Objective To explore the role of miR-429 in synovial mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes(SMSC-Exos)in repairing cartilage damage in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJ OA)by extracting SMSC-Exos from human synovial tissue and screening differentially expressed microRNA(miRNA)through transcriptome sequencing.Methods Human synovial tissues were obtained from 6 patients who underwent surgery at the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from June to December 2023,including 3 patients with osteoarthritis(OA group)and 3 control patients(control group),all of whom were male.SMSC-Exos were extracted from the synovial tissues for miRNA sequencing and differential expression analysis.Further,Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses were performed on the target genes of differentially expressed miRNA to identify key functional miRNA and construct miRNA-target gene regulatory networks and protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks of target genes.An in vitro model of rabbit condylar cartilage cell inflammatory microenvironment induced by interleukin-1β(IL-1β)was established,with the control group cultured in DMEM/F12 basic medium and the inflammation-induced group cultured in DMEM/F12 basic medium containing 10 ng/ml IL-1β.RT-qPCR was used to detect the effects of overexpressed target miRNA on the mRNA expression levels of cartilage phenotype factors such as type Ⅱ collagen α1 chain(Col2a1),aggrecan(Acan),as well as inflammatory factors including a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(Adamts5)and cyclooxygenase-2(Cox-2).Results(1)SMSC-Exos were successfully isolated,cultured,and identified.(2)miRNA sequencing of SMSC-Exos from OA and control groups revealed 16 differentially expressed miRNAs(|log2FC|>2,P<0.05).Compared with control group,7 miRNAs were up-regulated and 9 were down-regulated in OA group.GO and KEGG analysis indicated that the target genes of miR-429 were mainly involved in development process,anatomical structure development,system development,cell development and differentiation,and were enriched in inflammation-related pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B(PI3K-Akt).(3)Functional validation of miR-429 in the rabbit condylar cartilage cell inflammatory model showed that overexpression of miR-429 increased the mRNA expression levels of Col2a1 and Acan(P<0.05)and decreased the mRNA expression levels of Adamts5 and Cox-2(P<0.05)in the inflammation-induced group.Conclusions miRNA sequencing of SMSC-Exos isolated and identified from human synovial tissues reveals a specific miRNA expression profile in OA patients,with miR-429 significantly down-regulated.Functional validation demonstrates that overexpression of miR-429 has reparative and anti-inflammatory effects on condylar cartilage cells in an inflammatory microenvironment.

Integrins are transmembrane receptors that can coordinate signal transduction between cells and extracellular matrix or between cells.The abnormal function of integrins is one of the recognized mechanisms of tumor development.As an important regulatory mode,post-translational modification can change the conformation and physicochemical properties of proteins,thus affecting their activities,stability and functions.After the modification of the integrin,such as glycosylation and methylation,the corresponding signal transduction pathway changes,and then affects cell adhesion,migration,differentiation and other life activities,involving in diverse physiology and pathological processes.Post-translational modifications of integrins are abundant in tumor progression and play a key role in regulating the growth,metastasis and drug resistance of different tumor cells.In this review,the structure and function,post-translational modification of integrins,and their relationship with occurrence and development of tumors will be discussed,in order to provide more explorable targets for the treatment of cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical and genetic characteristics of a Chinese pedigree affected with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) due to a truncating variant of ALPK3 gene. METHODS: A 44-year-old male admitted to Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province on December 29, 2018 was selected as the study subject. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was carried out, and candidate variant was interpreted by following the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). For ALPK3 was considered an autosomal recessive gene, the WES results was considered insufficient to explain his phenotype. In April 2023, the proband's WES data were re-analyzed using updated annotation pipelines, and peripheral blood samples were collected from his first-degree relatives (mother and brother) for Sanger sequencing validation. Conservation analysis and protein structural modeling were performed to assess the impact of the variant. Clinical evaluation and genetic counseling were provided to the proband's family members. Relevant literature on ALPK3tv-induced HCM patients were searched in Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, CNKI, and PubMed database using "ALPK3" and "hypertrophic cardiomyopathy" as keywords. Clinical characteristics of HCM patients with heterozygous ALPK3tv variants were summarized and compared with the clinical characteristics of HCM patients with positive sarcomere-associated gene variants (SARC+). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University (Ethics No.: K20230314). RESULTS: The proband was a 44-year-old male who was transferred to our institution on December 29, 2018 due to "chest tightness and pain for 6 months, exacerbated for 2 days". Emergency coronary angiography was performed, which led to a preliminary diagnosis of "acute coronary syndrome", and the patient was admitted to the Cardiology Department for treatment. Based on electrocardiogram and echocardiogram findings, the diagnosis was revised as HCM. The patient's condition has stabilized post-coronary angiography, and he was discharged with improved condition. On January 2019, WES was conducted to determine the etiology of the proband's HCM. WES results identified a novel heterozygous c.2156dupC (p.Pro720ThrfsTer53) truncating variant in the ALPK3 gene. At that time, the inheritance pattern could not explain the phenotype. In 2022, a literature indicated that heterozygous ALPK3tv could lead to autosomal dominant HCM. Consequently, in April 2023, the proband's whole-exome data were re-annotated, revealing changes in the transcript and protein versions, with the updated site annotated as ALPK3 (NM_020778.5): c.1550dupC (p.Pro518ThrfsTer53). Sanger sequencing confirmed that the proband's mother and brother also carried this variant. The mother exhibited obstructive HCM, while the brother showed no related phenotype. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated conservation of this site across multiple species, and the variant has resulted in the loss of a protein domain. Based on ACMG guidelines, the variant was classified as likely pathogenic. Literature review and Bayesian calculation further elevated the pathogenicity rating, indicating that this variant was the cause of HCM in the patient. Literature study revealed distinctions between HCM caused by this variant type and SARC+ HCM. The age of onset among heterozygous ALPK3tv patients was delayed by approximately 10 years compared to SARC+ patients. Both forms of HCM exhibited a male predominance, which was particularly marked in individuals with ALPK3tv. Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy was more prevalent in heterozygous ALPK3tv patients than in SARC+ patients. The incidence of apical or concentric hypertrophy patterns was higher in heterozygous ALPK3tv patients compared to asymmetric septal hypertrophy, which predominated in SARC+ patients. ALPK3tv patients exhibited lower penetrance and later onset compared to SARC+ patients. A positive correlation between left ventricular wall thickness and age was noted in female patients only. CONCLUSION In this pedigree, the proband has presented with HCM, characterized by echocardiographic evidence of apical left ventricular hypertrophy without significant outflow tract obstruction or extracardiac phenotypes. Although his mother and brother had carried the same heterozygous ALPK3 (NM_020778.5) c.1550dupC (p.Pro518ThrfsTer53), the mother exhibited severe obstructive HCM, while the brother was asymptomatic, suggesting incomplete or age-dependent penetrance within the family. This study has enriched the evidence for the pathogenicity of ALPK3tv among Chinese HCM pedigrees and underscored the importance of periodic literature reviews and genetic re-analysis for unresolved genetic testing results.
Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/genetics* ; Heterozygote ; Asian People/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Mutation ; China ; Female ; East Asian People

[Purpose]To analyze the survival rate of prostate cancer patients hospitalized in Nan-tong Tumor Hospital from 2007 to 2017.[Methods]A total of 478 prostate cancer patients were admitted in Nantong Tumor Hospital from 2007 to 2017 and 476 cases(99.58％)were followed up till December 31,2020.The survival rate of patients was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method;Soft-ware SPSS 25.0 and the Log-rank test were employed for statistical analysis.[Results]The aver-age age of prostate cancer patients at admission was(71.74±8.02)years old,and 79.08％were aged 60～79 years.The median survival time was 43 months,and the observed 1-,3-,5-and 10-year survival rates were 77.20％,56.07％,43.01％and 24.53％,respectively.The 5-year survival rates for the age groups of 35～59,60～79 and ≥80 years old were 31.73％,46.64％and 29.65％,respectively(P＜0.05).The 5-year survival rates for patients with stage Ⅰ～Ⅱ,stage Ⅲ,stage IV,and unknown stage were 88.10％,71.66％,33.35％and 37.55％,respectively(P＜0.001).The 5-year survival rates for the periods 2007-2012 and 2013-2017 were 32.85％and 47.79％,re-spectively(P＜0.05).Furthermore survival rates differed significantly across different regions within the jurisdiction(P＜0.05).[Conclusion]Over the past decade,the survival rate of hospital-based prostate cancer patients has significantly improved.Early-stage cases can achieve better survival rates,but the survival rate of elderly patients remains a challenge.Efforts should be made to reduce the proportion of patients with unknown staging Comprehensive measures for prostate cancer prevention and control should be strengthened to reduce incidence,improve prognosis and enhance quality of life of patients.

