Objective: To explore the association between sleep quality and cardiorespiratory fitness among secondary school students, so as to provide a reference for promoting the overall development of physical and mental health of Chinese adolescents. Methods: From September to December 2023, 5 713 secondary school students aged 13 to 18 years were selected by the stratified cluster random sampling method from Shanghai, Suzhou, Taiyuan, Wuyuan, Xingyi, and Urumqi, respectively. Sleep quality and cardiorespiratory fitness level of secondary school students were evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) combined with cardiorespiratory fitness test, and the association between sleep quality and cardiorespiratory fitness was analyzed by Pearson s correlation and multivariate linear regression. Results: The report rate of poor sleep quality among secondary school students was 33.7 %(1 926/5 713). The PSQI scores of girls aged 13-18 years were higher than those of boys ( χ 2=1.60, 12.78, 15.62, 3.04, 10.09, 13.65 ) ( P <0.05). The 20 m SRT of secondary school students was 40 (27，51) times, and the VO 2max was 46.27 (40. 84 ，51.30) mL/(kg min). The 20 m SRT and VO 2max of girls of all ages were lower than those of boys( Z =-15.27 to -6.41 , -18.06 to -14.07, P <0.05). Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO 2max) was negatively correlated with sleep duration and hypnotic medication scores in boys ( r =-0.032, -0.005); VO 2max was negatively correlated with sleep duration and daytime dysfunction scores in girls ( r =-0.028, -0.008) ( P <0.05). After controlling the related variables, linear regression analysis showed that the total PSQI score was negatively correlated with VO 2max among secondary school students( β =-0.347, P <0.01). Conclusions Secondary school students with better sleep quality have higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Sleep quality should be promoted to improve cardiorespiratory fitness levels in secondary school students.

This study aims to explore the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction(BHD) in promoting angiogenesis after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R) of mouse brain microvascular endothelial cell line(brain-derived Endothelial cells.3, bEnd.3) based on the caveolin-1(Cav1)/Yes-associated protein 1(YAP1)/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) signaling pathway. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to analyze the blood components of BHD. The cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method was used to detect the optimal intervention concentration of drug-containing serum of BHD after OGD/R injury of bEnd.3. The lentiviral transfection method was used to construct a Cav1 silent stable strain, and Western blot and polymerase chain reaction(PCR) methods were used to verify the silencing efficiency. The control bEnd.3 cells were divided into a normal group(sh-NC control group), an OGD/R model + blank serum group(sh-NC OGD/R group), and an OGD/R model + drug-containing serum group(sh-NC BHD group). Cav1 silent cells were divided into an OGD/R model + blank serum group(sh-Cav1 OGD/R group) and an OGD/R model + drug-containing serum group(sh-Cav1 BHD group). The cell survival rate was detected by the CCK-8 method. The cell migration ability was detected by a cell migration assay. The lumen formation ability was detected by an angiogenesis assay. The apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry, and the expression of YAP1/HIF-1α signaling pathway-related proteins in each group was detected by Western blot. Finally, co-immunoprecipitation was used to verify the interaction between YAP1 and HIF-1α. The results showed astragaloside Ⅳ, formononetin, ferulic acid, and albiflorin in BHD can all enter the blood. The drug-containing serum of BHD at a mass fraction of 10% may be the optimal intervention concentration for OGD/R-induced injury of bEnd.3 cells. Compared with the sh-NC control group, the sh-NC OGD/R group showed significantly decreased cell survival rate, cell migration rate, mesh number, node number, and lumen length, significantly increased cell apoptotic rate, significantly lowered phosphorylation level of YAP1 at S127 site, and significantly elevated nuclear displacement level of YAP1 and protein expression of HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2). Compared with the same type of OGD/R group, the sh-NC BHD group and sh-Cav1 BHD group had significantly increased cell survival rate, cell migration rate, mesh number, node number, and lumen length, a significantly decreased cell apoptotic rate, a further decreased phosphorylation level of YAP1 at S127 site, and significantly increased nuclear displacement level of YAP1 and protein expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and VEGFR2. Compared with the sh-NC OGD/R group, the sh-Cav1 OGD/R group exhibited significantly decreased cell survival rate, cell migration rate, mesh number, node number, and lumen length, a significantly increased cell apoptotic rate, a significantly increased phosphorylation level of YAP1 at S127 site, and significantly decreased nuclear displacement level of YAP1 and protein expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and