress. The maximum Von Mises stress and the maximum contact stress of the fixation interface increased by 14.08% and 143.15%, respectively, when a/A was 0.361. The medial translational deviation of the femoral component significantly increased the bone-prosthesis fixation interface micro-motion. The maximum value of micromotion under the conditions of femoral neutral and medial translation deviation was in the range of 20-50 μm, which is suitable for osseointegration. Therefore, based on considerations such as the micromotion range suitable for osseointegration reported in the literature, the risk of reducing prosthesis loosening, and factors that may induce pain, it is recommended that clinicians control the mounting position of the femoral component during surgery within the safe range of 0-4 mm medial translation deviation.
Humans ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods* ; Finite Element Analysis ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Knee Prosthesis ; Tibia/surgery* ; Femur/surgery* ; Stress, Mechanical ; Prosthesis Failure ; Knee Joint/surgery* ; Prosthesis Design

To solve the safety problems caused by the restriction of interaction space and the singular configuration of rehabilitation robot in terminal traction upper limb rehabilitation training, a trajectory planning and tracking control scheme for rehabilitation training is proposed. The human-robot safe interaction space was obtained based on kinematics modeling and rehabilitation theory, and the training trajectory was planned based on the occupational therapy in rehabilitation medicine. The singular configuration of the rehabilitation robot in the interaction space was avoided by exponential adaptive damped least square method. Then, a nonlinear controller for the upper limb rehabilitation robot was designed based on the backstepping control method. Radial basis function neural network was used to approximate the robot model information online to achieve model-free control. The stability of the controller was proved by Lyapunov stability theory. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed singular avoidance control scheme.
Humans ; Upper Extremity ; Robotics/methods* ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Traction/methods* ; Algorithms