There is controversy over the specific and non-specific components in the efficacy evaluation of acupuncture therapy.The placebo effect,as a key non-specific factor,needs to be clarified in terms of its mechanism and clinical value.This article reviewed the research progress in the placebo effect of acupuncture from three aspects:cognitive process,influencing factors,and mechanism.It focused on the regulatory effects of patient expectations,doctor-patient interaction,and individual differences on the effect,summarized key mechanisms such as endogenous opioid system,dopamine reward pathway,and neural projection of rostral anterior cingulate cortex to pontine nucleus,and pointed out the methodological limitations of current comfort acupuncture designs,in order to provide theoretical basis for the optimization of acupuncture clinical research models and the deepening of the effect mechanism.

Objective:To construct a Harvard cancer index-based risk predictive model for perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture and assess its predictive effectiveness.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 610 elderly patients with femoral neck fracture admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2013 and December 2022, including 193 males and 417 females, aged 60-99 years [(77.3±9.0)years]. The patients were divided into VTE group ( n=125) and non-VTE group ( n=485) according to occurrence of VTE during the perioperative period. The two groups were compared in terms of gender, age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, time from fracture to admission, surgical waiting time, comorbidities, perioperative electrolyte disorders, past or present history of malignancy, past history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), and preoperative use of oral anticoagulants. Univariate analysis and multivariable stepwise Logistic regression analysis were conducted to evaluate and identify independent risk factors for perioperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. A perioperative VTE risk predictive model for elderly patients with femoral neck fracture was constructed using the Harvard cancer index: (1) assigning a risk score to each variable according to the corresponding conversion criteria of the Harvard cancer index and risk score, based on the magnitude of their ORs; (2) determining the exposure rate of each risk factor based on the population distribution observed in this study; (3) calculating the average population risk score; (4) computing the individual VTE risk score; (5) deriving the ratio (X) of each individual ′s VTE risk score to the population average. Based on the Harvard cancer index classification criteria for disease risk levels, individual VTE risk categories were determined. The predictive performance of the risk stratification was evaluated by comparing the incidence of VTE across different risk levels. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated based on sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The calibration of the model was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test and internal validation was performed using the bootstrap resampling method with 1000 iterations. Results:Univariate analysis showed that gender, age, time from fracture to admission, surgical waiting time, previous cerebral infarction, stroke within the past month, Alzheimer′s disease, primary Parkinson′s syndrome, hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy, perioperative electrolyte disorders, history of DVT or PE, and preoperative use of oral anticoagulant drug were moderately associated with the occurrence of VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture ( P<0.10). Multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female gender ( OR=2.26, 95% CI 1.34, 3.80, P<0.01), time from fracture to admission>1 day ( OR=3.70, 95% CI 2.24, 6.12, P<0.01), surgical waiting time>70 hours ( OR=2.06, 95% CI 1.29, 3.30, P<0.01), previous cerebral infarction ( OR=3.78, 95% CI 1.04, 13.76, P<0.05), stroke within the past month ( OR=11.57, 95% CI 1.21, 110.44, P<0.05), Alzheimer′s disease ( OR=3.26, 95% CI 1.12, 9.49, P<0.05), primary Parkinson ′s syndrome ( OR=3.47, 95% CI 1.22, 9.85, P<0.05), previous hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy ( OR=4.75, 95% CI 2.09, 10.80, P<0.01), perioperative electrolyte disorders ( OR=2.73, 95% CI 1.39, 5.35, P<0.01), and preoperative oral anticoagulant use ( OR=3.86, 95% CI 1.18, 12.67, P<0.05) were significantly associated with the occurrence of perioperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. Based on the above 10 risk factors, a perioperative VTE risk predictive model for elderly patients with femoral neck fracture was constructed with the Harvard cancer index. The formula was as follows: X=[10×(female gender)+25×(time from fracture to admission>1 day)+10×(surgical waiting time>70 hours)+25×(previous cerebral infarction)+50×(stroke within the past month)+25×(Alzheimer′s disease)+25×(primary Parkinson′s disease)+25×(previous hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy)+10×(perioperative electrolyte disorders)+25×(preoperative use of oral anticoagulant drug)]/33. Individualized VTE risk was classified into five levels: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, with corresponding VTE rates of 4.8%, 11.8%, 14.9%, 32.3%, and 73.5%, respectively ( χ2=87.71, P<0.01). The VTE risk predictive model demonstrated an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI 0.69, 0.79, P<0.01), with a sensitivity of 63.2% and specificity of 74.8%. The H-L goodness-of-fit test indicated satisfactory model calibration ( P>0.05). The internal validation with the bootstrap method confirmed that the AUC remained 0.74. Conclusions:Female gender, time from fracture to admission>1 day, surgical waiting time>70 hours, previous cerebral infarction, stroke within the past month, Alzheimer′s disease, primary Parkinson′s syndrome, hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy, perioperative electrolyte disorders, and preoperative use of oral anticoagulant drug are independent risk factors for perioperative VTE in elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. Based on these factors, the perioperative VTE risk predictive model constructed using the Harvard cancer index demonstrates good clinical predictive value. Individualized VTE risk stratification can effectively identify high-, intermediate-, and low-risk populations, providing a valuable reference for tailoring anticoagulant prophylaxis strategies and enhancing postoperative surveillance.