VEGFR2. Compared with the sh-NC BHD group, the sh-Cav1 BHD group showed significantly decreased cell survival rate, cell migration rate, mesh number, node number, and lumen length, a significantly increased cell apoptotic rate, a significantly increased phosphorylation level of YAP1 at the S127 site, and significantly decreased nuclear displacement level of YAP1 and protein expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and VEGFR2. YAP1 protein was present in the protein complex precipitated by the HIF-1α antibody, and HIF-1α protein was also present in the protein complex precipitated by the YAP1 antibody. The results confirmed that the drug-containing serum of BHD can increase the activity of YAP1/HIF-1α pathway in bEnd.3 cells damaged by OGD/R through Cav1 and promote angiogenesis in vitro.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Glucose/metabolism* ; Caveolin 1/genetics* ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/genetics* ; YAP-Signaling Proteins ; Oxygen/metabolism* ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics* ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/drug effects* ; Cell Hypoxia/drug effects* ; Angiogenesis

Allergen-specific immunotherapy（AIT） remains the only therapeutic approach with the potential to modify the natural course of allergic rhinitis（AR）. Nevertheless, considerable inter-individual variability exists in patients'responses to AIT. To facilitate more reliable assessment of treatment efficacy, the China Rhinopathy Research Cooperation Group（CRRCG） convened young and middle-aged nasal experts in China to formulate the present consensus. The recommended subjective outcome measures for AIT comprise symptom scores, medication scores, combined symptom and medication scores, quality-of-life assessments, evaluation of disease control, and assessment of comorbidities. Objective indicators may supplement these measures. Currently available objective approaches include skin prick testing, nasal provocation testing, and allergen exposure chambers. However, these methods remain constrained by practical limitations and are not yet appropriate for routine implementation in clinical efficacy evaluation. In addition, several biomarkers, including sIgE and the sIgE/tIgE ratio, sIgG4, serum IgE-blocking activity, IgA, cytokines and chemokines, as well as immune cell surface molecules and their functional activity, have been shown to have associations with AIT outcomes. While these biomarkers may complement subjective assessments, they are subject to significant limitations. Consequently, large-scale multicenter trials and real-world evidence are required to strengthen the evidence base. The present consensus underscores the necessity of integrating patients'subjective experiences with objective testing throughout the treatment process, thereby providing a more comprehensive and accurate framework for efficacy evaluation. Looking forward, future investigations should prioritize the incorporation of multi-omics data and artificial intelligence methodologies, which hold promise for overcoming current limitations in assessment strategies and for advancing both the standardization and personalization of AIT.
Humans ; Allergens/immunology* ; China ; Consensus ; Desensitization, Immunologic ; Immunoglobulin E ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis, Allergic/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; East Asian People

Photodynamic immunotherapy is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the dysfunctional tumor vasculature results in tumor hypoxia and the low efficiency of drug delivery, which in turn restricts the anticancer effect of photodynamic immunotherapy. In this study, we designed photosensitive lipid nanoparticles. The synthesized PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles could produce type I/II reactive oxygen species (ROS) by electron or energy transfer through PFBT under light irradiation. Moreover, this nanosystem could alleviate tumor hypoxia and promote vascular normalization through Roxadustat. Upon irradiation with white light, the ROS produced by PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles in situ dysregulated calcium homeostasis and triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress, which further promoted the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, enhanced antigen presentation, and stimulated an effective adaptive immune response, ultimately priming the tumor microenvironment (TME) together with the hypoxia alleviation and vessel normalization by Roxadustat. Indeed, in vivo results indicated that PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles promoted M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, recruited more natural killer cells, and augmented infiltration of T cells, thereby leading to efficient photodynamic immunotherapy and potentiating the anti-primary and metastatic tumor efficacy of PD-1 antibody. Collectively, photodynamic immunotherapy with PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles efficiently program TME through the induction of immunogenicity and oxygenation, and effectively suppress tumor growth through immunogenic cell death and enhanced anti-tumor immunity.

