ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of stone needle thermocompression and massage compared to flurbiprofen gel patch in relieving chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back， and to explore the potential mediating mechanism through muscle elasticity. MethodsA total of 120 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back were randomly assigned to either stone needle group or flurbiprofen group， with 60 patients in each. The stone needle group received stone needle thermocompression and massage for 30 minutes， three times per week； the flurbiprofen group received flurbiprofen gel patch twice daily. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. Pain improvement， as the primary outcome， was assessed using the Global Pain Scale （GPS） at baseline， after 2 weeks of treatment， and again 2 weeks post-treatment. To explore potential mechanisms， a mediator analysis was conducted by measuring changes in superficial and deep muscle elasticity using musculoskeletal ultrasound at baseline and after the 2-week treatment period. ResultsThe stone needle group showed significantly greater pain relief than the flurbiprofen group 2 weeks post-treatment. After adjusting for confounders related to pain duration， the between-group mean difference was -8.8 ［95% CI （-18.2， -0.7）， P＜0.05］. Part of the therapeutic effect was mediated by changes in deep muscle elasticity， with a mediation effect size of -1.5 ［95% CI （-2.0， -0.9）， P = 0.024］， accounting for 17.9% of the total effect. ConclusionStone needle thermocompression and massage can effectively relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back， partly through a mediating effect of improved deep muscle elasticity.

[Objective] To retrospectively analyse the serological characteristics of hemolytic transfusion reactions caused by Rh and Kidd antibodies, and to provide reference for safe, timely, and effective blood transfusion. [Methods] Two cases of patients with RhCcEe and Kidd blood type who experienced allogeneic transfusion at Dazhou Central Hospital were selected. A series of immunohematological tests were performed, including ABO, RhDCcEe and Kidd blood typing, unexpected antibody screening and identification, crossmatching, direct antiglobulin test, acid elution test, and capillary centrifugation to separate the patient's own red blood cells from donated red blood cells. [Results] Unexpected antibody screening, antibody identification, and direct antiglobulin test were positive in both patients. Case 1 had anti-Jk in the plasma, but no specific antibodies were found in the eluate. Case 2 had anti-c and E in the plasma, and anti-E was detected in the eluate. High-speed capillary centrifugation revealed corresponding antigen-positive erythrocytes at the distal end of the blood samples of both patients. [Conclusion] Case 1 received Kidd allogeneic red blood cells, and case 2 received RhCcEe allogeneic red blood cells, and both patients developed the corresponding unexpected antibodies, which led to the occurrence of immune haemolytic blood transfusion reaction.

The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants are crucial to the quality improvement of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants attract microorganisms to colonize by secreting specific compounds and provide niche and nutrient support for these microorganisms, with a symbiotic network formed. These microorganisms grow in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endophytic tissues of plants and significantly improve the growth performance and medicinal component accumulation of medicinal plants by promoting nutrient uptake, enhancing disease resistance, and regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Microorganisms are also widely used in the ecological planting of medicinal plants, and the growth conditions of medicinal plants are optimized by simulating the microbial effects in the natural environment. The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants not only significantly improve the yield and quality of medicinal plants but also enhance their geoherbalism, which is in line with the concept of green agriculture and eco-friendly development. This study reviewed the research results on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms in recent years and focused on the analysis of the great potential of microorganisms in optimizing the growth environment of medicinal plants, regulating the accumulation of secondary metabolites, inducing systemic resistance, and promoting the ecological planting of medicinal plants. It provides a scientific basis for the research on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms, the research and development of microbial agents, and the application of microorganisms in the ecological planting of medicinal plants and is of great significance for the quality improvement of medicinal plants and the green and sustainable development of TCM resources.
Plants, Medicinal/metabolism* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Symbiosis

