OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is an adverse event that occurs during long-term peritoneal dialysis, significantly impairing treatment efficiency and adversely affecting patient outcomes. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a principal active component derived from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, has exhibited anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in various settings. This study aims to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of AS-IV in the treatment of PF. METHODS: The PF mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 4.25% peritoneal dialysis fluid (100 mL/kg). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HMrSV5 cells was induced by the addition of 10 ng/mL transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). The differentially expressed genes in HMrSV5 cells treated with AS-IV were screened using transcriptome sequencing analysis. The potential targets of AS-IV were screened using network pharmacology and analyzed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. RESULTS: Administration of AS-IV at doses of 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg effectively mitigated the increase in peritoneal thickness and the development of fibrosis in mice with PF. The expression of the fibrosis marker α-smooth muscle actin in the peritoneum was significantly decreased in AS-IV-treated mice. The treatment of AS-IV (10, 20, and 40 μmol/L) significantly delayed the EMT of HMrSV5 cells induced by TGF-β, as demonstrated by the decreased number of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-positive cells, reduced migrated area, and decreased expression of fibrosis markers. A total of 460 differentially expressed genes were detected in AS-IV-treated HMrSV5 cells through transcriptome sequencing, with notable enrichment in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT) signaling pathway. The reduced levels of phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K) and p-AKT were detected in HMrSV5 cells with AS-IV treatment. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was predicted as a direct target of AS-IV, exhibiting strong hydrogen bond interactions. The activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway by the compound 740Y-P, and the activation of the EGFR pathway by NSC 228155 each partially counteracted the inhibitory effect of AS-IV on the EMT of HMrSV5 cells. CONCLUSION AS-IV delayed the EMT process in peritoneal mesothelial cells and slowed the progression of PF, potentially serving as a therapeutic agent for the early prevention and treatment of PF. Please cite this article as: Huang Y, Chu CL, Qiu WH, Chen JY, Cao LX, Ji SY, Zhu B, Wang GK, Shen QQ. Astragaloside IV delayed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in peritoneal fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of EGFR and PI3K-AKT pathways. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):694-705.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects* ; Animals ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Peritoneal Fibrosis/pathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; ErbB Receptors/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

The structure of intestinal tissue is complex. In vitro simulation of intestinal structure and function is important for studying intestinal development and diseases. Recently, organoids have been successfully constructed and they have come to play an important role in biomedical research. Organoids are miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) organs, derived from stem cells, which mimic the structure, cell types, and physiological functions of an organ, making them robust models for biomedical research. Intestinal organoids are 3D micro-organs derived from intestinal stem cells or pluripotent stem cells that can successfully simulate the complex structure and function of the intestine, thereby providing a valuable platform for intestinal development and disease research. In this article, we review the latest progress in the construction and application of intestinal organoids.
Organoids/cytology* ; Intestines/physiology* ; Humans ; Animals ; Pluripotent Stem Cells

Objective To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which exosomes (Exo) derived from cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) carrying HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (lncRNA HOTAIR) promote the metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods CAFs were collected from tumor tissues, and non-cancer associated fibroblasts (NFs) were obtained from adjacent normal tissues at least 5 cm away from the tumor. Exosomes (CAFs-Exo and NFs-Exo) were isolated from conditioned media collected from CAFs or NFs. CAFs-Exo and NFs-Exo were incubated with human ESCC cell line TE-1 for 24 hours, and CCK-8 was used to determine the cell proliferation ability. Scratch test and Transwell test were performed to determine the cell migration and invasion ability. TE-1 cells were divided into the following two groups: NC group and KD group. The NC group and KD group were transfected with control siRNAs or siRNAs targeting HOTAIR respectively. The effects of HOTAIR knock-down on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and glycolysis were determined. Results CAFs-Exo promoted the proliferation of TE-1 cells more significantly than NFs-Exo. Compared with NFs-Exo group, the migration and invasion ability of TE-1 cells treated with CAFs-Exo were improved significantly. In addition, CAFs-Exo treatment inhibited the expression of E-cadherin and enhanced the expression of N-cadherin. The expression of HOTAIR in CAFs was significantly higher than that in NFs. Compared with NFs-Exo, the expression level of HOTAIR in CAFs-Exo increased significantly. Compared with NC group, the proliferation, migration and invasion of TE-1 cells in KD group decreased significantly. Compared with NC group, hexokinase 2 (HK2), extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and ATP/ADP ratio of TE-1 cells in KD group decreased significantly. Conclusion HOTAIR, an exosome derived from CAFs, may be involved in metastasis and EMT by regulating glycolysis in ESCC cells.
Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Cell Movement/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma ; Exosomes/genetics* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Glycolysis/genetics* ; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism* ; Cadherins/genetics*

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the prevalence and risk factors of military training-related abdominal injuries and help plan and conduct training properly. METHODS: This questionnaire survey study was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022 among military personnel from 6 military units and 8 military medical centers and participants' medical records were consulted to identify the training-related abdominal injuries. All the military personnel who ever participated in military training were included. Those who refused to participate in this study or provided an incomplete questionnaire were excluded. The questionnaire collected demographic information, type of abdominal injury, frequency, training subjects, triggers, treatment, and training disturbance. Chi-square test and t-test were used to compare baseline information. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with military training-related abdominal injuries. RESULTS: A total of 3058 participants were involved in this study, among which 1797 (58.8%) had suffered training-related abdominal injuries (the mean age was 24.3 years and the service time was 5.6 years), while 1261 (41.2%) had no training-related abdominal injuries (the mean age was 23.1 years and the service time was 4.3 years). There were 546 injured patients (30.4%) suspended the training and 84 (4.6%) needed to be referred to higher-level hospitals. The most common triggers included inadequate warm-up, fatigue, and intense training. The training subjects with the most abdominal injuries were long-distance running (589, 32.8%). Civil servants had the highest rate of abdominal trauma (17.1%). Age ≥ 25 years, military service ≥ 3 years, poor sleep status, and previous abdominal history were independent risk factors for training-related abdominal injury. CONCLUSION More than half of the military personnel have suffered military training-related abdominal injuries. Inadequate warm-up, fatigue, and high training intensity are the most common inducing factors. Scientific and proper training should be conducted according to the factors causing abdominal injuries.
Humans ; Military Personnel ; Risk Factors ; Prevalence ; Male ; Abdominal Injuries/etiology* ; Female ; Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective To determine the effects of hypoxia pre-treatment combined with radiation damage on the hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow of mice.Methods A total of 165 male C57BL/6 mice(10～12 weeks old,weighing 20～25 g)were randomly divided into 7 groups:normal control(Control,n=33),6 Gy irradiation(6-Gy,n=43),7 d hypoxia-6 Gy irradiation(Hy-7 d+6 Gy,n=43),7 Gy irradiation(7 Gy,n=12),7 d hypoxia-7 Gy irradiation(Hy-7 d+7 Gy,n=12),7 Gy continuous hypoxia treatment(Hy-7 d+7 Gy+Hy,n=12),and 6 Gy continuous hypoxia treatment(Hy-7 d+6 Gy+Hy,n=10).The mice of the hypoxia treatment groups were given 7-day hypoxic pretreatment(12%oxygen)in a normobaric hypoxic chamber,while those of the other groups were housed in normoxic condition.After pretreatment,the mice of the irradiation groups were exposed to a single 6 or 7 Gy of whole-body 60Co γ-irradiation in normoxia.The mice of the hypoxia and irradiation groups were kept in hypoxic condition in 24 h post-irradiation followed by being resumed to normoxia,while those of the continuous hypoxia treatment groups were remained in hypoxia.After bone marrow cell suspensions were prepared from the Control,6 Gy,and Hy-7 d+6 Gy groups,bone marrow nucleated cells(BMNCs)were counted via automated cell counter.HE staining was employed to observe pathologic changes in medullary cavity,and flow cytometry was used to assess Lin-Sca1?c-Kit?(LSK)hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells,myeloid progenitors(MPs),and mature T/B/myeloid cells.The mice of the 7 Gy,Hy-7 d+7 Gy,and Hy-7 d+7 Gy+Hy groups were monitored for 30-day survival after hypoxic pretreatment.The dynamic changes in the counts of red blood cells(RBC),white blood cells(WBC)and platelets(PLT),and hemoglobin(HGB)level were observed in the 6 Gy,Hy-7 d+6 Gy,and Hy-7 d+6 Gy+Hy groups with aid of a fully automatic blood analyzer.Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on bone marrow cell suspension derived from the mice euthanized in 17 d after irradiation from the Control,6 Gy,and Hy-7 d+6 Gy groups.Results ①Compared to the Control group,the 6 Gy group showed significantly reduced BMNCs(P<0.01),dilated bone marrow sinusoids,and erythrocyte extravasation.The Hy-7 d+6 Gy group exhibited higher cellular density and attenuated BMNC loss than the 6 Gy group(P<0.01).②Flow cytometry revealed less LSK,MP,and mature T/B/myeloid cells in the 6 Gy group than the Control group(P<0.05),and the reduced counts of LSK and MP were mitigated in the Hy-7 d+6 Gy group(P<0.01).