BACKGROUND:Scholars at home and abroad consider New Zealand rabbits to be an ideal model animal because of the similar anatomical morphology of the lumbar spine to that of the human lumbar spine.There is a lack of systematic comparison of different ways to establish rabbit intervertebral disc degeneration models under X-ray guidance. OBJECTIVE:To establish a rabbit model of lumbar disc degeneration using X-ray guided acupuncture,end-plate injection and combined method,and to compare the modeling effects of these three methods. METHODS:Eighteen 6-month-old New Zealand white rabbits were randomly selected and divided into four groups:acupuncture group,endplate injection group,combined group and blank control group.In the acupuncture group,three consecutive segments of the intervertebral discs(L2/3,L3/4,L4/5)were needled and modeled;in the endplate injection group,50 μL of anhydrous ethanol was injected at a single point on the endplates of the three consecutive segmental discs;in the combined group,three consecutive segmental intervertebral discs were needled and injected with 50 μL of anhydrous ethanol at four azimuthal points on the endplates of the corresponding segmental discs;and the blank control group received no interventions.X-ray examination was performed to measure the disc height index at 2,4,and 8 weeks after surgery.The intervertebral disc tissues were then taken for anatomical observation and pathological examination. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Anatomical examination showed that fibrous annulus rupture,nucleus pulposus degeneration,and total disc structure disorder were the main manifestation in the acupuncture group,endplate injection group,and combined group,respectively.(2)X-ray examination showed that the disc height index showed the most obvious reduction in the acupuncture group at 2 weeks after operation,significant reductions in the endplate injection group at 2 and 4 weeks after operation,and significant reductions in the combined group at 2,4,and 8 weeks after operation.(3)Pathological examination showed that the fibrous ring structure was damaged and the inner annulus fibrosus protruded inward in the acupuncture group;endplate fissure,disordered arrangement and nucleus loss were observed in the endplate injection group;total disc structure disorder with the nucleus pulposus losing water and shrinking and no obvious border with the broken annulus fibrosus was found in the combined group.To conclude,acupuncture,endplate injection and the modified endplate injection method can establish the rabbit intervertebral disc degeneration model.Compared with the single method,the modified endplate injection method can greatly accelerate and aggravate the degeneration of the intervertebral disc,and can effectively shorten the experiment period.

BackgroundGenetic factor plays an important role in the pathogenesis of panic disorder. Previous studies have revealed that immune system dysregulation is closely related to mental disorders such as panic disorder， while the relationship between panic disorder and immune-related gene expression remains unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between the expression of CXCL8， IL6R， JUN， PTGS2， TGFBR1， TLR2， CCR4 genes and panic disorder， providing references for the diagnosis and treatment of panic disorder. MethodsA total of 52 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder according to the Diagnosed and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fourth edition （DSM-IV） were enrolled at the Psychosomatic Medicine Center of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2020 to March 2021. Another 72 healthy individuals matched for age and gender from Chengdu were concurrently recruited as control group. The Panic Disorder Severity Scale （PDSS） was used to assess the severity of symptoms in panic disorder patients. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） was used to detect gene expression levels in two groups. Spearman correlation analysis was adopted to determine the correlation between PDSS score and immune-related gene expression in research group. ResultsThe expression of the JUN， PTGS2 and TGFBR1 genes were significant higher in panic disorder patients than those in control group （Z=-4.172， -2.086， -3.018， P<0.05 or 0.01）. After false discovery rate （FDR） correction for multiple testing， the differential expression of JUN and TGFBR1 genes remained statistically significant between two groups （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the expression of CCR4， CXCL8， IL6R and TLR2 genes between two groups （P>0.05）. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of the JUN gene in panic disorder patients was positively correlated with PDSS score （r=0.360， P<0.01）， while the CCR4， CXCL8， IL6R， PTGS2， TGFBR1 and TLR2 genes showed no statistically significant correlation with the PDSS score （P>0.05）. ConclusionThe expression of the JUN and TGFBR1 genes may be associated with panic disorder， and the expression of the JUN gene correlated with the severity of panic disorder. ［Funded by Science and Technology Plan Project of Sichuan Provincial Department of Science and Technology （number， 2021YJ0440）］

