Transcutaneous electrical stimulation equipment is a kind of characteristic therapeutic devices developed on the basis of the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory and modern science and technology, which is widely used in clinical practice. Significant breakthroughs have been made in the development of related devices such as transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) devices, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices, and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) devices in recent years. Although the market for these devices is vast, there are still limitations that need to be optimized in terms of electrode materials and power supply methods, bulky instrument size, cumbersome wiring, restricted applications, and inadequate intelligent functionality. In the future, it is still necessary to further build upon the theoretical foundation of TCM acupuncture, integrate a variety of modern scientific technologies to advance the intelligence and modernization of acupuncture equipment, and thereby improving its capabilities to support clinical practice and research.
Humans ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation/methods* ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy/instrumentation* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Approximately 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year,which has a serious impact on human health,marine life and the livestock industry.Microplastics have also been detected in meat and milk samples.Research has shown that nanoplastics(NP)(＜1 μm)and mi-croplastics(MP)(1 μm-5 mm)can affect the digestive,immune and reproductive systems of ani-mals.This experiment aims to investigate whether NP and MP regulate autophagy and damage the nervous system and spatial memory of animals.This experiment was divided into control group,nanoplastic group(PS-NP group,0.1 μm)and microplastic group(PS-MP group,1 μm),with 20 mice in each group.The mice were given 0.5 mL of PS-NP and PS-MP every day for 35 consecutive days,followed by neck amputation and brain analysis.The results showed that NPs and MPs of dif-ferent diameters caused varying degrees of damage to the brains of mice.In the behavioral tests of new object recognition,barnes maze and Y-shaped maze spatial memory,compared with the control group,the PS-NP group and PS-MP group showed a significant decrease in spatial memory ability of mice.HE staining results showed that neuronal cells in the PS-NP and PS-MP groups of mice exhibited shrinkage,decreased cell volume and deepened staining.The number of Nissl bodies de-creased,leading to dissolution and disappearance.RT-PCR and Western blot results showed that compared with the control group,the expression of glutamate receptors NR1,NR2A and NR2B in-creased in mice administered NP and MP orally,while the expression of autophagy related proteins Parkin,LC3B and Beclin1 was inhibited.In summary,this study suggests that nanoplastics and mi-croplastics stimulate glutamate receptors in mice by inhibiting the autophagy pathway,leading to impaired spatial memory.

Objective:To explore the expression of filaggrin(FLG)in melanoma tissues and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients.Methods:A total of 70 melanoma patients treated at the People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from June 2019 to August 2020 were selected as research subjects.Tumor tissues and adjacent tissues obtained during surgery were examined for FLG expression using immunohistochemistry.Based on FLG expression,patients were divided into a positive group and a negative group.The positive expression rates of FLG in tumor tissues,adjacent tissues and melanoma tissues with different pathological features were compared.The patients were followed up for 3 years,and based on prognosis,they were divided into a survival group(n=43)and a death group(n=27).The FLG positive expression rates were compared between the two groups.Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted,and survival times were compared.Results:The positive FLG expression rate in melanoma tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues(P<0.05).The proportions of patients with tumor diameter>1 cm,Breslow thickness>2 mm,local ulcer,TNM stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ,lymph node metastasis,and tumor invasion in positive FLG expression group were significantly lower than those in negative group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Among the 70 patients,27 cases died and 43 survived,with a survival rate of 61.42%.The positive FLG expression rate was significantly lower in death group than that in survival group(P<0.05).The survival time of FLG-positive patients was significantly longer than that of FLG-negative patients(P=0.010).Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that Breslow thickness>2 mm,TNM grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ,lymph node metastasis,and tumor invasion were risk factors for the prognosis of melanoma patients(P<0.01 or P<0.001),while positive FLG expression was a protective factor(P<0.01 or P<0.001).Conclusion:FLG expression is significantly decreased in melanoma tissues and is associated with pathological features such as Breslow thickness,tumor stage,invasion,lymph node metastasis,and prognosis.

Approximately 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year,which has a serious impact on human health,marine life and the livestock industry.Microplastics have also been detected in meat and milk samples.Research has shown that nanoplastics(NP)(＜1 μm)and mi-croplastics(MP)(1 μm-5 mm)can affect the digestive,immune and reproductive systems of ani-mals.This experiment aims to investigate whether NP and MP regulate autophagy and damage the nervous system and spatial memory of animals.This experiment was divided into control group,nanoplastic group(PS-NP group,0.1 μm)and microplastic group(PS-MP group,1 μm),with 20 mice in each group.The mice were given 0.5 mL of PS-NP and PS-MP every day for 35 consecutive days,followed by neck amputation and brain analysis.The results showed that NPs and MPs of dif-ferent diameters caused varying degrees of damage to the brains of mice.In the behavioral tests of new object recognition,barnes maze and Y-shaped maze spatial memory,compared with the control group,the PS-NP group and PS-MP group showed a significant decrease in spatial memory ability of mice.HE staining results showed that neuronal cells in the PS-NP and PS-MP groups of mice exhibited shrinkage,decreased cell volume and deepened staining.The number of Nissl bodies de-creased,leading to dissolution and disappearance.RT-PCR and Western blot results showed that compared with the control group,the expression of glutamate receptors NR1,NR2A and NR2B in-creased in mice administered NP and MP orally,while the expression of autophagy related proteins Parkin,LC3B and Beclin1 was inhibited.In summary,this study suggests that nanoplastics and mi-croplastics stimulate glutamate receptors in mice by inhibiting the autophagy pathway,leading to impaired spatial memory.

