Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as neuroimaging technologies, provided objective and visualized technical tools for analyzing the brain effect mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion from the perspectives of brain structure, function, metabolism, and hemodynamics. The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can compensate for issues such as the large and scattered nature of neuroimaging data, inconsistent quality, and high heterogeneity of image information. The integration of AI with neuroimaging can facilitate individualized, intelligent, and precise prediction of acupuncture and moxibustion effects, enable intelligent classification of differential acupuncture responses, and identify brain activation patterns. This paper focuses on EEG and MRI, analyzing how machine learning and deep learning optimize multimodal neuroimaging data and their applications in the study of acupuncture and moxibustion brain effects mechanisms. Furthermore, it highlights current research gaps and limitations to provide insights for future studies on acupuncture brain effects mechanisms.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain/physiology* ; Moxibustion ; Neuroimaging/methods* ; Artificial Intelligence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Electroencephalography

Based on the introduction of gut-brain-skin axis, this article discussed the relationship between psychological behavior, intestinal flora, and atopic dermatitis. By combing the literature on the treatment of atopic dermatitis with TCM, it is found that TCM therapy can regulate the relative abundance of intestinal flora, participate in immune metabolism and restore skin barrier function by intervening in the gut-brain-skin axis, so as to achieve the purpose of treating atopic dermatitis.

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Zhenxin Anshen Prescription(composed of Os Draconis,Ostreae Concha,Lophatheri Herba,Drynariae Rhizoma,Poria)on mice with atopic dermatitis(AD)based on the calcium channel regulator 1(ORAI1)/nuclear factor of T-cells(NFAT)signalling axis.Methods Thirty-six BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a blank control group,a model group,a Cetirizine group(1.3 mg·kg-1)and a Zhenxin Anshen Prescription group(36.36 g·kg-1),with nine mice in each group.AD mouse model was established using 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene(DNCB)induction.The drug was administered by gavage once a day for 2 weeks.At the end of drug administration,the area of skin lesions was measured and the severity of skin lesions was scored;spleen mass was measured and spleen index was calculated;pathological changes of skin lesion tissues were observed by HE staining;interleukin 4(IL-4),IL-13 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP)in serum were detected by ELISA;and the protein expression levels of ORAI1,calmodulin phosphatase A(CaN)and nuclear factor of T cells 2(NFAT2)were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the blank control group,the skin lesion score of mice in the model group was significantly increased(P＜0.01),the skin lesion area was significantly enlarged(P＜0.01);the thickness of the epidermis and dermis were significantly increased(P＜0.01),hyperkeratosis of the epidermis,hypertrophy of the stratum spinosum,and infiltration of inflammatory cells such as eosinophils and lymphocytes can be seen in the dermis;the splenic index and serum IL-4,IL-13,TSLP levels were significantly increased(P＜0.01);protein expression levels of CaN,NFAT2,ORAI1 were significantly increased in the skin lesion tissues(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the dermatitis score of mice in the Zhenxin Anshen Prescription group was significantly decreased(P＜0.01),the lesion area was significantly reduced(P＜0.01),the epidermal and dermal thicknesses(P＜0.01),the hyperkeratosis of epidermis was alleviated,the spinous layer was slightly hypertrophic,and there was a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration in the dermis;the splenic index and the levels of serum IL-4,IL-13,and TSLP were significantly decreased(P＜0.01);the protein expressions levels of CaN,NFAT2,and ORAI1 in the skin lesion tissues were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).Conclusion Zhenxin Anshen Prescription can ameliorate dermatopathological injury in DNCB-induced AD mice,and the mechanism may be related to its ability to inhibit the protein expressions of ORAI1,CaN and NFAT2,reduce the levels of serum type 2 inflammatory factors TSLP,IL-4 and IL-13,and ameliorate cutaneous inflammation and itching through immunomodulation.

