This paper reports a case of a patient with sleep-related painful erections treated by acupuncture combined with abdominal vibration therapy. The main symptom was repeated painful penile erections during nighttime sleep. The syndrome was differentiated as "water failing to nourish wood" and "liver qi stagnation". Acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Guanyuan (CV4), and bilateral Neiguan (PC6), Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3), Taixi (KI3), Guilai (ST29), Yongquan (KI1), Yanglingquan (GB34), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). The treatment was combined with abdominal vibration therapy. Treatment was given once daily, five times per week. After the first treatment, the severity and duration of nocturnal erection pain were reduced, and sleep quality was improved. After two weeks of treatment, nocturnal erection pain persisted but became tolerable, with significantly shortened duration.
Humans ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Erectile Dysfunction/physiopathology* ; Penile Erection ; Sleep

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary fibrogenic cells in the liver, and their activation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis. Here, we report that retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRα), a unique member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a key modulator of HSC activation and liver fibrosis. RXRα exerts its effects by modulating calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β (CaMKKβ)-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKα). In addition, we demonstrate that K-80003, which binds RXRα by a unique mechanism, effectively suppresses HSC activation, proliferation, and migration, thereby inhibiting liver fibrosis in the CCl₄ and amylin liver NASH (AMLN) diet animal models. The effect is mediated by AMPKα activation, promoting mitophagy in HSCs. Mechanistically, K-80003 activates AMPKα by inducing RXRα to form condensates with CaMKKβ and AMPKα via a two-phase process. The formation of RXRα condensates is driven by its N-terminal intrinsic disorder region and requires phosphorylation by CaMKKβ. Our results reveal a crucial role of RXRα in liver fibrosis regulation through modulating mitochondrial activities in HSCs. Furthermore, they suggest that K-80003 and related RXRα modulators hold promise as therapeutic agents for fibrosis-related diseases.

OBJECTIVES: To construct vocal recognition classification models using 6 machine learning algorithms and vocal emotional characteristics of individuals with subthreshold depression to facilitate early identification of subthreshold depression. METHODS: We collected voice data from both normal individuals and participants with subthreshold depression by asking them to read specifically chosen words and texts. From each voice sample, 384-dimensional vocal emotional feature variables were extracted, including energy feature, Meir frequency cepstrum coefficient, zero cross rate feature, sound probability feature, fundamental frequency feature, difference feature. The Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) method was employed to select voice feature variables. Classification models were then built using the machine learning algorithms Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), Random Forest (RF), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Logistic Regression (LR), Lasso Regression (LRLasso), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), and the performance of these models was evaluated. To assess generalization capability of the models, we used real-world speech data to evaluate the best speech recognition classification model. RESULTS: The AdaBoost, RF, and LDA models achieved high prediction accuracies of 100%, 100%, and 93.3% on word-reading speech test set, respectively. In the text-reading speech test set, the accuracies of the AdaBoost, RF, and LDA models were 90%, 80%, and 90%, respectively, while the accuracies of the other 3 models were all below 80%. On real-world word-reading and text-reading speech data, the classification models using AdaBoost and Random Forest still achieved high predictive accuracies (91.7% and 80.6% for AdaBoost and 86.1% and 77.8% for Random, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Analyzing vocal emotional characteristics allows effective identification of individuals with subthreshold depression. The AdaBoost and RF models show excellent performance for classifying subthreshold depression individuals, and may thus potentially offer valuable assistance in the clinical and research settings.
