[Electroacupuncture intervention improves lipid metabolism and promotes browning of white adipose tissue by activating AMPK/Sirt1 pathway and up-regulating Nrg4 content in middle-aged and aged obese rats].

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture （EA） in promoting the browning of white adipose tissue in middle-aged and aged obese rats induced by high fat by regulating AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK） /silence-information regulatory factor 1 （Sirt1） pathway and neuregulin 4 （Nrg4）.

Methods: Twenty-four male SD rats were randomized into blank control, model and EA groups （=8 per group）. The obesity model was established by feeding the rats with high-fat diet for 6 weeks.

Modeling Syphilis and HIV Coinfection: A Case Study in the USA.

Syphilis and HIV infections form a dangerous combination. In this paper, we propose an epidemic model of HIV-syphilis coinfection. The model always has a unique disease-free equilibrium, which is stable when both reproduction numbers of syphilis and HIV are less than 1.

Analysis of an environmental epidemic model based on voluntary vaccination policy.

With the worsening of the environment and the increasing international trade, indirect transmission from exposure to contaminants in the surrounding environment has become an overlooked mode of transmission. This paper proposes a new game-theoretic model considering voluntary vaccination against imperfection and the unique integration of human-to-human and virus-to-human transmission routes. Based on the individual-based risk assessment update rule (IB-RA), the strategy-based risk assessment update rule (SB-RA), and the direct commitment update rule (DC), the different effects of individuals' behaviors on disease prevalence are analyzed.

[Effect of mild moxibustion on vascular aging in senescence rats based on local MCP-1/MMP-2/TGF-β1 pro-inflammatory signal loop].

Objective: To observe the effect of mild moxibustion on monocyte chemotaxis protein 1 (MCP-1)/matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2)/transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) pro-inflammatory signal loop in senile rats, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improving vascular aging (VA).

Methods: Twenty-four male VA SD rats were randomized into senium (VA) control, medication and moxibustion groups, and other 8 young SD rats (aged 2 months) were used as the young control group. The VA model was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (300 mg·kg·d) once daily for 4 weeks, and verified by serum total testosterone (TT) and free testosterone (FT) levels.

Using an age-structured COVID-19 epidemic model and data to model virulence evolution in Wuhan, China.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by infection with the virus 2019-nCoV, a single-stranded RNA virus. During the infection and transmission processes, the virus evolves and mutates rapidly, though the disease has been quickly controlled in Wuhan by 'Fangcang' hospitals. To model the virulence evolution, in this paper, we formulate a new age structured epidemic model.

Modeling and Research on an Immuno-Epidemiological Coupled System with Coinfection.

In this paper, a two-strain model with coinfection that links immunological and epidemiological dynamics across scales is formulated. On the with-in host scale, the two strains eliminate each other with the strain having the larger immunological reproduction number persisting. However, on the population scale coinfection is a common occurrence.

Modeling and optimal control analysis of COVID-19: Case studies from Italy and Spain.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease which is declared as a pandemic by WHO. This disease is posing a global threat, and almost every country in the world is now affected by this disease. Currently, there is no vaccine for this disease, and because of this, containing COVID-19 is not an easy task.

Coinfection dynamics of heroin transmission and HIV infection in a single population.

We propose a model of a joint spread of heroin use and HIV infection. The unique disease-free equilibrium always exists and it is stable if the basic reproduction numbers of heroin use and HIV infection are both less than 1. The semi-trivial equilibrium of HIV infection (heroin use) exists if the basic reproduction number of HIV infection (heroin use) is larger than 1 and it is locally stable if and only if the invasion number of heroin use (HIV infection) is less than 1.

[Electroacupuncture intervention increases testosterone level of aged rats by activating ERK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling of Leydig cells].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on anti-oxidant function of Leydig cells in aged rats with low testosterone, so as to reveal its underlying mechanism of anti-aging of male reproduction.

Methods: Eighteen 20 months old SD rats were divided into aged control, medication and EA groups(=6 in each group), and other 6 young male SD rats (2 months of age) were used as the youth control group. The rats of the youth and the aged control groups received subcutaneous injection of 0.

[Effects of Electroacupuncture and Intracerebral Injection of VEGF on Caspase12, Caspase3, and Genes in Rats with Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury].