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms distinguishing metabolically healthy from unhealthy phenotypes within the same BMI categories remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between regional fat distribution and metabolically unhealthy phenotypes in Chinese adults across different BMI categories. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involving 11833 Chinese adults aged 20 years and older. Covariance analysis, adjusted for age, compared the percentage of regional fat (trunk, leg, or arm fat divided by whole-body fat) between metabolically healthy and unhealthy participants. Trends in regional fat percentage with the number of metabolic abnormalities were assessed by the Jonckheere-Terpstra test. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by logistic regression models. All analyses were performed separately by sex. RESULTS: In non-obese individuals, metabolically unhealthy participants exhibited higher percent trunk fat and lower percent leg fat compared to healthy participants. Additionally, percent trunk fat increased and percent leg fat decreased with the number of metabolic abnormalities. After adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors, as well as BMI, higher percent trunk fat was associated with increased odds of being metabolically unhealthy [highest vs. lowest quartile: ORs (95%CI) of 1.64 (1.35, 2.00) for men and 2.00 (1.63, 2.46) for women]. Conversely, compared with the lowest quartile, the ORs (95%CI) of metabolically unhealthy phenotype in the highest quartile for percent arm and leg fat were 0.64 (0.53, 0.78) and 0.60 (0.49, 0.74) for men, and 0.72 (0.56, 0.93) and 0.46 (0.36, 0.59) for women, respectively. Significant interactions between BMI and percentage of trunk and leg fat were observed in both sexes, with stronger associations found in individuals with normal weight and overweight. CONCLUSIONS Trunk fat is associated with a higher risk of metabolically unhealthy phenotype, while leg and arm fat are protective factors. Regional fat distribution assessments are crucial for identifying metabolically unhealthy phenotypes, particularly in non-obese individuals.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Adipose Tissue ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Surveys ; Phenotype

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),systemic immune-inflammatory index(SII),systemic inflammation response index(SIRI),and aggregate index of systemic inflammation(AISI)in chronic kidney disease(CKD)patients complicated with heart failure.Methods This study enrolled 190 CKD patients complicated with heart failure(case group)and 30 CKD patients without heart failure(control group)who treated in the outpatient and inpatient departments of Wenling Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2022 to December 2024.Differences in NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI between the two groups were compared,and the relationship between these inflammatory markers and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types in CKD patients complicated with heart failure was analyzed.Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve were used for evaluating the predictive efficacy of NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI for illness severity of CKD complicated with heart failure.Results(1)The levels of NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI in the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.01).(2)In CKD patients complicated with heart failure,NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI were positively correlated with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)levels(P＜0.01).(3)Among the CKD patients complicated with heart failure of fundamentally deficiency syndromes,spleen-kidney yang deficiency syndrome was the most prevalent,followed by spleen-kidney qi-yin deficiency syndrome,spleen-kidney qi deficiency syndrome,and yin-yang deficiency syndrome.Among the CKD patients complicated with heart failure of incidentally excess syndromes,blood stasis syndrome was the most common,followed by damp-heat syndrome,urinary toxin retention syndrome,and water-damp syndrome.(4)In CKD patients complicated with heart failure of fundamentally deficiency syndromes,NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI levels ranked in the decreasing sequence in the syndromes of yin-yang deficiency,spleen-kidney yang deficiency,spleen-kidney qi-yin deficiency,and spleen-kidney qi deficiency;in the patients with incidentally excess syndromes,the levels ranked in the decreasing sequence in urinary toxin retention,damp-heat syndrome,blood stasis syndrome,and water-damp syndrome(P＜0.05).(5)Multivariate logistic regression identified NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI as independent risk factors for illness severity of CKD complicated with heart failure(P＜0.01).(6)ROC curve analysis demonstrated high values of NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI in differentiating illness severity of CKD complicated with heart failure(P＜0.01).Conclusion Inflammatory markers of NLR,SII,SIRI,and AISI exhibit significant correlation with illness severity of CKD complicated with heart failure,suggesting their potentiality as biological markers for TCM syndrome differentiation and disease progression assessment in this population.

Objective To investigate the correlation between insulin resistance markers[triglyceride-glucose(TyG)index],inflammatory indicators[neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),C-reactive protein(CRP)],and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndromes in patients with diabetic kidney disease(DKD)complicated by carotid atherosclerosis(CAS).Methods This retrospective study enrolled 300 DKD patients with CAS(case group)and 30 DKD patients without CAS(control group).Differences in TyG index,NLR,and CRP levels were compared between groups.The relationships between these markers and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)/plaque area were analyzed,along with their variations across TCM syndromes.Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive value of TyG index,NLR,and CRP for plaque stability and prognosis.Results(1)The TyG index,NLR,and CRP levels in patients with DKD and CAS were significantly higher than those in patients with DKD alone(P＜0.01).(2)The TyG index,NLR,and CRP were significantly positively correlated with IMT and plaque area(P＜0.01).(3)In patients with DKD combined with CAS,the TyG index,NLR,and CRP levels in those with unstable plaques were significantly higher than those with stable plaques(P＜0.01).(4)Among the distribution of TCM syndromes in patients with DKD combined with CAS,the qi and yin deficiency syndrome had the highest proportion(33.33％),followed by spleen and kidney yang deficiency syndrome(28.67％),yin and yang deficiency syndrome(22.00％),and turbid toxin and stasis obstruction syndrome(16.00％).(5)Among patients with DKD and CAS,the TyG index,NLR,and CRP levels in patients with different TCM syndromes decreased in the following order:turbid toxin and stasis obstruction syndrome,yin and yang deficiency syndrome,spleen-kidney yang deficiency syndrome,and qi and yin deficiency syndrome.(6)Logistic regression analysis results showed that TyG index,NLR,and CRP levels were closely associated with plaque stability in patients with DKD combined with CAS(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(7)ROC analysis showed that these markers have high prognostic value in DKD-CAS(P＜0.01).Conclusion TyG index,NLR,and CRP may serve as potential biomarkers for TCM syndrome differentiation and prognosis assessment in DKD-CAS.

Objective To establish a human luminal breast cancer stem cell(BCSC)model and investigate the inhibitory effects of astragaloside Ⅳ(AS-Ⅳ)on BCSC growth.Methods MCF-7 breast cancer cells were cultured in stem cell-specific medium to induce BCSC formation.The BCSCs were then divided into a blank control group and an AS-Ⅳ treatment group,both groups were given PBS or AS-Ⅳ treatment.Morphological changes were observed after intervention.The therapeutic efficacy of AS-Ⅳ was evaluated using 3D spheroid formation and cell viability assays.Transcriptomic profiling and gene expression analysis were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.Results Compared with the MCF7 breast cancer cells,MCF7 breast cancer stem cell mammospheres exhibited accelerated growth(P＜0.01)and significantly increased expression of the stemness marker ALDH1A1(P＜0.01).Further comparison with the blank control group revealed that astragaloside Ⅳ(AS-Ⅳ)treatment significantly inhibited MCF7 breast cancer stem cell proliferation(P＜0.001)and slowed mammosphere growth(P＜0.01).Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that differentially expressed genes(DEGs)induced by stem cell modeling and AS-Ⅳ intervention were enriched in the cellular senescence signaling pathway.AS-Ⅳ intervention substantially increased the number of SA-β-gal-positive cells(P＜0.01).RT-PCR analysis confirmed that AS-Ⅳsignificantly upregulated mRNA expression of IL-1α(P＜0.01),P21(P＜0.001),and P53(P＜0.05)in MCF7 breast cancer stem cells.Conclusion Astragaloside Ⅳ suppresses the growth of human luminal breast cancer stem cells by inducing cellular senescence.