Humans ; Machine Learning ; Emotions ; Depression/diagnosis* ; Algorithms ; Voice ; Support Vector Machine ; Male ; Female

OBJECTIVE: Salt-processed Psoraleae Fructus (SPF) is widely used as a phytoestrogen-like agent in the treatment of osteoporosis. However, due to improper clinical use or misuse, resulting in liver damage. In this study, network pharmacology was employed to analyze the mechanism of cholestatic liver damage. An adeno-associated virus overexpressing SULT1E1 (rAAV8-SULT1E1) was constructed and the hepatotoxicity of SPF, psoralen, and isopsoralen was determined. METHODS: By utilizing three databases inclding TCMSP, TCMID, and BATMAN- TCM, the targets of the three databases were summarized, and a total of 45 psoralen compounds were included. Network pharmacology analysis was then performed. The adenoviral vectors were injected into the tail vein of C57BL6 mice to elucidate the role of SULT1E1 in SPF-induced cholestasis-mediated hepatotoxicity in vivo. SPF (10 g/kg), psoralen, and isopsoralen (50 mg/kg each) were intragastrically administered to mice for 30 d. B-ultrasound and samples were collected and examined for follow-up experiments. RESULTS: A total of 854 targets were predicted for 45 active components, with 151 cholestasis-mediated hepatotoxicity-related disease targets obtained for SPF. A total of 126 pathways were enriched based on KEGG pathway analysis, with the "estrogen signaling pathway" identified as one of the top 20 pathways. In terms of pathological hepatic changes, treated mice had visually swollen hepatocytes, dilated bile ducts, and elevated serum biochemical markers, which were more prominent in mice treated with isopsoralen than in those treated with other compounds. Notably, the overexpression of SULT1E1 could reverse liver damage in each treatment group. B-ultrasound was used to observe the size of the gallbladder in vivo. The size of the gallbladder was found to significantly increase on day 30 after treatment in the SPF-, psoralen-, and isopsoralen-treated groups, especially the SPF group. Compared with the expression levels in the negative control group (rAAV8-empty + con), the expression levels of FXR, Mrp2, Bsep, SULT1E1, SULT2A1, Ntcp, and Nrf2 decreased, whereas those of CYP7a1 and IL-6 increased in the SPF-, psoralen-, and isopsoralen-treated groups. CONCLUSION The overexpression of SULT1E1 could alleviate the decreased or increased expression of indicators, indicating that SULT1E1 is an important target gene for SPF-induced liver damage. The severity of liver damage was significantly lower in the rAAV8-SULT1E1 groups than in the rAAV8-empty groups.

Objective To explore the effect of miR-296-3p on hepatic fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation(BDL)in rats.Methods 25 SD rats were randomly divided into sham group,model(BDL)group,NC adv group,miR-296-3p adv group and miR-296-3p sponge adv group,with 5 rats in each group.The pathological changes were ob-served in rat liver tissue via HE,Masson and Sirius Red staining;the levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and total bilirubin(TBIL)in the serum of rat in each group were detected;the expression levels of miR-296-3p,interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1 β,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α and smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),type Ⅰ collagen(Col1A1),and connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)mRNA in rat liver tissue were detected by qRT-PCR;the expression levels of α-SMA,Col1A1 and CTGF proteins were detected by Western blot.Immunohistochemical staining(IHC)was performed to detect the expression of α-SMA in liver tissue.Target genes of miR-296-3p was predicted by bioinformatic analysis using the online database.Zinc finger and BTB do-main-containing protein20(ZBTB20)mRNA and protein expression levels were detected.Results The pathologi-cal staining results showed that compared with sham group,a large number of infiltrated inflammatory cells and col-lagen deposition were observed in the liver tissues of rats in the BDL group and NC adv group.Compared with NC adv group,the inflammatory cells and collagen deposition decreased in the liver tissues of miR-296-3p adv group.However,in miR-296-3p sponge adv group,collagen product and inflammatory reaction increased.Compared with sham group,the contents of ALT,AST and TBIL in serum of rats in BDL group and NC adv group increased,the expression level of miR-296-3p decreased,the mRNA expression levels of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α increased,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of α-SMA,Col1A1 and CTGF increased(all P＜0.05).Compared with the NC adv group,the contents of ALT,AST and TBIL in serum of rats in miR-296-3p adv group decreased,the ex-pression level of miR-296-3p increased,the mRNA expression levels of IL-6,IL-1 β and TNF-α,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of α-SMA,Col1A1 and CTGF in liver tissues decreased(all P＜0.05).The results of miR-296-3p sponge adv group were opposite to those of miR-296-3p adv group(all P＜0.05).The bioinformat-ics website predicted that ZBTB20 might be a candidate target gene of miR-296-3p.Compared with sham group,the expression of ZBTB20 mRNA and protein in the liver tissues of BDL group and NC adv group increased(P＜0.05),and the expression of ZBTB20 in the liver tissues of miR-296-3p adv group decreased compared with NC adv group(P＜0.05).However,the expression of ZBTB20 in liver tissues of miR-296-3p sponge adv group in-creased(P＜0.05).Conclusion miR-296-3p expression decreases in BDL-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats,and miR-296-3p may inhibit hepatic fibrosis in BDL rats by targeting ZBTB20.