Objective To investigate whether ginsenoside Rg3 can ameliorate glomerular endothelial injury in diabetic nephropathy(DN)mice through Ras homologous gene family member A(Rho A)/Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase,(ROCK1)/NLR family pyrin domain protein 3(NLRP3)pathway.Methods Forty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group,DN group,ginsenoside(ginsenoside Rg3)group and RhoA/ROCK pathway inhibition(FD)group,with 10 mice in each group.Fasting blood glucose(FBG)was measured by glucose meter.The levels of urinary protein,urea nitrogen(BUN)and serum creatinine(SCr)were detected by ELISA.PAS staining was used to detect glomerular morphology and structure and to evaluate glomerular injury index(GDI).The expression of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule(PECAM-1 or CD31),von Willefibrilia factor(vWF),RhoA,ROCK and NLRP3 protein related to pyrodeath were detected by immunofluorescence staining.Western blotting detected the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1),the inflammatory factor interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 protein in the glomerulus.Results Compared with the control group,the levels of FPG,urinary protein,BUN and SCr in DN group were increased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=17.59～43.81,all P<0.05).The glomerular structure was significantly damaged and GDI was increased(t=20.73,P<0.05).The expressions of CD31,RhoA,ROCK and NLRP3 in glomeruli were increased,while the expression of vWF was decreased.The expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-1β and IL-18 in renal tissues were increased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=27.95～40.10,all P<0.05).Compared with the DN group,the levels of FPG,urinary protein,BUN and SCr in ginsenoside group were decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=14.87～20.33,all P<0.05).The damage of glomerular structure was improved and GDI was decreased(t=19.80,P<0.05),the expression of CD31,RhoA,ROCK and NLRP3 in glomerular was decreased,and the expression of vWF was increased.The expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-1β and IL-18 in renal tissues of FD group were decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=12.62～39.68,all P<0.05).Conclusion Ginsenosides Rg3 can improve the level of glomerular endothelial injury and pyroptosis in DN mice by down-regulating RhoA/ROCK/NLRP3 pathway.

