Objective:To analyze the significance of total vitamin D(tVD),total procollagen type Ⅰ amino-terminal propeptide(tPINP)and β-CrossLaps(β-CTx)in the staging and prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma(MM).Methods:A total of 54 patients with newly diagnosed MM admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from 2020 to 2022 were selected as the observation group(MM group),and 50 healthy persons who underwent physical examinations in our hospital were selected as the control group.The expression levels of tVD,tPINP and β-CTx in the two groups were detected by chemiluminescence method.The differences in the expression levels of tVD,tPINP and β-CTx among MM patients at different ISS stages were analyzed.The expression levels of tVD,tPINP and β-CTx in MM patients with different levels of hemoglobin(Hb),serum calcium(Ca),creatinine(Crea),albumin(ALB),β2-microglobulin(β2-MG)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)were compared.The correlations between the expression levels of tVD,tPINP,β-CTx and the aforementioned clinical parameters were analyzed,respectively.The relationship between the expression levels of tVD,tPINP,β-CTx and the progression-free survival(PFS)of MM patients was analyzed.Results:The expression level of tVD in the MM group was significantly lower than that in the control group(21.73±14.45 ng/ml vs 30.78±9.94 ng/ml,P=0.022).The expression level of β-CTx in the MM group was significantly higher than that in the control group(1.43±0.99 ng/ml vs 0.53±0.29 ng/ml,P=0.013).The tVD level in MM patients with ISS stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ was significantly higher than that of MM patients with ISS stage Ⅲ(29.50±14.59 ng/ml vs 12.62±7.73 ng/ml,P=0.028),indicating that the higher the ISS stage,the lower the tVD level.The tPINP andβ-CTx levels in MM patients with high Ca levels(＞2.65 mmol/L)were significantly higher than those in patients with low Ca levels(≤ 2.65 mmol/L)(P=0.016,P=0.021).The tVD level of MM patients was positively correlated with the ALB level(r=0.570),tPINP was positively correlated with Ca and β2-MG levels(r=0.791,r=0.673),and β-CTx was positively correlated with tPINP level(r=0.616).The PFS of the low tVD expression group was significantly lower than that of the high tVD expression group(P=0.041).Conclusion:The expression level of tVD is decreased in MM patients,which can be used as an indicator to evaluate the disease stage and prognosis of the patients.The β-CTx expression level is increased in MM patients.tPINP and β-CTx may be correlated with clinical symptoms such as osteolytic lesions and renal function changes in MM patients.

A high-performance liquid chromatography method using pre-column derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate was developed to determine the content of 15 amino acids in the medicinal snakes Bungarus Parvus, Agkistrodon, and Zaocys. The results showed that the total amino acid(TAA) content ranged from 277.13 to 515.05 mg·g~(-1), with the top four amino acids in all three species being glutamic acid(Glu), glycine(Gly), aspartic acid(Asp), and lysine(Lys). The essential amino acid(EAA) content ranged from 74.56 to 203.94 mg·g~(-1), with Agkistrodon exhibiting the highest content. The non-essential amino acid(NEAA), semi-essential amino acid(semi-EAA), and medicinal amino acid(MAA) content ranged from 189.06 to 318.23, 12.89 to 33.53, and 179.83 to 342.33 mg·g~(-1), respectively, with Zaocys having the highest content in these categories. Amino acid nutritional value was evaluated using the amino acid ratio(RAA), amino acid ratio coefficient(RCAA), and amino acid ratio coefficient score(SRCAA), and the results indicated that all three medicinal snakes possessed good nutritional value. The amino acid composition was similar across the species, though significant differences in content were observed. Based on these differences, an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) model was established, which could clearly distinguish between the three medicinal snake species. The key differences in amino acid content included Gly, tyrosine(Tyr), Glu, and serine(Ser), which may be related to the observed clinical application differences among the species. Further research into the mechanisms of these differential amino acids is expected to provide more insights into the clinical application disparities of these three medicinal snake species.
Amino Acids/chemistry* ; Animals ; Nutritive Value ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Snakes/classification* ; Bungarus

