The connotation of "treat heat with cold" and "disperse fire constraint" differs， and under the guidance of these two principles， there are variations in the selection of acupoints， choice of needles， and manipulation techniques in clinical acupuncture. "Treat heat with cold" is used to clear and drain heat pathogens， while "disperse fire constraint" focuses on diffusing and dissipating fire from constraint. When both fire constraint and internal heat coexist， treatment should combine both "dispersing the fire" and "cooling the heat". In clinical acupuncture， for clearing heat and draining heat pathogens， acupoints on Governor vessel （督脉） and Yangming （阳明经） channel are commonly selected， with Jing-well points， Ying-spring points and He-sea points. To diffuse and dissipate fire constraint， acupoints on the Taiyang （太阳） and Shaoyang （少阳） channels are usually chosen， with Jing-river points and Ashi points as the primary options. In terms of needle choice， for heat syndrome， filiform needles， three-edged needles， and cupping are often used for clearing heat and resolving toxins； for fire constraint syndrome， moxibustion and fire needles are employed to expel fire from the body. Regarding manipulation techniques， draining method can be used in both conditions， with heat syndrome requiring shallow needling and quick removal， while fire constraint syndrome requiring deeper and longer retention of needles， having an emphasis on hand pressure coordination and smooth qi flow. In clinical practice， it is essential to distinguish the presence of "constraint" and the depth of the disease location to appropriately combine "dispersing fire" and "cooling heat".

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of tumor-induced acute pancreatitis （TIAP）， to construct and validate a predictive model for TIAP， and to provide help for early identification in clinical practice. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 3 051 patients with acute pancreatitis （AP） who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2020 to January 2026， among whom there were 72 patients with TIAP. To reduce class imbalance， 216 patients with non-tumor-related AP （2 979 patients） were randomly selected as conventional group using sex-stratified sampling， resulting in a cohort of 288 patients， and this cohort was randomly divided into a training set with 201 patients and a test set with 87 patients at a ratio of 7∶3. The two groups were compared in terms of general information and laboratory markers. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Recursive feature elimination and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used for screening of characteristic variables， and five machine learning models were constructed， i.e.， logistic regression model， random forest model， support vector machine model， extreme gradient boosting model， and light gradient boosting machine model. The receiver operating characteristic curve and the precision-recall curve were used to assess model performance； the calibration curve was used to assess goodness of fit； decision curve analysis was used to evaluate clinical applicability and practicality； Shapley additive explanations were used to assess model interpretability. ResultsIn the training set of 201 patients， there were 52 patients （25.9%） in the TIAP group， and in the test set of 87 patients， there were 20 patients （23.0%） in the TIAP group. Compared with the conventional group， the TIAP group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with pancreatic duct dilatation （χ²=79.474， P<0.05）， a significantly higher age （Z=-5.838， P<0.05）， and significantly lower levels of white blood cell count （Z=5.630， P<0.05）， amylase （Z=2.606， P<0.05）， hemoglobin （Z=5.038， P<0.05）， and neutrophil percentage （Z=5.269， P<0.05）， as well as a lower level of direct bilirubin （Z=0.936， P>0.05）. The five machine learning models constructed based on these seven variables had a certain predictive ability， among which the logistic regression model had the best performance in the test set， with an area under the curve of 0.893 （95% confidence interval： 0.821 — 0.953）， an average precision of 0.654 in the precision-recall curve， good calibration， and good clinical benefits based on the decision curve analysis. ConclusionThe predictive model for TIAP based on pancreatic duct dilatation， age， white blood cell count， amylase， hemoglobin， neutrophil percentage， and direct bilirubin shows good predictive performance and can provide important guidance for the early diagnosis of TIAP.

It is believed that the head and facial orifices are connected with the brain's spirit and the spirits of the five organs. Their functions， including vision， hearing， smell， taste， and speech， are manifestations of the activity of the spirit. Furthermore， head and facial orifice disorders are interrelated with spirit disorders， forming a cause-and-effect relationship. Acupuncture has a regulatory effect on the spirit. Based on this， acupuncture for regulating the spirit in treating head and facial orifice disorders is proposed. This includes regulating the brain's spirit to treat functional disorders， regulating the heart's spirit to clarify the functions of governing substances， regulating the organ's spirit to benefit the orifices and enhance the communication of the spirit， and regulating the liver's spirit to promote the flow of Qi （气） and relieve stagnation， thereby providing a framework for acupuncture to treat head and facial orifice disorders.

