Background: There is a gap in understanding the effects of different acupoints and treatment methods (acupuncture and moxibustion) on microcirculatory changes in the lumbar region. Objective: This study aimed to assess the thermal effects of acupuncture at Weizhong (BL40), with acupuncture at Chize (LU5) and moxibustion at both acupoints as control interventions. Design, setting, participants and interventions: In this randomized controlled trial, 140 healthy participants were equally divided into four groups: acupuncture at BL40 (Acu-BL40), acupuncture at LU5 (Acu-LU5), moxibustion at BL40 (Mox-BL40) and moxibustion at LU5 (Mox-LU5). Participants underwent a 30-minute session of their assigned treatment. Infrared thermal imaging was used to collect temperature data on the areas of interest for analysis. Main outcome measures: The primary measure was the change in average temperature of the observed area after the intervention. The secondary measures included periodic temperature changes every 5 min and the temperature changes of the Governor Vessel and Bladder Meridian in the observed area after the intervention. Results: Significant interactions were observed between treatments and acupoints affecting temperature (P < 0.001). The Acu-BL40 group showed a notably higher increase in mean temperature after 30 min compared to the Acu-LU5 and Mox-BL40 groups, with increases of 0.29 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.17 to 0.41) and 0.24 (95% CI = 0.08 to 0.41) degrees C, respectively. Conclusion: Acupuncture at BL40 acupoint can significantly increase the mean temperature in the observed area, highlighting the specific thermal effect of acupuncture compared to moxibustion in the lumbar area. This suggests a potential therapeutic benefit of acupuncture at BL40 for managing lumbar conditions.

颈型颈椎病是临床常见的脊柱退行性疾病,属于经筋病的范畴。以经筋理论的内涵、经筋与颈型颈椎病的相关性为切入点,发现经筋损伤是造成颈型颈椎病的重要原因。阐释了基于经筋理论指导治疗颈型颈椎病的理论依据,以"在筋守筋"为原则,联合针刺的作用与优势,证实针刺"结筋病灶点"疗效确切,可以解除卡压、疏通气血、缓解疼痛,以期为颈型颈椎病提供新的治疗思路,发挥经筋理论的临床治疗作用。

BACKGROUND: Interhemispheric communication of olfactory information is crucial for accurate odor perception and odor source localization in animals. However, the underlying structural basis for this communication in mammals remains poorly understood. Using electrophysiological recordings and virus-mediated tracing, we systematically dissected the neural circuits involved in interhemispheric transmission between the bilateral olfactory bulbs (OBs).; RESULTS: We identified the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) as a central hub that facilitates direct communication between the OBs via three distinct pathways: the excitatory inter-bulbar pathway, the inhibitory inter-bulbar pathway, and the bi-bulbar co-innervation pathway. Notably, our results highlight the differential roles of AON subregions in these pathways: the pars externa (AONpE) primarily mediates the inhibitory pathway, while the pars principalis (AONpP) participates in all three pathways. These pathways recruit CaMKIIalpha-positive neurons in specific AON regions, which in turn project to distinct neuronal populations within the OBs. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel anatomical insights into the neural circuits underlying interhemispheric olfactory communication. The differential connectivity patterns of AON subregions contribute to a better understanding of how bilateral olfactory information is processed and transferred between the two OBs. © 2025. The Author(s).

Objective: To determine the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on beta 1-adrenergic receptor (beta 1-AR) and post-receptor protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway after acute myocardial ischemia (MI).Methods: An MI model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery of wild-type (WT) C57/BL and beta 1-AR+/- mice (heterozygous for beta 1-AR gene deletion). EA treatment was administered at HT5-HT7 or LU9-LU8. We evaluated cardiac function by measuring ST segment displacement, ischemic area and serum levels of creatine kinase (CK)-MB and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Pathological morphology/apoptosis of myocardial tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining. Norepinephrine (NE) levels in myocardial tissue were detected by ELISA. Levels of beta 1 and post-receptor PKA signaling components were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting.Results: EA stimulation at HT7-HT5 could better regulate the level of beta 1-AR in myocardial tissue than that at LU9-LU8. Following EA, the ST segment, serum CK-MB/ LDH and area of myocardial infarction were decreased in WT mice, and the degree of myocardial pathology/apoptosis and expression of cleaved caspase-3 were decreased. Myocardial levels of Gs protein (Gs), adenylate cyclase (AC), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), phosphorylated protein kinase A (p-PKA), L-type voltage-gated calcium channel alpha 1C (Cav1.2), serine phosphate 16-phospholamban (p-PLBs16) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-adenosine triphosphate (ATP)ase 2a (SERCA2a) increased after EA. However, these effects of EA were not replicated in beta 1-AR+/- mice. Interestingly, myocardial NE content decreased after EA in WT and beta 1-AR+/- mice.Conclusion: EA may enhance cardiac function and reduced MI area/apoptosis by restoring the activity of beta 1-AR and post-receptor PKA signaling.

