ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism underlying the weight loss effect of electrothermal acupuncture （ETA） in diet-induced obese （DIO） model mice based on the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/sphingosine-1-phosphate （S1P）sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 （S1PR3） signaling pathway-mediated macrophage polarization. MethodsAn obesity mouse model was established by continuously feeding at a high-fat diet （HFD） for 8 weeks. Twenty successfully modeled obese mice were randomly divided into a model group and an electrothermal acupuncture （ETA） group with 10 mice per group， both of which continued to receive the HFD till week 12. Another 10 mice were assigned to the normal group and fed a standard chow diet continuously for 12 weeks. Starting from week 9 of the experiment， mice in the ETA group received electrothermal acupuncture stimulation at Zhongwan （CV12）， bilateral Tianshu （ST25）， and bilateral Zusanli （ST36） for 30 minutes per session， with the instrument current set at （40±0.5）mA and a constant temperature of （40±0.5）℃. Mice in the normal group and the model group were restrained in the same manner for 30 minutes without acupuncture. All interventions were performed once every other day for a total of 4 weeks. Ten hours after the final intervention， the body weight， waist circumference， and body length of mice in each group were measured， and Lee's index was calculated. Serum biochemical analysis was performed to assess fasting blood glucose （FBG）， total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， and creatinine （Cr）. Serum leptin （LEP） and adiponectin （ADPN） levels， as well as sphingosine-1-phosphate （S1P） levels in epididymal white adipose tissue （eWAT）， were detected by ELISA. Histomorphological changes in eWAT were monitored via HE staining. Flow cytometry was used to analyze macrophage subtype-related indexes in eWAT， including the total proportion of macrophages， the proportion of M1 macrophages， the proportion of M2 macrophages， and the M1/M2 ratio. Antibody array technology was used to determine the levels of differentially expressed inflammatory factors in eWAT between the model and blank groups， as well as between the ETA and model groups. Western blot and qPCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α and S1PR3 in the eWAT， respectively. ResultsCompared to the normal group， the model group showed significantly increased body weight， Lee's index， waist circumference， and FBG， TC， TG， HDL-C， LDL-C， AST， and ALT levels， upgraded LEP and S1P levels， decreased ADPN level and ADPN/LEP ratio， elevated proportion of M1 macrophages and the M1/M2 ratio， reduced proportion of M2 macrophages， and upregulated protein and mRNA expression levels of HIF-1α and S1PR3 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. With the exception of HDL-C， all the abovementioned indicators in the ETA group were significantly improved compared to the model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Analysis of differentially expressed inflammatory cytokines revealed that， compared to the normal group， the levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interferon-γ （IFN-γ）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-12p70 （IL-12p70） in the eWAT of the model group were elevated； conversely， the levels of interleukin-17 （IL-17）， interleukin-5 （IL-5）， IL-6， and interleukin-23 （IL-23） in the eWAT of the ETA group decreased compared to the model group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionETA exerts a weight-reducing effect in obese model mice， and the mechanism may involve inhibition of the HIF-1α/S1P/S1PR3 signaling pathway activation， which shifts macrophage polarization from the M1 to M2 phenotype， thereby alleviating chronic inflammation.

Ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA)is a naturally occurring,low-toxicity,and hydrophilic bile acid(BA)in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA.Solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate,and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers.Retroperitoneal liposarcoma(RLPS)refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area.Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly down-regulated metabolites in sera of RIPS patients compared with healthy subjects.The augmentation of UDCA concentration(≥25 μg/mL)demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells.[15N2]-cystine and[13Cs]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione(GSH)synthesis.Mechanistically,UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis,leading to reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage.Furthermore,UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers(Erastin,RSL3),the murine double minute 2(MDM2)inhibitors(Nutlin 3a,RG7112),cyclin dependent kinase 4(CDK4)inhibitor(Abemaciclib),and glutaminase inhibitor(CB839).Together,UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity,and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA.More importantly,in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments,UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Senile sarcopenia is an age-related geriatric syndrome characterized by a progressive decline in muscle mass, strength, and physical function, posing a significant threat to the health and quality of life of the elderly.In recent years, ultrasound technology has emerged as an important research tool in the evaluation of sarcopenia, owing to its advantages such as safety, convenience, and radiation-free nature.However, challenges remain in achieving parameter standardization, operational consistency, and clinical implementation.This review comprehensively summarizes recent domestic and international research advances in the application of multiparametric ultrasound technology for the diagnosis and evaluation of sarcopenia in the elderly.It also analyzes the practicality, advancements, and limitations of this technology while providing insights into future development trends, aiming to provide clinical research reference basis for the precise diagnosis and intervention strategies of sarcopenia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) based on in vivo and metabolomics experiments. METHODS: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was induced via a controlled cortical impact (CCI) method. Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 for each): sham, CCI and XFZYD groups (9 g/kg). The administration was performed by intragastric administration for 3 days. Neurological functions tests, histology staining, coagulation and haemorheology assays, and Western blot were examined. Untargeted metabolomics was employed to identify metabolites. The key metabolite was validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: XFZYD significantly alleviated neurological dysfunction in CCI model rats (P<0.01) but had no impact on coagulation function. As evidenced by Evans blue and IgG staining, XFZYD effectively prevented blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption (P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, XFZYD not only increased the expression of collagen IV, occludin and zona occludens 1 but also decreased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which protected BBB integrity (all P<0.05). Nine potential metabolites were identified, and all of them were reversed by XFZYD. Adenosine was the most significantly altered metabolite related to BBB repair. XFZYD significantly reduced the level of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 2 (ENT2) and increased adenosine (P<0.01), which may improve BBB integrity. CONCLUSIONS XFZYD ameliorates BBB disruption after TBI by decreasing the levels of MMP-9 and COX-2. Through further exploration via metabolomics, we found that XFZYD may exert a protective effect on BBB by regulating adenosine metabolism via ENT2.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism* ; Brain Injuries, Traumatic/metabolism* ; Adenosine/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Objective:To analyze the factors associated with long-term survival after radical resection of hepatitis B virus(HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),and to construct random forest and Cox regression models,to evaluate the two models.Methods:A total of 368 patients with HBV-infected HCC who underwent radical resection were selected retrospectively.These patients were categorized as having a good prognosis(n=266)or a poor prognosis(n=102)based on their survival and mortality status.Univariate and Cox regression analysis were used to identify fac-tors that predict poor prognosis in HCC patients after surgery,and Cox regression and random forest prediction models were constructed and evaluated.Results:There were significant differences in smoking history,Child-Pugh classifica-tion,cirrhosis,microvascular invasion,TNM staging,tumor capsule integrity,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR),regular antiviral therapy,HBV-DNA load,alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),systemic immune in-flammatory index(SII),and albumin-to-globulin ratio(AGR)between the two groups(P<0.05);Cox regression showed that cirrhosis,microvascular invasion,regular antiviral treatment,HBV-DNA load,NLR,PLR,SII,and AGR were related factors that negatively affected the prognosis of patients with HBV-infected HCC after surgery(P<0.05),with an AUC of 0.870 for predicting prognosis;the importance ranking obtained by the random forest model was HBV-DNA load,cirrho-sis,regular antiviral therapy,microvascular invasion,NLR,PLR,AGR,and SII,with an AUC of 0.926 for predicting prog-nosis;the AUC predicted by the random forest model was greater than that predicted by the Cox regression model(Z=2.411,P=0.016).Conclusion:HBV-DNA load,cirrhosis,regular antiviral therapy,microvascular invasion,NLR,PLR,AGR,and SII are factors that affect the poor prognosis of patients with HBV-related HCC after surgery.The random for-est prediction model constructed based on these factors has high predictive value and is superior to the Cox regression prediction model.

