BACKGROUND: There is a gap in understanding the effects of different acupoints and treatment methods (acupuncture and moxibustion) on microcirculatory changes in the lumbar region. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the thermal effects of acupuncture at Weizhong (BL40), with acupuncture at Chize (LU5) and moxibustion at both acupoints as control interventions. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In this randomized controlled trial, 140 healthy participants were equally divided into four groups: acupuncture at BL40 (Acu-BL40), acupuncture at LU5 (Acu-LU5), moxibustion at BL40 (Mox-BL40) and moxibustion at LU5 (Mox-LU5). Participants underwent a 30-minute session of their assigned treatment. Infrared thermal imaging was used to collect temperature data on the areas of interest for analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary measure was the change in average temperature of the observed area after the intervention. The secondary measures included periodic temperature changes every 5 min and the temperature changes of the Governor Vessel and Bladder Meridian in the observed area after the intervention. RESULTS: Significant interactions were observed between treatments and acupoints affecting temperature (P < 0.001). The Acu-BL40 group showed a notably higher increase in mean temperature after 30 min compared to the Acu-LU5 and Mox-BL40 groups, with increases of 0.29 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.17 to 0.41) and 0.24 (95% CI = 0.08 to 0.41) °C, respectively. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at BL40 acupoint can significantly increase the mean temperature in the observed area, highlighting the specific thermal effect of acupuncture compared to moxibustion in the lumbar area. This suggests a potential therapeutic benefit of acupuncture at BL40 for managing lumbar conditions. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05665426). Please cite this article as: Zheng SY, Wang XY, Lin LN, Liu S, Huang XX, Liu YY, Yu XS, Pan W, Fang JQ, Liang Y. Lumbar temperature change after acupuncture or moxibustion at Weizhong (BL40) or Chize (LU5) in healthy adults: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 145-151.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Body Temperature ; Healthy Volunteers ; Lumbosacral Region/physiology* ; Moxibustion ; Adolescent

Objective:To observe the expression level of long noncoding RNA RP11-97C16.1 in bladder cancer tissues and its relationship with the survival time of bladder cancer patients, and to explore the role and potential molecular mechanism of RP11-97C16.1 in the proliferation of bladder cancer cells.Methods:The expression difference of RP11-97C16.1 in bladder cancer tissue and adjacent tissue was analyzed by TCGA database, and the relationship between the expression level of RP11-97C16.1 and the survival time of bladder cancer patients was analyzed by GEPIA database. The expression of RP11-97C16.1 in four bladder cancer cell lines (T24, MGH-U3, J82, UM-UC-3) was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The UM-UC-3 cells were divided into RP11-97C16.1 group and control group, and the transfectants were pcDNA-RP11-97C16.1 plasmid and negative control plasmid, respectively. The expression levels of RP11-97C16.1 and miR-3687 were detected by RT-qPCR. The viability and proliferation ability of UM-UC-3 cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and colony formation assay. The complementary relationship between RP11-97C16.1 and miR-3687 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The expression levels of Cyclin E2, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6 and Cyclin D2 were detected by Western blotting. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation ( ± s), independent sample t-test was used for comparison between two groups, and one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups. Results:Compared with adjacent tissues, the expression of RP11-97C16.1 in bladder cancer tissues was significantly decreased ( P<0.01). Compared with patients with lower expression of RP11-97C16.1, patients with higher expression of RP11-97C16.1 had longer overall survival time ( P<0.01). Compared with the SV-HUC-1 cell line, the expression of RP11-97C16.1 was significantly decreased in the four bladder cancer cell lines ( P<0.01). In UM-UC-3 cells in which RP11-97C16.1 was upregulated, the expression of miR-3687 was decreased ( P<0.01). Compared with the control group, up-regulation of RP11-97C16.1 could significantly reduce the proliferation ability of UM-UC-3 cells ( P<0.05), and decrease the number of bladder cancer cell colonies ( P<0.01). RP11-97C16.1 could target and bind miR-3687 ( P<0.01). Compared with the control group, overexpression of RP11-97C16.1 could significantly decreased the expression of Cyclin E2, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, and Cyclin D2 proteins. Conclusions:The expression of RP11-97C16.1 is low in bladder cancer tissue, and patients with higher expression of RP11-97C16.1 have a longer survival time. Up-regulation of RP11-97C16.1 can down-regulate the expression of miR-3687, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of bladder cancer cells UM-UC-3.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) classification models usually segment the entire brain image into voxel blocks and assign them labels consistent with the entire image, but not every voxel block is closely related to the disease. To this end, an AD auxiliary diagnosis framework based on weakly supervised multi-instance learning (MIL) and multi-scale feature fusion is proposed, and the framework is designed from three aspects: within the voxel block, between voxel blocks, and high-confidence voxel blocks. First, a three-dimensional convolutional neural network was used to extract deep features within the voxel block; then the spatial correlation information between voxel blocks was captured through position encoding and attention mechanism; finally, high-confidence voxel blocks were selected and combined with multi-scale information fusion strategy to integrate key features for classification decision. The performance of the model was evaluated on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS) datasets. Experimental results showed that the proposed framework improved ACC and AUC by 3% and 4% on average compared with other mainstream frameworks in the two tasks of AD classification and mild cognitive impairment conversion classification, and could find the key voxel blocks that trigger the disease, providing an effective basis for AD auxiliary diagnosis.
Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Neuroimaging/methods* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Deep Learning ; Machine Learning