Background: The association between the body surface and viscera remains obscure, but a better understanding of the body surface-viscera correlation will maximize its diagnostic and therapeutic values in clinical practice. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the specificity of body surface-viscera correlation in the pathological state. Methods: The study subjects included 40 participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the COPD group and 40 age-matched healthy participants in the healthy control group. Laser Doppler flowmetry, infrared thermography, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy were respectively adopted to measure 1) the perfusion unit (PU), 2) temperature, and 3) regional oxygen saturation (rSO(2)) of four specific sites distributed in the heart and lung meridians. These three outcome measures reflected the microcirculatory, thermal, and metabolic characteristics, respectively. Results: Regarding the microcirculatory and thermal characteristics of the body surface, the PU and temperature of specific sites on the body surface [i.e., Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5) in the lung meridian] in the COPD group were significantly increased compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05), whereas PU and temperature of other sites in the heart meridian [i.e., Shenmen (HT7) and Shaohai (HT3)] did not change significantly (p > 0.05). Regarding the metabolic characteristics, rSO(2) of specific sites in the lung meridian [i.e., Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5)] and Shaohai (HT3) of the heart meridian in the COPD group was significantly decreased compared with healthy controls (p < 0.01), whereas rSO(2) of Shenmen (HT7) in the heart meridian did not change significantly (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In the disease state of COPD, the microcirculatory, thermal, and metabolic characteristics of specific sites on the body surface in the lung meridian generally manifest more significant changes than those in the heart meridian, thereby supporting relative specificity for the body surface-viscera correlation in the pathological state.

PURPOSE: The opioid crisis resulting from its use disorder and overdose poses additional challenges for cancer pain management. The American Society of Clinical Oncology Practice Guideline recommends acupuncture therapy for the management of adult cancer-related pain (CRP), but the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on CRP remains uncertain.; METHODS: This 5-week prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted at 2 hospitals in China, and participants with CRP receiving chronic opioid therapy were randomized 1:1 into two groups between December 2014 and June 2018. The true TEAS group underwent 15 sessions of TEAS treatments over 3 consecutive weeks, while the control group received sham stimulation. The primary outcome was the numerical rating scale (NRS) score in the past 24h at week 3. The secondary outcomes included morphine equivalent daily dose, quality of life and adverse events.; RESULTS: A total of 159 participants were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. The baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The mean NRS scores were 0.98 points at week 3 in the true TEAS group and 1.41 points in the sham group, with the mean difference between groups of -0.43 points (P<0.001; OR=0.68, P<0.05). The proportion of patients with NRS reduction more than thirty percentage at week 3 was 50.00% in the true TEAS group and 35.44% in the sham group (RD=0.15, P>0.05; RR=1.41, P>0.05). No significant difference in pain intensity between the two groups was observed during the follow-up period without TEAS intervention (week 4, OR=0.83, P>0.05; week 5, OR=0.83, P>0.05). The Karnofsky Performance Status value suggested that patients in the true TEAS group experienced an improved quality of life (Between-group differences: week 3, 3.5%, P<0.05; week 4, 4.6%, P<0.001; week 5, 5.6%, P<0.001).; CONCLUSIONS: The 3-week application of TEAS in patients with CRP receiving chronic opioid therapy resulted in a statistically significant reduction in pain scores, but the observed reduction was of uncertain clinical significance. The prolonged analgesic effect of TEAS was not confirmed in this trial.; CLINICALTRIAL: GOV: ChiCTR-TRC-13003803. © 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

基于对阿是穴内涵的认识，剖析阿是穴表型多样性、定位不确定性等特性，进而探究阿是穴探寻规律。认为阿是穴作为参照患者主观反馈来定位的穴位，其广义、狭义之别应考量患者的主观感受。狭义阿是穴可以理解为医者按、捏局部可引起疼痛激发、缓解、消失的点或区域，或由患者自发产生且表现为痛觉异常或痛觉过敏的点或区域；广义阿是穴可以理解为所有异常反应点的统称，包括除疼痛感外的酸、麻、胀、重、热、凉、蚁行感、触电感等感觉异常以及皮肤色泽的改变、局部隆起或凹陷及皮下结节等形态异常。基于现代检测技术革新和穴位敏化研究，将痛反应点（痛敏化点）、热敏化点、耳穴阳性反应点等穴位敏化现象归于阿是穴的典型具象表型；但阿是穴表型具有多样性，并不仅仅局限于此。阿是穴探寻需综合考虑疾病种类、穴位特有属性等因素，不同表型阿是穴的探寻规律亦存在一定差异，进一步揭示阿是穴探查规律依赖于更多临床客观研究实施和先进检测技术革新。

