Bai Y et al (2011) Review of evidence suggesting that the fascia network could be the anatomical basis for acupoints and meridians in the human body. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2011:260510. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/260510

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Chen, et al (2020) Acupuncture for pain management: molecular mechanisms of action. Am J Chin Med 48(04):793–811

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Choi W et al (2012) Differential autonomic response to acupuncture at wood and metal of five-shu acupoints. The J Alternat Complement Med 18(10):959–964

Article  Google Scholar 

Ding SS et al (2014) Acupuncture modulates the neuro–endocrine–immune network. QJM: an Int J Med 107(5):341–345

Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Feng Y et al (2024) Global trends and performances of infrared imaging technology studies on acupuncture: a bibliometric analysis. Front Neurosci 18:1387752

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Focks C (2024) Atlas of acupuncture. Atlas d'acupuncture. Elsevier Health Sciences

Geneva II et al (2019) Normal body temperature: a systematic review. Open Forum Infect Dis. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofz032

Hall JE, Hall ME (2020) Guyton and Hall textbook of medical physiology. Elsevier Health Sciences

Henry JD, Crawford JR (2005) The short‐form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS‐21): construct validity and normative data in a large non‐clinical sample. British J Clinic Psychol 44:227–239. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466505X29657

Article  Google Scholar 

Huang T et al (2013) The influence of different acupuncture manipulations on the skin temperature of an acupoint. Evid-Based Complement Alternat Med 2013:905852. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/905852

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

International Organization for Standardization (2016) ISO 23529: Rubber — General procedures for preparing and conditioning test pieces for physical test methods. Geneva, Switzerland: ISO

Jensen MP et al (2003) Interpretation of visual analog scale ratings and change scores: a reanalysis of two clinical trials of postoperative pain. J Pain 4(7):407–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1526-5900(03)00716-8

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Kim SK et al (2010) Acupuncture and immune modulation. Auton Neurosci 157(1–2):38–41

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Kuo T-C et al (2010) Blood flow effect of acupuncture on the human meridian. J Medical Acupunct 22:33–40. https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2009.0703

Article  Google Scholar 

Lan K-C et al (2019) Effects of the new lift-thrust operation in laser acupuncture investigated by thermal imaging. Evid-Based Complement Alternat Med 2019:4212079. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4212079

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Dorsher PT et al (2017) Neuroembryology of the acupuncture principal meridians: part 1. The extremities. Med Acupunct 29(1):10–19

Article  Google Scholar 

Lee S et al (2022) Characteristics of five-phase acupoints from data mining of randomized controlled clinical trials followed by multidimensional scaling. Integr Med Res 11(2):100829

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Li J et al (2012) Biophysical characteristics of meridians and acupoints: a systematic review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2012:793841. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/793841

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Li N et al (2021) The anti-inflammatory actions and mechanisms of acupuncture from acupoint to target organs via neuro-immune regulation. J Inflamm Res. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S341581

Lin JG et al (2022) Understandings of acupuncture application and mechanisms. Am J Transl Res 14(3):1469

CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Liu X et al (2022) Infrared thermal imaging-based skin temperature response during cupping at two different negative pressures. Sci Rep 12(1):15506

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Liu X et al (2025) Infrared thermography in clinical practice: a literature review. Eur J Med Res 30(1):1–16

Article  Google Scholar 

Maciocia G (2015) The foundations of Chinese medicine: a comprehensive text. Elsevier Health Sciences

MacPherson H et al (2010) Revised standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture (STRICTA): extending the CONSORT statement. PLoS Med 7(6):e1000261. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000261

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

MacPherson, et al (2017) The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain. Pain 158(5):784–793

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Maurer, et al (2019) Anatomical evidence of acupuncture meridians in the human extracellular matrix: results from a macroscopic and microscopic interdisciplinary multicentre study on human corpses. Evid-Based Complement Alternat Med 2019(1):6976892

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Negida A (2020) Sample size calculation guide-part 7: how to calculate the sample size based on a correlation. Front Emerg Med 4(2):e34-e

Article  Google Scholar 

Romanovsky AA et al (2014) Skin temperature: its role in thermoregulation. Acta Physiol 210(3):498–507

Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

de Souza RC et al (2016) Laser acupuncture causes thermal changes in small intestine meridian pathway. J Lasers Med Sci 31:1645–1649. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-016-2032-6

Article  Google Scholar 

Unschuld PU (2016) Nan Jing: the classic of difficult issues. Univ of California Press

Wang G-J et al (2010) Meridian studies in China: a systematic review. J Acupunct Merid Stud 3:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2005-2901(10)60001-5

Article  Google Scholar 

Whitehead AL et al (2016) Estimating the sample size for a pilot randomised trial to minimise the overall trial sample size for the external pilot and main trial for a continuous outcome variable. Stat Methods Med Res 25(3):1057–1073

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

WHO Expert Consultation (2004) Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. The Lancet 363(9403):157–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)15268-3

Article  Google Scholar 

Zhang, et al (2015) Classic and modern meridian studies: a review of low hydraulic resistance channels along meridians and their relevance for therapeutic effects in traditional Chinese medicine. Evid-Based Complement Alternat Med 2015(1):410979

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Zhu S-P et al (2013) Acupuncture De-qi: from characterization to underlying mechanism. Evid-Based Complement Alternat Med 2013:518784. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/518784

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Zhu, (2014) Acupoints initiate the healing process. Med Acupunct 26(5):264–270

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar