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".

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*

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*

The production of healthy agricultural products has increased the demand for innovative and sustainable plant protection technologies, and the rapid advancement of nanotechnology has brought revolutionary breakthroughs to traditional agriculture. Nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems can not only significantly improve the utilization efficiency of pesticides, achieving enhanced efficacy and reduced application, but also decrease the pesticide residues and environmental pollution. Additionally, they have made breakthrough progress in the stability and persistence of RNA pesticides. This review summarized the research progress on nanopesticides and RNA pesticides, focusing on the mechanisms of nanocarriers in improving pesticide bioactivity and RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency. It also systematically summarized the types of nanomaterials and their applications in pest and disease management and provided an in-depth outlook for the future development of nanopesticides and RNA pesticides, which provided technical support for the high-quality development of agriculture in the future.
Pesticides/chemistry* ; Nanotechnology ; Nanostructures ; RNA ; Agriculture/methods* ; RNA Interference ; Drug Delivery Systems

Objective:To investigate the effect of nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 2(NR2F2)on the biological behaviors of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells,and to clarify its molecular mechauism and provide the new idea for treatment of ovarian cancer.Methods:Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis(GEPIA)Database analyse the expression level of NR2F2 gene in ovarian tissue,and analyse its correlation with clinical prognosis of ovarian cancer patients.The human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were divided into control group and NR2F2 over-expression(NR2F2 OE)group,which were transfected with mCherry control virus and NR2F2 OE over-expression virus,respectively,when the cell deusity reached 70％,and the stable transfection SKOV3 cell lines were screened with puromycin(puro)48h lafter.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blotting methods were used to detect the transfection efficiencies of the cells;RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression levels of NR2F2 and sex-determining region Y-box 2(SOX2)mRNA in the cells in two groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of NR2F2,ATP-binding cassette superfamily G member 2(ABCG2),and programmed cell death 1-ligand 1(PD-L1)protcins in the cells in two groups.CCK-8 assay was used to detect the proliferation activities of the cells in two groups;Wound assay was used to detect the migration rates of the cells in two groups;Transwell chamber assay was used to detect the number of transmembrane cells;Spheroidization assay was used to detect the numbers of spheroids in the cells;peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)-mediated tumor cell killing assay was used to detect the relative densities of surviving tumor cells;CCK-8 assay was used to detect the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of paclitaxel(PTX)and carboplatin(CBP).Results:Compared with normal ovarian tissue,the expression level of NR2F2 gene in ovarian tumor tissue was decreased(P＜0.05),and decreased with the improvement of clinical pathological grading of ovarian tumor.The patients with higher expression level of NR2F2 gene had better clincal prognosis.The SKOV3 cells with NR2F2 over-expresson were successfully constructed,and the expression levels of NR2F2 mRNA and protein in the cells in NR2F2 OE group were increased compared with control group(P＜0.001).The CCK-8 assay results showed that compared with control group,the proliferation activities of the cells in NR2F2 OE group were decreased at different time points(1,2,3,and 4 d)(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The cell wound assay results showed that compared with control group,the migration rate of the cells in NR2F2 OE group was decreased(P＜0.001).The Transwell assay results showed that compared with control group,the number of transmembrane cells in NR2F2 OE group was decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with control group,the number of the spheroids in NR2F2 OE group was decreased(P＜0.05),and the expression levels of SOX2 mRNA(P＜0.01)and protein(P＜0.001)were increased.Compared with control group,the relative density of surviving tumor cells in NR2F2 OE group was decreased,but the difference was not significant(P＜0.05),and the expression level of PD-L1 protein was decreased(P＜0.05).Compared with control group,the proliferation activities of cells in NR2F2 OE group were decreased(P＜0.05),and the drug sensitivities of the cells to PTX and CBP were enhanced(P＜0.05);the IC50 of PTX was significantly reduced,while the IC50of CBP could not be calculated due to excessively high drug concentration;the expression level of ABCG2 protein was decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The over-expression of NR2F2 may inhibit the proliferation,migration,and invasion of the human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells,decrease the expression levels of SOX2,PD-L1 and ABCG2 proteins,suppress the stemness and immune evasion ability of the SKOV3 cells,and enhance the sensitivities of the SKOV3 cells to PTX and CBP.