Objective To investigate the effect of miR-199a-5p on common bile duct ligation(BDL)-induced liver fibrosis in rats by regulating intestinal flora.Methods The 25 SD rats were randomly divided into five groups:the Sham group,the BDL group,the negative control adenovirus(NC adv)group,the miR-199a-5p adv group and the miR-199a-5p sponge adv group.The pathological changes of liver tissue and the degree of liver fibrosis were ob-served by HE,Masson and Sirius Red staining.The levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine amin-otransferase(ALT),total bilirubin(TBIL)and direct bilirubin(DBIL)in serum of rats were determined by a fully automatic biochemical analyzer.The mRNA expression level of miR-199a-5p in liver tissue of rats was detec-ted by qRT-PCR.The protein expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and collagen type 1 alpha 1(COL1A1)in liver tissue of rats were detected by double immunofluorescence staining and Western blot experi-ment.Rat feces were collected for 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.Results The expression of miR-199a-5p was up-regulated in the liver tissue of BDL rats(P＜0.01).Compared with the NC adv group,the degree of liver injury and collagen deposition were relatively serious,the levels of AST,ALT,TBIL and DBIL in serum and the expression levels of α-SMA and COL1A1 in liver tissue increased in the miR-199a-5p adv group(all P＜0.05).However,the results of miR-199a-5p sponge adv intervention were opposite(all P＜0.05).The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that rats treated with miR-199a-5p adv were characterized by increased diversity and richness of intestinal microbiota,changed composition of intestinal microbiota,while the results of miR-199a-5p sponge adv interfering with the bacterial community were opposite(all P＜0.05).Conclusion miR-199a-5p promotes liver fibrosis of BDL rats,and its mechanism may be related to regulating the diversity and abundance of intestinal microbiota.

Objective:To investigate the association between regional white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes and cognitive impairment in Parkinson′s disease (PD) patients.Methods:The consecutive samples of PD cohort between October 2018 and August 2019 from the Department of Movement Disorders, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and disease profiles, three-dimensional brain magnetic resonance imaging data were collected. Cognition was evaluated by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and mood was evaluated by Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). According to the MMSE score, patients were divided into PD with dementia group and PD without dementia group. WMH volume was automatically calculated using unidentified bright objects detector pipeline based on anatomical autonomic labeling atlas. Firstly, demographic and disease profiles, and WMH total volume were compared between groups with and without dementia. Then, partial correlation analysis [false discovery rate (FDR) corrected] and principal component (PC) regression analysis were used to assess the association between regional WMH volumes and the MMSE score.Results:Compared with PD without dementia group, PD with dementia group showed significantly higher WMH volume [5 125 (2 727, 13 718) mm 3vs 3 214 (1 959, 7 205) mm 3, Z=-2.256, P=0.024]. After adjusting for age, low density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and HAMD score, partial correlation analysis (FDR corrected) showed that WMH volumes in the right calcarine ( r=-0.204, PFDR-corrected=0.034), the right fusiform ( r=-0.180, PFDR-corrected=0.046), the right lingual ( r=-0.146, PFDR-corrected=0.047), the left middle temporal ( r=-0.168, PFDR-corrected=0.047), the left inferior parietal lobes ( r=-0.145, PFDR-corrected=0.047) and the right inferior parietal lobes ( r=-0.148, PFDR-corrected=0.047) were significantly associated with MMSE score. PC regression analysis demonstrated that MMSE score was significantly associated with PC2 ( B=-0.632, 95% CI -1.222--0.041, P=0.036), PC13 ( B=-1.384, 95% CI -2.155--0.613, P=0.001), and PC14 ( B=-0.913, 95% CI -1.599--0.227, P=0.009); PC2, PC13 and PC14 were mainly composed of temporo-parieto-occipital WMHs in the posterior brain, and the related WMH components accounted for 9.668% of WMH variance. Conclusions:The posterior WMH burden may be associated with cognitive impairment in PD patients. However, WMH burden may not be the main contributor to cognitive impairment in PD patients.

