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This paper presents a family of soliton solutions of the one-dimensional nonlinear Schröodinger equation which describes the dynamics of the dark solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates with an arbitrary x-dependent external potential. The obtained results show that the external potential has an important effect on the dark soliton dynamical characteristics of the condensates. The amplitude, width, and velocity of the output soliton are relative to the source position of the external potential. The smaller the amplitude of the soliton is, the narrower its width is, and the slower the soliton propagates. The collision of two dark solitons is nearly elastic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in cancer progression through largely unknown mechanisms. Herein, we identify an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modified circRNA, circNSUN2, frequently upregulated in tumor tissues and serum samples from colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients with liver metastasis (LM) and predicts poorer patient survival. The upregulated expression of circNSUN2 promotes LM in PDX metastasis models in vivo and accelerates cancer cells invasion in vitro. Importantly, N6-methyladenosine modification of circNSUN2 increases export to the cytoplasm. By forming a circNSUN2/IGF2BP2/HMGA2 RNA-protein ternary complex in the cytoplasm, circNSUN2 enhances the stability of HMGA2 mRNA to promote CRC metastasis progression. Clinically, the upregulated expressions of circNSUN2 and HMGA2 are more prevalent in LM tissues than in primary CRC tissues. These findings elucidate that N6-methyladenosine modification of circNSUN2 modulates cytoplasmic export and stabilizes HMGA2 to promote CRC LM, and suggest that circNSUN2 could represent a critical prognostic marker and/or therapeutic target for the disease. Liver metastasis of colorectal cancer leads to poor prognosis. Here the authors report that an N6-methyladenosine modified circular RNA is upregulated in colorectal cancer and promotes liver metastasis by enhancing the stability of HMGA2 mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reviews the inheritance, innovation and development of heat-sensitive moxibustion; and explores the path for the clinical development of moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine moxibustion (TCM). Practice has shown that the laws of clinical research on TCM moxibustion refer to phenomenon discovery, exploration of rules, technological innovation, verification of curative effects, theory sublimation, returning to clinical practice, discipline construction, and experimental research. It is deeply realized that TCM research should be based on clinical practice, originated from classics, focused on theoretical innovation and in serve of clinical practice.

Moxibustion therapy is a unique health resource in China, which is advantageous by its irreplaceable effectiveness in treatment, disease prevention and healthcare. But, moxibustion therapy used in primary care institutions in China is far from the due role of this therapy played in medical practice. The authors believe that the heat-sensitive moxibustion (HSM) robot should be developed by integrating the manipulation of moxibustion therapy with modern artifical intelligence technology so that moxibustion therapy can be operated precisely and easily, deqi of moxibustion be effectively stimulated and the cost of its manual manipulation be reduced. Eventually, the technology of moxibustion therapy can be popularized in the primary care institutions to serve the health of the people. This paper introduces the creation of HSM technology, the research and development (R&D) of HSM robot, and its advantages, as well as the application prospects. It is anticipated that the R&D of HSM robot may speed up the development of moxibustion therapy worldwide.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of moxibustion with deqi on Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats, and evaluate its effect on β-amyloid (Aβ) transport and enzymatic degradation proteins, to explore its molecular mechanism for improving cognitive function., Methods: Sixty SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group (8 rats), a sham-operation group (8 rats) and a model establishment group (44 rats). The rats in the model establishment group were injected with Aβ 1 - 42 at bilateral ventricles to establish AD model. Among the 38 rats with successful model establishment, 8 rats were randomly selected as the model group, and the remaining rats were treated with mild moxibustion at "Dazhui" (GV 14), once a day, 40 min each time, for 28 days. According to whether deqi appeared and the occurrence time of deqi , the rats were divided into a deqi group (12 rats), a delayed deqi group (10 rats) and a non-deqi group (8 rats). After the intervention, the Morris water maze test was applied to evaluate the cognitive function; the HE staining was applied to observe the brain morphology; the Western blot method was applied to measure the protein expression of Aβ and its receptor mediated transport [low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) 1, receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), apolipoprotein E (ApoE)] and enzymatic degradation [neprilysin (NEP), insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), endothelin converting enzyme (ECE)-1 and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 2]., Results: Compared with the sham-operation group, in the model group, the escape latency was prolonged ( P <0.01), and the times of platform crossing and the ratio of platform quadrant to total time were reduced ( P <0.01); the brain tissue was seriously damaged; the expression of hippocampal Aβ and RAGE was increased ( P <0.01), and the expression of hippocampal LRP1, ApoE, NEP, IDE, ECE-1 and ACE2 was decreased ( P <0.01). Compared with the model group, the escape latency was shortened in the deqi group ( P <0.05, P <0.01), and the escape latency in the delayed deqi group and the non-deqi group was shortened from Day 2 to Day 5 ( P <0.05, P <0.01), and the times of platform crossing and the ratio of platform quadrant to total time were increased in the deqi group and the delayed deqi group ( P <0.01, P <0.05); the brain damage in each moxibustion group was reduced, which was smallest in the deqi group, followed by the delayed deqi group and the non-deqi group; the expression of Aβ and RAGE was decreased ( P <0.01, P <0.05) and the expression of LRP1 and IDE was increased in each moxibustion group ( P <0.01, P <0.05); the expression of ApoE was increased in the deqi group and the delayed deqi group ( P <0.01, P <0.05); the expression of NEP was increased in deqi group ( P <0.05), and the expression of ECE-1 and ACE2 was increased in the deqi group and the delayed deqi group ( P <0.05). Compared with the delayed deqi group and the non-deqi group, the escape latency in the deqi group was shortened from Day 3 to Day 5 ( P <0.05), and the times of platform crossing and the ratio of platform quadrant to total time were increased ( P <0.05, P <0.01). Compared with the non-deqi group, the expression of Aβ was reduced ( P <0.05), the expression of LRP1 and ApoE was increased in the deqi group ( P <0.05). The expression of NEP in the deqi group was higher than that in the delayed deqi group and the non-deqi group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Compared with non- deqi , moxibustion with deqi could promote Aβ transport and degradation, thereby reducing Aβ level in the brain and improving cognitive function for AD rats.

