OBJECTIVE: Comorbid pain and depression are common but remain difficult to treat. Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively improve symptoms of depression and relieve pain, but its neural mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to detect cerebral changes after initiating a mouse pain model via constriction of the infraorbital nerve (CION) and then treating these animals with EA. METHODS: Forty male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 4 groups: control, CION model, EA, and sham acupuncture (without needle insertion). EA was performed on the acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Zusanli (ST36) for 20 min, once a day for 10 consecutive days. The mechanical withdrawal threshold was tested 3 days after the surgery and every 3 days after the intervention. The depressive behavior was evaluated with the tail suspension test, open-field test, elevated plus maze (EPM), sucrose preference test, and marble burying test. The rs-fMRI was used to detect the cerebral changes of the functional connectivity (FC) in the mice following EA treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the CION group, the mechanical withdrawal threshold increased in the EA group at the end of the intervention (P < 0.05); the immobility time in tail suspension test decreased (P < 0.05); and the times of the open arm entry and the open arm time in the EPM increased (both P < 0.001). There was no difference in the sucrose preference or marble burying tests (both P > 0.05). The fMRI results showed that EA treatment downregulated the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity values, while these indicators were elevated in brain regions including the amygdala, hippocampus and cerebral cortex in the CION model for comorbid pain and depression. Selecting the amygdala as the seed region, we found that the FC was higher in the CION group than in the control group. Meanwhile, EA treatment was able to decrease the FC between the amygdala and other brain regions including the caudate putamen, thalamus, and parts of the cerebral cortex. CONCLUSION EA can downregulate the abnormal activation of neurons in the amygdala and improve its FC with other brain regions, thus exerting analgesic and antidepressant effects. Please cite this article as: Yin X, Zeng XL, Lin JJ, Xu WQ, Cui KY, Guo XT, Li W, Xu SF. Brain functional changes following electroacupuncture in a mouse model of comorbid pain and depression: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 159-168.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Depression/diagnostic imaging* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Pain/diagnostic imaging* ; Acupuncture Points

Objective:To investigate the changes in accommodative facility after implantation of V4c implantable collamer lens (ICL) using the intelligent flipper (iFLIP).Methods:A serial case-control study was conducted.Forty patients (80 eyes) who underwent ICL implantation of V4c for myopia correction and completed the follow-up were enrolled at the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from April 2022 to April 2023.Monocular and binocular accommodative facility, adjustment time, and relaxation time were measured with iFLIP before operation and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after operation.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University (No.2023-983).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:Monocular and binocular uncorrected visual acuity at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery were significantly improved compared with before surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05).Monocular and binocular postoperative accommodative facility gradually increased over time, and the increase gradually decreased and gradually stabilized.Before operation and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after operation, the monocular accommodative facility was (7.99±3.42), (10.19±4.25), (12.03±4.24), (13.10±4.66) and (13.64±4.40)cpm, and the binocular accommodative facility was (9.01±3.63), (9.56±3.38), (11.58±4.00), (13.31±3.64), and (14.03±3.72)cpm, respectively, with statistically significant overall differences ( F=24.02, 14.46; both P<0.001).Monocular accommodative facility was higher than before surgery at each time point after surgery, and was higher than 1 week after surgery at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05).Binocular accommodative facility was higher at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery than that before surgery and 1 week after surgery, and higher at 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 month after surgery, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05).With the extension of postoperative time, the monocular and binocular adjustment time and relaxation time gradually shortened, and the shortening gradually decreased and stabilized.Monocular adjustment time and relaxation time were shorter than before surgery at all time points after surgery.The monocular adjustment time was shorter at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 week after surgery and shorter at 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 month after surgery, and the monocular relaxation time was shorter at 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 week after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05).The binocular adjustment time was shorter at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery than before surgery and at 1 week after surgery, shorter at 3 and 6 months after surgery than at 1 month after surgery and the binocular relaxation time was shorter at all time points after surgery than that before surgery, showing statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions:After ICL implantation, uncorrected visual acuity, accommodative facility, adjustment time and relaxation time all improve throughout the preoperative period and eventually stabilize.