Objective:To report the nationwide surveillance results of pathogenic profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gram-positive bloodstream infections in China in 2023.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-posttive bacteria from blood cultures were collected in member hospitals of National Bloodstream Infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System（BRICS）during January to December 2023. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute（CLSI）. Statistical analyses were conducted using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software.Results:A total of 4 385 Gram-positive bacterial isolates were obtained from 60 participating center. The top five pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus（ n=1 544，35.2%），coagulase-negative Staphylococci（ n=1 441，32.9%）， Enterococcus faecium（ n=574，13.1%）， Enterococcus faecalis（ n=385，8.8%），and α-hemolytic Streptococci（ n=187，4.3%）. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus（MRSA）and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci（MRCNS）was 26.2%（405/1 544）and 69.8%（1 006/1 441），respectively. Notably，all Staphylococci remained susceptible to glycopeptide or daptomycin. Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated excellent susceptibility（>97.0%）to cephalobiol，rifampicin，trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole，linezolid，minocycline，tigecycline，and eravacycline. No Enterococcus exhibiting resistance to linezolid were detected. Glycopeptide resistance was uncommon but more frequent in Enterococcus faecium（resistance to vancomycin and teicoplanin：both 1.7%）compared to Enterococcus faecalis（both 0.3%）. The detection rates of MRSA and MRCNS exhibited significant regional variations across the country（ χ2=17.674 and 148.650，respectively，both P<0.001）. No vancomycin-resistant Enterococci were detected in central China. Institutional comparison demonstrated higher prevalence of MRSA（ χ2=14.111， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.828， P=0.028）in provincial hospitals than that in municipal hospitals. Socioeconomic analysis identified elevated detection rates of both MRSA（ χ2=18.986， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.477， P=0.034）in less developed regions（per capita GDP

Objective:To report the results of bacterial resistant investigation collaborative system（BRICS）on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical Gram-negative bacteria isolates from bloodstream infections in China in 2023，and provide reference for clinical tretment of bloodstream infections and prevention and control of bacterial resistance.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from blood cultures in member hospitals of BRICS were collected during January 2023 to December 2023. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted by agar dilution or broth dilution methods recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute（CLSI）. WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 were used to analyze the data.Results:During the study period，11 492 strains of Gram-negative bacteria were collected from 60 hospitals，of which 10 098（87.9%）were Enterobacterales and 1 394（12.1%）were non-fermentative bacteria. The top 5 bacterial species were Escherichia coli（50.0%）， Klebsiella pneumoniae（26.1%）， Pseudomonas aeruginosa（5.1%）， Acinetobacter baumannii complex（5.0%）and Enterobacter cloacae complex（4.1%）. The ESBL-producing rates in Escherichia coli， Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirablilis were 46.8%（2 685/5 741），18.3%（549/2 999）and 44.0%（77/175），respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli（CREC）and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae（CRKP）were 1.3%（76/5 741）and 15.0%（450/2 999）；32.9%（25/76）and 78.0%（351/450）of CREC and CRKP were sensitive to ceftazidime/avibactam combination，respectively. 94.7%（72/76）and 90.2%（406/450）of CREC and CRKP were sensitive to aztreonam/avibactam combination. Furthermore，57.9%（44/76）and 79.1%（356/450）were sensitive to imipenem/relebactam combination. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii（CRAB）complex was 64.6%（370/573），while more than 80.0% of CRAB complex was sensitive to tigecycline，eravacycline and polymyxin B. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa（CRPA）was 17.0%（99/581）. There were differences in the composition ratio of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections and the prevalence of important Gram-negative bacteria resistance among different regions in China，with statistically significant differences in the prevalence of CREC，CRKP，CRPA and CRAB complex（ χ2=10.6，28.6，10.8 and 19.3， P<0.05）. The prevalence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli， CREC，CRAB complex and CRKP were higher in provincial hospitals than those in municipal hospitals（ χ2=12.5，9.8，12.7 and 57.8，all P<0.01）. Conclusions:Gram-negative bacteria are the main pathogens causing bloodstream infections in China，and Escherichia coli is ranked in the top，while the trend of Klebsiella pneumoniae increases continuously with time. CRKP infection shows a slow upward trend，CREC infecton maintains a low prevalence level，and CRAB complex infection continues to exhibit a high prevalence rate. The composition and resistance patterns of pathogens causing bloodstream infections vary to some extent across different regions and levels of hospitals in China.