ObjectiveSpinal cord injury (SCI) directly impairs the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system, induces intestinal dysfunction, and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Preclinical studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) therapy can regulate the brain-gut axis and is used to treat central nervous system diseases such as major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has established that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from EA-treated SCI rats restored intestinal motility and colonic morphology. However, it remains unclear whether the regulation of gut microbiota by EA therapy directly contributes to neural repair after SCI. This study aims to explore whether gut microbiota mediates the neuroprotective effect of EA in the treatment of SCI and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe study employed RNA transcriptome analysis of spinal cord tissue to characterize gene expression profiles and to identify key signaling pathways following EA treatment for SCI. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes in spinal cord tissue. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to detect the effects of EA on the expression of proteins related to nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) -dependent pyroptosis. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the study observed alterations in gut microbiota diversity and community composition in SCI rats. Prior to establishing SCI models, rats were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail to induce gut dysbiosis, and the effects on intestinal function and spinal cord neural repair were evaluated. FMT was performed to investigate the regulatory effects of post-EA FMT on motor function, general status, liver and spleen indices, and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in SCI rats. ResultsEA improved motor function and reduced regulated neuronal cell death in SCI rats. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the activation of immune- and inflammation-related pathways post-SCI, including NOD-like receptors, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. EA primarily influenced intestinal inflammation and autoimmune functions. 16S rDNA sequencing illustrated that EA did not alter the diversity of gut microbiota. However, EA altered the gut microbiota composition in SCI rats, increasing Lactobacillus and Akkermansia genera while rebalancing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics disrupted the intestinal barrier, reduced the expression of intestinal barrier proteins Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin, elevated serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels, exacerbated spinal cord tissue damage, and hindered motor function recovery in SCI rats. FMT from donors treated with EA reduced LBP levels in the intestine, blood, and spinal cord of rats, inhibited the TLR4 myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF‑κB pathway and NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, and improved motor function. On the other hand, FMT treatment resulted in decreased body weight and food intake, whereas FMT using EA-treated donors effectively alleviated these alterations. ConclusionEA effectively alleviated neuroinflammatory responses in rats with SCI, primarily through regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing the NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.

ObjectiveSpinal cord injury (SCI) directly impairs the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system, induces intestinal dysfunction, and significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Preclinical studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) therapy can regulate the brain-gut axis and is used to treat central nervous system diseases such as major depressive disorder, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has established that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from EA-treated SCI rats restored intestinal motility and colonic morphology. However, it remains unclear whether the regulation of gut microbiota by EA therapy directly contributes to neural repair after SCI. This study aims to explore whether gut microbiota mediates the neuroprotective effect of EA in the treatment of SCI and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe study employed RNA transcriptome analysis of spinal cord tissue to characterize gene expression profiles and to identify key signaling pathways following EA treatment for SCI. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes in spinal cord tissue. Western blot (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to detect the effects of EA on the expression of proteins related to nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) -dependent pyroptosis. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the study observed alterations in gut microbiota diversity and community composition in SCI rats. Prior to establishing SCI models, rats were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail to induce gut dysbiosis, and the effects on intestinal function and spinal cord neural repair were evaluated. FMT was performed to investigate the regulatory effects of post-EA FMT on motor function, general status, liver and spleen indices, and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in SCI rats. ResultsEA improved motor function and reduced regulated neuronal cell death in SCI rats. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the activation of immune- and inflammation-related pathways post-SCI, including NOD-like receptors, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. EA primarily influenced intestinal inflammation and autoimmune functions. 