Climate and land use changes may significantly impact the habitat distribution of Gastrodia elata, an endangered traditional medicinal plant. Accurately predicting its future potential suitable habitats is crucial for its conservation and sustainable development. This study integrates current distribution data of G. elata with 56 environmental variables and uses the MaxEnt model to predict changes in its suitable habitats under current climate conditions and four future climate scenarios(SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5). The results show that October precipitation and December minimum temperature are key environmental factors influencing its distribution. Under the current climate, optimal habitats for G. elata are concentrated in montane forest areas in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Hubei, which meet the species' requirements for understory growth. Across all future scenarios, the suitable habitat of G. elata consistently shows a stable northward shift, with a steady increase in suitable areas, extending to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Huang-Huai region, and even expanding into Liaoning, Jilin, and southern Heilongjiang. Land use analysis, taking into account the protection of arable land and the utilization of forest resources, indicates that by 2100, under future climate conditions, arable land in medium-to high-suitability areas is expected to increase by 30%-124%. While the conversion of non-suitable forest land into suitable habitats is projected to increase by 5%-52%, the growth of medium-to high-suitability areas within forests is relatively modest, ranging from 1% to 24%. These findings highlight the need to balance agricultural expansion with forest resource conservation to ensure the long-term sustainability of G. elata and provide scientific guidance for future suitable habitat management.
Ecosystem ; China ; Climate Change ; Gastrodia/growth & development* ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Plants, Medicinal/growth & development*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Yu Melody relaxation training (YMRT) combined with Jianpi Jieyu Decoction (JJD) in treating patients with insomnia disorders (ID). METHODS: In this randomized controlled study, 94 ID patients were included from Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from September 2022 to January 2024. They were randomly assigned to the YMRT group (47 cases, YMRT plus JJD) and the control group (47 cases, oral JJD) using a random number table. Both treatment administrations lasted for 4 weeks, with a 2-week follow-up. The primary outcome was change in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores from baseline to 4 weeks of intervention. Secondary outcomes included ISI response at week 4, as well as ISI, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scores at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Additionally, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were evaluated at baseline and weeks 4 and 6. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded and compared between groups. RESULTS: Five patients in each group did not complete the protocol requirements. The overall dropout rate was 10.64%. The full analysis set included all 47 cases in each group. The ISI score decreased significantly at week 4 from baseline in the YMRT group compared with the control group, with a between-group difference of -3.2 points [95% confidence interval (CI): -5.08 to -1.34; P<0.05]. The ISI response at week 4 in the YMRT group was significantly higher than that in the control group (85.11% vs. 51.06%), with a between-group difference of 34.05% (95% CI: 13.77% to 50.97%; P<0.05). At week 6, the YMRT group demonstrated greater reductions from baseline than the control group, with between-group differences of -2.1 points (-95% CI: -3.49 to -0.64; P<0.05) for PHQ-9 scores, -3.5 points (95% CI: -5.21 to -1.85; P<0.05) for PSQI scores, and -1.9 points (95% CI: -3.47 to -0.28; P<0.05) for GAD-7 scores. Moreover, at weeks 4 and 6, the ISI and PSQI scores in the YMRT group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); and at week 6, the PHQ-9 score in the YMRT group was significantly lower (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence rates of AEs between the two groups (8.51% vs. 4.26%, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS YMRT combined with oral JJD could improve sleep quality and alleviate depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with ID. This combined therapy was effective and safe, and its effect was superior to oral JJD alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200063884).
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Relaxation Therapy/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Combined Modality Therapy

Acute kidney injury (AKI) has high morbidity and mortality, but effective clinical drugs and management are lacking. Previous studies have suggested that macrophages play a crucial role in the inflammatory response to AKI and may serve as potential therapeutic targets. Emerging evidence has highlighted the importance of forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) in mediating macrophage activation and polarization in various diseases, but the specific mechanisms by which FoxO1 regulates macrophages during AKI remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of FoxO1 in macrophages in the pathogenesis of AKI. We observed a significant upregulation of FoxO1 in kidney macrophages following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that the administration of FoxO1 inhibitor AS1842856-encapsulated liposome (AS-Lipo), mainly acting on macrophages, effectively mitigated renal injury induced by I/R injury in mice. By generating myeloid-specific FoxO1-knockout mice, we further observed that the deficiency of FoxO1 in myeloid cells protected against I/R injury-induced AKI. Furthermore, our study provided evidence of FoxO1's pivotal role in macrophage chemotaxis, inflammation, and migration. Moreover, the impact of FoxO1 on the regulation of macrophage migration was mediated through RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (ARHGEF1), indicating that ARHGEF1 may serve as a potential intermediary between FoxO1 and the activity of the RhoA pathway. Consequently, our findings propose that FoxO1 plays a crucial role as a mediator and biomarker in the context of AKI. Targeting macrophage FoxO1 pharmacologically could potentially offer a promising therapeutic approach for AKI.

OBJECTIVE: Acupuncture therapies are known for their effectiveness in treating a variety of gastric diseases, although the mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. This study tested the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints Zhongwan (RN12) and Weishu (BL21) for managing gastric motility disorder (GMD) and investigated the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: A GMD model was used to evaluate the impact of EA on various aspects of gastric function including the amplitude of gastric motility, electrogastrogram, food intake, and the rate of gastric emptying. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to explore the activation of spinal neurons by EA, specifically examining the presence of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-positive neurons and fibers emanating from acupoints RN12 and BL21. The stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, the inhibition of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, and their collective effects on the activity of sympathetic nerves were examined. RESULTS: EA at RN12 and BL21 significantly improved gastric motility compromised by GMD. Notably, EA activated spinal neurons, with CTB-positive neurons and fibers from RN12 and BL21 being detectable in both the dorsal root ganglia and the spinal dorsal horn. Further analysis revealed that EA at these acupoints not only stimulated GABAergic neurons in the spinal dorsal horn but also suppressed sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal lateral horn, effectively reducing excessive activity of sympathetic nerves triggered by GMD. CONCLUSION EA treatment at RN12 and BL21 effectively enhances gastric motility in a GMD model. The therapeutic efficacy of this approach is attributed to the activation of spinal neurons and the modulation of the spinal GABAergic-sympathetic pathway, providing a neurobiological foundation for the role of acupuncture in treating gastric disorders. Please cite this article as: Zhang MT, Liang YF, Dai Q, Gao HR, Wang H, Chen L, Huang S, Wang XY, Shen GM. A spinal neural circuit for electroacupuncture that regulates gastric functional disorders. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 56-65.
Electroacupuncture ; Animals ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Stomach Diseases/physiopathology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Rats ; Gastric Emptying ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Stomach/physiopathology*

ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence rate of sarcopenia in patients with Wilson’s disease （WD）-related liver cirrhosis， as well as the risk factors for sarcopenia and their impact on clinical outcomes. MethodsA total of 140 patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis who were treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2020， and according to the third lumbar skeletal muscle mass index （L3 SMI）， the patients were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group. Nutritional risk screening， anthropometric measurements， and blood biochemical tests were performed for the patients to identify the influencing factors for sarcopenia. The patients were followed up for 36 — 48 months， and survival status and complications were compared between the two groups. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test were used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A binary Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for sarcopenia， and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to investigate the risk factors for the prognosis of patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted， and the Log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. ResultsAmong the 140 patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis， 53 （37.9%） developed sarcopenia， with significantly lower body mass index （BMI） and L3 SMI than the patients without sarcopenia （t=10.550 and 3.982， both P<0.001）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age （odds ratio ［OR］=2.243， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.196 — 4.208， P=0.012）， sex （OR=0.450， 95%CI： 0.232 — 0.872， P=0.018）， BMI （OR=0.126， 95%CI： 0.089 — 0.294， P<0.001）， and hepatic encephalopathy （OR=8.367， 95%CI： 2.423 — 28.897， P<0.001） were the main influencing factors for sarcopenia in patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis. Compared with the non-sarcopenia group， the sarcopenia group had significantly higher mortality rate （χ²=6.158， P=0.019） and significantly higher incidence rates of infection （χ²=8.008， P=0.040）， recurrent abdominal/pleural efflux （χ²=17.742， P<0.001）， and hepatic encephalopathy （χ²=4.338， P=0.039）. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that sarcopenia （hazard ratio ［HR］=4.685， P=0.002） and hepatic encephalopathy （HR=19.156， P<0.001） were independent risk factors for death in patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed a significant reduction in survival rate in the patients with sarcopenia （P=0.003）. ConclusionSarcopenia is one of the manifestations of malnutrition in patients with WD-related liver cirrhosis， which increases the risk of mortality and other complications and has an adverse effect on prognosis. There is an increased risk of sarcopenia in male patients or patients with hepatic encephalopathy， a lower level of BMI or an older age.

Abstract In recent years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents has risen rapidly, posing a serious threat to their physical and mental health. To provide scientific, systematic, and standardized weight management guidance for overweight and obese children and adolescents, the study focuses on the core concept of healthy lifestyle intervention, integrates multidisciplinary expert opinions and research findings,and proposes a comprehensive multidisciplinary intervention framework covering scientific exercise intervention, precise nutrition and diet, optimized sleep management, and standardized psychological support. It calls for the establishment of a multi agent collaborative management mechanism led by the government, implemented by families, fostered by schools, initiated by individuals, optimized by communities, reinforced by healthcare, and coordinated by multiple stakeholders. Emphasizing a child and adolescent centered approach, the consensus advocates for comprehensive, multi level, and personalized guidance strategies to promote the internalization and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. It serves as a reference and provides recommendations for the effective prevention and control of overweight and obesity, and enhancing the health level of children and adolescents.

Objective:To develop a deep learning model based on multimodal data for glaucoma diagnosis and severity assessment.Methods:A diagnostic test was conducted.A total of 145 normal eyes from 86 participants and 507 eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma from 314 participants were collected at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from June to December in 2023.Fundus photographs and visual field data were obtained, and glaucoma eyes were divided into three groups based on the mean deviation value of the visual field, namely mild group (154 eyes), moderate group (113 eyes), and severe group (240 eyes).Three convolutional neural network (CNN) models, including DenseNet 121, ResNet 50 and VGG 19, were used to build an artificial intelligence (AI) model.The impact of single-modal and multimodal data on the classification results was evaluated, and the most appropriate CNN network architecture for multimodal data was identified.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University (No.2023L93).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:A total of 652 eyes had both fundus photographs and visual field test results.Images were randomly assigned to training and test datasets in a 4∶1 ratio by using computer random number method.AI models built with different CNN models showed high accuracy, with DenseNet 121 outperforming ResNet 50 and VGG 19 on various effectiveness measures.In the single-modal algorithm using fundus photographs, single-modal algorithm using visual field tests, and multimodal algorithm combining fundus photographs and visual field data, the area under the curve for early glaucoma detection was 0.87, 0.93 and 0.95, respectively.Conclusions:The use of multimodal data enables the development of a highly accurate tool for the glaucoma diagnosis and severity grading.