OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the effects of deep acupuncture at Weizhong acupoint (BL40) on bladder function and brain activity in a rat model of overactive bladder (OAB), and investigated the possible mechanisms around the acupuncture area that initiate the effects of acupuncture. METHODS: Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups, comprising a control group, model group, group treated with deep acupuncture at BL40, group treated with shallow acupuncture at BL40, group treated with acupuncture at non-acupoint next to BL40, and group treated with acupuncture at Xuanzhong (GB39). Urodynamic evaluation was used to observe the urination, and functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to observe the brain activation. The mechanism of acupuncture at BL40 in regulating bladder function was explored by toluidine blue staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the mechanism was verified by stabilizing mast cells (MCs) or blocking tibial nerve. RESULTS: Deep acupuncture at BL40 significantly increased the intercontraction interval in OAB rats and enhanced the mean amplitude of low frequency fluctuation of primary motor cortex (M1), periaquaductal gray matter (PAG), and pontine micturition center (PMC). It also increased the zero-lag functional connectivity between M1 and PAG and between PAG and PMC. Shallow acupuncture at BL40 and acupuncture at non-acupoint or GB39 had no effect on these indexes. Further studies suggested that deep acupuncture at BL40 increased the number and degranulation rate of MCs as well as the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine, substance P, and histamine in the tissues around BL40. Blocking the tibial nerve by lidocaine injection or inhibiting MC degranulation by sodium cromoglycate injection obstructed the effects of acupuncture on restoring urinary function and modulating brain activation in OAB rats. CONCLUSION Deep acupuncture at BL40 may be more effective for inhibiting OAB by promoting degranulation of MCs around the acupoint and stimulating tibial nerve, thereby regulating the activation of the brain area that controls the lower urinary tract. Please cite this article as: Liu X, Zhang CY, Du XY, Li SS, Wang YQ, Zheng Y, Deng HZ, Fang XQ, Li JY, Wang ZQ, Xu SF, Mi YQ. Acupuncture at Weizhong (BL40) attenuates acetic acid-induced overactive bladder in rats by regulating brain neural activity through the modulation of mast cells and tibial nerves. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 46-55.
Animals ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive/physiopathology* ; Mast Cells/physiology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Female ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture Points ; Rats ; Brain/physiopathology* ; Tibial Nerve/physiopathology* ; Acetic Acid ; Urinary Bladder/physiopathology*

Objective:To analyze the influence of digital skills mastery on life satisfaction among middle-aged and elderly adults and explore the underlying mechanism.Methods:Using the latest empirical data,this study employs latent category analysis,ordered logistic regression,generalized propensity score matching,generalized structural equation model,and KHB decomposition.Results:Internet users are classified into basic survival,practical life,and advanced mastery types based on their digital skills;Higherlevels of digital skills mastery significantly improve life satisfaction,though the effect plateaus after initial gains;social connection effect and health information effect positively,while negative experience effect negatively,mediate this relationship,with health information effect contributing the most to the mediating effect.Conclusions:Higher levels of digital skills mastery can improve life satisfaction among middle-aged and elderly adults,but it presents a'double-edged sword'effect.Expanding network coverage,enhancing digital skills,and improving the digital environment are essential to better integrate middle-aged and elderly adults into the digital society and mitigate negative impacts.

