OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of lumbar oblique manipulation in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation with different herniation locations based on MSU classification. METHODS: A total of 272 patients with lumbar disc herniation who were treated from June 2023 to December 2023 were divided into central type group, paracentral type group, and far lateral type group. Among them, there were 73 cases in the central type group, including 41 males and 32 females, with an age of (46.39±6.89) years;161 cases in the paracentral type group, including 88 males and 73 females, with an age of (37.14±5.89) years;and 38 cases in the far lateral type group, including 22 males and 16 females, with an age of (28.56±4.89) years. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and straight leg raising angle of the three groups of patients before treatment, after treatment, and at 1 and 3 months after treatment were recorded, and inter-group, intra-group, and correlation comparisons were made. RESULTS: A total of 272 patients were followed up, with a follow-up time of (3.0±0.2) months. The VAS score of central type patients after treatment was 2(2, 3) points, which was lower than 4(3, 5) points before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between 1 month and 3 months after treatment and before treatment (P>0.05). The VAS score of paracentral type patients after treatment 2(2, 3) points and 1 month after treatment 3(2, 4) points were lower than that before treatment 5(4, 6) points, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in VAS between 3 months after treatment and before treatment (P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in VAS scores of far lateral type patients before treatment, after treatment, and at 1 and 3 months after treatment (P>0.05). The straight leg raising angle of central type patients after treatment 64(58, 69) and 1 month after treatment 58(52, 65) were significantly different from that before treatment 44(40, 51) (P<0.05);there was no statistically significant difference between 3 months after treatment and before treatment (P>0.05). The straight leg raising angle of paracentral type patients after treatment 61(55, 67)°, 1 month after treatment 61(53, 66)°, and 3 months after treatment 47(41, 56)° were significantly different from that before treatment 44(36, 52)° (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the straight leg raising angle of far lateral type patients before treatment, after treatment, and at 1 and 3 months after treatment (P>0.05). There was a correlation between VAS and straight leg raising angle in the three groups of patients, but there was no linear relationship. CONCLUSION Lumbar oblique manipulation has a better effect in treating patients with central and paracentral lumbar disc herniation, but a poor effect in treating far lateral type;after treatment, the curative effect of paracentral type patients lasts longer than that of central type patients.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/physiopathology* ; Adult ; Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Manipulation, Spinal

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates anxiety and fear behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), focusing on the role of lipocalin-2 (Lcn2). METHODS: The PTSD mouse model was subjected to single prolonged stress and shock (SPS&S), and the animals received 15 min sessions of EA at Shenmen acupoint (HT7). Behavioral tests were used to investigate the effects of EA at HT7 on anxiety and fear. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to quantify Lcn2 and inflammatory cytokine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Additionally, the activity of PFC neurons was evaluated by immunofluorescence and in vivo electrophysiology. RESULTS: Mice subjected to SPS&S presented increased anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. Lcn2 expression in the PFC was significantly upregulated following SPS&S, leading to increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and suppression of PFC neuronal activity. However, EA at HT7 inhibited Lcn2 release, reducing neuroinflammation and hypoexcitability in the PFC. Lcn2 overexpression mitigated the effects of EA at HT7, resulting in anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. CONCLUSION EA at HT7 can ameliorate PTSD-associated anxiety and fear, and its mechanism of action appears to involve the inhibition of Lcn2-mediated neural activity and inflammation in the PFC. Please cite this article as: Yang YD, Zhong W, Chen M, Tang QC, Li Y, Yao LL, et al. Electroacupuncture alleviates behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder by modulating lipocalin-2-mediated neuroinflammation and neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):537-547.
Electroacupuncture ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/metabolism* ; Animals ; Lipocalin-2/metabolism* ; Prefrontal Cortex/physiopathology* ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons/physiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fear ; Behavior, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Anxiety/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points

