The paper summarizes the authorized invention patents, device registration and the relevant published articles of acupuncture medical devices of TCM in recent 5 years, and analyzes the current status and challenges in this field. It is discovered that the optimization and substitution in diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture are involved in the development of acupuncture medical devices. The technology application of these devices are composed of traditional and emerging engineering technologies; and the theoretical guidance for their development requires the integration of traditional acupuncture principles with modern medical theories. The development of acupuncture medical devices highlights the characteristics of multidimensional integration, treatment for specific ailments, portability and wearability, painlessness and non-invasion, precision and personalization, as well as intelligent automation. Upon analysis, it is shown that in the development and product transformation of acupuncture medical devices in recent years, the theoretical principles of acupuncture of TCM have not been fully utilized yet, the transformation of patented product is low, the clinical evidence of product is insufficient, and the market competitiveness needs improvement. In the future, The theoretic guidance of acupuncture of TCM should be enhanced in the development of acupuncture medical devices, a production-education- research model with the combination of medicine and engineering be constructed, clinical verification of product be emphasized, and product development paradigms be advanced, so as to meet the demands of the medical market.
Acupuncture Therapy/trends* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/instrumentation* ; Equipment and Supplies

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy， safety and cost-effectiveness of vonoprazan （VPZ） in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD） by rapid health technology assessment， and provide evidence for clinical decision-making. METHODS English and Chinese databases including PubMed， Medline， Cochrane Library， CNKI， VIP， and Wanfang data as well as the official websites of domestic and international health technology assessment agencies were searched by computer from the database establishment to August 2024. After literature screening， data extraction and quality evaluation of included studies were conducted by two researchers， the results were described and analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS A total of 21 pieces of literature were included， involving 15 systematic reviews/meta-analyses and 6 pharmacoeconomic studies. In terms of efficacy， compared with the control regimen （different doses of VPZ， placebo， other positive controls or combination therapy）， VPZ （mainly 20 mg/d VPZ） significantly improved the total response rate， mucosal healing rate at 2nd week， symptom remission rate， and maintenance rate at 12th and 24th week after mucosal healing （P＜0.05）； when the endoscopic Los Angeles classification was C/D， the effective rate of VPZ was significantly higher than that of the control regimen （P＜0.05）. In terms of safety， there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between VPZ and the control regimen for GERD treatment （P＞0.05）， but the risk of elevated serum gastrin and abnormal liver function caused by long-term use of VPZ was higher than that of the control regimen （P＜0.05）. In terms of cost-effectiveness， compared with rabeprazole， lansoprazole and esomeprazole， VPZ had a cost- effectiveness/cost-utility advantage. CONCLUSIONS VPZ is effective， safe and cost-effective in the treatment of GERD.

