BACKGROUND:Acute exercise tends to cause skeletal muscle tissue damage and lipid metabolism disorders in vivo,but the mechanism by which acute exercise combined with electroacupuncture modulates metabolic and autophagic pathways in vivo is unclear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the changes in metabolic enzymes and autophagy levels in skeletal muscle of rats subjected to acute exercise by electroacupuncture at the acupoints of"Zusanli"and"Huantiao." METHODS:Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups:quiet control group(n=10),model group(n=20),and reverse electroacupuncture group(n=20).The latter two groups were set up with two time points,i.e.immediate and 3 hours after exercise groups(n=10 per time point).The model group and the reverse electroacupuncture group underwent acute exercise training after adaptive treadmill training.The rats in the reverse electroacupuncture group underwent electroacupuncture treatment(parameters:electroacupuncture on both sides of the rats at the acupoints of"Zusanli"and"Huantiao,"continuous wave,frequency of 2 Hz,intensity of 2 mA,leaving the needle in the body for 30 minutes,once a day for 7 consecutive days)before treadmill training.Bilateral gastrocnemius muscle tissues were taken under anesthesia immediately after exercise and 3 hours after exercise,and hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of rat skeletal muscle.ELISA kit was used to detect the activities of hepatic lipase,fatty acid synthase,hormone-sensitive lipase,and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 in rat skeletal muscle tissues.Immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to detect the changes in the expression of autophagy genes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After hematoxylin-eosin staining,the arrangement of gastrocnemius muscle fibers in the model group was disturbed,swollen and ruptured immediately after exercise and 3 hours after exercise.In the reverse electroacupuncture group,gastrocnemius muscle fibers were tightly arranged and the number of swollen and ruptured cells was greatly reduced immediately after exercise and 3 hours after exercise,and there was no significant difference when compared with the quiet control group.Compared with the quiet control group,the activities of hepatic lipase and fatty acid synthase were lower while the activities of lipoprotein lipase,hormone-sensitive lipase,and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 were higher in the model group and the reverse electroacupuncture group 3 hours after exercise(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the activities of lipoprotein lipase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 were higher in the reverse electroacupuncture group immediately after exercise(P＜0.05),while the activity of lipoprotein lipase was higher and the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase was lower in the reverse electroacupuncture group 3 hours after exercise(P＜0.01).Immunohistochemical results showed that compared with the quiet control group,the expression of P62,autophagy-related gene 5 and autophagy-related gene 7 was higher in the model group immediately and 3 hours after exercise,as well as in the reverse electroacupuncture group immediately after exercise(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01);compared with the model group,the expression of P62 and autophagy-related gene 7 was lower in the reverse electroacupuncture group immediately and 3 hours after exercise(P＜0.05).Western blot results showed that the protein expression of P62 and autophagy-related gene 7 in the reverse electroacupuncture group was lower than that in the model group immediately after exercise(P＜0.05);the protein expression of Parkin in the model group was higher than that in the quiet control group immediately and 3 hours after exercise(P＜0.05);and the protein expression of Parkin in the reverse electroacupuncture group was lower than that in the model group immediately and 3 hours after exercise(P＜0.05).To conclude,acute exercise induces disorders,swelling and rupture of gastrocnemius muscle fibers in rats and electroacupuncture on both sides of the acupoints of"Zusanli"and"Huantiao"can improve the level of lipid metabolism and regulate autophagy cells in rat skeletal muscle,preventing the disorders of lipid metabolism and damage of gastrocnemius muscle tissues caused by acute exercise.The mechanism may be closely related to the regulation of autophagy-related factor P62,autophagy-related gene 5,autophagy-related gene 7,and Parkin protein expression to promote the occurrence of autophagy or regulate the autophagy pathway in rat skeletal muscle cells.