It is regarded that the disease location of refractory facial paralysis is in the channel sinews of the face， with its primary pathogenesis characterized by a combination of deficiency and stasis of the channel sinews. The integration of repeated shallow needling method and fire acupuncture can first remove stagnation within the channel sinews， and second utilize the warming effect of fire to reinforce yang， stimulate meridian qi， and nourish the channel sinews. This approach balances both supplementation and drainage manipulation， aligning with the underlying pathogenesis of deficiency and stasis combination. In clinical practice， diagnostic methods should be applied flexibly to accurately identify the affected channel sinews. The severity of facial symptoms， the size and mobility of the paralyzed facial muscles， as well as the depth and size of the reactive points identified through palpation， should be considered when determining the extent of the condition. By adjusting the appropriate level of stimulation， the fire acupuncture with repeated shallow needling method could effectively improve facial muscle morphology and function， promoting recovery from the disease.

Exercise fatigue is a complex physiological and psychological phenomenon that includes peripheral fatigue in the muscles and central fatigue in the brain. Peripheral fatigue refers to the loss of force caused at the distal end of the neuromuscular junction, whereas central fatigue involves decreased motor output from the primary motor cortex, which is associated with modulations at anatomical sites proximal to nerves that innervate skeletal muscle. The central regulatory failure reflects a progressive decline in the central nervous system’s capacity to recruit motor units during sustained physical activity. Emerging evidence highlights the critical involvement of central neurochemical regulation in fatigue development, particularly through neurotransmitter-mediated modulation. Alterations in neurotransmitter release and receptor activity could influence excitatory and inhibitory signal pathways, thus modulating the perception of fatigue and exercise performance. Increased serotonin (5-HT) could increase perception of effort and lethargy, reduce motor drive to continue exercising, and contribute to exercise fatigue. Decreased dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NE) neurotransmission can negatively impact arousal, mood, motivation, and reward mechanisms and impair exercise performance. Furthermore, the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems interact with each other; a low 5-HT/DA ratio enhances motor motivation and improves performance, and a high 5-HT/DA ratio heightens fatigue perception and leads to decreased performance. The expression and activity of neurotransmitter receptors would be changed during prolonged exercise to fatigue, affecting the transmission of nerve signals. Prolonged high-intensity exercise causes excess 5-HT to overflow from the synaptic cleft to the axonal initial segment and activates the 5-HT1A receptor, thereby inhibiting the action potential of motor neurons and affecting the recruitment of motor units. During exercise to fatigue, the DA secretion is decreased, which blocks the binding of DA to D1 receptor in the caudate putamen and inhibits the activation of the direct pathway of the basal ganglia to suppress movement, meanwhile the binding of DA to D2 receptor is restrained in the caudate putamen, which activates the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia to influence motivation. Furthermore, other neurotransmitters and their receptors, such as adenosine (ADO), glutamic acid (Glu), and γ‑aminobutyric acid (GABA) also play important roles in regulating neurotransmitter balance and fatigue. The occurrence of central fatigue is not the result of the action of a single neurotransmitter system, but a comprehensive manifestation of the interaction between multiple neurotransmitters. This review explores the important role of neurotransmitters and their receptors in central motor fatigue, reveals the dynamic changes of different neurotransmitters such as 5-HT, DA, NE, and ADO during exercise, and summarizes the mechanisms by which these neurotransmitters and their receptors regulate fatigue perception and exercise performance through complex interactions. Besides, this study presents pharmacological evidence that drugs such as agonists, antagonists, and reuptake inhibitors could affect exercise performance by regulating the metabolic changes of neurotransmitters. Recently, emerging interventions such as dietary bioactive components intake and transcranial electrical stimulation may provide new ideas and strategies for the prevention and alleviation of exercise fatigue by regulating neurotransmitter levels and receptor activity. Overall, this work offers new theoretical insights into the understanding of exercise central fatigue, and future research should further investigate the relationship between neurotransmitters and their receptors and exercise fatigue.

Hypertension is a major factor leading to cardiovascular events and death, and accurate blood pressure measurement is a fundamental means of evaluating blood pressure levels, achieving hypertension diagnosis, and observing antihypertensive efficacy. Compared to traditional brachial pressure, central aortic pressure (CAP) exhibits a stronger correlation with cardiovascular events. However, its non-invasive detection technology has not yet been widely adopted in clinical practice. In order to promote the clinical application of CAP and optimize blood pressure management, this article systematically summarizes the research progress of CAP estimation algorithms. These algorithms were categorized into three types: direct substitution methods, generalized model-based methods and personalized estimation methods. The characteristics and clinical adaptability of each algorithm were analyzed. The findings highlight that CAP estimation algorithms are moving towards personalization and non-linearity.
Algorithms ; Humans ; Blood Pressure Determination/methods* ; Hypertension/physiopathology* ; Arterial Pressure/physiology* ; Blood Pressure/physiology* ; Aorta/physiology*

