Aim To explore the mechanism of Jiawei Shaofu Zhuyu decoction in antagonizing endometriosis fibrosis by regulating mitophagy.Methods After the animal model was constructed,the syndrome was evalu-ated by general condition,organ water content and ther-mal imaging.The curative effect was evaluated by the weight of ectopic focus and the degree of adhesion.The pathological changes were compared using HE stai-ning,transmission electron microscopy,Masson and Sir-ius red staining.The expression of PINK1 and Parkin was detected by immunohistochemistry.The expression of mRNA and protein was determined by qPCR and Western blot,and the level of serum ROS was detected by ELISA.Results The autonomic activity of model mice was weakened,the water content of organs rose,and the temperature of limbs and lower abdomen was reduced by thermal imaging.HE staining showed obvi-ous hyperplasia of ectopic epithelium and glands.Transmission electron microscopy showed mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum structure damage,and nor-mal autophagy structure disappeared.Masson and Siri-us red staining showed increased collagen deposition;immunohistochemistry showed decreased expression of PINK1 and Parkin in ectopic foci.qPCR and Western blot showed that the expression of PINK1,Parkin,Bec-lin1,LC3 mRNA and protein in ectopic foci of model mice decreased,the expression of p62 mRNA and pro-tein increased,and serum ROS increased.The syn-drome performance of model mice was improved after the intervention of Jiawei Shaofu Zhuyu decoction;the inflammatory infiltration of ectopic foci was relieved,the morphology of mitochondria and endoplasmic retic-ulum was restored,and normal autophagy structure ap-peared.The degree of collagen deposition and fibrosis was reduced;the mRNA and protein expression of PINK1,Parkin,Beclin1 and LC3 increased.The ex-pression of p62 mRNA and protein decreased,and the level of ROS decreased.Conclusions Jiawei Shaofu Zhuyu decoction can improve the fibrosis of ectopic le-sions in mice with endometriosis of cold-dampness sta-sis syndrome,which may be related to the regulation of mitophagy.

Objective To observe the origin and course of the obturator artery(OA),so as to provide anatomical reference for reducing hemorrhage during pelvic surgery and pubic fracture fixation.Methods A total of 65 human hemi-pelvises specimens with intact structure were dissected to observe the origin,course and other variations of OA.Measure the length of the inner section of OA basin and the outer diameter at the origin,etc.Results OA originated from the internal iliac artery in 57 cases(87.7%),including 3 cases(4.6%)of the superior gluteal artery,5 cases(7.7%)of the inferior gluteal artery,3 cases(4.6%)of the external iliac artery and 5 cases(7.7%)of the inferior epigastric artery.OA participated in the formation of the arterial trunk in 3 cases(4.6%).The length of the pelvic segment of the OA in male and female was(50.87±15.41)mm and(51.71±14.19)mm,respectively,with no statistically significant difference between them(P>0.05).The outer diameters at the origin of the OA in male and female were(2.79±1.05)mm and(2.35±0.86)mm,and there was no statistically significant difference between them(P>0.05).Conclusion OA mainly originated from the anterior trunk of the internal iliac artery,with a few OA originated from the branches of the posterior trunk or the inferior epigastric artery,or participated in the formation of the arterial trunk.In pelvic surgery involving OA area,attention should be paid to the length of its pelvic segment and the outer diameter at the origin of OA,so as to better locate and protect blood vessels during surgery.