The mechanism of action of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remains unclear. Historically, research on TCM has mainly focused on exploring the mechanisms of active components acting on single targets. However, it is insufficient to explain the complex mechanisms by which these active components in TCM treat diseases. In recent years, the emergence of molecular glues (MGs) theory has provided new strategies to address this issue. MGs are small molecules that can promote interactions between proteins at their interface. The characteristic of MGs is to establish connections between diverse protein structures, thereby enabling a chemically-mediated proximity effect that triggers a wide spectrum of biological functions. Natural products are the result of billions of years of evolutionary processes in the natural environment. Thus, the extensive structural diversity of natural products renders them a rich source of MGs, including polyketides, terpenoids, steroids, lignans, organic acids, alkaloids and other classes. Currently, several well-known natural MGs, including the immunosuppressants cyclosporin A (CsA) and tacrolimus (FK506), as well as the anticancer agent taxol, have been incorporated into clinical practice. Meanwhile, the advancement of new technologies is propelling the discovery of novel MGs from natural products. Thus, we primarily summarize a growing variety of MGs from natural origins reported in recent years and categorize them based on the chemical structural types. Moreover, the main sources of TCM are natural products. The discovery of natural MGs promises to provide a new perspective for the elucidation of the molecular mechanism behind the efficiency of TCM. In summary, this review aims to provide insights from the perspective of natural products that could potentially influence TCM and modern drug development.

OBJECTIVE: Comorbid pain and depression are common but remain difficult to treat. Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively improve symptoms of depression and relieve pain, but its neural mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to detect cerebral changes after initiating a mouse pain model via constriction of the infraorbital nerve (CION) and then treating these animals with EA. METHODS: Forty male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 4 groups: control, CION model, EA, and sham acupuncture (without needle insertion). EA was performed on the acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Zusanli (ST36) for 20 min, once a day for 10 consecutive days. The mechanical withdrawal threshold was tested 3 days after the surgery and every 3 days after the intervention. The depressive behavior was evaluated with the tail suspension test, open-field test, elevated plus maze (EPM), sucrose preference test, and marble burying test. The rs-fMRI was used to detect the cerebral changes of the functional connectivity (FC) in the mice following EA treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the CION group, the mechanical withdrawal threshold increased in the EA group at the end of the intervention (P < 0.05); the immobility time in tail suspension test decreased (P < 0.05); and the times of the open arm entry and the open arm time in the EPM increased (both P < 0.001). There was no difference in the sucrose preference or marble burying tests (both P > 0.05). The fMRI results showed that EA treatment downregulated the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity values, while these indicators were elevated in brain regions including the amygdala, hippocampus and cerebral cortex in the CION model for comorbid pain and depression. Selecting the amygdala as the seed region, we found that the FC was higher in the CION group than in the control group. Meanwhile, EA treatment was able to decrease the FC between the amygdala and other brain regions including the caudate putamen, thalamus, and parts of the cerebral cortex. CONCLUSION EA can downregulate the abnormal activation of neurons in the amygdala and improve its FC with other brain regions, thus exerting analgesic and antidepressant effects. Please cite this article as: Yin X, Zeng XL, Lin JJ, Xu WQ, Cui KY, Guo XT, Li W, Xu SF. Brain functional changes following electroacupuncture in a mouse model of comorbid pain and depression: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 159-168.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Depression/diagnostic imaging* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Pain/diagnostic imaging* ; Acupuncture Points