Objective:To discuss the effect of downregulating of high mobility group box protein 2(HMGB2)expression on the biological behavior of the liver cancer cells and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)process,and to clarify its mechanism.Methods:The human liver cancer LM3 cells at logarithmic growth phase were divided into negative control group and HMGB2 RNA interference group(HMGB2 siRNA group);the cells in two groups were transfected with RNA oligonucleotides(RNA oligos)with irrelevant sequences and RNA oligos designed to knock down HMGB2,and the Lipofectamine 2000 was regarded as the vector.The expression levels of HMGB2 mRNA and protein in the cells in two groups were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting methods;cell scratch assay and Transwell chamber assay were used to detect the migration and invasion abilities of the cells in two groups;the expression levels of E-cadherin,N-cadherin,and Vimentin proteins and protein kinase B(AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway related proteins in the cells in two groups were detected by Western blotting method.Results:Compared with negative control group,the expression levels of HMGB2 mRNA and protein in the cells in HMGB2 siRNA group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),the cell scratch healing rate was significantly decreased(P<0.01),the number of invasion cells was significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the expression level of E-cadherin protein in the cells was significantly increased(P<0.01),while the expression levels of N-cadherin,Vimentin,mTOR,AKT,and phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT)proteins in the cells were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:Downregulating the expression of HMGB2 can reduce the migration and invasion abilities of the liver cancer LM3 cells and inhibit the EMT,and its mechanism may be related to regulating the expression of the AKT/mTOR pathway related proteins.

Orodispersible films (oral dispersible films), a novel form of oral solid dosage forms, are widely used for patients with dysphagia and those with uncontrollable autonomic behavior. In this study, suvorexant orodispersible film was prepared by hot melt extrusion technology, and the disintegration time, mechanical properties, in vitro dissolution and pharmacokinetics were evaluated, compared with other orodispersible films and commercially available tablets Belsomra. All experiments were approved by the Committee on the Management and Use of Laboratory Animals of Academy of Military Medical Sciences (IACUC-DWZX-2024-504). The results showed that the dissolution rate of suvorexant orodispersible film was faster and the mechanical strength was better than that of other commercially available orodispersible film, which could meet the needs of storage and transportation. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results showed that suvorexant was dispersed within the orodispersible film in an amorphous state. The in vitro dissolution of the film was observed to be four times faster than that of the commercial tablets, achieving complete dissolution within five minutes. Pharmacokinetic evaluations in Beagle dogs revealed that the self-formulated orodispersible film exhibited no significant differences in the area under the blood concentration-time curve when compared with Belsomra. However, the film showed a faster onset of action, with a peak time that was twice as rapid, and a maximum blood concentration that was twice as high as that of Belsomra. Leveraging hot melt extrusion technology, the suvorexant orodispersible film offers a straightforward, continuous production process with consistent quality. It serves as an excellent platform for the development of solvent-free film preparations tailored for patients with special needs.

The rheological properties of drug and carrier materials have a wide range of guiding significance for the formulation and process development of solid dispersions. In this study, the rheological properties of materials with different drug carrier ratios were systematically studied with suvorexant as the model drug and copovidone as the carrier material, which provided a sufficient basis for determining the formulation and process of solid dispersions. The optimal suvorexant-copovidone ratio obtained by oscillating temperature scanning was 1∶4. If the ratio is greater than 1∶ 4, the glass transformation temperature of the material will increase significantly, and the solubilization effect of the solid dispersion will show a downward trend. The results of oscillation temperature scanning and oscillation temperature sweep can show that when the extrusion temperature is greater than 150 ℃, the viscosity of the material is less than 10 000 Pa·s, and the melt can be extruded smoothly, and the best extrusion temperature of 160-180 ℃ can be obtained by combining the dissolution results. Finally, the dissolution of suvorexant tablets guided by rheological property studies in multiple media is similar to that of the commercially available tablets Belsomra. Therefore, rheological studies can screen and optimize the formulation and process of suvorexant solid dispersions at the mechanism level, which is of great significance to improve the success rate of R&D and shorten the R&D cycle of solid dispersions prepared by hot melt extrusion.

The occurrence and development of tumors are closely related to the body's immune function.It has been confirmed that immunotherapy plays a role in the treatment of various cancers.Some traditional Chinese medicines can control the growth and metastasis of tumors by enhancing anti-tumor immunity.Even in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment,traditional Chinese medicine can exert anti-tumor effects by upregulating immune responses.Further research on the regulation of the immune mechanisms by traditional Chinese medicine will provide new insights into how traditional Chinese medicine controls tumor growth and metastasis and help improve its effectiveness in the clinical treatment of various cancers.This article aims to provide a theoretical reference for the role of immunoregulation in tumors,summarize its mechanisms in tumors,and traditional Chinese medicine intervention research in tumors for the prevention and treatment of tumors with traditional Chinese medicine.

