OBJECTIVE: To construct and validate a predictive model for the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Tongdu Yangxin prescription (acupoint prescription for promoting the circulation of the governor vessel and nourishing the heart) on insomnia, so as to develop an open-access interactive artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted decision-making platform. METHODS: Clinical data of 139 insomnia patients treated with Tongdu Yangxin acupuncture therapy were included. All the patients had received acupuncture at Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV24⁺), bilateral Shenmen (HT7), and bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP6); and electric stimulation was attached to Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV24⁺), using a continuous wave and a frequency of 2 Hz. The treatment was delivered once every other day, 3 treatments a week, and for 2 consecutive weeks. Patients with Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score reduction rate <50% were classified as the "no response group", and those with ≥50% were as the "response group". Outliers were addressed using the 1.5×IQR rule, and missing values were imputed via predictive mean matching. Key features were selected by intersecting the feature importance results from eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and random forest algorithms. After balancing class distribution using the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE), 20% of the data was reserved as a validation set. The remained data underwent the stratified sampling iterations to generate 200 pairs of 3∶1 training-test sets, which was employed for training and internal validation of 8 machine learning algorithms. The optimal algorithm and data partitioning strategy were selected to construct the final model, followed by external validation. The best-performing model was deployed online via Streamlit to create an interactive AI platform. RESULTS: Key predictive features for model construction included insomnia duration, the total PSQI score, PSQI sleep efficiency subscore, the proportion of N1 and N2 sleep stages in total sleep duration, and the maximum pulse rate during sleep. The CatBoost-based model achieved an AUC of 0.92, the average precision of 0.77, and accuracy, average recall, and average F1-score of 0.75 on the test set. On the validation set, it attained an AUC of 0.84, with accuracy, average precision, average recall, and average F1-score all at 0.72, demonstrating robust predictive performance. An interactive AI platform was subsequently developed (https://tdyx-catboost.streamlit.app/). CONCLUSION This study successfully establishes and validates a CatBoost-based efficacy prediction model for Tongdu Yangxin acupuncture therapy in treatment of insomnia. The developed AI platform provides data-driven decision support for acupuncture-based insomnia management.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Artificial Intelligence ; Aged ; Young Adult

Objective:To investigate the interventional effects of the Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) formula and its partial mechanistic role on cholestatic liver fibrosis in mice.Methods:Mdr2 gene knockout (Mdr2－/ －) mice were randomly divided into a model group, FZHY group, and Obeticholic acid group. Wild-type C57BL/6J mice of the same age served as the control group. Mdr2－/ －mice were given the corresponding drugs starting from the first day of 9 weeks of age by oral gavage in each group. The control and model groups were administered 0.3% sodium carboxymethylcellulose by oral gavage and were sacrificed at 12 weeks of age for specimen collection. High-speed biochemistry analyzer was used to detect serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase activity in mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Sirius red staining were used to observe pathological changes in liver tissues. Hydroxyproline content was measured to assess collagen in liver tissues. Immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to detect the expression of fibrosis markers Col-I and alpha-smooth muscle actin in liver tissues. The expressional condition of cholangiocyte response markers Epcam, CK7, CK19, as well as Pcna, Mki67, and Ccnd1, inflammatory related factors Ccl2, Ccl5, Tnf-α, Il10, and Cxcl4, phosphorylated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) were determined. Comparative analysis among multiple groups was performed using one-way ANOVA. The LSD method was used for comparisons between groups. Two-tailed statistical tests were used.Results:Compared with wild-type mice, Mdr2 －/ － mice had a significant increase in serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activity ( P<0.001). The percentage of Sirius red-positive staining areas and hydroxyproline content in liver tissues was significantly increased ( P<0.01). The expression of Col-I, α-smooth muscle actin, Epcam, CK7, CK19, Pcna, Mki67, and Ccnd1, and the expression of Ccl2, Ccl5, Tnf-α, Il10, and Cxcl4 were significantly increased ( P<0.01); however, both FZHY and Obeticholic acid significantly reversed the increases in these indicators ( P<0.05; P<0.01). Further results showed that compared to wild-type mice, the expression of PPARα was significantly reduced in liver tissues of Mdr2 －/ － mice, while NF-κB was significantly enhanced ( P<0.01). In contrast, compared to Mdr2-/- mice, the expression of PPARα in the liver tissues of FZHY group mice was significantly increased ( P<0.05), while NF-κB was significantly inhibited ( P<0.05). Conclusion:FZHY can significantly improve liver fibrosis, cholangiocyte response, and inflammation in Mdr2 －/ － mice with spontaneously occurring cholestatic liver fibrosis, and its mechanistic role is related to the regulation of the PPARα/NF-κB pathway.

New quality productivity is a strategic engine for promoting high-quality development and is an inherent requirement and important focus for enhancing new driving forces and building national advantages.The cultivation of innovative talents and technological innovation are key to the development of new quality productivity.Laboratory animal science is a comprehensive interdisciplinary subject that integrates multiple disciplines including biology,medicine,pharmacy,and biomedical engineering.Teaching and research of laboratory animal science not only promotes the creation of innovative talent teams by cultivating innovative consciousness,thinking,spirit,and operational abilities,but also promotes the development of cutting-edge technologies and the transformation of disruptive research result in the fields of basic research and clinical translation of biomedicine,thus providing important guarantees for China's scientific and technological progress and innovative development.

New quality productivity is a strategic engine for promoting high-quality development and is an inherent requirement and important focus for enhancing new driving forces and building national advantages.The cultivation of innovative talents and technological innovation are key to the development of new quality productivity.Laboratory animal science is a comprehensive interdisciplinary subject that integrates multiple disciplines including biology,medicine,pharmacy,and biomedical engineering.Teaching and research of laboratory animal science not only promotes the creation of innovative talent teams by cultivating innovative consciousness,thinking,spirit,and operational abilities,but also promotes the development of cutting-edge technologies and the transformation of disruptive research result in the fields of basic research and clinical translation of biomedicine,thus providing important guarantees for China's scientific and technological progress and innovative development.

Objective:To investigate the interventional effects of the Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) formula and its partial mechanistic role on cholestatic liver fibrosis in mice.Methods:Mdr2 gene knockout (Mdr2－/ －) mice were randomly divided into a model group, FZHY group, and Obeticholic acid group. Wild-type C57BL/6J mice of the same age served as the control group. Mdr2－/ －mice were given the corresponding drugs starting from the first day of 9 weeks of age by oral gavage in each group. The control and model groups were administered 0.3% sodium carboxymethylcellulose by oral gavage and were sacrificed at 12 weeks of age for specimen collection. High-speed biochemistry analyzer was used to detect serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase activity in mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Sirius red staining were used to observe pathological changes in liver tissues. Hydroxyproline content was measured to assess collagen in liver tissues. Immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to detect the expression of fibrosis markers Col-I and alpha-smooth muscle actin in liver tissues. The expressional condition of cholangiocyte response markers Epcam, CK7, CK19, as well as Pcna, Mki67, and Ccnd1, inflammatory related factors Ccl2, Ccl5, Tnf-α, Il10, and Cxcl4, phosphorylated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) were determined. Comparative analysis among multiple groups was performed using one-way ANOVA. The LSD method was used for comparisons between groups. Two-tailed statistical tests were used.Results:Compared with wild-type mice, Mdr2 －/ － mice had a significant increase in serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activity ( P<0.001). The percentage of Sirius red-positive staining areas and hydroxyproline content in liver tissues was significantly increased ( P<0.01). The expression of Col-I, α-smooth muscle actin, Epcam, CK7, CK19, Pcna, Mki67, and Ccnd1, and the expression of Ccl2, Ccl5, Tnf-α, Il10, and Cxcl4 were significantly increased ( P<0.01); however, both FZHY and Obeticholic acid significantly reversed the increases in these indicators ( P<0.05; P<0.01). Further results showed that compared to wild-type mice, the expression of PPARα was significantly reduced in liver tissues of Mdr2 －/ － mice, while NF-κB was significantly enhanced ( P<0.01). In contrast, compared to Mdr2-/- mice, the expression of PPARα in the liver tissues of FZHY group mice was significantly increased ( P<0.05), while NF-κB was significantly inhibited ( P<0.05). Conclusion:FZHY can significantly improve liver fibrosis, cholangiocyte response, and inflammation in Mdr2 －/ － mice with spontaneously occurring cholestatic liver fibrosis, and its mechanistic role is related to the regulation of the PPARα/NF-κB pathway.

