Background Previous studies have demonstrated that the vagus nerve stimulation improves upper limb function in patients with stroke sequelae(six month-two years).This study aimed to investigate whether the auricular intradermal acupuncture(AIA)acted on the auricular branch of the vagus nerve can facilitate the recovery of upper limb motor function and expedite the effects and characteristics of rehabilitation processes in flaccid phase after stroke in Phase Brunnstrom Ⅰ.Methods This study utilized a randomized controlled single-blinded clinical design.Patients with ischemic stroke in Phase Brunnstrom Ⅰ were randomly assigned to the auricular intradermal acupuncture(AIA)group(AIA,standard rehabilitation,conventional acupuncture)or the sham auricular intradermal acupuncture(sham AIA)group(the sham AIA,standard rehabilitation,conventional acupuncture)for 6 days of 1 week(6 times).Primary outcome measures:Brunnstrom(Ueda Assessment),Fugl-Meyer assessment of the upper extremity(FMA-UE)and its subtype score(FMA-UEFS,FMA-UEES),Wolf motor function test scale(WMFT).Secondary outcome measures:Upper limb active range of joint motion(AROM),manual muscle test(MMT)of upper limb muscles,Barthel index(BI).Results Of the 332 patients who were screened,70 patients met the criteria and were recruited.There were 35 patients in the AIA group,1 patient was fall off,34 patients were actually completed;35 patients in the sham AIA group had no falling off case.Primary outcome measures:The upper Ueda assessment of the AIA group were better than those of the sham AIA group after treatment on days 3 and 6(P<0.05,P<0.001,respectively).The FMA-UEFS score on days 6 of the AIA group were significantly better than those of the sham AIA group(P<0.05).FMA-UEES of the AIA group was more associated with FMA-UE than FMA-UEFS with FMA-UE after treatment on day 6(FMA-UEFS:r=0.728,P<0.001;FMA-UEES:r=0.744,P<0.001).After 3 days and 6 days of treatment,the AIA group of the WMFT were significantly improved in the sham AIA group(P<0.05,P<0.001,respectively).Secondary outcome measures:AROM:After 6 days of treatment,the AIA group of shoulder abduction were more improved than in the sham AIA group(P<0.05).MMT:The muscle strength of elbow flexion,and elbow extension muscle improved more in the AIA group than in the sham AIA group(P<0.05).Barthel index(BI):After 6 days of treatment,there was a significant improvement in the group compared with before treatment(P<0.05),but no difference compared with the group(P>0.05).Conclusions AIA combined with conventional rehabilitation and acupuncture,can effectively improve the upper limb motor function of patients with post-ischemic stroke flaccid hemiplegia and accelerates the rehabilitation process of upper limb motor function.Clinical Trial Registration The study protocol is registered withhttp://www.chictr.org.cn(accession number:ChiCTR2200058141).

AIM:The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Yiqi-Yangyin-Quyu prescription(YP)on skeletal muscle injury and related metabolic disorders in mice with Sj?gren syndrome(SS),and to clarify the role of hy-droxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex subunit beta(Hadhb)in mediating the effect of YP on skeletal muscle in SS.METHODS:The SS mice underwent YP treatment for 8 weeks.The morphological changes of the submandibular gland and muscle tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin staining.The mitochondrial status in mus-cle tissue was assessed through transmission electron microscopy.Additionally,combined transcriptome and proteome se-quencing was conducted on skeletal muscle samples.The omics sequencing results were validated by RT-qPCR.Immuno-fluorescence was used to confirm the levels of key proteins involved in the P53/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARG)signaling pathway.Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to determine the levels of Hadhb key targets.RESULTS:Combined transcriptome and proteome analysis identified 1 523 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 182 differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)between the muscle tissue of SS mice(model group)and that of control animals(ICR group),12 of which showed co-differential expression at both transcriptomic and proteomic levels.Compared with model group,1 232 genes and 432 proteins were found to be differentially expressed in the muscle tissue of the mice in YP group.Among these,23 exhibited co-differential expression at both mRNA and protein levels.Gene Ontology(GO)analysis showed that the DEGs and DEPs between ICR and model groups were mainly involved in ener-gy metabolism and fatty acid oxidation,while the DEGs and DEPs between YP and model groups were primarily associated with sarcomere tissue and actin structure.