AIM:To explore the role and mechanism of calcium-sensing receptor(CaSR)in regulating macro-phage polarization in hypertensive rats.METHODS:Male spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)and Wistar-Kyoto(WKY)rats were categorized into WKY group,SHR group,SHR+R568(CaSR agonist)group,and SHR+NPS2143(CaSR inhibitor)group.The thoracic aorta was isolated,and the expression of CaSR and macrophage polarization markers in the aorta was observed through immunofluorescence staining.The primary peritoneal macrophages of SHR and WKY rats were aseptically extracted following anesthesia.After intervention with R568 and NPS2143,the expression levels of M1 and M2 markers of peritoneal macrophages were observed by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.The levels of interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-10 were measured by ELISA.The concentration of Ca2+in peritoneal macrophages was mea-sured by immunofluorescence.Western blot was employed to identify the expression of CaSR and nucleotide-binding oligo-merization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome components.Following anesthesia,vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)were isolated from SHR using an adherent method.Subsequently,a co-culture system was estab-lished with macrophage supernatant.The optimal action time for this co-culture system was determined through CCK-8 as-say.RESULTS:Compared with SHR group,activation of CaSR resulted in a significant decrease in the protein expres-sion of M1 polarization markers(P<0.05)and a concomitant increase in the protein expression of M2 polarization markers in the aorta(P<0.05).Compared with SHR group,administration of R568 led to a significant decrease in the protein ex-pression of M1 polarization markers(P<0.05)and a concomitant increase in the protein expression of M2 polarization markers(P<0.05)in peritoneal macrophages.Additionally,there was a notable reduction in the protein levels of NLRP3 inflammasome components(P<0.05).Furthermore,the fluorescence intensity of intracellular Ca2+was significantly en-hanced following R568 treatment(P<0.05).After administration of MCC950,an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor,the re-sults were consistent with those observed following R568 treatment,demonstrating statistical significance(P<0.05).This effect was reversed by the combined intervention of U73122,a phospholipase C(PLC)inhibitor(P<0.05).Compared with the control(0 h),the 24-h peritoneal macrophage supernatant exhibited the strongest capacity to enhance the viabili-ty of VSMCs after 24 h of culture(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:In hypertensive rats,the CaSR inhibits NLRP3 inflamma-some activation via the PLC-Ca2+signaling pathway,thereby mediating an increase in macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype and a decrease towards the M1 phenotype.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of flight fatigue being detected via photoplethysmography (PPG) and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO 2) in order to address the challenges posed by flight fatigue during prolonged or multiple consecutive flights. Methods:A total of 16 healthy male volunteers were enrolled. A wireless cerebral oximetry monitor headband was employed to collect PPG and rScO 2 data from the forehead while a multi-lead physiological data acquisition system was used concurrently to record three-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). After 18 h of sleep deprivation, each volunteer performed a flight-simulating task, which was divided into 4 stages: the baseline period (T1), relaxation period (T2), early fatigue period (T3) and severe fatigue period (T4). Five-minute data was collected from each stage for analysis using AcqKnowledge 6.0. Heart rate (HR) and 3 HR variability (HRV) metrics, namely standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and low frequency to high frequency power ratio (LF/HF), were computed independently from both ECG and PPG traces. The mean rScO 2 value for each stage was used to represent the cerebral oxygen saturation during that stage. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was employed to assess the consistency of the measurements, and the differences in HR and HRV indicators of the volunteers in the 4 stages of the experiment were analyzed. Results:The HR measured by ECG and PPG was highly consistent across the 4 stages among the 14 volunteers ( ICC=0.951, 0.963, 0.962, 0.963, P=0.013, 0.011, 0.021, 0.015), so were SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF values ( ICC=0.935-0.983, all P<0.05). HR values calculated with either method showed significant differences across the 4 stages in the 14 volunteers ( F=21.63, 20.52, P=0.007, 0.008). HR gradually declined from T1 to T4, and was significantly lower at T4 than at T1 ( P=0.011, 0.009). There were significant differences in SDNN ( F=22.31, 24.26, P=0.006, 0.003), RMSSD ( F=22.30, 22.26, P=0.006, 0.006), and LF/HF ( F=20.37, 25.13, P=0.009, 0.002) across the 4 stages among the 14 volunteers. SDNN and RMSSD kept increasing as fatigue was intensified, while LF/HF decreased correspondingly. Statistically significant differences were found in SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF values between T4 and T1 (all P<0.01). rScO 2 measured during the flight-simulating trial also differed significantly across the 4 stages ( F=21.39, P=0.007). rScO? at both T3 and T4 was significantly lower than at T1 ( P=0.009, 0.007). Conclusions:PPG can replace ECG for monitoring HR and HRV indicators under flight fatigue. Furthermore, the combination of PPG with rScO 2 monitoring allows for earlier detection of flight fatigue. This study is expected to offer a user-friendly and non-invasive approach to management of pilot fatigue.

This review aims to provide clinical guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis(AAV)by summarizing recent advances in the research on the immunological aspects of infection and AAV.Literatures are retrieved from PubMed,CNKI,Wanfang and other databases.The search terms are set as"ANCA","vasculitis","infection"and"immunity".The existing literatures are reviewed and analyzed.Infection plays a crucial role throughout the course of AAV,affecting onset,disease activity,treatment and prognosis.Infections are not only significant triggers for the onset of AAV,but also factors that precipitate relapses.Additionally,the immunosuppression involved in AAV treatment increases susceptibility to infections,which can exacerbate AAV.Concurrent infections have become a leading cause of death in AAV patients.The interplay of infection,molecular mimicry,and genetic cross-reactivity represents a primary pathogenic mechanism in AAV.Reducing infection-induced immune responses has a posi-tive implication in the management of AAV.

