The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding acupuncture direction published from January 1st, 2013, to November 7th, 2023 were searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and VIP Chinese Journal Database. As a result, 21 RCTs were included. The problems identified included conceptual misunderstandings regarding acupuncture direction, incomplete selection strategies, confounding research factors, and inaccuracies in reporting. Based on the findings, four strategic approaches for enhancing therapeutic efficacy through acupuncture direction were summarized: aligning needle direction with the meridian pathway, directing the needle toward the lesion site, orienting the needle toward adjacent acupoints, and targeting special anatomical structures. Two additional strategies were proposed for optimizing the procedure: simplifying acupuncture operations and directing the needle toward safe anatomical sites. Recommendations were made to improve the rationality of research factor settings and the completeness of acupuncture operation reporting. Furthermore, three methods for reporting acupuncture direction were discussed: reporting the tip-pointed position, reporting the insertion angle and orientation, and reporting azimuth and polar angles, aiming to promote greater standardization and completeness in acupuncture practice and reporting.
Acupuncture Therapy/standards* ; Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Meridians

Extensive researches suggest that the metastasis of colorectal cancer involves multiple factors and genes.Recurrence and metastasis after surgery are the important reasons for poor prognosis of thesc patients with colorectal cancer.Tumorigenesis is a dynamic process.The levels of tumor markers are changed in different stages.It has not yet been found any kind of tumor markers specific for a certain type of colorectal cancer.The sensitivity and specificity of diagnoising colorectal cancer by detecting an individual tumor marker are not ideal.The better combination of tumor markers has its advantages,can improve the early diagnostic rate.Combining detection of tumor markers will improve the diagnostic yield.

This study sought to elucidate the function of NO during the signal transduction wherein fluid shear stress regulates the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast cells. The isolated rat osteoblast-like cells were exposed to fluid shear stress 12 dyn/cm2 for 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min respectively with the use of a flow chamber. The NO release was examined. After the exposure to fluid shear stress, the NO synthesis of rat primary osteoblast-like cells increased significantly (P<0.05) when compared with the control. After 60 minutes of exposure, the release of NO began to increase significantly (P<0.05), but no significant increase as such was seen in the control (P>0.05). NO synthesis may be one of the signal transduction pathways which transduce the fluid shear stress into osteoblast cells. In early stage, it may be induced by cNOS and in late stage by iNOS.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Shear Strength ; Signal Transduction ; Stress, Mechanical

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to establish the average of superfacial masseter muscle of young females with normal occlusion, and further supply a clue for dentists to evaluate the muscle function of patients with malocclusion.

METHODSTotally 31 young females were investigated in this study, whose mean age was 21 years and 4 months old. Ultrasound technique was applied to obtain the ultrasound parameters of images, including area, width, mean thickness, maximal thickness of the cross-section and the length of the vertical-section of the masseter muscle under relaxing, maximal clenching and maximal protruding condition. The data were analyzed using ANOVA analysis.

RESULTSThe mean value and standard deviation of every parameter were figured out and it was found that there was a significant difference between relaxing and maximal clenching as well as maximal protruding.

CONCLUSIONThe result indicates that ultrasonic technique is an effective method for describing superfacial masseter muscle morphology and diagnosing its function.

Adult ; Dental Occlusion ; Female ; Humans ; Mandible ; physiology ; Masseter Muscle ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscle Relaxation ; Ultrasonography

Objective:To study the effect of the cyclic-tension force on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 ( MMP-3) mRNA in osteoclasts. Methods: Bone marrow cells were cultured and induced by the combination of IL-6 and 1,25(OH) 2D 3 and identified. The bone marrow cells were seeded onto elastic 6-well culture plate at a density of 2?105 cells/ml in 2ml in each well and cultured for 7 days. Then the cells were subjected to 12% elongation by a strain unit at 6 cycles/min (i.e.5-s elongation and 5-s relaxation) . After 24 hours of stretching, the expression of MMP-3 mRNA in osteoclasts were determined by in situ hybridization analysis. Results:The stretched osteoclasts showed enhanced MMP-3 mRNA expression level. Conclusion: The mechanical stretching may affect the bone-resorbing activity by up-regulated the expression of MMP-3 mRNA in osteoclasts.