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of lamb′s tripe extract and vitamin B 12 capsule (LTEVB 12C) on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) at different locations (antrum lesser curvature, antrum greater curvature, gastric angle, corpus lesser curvature, and corpus greater curvature). Methods:From August 2011 to January 2013, 715 patients with CAG in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial were enrolled from 16 tertiary first-class hospitals across the country, including the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, the First Hospital of Jilin University, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, etc., there were 476 cases in the LTEVB 12C group and 239 cases in the placebo group. The patients of the LTEVB 12C group received LTEVB 12C, and the patients of placebo group received LTEVB 12C mimetic, all the medications were taken 3 capsules each time and 3 times a day after meals, and the treatment course of 2 groups were both 6 months. The efficacy evaluation criteria included the effective rate (a decrease of ≥1 in histopathological score compared with baseline after 6 months of treatment) and the reversal rate (a decrease of ≥ 2 in histopathological score compared with baseline after 6 months of treatment in the patients with moderate to severe CAG). The impact of lesion sites on the therapeutic effects of LTEVB 12C was analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The two-way unordered Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test considering the center effect and Pearson chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:The effective rates of chronic inflammation at the antrum greater curvature and corpus greater curvature (23.3%, 110/473 vs. 13.0%, 31/239; 20.3%, 96/472 vs. 12.6%, 30/239), the effective rates of atrophy at the antrum lesser curvature, antrum greater curvature, gastric angle, corpus lesser curvature, and the corpus greater curvature (27.0%, 118/437 vs. 15.7%, 34/216; 29.2%, 126/432 vs. 18.5%, 38/205; 27.8%, 121/435 vs. 16.7%, 36/216; 32.5%, 127/391 vs. 19.8%, 37/187; 33.0%, 119/361 vs. 21.8%, 39/179), and the effective rates of intestinal metaplasia at the antrum lesser curvature, antrum greater curvature, gastric angle, and the corpus lesser curvature (45.0%, 112/249 vs. 29.8%, 31/104; 53.8%, 86/160 vs. 33.9%, 21/62; 45.8%, 103/225 vs. 24.0%, 25/104; 51.9%, 83/160 vs. 28.3%, 17/60) of the LTEVB 12C group were all higher than those of the placebo group, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=10.76, 6.39, 9.69, 7.91, 11.05, 9.62, 8.57, 5.20, 7.11, 12.45, and 6.73; all P<0.05). The reversal rates of chronic inflammation at the corpus lesser curvature and corpus greater curvature (5.2%, 12/231 vs. 0, 0/123; 4.7%, 8/170 vs. 0, 0/88), the reversal rates of atrophy at the antrum lesser curvature, antrum greater curvature, corpus lesser curvature, and the corpus greater curvature (6.8%, 22/323 vs. 1.3%, 2/151; 9.2%, 29/315 vs. 1.4%, 2/144; 14.2%, 38/267 vs. 2.5%, 3/121; 20.8%, 35/168 vs. 5.8%, 4/69), and the reversal rates of intestinal metaplasia at the antrum lesser curvature, antrum greater curvature, gastric angle, and the corpus lesser curvature (29.8%, 39/131 vs. 9.1%, 4/44; 41.0%, 32/78 vs. 12.5%, 3/24; 33.3%, 44/132 vs. 4.8%, 3/63; 50.0%, 37/74 vs. 8.7%, 2/23) of the LTEVB 12C group were all higher than those of the placebo group, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=6.58, 5.12, 5.60, 8.61, 11.43, 6.59, 7.30, 4.95, 15.92, 7.62; all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the effective rates and reversal rates of active inflammation at different locations between the LTEVB 12C group and the placebo group (all P>0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis (taking the antrum lesser curvature as the reference) further confirmed that the reversal rates of chronic inflammation ( OR=0.22, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.07 to 0.67; OR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.80), atrophy ( OR=0.28, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.49; OR=0.28, 95% CI: 0.16 to 0.49), and intestinal metaplasia ( OR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.77; OR=0.20, 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.52) at the corpus lesser curvature and corpus greater curvature were all higher than those at the antrum lesser curvature, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no statistically siginificant differences in the reversal rates of the aforementioned pathological features between the antrum greater curvature, gastric angle, and the antrum lesser curvature (all P>0.05). Conclusion:LTEVB 12C can achieve good efficacy in the treatment of CAG, and the chronic inflammation, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia at multiple locations are improved, especially at the corpus lesser curvature and the corpus greater curvature.