目的 观察循经取穴针刺对肱二头肌长头肌腱鞘炎患者压痛阈值及肩关节功能的影响。方法 将60例肱二头肌长头肌腱鞘炎患者随机分为治疗组（31例）和对照组（29例）。治疗组采用基础治疗点与患侧列缺或尺泽穴电针治疗,未电针刺激的列缺或尺泽穴采用手法行针;对照组采用基础治疗点与患侧灵道或少海穴电针治疗,未电针刺激的灵道或少海采用手法行针。观察治疗前后基础治疗点的压痛阈值及治疗前后、第1次随访（治疗后第4周）、第2次随访（治疗后第12周）的视觉模拟量表（visual analog scale, VAS）评分、肩关节功能评分（constant-murley score, CMS）和健康调查简表（36-item short-form health survey, SF-36）评分变化。结果两组治疗后基础治疗点的压痛阈值均升高（P＜0.05）。两组治疗后及随访VAS评分较治疗前降低（P＜0.05）;治疗组随访VAS评分低于对照组（P＜0.05）。两组治疗后及随访CMS和SF-36评分均升高（P＜0.05）。结论 针刺肺经穴和心经穴均能有效改善肱二头肌长头肌腱鞘炎疼痛、肩关节功能和生活质量;但在改善疼痛症状方面,针刺肺经穴优于心经穴。

肱二头肌长头肌腱鞘炎是导致肩关节功能障碍的主要疾病之一，归属于中医学“痹病”“肩痛”等范畴。治疗上以保守治疗为主，如口服非甾体消炎药、中药汤剂、推拿、针刺等，其中，针刺疗法因具有疗效显著、安全性高、经济性高等优点受到临床医师与患者的青睐。参考近年来文献，对临床治疗肱二头肌长头肌腱鞘炎的不同针刺疗法进行综述。

目的:观察电针对急性心肌缺血（AMI）小鼠心功能、淋巴管标志物、巨噬细胞及炎性细胞因子的影响，探讨电针治疗AMI的作用机制。方法:将雄性C57BL/6小鼠随机分为假手术组、模型组、电针组、抑制剂组、抑制剂+电针组，每组10只。采用冠状动脉左前降支结扎法制备AMI模型。电针组、抑制剂+电针组于造模后连续3 d给予电针双侧“神门”“通里”,30 min/次，1次/d;抑制剂组仅腹腔注射血管内皮生长因子受体3（VEGFR-3）抑制剂SAR131675,抑制剂+电针组在电针前30 min腹腔注射SAR131675。用BL-420F型生物机能实验系统采集小鼠心电图数据，分析ST段电位变化；HE染色法观察小鼠心肌组织病理变化；ELISA法检测血清乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、心肌肌钙蛋白I（cTnI）及缺血心肌组织中白细胞介素（IL）-18、IL-6的含量；免疫荧光染色法检测小鼠缺血心肌组织淋巴管内皮透明质酸受体-1（LYVE-1）、巨噬细胞标记物CD68的阳性表达；Western blot法检测缺血心肌组织中血管内皮生长因子C（VEGF-C）、VEGFR-3的表达。结果:与假手术组比较，模型组小鼠ST段电位升高（P＜0.01）,血清LDH、cTnI含量及心肌组织中IL-18、1L-6含量均增加（P＜0.01）,心肌组织中LYVE-1阳性表达及VEGF-C、VEGFR-3蛋白表达水平均明显降低（P＜0.01）,CD68阳性表达细胞数量明显增加（P＜0.01）。与模型组、抑制剂组及抑制剂+电针组比较，电针组小鼠ST段电位明显降低（P＜0.01）,血清LDH、cTnI含量及心肌组织中IL-18、IL-6含量明显减少（P＜0.01）,心肌组织中LYVE-1阳性表达及VEGFR-3蛋白表达水平均明显升高（P＜0.01）,CD68阳性表达细胞数量明显减少（P＜0.01）。与模型组、抑制剂组比较，电针组小鼠心肌组织中VEGF-C蛋白表达水平明显升高（P＜0.01）。HE染色结果显示，假手术组小鼠心肌纤维、间质未见明显异常；模型组心肌纤维排列紊乱，有大量炎性细胞浸润；电针组心肌组织损害程度减轻。结论:针刺可改善AMI小鼠炎性损伤，其机制可能与激活VEGF-C/VEGFR-3信号通路促进淋巴管生成，减少巨噬细胞浸润，降低炎性因子释放有关。