Objective:To investigate the changes in accommodative facility after implantation of V4c implantable collamer lens (ICL) using the intelligent flipper (iFLIP).Methods:A serial case-control study was conducted.Forty patients (80 eyes) who underwent ICL implantation of V4c for myopia correction and completed the follow-up were enrolled at the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from April 2022 to April 2023.Monocular and binocular accommodative facility, adjustment time, and relaxation time were measured with iFLIP before operation and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after operation.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University (No.2023-983).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:Monocular and binocular uncorrected visual acuity at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery were significantly improved compared with before surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05).Monocular and binocular postoperative accommodative facility gradually increased over time, and the increase gradually decreased and gradually stabilized.Before operation and 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after operation, the monocular accommodative facility was (7.99±3.42), (10.19±4.25), (12.03±4.24), (13.10±4.66) and (13.64±4.40)cpm, and the binocular accommodative facility was (9.01±3.63), (9.56±3.38), (11.58±4.00), (13.31±3.64), and (14.03±3.72)cpm, respectively, with statistically significant overall differences ( F=24.02, 14.46; both P<0.001).Monocular accommodative facility was higher than before surgery at each time point after surgery, and was higher than 1 week after surgery at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05).Binocular accommodative facility was higher at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery than that before surgery and 1 week after surgery, and higher at 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 month after surgery, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05).With the extension of postoperative time, the monocular and binocular adjustment time and relaxation time gradually shortened, and the shortening gradually decreased and stabilized.Monocular adjustment time and relaxation time were shorter than before surgery at all time points after surgery.The monocular adjustment time was shorter at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 week after surgery and shorter at 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 month after surgery, and the monocular relaxation time was shorter at 3 and 6 months after surgery than that at 1 week after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05).The binocular adjustment time was shorter at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery than before surgery and at 1 week after surgery, shorter at 3 and 6 months after surgery than at 1 month after surgery and the binocular relaxation time was shorter at all time points after surgery than that before surgery, showing statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions:After ICL implantation, uncorrected visual acuity, accommodative facility, adjustment time and relaxation time all improve throughout the preoperative period and eventually stabilize.

BACKGROUND: The effects of acupuncture have varied in different randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and there are many factors that influence treatment effect of acupuncture in different outcomes, with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors and their impact on the treatment effect of acupuncture in different outcomes. METHODS: Acupuncture RCTs were searched from 7 databases including Medline (PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and China Biology Medicine disc between January 1st, 2015 and December 31st, 2019. Eligible studies must compare acupuncture to no acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or waiting lists, and report at least 1 patient-important outcome. A multi-level meta-regression was conducted using a 3-level robust mixed model and univariate analyses were performed for all independent variables, even those excluded from the multivariable model due to collinearities. We used thresholds of 0.2 and 0.4 for the difference of standardized mean differences (SMDs), categorising them as small (<0.2), moderate (0.2-0.4), or large (>0.4) effects. RESULTS: The pain construct analysis involved 211 effect estimates from 153 studies and 14 independent variables. High-frequency acupuncture treatment sessions produced larger effects compared to low-frequency sessions [large magnitude, the difference of adjusted SMDs 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07 to 0.84; P=0.02]. The non-pain symptoms construct analysis comprised 323 effect estimates from 231 studies and 15 independent variables. Penetrating acupuncture showed moderately larger effects when compared to non-penetrating acupuncture (0.30, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.53; P=0.01). The function construct analysis included 495 effect estimates from 274 studies and 14 independent variables. Penetrating acupuncture and the flexible acupuncture regimen showed moderately larger effects, compared to non-penetrating acupuncture and fixed regimen, respectively (0.40, 95% CI 0 to 0.80; P=0.05; 0.29, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.53; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS High-frequency acupuncture sessions appear to be a more effective approach to managing painful symptoms. Penetrating acupuncture demonstrated greater effect in relieving non-painful symptoms. Both penetrating acupuncture type and flexible acupuncture regimen were linked to significant treatment effects in function outcomes. Future studies should consider the factors that are significantly associated with the effects of acupuncture in patient-important outcomes.
Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Pain ; Pain Management ; China

