1.Effect of Acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) on Improving Autism by Promoting Myelination Through The METTL14/m⁶A/PTEN Axis Based on “Xuanfu-Suiqiao” Theory
Wei-Li DANG ; Lü-Yuan LIANG ; Yu-Xin LI ; Zhi-Yao LI ; Sai-Dan LIU ; Jia-Lei CAO ; Rong-Ze MA ; Yun-Kai WANG ; Xiao-Qing YANG ; Bing-Qi WEI ; Bing-Xiang MA
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1165-1177
ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m6A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m6A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m6A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.
2.Effect of Acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) on Improving Autism by Promoting Myelination Through The METTL14/m⁶A/PTEN Axis Based on “Xuanfu-Suiqiao” Theory
Wei-Li DANG ; Lü-Yuan LIANG ; Yu-Xin LI ; Zhi-Yao LI ; Sai-Dan LIU ; Jia-Lei CAO ; Rong-Ze MA ; Yun-Kai WANG ; Xiao-Qing YANG ; Bing-Qi WEI ; Bing-Xiang MA
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1165-1177
ObjectiveTo clarify whether METTL14 mediates the core role of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) in promoting myelination and improving behavior in young autistic rats through gene intervention technology. MethodsThe ASD model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA) in pregnant rats. Male offspring were intracerebroventricularly injected with adenovirus-packaged METTL14 shRNA (sh-METTL14) or its control (sh-NC) on postnatal day 1, with a model group set as well. Subsequently, the juvenile rats were divided into model group, acupuncture group, acupuncture+sh-NC group, and acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group. The acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) from postnatal day 7, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Neurobehavioral changes were evaluated by behavioral tests; METTL14 knockdown efficiency and the expression of METTL14, METTL3, and PTEN were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB); PTEN m6A levels were measured by RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR); myelin ultrastructure, expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neurofascin 155 (NF155), and dendritic spine density were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and primary neuron culture. ResultsBehaviorally, knockdown of METTL14 significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of acupuncture in improving self-grooming, open field exploration, three-chamber social interaction, and Morris water maze learning and memory (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture+sh-NC group, the acupuncture+sh-METTL14 group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of hippocampal METTL14 (P<0.01), and the upregulating effects of acupuncture on METTL3 and PTEN expression were reversed (P<0.01). Meanwhile, knockdown of METTL14 significantly inhibited the acupuncture-induced increase in PTEN m6A levels (P<0.01). Morphologically, knockdown of METTL14 attenuated the improvement of myelin structure by acupuncture, reversed the downregulation of MBP and upregulation of NF155 induced by acupuncture, and blocked the increase in dendritic spine density (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionMETTL14 is a key molecule mediating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Neiguan. Acupuncture at Neiguan upregulates METTL14, thereby enhancing m6A methylation modification of PTEN mRNA to stabilize its expression, ultimately promoting myelin development and improving behavioral symptoms in ASD juvenile rats. This preliminarily reveals the modern biological connotation of “opening Xuanfu and dredging myelin”.
3.Exploring experiment on the impact of splenectomy on full-thickness skin defect healing
Fei-Ran WANG ; Yuan CAO ; Zong-Yu ZHANG ; Xin-Yu QIU ; Yan JIN ; Bing-Dong SUI ; Wei WANG
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(6):733-739
Objective To investigate the effect of splenectomy on the repair of full-thickness skin tissue defects,as well as the impact of different recovery times after splenectomy on the healing of skin tissue defects.Methods According to a random number table,39 8-week-old female C57 mice were randomly divided into three groups:sham surgery group(sham group,n=13),splenectomy group with 3 days of recovery(Spx3d group,n=13),and splenectomy group with 3 weeks of recovery(Spx3w group,n=13).Full-thickness skin defects were created on the backs of the mice in each group.The wound healing conditions at different times after skin defects were observed,and the wound healing rates after the injury were calculated.Peripheral blood cell analysis was performed on day 14 after the defect,and tissue samples from the wound area were taken for hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining to observe the granulation tissue thickness at the defect site and the re-epithelialization rate.Masson's trichrome staining was used to observe the proportion of collagen fibers.Results After splenectomy and sham surgery,the mice recovered well without significant discomfort.From 1 to 14 days after the skin defect modeling,the wound areas of the mice in all three groups gradually decreased.Compared with sham group,the wound areas were smaller in Spx3d and Spx3w groups at 3,5 and 7 days after the injury,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The wound healing rates were also significantly higher(P<0.05).Moreover,at 3 days and 5 days after the injury,the wound healing rates of Spx3d group were significantly higher than those of Spx3w group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The peripheral blood white blood cell(WBC)count in Spx3w group was significantly higher than that in sham group and Spx3d group(P<0.01).The platelet counts in both sham group and Spx3w group were significantly higher than that in Spx3d group(P<0.05).Additionally,the lymphocyte and neutrophil counts in Spx3w group were markedly higher than those in sham group(P<0.05).No statistically significant differences in red blood cell(RBC)counts were observed among the three groups(P>0.05).HE staining results showed that compared with sham group,the wound healing of the mice in Spx3d and Spx3w groups were better,and the thickness of the granulation tissue in Spx3d group were better than that in Spx3w group.At 7 days,the thickness of the granulation tissue in Spx3d and Spx3w groups was significantly higher than that in sham group(P<0.01,P<0.05)and the re-epithelialization rate in Spx3d group was significantly higher than that in sham group and Spx3w group(P<0.05).At 14 days,the re-epithelialization rates of Spx3d and Spx3w groups were significantly higher than those of sham group(P<0.05).The results of Masson's staining showed that the collagen fiber proportion in the wounds of Spx3d group at 7 and 14 days and that of Spx3w group at 14 days were significantly higher than that in sham group(P<0.05).Conclusion The healing of skin defects in mice is accelerated after splenectomy,and the recovery time after splenectomy has a certain effect on the healing of skin defects.