16S rDNA sequencing illustrated that EA did not alter the diversity of gut microbiota. However, EA altered the gut microbiota composition in SCI rats, increasing Lactobacillus and Akkermansia genera while rebalancing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Furthermore, depletion of gut microbiota by antibiotics disrupted the intestinal barrier, reduced the expression of intestinal barrier proteins Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin, elevated serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels, exacerbated spinal cord tissue damage, and hindered motor function recovery in SCI rats. FMT from donors treated with EA reduced LBP levels in the intestine, blood, and spinal cord of rats, inhibited the TLR4 myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF‑κB pathway and NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, and improved motor function. On the other hand, FMT treatment resulted in decreased body weight and food intake, whereas FMT using EA-treated donors effectively alleviated these alterations. ConclusionEA effectively alleviated neuroinflammatory responses in rats with SCI, primarily through regulating the gut microbiota and suppressing the NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the effect of curcumin(CUR)on oxidative damage of keratinocytes induced by ultraviolet B(UVB)irradiation through Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3)signaling pathway.Methods Human keratinocytes of HaCaT were cultured normally in vitro,and the keratinocyte oxidative damage model was established by the irradiation of 57 mJ/cm2 UVB.The cells with normal culture were as the control group,the cells treated after modeling were as the UVB group,the cells treated with 5 μmol/L CUR after modeling were as the CUR group,the cells treated with 100 μg/L TLR4 inhibitor of TAK-242 after modeling were as the TAK-242 group,and the cells treated with 5 μmol/L CUR and 100 nmol/L TLR4 activator of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)were as the CUR+LPS group.qRT-PCR was applied to detect the relative expression levels of TLR4,NF-κB,and NLRP3 mRNAs of cells in each group.CCK-8 was applied to detect the cell proliferation in each group.The relative content of reactive oxygen species(ROS),the viabilities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase(CAT),and the concentrations of glutathione(MDA)and glutathione(GSH)of cells in each group were detected by fluorescence assay according to the kit instruction.ELISA kit was used to detect the expression of inflammatory factors of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)of cells in each group.Flow cytometry was applied to detect the cell apoptosis in each group.Western blot was applied to detect the expression of proliferation related protein of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),apoptosis related proteins[B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)and Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax)],and TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins(TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3)of cells in each group.Results Compared with the Control group,the cell survival rate,the expression levels of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins,the viabilities of SOD and CAT,and the GSH concentration in the UVB group decreased,while the apoptosis rate,the level of Bax protein,the relative content of ROS,the concentration of MDA,the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3 increased(P<0.05).Compared with the UVB group,the cell survival rate,the expression levels of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins,the viabilities of SOD and CAT,and the GSH concentration in the TAK-242 group and CUR group increased,while the apoptosis rate,the level of Bax protein,the relative content of ROS,the concentration of MDA,the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3 decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the CUR group,the cell survival rate,the expression levels of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins,the viabilities of SOD and CAT,and the GSH concentration in the CUR+LPS group decreased,while the apoptosis rate,the level of Bax protein,the relative content of ROS,the concentration of MDA,the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3 increased(P<0.05).Conclusion CUR can increase the antioxidant stress level of keratinocytes,alleviate inflammatory response,promote cell proliferation,and improve cell damage caused by UVB irradiation,which may be related to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Objective To propose a novel identification algorithm based on ensemble learning for assessing the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)to achieve continuous monitoring of the disease severity.Methods Firstly,leve-raging the open-source MIMIC-Ⅳ database,a variety of non-invasive physiological parameters of patients were extracted and subjected to preliminary preprocessing.A multivariate feature selection algorithm was employed to rank these parameters and calculate feature importance scores through weighted computation.Secondly,based on the feature importance scores,a subset search algorithm was utilized to identify the subset of features that could yield optimal performance across four machine learning algorithms:neural networks,logistic regression,AdaBoost and XGBoost.Finally,a soft voting ensemble method was designed using a generalized linear regression model to integrate the results of each single machine learning algorithm,and a multivariate ensemble learning algorithm was proposed by combining the optimal feature subsets.The algorithm proposed when used to identify the severity of ADRS was evaluated with MIMIC-Ⅳ database,and compared with the traditional algorithms.Results The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and AUC of the algorithm were 87.15％,89.23％,88.34％and 0.923 4,respectively,all of which outperformed those of the traditional algorithms.Conclusion The ARDS severity identification algorithm based on ensemble learning is capable of achieving continuous and real-time monitoring of the severity of ARDS,thereby offering robust support for the early identification and warning of ARDS in patients.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):1-9]