Objective To investigate the effects of remimazolam(REM)on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI)rats and the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)signaling pathway.Methods One hundred rats were selected to construct the CIRI rat model(Mod)and stochastically separated into a Mod group,low,medium,and high dose remifentanil groups(REM-L,REM-M,REM-H),and high dose remifentanil+pathway inhibitor Compound C group(REM-H+Compound C),with 20 rats in each group.Another 20 healthy rats were included as the control(Ctrl)group.All rats were subjected to neurobehavioral scoring.The water content,infarct area,and oxidative stress indicators of brain tissue were detected.The morphology and apoptosis of brain tissue were observed by HE and TUNEL staining.Western blotting was applied to detect protein expression related to the AMPK/NLRP3 signaling pathway.Results Compared with the Mod group,with the increase of REM dose,the movement disorders in rats were alleviated,the overall structure of brain tissue gradually recovered,pathological damage was reduced,the area of cerebral infarction,brain water content,and apoptosis rate of brain tissue cells decreased,reactive oxygen species(ROS)level,malondialdehyde(MDA)content,and NLRP3 and Caspase-1 protein expression levels decreased,superoxide dismutase the(SOD)content and AMPK protein expression level increased(P＜0.05).Compared with the REM-H group,the REM-H+Compound C group showed aggravated motor disorders,and more severe pathological damage to brain tissue,the area of cerebral infarction,cerebral water content and apoptosis rate of brain tissue cells increased,the ROS level,MDA content and the protein expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 increased,while the content of SOD and the protein expression decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Remimazolam can enhance the antioxidant function of the body,reduce brain cell apoptosis,alleviate brain tissue injury,and thus have a certain protective effect on ischemia-reperfusion brain injury in rats,the mechanism of which may be related to the activation of the AMPK/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Objective:To explore the relationship between urinary cadmium levels and thyroid hormone levels in people aged 40-89 years old in selected areas of China.Methods:Based on the "Investigation of the Impact of Soil Quality of Agricultural Land on Human Health in Typical Areas" project from October 2019 to August 2020, a multi-stage stratified random sampling method was used to include 6 588 middle-aged and older adults aged 40-89. Demographic characteristics, dietary frequency and disease status were collected through the questionnaire and physical examination. Urinary cadmium and urinary creatinine were detected by random midstream urine. Fasting venous blood was collected for the detection of Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4). The linear mixed effects model was used to explore the association of urine cadmium levels with thyroid hormone levels. Its dose-response relationship was explored by using the restricted cubic spline.Results:The age of the subjects was (63.48±12.18) years, with males accounting for 51.28%. The M ( Q 1,Q 3) of urinary cadmium level, T3 and T4 was 2.48 (1.36, 4.42) μg/g·creatinine, (1.96±0.51) nmol/L and (113.75±29.11) nmol/L, respectively. The linear mixed effects model showed that the changes of T3 and T4 were 0.027 (0.009, 0.044) nmol/L and 2.019 (1.084, 2.953) nmol/L for each one-unit increase (natural logarithm transformed) of urinary cadmium. The restricted cubic spline showed that there was a positive nonlinear association between urinary cadmium and T3 as well as T4 (all Pnonlinear<0.05). Conclusion:In selected areas of China, the urinary cadmium level of middle-aged and older adults aged 40-89 years is positively associated with T3 and T4.

Paclitaxel(PTX)is a first-line chemotherapy drug for breast cancer,but its resistance issues significantly impact clinical treatment efficacy.Fucosylation,especially core fucosylation,is closely related to tumor chemoresistance,resulting in poor chemotherapy responses and poor prognosis in patients.In this study,we investigated the effect and mechanism of the fucosylation inhibitor 2-fluorofucose(2-F-Fuc)on the chemosensitivity of paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer MCF-7/PTX cells.The drug resistanceindex(RI)of MCF-7/PTX cells was 8.49 by MTT assays.Western blotting,real-time PCR,enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay(ELISA)and Lens Culinaris Agglutinin(LCA)lectin imprinting showed that compared with MCF-7 cells,the expression of FUT8,MDR1and core fucosylation in MCF-7/PTX cells was high.Western blotting showed that 2-F-Fuc had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of MCF-7/PTX cells,and the expression levels of FUT8 and MDR1 were significantly down-regulated after 2-F-Fuc treatment,and the down-regulation was more pronounced in the PTX and 2-F-Fuc combination group(P＜0.05).Compared to the control,expression of PCNA in MCF-7/PTX cells in the PTX and the 2-F-Fuc group were down-regulated,and the apoptosis-related proteins,such as cleaved caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 were in-creased.The level of p-PI3K and p-AKT were down-regulated,and the changes in the combination of 2-F-Fuc and PTX were more robust(P＜0.05).The above results showed that the core fucosylation level of MCF-7/PTX cells was significantly increased,and 2-F-Fuc could reduce the core fucosylation level of MCF-7/PTX cells by inhibiting the expression of FUT8,and enhance the sensitivity of drug-resistant cells to PTX,which may correlate with the downregulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway proteins.

Objective　To construct a recombinant lentiviral expression vector for human lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3) and generation of monoclonal cell lines that preferentially express LAG3 by transfection of the vector into mouse fibroblast cells 3T3. Methods　After extracting total RNA extracted from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the RNA is reversely transcribed into cDNA. The LAG3 extracellular and transmembrane region sequences are amplified by PCR using high-fidelity DNA polymerase. The PCR products are double-digested with the restriction endonucleases EcoRⅠ and NotⅠ, then ligated with the lentiviral vector pTSB-copGFP to construct the recombinant expression vector pTSB-LAG3-copGFP, which is subsequently transformed into Escherichia coli DH5α. Positive clonal bacteria are selected by PCR, and the plasmids are extracted and sequenced for verification. The recombinant vector pTSB-LAG3-copGFP, along with packaging plasmids psPAX2 and pMD2.0G, are co-transfected into human embryonic kidney 293T cells to assemble and release virus particles, the virus infected 3T3 cells were collected. During the puromycin selection of infected 3T3 cells, the limited dilution method is used to obtain 3T3 monoclonal cells that stably express LAG3. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were utilized to verify the transcription of LAG3 mRNA and the expression of LAG3 protein respectively. Results　Sequencing of the recombinant pTSB-LAG3-copGFP lentiviral vector plasmid reveals that the amplified LAG3 sequence contains a synonymous mutation in the His codon at nucleotide position 1 697 bp within the LAG3 transmembrane region, which aligns with the standard LAG3 sequence (accession number NM_002286.6) in GenBank. The 3T3 cells infected by pTSB-LAG3-copGFP packaging virus screened with puromycin. A total of 20 LAG3+copGFP+-3T3 monoclonal cell lines were obtained, all of which exhibited transcription of LAG3 mRNA. The monoclonal cell line MC-6 exhibits the highest transcriptional level of LAG3. Effective expression and distribution of LAG3 protein on the cell membrane and cytoplasmic organelle membranes in MC-6 indicated by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Conclusion　The pTSB-LAG3-copGFP lentiviral vector was successfully constructed. LAG3+copGFP+-3T3 monoclonal cell lines overexpressing lymphocyte activating 3 were efficiently established, laying the foundation for subsequent studies on the relationship between LAG3 and the development of chronic infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, as well as the interventional treatment of LAG3.

Objective:To explore the relationship between urinary cadmium levels and thyroid hormone levels in people aged 40-89 years old in selected areas of China.Methods:Based on the "Investigation of the Impact of Soil Quality of Agricultural Land on Human Health in Typical Areas" project from October 2019 to August 2020, a multi-stage stratified random sampling method was used to include 6 588 middle-aged and older adults aged 40-89. Demographic characteristics, dietary frequency and disease status were collected through the questionnaire and physical examination. Urinary cadmium and urinary creatinine were detected by random midstream urine. Fasting venous blood was collected for the detection of Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4). The linear mixed effects model was used to explore the association of urine cadmium levels with thyroid hormone levels. Its dose-response relationship was explored by using the restricted cubic spline.Results:The age of the subjects was (63.48±12.18) years, with males accounting for 51.28%. The M ( Q 1,Q 3) of urinary cadmium level, T3 and T4 was 2.48 (1.36, 4.42) μg/g·creatinine, (1.96±0.51) nmol/L and (113.75±29.11) nmol/L, respectively. The linear mixed effects model showed that the changes of T3 and T4 were 0.027 (0.009, 0.044) nmol/L and 2.019 (1.084, 2.953) nmol/L for each one-unit increase (natural logarithm transformed) of urinary cadmium. The restricted cubic spline showed that there was a positive nonlinear association between urinary cadmium and T3 as well as T4 (all Pnonlinear<0.05). Conclusion:In selected areas of China, the urinary cadmium level of middle-aged and older adults aged 40-89 years is positively associated with T3 and T4.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

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*