OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and safety of moxibustion in treating patients with central obesity of phlegm-dampness constitution. METHODS: A total of 66 patients with central obesity of phlegm-dampness constitution were randomly assigned to a moxibustion group (n=33, 3 cases dropped out) and a sham moxibustion group (n=33, 4 cases dropped out). The moxibustion group received mild moxibustion combined with lifestyle intervention; the moxibustion was applied at Shenque (CV8) and bilateral Zusanli (ST36), 30 min per session, maintaining a local skin temperature of (43±1) ℃. The sham moxibustion group received simulated moxibustion combined with lifestyle intervention; the simulated moxibustion was applied at the same acupoints, with the same session length, but with a maintained skin temperature of (37±1) ℃. Both groups were treated once every other day, three times per week for 8 consecutive weeks. Obesity-related physical indicators (waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight, body fat percentage, body mass index [BMI]), constitution evaluation indicators (phlegm-dampness constitution conversion score, symptom score), the impact of weight on quality of life-lite (IWQOL-Lite), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and the incidence of adverse events were measured before and after treatment, and after 4 weeks of follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, both groups showed significant reductions in waist circumference, hip circumference, body weight, body fat percentage, BMI, phlegm-dampness constitution conversion score and symptom score, IWQOL-Lite, and both anxiety and depression subscale scores of HADS after treatment and at follow-up (P<0.001). These improvements were significantly greater in the moxibustion group than those in the sham moxibustion group (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). One patient in the moxibustion group experienced a mild burn that resolved with routine care; the incidence of adverse reactions was 3.0% (1/33) in the moxibustion group and 0% (0/33) in the sham moxibustion group, with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSION On the basis of lifestyle intervention, moxibustion effectively improves obesity-related physical indicators, enhances quality of life, alleviates anxiety and depression, and improves the phlegm-dampness constitution in patients with central obesity. These benefits persist for at least 4 weeks after treatment.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Obesity, Abdominal/psychology* ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome ; Aged ; Quality of Life ; Young Adult ; Body Mass Index

Objective To evaluate the survival outcomes of segmentectomy versus lobectomy for T1c non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods We searched PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and Wanfang Data, with the search time limit set from the inception of the databases to February 2024. Three researchers independently screened the literature, extracted relevant information, and evaluated the risk of bias of the included literature according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 15.1. Results A total of 8 retrospective cohort studies were included, involving 7 433 patients. The NOS scores of the included studies were all ≥7 points. Patients who underwent lobectomy had significantly higher five-year overall survival (OS) rates compared to those who underwent segmentectomy (adjusted HR=1.11, 95%CI 0.99-1.24, P=0.042). Compared with lobectomy, segmentectomy showed no significant difference in adjusted three-year OS rate (adjusted HR=0.88, 95%CI 0.62-1.24) and adjusted five-year lung cancer-specific survival (adjusted HR=1.10, 95%CI 0.80-1.51, P=0.556) of patients with T1c NSCLC. Moreover, there were no differences in the five-year adjusted relapse-free survival (adjusted HR=1.23, 95%CI 0.82-1.85, P=0.319), and adverse events (OR=0.57, 95%CI 0.37-0.90, P=0.015) in the segmentectomy group were significantly less than those in the lobectomy group. Subgroup analysis based on whether patients received neoadjuvant therapy showed that among studies that excluded patients who received neoadjuvant therapy, no significant difference in 5-year adjusted OS rate was observed between the segmentectomy group and lobectomy group (adjusted HR=1.02, 95%CI 0.81-1.28, P=0.870). Conclusion Segmentectomy and lobectomy show no significant difference in long-term survival in stage T1c NSCLC patients, with segmentectomy associated with fewer postoperative complications. Further high-quality research is needed to confirm the comparative efficacy and safety of lobectomy and segmentectomy for T1c NSCLC patients.