Objective To explore the effect of curcumin(CUR)on oxidative damage of keratinocytes induced by ultraviolet B(UVB)irradiation through Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3)signaling pathway.Methods Human keratinocytes of HaCaT were cultured normally in vitro,and the keratinocyte oxidative damage model was established by the irradiation of 57 mJ/cm2 UVB.The cells with normal culture were as the control group,the cells treated after modeling were as the UVB group,the cells treated with 5 μmol/L CUR after modeling were as the CUR group,the cells treated with 100 μg/L TLR4 inhibitor of TAK-242 after modeling were as the TAK-242 group,and the cells treated with 5 μmol/L CUR and 100 nmol/L TLR4 activator of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)were as the CUR+LPS group.qRT-PCR was applied to detect the relative expression levels of TLR4,NF-κB,and NLRP3 mRNAs of cells in each group.CCK-8 was applied to detect the cell proliferation in each group.The relative content of reactive oxygen species(ROS),the viabilities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase(CAT),and the concentrations of glutathione(MDA)and glutathione(GSH)of cells in each group were detected by fluorescence assay according to the kit instruction.ELISA kit was used to detect the expression of inflammatory factors of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)of cells in each group.Flow cytometry was applied to detect the cell apoptosis in each group.Western blot was applied to detect the expression of proliferation related protein of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),apoptosis related proteins[B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)and Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax)],and TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway related proteins(TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3)of cells in each group.Results Compared with the Control group,the cell survival rate,the expression levels of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins,the viabilities of SOD and CAT,and the GSH concentration in the UVB group decreased,while the apoptosis rate,the level of Bax protein,the relative content of ROS,the concentration of MDA,the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3 increased(P<0.05).Compared with the UVB group,the cell survival rate,the expression levels of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins,the viabilities of SOD and CAT,and the GSH concentration in the TAK-242 group and CUR group increased,while the apoptosis rate,the level of Bax protein,the relative content of ROS,the concentration of MDA,the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3 decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the CUR group,the cell survival rate,the expression levels of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins,the viabilities of SOD and CAT,and the GSH concentration in the CUR+LPS group decreased,while the apoptosis rate,the level of Bax protein,the relative content of ROS,the concentration of MDA,the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4,NF-κB and NLRP3 increased(P<0.05).Conclusion CUR can increase the antioxidant stress level of keratinocytes,alleviate inflammatory response,promote cell proliferation,and improve cell damage caused by UVB irradiation,which may be related to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical benefits of the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system in assisting transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent TELD for LDH at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from November 2022 to December 2023. Patients treated with the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system were defined as the navigation-guided TELD (Ng-TELD) group (30 cases), while those treated with the conventional x-ray fluoroscopy method were defined as the control group (31 cases). Record and compare baseline characteristics, surgical parameters, efficacy indicators, and adverse events between the 2 patient groups. Results: The average follow-up duration for the 61 patients was 11.8 months. Postoperatively, both groups exhibited significant relief from back and leg pain, which continued to improve over time. At the final follow-up, patients’ lumbar function and quality of life had significantly improved compared to preoperative levels (p < 0.05). The Ng-TELD group had significantly shorter total operation time (58.43 ± 12.37 minutes vs. 83.23 ± 25.90 minutes), catheter placement time (5.83 ± 1.09 minutes vs. 15.94 ± 3.00 minutes), decompression time (47.17 ± 11.98 minutes vs. 67.29 ± 24.23 minutes), and fewer intraoperative fluoroscopies (3.20 ± 1.45 vs. 16.58 ± 4.25) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of efficacy evaluation indicators and hospital stay. At the final follow-up, the excellent and good rate of surgical outcomes assessed by the MacNab criteria was 98.4%, and the overall adverse event rate was 8.2%, with no statistically significant differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrates that the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system can reduce the complexity of TELD, shorten operation time, and minimize radiation exposure for the surgeon, highlighting its promising clinical potential.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical benefits of the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system in assisting transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent TELD for LDH at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from November 2022 to December 2023. Patients treated with the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system were defined as the navigation-guided TELD (Ng-TELD) group (30 cases), while those treated with the conventional x-ray fluoroscopy method were defined as the control group (31 cases). Record and compare baseline characteristics, surgical parameters, efficacy indicators, and adverse events between the 2 patient groups. Results: The average follow-up duration for the 61 patients was 11.8 months. Postoperatively, both groups exhibited significant relief from back and leg pain, which continued to improve over time. At the final follow-up, patients’ lumbar function and quality of life had significantly improved compared to preoperative levels (p < 0.05). The Ng-TELD group had significantly shorter total operation time (58.43 ± 12.37 minutes vs. 83.23 ± 25.90 minutes), catheter placement time (5.83 ± 1.09 minutes vs. 15.94 ± 3.00 minutes), decompression time (47.17 ± 11.98 minutes vs. 67.29 ± 24.23 minutes), and fewer intraoperative fluoroscopies (3.20 ± 1.45 vs. 16.58 ± 4.25) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of efficacy evaluation indicators and hospital stay. At the final follow-up, the excellent and good rate of surgical outcomes assessed by the MacNab criteria was 98.4%, and the overall adverse event rate was 8.2%, with no statistically significant differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrates that the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system can reduce the complexity of TELD, shorten operation time, and minimize radiation exposure for the surgeon, highlighting its promising clinical potential.