BACKGROUND:Various proteins,signaling pathways,and inflammatory mediators are involved in the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis.The development of small molecule drugs targeting these proteins,signaling pathways,and inflammatory mediators can effectively delay the progression of osteoarthritis and ameliorate its clinical manifestations. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress of small molecule drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis based on the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. METHODS:PubMed,CNKI,and WanFang databases were searched with English search terms"osteoarthritis,arthritis,osteoarthrosis,degenerative,arthritides,deformans,small molecule drugs,small molecule inhibitors,small molecule agents"and Chinese search terms"osteoarthritis,small molecule drugs,small molecule inhibitors."A total of 68 articles were included for review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Currently,studies concerning the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis remain unclear.The occurrence and development of osteoarthritis are strongly associated with proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways,so its therapeutic mechanism is relatively complex.Currently,targeting proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways related to osteoarthritis with small molecule drugs has become a major research focus.(2)Small molecule drugs frequently possess visible intracellular or extracellular targets and efficacy,containing enhancing cartilage repair,resisting joint degradation,attenuating inflammation,and relieving pain.Other anti-osteoarthritis small molecule drugs have shown promise in promoting stem cell chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage matrix reconstruction.(3)At present,small molecule drugs targeting the pathophysiological process of osteoarthritis to delay the progression of osteoarthritis are still in the experimental stage,but most of these small molecule drugs have shown the expected results in the experimental process,and there are no relevant studies to illustrate the efficacy of small molecule drugs in the treatment of osteoarthritis.(4)Small molecule drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis have reached the expected experimental results in the basic experimental stage.Numerous studies have exhibited that small molecule drugs can target the suppression of specific proteins,cytokines,and signal transduction pathways that cause osteoarthritis,so as to treat osteoarthritis.Nevertheless,its safety and effectiveness still need to be identified by further basic and clinical studies.This process needs to be investigated and studied by more scholars.(5)At present,many scholars in and outside China have made contributions to the treatment of osteoarthritis.Compared with traditional treatment methods,small molecule drugs reveal better efficacy and safety in the basic experimental stage,and it is expected to become an emerging method for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the future to rid patients of pain.

Objective:To develop and validate clinical predictive models for identifying poor short-term response to recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) treatment in children with short stature.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 118 children diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency or idiopathic short stature who were treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and two other hospitals between January 1, 2020, and January 1, 2024. A poor response to rhGH was defined as a height increase of less than 0.2 standard deviation score(SDS) after 6 months of rhGH treatment. LASSO regression was used to identify predictive variables from baseline and follow-up data. Two logistic regression models were conducted: Model A(incorporating baseline variables only) and model B(incorporating both baseline and follow-up variables), and nomograms were created for visualization. External data and internal resampling were used for dual validation of the models, and their performance was compared.Results:A total of 118 children with short stature were included. Six baseline predictive variables(diagnosis, initial height SDS, bone age, bone age-chronological age difference, rhGH dose, and gender) and one follow-up variable(height SDS after 3 months of rhGH treatment) were identified. Area under the curve values for Model A and Model B were 0.753(95% CI 0.696-0.811) and 0.930(95% CI 0.891-0.975), respectively. Calibration curves, decision curve analysis, and other evaluation metrics demonstrated good discrimination and clinical utility for both models. Model B, incorporating the 3-month follow-up variable, showed superior predictive performance compared to Model A. Conclusions:The clinical prediction models developed in this study(Model A and Model B) are practical and reliable tools for quantitatively, conveniently, and intuitively identifying children with short stature at risk of poor response to rhGH treatment.

Health think tanks serve as a crucial intellectual support for the Healthy China strategy. The authors systematically analyzed the definitions, classifications, and operational status of health think tanks, categorizing them into five types: government-affiliated think tanks, university and research institute think tanks, social think tanks, hospital think tanks, and corporate think tanks. It was indicated that current health think tanks had significant room for improvement in both quantity and influence, particularly concerning deeper integration with policy decision-making and interdisciplinary collaboration. Although these think tanks played a unique role in supporting government decision-making, issues such as lagging institutional development, insufficient collaborative effectiveness, and difficulties in translating research findings into practice remained prominent. To enhance the ability of think tanks to serve the Healthy China strategy, this study proposed strategies including strengthening top-level design, improving participation mechanisms, optimizing management and evaluation systems, establishing data-sharing platforms, and deepening collaborative governance, with the aim of fostering the healthy development of China′s health think tanks.

