ObjectiveTo observe the effect of modified Huanglian Wendantang on oxidative stress in metabolic syndrome. MethodsA total of 180 patients with metabolic syndrome treated in the outpatient clinics and wards of the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2023 to May 2025 were enrolled in this study. According to the randomized numerical table method， the patients were assigned into two groups （90 cases）. The basic treatment of the two groups was the same， and the observation group was additionally treated with modified Huanglian Wendantang. The course of treatment was 3 months. The two groups were compared in terms of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） efficacy， obesity degree ［waist circumference （WC）， body mass index （BMI）， waist-to-hip ratio （WHR）， waist-to-height ratio （WHtR）］， blood pressure indicators ［systolic blood pressure （SBP） and diastolic blood pressure （DBP）］， lipids and glucose indicators ［total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， fasting insulin （FINS）， fasting glucose （FPG）， 2-hour postprandial glucose （2 h PG）， and glycosylated hemoglobin （HbA1c）］， insulin resistance indicators ［homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， triglyceride-glucose index （TYG index）， triacylglycerol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （TG/HDL） ratio］， oxidative stress indicators ［malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione （GSH）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， catalase （CAT）， and reactive oxygen species （ROS）］， and the safety of treatment. ResultsIn terms of TCM efficacy， the treatment in the observation group was significantly effective in 46 cases， effective in 30 cases， and ineffective in 10 cases， with the total effective rate of 88.4%. The treatment in the control group was significantly effective in 33 cases， effective in 28 cases， and ineffective in 23 cases， with the total effective rate of 72.6%. The observation group had higher total effective rate than the control group （χ²=11.26，P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed declined levels of WC， BMI， WHR， WHtR， SBP， DBP， TC， TG， LDL-C， FPG， FINS， 2 h PG， HbA1c， HOMA-IR， TG/HDL ratio， TYG index， MDA， and ROS and elevated levels of HDL-C， SOD， GSH， GSH-Px， and CAT （P<0.05）. After treatment， the observation group showed lower levels of WC， BMI， WHR， WHtR， TC， TG， LDL-C， FPG， FINS， 2 h PG， HbA1c， HOMA-IR， TG/HDL ratio， TYG index， MDA， and ROS and higher levels of HDL-C， SOD， GSH， GSH-Px， and CAT than the control group （P<0.05）. However， after treatment， there was no significant difference in SBP or DBP between the observation group and the control group. No significant adverse reactions were observed in either group. ConclusionModified Huanglian Wendantang can significantly alleviate metabolic syndrome symptoms and reduce oxidative stress， exhibiting antioxidant effects. Moreover， it does not induce adverse reactions， demonstrating safety.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of modified Huanglian Wendantang on oxidative stress in metabolic syndrome. MethodsA total of 180 patients with metabolic syndrome treated in the outpatient clinics and wards of the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October 2023 to May 2025 were enrolled in this study. According to the randomized numerical table method， the patients were assigned into two groups （90 cases）. The basic treatment of the two groups was the same， and the observation group was additionally treated with modified Huanglian Wendantang. The course of treatment was 3 months. The two groups were compared in terms of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） efficacy， obesity degree ［waist circumference （WC）， body mass index （BMI）， waist-to-hip ratio （WHR）， waist-to-height ratio （WHtR）］， blood pressure indicators ［systolic blood pressure （SBP） and diastolic blood pressure （DBP）］， lipids and glucose indicators ［total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， fasting insulin （FINS）， fasting glucose （FPG）， 2-hour postprandial glucose （2 h PG）， and glycosylated hemoglobin （HbA1c）］， insulin resistance indicators ［homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， triglyceride-glucose index （TYG index）， triacylglycerol-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （TG/HDL） ratio］， oxidative stress indicators ［malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione （GSH）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， catalase （CAT）， and reactive oxygen species （ROS）］， and the safety of treatment. ResultsIn terms of TCM efficacy， the treatment in the observation group was significantly effective in 46 cases， effective in 30 cases， and ineffective in 10 cases， with the total effective rate of 88.4%. The treatment in the control group was significantly effective in 33 cases， effective in 28 cases， and ineffective in 23 cases， with the total effective rate of 72.6%. The observation group had higher total effective rate than the control group （χ²=11.26，P<0.05）. After treatment， both groups showed declined levels of WC， BMI， WHR， WHtR， SBP， DBP， TC， TG， LDL-C， FPG， FINS， 2 h PG， HbA1c， HOMA-IR， TG/HDL ratio， TYG index， MDA， and ROS and elevated levels of HDL-C， SOD， GSH， GSH-Px， and CAT （P<0.05）. After treatment， the observation group showed lower levels of WC， BMI， WHR， WHtR， TC， TG， LDL-C， FPG， FINS， 2 h PG， HbA1c， HOMA-IR， TG/HDL ratio， TYG index， MDA， and ROS and higher levels of HDL-C， SOD， GSH， GSH-Px， and CAT than the control group （P<0.05）. However， after treatment， there was no significant difference in SBP or DBP between the observation group and the control group. No significant adverse reactions were observed in either group. ConclusionModified Huanglian Wendantang can significantly alleviate metabolic syndrome symptoms and reduce oxidative stress， exhibiting antioxidant effects. Moreover， it does not induce adverse reactions， demonstrating safety.