Population aging in China has led to an increase in the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm(AAA).AAA rupture is one of the most severe life-threatening diseases,with high mortality.The main histopathological features of AAA include elastin degradation,smooth muscle cell depletion,extracellular matrix digestion,and mural leukocyte accumulation.Clinically,drug therapy is still lacking,and open/endovascular repair remains the most effective treatment strategy for AAA management.Notably however,the detailed molecular mechanism of AAA remains unclear,representing an important bottleneck affecting the development of potential drug targets.Animal models are the most powerful tools for clarifying the pathogenesis of AAA,and although some medium-to-large laboratory animal models(e.g.,rabbits,guinea pigs,dogs,pigs)have been established for AAA studies,rodent models(mice and rats)are still the main models used in this field.Current method of inducing AAA include intra-infrarenal aortic infusion of elastase,subcutaneous infusion of angiotensin Ⅱ,periaortic calcium chloride painting,and decellularized aortic xenografting;however,AAA tends to stabilize in most models after ceasing pre-induced stimulation(medical or surgical),and there remains a need for ideal animal models that maintain continuous aortic dilation and even rupture.AAA animal models are helpful for elucidating the pathogenesis of AAA,screening new drug targets,and promoting clinical translation.This review aims to discuss the application of current AAA modeling method and their translational relevance.

Objective To determine the time point when porcine pancreatic elastase(PPE)induced abdominal aortic aneurysm(AAA)reaches the regression phase in mice and observe the histological characteristics of AAA in regression phase.Methods AAAs were induced by transient intraluminal infusion of PPE in C57BL/6J mice.The diameters of the mouse abdominal aortas were measured before PPE infusion and sacrifice time,day 14 for AAA progression phase or day 56 for regression phase after PPE infusion,respectively.The histological characteristics of the aneurysm lesion site on day 14 and day 56 after surgery were compared and analyzed.Results The diameters of the abdominal aortas were significantly increased in both day 14 and day 56 after PPE infusion groups(diameter growth rate 147％and 155％,respectively)as compared to the baseline diameters.In the day 14 group,the infused aortas showed typical AAA characteristics,such as elastin break/degradation,medial smooth muscle cells depletion,and inflammatory cell diffused infiltration.In the day 56 group after PPE infusion,although the artery diameter did not change significantly as compared to the day 14 group,histology showed that elastin was partially repaired,new smooth muscle cells were added to the damaged aorta media,the infiltrated inflammatory cells were significantly subsided,and the adventitia neovascularization was reduced,showing a significant feature of the disease regression phase.Conclusion In the PPE-induced mouse AAA model,day 56 after surgery is an appropriate time point for observing aneurysm regression,and the histological characteristics of the regression are obvious.

【Objective】 To study the effect of macrophage mediator 1 (MED1) deficiency on atherosclerosis in female mice. 【Methods】 ApoE knockout (ApoE^-/-), LDLR knockout (LDLR^-/-), MED1^fl/fl, and macrophage MED1 knockout (MED1^△Mac) mice were recruited in the study. Two types of mouse model were constructed:ApoE and macrophage MED1 double knockout (MED1^△Mac/ApoE^-/-) mice and their littermate controls (MED1^fl/fl/ApoE^-/-). ② LDLR knockout (LDLR^-/-) mice receiving bone marrow from MED1^△Mac (MED1^△Mac→LDLR^-/-) or MED1^fl/fl (MED1^fl/fl→LDLR^-/-) mice. Female mice from these two models were fed a Western diet (21% fat and 0.15% cholesterol) for 12 weeks to promote the development of atherosclerosis. Body weight, total cholesterol (TC), and total triglyceride (TG) content in plasma were measured dynamically. After Western diet feeding for 12 weeks, aortic tree and aortic root were collected and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and oil red O staining were performed. 【Results】 Plasma TC and TG did not significantly differ between MED1^fl/fl/ApoE^-/- control group and MED1^△Mac/ApoE^-/-experimental group. However, the plaque area in aortic tree and aortic root was significantly increased in MED1^△Mac/ApoE^-/-mice. Moreover, compared with that in MED1^fl/fl→LDLR^-/- control group, the plaque area of aortic tree and aortic root had an increasing trend in MED1^△Mac→LDLR^-/- mice group. 【Conclusion】 MED1 deficiency in macrophages promotes the development of atherosclerosis in female ApoE or LDLR knockout mice.