Objective To explore the potential categories of dyadic psychological capital and related factors among stroke patients and their spouses,in order to inform the improvement of their mental health.Methods Stroke patients and their spouses were recruited in the Neurology Department of 3 tertiary general hospitals from March,2023 to August,2023 by convenience sampling method.The general information questionnaire,Modified Rankin Scale(mRs),Psychological Capital Questionnaire,The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale(K10)and Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS)were used for investigation.Latent profile analysis was adopted to explore the categories of dyadic psychological capital,and multiple Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of various factors on different categories.Results A total of 232 returned questionnaires(out of the 235)were valid,resulting an effective response rate of 98.7％.Stroke patients and their spouses were divided into 3 categories,including dyadic low psychological capital-low self-efficacy group(6.0％),dyadic high psychological capital-low resilience group(15.9％)and dyadic medium psychological capital group(78.1％).The stroke patients'education level,mRs scores,occupational status after the illness,level of perceived social support,and spouses'working condition were the influencing factors on potential profiles of dyadic psychological capital(P＜0.05).Conclusion There are heterogeneity and interdependence in the level of dyadic psychological capital of stroke patients and their spouses.Healthcare professionals should promote dyadic mental health by developing targeted interventions for stroke patients and their spouses with different psychological capital characteristics from a dyadic holistic perspective.

Objective To explore the potential categories of dyadic psychological capital and related factors among stroke patients and their spouses,in order to inform the improvement of their mental health.Methods Stroke patients and their spouses were recruited in the Neurology Department of 3 tertiary general hospitals from March,2023 to August,2023 by convenience sampling method.The general information questionnaire,Modified Rankin Scale(mRs),Psychological Capital Questionnaire,The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale(K10)and Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS)were used for investigation.Latent profile analysis was adopted to explore the categories of dyadic psychological capital,and multiple Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of various factors on different categories.Results A total of 232 returned questionnaires(out of the 235)were valid,resulting an effective response rate of 98.7％.Stroke patients and their spouses were divided into 3 categories,including dyadic low psychological capital-low self-efficacy group(6.0％),dyadic high psychological capital-low resilience group(15.9％)and dyadic medium psychological capital group(78.1％).The stroke patients'education level,mRs scores,occupational status after the illness,level of perceived social support,and spouses'working condition were the influencing factors on potential profiles of dyadic psychological capital(P＜0.05).Conclusion There are heterogeneity and interdependence in the level of dyadic psychological capital of stroke patients and their spouses.Healthcare professionals should promote dyadic mental health by developing targeted interventions for stroke patients and their spouses with different psychological capital characteristics from a dyadic holistic perspective.

This review aims to provide clinical guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis(AAV)by summarizing recent advances in the research on the immunological aspects of infection and AAV.Literatures are retrieved from PubMed,CNKI,Wanfang and other databases.The search terms are set as"ANCA","vasculitis","infection"and"immunity".The existing literatures are reviewed and analyzed.Infection plays a crucial role throughout the course of AAV,affecting onset,disease activity,treatment and prognosis.Infections are not only significant triggers for the onset of AAV,but also factors that precipitate relapses.Additionally,the immunosuppression involved in AAV treatment increases susceptibility to infections,which can exacerbate AAV.Concurrent infections have become a leading cause of death in AAV patients.The interplay of infection,molecular mimicry,and genetic cross-reactivity represents a primary pathogenic mechanism in AAV.Reducing infection-induced immune responses has a posi-tive implication in the management of AAV.