BACKGROUND:The repair process of myocardial injury involves complex cellular and molecular mechanisms,especially mitochondrial calcium homeostasis,macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathways.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has shown significant clinical efficacy in improving myocardial injury,but its mechanism of action needs to be thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis-mediated macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis pathways in myocardial injury,and to summarize the progress of TCM in this field. METHODS:A computerized search was performed for relevant literature from the database inception to March 2024 in the Web of Science,PubMed and CNKI.The search terms were"mitochondrial calcium homeostasis,macrophage autophagy,macrophage pyroptosis,traditional Chinese medicine,myocardial injury,myocardial injury reperfusion"in Chinese and English.Through literature review,we analyzed the relationship between mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and macrophage autophagy and pyroptosis,explored the mechanism of their roles in myocardial injury,and summarized the pathways of multi-targeted,multi-pathway effects of TCM. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The maintenance of mitochondrial calcium homeostasis has been found to be closely related to the normal function of cardiomyocytes.Macrophages can participate in the repair process of myocardial injury through autophagy and pyroptosis pathways.Autophagy contributes to cell clearance and regulation of inflammatory response,while pyroptosis affects myocardial repair by releasing inflammatory factors.TCM regulates mitochondrial calcium homeostasis and macrophage function through multiple mechanisms.For example,astragalosid regulates calcium homeostasis by lowering mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibiting cytochrome C,and epimedium glycoside plays a role in reducing β-amyloid deposition.In addition,herbal compounds and single drugs promote myocardial repair by activating or inhibiting specific signaling pathways,such as PI3K/AKT and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways.Future studies should focus on the interactions between mitochondrial calcium homeostasis,autophagy and pyroptosis pathways,as well as how TCM can exert therapeutic effects through these pathways to provide new strategies and drugs for the treatment of myocardial injury.

Objective To evaluate the application of problem-based learning(PBL)and case-based learning(CBL)combined with ideological-political elements in surgical clinical ethics.Methods Eighty graduate students of grade 2022 majoring in surgery from Peking Union Medical College were selected as the subjects for the clinical ethics course offered in the first semester of the 2022-2023 academic year.They underwent the innovative pedago-gies of PBL and CBL combined with ideological-political elements.The satisfaction investigation and questionnaire surveys were performed to evaluate the effects.Results A total of 78 valid questionnaires were received.The results showed that 96.2%of students believed that this course supported them to understand the fundamental prin-ciples and knowledge of surgical clinical ethics and 94.9%of students expressed their willingness to expand their knowledge,indicating high satisfaction with the course.There were 91%of students acknowledged this model in terms of improving active learning and 93.6%stated that the course helped in developing good professional ethics.Most students responded positively to this model because of its contribution to enhance core clinical competencies.Conclusions The PBL and CBL combined with ideological-political elements have a better effect on surgical clini-cal ethics with high satisfaction of the students.

Objective To explore the efficacy and mechanism of the aqueous extract of Sauropus spatulifolius in treating constipation based on network pharmacology analysis and experiments.Meth-ods Network pharmacology analysis was conducted using an online platform to investigate the molec-ular mechanism of Sauropus spatulifolius in treating constipation.Loperamide-induced mouse consti-pation models and intestinal epithelial cell(IEC)injury models were constructed.Therapeutic effects were evaluated using indicators such as the time to the first black stool,fecal water content,and gas-trointestinal transit rate.Annexin V-FITC staining was used to assess apoptosis,JC-1 staining was used to detect mitochondrial membrane potential,chemiluminescence was used to measure adenosine triphosphate(ATP)levels,and western blotting was used to detect the expression of relevant proteins.Results Network pharmacology analysis revealed that 29 active components in Sauropus spatulifolius targeted 19 genes associated with constipation,with AKT1 identified as one of the key genes.Exper-imental results demonstrated that the aqueous extract of Sauropus spatulifolius effectively alleviated loperamide-induced constipation symptoms in mice,including weight loss,reduced intestinal motili-ty,prolonged defecation time,and decreased fecal water content.Additionally,the aqueous extract of Sauropus spatulifolius inhibited IEC-6 cell apoptosis,restored mitochondrial membrane potential,and maintained intracellular ATP levels.The therapeutic mechanism involved downregulating the ex-pression of Bel-2-associated X protein(Bax),cytochrome C,Cleaved-Caspase3,and aquaporin 3(AQP3),as well as enhancing protein kinase B(Akt)phosphorylation.Conclusion The aque-ous extract of Sauropus spatulifolius effectively ameliorates constipation symptoms in mouse models,and its mechanism may be related to improving intestinal cell energy metabolism,inhibiting IEC ap-optosis,and reducing AQP3 expression,suggesting that Sauropus spatulifolius could serve as a po-tential drug for the clinical treatment of constipation.

