Objective To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic cough and analyze its acupoint selection patterns.Methods Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)on acupuncture for chronic cough were retrieved from databases including CNKI,VIP,Wan Fang Data,CBM,PubMed,and Web of Science,Cochrane Library and Embase from their inception to April 2025.Original data from the included studies were extracted.Meta-analysis was performed to compare the acupuncture treatment group with the western medicine control group[using leukotriene receptor antagonists(LTRAs)and/or glucocorticoids]on outcomes including cough symptom scores,serum tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)levels,pulmonary function indicators[forced vital capacity(FVC)and forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV1)],overall clinical effectiveness,and incidence of adverse reactions.Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots,and descriptive analysis of the acupoint prescriptions from the included studies was conducted using Rstudio software to summarize the patterns of acupoint selection for chronic cough.Results A total of 10 studies involving 806 patients were included.Meta-analysis results showed that acupuncture was superior to the western medicine control group in improving cough symptom scores,reducing serum TNF-α levels,enhancing pulmonary function(FVC and FEV1),increasing overall clinical effectiveness,and reducing adverse reactions,with statistically significant differences.Further analysis of the 10 included studies revealed that the most frequently used acupoints were Feishu(BL13)(n=9 times),Zusanli(ST36)(n=7 times),Lieque(LU7)(n=6 times),and Pishu(BL20)(n=5 times).The most frequently utilized meridians were the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang(BL)(n=10 times),the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming(ST)(n=7 times),and the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin(LU)(n=7 times).Acupoints were primarily located on the lower back(36.92%),upper limbs(26.15%),and lower limbs(21.53%).Conclusion Acupuncture is effective in treating chronic cough.The acupoint prescriptions for chronic cough should follow the principles of symptomatic point selection and anterior-posterior point pairing,emphasizing the back-shu and front-mu point pairing method,as well as the upper-lower point pairing method.Points are predominantly selected from the Bladder meridian(BL),lung meridian(LU),and stomach meridian(ST).

Objective To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic cough and analyze its acupoint selection patterns.Methods Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)on acupuncture for chronic cough were retrieved from databases including CNKI,VIP,Wan Fang Data,CBM,PubMed,and Web of Science,Cochrane Library and Embase from their inception to April 2025.Original data from the included studies were extracted.Meta-analysis was performed to compare the acupuncture treatment group with the western medicine control group[using leukotriene receptor antagonists(LTRAs)and/or glucocorticoids]on outcomes including cough symptom scores,serum tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)levels,pulmonary function indicators[forced vital capacity(FVC)and forced expiratory volume in the first second(FEV1)],overall clinical effectiveness,and incidence of adverse reactions.Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots,and descriptive analysis of the acupoint prescriptions from the included studies was conducted using Rstudio software to summarize the patterns of acupoint selection for chronic cough.Results A total of 10 studies involving 806 patients were included.Meta-analysis results showed that acupuncture was superior to the western medicine control group in improving cough symptom scores,reducing serum TNF-α levels,enhancing pulmonary function(FVC and FEV1),increasing overall clinical effectiveness,and reducing adverse reactions,with statistically significant differences.Further analysis of the 10 included studies revealed that the most frequently used acupoints were Feishu(BL13)(n=9 times),Zusanli(ST36)(n=7 times),Lieque(LU7)(n=6 times),and Pishu(BL20)(n=5 times).The most frequently utilized meridians were the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang(BL)(n=10 times),the Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming(ST)(n=7 times),and the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin(LU)(n=7 times).Acupoints were primarily located on the lower back(36.92%),upper limbs(26.15%),and lower limbs(21.53%).Conclusion Acupuncture is effective in treating chronic cough.The acupoint prescriptions for chronic cough should follow the principles of symptomatic point selection and anterior-posterior point pairing,emphasizing the back-shu and front-mu point pairing method,as well as the upper-lower point pairing method.Points are predominantly selected from the Bladder meridian(BL),lung meridian(LU),and stomach meridian(ST).

There is controversy over the specific and non-specific components in the efficacy evaluation of acupuncture therapy.The placebo effect,as a key non-specific factor,needs to be clarified in terms of its mechanism and clinical value.This article reviewed the research progress in the placebo effect of acupuncture from three aspects:cognitive process,influencing factors,and mechanism.It focused on the regulatory effects of patient expectations,doctor-patient interaction,and individual differences on the effect,summarized key mechanisms such as endogenous opioid system,dopamine reward pathway,and neural projection of rostral anterior cingulate cortex to pontine nucleus,and pointed out the methodological limitations of current comfort acupuncture designs,in order to provide theoretical basis for the optimization of acupuncture clinical research models and the deepening of the effect mechanism.