BACKGROUND:The traditional view is that proximal fibular fractures do not require fixation.Others and our research suggest that the proximal fibular structure plays an important role in the stability of the posterolateral structure of the knee joint,and its mechanism of action is worth studying. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biomechanical effects of proximal fibular fractures on various structures of the knee joint in an extended state. METHODS:Finite element method was used to conduct simulated biomechanical experiments.A healthy young male volunteer was selected to establish a finite element model of the knee joint in an extended state using MRI and CT image data,and four proximal fibular shapes were simulated(Model A:intact,Model B:1 cm fracture below the fibular head,Model C:1 cm tip defect fracture from the proximal end of the fibula to the distal end,and Model D:2 cm bone defect from the proximal end of the fibula).A longitudinal concentrated load of 1 500 N was applied to the femoral shaft to compare and analyze the distribution and changing trend of the maximum equivalent stress and maximum first principal stress of each structure of the knee joint in an extended state under four working conditions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In Model A,the maximum equivalent stress in the tibial cartilage and lateral compartment of the meniscus was greater than that in the medial compartment,while the maximum first principal stress in the tibial plateau and medial compartment of the meniscus was greater than that in the lateral compartment.The maximum equivalent stress of the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage was greater than that of the lateral condyle,and the maximum first principal stress of the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage was greater than that of the medial condyle.(2)Compared to Model A,there was no significant difference in the magnitude and distribution of the maximum equivalent stress and maximum first principal stress in the cartilage and meniscus of Model C.(3)Compared to Model A,the maximum equivalent stress increase amplitude of Model B was in the order of medial tibial cartilage(14.9％),medial condyle of femoral cartilage(13.6％),and medial meniscus(6.6％).The maximum first principal stress increase amplitude was the medial meniscus(11.06％),the medial tibial cartilage(8.65％),and the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage(7.46％).The maximum equivalent stress increase amplitude of the ligament was as follows:popliteal arch ligament(33.2％)>anterior cruciate ligament(21.3％)>fibular collateral ligament(17％)>posterior cruciate ligament(14.3％)>anterior lateral collateral ligament(13.2％)>medial collateral ligament(10.1％).(4)Compared to Model A,the maximum equivalent stress increasing trend of Model D followed the medial tibial cartilage(19.5％),femoral cartilage medial condyle(17.9％),and medial meniscus(9.9％).The maximum first principal stress in sequence was the medial meniscus(14.04％),the medial tibial cartilage(13.03％),and the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage(11.37％).The increasing trend of maximum equivalent stress in ligaments was as follows:anterior cruciate ligament(25.2％)>posterior cruciate ligament(18.9％)>medial collateral ligament(18.5％)>anterior lateral collateral ligament(12.7％).(5)It is suggested that when the knee joint is extended,a 1 cm fracture below the fibular head and a 2 cm fibular tip bone defect have a significant impact on the structure of the medial ventricular cartilage,anterior cruciate ligament,and posterior lateral ligament complex.

Objective The study aimed to elucidate the evolution of the syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)and TCM syndrome elements in different chronic stages of psoriasis vulgaris.Methods A database was constructed using electronic medical records collected from July 2019 to March 2024 from 1,049 patients with psoriasis vulgaris.The study used Sankey diagrams and network association graphs to analyze the evolution of TCM syndromes and their elements in patients at the different stages:initial diagnosis,progressive stage(Week 2-3),progressive stage(Week 4-5),skin lesion improvement stage(Week 6-7),and remission stage.The syndrome elements network was constructed using community detection algorithms,and the association rules between local skin lesion syndrome differentiation and overall syndrome differentiation were displayed using heatmaps.Results(ⅰ)Initial diagnosis.In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,blood heat syndrome was the most common(79.79％);among the disease location of TCM syndrome elements(called"disease location"),liver was the most prevalent(35.62％);and among the pathological factors of TCM syndrome elements(called"pathological factors"),fire(heat)was the most common(75.48％).(ⅱ)Active stage(Week 2-3).In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,blood heat syndrome remained the most prevalent(73.13％);among the disease location,liver was still the most prevalent(31.71％);and among the pathological factors,fire(heat)continued to be the most common(82.11％),while dampness(22.26％)and qi stagnation(8.39％)began to increase.(ⅲ)Active stage(Week 4-5).The syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions was dominated by blood heat syndrome(45.91％)and blood dryness syndrome(37.19％);among disease location,the interior was the most prevalent(15.25％);and among the pathological factors,fire(heat)remained the most common(50.66％),with an increase in yin deficiency(34.26％).(ⅳ)Skin lesion improvement stage(Week 6-7).In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,both blood dryness syndrome(49.44％)and blood stasis syndrome(33.33％)increased;among the disease location,meridians increased most significantly and became the most prevalent(13.44％);and among the pathological factors,blood stasis increased most significantly and became the most prevalent(28.20％).(ⅴ)Remission stage.In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,blood stasis syndrome became the primary(55.69％),while the percentage of blood dryness syndrome decreased(21.16％);meridians(25.71％)and blood stasis(62.34％)remained the most predominant syndrome elements related to disease location or pathological factors.Conclusion The overall pattern of TCM syndromes in psoriasis vulgaris evolved from excess to deficiency.From the initial diagnosis to the active phase(Week 2-3),heat syndrome dominated;during the active phase(Week 4-5),heat syndrome coexisted with damp syndrome or yin deficiency syndrome;changes in the syndrome element network were the most significant during the lesion improvement phase,with blood stasis gradually increasing and peaking during the remission phase.Blood stasis,dampness,and qi stagnation were pervasive throughout psoriasis vulgaris;qi stagnation and blood stasis may be the main elements causing further deterioration and prolonged course of the disease during the active phase in patients.