4.Hepatic arterial embolization through abdominal aorta catheterization in rat liver cancer models:study of its safety and feasibility
Yigong REN ; Jingxi WU ; Ye LIANG ; Bing YUAN ; Feng DUAN
Journal of Interventional Radiology 2025;34(4):380-384
Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of hepatic arterial embolization through abdominal aorta catheterization in rat liver cancer models.Methods Twenty Sprague-Dawley rat hepatocellular carcinoma models were successfully established by in situ implantation of McA-Rh7777 cells.The experimental rats were randomly divided into group A and group B,with 10 rats in each group.For the experimental rats of group A,catheterization of abdominal aorta was adopted to perform hepatic arterial angiography and embolization,while for the experimental rats of group B,the catheter passed through the gastroduodenal artery,then was retrogradely inserted into the proper hepatic artery to perform infusion of drugs,hepatic arterial angiography and embolization.The operation time,operation success rate,intraoperative and postoperative surgical complications in both groups were recorded.The postoperative recovery status of the experimental rats was recorded.The iodized oil deposition state was evaluated by abdominal CT scan at one day before operation and at 1,5 and 7 days after operation.Results In groups A and B,the operation time was(15.11±0.70)min and(34.39±1.60)min respectively(P=0.036),the operation success rate was 100%and 60%respectively(P=0.043),the differences between the two groups were statistically significant.No obvious surgical complications occurred in both groups.The postoperative CT plain scan showed that dense iodized oil deposition was observed in the experimental rats having successful operation.Conclusion Hepatic arterial embolization through abdominal aorta catheterization is a safe and feasible operation method for rat liver cancer models.
5.Current status and prospect of interventional therapy for tubal obstruction
Journal of Interventional Radiology 2025;34(4):437-440
The tubal obstruction and the resulting hydrosalpinx are common causes of female infertility.Through the natural lumen of the human body,interventional therapy can perform fallopian tubal dredging or fallopian tubal embolization.The treatment methods include fallopian tubal recanalization with guidewire intervention dredging,selective salpingography,fallopian tubal embolization with micro-coils,etc.This paper systematically introduces the history and development of interventional fallopian tubal recanalization,medication,postoperative ectopic pregnancy and pregnancy rate,and surgical strategies in special cases.Besides,the different methods of fallopian tubal embolization for hydrosalpinx as well as their advantages and disadvantages are summarized,the controversial issues in clinical practice nowadays are discussed,and the future development direction of tubal interventional therapy is proposed,aiming to provide useful reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of fallopian tubal obstruction.