To analyze potential adverse drug events(ADEs) associated with ustekinumab and upadacitinib in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) based on an international authoritative database, thereby providing evidence for clinical medication safety.

There is controversy over the specific and non-specific components in the efficacy evaluation of acupuncture therapy.The placebo effect,as a key non-specific factor,needs to be clarified in terms of its mechanism and clinical value.This article reviewed the research progress in the placebo effect of acupuncture from three aspects:cognitive process,influencing factors,and mechanism.It focused on the regulatory effects of patient expectations,doctor-patient interaction,and individual differences on the effect,summarized key mechanisms such as endogenous opioid system,dopamine reward pathway,and neural projection of rostral anterior cingulate cortex to pontine nucleus,and pointed out the methodological limitations of current comfort acupuncture designs,in order to provide theoretical basis for the optimization of acupuncture clinical research models and the deepening of the effect mechanism.

Objective:To analyze the expression levels and clinical significance of interferon (IFN)-α/β in the renal cortex and serum of children with lupus nephritis (LN).Methods:A total of 32 children with LN diagnosed in the pediatric nephrology department of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from December 2017 to September 2020 were selected as the study subjects (LN group). The normal kidney control group consisted of 3 normal kidney transplant volunteers who underwent biopsy of kidney tissue (normal kidney control group), while 14 healthy children who underwent physical examination were collected as the normal control group. According to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), LN patients were divided into mild activity group ( n=8), moderate activity group ( n=9), and severe activity group ( n=15). According to the International Society of Nephrology/Society of Nephrology (ISN/RPS) 2003 LN classification criteria, pathological classification was performed (3 cases in the mild pathological damage group, 8 cases in the moderate pathological damage group, and 11 cases in the severe pathological damage group); Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression and distribution of IFN-α/β in glomeruli and renal interstitium; Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the concentration of IFN-α/β in serum samples and analyze its correlation with the pathological classification and disease activity of LN patients. Results:The serum and renal cortex IFN-α/β levels in the LN group were higher than those in the normal control group and normal kidney control group, respectively (all P<0.05). The average level of serum IFN-α/β in the heavy activity group was higher than that in the light and moderate activity groups (all P<0.05). The serum and renal cortex IFN-α/β levels in the severe pathological damage group were significantly higher than those in the mild and moderate pathological damage groups (all P<0.05). Conclusions:IFN-α/β in the renal cortex is closely related to renal injury in LN; Serum IFN-α/β can assist in evaluating the disease activity level of LN to a certain extent.

Objective:To construct a practical education training quality evaluation system that can monitor the entire training process for the master of public health, and to provide a basis for improving the public health education system.Methods:Based on the survey of the current status of the master of public health, combined with the literature survey, the focus group discussion and the expert forum, an evaluation system was established, and the weight coefficient of each index was determined by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). All data were entered by Excel double-person, and matlabR2018a was used to calculate the weight, and determine the maximum characteristic root of the matrix, consistency index and consistency ratio.Results:The evaluation index system consisted of 7 first-level indicators and 24 second-level indicators. The average authority coefficient of 32 experts was 0.791. The top three items with the highest weight in the first-level indicators were mentor guidance (0.213), professional practice (0.157) and scientific research topics (0.149). The weight coefficient consistency ratio ( CR) was 0.040, showing that the consistency test passed ( CR<0.1). Conclusion:The educational quality evaluation system of the master of public health constructed by the institute is scientific, and the weight of the evaluation index reflects the focus of the postgraduate training process of the master of public health, which can provide a reference for improving the quality of public health professionals.