Several types of arthritis share the common feature that the generation of inflammatory mediators leads to joint cartilage degradation. However, the shared mechanism is largely unknown. H2BK120ub1 was reportedly involved in various inflammatory diseases but its role in the shared mechanism in inflammatory joint conditions remains elusive. The present study demonstrated that levels of cartilage degradation, H2BK120ub1, and its regulator WW domain-containing adapter protein with coiled-coil (WAC) were increased in cartilage in human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients as well as in experimental RA and OA mice. By regulating H2BK120ub1 and H3K27me3, WAC regulated the secretion of inflammatory and cartilage-degrading factors. WAC influenced the level of H3K27me3 by regulating nuclear entry of the H3K27 demethylase KDM6B, and acted as a key factor of the crosstalk between H2BK120ub1 and H3K27me3. The cartilage-specific knockout of WAC demonstrated the ability to alleviate cartilage degradation in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) mice. Through molecular docking and dynamic simulation, doxercalciferol was found to inhibit WAC and the development of cartilage degradation in the CIA and CIOA models. Our study demonstrated that WAC is a key factor of cartilage degradation in arthritis, and targeting WAC by doxercalciferol could be a viable therapeutic strategy for treating cartilage destruction in several types of arthritis.

Aim To explore the effect of age on myocardial remodeling after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction.Methods This study was a cross-sectional study analyzing clinical data of regular follow-up at 1,3,6 and 12 months after PCI for acute anterior myocardial infarction.According to the age of the patients,they were divided into a low age group(＜65 years old)and a high age group(≥65 years old).The differences in baseline data,biochemical indexes,coronary angiography,inflammatory factor levels,and cardiac ultrasound indexes between the two groups were analyzed,and the correlation analysis between age and inflammatory factors and the multivariate linear regression analysis of diastolic function were performed.Results A to-tal of 87 patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction were selected,aged(62±13)years,including 67 males(77.0％),43 in the low age group and 44 in the high age group.Compared with the low age group,the levels of inflam-matory factors such as C-reactive protein,interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)increased in the high age group,while ultrasound indicators such as mitral valve annulus septal e',mitral valve flow velocity E/A,and mitral valve annulus sidewall e'decreased(P＜0.05).Older age was an independent risk factor for a decrease in mitral valve flow velocity E/A,mitral valve annulus sidewall e'and mitral valve annulus septal e'in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction 6 months after PCI(P＜0.05).Conclusion Age is an independent risk factor for reduced diastolic function after PCI in acute anterior myocardial infarction,inflammatory factor such as IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α may play a role in the impaired diastolic function after PCI in age-related acute anterior myocardial infarction.

Aim To apply coronary angiography derived index of microcirculatory resistance(caIMR)to evaluate the effect of coronary microcirculation perfusion on myocardial remodeling after interventional therapy in patients with acute anterior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods This was a cross-sectional study.The analysis was performed among the patients who were hospitalized for acute anterior STEMI in the First Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from January 2021 to July 2022 and received percutaneous coro-nary intervention(PCI)with regtelar follow-up visits.The patients were divided into low caIMR(L-caIMR)group,me-dium caIMR(M-caIMR)group and high caIMR(H-caIMR)group according to the results of caIMR.The results of ech-ocardiography at perioperative period,1 month,3 months,6 months and 1 year were analyzed and compared,including left atrial diameter(LAD),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),interventricular septum thickness(IVST),mitral orifice flow velocity E/A,mitral annular septum e'and mitral annular wall e',etc.The difference of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and other inflammatory factors in peripheral blood of the three groups were also compared.Results A total of 75 patients diagnosed with acute anterior STEMI were recrui-ted,including 55 males.The L-caIMR group,M-caIMR group,and H-caIMR group had 26,26 and 23 cases,respec-tively.Compared with the L-caIMR group,the LAD and IVST in the M-caIMR group and the H-caIMR group exhibited an increasing tendency one month after PCI,and the increase in the H-caIMR group was more significant than that in the M-caIMR group(P＜0.05).The ejection fraction in the H-caIMR group was notably lower than that in the L-caIMR group and the M-caIMR group at 1 and 3 months after PCI(P＜0.05).Compared with the L-caIMR group,the mitral flow velocity E/A at 6 months after PCI,and the e'at the septal side and the lateral wall of the mitral annulus at 1,3,and 6 months after PCI were significantly reduced in the M-caIMR and H-caIMR groups(P＜0.05).Compared with the L-caIMR group,the levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α showed an increasing trend in the M-caIMR group and the H-caIMR group,and the increase was greater in the H-caIMR group than that in the M-caIMR group(P＜0.05).Multivariate anal-ysis revealed that caIMR was a factor influencing the levels of IL-1 β and IL-6(P＜0.05).Conclusion CMD may be involved in the process of myocardial remodeling in patients with acute anterior STEMI after PCI,in which inflammation plays a role.

Objectives:To assess the effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on electrocardiographic remodeling in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), and identify its influencing factors.Methods:A cohort study was conducted on patients with a confirmed diagnosis of severe AS who successfully underwent TAVR at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University between June 2018 and March 2023. Data, including standard 15-lead electrocardiograms and echocardiograms, were collected before the operation, 1 week after the operation, and 3 months after the operation. The average degree of ST-segment depression in the lateral wall leads of the electrocardiograms, and the amplitude of the T-wave were measured and calculated. The changes of electrocardiograms indexes were observed, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between each index of electrocardiograms and each index of echocardiography. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the influencing factors of the improvement of electrocardiographic remodeling in patients with severe AS after TAVR.Results:A total of 33 patients with severe AS, aged (73±9) years, were included in the study. Among them there were 15 (45%) males. The degree of ST-segment depression, supra-aortic flow velocity, peak transaortic pressure, and mean transaortic pressure exhibited significant improvement at 1 week post-TAVR (all P<0.05). Similarly, significant improvements in T-wave hypoplasia or inversion, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular mass index were observed at 3 months post-TAVR (all P<0.05). The degree of ST-segment depression was found to be correlated with supra-aortic flow velocity, peak transaortic pressure, and mean transaortic pressure (all P<0.05). Additionally, a correlation was observed between T-wave amplitude and left ventricular mass, left ventricular mass index, left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter, and left ventricular ejection fraction (all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that supra-aortic flow velocity was an independent influencing factor of the level of ST-segment depression ( β=-0.156, P=0.007), while left ventricular mass index was identified as an independent influencing factor of T-wave amplitude ( β=-2.007, P=0.001). Conclusion:The improvement in electrocardiographic remodeling could be observed after TAVR in patients with severe AS, which may be due to enhanced cardiac perfusion and regression of left ventricular hypertrophy subsequent to aortic valve opening.

Objective To study the therapeutic effects of Yigan Fupi decoction(YGFP)on irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)and its mechanism of action in repairing the intestinal barrier and reducing IBS sensitivity through the PKA/PKC-CREB pathway.Methods Baby rats separated from their mother were randomly divided into a model control(M)and a YGFP group,while baby rats without maternal separation were used as a normal control(N)group.The YGFP group was given YGFP for 4 weeks.Abdominal withdrawal reflux was used to evaluate intestinal sensitivity.Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and ELISA were used to detect bile acid metabolite concentrations and serum levels of interleukin(IL)-6 and CXCL1,respectively.HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in the colon,and Western Blot and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the relative protein expression levels of PKA,PKC,CREB,5HT2AR,5-HT7R,ZO-1,and Claudin 1.Results Compared with the normal control group,the M group showed a significantly decreased visceral pain threshold,significantly increased levels of total bile acid metabolites,IL-6,and CXCL1,significantly increased relative expression of PKA,PKC,CREB,5HT2AR,and 5-HT7R,and significantly decreased relative expression of ZO-1 and Claudin 1.Compared with the M group,the YGFP group showed a significantly increased visceral pain threshold,significantly reduced levels of total bile acid metabolites,IL-6,and CXCL1,significantly reduced relative expression of PKA,PKC,CREB,5HT2AR,and 5-HT7R,and increased relative expression of ZO-1 and Claudin 1.Conclusions YGFP effectively improved IBS through a mechanism that may involve repair of the intestinal barrier and reduced sensitivity through the PKA/PKC-CREB pathway.

Aim To apply coronary angiography derived index of microcirculatory resistance(caIMR)to evaluate the effect of coronary microcirculation perfusion on myocardial remodeling after interventional therapy in patients with acute anterior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods This was a cross-sectional study.The analysis was performed among the patients who were hospitalized for acute anterior STEMI in the First Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from January 2021 to July 2022 and received percutaneous coro-nary intervention(PCI)with regtelar follow-up visits.The patients were divided into low caIMR(L-caIMR)group,me-dium caIMR(M-caIMR)group and high caIMR(H-caIMR)group according to the results of caIMR.The results of ech-ocardiography at perioperative period,1 month,3 months,6 months and 1 year were analyzed and compared,including left atrial diameter(LAD),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDD),interventricular septum thickness(IVST),mitral orifice flow velocity E/A,mitral annular septum e'and mitral annular wall e',etc.The difference of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and other inflammatory factors in peripheral blood of the three groups were also compared.Results A total of 75 patients diagnosed with acute anterior STEMI were recrui-ted,including 55 males.The L-caIMR group,M-caIMR group,and H-caIMR group had 26,26 and 23 cases,respec-tively.Compared with the L-caIMR group,the LAD and IVST in the M-caIMR group and the H-caIMR group exhibited an increasing tendency one month after PCI,and the increase in the H-caIMR group was more significant than that in the M-caIMR group(P＜0.05).The ejection fraction in the H-caIMR group was notably lower than that in the L-caIMR group and the M-caIMR group at 1 and 3 months after PCI(P＜0.05).Compared with the L-caIMR group,the mitral flow velocity E/A at 6 months after PCI,and the e'at the septal side and the lateral wall of the mitral annulus at 1,3,and 6 months after PCI were significantly reduced in the M-caIMR and H-caIMR groups(P＜0.05).Compared with the L-caIMR group,the levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α showed an increasing trend in the M-caIMR group and the H-caIMR group,and the increase was greater in the H-caIMR group than that in the M-caIMR group(P＜0.05).Multivariate anal-ysis revealed that caIMR was a factor influencing the levels of IL-1 β and IL-6(P＜0.05).Conclusion CMD may be involved in the process of myocardial remodeling in patients with acute anterior STEMI after PCI,in which inflammation plays a role.

Objective To study the therapeutic effects of Yigan Fupi decoction(YGFP)on irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)and its mechanism of action in repairing the intestinal barrier and reducing IBS sensitivity through the PKA/PKC-CREB pathway.Methods Baby rats separated from their mother were randomly divided into a model control(M)and a YGFP group,while baby rats without maternal separation were used as a normal control(N)group.The YGFP group was given YGFP for 4 weeks.Abdominal withdrawal reflux was used to evaluate intestinal sensitivity.Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and ELISA were used to detect bile acid metabolite concentrations and serum levels of interleukin(IL)-6 and CXCL1,respectively.HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in the colon,and Western Blot and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the relative protein expression levels of PKA,PKC,CREB,5HT2AR,5-HT7R,ZO-1,and Claudin 1.Results Compared with the normal control group,the M group showed a significantly decreased visceral pain threshold,significantly increased levels of total bile acid metabolites,IL-6,and CXCL1,significantly increased relative expression of PKA,PKC,CREB,5HT2AR,and 5-HT7R,and significantly decreased relative expression of ZO-1 and Claudin 1.Compared with the M group,the YGFP group showed a significantly increased visceral pain threshold,significantly reduced levels of total bile acid metabolites,IL-6,and CXCL1,significantly reduced relative expression of PKA,PKC,CREB,5HT2AR,and 5-HT7R,and increased relative expression of ZO-1 and Claudin 1.Conclusions YGFP effectively improved IBS through a mechanism that may involve repair of the intestinal barrier and reduced sensitivity through the PKA/PKC-CREB pathway.

Aim To explore the effect of age on myocardial remodeling after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction.Methods This study was a cross-sectional study analyzing clinical data of regular follow-up at 1,3,6 and 12 months after PCI for acute anterior myocardial infarction.According to the age of the patients,they were divided into a low age group(＜65 years old)and a high age group(≥65 years old).The differences in baseline data,biochemical indexes,coronary angiography,inflammatory factor levels,and cardiac ultrasound indexes between the two groups were analyzed,and the correlation analysis between age and inflammatory factors and the multivariate linear regression analysis of diastolic function were performed.Results A to-tal of 87 patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction were selected,aged(62±13)years,including 67 males(77.0％),43 in the low age group and 44 in the high age group.Compared with the low age group,the levels of inflam-matory factors such as C-reactive protein,interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)increased in the high age group,while ultrasound indicators such as mitral valve annulus septal e',mitral valve flow velocity E/A,and mitral valve annulus sidewall e'decreased(P＜0.05).Older age was an independent risk factor for a decrease in mitral valve flow velocity E/A,mitral valve annulus sidewall e'and mitral valve annulus septal e'in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction 6 months after PCI(P＜0.05).Conclusion Age is an independent risk factor for reduced diastolic function after PCI in acute anterior myocardial infarction,inflammatory factor such as IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α may play a role in the impaired diastolic function after PCI in age-related acute anterior myocardial infarction.