6.Prediction of the short-term efficacy of uterine artery embolization for the treatment of uterus adenomyosis based on MR T2 weighted imaging radiomics:a preliminary study
Journal of Interventional Radiology 2025;34(11):1191-1196
Objective To explore the clinical value of preoperative MR T2 weighted imaging(T2WI)radiomics in predicting the short-term efficacy of uterine artery embolization(UAE)for the treatment of uterus adenomyosis.Methods The clinical data of 140 patients with uterus adenomyosis,who received initial UAE treatment,were retrospectively analyzed.Pelvic MRI examination was performed within one week before treatment,and the patients were followed up with pelvic MRI at 6 months and 12 months after treatment.The efficacy of UAE was evaluated according to the criteria for remission of adenomyosis.Using stratified sampling,patients were divided into a training group(n=98)and a testing group(n=42)at a 7∶3 ratio.According to the treatment response,patients were divided into an effective group(n=101)and an ineffective group(n=39).ITK-SNAP software was used to delineate the lesion area on preoperative MR T2WI and the radiomics features were extracted.Using univariate analysis,the minimum absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression method to screen out the radiomics features and to establish an radiomics model.By using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve the predictive efficacy of radiomics model for ineffective treatment of adenomyosis after UAE was evaluated,and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated.Decision curve analysis was adopted to evaluate the clinical practical value of the model.Results Nine most valuable radiomics features were enrolled in the predictive model.The AUC of the radiomics model for predicting ineffective treatment after UAE in patients with uterus adenomyosis was 0.838(95%CI:0.751-0.924)in the training group and 0.817(95%CI:0.677-0.954)in the testing group.Decision curve analysis showed that the radiomics model had a high clinical net benefit.Conclusion The model constructed based on MR T2WI radiomics can effectively predict the short-term effect of UAE treatment for adenomyosis,which helps to identify the risk of ineffective treatment early,and the treatment strategy can be timely adjusted.
7.Effect of tongue pressure resistance feedback training on rehabilitation of swallowing disorders in patients with ischemic stroke
Yuan HE ; Weiwei JIA ; Haiying WANG ; Qian ZHANG ; Bing WEI
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(8):102-107
Objective To explore the effect of tongue pressure resistance feedback training in the rehabilitation of dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke(IS).Methods A total of 100 pa-tients with dysphagia after IS were randomly divided into control group(receiving conventional reha-bilitation therapy and oral motor training)and experimental group(receiving tongue pressure resist-ance feedback training on the basis of conventional rehabilitation therapy),with 50 patients in each group.The treatment duration was 4 weeks for both groups.During the study,3 patients dropped out due to personal reasons,and ultimately 49 patients in the control group and 48 patients in the experi-mental group completed the study.Before and after treatment,tongue muscle function was measured in both groups;videofluoroscopic swallowing studies(VFSS)were used to measure temporal and kinemat-ic parameters of swallowing;the Rosenbek Penetration-Aspiration Scale(PAS)was used to assess aspi-ration risk;the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale(SWAL-QOL)was used to evaluate quality of life;and occurrence of complications in both groups were compared.Results After 4 weeks of treat-ment,peak tongue pressure,mean tongue pressure,and tongue pressure duration increased inboth groups,with these indicators being higher in the experimental group than in the control group;oral transit time,soft palate elevation time,and hyoid bone displacement time shortened,while upper esoph-ageal sphincter(UES)opening time and laryngeal closure time prolonged,hyoid and thyroid cartilage movement(upward and anterior displacement)and UES opening degree increased,and pharyngeal contractile ratio(PCR)decreased in both groups,with these indicators being superior in the experi-mental group compared to the control group;PAS scores decreased and SWAL-QOL scores increased in both groups,with PAS scores being lower and SWAL-QOL scores being higher in the experimental group compared to the control group;the differences between the two groups in the aforementioned indicators were statistically significant(P<0.05).The complication rate was 4.17%(2/48)in the experimental group and 10.20%(5/49)in the control group,with no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).Conclusion Tongue pressure resistance feedback training can improve tongue function and swallowing function,effectively reduce the risk of aspiration after swallowing,and enhance the quality of life of patients with dysphagia after IS during their rehabilitation treatment.
8.Advances in treatment strategies for drug-eluting stent restenosis of a new classification via optical coherence tomography
Yuan ZHANG ; Zhen FANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Bing XU ; Gan CAO ; Zhaoyuan ZHANG ; Jun JI
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(19):140-144,148
Catheter-based percutaneous coronary intervention has become a crucial approach for treating obstructive coronary artery disease and is widely applied in clinical practice.Although the new generation of drug-eluting stents(DES)has significantly reduced the incidence of post-procedur-al restenosis and improved long-term clinical outcomes,in-stent restenosis(ISR)remains one of the key challenges affecting the long-term efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention.Recent studies have demonstrated that DES still have certain inherent limitations.From the metallic stent platform,drug coating to the polymer carrier,each component may exert varying degrees of biological effects on the vascular intima.Optical coherence tomography(OCT),as a high-resolution intravascular imaging technique,has shown significant value in the mechanism research,etiological diagnosis,and clinical classification of ISR.It can clearly identify the tissue composition and morphological characteristics of ISR,providing a precise basis for the formulation of individualized treatment strategies.This review aimed to systematically search the existing literature,comprehensively review the clinical and patho-logical features of ISR after DES implantation,focus on the OCT-based ISR classification system,and summarize the current treatment strategies and latest advances for ISR.
