Objective: To analyze changes in tuberculosis infection among junior high school students before and after tuberculosis exposure, so as to provide a reference for improving school tuberculosis prevention and control measures and policy formulation. Methods: Retrospectively collect data on a tuberculosis outbreak that occurred in a grade of a junior high school in Chongqing in 2025, including tuberculosis screening records of students in this grade upon their enrollment in 2022 (1 156 students) and after two tuberculosis outbreaks in 2023 (206 students) and 2025 (171 students). The Wilcoxon signed rank test for paired design was used to compare the induration diameters of the subjects, and the Chi square test was adopted to analyze the rate of tuberculosis infection among students. Results: In the tuberculosis outbreak in 2023, the rate of tuberculosis infection among close contacts ( 11.84 %) and the rate of tuberculosis infection among freshrman at school enrollment (12.89%) showed no statistically significant difference ( χ 2=0.25, P >0.05). The rate of tuberculosis infection of close contacts in the 2025 tuberculosis outbreak (55.56%) was higher than that in the 2023 outbreak (11.84%) ( χ 2=30.42, P <0.01). Among the 106 students included in the cohort analysis, the median induration diameter was 3.50 (1.50, 7.50) mm in 2023 and 8.75 (4.25, 11.50) mm in 2025, with a statistically significant difference ( Z=-5.76, P <0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the infection rate in 2022 (16.98%) and that in 2023 (10.38%) ( χ 2=1.96, P =0.16). The infection rate in 2025 (43.40%) was higher than those in 2022 and 2023 ( χ 2=17.55, 29.39, both P <0.017). The seroconversion rate of students in the same class in 2025 ( 58.00 %) was higher than that of students in different classes (16.07%), with a statistically significant difference ( χ 2=20.19, P <0.01). All 72 individuals with latent tuberculosis infections identified during the pandemic in 2023 and 2025 refused to undergo prophylactic treatment. Conclusions The lack of preventive treatment may be the underlying cause of the successive outbreaks during the epidemic. Early detection of infection sources and standardized outbreak management are crucial to controlling the spread of the epidemic.

Background/Aims: Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is one of the most essential metabolites in cell metabolism but its function and concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive and controversial. Methods: A comprehensive analysis of acetyl-CoA levels and acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) expression across a range of samples, including patient specimens from both hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive and HBV negative HCC individuals, HBV-transgenic mouse HCC models, and multiple cell lines. Furthermore, to evaluate the functional significance of ACSS2 in HBV-related HCC, we implemented both genetic and pharmacological inhibition strategies targeting ACSS2. Molecular mechanism and mitophagy assessment were revealed by cleavage under target and tagmentation sequencing, RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining. Results: Our study revealed a distinct metabolic signature of HBV-related HCC, marked by elevated acetyl-CoA, which was driven by ACSS2. ACSS2 was upregulated by the carbohydrate response element-binding protein in HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, ACSS2 improved tumor cell proliferation, an effect that was dependent on its enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, ACSS2-induced acetyl-CoA accumulation activated voltage-dependent anion channels 1 transcription through increased H3K27ac occupancy, which subsequently promoted mitophagy and HBV-related HCC tumorigenesis. Notably, targeting ACSS2 by depletion or inhibition with a catalytic inhibitor significantly suppressed tumor growth. Conclusions These findings not only illustrate the interplay between metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic modification, and tumorigenesis in the context of HBV infection, but also highlight ACSS2 as a novel metabolic vulnerability in HBV-related HCC. Therefore, targeting ACSS2 could be a novel strategy against HBV-related HCC.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of the active ingredient compatibility（quercetin， quercitrin and kaempferol at a mass ratio of 2∶9∶3）of Dimocarpus longan Lour. leaves（abbreviated as CDL） on ameliorating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） rats. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group， model group， metformin hydrochloride group （100 mg/kg）， and CDL high-， medium- and low-dose groups （280， 140， 75 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Rats in the blank control group were fed with standard chow， while rats in the other groups were given high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to establish the T2DM rat model. After successful modeling， rats in each administration group were given corresponding drug solution， and rats in the blank control group and model group were intragastrically administered with equal volume of pure water， once a day， for consecutive 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose （FBG） was detected at fixed time every week. The curves of oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test （IPITT） were plotted， and the area under curve （AUC） was calculated. The pancreatic islet function indexes [fasting insulin （FINS）， homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， insulin sensitivity index （ISI）]，blood