OBJECTIVE: Acupuncture therapies are known for their effectiveness in treating a variety of gastric diseases, although the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. This study tested the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Zhongwan (RN12) and Weishu (BL21) for managing gastric motility disorder (GMD) and investigated the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: A GMD model was used to evaluate the impact of EA on various aspects of gastric function including the amplitude of gastric motility, electrogastrogram, food intake, and the rate of gastric emptying. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to explore the activation of spinal neurons by EA, specifically examining the presence of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-positive neurons and fibers emanating from acupoints RN12 and BL21. The stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, the inhibition of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, and their collective effects on the activity of sympathetic nerves were examined. RESULTS: EA at RN12 and BL21 significantly improved gastric motility compromised by GMD. Notably, EA activated spinal neurons, with CTB-positive neurons and fibers from RN12 and BL21 being detectable in both the dorsal root ganglia and the spinal dorsal horn. Further analysis revealed that EA at these acupoints not only stimulated GABAergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn but also suppressed sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, effectively reducing excessive activity of sympathetic nerves triggered by GMD. CONCLUSION EA treatment at RN12 and BL21 effectively enhances gastric motility in a GMD model. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach is attributed to the activation of spinal neurons and the modulation of the spinal GABAergic-sympathetic pathway, providing a neurobiological foundation for the role of acupuncture in treating gastric disorders. Please cite this article as: Zhang MT, Liang YF, Dai Q, Gao HR, Wang H, Chen L, Huang S, Wang XY, Shen GM. A spinal neural circuit for electroacupuncture that regulates gastric functional disorders. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 56-65.
Electroacupuncture ; Animals ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Stomach Diseases/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Rats ; Gastric Emptying ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Stomach/physiopathology*

Objective:To establish a stable rat model of sequelae of pelvic inflammatory disease(SPID)with clinical characteristics,and to provide a reliable experimental model for the study of the pharmcological effect and mechanism of SPID.Methods:Twenty-four 7-week-old SD rats were divided into sham operation group,model-A(108 cfu/mL mixed bacterial solution,0.2 mL),model-B(109 cfu/mL mixed bacterial solution 0.2 mL),and model-C(108 cfu/mL E.coli 0.2 mL).The weight of the rat's uterine was weighed and the uterine index was calculated.The automatic hematology analyzer was used to detect the blood routine;hematoxylin-eosin staining(HE)and masson staining were used to detect uterine pathlogical changes in rats.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in rat uterine tissue homogenates.Western blot was used to detect the expression of proteins related to NF-κB signaling pathway.Results:Compared with the sham operation group,the uterine index of model-A,model-B,and model-C were significantly increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The levels of WBC and NE in the model-A increased significantly(P＜0.01).The level of LY in model-B decreased significantly(P＜0.01).The levels of IL-1β,TNF-α in model-A,model-B,and model-C were significantly increased(P＜0.01).The levels of IL-6 in model-A and model-B were significantly increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The collagen volume fraction of model-A and model-B were significantly increased(P＜0.01).Mechanism study indicates that the expression levels of p-IKKβ/IKKβ,p-IκBα/IκBα and p-p65/p65 in model-A were significantly increased(P＜0.01),and the expression levels of IκBα/β-actin were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).The expression level of p-IKKβ/IKKβ in model-B was significantly increased(P＜0.01).Conclusions:A stable rat model of SPID that conforms to clinical characteristics can be successfully constructed by combining 0.2 mL of mixed bacterial solution with a concentration of 108 cfu/mL and mechanical injury.This modeling method intervened in the expression of the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of prophylactic phenytoin (PHT) or levetiracetam (LEV) on busulfan (BU) blood concentration in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS: Pediatric patients conditioned with BU plus cyclophosphamide and fludarabine at the First People's Hospital of Chenzhou from September 2023 to February 2025 were retrospectively included. Patients were grouped by prophylactic antiepileptic regimen into PHT (n=24) and LEV (n=26). BU blood concentrations at the end of infusion (0 hour) and at 1, 2, and 4 hours post-infusion were compared between groups. RESULTS: At 0 hour post-infusion, BU blood concentrations did not differ significantly between groups (P>0.05). At 1, 2, and 4 hours post-infusion, BU blood concentrations were higher in the LEV group than in the PHT group (P<0.05). The area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to ∞ (AUC_0-∞) was greater in the LEV group (P<0.001), and the attainment rate of AUC_0-∞ was higher in the LEV group than in the PHT group (73% vs 21%, P<0.001). No significant differences were observed between groups in time to hematopoietic engraftment or in the incidence of BU-related adverse drug reactions (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Compared with PHT, LEV prophylaxis is associated with higher BU blood concentration and a higher AUC_0-∞ attainment rate. There is no observed difference in BU efficacy or safety between PHT and LEV.
Humans ; Levetiracetam/therapeutic use* ; Busulfan/pharmacokinetics* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Phenytoin/pharmacology* ; Infant ; Retrospective Studies ; Anticonvulsants/pharmacology* ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the leading cause of death globally. HCM can precipitate heart failure (HF) by causing the cardiac tissue to weaken and stretch, thereby impairing its pumping efficiency. Moreover, HCM increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, which in turn elevates the likelihood of thrombus formation and stroke. Given these significant clinical ramifications, research into the etiology and pathogenesis of HCM is intensifying at multiple levels. In this review, we discuss and synthesize the latest findings on HCM pathogenesis, drawing on key experimental studies conducted both in vitro and in vivo. We also offer our insights and perspectives on these mechanisms, while highlighting the limitations of current research. Advancing fundamental research in this area is essential for developing effective therapeutic interventions and enhancing the clinical management of HCM.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Animals