Objective:To discuss the effect of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)LINC00973 on the migration,invasion,and distant metastasis of epithelial ovarian cancer,and to clarify its molecular mechanism.Methods:The human ovarian cancer SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells were divided into EF1a-FH empty vector control group(control group),LINC00973 overexpression group(LINC00973 OE group),U6-shRNA empty vector control group(SHV group),and LINC00973 knockdown group(LINC00973 KD group),and were transfected with lentivirus containing nonsense sequence(pLent-EF1a-FH-CMV-copGFP-P2A-Puro),LINC00973 overexpression,nonsense sequence(pLent-U6-shRNA-CMV-copGFP-P2A-Puro)and LINC00973 shRNA,respectively,followed by puromycin screening to obtain stably transfected SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of target genes in the cells in various groups;wound healing assay was used to detect the migration rate of the cells in various groups;Transwell chamber assay was used to detect the number of transmembrane cells in various groups;The mice were divided into control group(WT group),LINC00973 OE group,and LINC00973 KD group,with 4 mice in each group.SKOV3 wild-type cells,LINC00973 OE cells,and LINC00973 KD cells were intraperitoneally injected into the mice in various groups,respectively,to establish the epithelial ovarian cancer intraperitoneal implantation and metastasis model;HE staining was used to observe the morphology of the colon and liver tissues of the mice in various groups;RNA-secquencing(RNA-seq)was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes between SHV and LINC00973 KD groups in the SKOV3 cell line;RT-qPCR method was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of LINC00973 in the normal ovarian epithelial cells IOSE-80 and epithelial ovarian cancer cells SKOV3,A2780 and OVCAR3,the mRNA expression levels of LINC00973,Vimentin,Snail family transcriptional repressor 1(Snail),Twist family basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 1(Twist),zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1(ZEB1),zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2(ZEB2),CXCL8 and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)16 in the cells in various groups,and the mRNA expression levels of LINC00973,Vimentin and Twist in liver and colon tissues of the mice in various groups.Results:Compared with normal ovarian epithelial cells IOSE-80,the expression level of LINC00973 mRNA in the epithelial ovarian cancer cells SKOV3,OVCAR3 and A2780 was significantly increased(P<0.01),with the highest expression level of LINC00973 in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells,which were therefore selected for subsequent experiments.In SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells,compared with control group,the expression level of LINC00973 mRNA in the cells in LINC00973 OE group was increased(P<0.01);compared with SHV group,the expression level of LINC00973 mRNA in the cells in LINC00973 KD group was decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),indicating successful construction of LINC00973 overexpression and knockdown cell lines.In SKOV3 cells,compared with control group,the mRNA expression levels of Vimentin and Twist in LINC00973 OE group were increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),while no significant difference was observed in Snail mRNA expression level(P>0.05);compared with SHV group,the mRNA expression levels of Vimentin,Snail and Twist in LINC00973 KD group were decreased(P<0.01).In OVCAR3 cells,compared with control group,the mRNA expression levels of Vimentin,Snail and Twist in LINC00973 OE group were increased(P<0.01);compared with SHV group,the expression levels of Vimentin,Snail,and mRNA Twist in LINC00973 KD group were decreased(P<0.01).The wound healing assay results showed that compared with control group,the wound healing rates of the SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells in LINC00973 OE group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with SHV group,the wound healing rates of the cells in LINC00973 KD group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The Transwell chamber assay results showed that compared with control group,the numbers of transmembrane cells of the SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells in LINC00973 OE group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with SHV group,the numbers of transmembrane cells in LINC00973 KD group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with WT group,the number of peritoneal nodules in LINC00973 OE group was increased,with rough liver surface and multiple nodules formed on mesentery and colon surface,and the expression levels of LINC00973,Vimentin,and Twist mRNA in colon tissue were increased(P<0.01);compared with WT group,no nodules were formed in the peritoneal cavity of LINC00973 KD group,with smooth liver surface,no nodules in liver tissue,and decreased expression levels of LINC00973,Vimentin,and Twist mRNA,and no nodules were observed on mesentery and colon surface.The HE staining results showed that compared with WT group,the multiple lesions were observed in liver and colon tissues in LINC00973 OE group,manifested as uneven cell size,irregular shape,unclear cell boundaries,increased nuclear division,and uneven red staining in cytoplasm,while in LINC00973 KD group,the cells in liver and colon tissues were arranged neatly with regular shape,and uniform distribution of nuclei and cytoplasm.The RNA-seq results showed that compared with SHV group,no key signaling pathways related to tumor metastasis were enriched in LINC00973 KD group,and the transcription levels of metastasis-related genes CXCL8,MMP16,ZEB1,and ZEB2 were decreased.The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with control group,the expression levels of ZEB1,ZEB2,CXCL8,and MMP16 mRNA in the cells in LINC00973 OE group were significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with SHV group,the expression levels of ZEB1,ZEB2,CXCL8,and MMP16 mRNA in the cells in LINC00973 KD group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion:LINC00973 can up-regulate the expression of metastasis-related factors Vimentin,Snail,Twist,ZEB1,ZEB2,CXCL8,and MMP16,and promote the migration,invasion,and distant metastasis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is an inherited disease caused by a deficiency of the enzyme arylsulfatase A (ARSA). Lentivirus-modified autologous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy (HSCGT) has recently been approved for clinical use in pre and early symptomatic children with MLD to increase ARSA activity. Unfortunately, this advanced therapy is not available for most patients with MLD who have progressed to more advanced symptomatic stages at diagnosis. Patients with late-onset juvenile MLD typically present with a slower neurological progression of symptoms and represent a significant burden to the economy and healthcare system, whereas those with early onset infantile MLD die within a few years of symptom onset. We conducted a pilot study to determine the safety and benefit of HSCGT in patients with postsymptomatic juvenile MLD and report preliminary results. The safety profile of HSCGT was favorable in this long-term follow-up over 9 years. The most common adverse events (AEs) within 2 months of HSCGT were related to busulfan conditioning, and all AEs resolved. No HSCGT-related AEs and no evidence of distorted hematopoietic differentiation during long-term follow-up for up to 9.6 years. Importantly, to date, patients have maintained remarkably improved ARSA activity with a stable disease state, including increased Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score and decreased magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesion score. This long-term follow-up pilot study suggests that HSCGT is safe and provides clinical benefit to patients with postsymptomatic juvenile MLD.
Humans ; Leukodystrophy, Metachromatic/genetics* ; Pilot Projects ; Genetic Therapy/methods* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Male ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Lentivirus/genetics* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Cerebroside-Sulfatase/metabolism* ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVE: To assess relationships between cold spells and genitourinary hospitalization risk. METHODS: Hospitalization records for genitourinary system diseases (GUDs) from 16 districts in Beijing (2013-2018) were analyzed. Cold spells were defined based on varying intensity thresholds. A two-stage analytical method was employed: first, generalized linear models assessed district-specific associations between cold spells and hospitalizations; second, random-effects meta-analysis aggregated the district-level results. Subgroup analyses were performed by admission type (emergency vs. outpatient), age, and sex. RESULTS: A total of 271,579 GUD-related hospitalizations were recorded. Cold spells (p1day2，daily mean temperature below the 1 ^st percentiles of the daily mean temperature distribution from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018, lasting for two or more consecutive days) were linked to a significant rise in hospitalization risks: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.32-1.56) for all GUDs, 1.35 (95% CI: 1.23-1.49) for urinary system diseases, and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.28-1.67) for renal failure, when compared to non-cold spell days. Emergency admissions showed higher risk increases than outpatient admissions. CONCLUSION Extreme cold spells significantly elevate hospitalization risks for GUDs. This highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions to mitigate cold-related health impacts, especially for vulnerable populations.
Humans ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Cold Temperature/adverse effects* ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Child ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Female Urogenital Diseases/etiology* ; Male Urogenital Diseases/etiology* ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Factors