lipid indexes [total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）] and hepatic glycogen content were determined. The pathological morphological changes of liver and pancreatic tissues were observed. The protein and mRNA expression levels of molecules related to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway in liver tissues were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank control group， the FBG， AUC of IPITT curve， AUC of OGTT curve， HOMA-IR， the levels of FINS， TC， TG and LDL-C， as well as the protein and mRNA expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog， forkhead box protein O1 and glycogen synthase kinase-3β in liver tissues were significantly increased in the model group （ P ＜0.05）. ISI， the levels of HDL-C and hepatic glycogen content， along with the protein and mRNA expression of PI3K， insulin receptor substrate-1， Akt and protein expression of phosphorylated Akt in liver tissues were markedly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. In model group rats， the arrangement of hepatocytes was irregular， the overall structure of pancreatic lobules was disordered， and a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration was observed. Compared with the model group， most of the above quantitative indexes were significantly reversed in the CDL high-dose group （ P ＜0.05）， and the pathological lesions of liver and pancreas were obviously alleviated. CONCLUSIONS CDL can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders， elevate insulin sensitivity and relieve insulin resistance in T2DM rats. Its mechanism may be related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

ObjectiveType I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is essential for antiviral innate immunity, yet its sustained or excessive activation contributes to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and interferonopathies, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Current strategies targeting this pathway, exemplified by JAK inhibitors, act mainly on downstream signal transduction and provide limited direct control over upstream IFN-I production, while also carrying the risk of broad immunosuppression. Phyllanthus emblica L. has long been used in traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders, but the bioactive constituent responsible for its regulation of IFN-I signaling and the underlying molecular mechanism have not been clearly defined. This study aimed to identify the active anti-inflammatory component of P. emblica and to characterize its mechanism of action on the IFN-I pathway in macrophages. MethodsActive components ofP. emblica and their candidate targets were screened by network pharmacology using the TCMSP and DrugBank databases (oral bioavailability≥30%, drug-likeness≥0.18) and intersected with inflammation-related genes retrieved from public databases. The predicted interaction between EGCG and IFN-I pathway proteins (TBK1, IRF3, STAT1) was evaluated by molecular docking, with BX795 and GSK8612 used as reference TBK1 inhibitors. Mechanistic experiments were performed in THP-1-derived macrophages and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Upstream signaling was activated by transfection of the nucleic acid analogs poly(I∶C) and poly(dA∶dT) or by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, whereas downstream signaling was activated by exogenous IFN-β. An siRNA-mediated TREX1 knockdown model was used to mimic endogenous nucleic acid-driven interferonopathy. Expression of IFN-β1 and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was measured by RT-qPCR, protein phosphorylation by Western blot, and IFN-β secretion by ELISA. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) were used to probe the interactionbetween EGCG and IRF3. ResultsNetwork pharmacology identified (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a candidate IFN-I-suppressive constituent of P. emblica, with predicted binding to TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1. Molecular docking yielded binding energies of -9.2, -7.2, and -8.2 kcal/mol for TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1, respectively, indicating an affinity for TBK1 comparable to that of the reference inhibitors BX795 (-5.7 kcal/mol) and GSK8612 (-6.4 kcal/mol). EGCG suppressed IFN-β1 and ISG mRNA expression under poly (I∶C), poly (dA∶dT), and LPS stimulation in both THP-1 macrophages and BMDM. At the protein level, EGCG reduced the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 without affecting the levels of the upstream sensors cGAS and RIG-I, and lowered IFN-β secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. CETSA and DARTS showed that EGCG did not enhance the thermal stability or protease resistance of IRF3, indicating that its effect on IRF3 is indirect. Following IFN-β stimulation, prolonged EGCG treatment reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner without an apparent change in IRF9, and partially attenuated ISG transcription; this effect was not monotonicly concentration-dependent, and CXCL10 showed the most consistent suppression. In TREX1-knockdown cells, the elevated mRNA levels of ISG15, ISG56, and CXCL10 were reduced by EGCG. ConclusionEGCG suppresses IFN-I responses by concurrently inhibiting TBK1-IRF3-dependent IFN‑β production and JAK-STAT1-mediated downstream transcription. These in vitro findings provide a mechanistic basis for the anti-inflammatory use of P. emblica in traditional medicine and identify EGCG as a candidate for further evaluation in interferon-driven autoimmune disease models.