Space medicine,as a comprehensive discipline ensuring the safety,health,and efficient performance of astronauts during manned space missions,focuses on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of multi-system physiological effects induced by extreme space environments and developing corresponding protective strategies.With China's space program transitioning into an application and development phase,space medical experiments—a critical domain within space applications—face significant opportunities and challenges.This paper reviews the international development trend in the field of medical experiments and the progress in China from perspectives including platform system construction,utilization of novel technologies,and scientific discoveries.It further outlines the engineering framework,guiding ideology,and key research directions for space medical experiments under China's Space Station Application and Development Project.Deliberations and prospects center on the in-depth analysis of the adaptation law of life in space flight,the application of big data and artificial intelligence technology,the emerging challenges it faces,and the scientific research organization models.This work aims to provide a reference for the development of space medical experiment field in China.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) for muscle atrophy in patients with immobilization after surgical fixation of foot and ankle fractures.MethodsThis was a two-arm randomized controlled trial wherein 80 patients were recruited and divided into control (n = 40) and intervention (n = 40) groups. The control group received conventional orthopedic treatment, whereas the intervention group received TEAS and conventional treatment. The intervention group received TEAS 3 times a week for 30 min each time for 8 weeks. The primary outcomes were muscle thickness (MT) and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the rectus femoris and gastrocnemius muscles, whereas the secondary outcome measure was echo intensity (EI). Data were collected before the fixation operations (baseline assessment) and 4 and 8 weeks after intervention.ResultsCompared with baseline, the MT and CSA were reduced in both groups by the end of treatment, whereas EI increased in both groups. At week 4, the reduction in the rectus femoris CSA in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P = .02); however, the between-group differences in the MT and EI (all P .05) were not significant. No serious adverse events were observed in either group.ConclusionOur study showed that TEAS can improve muscle atrophy by attenuating the decline in the muscle CSA. Because this was only a pilot trial, subsequent studies will need longer follow-ups and larger sample sizes.

Objective To investigate the effects of β-sitosterol on the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cell HCT116,and its regulation of on phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.Methods Cultivated colon cancer cells HCT116 in vitro and divided them into β-sitosterol High(240μmol/L)、medium(120μmol/L)and low-dose(60μmol/L)groups,set control group(0μmol/L).Applied different concentrations of β-sitosterol treatment of HCT116 cells.And 24h later,the cell proliferation and activity were determined by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)method,the morphological changes observed under a microscope;Cell apoptosis was observed by Hoechst 33342 nuclear staining;Used cell colony formation assy to detect the colony forming ability of HCT116 cells;and Western blot was used to evaluate the expression of PI3K,p-Akt,Akt,Bcl-2 and Bax in cells.Used AutoDock software for molecular docking of β-sitosterol with Akt and PI3K.Results Compared with the control group,β-sitosterol could inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer HCT116 cells in a concentration dependent manner,inhibit their colony forming ability and promote cell apoptosis and inhibit the expression of p-Akt、PI3K、and Bcl-2 proteins in HCT116 cells and promotes the expression of Bax protein.The binding of β-sitosterol with PI3K and Akt proteins is relatively stable.Conclusion β-sitosterol may regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of HCT116 through inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Youguiwan on bone metabolism and bone morphogenetic protein-2 （BMP-2）/Smad signaling pathway in ovaries-removed rats with osteoporosis and study the mechanism of Youguiwan in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. MethodA postmenopausal rat model of osteoporosis was prepared by bilateral ovariectomy. The 40 female SD rats were randomly divided into five groups， including sham operation group， model group， alendronate sodium group （0.1 mg·kg^-1）， and high-dose and low-dose （5.36 and 2.68 g·kg^-1） groups of Youguiwan. The drug was given seven days after modeling， once a day for 12 weeks. After the treatment， the changes in femur tissue structure were observed by micro-CT， including bone mineral density （BMD）， bone volume/total volume （BV/TV）， trabecular number （Tb.N）， trabecular thickness （Tb.Th）， bone surface/bone volume （BS/BV）， and trabecular separation （Tb.Sp）. Ossification was observed by saffrane-solid green staining， and serum levels of bone metabolism markers， including bone alkaline phosphatase （BALP）， osteocalcin （BGP）， type Ⅰ procollagen amino terminal propeptide （PINP）， and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b （TRACP-5b）， were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein and mRNA expression levels of Runx2， BMP-2， and Smad1 in rat femur were detected by Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the sham operation group， bone trabecula in the model group was sparse. BMD， BV/TV， Tb.N， and Tb.Th were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. BS/BV （P<0.05） and Tb.Sp were increased. The content of BGP， BALP， PINP， and TRACP-5b in serum was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expressions of Runx2， BMP-2， and Smad1 in rat femur were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the number of bone trabeculae in the high-dose and low-dose groups of Youguiwan was increased， and the bone microstructure was improved. BMD， BV/TV， Tb.N， and Tb.Th were increased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and BS/BV and Tb.Sp were increased. The content of bone metabolic markers decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionYouguiwan has certain preventive and therapeutic effects on postmenopausal osteoporosis， and its mechanism may be related to promoting bone formation by regulating the BMP-2/Smad signaling pathway.