Screening carbonyl reductases with the ability to catalyze the reduction of complex carbonyl compounds is of great significance for the biosynthesis of R-tolvaptan(R-TVP). In this study, the target carbonyl reductase in the crude enzyme extract of rabbit liver was separated, purified, and identified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel-filtration chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, and protein mass spectrometry. With the rabbit liver genome as the template, the gene encoding the carbonyl reductase rlsr5 was amplified by PCR and the recombinant strain was successfully constructed. After RLSR5 was purified by affinity chromatography, its enzymatic properties were characterized. The results indicated that the gene sequence of rlsr5 was 972 bp, encoding a protein with a molecular weight of 40 kDa. RLSR5 was a dimeric protein, and each monomer was composed of a (α/β)₈-barrel structure. RLSR5 could asymmetrically reduce 7-chloro-1-[2-methyl-4-[(2- methylbenzoyl)amino]benzoyl]-5-oxo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1-benzazepine (prochiral ketone, PK) to synthesize R-TVP. The specific activity of the enzyme was 36.64 U/mg, and the optical purity of the product was 99%. This enzyme showcased the optimal performance at pH 6.0 and 30 °C. It was independent of metal ions, with the activity enhanced by Mn²⁺. This study lays a foundation for the biosynthesis of tolvaptan of optical grade.
Animals ; Rabbits ; Alcohol Oxidoreductases/biosynthesis* ; Recombinant Proteins/metabolism* ; Escherichia coli/metabolism* ; Liver/enzymology*