Forsythia suspensa is a traditional Chinese medicine and a commonly used landscaping plant. Its dried fruit is used in medicine for its functions of clearing heat, removing toxins, reducing swelling, dissipating masses, and dispersing wind and heat. It possesses extremely high medicinal and economic value. However, the genetic differentiation and diversity of its wild populations remain unclear. In this study, chloroplast genome sequences were obtained from 15 wild individuals of F. suspensa using high-throughput sequencing technology. The sequence characteristics and intraspecific variations were analyzed. The results were as follows:(1) The full length of the F. suspensa chloroplast genome ranged from 156 184 to 156 479 bp, comprising a large single-copy region, a small single-copy region, and two inverted repeat regions. The chloroplast genome encoded a total of 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes.(2) A total of 166-174 SSR loci, 792 SNV loci, and 63 InDel loci were identified in the F. suspensa chloroplast genome, indicating considerable genetic variation among individuals.(3) Population structure analysis revealed that F. suspensa could be divided into five or six groups. Both the population structure analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction results indicated significant genetic variation within the wild populations of F. suspensa, with no obvious correlation between intraspecific genetic differentiation and geographical distribution. This study provides new insights into the genetic diversity and differentiation within F. suspensa species and offers additional references for the conservation of species diversity and the utilization of germplasm resources in wild F. suspensa.
Genome, Chloroplast ; Forsythia/classification* ; Phylogeny ; Genetic Variation ; Chloroplasts/genetics* ; Microsatellite Repeats

Objective To develop a predictive model for postoperative mortality risk in patients with acute aortic dissection(AAD)using the Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost)algorithm combined with Shapley Additive Explanation(SHAP),and to establish a prediction website to serve as a diagnostic and therapeutic support platform for clinicians and patients.Methods A retrospective cohort study design was adopted.Data from 782 AAD patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2013 to December 2023 were collected,including basic information and initial serum biomarker test results.Patients were randomly divided into training and test sets at a 7:3 ratio.An external validation set consisting of 313 AAD patients admitted to the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2020 to December 2023 was also established for further model validation.Variables were screened using LASSO regression,and an XGBoost machine learning model was constructed and interpreted using SHAP.The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Using the Shiny package,the XGBoost model was deployed to shinyapps.io to create a prediction website for postoperative mortality risk in AAD patients.One patient was selected by simple random sampling from the test set and the external validation set respectively for the prediction example on the Shiny webpage.Results The XGBoost model demonstrated high predictive performance for postoperative mortality in AAD patients,with area under the ROC curve(AUC)values of 0.928(95%CI 0.901-0.956)in the training set,0.919(95%CI 0.891-0.949)in the test set,and 0.941(95%CI 0.915-0.967)in the external validation set.SHAP values indicated the following order of variable importance in the model(from highest to lowest):"lactate dehydrogenase""blood chlorine""multiple organ injury""carbon dioxide combining power""prothrombin time""α-hydroxybutyric acid""creatine kinase isoenzyme""Stanford classification""combined use of bedside blood purification""gender""acute kidney injury""gastrointestinal bleeding""brain injury"and"shock".A risk prediction website for adverse postoperative outcomes in AAD patients was developed using XGBoost-SHAP method(https://dun-dunxiaolu.shinyapps.io/document/)and validated with examples.One randomly selected patient from each of the test and external validation sets was applied:the predicted mortality risk value for patient 1(who died postoperatively)was 0.9539,and that for patient 2(who survived postoperatively)was 0.0206.Conclusions The XGBoost-SHAP model demonstrates high accuracy in predicting postoperative mortality risk for AAD patients.The online prediction tool established based on this model enhances the identification efficiency of high-risk postoperative mortality patients.

OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in clinic and requires novel treatment options. Morin is a natural flavonoid extracted from the flower stalk of a highly valuable medicinal plant Prunella vulgaris L., which exhibits an anti-cancer effect in multiple types of tumors. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of morin in treating GC remains elusive. The study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of morin in GC. METHODS: For in vitro experiments, the proliferation inhibition of morin was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay in human GC cell line MKN45, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS, and human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; for apoptosis analysis, microscopic photography, Western blotting, ubiquitination analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, flow cytometry, and RNA interference technology were employed. For in vivo studies, immunohistochemistry, biomedical analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess the efficacy and safety of morin in a xenograft mouse model of GC. RESULTS: Morin significantly inhibited the proliferation of GC cells MKN45 and AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but did not inhibit human gastric epithelial cells GES-1. Only the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was able to significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation by morin in both GC cells, suggesting that apoptosis was the main type of cell death during the treatment. Morin induced intrinsic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in GC cells, which mainly relied on B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated agonist of cell death (BAD) but not phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1. The upregulation of BAD by morin was due to blocking the ubiquitination degradation of BAD, rather than the transcription regulation and the phosphorylation of BAD. Furthermore, the combination of morin and BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax (also known as ABT-737) produced a synergistic inhibitory effect in GC cells through amplifying apoptotic signals. In addition, morin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of GC in vivo by upregulating BAD and the subsequent activation of its downstream apoptosis pathway. CONCLUSION Morin suppressed GC by inducing apoptosis, which was mainly due to blocking the ubiquitination-based degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD. The combination of morin and the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-737 synergistically amplified apoptotic signals in GC cells, which may overcome the drug resistance of the BCL-2 inhibitor. These findings indicated that morin was a potent and promising agent for GC treatment. Please cite this article as: Wang Y, Sun XY, Ma FQ, Ren MM, Zhao RH, Qin MM, Zhu XH, Xu Y, Cao ND, Chen YY, Dong TG, Pan YF, Zhao AG. Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 320-332.
Humans ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Animals ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Ubiquitination/drug effects* ; Mice ; Drug Synergism ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Flavones

OBJECTIVE: The concept of constitution in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in both the prevention and treatment of insomnia. However, rigorous statistical evidence on the correlation between TCM constitutions-particularly mixed constitutions-and insomnia disorder remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between specific TCM constitutions and insomnia disorder. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai, from November 2022 to December 2023. TCM constitutions were assessed using the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire. Insomnia disorder was diagnosed by experienced internal medicine physicians according to the criteria of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition. A total of 1065 eligible participants (242 with insomnia disorder and 823 controls) were included in the final analysis. RESULTS: Among the participants, 862 (80.94%) exhibited biased constitutions, with 75.30% of these having mixed constitutions. Logistic regression analysis revealed a negative association between the gentleness constitution and insomnia disorder, whereas qi-deficiency, yang-deficiency, phlegm-dampness and qi-depression constitutions were positively associated with insomnia disorder. These associations remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders and were further validated through sensitivity analysis using propensity score matching. CONCLUSION Significant associations between TCM constitutions and insomnia disorder were demonstrated. Future research should further investigate these relationships and explore the underlying mechanisms through rigorous longitudinal and interventional studies to improve understanding and clinical applications. Please cite this article as: Han Y, Wang Y, Shi MY, Liu Y, Cheng XD, Zhou Y. Integrating traditional Chinese medicine constitutions into insomnia management: Findings from a cross-sectional study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 382-389.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapy* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis, a common chronic inflammatory skin condition with genetic underpinnings, is traditionally managed with cupping therapy. Although used historically, the precise mechanical effects and therapeutic mechanisms of cupping in psoriasis remain largely unexamined. This study aimed to evaluate cupping therapy's efficacy for psoriasis and investigate its role in modulating inflammatory responses and cellular metabolism. METHODS: Psoriasis was induced in mice using topical imiquimod (IMQ). The effects of cupping on psoriatic lesions were assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, histology, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. polymerase chain reaction sequencing (RNA-seq) and Western blotting were conducted to examine changes in mRNA expression and the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. RESULTS: Cupping therapy significantly reduced inflammation, epidermal thickness, and inflammatory cell infiltration in mice with IMQ-induced psoriasis. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed lower expression of inflammatory markers and a shift in T-cell populations. RNA-seq and Western blotting indicated that cupping upregulated Piezo1 and activated the AMPK pathway, improving energy metabolism in psoriatic skin. CONCLUSION Cupping therapy reduces epidermal hyperproliferation and inflammation in psoriasis, rebalancing the local immune microenvironment. Mechanistically, cupping promotes calcium influx via Piezo1, activates AMPK signaling, and supports metabolic homeostasis, suggesting therapeutic potential for psoriasis. Please cite this article as: Xi RF, Liu X, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Yuan SJ, Guo DJ, Zhu JY, Li FL, Duan YJ. Mechanosensory activation of Piezo1 via cupping therapy: Harnessing neural networks to modulate AMPK pathway for metabolic restoration in a mouse model of psoriasis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):721-732.
Animals ; Psoriasis/chemically induced* ; Mice ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Cupping Therapy/methods* ; Signal Transduction ; Imiquimod ; Ion Channels/genetics* ; Male ; Mechanotransduction, Cellular