This review focuses on the mechanisms of dietary intervention improving ED,dietary intervention modalities,and di-etary recommendations,aiming to provide some guidance to ED patients in developing healthy dietary habits,so as to prevent and im-prove ED and promote overall health.

The therapeutic effects of Yueju Pills on depression and cardiovascular diseases have been widely recognized. Previous studies have shown that the drug can significantly improve depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS) combined with atherosclerosis(AS). Given the complex pathogenesis of psychocardiac diseases, this study integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology to systematically elucidate the mechanism of Yueju Pills in alleviating depressive symptoms in psychocardiac diseases. The results demonstrate that, after Yueju Pill intervention, the levels of 9 abnormal metabolites in the hippocampus restore to normal ranges, primarily involving key pathways or signaling pathways, including the cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), glycine/serine/threonine metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. In a high-fat diet-induced CUMS ApoE~(-/-) mouse model, Yueju Pills significantly increases adenosine monophosphate(AMP) levels and decreases L-alanine and D-glyceric acid levels in the hippocampus. In conclusion, Yueju Pills exert antidepressant effects by regulating multiple metabolic axes, including glycine/serine/threonine metabolism and the cAMP, mTOR signaling pathways. Network pharmacology predictions reveal that the treatment of CUMS combined with AS by its core active components may be realized through modulating pathways concerning neuroinflammation and synaptic plasticity, including serine/threonine-protein kinase 1(AKT1), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1(MAPK1), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2). This study provides a theoretical reference for the clinical application of Yueju Pills in alleviating the depressive symptoms of psychocardiac diseases.
Animals ; Network Pharmacology ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Metabolomics ; Male ; Depression/genetics* ; Humans ; Hippocampus/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical benefits of the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system in assisting transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent TELD for LDH at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from November 2022 to December 2023. Patients treated with the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system were defined as the navigation-guided TELD (Ng-TELD) group (30 cases), while those treated with the conventional x-ray fluoroscopy method were defined as the control group (31 cases). Record and compare baseline characteristics, surgical parameters, efficacy indicators, and adverse events between the 2 patient groups. Results: The average follow-up duration for the 61 patients was 11.8 months. Postoperatively, both groups exhibited significant relief from back and leg pain, which continued to improve over time. At the final follow-up, patients’ lumbar function and quality of life had significantly improved compared to preoperative levels (p < 0.05). The Ng-TELD group had significantly shorter total operation time (58.43 ± 12.37 minutes vs. 83.23 ± 25.90 minutes), catheter placement time (5.83 ± 1.09 minutes vs. 15.94 ± 3.00 minutes), decompression time (47.17 ± 11.98 minutes vs. 67.29 ± 24.23 minutes), and fewer intraoperative fluoroscopies (3.20 ± 1.45 vs. 16.58 ± 4.25) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of efficacy evaluation indicators and hospital stay. At the final follow-up, the excellent and good rate of surgical outcomes assessed by the MacNab criteria was 98.4%, and the overall adverse event rate was 8.2%, with no statistically significant differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrates that the integrated optical and magnetic surgical navigation system can reduce the complexity of TELD, shorten operation time, and minimize radiation exposure for the surgeon, highlighting its promising clinical potential.