Objective:This study aims to investigate the prevalence of internet addiction, morningness-eveningness preference of sleep-wake chronotype, and sleep quality and the correlates of internet addition among first-year undergraduate students.Methods:The newly admitted undergraduates ( n=9 157) of a comprehensive university in 2019 were invited to participate in an online survey from September 2019 to December 2019. The Young′s 20-item Internet Addiction Test, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) were used to measure internet addiction, sleep quality, and the types of morningness-eveningness preference respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze factors independently related to internet addiction with demographic variables (i.e., gender and age), sleep problems, and morningness-eveningness preference adjusted. Results:A total of 7 457 (81.4%) newly admitted undergraduates completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of internet addiction in the total sample was 8.86% (661/7 457), while the corresponding figures were 10.04% (348/3 466) in female students and 7.84% (313/3 991) in male students. The prevalence of sleep problems was 11.73% (875/7 457). For chronotype, the prevalence of evening type, intermediate type, and morning type was 54.73% (4 081/7 457), 43.02% (3 208/7 457) and 2.25% (168/7 457) respectively. After adjusting the interaction of related factors in the logistic regression analysis, being female ( OR=1.26), having sleep quality ( OR=4.12), and having sleep-wake chronotype of intermediate type ( OR=0.37) and morning type ( OR=0.24) were independently associated with internet addiction. Conclusions:Female students had higher prevalence of internet addiction than male students. Majority of students had a chronotype of intermediate or evening type. The sleep-wake chronotype was independently associated with internet addiction after controlling sleep quality, which indicated that sleep biological rhythm may be involved in the mechanism of the occurrence of internet addiction.

Objective:This study aims to investigate the prevalence of internet addiction, morningness-eveningness preference of sleep-wake chronotype, and sleep quality and the correlates of internet addition among first-year undergraduate students.Methods:The newly admitted undergraduates ( n=9 157) of a comprehensive university in 2019 were invited to participate in an online survey from September 2019 to December 2019. The Young′s 20-item Internet Addiction Test, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) were used to measure internet addiction, sleep quality, and the types of morningness-eveningness preference respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze factors independently related to internet addiction with demographic variables (i.e., gender and age), sleep problems, and morningness-eveningness preference adjusted. Results:A total of 7 457 (81.4%) newly admitted undergraduates completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of internet addiction in the total sample was 8.86% (661/7 457), while the corresponding figures were 10.04% (348/3 466) in female students and 7.84% (313/3 991) in male students. The prevalence of sleep problems was 11.73% (875/7 457). For chronotype, the prevalence of evening type, intermediate type, and morning type was 54.73% (4 081/7 457), 43.02% (3 208/7 457) and 2.25% (168/7 457) respectively. After adjusting the interaction of related factors in the logistic regression analysis, being female ( OR=1.26), having sleep quality ( OR=4.12), and having sleep-wake chronotype of intermediate type ( OR=0.37) and morning type ( OR=0.24) were independently associated with internet addiction. Conclusions:Female students had higher prevalence of internet addiction than male students. Majority of students had a chronotype of intermediate or evening type. The sleep-wake chronotype was independently associated with internet addiction after controlling sleep quality, which indicated that sleep biological rhythm may be involved in the mechanism of the occurrence of internet addiction.

Objective:To investigate the effect of L-carnitine on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operation.Methods:The clinical data of 60 patients who had underwent CABG under extracorporeal circulation in Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2015 to December 2017 was retrospectively analyzed. L-carnitine was infused into the patients in the observation group while the equal amount of normal saline was given to the patients in the control group during perioperative period. Venous blood was collected from each patient 1 hour before the surgery and at 2, 6, 24 and 72 hours after unclamping the aorta, then serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase-MB isozyme (CK-MB) were detected. Additionally, cardiac function indices including stroke volume (SV), left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDD), cardiac output (CO), Left ventricular ejection fraction (lVEF) were compared between the two group patients before the surgery and 6 days after operation.Results:Compared with before the operation, the levels of serum enzymes were all significantly increased after unclamping the aorta. The levels of serum AST, LDH and CK reached their peak at 24 hours after unclamping the aorta. Notably, the levels of serum AST, LDH and CK in the experimental group were lower than that in the control group at each time point after unclamping the aorta ( P<0.05). For serum CK-MB, the level in the experimental group reached its peak at 6 hours after unclamping the aorta, while the peak value was observed at 24 hours after unclamping the aorta in the control group. The level of CK-MB in the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with the control group at each time point after unclamping the aorta ( P<0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences in cardiac function indices between the 2 groups before the operation ( P>0.05). The levels of SV, CO and LVEF in the experimental group were significantly increased while the level of LVDD was obviously decreased compared to that in the control group after the operation ( P<0.05). Conclusions:L-carnitine has protective effects on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients undergoing CABG operation under cardiopulmonary bypass, with reducing serum levels of myocardial enzyme in these patients.