Interleukin-34(IL-34)is a member of the interleukin family and functions primarily as a macrophage growth factor.It plays a role in a variety of inflammatory and immune diseases by binding to specific receptors to activate multiple signaling pathways,thereby regulating target immune cell activity.Studies have shown the involvement of IL-34 in cutaneous immunoregulation,particularly in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis(AD).The expression level of IL-34 is significantly reduced in the lesional skin of AD patients,and its role as a potential negative regulator may function by modulating the levels of inflammatory factors and skin barrier components.Increasing local IL-34 levels in the skin may help to limit the progression of the inflammatory response.Therefore,in order to better understand the role of IL-34 in the pathogenesis of AD and to explore its potential as a therapeutic target,this article reviews the signal transduction mechanism,biological characteristics and the role of IL-34 in AD.

Objective To investigate the effects of three-dimensional(3D)screws and circular plates on the biomechanical stability of Sanders ABⅢ calcaneal fractures.Methods Calcaneal computed tomography(CT)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)data from a 26-year-old volunteer were collected to establish a 3D finite element model of Sanders ⅢAB calcaneal fracture fixed with 3D screws and circular plates.A longitudinal load of 700 N was applied to compare the variations in the stress,displacement of the bone block,and internal fixation in the different models.Results Under 700 N longitudinal loads,the maximum displacement of the bone block and the maximum stress of the bone block and internal fixation were concentrated at the intersection of the posterior talar articular plane internal fixation and fracture line.The overall displacements of the bone blocks in the 3D screw and circular plate models were similar.Compared with the circular plate model,the maximum and average stresses of the bone block and internal fixation in the 3D screw model were lower,and the displacement and stress changes of the 3D screw model were closer to those of the complete calcaneal bone model.Conclusions In the fixation of Sanders ⅢAB calcaneal fractures,both 3D screw and circular plate fixation method can provide good stability.The biomechanical properties of the 3D screws were better than those of the circular plates,which is consistent with the biomechanical characteristics.