③The Hy-7 d+7 Gy group demonstrated improved 30-day survival than the 7 Gy group(P<0.01),while continuous hypoxia(Hy-7 d+7 Gy+Hy)failed to enhance the survival.No statistical difference was seen in the survival rate between the 2 groups(P=0.12),though the Hy-7 d+7 Gy group showing higher survival rate.④Routine blood test revealed that the Hy-7 d+6 Gy group showed faster WBC recovery(vs the 6 Gy and Hy-7 d+6 Gy+Hy groups,P<0.05),higher pre-irradiation RBC/HGB levels,and accelerated PLT restoration(P<0.05).⑤Single-cell RNA sequencing indicated that hypoxia pretreatment suppressed the numbers of long-term hematopoietic stem cells/short-term hematopoietic stem cells(LT-HSC/ST-HSC)depletion in the Hy-7 d+6 Gy group when compared with the 6 Gy group,which was consistent with the results of flow cytometry.Pseudotime trajectory aligned the Hy-7 d+6 Gy group,as the Control group,showed enriched undifferentiated LSKs.Differential gene analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)analysis revealed that oxidative phosphorylation pathway was strongly activated in the 6 Gy group,while the Hy-7 d+6 Gy group had enriched in chromatin remodeling and mRNA surveillance pathways.Conclusion Hypoxic preconditioning alleviates radiation-induced bone marrow injury,and post-irradiation normoxia restoration promotes hematopoietic recovery in acute radiation-exposed mice.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy(SECM)is an advanced characterization technique with high spatiotemporal resolution and plays an important role in the field of electrochemical analysis and imaging.Its applications have been extended to multiple fields,including materials science,biomedical science,and electrochemical energy storage.In recent years,Chinese research teams have made a series of progress in the field of SECM technology,mainly focusing on the optimization of instrument accuracy,innovation of working modes,improvement of imaging quality,and the integration of multiple technologies.These studies have significantly enhanced the technical performance of SECM and expanded its application scope,providing technical support for research in related fields.This article provided a systematic overview of representative achievements in the development of SECM technology in China,focusing on the improvement and design of instrument hardware,strategic optimization of working modes,intelligent upgrading of digital image algorithms,and the collaborative combination of multiple characterization techniques.On this basis,the key scientific issues and technological bottlenecks that currently constrained the development of SECM technology were discussed,and the future development trends were prospected.

Acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture (ASOTLF) can lead to chronic low back pain, kyphosis deformity, pulmonary dysfunction, loss of mobility, and even life-threatening complications. Vertebral augmentation is currently the mainstream treatment method for this condition. In 2019, the Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Trauma and the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Surgeons Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association collaboratively led the development of Clinical guideline for vertebral augmentation for acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures. Six years later, with advances in clinical diagnosis and treatment techniques as well as accumulating evidence in related fields, the 2019 guideline requires updating. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Surgeons Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Spinal Health Professional Committee of China Human Health Science and Technology Promotion Association, and the Minimally Invasive Orthopedics Professional Committee of Shaanxi Medical Doctor Association have organized experts in the field to develop the Clinical guideline for vertebral augmentation of acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures ( version 2025) , based on the latest evidence-based medical researches. This guideline incorporates 3 recommendations retained from the 2019 version with updated strength of evidence, along with 12 new recommendations. It provides recommendations from six aspects of diagnosis, pain management, treatment option selection, prevention of postoperative complications, anti-osteoporosis therapy, and postoperative rehabilitation, aiming to provide a reference for standard treatment of vertebral augmentation for ASOTLF in hospitals at all levels.