Objective:To establish an environmental management strategy for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia from the perspective of etiological characteristics and to verify its application effect.Methods:Based on a sampling survey, this study constructed preventive management strategies for ventilator-associated pneumonia by blocking pathogen characteristics from the perspective of both colonization and infection management in patients. From July 2021 to June 2023, a non-synchronous randomized controlled study was conducted, including a control group of 59 cases and an experimental group of 57 cases from ICU of Tianjin Teda Hospital, all of them were mechanically ventilated patients. The effectiveness of the strategy was confirmed.Results:In the control group, there were 35 males and 24 females, with an average age of (46.97 ± 18.84) years. In the experimental group, there were 39 males and 18 females, with an average age of (47.49 ± 13.85) years. During the study period, there were 9 cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the control group and 2 cases in the experimental group, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (exact odds ratio=0.031). The duration of mechanical ventilation in the experimental group (122.41 ± 18.36) h, which was shorter than that in the control group (187.62 ± 18.05) h, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=19.28, P<0.05). The length of ICU stay in the experimental group was (8.38 ± 0.79) d, in the control group was (10.99 ± 1.10) d, the difference between them was statistically significant ( t=14.66, P<0.05). On the 7th day, there were 7 cases of positive pathogenic bacteria in sputum culture in the experimental group, which was significantly different from the 29 cases in the control group ( χ2=16.73, P<0.05). Conclusions:The vector management strategy for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia by blocking etiological characteristics can reduce the incidence of VAP, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, and reduce the pathogen load in the sputum of mechanically ventilated patients on the 7th day.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies showed that extracts of Sambucus adnata Wall.have the ability to promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts,fracture healing,anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects,which can effectively alleviate the development of osteoarthritis.Vascular endothelial growth factor,on the other hand,is a biomarker for the evaluation of osteoarthritis severity. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of two extracts of Sambucus adnata Wall.(methanol extract SAW-ME and dichloromethane extract SAW-DCE)on angiogenesis in osteoarthritis. METHODS:(1)Rat models of osteoarthritis were established using anterior cruciate ligament transection and given SAW-ME and SAW-DCE.A sham group was set as a control.Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect the changes of articular vascular endothelial growth factor A in joint tissue and vascular endothelial growth factor and"H"type blood vessels in serum of osteoarthritis rats.(2)Vascular endothelial cells EA.hy926 were used as the research object and intervened with SAW-ME and SAW-DCE.Cell proliferation was then detected by MTT assay.Vascular endothelial growth factor was used to induce EA.hy926 cells,and the model of angiogenesis was replicated.Cell scratch assay and tube formation assay were performed to study the role and mechanism.(3)EA.hy926 cells were used for transcriptome sequencing to analyze the characteristic changes of cell differential genes and related functions after SAW-DCE intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)SAW-ME and SAW-DCE downregulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A in the rat knee cartilage and reduced the formation of"H"type vessels in osteoarthritis rats.SAW-ME could significantly decrease the level of vascular endothelial growth factor in serum of osteoarthritis rats(P<0.05).SAW-DCE could also decrease the level of vascular endothelial growth factor in serum of osteoarthritis rats,but there was no significant change.