【Objective】 To compare the histological characteristics of porcine pancreatic elastase （PPE） induced abdominal aortic aneurysms （AAA） and angiotensin Ⅱ （AngⅡ） induced AAA in mice. 【Methods】 In the PPE group， the mouse abdominal aorta segment from the infrarenal abdominal aorta to the iliac artery was isolated and its branch arteries were ligated to avoid leakage during PPE perfusion. We perfused the isolated aorta segment with a PPE solution at a concentration of 1.5 U/mL for 5 min and then closed the abdominal cavity. The diameter of the abdominal aorta was measured before and 14 days after the surgery， and the perfusion segment of the arteries was collected at day 14 after the surgery. The histological characteristics of the aneurysm were analyzed and graded by histological and immunohistochemical methods. In the AngⅡ group， ten apolipoprotein E knockout mice were prepared， and AngⅡ [1 000 ng/(kg·min)] was infused with osmotic pumps for 28 days. The aorta was separated and the aneurysm aorta segment was analyzed. The wild type mice were used as normal health controls. 【Results】 In the PPE group， the diameter of the PPE perfused aorta segments increased and was significantly larger than the basal diameter ［（0.52±0.02） mm vs. （1.23±0.11） mm］ at day 14 after surgery. All the ten mice developed AAA after PPE application. The histological results showed typical pathological features of AAA in PPE perfused mice， such as elastic fiber breakage， smooth muscle exhaustion， and increased inflammation. Six of the ten mice developed aneurysms after AngⅡ infusion （6/10）. The aneurysms/dilatations were mostly in the suprarenal abdominal aorta， but also in the thoracic aorta and aortic arch. The histology analysis showed that the formation of arterial dissection was common after AngⅡ infusion， and the typical vascular “false lumen” was found. The breakage of elastic fibers， the exhaustion of smooth muscle damage， and the inflammatory response were not as typical as the PPE model in AngⅡ perfused animals. 【Conclusion】 The histological characteristics of PPE induced AAA are very typical and well present the inflammatory process in the development of aneurysm. The AngⅡ model is suitable for the study of aneurysms combined with aortic dissection. Both models have their own advantages and can complement each other.

Objective:To explore the morphological characteristics, treatment strategies and clinical results of complex hyperextension tibial plateau fractures.Methods:From October 2017 to January 2019, data of 27 patients with complex hyperextension tibial plateau fractures were retrospectively analyzed. There were 19 males and 8 females with an average age of 43.4 years (range, 23-68 years). According to Schatzker classification of tibial plateau fractures: there are 8 cases of type IV, 5 of type V, and 14 of type VI; according to the three-column theory classification: there are 8 cases of two-column fracture and 19 cases of three-column fracture. Bicondylar fractures were treated with medial Tomofix locking plate and anterolateral L-shaped locking plate through medial and anterolateral approach; tibialmedial condylar fractures was treated with T-shaped plate and posteromedial locking plate through extended medial approach. Patients with anterior tibial fractures were treated with horizontal strip plate through modified anterior median approach. Combined soft tissue or bone injury was repaired. The fracture healing and reduction were evaluated by X-ray and CT scan. The reduction of tibial plateau fracture was evaluated by Rasmussen radiology standard, and the knee joint function was evaluated 12 months after the operation by the score of American hospital for special surgery (HSS).Results:All the 27 surgeries were performedsuccessfully. The operation time was 130-350 minutes, with an average time of 165 minutes. Twenty-seven cases were followed up for 12-24 months, with an average period of 15.8 months. All fractures were healed. The average clinical healing time was 13.5 weeks (range, 10-18 weeks). Twelve months after operation, Rasmussen's radiology score was 13-18, with an average of 16.7 points, among them there were 19 excellent and 8 good. Twelve months after the operation, the score of HSS knee joint was 82-98, with an average score of 93.2 points, and there were 22 cases excellent, 4 cases good and 1 case fair. The excellent and good rate was 96.2% (26/27).Conclusion:Complex hyperextension tibial plateau fractures often combined with tibial bicondylar, medial tibial condyle or anterior tibial fractures. According to the morphological characteristics of complex hyperextension tibial plateau fractures, using appropriate surgical approach and internal fixation, repairing ligament soft tissue structure and reconstructing knee joint stability can achieve satisfactory results.