Objective To analyze the distribution of occupational hazard factors (OHFs) in key enterprises in Foshan City. Methods A total of 373 enterprises from 11 key industries in Foshan City in 2022 were selected as the research subjects using the purposive sampling method. Monitoring data of OHFs in workplaces were obtained and analyzed from the "Workplace Occupational Hazards Monitoring Information System" under "China Disease Prevention and Control Information System". Results Among the 373 enterprises, small and micro-sized enterprises, and large and medium-sized enterprises accounted for 85.5% and 14.5% respectively. A total of 24 137 sampling points in the workplaces were monitored for OHFs, with the national standard compliance rate of 92.1%. Among different OHFs, the compliance rates ranked from highest to lowest were chemical agents, dust, and noise (98.0% vs 89.3% vs 52.0%, P<0.01). A total of 63 131 workers were employed in 373 enterprises, among whom 29 753 were exposed to OHFs, yielding an overall exposure rate of 47.1%. Exposure rates of OHFs by enterprise scale, from highest to lowest, were micro-sized, small-sized, medium-sized, and large-sized enterprises (69.2% vs 52.7% vs 47.3% vs 39.0%, P<0.01). The proportion of workers participated in occupational medical examination was 85.1%, with re-examination proportion of 62.5% and the abnormality detection rate of 2.1%. Conclusion In key enterprises in Foshan City, the risk of noise exposure is relatively high, and the exposure rate of OHFs is highest in micro-sized enterprises. The occupational health supervision and management department needs to strengthen the governance of noise hazards in a targeted manner and urge enterprises (especially micro-sized enterprises) to fulfill their primary responsibilities in occupational disease prevention and control.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the correlation between alterations in digestion and absorption functions and hepatic deficiency states in aging rats based on the R-spondin1/Wnt3a signaling pathway， and reveal the intervention mechanism of Bugansan. MethodsForty-eight SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly assigned to six groups： blank control， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （7.03， 14.06， 28.12 g·kg^-1， respectively） Bugansan， and vitamin E （suspension， 27 mg·kg^-1）， with 8 rats in each group. The rat model of aging was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose （400 mg·kg^-1）， while the blank control group was injected with normal saline. Since the day of modeling， rats in intervention groups received corresponding agents by gavage， and those in blank control and model groups received an equal volume of normal saline （10 mL·kg^-1）. General biological features such as fur color， activity， body mass， water intake， and food intake were observed. Meanwhile， the content of malondialdehyde （MDA） and the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the serum were measured to assess aging. Grip strength and the content of total bile acids （TBA） and the activity of α-amylase （AMY） in the serum were measured to evaluate hepatic deficiency states. The activity of β-galactosidase （β-gal） in the duodenum was measured to evaluate intestinal senescence. The levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and D-xylose in the serum were determined to assess digestion and absorption functions of the small intestine. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to observe pathological changes of the duodenum to assess the small intestine damage. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to visualize the expression of B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 （Bmi1） and leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 （Lgr5） in the duodenal tissue. Moreover， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was utilized to quantify the mRNA levels of Ki67， Bmi1， and Lgr5 to assess proliferation and regeneration of the small intestine. Additionally， the mRNA levels of R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） and the protein levels of R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and phosphorylated GSK-3β （p-GSK-3β） in the duodenum were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blot， respectively， to analyze the mechanisms of intestinal digestion and absorption dysfunction in aging rats and the regulatory characteristics of Bugansan. ResultsCompared with blank control group， the model group showed decreases in body mass， water intake， food intake， grip strength， activities of SOD， GSH-Px， and AMY in the serum and content of GLP-1， VIP and D-xylose in the serum （P<0.05）， increases in the content of MDA and TBA in the serum and β-gal activity in the duodenum （P<0.05）， reductions in villus length， villus width， crypt depth， and villi/crypt （V/C） value， down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of Ki67， Lgr5， Bmi1， R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and up-regulated level of GSK-3β， phosphorylation （p）-GSK-3β （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， Bugansan increased the body mass， water intake， food intake， grip strength， and activities of SOD， GSH-Px， and AMY and levels of GLP-1， VIP and D-xylose in the serum （P<0.05）， while decreasing the content of MDA and TBA in the serum and β-gal activity in the duodenum （P<0.05）. Furthermore， Bugansan increased the villus length， villus width， crypt depth， and V/C value， up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of Ki67， Lgr5， Bmi1， R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and down-regulated the level of GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β （P<0.05）. ConclusionAging rats exhibit obvious impairments in digestion and absorption functions， accompanied by a state of hepatic deficiency. The traditional Chinese medicine approach of tonifying liver Qi effectively ameliorates aging-related changes by modulating the R-spondin1/Wnt3a signaling pathway to mitigate intestinal senescence and enhance digestion and absorption functions， ultimately contributing to the delay of aging.