AIM:To explore the role and mechanism of calcium-sensing receptor(CaSR)in regulating macro-phage polarization in hypertensive rats.METHODS:Male spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)and Wistar-Kyoto(WKY)rats were categorized into WKY group,SHR group,SHR+R568(CaSR agonist)group,and SHR+NPS2143(CaSR inhibitor)group.The thoracic aorta was isolated,and the expression of CaSR and macrophage polarization markers in the aorta was observed through immunofluorescence staining.The primary peritoneal macrophages of SHR and WKY rats were aseptically extracted following anesthesia.After intervention with R568 and NPS2143,the expression levels of M1 and M2 markers of peritoneal macrophages were observed by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.The levels of interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-10 were measured by ELISA.The concentration of Ca2+in peritoneal macrophages was mea-sured by immunofluorescence.Western blot was employed to identify the expression of CaSR and nucleotide-binding oligo-merization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome components.Following anesthesia,vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)were isolated from SHR using an adherent method.Subsequently,a co-culture system was estab-lished with macrophage supernatant.The optimal action time for this co-culture system was determined through CCK-8 as-say.RESULTS:Compared with SHR group,activation of CaSR resulted in a significant decrease in the protein expres-sion of M1 polarization markers(P<0.05)and a concomitant increase in the protein expression of M2 polarization markers in the aorta(P<0.05).Compared with SHR group,administration of R568 led to a significant decrease in the protein ex-pression of M1 polarization markers(P<0.05)and a concomitant increase in the protein expression of M2 polarization markers(P<0.05)in peritoneal macrophages.Additionally,there was a notable reduction in the protein levels of NLRP3 inflammasome components(P<0.05).Furthermore,the fluorescence intensity of intracellular Ca2+was significantly en-hanced following R568 treatment(P<0.05).After administration of MCC950,an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor,the re-sults were consistent with those observed following R568 treatment,demonstrating statistical significance(P<0.05).This effect was reversed by the combined intervention of U73122,a phospholipase C(PLC)inhibitor(P<0.05).Compared with the control(0 h),the 24-h peritoneal macrophage supernatant exhibited the strongest capacity to enhance the viabili-ty of VSMCs after 24 h of culture(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:In hypertensive rats,the CaSR inhibits NLRP3 inflamma-some activation via the PLC-Ca2+signaling pathway,thereby mediating an increase in macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype and a decrease towards the M1 phenotype.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of flight fatigue being detected via photoplethysmography (PPG) and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO 2) in order to address the challenges posed by flight fatigue during prolonged or multiple consecutive flights. Methods:A total of 16 healthy male volunteers were enrolled. A wireless cerebral oximetry monitor headband was employed to collect PPG and rScO 2 data from the forehead while a multi-lead physiological data acquisition system was used concurrently to record three-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs). After 18 h of sleep deprivation, each volunteer performed a flight-simulating task, which was divided into 4 stages: the baseline period (T1), relaxation period (T2), early fatigue period (T3) and severe fatigue period (T4). Five-minute data was collected from each stage for analysis using AcqKnowledge 6.0. Heart rate (HR) and 3 HR variability (HRV) metrics, namely standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and low frequency to high frequency power ratio (LF/HF), were computed independently from both ECG and PPG traces. The mean rScO 2 value for each stage was used to represent the cerebral oxygen saturation during that stage. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was employed to assess the consistency of the measurements, and the differences in HR and HRV indicators of the volunteers in the 4 stages of the experiment were analyzed. Results:The HR measured by ECG and PPG was highly consistent across the 4 stages among the 14 volunteers ( ICC=0.951, 0.963, 0.962, 0.963, P=0.013, 0.011, 0.021, 0.015), so were SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF values ( ICC=0.935-0.983, all P<0.05). HR values calculated with either method showed significant differences across the 4 stages in the 14 volunteers ( F=21.63, 20.52, P=0.007, 0.008). HR gradually declined from T1 to T4, and was significantly lower at T4 than at T1 ( P=0.011, 0.009). There were significant differences in SDNN ( F=22.31, 24.26, P=0.006, 0.003), RMSSD ( F=22.30, 22.26, P=0.006, 0.006), and LF/HF ( F=20.37, 25.13, P=0.009, 0.002) across the 4 stages among the 14 volunteers. SDNN and RMSSD kept increasing as fatigue was intensified, while LF/HF decreased correspondingly. Statistically significant differences were found in SDNN, RMSSD and LF/HF values between T4 and T1 (all P<0.01). rScO 2 measured during the flight-simulating trial also differed significantly across the 4 stages ( F=21.39, P=0.007). rScO? at both T3 and T4 was significantly lower than at T1 ( P=0.009, 0.007). Conclusions:PPG can replace ECG for monitoring HR and HRV indicators under flight fatigue. Furthermore, the combination of PPG with rScO 2 monitoring allows for earlier detection of flight fatigue. This study is expected to offer a user-friendly and non-invasive approach to management of pilot fatigue.