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of the active ingredient compatibility（quercetin， quercitrin and kaempferol at a mass ratio of 2∶9∶3）of Dimocarpus longan Lour. leaves（abbreviated as CDL） on ameliorating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） rats. METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group， model group， metformin hydrochloride group （100 mg/kg）， and CDL high-， medium- and low-dose groups （280， 140， 75 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Rats in the blank control group were fed with standard chow， while rats in the other groups were given high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to establish the T2DM rat model. After successful modeling， rats in each administration group were given corresponding drug solution， and rats in the blank control group and model group were intragastrically administered with equal volume of pure water， once a day， for consecutive 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose （FBG） was detected at fixed time every week. The curves of oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test （IPITT） were plotted， and the area under curve （AUC） was calculated. The pancreatic islet function indexes [fasting insulin （FINS）， homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance （HOMA-IR）， insulin sensitivity index （ISI）]，blood lipid indexes [total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）] and hepatic glycogen content were determined. The pathological morphological changes of liver and pancreatic tissues were observed. The protein and mRNA expression levels of molecules related to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway in liver tissues were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank control group， the FBG， AUC of IPITT curve， AUC of OGTT curve， HOMA-IR， the levels of FINS， TC， TG and LDL-C， as well as the protein and mRNA expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog， forkhead box protein O1 and glycogen synthase kinase-3β in liver tissues were significantly increased in the model group （ P ＜0.05）. ISI， the levels of HDL-C and hepatic glycogen content， along with the protein and mRNA expression of PI3K， insulin receptor substrate-1， Akt and protein expression of phosphorylated Akt in liver tissues were markedly decreased （ P ＜0.05）. In model group rats， the arrangement of hepatocytes was irregular， the overall structure of pancreatic lobules was disordered， and a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration was observed. Compared with the model group， most of the above quantitative indexes were significantly reversed in the CDL high-dose group （ P ＜0.05）， and the pathological lesions of liver and pancreas were obviously alleviated. CONCLUSIONS CDL can regulate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders， elevate insulin sensitivity and relieve insulin resistance in T2DM rats. Its mechanism may be related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are significant drug targets, but their potential in cancer therapy remains underexplored. Conventional GPCR agonists or antagonists have shown limited effectiveness in cancer treatment, necessitating new GPCR-targeting strategies for more effective therapies. This study discovers that Yersinia pestis LcrV, a crucial linker protein for plague infection, acts as a biased agonist of a GPCR, the formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1). The LcrV protein induces unique conformational changes in FPR1, resulting in G proteins being activated in a distinctive state without subunit dissociation. This leads to a biased signaling profile characterized by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responses and β-arrestin2 recruitment, but not calcium mobilization. In FPR1-expressing triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, LcrV bi-directionally modulates intracellular signaling pathways, downregulating extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) and Akt pathways while upregulating Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 pathways. This dual modulation results in cell cycle arrest and the inhibition of TNBC cell proliferation. In TNBC xenograft mouse models, long-term LcrV treatment inhibits tumor growth more effectively than a conventional FPR1 antagonist. Additionally, LcrV treatment reprograms tumor cells by reducing stemness-associated proteins OCT4 and c-MYC. Our findings highlight the potential of biased GPCR agonists as a novel GPCR-targeting strategy for cancer treatment.