With the development of radiotherapy technology, the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of primary liver cancer has been gradually recognized. In recent years, precision radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma has become a research hotspot. A number of clinical trials have shown that precision radiotherapy can significantly improve clinical prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. In this article, the research progress and existing problems of radiotherapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma were reviewed, aiming to provide literature support for the application of radiotherapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective To evaluate the predictors of biochemical recurrence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Methods The study cohort consisted of 416 consecutive prostatecancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy in Zhongshan Hospital,Fudan University between Jan 2016 and Jun 2018.No patient received adjuvant therapy until documented biochemical recurrence.Biochemical recurrence-free survival(BCRFS)was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were utilized to determine variables predictive of biochemical recurrence.Results The median follow-up period was 174 weeks(inter quartile range 133-209 weeks).The overall biochemical recurrence rate was 21.39%(88/416).The time to biochemical recurrence was(51.11±47.71)weeks.Until the end of follow-up,the biochemical recurrence rates were 10%(1/10),6.12%(3/49),16.41%(43/262)and 43.16%(41/95)for low-risk,medium-risk,high-risk and locally advanced prostate cancer,respectively.On multivariable analysis,tumor invasion of the seminal vesicles(HR:2.119,95%CI:1.154-3.891,P=0.016);Seminal vesicle invasion(HR:1.824,95%CI:1.034-3.220,P=0.038),Gleason score≥8(HR:2.746,95%CI:1.268-5.943,P=0.010),prostate-specific antigen(PSA)=10-20 ng/mL(HR:4.240,95%CI:2.550-7.050,P<0.001);PSA>20 ng/mL(HR:6.341,95%CI:3.296-12.202,P<0.001)were the main predictors of biochemical recurrence.Conclusion Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy provides effective control of biochemical recurrence during the mid-term follow-up period.Tumor invasion of the seminal vesicles,seminal vesicle invasion,GS≥8,PSA=10-20 ng/mL,PSA>20 ng/mL were important predictors of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Objective To compare the outcomes of transplant kidneys and patient survival between simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation(SPKT)recipients and deceased donor kidney transplant(DDKT)recipients in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated with end-stage renal disease(ESRD),and to analyze the risk factors affecting patient survival post-SPKT.Methods Clinical and prognostic data of patients who underwent kidney transplantation from January 27,2003,to January 1,2021,were retrieved from the United Network for Organ Sharing(UNOS)database.A total of 50 230 cases were selected based on inclusion criteria,with 48 669 cases in DDKT group and 1561 cases in SPKT group.Kaplan-Meier analysis was employed to compare transplant kidney and patient survival between the two groups,and propensity score matching(PSM)was utilized to balance confounding factors between the groups.Cox regression model was used to analyze independent risk factors affecting patient survival post-SPKT.Results Compared with DDKT group,recipients in SPKT group had a younger median age(P<0.001),a higher proportion of males(P<0.001),lower BMI(P<0.001),shorter dialysis and transplant waiting times(P<0.001),a higher percentage of private medical insurance(P<0.001),a lower proportion of previous transplants(P<0.001),a younger age at diabetes diagnosis(P<0.001),and a lower incidence of peripheral vascular disease(P=0.033).Compared with DDKT group,the donors in SPKT group had a younger median age(P<0.001),a higher proportion of males(P<0.001),lower BMI(P<0.001),and a lower prevalence of hypertension and diabetes history(P<0.001).In terms of transplant-related factors,the SPKT group had a shorter donor kidney cold ischemia time(P<0.001),a higher degree of HLA mismatch(P<0.001),and a lower Kidney Donor Profile Index(KDPI)(P<0.001)when compared with DDKT group.The SPKT group had lower serum creatinine levels at discharge(P<0.001),lower rates of postoperative delayed graft function(DGF)and acute rejection(AR)(P<0.001),but longer hospital stays(P<0.001)when compared with DDKT group.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis curves,both original and after propensity score matching(PSM),consistently showed significantly higher transplant kidney and patient survival rates in SPKT group compared with DDKT group(P<0.001).Cox regression model analysis indicated that recipient age,recipient race,donor age,and donor kidney cold ischemia time were independent risk factors influencing patient survival post-SPKT.Conclusions For ESRD patients with T2DM,SPKT offers improved long-term graft and patient survival rates compared with DDKT.Recipient age,recipient ethnicity,donor age,and cold ischemia time for the donor's kidney are independent risk factors affecting post-SPKT patient survival.