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis indi-cated that the DEGs and DEPs between ICR and model groups and between model and YP groups were enriched in the com-plement and coagulation cascade and lipid and pyruvate metabolism.The RT-qPCR validation results were consistent with those of the transcriptome analysis.Furthermore,the protein expression of the tumor suppressor P53 was significantly de-creased in YP group compared with model group,whereas that of PPARG was significantly increased.Western blot analy-sis showed that compared with ICR group,Hadhb protein expression was significantly decreased in model group,whereas the opposite trend was detected in YP group.CONCLUSION:The SS-related skeletal muscle damage is closely related to amino acid metabolism disorder and fatty acid degradation.Treatment with YP modulates innate immune defenses,lipid metabolism and energy metabolism in SS,and Hadhb is the key target of YP in SS-related skeletal muscle.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that the vagus nerve stimulation improves upper limb function in patients with stroke sequelae(six month-two years).This study aimed to investigate whether the auricular intradermal acupuncture(AIA)acted on the auricular branch of the vagus nerve can facilitate the recovery of upper limb motor function and expedite the effects and characteristics of rehabilitation processes in flaccid phase after stroke in Phase Brunnstrom Ⅰ.Methods This study utilized a randomized controlled single-blinded clinical design.Patients with ischemic stroke in Phase Brunnstrom Ⅰ were randomly assigned to the auricular intradermal acupuncture(AIA)group(AIA,standard rehabilitation,conventional acupuncture)or the sham auricular intradermal acupuncture(sham AIA)group(the sham AIA,standard rehabilitation,conventional acupuncture)for 6 days of 1 week(6 times).Primary outcome measures:Brunnstrom(Ueda Assessment),Fugl-Meyer assessment of the upper extremity(FMA-UE)and its subtype score(FMA-UEFS,FMA-UEES),Wolf motor function test scale(WMFT).Secondary outcome measures:Upper limb active range of joint motion(AROM),manual muscle test(MMT)of upper limb muscles,Barthel index(BI).Results Of the 332 patients who were screened,70 patients met the criteria and were recruited.There were 35 patients in the AIA group,1 patient was fall off,34 patients were actually completed;35 patients in the sham AIA group had no falling off case.Primary outcome measures:The upper Ueda assessment of the AIA group were better than those of the sham AIA group after treatment on days 3 and 6(P<0.05,P<0.001,respectively).The FMA-UEFS score on days 6 of the AIA group were significantly better than those of the sham AIA group(P<0.05).FMA-UEES of the AIA group was more associated with FMA-UE than FMA-UEFS with FMA-UE after treatment on day 6(FMA-UEFS:r=0.728,P<0.001;FMA-UEES:r=0.744,P<0.001).After 3 days and 6 days of treatment,the AIA group of the WMFT were significantly improved in the sham AIA group(P<0.05,P<0.001,respectively).Secondary outcome measures:AROM:After 6 days of treatment,the AIA group of shoulder abduction were more improved than in the sham AIA group(P<0.05).MMT:The muscle strength of elbow flexion,and elbow extension muscle improved more in the AIA group than in the sham AIA group(P<0.05).Barthel index(BI):After 6 days of treatment,there was a significant improvement in the group compared with before treatment(P<0.05),but no difference compared with the group(P>0.05).Conclusions AIA combined with conventional rehabilitation and acupuncture,can effectively improve the upper limb motor function of patients with post-ischemic stroke flaccid hemiplegia and accelerates the rehabilitation process of upper limb motor function.Clinical Trial Registration The study protocol is registered withhttp://www.chictr.org.cn(accession number:ChiCTR2200058141).