Objective To explore the role of miR-429 in synovial mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes(SMSC-Exos)in repairing cartilage damage in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJ OA)by extracting SMSC-Exos from human synovial tissue and screening differentially expressed microRNA(miRNA)through transcriptome sequencing.Methods Human synovial tissues were obtained from 6 patients who underwent surgery at the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from June to December 2023,including 3 patients with osteoarthritis(OA group)and 3 control patients(control group),all of whom were male.SMSC-Exos were extracted from the synovial tissues for miRNA sequencing and differential expression analysis.Further,Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses were performed on the target genes of differentially expressed miRNA to identify key functional miRNA and construct miRNA-target gene regulatory networks and protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks of target genes.An in vitro model of rabbit condylar cartilage cell inflammatory microenvironment induced by interleukin-1β(IL-1β)was established,with the control group cultured in DMEM/F12 basic medium and the inflammation-induced group cultured in DMEM/F12 basic medium containing 10 ng/ml IL-1β.RT-qPCR was used to detect the effects of overexpressed target miRNA on the mRNA expression levels of cartilage phenotype factors such as type Ⅱ collagen α1 chain(Col2a1),aggrecan(Acan),as well as inflammatory factors including a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(Adamts5)and cyclooxygenase-2(Cox-2).Results(1)SMSC-Exos were successfully isolated,cultured,and identified.(2)miRNA sequencing of SMSC-Exos from OA and control groups revealed 16 differentially expressed miRNAs(|log2FC|>2,P<0.05).Compared with control group,7 miRNAs were up-regulated and 9 were down-regulated in OA group.GO and KEGG analysis indicated that the target genes of miR-429 were mainly involved in development process,anatomical structure development,system development,cell development and differentiation,and were enriched in inflammation-related pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B(PI3K-Akt).(3)Functional validation of miR-429 in the rabbit condylar cartilage cell inflammatory model showed that overexpression of miR-429 increased the mRNA expression levels of Col2a1 and Acan(P<0.05)and decreased the mRNA expression levels of Adamts5 and Cox-2(P<0.05)in the inflammation-induced group.Conclusions miRNA sequencing of SMSC-Exos isolated and identified from human synovial tissues reveals a specific miRNA expression profile in OA patients,with miR-429 significantly down-regulated.Functional validation demonstrates that overexpression of miR-429 has reparative and anti-inflammatory effects on condylar cartilage cells in an inflammatory microenvironment.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the roles and mechanisms of γ-bungarotoxin(γ-BGT)in inducing respiratory distress in mice.METHODS Six male Kunming mice were selected and anesthe-tized before tracheal intubation and respiratory recording.After stabilizing respiration,the mice were intraperitoneally injected with γ-BGT at a dose of 6 mg·kg-1.Once a decrease in respiratory frequency was observed,the mice were intravenously injected with nikethamide at a dose of 12.5 mg·kg-1.Respi-ratory frequency was monitored using the BL420 signal acquisition and processing system.Male Kunming mice were randomly divided into the normal control group(saline,ip),γ-BGT group(6 mg·kg-1,ip),and γ-BGT+nikethamide group(γ-BGT 6 mg·kg-1,ip,followed by nikethamide 12.5 mg·kg-1,ip,when shal-low breathing and enhanced abdominal respiration were observed).The levels of Glu and GABA in the medulla oblongata were measured using ELISA.The protein expression levels of GAD65 and GAD67 in the medulla oblongata were determined by Western blotting.Primary mouse medullary neurons were cultured in vitro and divided into the following groups:cell control group,γ-BGT group,carbachol group,gallamine group,γ-BGT+H-89 group,and γ-BGT+Y-27632 group.The γ-BGT group,carbachol group,and gallamine group were incubated with γ-BGT(40 mg·L-1),carbachol(100 mmol·L-1),and gallamine(100 mmol·L-1),respectively,for 4 h.The γ-BGT+H-89 and γ-BGT+Y-27632 groups were pretreated with γ-BGT(40 mg·L-1)for 4 h,followed by incubation with the protein kinase A(PKA)inhibitor H-89(50 mmol·L-1)and the Ca2+channel inhibitor Y-27632(50 mmol·L-1)for another 2 h,respectively.ELISA was used to measure the levels of Glu,GABA,cAMP,and calpain in the primary mouse medul-lary neurons.Western blotting was employed to assess the protein expression levels of GAD65 and GAD67,and PKA phosphorylation levels.Fluo-4 fluorescent probe was used to detect the intracellular Ca2+level.RESULTS The respiratory rate of mice significantly decreased after iv administration of γ-BGT(γ-BGT group)(P<0.05).After treatment with nikethamide(nikethamide group),the respiratory rate significantly recovered(P<0.05).Compared with the normal control group,the γ-BGT group exhib-ited a significant decrease in Glu content(P<0.05),a significant increase in GABA content(P<0.05),and a significant decrease in the Glu/GABA ratio.Additionally,the protein expression levels of GAD65 and GAD67 were significantly elevated(P<0.05).Compared with the γ-BGT group,the γ-BGT+niketh-amide group showed a significant increase in Glu content(P<0.05),a significant decrease in GABA content(P<0.05),a significant increase in the Glu/GABA ratio,and a significant reduction in GAD65 and GAD67 protein expression levels(P<0.05).Compared to the cell control group,the γ-BGT group demonstrated a significant decrease in Glu content(P<0.05),a significant increase in GABA content(P<0.05),and a significant reduction in the Glu/GABA ratio.Furthermore,the protein expression levels of GAD65 and GAD67 were significantly elevated(P<0.05).Additionally,cAMP content,PKA phosphor-ylation levels,Ca2+levels,and calpain activity were all significantly increased(all P<0.05).Glu,GABA,Glu/GABA ratio,and GAD expression levels in the γ-BGT group changed in the same way as in the gallamine group;In the γ-BGT+Y-27632 group,calpain activity and expression levels of GAD65 and GAD67 were all significantly decreased(all P<0.05).In the γ-BGT+H-89 group,Ca2+levels and calpain activity were significantly reduced(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION γ-BGT-induced poisoning can lead to respiratory distress in mice,possibly through the antagonism of M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in medullary neurons,activation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway,elevation of intracellular Ca2+levels,and increased expression and activity of GAD,resulting in an imbalance of Glu and GABA in the medulla.