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Aim To observe the effect of Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis on the apoptosis of chondrocytes,and to investigate the effect of Astrag-alus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis on the sur-vival of fresh ostecartilage allograft.Methods Forty-eight 4-month-old New Zealand white rabbits,half male and half female,were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,positive group and As-tragalus and Angelica 5∶1 group.In addition to the sham operation group,the other groups were both male and female donors and recipients for knee joint osteo-cartilage cross transplantation modeling.After 8 weeks of drug intervention,samples were taken for general observation,HE staining,saffrane-O staining,immu-nohistochemical staining,qPCR and Western blot de-tection.Results Compared with model group,As-tragalus and Angelica 5∶1 group and positive group,the repair site healed better,the morphology of osteo-chondrocytes tended to be normal,and the division and proliferation were obvious.Proteoglycan deposition in-creased and type Ⅱ collagen content was higher,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).qPCR and Western blot results showed that compared with model group,the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax,caspase-3 and caspase-9 in other groups were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion As-tragalus and Angelica can promote the survival of fresh osteochondral allograft,and its mechanism may be re-lated to promoting collagen production,promoting chondrocyte proliferation and inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death in the world. With the improvement of clinical therapy, the mortality of acute MI has been significantly reduced. However, as for the long-term impact of MI on cardiac remodeling and cardiac function, there is no effective prevention and treatment measures. Erythropoietin (EPO), a glycoprotein cytokine essential to hematopoiesis, has anti-apoptotic and pro-angiogenetic effects. Studies have shown that EPO plays a protective role in cardiomyocytes in cardiovascular diseases, such as cardiac ischemia injury and heart failure. EPO has been demonstrated to protect ischemic myocardium and improve MI repair by promoting the activation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs). This study aimed to investigate whether EPO can promote MI repair by enhancing the activity of stem cell antigen 1 positive stem cells (Sca-1⁺ SCs). Darbepoetin alpha (a long-acting EPO analog, EPO_anlg) was injected into the border zone of MI in adult mice. Infarct size, cardiac remodeling and performance, cardiomyocyte apoptosis and microvessel density were measured. Lin^- Sca-1⁺ SCs were isolated from neonatal and adult mouse hearts by magnetic sorting technology, and were used to identify the colony forming ability and the effect of EPO, respectively. The results showed that, compared to MI alone, EPO_anlg reduced the infarct percentage, cardiomyocyte apoptosis ratio and left ventricular (LV) chamber dilatation, improved cardiac performance, and increased the numbers of coronary microvessels in vivo. In vitro, EPO increased the proliferation, migration and clone formation of Lin^- Sca-1⁺ SCs likely via the EPO receptor and downstream STAT-5/p38 MAPK signaling pathways. These results suggest that EPO participates in the repair process of MI by activating Sca-1⁺ SCs.
Animals ; Mice ; Ventricular Remodeling ; Erythropoietin ; Myocardial Infarction ; Heart ; Stem Cells

As an indicator that measures the degree of implementation of intervention measures during the implementation process, fidelity could be used for monitoring and quality evaluation of the completion degree of intervention measures, and plays an important role in improving the degree of intervention implementation and clarifying the factors that affect intervention implementation. This article aims to introduce the connotation and significance, measurement, control, and current application status of fidelity, as well as the current application status of fidelity in acupuncture-moxibustion clinical research and its inspiration for future research. Meanwhile, based on the existing evaluation tool development methods of fidelity and the characteristics of acupuncture-moxibustion clinical research, a preliminary fidelity evaluation framework is proposed. Introducing fidelity into acupuncture-moxibustion clinical research could improve the implementation quality and compliance of acupuncture-moxibustion in clinical research, increase the credibility and effectiveness of clinical research results, and promote the transformation of acupuncture-moxibustion experience into easily learnable and promotable treatment plans.
Moxibustion ; Acupuncture Therapy