AIM:The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Yiqi-Yangyin-Quyu prescription(YP)on skeletal muscle injury and related metabolic disorders in mice with Sj?gren syndrome(SS),and to clarify the role of hy-droxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex subunit beta(Hadhb)in mediating the effect of YP on skeletal muscle in SS.METHODS:The SS mice underwent YP treatment for 8 weeks.The morphological changes of the submandibular gland and muscle tissue were examined using hematoxylin-eosin staining.The mitochondrial status in mus-cle tissue was assessed through transmission electron microscopy.Additionally,combined transcriptome and proteome se-quencing was conducted on skeletal muscle samples.The omics sequencing results were validated by RT-qPCR.Immuno-fluorescence was used to confirm the levels of key proteins involved in the P53/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARG)signaling pathway.Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were employed to determine the levels of Hadhb key targets.RESULTS:Combined transcriptome and proteome analysis identified 1 523 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 182 differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)between the muscle tissue of SS mice(model group)and that of control animals(ICR group),12 of which showed co-differential expression at both transcriptomic and proteomic levels.Compared with model group,1 232 genes and 432 proteins were found to be differentially expressed in the muscle tissue of the mice in YP group.Among these,23 exhibited co-differential expression at both mRNA and protein levels.Gene Ontology(GO)analysis showed that the DEGs and DEPs between ICR and model groups were mainly involved in ener-gy metabolism and fatty acid oxidation,while the DEGs and DEPs between YP and model groups were primarily associated with sarcomere tissue and actin structure.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis indi-cated that the DEGs and DEPs between ICR and model groups and between model and YP groups were enriched in the com-plement and coagulation cascade and lipid and pyruvate metabolism.The RT-qPCR validation results were consistent with those of the transcriptome analysis.Furthermore,the protein expression of the tumor suppressor P53 was significantly de-creased in YP group compared with model group,whereas that of PPARG was significantly increased.Western blot analy-sis showed that compared with ICR group,Hadhb protein expression was significantly decreased in model group,whereas the opposite trend was detected in YP group.CONCLUSION:The SS-related skeletal muscle damage is closely related to amino acid metabolism disorder and fatty acid degradation.Treatment with YP modulates innate immune defenses,lipid metabolism and energy metabolism in SS,and Hadhb is the key target of YP in SS-related skeletal muscle.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of dot matrix laser combined with subcutaneous separation in the treatment of depressed acne scar.Methods A total of 86 patients with depressed acne scar admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from February 2022 to August 2023 were selected and divided into dot matrix group and combined group according to random number table method,with 43 cases in each group.The patients in dot matrix group were treated with dot matrix laser,and the patients in combined group were treated with dot matrix laser combined with subcutaneous separation.The visual analogue scale(VAS)score,echelle d'evaluation clinique des cicatrices d'acne(ECCA)score,pigmentation area,scar area,treatment satisfaction and adverse reactions were compared between two groups.Results There was no significant difference in VAS scores between two groups after the first treatment and the second treatment(P>0.05).Three months after treatment,the ECCA score of combined group was significantly lower than that of dot matrix group,and the pigmentation area and scar area were significantly smaller than those of dot matrix group(P<0.05).The total satisfaction of patients in combined group was significantly higher than that in dot matrix group(χ2=4.746,P=0.029).There was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse reactions between two groups(χ2=0.453,P=0.501).Conclusion Dot matrix laser combined with subcutaneous separation in the treatment of depressed acne scar can effectively promote scar repair,reduce skin pigmentation area and scar area,and do not increase pain,with good safety and high patient satisfaction.

Objective:To explore the causal relationship between social activity and depressive symptoms in the elderly, and to provide a reference for preventing and interventing depressive symptoms in the elderly.Methods:Data were sourced from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) program, involving 3 164 elderly individuals aged≥60 years with data collected in two measurements, in 2015 (T1) and 2018 (T2). The sample included 1 240 males and 1 924 females aged (71±7) years. Social activities were assessed by constructing a social activity index from the 11 social activities included in the CHARLS questionnaire and the frequency of their activities. The depressive symptoms were assessed using the short version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, CESD-10). A mixed-design ANOVA was used to explore the trends in social activity and depressive symptoms over time and across genders in the elderly adults. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate whether social activity and depressive symptoms in the elderly met the criteria for simultaneous and sequential correlations, followed by a cross-lagged model to analyze the causal temporal or mutual prediction between social activeness and depressive symptoms over a 3-year intervals.Results:The social activity of elderly men at T2 was significantly lower than at T1 ( F=21.00, P<0.001), while no significant difference observed in elderly women ( F=0.31, P<0.001). At both T1 and T2, elderly men scored higher in social activity than elderly women [T1: 2.93±2.98 vs 2.55±2.65,T2: 2.28±2.49 vs 2.24±2.43); F=43.60, 11.24, both P<0.01]. Depressive symptoms at T2 were higher than at T1 for both elderly men and elderly women ((male: 1.90±6.10 vs 21.52±6.08, female: 23.84±6.54 vs 23.07±6.44); F=5.20, 32.77, both P<0.05). Elderly men scored lower than elderly women on depression symptoms at both T1 and T2 (T1: F=45.74, P<0.001; T2: F=69.96, P<0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between social activity and depressive symptoms at both measurement points (T1: r=-0.329, P<0.01; T2: r=-0.343, P<0.01), and a positive correlation across T1 and T2 ( r=0.391, 0.573; both P<0.01), meeting the criteria for simultaneous and sequential correlations, and supporting the basic assumptions of cross-lagged design. Cross-lagged analysis revealed that T1 social activity negatively predicted T2 depressive symptoms (β=-0.128, P<0.001), and T1 depressive symptoms negatively predicted T2 social activity (β=-0.202, P<0.001). Conclusion:There is a bidirectional predictive relationship between social activity and depression symptoms in the elderly. Depression symptoms lead to a decrease in social activity, and a decrease in social activity predicts an exacerbation of depression in the elderly.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of cup-stacking task based on the dyadic coping model in patients with ischemic stroke, in order to provide reference for clinical nurses to effectively rehabilitate these patients and improve their disease coping ability.Methods:This was a quasi-experimental study, a total of 90 patients with upper extremity motor function disorder after ischemic stroke admitted to the Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were selected as participants from October 2022 to March 2023. Among them, 45 patients admitted from October 2022 to December 2022 were selected as the control group, 45 patients admitted from January 2023 to March 2023 were selected as the experimental group. Patients in the control group received routine care and patients in the experimental group received cup-stacking task based on the dyadic coping intervention model. The dyadic coping between the two groups and their spouses were compared before intervention and after intervention(3 months after discharge), the upper extremity motor function, activities of daily living, anxiety, rehabilitation self-efficacy between the two groups were compared before the intervention and after intervention.Results:A total of 5 patients were dropped and 43 patients of the control group and 42 patients of the experimental group completed the study at last. In the control group, there were 28 males, 17 females, aged (61.84 ± 7.13) years old; while their spouses were 17 males, 26 females, aged (61.02 ± 6.79) years. In the experimental group, there were 28 males, 14 females, aged (62.36 ± 7.03) years old; while their spouses were 14 males, 28 females, aged (60.95 ± 6.81) years. After the intervention, the scores of the dyadic coping between the experimental group patients and their spouses were (135.05 ± 8.52), (139.24 ± 9.67) points, which were higher than (119.26 ± 12.23), (120.02 ± 12.34) points of the control group, the differences were statistically significant ( t=6.92, 8.00, both P<0.05); the scores of the upper extremity motor function, activities of daily living, rehabilitation self-efficacy of the experimental group patients were (55.48 ± 4.78), (79.55 ± 6.83), (83.64 ± 10.30) points, which were higher than (51.44 ± 6.20), (72.74 ± 8.93), (70.28 ± 13.13) points of the control group, the differences were statistically significant ( t=3.36, 3.94, 5.21, all P<0.05); the score of anxiety was (13.26 ± 2.96) points, which was lower than (18.53 ± 3.35) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-7.69, P<0.05). Conclusions:The cup-stacking task based on the dyadic coping model can effectively improve the dyadic coping level of patients after ischemic stroke and their spouses, improve the patients′ upper extremity motor function and rehabilitation self-efficacy, so as to facilitate disease recovery and improve the quality of life, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Objective:To investigate the impact of BMI1 expression in OSCC on the recruitment and differentiation of tumor-associat-ed macrophages(TAMs).Methods:BMI1 expression in 519 cases of OSCC tissues and 44 normal controls was analyzed using online datasets of GEPIA 2.0,and validated in 3 cases of OSCC samples and controls by qRT-PCR and western blotting.The function of BMI1/NF-κB axis during OSCC carcinogenesis was investigated by CCK8 assays,wound healing test and transwell assays.Macrophage phenotypes and recruitment were determined using qRT-PCR and western blotting following coculture of the cells with human monocyte cells(THP-1)by OSCC conditioned medium.Moreover,a cell line-derived xenograft(CDX)model was used to detect the effect of BMI1 on tumor growth in vivo.Results:Compared with the normal tissues and cells,the expression level of BMI1 in OSCC tissues and cells was significantly upregulated.BMI1 knockdown impaired the proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities of OSCC cell lines in NF-κB-dependent manner.Furthermore,OSCC cells with high BMI1 expression inhibited the migration of THP-1 cells,promoted M2-like macrophage polarization through NF-κB pathway in vitro.Xenograft experiments further confirmed the inhibitory effect of BMI1 knockdown on the tumorigenesis ability of OSCC cells in vivo.Conclusion:BMI1 promotes M2-like polarization by regulating NF-κB and may be used as a potential therapeutic target for antitumor immunity.