2-(4-Methylthiazol-5-yl) ethyl nitrate hydrochloride (W1302) is a nitro containing derivative of clomethiazole, which is a novel neuroprotective agent with both carbon monoxide (NO) donor and weak γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA_A) receptor allosteric regulatory excitatory effect. The current study used a rat model of transient middle cerebral arteryocclusion (tMCAO) brain injury to evaluate the therapeutic effect of W1302 on ischemic stroke and explore its potential mechanisms of action. This experiment has been reviewed and approved by the Laboratory Animal Management and Use Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (ethical review forms No. 620, 632, 5013). The results showed that gavage administration of 1, 3, and 10 mg·kg^-1 of W1302 can significantly reduce the volume of cerebral infarction in rats with ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion for 24 h, and the therapeutic effect was better than that of 200 mg·kg^-1 of DL-3n-butylphthalide. W1302 significantly increased NO levels in blood and brain tissue. It increased cerebral blood flow and brain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content after reperfusion, as well as, inhibited the expressions of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in brain tissue. The time window of W1302 was between 120-180 min after ischemia. These research results demonstrated that W1302 could increase NO release, dilate blood vessels, and increase cerebral blood flow, improve energy supply to brain tissue and increase ATP levels, and inhibit neuro-inflammation, which playing the protective roles in tMCAO stroke model rats. This provides theoretical support for the clinical application of W1302 in the treatment of ischemic stroke.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of epidural analgesia plus dexmedetomidine infusion on postpartum depression in parturients with natural childbirth. MethodsWe selected 70 parturients aged between 22 and 36， with singleton， term， cephalic presentation， natural delivery and ASA class I or Ⅱ. The cases undergoing epidural analgesia with ropivacaine and sufentanil were randomly divided into two groups by using a random number table （n=35 for each group）. The control group （Group C） used intravenous infusion of normal saline， while the experimental group （Group D） used equivalent volumes of intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine. Participants were followed up at 1， 6， 12 weeks after childbirth to assess the severity of postpartum depression. Blood samples were collected at 12 h and 48 h after childbirth to measure the serum prolactin levels. The hemodynamic （HR and MAP） changes， VAS scores， and Ramsay scores were recorded at five time points： before analgesia （T1）， 10 min after analgesia （T2）， 30 min after analgesia （T3）， 12 h （T4） and 24 h （T5） after delivery. The number of analgesia pump presses and adverse events were also documented. ResultsCompared with Group C， Group D showed significantly lower EPDS scores at 1 week after childbirth， significantly higher prolactin concentrations at 12 h and 48 h after childbirth， significantly lower VAS scores at T2， T3 and T4， significantly higher Ramsay score at T3 and significantly reduced number of analgesia pump presses （P < 0.05）. ConclusionEpidural analgesia plus intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine can alleviate early postpartum depression in women undergoing natural delivery， promote early prolactin secretion and provide a safe and effective adjunctive analgesic and sedative effect.

Objective:To analyze the compliance with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in geriatric patients with fresh fracture.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on the data of the patients with fresh extremity fracture which had been included in the ERAS perioperative protocol database during May 2019 and January 2022 at Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. The patients ≥65 years were selected as a study group which was matched by a control group of the patients < 65 years in sex, fracture type and date frame of hospitalization at a ratio of 1∶1. The 2 groups were compared in the compliance with the 14 ERAS core perioperative elements.Results:The study group and the control group each included 66 patients who were matched in sex and fracture type. 62.1% (41/66) of the patients in the study group had combined diseases, significantly more than that [16.7% (11/66)] in the control group( P<0.001). Altogether, the compliance with the 14 ERAS core perioperative elements was 78.6 (71.4, 85.7) % in both groups, showing no significant difference between them ( P>0.05). Respectively, the compliance with the postoperative oral intake in the study group (80.3%, 53/66) was significantly lower than that in the control group (92.4%, 61/66) ( P<0.05); the compliance with the other 13 elements showed no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The ERAS perioperative protocol can be carried out smoothly in geriatric patients with fresh fracture whose compliance may be comparable to that of the none-elderly patients.

To study the quality control of three traditional Chinese medicines derived from Gleditsia sinensis [Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus(GSF), Gleditsiae Fructus Abnormalis(GFA), and Gleditsiae Spina(GS)], this paper established a multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) approach based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-linear ion-trap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-Trap-MS). Using an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm × 100 mm, 1.7 μm), gradient elution was performed at 40 ℃ with water containing 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile as the mobile phase running at 0.3 mL·min~(-1), and the separation and content determination of ten chemical constituents(e.g., saikachinoside A, locustoside A, orientin, taxifolin, vitexin, isoquercitrin, luteolin, quercitrin, quercetin, and apigenin) in GSF, GFA, and GS were enabled within 31 min. The established method could quickly and efficiently determine the content of ten chemical constituents in GSF, GFA, and GS. All constituents showed good linearity(r>0.995), and the average recovery rate was 94.09%-110.9%. The results showed that, the content of two alkaloids in GSF(2.03-834.75 μg·g~(-1)) was higher than that in GFA(0.03-10.41 μg·g~(-1)) and GS(0.04-13.66 μg·g~(-1)), while the content of eight flavonoids in GS(0.54-2.38 mg·g~(-1)) was higher than that in GSF(0.08-0.29 mg·g~(-1)) and GFA(0.15-0.32 mg·g~(-1)). These results provide references for the quality control of G. sinensis-derived TCMs.
Flavonoids/analysis* ; Alkaloids ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Mass Spectrometry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal

Humans ; Pyriform Sinus/surgery* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Fistula/surgery* ; Diagnostic Errors ; Pharyngeal Diseases/surgery*

Objective:To explore the characteristics and clinical values of preoperative imaging signs and intraoperative stress test in the surgery of the Weber type B fracture without medial malleolar fracture.Methods:The data of 52 patients were reviewed who had been treated at Orthopaedic Trauma Department, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital for Weber type B ankle fracture without medial malleolar fracture from January 2018 to December 2021.They were assigned into 2 groups depending on their results of intraoperative stress test. In the positive group of 21 cases showing a positive intraoperative stress test, there were 19 males and 2 females with an age of (34.4±10.2) years; in the negative group of 31 cases showing a negative intra operative stress test, there were 22 males and 9 females with an age of (39.5±14.8) years. The 2 groups were compared in terms of the medial clear space, tibiofibular clear space and vertical length of the fibular fracture on the preoperative X-ray film, as well as the relative size of the posterior malleolar fracture fragment on the preoperative CT. The imaging characteristics of intraoperative stress tests were also observed.Results:There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the preoperative general data, showing comparability between groups ( P>0.05). The medial clear space (7.2±2.5) mm and the vertical length of the fibular fracture [49.2 (33.7, 58.7) mm] in the positive group were significantly larger than those in the negative group [(4.5±1.7) mm and 29.6 (24.7, 36.0) mm] ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the lower tibiofibular space [(6.0±1.9) mm versus (5.2 ± 1.4) mm] or in the relative size of posterior malleolar fracture measured by CT [15.8% (6.9%, 19.1%) versus 12.7% (0%, 18.9%)] ( P>0.05). The intraoperative stress test imaging data of a total of 22 cases were collected from the 2 groups (11 cases from each of the 2 groups). During the stress test, only the medial clear space was widened with no widening of the inferior tibiofibular space was found in 7 cases (5 cases in the positive group and 2 cases in the negative group). Conclusions:A routine stress test is recommended for Weber B ankle fracture without medial malleolus fracture, because instability sometimes exists after fibular fixation. Patients with a wider medial clear space and a longer fibular fracture line on X-ray after injury are more likely to be afflicted by instability after fibular fixation. In the patients with a widened medial clear space but without a widened inferior tibiofibular clear space during an intraoperative stress test, it calls for further study whether it is necessary to fix the inferior tibiofibular joint.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation among MSM, and to explore the influence of perceived social support and depression on suicidal ideation and the possible pathway. Methods: MSM who are ≥18 years, HIV-negative, and ever had sex with men (oral sex/anal sex) in the last year participated in is study. Cross-sectional survey and convenient sampling method were used to recruit MSM through a male social interaction platform Blued 7.5 software from December 2020 to March 2021, with a questionnaire survey. Demographic questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Questionnaire and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were employed to collect data. Mplus 8.3 was used for data analysis. Results: Among 1 394 eligible MSM participants, 25.7% (358/1 394) had suicidal ideation. Perceived social support could have a direct effect on suicidal ideation (β=-0.11, P=0.009), and an indirect effect on suicidal ideation through depression (β=-0.18, P<0.001). Conclusions: Suicidal ideation was found to be lower in MSM with a higher level of perceived social support and a lower level of depression. Using social media to improve MSM's perceived social support and reduce depressive symptoms might be an effective means to prevent suicidal ideation.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression/epidemiology* ; Homosexuality, Male ; Humans ; Male ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual and Gender Minorities ; Social Support ; Suicidal Ideation

B-Lymphocytes ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin D ; T Follicular Helper Cells ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer