OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping in patients with lumbar disc herniation, and compare it with traditional cupping. METHODS: A total of 100 patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation from January 2022 to August 2024 were selected and divided into two groups:the automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping group (controlled pressure cupping group) and the traditional cupping group (control group), 50 cases in each group. In the controlled pressure cupping group, there were 18 males and 32 females, with an age of (51.98±12.69) years;in the control group, there were 16 males and 34 females, with an age of (51.32±12.05) years. The visual analogue scale(VAS), comfort score, and lumbar range of motion were observed before treatment and after the 1st, 3rd, and 7th treatments to evaluate the efficacy and safety. RESULTS: All patients completed the treatment intervention, with complete follow-up data collected. No adverse reactions or complications occurred during treatment and follow-up. After the 3rd treatment, the VAS score of the controlled pressure cupping group was (2.38±0.49), which was lower than that of the control group (2.94±0.68), with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). In the controlled pressure cupping group, the VAS scores after the 1st, 3rd, and 7th treatments were significantly better than those before treatment (P=0.026);in the control group, the VAS scores after the 3rd and 7th treatments were better than those before treatment, but the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.182). Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) on VAS scores at different time points in both groups showed that there were statistically significant differences in inter-group, time, and interaction effects (P<0.05). After the 1st treatment, in the controlled pressure cupping group, 0 patients felt comfortable, 42 patients (84%) felt mild discomfort, and 8 patients (16%) felt moderate discomfort;in the control group, 0 patients felt comfortable, 28 patients (56%) felt mild discomfort, and 22 patients(44%) felt moderate discomfort;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P=0.005). After the 3rd treatment, in the controlled pressure cupping group, 30 patients(60%) felt comfortable, 20 patients (40%) felt mild discomfort, and 0 patients felt moderate discomfort; in the control group, 9 patients (18%) felt comfortable, 41 patients (82%) felt mild discomfort, and 0 patients felt moderate discomfort;the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in comfort between the two groups after the 7th treatment(P>0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in lumbar range of motion between the two groups before and after treatment(P>0.05);compared with before treatment, the lumbar range of motion of both groups after treatment was significantly improved, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Automatic pressure-controlled pressure cupping can effectively relieve symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation, with excellent safety.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology* ; Cupping Therapy/methods* ; Pressure ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Objective: To explore the brain-predicted age difference (Brain-PAD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by a machine learning prediction model based on structural magnetic resonance ( sMRI) in the Southwest University Adult Lifespan Dataset (SALD) , and to reveal the relationship between Brain-PAD and dura- tion of T2DM and cognition . Methods: Group comparisons about demographic variables and cognitive function were conducted respectively in local database of 104 T2DM patients and 83 healthy controls (HC) . The prediction model via Gaussian process regression (GPR) was constructed by training sMRI data of 329 healthy volunteers in SALD , then its performance was validated and evaluated . Furthermore , Brain-PAD ( predicted age-chronological age) in the local database was calculated . Group comparisons of Brain-PAD between T2DM patients and HCs were conducted by Mann-Whitney U test. Finally , Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was calculated between Brain-PAD and duration of disease and cognition . Results: Poor performance in auditory verbal learning test (AVLT)-delayed recall , AVLT-recognition , symbol digital modalities test (SDMT) (P < 0. 05) , and increased Brain-PAD were ob- served in T2DM patients , compared with HCs [1 . 619 ( - 4. 001 , 8. 272) years vs - 1 . 289 ( - 4. 128 , 4. 134) years , Z = 2. 056 , P = 0. 034] . Notably , the median of Brain-PAD in T2DM group was positive , indicating that the brain of T2DM patient maybe relatively “older”than his chronological age . Brain-PAD in T2DM group was as- sociated with performance in AVLT-immediate recall ( r = 0. 291 , P = 0. 003) , AVLT-delayed recall ( r = 0. 248 , P = 0. 011) , SDMT( r = 0. 376 , P = 0. 001) and trail making test (TMT)-A ( r = - 0. 206 , P = 0. 036) . However , the relationships between Brain-PAD and duration of T2DM were not explored . Conclusion Decreased cognitive function in patients with T2DM is demonstrated in this study . The machine learning prediction model based on sMRI supports the identification of brain aging objectively in patients with T2DM .