(2)Both SAW-ME and SAW-DCE significantly inhibited vascular endothelial cell migration and tube formation,and downregulated the expression of Ang1 and Tie2 proteins.(3)Transcriptome sequencing analysis found that abnormal angiogenesis in osteoarthritis was related to the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.(4)To conclude,SAW-ME and SAW-DCE can inhibit angiogenesis in the rat model of osteoarthritis,and the mechanism may be related to the Ang1/Tie2 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Objective To explore the changes in periretinal defocus and visual quality after femtosecond laser-assis-ted in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK).Methods Fifty-one myopic patients(102 eyes)who underwent FS-LASIK at the Ineye Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March to May 2023 were selected for the study,including 27 females(54 eyes)and 24 males(48 eyes).The defocus around the retina was measured using a multispectral refraction topography,and the total refraction difference value(TRDV)was recorded.The refraction difference value(RDV)in four quadrants:superior RDV(RDV-S),inferior RDV(RDV-I),nasal RDV(RDV-N),and temporal RDV(RDV-T),as well as the RDV in the concentric ring areas corresponding to 10°,20°,30°,40°,and 53° from the fovea of the mac-ula(represented as RDV 0°-10°,RDV 10°-20°,RDV 20°-30°,RDV 30°-40°,and RDV 40°-53°,respectively)were also re-corded.The objective scattering index(OSI),Strehls ratio(SR),modulation transfer function(MTF)values(represen-ted as 10 c·d-1 MTF,20 c·d-1 MTF,and 30 c·d-1MTF,respectively)and cutoff frequencies(MTF cutoff)at the spa-tial frequencies of 10 c·d-1,20 c·d-1 and 30 c·d-1 were measured and recorded using a visual quality analysis system.The data of corneal vertical trefoil(Z3-3),vertical coma(Z3-1),horizontal coma(Z31),horizontal trefoil(Z33),vertical tetrafoil(Z4-4),vertical secondary astigmatism(Z4-2),spherical aberration(Z40),horizontal secondary astigmatism(Z42),horizontal tetrafoil(Z44),and total higher-order aberration(HOA)were measured and recorded using the iTrace aberration meter.The measurement data of patients before surgery,one month after surgery,and three months after sur-gery were compared,and their correlations were analyzed.Results TRDV,RDV-S,RDV-N,RDV 20°-30°,RDV 30°-40°,and RDV 40°-53° around the retina of patients decreased one month and three months after surgery compared with those be-fore surgery,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.001).There were statistically significant differences in OSI,MTF cutoff,and 10 c·d-1 MTF among patients before surgery,one month after surgery,and three months after surgery(all P＜0.05).There were statistically significant differences in corneal Z3-3,Z3-1,Z31,Z33,Z4-4,Z4-2,Z40,Z42,Z44,and HOA among patients before surgery,one month after surgery,and three months after surgery(all P＜0.001).The Pearson correlation analysis results showed that,ΔRDV 0°-10° was positively correlated with ΔZ3-3,ΔZ31,ΔZ4-2,ΔZ40,and ΔZ42(all P＜0.05);ΔRDV 10°-20° was positively correlated with ΔZ4-4 and ΔZ4-2(both P＜0.05);ΔRDV 20°-30° was positively correlated with ΔZ4-4 and ΔZ44(both P＜0.05);ΔTRDV and ΔRDV 40°-53° were negatively correla-ted with ΔHOA(both P＜0.05).ΔRDV-S and ΔZ3-1 were negatively correlated with ΔHOA(both P＜0.05)and positively correlated with ΔZ44(P＜0.05);ΔRDV-N was positively correlated with ΔZ4-4(P＜0.05).Conclusion FS-LASIK can reduce periretinal hyperopic defocus in myopic patients,but it introduces corneal HOA,and there is a certain correlation between the two.