Objective To investigate whether ginsenoside Rg3 can ameliorate glomerular endothelial injury in diabetic nephropathy(DN)mice through Ras homologous gene family member A(Rho A)/Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase,(ROCK1)/NLR family pyrin domain protein 3(NLRP3)pathway.Methods Forty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group,DN group,ginsenoside(ginsenoside Rg3)group and RhoA/ROCK pathway inhibition(FD)group,with 10 mice in each group.Fasting blood glucose(FBG)was measured by glucose meter.The levels of urinary protein,urea nitrogen(BUN)and serum creatinine(SCr)were detected by ELISA.PAS staining was used to detect glomerular morphology and structure and to evaluate glomerular injury index(GDI).The expression of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule(PECAM-1 or CD31),von Willefibrilia factor(vWF),RhoA,ROCK and NLRP3 protein related to pyrodeath were detected by immunofluorescence staining.Western blotting detected the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1),the inflammatory factor interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 protein in the glomerulus.Results Compared with the control group,the levels of FPG,urinary protein,BUN and SCr in DN group were increased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=17.59～43.81,all P<0.05).The glomerular structure was significantly damaged and GDI was increased(t=20.73,P<0.05).The expressions of CD31,RhoA,ROCK and NLRP3 in glomeruli were increased,while the expression of vWF was decreased.The expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-1β and IL-18 in renal tissues were increased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=27.95～40.10,all P<0.05).Compared with the DN group,the levels of FPG,urinary protein,BUN and SCr in ginsenoside group were decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=14.87～20.33,all P<0.05).The damage of glomerular structure was improved and GDI was decreased(t=19.80,P<0.05),the expression of CD31,RhoA,ROCK and NLRP3 in glomerular was decreased,and the expression of vWF was increased.The expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-1β and IL-18 in renal tissues of FD group were decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(t=12.62～39.68,all P<0.05).Conclusion Ginsenosides Rg3 can improve the level of glomerular endothelial injury and pyroptosis in DN mice by down-regulating RhoA/ROCK/NLRP3 pathway.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for hypopharyngeal hemangioma.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on data of patients with hypopharyngeal hemangioma who were treated with ESD at the endoscopy center of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from October 2023 to February 2024. The en bloc resection rate, complete resection rate, procedure time, length of hospital stay, and incidence of adverse events were recorded.Results:A total of five patients were included, aged 28-78, four females and one male, with a median tumor long diameter of 1.5 cm (1.0-4.0 cm). All ESD procedures were successfully performed for hypopharyngeal hemangioma, and the rate of en bloc resection was 80.0% (4/5). Complete resection rate was 100.0% (5/5). The median procedure time was 35 minutes (18-60 minutes). None of them underwent prophylactic tracheotomy, and all of them were confirmed as hemangiomas by postoperative pathology. Open diet 1 day postoperatively, and the median length of hospital stay was 6 days (3-8 days). There were no serious adverse events related to ESD during or after the procedure.Conclusion:ESD can be a potential new method for the treatment of hypopharyngeal hemangioma, demonstrating satisfactory effectiveness and safety.