OBJECTIVE: Recombination events are common and serve as the primary driving force of diverse human adenovirus (HAdV), particularly in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs). Therefore, continual monitoring of these events is essential for effective viral surveillance and control. METHODS: Respiratory specimens were collected from children with ARIs between January 2022 and December 2023. The penton base, hexon, and fiber genes were amplified from HAdV-positive specimens and sequenced to determine the virus type. In cases with inconsistent typing results, genes were cloned into the pGEM-T vector to detect recombination events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to characterize the recombinant HAdV genomes. RESULTS: Among 6,771 specimens, 277 (4.09%, 277/6,771) were positvie for HAdV, of which 157 (56.68%, 157/277) were successfully typed, with HAdV-B3 being the dominant type (91.08%, 143/157), and 14 (5.05%, 14/277) exhibited inconsistent typing results, six of which belonged to species B. The penton base genes of these six specimens were classified as HAdV-B7, whereas their hexon and fiber genes were classified as HAdV-B3, resulting in a recombinant genotype designated P7H3F3, which closely resembled HAdV-B114. Additionally, a partial gene encoding L1 52/55 kD was identified, which originated from HAdV-B16. CONCLUSION A novel recombinant, P7H3F3, was identified, containing sequences derived from HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, which is similar to HAdV-B114, along with additional sequences from HAdV-B16.
Humans ; Adenoviruses, Human/isolation & purification* ; Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology* ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Recombination, Genetic ; Male ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Infant ; Female ; Phylogeny ; Adenovirus Infections, Human/epidemiology* ; Acute Disease ; Genome, Viral

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) poses a significant risk of neural damage during pregnancy. As the most prevalent intrauterine infectious agent in low- and middle-income countries, HCMV disrupts the development of neural stem cells, leading to fetal malformations and abnormal structural and physiological functions in the fetal brain. This review summarizes the current understanding of how HCMV infection dysregulates the Wnt signaling pathway to induce fetal malformations and discusses current management strategies.
Humans ; Cytomegalovirus Infections/virology* ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Cytomegalovirus/physiology* ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/virology* ; Congenital Abnormalities/virology* ; Animals

Background: Deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) are employed to address highly urgent patients, including those with acute liver failure (ALF), acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), or critical cirrhosis. This study compares outcomes between LDLT and DDLT patients with ALF, ACLF, or critical cirrhosis in highly urgent LDLT (HU-LDLT) applications. Methods: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS) data, which included 391 consecutive HU-LDLT applications from 2017 to 2021. Results: The proportion of DDLT was 15.1% (n=59) within the cohort of HU-LDLT applications. The prevalence of hepatorenal syndrome, duration of pre-transplant intensive care unit (ICU) care, incidence of pre-transplant continuous renal replacement therapy, and median model for end-stage liver disease scores were significantly greater and prolonged in DDLT patients compared to LDLT patients. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in postoperative complications or overall survival between the two groups. In the multivariate analysis, only pre-transplant ventilator care emerged as a significant predisposing factor for mortality. Conclusion The present study indicates that LDLT is a viable option, yielding comparable perioperative and long-term outcomes to DDLT for HU patients, which can encourage living liver donation to overcome organ shortages in HU patients.