9.Ruibin Agent versus mainstream large language models: A comparative study on medical literature comprehension with esophageal cancer as a case study
Pinghua WEN ; Zhijie JIANG ; Huan JIANG ; Xianglei YUAN ; Yu ZHOU ; Hu MA ; Chao LU ; Bing HU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(10):1404-1410
Objective To explore the application value of artificial intelligence in medical research assistance, and analyze the key paths to achieve precise execution of model instructions, improvement of model interpretation completeness, and control of hallucinations. Methods Taking esophageal cancer research as the scenario, five types of literature including research articles, case reports, reviews, editorials, and guidelines were selected for model interpretation tests. The model performance was systematically evaluated from five dimensions: recognition accuracy, format accuracy, instruction execution accuracy, content reliability rate, and content completeness index. The performance differences of Ruibin Agent, GPT-4o, Claude 3.7 Sonnet, DeepSeek V3, and DouBao-pro models in medical literature interpretation tasks were compared. Results A total of 15 studies were included, with 3 studies of each type. The five models collectively conducted 1 875 tests. Due to the poor recognition accuracy of the editorial type, the overall recognition accuracy of Ruibin Agent was significantly lower than other models (92.0% vs. 100.0%, P<0.001). In terms of format accuracy, Ruibin Agent was significantly better than Claude 3.7 Sonnet (98.7% vs. 92.0%, P=0.002) and GPT-4o (98.7% vs. 78.9%, P<0.001). In terms of instruction execution accuracy, Ruibin Agent was better than GPT-4o (97.3% vs. 80.0%, P<0.001). In terms of content reliability rate, Ruibin Agent was significantly lower than Claude 3.7 Sonnet (84.0% vs. 92.0%, P=0.010) and DeepSeek V3 (84.0% vs. 94.7%, P<0.001). In terms of content completeness index, the median scores of Ruibin Agent, GPT-4o, Claude 3.7 Sonnet, DeepSeek V3, and DouBao-pro were 0.71, 0.60, 0.85, 0.74, and 0.77, respectively. Conclusion Ruibin Agent has significant advantages in terms of formatted interpretation of medical literature and instruction execution accuracy. In the future, it is necessary to focus on optimizing the recognition ability of editorial types, strengthening the coverage ability of core elements of various types of literature to improve interpretation completeness, and improving content reliability through optimizing the confidence mechanism to ensure the rigor of medical literature interpretation.
10.Development and validation of a machine learning-based prognostic model for portal vein thrombosis in liver cirrhosis
Junqi YUAN ; Sa LYU ; Jun LING ; Yiwen XU ; Hui FENG ; Shaoli YOU ; Fuquan LIU ; Limei YU ; Bing ZHU
Chinese Journal of Hepatobiliary Surgery 2025;31(7):497-502
Objective:To analyze the prognostic factors of patients with liver cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis (PVT), and to construct a prognostic prediction model based on machine learning methods.Methods:The clinical data of 388 patients with liver cirrhosis and PVT admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2022 to April 2024 were retrospectively collected and analyzed, including 243 males and 145 females, aged (56.9±10.9) years. A total of 388 patients were randomly divided into the training set ( n=310) and the testing set ( n=78) in a 4∶1 ratio. The Boruta algorithm was used to screen the key features in the training set, and then four machine learning algorithms, including random forest, support vector machine, generalized linear model and Bayesian, were used to establish a survival prediction model. Model performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the test set and the training set. The patients were followed up for 1 year for survival. Sort the importance of features based on the SHAP value. Results:There were 250 patients (80.6%) who survived and 60 (19.4%) who died. The model for end-stage liver disease score, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, D-dimer, white blood cell count, severe ascites ratio, and Child-Pugh grade C ratio of liver function in the death group were higher than those in the survival group, and the red blood cell count and hematocrit were lower than those in the survival group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The areas under the ROC curve for predicting survival by random forest, support vector machine, generalized linear model and Bayesian model were 0.92, 0.78, 0.81 and 0.71 in the training set, and the area under the ROC curve in the testing set were 0.81, 0.72, 0.67 and 0.68, respectively. Random forest had the best prediction performance, with an accuracy of 81.7%, a sensitivity of 84.6%, and a specificity of 76.9% in the testing set. In the analysis of the importance of characteristic parameters of the random forest model, total bilirubin, red blood cells, hematocrit, serum creatinine, ascites classification, etc. had a relatively high contribution to the model. Conclusion:In the survival prediction model of patients with liver cirrhosis and PVT based on machine learning algorithm, the random forest model had high prediction performance, and total bilirubin may be the most important factor affecting the survival prognosis of patients.

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