1.Effects of Moxibustion at "Guanyuan (CV 4)" on Oxidative Stress and Autophagy-Related Gene Expression of Skin Tissue in Photoaging Model Rats
Qianqian HUI ; Yuan JING ; Sijie OUYANG ; Shijing YOU ; Boying TONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(6):621-628
ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of moxibustion at Guanyuan (CV 4) in delaying skin photoaging. MethodsThirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, namely blank group, model group, vitamin E group, and moxibustion group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, dorsal skin of rats were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation to establish a skin photoaging model. One week after modeling, the moxibustion group received moxibustion at "Guanyuan (CV 4)" once a day, five days per week; the vitamin E group received vitamin E (25 mg/kg·d) once a day by gavage, five days per week; the blank group, model group, and moxibustion group received an equivalent volume of normal saline via gavage; the intervention lasted for 7 weeks. After 7 weeks, dorsal skin tissues were collected to analyze the following indicators, such as skin tissue moisture content, histomorphological changes using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ content using ELISA. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and catalase (CAT) activity in skin tissue were dectected. Western Blot was used to determin autophagy-related proteins, including microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), polyubiquitin-binding protein (p62), and autophagy-specific gene (Beclin-1); LC3, p62, and Beclin-1 mRNA expression was detected via qRT-PCR, and autophagosome formation was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ResultsHE staining showed that the epidermal structure in the blank group was orderly and evenly thick, while the model group exhibited uneven epidermal thickness. In the moxibustion group, the epidermis was well-structured, smooth, and uniform, with densely arranged dermal layers; the epidermis in the vitamin E group was thicker than that in the model group. Compared with the blank group, the model group exhibited decreased skin moisture content and reduced level of Collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ, reduced SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activity in skin tissue, increased H2O2 and MDA activity, elevated p62 protein and mRNA expression, reduced LC3 and Beclin-1 protein and mRNA expression (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the moxibustion group showed significant improvement in all these indicators (P<0.05 or P<0.01); whereas the vitamin E group did not show a statistically significant difference in Collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ levels (P>0.05). TEM results showed that, compared with the blank group, the model group had atrophic skin cells, extensive mitochondrial vacuolization, and degraded cellular structures; the moxibustion group exhibited crescent- or cup-shaped autophagosomes with a significantly increased number of autophagosomes per unit area, whereas the vitamin E group showed less improvement than the moxibustion group. ConclusionMoxibustion at "Guanyuan (CV 4)" may alleviate skin photoaging by regulating oxidative stress imba-lance, modulating cellular autophagy, and promoting collagen synthesis, thereby slowing the aging process of the skin.
2.Efficacy of see-and-treat hysteroscopy versus traditional hysteroscopy in moderate-to-severe intrauterine adhesions
Qiurong LI ; Huifen CAI ; Yanzhou WANG ; Kangning ZHAO ; Shijing YOU ; Yuan DENG ; Wenwei TAN ; Shuai TANG
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(13):1494-1504
Objective To investigate the perioperative outcomes and postoperative pregnancy outcomes of patients with intrauterine adhesions(IUA)treated by see-and-treat hysteroscopy and traditional hysteroscopy in transcervical resection of adhesions(TCRA).Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on 485 patients with moderate-to-severe IUA who met the inclusion criteria and admitted in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2021.According to surgical approaches,the patients were assigned into a see-and-treat mode group and a traditional mode group.After clinical diagnosis(ultrasound and symptoms)of IUA,the patients from the former group received direct hysteroscopic adhesion separation surgery,and those of the latter group were diagnosed by outpatient hysteroscopy first and then hysteroscopic adhesion separation surgery.The perioperative indicators,postoperative three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound(3D-TVUS)examination related characteristics,postoperative menstrual recovery,postoperative pregnancy outcomes,obstetric related complications,and neonatal outcomes were collected and compared between the 2 groups.Results Among the enrolled 485 patients,there were 277 in the see-and-treat group and 208 in the traditional group.The success rate of surgical treatment was 89.89%in the see-and-treat group and 92.79%in the traditional group,but no statistical difference was seen between them(Chi-square=1.234,P=0.267).3D-TVUS examination displayed that the see-and-treat mode group obtained better improvement of endometrial morphology,uterine morphology and menstruation after operation than the traditional group(P<0.001).The postoperative pregnancy rate was slightly higher in the see-and-treat group than the traditional mode group(58.84%vs 58.17%,P=0.882).However,the see-and-treat mode showed obvious advantage in the postoperative natural pregnancy rate,with a rate of 90.80%,obviously higher than that in the traditional mode group(81.82%,P=0.026).The live birth rate was 70.55%in the see-and-treat mode group,excluding 1 case with ongoing pregnancy in the second trimester and 1 case with ongoing pregnancy in the third trimester,and the rate was 74.38%in the traditional group,excluding 3 cases with ongoing pregnancy in the third trimester,but there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups(P=0.303).In terms of obstetric-related complications,there were 0 cases of blood transfusion during delivery hospitalization in the see-and-treat group,while there were 7 cases in the traditional group(P=0.003).In neonatal outcomes,the rate of transfer to the pediatric department was 10.43%in the see-and-treat mode group and 22.22%in the traditional mode group(P=0.021).For health economics,the see-and-treat hysteroscopy group demonstrated a significant advantage over the traditional hysteroscopy group(P<0.001).There was no significant difference in pain scores between the 2 groups.Conclusion The see-and-treat approach is a safe,feasible,and highly efficient strategy for integrating the diagnosis and treatment of IUA,enabling maximal minimization of surgical trauma while optimizing time and cost efficiency.

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