Objective:To investigate abnormal urination and penile appearance satisfaction of preschool children (3-6 years old) after hypospadias repair.Methods:From January 2016 to December 2020, children with primary hypospadias, who had no postoperative complications for more than 1 year and were at pre-school age at the time of investigation (January 2022), were selected. The abnormal urination manifestations and satisfaction with penile appearance of the children after operation were investigated by questionnaires to their parents.The questionnaire was designed based on the reported abnormal urination after hypospadias surgery, including 4 items (urination spraying, urination dripping, deflection of urine line, small urine line). Another questionnaire was used to evaluate the penis appearance satisfaction according to the existing pediatric penile perception score (including 4 items: the position and shape of the external urethral orifice, the shape of glans, the appearance of the prepuce, and the overall appearance; items were scored according to the subjective satisfaction of the subjects: very satisfied 3 points, satisfied 2 points, dissatisfied 1 point, very dissatisfied 0 point). The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the penile curvature after degloving was more than 30°. In group Ⅰ (penile curvature≤30°), 28 patients without severe penile curvature underwent tubularized incised plate (TIP) surgery, with a median age of 3.2 years (ranged 1.1-5.4 years). In group Ⅱ (penile curvature>30°), there were 27 patients with severe penile curvature and they underwent staged flap operation. Their median age was 2.8 years (ranged 1.5-4.7 years). There was no significant difference in age at operation between the two groups ( P=0.82). The questionnaire content was analyzed and the differences between the two groups were compared. Results:Among the 55 children, 21(38%, 21/55) had abnormal urination, and there was a significant difference between group Ⅰ (25%, 7/28) and group Ⅱ (52%, 14/27)( P=0.04). All the items of penis appearance satisfaction were satisfactory (scores ≥2), and the total scores of group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ were respectively 10.3±2.2 and 9.0±2.9, with no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.63). Conclusions:In the postoperative follow-up of preschool children with hypospadias, parents were satisfied with the appearance of the penis.The abnormal urination was common. Compared with children without severe penile curvature treated by TIP surgery, abnormal urination was more common in children with severe penile curvature treated by staged flap operation.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of Dynamic neutralization system applied to the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases with fatty infiltration of multifidus muscle.Methods:From Jan 2015 to Dec 2017, a total of 53 patients of lumbar degenerative diseases with multifidus fatty infiltration treated by Dynesys in our hospital were analyzed, included 21 males and 32 females, aged 66.2±7.4 (range 48-81) years. There were lumbar spinal stenosis in 37 casesand lumbar disc herniationin 16 cases; the index level included L 2-S 1 in 3 cases, L 3-S 1 in 13 cases, L 2-L 5 in 5 cases, L 4-S 1 in 17 cases, and L 3-L 5 in 15 cases. The pedicle screws were inserted at the point of intersection of the outer edge of superior articular process and the midline of transverse process. After discectomy of herniated disc and hyperplastic ligamentum flavum, the distance between the upper and lower pedicle screws was measured and then the spacer of the corresponding length was cut out. Finally, the spacer was placed and fixed between the upper and lower pedicle screws by the elastic rope. The degree of multifidus fat infiltration, lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slop (SS), range of motion (ROM), intervertebral height (IH), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), the MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) and visual analog scale (VAS) were evaluated postoperatively. Results:The operation was performed successfully in all the patients. The operation duration was 173.5±64.7 (range 125-240) min. Intraoperative blood loss was 469.5±118.2 (range 380-620) ml. The patients were followed up for 47.9±6.7 (range 38-62) months averagely. At the last follow-up, the degree of fatty infiltration of the multifidus muscle showed no further progress by MR scan. There was no significant difference in ROM and IH at different time points preoperativelyand postoperatively. The LL recovered from 37.6°±8.8° to 43.2°±9.1°, the PT decreased from 24.7°±9.3° to 20.5°±5.1°, and the SS increased from 22.1°±7.7°to 26.3°±8.0°. The JOA score increased from preoperative 6.4±1.2 to 20.6±2.8, ODI decreased from preoperative 50.6%±11.3% to 13.0%±3.4%, SF-36 increased from preoperative 81.5±3.6 to 95.5±4.2, and the VAS decreased from preoperative 4.2±1.0 to 1.1±0.6. One patient experienced loosening and displacement on the left side pedicle screw of the L2 vertebral body 3.5 years after operation, and herclinical symptom improved significantly after conservative treatment.Conclusion:Dynesysis is safe and effective for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases with fatty infiltration of multifidus muscle, and it can restore the complete structure and function of tension band at lower back and prevent the progress of multifidus muscle fat infiltration combined with postoperative rehabilitation training.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of dorsal skin-tightening technique on the correction of mild penile curvature in children with hypospadias.Methods:The clinical characteristics of hypospadias patients (95 cases) with mild penile curvature (<30°) after degloving penis during operation in our hospital from Jan 2017 to Sep 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Group A: A new technique, reconstructing penile pubic angle at 12 o'clock position of penile dorsal side after degloving and suturing forskin outer and inner plate with tension at 12 o'clock position, was performed in dorsal skin-tightening group (43 cases). Gtoup B: while in dorsal midline tunica albuginea plication group (52 cases), Buck fascia was incised on dorsal midline area, following by tunica albuginea plication with one or two stitches. The patients in Group A were 0.4 to 1.5 years old, and the median age was 1.1 years, urethral orifice were located on distal shaft in 36 cases, proximal in 7 cases.The patients in Group B were 0.5 to 2.6 years old, and the median age was 1.5 years, urethral orifice were located on distal shaft in 41 cases, proximal in 11 cases. The penile ventral curvature degree was recorded during regular follow-up (postoperative 6 and 12 months), as well as postoperative complications.Results:Artificial erection test showed penile curvature was corrected during surgery by measuring with protractor. There was no chordee by measuring with the side photos in all patients during an average of 1.6 years follow-ups. There were 4 case of urethral fistula in Group B and 3 cases in Group A. No cases of urethrostenosis, diverticulum or concealed penis was recorded. The difference of postoperative complications had no statistical significance.Conclusion:Hypospadias with mild penile curvature could be effectively corrected by dorsal skin-tightening technique, which showed a good result of early follow-up.