Objective:To summarize the characteristics of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants and evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter PDA closure (TCPC).Methods:This was a retrospective study including five VLBW preterm infants who were diagnosed with hsPDA by echocardiography at Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao University from January to December 2024 and underwent transcatheter closure after pharmacological therapy failure. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 6 months after operation to evaluate PDA closure status, survival outcomes, and the occurrence of complications. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to summarize the demographic characteristics and clinical data.Results:The cohort comprised three males and two females. The median gestational age was 28 (24-29) weeks, and the median birth weight was 1 000 (670-1 220) g. The median age and birth weight at surgery were 25 (13-36) d and 1 200 (810-1 400) g, respectively. The PDA diameter was 3.8 (2.3-4.1) mm. PDA closure was successfully achieved in all five infants using the Amplatzer Piccolo? occlude, with no major procedure-related complications. All patients were weaned from mechanical ventilation and discharged. At 6-month follow-up, all five infants survived with no residual shunt, left pulmonary artery stenosis, or aortic coarctation on echocardiography.Conclusions:TCPC is feasible and safe for VLBW preterm infants when pharmacological therapy is ineffective or contraindicated. Larger cohorts and extended follow-up are needed to assess long-term outcomes and potential complications.

Objective:To investigate the clinical data, drug resistance and treatment prognosis of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS) in a hospital in Shanghai. Methods:The clinical data of AIDS patients with Cryptococcus neoformans infection in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from January 2014 to December 2023, and the drug sensitivity to 5 antifungal drugs in vitro, treatment and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results:From January 2014 to December 2023, there were 295 AIDS patients with Cryptococcus neoformans infection in our hospital, with 255 males and 40 females. CD4 + T lymphocyte counts ≤100 cells/μl were detected in 251 patients. A total of 384 strains of Cryptococcus neoformans were isolated from the 295 patients, with the highest detection rate in cerebrospinal fluid samples (65.9%, 253/384), followed by blood samples (29.4%, 113/384). The sensitivity of 384 strains of Cryptococcus neoformans to 5-fluorocytosine was the highest (98.5%, 379/384), followed by fluconazole (95.6%, 367/384) and amphotericin B (95.3%, 366/384). After treatment against cryptococcal infection, 252 patients (86.0%, 252/293) were discharged and 20 patients (6.8%, 20/293) died. The other 2 cases were not treated for cryptococcal infection. Conclusions:As Cryptococcus neoformans is an important pathogen of AIDS patients, clinicians should actively carry out laboratory examination of Cryptococcus and rational drug use according to the results of drug sensitivity test, while alert to the occurrence of drug resistance.

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common male sexual dysfunction. Gut microbiota plays an important role in various diseases. To investigate the effects and mechanisms of intestinal flora dysregulation induced by high-fat diet (HFD) on erectile function. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into the normal diet (ND) and HFD groups. After 24 weeks, a measurement of erectile function was performed. We performed 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples. Then, we established fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) rat models by transplanting fecal microbiota from rats of ND group and HFD group to two new groups of rats respectively. After 24 weeks, erectile function of the rats was evaluated and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed, and serum samples were collected for the untargeted metabolomics detection. Results: The erectile function of rats and the species diversity of intestinal microbiota in the HFD group was significantly lower, and the characteristics of the intestinal microbiota community structure were also significantly different between the two groups. The erectile function of rats in the HFD-FMT group was significantly lower than that of rats in the ND-FMT group. The characteristics of the intestinal microbiota community structure were significantly different. In the HFD-FMT group, 27 metabolites were significantly different and they were mainly involved in the several inflammation-related pathways. Conclusions Intestinal microbiota disorders induced by HFD can damage the intestinal barrier of rats, change the serum metabolic profile, induce low-grade inflammation and apoptosis in the corpus cavernosum of the penis, and lead to ED.

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common male sexual dysfunction. Gut microbiota plays an important role in various diseases. To investigate the effects and mechanisms of intestinal flora dysregulation induced by high-fat diet (HFD) on erectile function. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into the normal diet (ND) and HFD groups. After 24 weeks, a measurement of erectile function was performed. We performed 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples. Then, we established fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) rat models by transplanting fecal microbiota from rats of ND group and HFD group to two new groups of rats respectively. After 24 weeks, erectile function of the rats was evaluated and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed, and serum samples were collected for the untargeted metabolomics detection. Results: The erectile function of rats and the species diversity of intestinal microbiota in the HFD group was significantly lower, and the characteristics of the intestinal microbiota community structure were also significantly different between the two groups. The erectile function of rats in the HFD-FMT group was significantly lower than that of rats in the ND-FMT group. The characteristics of the intestinal microbiota community structure were significantly different. In the HFD-FMT group, 27 metabolites were significantly different and they were mainly involved in the several inflammation-related pathways. Conclusions Intestinal microbiota disorders induced by HFD can damage the intestinal barrier of rats, change the serum metabolic profile, induce low-grade inflammation and apoptosis in the corpus cavernosum of the penis, and lead to ED.