Stimulated by Gong et al 2026.[1] C57BL/6J mouse EA – electroacupunctureOXT – oxytocinOXTR – oxytocin receptorIF – impact factorOFT – open field testEPM – elevated plus maze testPVR – pseudorabies virus (which is actually a herpes virus)EGFP – enhanced green fluorescent proteinPVN – paraventricular nucleus (of the hypothalamus)ip – intraperitoneal – key to acronyms I … Continue reading GV20 EA for OXT-driven anxiolysis 2026
Stimulated by Yu et al 2025.[1] Image from part of Figure 1 in Yu et al 2023.[2] EA – electroacupunctureCACMS – China Academy of Chinese Medical SciencesIF – impact factorJIM – Journal of Integrated MedicineJCIM – Journal of Chinese Integrated MedicineCJIM – Chinese Journal of Integrated MedicineCFA – complete Freund’s adjuvant (an oily antigenic mixture including heat-killed mycobacteria)SD … Continue reading EA for muscle tenderness 2026
Stimulated by Herman et al 2026.[1] This is the visual abstract from the main paper reporting the trial (DeBar et al 2025).[2] cLBP – chronic low back painIF – impact factorCEA – cost-effectiveness analysisCUA – cost-utility analysisEA – enhanced acupuncture (rather confusing I’m afraid)SA – standard electroacupunctureUMC – usual medical careRMDQ – Roland-Morris Disability QuestionnaireMCID … Continue reading Acupuncture saves costs in cLBP 2026
Stimulated by Schlaeger et al 2026.[1] Acupuncture protocol for vulvodynia used in Schlaeger et al 2026,[1] and Schlaeger et al 2015.[2] RCT – randomised controlled trialIF – impact factorTYN – Takakura and Yajima needleMPQ – McGill pain questionnaire (computerised version)PINS – pain intensity number scale (0–10)API – average pain intensity (mean of current, least and … Continue reading Acupuncture for vulvodynia 2026
Stimulated by Zhang et al 2025.[1] Visual abstract from Zhang et al 2025.[1] EA – electroacupuncturePVCs – premature ventricular complexesMI – myocardial infarctionIF – impact factorVF – ventricular fibrillationECG – electrocardiogramAAV – adeno-associated virusDREADD – designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugM1L5 – lamina 5 of the primary motor cortexRVLM – rostral ventrolateral medullaZI – … Continue reading EA for PVCs post-MI 2025
Stimulated by Reindorf et al and Song et al 2025.[1,2] Figure 1 from Reindorf et al 2025.[1] The red arrow is indicating a small right apical pneumothorax. According to the text of the case report, you are also supposed to be able to see the needle fragment, but they have not given us an arrow … Continue reading Punctured lungs and eyeballs 2025
Stimulated by Li et al 2025.[1] Re-edited version of the image used in the Oliveira 2018,[2] illustrating the position of the needle placement described in the current paper. The gluteus maximus muscle and the sacrotuberous ligament are faded so that the deeper structures can be seen. This image has been modified from the version used … Continue reading EPNS for PPUI 2025
Stimulated by Zhang et al 2025.[1] Visual abstract from Zhang et al.[1] EA – electroacupunctureMIA – maternal immune activationIF – impact factorAPC – author processing chargeUSD – US dollarsPoly (I:C) – polyinosinic-polycytidylic acidRNA – ribose nucleic acidIL6 – interleukin 6 (a proinflammatory cytokine)MCP-1 – monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (a downstream chemokine of IL6)α7nAChR – the … Continue reading Pre-natal EA for MIA 2025
Stimulated by Mousley et al 2025.[1] IF – impact factorMR – magnetic resonanceDTI – diffusion tensor imaging3D – three dimensional2D – two dimensionalGMV – grey matter volumeWMV – white matter volumeTCV – total cerebral volume – key to acronyms I heard a news item on this research on BBC Radio 4 at the beginning of … Continue reading Brain topology turning points over the human lifespan
Stimulated by Wang et al 2025.[1] Photo by Robina on Unsplash. PPIs – proton pump inhibitorsIF – impact factorCDI – Clostridium difficile infectionSIBO – small intestinal bacterial overgrowthPD – Parkinson’s diseaseGERD – gastroesophageal reflex diseaseOR – odds ratio – key to acronyms I have come to quite like the large retrospective cohort studies that have been published in … Continue reading Pneumonia risk in stroke patients on PPIs
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