OBJECTIVE: Circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) is a risk factor that correlates with poor prognosis across multiple tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to define HCC subtypes based on CRD and explore their individual heterogeneity. METHODS: To quantify CRD, the HCC CRD score (HCCcrds) was developed. Using machine learning algorithms, we identified CRD module genes and defined CRD-related HCC subtypes in The Cancer Genome Atlas liver HCC cohort (n = 369), and the robustness of this method was validated. Furthermore, we used bioinformatics tools to investigate the cellular heterogeneity across these CRD subtypes. RESULTS: We defined three distinct HCC subtypes that exhibit significant heterogeneity in prognosis. The CRD-related subtype with high HCCcrds was significantly correlated with worse prognosis, higher pathological grade, and advanced clinical stages, while the CRD-related subtype with low HCCcrds had better clinical outcomes. We also identified novel biomarkers for each subtype, such as nicotinamide n-methyltransferase and myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate-like 1. CONCLUSION We classify the HCC patients into three distinct groups based on circadian rhythm and identify their specific biomarkers. Within these groups greater HCCcrds was associated with worse prognosis. This approach has the potential to improve prediction of an individual's prognosis, guide precision treatments, and assist clinical decision making for HCC patients. Please cite this article as: Li XJ, Chang L, Mi Y, Zhang G, Zhu SS, Zhang YX, et al. Integrated-omics analysis defines subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma based on circadian rhythm. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 445-456.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Circadian Rhythm/genetics* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Machine Learning ; Computational Biology

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

This study was aimed at exploring the prevalence and drug sensitivity of Gordonia strains isolated from sputum samples in Henan Province,to provide data to aid in the prevention and treatment of Gordonia infection.A combination of 16S rDNA and sec A1 gene sequencing was used to identify the isolated strains,and susceptibility to16 drugs was determined with the broth microdilution method.A total of 21 strains were identified through 16S rDNA gene and sec A1 gene sequencing,including five strains of Gordonia broncians,eight strains of Gordonia paraphernivans,seven strains of Gordonia sputi,and one strain of Gordonia aichiensis.Drug sensi-tivity testing showed high Gordonia sensitivity to drugs such as ceftriaxone,linezolid,doxycycline,amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,mino-cycline,cefotaxime,trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole,imipenem,tobramycin,and clarithromycin.The sensitivity rates of the isolated strains were 90.48%(19/21),100%(21/21),90.48%(19/21),90.48%(19/21),95.24%(20/21),90.48%(19/21),90.48%(19/21),90.48%(19/21),and 95.24%(20/21),respectively.Gordonia showed high resistance to rifampicin and cefepime,with rates of 28.57%(6/21)and 19.05%(4/21),respectively.Meanwhile,the resistance varied among bacterial strains.The resistance rate of G.sputi to rifampicin reached 71.43%(5/7),whereas that of G.parapffinivoras to cefepime was 37.5%(3/8).The main species of Gordo-nia isolated from sputum samples of patients in Henan Province were G.bronchialis,G.paraffinivoras,G.sputi,and G.aichiensis.Drug sensitivity tests indicated that drugs including amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,ceftriaxone,cefotaxime,tobramycin,clarithromycin,mi-nocycline,trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole,linezolid,and doxycycline had good antibacterial effects against Gordonia.

This study was aimed at exploring the prevalence and drug sensitivity of Gordonia strains isolated from sputum samples in Henan Province,to provide data to aid in the prevention and treatment of Gordonia infection.A combination of 16S rDNA and sec A1 gene sequencing was used to identify the isolated strains,and susceptibility to16 drugs was determined with the broth microdilution method.A total of 21 strains were identified through 16S rDNA gene and sec A1 gene sequencing,including five strains of Gordonia broncians,eight strains of Gordonia paraphernivans,seven strains of Gordonia sputi,and one strain of Gordonia aichiensis.Drug sensi-tivity testing showed high Gordonia sensitivity to drugs such as ceftriaxone,linezolid,doxycycline,amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,mino-cycline,cefotaxime,trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole,imipenem,tobramycin,and clarithromycin.The sensitivity rates of the isolated strains were 90.48%(19/21),100%(21/21),90.48%(19/21),90.48%(19/21),95.24%(20/21),90.48%(19/21),90.48%(19/21),90.48%(19/21),and 95.24%(20/21),respectively.Gordonia showed high resistance to rifampicin and cefepime,with rates of 28.57%(6/21)and 19.05%(4/21),respectively.Meanwhile,the resistance varied among bacterial strains.The resistance rate of G.sputi to rifampicin reached 71.43%(5/7),whereas that of G.parapffinivoras to cefepime was 37.5%(3/8).The main species of Gordo-nia isolated from sputum samples of patients in Henan Province were G.bronchialis,G.paraffinivoras,G.sputi,and G.aichiensis.Drug sensitivity tests indicated that drugs including amoxicillin/clavulanic acid,ceftriaxone,cefotaxime,tobramycin,clarithromycin,mi-nocycline,trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole,linezolid,and doxycycline had good antibacterial effects against Gordonia.