Chronic, unresolved inflammation correlates with persistent hepatic injury and fibrosis, ultimately progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) demonstrates therapeutic potential against HCC, yet its mechanism in preventing hepatic "inflammation-carcinoma transformation" remains incompletely understood. In the current research, clinical HCC specimens underwent analysis using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to evaluate the expression of fibrosis markers, M2 macrophage markers, and CXCL12. In vitro, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced LX-2 cells and a co-culture system of LX-2, THP-1, and HCC cells were established. Cell functions underwent assessment through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, and Transwell assays. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blotting and immunofluorescence evaluated the differential expression of molecules. The interaction between β-catenin/TCF4 and CXCL12 was examined using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), dual luciferase, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. A DEN-induced rat model was developed to investigate BDMC's role in liver fibrosis-associated HCC (LFAHCC) development in vivo. Our results showed that clinical HCC tissues exhibited elevated fibrosis and enriched M2 macrophages. BDMC delayed liver fibrosis progression to HCC in vivo. BDMC inhibited the inflammatory microenvironment induced by activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Furthermore, BDMC suppressed M2 macrophage-induced fibrosis and HCC cell proliferation and metastasis. Mechanistically, BDMC repressed TCF4/β-catenin complex formation, thereby reducing CXCL12 transcription in LX-2 cells. Moreover, CXCL12 overexpression reversed BDMC's inhibitory effect on macrophage M2 polarization and its mediation of fibrosis, as well as HCC proliferation and metastasis. BDMC significantly suppressed LFAHCC development through CXCL12 in rats. In conclusion, BDMC inhibited LFAHCC progression by reducing M2 macrophage polarization through suppressing β-catenin/TCF4-mediated CXCL12 transcription.
Animals ; Liver Neoplasms/etiology* ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology* ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications* ; Macrophages/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats ; Chemokine CXCL12/genetics* ; Diarylheptanoids/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; beta Catenin/genetics*

AIM:To investigate the effects and mechanism of Xin-Tong-Tai granule on oxidized low-density li-poprotein(ox-LDL),intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1)and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1)in ApoE-/-mice with atherosclerosis(AS).METHODS:A total of 72 SPF-grade healthy male ApoE-/-mice aged 6～8 weeks were fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks to replicate AS models,and 12 SPF-grade healthy male C57BL/6J wild mice were fed with ordinary diet as the control group.After the corresponding drugs were administered for 8 weeks,the body weight and general condition of mice in each group were observed.The serum levels of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were detected by biochemi-cal kits.The pathological structures of aorta were observed by HE and oil red O staining.The levels of serum ox-LDL and aortic ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were detected by ELISA.The protein levels of NADPH oxidase 4(NOX4),NOX subunit p22phox,inhibitor of κB kinase-α(IKK-α),IKK-β and nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)in aorta were detected by Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with control group,the mice in model group showed increased body weight(P<0.05),dull and lo-cal shedding hair,slow grasping response,increased serum TC,TG and LDL-C levels,decreased serum HDL-C level(P<0.05),increased the levels of serum ox-LDL and aortic ICAM-1 and VCAM-1(P<0.05),and increased protein expres-sions of NOX4,p22phox,IKK-α,IKK-β and NF-κB in aorta(P<0.05).Compared with model group,the body weight of mice in each treatment group decreased(P<0.05),the hair loss and the response flexibility were also improved.The se-rum levels of TC,TG and LDL-C decreased and HDL-C increased(P<0.05).The levels of serum ox-LDL and aortic ICAM-1(except the low-dose Xin-Tong-Tai granule group)and VCAM-1 decreased(P<0.05).The protein levels of NOX4,p22phox,IKK-α,IKK-β and NF-κB in aorta decreased(P<0.05).HE and oil red O staining showed that typical AS plaques could be seen in blood vessels of the model group,and the red-stained areas were widely distributed.The above lesions were alleviated to different degrees in each treatment group compared with model group.CONCLUSION:Xin-Tong-Tai granule reduces the atherosclerotic plaque area of ApoE-/-mice induced by high-fat diet,decreased serum TC,TG and LDL-C levels,increased HDL-C level,decreased the levels of serum ox-LDL and aorta ICAM-1 and VCAM-1,and inhibited protein expression of NOX4,p22phox,IKK-α and IKK-β in the aorta,thereby attenuating AS.