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Objective To explore the application and prospects of artificial intelligence (AI) in metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) based on bibliometrics. Methods Relevant literature on the application of AI technology in MAFLD was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R package "bibliometrix", and online bibliometric analysis was platformed to identify hotspots and trends in this field. Results A total of 303 eligible articles were obtained. Since 2017, the number of papers in this field had experienced explosive growth. The United States was leading the research on the application of AI in MAFLD and was the most frequent participant in international cooperation. San Diego of University of California was the institution with the highest number of publications. Rohit Loomba was the author with the highest number of publications, having published 14 articles. The co-cited keyword clustering labels revealed 10 major clusters: digital image analysis, machine learning, computer-aided diagnosis, fibrosis stage, automated quantitative analysis, metaproteomics, non-invasive diagnosis, ultrasonography, electronic health records, and knowledge representation. Current research on the application of AI in MAFLD mainly focused on the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and staging of MAFLD. Image recognition and analysis, intelligent assisted diagnosis, AI algorithms, and monitoring disease progression will be important research directions for AI in MAFLD. Conclusion Research on the application of AI in MAFLD is experiencing exponential growth. Given enormous potential and clinical application prospects of this field, the application of AI in MAFLD-related areas will remain a research hotspot in the future.

Chronic hepatitis C is a kind of viral hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus infection, which can further progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, and even death. Presently, there is no preventive vaccine yet. Therefore, preventing infection and safe and effective drug treatment are currently the most effective strategies for dealing with hepatitis C virus infection. Since 2014, the clinical application of direct-acting antiviral drugs has brought revolutionary changes to the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Direct-acting antiviral drugs have an excellent hepatitis C virus clearance effect, are well tolerated, have a good safety profile, and can significantly improve liver function, metabolic disorders, immune dysfunction, etc. However, some studies have pointed out that even if the hepatitis C virus is cleared during the treatment of chronic hepatitis C-related cirrhosis with direct-acting antiviral drugs, a considerable proportion of patients still have severe liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, and even liver disease-related death, so there are still some problems in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C- related cirrhosis with direct-acting antiviral drugs that need to be further explored. This article reviews the research progress of direct-acting antiviral drugs so as to provide meaningful references for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C-related cirrhosis.

Objective:To identify the association between CD4 +T lymphocyte (CD4) counts and physical frailty among HIV-infected people aged 65 years and older, and evaluate whether this association will be modified by the indicators of body composition. Methods:From May to October 2022, 485 elderly HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) were recruited from 7 antiviral treatment sites in Jiangjin District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing. The data of basic characteristics (age and gender), living habits (smoking and drinking) and disease history (metabolic diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, respiratory disease and malignant tumors) were collected through the face-to-face investigation with self-made questionnaires. Fried Frailty Scale was used to evaluate the status of physical frailty. Physical fitness (walking speed, grip strength, height, and weight) and body composition (skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, and basal metabolic rate) were measured. The antiretroviral treatment data were obtained from the China AIDS Integrated Prevention and Treatment Data information management system. The prevalence of physical frailty was calculated among the HIV-infected patients. The potential effects of CD4 counts on physical frailty were explored by using multivariate logistic regression. Subgroup analyses were repeated in the logistic regression with muscle mass, body fat mass, and other indicators of body composition as subgroup variables to determine whether the association might be modified by body composition.Results:The age of 485 patients were (72±5) years old, of which 48.2% (234 cases) were>70 years old and 70.9% (344 cases) were male, and all of whom had initiated the ART treatment. The prevalence of physical frailty among these patients was 7.4% (36/485). Multivariate logistic regression showed that after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, drinking, body composition index, ART duration, viral load and the number of comorbidities, increased CD4 cell level was associated with decreased prevalent risk of physical frailty among elderly HIV-infected patients. For every increase of 5.0×10 7 CD4 cells/L, the prevalent risk of physical frailty decreased by 12% [ OR (95% CI): 0.88 (0.76-1.01)]. Compared with the low CD4 cell level group, the risk of physical frailty in those with normal CD4 cell level decreased by 69% [ OR (95% CI): 0.31 (0.10-0.92)]. Subgroup analysis of body composition indicators showed that the protective effect of normal CD4 cell level on physical frailty was more pronounced in the high skeletal muscle mass and high basal metabolic rate group ( Pinteraction<0.05). Conclusion:The prevalence of physical frailty among elderly HIV-infected patients is relatively lower in Chongqing, and the CD4 cell level, skeletal muscle mass and basal metabolic rate are related to physical frailty.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has become the most common liver disease in the world and is an important risk factor for the progression to hepatocellular carcinoma.However,the pathogenesis of NAFLD remains unclear,and there is still a lack of specific treatment measures.Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins(SREBP)are an important nuclear transcription factor,which mainly maintains the balance of lipid metabolism inside the body by activating the genes associated with the synthesis and uptake of cholesterol,fatty acids,and triglycerides,and therefore,SREBP are a target for the treatment of metabolic diseases.This article reviews the latest advances in SREBP in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and the latest evidence of SREBP-targeted therapy for NAFLD.It is worth noting that recent studies have shown that SREBP inhibition can cause liver injury together with autophagy damage.Therefore,excessive inhibition of lipogenesis may exert a counterproductive effect on the treatment of NAFLD.In conclusion,SREBP is a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD;the molecular mechanism of SREBP in lipid metabolism is regulated by many factors,and these factors are being deeply explored and analyzed,which has an important clinical significance for the treatment of NAFLD.