Objective:To investigate the prenatal ultrasound detection and prognosis of fetuses with cysts of filum terminale.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 68 fetuses with cysts of filum terminale that underwent level Ⅲ systematic ultrasound examination and were successfully followed up at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to June 2023. The analysis included the initial detection time, cyst size, accompanying abnormalities, whether the cysts disappeared in utero, outcomes, and postnatal follow-up. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.Results:The earliest ultrasound detection of filum terminale cysts was at 21 weeks and 4 days of gestation, with a median length of 4.3 mm (range 2.0-19.5 mm). Among the 68 cases, 69% (47/68) were isolated filum terminale cysts, and 31% (21/68) were non-isolated filum terminale cysts. Structural abnormalities associated with non-isolated filum terminale cysts were most commonly cardiovascular (7/21, 33%), urogenital (6/21, 29%), and neurological (6/21, 29%) systems. Prenatal ultrasound follow-up was performed in 41 cases, with an intrauterine disappearance rate of 63% (26/41). The disappearance rates for isolated and non-isolated filum terminale cysts were 67% (22/33) and 4/8, respectively. The earliest disappearance was at 25 weeks of gestation, with the shortest duration being 12 days. Prenatal genetic testing was conducted in 10 cases, with no definite pathogenic variants detected. There were 10 cases of induced labor, including two cases of isolated filum terminale cysts and eight cases of non-isolated filum terminale cysts. The remaining 58 cases resulted in live births, with postnatal follow-up ranging from 3 months to 3 years, showing no abnormal findings.Conclusion:Most fetal cysts of filum terminale are isolated and can spontaneously disappear in utero, with a generally good prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the in vitro effect of combinations of 5 β-lactam antibiotics with different β-lac-tamase inhibitors on the activity of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MDR-TB),and identify the most effective combination of β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactamase inhibitors against MDR-TB.Methods MDR-TB strains collected in Henan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Project in 2021 were selected.The mini-mum inhibitory concentrations(MIC)of 5 β-lactam antibiotics or combinations with different β-lactamase inhibitors on clinically isolated MDR-TB strains were measured by MIC detection method,and the blaC mutation of the strains was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and DNA sequencing.Results A total of 105 strains of MDR-TB were included in the analysis.MIC detection results showed that doripenem had the highest antibacterial activity against MDR-TB,with a MIC50 of 16 μg/mL.MIC values of most β-lactam antibiotics decreased significantly after combined with β-lactamase inhibitors.A total of 13.33％(n=14)strains had mutations in blaC gene,mainly 3 nu-cleotide substitution mutations,namely AGT333AGG,AAC638ACC and ATC786ATT.BlaC proteins Ser111 Arg and Asn213Thr enhanced the synergistic effect of clavulanic acid/sulbactam and meropenem on MDR-TB compared with synonymous single-nucleotide mutation.Conclusion The combination of doripenem and sulbactam has the strongest antibacterial activity against MDR-TB.Substitution mutations of BlaC protein Ser111 Arg and Asn213Thr enhances the sensitivity of MDR-TB to meropenem through the synergy with clavulanic acid/sulbactam.

Objective:To observe the changes in the nutritional status of pediatric patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT)for one year,and to analyze the risk factors.Methods:We collected data from 88 pediatric patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the Department of Hematology and Oncology in Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between May 2018 and November 2022.All pediatric patients underwent nutritional status analysis before transplantation,at enrollment,3 months,6 months and 1 year after allo-HSCT.Linear regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for growth rate.Results:The body mass index Z score(BMI-Z)before allo-HSCT was(0.096±1.349),and decreased to(-0.258±1.438)、(-0.715±1.432)、(-0.584±1.444)at enrollment,3 months,6 months after allo-HSCT,and(-0.130±1.317)at 1 year after allo-HSCT(P<0.001).There was no significant change in BMI-Z between pre-transplantation and 1 year after transplantation(P=1.000).Height for age Z score(HAZ)before transplantation was(0.137±1.305)and decreased to(-0.083±1.267)、(-0.221±1.299)、(-0.269±1.282)in 3 months,6 months and 1 year after allo-HSCT(P<0.001).Multivariate linear regression showed that age≥10 years old(P=0.015)and chronic graft-versus-host disease(cGVHD)(P=0.005)were independent risk factors for change in HAZ.Conclusion:The BMI-Z of pediatric patients treated with allo-HSCT returned to the pre-transplantation level after one year,while HAZ continued to decrease.Allo-HSCT may cause impaired growth rate in pediatric patients.Attention should be paid to HAZ changes in pediatric patients before and after allo-HSCT,especially in pediatric patients≥10 years old of age and those with cGVHD.Effective nutritional intervention should be provided in time.