Objective: To investigate the effects of polydatin on a high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) mouse model and hepatoma G2(HepG2) cell model, and to reveal its potential molecular mechanisms. Methods: Thirty 6-week-old male SPF C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal diet group and a high-fat diet group. After the NAFLD mouse model was established in the high-fat diet group, they were further divided into a model group and a polydatin treatment group. The polydatin treatment group was administered polydatin by gavage at a dose of 250 mg/(kg·d) for 10 weeks, during which body weight was monitored and oral glucose and insulin tolerance tests were performed. At the end of the experiment, a series of tests to evaluate the effects of polydatin on mouse liver weight, blood lipids, liver lipid accumulation, and liver injury markers were performed. The expression of G0/G1 switch gene 2(G0S2) and adipose triglyceride lipase(ATGL) was measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot, and gene expression was further verified using immunohistochemical staining. The effects of polydatin on HepG2 cell activity was assessed by CCK-8 assay, lipid accumulation was observed by oil red O staining, and the expression of G0S2 and ATGL was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Results: Polydatin significantly reduced the body weight, liver weight, and serum and liver tissue levels of aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), triglyceride(TG), and total cholesterol (TC) in mice (P < 0. 05) , al⁃leviated pathological liver damage , decreased G0S2 expression (P < 0. 05) , and increased ATGL expression (P <0. 05) . At the cellular level , polydatin reduced lipid droplet accumulation , improved lipid metabolism , decreased G0S2 expression ( P < 0. 05 ) , and increased ATGL expression ( P < 0. 05 ) . Even in cells with knockdown of G0S2 , polydatin still promoted fat decomposition (P < 0. 01) . Conclusion Polydatin promotes hepatic fat break⁃down by regulating the expression of G0S2 and ATGL , helping to alleviate metabolic disorders and liver damage in the NAFLD mouse model caused by a high⁃fat diet , offering a new strategy for treating NAFLD.

GBA1 gene mutation is an important genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s disease (PD). This paper reports a case of a 43-year-old male PD patient carrying a rare heterozygous Thr408Met mutation in the GBA1 gene identified through whole-exome sequencing, leading to a diagnosis of GBA1-associated PD. The patient’s motor symptoms were primarily characterized by bradykinesia and rigidity, without significant cognitive decline. Treatment with low-dose levodopa combined with a dopamine agonist resulted in significant symptomatic improvement.

Objective:To investigate the application value of photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) in preoperative identification of critical anatomical structures and surgical assessment in pancreatic cancer, and to compare its performance with conventional energy-integrating detector CT (EID-CT) in delineating tumor margins, vascular structures, and neural anatomy.Methods:This single-center retrospective matched case-control study included 25 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent PCD-CT enhanced scanning and curative surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between February and June 2025 (PCD-CT group). These patients were matched in a 1∶2 ratio to 50 patients who underwent EID-CT between January 2016 and December 2024 and subsequently received curative surgery (EID-CT group). Tumor boundary clarity, vascular visualization scores, and neural structure visibility were subjectively evaluated using the Likert scoring system. The assessed vessels included the celiac artery, common hepatic artery, superior mesenteric artery, splenic artery, portal vein, superior mesenteric vein, splenic vein, and pancreaticoduodenal arterial arcade. Imaging-based assessment of structural involvement was compared with intraoperative findings and pathological results to calculate diagnostic accuracy. Surgeons rated the usefulness of PCD-CT images for identifying key structures and determining resectability using a 5-point Likert scale. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for group comparisons of subjective scores, and categorical data were analyzed using the χ2 test or Fisher exact test. Results:The PCD-CT group showed significantly higher scores for tumor boundary clarity, vascular visualization, and neural structure detectability than those of the EID-CT group (all P<0.05). The accuracy of assessing superior mesenteric vein involvement was 96.0% (24/25) in the PCD-CT group and 72.0% (36/50) in the EID-CT group, with a significant difference ( χ2=6.00, P=0.014). Postoperative surgeon evaluations indicated that PCD-CT provided substantial assistance for both key structure identification [5 (5, 5)] and resectability assessment [5 (4, 5)]. Conclusion:PCD-CT demonstrates superior performance over EID-CT in preoperative delineation of tumor margins, vascular structures, and neural anatomy and in the assessment of structural involvement in pancreatic cancer. It provides valuable anatomical information to support preoperative evaluation and surgical decision-making.