Objective:To investigate the additional prognostic value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-based flow reserve fraction (CT-FFR) over semi-quantitative CCTA risk scores in predicting the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods:A total of 231 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who underwent CCTA at Lanzhou University from May 2020 to April 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical baseline data were collected, and patients were divided into a MACE-positive group (20 cases) and a MACE-negative group (211 cases) based on follow-up results. The CCTA images of all patients were analyzed by semi-quantitative CCTA risk score, which included coronary artery disease reporting and data system classification, segment involvement score, segmental stenosis score, Leaman score, and Leiden score. CT-FFR measurements of CCTA data of all patients were performed using Coronary Analysis software. t-test, U-test, and χ2 test were used to compare baseline parameters between MACE-positive and MACE-negative groups. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the relationship between semi-quantitative CCTA risk score and CT-FFR with the occurrence of MACE, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to calculate the efficacy of the prediction model established by the semi-quantitative CCTA risk score combined with CT-FFR. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in baseline data between patients in the MACE-positive and MACE-negative groups ( P>0.05), and there were significant differences in semi-quantitative CCTA risk scores and CT-FFR ( P<0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analysis of CT-FFR≤0.80 ( HR=3.860, 95% CI 1.477-10.087, P=0.006) and Leaman score≥5 ( HR=5.210, 95% CI 1.136-23.908, P=0.029) were the best and independent predictors for the occurrence of MACE events. The combined CT-FFR and Leaman score prediction model (AUC=0.791, 95% CI 0.733-0.842, P<0.001) was a better predictor of MACE than CT-FFR alone (AUC=0.718, 95% CI 0.656-0.775, P<0.001) and Leaman score alone (AUC=0.711, 95% CI 0.648-0.768, P<0.001) both had better predictive efficacy ( Z=2.62, 1.98, P=0.009, 0.047). Conclusion:CT-FFR independently predict the occurrence of MACE in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and significantly improve the predictive capacity of semi-quantitative CCTA risk score for MACE.

Objective:To explore the effect of SPOC combined with PBL teaching mode based on post competence in the training of pediatric resident physicians.Methods:Sixty trainees who participated in the standardized residency training for pediatric healthcare in the Department of Pediatrics of our hospital from Jan 2020 to Dec 2022 were selected.Based on different teaching plans,they were divided into the control group and the observation group,with 30 trainees in each group.The control group received PBL teaching mode and the observation group received SPOC combined with PBL teaching mode based on post competence.A comprehensive assessment of the participants was conducted through theoretical knowledge and practical skills scores,self-evaluation of post competence before and after standardized training,and subjective evaluation questionnaires of training methods.Results:The scores of theoretical knowledge and practical skills,and total score in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).After standardized training,both groups showed a significant improvement in self-assessment scores in clinical basic competence,professional spirit and quality,and doctor-patient communication skills compared with before standardized training(P＜0.05),and the above scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The self-assessed total score of post competence after standardized training was positively correlated with the total score of subjective evaluation questionnaire(r=0.546,P＜0.05)and showed no significant correlation with the students'exam scores(P＞0.05).Conclusions:The SPOC combined with PBL teaching mode based on post competence demonstrates promising prospects in the training of pediatric resident physicians.Under this new mode,trainees exhibit superior mastery of theoretical knowledge,application of practical skills,and development of post competence.