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)with half-dose recombinant staphylokinase(r-SAK)in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)who are expected to undergo PCI within 120 minutes.Methods From October 2021 to August 2022,a total of 200 STEMI patients in eight centers were included and randomly assigned in a 1﹕1 ratio to either r-SAK group or control group.Patients received loading doses of aspirin and ticagrelor and intravenous heparin and were randomized to receive an intravenous bolus of either 5 mg r-SAK or normal saline prior to PCI.The outcomes were set as ST-segment resolution(STR)at 60-90 minutes after PCI,the proportion and transition of pathological Q waves on the 5th day after PCI,and the proportion of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T(hs-cTnT)peaking within 12 hours of onset.The safety outcome was major bleeding events defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium(BARC)≥type 3 bleeding during hospitalization.Results Compared with the control group,the r-SAK group had a higher proportion of STR≥70%within 60-90 minutes after PCI(58.3%vs.40.3%,P=0.009);a lower proportion of pathological Q waves(59.1%vs.74.1%,P=0.040);a lower rate of Q wave progression(14.8%vs.43.2%,P＜0.001);a higher rate of Q wave disappearance(12.5%vs.3.7%,P=0.027);and a higher proportion of hs-cTnT peaking within 12 hours of symptom onset[31/40(77.5%)vs.17/33(51.5%),P=0.027].Regarding the safety outcome,no significant difference in BARC≥type 3 bleeding was found between the two groups during hospitalization(P＞0.05).Conclusions For STEMI patients who were expected to undergo primary PCI within 120 minutes of symptom onset,the facilitated PCI with half-dose r-SAK significantly increased the proportion of STR≥70%at 60-90 minutes after PCI,reduced the formation of pathological Q waves,and shortened the time to peak hs-cTnT,without increasing the risk of bleeding,which should be an alternative reperfusion strategy worthy of further study.

Objective To systematically evaluate of the effect of autoimmune diseases(AIDs)on early spontaneous abortion(ESA).Methods Several databases such as Ovid and Web of Science were searched from January 2000 to May 2024 for retrospective analysis.Furthermore,subgroup analysis was conducted in terms of AIDs,continent and assisted reproduction.Results Total of 73 eligible studies were included in this study.There was a statistically significant difference in the risk of ESA between the population with AIDs and the population with normal pregnancy(OR=1.832,95％CI:1.619-2.073).When subgroup studies of AIDs were performed,the increased risk of ESA in patients with some AIDs was statistically significant:e.g.,thyroid autoimmunity,antiphospholipid syndrome,systemic lupus erythematosus,desiccation syndrome,antinuclear antibody positivity and rheumatoid arthritis.While the impact of some AIDs on ESA was still uncertain,e.g.inflammatory bowel disease,ulcerative colitis,Crohn's disease,autoimmune skin diseases,neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.In addition,patients with antiphospholipid syndrome who had underwent assisted reproductive technologies were at higher risk of ESA.Furthermore,compared to other continents,there is a difference in the risk of ESA in patients with AIDs in Africa.Conclusion AIDs are associated with the risk of ESA.

Objective:To investigate the current status and challenges of pediatric life support training in China and provide references for improving training quality.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from pediatric life support training centers across the country，covering basic institutional information，training capacity and training faculty，training program funding，as well as existing challenges and issues.The domestic registry of training centers in 2023 was obtained through the American Heart Association's online platform.After contacting and verifying each center，an online questionnaire was distributed，and the aggregated data were statistically analyzed.Results:A total of 42 institutions participated in the survey，including 19 children's hospitals，14 general hospitals，6 maternal and child health hospitals，2 women and children’s hospitals，and 1 training institution.The distribution of training centers showed a concentration in coastal areas，with the top three provinces/municipalities being Guangdong（7/42，16.7%），Zhejiang（6/42，14.3%），and Shanghai（4/42，9.5%）.As of December 31 2023，the 42 institutions had an annual basic life support（BLS）training volume of 8 587 individuals，the median was 120 (100,200)，and an annual pediatric advanced life support（PALS）training volume of 2 448 individuals，the median was 30 (20,50).Among the 42 institutions，there were 598 BLS instructors and 306 PALS instructors.Among the surveyed institutions，24（24/42，57.1%）reported BLS instructor teams comprising fewer than 10 members，and 33（33/42，78.6%）reported PALS instructor teams comprising fewer than 10.Only 7 centers(7/42,16.7%）reported having dedicated funding support.The top three challenges were：training sessions occupying instructors’personal time（27/42，64.3%），low instructor compensation（16/42，38.1%），and issues with the data submission system（16/42，38.1%）.Conclusion:Pediatric life support training centers in China are primarily children’s hospitals，with a geographical concentration in coastal areas，which is also reflected in the distribution of training scale and instructor resources.Most centers have relatively small training scales and limited instructor capacity，with many instructors conducting training during their personal time.These issues may hinder the implementation and effectiveness of training programs.