Objective:To investigate the association between serum ferritin (SF), blood lipid levels and hyperuricemia in middle-aged and elderly individuals with normal body mass(BMI).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 1 671 participants with normal BMI from health check-ups at Wusong Hospital of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from January 2019 to December 2021. Collected data included fasting plasma glucose (FPG), uric acid, creatinine (CREA), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and SF levels. SF, TC, LDL-C, and HDL-C were grouped by quartiles, linear regression and Pearson correlation analysis used to assess their associations with hyperuricemia.Results:Among 1 671 normal-weight middle-aged and elderly individuals, 250 cases of hyperuricemia were identified, yielding a prevalence of 14.96% (250/1 671). Pearson analysis revealed: a moderate positive correlation between SF and uric acid levels ( r = 0.500, P<0.01); a weak positive correlation between TC and uric acid levels ( r = 0.250, P<0.01); a moderate negative correlation between HDL-C and uric acid levels ( r = - 0.333, P<0.01); a weak-to-moderate positive correlation between LDL-C and uric acid levels ( r = 0.380, P<0.01). Additionally, male gender showed a moderate positive correlation with uric acid levels ( r = 0.575, P<0.01), while CREA demonstrated a positive correlation with uric acid ( r = 0.620, P<0.05). Conclusions:In normal-weight middle-aged and elderly populations, gender, TG, TC, LDL-C and SF exhibite positive correlations with uric acid levels, with stronger associations observed for gender, CREA, and SF. HDL-C show a negative correlation with uric acid levels.

This report described a case of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenic purpura presenting with generalized petechiae. The infant was admitted at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University on March 30, 2022, following detection of wide spread petechiae 30 minutes post-delivery. Blood tests revealed severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count 5×10 9/L) with leukopenia, decreased hemoglobin, and hepatomegaly, though coagulation function remained normal. Initial treatments—random donor platelet transfusion, and intravenous immunoglobulin—proved ineffective. Pretreatment blood samples showed strongly positive platelet antibodies (3+). Further typing confirmed human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in both infant and mother, establishing HLA-negative neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. HLA-negative platelet transfusion resolved petechiae and normalized platelet counts, enabling discharge on postnatal day 14. Subdural hemorrhage was detected on MRI at day 29. Platelet levels remained normal at six-month follow-up, with age-appropriate development confirmed at 2.5 years.

Background and Aims:Laparoscopic anatomical liver segmentectomy has been widely applied in the surgical treatment of hepatic tumors due to its safety,feasibility,and effectiveness.The combination of indocyanine green(ICG)fluorescence-guided positive staining and intraoperative laparoscopic ultrasound has become an important technique for precision liver resection,particularly in accurately delineating hepatic segment/subsegment boundaries and achieving negative surgical margins.This study reports a case of anatomical resection of the right posterior segment and the dorsal subsegment of the right anterior segment of the liver,guided by laparoscopic ultrasound combined with ICG positive staining,to evaluate its clinical feasibility and outcomes.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on an elderly female patient with a hepatic space-occupying lesion who underwent laparoscopic anatomical resection of the right posterior segment and right anterior dorsal subsegment using intraoperative ultrasound combined with ICG fluorescence-guided positive staining.Results:Preoperative three-dimensional reconstruction revealed that the tumor was located in the right posterior segment and right anterior dorsal subsegment.Intraoperatively,under laparoscopic ultrasound guidance,the anterior-ventral branch of the right portal vein was punctured and injected with ICG to achieve precise staining of the right anterior-ventral subsegment.The resection was performed along the fluorescent boundary,enabling accurate anatomical removal of the targeted liver segments.Intraoperative blood loss was approximately 100 mL without transfusion.Pathology confirmed a moderately differentiated small-duct type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with negative margins(R0 resection).The patient recovered well and was discharged on postoperative day 19.Follow-up CT at 6 months showed no evidence of recurrence.Conclusion:During anatomical resection of the right posterior segment and right anterior dorsal subsegment of the liver,laparoscopic ultrasound combined with ICG fluorescence-guided positive staining can accurately define segmental boundaries,enhance surgical safety,and ensure complete tumor resection,thus offering significant value in achieving R0 resection.