Objective: To determine the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and intracerebral injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on caspase12, caspase3, and glucose regulated protein 78 kD (GRP78) genes of rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

Methods: 60 SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model group, EA group and EA+VEGF group with 15 rats in each group. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method was used to establish the model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury.

[Warm needle moxibustion, mild moxibustion and electroacupuncture interventions have an anti-aging effect possibly by regulating hypothalamus-pituitary-testis axis in aged male rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of warm needle moxibustion (WNM), mild moxibustion and electroacupuncture (EA) of "Shenshu" (BL23) and "Guanyuan" (CV4) on serum gonadal hormone levels and related gene expression in the hypothalamus and testis in aged rats, so as to explore their underlying mechanisms in anti-aging.

Methods: Forty male SD male rats were randomly divided into aged control, WNM, mild moxibustion, EA and medication groups ( ＝ 8 in each group), and other 8 male young adult SD rats were used as the youth control group. WNM (acupuncture plus moxibustion), mild moxibustion or EA (2 Hz /100 Hz, 1 mA) was separately applied to CV4 and bilateral BL23 for 15 min, once daily, 5 days a week for 8 weeks.

Dynamics of an age-structured heroin transmission model with vaccination and treatment.

Based on the development of heroin vaccine, in this paper, we propose an age structured heroin transmission model with treatment and vaccination. The model allows the drug reuse rate of the individuals in treatment to depend on a treatment-age and the vaccine waning rate of the vaccinated to depend on a vaccination age. Meanwhile, the model allows that the heroin vaccine provides an imperfect protection (i.

[Electroacupuncture Combined with Intracerebral Injection of VEGF Improves Neurological Dysfunction Possibly by Down-regulating Expression of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Related Proteins ATF 6, etc. in Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury Rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and EA combined with intracerebral injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) related proteins and genes as activating transcription factor (ATF 6), inositol requiring enzyme-1 (IRE 1), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), X box-binding protein-1 (XBP 1) of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CIRI) rats, so as to study its repair effect for CIRI.

Methods: Forty male SD rats were equally and randomly divided into 5 groups: sham operation, model, EA, VEGF and EA+VEGF groups (=8). The CIRI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) with thread embolism method.

[ASL-based Observation of Central Nervous System Responses to Acupuncture Analgesia for People with Different Sensitivities].

Objective: To examine the effects of different sensitivities on the effectiveness of acupuncture analgesia by observing activation change characteristics of cerebral areas resulting from the influences of constitutions on analgesia effects and to discuss the response mechanism of central nervous system (CNS) to determine the factor of constitutions on acupuncture efficacy using cerebral functional magnetic resonance imaging arterial spin labeling (fMRI-ASL).

Methods: Participants with different sensitivities were assessed according to standard screening and grouped into two groups: insensitivity group (＝24) and sensitivity group (＝22). All participants were given acupuncture at the left-sided Zusanli point.

[Electroacupuncture Intervention Improves Physical Power of Aged Rats with Low Testosterone by Reducing Chronic Inflammatory Response of Leydig Cells].

Objective: To assess the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on chronic inflammatory response of Leydig cells in aged rats with low testosterone, so as to investigate its underlying mechanism of anti-male reproductive aging.

Methods: Twenty-four 20 months old SD rats were randomly divided into EA, medication and aged control groups (＝ 8 in each), and other 8 young SD rats (2 months of age) were used as the youth control group. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to "Guanyuan"(CV 4) and bilate-ral "Shenshu"(BL 23) for 15 min, once daily for 8 weeks except the weekends.

Global dynamics of a vector-host epidemic model with age of infection.

In this paper, a partial differential equation (PDE) model is proposed to explore the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. The model includes both incubation age of the exposed hosts and infection age of the infectious hosts which describe incubation-age dependent removal rates in the latent period and the variable infectiousness in the infectious period, respectively. The reproductive number R0 is derived.

[Characteristics of Induced by Needling Zusanli (ST 36) in 527 Healthy Volunteers with Different Constitutions].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the theory of constitution in terms of Chinese medicine and clinical efficacy of acupuncture treatment via analyzling the characteristics of during acupuncture stimulation of Zusanli (ST 36) in healthy volunteers with different constitutions.

Methods: In the present study, a total of 527 healthy undergraduate student volunteers (267 girls and 260 boys) were recruited. They received questionnaire first about their constitutions in accordance with Professor WANG Qi's in terms of Chinese medicine.