The single photon counting imaging detector based on microchannel plate(MCP)has the characteristics of high sensitivity and low dark count rate,and has been applied to the optical remote sensing detection of weak ultraviolet spectral signals in space.In this work,by using planar array single photon counting imaging detector as the detector,flat-field concave grating as the splitter,and electrodeless discharge lamp(EDL)as the excitation light source,a dispersion detection system suitable for hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry(HG-AFS)was developed.The wavelength calibration of the system was carried out,and the negative high pressure and EDL stability time of the planar array single photon counting imaging detector were analyzed and optimized.The characteristic emission spectral lines of As and Bi elements excited in the wavelength range of 180-320 nm were analyzed,and the scattering interference in the wavelength range of 257.3-306.7 nm was discussed.The results showed that the AFS dispersion detection system based on the planar array single photon counting imaging detector could detect and analyze the HG-AFS fluorescence signal initially,and the influence of scattering interference on the detection results was effectively avoided.The system had the advantages including simple structure,no refrigeration and temperature control,no moving parts and simultaneous measurement of multi-band.

Forensic medicine has been designated as a first-level discipline,presenting new opportunities and challenges for the development of forensic medicine.Since the 1980s,the establishment of foren-sic medicine discipline and the cultivation of high-level forensic talents have become hot topics in the development of forensic medicine in China.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan,the forensic team of Shanxi Medical University has been aiming at the forefront,proposing the development goals of"Five First-class"and the discipline development path"Six Major Achievements".It has selected benchmark disci-plines,identified gaps in disciplinary development,unified thoughts,formulated completion timelines,concentrated superior resources,assigned tasks to individuals,and created an"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"forensic medicine discipline construction model with the characteristics of the new era.The construction model of forensic medicine has achieved good results in the goals,discipline frame-work,scientific research,talent cultivation,discipline team and platform construction,forming a rela-tively complete discipline construction and management system,and accumulating valuable experience for the construction of first-level discipline and high-level talent cultivation of forensic medicine.

BACKGROUND: The use of inserted sham acupuncture as a placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is controversial, because it may produce specific effects that cause an underestimation of the effect of acupuncture treatment. OBJECTIVE: This systematic survey investigates the magnitude of insert-specific effects of sham acupuncture and whether they affect the estimation of acupuncture treatment effects. SEARCH STRATEGY: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify acupuncture RCTs from their inception until December 2022. INCLUSION CRITERIA: RCTs that evaluated the effects of acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture and no treatment. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: The total effect measured for an acupuncture treatment group in RCTs were divided into three components, including the natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (controlled for no-treatment group), the placebo effect, and the specific effect of acupuncture. The first two constituted the contextual effect of acupuncture, which is mimicked by a sham acupuncture treatment group. The proportion of acupuncture total effect size was considered to be 1. The proportion of natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (PNE) and proportional contextual effect (PCE) of included RCTs were pooled using meta-analyses with a random-effect model. The proportion of acupuncture placebo effect was the difference between PCE and PNE in RCTs with non-inserted sham acupuncture. The proportion of insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture (PIES) was obtained by subtracting the proportion of acupuncture placebo effect and PNE from PCE in RCTs with inserted sham acupuncture. The impact of PIES on the estimation of acupuncture's treatment effect was evaluated by quantifying the percentage of RCTs that the effect of outcome changed from no statistical difference to statistical difference after removing PIES in the included studies, and the impact of PIES was externally validated in other acupuncture RCTs with an inserted sham acupuncture group that were not used to calculate PIES. RESULTS: This analysis included 32 studies with 5492 patients. The overall PNE was 0.335 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.255-0.415) and the PCE of acupuncture was 0.639 (95% CI, 0.567-0.710) of acupuncture's total effect. The proportional contribution of the placebo effect to acupuncture's total effect was 0.191, and the PIES was 0.189. When we modeled the exclusion of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, the acupuncture treatment effect changed from no difference to a significant difference in 45.45% of the included RCTs, and in 40.91% of the external validated RCTs. CONCLUSION The insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture in RCTs represents 18.90% of acupuncture's total effect and significantly affects the evaluation of the acupuncture treatment effect. More than 40% of RCTs that used inserted sham acupuncture would draw different conclusions if the PIES had been controlled for. Considering the impact of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, caution should be taken when using inserted sham acupuncture placebos in RCTs. Please cite this article as: Luo XC, Liu JL, Yao MH, Chen YM, Fan AY, Liang FR, Zhao JP, Zhao L, Zhou X, Zhong XY, Yang JH, Li B, Zhang Y, Sun X, Li L. Specific effect of inserted sham acupuncture and its impact on the estimation of acupuncture treatment effect in randomized controlled trials: A systematic survey. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):630-640.
Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Placebo Effect ; Placebos ; Treatment Outcome