ObjectiveTo analyze the correlation between 11 small molecule active components and 1 protein component of characteristic processed products with porcine cardiac blood and other products of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma（SMRR） from Menghe medical school and anti-cerebral ischemic oxidative damage， and to identify its key component markers of characteristic processed products with porcine cardiac blood for anti-cerebral ischemic oxidative damage. MethodHigh performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） was established to simultaneously determine the contents of 11 active ingredients in SMRR and its processed products［processed with porcine cardiac blood， porcine blood， wine and transferrin（Tf） in porcine cardiac blood］， and the content of Tf in different processed products of SMRR was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Furthermore， A zebrafish ischemic stroke model was constructed to evaluate the effects of different processed products of SMRR on the behavioral trajectory of cerebral ischemic zebrafish， the neuronal damage of transgenic zebrafish Tg（elavl3：eGFP） brain， as well as the levels of malondialdehyde（MDA） and superoxide dismutase（SOD） in the brain tissues. The hippocampal neurons oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation（OGD/R）-induced ischemia-hypoxia model was constructed to evaluate the effects of different processed products of SMRR on oxidative damage of neuronal cells by taking lactate dehydrogenase（LDH）， reactive oxygen species（ROS）， MDA and SOD as indexes. Finally， principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and Spearman correlation analysis were used to analyze the 11 small molecule active components and 1 protein component with efficacy indicators， in order to screen the key components of the characteristic processed products with porcine cardiac blood for cerebral ischemic oxidative damage. ResultCompared with the raw products， the contents of water-soluble and fat-soluble components in processed products of SMRR increased to different degrees， while the content of salvianolic acid A decreased. Compared with the wine-processed products， the contents of salvianolic acid B， danshensu， rosmarinic acid and other components in the porcine cardiac blood-processed products， porcine blood-processed products， Tf-processed products were increased， while the content of salvianolic acid A was decreased. ELISA results showed that there was no significant difference in Tf content between the porcine cardiac blood-processed products， porcine blood-processed products， Tf-processed products. Pharmacological results showed that different processed products of SMRR could improve the behavioral deficits， brain neuronal injury and oxidative stress after ischemic stroke in zebrafish， and the effect of the porcine cardiac blood-processed products was most pronounced. PCA results showed that salvianolic acid B， salvianolic acid A， rosmarinic acid， lithospermic acid， danshensu， tanshinone Ⅱ_A， caffeic acid， cryptotanshinone and tanshinone Ⅰ were the main contributing components of SMRR and its processed products. And the results of correlation analysis showed that the contents of cryptotanshinone， rosmarinic acid， caffeic acid， dihydrotanshinone Ⅰ， salvianolic acid B， tanshinone Ⅱ_A and tanshinone Ⅰ were negatively correlated with MDA level in zebrafish brain tissue， while the contents of lithospermic acid， protocatechuic aldehyde， rosmarinic acid， dihydrotanshinone Ⅰ， salvianolic acid B and Tf were positively correlated with SOD level， and the contents of rosmarinic acid， caffeic acid， dihydrotanshinone Ⅰ， salvianolic acid B， tanshinone Ⅱ_A， tanshinone Ⅰ， danshensu， Tf were positively correlated with neuronal fluorescence intensity in the zebrafish brain. And the contents of lithospermic acid， protocatechuic aldehyde， rosmarinic acid， dihydrotanshinone Ⅰ， salvianolic acid B， tanshinone Ⅱ_A and Tf were negatively correlated with LDH， ROS and MDA levels and positively correlated with SOD level. ConclusionThere are differences in the anti-ischemic oxidative damage effects of SMRR and its different processed products， among which the porcine cardiac blood-processed products has the strongest effect on improving oxidative damage， which may be related to the content changes of salvianolic acid B， danshensu， rosmarinic acid and other components. This study can provide a basis for clarifying the quality markers of SMRR processed with porcine cardiac blood for cerebral ischemia and elucidating its processing mechanism.