[Effect of Electroacupuncture with Near-to-bone Needling to Chondrocyte Apoptosis and Proliferation on the Knee Osteoarthritis Model].

Objectives: To study the effect of electroacupuncture with near-to-bone needling on the proliferation and apoptosis of knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Totally 40 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, the normal group (A, =10) and the modeling group ( =30). Hulth-Telhag method was applied 30 rabbits to establish rabbit left knee osteoarthritis model, and evaluated by X-ray after 6 weeks.

Global properties of vector-host disease models with time delays.

Since there exist extrinsic and intrinsic incubation periods of pathogens in the feedback interactions between the vectors and hosts, it is necessary to consider the incubation delays in vector-host disease transmission dynamics. In this paper, we propose vector-host disease models with two time delays, one describing the incubation period in the vector population and another representing the incubation period in the host population. Both distributed and discrete delays are used.

Competitive exclusion in a multi-strain immuno-epidemiological influenza model with environmental transmission.

In this paper, a multi-strain model that links immunological and epidemiological dynamics across scales is formulated. On the within-host scale, the n strains eliminate each other with the strain having the largest immunological reproduction number persisting. However, on the population scale, we extend the competitive exclusion principle to a multi-strain model of SI-type for the dynamics of highly pathogenic flu in poultry that incorporates both the infection age of infectious individuals and biological age of pathogen in the environment.

[Effect of eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling treatment on expression of Sox9, VEGF and ColX in impaired cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis].

Objective: To investigate the effect of eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling treatment on expression of Sox9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and type X collagen (ColX) in impaired cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and explore its possible mechanisms.

Methods: Forty New Zealand rabbits were randomized equally into normal control group, KOA model group, eletroacupuncture with close-to-bone needling group (CN group), and normal thrust needing group (NTN group). In the latter 3 groups, KOA was induced by Hulth-Telhag treatment and evaluated with X-ray examination, and 6 weeks after the modeling, eletroacupuncture for 20 min was administered in CN and NTN groups at the acupoints "Zusanli", "Waixiyan", "Neixiyan", "Liangqiu" and "Yinlingquan" in the left knee joints once daily for 5 days as a treatment cycle.

[Effects of Short Thrust Needing plus Electroacupuncture Intervention on Cartilage Tissue in Rabbits with Knee Osteoarthritis].

Objective: To observe the effectiveness of short thrust needling (STN, close-to-bone needing) plus electroacupuncture (EA) in healing knee cartilage tissue and in regulating expressions of cartilage vitamin K dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX), matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP 13) and serum uncarboxylated matrix gla protein (ucMGP) in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), so as to reveal its mechanism underlying improvement of KOA.

Methods: Forty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal, model, EA and STN+ EA groups (n = 10 in each group). The KOA model was created by cutting the medial lateral ligament and medial parapatellar arthrotomy of rabbits as described by Hulth and colleagues.

[Effect of Electro-acupuncture on the Expression of Slit2 and HSPGs in Rats with Focal Cerebral Infarction].

Objective: To determine the expression of Slit2 and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in cortex of rats with focal cerebral infarction and the effect of acupuncture (EA) on the expression of Slit2 and HSPGs.

Methods: 40 male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were equally randomized into four groups: Control group, model group, non-acupoint EA group, and EA group. Thread-tying method was used in the model group, non-acupoint EA group and EA group to clog arteries and then open up after 1.

A survey of the practice and perspectives of chinese acupuncturists on deqi.

Deqi refers to the special sensation and reaction sensed mainly by both acupuncturist and patient when a needle was inserted into the acupoints and is considered to be vital to achieve acupuncture effect. For acupuncturist, it is important to judge and control Deqi in clinical practice. However, enough attention is paid to patients' feelings rather than acupuncturists' nowadays.

[Effect of electroacupuncture intervention on expression of testicular P 450 scc/17 β-HSD3 in rats with partial androgen deficiency].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on expression of cytochrome P 450 side chain cleavage (P 450 scc) and 17 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 (17 β-HSD3) in the testis in partial androgen deficiency of aging male (PADAM) rats so as to reveal its mechanism underlying improving PADAM.

Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomly and equally divided into control, model, and EA groups. The PADAM model was established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (20 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1)), once daily for 5 days.