Myocardial fibrosis is a serious cause of heart failure and even sudden cardiac death. However, the mechanisms underlying myocardial ischemia-induced cardiac fibrosis remain unclear. Here, we identified that the expression of sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1), was increased significantly in the ischemic cardiomyopathy patients, dilated cardiomyopathy patients (GSE116250) and fibrotic heart tissues of mice. Additionally, inhibition or knockdown of SARM1 can improve myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function of myocardial infarction (MI) mice. Moreover, SARM1 fibroblasts-specific knock-in mice had increased deposition of extracellular matrix and impaired cardiac function. Mechanically, elevated expression of SARM1 promotes the deposition of extracellular matrix by directly modulating P4HA1. Notably, by using the Click-iT reaction, we identified that the increased expression of ZDHHC17 promotes the palmitoylation levels of SARM1, thereby accelerating the fibrosis process. Based on the fibrosis-promoting effect of SARM1, we screened several drugs with anti-myocardial fibrosis activity. In conclusion, we have unveiled that palmitoylated SARM1 targeting P4HA1 promotes collagen deposition and myocardial fibrosis. Inhibition of SARM1 is a potential strategy for the treatment of myocardial fibrosis. The sites where SARM1 interacts with P4HA1 and the palmitoylation modification sites of SARM1 may be the active targets for anti-fibrosis drugs.

Schwann cells and macrophages are the main immune cells involved in peripheral nerve injury. After injury, Schwann cells produce an inflammatory response and secrete various chemokines, inflammatory factors, and some other cytokines to promote the recruitment and M2 polarization of blood-derived macrophages, enhancing their phagocytotic ability, and thus play an important role in promoting nerve regeneration. Macrophages have also been found to promote vascular regeneration after injury, promote the migration and proliferation of Schwann cells along blood vessels, and facilitate myelination and axon regeneration. Therefore, there is a close interaction between Schwann cells and macrophages during peripheral nerve regeneration, but this has not been systematically summarized. In this review, the mechanisms of action of Schwann cells and macrophages in each other's migration and phenotypic transformation are reviewed from the perspective of each other, to provide directions for research on accelerating nerve injury repair.
Schwann Cells/metabolism* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/physiopathology* ; Animals ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Nerve Regeneration/physiology* ; Humans ; Cell Movement/physiology*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and the live birth rate (LBR) using different propensity score methods. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, eligible women who underwent a COH were divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. The primary outcome was LBR, as determined by propensity score matching (PSM). LBR was defined as the delivery of one or more living infants that reached a gestational age over 28 weeks after embryo transfer. The propensity score model encompassed 16 confounding variables. To validate the results, sensitivity analyses were conducted using three additional propensity score methods: propensity score adjustment, inverse probability weighting (IPW), and IPW with a "doubly robust" estimator. RESULTS: The primary cohort encompassed 9751 patients (1830 [18.76%] in the acupuncture group and 7921 [81.23%] in the non-acupuncture group). Following 1:1 PSM, a higher LBR was found in the acupuncture cohort (41.4% [755/1824] vs 36.4% [664/1824], with an odds ratio of 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41]). Three additional propensity score methods produced essentially similar results. The risk of serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION This retrospective study revealed an association between acupuncture and an increased LBR among patients undergoing COH, and that acupuncture is a safe and valuable treatment option. Please cite this article as: Zheng XY, Jiang ZY, Li YT, Li CL, Zhu H, Yu Z, Yu SY, Yang LL, Tang SY, Lü XY, Liang FR, Yang J. Association between acupuncture and live birth rates after fresh embryo transfer: A cohort study based on different propensity score methods. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):528-536.
Humans ; Female ; Propensity Score ; Embryo Transfer ; Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy ; Live Birth ; Birth Rate ; Cohort Studies