This study was aimed at investigating infections with Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Ochotona curzoniae in Zoige County,Sichuan Province.O.curzoniae were captured in five townships of Zoige County(Dazhasi,Axi,Hongxing,Tangke,and Maixi)between March and December of 2023.DNA from the gastrointestinal contents was subjected to nested PCR to amplify Giardia bg,gdh,and tpi genes,and the Cryptosporidium SSU rRNA gene.The sequences of PCR-PCR products were analyzed and compared.Phylogenetic trees were constructed to determine the protozoa species and genotypes.A total of 114 O.curzoniae animals were captured,among which 44 samples showed bg gene positivity,and 14 samples showed gdh gene positivity for Giardia.The total detection rate was 43.9％(50/114),and two assemblages were detected(assem-blage E and a new assemblage tentatively termed assemblage OC1);the positivity rate for Cryptosporidium was 7.0％(8/114),and three new genotypes were observed.Mixed infection with Cryptosporidium and Giardia was present in some sam-ples,with a detection rate of 3.5％(4/114).Giardia lamblia and Giardia sp.(REG-1,REG-2)were prevalent in O.curzoni-ae in Zoige County in Sichuan province;assemblage E was the dominant assemblage,and the new assemblage OC1 was pres-ent;and Cryptosporidium sp.(REG-1,REG-2,and REG-3)were identified.In summary,future monitoring of Giardia and Cryptosporidium should be further strengthened in Zoige to provide detailed data for promoting local public health.

Bovine neosporosis,a significant disease affecting the livestock industry,is caused by the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum(N.caninum).The current absence of efficacious vaccines and therapeutics necessitates the exploration of novel interventions.Cordycepin,a bioactive nucleo-side derived from Cordyceps militaris,has garnered attention for its diverse pharmacological properties.This study endeavors to elucidate the inhibitory effects of cordycepin on N.caninum in-fection.The cytotoxicity of cordycepin to bovine macrophages was assessed using the CCK-8 assay to ascertain a non-toxic concentration range.The impact of cordycepin on the N.caninum burden within bovine macrophages was evaluated using qPCR analysis and immunofluorescence assays.Additionally,the modulation of cytokine,interferon,and defensin expression induced by N.cani-num in the presence of cordycepin was examined through qRT-PCR analysis.The results showed that cordycepin exhibited negligible cytotoxicity to bovine macrophages at concentrations ranging from 2.812 5 to 180.000 0 μmol/L,compared to the control group.At concentrations of 5.625 0,11.250 0,and 22.500 0 μmol/L,cordycepin significantly reduced the intracellular N.caninum loads and diminished the intensity of intracellular parasite fluorescence.While N.caninum infection downregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6,cordycepin treatment robustly induced their expression.Furthermore,although cordycepin treatment reduced the expression levels of IFN-α,IFN-β,and IFN-γ that were upregulated by N.caninum infection,it maintained substantial expression levels.In conclusion,cordycepin demon-strates a promising resistance against N.caninum infection,suggesting its potential as a therapeu-tic agent for the treatment of bovine neosporosis.

Objective To study the relationship between serum visfatin, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and disease severity of coronary heart disease (CHD) in elderly patients (≥90 years old). Methods One hundred and two elderly patients (≥90 years old) with CHD who received coronary CT angiography (CTA) were selected from January 2020 to June 2024. In addition, thirty-five elderly patients (≥90 years old) without CHD who underwent coronary CTA during the same period were included in the control group. The CHD patients were divided into mild group, moderate group and severe group by CT-SYNTAX score. The clinical data and levels of serum visfatin and NLR were compared, and the correlation and diagnostic value of the above levels with disease severity of CHD in elderly patients were analyzed. Results Serum visfatin and NLR were manifested as severe group>moderate group>mild group>control group (P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis found that serum visfatin and NLR were moderately positively correlated with CT-SYNTAX score (r=0.574, 0.482, P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) of combination of serum visfatin and NLR in diagnosing severe lesion in elderly patients (≥90 years old) with CHD was 0.882, which was higher than that of visfatin or NLR alone, and its 95%CI was 0.803-0.938. Conclusion There is a certain correlation between serum visfatin, NLR and disease severity of CHD in elderly patients. The combination of the above indicators has a higher predictive value on severe lesion.

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.