On the base of the paradigms of clinical studies on modern moxibustion by identifying the acupoint sensitization, the records of ancient literature in successive dynasties were collected on "identifying the sensitization" of acupoints in acupuncture. In association with acupoint detection of acupuncture recorded in current textbooks, a novel concept, "exerting acupuncture by identifying the acupoint sensitization" is proposed. Acupoint sensitization is the common initial link of effect achieved by both acupuncture and moxibustion. Hence, on the basis of the routine acupoint selection by differentiating syndrome, the state of acupoint must be considerably emphasized in either acupuncture or moxibustion. The clinical curative effect may be improved by selecting the sensitized points and identifying sensitization. This novel mode of diagnosis and treatment focuses on identifying acupoint sensitization by unifying acupuncture with moxibustion and in coincidence with the modern clinical characteristics of either acupuncture or moxibustion.

Objective: To observe the effect of moxibustion on the expression of phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱα(pCaMKⅡα) and neuronal nuclei (NeuN) and the ability of learning and memory in the neonatal mice model of hypoxic-ischemia encephalopathy(HIE), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of learning and memory., Methods: ICR mice (aged 7 days) were randomly divided into sham operation, model and moxibustion groups. HIE model was induced by ligation of the right common carotid artery combined with hypoxia in a closed transparent chamber. Mice in the moxibustion group were treated with gentle moxibustion at "Dazhui"(GV14) for 35 min，once daily for 3 consecutive days. The pathological changes of brain tissues were observed with the naked eyes and under microscope after H.E. staining, respectively. The expressions of pCaMKⅡα and NeuN in the ischemic penumbra were examined by immunofluorescent staining, and the learning and memory ablility was tested with Morris maze., Results: No infarcts were found in the brain tissue of the mice in the sham operation group. Compared with the sham operation group, mice in the model group had infarcts and the expression of pCaMKⅡα and NeuN in the ischemic penumbra was significantly reduced ( P <0.01), and the latency to find a platform was significantly prolonged in Morris maze test ( P <0.01). After moxibustion, in comparison with the model group showed that, small areas of infarction were seen in the right hemisphere of the moxibustion group, and the expressions of pCaMKⅡα, NeuN increased significantly ( P <0.01), and the latency to find a platform was significantly shortened ( P <0.01)., Conclusion: Moxibustion can improve the ability of learning and memory in the neonatal mice with HIE, which might be related to alleviating brain injury and increasing the expression of pCaMKⅡα in neurons of ischemic brain tissues.

Objective: To compare the clinical therapeutic effect between heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with western medication and simple western medication for low back pain of osteoporosis with kidney- yang deficiency., Methods: A total of 60 patients with osteoporosis were randomized into an observation group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (32 cases, 3 cases dropped off). In the control group, alendronate sodium tablet and calcium carbonate and vitamin D 3 tablet were taken orally. On the basis of the control group, heat-sensitive moxibustion was applied at Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Guanyuan (CV 4), Shenshu (BL 23), Zusanli (ST 36) in the observation group, once a day, 5 times a week for 8 weeks. Before and after treatment，the visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, bone mineral density (BMD) and TCM clinical symptom score were compared in the two groups., Results: The VAS scores, ODI scores and TCM clinical symptom scores after treatment were reduced in the two groups ( P <0.05, P <0.01), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group ( P <0.05, P <0.01). The BMD after treatment was increased in the two groups ( P <0.01), and that in the observation group was higher than the control group ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with western medication could relieve low back pain, improve BMD in patients of osteoporosis with kidney- yang deficiency, and its clinical effect is superior to simple western medication.

Under the guidance of the theory and technique of arrival of qi of heat-sensitive moxibustion, the technical elements of umbilical refining of moxibustion proposed in The Guide to Medicine by LI Yan were analyzed. It is believed that the parameters of moxibustion temperature and time are the key points. The standard of "quantitative moxa" is established to achieve the appropriate moxibustion temperature and moxibustion time. The umbilical refining of heat-sensitive moxibustion is established to reappear the magic effect of LI Yan 's umbilical refining of moxibustion. The umbilical refining of heat-sensitive moxibustion is recommended for stomachache, diarrhea, constipation, dysmenorrhea, impotence, etc. with significant curative effect.