OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics and rules of the locations of acupoints selected in weight loss after syndrome differentiation of acupuncture and moxibustion, and provide quantitative evidence for the location specificity of acupoint selection in weight loss. METHODS: Clinical research articles on acupoint selection based on syndrome differentiation of acupuncture and moxibustion in weight loss were retrieved in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), from the inception to September 20th, 2024, and the data about acupoints and differentiated syndromes were extracted. Based on graph theory, the acupoint-syndrome network was established and its topological parameters such as node degree, value of betweenness centrality, description length and number of community were calculated. RESULTS: ①The description length of the limbs was 4 255.592, and that of the trunk was 3 274.312. The information contained in the acupoint-syndrome network for the acupoints on the limbs was greater than that for those on the trunk. ②The value of betweenness centrality and node degree showed a nonlinear relationship, with R²of 0.812 1 for the trunk and 0.321 8 for the limbs. The values of betweenness centrality for the acupoints on the trunk were uniformly distributed, and the difference among these values was much smaller than that for the acupoints on the limbs. It suggested that the distance from each trunk acupoint to network center was similar, and the importance among these acupoints to network was similar, while the importance among acupoints located on the limbs was different significantly. ③The frequency proportion of acupoints on the trunk showed uniform distribution among different syndromes, while that of some acupoints located on the limbs such as Taichong (LR3), Neiting (ST44) and Taixi (KI3) presented a correlation with the syndromes. CONCLUSION In weight loss with acupuncture and moxibustion, the correlation between the limb acupoints and syndromes is more diverse and specific than that between the trunk acupoints and syndromes. The differences in acupoint selection for simple obesity treated with acupuncture and moxibustion are mostly reflected in the acupoints on the four limbs rather than those on the trunk. It provides an approach to acupoint selection for "local weight loss" and "general regulation" in treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Moxibustion ; Weight Loss ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Obesity/physiopathology*

Objective To assess the exposure levels of heavy metals,including lead,arsenic,mercury,and cadmium,in the local population in Sichuan and Chongqing,China,to compare and analyze the differences in reference intervals(RIs)obtained from direct and indirect sampling methods,and to explore the interchangeability and limitations of these two sampling methods.Methods RIs were obtained by the direct sampling method and the indirect sampling method.In the direct sample method,the levels of blood arsenic,urinary cadmium,urinary mercury,and blood lead levels of 5562 healthy participants aged 22-50 years in Sichuan and Chongqing,China were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.Using the human biomonitoring(HBM)data,we established RIs for the population by a nonparametric method.On the other hand,in the indirect sampling method,RIs were established via a nonparametric method based on data from the laboratory information system(LIS)of a local hospital after stratifying healthy individuals using a Gaussian mixture model(GMM).Comparative analysis of the RIs derived from the two sampling methods were then conducted.Results The RI for blood arsenic was 0.11-1.3 μmol/L.The RI for urinary cadmium was 0.51-2.80 μmol/mol creatine for adults aged 22 to under 43 years and 0.66-2.96 μmol/mol creatine for adults aged 43-50 years.The RI for urinary mercury was 0.12-1.10 μmol/mol creatine.The RI for blood lead was 14.00-47.00 pg/L for adults aged 22 to under 41 year,16.00-53.38 pg/L for males aged 41-50 year,and 15.00-51.02 pg/L for females aged 41-50 year.Most of the RIs established by the direct sampling method had a narrower range compared to those established by the indirect sampling method,and the RIs established by both sampling methods were partially biased.Conclusions The RIs for blood arsenic,urine cadmium,urine mercury,and blood lead in healthy individuals aged 22-50 years in Sichuan and Chongqing,China were established using both direct and indirect sampling methods,which contributes to a better understanding of environmental exposure to metals in the general population and provides a reference for metal poisoning.For data from the same lab,the GMM-based indirect sampling method demonstrated relatively consistent performance in establishing RIs compared with the direct sampling method.

Objective To establish human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) feeder-independent and cell factor-free culture system. Methods Effect of high and low clone densities of hESCs culture was compared and impact of the clone densities to hESCs culture media was analyzed. Results HESCs could maintain their undifferentiated states at high clone density (34 clones/cm2) without cell factors. At the same time,the bone morphology protein (BMP)-like induction of N2 and B27 supplements (NB) medium could be modulated by the clone density,and high level of BMP-like induction was accompanied by high clone density. Conclusion High clone density of hESCs can change the environments by themselves to maintain the undifferentiated states,which provides a new clue to explore the mechanism of undifferentiated states of hESCs and simplify the culture medium.