Objective:To analyze the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of a Chinese pedigree affected with Hereditary antithrombin deficiency.Methods:A pedigree diagnosed at the the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Yuying Children’s Hospital in June, 2020 was selected as the study subject. Plasma prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), and thrombin time (TT) of the probands and their pedigree members were determined using a STA-R automatic coagulation analyzer. Antithrombin activity (AT: A) and antithrombin antigen (AT: Ag) in plasma were determined with chromogenic substrate and immunonephelometry assays. All exons and flanking sequences of the anticoagulant protein gene SERPINC1 were amplified by PCR and subjected to Sanger sequencing. Candidate variants were verified with bioinformatic tools (PolyPhen-2, SIFT, Mutation Taster and PYMOL) to explore their effect on the function and structural conformation of the protein. Results:The probands (Ⅱ 2, Ⅱ 10), their brother (Ⅱ 5) and sons (Ⅲ 1, Ⅲ 8) had shown normal PT, APTT, FIB, and TT, but significantly decreased AT: A and AT: Ag, with their levels being 34%, 57%, 56%, 48%, 53% and 13.51 mg/dL, 13.44 mg/dL, 18.39 mg/dL, 17.36 mg/dL, 17.71 mg/dL, respectively. The remaining pedigree members had normal values. Sanger sequencing revealed that the probands and all affected pedigree members had harbored a heterozygous c. 851T>C (p.Met284Thr) missense variant in exon 5 of the SERPINC1 gene. Bioinformatic analysis and simulation suggested that the variant has resulted in alteration of hydrogen bonds at the c. 851 position, which may affect the structure of the protein. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was classified as pathogenic (PS1+ PM1+ PM5+ PP1+ PP4). Conclusion:The probands and other affected members were all diagnosed with type I hereditary AT deficiency, for which the c. 851 T>C (p.Met284Thr) variant of the SERPINC1 gene may be accountable.

Objective:To explore the causal relationship between social activity and depressive symptoms in the elderly, and to provide a reference for preventing and interventing depressive symptoms in the elderly.Methods:Data were sourced from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) program, involving 3 164 elderly individuals aged≥60 years with data collected in two measurements, in 2015 (T1) and 2018 (T2). The sample included 1 240 males and 1 924 females aged (71±7) years. Social activities were assessed by constructing a social activity index from the 11 social activities included in the CHARLS questionnaire and the frequency of their activities. The depressive symptoms were assessed using the short version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, CESD-10). A mixed-design ANOVA was used to explore the trends in social activity and depressive symptoms over time and across genders in the elderly adults. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate whether social activity and depressive symptoms in the elderly met the criteria for simultaneous and sequential correlations, followed by a cross-lagged model to analyze the causal temporal or mutual prediction between social activeness and depressive symptoms over a 3-year intervals.Results:The social activity of elderly men at T2 was significantly lower than at T1 ( F=21.00, P<0.001), while no significant difference observed in elderly women ( F=0.31, P<0.001). At both T1 and T2, elderly men scored higher in social activity than elderly women [T1: 2.93±2.98 vs 2.55±2.65,T2: 2.28±2.49 vs 2.24±2.43); F=43.60, 11.24, both P<0.01]. Depressive symptoms at T2 were higher than at T1 for both elderly men and elderly women ((male: 1.90±6.10 vs 21.52±6.08, female: 23.84±6.54 vs 23.07±6.44); F=5.20, 32.77, both P<0.05). Elderly men scored lower than elderly women on depression symptoms at both T1 and T2 (T1: F=45.74, P<0.001; T2: F=69.96, P<0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between social activity and depressive symptoms at both measurement points (T1: r=-0.329, P<0.01; T2: r=-0.343, P<0.01), and a positive correlation across T1 and T2 ( r=0.391, 0.573; both P<0.01), meeting the criteria for simultaneous and sequential correlations, and supporting the basic assumptions of cross-lagged design. Cross-lagged analysis revealed that T1 social activity negatively predicted T2 depressive symptoms (β=-0.128, P<0.001), and T1 depressive symptoms negatively predicted T2 social activity (β=-0.202, P<0.001). Conclusion:There is a bidirectional predictive relationship between social activity and depression symptoms in the elderly. Depression symptoms lead to a decrease in social activity, and a decrease in social activity predicts an exacerbation of depression in the elderly.